• Veterinary Medicine
• CE testing area
• Issues and indexes
• Subscribe or renew
• Editorial team
• Advisory boards
• Author guidelines
• Resource guides
• Idea Exchange form
• Client handouts
• Sales team
• Advertiser resources
• Contact us

ADVERTISEMENT

VETERINARY MEDICINE, Feb 1, 2006

Features Providing the best care for senior cats By Cynthia J. Stubbs, DVM, MS, DACVIM Cats are living longer because of a greater focus on routine healthcare for pets. As their veterinarians, we are challenged with the task of helping these cats live long, high-quality lives. The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Academy of Feline Medicine (AAFP/AFM) Panel Report on Feline Senior Care1 provides a consensus on important goals and recommendations to help you care for senior cats. This article highlights many of the principal points in that report in conjunction with my clinical experience. Osteoarthritis in cats: Still a mass of unknowns By Simon Roe, BVSc, PhD, DACVS When addressing arthritis in cats, we presume similarities to arthritis in dogs, interpreting radiographs and clinical signs with canine differential diagnoses in mind. And we develop therapies based on how dogs are managed. But these presumptions have little scientific basis. In fact, we know little about how many cats have arthritis, what effect their arthritis has on their lifestyles, or to what degree therapy improves their comfort level. A challenging case: A German shepherd with a decreasing appetite and azotemia By Kristina Feigin, DVM , Dominique Penninck, DVM, DVSc, DACVR, DECVDI , Mary Anna Labato, DVM, DACVIM , Mark Acierno, DVM, DACVIM A 3-year-old castrated male German shepherd was referred to the Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts University for evaluation of polyuria, polydipsia, and decreasing appetite. Departments Editors' Guest: Old age is not a disease By Ilona Rodan, DVM, DABVP (feline practice) How often have you heard clients say "My cat`s just getting old and cranky--he bites when we try to pick him up," or "She`s missing the box because she`s old. We think it`s time to let her go" Letters: Flea anemia: A left-out cause I just finished reading Dr. Joni L. Freshman's great articles about fading puppy and kitten syndrome in the November 2005 issue of Veterinary Medicine. Her articles were very informative but failed to mention the most prevalent cause of fading kitten syndrome that I see in my practice—flea anemia. Correction: Idiosyncrasies in greyhounds that can affect their medical care (February 2006) By William E. Feeman III, DVM In the article "Idiosyncrasies in greyhounds that can affect their medical care," published in the August 2005 issue, Dr. Lauren Pinchbeck should have been acknowledged as assisting in writing the original manuscript. An Interview with... Dr. Jane Armstrong Veterinarians must get involved in government, says this professor and researcher. "Without our frontline involvement in everything from public health to animal welfare policies, others will make decisions on issues that veterinarians are most qualified to decide." Dental Corner: Feline gingivostomatitis: How to relieve the oral discomfort By Daniel T. Carmichael, DVM, DAVDC Feline gingivostomatitis is probably the most frustrating oral disease seen in veterinary practice. Cats with this chronic, painful inflammatory disease can be severely compromised, and medical treatment can cause adverse effects. Toxicology Brief: The toxicity of iron, an essential element By Jay Albretsen, DVM, PhD, DABT, DABVT Iron is the most abundant trace mineral in the body and is an essential element in most biological systems. Practical Matters: Differentiate cocci from imposters in the urine By Todd Deppe, DVM, DACVIM (internal medicine) I frequently notice a disparity between referred patients' in-house urinalysis results and laboratory-read urinalysis results. Practical Matters: Control recurrent pyoderma by determining its cause By Karen Kuhl, DVM, DACVD Recurrent pyodermas are a frustrating skin problem in veterinary patients. The key to treating them is to identify the underlying cause. But first you must discern whether the pyoderma is truly recurrent or is simply relapsing. Practical Matters: Boost your hypoalbuminemia workup By Scott R. Helms, DVM, DABVP Assessing albumin production and the possible causes of albumin loss is important when diagnosing and treating patients with hypoalbuminemia. Idea Exchange: Make sure patients return home with My Stuff We have an inventory item called My Stuff that is linked to a prescription label with no charge associated with it. Idea Exchange: Find fungal help on the Web If you need help microscopically identifying fungal colonies, visit www.doctorfungus.org. Idea Exchange: A helpful tip on placing a bandage stirrup When placing a stirrup for a bandage, run the stirrup the full length of the bandage and leave extra at the top. Idea Exchange: Clue in owners when making nighttime checkups When you visit the hospital at night to check on patients, be sure to call the owners and give reports. Help bird owners understand what a wing trim is and isn't Before trimming a bird's wings, make sure the owner understands the procedure. Idea Exchange: Don't depend on clients to bring patients' stool samples Our clients often do not bring in stool samples for annual examinations, even when given convenient sample containers. Idea Exchange: Tell clients exactly what their pets should eat To ensure that dog and cat owners know what their pets should be eating, we give new clients nutrition profiles specific to their pets. Mind Over Miller: Not-so-New Breed Vets By Robert M. Miller, DVM I don`t watch many of the popular television channels, but one I do enjoy is Animal Planet.

ADVERTISEMENT