President's Column
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JAVMA News
This spring's highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak was the largest animal health emergency in US history, and animal health authorities worry the virus could return. In other news, AVMA officers and candidates described their goals and the current state of the Association ahead of the AVMA Annual Convention.
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Letters to the Editor
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What Is Your Neurologic Diagnosis?
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ECG of the Month
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Anesthesia Case of the Month
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Pathology in Practice
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enhancing clinical decision making
Systematic evaluation of scientific research for clinical relevance and control of bias
By focusing on the problems most commonly encountered in scientific research, clinicians can quickly identify research articles that can be immediately disregarded, thereby saving time and preventing the introduction of invalid information into the decision-making process.
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Dietary fiber concentration and composition of commercial diets used for management of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dietary fat-responsive disease in dogs
Various diets formulated for management of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and dietary fat-responsive diseases (eg, pancreatitis and hyperlipidemia) in dogs are currently commercially available. In a study of 11 dry and 8 canned canine therapeutic diets, however, a wide range of total dietary fiber concentrations and compositions was found, suggesting that veterinarians should request total dietary fiber data from manufacturers unless it is otherwise available. Fiber concentrations varied both within diet categories and between canned and dry versions of the same diet (same name and manufacturer). All canned diets were classified as low fat, despite providing up to 38% of calories as fat.
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Comparison of foods with differing nutritional profiles for long-term management of acute nonobstructive idiopathic cystitis in cats
Results of a new study suggest that targeted nutritional intervention may decrease the incidence of clinical signs in cats with recurrent idiopathic cystitis. In the study, 31 cats with acute nonobstructive idiopathic cystitis were fed a prevention or control diet, and owners documented signs of lower urinary tract disease for up to 1 year. Although proportions of cats that had ≥ 1 recurrent episode of multiple-sign days was not significantly different between groups, cats fed the prevention diet had significantly lower mean incidence rates for recurrent episodes of multiple-sign days and episodes of hematuria, dysuria, and stranguria. Significantly fewer cats fed the prevention diet required analgesics.
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Associations between ureteral obstruction and renomegaly, urine specific gravity, and serum creatinine concentration in cats
Ureteral obstruction is an increasingly recognized clinical problem in cats. In a review of medical records of 89 client-owned cats with (n = 29) or without ureteral obstruction and with (30) or without (30) kidney disease, renomegaly was not associated with ureteral obstruction. Renal asymmetry was detected in 18 cats with ureteral obstruction and 11 cats with kidney disease that did not have ureteral obstruction. For obstructed cats and cats with kidney disease, mean serum creatinine concentration was significantly greater than concentrations for cats without kidney disease, and 28 of 29 cats with ureteral obstruction had hypercreatininemia. Abdominal palpation was not a reliable method for detecting renomegaly.
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Salmonella bacteriuria in a cat fed a Salmonella-contaminated diet
A 9-year-old cat was evaluated because of hematuria and weight loss. The cat had an 8-year history of intermittent signs of feline lower urinary tract disease, but bacteriologic culture of the urine revealed Salmonella organisms. Additional analysis revealed Salmonella enterica serotype I:ROUGH-O:g,m,s:- in samples of urine and feces as well as Salmonella enterica serotype Johannesburg and Salmonella enterica serotype Senftenberg in the diet. The cat responded positively to antimicrobial treatment for the Salmonella bacteriuria as well as to dietary and environmental management for the clinical signs associated with FLUTD. Findings illustrate the importance of obtaining a diet history for every cat during every evaluation.
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Management of a pet dog after exposure to a human patient with Ebola virus disease
In October 2014, a health-care worker who had been part of the treatment team for the first laboratory-confirmed case of Ebola virus disease imported to the United States developed symptoms of Ebola virus disease. The Texas Department of State Health Services commissioner issued a control order requiring disinfection and decontamination of the health-care worker's residence, but this process was delayed until the patient's pet dog was removed from the residence. This report describes the movement, quarantine, care, testing, and release of the pet dog, highlighting the interdisciplinary, one-health approach and extensive collaboration and communication across local, county, state, and federal agencies involved in the response.
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On-site veterinary medical evaluation and care of working dogs and horses at the 2012 Republican National Convention
A review of the veterinary medical care provided to working dogs and horses deployed for the 2012 Republican National Convention found that 46 of the 130 (35%) dogs and all 45 (100%) horses underwent at least 1 on-site veterinary evaluation (478 patient encounters). The most common reason for an on-site veterinary evaluation was a wellness check (446 patient encounters). Results suggested that working dogs and horses deployed for large planned events face different health concerns, compared with concerns previously reported for animals deployed following disasters. Pre-event planning and training of handlers and riders may have helped reduce the number of health concerns, particularly health concerns related to high heat.
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