Clinical Suite: A Team-Based Approach to Periodontal Disease Periodontal disease is a disease process that starts with gingivitis and can progress to periodontitis if left untreated. Gingivitis is the only stage of periodontal disease that is reversable.
Completing a Comprehensive Behavioral History Veterinary behavior medicine relies heavily on having a thorough behavioral history. Collecting behavioral histories is best accomplished by the CVT, who is in the prime position to explore the patient’s challenges, translate the client’s observations into usable information, and provide the attending veterinarian with pertinent details.
CVTs and Diabetic Emergencies
Zinc-Responsive Dermatosis in French Bulldogs Zinc deficiency can lead to development of skin disease in a variety of species. Zinc-responsive dermatosis (ZRD) is an uncommon to rare skin disease in dogs.
How to talk to clients about vaccinations Vaccine hesitancy has become a regular part of companion animal practice. Research shows that hesitancy toward human vaccines and hesitancy toward pet vaccines tend to go hand in hand-vaccine spillover.
Cytology of Skin Masses Fine-needle aspiration is a diagnostic procedure frequently used to evaluate cutaneous and subcutaneous masses. Cytology can provide a definitive diagnosis or narrow the category of differentials, helping determine whether the lesion is benign or malignant.
Palliative Approaches to Chronic Pain Osteoarthritis (OA) affects an estimated one in five dogs over one year old, and the prevalence climbs steeply with each subsequent decade In cats older than 10. Radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease appears in 60 to 90 percent of patients, yet feline OA remains one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in companion-animal medicine.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Lungworms in Dogs Lungworms in U.S. dogs include nematode parasites that live in the respiratory tract and a trematode parasite. Fecal diagnostics is a simple way to screen for dogs with respiratory signs for parasitic infections.
Understanding and Addressing Brachycephalic Ocular Syndrome Brachycephalic patients are at risk for a variety of ocular problems resulting from their anatomy. Excessively long eyelids, shallow orbits, eyelid conformation, and lash abnormalities, and a variety of other anomalies, predispose these patients to chronic ocular exposure.
Triage & Trauma Some clinicians thrive on the adrenaline rush of working an emergency case, while others might dread the thought. Whichever part of the spectrum you might fall on, emergency presentations are inevitable and being prepared is key.
Algorithm: Diagnostic Approach to the Coughing Cat The coughing cat presents a clinical challenge. Coughing is a nonspecific clinical sign, and differentials include infectious conditions.
Canine Perianal Fistula Tail amputation was the historical treatment of choice but is no longer recommended. Other surgical options may be incorporated into treatment regimens as adjunctive therapy but have generally been replaced by immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory drugs.
One Health Strategies are Needed to Control Tick-Borne Disease Experts recommend that veterinary teams reassess tick prevention as shifting ranges and emerging pathogens change exposure risks for animals and people.
Cornell Study Links Cranial Shape and Body Weight to Syringomyelia Risk A new retrospective study from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) reports that as dogs are bred smaller, their skulls change shape rather than simply scaling down. As a result, the breeds prone to those changes overlap substantially with breeds predisposed to syringomyelia.
Aging Gracefully With Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is an age-related disease in dogs and cats similar to Alzheimer disease in humans. CDS is an incurable, progressive disease that causes brain dysfunction and behavior changes.
Hands-Free Radiography in Veterinary Medicine Hands-free radiography, which uses nonmanual restraint techniques, is becoming more common among veterinary clinics. Veterinary professionals recognize the need for safer radiography practices that more closely align with those of human medicine.
Beyond the Snapshot: A New Framework for Assessing Dog Bite Risk Assessing dog bite risk has, historically, been done using a “point-in-time” approach, judging a dog’s behavior in an unfamiliar environment without considering how that behavior might differ in a home setting or how well a family might be prepared to manage that risk.
Muzzles Might Be Misunderstood Muzzles can help keep pets and people safe in a variety of situations, but all too often, muzzle stigma prevents pet parents from introducing dogs to muzzles. Muzzle training can be discussed by veterinary professionals.
Handling the Unruly Patient Veterinary clinics are sanctuaries for healing, but they can also be intense, high-stress environments. Constant noise, high activity levels, and overwhelming sensory stimuli can unsettle even the calmest pets.
IVDD in High-Risk Breeds: Early Recognition, Client Education, and Emerging Preventive Strategies Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) remains one of the most common neurologic emergencies encountered in canine practice and a leading cause of pain, paresis, and paralysis in chondrodystrophic breeds.
Dermatology Health and the Microbiome: How They Interact for Healthy Skin from Within Although dermatologic conditions are often caused by food and environmental reactions, the underlying drivers can be more complex than they appear. Emerging research shows an interconnected relationship between the gut microbiome and skin health.
Understanding Reactive Dogs Not every reactive dog presents the same risk. A recent study looks at what behaviors indicate higher escalation risk, as well as tools veterinary professionals can use with their clients to better understand how likely their dog may be to escalate to an oral attack.
Managing Open Wounds in the Inflammatory Phase Injury that results in disruption of the continuity of the body structure is a common cause of emergency presentations. Some wound healing techniques involve initial treatment of the injury as an open wound.
Early Screening & Intervention for Joint Disease in Dogs The health of dog joints plays a role in their overall comfort, mobility, and quality of life. Degenerative joint disease, often referred to as osteoarthritis (OA), is among the most common health issues in dogs.
The ABCs of the Best PIMS Bills are often computer-generated, suggesting some software usage, but programs and their capabilities are obviously underutilized.
Maintaining Continuity During Renovation When renovation of a practice is necessary, planning includes prioritizing continuity of operations.
Building a Veterinary Workplace Where People can Thrive Veterinary medicine has always attracted extraordinary people. It is a profession built upon compassion, resilience, scientific excellence, and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of animals and the people who love them.
Help Vet Assistants Become Credentialed Veterinary assistants play a crucial role in the day-to-day operations of a veterinary practice. Transitioning from a vet assistant to a credentialed vet tech enriches their careers and enhances the quality of care a practice can provide. Further, increasing the number of credentialed vet techs at a practice can generate more revenue. Adding a credentialed technician to a practice increases revenue 18.3% (2019 AVMA Economic Summit, Ouedraogo).
Putting Family-Centered Care into Practice Family-centered care is a proven way to improve patient outcomes while acknowledging the needs and challenges of that pet’s family.
How to Create Engagement in Veterinary Teams Everyday, employees make choices and perform tasks that affect clients, pets, team members, and the practice. These actions impact workplace culture and efficiency. Guiding employees to contribute to self-growth, to each other, and to practice success through workplace engagement is important.
The Metrics That Reveal Your Veterinary Practice’s True Health In the early days of a de novo veterinary practice, growth is easy to recognize. However, measuring growth in a well-established practice needs a different approach.
Q&A: Retaining Veterinary Technicians Education has a role in alleviating shortages in the profession. Inadequate staffing affects practices.
The Metrics That Reveal Your Veterinary Practice’s True Health A busy team and increasing revenue can mask early signs of attrition. Active client and patient data tell the story your appointment book will not.
Factors that Influence & Affect Egg Laying Maximum production of top-quality eggs starts with a closely controlled breeding program emphasizing favorable genetic factors. Sex-Links are the most productive brown egg layers because they are a mix of two high productive breeds.
Setting Expectations: The 3-3-3 Guide A new rabbit needs time to adjust to a new owner and the family. Rabbits also must adjust to a new environment with lots of new smells and sounds. The new rabbit needs time to decompress to be comfortable.
How to Care for Birds: Parrots as Pets Parrots require advanced care due to their social and intelligent nature. Dozens of species of parrots available for adoption, each with its own characteristics and needs.
Everything You Need To Know About Pet Guinea Pigs When given the right care, a pet guinea pig can live up to about 10 years.
Caring for a Pet Rabbit Young rabbits should have annual veterinary exams to evaluate their overall health and well-being. Older rabbits or rabbits with known medical problems may need to be seen more frequently.
Routine Health Care of Rabbits Veterinarians may examine rabbits using techniques similar to those used for dogs and cats.
Rabbit Care for Pet Owners Rabbit owners need to know about proper housing, nutrition, handling, behavior, preventive care, and common health concerns to provide a safe, healthy environment for their pet.
Do Chickens Feel Love? Chickens and hens often follow people around and greet people in the mornings. Sometimes they sit next to their owners or prefer one person over another.
Healthy Habits for Pet Rabbits Some think rabbits make a good starter pet because they are inexpensive, low-maintenance, and stoic. A veterinary student at the University of Illinois and a House Rabbit Society educator dispels common misconceptions about these floppy-eared pets.
Connectional silences are pauses involving emotional acknowledgment or invitation — are associated with patients feeling heard and understood. Setting emotional boundaries is important to help avoid “burn out.”