Search Results for “vaccination guidelines”

AAHAs New Guidelines Based on Scientific Data, Include Shelters, Provisional Vaccines

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is pleased to release its newly revised Canine Vaccination Guidelines.

A recent outbreak of canine influenza in Virginia has brought the virus into the spotlight again. And with the swine flu in the news, and the human flu season coming on, veterinarians should be prepared to field questions about canine influenza to help clients differentiate among various forms of flu. The canine influenza virus, H3N8, is highly contagious and spreads especially rapidly among dogs living in a confined space, such as a shelter or kennel. The virus was first identified in 2004 and is suspected to have originated as an equine virus, according to Colorado State University assistant professor of small animal medicine Kathy Lunn, BVMS, PhD, DACVIM.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released its new Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. AAHA found through its compliance study that only 7 percent of pets that could benefit from a therapeutic food were actually on such a regimen. The compliance discrepancy along with the many factors considered in assessing the nutritional needs of healthy dogs or cats, as well as pets with one or more medical conditions, led to the development the AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines. “Incorporating nutritional assessment into the routine examination protocol for every patient is important for maintaining optimal health, as well as their response to disease and injury,” said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP, AAHA executive director. “The goal of the new guidelines is to provide a framework for the veterinary practice team to help make nutritional assessments and recommendations for their patients.”

Up to 59 percent of dogs and cats are overweight, making it the most common nutritional disorder identified in veterinary practice. Now, the American Animal Hospital Association’s '2014 Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats' is offering small animal practitioners guidance in tackling weight problems with their patients.

When a glass is half-empty, it’s also half-full. So let’s fill it up. That’s the outlook among veterinary leaders following disappointing news that the profession has made little progress – and some lost ground – since 2010, despite a concerted, widespread effort to promote companion animal preventive care.

AAHA to Release Dental Care Guidelines, First in the Veterinary Industry

Beginning Nov. 1, 2013, AAHA-accredited veterinary hospitals or those hospitals aspiring to gain accreditation will be required to anesthetize and intubate all dental patients in order to pass the AAHA accreditation evaluation. The standard applies to all dental procedures, including dental cleanings.

Human/Animal Bond Impacts Veterinary Spending, Dip Seen In Number of Veterinary Visits

Infectious diseases, both common and rare, on the rise