Hip Dysplasia: Classic Changes On X-raysJune 2, 2009When evaluating dysplastic hip films, radiographic changes may include: A 7-month-old male Labrador suffering from severe hip dysplasia. • Hip subluxation, i.e. less than 66 percent coverage of the femoral head by the acetabulum. • The margins of the acetabulum and femoral head are not parallel. They form a triangle or a wedge. • Increased width of the joint space. • Thickening of the femoral neck. • Flattening or deformity of the femoral head. • Flattening of the acetabulum. A 6-year-old female Rottweiler suffering from severe hip dysplasia. • Irregular acetabulum rim. • Osteophytes on the acetabulum, femoral head and neck. • Sclerosis of the subchondral bone. A description of a normal hip would include: • Two-thirds of the femoral head are covered by the acetabulum. • The margins of the acetabulum and femoral head are parallel. • A small, flattened area of the femoral head represents the fovea capitis, which is where the round ligament attaches. This is a normal finding. <HOME>
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Treating Congestive Heart FailureJune 2, 2009 Karsten Schober, DVM, Ph.D., recently concluded a clinical study at Ohio State University that sought to utilize cardiac ultrasound to identify and stage congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs. Twenty-one dogs with asymptomatic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), 23 dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease (MVD) and 10 dogs with CHF caused by MVD or DCM were enrolled, for a total of 63 canine patients. Any dog with dilated cardiomyopathy or MVD was welcome to the study unless it was treated with high doses of diuretics. The study began in 2006 and concluded in April. “The patients were given a clinical exam, chest radiography, cardiac ultrasound, blood chemistry, NTproANP and NTproBNP,” Dr. Schober says. “The dogs’ owners were asked to monitor respiration at home three times a day. Patients were re-evaluated in five to 14 days, and the effects of treatment based on the initial diagnosis and home monitoring were assessed.” The results of the study may help to diagnose CHF earlier, better stratify cardiovascular risk, tailor therapy to specific dog needs, and reduce the exposure of radiation required for repeated thoracic radiography, which is current protocol. “A lot of thinking has to go behind the final …
Omental Lengthening 101April 24, 2009 The omentum is very useful in the abdomen as is. It can be even more useful in distant places by using a lengthening technique. After exteriorizing the spleen and the omentum, the dorsal leaf is retracted cranially to free it up from the pancreas, where it attaches. Hemostasis can be achieved with 3-0 or 4-0 PDS ligatures. When the dorsal leaf is extended caudally, you now have a wide, beautiful leaf of omentum. Need an even longer flap? You can create an inverted L-shaped incision caudal to the gastro-splenic ligament, on the left side of the patient. The left lateral half to two thirds of the omentum’s width is thus separated. Again, hemostasis is achieved with double ligatures. The caudal third of the omentum is preserved to insure vascularization of the pedicle. The omental extension can now be used in various distant places through a tunnel, for example in the abdominal wall and under the skin. It can also be used in the thorax. For a complete description, refer to Page 222 in the third edition of “Small Animal Surgery,” by T.W. Fossum (Mosby Elsevier, 2007). The chapter “Surgery of the Integumentary System” …
Products Help In Equine Oral ExamsApril 24, 2009 Equine dental technician Christine Griffin’s most essential tool is her new Enova Medical Technologies cordless headlamp. The device cost $800 and enables her to see inside a horse’s mouth better than any other lamp she’s used. "The lamp is brighter and it doesn’t get hot," she says. "You can really see so you won’t miss anything. And that’s much better for the horse." Griffin works in Ramona, Calif., with veterinarian Lisa Grim, who purchased a mobile dentistry unit from veterinarian Tom Allen of Missouri when he upgraded. The mobile unit allows horses to be treated more safely. They can be placed in stocks, which they can lean against. "They stay calmer, so you need less sedative," Griffin said. Horses are kept cleaner during procedures, as opposed to when services are performed in the stable or in the field. Exams are easier because the unit can be darkened so the veterinarian or technician can better see problems. Among the other benefits of the mobile unit are a state-of-the-art periodontal unit and a digital radiography machine. The rigs are custom-built by trailer manufacturers working with veterinary equipment companies. Turnbow …
First Impressions Of Fourth-Year RotationsApril 17, 2009What's interesting about transitioning from a student to a doctor is the way in which the everyday scenery around you changes. Like how the small-animal hospital, once a familiar and comforting place where real veterinarians work at a leisurely pace, modulates into a meshwork of clinicians whose lives are filled with never-ending patient cases, emergencies, constant pages and sleep deprivation. This is not obvious during the first three years of veterinary school. Veterinarians here (aside from the dentistry folks) never really sleep, and coffee is a staple in the food pyramid. Then there are the ICU and ward nurses, whom you know only in hallway passing during previous years–they become the most familiar faces in the hospital. During fourth year, you discover that they are the souls of the hospital unit, existing on some sort of alien energy … never running out of patience for the animals they care for. Honestly – I have unending respect for my profession. Fourth-year is challenging, and an unexpected continuum of ups and downs. Sometimes you're prepared, and other times, you fail miserably. Simply stated, you take what you've studied over the past three years and apply it to real patients. As prepared as …
Using The Power Of The Press To Grow Your PracticeApril 17, 2009 Whether your practice is well established or you are planning a grand opening, you will want publicity to be a part of your marketing strategy. Practices that achieve the kind of publicity that media exposure offers grow faster and stay in business longer than those that do not. Media exposure is valuable publicity and can be even more powerful than paid advertising. Advertising is increasingly expensive for any business, new or established. Publicity is free and can even be more powerful than paid advertising. America’s largest corporations know this and use it to their advantage—and you should, too. Develop a Media Kit No matter how large or small your practice is, you need to have a media kit. It is your story in a folder. If you carefully develop it and keep it up to date, you will be surprised at how often you use it and how helpful it is. Inside the folder, keep the following: • A news release about you and your practice (most important) • A photo of you and your hospital • Your bio in a short, one-page presentation • A brief summary of testimonials, praise and recommendations. • A brief …
Clean Vs. Contaminated SurgeryApril 17, 2009 Confused by the amount of contamination to expect during your patient’s surgery? The table below is a good start to help you predict contamination and refine your antibiotherapy: • Which type (s) of antibiotics? • What dosage? • How often? • For how long? Granted, such antibiotics should be based on a culture and sensitivity, but until those results are in, empiric antibiotherapy is in order. This surgery classification is derived from the wound classification created by the National Research Council in humans. It is based on the level of expected bacterial contamination. Surgery Classification Description Examples Clean Typically an elective surgery in a non-contaminated, non-traumatic and non-inflamed surgical site -Neuter -"Routine" laparotomy -Elective orthopedic surgery Clean contaminated Here surgery involves the respiratory, GI or genitourinary system, ie often a hollow organ -Enterotomy -Enterectomy -Cystotomy Contaminated Similar surgeries, but with leakage or a major break in aseptic technique -Enterotomy -Enterectomy -Cholecystectomy -Cystotomy Dry A hollow organ is ruptured -Infected surgical site -Septic peritonitis -Abscess -Ruptured …
Clinics, Careers Look For Little ReliefApril 17, 2009 Economic challenges and shifting attitudes among younger veterinarians are contributing to a steady evolution in the supply and demand equation surrounding relief veterinary work. Ivette Nessim, DVM, manager of DC Relief Vets LLC, a relief services firm in the Washington, D.C., area, says she’s seen a general upward trend in demand despite the economic downturn. She says demand is driven by a shortage of veterinarians nationwide and an increase in female veterinarians who work part time in order to raise families. She also notes that many full-time veterinarians frequently lament being overworked and underpaid, further driving demand for relief services. Tiffany Lewis, DVM, a relief veterinarian operating in central Florida, agrees. Finding a Relief Veterinarian Relief veterinarians serve as high-profile team members while delivering care to patients. Thus, practices need to look for the same qualities in these employees as they would in a full-time veterinarian. Christine Merle, DVM, a consultant with the Brakke Veterinary Practice Management Group and past president of the Association of Veterinary Practice Management Consultants & Advisors, says a good relief veterinarian comes prepared and ready to work. “A good …
Foundations Against CancerApril 17, 2009 Formed through a joint venture of Pets Best Insurance and Oncura Partners, the non-profit Pet Cancer Foundation maintains a Web site that provides pet owners with information about pet cancer treatment options and veterinarians with a link to a free initial oncology consultation with Oncura’s board-certified veterinary oncologists. The initial consultation provides the referring veterinarian with an initial diagnosis and recommended treatment plan. For Oncura, it provides an opportunity to introduce its services to general practitioners. Pets Best, on the other hand, expects to benefit from goodwill generated by underwriting the site. It also expects that pet owners educated about treatment options for pet cancer may be more receptive to pet insurance. The site launched in February. Pet Cancer Foundation's Web site also links to the Morris Animal Foundation’s Web site. Morris Animal Foundation is running a separate Canine Cancer Campaign, in which it hopes to raise $30 million to fund research into the prevention and treatment of canine cancer. To date, major pledges to the campaign have come from Pfizer Animal Health ($1.1 million), Pets Best ($1 million), the Golden Retriever Foundation ($500,000), …
Vaccine Types Licensed For UseApril 17, 2009Vaccine types licensed for use for cats. Click to Enlarge
