FIP had always been considered fatal until very recently. It turns out that treatment for FIP is nearly identical to Remdesivir, an anti-viral drug that President Donald Trump and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn have repeatedly mentioned, and is now approved for use to treat COVID-19. Remdesivir was created to treat Ebola by Gilead Sciences, but the results were mixed as other drugs proved better.

A few years back, Pedersen approached the non-profit funder of cat health studies, Winn Feline Foundation, as he sought to trial Remdesivir on cats with FIP. Winn’s scientific advisory board said, “Yes.” However, Gilead said, “Not so fast.” 

Pedersen says, “We chose to use GS-441424 for treatment of the coronavirus disease FIP because it had identical antiviral properties to Remdesivir, and at the time was not under consideration by Gilead Sciences for use in humans. GS-441424 is also much cheaper to make than Remdesivir. Therefore, there was no apparent conflict with using one form for cats and another form for humans.”

The initial trials even blew Pedersen away. GS-441424 worked to cure cats with effusive or wet FIP. However, Gilead had a change of heart and refused to grant animal rights for the drug. 

Back to the drawing board, Pedersen persevered. And with collaborators at Kansas State University, including Yunjeong Kim, PhD, DVM and associate professor in the department of pathobiology and diagnostics in the school’s College of Veterinary Medicine, they developed another nearly identical antiviral. This drug—known as GC376—also was trialled and had success in treating the wet form of FIP. Arguably, more success than the original Gilead drug. Currently, Anivive Lifescience is seeking FDA approval for this drug to treat cats with FIP, as announced at the Winn Feline Foundation symposium last November at U C Davis, Purrsuing FIP and Winning.   

Chinese companies realized the opportunity, as people are, of course, desperate to help their kitties with FIP—and these kitty parents aren’t waiting a year or longer for even a rushed FDA approval. So, Chinese manufacturers began to offer compounds on the black market (presumably like GC376 and also GS-441424, and therefore similar to Remdesivir—but they don’t disclose exactly what their compounds are). At least the leading Chinese company has anecdotally seen great success in treating cats with FIP around the world, but the cost isn’t inexpensive. And that company confirmed that they are working with the Chinese government regarding potential use of their compounds to treat COVID-19. Also, that company wants their drug approved here in the U.S. so they will no longer need to force cat owners to deal with the so-called black market.

In the meantime, Anivive, while waiting for GC376 to be approved for cats, is now seeking approval to trial the compound to treat COVID-19 in humans. The compound Anivive is seeking to approve in GC376 is incredibly similar to Remdesivir, except their mechanism of action is significantly different: GC376 is a protease inhibitor and Remdesivir is a polymerase inhibitor, explains Dr. David Bruyette, chief medical officer at Anivive. Bruyette adds that he believes the two drugs may work together in tandem far more effectively than either can alone. The notion is similar to providing a cocktail when it comes to treating HIV-AIDS, as one drug alone just doesn’t do the trick. 

Winn Feline Foundation president Dr. Drew Weigner says, “We hope that approved treatments for FIP will become available in the near future, and that greater efforts will be directed toward vaccination protocols, as this is the mainstay of controlling coronavirus infections in cats, and in all species.”

And no matter how all this plays out, veterinarians will no doubt be a part of this truly one health issue. +

The post One Health: The Role of Fip in the Treatment of COVID-19 appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

In addition to her long list of credits, Radosta runs her specialty behavior practice in West Palm Beach, FL. She’s been published numerous times in peer-reviewed journals, and authored chapters in various textbooks including Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat and Blackwell’s Five Minute Veterinary Consult. Radosta is also a contributing author of Decoding Your Cat, a book authored by various members of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, expected to be released this year. 

With her passion being behavior, she understands the value of positive reinforcement. She concedes, “I’m tough on myself and everyone around me. But I try to lead with empathy and kindness.”

Radosta is totally honest with her clients, but she says she learned a long time ago that pets don’t benefit if she’s snarky or judgmental. “I try to meet clients where they are, not where I think they should be,” she says. 

Having said that, she doesn’t hesitate to quietly and with all her heart tell clients the truth as she sees it: “I wouldn’t want to lead your pet’s life, would you?” And she explains to the client the emotions that individual pet is likely feeling. She concludes that clients who seek out a behavior specialist may be more likely to listen to and accept her instructions. “They are in my office in the first place because they want to help their animal,” she adds. 

Radosta’s personality is powerful but packed into a small package of just around five feet, and always looking and acting professional. She’s even known by other speakers for her fashion sense, including her highest of high heels as she speaks to veterinary professionals at meetings around the world. She also speaks to dog training professionals. 

She was recently the keynote speaker at the Professional Pet Guild Dog Training Conference, and spoke on aggression in dogs. She says one trainer told her, “After your talk, I went to Google Scholar; I used to hate science and now I am excited about it. “ 

Radosta and I were chatting by phone, but I bet she popped out of her seat as she added, “For me, that’s the best compliment ever. I stick to the science—it’s my religion! Behavioral medicine is first and foremost medicine. And it’s all based on science.”

She’s implemented her goal to reach pets and their caretakers directly, where they live, via her new website, www.dognerds.thinkific.com .

“There’s an increasing awareness of emotional health, and that our animals—family members—may be suffering,” she says. “This is especially true for millennials and Gen Xers. Qualified help [for behavior problems] may not be readily available in all parts of the country. Even if you find a qualified trainer or behavior consultant, receiving additional support in the convenience of your home is of value.” Naturally, she hopes veterinary professionals become familiar with this new resource. 

She’s also on the Fear Free Executive Council.

“I remember when and where I was on the road driving when Dr. Marty Becker phoned me about Fear Free,” she says. “When he explained what Fear Free is about, I said, ‘Hell yes, I’m in.’ I sensed his plan would turn everything around. Now, Fear Free is catching on around the world. We were losing the war before Fear Free, and now we’re winning,”

Radosta graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. “I knew I didn’t want to go into primary care, and was thinking about neurology, but I stink at surgery. Then thought about dermatology, but decided on behavior.”

She completed a residency in Behavioral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and, as soon as she could, moved back to her native land of Southeast Florida. 

“I believe I am best adapted for the culture and intensity of Southeast Florida,” she says. “I’m the one swerving in and out of traffic, just knowing my way here and feeling comfortable.” 

Despite her relentless passion, Radosta has managed to find a work-life balance—at least one that works for her. Radosta’s 11-year-old daughter, Isabella, says mom is a ‘helicopter mom’, calling her ‘The World’s Greatest Smother’. Radosta laughs and replies, “I own it; it’s my badge of honor.”

Her husband, Scott, sells and supports medical devices for people.

They all share their home with Chewie, a black cat, and a Labrador Retriever named Maverick (AKA Mavelicious).

Radosta’s secret drug, she says, is running. She’s run three or four marathons, and recreationally runs regularly. Still, she says, “I’m in the middle of the pack as a runner, and I’m good with that. As a veterinary behaviorist, I would never settle—I am always striving to be at the top of my game; the best I can possibly give. I love what I do.” +

The post Dr. Lisa Radosta: Behaviorist, Perfectionist & Fashionista appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

In March 2015, she was working at an animal health company when she heard about coughing dogs in Chicago—hundreds of them. At first, most assumed it was the canine influenza virus, H3N8, rearing its ugly head again in the Windy City. But López didn’t accept that assumption and was a part of a dedicated team encouraging Chicago-area veterinarians to send dozens of samples to Cornell’s diagnostic laboratory to confirm. 

Cornell professor of virology, Dr. Ed Debovi, and others were confounded at first, confirming canine influenza virus, but said “this isn’t H3N8.” And within a few weeks H3N2 was identified for the first time on U.S. soil (somehow arriving from Southeast Asia). 

“The H3N2 dog flu outbreak in Chicago was truly a nightmare,” López recalls, “Absolutely no one was prepared for it.”

Straight on, López used her formidable marketing chops to lead an all-out education campaign for veterinary professionals regarding hygiene and in-clinic sanitation, and revealing what was known about H3N2. Nine months later, the first H3N2 canine influenza vaccine became available. 

López developed a program called Heroes for Healthy Pets, utilizing top experts in veterinary infectious disease, which includes continuing education modules for veterinary professionals, and a veterinary guide called The Infectious Disease Handbook. The program focused on all infectious diseases of dogs and highlighted the need for strategic vaccination protocols based on American Animal Hospital Association Guidelines. 

She was only just beginning. “I realized that educating veterinary professionals alone just wasn’t enough,” López recalls. “So I teamed up with the International Boarding and Pet Services Association, Pet Sitters International, and Barkleigh Publications to help educate pet care professionals.”

As a result, for the first time ever, employees of doggie day cares, boarding facilities, groomers and dog walkers were included in a veterinary education program and certified as “Heroes.”

“While working with the Chicago area veterinary community, we soon realized that most of the affected dogs were social,” she says. “Most had recently visited doggie day cares, groomers or kennels. It made sense to communicate and work with these other professions, and they welcomed it. No one wants to see sick dogs and shut down their business as a result.” 

Throughout her career, strategizing to communicate with the public has been an innate skill. She orchestrated media stories on TV/radio, in print, podcasts, videos, blogs and also using social media to effectively spread the facts about dog flu. She facilitated the award-winning website: www.dogflu.com, and the book A Pet Parent’s Guide: Infectious Disease in Dogs. If a veterinarian didn’t suggest the dog flu vaccine, countless pet parents became informed enough to inquire. 

There’s no doubt that her marketing savviness and resolve to communicate helped keep thousands of pets healthy, likely limiting and even preventing outbreaks. 

As one of her coworkers once told me, “In one meeting with Jill, I counted about an idea a minute. It was a 60-minute meeting. I was exhausted. But Jill just went to her next meeting with more ideas. How do you keep up that?”

This was a path she never would have predicted while attending Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, when she had planned to eventually become a veterinary practice owner back in her home state of West Virginia. 

Following a stint in Knoxville, TN at a low-cost clinic, she heard about an opening at the Animal Poison Control Center in Champaign/Urbana, IL. Answering phone calls from the veterinary community about pets thought to be poisoned was right in her wheelhouse. She also authored or co-authored over 40 scientific articles, including the dangers of permethrin to cats—a topic which at that time wasn’t as well-understood. Other papers included a variety of toxicology-related topics, such as how some dogs actually become hyperactive when swallowing Ambien (Zolpidem).

After leaving a position as the Director of Marketing for Essentials Pet Care, López started her own company, Vet Candy. 

“As a mother, business woman, and veterinarian, I know how precious each minute of the day is,” says López. “The goal of Vet Candy is to make our busy lives easier by providing updated news and information that is required in our profession.” 

The company delivers world class content, with engaging voices and inspirational messages curated by the veterinary profession’s top influencers and experts.

“Vet Candy is committed to continued development of providing engaging experiences for our veterinary audience,” said López. “Collaborating with our veterinary advisors and lifestyle contributors allowed us to be experimental in our digital development, which opened the door to this innovative way to connecting with our veterinary audience.” 

Learn more about Dr. Jill López and Vet Candy, and sign up for the free weekly newsletter by visiting myvetcandy.com. +

The post How Dr. Jill López Stays at the Top of Her Game appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Of course, some veterinary clinics offer dog training classes, and veterinarians and certified veterinary technicians should always encourage puppy training and suggest appropriate equipment. But when a client walks into the exam room with a dog on a retractable leash, it’s an opportunity to have a conversation. 

Here are some talking points:

1. The very concept of giving dogs room to roam can be a problem. Some retractable leashes can extend up to 26 feet. True enough, giving the dog some independence, but the dog is so far out ahead, there’s no way to control or sometimes even to see what’s happening ahead. 

2. Retractable leashes effectively teach dogs to pull ahead of their people, which is exactly what you don’t want.

3. That expression about a handler’s emotions traveling from one end of the leash to the other are true with a six-foot leash, but not a retractable leash (unless the dog is very nearby). Not only can the dog see the handler, the dog can presumably “smell” what the handler is feeling—perhaps picking up on pheromones. If the handler feels threatened by anything from another person to a coyote, best for all involved for the dog to be able to pick up on that—and for the handler to more easily be able to control the dog.

4. Retractable leashes are thinner than standard leather or nylon leashes. If the handler drops the heavy handle and picks up the leash, rope burn can occur. And the thin cord of a retractable leash can break—especially when a powerful dog is on the other end. If a strong, good-sized dog takes off at full speed, the cord can snap. Not only can that put the dog and whatever he may be chasing in danger, but also the cord can snap back and injure the human at the other end.

5. Dogs have suffered serious injuries as a result of the sudden jerk on their neck that occurs when they run out of leash; they may also suffer lacerated tracheas or back injuries.

6. The handles of retractable leashes are bulky and can be easily pulled out of the hand of the person holding it, resulting in a runaway dog, dragging the retractable leash behind. 

7. A simple six-foot (or shorter) leather or nylon leash can’t malfunction—there’s nothing to malfunction. Retractable leashes can break, fail to extend or retract, or unspool.  While this may not be dangerous, it is annoying to have a “broken leash.” +

The post Addressing Retractable Leashes with CLients appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Of course, we all know that with bits of turkey dog or hot dog, an exam can go really well. And that some cats might ask for more vaccinations as long as the tuna or salmon continues to be delivered. This page includes other safe food items which many dogs and cats may surprisingly crave. +

• Anchovy paste
• Baby food (without onion)
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Bonito fish flakes (known as katsuo-bushi or katsuobushi in Japanese cuisine)
• Braunschweiger
• Cheerios
• Cheez Whiz / Easy Cheese
• Churro paste (A fried-dough pastry)
• Green beans
• Marshmallow cream
• Mini marshmallows
• Olives (no pits please)
• Peas
• Peanut Butter (without Xylitol, of course)
• Rice cakes (plain)
• Sardines (in pesto, in olive oil or in water)
• Vegemite

Contributing to this story was Dr, Marty Becker, creator of the Fear Free initiative. He knows many veterinary professionals use these foods to minimize fear, anxiety and stress of veterinary visits.

The post Unexpected Treats for the Patient With the Picky Palate appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

“Veterinarians are very important; you know, I so appreciate what they do,” she starts. “Not only for our pets, but now in the wild as well.”

Happily, these days, the non–profit Gorilla Doctors are rarely called in to remove snares, but gorillas do get sick (sometimes as a result of close contact to humans due to ecotourism) or injured. And the ‘gorilla docs’ are notified instantly by guides that take tourists to see the gorillas. 

Goodall says that those gorilla tourist dollars, which are re–invested back to protect the great apes, combined with the veterinary care, are responsible for the success of the species. They’re the only great ape increasing in numbers, albeit very slowly. All others are losing numbers and imperiled. 

Goodall is a fan of ecotourism, if managed properly. “Unfortunately, it can get out of hand, destroying the very nature people travel so far to see,” she says.

I told Goodall that the hottest thing going on now in veterinary medicine is an initiative called Fear Free, which she hadn’t heard of. When I explained the concept, she said that the idea resonates—considering animal emotions are something she once fought for.

It’s hard to think of Goodall as a controversial figure, but when she first began her observational notes on chimpanzee behavior at Gombe National Park in Tanzania in the early 1960’s, she was criticized by her colleagues for naming her subjects, recording individual personality traits and documenting emotions.

“I was told to give the chimps numbers, not names,” she says. “Scientists then were outraged that I actually recorded and wrote about individual personalities and emotions because, according to them, personalities and emotions were restricted only to humans. As a child, I learned from my dog and other dogs in the neighborhood; they all have their own personalities.” Goodall pauses and laughs, “Of course anyone with pet cats and dogs have known this for a very long time.”

Goodall persevered, adding that, if she knew dogs expressed and felt various emotions—similar to our own—the same must be true for our closest relatives. 

Goodall smiles and holds up plush animals she had laid out on the sofa next to her. “This is why I travel with Ratty (a plush rat). Even rats have feelings,” she says, as she holds up Ratty. “And cows (she now holds up a plush cow); it’s horrible how we sometimes treat cows, as if they have no feelings, but they do. And pigs (now holding up her plush pig); they’re as smart as dogs.”

Goodall says that by the time she received her PhD at Cambridge, her work was publicized by National Geographic, and chimps she had named, like David Greybeard, Mr. McGregor and Goliath, were known to TV audiences. At that time, this further outraged the scientific community. 

“I was told that I was doing everything wrong,” she says. “Their feeling was that I couldn’t write or talk about animal emotions because they don’t exist.” 

Of course, fast forward to today, based on neurochemistry found in their brains, we know animals do feel real emotions. And, all great apes have nearly identical brain chemistry to ours. 

Goodall supports the notion of Fear Free. “I do know there are ways of alleviating fear in animals,” she says. “Why wouldn’t we help to fix it?”

Today, Goodall travels non-stop, over 300 days annually across the globe, as an advocate for protecting the planet. And, there’s talk of her earning a Nobel Peace Prize because she’s making the world a better place, for humans and animals—for the entire planet. 

In Gombe, the Jane Goodall Institute has afforded people improved healthcare and education, and offered various tools to get out of poverty, all in ways which they suggest. 

“So now cutting down the forests is no longer necessary to improve their lives,” she says. “They now understand that saving the forests isn’t only saving chimpanzees and other wildlife, it will also save future generations of their people. So they’ve become partners with the environment. Where there were barren hills around Gombe, now trees have come back.” 

This program is a model, which now has been replicated in six other African countries. 

She adds that we must carry hope to the next generation. That’s one reason why she launched her Roots and Shoots program for children, starting with 12 students in Tanzania in 1991. Today there are Roots and Shoots programs in 50 nations, and by now, many thousands of young people have completed the program. 

“The idea is that whether you live in China or the U.S. or in Africa, we are all the same,” she says. “True, we live in different environments, our cultures may be different and our religions may be different—but we all share two fundamental facts. We are all human. And we all live on the same planet. Each Roots and Shoots program chooses three projects of their own choice; one to help animals, one to help people and another to help the environment. I think we have around 2,000 groups across China alone.”

She continues, “I am confident that young people are rising to the challenge. They must. It’s our future. They realize what’s happening. They can’t ignore climate change, and how forests are disappearing, and how our oceans are filled with plastics. They are our hope for tomorrow.

“Every single day, every single one of us lives—every one of us makes an impact on the planet,” she continues. “We have a choice about what that impact will be. And consider even the little choices, like what we buy. Did it harm animals? Will it harm the environment? Is it cheap because of child slave labor? If we make ethical choices together—millions of us—it will matter. We can all make a difference.”

Officially, Jane Goodall is a United Nations Messenger of Peace. She has touched millions of lives, but that’s not enough, as the world clearly remains a dangerous place, and our planet itself is at risk as a result of climate change. She agrees that the Nobel Prize would allow her to reach even millions more. 

Still, even Goodall must take a breath every now and then. I asked her what makes her happiest. “The serenity of being out in a forest,” she says. “And spending time with a dog,” she pauses, as I note that we evolved with dogs. “That’s right, and dogs are very special and so are those who care for them.” +

The post Doctor Jane Goodall: For the People, for the Planet, for the Animals appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

“I realized the importance of nutrition as I witnessed the difference proper nutrition makes in our patients,” she says. “Many veterinary professionals don’t talk about the topic, and it’s been my mission to change that.”

Indeed, Burns is a force to be reckoned with. She speaks around the world and consults practices. Her passion is palpable when you listen to her. Burns is all about passion. “Passion is what makes life worth living, and I admire people who have it. I think everyone has a passion for something, they just need to find it. I think technicians tend to be very passionate, otherwise they wouldn’t have pursued this career.”

It’s a career in which Burns, past president of NAVTA and editor–in–chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse, has irrefutably achieved success. At 54, veterinary technology wasn’t Burns’ first career. 

In college Burns excelled in field hockey and women’s softball, as well as in her majors of Education and Psychology at the University of Maine. A self–admitted perfectionist, Burns has always been about living her best life. Her job out of graduate school was a psychologist in the emergency department of Maine Medical Center in Portland. She also worked extra shifts answering poison control questions, and many of those questions were about pets. 

A combination of factors led her to veterinary medicine. She grew up with many pets in the home, and it’s a career that, deep inside, she always wanted to pursue. Simultaneously, there was a certain frustration with what she was doing. 

“I was dealing with emergencies, psychotic breaks and people on the verge of suicide, and there were not enough resources to help individuals in need. And that was difficult,” expressed Burns.

So, Burns took a leap of faith —leaving a “decent income” for a five–dollar–an–hour job in the early 1990’s as a vet assistant. Five years later, she passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam. “Oh, I loved it from the start,” she says. 

And then along the way, a veterinarian she worked for noted her passion in nutrition and let her run with it. And run with it she did. Burns is a founder of the veterinary technician specialty and the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians.

In 2004, she was transferred to Topeka by Hills Pet Nutrition as a veterinary technician specialist, and moved half way across the country to Kansas. Burns admitted that she did have second thoughts. “Oh absolutely, I mean, moving to Topeka from the state I love. But there was an almighty plan.”

It turned out, that move changed her life in two ways. This is about the time that Burns, who was once reluctant about public speaking, launched her speaking career. The other was meeting the love of her life, and it was what Burns today says was love at first sight.

Burns isn’t typically all too effusive about her emotions. But her face lights up when you mention Ellen. Today, Lowery is a professor at Kansas State University, Olathe. 

Burns says, “I never thought about coming out because I was always out; I was never in,” she laughed. “I’m lucky because I believe the veterinary profession is more accepting than others. I think it’s that we’re all pretty empathetic.”

Burns though realizes that being “out” isn’t so easy in many practices. She’s on the Board and is Treasurer of the Pride Veterinary Medical Community (formerly the Lesbian and Gay Veterinary Medical Association). Pride VMC offers support to the LGBTQ+ community. 

“Receiving support from colleagues in the same place you are at is enormously helpful,” she says. “What do you say to co–workers? Do you come out? And what do you say to clients, even in making casual conversation?”

Burns is all about change when it’s the right thing to do. And that also refers to the change from veterinary technician to veterinary nurse. “It’s not just a name change, veterinary nurse provides a better understanding to pet owners regarding our role on the team and the training that credentialed technicians receive.” She adds that the days of hiring well–intentioned but under–qualified animal lovers who have little or no formal veterinary education and calling them technicians has to stop. And the profession needs standardized credentialing.

Having a background in psychology, Burns is qualified more than most to comment on the depression and suicide rate within the profession. “I don’t know that we can solve this on our own,” she says. “I think we would benefit by professional psychological intervention within the profession, beginning with the veterinary schools—and that is starting to happen. Admitting the problem and openly discussing it is a very good start. Mental health is as important as physical well–being; they go hand in hand, but there remains a stigma to mental health. The focus has been on veterinarians, when the entire team is impacted. We’ve been talking about it, and now we’re beginning to offer resources.”

Lowery and Burns have three children, ranging in age from 18 to 30 years old, and two granddaughters. They now live in their recently–built dream home, shared with an assortment of critters, starting with Fribble, a French Bulldog (who Burns says “is the best dog ever, ever”), an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie–mix named Brees; two domestic shorthair cats, Oreo and Baby; a Snowshoe named O’Malley and Ollie the Persian (“the best cat ever”). Also, there is a guinea pig named Nugget, Bella the Meyer’s parrot and Loki the green–cheeked Conure. Their six finches are new and, to date, unnamed (although, as a group, they answer to the ‘Minions’). And finally, the two lovebirds Juno and Sookie—though some suggest Kara and Ellen might have been as suitable. +

The post Kara Burns: Pursuing a Passion for Pet Nutrition appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

This guy would do anything for Cooper. If his dog looks at him cross–eyed, he’s on his way to his veterinarian—and he is by all accounts as kind and gentle as pet parents can be. 

In this instance, I was able to easily convince him that our dogs don’t wake up in the morning scheming to dominate us. But many people feel this way. 

A big part of the problem is dog trainers who continue to train dogs using assertive and aversive methods, and clients assume these trainers are correct when, decidedly, they are not. Unknowingly, sometimes veterinarians even recommend these trainers—giving them additional, albeit unfortunate, legitimacy. 

Common sense—it seems—would dictate positive reinforcement works best. Would you rather work with someone who praises you when you are right, or merely admonishes when you are wrong? 

Some say that simple statement doesn’t apply because our dogs are like wolves who require us to demonstrate we’re the pack leaders. However, our dogs are not wolves. Sure, they’re related to wolves, and evolved from a wolf species, but actually dogs evolved with us. 

So, if common sense doesn’t win the day, how about science? 

For me, the most compelling study I’ve seen is when veterinary behaviorist Dr. Theresa DePorter, based in Bloomfield Hills, MI, investigated a local dog trainer who used aversive training methods in his puppy classes. After one year, 38 percent of the puppy class grads were rehomed, surrendered or euthanized. It gets worse. After two years, 60 percent of the dogs were rehomed, surrendered or euthanized. 

DePorter then convinced that same trainer to offer positive reinforcement classes, and instructed him on how to conduct the classes. The five weekly, in–hospital puppy socialization classes were for pups ages seven to twelve weeks. This wasn’t a typical tiny study of a handful of dogs; she followed 519 puppies for a year.  And one year later, 94 percent of dogs in the positive reinforcement class remained in homes, compared to aversive training, which over a third of puppies were re-homed, surrendered or euthanized a year later.    

Still not convinced? While only a few studies have analyzed training, a 2008 survey on the methods used on 303 Belgian military working dogs (MWD), handlers revealed the use of harsh training methods was not as effective as positive reinforcement—and may even present a welfare issue. 

Pulling on the leash and hanging dogs by their collars were the most commonly used aversive stimuli. The team’s performance was influenced by the training method and by the dogs’ concentration: (1) low–performance dogs received more aversive stimuli than high–performance dogs; (2) a dog’s distraction influenced the performance; distracted dogs performed less well. 

What’s more, positive reinforcement seemed to positively impact the relationship and bond with the handler, which for MWD and their handlers, can mean the difference between life and death.

In his blog for Psychology Today, Dr. Marc Beckoff nails it when he writes, “Research has shown many dog owners do not reach out to professionals for advice on dog training methodology. Even if they do reach out to dog trainers, the profession is unregulated, and many trainers are still using and promoting outdated methods. In addition, cultural factors such as family history or celebrity trainers influence how owners interact with their dogs. The evidence on negative welfare and behavioral consequences of training dogs using aversive tools and methods is relatively recent, and it may take time for the general public to become aware of the risks.”

Very few truly educated dog trainers support the notion of aversive training. Still, as Beckoff says, since the profession is unregulated, how does the public know? 

No wonder some cities in the U.S. are now looking at following what many nations have done, and that is to ban the use of shock or e–collars, prong and choke collars. 

There’s lots of other documentation of studies that support my contention that positive reinforcement is not only a more effective way to teach our pets, but it’s also what they deserve. After all, our dogs are supposed to be our best friends.  

It’s imperative veterinary professionals support puppy classes for all the reasons that socialization and early training are exceedingly important. But first, it’s important to audit a trainer’s class so it’s fully understood who you are recommending. 

One way to have absolute control is to offer puppy classes in your clinic, taught by a professional trainer and/or a veterinary nurse. Also, clients (and the puppies themselves) will become bonded to the practice. And, you can impart messages that most trainers do, beginning with, “Anytime you note a change in your dog’s behavior—the problem may be medical. First, contact your veterinarian.” +

The post The Veterinarian’s Role in Positive Reinforcement Training appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

This isn’t a small cult without impact. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are various measles outbreaks in the U.S. with an unparalleled number of sickened individuals. In New York City, as of April 15, 2019, there have been 329 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens since October of last year. The CDC says this only happens because people aren’t vaccinating.

In April, The World Health Organization (WHO) listed “vaccine hesitancy”—defined as the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate, despite the availability of vaccine—among the top 10 public health threats of 2019. WHO indicates that vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways to avoid disease, preventing two to three million deaths annually, and an additional 1.5 million more deaths could be prevented if vaccines were more widely available globally. With a vaccine on board, typically there’s no need for treatment because disease is prevented, which also saves millions in medical costs across the globe.

This is all a consequence of undocumented effects of vaccines, such as allegedly causing autism or various autoimmune illnesses in people. Human health aside, there’s no peer-reviewed study confirming that vaccines cause or even contribute to these problems in pets. In fact, autism has yet to be described in dogs and cats. 

Lack of research to support claims doesn’t seem to bother the so–called anti–vaxxers. And some of those anti–vaxxers have pets and carry their opinions over to making their pet health care decisions. 

One common complaint regarding vaccines is, “The vaccination will make my pet sick.” I’ll address this one first as an example as to how misinformation can spread from a spark begun by one group online to a wildfire. And it’s not only anti–vaxxers who make decisions based on misinformation.

For example, during the H3N2 canine influenza outbreaks, some dog owners refused vaccines for fear that their best pal would get the flu from the vaccine intended to prevent the flu because they read that this is what happens. It’s not what happens. The dog flu vaccine is in fact a killed vaccine, not a live virus. Of course, it’s impossible for the vaccine to give dogs CIV. 

What I suppose is possible is that some dogs were infected before being vaccinated with the initial shot or the required booster. Actually, this potentially even more strongly suggests the importance of pro–actively preemptively vaccinating. 

Here is where there is a cause and effect: Vaccinate enough dogs, and there is no dog flu outbreak in the first place. Even veterinary professionals sometimes say, “Well, I don’t see it here.” And then it happens here—and it’s too late. 

People say all the time, “I see no distemper,” or even, “I see no rabies, so why should I vaccinate?” At least for rabies vaccines in dogs, it’s the law almost everywhere. You can describe to clients what life would be like in the U.S. if lots of dogs were infected with rabies—likely the government would cull dogs. Who knows what would happen? That’s an extreme example, a better one may be leptospirosis. 

If lepto occurs near you, explain to clients just how sick their dog can get, conceivably even die. And that leptospirosis is zoonotic. And if that client happens to have a toddler, all the more reason to vaccinate. 

Clients can be skeptical, wanting proof that you’re not just trying to sell vaccines. Send them to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) online Lifestyle-Based Vaccine Calculator¹ that addresses this issue for dogs. You might even go through it with them, checking the boxes that describe the dog’s lifestyle, and the algorithm recommends the most important vaccines. 

For concerned clients, and also in conjunction with guidelines, one solution is to have clients return for an additional visit instead of administering all the vaccines at once; it’s typically done over two visits. 

Sometimes it’s not the “you’re over–vaccinating my pet” issue but hesitancy solely because the pet “hates” being given a shot. With the human–animal bond being what it is, some pet parents become anxious about thunderstorms solely because they know how their dog is about to respond. The same can be true for veterinary exams and any associated needles. Cat Friendly Practices® and Fear Free Certified® practices with certified veterinary nurses/technicians and veterinarians who can provide enough distraction so the pet isn’t traumatized by the process of getting those stingy vaccines is one way to ease pet parents’ minds.  Happy pet=happy owner!

Still, increasingly, some clients want near-zero vaccines as their goal.  In two states, anti–vax activists have sought to go the legislative route. The first such effort, a Connecticut House Bill, was filed in the state legislature in 2017 which would have permitted veterinarians not to administer rabies booster shots on schedule if a dog’s titers are at a certain threshold. The bill would have also allowed veterinarians to adjust vaccines by administering smaller doses to smaller dogs, though there is no science to demonstrate the validity of that plan. The bill failed as did a similar proposal in New Hampshire. But more proposed legislation is on the way, which would chip away at the authority of veterinary professionals to make decisions based on science. 

The anti-vaxxers suggest they are contemporary thinkers, pushing medicine forward to do what’s “natural.” In fact, the anti–vaxxers would take us all back to the dark ages. +

References:

¹ https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/vaccination-canine-configuration/lifestyle-based-vaccine-calculator/

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“The day I almost ended my life started like any other day,” says Dr. Kimberly Pope–Robinson in her book The Unspoken Life: Recognize Your Passion, Embrace Imperfection and Stay Connected. 

Pope–Robinson came as close as you can to taking a fatal dose of Vicodin. She thought, “Do I do this? Do I take these pills and end my life? Or do I continue into the abyss that is nothing what I expected life to be?”

She thought about her rescued horse, Toby, who depended on her. And then Sanjay, her cat, ambled into the room as if on cue. Sanjay instantly snapped her out of it, enough at least for her to think of her husband, family and friends. 

Pope–Robinson says she came as close as you can get to letting it all go. Suicide is a real problem in veterinary medicine. So, she was hardly alone among those with that same feeling. 

She not only saved herself, but by creating her company, 1 Life Connected, and by sharing her experience and communicating about her reality, she has saved likely more lives than she knows. 

To know Pope–Robinson back in 2010 you’d think she was a smart, ambitious woman. She may not have been happy in her job—but from the outside in, you’d never guess she would contemplate ending it all. After all, she had no history of diagnosed depression, her job didn’t deal with euthanasia and her loans had long been paid back. 

“Suicide is a moment of intention,” she explains. “In my case, I felt powerless, trapped, as a middle manager—stuff from above and below coming at me. I’d hear about doctors suffering on a daily basis, whatever they were dealing with, their compassion fatigue and being overworked and all of it—and I was feeling traumatized. My bosses weren’t horrible—but they didn’t make it better either. I was overwhelmed with shame and blaming was made internal.” 

She says she was overcome by what she calls “sinkers.” These are negative things that pull us down. She hadn’t then learned to keep her balance and use “balloons” to pull her up. “Each of our journeys and interests are unique, so balloons are unique to all of us. We need to identify them, pay attention to them and celebrate them.”

Balloons can be outside hobbies and interests; from Hula dancing to yoga, religion, friends and family, even work. 

These days Pope–Robinson is known as “the emotions girls” and is on the road a great deal of the time, reaching as many veterinary professionals and students as she can, talking about balloons and sinkers and transparency about feelings. 

 Her over–riding messages include, “If your sinkers are over–taking you, and you’re feeling like you’re falling. Well, you’re pretty normal. 1 Life Connected is about empowering yourself but not blaming or judging yourself or attempting to hide what you are feeling from yourself. As veterinarians and caregivers, we sometimes feel dark and lonely—trapped by our obligations and the expectations of the world. We care for so many lives. Yet our own lives can feel unspoken for. The good news is that we can cross that bridge back to connection, starting with just one step. And let those balloons rise.”

After graduating from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Pope-Robinson interned in equine medicine, and then worked at a large animal full–service specialty clinic near Sacramento. 

She loved the job, but after only six months, a major sinker hit her hard. She was diagnosed with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS), a disease that weakens connective tissues, which made both her job with large animals and one of her favorite hobbies, running, very difficult. 

Due to her health issues, she transitioned to small animals, first in private practice and then at Banfield where she was soon Medical Director and responsible for 40 hospitals and up to 140 veterinarians. “That was way too much,” she says. She eventually promoted someone to take about half of that work load. 

In 2013 she accepted a job at what was then Pfizer Animal Health as a regional strategic veterinarian. Her job was to influence and develop key opinion leaders and build relationships. While she enjoyed the job, by 2015 she had begun to speak as the “emotions girl,” and soon left the security, benefits and salary of Zoetis (formerly Pfizer) to launch 1 Life Connected. In fact, Zoetis supported her, and overall most veterinary professionals are grateful to hear her message; grateful—if nothing else—to hear that they aren’t alone. 

Despite her illness, Pope–Robinson is back to running and is on her way to running a half–marathon in all 50 states. She’s now at 24 states, just finishing up a run in Michigan. For her, this is clearly a big balloon. 

“I am seeing parts of the U.S. I’d never otherwise see,” she says. “Your little part of the world is only just that, a little part of the world. We are all connected and I’ve enjoyed meeting new people in all parts of the country, and seeing places like Yellowstone, Fredericksburg, VA, and the Great Smokey Mountains.”

She says that her other balloons include her tattoos, her purple hair, favorite pieces of jewelry, her friends, family and her husband, Jeff. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Human Animal Bond Association. 

“Of course, my animals,” she adds. “And that includes the stuffed otter I travel with.” There’s, a cockatoo named Maui, a cat named Graciebird and Isabelle, a French Bulldog. 

“Most of all,” she says. “I know I’ve helped people—nothing can be more rewarding.” +

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