Jane Kushnir, LVT attended a seminar at MVS which covered 4 different topics.

"The Power of NSAIDS", how they work, side effects and patient monitoring.

"How Sweet It Is!" covered the advantages of using sugar bandages to heal or close wounds that cannot be sutured, when to use the bandage, how to apply it and how often to change it.

"Xylitol Toxicity"- discussed symptoms, labwork abnormalities and treatment. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener in many products that may benefit humans but is very toxic to dogs, there have been no studies in cats. In dogs, xylitol causes a release in insulin production, vomiting is usually the initial sign, followed by hypoglycemia, liver failure/necrosis and can lead to death. Quick treatment is essential is dealing with this toxin.

The final topic "MRSA/MRSI" discussed the bacteria, risk factors, clinical signs, transmission, prevention and treatment.While MRSA is the bacteria that affects humans, MRSI is the pathogen for dogs and cats.

Jane Kushnir, LVT attended CE on Anesthesia and Pain Management in Small Animals presented by Nancy Brock, DVM of British Columbia, Canada. Objectives of this seminar included better control of anesthesia delivery, better understanding of what our patients and monitors are telling us and improved comfort levels with anesthetic drug combinations. The course covered topics on anesthesia safety, maintenance of equipment, monitoring, patient support and recovery/pain management.

Dr. Montgomery attended a lecture by Dr. MacDonald, a veterinary dermatologist from Auburn University. He well in depth into environmental vs. food allergy dermatitis, ear infections and mites and other skin parasites. Diagnosis, treatment and management of long term allergy cases we discussed, as well as food choices and options for allergen injections vs. oral medications.

Dr. Montgomery attended the conference on January 25th, and listened to multiple exciting lectures on dental radiograph interpretation, cardiology and collapsing trachea. Dr. Charlier, a specialist in veterinary dentistry reviewed dental X-rays and went over specific case studies. Dr. Gordon, a veterinary cardiologist, discussed canine heart disease and treatment. She went over new and promising drugs in canine dilated cardiomyopathy and chronic valve disease, and how best to treat these patients. Dr. Krahwinkle, a specialist in veterinary surgery, went over collapsing trachea and surgical techniques to treat these patients.

In December, Dr. Cassandra Callaway attended the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association's Small Animal Seminar Series on antibiotic therapy. The seminar was presented by Dr. Mark G. Papich, a board-certified specialist. Dr. Papich presented information on appropriate antibiotic choices for some of the more common infections we see in small animal medicineas well as treating more resitant, serious infections. Information on many new drugs and treatments in antimicrobial therapy was also presented.

Dr. Tara Pogarch attended this seminar which began with a discussion regarding intravenous fluid therapy for our patients. There are several different types of fluids that are available for use. There are also many different medications and supplements that can be added to fluids (such as antibiotics and potassium). We discussed case examples of renal failure as well as Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Fluids are a very important part of the treatment of these cases, especially initially.

The remainder of the lecture series included a review of respiratory patterns and what are possible causes of abnormalities. There are many different breathing abnormalities- including fixed airway obstructions (foreign object, neoplasia), dynamic obstructions (laryngeal paralysis, tracheal collapse, bronchial collapse, feline asthma), restrictive lung disease (pulmonary edema/pneumonia, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis), pleural space disease, diaphragmatic hernia, and intercostal paralysis. We discussed how panting helps an animal cool down. The tongue swells, and the pet increases salivation which provides an environment for evaporative cooling to take place.

Some practical techniques for administering nasal oxygen in pets with breathing difficulty were demonstrated. Another technique demonstrated was diagnostic thoracocentesis (to obtain fluid from the chest etc), as well as therapeutic thoracocentesis (for drainage of fluid from the chest cavity).

The last part of the lecture concerned pediatric medicine and common emergencies. Young puppies and kittens are much different than adults. The most difficult aspect of dealing with puppies and kittens is that they can be very ill and don't show a lot of symptoms.

Dr. Tara Pogarch attended this seminar on Urology. Urology is the study of the function of the urinary tract from the kidneys to the bladder and urethra. The lecture was a full day discussion of different aspects of urinary tract disease and how to diagnose and treat them.

Kidney disease and failure is one of the more common problems that we face in both dogs and cats as they age. The lecture included ways to diagnose kidney diseases and treatments to improve kidney function and quality and length of life of an animal with kidney disease. Sometimes all that is needed is a prescription diet and these were discussed at length. We also discussed special diets that are appropriate and helpful for the kidneys. Medications used in the treatment of kidney disease were also reviewed, including the use of phosphate binders to help decrease phosphorus levels. High blood pressure (hypertension) is also a problem that can develop when a patient has renal disease. It is very important to measure blood pressure in these patients.

Urinary incontinence (urine leakage) in female dogs was another topic that was presented at the lecture. Different medications as well as new treatments were discussed for this common problem. A new treatment for this disease involves use of collagen injections. These can be costly but last quite a while and can be quite helpful in controlling the symptoms of incontinence.

Feline interstitial cystitis was another disease that was discussed at length. This illness is an inflammation of the bladder wall that can be very painful. There are many aspects to this disease and much research is being done. Behavior and environment are important factors in the treatment of this disease.

In March, Dr. Cox attended a one-day seminar on Small Animal Behavior presented by one of the leading authorities in veterinary behavior medicine, Dr. Karen Overall. Dr. Overall’s lecture covered the physiology of behavior and touched on topics such as nipping in puppies, cats that won’t use their litter boxes, separation anxiety, and canine aggression.

Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Pogarch attended a seminar dealing with transmittable disease between pets and people. Topics included rabies, leptospirosis, bartonella (Cat scratch disease), toxoplasma and plague. Diagnosis of these diseases in pets, treatment and prevention of transmission to people were discussed in depth. Also clinical pathology of red blood cells was discussed, including abnormalities seen in red blood cells on the microscope, normals depending upon species and infectious agents that can be found in red blood cells.

Dr. McKee and Dr. Montgomery attended the Midwest Veterinary Conference in Columbus, Ohio. The conference covered a wide variety of topics such as ophthalmology, neurology, liver and gastrointestinal issues, animal behavior, feline medicine, parasitology, radiology, ultrasound, dentistry, urology, dermatology and orthopedics. This was an intensive seminar with 4 full days of information and new techniques taught by experts in their fields. Dr. McKee attended an orthopedic wet lab as well, which taught hands-on techniques for cruciate ligament rupture repair and luxating patella correction.

Kim Killingsworth L.V.T. recently attended the Michigan Veterinary Conference in Lansing, MI. The seminars that she attended mainly focused on staff development. Strategies were discussed on taking a proactive approach that will benefit clients and their pets.

The pain management lecture discussed using local blocks in conjunction with other pain medications.

Hospitalized patients that may not be eating due to illness need to have nutritional support due to illness. Esophageal tubes can benefit the patient by supplying the patient with its daily caloric requirements.

Kim also attended the Midwest Veterinary Conference in Columbus, OH. Principles of nutrition, husbandry, and clinical techniques for rabbits and ferrets were discussed. New data was released this year regarding nutrition for rabbits, suggesting a diet of mainly grass hay for adult rabbits and only feeding pellets 1-2 times weekly. It is important for gut health and helps with proper wearing of the teeth.

Zoonotic diseases in birds is rare, however, it does exist. Testing procedures for birds suspected of having disease were presented. Obtaining a bird from a vendor that performs flock testing can decrease the potential for zoonotic diseases.

Birds instinctively hide their signs of illness. Therefore, it is very important to recognize subtle signs of illness. The sooner a bird can get into the veterinarian the higher the rate of successful treatment.

Veterinary technicians can become involved in disaster response from the local to the governmental level. Additional training is essential for technicians who wish to pursue disaster relief.

Kim also attended a wet lab on dental imaging where the principles of proper radiology techniques and positioning were taught. Dental imaging allows for an accurate portrayal of normal and abnormal conditions. More than 80% of dental pathology is below the gum line. Dental radiology provides an opportunity to fully evaluate any problems that may not be visible otherwise.

Kristin DeVito L.V.T attended the Michigan Veterinary Conference in January. The following is her report on what she learned.

“Going to the Michigan State Conference was very interesting. I went to the seminar, Top 10 Poisonings in Small Animals. Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald from the Animal Planet hosted this talk.

He says that the key to treating poisonings successfully is to get a detailed history of the patient. Starting with the receptionist fielding the phone call, some key questions to ask are:

1. What did the pet ingest?
2. Do you have any information on the drug? If so bring in the information.
3. When did the ingestion happen?
4. Do you have any other animals in the household who also might have ingested the same product.
5. Is the pet that ingested this substance on any other medications?

The sooner these pets get to the veterinary hospital and start treatment, the better the chance of the treatment being successful. Usually if the ingestion has occurred within 1-3 hours, vomiting can be induced. Supportive care, including IV fluids, and coating the stomach, is recommended for these patients depending on the toxin.

Dr. Cassandra Callaway attended the North American Veterinary Conference on January 13th through the 17th in Orlando, Florida. The North American Veterinary Conference is one of the largest national conferences with over 350 speakers presenting more than 1400 hours of continuing education. Over 15,000 veterinarians from the United States and other countries attended. The conference covers small animal medicine and surgery, large animal medicine and surgery, aquatic medicine, and exotic and zoo animal medicine and surgery. Dr. Callaway attended lectures primarily on reptile medicine, but also went to avian, small mammal, and small animal cardiology presentations

Kristin DeVito L.V.T. attended a seminar on wound management while attending the Michigan Veterinary Conference in Lansing.

She learned that in managing any wound or laceration there are a few factors that can aid or hinder the healing process. If the pet is on steroid medication of any kind, this will delay healing and can sometimes cause the wound not to completely heal.

An interesting fact that Kristin learned is that diabetic animals heal better than people with diabetes. A dog's age also is important to the healing of any wound or laceration. Younger animals heal a lot faster than geriatric pets.

It is also important not to have too much tension on the suture line. If there is not enough skin to suture the wound without stretching the skin a lot, it is actually better to leave a portion open to scar in. This will allow adequate circulation to the area around the wound.

Sometimes skin grafts are necessary, where skin is taken from one area of the body and sutured to the open wound. Elbows, knees, footpads, and armpits are the toughest places to heal. The first 3-4 days are the most important time for healing.

Veterinary Medicine is improving and so is pain management for our patients. Kristin DeVito L.V.T., attended a seminar on Pain Management recently and learned some new techniques to better control our patients' pain following surgeries and dental procedures. Research shows when pain is adequately treated in pet's they recover quicker. Making their experience at the veterinarian a pleasant time,and less traumatic!

Jane Kushnir L.V.T attended a seminar in December on anesthesia/nerve blocks, which in part was a review on dental nerve blocks but also discussed regional analgesic techniques.

Nerve blocks can be used for various procedures to block 100% of the perception of pain, although temporarily. Discussed were the various nerve blocks, local anesthetic drugs & dosages used. Topical local anesthetics are also effective when used on mucous membranes, for ocular applications, superficial minor surgical procedures & catheter placement. The lidocaine patch, used in human medicine, has the potential to help our veterinary patients as well.

Providing adequate pain management & techniques benefits our patients by helping to reduce the amount of anesthesia required, especially in elderly pets that may have pre-existing conditions,helping them to recover faster & return to normal behaviors.

Dr. Pogarch attended a seminar presented through the Southeastern Michigan Veterinary Medicine Association (SEMVMA). The topic was Endocrinology. The topics covered were Addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism), hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism).

Canine hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease) is sometimes an overlooked disease that can be presented. The focus of the lecture was on the more atypical cases of this disease. Clinical findings to raise suspicion of this disease on blood profiles include changes in electrolytes. If there are changes in sodium and potassium levels and their ratios then further diagnostics may be in order- most specifically an ACTH stimulation test.

Feline Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in our older cat population. One interesting point made in the lecture was that there have been studies as to risk factors of this illness and in one study consumption of canned foods from pop-top cans was a possible risk factor in the disease. Treatment options include medication, surgery and also radioactive iodine. These all have their pros and cons depending on the patient and owner etc.

Diabetes Mellitus is an easily diagnosed disease that affects our pet population but sometimes it can be difficult to treat. With recent changes in the manufacturing of human insulins, many of our commonly used insulins are no longer available. We discussed switching a patient from one insulin to another. Also, we discussed how important it is to not only look at the blood work results but also look at how the patient is doing with their symptoms. Insulin resistance can be a frustrating complication of managing a patient with this illness.

Canine hypothyroidism is a disease process that can be easily diagnosed as well, but also blood work can be difficult to interpret in frustrating cases. Sometimes hypothyroidism is blamed for a lot of our overweight pets when in fact they are not hypothyroid but need to be diet and exercise regulated.

Canine hyperadrenocorticsm (Cushing’s disease) has two manifestations - Pituitary dependent and adrenocortical tumors. There are many blood tests that can be used to diagnose this disease. However, sometimes multiple testing needs to be performed to determine which type of disease the pet has. Recent advances in testing are being researched including sex hormone testing.

Overall, this lecture was informative and useful for our clinical situation. Endocrinology is a broad topic and this lecture covered a lot of material that will be beneficial to apply to our patients.

Jane Kushnir L.V.T. attended a seminar on dentistry in November. Topics discussed included the importance of a complete oral exam w/sedation or anesthesia,a systematic approach to dental charting to observe degrees of dental plaque/calculus, missing/broken teeth, discolored/worn teeth & evidence of gingivitis and/or periodontal disease.

Pain management is very important asdental diseases/treatments are painful. The use of pre-med analgesics along w/dental nerve blocks and post-op oral meds provide the most effective management of pain, which is evident for the first 24-72 hours after dental surgery. Balanced pain management also increases safety, return to function & healing for our veterinary patients. Dental radiology was also discussed & is advantageous to aid in the diagnosis of conditions such as feline resorptive lesions, abscesses, oral tumors/fractures & bone pathology. Dental propylaxis, client education & home care are all ways we can work as a team to provide the best possible dental health for our pets.

Dr. Montgomery attended a seminar on cardiology in dogs and cats by the MVMA (Michigan Veterinary Medical Association). Cardiology medications were discussed in depth, including a new drug for treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy that is waiting to receive FDA approval in the US. Specifically feline heart conditions were discussed, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy medications, treatment and therapeutic goals. Overall it was a very good review of cardiology medications and conditions.

Dr. Lora Montgomery and Dr Tara Pogarch attended a continuing education conference on intestinal parasites and advances that have been made in treatment and diagnostics.

Some of the topics of interest were Giardia, Clostridium perfringens, Tritrichomonos foetus and Cryptosporidiosis. These can be common causes of acute diarrhea in our patients.

A great deal of discussion involved Giardia and advances in diagnostics and treatment. Because of its zoonotic potential, this information is vital. The new technique our hospital uses thru Antech labs regarding testing fecal samples is the gold standard for fecal analysis. Also other diagnostics involve particular antigen testing.

Another parasite that can be commonly overlooked is Tritrichomonas foetus. It was discussed that in cases of refractory diarrhea this parasite can be a culprit. Responses to therapy can be remarkable.

In addition to intestinal disease, we discussed the importance of wellness testing for all of our patients, even those not showing signs of disease. In many cases, disease processes can be identified prior to any outward physical symptoms are shown.

This conference stressed just how important it is to further look for answers to our pets' problems with diagnostics. Further diagnostics help us diagnose disease and form a treatment plan for our patients, which ultimately allows us to provide the best possible care.

Dr Pogarch, Dr Cox, Vicki Nunnery, and Kim Killingsworth attended this seminar for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants. The seminar covered many important aspects of dentistry in pets from the dental equipment to surgical extractions.

Focusing on our pet’s teeth is sometimes an overlooked area until there is a problem. The seminar encouraged preventing dental disease with brushing and at home care. It also discussed diagnosing dental disease, oral cancers and oral diseases. Involving our pet owners, our pets, our staff, and our veterinarians in this team approach for our patient’s health will prevent disease in the future.

Dr. Montgomery attended a 2 day seminar to further advance her abdominal ultrasound training. The seminar focused on visualization of the soft tissue organs in the abdomen of dogs and cats, as well as aspiration and biopsy techniques using ultrasound. The course included multiple laboratories where hands-on ultrasound training was performed using both cats and dogs. This seminar offered techniques that can be utilized here at Southpointe to aid in the optimal treatment and care of your pet.

Kim Killingsworth, LVT recently attended a seminar on denistry. The lecturer was William Gengler DVM, from the University of Wisconsin.

His lecture focused on using radiology for a definitive diagnosis, and an emphasis on preventative care such as routine dental prophies. Pets with oral disease should have frequent rechecks incorporated into a long term treatment plan. Methods were discussed on both surgical and non-surgical extractions to make extractions less difficult to perform. Pain management plays an important role in keeping the pet comfortable after a dental extraction procedure.

An announcement was made at the seminar that Pfizer will be releasing a periodontal vaccine next year under a conditional license. This vaccine will give protection against three species of bacteria.

The course discussed how to recognize a transfusion reaction and what to do about it. It also covered the importance of aseptic technique in collection and in distribution. Another important part of the class was the storing of blood and blood products.

The class was very informative with a lot of new ideas that we hope to use when we have emergencies such as: warfarin toxicity (rodent poison), hit by car or any other blood related emergency.

Erin Logiudice attended this seminar on behavior in adult canines and also behavior in puppies.

Positive training should begin as early as possible including handling from humans of all ages, and exposure to various species. Other important points gathered at the seminar:

• It is important to research breeds and their temperaments and needs before getting a puppy.
• Training will often get worse before it gets better and it can take longer than you would expect.
• Be proactive and offer rewards within 2 seconds of good behavior. Only perform punishments such as taking away toys or removing your attention. Never hit, flick, or give physical punishment.

Dr. Montgomery recently attended a seminar on canine and feline urology (the study of the urinary tract). The seminar addressed acute and chronic renal failure prognosis, prevention and dietary, medical and supportive treatment of these conditions.

Newer diagnostic methods were discussed for predicting patients that may be prone to chronic renal failure. Upper as well as lower urinary tract infections were discussed, as well as causes for each, predisposition in animals, underlying diseases and in depth treatment regimens for recurring infections.

Other issues were explored such as urinary incontinence, urethral incompetence and ectopic ureters. Canine and feline stones were addressed as well as new laser treatment methods done at veterinary teaching hospitals that break up and remove stones without surgical intervention.

Lisa Sherrill recently completed the VSPN course "Exceptional Client Service
Skills for the Receptionist/Front Office Staff Member." The curriculum covered how to give the very best service with the very best attitude whenever working with clientele. The "Veterinary Receptionist Handbook" was used as the class text.

Debbie Welbes , LVT recently attended a seminar on Environmental Stress and the Indoor cat. Some of the highlights from the seminar:

Cats that live indoors have more stress in their lives then we think. The most common sources of stress revolve around their food, water, litter pans, sleeping areas as well as scratching places and toys. The food and water needs to be placed so that they are not facing each other and each should have their own food and water bowls. The litter pans are probably the biggest source of problems. There needs to be 1 litter pan of each plus 1 extra. They need to be placed in different rooms and not in the same room. Sleeping areas need to be arranged so that they each have their own. They also need places to be able to scratch both horizontal as well as vertical. They also need a variety of toys to keep them entertained. All of these things need to be addressed as soon as the kitten or cat comes home and this will hopefully eliminate the start of any stress related problems that can turn into very major problems that can be live long as well as being very stressful for the owners as well.

Liz McLeod , LVT recently attended two seminars on denistry.

Companion Animal Dentistry 101

This course covered the basics of performing an oral exam, the vocabulary and anatomy involved with the mouth and many of the abnormalities that may be discovered while performing a dental cleaning. It also discussed the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental disease.

Companion Animal Dentistry 102

This course covered the importance of offering dental services to our patients as well as developing a treatment plan based on exam findings including cleaning in the hospital and home care. It also discussed safety measures that should be followed for the patient as well as the technician performing the dental cleaning.

Jane Kushnir LVT

Zoonotic diseases are infections or diseases that are naturally transmitted
between animals and humans. Transmission occurs through feces, urine,
saliva, blood, vectors (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes), meat, milk, aerosol, water
contamination with urine or feces, and bedding. Our best line of defense
is basic hygiene, washing thoroughly, personal protection such as gloves,
vector avoidance or protection (insect repellents), and thoroughly cooking
the meat we eat. It is better to take precautions instead of having to be
treated. Animals can be shedding infections/parasites without showing
any signs.

Roundworms/hookworms
Two common intestinal parasites that can be transmitted from pet to pet
and pet to human are roundworm and hookworm. Roundworms are
transmitted by ingesting the eggs and hookworms penetrate through the
skin when we come into contact with contaminated soil. It is very important
to clean up after our pets daily and start worming kittens and puppies as
young as 2 weeks old.

Salmonella
Salmonella is transmitted from our “pocket pets” such as reptiles, rodents,
and other mammals such as hedgehogs. They don’t have to be sick to be
to be passing salmonella. It is important to wash hands thoroughly, wear
gloves when cleaning cages in well ventilated areas, and not “kissing the
rodents”.

Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a coccidian protozoan organism that can be transmitted
by ingestion of oocysts (shed by cats) or meat containing live organisms.
It is important to clean the litterbox daily, keep your cats indoors, and not
eating undercooked or raw meat and washing well after handling raw meat.

Rabies
Rabies is caused by a virus and the bat is the #1 cause of human exposure.
In our area, skunks and raccoons should also be considered suspect.

Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is caused by a spirochete, and vaccines are designed to
prevent disease not necessarily the infection. Infections can be acquired
from contaminated water, soil, animal tissues or urine.

Liz McLeod, L.V.T., recently attended a dog training seminar in Lansing given by well known dog trainer Gary Wilkes. The seminar was about clicker training and the truths vs. myths involved with this sometimes controversial technique.

Gary Wilkes demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique using his own dog and then showed how quickly it can start to work using an untrained dog from the audience. He showed several behaviors that can be taught very quickly using the clicker, but emphasized the importance of incorporating corrections into the training regimen in order to teach the dog “inhibitions” which prevents the dog from offering unacceptable behaviors such as biting or jumping up on people.

When using corrections, the idea isn’t to cause physical discomfort, but to have the consequence be enough that the dog will not be likely to offer that response again. He said that many trainers using the clicker method do not use corrections. Instead, they withhold a reward for incorrect responses. Without using corrections, the dog may still offer incorrect responses.

Dr. Cox has recently attended two ultrasound courses to further her ultrasound skills and knowledge. The first course was a 3 day overview course on basic ultrasound using our new ultrasound machine. This course covered ultrasound physics, artifacts and scanning techniques for the 4 major abdominal organs: spleen, liver, kidneys and bladder. The second course was a two day advanced ultrasound course focusing on the smaller and more difficult abdominal organs including the pancreas and adrenals. In addition, this course covered the new and advanced option of telemedicine which is now offered at Southpointe. Telemedicine allows us to transmit the results of our diagnostic tests including x-rays, ultrasound and bloodwork directly to a board certified specialist for their professional review. The board certified specialist will then provide a written report with their findings, diagnosis and recommendations to help provide the most optimal care for you and your pets without having to leave Southpointe’s building.

Dr. Pogarch was able to attend a “Veterinary Laser Surgery Conference Basic Course” at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine on May 21, 2005.

The course began with a general introduction to Laser Physics and Safety and uses in small animal practice.

The remainder of the course included clinical and practical applications of the Carbon Dioxide laser in veterinary practice. We were able to participate in hands-on sessions throughout the course.

Some of the procedures covered during the course included feline declaw procedures, mass removals, ear surgery, eye surgery and nasal surgery.

It was a very rewarding and educational experience. The laser is a wonderful addition to our veterinary hospital.