The house call doctor is alive and wellMarch 6, 2023Mobile veterinary practice is not new, being common in large animal practices, and there are small animal veterinarians who travel to their clients with fully-equipped vans that are essentially hospitals on wheels.
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Practicing antimicrobial stewardshipFebruary 1, 2023 Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), particularly as related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), should be considered daily due to its global prioritization by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other human and veterinary key groups.
SDMA testing key to better kidney diagnosesJanuary 31, 2023A robust kidney evaluation—from juvenile to geriatric—should include all reliable screening diagnostics. In addition to creatinine (CREA) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) testing now plays an increasingly important role in diagnostics.
Tips on clinical sonography to improve the practiceJanuary 24, 2023Today’s technology offers a vast array of image quality advancements, workflows, and techniques. These machines have competitive factors that play a role in any ultrasound implementation on any given patient. Moreover, ultrasound has become extremely available in clinics.
The Wood's lamp versus M. CanisJanuary 18, 2023There were only a few percentages we were told to "memorize for boards" in veterinary school, a dozen years ago now. These included odds of malignancy in dog/cat mammary masses (50 percent/90 percent); canine splenic mass diagnoses (33 percent hematoma/hemangioma/ hemangiosarcoma); failure rates of TPLO versus TPP versus. lateral band in canine cruciate disease (now debunked); and, in dermatology, the sensitivity of the Wood's lamp in diagnosing dermatophytosis: less than 50 percent. Where did "50 percent" come from, and why has it been lodged so firmly in our heads? So firmly that I recently ran across this same number in the crisp 2022 edition of a small animal textbook. That number is wrong, and my veterinary friends, colleagues, students still quote it. It is also possible the first percentages quoted here need updating—they probably do (See: "When in doubt cut it out! But by how much?" by Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMA on VPN Plus+). A closer look at M. canis Dermatophytosis in small animals is generally caused by one of three fungal organisms: Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. M. canis is the only one of these that produces pteridine …
Assisted feeding methods and benefits of nutritional supportJanuary 16, 2023Successful support and management through enteral feeding involves critical decisions, including appropriate nutrition, assessment, early intervention, and proper tube selection.
My canine patient ate a grape—now what?December 23, 2022Despite our new suspicions, the scant, published evidence does not yet definitively identify the toxic principle, much less how many grapes or raisins it takes to get to the center of the Tootsie Pop. That means I am stuck in the unenviable position of treating every single patient/event on a worst-case basis, right?
Hookworms are becoming resistant to treatment—what now?December 22, 2022Hookworm cases are on the rise, not just in the South, where warm and humid conditions provide a perfect environment for them. In 2018, the prevalence of hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum) was just four percent in dogs across the country. Three years prior, it was only two percent, meaning, it had risen by almost 50 percent in that period.
Implementing consensual touch for better patient careDecember 22, 2022For many years, working with animals in veterinary medicine was performed with a “get the job done” mindset. Restraint methods were primarily used to meet our own needs, get tasks done, treat patients, and keep all humans safe by avoiding bites or scratches. Minimal effort or consideration was put into how these techniques may feel for our patients.
Technician tips for critical care patientsDecember 21, 2022Technicians will be asked at some point in their career to monitor critical patients, where a high level of care, concentration, and critical thinking skills are required.
