Category: Pet Health

AVMA Updates – Summer 2024

The AVMA House of Delegates approved revisions to the policy that provides ethical guidance for all veterinarians, restructuring it to improve clarity and usability. Among the changes, the policy now features a Code of Conduct with three sections: provide competent medical care, prioritize patient welfare in balance with client needs and public safety, and uphold standards of professionalism.
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Two new surveys find lack of support for midlevel practitioner. Both the American Association of Veterinary State Boards and the Veterinary Management Groups said they support better utilization of credentialed veterinary technicians as part of the answer to workforce issues.
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Revised CPR standards issued for dogs and cats. The first update to the life-saving RECOVER guidelines since 2012 emphasizes speed and standard techniques. Changes include a streamlined CPR algorithm and new drug dosing charts. 
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AVMA MENTORSHIP

Any AVMA member with less than 10 years of professional experience can now get free professional mentoring through MentorVet Connect, brought to you by the AVMA. Learn more.

AVMA Updates

AVMA Vitals

The AVMA has made monthly need-to-know updates available on the following topics:

  • Better integrating veterinary technicians’ robust skill set into practice
  • Highly pathogenic avian influenza found in Texas, Kansas dairy cattle
  • HHS, senators ask DEA to use marijuana restrictions
  • ACVIM issues updated guidance on canine leptospirosis
  • Number of NAVLE test takers increases; Overall scores drop
  • More veterinary colleges in line for accreditation evaluations
  • Education Department to forgive loans for some borrowers; recertification deadline extended
  • Find veterinary clinic trials
  • Two new resources support equine practitioners
  • Pet food safety resources protect patients and clients
  • Managing toxicosis cases: Tips from the experts
  • Curiosity can lead to discovery: Embracing neurodiversity
  • Discover your advocacy path
  • Stay in the know–and qualify to earn rewards
  • Help for veterinarians and animals affected by wildfires
  • AVMA Convention 2024
  • Test yourself: Animal Welfare Assessment Contest

View the full AVMA Vitals update here.

AVMA Expands Mentorship Program

Any AVMA member with less than 10 years of professional experience can now get free professional mentoring through MentorVet Connect, brought to you by the AVMA. Learn more.

Pono Pet Parents

Submitted by Michelle Barbieri, DVM

The HVMA is providing a landing page for resources for veterinarians, technicians, and pet owners called Pono Pet Parents. This information campaign currently focuses on cats, but the hope is that in the future, it can be expanded to dogs and more. Cat owners can learn about how to raise their beloved pets in a thoughtful way that strengthens their bond with their cats, keeps them happy and healthy, and benefits wild animals and our island home.

Resources are grouped by the following sections:

  • Ensure my cat has a happy home for life
  • Keep my cat safe indoors
  • Create an enriching home environment
  • Spay/neuter and microchip
  • Dispose of litter in the garbage
  • Learn about the unique Hawai’i environment I’m protecting

Pet owners can then take the Pono Cat Pledge, which includes a commitment to these activities. These pages are the result of a combined effort of humane society representatives on Oahu and Kauai, and local, state and federal conservation groups hoping to realize the shared goals of responsible pet ownership and wildlife and ecosystem health.

Please share this resource with your clients and colleagues. And if you have any feedback or want to help get involved with future steps in this information campaign, contact Michelle Barbieri.

Honolulu Street Dog Coalition Update

The Honolulu Street Dog Coalition is a state chapter of the national Street Dog Coalition, which is a nonprofit organization aimed to provide free veterinary care and related services to pets of people affected by homelessness. The Honolulu Street Dog Coalition clinics is led by Aleisha Swartz, DVM and Jerrisa Ching, DVM, and has partnered with the Hawaii H.O.M.E. Project to serve Oahu communities.

The organization is always looking for donations to support the community, supplies, and resources. If you would like to donate, please click the link here. We are also looking for veterinarian and veterinary staff volunteers to help the clinics. If you want to learn more about how to volunteer, please email info@thestreetdogcoalition.org.

American Heartworm Society Survey

APEX, NC —The American Heartworm Society (AHS) is urging veterinarians to participate in the 2022 AHS Heartworm Incidence Survey.

The AHS maps, dating back to 2001, are generated every three years and are widely used by veterinarians, animal shelters, animal rescue organizations and media to educate the pet-owning public about the threat of heartworm disease. The maps, which are built using data submitted by thousands of veterinary practices and animal shelters, also provide vital insights for veterinary professionals about trends in heartworm incidence and the spread of heartworms into new areas of the country.

“Each veterinary practice that submits data enables the AHS to create a more comprehensive and useful map,” states AHS President Jenni Rizzo, DVM. “We urge every practice—large or small—to take a few short minutes to submit their information.”

The deadline to submit survey data on heartwormsociety.org/2022survey is March 15, 2023. The new 2022 AHS map will be made available in April as part of Heartworm Awareness Month.

African Swine Fever

African Swine Fever (ASF) virus is a highly contagious Asfivirus that can cause serious disease and death in domestic and feral swine. The disease originated in Africa, then spread to Europe (2007) and Asia (2018). In 2021, the disease was detected in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, marking the first time the disease was diagnosed in the western hemisphere in 40 years.

ASFV is transmitted directly between pigs or indirectly via Ornithodoros ticks, ingestion of infected meat, or fomites. Meat from infected animals can remain infectious for up to 5 months.

After exposure, the incubation period is between 3-19 days. In the peracute form, sudden death may be observed. In the acute form, pigs demonstrate high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abortion, and mortality (up to 100%). Less virulent subacute or chronic forms are often seen with less intense symptoms and lower mortality. A small number of animals can become lifelong carriers. No vaccine or treatment for this disease exists. The disease does not infect humans and poses no food safety threat.

International travelers should understand the risk of bringing ASF into the US, declare items and farm visits to US Customs, and avoid farms or locations with pigs for at least 5 days upon return.

Pet Kokua Wellness Clinics

The Hawaiian Humane Society is seeking licensed veterinarians to assist with community outreach clinics in District 9 (Ewa Beach, Waipahu, Mililani).  Pet Kōkua Wellness Clinics are pop-up veterinary clinics that assist low-income and houseless pet owners with wellness checks, vaccinations, flea/tick preventatives, heartworm tests and preventatives, deworming, and treatments for minor illnesses and injury, at no cost to the owner.

Clinics are generally hosted one to two times a month, are 4 hours long and are generally appointment-based.  The Pet Kōkua Program is able to offer veterinarians a stipend of $250 per clinic due to a generous grant from the City & County of Honolulu.  If interested, please email outreach@hawaiianhumane.org with your general availability. You may also call Suzy Tam at 808-356-2225 with any questions.

Greater Good Charities Bring the Good Fix Program to Kauai

Submitted by Leilani Sim-Godbehere, DVM

Greater Good Charities will be offering a gift to our Kauai community through their Good Fix program. This is one of the charities that was instrumental in the Paws Across the Pacific program in Oct. 2020 when over 600 shelter animals were flown from the main Hawaiian islands to the U.S. mainland for adoption.

The Good Fix program will establish a humane mass trap-neuter-release program targeting the free-roaming cat overpopulation problem on Kauai. Some owned cats will also be included in the totals. Good Fix will work with local volunteers and will also deploy a team of specialized trappers throughout the island to maximize the number of cats sterilized. The program will encompass dual licensed HQHVSN (High Quality High Volume Spay Neuter) vets and MASH style experts to complete the work. The goal is to sterilize 15,000 cats over the year in 6 rounds. Sterilized cats will also be microchipped and FVRCP vaccinated. Dates are set for Oct 3-8 & 11-16, 2021; Jan 23-28, 2022; Jan 31-Feb 5, Mar 27-Apr 1 & Apr 4-9, 2022.

Besides public outreach, Greater Good Charities is inviting our veterinary community to learn more and participate in their program! Vets/techs interested in participating can contact the veterinary medical director of Greater Good Charities, Dr. Ruth Parkin, at ruthparkin@greatergood.org for an application. It is all volunteer work, but travel and accommodations for the medical team members who commit to an entire clinic session would be covered. Any non-medical persons interested in helping with trapping or other volunteer aspects can also contact Dr. Ruth Parkin. Participating vets will also be offered $150 vouchers to offset cost of dog spays for clients who might benefit from the financial support.

There is a plan in progress to address relocation of cats in certain wildlife/bird sensitive areas. It may become part of a “farm/barn-cat” program. The team is aware that this topic is high priority. The team is also aware of the Toxoplasma issues on island and will be including educational information on their community outreach to encourage the public about the importance of controlling overall free-roaming cat numbers.

Dr. Ruth Parkin and Dr. Julie Levy made a productive initial visit to Kauai on June 22 and 23,2021 for a site visit and to meet with local veterinarians and groups involved with animal welfare. They were delighted at the warm welcome they received and they look forward to working for the benefit of Kauai and hopefully our sister islands as well.