ABSTRACT OF THE WEEK

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Volume 12 | Issue 3 (February 2022)

Lessons and Recommendations from a Pentobarbital Shortage: US and Canada 2021.

Animals (Basel). February 2022;12(3):.

Kathleen Cooney¹, Lianna Titcombe²

¹ Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy, Loveland, CO 80538, USA.; ² Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy, Loveland, CO 80538, USA.

Abstract

In 2021, a shortage in the supply of the euthanasia drug pentobarbital sodium affected animal care professionals around the world, including in the United States and Canada. Pentobarbital sodium is the drug of choice for companion animal euthanasia in both countries. The decreased availability of pentobarbital sodium affected a number of animal care industries, forcing conservation of the drug and the use of alternative methods and other agents to facilitate humane death for all manner of animal species. Veterinary medical groups, laboratory research institutions, and the animal sheltering industry worked together to identify the best path forward to maintain routine euthanasia practices and to protect the welfare of animals. This article aims to explore the reasons behind the shortage and to highlight the necessary responses and adjustments made in order to continue providing euthanasia services in North America. Recommendations for handling future pentobarbital shortages are included.

Keywords

euthanasia; humane death; pentobarbital sodium;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Trust in veterinarians and association with vaccine information sources and vaccination status among dog and cat owners.
62.9% of dog and 61.2% of cat owners were classified as trusting their veterinarians. On average, dog owners consulted 2.50 sources about vaccine information; cat owners consulted 2.27 sources. Veterinarians were the most common primary sources of information for 85.4% of dog owners with high levels of trust, but only 62.6% of dog owners with lower levels. This was the case for 83.8% and 56.3% of cat owners.

Factors Associated with Medication Noncompliance in Dogs in New Zealand.
Medication noncompliance was recorded for 47% (71/151) of owners. Increasing dog age was associated with better owner compliance. Forty-seven percent (71/151) of owners reported that "nobody" showed them how to administer the medication. One-third of dog owners (47/151) reported challenges in medicating their pets. The most common reason cited by clients reporting challenges was a resistant pet.

Use of Dog Serologic Data for Improved Understanding of Coccidioidomycosis: A One Health Approach.
The overall seropositivity rate among tested dogs was 37.6%. Average test positivity rates in states with =0.5 tests per annum per 10,000 households were 35.4% (Texas) to 74.1% (Montana). For these states, average annual incidence per 10,000 households was as follows: Arizona (86.8), New Mexico (0.89), Nevada (0.78), California (0.75), Montana (0.63), Colorado (0.41), Oregon (0.41), Texas (0.38), Idaho (0.37), Wyoming (0.34), Utah (0.32), and Washington (0.26). Human incidence in California and Arizona between 2012 and 2022 was significantly correlated with dog incidence.

Association between highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks and weather conditions in Japan.
We found that higher average air temperatures two to three weeks prior, lower average wind speeds four weeks prior, and longer sunlight hours two and four weeks prior to outbreaks were significantly associated with increased risk of HPAI outbreaks in Japan. These results suggest that weather may influence environmental survival and transmission of the virus, as well as patterns of wild bird movement that could seed new outbreaks.

Nursing care of the small animal oncology patient. Part 2: pet carer support
This article outlines how RVNs can alleviate caregiver burden, facilitate shared decision-making, and provide practical and emotional support throughout the oncology journey.