AVMA Updates

Feline Fix by Five Campaign

Why the change in recommended age of sterilization of cats?

Philip A. Bushby, DVM, MS, DACVS

In June of 2017, the AVMA formally endorsed the consensus document put forth by the Veterinary Task Force on Feline Sterilization for Age of Spay and Neuter Surgery, which recommends cats not intended for breeding be gonadectomized by five months of age. This joined endorsements from other veterinary medical and cat breeding associations including the
American Association of Feline Practitioners, Association of Shelter Veterinarians, American Animal Hospital Association, Winn Foundation, Catalyst Council, Cat Fancier’s Association and The International Cat Association. Feline Fix by Five (FFF) is a campaign promoted by the
Marian’s Dream Foundation to share this recommendation that has garnered such broad support. FFF was born out of awareness that cats can be reproductively active by 4 to 5 months of age, yet most veterinarians recommend spay/neuter of cats at 6 months of age or older. The
result of this mismatch between age at which cats can become pregnant and the recommended age of sterilization is demonstrated any time one walks into a local animal shelter.

Animal shelters are generally overrun with kittens, the vast majority of which are the result of unplanned and unexpected pregnancies of young cats. A survey conducted in the State of Massachusetts revealed surprising results. While many people believe that pet-overpopulation is the result of pets that are left intact for their entire life, the opposite is true. Cats that were eventually spayed accounted for 87% of all litters born. [1]

Cat owners who are unsure of when to have their cat sterilized or simply wait until 6 months of age or later are faced with the dilemma of what to do with an unexpected litter of kittens. Too often those kittens are relinquished to local shelters and too often those kittens are euthanized. The problem was not that the owners refused to spay or neuter their pet; it was that they didn’t have it done in time.

Esther Mechler of the Marian’s Dream Foundation, who initiated the FFF campaign, has stated that “the number of births prevented – simply by changing the recommended age for spay/neuter of cats from 6 months to between 4 and 5 months – could reduce the numbers of shelter intakes enough to balance the number of potential adopters with available cats and
kittens. We could end the overpopulation of cats by this one simple change.” [2]

As a profession, we need to recognize that there is, at present, no scientifically sound basis for waiting until 6 months of age or older to sterilize cats and no contraindications for spay/neuter at 4 to 5 months of age. Anesthetic concerns about juvenile surgery voiced in the 60s and 70s
are no longer valid. There are many anesthetic drugs and protocols in use today that are safe in cats as young as 6 weeks of age. Old fears that castration of juvenile male cats would predispose to urinary obstruction were disproven in the 90’s. [3]

There are numerous known health benefits for spay/neuter in cats, in addition to the population management benefits, and there is “no evidence to suggest that pediatric gonadectomy by 5 months of age is linked to any
increased risk of disease.” [4] A survey conducted in 2000 of veterinarians who were, at that time, spaying and neutering cats under 5 months of age, confirmed that the surgeries were easier, faster, and had fewer complications than spay/neuter of cats at 6 months of age or older. [5]

So, what should the practicing veterinarian do to make this change? Simply add one more appointment to your standard kitten wellness protocols. Make no changes in current vaccination and parasite control recommendations except add an appointment for spay/neuter two to three weeks after the last kitten vaccination. Owner compliance will be increased,
surgeries will be easier, and, in time, local shelters will not be overrun with kittens.

For more information on Feline Fix by Five go to http://www.felinefixbyfive

For more information on the AVMA’s position on spay neuter go to
http://www.avma.org/spayneuter

1. Manning MM & Rowan AN, Companion animal demographics and sterilization status: Results from a survey in four Massachusetts towns. Anthrozoos 5 (3).
2. Esther Mechler, Personal Communication, October 25, 2017.
3. Stubbs WP Scrugges SL, et al BMS. Prepubertal gonadectomy in the domestic feline: Effects on skeletal, physical and behavioral development. Vet Surg. 1993;22.
4. Dale S. When to Spay/Neuter Cats? Vet Consensus Says Fix by Five Months. Vet Pract News. 2016.
5. Land TDVM, Wall SDVM. Survey of the Coalition of Spay/Neuter Veterinarians. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000;216(5).

AVMA Update July 2018

Aloha and Greetings from Denver Colorado, the location for the 2018 AVMA House of Delegates Summer Session (July 12-13) and AVMA Convention (July 13-17).

The House of Delegates (HOD) is the principal body within the Association
responsible for establishing policy and providing direction for matters relating to veterinary medicine. The House of Delegates consist of one (1) Delegate and one (1) Alternate Delegate appointed by veterinary organizations as stated in the HOD By-Laws.

For the past 27 years, Cordell Chang has been the Hawaii Veterinary Medical
Association member to the House of Delegates. This year, 2018, Cordell will
retire as a Delegate. To honor him for his years of service, the AVMA chose him to give the Invocation to this years HOD meeting. Due to family
responsibilities, he was not able to attend. It was my honor to read his Invocation to the Delegates. Cordell has been a shining light and a personal mentor for me, and like so many of the members have commented, “We will truly miss Cordell!”

This year’s agenda included the following topics (and their action items):

Dog Devocalization – A proposal to express more forceful opposition to debarking was turned down and was then voted to refer the proposal back to the AVMA Board of Directors for reconsideration. The Association’s current policy states that debarking should be used only as an alternative to euthanasia, after efforts to change a dog’s behavior have failed.

Breeding Guidelines – The AVMA House Of Delegates voted for the AVMA to collaborate with others, such as American Kennel Club and Cat Fanciers, on breeding practices and guidelines to minimize inherited disorders in dogs and cats.

Foot and Mouth Disease – Support of a vaccination policy and recommendations on laboratory testing, preparedness activities and messaging. Action: Approval by House of Delegates.

License Portability – What is the need and what are the possible avenues for veterinarians to move across jurisdictions for temporary relief and disaster response? Recommendation from HOD: No action at this time.

Student Debt – Think outside the box. What hasn’t been tried?
Recommendations from HOD:
– Board of Directors investigate methods to make available financial advisor(s) to help veterinary applicants, students, and recent graduates manage the cost of education.
– AVMA investigate and promote strategies for private practitioners to assist students and recent graduates in managing the cost of their education. dents that is financially sustainable for the AVMA.
– AVMA investigate the development of a low interest loan program for veterinary students that is financially sustainable for the AVMA
– AVMA develop a toolbox of advocacy strategies to assist state VMAs to promote increased funding for higher education and loan repayment programs.

Globalization – What role should the AVMA play internationally?
The AVMA staff will create a communication plan for educating AVMA members about its current international activities, develop tools to assess member interest in personal involvement in international initiatives and global volunteer opportunities, and explore international AVMA membership category models.

If anyone would like to discuss more of the above topics or HOD, please feel free to contact me through the HVMA website.

After two days of House of Delegate responsibilities it was now time to learn
(many hours of CE available), socialize (attend a Colorado Rockies Baseball
game), network (Alumni receptions), and be empowered through the words of Keynote speaker Shiza Shaid and participate in community service – Street Dog Clinic (caring for the dogs/cats belonging to the homeless). It was great to see many Hawaii Colleagues participate in this year’s conference entitled “Elevate Your Passion”.

I invite you to the 2019 AVMA Conference in Washington D.C. August 2-9!

Aloha!
Leianne K. Lee Loy, DVM
Hawaii Alternate Delegate for AVMA

AVMF Extends Disaster Relief to Hawaii Veterinarians

AVMF Disaster Relief and Reimbursement Grants

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) provides two grant programs to help veterinarians and the animals they care for during times of disaster. Grants are available to support victims of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, wildfires or oil spills.

Disaster Reimbursement Grants for Veterinary Medical Care

Purpose: The AVMF disaster reimbursement grants are for the purpose of ensuring the emergency veterinary medical care of animal victims of disaster.

Awards: Up to $5,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by veterinarians providing emergency veterinary medical care to animal victims of disasters. AVMF reimburses for the actual cost of medical supplies purchased directly from a vendor. Modest boarding costs may also be covered.

Disaster Relief Grant for Veterinarians

Purpose: The AVMF disaster relief grants are for the purpose of assisting veterinarians who have experienced an emergency need for basic necessities due to a disaster. The grants would cover items such as clothing, temporary housing, transportation and meals that were needed immediately following a disaster.

Awards: Up to $2,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred immediately following a disaster. AVMF reimburses for the actual cost of items purchased directly from a vendor. Modest housing costs may be covered for emergency temporary shelter.

Application Procedure

The applications are posted on the AVMF website. Applicants should follow the online directions for submitting the application and the expense chart. Limited funds are currently available and approved on a first come, first served basis.

Deadline: Applications must be received no later than 120 days following the disaster.

More Information: Please contact Cheri Kowal, Senior Manager, Programs and Operations, 847-285-6691 or CKowal@AVMA.org