The pros and cons of food allergy testingDecember 12, 2022Cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFR), also known as food allergies, are an immunological reaction to food allergens. CAFR is thought to affect about 20 percent of dogs, and up to 13 percent of cats with allergic skin disease.
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The pros and cons of colloidal silverDecember 9, 2022Like so many supplements, the widely available product, “colloidal silver,” has amassed an ardent following, despite insufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness. Who can blame people for becoming excited when they read an inexpensive bottle of colloidal silver “is an extremely safe and natural antibiotic to treat all sizes and ages of felines, including very young kittens,” and it “can be used internally and externally, to attach the germ from the inside out and the outside in”?
How the helium crisis impacts vet medicineDecember 6, 2022When asked about the challenges facing the veterinary industry, few people will jump straight to a helium shortage. Industrially, helium is primarily used in cryogenics, cooling down machinery to allow proper usage. This includes high-field MRI machines, used throughout the veterinary industry to detect causes of foreign bodies, seizures, spinal pain, and behavioral changes in companion animals. These machines use liquid helium to cool the super-conducting magnet, which creates the strong magnetic field strength required for clarity and consistency while imaging.
The importance of fecal testingDecember 5, 2022Stool samples, a fecal analysis, parasite screenings, a “poop check.” It does not matter what you call it, if you work in a veterinary hospital, it is not the most popular test. Yet, they are performed, most likely, multiple times a day. They give a practitioner a wealth of knowledge, if done correctly, that cannot be discovered by any other means.
Wildfire injuries increase deadly clots, cardiac issues in catsDecember 4, 2022With wildfires plaguing the western United States for several years, a group of vets have pursued a study to look into how the toll-like receptor 4 could play a role in future treatments.
There's a new way to detect cancerDecember 3, 2022There are 14.5 million growths detected every year in the U.S. Approximately 40 percent of them are never diagnosed for reasons of time, cost, and invasiveness of procedure among others.
How to read a scientific paperDecember 2, 2022It is important for veterinarians to constantly strive to improve their knowledge of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, so they remain consistent with new findings. To do otherwise puts them at risk of failing to keep up with the latest clinical advancements.
Glucose monitoring options in dogs and catsNovember 21, 2022More and more frequently, our patients are benefiting from a world of advancing technology to treat various ailments. Diabetes mellites in dogs and cats can be challenging to treat and difficult to monitor due to the stress of hospitalization, nervous pet parents attempting to manage the disease for the first time, and supply shortages. Then there is the cost associated with insulin, syringes, and monitors.
Leptospirosis in dogs and catsOctober 20, 2022Regrettably, whether one considers leptospirosis “emerging,” “endemic,” or a combination of the two, this pathogen is an ongoing global One Health concern.
One vet's tips for safer dental proceduresOctober 20, 2022Diagnostic testing continues to be a great tool to procure as much information as possible about a patient’s health—even mitigating serious risk in certain situations. Testing prior to dental procedures can be particularly important, as oral health evaluation and treatment require use of anesthesia.