Newsletter

2018 Legislative Session

Legislative Update 2018 Session

Bill	Summary	Status
HB2498	Establishes and appropriates funds for one full-time equivalent permanent veterinary medical officer position within the Department of Health. HVMA SUPPORTS.	Failed in Senate
HB1823	Defines emotional support animals and makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly make a misrepresentation regarding a service dog or emotional support animal.	Failed in House
HB2060	Removes the word “Examiners” from the names of the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Board of Dental Examiners, Board of Examiners in Optometry, and Board of Veterinary Examiners. Renames the boards with titles that more accurately reflect their scope and duties. HVMA defers to BVE stance.	Failed in Conference Committee
HB2081 SB2566	Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to provide assistance and supplemental funding to the National Wildlife Research Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct pilot field studies to evaluate control tools and develop a management plan to reduce the rose-ringed parakeet population on Kauai.	Passed; Sent to Governor
HB2270 SB2501	Requires the Department of Human Services to establish ohana zones where homeless persons may reside. Appropriates funds.	Failed
SB2014	Requires persons convicted of animal cruelty to register with the attorney general. Requires animal shelters, animal breeders, and pet stores to check whether an individual has been convicted of animal abuse when the individual applies to work or volunteer, or purchases or adopts an animal. Establishes penalties. Prevents persons convicted of animal cruelty from possessing, owning, or working in close proximity to animals. Requires police officers to be trained in identifying and investigating animal abuse.	Failed in Senate
SB2289	Establishes the offense of sexual assault of an animal. Provides for impoundment and forfeiture of a sexually assaulted animal.	Not heard
SB2435 HB2593	Requires the Department of Health to contract with a nonprofit animal rescue group to oversee caretakers of feral cats. Exempts registered caretakers of feral cats from state laws and county ordinances relating to the feeding and confinement of cats. Establishes a trap-sterilize-return process.	Failed
SB2461	Establishes the offense of “misrepresentation of a service animal”. Changes the term “service dog” to “service animal” and amends the definition of that term to conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990	Passed; Signed into law by Governor
SB2929	Establishes the Hawaii spay/neuter council to be administratively attached to the department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes the Hawaii spay/neuter special fund. Imposes a fee on pet food to support the Hawaii spay/neuter grant program to spay and neuter dogs and cats. Makes an appropriation.	Not heard
HB2072	Prohibits certain restraints and tethers that endanger, or deny sustenance, to a dog. Adjusted penalties.	Failed in Conference Committee
SB2260	Requires veterinarians, upon request of the owner of an animal, to make available a copy of any prescription that the veterinarian has previously prescribed the animal free of charge. HVMA OPPOSED.	Deferred by Senate

Updated May 2018

Message from the President Vol 2, 2018

May 2018

Dear Colleagues,

Our annual Hawaii Pet Expo will be held this weekend on May 12-13th. Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to help put on this popular event. We expect over 10,000 attendees and can still use your help! If you have a couple free hours this weekend to stop by and support our public outreach at the Pet Expo, please sign up here.

The HVMA booth theme is “Year of the Dog”, and we are looking for more veterinarians and veterinary assistants to guide visitors through the booth and answer questions at the “Ask-a-Vet” section. Other volunteer posts include entrance greeters, Food Bank donation collectors, poop patrollers, and helpers at our Keiki Make ‘n Take craft booth.

We are also gearing up for HVMA’s 65th annual meeting to be held November 8-11th at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. Speakers include Fear Free advocates Marty Becker and Gary Landsberg, ECC specialist Tim Hackett, exotics specialist Joerg Mayer, and internal medicine specialist Debra Zoran. We will also have laboratory sections on orthopedics by Beale and Hulse, dentistry by Kevin Stepaniuk, and cat behavior by Karen Sueda. Information on our conference will be posted here, with registration opening up this summer. We hope you will join us.

Would you like to write an article or draw a comic for our quarterly newsletter? Can you write up a visitor’s guide suggesting activities and eateries for our out-of-state conference attendees? Are you interested in serving on the HVMA Board? Do you have any other ideas you would like to help the HVMA implement to better serve our members? These are just a few ways you can get more active with us! Please contact me at contact@hawaiivetmed.org if you want to get involved or have an idea to share. Open board positions are listed here, or you can directly contact Leilani Sim-Godbehere, head of the Nominations Committee, for more info.

Thank you for your membership renewal in 2018. Please remember to sign up for your online account at https://hawaiivetmed.org/newaccount. You will need an individual online account to register for the annual conference at the reduced membership rate. We are happy to help you with this process, so please contact us if you have any difficulties.

Aloha,

Jill Yoshicedo, DVM
President, Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association

In Remembrance of Timothy Lau, DVM

Devoted husband and father and beloved island veterinarian, Dr. Timothy S.Y. Lau, 83, died on March 31, 2018 with his family by his side. Known to many as “Tim” or “Timmy” but known to most as “Dr. Lau”, he was born in Honolulu on August 1, 1934 to Chun Kwong and Pui Lan (Chang) Lau and married his college sweetheart, Violet Lee, in 1957. Dr. Lau attended St. Louis High School and the University of Hawaii earning a B.S. in Animal Husbandry. He brought his multitasking skills with him to Ohio State University earning a Master’s degree in Animal Science while producing twin sons and to Iowa State University earning a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine while producing two daughters.

Kalihi Pet Clinic opened its doors in 1965 at Kalihi Shopping Center. The early years found Dr. Lau holding down two additional jobs. With a heavy dose of caring and compassion, Dr. Lau’s practice grew along with his popularity. After 40 years in Kalihi, Dr. Lau moved his practice to its current location on Beretania Street in Moiliili where it continues to serve the community. Regardless of the location, his clients all remember the jam-packed waiting rooms, how quick and thorough he was, with great stories and a smile tossed in for good measure. He was a man in his element. After fifty years, he finally retired at the age of 80 from his lifelong passion.

Being a veterinarian may have defined much of his life, but he was so much more to those who knew him. Generous and thoughtful, he always had a soft spot for someone in a tight situation or someone just starting out and struggling to make it. Aside from his veterinary practice, his interests included physical fitness, martial arts, volleyball and golf. But his family always came first. He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Violet, his sons, Keith (Jasmin) and Kent (Gwen) Lau, his daughters, Stacey (Ian) Zwicker and Allison (Ryan) Mau, four grandchildren, Taylor, Morgan and Ian Welsh and Jared Lau, and siblings Merton (Claire), Lester (Gloria) and LaVay Lau.

Funeral service will be held on Monday May 14, 2018 at 5 pm at Diamond Head Mortuary Chapel 535 18th Ave Honolulu. Viewing from 3:00 pm until the time of service. Private burial. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Hawaiian Humane Society. Arrangements Provided By: Diamond Head Mortuary

Hawaii Pet Expo May 12-13, 2018

Volunteers Needed!

The Hawaii Pet Expo is sponsored and organized by the HVMA and will be held from May 12-13th this year. It has been an annual event for over 25 years and is FREE and well received by the public, with an average of 10,000 people attending each year. The purpose of the Expo is to promote responsible pet ownership and strengthen the bond between people and their pets through educational displays, live animal demonstrations, and the latest in pet services and products. The HVMA is looking for veterinarians who will promote our profession in a positive manner and educate the public on the need for professional veterinary care. If you are willing to volunteer your time to promote our profession and interact with the public, please sign up!

HVMA Booth: Veterinarians will be on site to guide visitors through our booth featuring The Year of the Dog, as well as answer questions from the public.
Make and Take (Kiddie Craft) Booth: Assist kids and their parents with making finger puppets and other paper crafts to take home. Keep booth clean and organized.
Greeters: Pass out programs and poop bags at the door. Help to direct traffic in and out of the Exhibition hall. Smile and welcome people.
Information Booth: Help direct people to exhibits, answer questions, make announcements, store lost and found items, collect food and monetary donations for the Hawaii Food Bank, prep poop bags, run errands, coordinate volunteers, and help clean up pet messes that are reported or seen.
Show Marshals: The “Poop Patrol”. Patrol Exhibition Hall and grounds outside, picking up pet messes. Empty overflowing trash and cigarette bins outside hall and transfer to dumpster in back. The good thing about show marshaling is that you get to walk around the hall and check out all the exhibits, although you are supposed to be working, not shopping during your shift! We always need a lot of show marshals.

Click here to sign up online.

Saturday and Sunday the shifts are as follows: 9:30-12:00 am, 11:30 to 2:00 pm, and 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Please indicate your t-shirt size (M, L, or XL) at sign up to receive a Pet Expo t-shirt. Name tags will be provided. Vets are encouraged to wear lab coats or smocks to identify themselves as veterinary professionals.

Volunteers should sign up online or by calling Ohana Vet Hospital at 845-1762. Paper sign up sheets may be faxed to 848-1632.

HVMA Pet Expo 2017

Volunteers Needed

Pet Expo is sponsored and organized by the HVMA. It has been an annual event for over 25 years and is FREE, and well received by the public, with an average of 10,000 people attending each year. The purpose of the Expo is to promote responsible pet ownership and strengthen the bond between people and their pets through educational displays, live animal demonstrations, and the latest in pet services and products. The HVMA is looking for veterinarians who will promote our profession in a positive manner and educate the public on the need for professional veterinary care. They are there to promote the HVMA and it’s mission, but can pass out business cards and information if asked for. We would like vets who are willing to volunteer their time to promote our profession and who are willing to interact with the public, to sign up.

HVMA Booth: This year we are doing away with the “Ask A Vet” booth, although vets manning the booth will be there to answer any kind of question. The HVMA booth will be similar to last year’s theme: Common Household Dangers.
Make and Take (Kiddie Craft ) Booth: Assist kids and their parents with making finger puppets and other paper crafts, which they get to make and take home. Keep booth clean and organized.
Greeters: Pass out programs and poop bags at the door. Help to direct traffic in and out of the Exhibition hall. Smile and welcome people. Collect canned goods and monetary donations for the Hawaii Food Bank.
Information Booth: Help direct people to exhibits, answer questions, make announcements, box up food donations, make more poop bags, run errands, clean up pet messes that are reported or seen.
Show Marshalls: The “Poop Patrol”. Patrol Exhibition Hall and grounds outside, picking up pet messes. Empty overflowing trash and cigarette bins outside hall and transfer to dumpster in back. The good thing about show marshaling is that you get to walk around the hall and check out all the exhibits, although you are supposed to be working, not shopping during your shift! We always need a lot of show marshals.

If volunteers sign up by the deadline, a t-shirt will be ordered for them. Sizes are M, L, and XL; please indicate shirt size when signing up. If you sign up vets are encouraged to wear lab coats or smocks to identify themselves as vet professionals, name tags will be provided. They may also wear the Pet Expo tshirt.

Volunteers are needed for Friday night to help set up. (No AC on Friday night, wear shorts!)

Saturday and Sunday the shifts are as follows: 9:30-12:00 am, 11:30 to 2:00 pm, and 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Only the first shift will be provided a small lunch.

Volunteers should sign up by calling Dr. Kam or staff at Ohana Vet Hospital at 845-1762, or fax at 848-1632.

Cats & Toxoplasmosis Information

Toxoplasmosis Facts

“Toxoplasma gondii is common, worldwide and everywhere and affects a variety of mammals and birds” – Companion Animal Parasite Council

Leading cause of toxoplasmosis in humans is through ingestion of undercooked meat. – CDC
Direct contact with cats is not considered to be a risk factor for toxoplasma infection in people, particularly when cats are kept indoors and fed a commercial diet. – CAPC
Toxoplasmosis is transmitted to humans from cats when humans accidentally swallow the parasite through contact with cat feces that contain Toxoplasma. – CDC
Toxoplasmosis can be prevented if the following are done: clean the litterbox daily (the parasite takes 24 hours to become infective in cat feces), wash hands with soap and water after exposure to soil, sand, raw meat or unwashed vegetables, and ensure cats are kept indoors and eat only cat food. – CAPC
Only about 1% of cats are active hosts of toxoplasmosis able to shed the parasite. – CAPC
Infected cats shed for only about 1 to 3 weeks following infection. – CAPC
Because cats only shed the organism for a few days in their entire life, the chance of human exposure is small. – CFHC
Cats and dogs become infected with toxoplasma by ingestion of infected mammalian or avian tissues or ingestion of the parasite from articles contaminated by feline feces (e.g., soil, water, vegetation). – CAPC
About 19% (˜60 million) of the human population in the United States has already been exposed to (may be infected with) Toxoplasma. Of those who are infected, very few have symptoms because a healthy person’s immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness. – CDC
A 2013 study by VanWormer, et al. showed reduced prevalence of toxoplasmosis in cats who were fed and considered managed by humans as compared to wild felids and cats subsisting on wild prey.

Solutions to Consider

Keep cats indoors and prevent them from hunting and consuming undercooked meat, encourage cat owners to scoop litterboxes daily.
Support sterilization to reduce kitten births, since kittens and young cats are at greatest risk to become newly infected and shed the parasite.
Advocate for wildlife officials, conservationists, animal welfare advocates and veterinarians to work together to solve problems using the latest science combined with humane methods.

Resources/ References

Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) – www.capcvet.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – www.cdc.gov
Cornell Feline Health Center (CFHC) – www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/
VanWormer, E., P.A. Conrad, et al. (2013). “Toxoplasma gondii, Source to Sea: Higher Contribution of Domestic Felids to Terrestrial Parasite Loading Despite Lower Infection Prevalence.” EcoHealth 10, 277-289

HVMA Cats and Toxoplasmosis Information Sheet 12 28 16

Hawaiian Monk Seals and Toxoplasmosis

Hawaiian monk seals are listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and are protected by Federal and state law. This unique tropical pinniped is found exclusively within Hawaii’s waters, mostly throughout the low-lying atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. However, monk seals have been recolonizing the main Hawaiian Islands over the past two decades. This subpopulation is estimated at 200-250 seals, and is growing. With that growth comes the recognition of new threats to the species such as fish hook ingestion, intentional killing, and now, an accumulating number of deaths from toxoplasmosis. This is not surprising, given the increasing geographic overlap between humans, cats, and Hawaiian monk seals.

A total of 8 monk seal mortalities (and 2 suspect mortalities) have been attributed to toxoplasmosis to-date. We arrived at this number by developing a case definition and retrospectively applying it to 306 cases of mortality from 1982-2015. To be classified as a protozoal-related mortality, we required: (a) pathological lesions consistent with protozoal disease and sufficient to cause mortality, and (b) confirmation of the organism in direct association with these pathologic lesions by immunohistochemistry. Supporting data such as serology and molecular analyses were provided when available. The results were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal, “Diseases of Aquatic Organisms.”

While 8 deaths may not sound like a large number, NOAA is growing increasingly concerned about the threat of toxoplasmosis for several reasons. First of all, the number of monk seal mortalities attributed to toxoplasmosis is an underestimate. More seals disappear each year than are found sick or dead. Even when carcasses are found, they may be too decomposed to definitively identify this infection as a cause of mortality. Vertical transmission to fetuses has been documented in monk seals, however failed pregnancies can be difficult to detect in wild animals. The outlook for treating sick seals is poor because of the rapid, severe, diffuse inflammatory response in the infected seal and because drug choices and delivery routes are far from optimal. Only two seals have been assessed prior to death, but both declined rapidly and could not be rehabilitated. Unlike threats such as fish hook ingestion or malnutrition, which can often be mitigated through rehabilitation, our options are severely restricted when it comes to treating seals for toxoplasmosis. Even if there were improvements in treatment modalities, most cases are simply found dead on the beaches. The population level impact of each mortality exceeds the loss of one seal because the future reproductive potential of that seal is also lost.

NOAA is one of a handful of Federal and state agencies that have met in 2016 to discuss the complex problem of cats in Hawaii and the threats (disease, predation) they pose to native wildlife. The group is still formalizing its mission, scope and membership, but for now, it is focused on compiling and disseminating the best available science on this issue. In time, subgroups will be developed to focus on specific topics. The group will seek participation from outside (non-agency) groups, including veterinarians – so stay tuned.

Through some of our ongoing research partnerships, we at NOAA are investigating the prevalence of exposure within the monk seal population using serology and molecular analyses. Evidence of previous exposure to T. gondii has been documented in a few apparently healthy monk seals as well, so we are very interested in this dichotomy. To address that, we are working with external partners and experts in this field to better understand the epidemiology of this pathogen in monk seals and the risk factors related to the host, pathogen and environment. I hope to be able to share the results of these studies with all of you in the years to come and I welcome your questions or dialogue on this topic.

Michelle Barbieri, DVM, MS

Wildlife Veterinary Medical Officer

Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program

As the primary veterinarian for NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program, Dr. Michelle Barbieri oversees wild monk seal disease surveillance, population health studies, vaccination, rehabilitation, and provides veterinary support to the program’s other research objectives.

References:

Honnold, S.P., Braun, R., Scott, D.P., Sreekumar, C. and Dubey, J.P., 2005. Toxoplasmosis in a Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). Journal of Parasitology, 91(3), pp.695-697.

Barbieri, M.M., Kashinsky, L., Rotstein, D.S., Colegrove, K.M., Haman, K.H., Magargal, S.L., Sweeny, A.R., Kaufman, A.C., Grigg, M.E. and Littnan, C.L., 2016. Protozoal-related mortalities in endangered Hawaiian monk seals Neomonachus schauinslandi. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 121(2), pp.85-95.

Legislative Update 2018 Session

HVMA Board Member Elections 2018

Toxoplasmosis Facts

Solutions to Consider