AAFP and ISFM feline-friendly handling guidelines

BACKGROUND: The number of pet cats is increasing in most countries, often outnumbering pet dogs, yet cats receive less veterinary care than their canine counterparts.(1) Clients state the difficulty of getting the cat into a carrier at home, driving to the clinic, and dealing with the fearful cat at the veterinary clinic as reasons for fewer visits.(2) Educating and preparing the client and the veterinary team with regard to respectful feline handling is necessary in order to avoid stress and accomplish the goal of good health care. Without such preparation, feline stress may escalate into fear or fear-associated aggression. The resulting stress may alter results of the physical examination and laboratory tests, leading to incorrect diagnoses (eg, diabetes mellitus) and unnecessary treatments.(3-5) Without compassionate and respectful handling by the veterinary team, clients may feel the team lacks skills and compassion, or does not understand cats. Injury may occur to the cat, client and/or veterinary team.(6) Clients who want to avoid stress for their cat may avoid veterinary visits or choose another practice instead. GOALS: The use of feline-friendly handling techniques should reduce these problems. Handling is most successful when the veterinary team adapts the approach to each individual cat and situation. The goal of these guidelines is to provide useful information for handling cats that can lead to: ? Reduced fear and pain for the cat. ? Reinforced veterinarian-client-cat bond, trust and confidence, and thus better lifelong medical care for the cat. ? Improved efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction for the veterinary team. ? Increased client compliance. ? Timely reporting and early detection of medical and behavioral concerns. ? Fewer injuries to clients and the veterinary team. ? Reduced anxiety for the client.     

AAFP and ISFM feline-friendly nursing care guidelines

NURSING CARE: The term nursing care means different things to different people. The authors of these AAFP and ISFM Feline-Friendly Nursing Care Guidelines define nursing care as any interaction between the cat and the veterinary team (veterinarian, technician or nurse, receptionist or other support staff) in the clinic, or between the cat and its owner at home, that promotes wellness or recovery from illness or injury and addresses the patient's physical and emotional wellbeing. Nursing care also helps the sick or convalescing cat engage in activities that it would be unable to perform without help. GUIDELINES RATIONALE: The purpose of the Guidelines is to help all members of the veterinary team understand the basic concepts of nursing care, both in the clinic and at home. This includes methods for keeping the patient warm, comfortable, well nourished, clean and groomed. The Guidelines provide numerous practical tips gleaned from the authors' many years of clinical experience and encourage veterinary team members to look at feline nursing care in ways they previously may not have considered. OVERARCHING GOAL: The primary goal of feline-friendly nursing care is to make the cat feel safe and secure throughout its medical experience.     

AAHA/AAFP pain management guidelines for dogs and cats

Pain management in dogs and cats has undergone a dramatic evolution in the past decade. Current approaches focus on anticipation and prevention of pain, as well as both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management techniques. The veterinary team plays an essential role in educating pet owners about recognizing and managing pain in their pets.     

ACVIM consensus statement guidelines for the classification,diagnosis, and management of cardiomyopathies in cats

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of myocardial disorders of mostly unknown etiology, and they occur commonly in cats. In some cats, they are well-tolerated and are associated with normal life expectancy, but in other cats they can result in congestive heart failure, arterial thromboembolism or sudden death. Cardiomyopathy classification in cats can be challenging, and in this consensus statement we outline a classification system based on cardiac structure and function (phenotype). We also introduce a staging system for cardiomyopathy that includes subdivision of cats with subclinical cardiomyopathy into those at low risk of life-threatening complications and those at higher risk. Based on the available literature, we offer recommendations for the approach to diagnosis and staging of cardiomyopathies, as well as for management at each stage.     

European consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs and cats

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution affecting most mammalian species. Clinical leptospirosis is common in dogs but appears to be rare in cats. Both dogs and cats, however, can shed leptospires in the urine. This is problematic as it can lead to exposure of humans. The control of leptospirosis, therefore, is important not only from an animal but also from a public health perspective. The aim of this consensus statement is to raise awareness of leptospirosis and to outline the current knowledge on the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnostic tools, prevention and treatment measures relevant to canine and feline leptospirosis in Europe.     

ACVIM consensus update on Lyme borreliosis in dogs and cats

An update of the 2006 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Small Animal Consensus Statement on Lyme Disease in Dogs: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention was presented at the 2016 ACVIM Forum in Denver, CO, followed by panel and audience discussion and a drafted consensus statement distributed online to diplomates for comment. The updated consensus statement is presented below. The consensus statement aims to provide guidance on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Lyme borreliosis in dogs and cats.     

European consensus document on mast cell tumours in dogs and cats

In preparing this document the Authors aimed to pool current information on canine and feline mast cell disease. The information was gathered from international studies and a emphasis was placed on material and opinion with a strong evidence base. We intend it to form the basis of our understanding in this disease at the current time and we anticipate that it will be particularly useful for the general practitioner. It should be emphasized that the authors are presenting this work from a European perspective.     

Prepubic urethrostomy: A long-term study in 16 cats

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the indications for and long-term outcome of prepubic urethrostomy (PPU) in the cat. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective survey. ANIMALS: Sixteen cats that had undergone PPU. METHODS: Data were recovered from the medical records of the cats. Follow-up information was obtained from the owners and referring veterinarians. RESULTS: Indications for PPU were: failed perineal urethrostomy for the management of idiopathic lower urinary tract disease (ILUTD) (8 cats) or urethral trauma (1 cat); unresolved pelvic urethral obstruction after recurrent ILUTD (5 cats); and stenosis of the pelvic urethra as a result of trauma (2 cats). A patent urethral stoma was created in all cases. Signs of lower urinary tract disease were present in 8 cats postoperatively. With appropriate dietary management, these signs resolved in 2 cats and improved in another 4 cats. Eleven cats experienced postoperative complications that consisted of peristomal skin irritation or necrosis (7 cats) and urinary incontinence (6 cats). Complications developed in the immediate postoperative period in 6 cats, and resolved in 2 of these. Six cats developed late complications, at 6 to 84 months postoperatively. Six cats were euthanatized between 1 and 26 months' postoperatively. The mean survival time in these cats was 13 months. Reasons for euthanasia included urinary incontinence (3 cats), skin necrosis (2 cats), and unresolvable ILUTD (1 cat). CONCLUSIONS: PPU is a salvage procedure that is successful in relieving the signs of urinary tract obstruction and preventing further obstruction. However, potential complications should limit its use to cases in which standard techniques for perineal urethrostomy cannot be performed. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PPU is a comparatively simple procedure that should be considered as a salvage technique for obstructive disease of the pelvic urethra.     

Current concepts on the use of antimicrobials in cats

This article reviews the general pharmacological properties of antimicrobial drugs used in feline medicine. It focuses on recent advances in pharmacokinetics, providing an update on indications, drug interactions and adverse reactions or toxicity in the cat. Attention is given to the most used groups, such as cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, reviewing their basic features and clinical uses, and discusses the pharmacokinetic advantages of the newer members of each group. The older groups (penicillins, aminoglycosides, macrolides and tetracyclines) are also considered with regard to their general features and current uses, and any recent reports on adverse reactions in cats are provided.     

Control of urine marking by use of long-term treatment with fluoxetine or clomipramine in cats

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether clomipramine differs from fluoxetine in reducing feline urine marking; whether reduction of marking continues in cats treated >8 weeks; whether recurrence of marking, after abrupt drug withdrawal, is less in cats treated >8 weeks; and whether cats that are successfully treated but resume marking after drug withdrawal can be successfully treated again with the same drug regimen. DESIGN: Positive-controlled, double-masked clinical trial. ANIMALS: 22 neutered cats (2 females, 20 males) > or =1 year old with objectionable urine marking. PROCEDURE: Cats that marked vertically > or =3 times/wk were treated with fluoxetine (1 mg/kg [0.45 mg/lb], q 24 h, PO) or clomipramine (0.5 mg/kg [0.23 mg/lb], q 24 h, PO) for 16 weeks, and efficacy was compared. Recurrence of marking was determined after abrupt withdrawal of fluoxetine at 16 or 32 weeks. Reduction in marking in cats treated with fluoxetine for 8 weeks after returning to marking following drug withdrawal was compared with the initial 8 weeks of successful treatment. RESULTS: Efficacy of fluoxetine and clomipramine was similar. Treatment >8 weeks revealed increasing efficacy in reduction of marking. Return of marking after termination of fluoxetine administration occurred in most cats. Cats successfully treated initially with fluoxetine responded similarly to repeated treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clomipramine and fluoxetine were equivalent in treating urine marking. Longer treatment increased efficacy. Most cats return to marking after abrupt drug withdrawal. A second course of treatment can be expected to be as effective as the first.     

ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis of immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs and cats

Immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs. IMHA also occurs in cats, although less commonly. IMHA is considered secondary when it can be attributed to an underlying disease, and as primary (idiopathic) if no cause is found. Eliminating diseases that cause IMHA may attenuate or stop immune‐mediated erythrocyte destruction, and adverse consequences of long‐term immunosuppressive treatment can be avoided. Infections, cancer, drugs, vaccines, and inflammatory processes may be underlying causes of IMHA. Evidence for these comorbidities has not been systematically evaluated, rendering evidence‐based decisions difficult. We identified and extracted data from studies published in the veterinary literature and developed a novel tool for evaluation of evidence quality, using it to assess study design, diagnostic criteria for IMHA, comorbidities, and causality. Succinct evidence summary statements were written, along with screening recommendations. Statements were refined by conducting 3 iterations of Delphi review with panel and task force members. Commentary was solicited from several professional bodies to maximize clinical applicability before the recommendations were submitted. The resulting document is intended to provide clinical guidelines for diagnosis of, and underlying disease screening for, IMHA in dogs and cats. These should be implemented with consideration of animal, owner, and geographical factors.     

Effect of long-term administration of ketoconazole in cats

Four cats given ketoconazole (30 mg/kg of body weight/day) for 30 days developed dry hair coats and weight loss. Plasma cortisol and serum cholesterol, testosterone, and progesterone did not change significantly (P greater than 0.01), and significant alterations in serum albumin, calcium, and alkaline phosphatase (P less than 0.01) did not preclude use of the drug. Serum testosterone concentrations tended to decrease after 7 days of treatment, but in 2 cats returned to near-pretreatment values by day 30 of treatment, despite continued drug administration. These results were in contrast to those reported in the dog at similar and lesser dosages of ketoconazole.