Pet Food Recall Information!
This morning the FDA announced that the latest "Suspect Compound" is Melamine How many pets were affected by the recalled pet foods??
You can help answer this question by responding to this survey whether you HAVE or HAVE NOT seen one or more cases of renal failure associated with consumption of the implicated pet foods. Many VINners have posted suspected cases, but we need more information from ALL VINners to get a feel for the true scope of the problem. Results from both the message boards data collation and survey responses will be merged and analyzed. The results will be shared with the profession. Keep Current on the Recall
Last Friday we were told that the rodenticide, aminopterin, was implicated as the toxin in the recalled pet foods. This might not be the case. Read more here. Also available is a new VIN summary about monitoring renal function in exposed pets. Check back often as we, as a community, update information about the Menu Foods, Inc. nationwide recall of wet pet foods. We will continue to compile what we know up to the moment: VIN COMMUNITY SUMMARY There are also several ongoing message boards discussions for VIN Members. The main discussion is here.
USDA gives limited approval for canine melanoma vaccine
VIN Consultant Philip J. Bergman, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM, Head of the The Donaldson-Atwood Cancer Clinic at The Animal Medical Center of New York, and his colleagues, conducted a clinical trial studying the effects of a DNA vaccine on recurrence of malignant melanoma in dogs. The melanoma vaccine, developed through a partnership with Merial, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and AMC, has been granted limited approval by the USDA.
Learn about melanoma, treatment options and the new vaccine by reading Phil's recent rounds presentation, Of Mice and Men (and Dogs!): Xenogeneic DNA Vaccines for Canine Malignant Melanoma. Congratulations, Phil! We are very proud of you for what you have achieved for our patients and for reinforcing how fruitful collaborations between veterinary and human medical researchers can be!
Pre-register for ABVP 2007!
Find out more about the 2007 annual conference of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, April 27-29 in Long Beach, CA. Pre-registration closes April 13th. For an idea of what it's all about, be sure to check out the proceedings from the ABVP 2006 Conference.
New in VeterinaryPartner:
Texas Farm Radio:
Comparison of Three Methods for Closure of Mastectomy Incisions in Dogs
Duration of surgery was significantly shorter in the group with skin closure alone, compared to the conventional mastectomy closure groups with drainage (P=0.014) or without (P=0.008). No significant differences were found in respect of complications over time among the three closure techniques. Drain presence or absence had no effect on the outcome.
Tail-Tip Pedicle Graft for Distal Pelvic Limb Wound Reconstruction in a Cat
Secondary closure of a chronic skin wound overlying the calcaneal tuberosity was achieved using the skin of the tail tip to form a folded, vascularised pedicle graft. The skin was disconnected from the tail after five weeks. The procedure was well tolerated and healing of the donor and recipient sites progressed uneventfully. The rich anastomosing cutaneous vascularity of the tail, combined with the flexibility and durability of the tail as a vascular pedicle, may be advantageous in the reconstruction of distal pelvic limb defects.
Use of Laser Ablation and Cryosurgery to Prevent Primary Feather Growth in a Pigeon (Columba livia) Model
Many species of birds kept in captivity must be rendered flightless to prevent escape from open enclosures. Feather follicle ablation with both the diode laser and the cryoprobe are effective in preventing feather regrowth; however, success with the cryoprobe depends on the ability of the probe to directly contact the feather follicle. Diode laser is a superior technique because it is faster, easier to perform, and causes minimal tissue damage.
Congenital Pelger-Huët anomaly in a horse
Congenital Pelger-Huët anomaly (PHA) was documented on the basis of persistent neutrophil hyposegmentation on serial blood smears, ruling out of acquired causes of PHA, and findings of similar neutrophil hyposegmentation on blood smears from the colt's sire and the sire's siblings. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of congenital PHA in a horse.
Is There A Drug That Will Prevent Feline Aortic Thromboembolism?
About 1 in 10 women will get breast cancer (about the same ratio as cats with severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that will get saddle thrombi, we think). Now, if you, being a woman, were told to take this drug X, because it might prevent breast cancer (nothing proven, nothing known, some preliminary studies in rats and some kinetic data), and you had to take it for the rest of your life, and you didn't know if it would actually (A) work and (B) not cause harm, would you do it?
Is It Our Job To Educate Our Colleagues About Dentistry? The Origins Of Pet Dental Month
You have knowledge and skills that are valuable. If you offer yourself as a resource, you might be surprised how willing your colleagues are to learn more. It is very gratifying to see reluctant veterinarians change their minds about dentistry, once they see how rewarding it can be to do some of these procedures. The effect may be very localized, but you can "think globally and act locally."
Owner Wants To Euthanize Dog That May Be Treatable
I do not have a monopoly on death. I have a monopoly on *humane* death. A client who really wants his animal dead will make his animal dead, one way or another. I sleep better knowing I can make that happen without the use of a gun, car exhaust, hunting knife, etc.
Chinchilla With Normal Oral Exam But Overgrown Roots Visible On Skull Radiograph
This chinchilla has horrible dental disease. In these animals, the crowns don't tend to extend into the mouth (they can often look quite normal as you saw on the oral exam), but the roots elongate and project down into the mandible, and up into the orbital area and brain.
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 Practice Management Rounds
Sunday, April 1, 10 pm ET
Join Rebecca Brahm, DVM, Thom Haig, DVM and Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA for Mentorship for New Grads and "Old" Owners. -- Read the Handouts
This Week's Rounds Schedule -- use the Rounds link to join the discussion.
Weekday Rounds
Monday, April 2, 9 pm ET
Join Lester Mandelker, DVM, DABVP, for Medicine From The Inside Out: Osteoarthritis And Oxidative Stress. This is part 3 of a 4 part series on oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and novel therapies.
This Week's Rounds Schedule -- use the Rounds link to join the discussion.
Virtual Coffeehouse
Tuesday, April 3, 9:30 pm ET
Tax day is almost here! Have you done yours yet? Stop by and tell us!
This Week's Rounds Schedule -- use the Coffeehouse link to join the discussion.
How to Use VIN: Part 1
Wednesday, April 4, 9:30 pm ET
Learn how to use VIN. Email Nate@VIN.com for more information about this three-session course. Recent Rounds
 Abstract Of The Week:
Anesthetic Management of the Head Trauma Patient
What's Your Diagnosis?
* Ophthalmology Case: 13
* Case Archives
Associate - Updated and New:
* Dancing Doberman disease is probably a peripheral neuropathy! Explore the rest of the Associate!
Website Of The Week:
The Compendium of Veterinary Vaccines for Transboundary Diseases, and more ...
Book Review of the Week:
Biology, Medicine, and Surgery of Elephants
You may purchase this book in the VIN store. Get More From VIN!
* How Do I...Email Another VINner?
* Read The "How to Use VIN" Tutorial
* How Can I ... Learn Associate?
* How Can I ... Become a Super-Duper VIN User?
* How Can I ... Post an Image on the Message Boards?
eVetsites Tip of the Week:
Add a Pet Food Recall Linked Page
Upcoming Conferences
Looking to attend -- or contribute a paper to -- a veterinary conference? Check out the On The Road With VIN folder, or the Press Releases folder, to see what conferences are coming up and to visit their web sites! Links to information about upcoming conferences include: BSAVA, NAVDF, ABVP, VOOJAARSDAGEN and CVC East.
From the Boards:
* How Can I Slow My Practice's Growth?
* Mast Cell Tumors In Swine
* Controlled Drug Questions
* Advice To New Grads
Feline House Soiling
The treatment of feline elimination disorders requires a basic understanding of why cats might begin to soil on surfaces and locations other than their designated litter area. Marking problems, for example, may respond to drug and pheromone therapy, but may not be significantly improved until the cause of the marking can be identified and treated. On the other hand, cats may begin to soil in inappropriate locations if there are medical or behavioral problems that lead to avoidance of their litter area, or if they develop preferences for other surfaces or sites in the home. This seminar will review the causes of inappropriate elimination, in order to develop appropriate and effective treatment protocols. Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to: - Understand why cats might eliminate in inappropriate locations
- Differentiate marking from other forms of inappropriate elimination
- Develop treatment plans that work to improve or resolve the underlying cause
Instructors:
Debbie J. Calnon, BSc, BVMS, MACVSc(Behavior)
Kersti Seksel, BVSc(Hons), MRCVS, MA (Hons), FACVSc. (Animal Behaviour), Dipl. ACVB, CMAVA Dates:
April 23 - May 7, 2007 Real-time sessions: Monday evenings, April 23 and 30; 9:30 - 11:30 pm ET CE Hours: 4 Tuition:
Member/$67, Non-Member/$120 by April 9, 2007;
Member/$74, Non-Member/$133 after April 9, 2007
Course registration open to veterinarians and VSPN members. Required Textbook: None Recommended Textbooks: Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat, 2nd Edition
Landsberg, Hunthausen, Ackerman, 2003.
Available in the VIN bookstore. BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioral Medicine
Horwitz, Mills, Heath, 2002
Available in the VIN bookstore. Clinical Behavioral Medicine For Small Animals - Overall
1997
Available in the VIN bookstore. Training Your Cat
Seksel, 2001 - Hyland House Publishing Pty Ltd
May be available from online retailers. Client Handouts, Behavior, CD-ROM
Landsberg, Horwitz.
Available in the VIN bookstore. To find out more about this course:
Visit the Feline House Soiling page. To register, scroll to the bottom of the course information page and choose the Enroll Now link.
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