Canine Knee Injury? Brace Yourself
Ten years have passed since WDJ explored “conservative management” – the nonsurgical treatment – of knee ligament injuries (see “Saying ‘No’ to Surgery,” February 2010). Since then, although surgery remains by far the most widely used knee injury treatment, consumer demand for complementary therapies, including the use of custom-designed knee braces, has grown. Nearly all veterinarians have experience with canine ligament injuries because they are so common. Depending on the...
The Science of Veterinary Pain Management
Providing relief for animal suffering is an important component of the Veterinarian’s Oath and a common aspect of practicing veterinary medicine. At the inaugural Fetch dvm360® virtual conference, veterinary pain management expert Robin Downing, DVM, MS, DAAPM, DACVSMR, CVPP, CCRP, presented a multimodal approach to both acute and chronic pain management in dogs and cats. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is defined...
Zoo Penguins Get Some New Kicks
Vet Orders Booties for Penguins at the Saginaw Children’s Zoo Because we ALL need this cuteness in our lives! Like our new kicks? A couple of the penguins have sensitive feet, so Dr. Cerveny ordered them some neoprene booties to keep their feet healthy during the winter months. We think they look fabulous. They seem to think so, too! What do you think? ------------------- The Saginaw Children’s Zoo says that...
Hero Dog with Prosthetic Paws that Survived Gunfire to Save Others Given Highest Animal Honor
Belgian Malinois, Kuno, has proved beyond all doubt that dogs truly are humanity’s best friends. The retired British Army Working Dog suffered life-changing injuries while supporting the British special forces fighting Al Qaeda and has now been awarded the Dickin Medal – the highest award any animal can receive within the British military – from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). To put it into human perspective: that’s the...
Treatment of Shoulder Injuries in Agility Dogs
*The information in this article is also applicable to performance dogs competing in other sports. Shoulder injuries in agility dogs can range from simple mechanical shoulder pain, to more serious tendon, ligament, and joint damage. Without significant trauma, these injuries often present with subtle changes in performance. If ignored, shoulder injuries may become more pronounced over time. Diagnosis of Shoulder Injuries in Agility Dogs As an agility dog owner it’s...
Navigating Degenerative Myelopathy - Virtual Event
LEARN, CONNECT & STOP FEELING HELPLESS & ALONE with your DOG and DM (degenerative myelopathy). 8-Day Virtual Event; Dec 6-13, 2020 Registration deadline is midnight Cyber Monday. Register here: https://mailchi.mp/upwarddogrehab/navigatingdm An interactive virtual event designed for dog parents of dogs with DM! Ask all your DM questions from boots, to carts, to bowel movements, and more. Connect with professionals and other dog parents. Watch presentations and read resources! Participate in the...
The Role of Equipment in Conditioning
When talking to a friend recently, I made the comment that my average client has minimal training experience, so in many cases I need to rely on simple exercises with specialized equipment instead of specialized exercises with simple equipment to get the results I want. This caused me to think about the role that equipment plays in conditioning, especially considering how expensive it is. How important is the equipment? In...
Social Distancing Affects Dogs Too. Here’s What You Can Do About It
Lots of things have changed in our lives since the COVID-19 pandemic began circling the globe. Many of us have been working from home, while others have been laid off, and still others have been donning extra gear like masks and gloves to go to their essential jobs. Almost everyone has been affected by this catastrophe in some way. And whether you know it or not, it’s affecting the animals...