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Euthanasia is unfortunately a significant part of our job and although I believe my handling of euthanasia is caring and compassionate, I do detach myself from the emotion of most cases and can sometimes forget just how traumatic it can be for an owner. This is reflected in last week’s veterinary webinar organised by ‘The Webinar Vet’ led by Caroline Hewson (The Pet Loss Vet) who cited a study of 500 owners having experienced their pet being euthanased.
Chasing up overdue bills from clients is one of the least pleasurable part of running a veterinary clinic. But for some vets living in developing countries, getting paid at all is a blessing. Imagine that you are called out to a cattle ranch somewhere in rural Africa. The farmer wants his cows to be artificially inseminated, because his livelihood is dependent on it.
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Being confronted by a dog or cat which has ingested poison can be quite daunting, especially for those who have taken the phone call, so knowing and understanding the resources available to best manage these cases is vital. ‘The Webinar Vet’ organised for Nick Carmichael, an RCVS Recognized Specialist in Clinical Pathology, to lead a veterinary webinar discussing the available resources necessary to deal with any case of poisoning in pets.
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RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine, Professor Danielle Gunn-Moore from Edinburgh University, delivered a practical webinar on how to successfully diagnose and manage triaditis in cats by using her very own Bengal female cat ‘Ninny’ as a perfect example of how to approach these challenging cases. It also becomes clear listening to Ninny’s amazing story that feline triaditis does not often present purely as a singular condition but usually develops as a result of ongoing gastrointestinal problems, and once triaditis has been established a myriad of other conditions may then develop including diabetes, lymphoma and hepatitis.
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We were in for a real treat as Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore from Edinburgh University took to ‘The Webinar Vet’ stand to deliver a practical and information packed webinar on a disease we see all too much of in practice, Feline Lower Urinary Tract disease (FLUTD). Many of us are likely to have participated in CPD covering this topic over the years but as our host Anthony Chadwick stated, what was accepted as the correct treatment for an FLUTD cat five or even two years ago could now be deemed as the wrong course of action.
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Any CPD I’ve encountered that has been delivered by RCVS recognised feline specialist Danielle Gunn Moore has always proved invaluable and last week’s webinar covering Diabetes mellitus (DM) did not disappoint. Danielle’s extensive knowledge and hands on experience means she has the ability to offer practical tips on managing this sometimes challenging condition and any advice which makes the diagnosis and management of DM that much easier has to be a step in the right direction.
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Dental disease in cats is very common with conditions such as periodontal disease, gingivitis and stomatitis, and resorptive lesions being seen in practice. Bacterial plaque is the cause of periodontal disease. If the plaque persists for a prolonged period, it can become calcified to form calculus.
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Feline conjunctivitis can be a challenging condition to treat, both for vet and owner. Its tendency to recur often leads to client frustration, with vets understandably performing a number diagnostic tests and reaching for multiple treatments. Ron Ofri DVM, PhD, DECVO, who led last week’s webinar, questioned if these diagnostic tests and multiple treatments were really necessary and whether, in some cases, they could actually be making the situation worse.
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The first Platinum member’s webinar of the year discussed the controversial subject of feeding raw food to pets. This is a topic which has become hotly debated both within and outside of the profession and can be an area of conflict between vets and some members of the pet owning population who whole heartedly believe in the benefits of raw feeding. In my experience, however, most of the discussions I have had with clients on this subject have been non-confrontational.
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The proposal to ban puppy and kitten sales by third parties took a major step forward today after environment secretary Michael Gove announced his intentions to support the legislation. The proposals have now gone out to consultation and is hoping to “introduce a ban on commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens in England, as well as running an information campaign to raise awareness of best practice when it comes to purchasing a puppy or kitten.”
If you’ve been keeping up with our blog posts over the last few months, you’ll know that we’re on a campaign to reduce plastic pollution in the veterinary industry, and the world in general. Today, we’re investigating an interesting new idea to deal with the unavoidable plastic that accumulates in your practice: the ecobrick.
I am a third-year veterinary student at the University of Surrey with a strong passion for small animal nutrition. All our nutrition teaching has been integrated into our modules and in our first year, we learnt about the role of nutrition in preventative medicine. However, when I have seen practice, and indeed when pet food companies come and talk to us, nutrition is only discussed as part of disease and treatment.