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DVM360 MAGAZINE, Jan 1, 2006

Small Animal Texas A&M performs rare canine heart surgery By Jessica Tremayne College Station, Texas — The second-ever attempt to perform cardiac catheterization on a dog was successful at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Correcting polyuric disorder could put incontinence on hold By Johnny D. Hoskins, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM Q. Please review urinary incontinence in dogs. Are you feeding the energy vampire? By Carl A. Osborne, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM If only I had more time." How often have you experienced this thought at the start, during or at the end of a busy day? Exploring the VetCancer Registry By VetCancer Registry Exploring The Vet Cancer Registry Heavy metal toxicoses in pet birds: Watch for combination of gastrointestinal and nervous systems signs By Michael P. Jones, DVM, Dipl. ABVP Surgery may be necessary if the lead particles cannot be removed with other methods. Study examines effects of S-Adenosylmethionine By Lisa Carioto, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM Severe liver disease impairs hepatic methionine metabolism, thereby reducing SAMe availability. Food Animal USDA study eyes tred data on antimicrobial use By Jennifer Fiala Fort Collins, Colo. — A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) study reveals antimicrobials have been used more often to treat respiratory disease and mastitis than for all other diseases common among dairy operations. Practice Management: A closer look at metabolic profiling By Charles E. Gardner, DVM, MBA, Dipl. ABVP Metabolic profiling and its results have disappointed me several times during my career. Yet I recently had success using an approach promoted by University of Wisconsin (UW) associate professor Dr. Gary Oetzel, who believes two subclinical syndromes account for a large percentage of dairy farms problems. An unseemly symphony My job is to go to the front, lance the abscess and flush it out. Livestock shows: Commingling serves as recipe for infection, disease By Christine Navarre, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM Show season kicks off in a couple months with the promise that livestock will be hauled to county and state fairs across the country. Combine inexperienced showmen with the commingling of hundreds of animals, and problems are almost destined to materialize. The following discussion highlights a variety of conditions common in livestock exhibited at shows that food animal veterinarians often are called upon to diagnose and treat. Swine practitioners aim for PRRS eradication By Jennifer Fiala St. Paul, Minn. — The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) adopted a position statement reaffirming its war on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) — a disease estimated to cost the industry $560 million annually Obenski Twilight Zone, The phone Call...Unfortunately it's not a prank In the 1960s, Rod Serling came to my house each week. He took me, along with millions of other Americans, to a place he called The Twilight Zone. His television show, for which he wrote and hosted, featured half-hour stories with strange and bizarre endings. Many years later, Mr. Serling's format for entertainment was revised into a somewhat different form. It was called Twilight Zone, The Movie. News Rising costs of care By David Frabotta National Report — Double-digit hikes in healthcare premiums, volatile fuel prices and swelling inflationary pressures are just a few of factors forcing practices to take a close look at raising fees. Speak out A DVM Newsmagazine question for veterinarians. Judge strikes at declaw ban, sides with CVMA Los Angeles — A Superior Court judge ended West Hollywood's fight to ban cat declaws for now. AVMF offers grants to hurricane victims Schaumburg, Ill. — Veterinarians impacted by this year's hurricanes are eligible for $2,000 humanitarian grants from the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Expert ranks nation's avian flu surveillance Washington — With 9.3 billion poultry and 20 million doses of vaccine, the United States represents the world's most equipped nation poised to detect and destroy avian influenza. Governane, disaster summit top AVMA action By Jennifer Fiala Schaumburg, Ill. — Political jockeying between the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) ruling parties eases as the organization moves closer to a revised governing accord. FVMA cultivates politicians at the grass roots level By Jessica Tremayne Orlando, Fla. — In a push to unify the voice of veterinary medicine, the Florida Veterinary Medical Association is encouraging practitioners to enter politics. Canine Genome decoded By Jessica Tremayne Boston — The genetic makeup of cancer is the next target for researchers at the Broad Institute after the successful mapping of the canine genome. Database unlocks disease trends By Jennifer Fiala The federal government wants trend data on outbreaks of zoonotic disease and is looking to corporate veterinary practice to provide it. The sweet life By David Frabotta There's still something very James Herriot-like about jumping in your truck and visiting farms every day," he says with palpable satisfaction. The analogy isn't too far off. Dr. Peter Ostrum relishes the lifestyle as much as the medicine, and he thrives on the bonds he creates with his clients and the close-knit community he serves. NCVEI to study learning gaps based on gender By Jennifer Fiala Schaumburg, Ill. — The National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) plans to tackle income disparities between male and female veterinarians. WVC to offer new programs Las Vegas — The Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) says it anticipates attendance to top 8,500 at its annual meeting here. New Jersey crafts pain, distress guidelines Springfield, N.J. — The New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association (NJVMA) unveils veterinary medicine's first pain management guidelines, beating at least two national groups to the task. Older owners, a growing market By Banfield/Bardsley Neidhart Older owners: a growing market. AVMA Washington bureau names assistant director Schaumburg, Ill. — The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has hired Dr. Bobby Nichols to serve as assistant director of the group's Governmental Relations Division (GRD). Foie gras stand falters at Executive Board level By Jennifer Fiala Schaumburg, Ill. — Illinois, Massachusetts and Chicago City Hall debate it, but the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) appears it will not, for now, address the practice of foie gras production. DVM Newsmaker Summit makes debut at CVC East Veterinary medicine faces a myriad of challenges in 2006. From an increasingly aggressive animal welfare movement to dwindling state funds for veterinary colleges, the issues impact this profession in multi-faceted ways. AVMA Takes on Stem Cell Research, Exotics Trade By Jennifer Fiala Schaumburg, Ill. — American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) leaders approved several positions, recognized diversity and upped convention registration fees starting in 2007 to earn an estimated $86,000 extra. Words to live by By Daniel R. Verdon St. Paul, Minn. — "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others lives on." Practice Management Legal War stories By Christopher J. Allen, DVM, JD A love note from the Empire State said it would seize the X-ray, ultrasound and Q-Tips to satisfy Oldtimer's sales tax obligations. Practice in the Real World: The Sermon By David M. Lane, DVM, MS Most real issues are unspoken and well recognized at the staff level. Remodel and deduct: Tax-law changes shrink deduction timeline for capital expenses By Mark E. Battersby When it's time to fix-up, remodel or redecorate the building, clinic or offices that house your veterinary practice, you will want to keep out-of-pocket expenditures to a minimum and recover as much of the funds spent as quickly as possible. Fortunately, both those veterinarians who own their own buildings and those who lease their property can take advantage of a variety of tax deductions, credits and other tax breaks to achieve those goals. Practice for Profit: Staff Shortages pose real threat By Gerald Snyder, VMD Practices whose staff are so well treated that they feel like family may be harder to compete with. Equine AAEP to study CE expansion Seattle — The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is planning to study the viability of regional continuing education. Equine rescue 101: Aiding a downed horse By Kenneth L. Marcella, DVM Horses regularly get into dangerous situations in the most unusual and mundane places.