JAVMA News
Panel testing has expanded beyond identifying a dog's breed mix and into identifying risks of genetic disorders. In other news, an AVMA report describes seasonal differences in practice incomes, the overall ability to meet demand for veterinary services, and opportunities connected with pet insurance, among other topics.
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What Is Your Diagnosis?
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What Is Your Neurologic Diagnosis?
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Pathology in Practice
See pages 623, 627
commentary
Student-run free clinics: providing more than care
Student-run free clinics are an emerging instructional model in veterinary medicine that provide benefits not only to the community but also to the students, faculty members, and volunteer veterinarians who participate.
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special report
A model curriculum for the study of animal welfare in colleges of veterinary medicine
Veterinarians are increasingly expected to provide expert advice on animal welfare–related issues. Thus, there is a need to include current and consistent information about factors that affect animals’ welfare and techniques for welfare assessment in the veterinary curriculum.
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Book Reviews
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2016 JAVMA Reviewers
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2016 JAVMA Book Reviewers
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Small Animals & Exotic
Factors associated with anesthetic-related death in dogs and cats in primary care veterinary hospitals
Electronic medical records from 822 hospitals were examined to identify dogs and cats that underwent general anesthesia or sedation and died of anesthesia-related causes ≤ 7 days later. The anesthetic-related death rate was higher for cats (11/10,000 anesthetic episodes [0.11%]) than for dogs (5/10,000 anesthetic episodes [0.05%]). Increasing age was associated with increased odds of death for both species, as was undergoing nonelective (vs elective) procedures. Odds of death for dogs were significantly greater when preanesthetic physical examination results were not recorded or when preanesthetic Hct was outside the reference range. Odds of death for cats were greater when intra-anesthesia pulse oximetry records were absent.
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Accuracy of point-of-care lung ultrasonography for the diagnosis of cardiogenic pulmonary edema in dogs and cats with acute dyspnea
In human emergency patients, point-of-care lung ultrasonography can be used to differentiate cardiogenic from noncardiogenic causes of dyspnea with high sensitivity and specificity. In a study of 76 dogs and 24 cats with dyspnea, sensitivity and specificity of lung ultrasonography for diagnosis of cardiogenic pulmonary edema were 84% and 74%, respectively, which was similar to values for thoracic radiography (85% and 87%, respectively). Use of lung ultrasonography generally led to misdiagnosis of cardiogenic pulmonary edema (ie, a false-positive result) in animals with diffuse interstitial or alveolar disease. Still, findings suggested that point-of-care lung ultrasonography may hold promise as a diagnostic tool for dogs and cats with dyspnea.
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Surgical management of pivot-shift phenomenon in a dog
A 6.8-year-old dog was evaluated because of continued left pelvic limb lameness 1 year after undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. A jerking lateral movement of the left stifle joint was detected during walking, and orthopedic examination revealed a pivot-shift phenomenon. Palpation elicited no signs of discomfort over the TPLO plate or caudomedial aspect of the stifle joint. Radiography revealed complete bone fusion at the osteotomy site and only mild joint effusion. Arthrotomy did not reveal any meniscal tears. The plate was removed, and an extracapsular, synthetic, ligament-like biomaterial was placed to counteract internal tibial rotation. Six weeks later, lameness had improved considerably with no evidence of PSP.
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Glomerular filtration rate determination by computed tomography in two pet rabbits with renal disease
A 3-year-old rabbit with neoplasia of the right kidney and a 7-year-old rabbit with ureterolithiasis of the left kidney were evaluated to determine whether unilateral nephrectomy was indicated. In both rabbits, glomerular filtration rate was determined by means of dynamic CT. On the basis of functional and morphological CT results, radical nephrectomy was recommended for the rabbit with renal neoplasia, whereas a more conservative approach was recommended for the other rabbit. The rabbit with renal neoplasia recovered without complication. The rabbit with ureterolithiasis underwent ureteral stent placement, and the renal pelvic dilatation resolved. Both rabbits maintained unremarkable serum urea and creatinine concentrations after surgery.
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Special Report
Survey of attitudes toward and experiences with animal abuse encounters in a convenience sample of US veterinarians
In January 2016, the FBI began tracking 4 categories of animal cruelty cases: simple or gross neglect, intentional abuse and torture, organized abuse (eg, dog and cock fighting), and animal sexual abuse. A study of 1,155 practicing veterinarians found that 1,005 (87.0%) had encountered at least 1 case of animal abuse, but only 561 (55.8%) had reported at least 1 case. Most common reasons for reporting abuse were to protect the animal, ethical beliefs, and to protect other animals in the household. Most common reasons for not reporting the abuse were uncertainty the animal had been abused, belief that client education would be better, and belief that the injury or illness was accidental. Most respondents were unaware of the current status of laws in their state regarding animal abuse reporting.
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