Talking to clients about canine and feline nutrition

Sarah Abood and Shoshona Verton-Shaw, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Most small animal clients are willing to accept advice from veterinary staff on the nutritional management of their animal. Yet clients may fail to implement this advice accurately and consistently which may lead to inappropriate feeding, nutritional imbalances and obesity The authors suggest the solution to this problem is to improve the communica¬tion skills of both clinical and support staff. They explore the reasons why clients are sometimes resistant to fully implementing professional recommendations. They emphasise the importance of good listening skills, empathetic statements, good written and verbal instructions, and accurate documentation of the discussion in the pet's medical records. They also recommend investing in motivational interviewing training for all members of the team.

Veterinary Clinics of North America 51 (3), 517-528

Effects of different wound dressings in controlling microbial growth

Eva De Clerq and others, University of Ghent, Belgium

Wounds affecting the distal limbs are common in horses, they can involve extensive skin loss and will be susceptible to microbial infections. The authors used an experimental model to assess the effectiveness in controlling bacterial growth of different wound dressings. These contained either inactivated charcoal, boric acid, cadexomer iodine, calcium alginate, manuka honey nanoparticle silver or polyhexamethylene biguanide. The mean bacterial load in wounds covered with the cadexomer iodine- based dressing was consistently lower than with the other dressings.

American Journal ofVeterinary Research 82(3), 189-197

Comparison of two methods for non-invasive measurements of blood pressure in cats

Petra Cerna and others, University of Edinburgh

Non-invasive methods for measuring blood pressure may be particularly useful for the examination of older cats and those being treated with medications that may affect BPThe authors compared the findings using two different methods, namely Doppler and oscillometric devices, with or without proprietary optimisations. Their findings support the view that the Doppler and oscillometric devices can not be used interchangeably. Therefore, individual cats should be assessed using the same machine for each examination and the cuff size and procedure recorded each time in their notes.

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X20932407

Influence of exam location on stress in client-owned dogs

Wendy Mandese and others, University of Florida, Gainesville

More than half the dogs in a recent study experienced anxiety stress and fear during a veterinary examination and in 14% of cases, these were severe responses. The authors investigated the influence of exam location on behavioural indicators of stress. In a prospective, crossover study dogs were examined either in an isolated exam room with the owner present or in a busy common treatment area with the owner absent. Their findings suggest that conducting physical examinations in the common treatment area, coupled with separation from the owner, increased overt signs of anxiety stress and fear.

Journal of Small Animal Practice https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13248

Associations between diet and clinical outcomes in dogs with cardiac disease

Ashley Walker and others, University of California, Davis

Several incidents have been reported in which dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure have been diagnosed in dog breeds in which those conditions are uncommon. There is evidence linking these cases to the feeding of a grain-free, legume-rich diet. The authors studied 67 dogs diagnosed with cardiac disease in which the dietary history was known. Those dogs which then received treatment with cardiac medications and stopped receiving the grain-free diet showed improvements in echocardiographic measures that indicated ventricular remodelling.

Journal ofVeterinary Cardiology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc2021.02.001

Venlafaxine in the treatment of aggression in a cat

Kevin Pflaum and Sarah Bennett, Ashville, North Carolina

A six-year-old castrated male domestic short-hair was referred for treatment of refractory misdirected play and impulse-control aggression. The condition had previously been managed using the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine but the patient had developed problems with urine retention. Therapy then switched to the serotonin-norepi- nephrine reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine and the patient's aggression rapidly improved to match the reduced level seen previously under fluoxetine treatment.

Journal ofVeterinary Behavior 42(I), 22-25

Nutritional support for mechanically ventilated cats and dogs

Thomas Greensmith and Daniel Chan, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead

The provision of parenteral feeding in companion animals undergoing mechanical ventilation has not received much attention previously in the veterinary literature. The authors examined how widely enteral and parenteral nutrition was given to 50 dogs and eight cats treated at a university clinic. Only I8 patients (3I%) in this group received nutritional support with the majority (I6 animals) fed parenterally They recommend that a repeat audit should be undertaken after implementing changes to institutional protocols for nutritional provision to assess the impact of feeding on morbidity and mortality

Journal ofVeterinary Emergency and Critical Care https://doi.org/10.11111/vec.13060

Staphylococcal contamination of portable electronic devices in a veterinary hospital

Georgia Vinall and others, University of Bristol

Portable electronic devices are in regular use in veterinary clinics and may be handled in areas that will predispose them to bacterial contamination. Therefore, there is a risk that the devices could act as fomites allowing the transmission of infection to both patients and staff. The authors took swabs from 47 smart phones used within a veterinary hospital and found staphylococci contamination in 68% of samples, including some vancomycin-resistant isolates. In 44% of these cases, the owners admitted that they did not regularly disinfect the devices.

Journal of Small Animal Practice https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13289

Faecal microbiota transplantation in dogs

Jennifer Chaitman and Frederic Gaschen, Veterinary Internal Medicine and Allergy Specialists, New York

The transfer of faecal matter from healthy donors to diseased patients in treating conditions such as clostridial infection has attracted growing attention in the human medical and veterinary literature. The authors review current understanding of these methods in treating gastrointestinal disorders in dogs. They found evidence that repeated transplant treatments shortened th
e period for the return of formed faeces and reduced hospital stays in puppies with parvovirus infections. A single treatment was found to be superior to metronidazole therapy in the treatment of acute enteritis.

Veterinary Clinics of North America https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2020.09.012

Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in the diagnosis of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy

Samantha Gilbert and others, Care Veterinary Specialists, Wellington, Somerset

Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is a recommended diagnostic procedure for investigations into canine idiopathic epilepsy but it has well documented risks. The authors carried out a retrospective study of 82 dogs with suspected idiopathic epilepsy to assess the frequency of cases

with CSF abnormalities. They conclude that CSF analysis can play an important role in identifying the underlying causes of seizures but will rarely provide new information in those dogs with a normal inter-ictal neurological examination and MRI scan results. For these patients, the risks of performing a CSF tap may outweigh the benefits.

Australian Veterinary Journal 99(1-2), 1-5

Haemolysis of canine packed red blood cells during rapid transfusion

Jessica Weeks and others, Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners,Tampa, Florida

There is a hypothetical risk of increased damage to red blood cells associated with greater external pressure when attempting rapid blood transplantation. The authors compare the rate of iatrogenic haemolysis when using different administration techniques. They found that none of the commonly used rapid infusion techniques caused significant iatrogenic haemolysis when using fresh blood. But the risks were significantly higher when using stored blood and such products should be tested for existing haemolysis levels before use.

Journal ofVeterinary Emergency and Critical Care https://doi.org/10.1111/ vec.13020

Sleep disorders and mental health problems in military veterinary staff

Anna Rivera and others, Naval Health Research Center San Diego, California

Occupational-related mental distress is known to affect healthcare professionals more frequently than other groups. Sleep disorders may have negative effects on mental health but have had little attention as a factor in any problems facing healthcare staff. The authors investigated the prevalence of mental health problems, drug or alcohol abuse and sleep disorders in 7,744 military medical staff.Vets reported a higher incidence of mental health problems, sleep issues and lack of social support than medical or dental staff. However, vet techs (ie, vet nurses) reported lower levels of psychotropic substance use than the other groups.

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association https://doi.org/ 10.2460/javma.258.7.767

Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 36 • June 2021