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Sodium and water balance (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010The volume and tonicity of body fluids are maintained within a narrow normal range by regulation of sodium and water balance. The volume of extracellular fluid (ECF) is determined by the total body sodium content, whereas the osmolality and sodium concentration of ECF are determined by water balance.
CPR: preparing for the ultimate emergency (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010In its earliest forms, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is most likely as old as human society itself. Depictions of mouth-to-mouth ventilation appear in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, and descriptions appear in the bible. Modern CPR techniques emerged in the late 1950's and early 1960's.
Aortic thromboembolism in cats (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Distal aortic thromboembolism (ATE) is most commonly recognized as a devastating sequel to underlying cardiac disease in the cat. The purpose of the following pages is to present the reader with a review of the veterinary literature as it pertains to pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for cats with ATE as well as to provide some comparisons between different treatment and prophylactic measures.
Evidence-based management of ITP (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Dogs with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) usually present with platelet counts low enough to be considered life-threatening, although overt signs of bleeding are uncommon. Owners usually only note anorexia or lethargy, although in some cases epistaxis, cutaneous bruising/petecchi?/echymoses, or oral bleeding may be noted.
Nasal disorders in the dog and cat (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Lymphocytic-plasmacytic rhinitis (L-PR) is a nonspecific inflammatory condition associated with antigenic and irritant stimulation. This disorder is most commonly found in dogs. and has a predisposition for Dachshunds. The clinical signs are those commonly seen with nasal diseases, including sneezing and nasal discharge of varying character.
Anticonvulsant therapy: the new and the old (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Successful control of seizures with anticonvulsant drugs reflects a balance in achieving seizure control while minimizing undesirable drug side effects. Variability in the disposition of anticonvulsants and interactions among them and other drugs are important confounders of successful therapy.
"Natural" does not mean "safe" (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Unfortunately, many people equate natural and safe. Thus, this may explain in part the current popularity of products containing "all natural" active ingredients. However, some of the most toxic compounds known to man are naturally-occurring (botulism, cyanogenic glycosides, ricin).
Acute and chronic vomiting in dogs and cats (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Vomiting is among the most common reasons that dogs and cats are presented for evaluation. Because there are a multitude of causes of vomiting, ranging from simple to complex, this can be a challenging problem for clinicians to accurately diagnose and manage.
Chondroprotective agents: Do they work? (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Chondroprotective agents are available as injectable and oral formulations. The injectable formulations are classified as drugs and are regulated by the FDA. The present discussion will focus on the more nebulous branch of chondroprotective agents, the nutraceuticals.
Chihuahuas to mastiffs: therapeutics and body size (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Small animal practitioners are well aware that "cats are not small dogs". However, are small dogs just miniaturized versions of their larger brothers and sisters? What about the effect of breed on therapeutics? The incredible diversity of dog breeds presents veterinarians with problems and opportunities inherent to the medical care for such a highly variable species.
Antimicrobial resistance: are we there yet? (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010The ability of organisms to develop resistance to an antimicrobial varies with the species and strain. Many organisms remain predictably susceptible to selected drugs (eg, Brucella, Chlamydia); whereas others are becoming problematic (Pasteurella multocida).
Transdermal gel drug therapy: fuss or must? (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Individualized drug therapy increasingly is being recognized as an important aspect of health care for both human and veterinary medicine. However, the number of animal drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is sparse in comparison to those for human patients.
How to interpret acid base data (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010A proper understanding of the terms acidosis, alkalosis, acidemia, and alkalemia is necessary to differentiate simple from mixed acid base disorders. Acidosis and alkalosis refer to the pathophysiologic processes that cause net accumulation of acid or alkali in the body, whereas acidemia and alkalemia refer specifically to the pH of extracellular fluid. In acidemia, the extracellular fluid pH is less than normal and the [H+] is higher than normal.
Practical information from ACVIM research: not yet in print (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is common in geriatric cats but often appears stable for long periods of time. Several studies have evaluated prognostic markers in cats with CKD, but few have identified which ones precede disease progression. The aim of this study was to find a marker which would predict deterioration of renal function in cats newly diagnosed with CKD.
A criticalist's view of canine pancreatitis (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Many canine patients present to the veterinarian with vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and abdominal discomfort, with or without fever. Based on these non-specific signs of disease, the veterinarian has to build a differential diagnosis list. This list commonly includes acute gastro-enteritis (parasitic, bacterial, viral), dietary indiscretion/foreign body ingestion, toxicity, renal disease, pancreatitis, hypoadrenocorticism, and cholangiohepatitis, among others.
What you need to know about MRSA (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Beginning with Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin there has been an ever escalating arms race between microbes and the doctors that treat life-threatening infection. Fleming's discovery saved countless lives; however, it did not take long for bacteria to respond by developing mechanisms for resistance.
The nuts and bolts of measuring blood pressure (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Blood pressure measurement is often not a routine part of small animal practice. This partially has to do with the equipment available to measure blood pressure as well as our patients (they tend not to hold still like we have to).
Polyarthritis: clinical approach to medical joint disease (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Nontraumatic inflammatory joint disease is a relatively common, but under-recognized, cause of fever and morbidity in dogs. In one review of 66 dogs referred for fever of unknown origin to a veterinary teaching hospital, approximately 8% were diagnosed with immune-mediated polyarthritis.
Feline inflammatory bowel disease (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Gastrointestinal disorders include some of the most common reasons why cats are presented for veterinary care. Diseases both within and outside of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) affect the function of the GIT and can result in similar clinical signs.
Hazardous algal blooms: Pets (and people) beware! (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Cyanobacteria is another name for blue-green algae. Not all algae produce toxins. Cyanobacteria intoxication is most commonly associated with ingestion of water with excessive growth of Anabaena spp., Aphanizomenon spp., Oscillatoria spp., which produce the neurotoxins anatoxin-? and anatoxin-?(s); Microcystis spp., which produces the hepatotoxin microcystin; or Nodularia spp., which produces the hepatotoxin nodularin. Cyanobacteria ingested with water can be rapidly broken down in the gastrointestinal tract.
Tracheal collapse: old disease; newer treatment options (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Tracheal stent placement is a novel treatment option for dogs presenting with tracheal collapse refractory to traditional medical management and for those in which the nature and location of the collapse make them poor candidates for prosthetic ring placement.
Cytology of lymph nodes (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Before considering pathologic cytology of lymph nodes, it is necessary to define normal lymph node cytology. Aspirates from normal lymph nodes contain mixed cell populations in which small lymphocytes are the predominant cell (>80 percent of all cells).
What's new with congenital PSS? (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Portosystemic shunts (PSS) are vascular communications between the portal and systemic venous systems that allow portal blood to access the systemic circulation without first passing through the liver. Signs of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) dominate the clinical picture because of inadequate hepatic clearance of enterically-derived toxins.
Care of the canine and feline neonate: part 2 (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Physical examination of the newborn is important to look for congenital defects and early signs of illness or potential for illness since deterioration of neonates can occur suddenly and progress rapidly. Prematurity as well as labor that is difficult or prolonged contribute to poor vigor of offspring.
Prostatic disease in the dog (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010The most common prostatic disease in the dog is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which occurs in intact male dogs that are usually ? 2 years-of-age. Scottish terriers appear to be more severely affected than other dog breeds. The etiology is associated with altered androgen-estrogen ratios as the dog matures.
Drug labels: friend or foe? (Proceedings)
November 1st 2010Today's drug package insert (DPI) can be a powerful ally in the selection and judicious use of a drug. The information that it provides might be categorized as either Product Description, Product Efficacy or Product Safety with some overlap among the categories.