Top 5 Articles for January 2018

Prepared by Healthy Paws Pet Insurance & Foundation, the 63-page Cost of Pet Health Care Report 2017 used data from more than 200,000 insurance claims filed between June 2016 and June 2017 to outline the most common ailments for cats and dogs, as well as their associated symptoms, treatment costs, new diagnostics, and survivor success stories.

4. Enlisting Dogs in the War on Cancer

In the thousands of years they’ve been domesticated, dogs have helped humans in many ways, from herding sheep and cattle to performing search and rescue duties after disasters. Now dogs have begun aiding us in what might be the most important way yet: finding new ways to fight cancer.

3. Endocannabinoids May Play a Role in Canine Osteoarthritis

The presence of endocannabinoids in canine arthritic knee joints opens the door for new approaches to treating this painful condition. Because “NSAIDs do not always provide adequate pain relief and may have severe side effects, there is an urgent need for the development of treatments for arthritis."

2. AAHA Releases Updated Diabetes Management Guidelines

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released an updated version of its Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. The 21-page document provides important revisions and additions to the 2010 guidelines. The new guidelines provide background information on diabetes plus details on diagnostics, treatment (including insulin types), and monitoring.

1. USDA Grants Canine Osteosarcoma Vaccine With Conditional License

A new canine osteosarcoma vaccine has been granted a conditional license and will be tested among 2 dozen veterinary oncology groups. With enough success, the vaccine could be given a full license and unrestricted distribution in the United States. Stay tuned for future articles.