Photo courtesy of Alex Sigmund, DVM, DACVO

This image was submitted by Alex Sigmund, DVM, DACVO; CEO of Insight Veterinary Eye Care based in Atlanta, Georgia, and known as The Vet Eye Guy to his more than 35,000 followers on Instagram. He wants every veterinarian to be comfortable with the basics of ophthalmology to improve patient care and client understanding. What ophthalmologic condition do you think the image shows?

Articles

Image quiz: Identify an eye condition

Entropion is a condition where the eyelid rolls inward, causing the periocular hair to rub against the cornea. It can affect any aspect of the upper or lower eyelids, but the lower, lateral aspect is most commonly affected. This constant friction leads to irritation and discomfort, and, if left untreated, can result in tearing, keratitis, and corneal ulcers. 

Although it may seem minor, entropion can severely impact a pet’s quality of life, causing pain and potential vision loss if ulcers worsen. Factors that affect the risk of entropion include eyelid fissure length, skull conformation, orbital anatomy, gender, and periocular facial folds.

Excessive tearing, especially from the lower lateral eyelid.

Chronic corneal ulceration, especially on the lower, lateral cornea.

There are 4 types of entropion. They are as follows:

This is the most common form and often affects breeds with specific facial structures and tissue development rates. Rottweilers, Great Danes, Mastiffs, and Labradors are a few common canine breeds. Persians, Maine coons, and domestic shorthairs are a few common feline breeds. Brachycephalic breeds commonly have medial entropion from facial folds. A polygenic inheritance is suspected with no identified genetic mutations for screening purposes.

Depending on breed, occurrence can occur at 4 to 7 months of age, but breeds such as the Shar-Pei and Chow Chow can have entropion as early as 2 to 6 weeks of age. Temporary tacking sutures or hyaluronic acid-based fillers can be used in young patients to allow them grow into their features. If closer to 6-12 months, then surgical intervention is likely needed.

This type of entropion occurs secondary to discomfort that can occur from severe conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. With corneal pain, the eye becomes enophthalmic which allows the eyelids to roll inward and contact the eye which worsens the squinting and the entropion. Applying a topical anesthetic can temporarily eliminate the cause of discomfort and allow the eye’s position to relax to help diagnose this condition. If the entropion resolves, then a surgical option is not necessarily needed and a temporary procedure is needed, such as tacking sutures.

This form of entropion occurs from scar tissue from trauma. This trauma can be physical, such as an eyelid laceration, but it can also be from chronic, painful ocular disease, such as herpetic conjunctivitis especially in cats. Treatment commonly involves surgery.

The last form of entropion occurs from loss of orbital tissue (both muscle and fat). This can occur from aging, severe weight loss, hyperthyroidism, and neurogenic muscle atrophy. There is no reliable treatment for restoring orbital tissue mass, so surgically addressing the entropion is usually needed. Unfortunately, entropion can recur due to continued loss of orbital tissue. Hyaluronic acid-based filler agents can be used as a temporary nonsurgical route to address mild to moderate entropion.

Answer to identifying an eye condition

Becky Carstens arrived home one day to discover that her boyfriend had given Nellie, their doodle puppy, a zolpidem (Ambien) pill instead of the medication she was prescribed for her urinary tract infection. According to the release, Carstens has prescriptions for her dogs from 2 different veterinary clinics, one using a brown bottle and the other, which were Nellie’s, were in a blue bottle.

 However, Carstens' Ambien bottle also came in a brown bottle.

Carstens explained that she had run out of her Ambien and needed a refill, so she left the pill bottle on the counter next to her dogs’ medications. Having to leave the house, she asked her boyfriend to give their dog his medication, and he told her when she returned that he had given both dogs the medication. Carstens knew that Nellie’s UTI medication had run out, realizing that he had given Nellie the Ambien, she called the veterinarian immediately. Their veterinarian then encouraged them to call Pet Poison Helpline.

“Never keep your pet’s medication with any human medications,” expressed Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline.

 “In fact, if you have multiple pets, you should also store their medications separately, as it is very easy to mix up bottles and severe effects may occur if unnecessary medication is given.”

Canines ingest entire bottle of calming chews

“Also, never give your pets their medications together, as you might drop a pill, and the other animal will beat you to it! Finally, make sure your pets aren’t around when you take your own medication, as that could also fall on the floor and become a deadly treat,” she continued.

Nellie was rushed to an urgent care facility after being given Ambien instead of her urinary tract infection medication (Image courtesy of Pet Poison Helpline)

Carstens brought Nellie to Urgent Pet Care in Omaha, Nebraska, where she provided the veterinary staff with her Pet Poison Helpline case number, where they then had access to their medical team to call Pet Poison Helpline and begin developing a treatment plan. The teams were worried about blood pressure changes, severe neurologic depression or agitation, and an increase in heart rate. The team at Urgent Pet Care induced vomiting by administering activated charcoal to absorb the toxin and then placed her on IV fluids. They monitored her closely overnight and provided supportive care.

Ambien is a human sleep medication that is designed to cause sleep and sedation in humans but can have the opposite effect on pets. If a pet ingests Ambien or any other common sleep medication, common signs to be on the lookout for are

At the end of the ordeal, Nellie’s veterinary bill was more than $1200, but thanks to pet insurance, after the deductible, 90% of the expenses were covered, including the cost of the call to Pet Poison Helpline.

“Pet Poison Helpline and pet insurance make for a good combination,” said Ricky Walther, DVM, chief medical officer at Pawlicy Advisor, the company that insured Nellie.

 “The experts at Pet Poison Helpline provide industry-leading pet toxicology advice, and having the 

 pet insurance ensures that you can make the best medical care decisions possible without worrying about the cost of treatment.”

All Toxin Tails installments from Pet Poison Helpline are designed to educate pet lovers and the veterinary community on the multiple types of poisoning pets face inside and out of the home. All pets featured were successfully treated and made a full recovery.

Medication Mix-up Poisons Doodle Puppy. News release. Pet Poison Helpline. February 12, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medication-mix-up-poisons-doodle-puppy-302373881.html

Ambien. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/ambien/

Nellie, a doodle puppy, was accidentally given Ambien instead of UTI medication 

Medical mishap leads to accidental poisoning of puppy  

Pet treats with cultivated meat are now available for purchase in the United Kingdom. The treats, made by Meatly—a London-based startup producing cultivated meat for pets—in collaboration with plant-based dog food brand The Pack, contain plant-based ingredients along with cultivated chicken meat.

At a cost of £3.49 ($4.30 USD) for 50 grams, the treats, called “Chick Bites,” are currently being sold in small samples through a limited release in one Pets at Home location in London, England, a pet retail chain of 457 stores in the UK.

 Pets at Home, along with Agronomics—a UK investor in cultivated meat—are among Meatly’s largest investors.

The current launch makes Meatly the “first company in the world to supply cultivated meat for pet food on sale,” according to Meatly.

 Last year, the company became the first globally to obtain regulatory approval for the use of cultivated meat in pet food.

“We’re incredibly excited to introduce cultivated meat to the pet world,” Owen Ensor, founding CEO of Meatly said in a company release.

 “Just 2 years ago this felt like a moonshot. Today, we take off. It’s a giant leap forward—toward a significant market for meat which is healthy, sustainable and kind to our planet and other animals. We’re proud to work alongside fellow pioneers Pets at Home and The Pack for this momentous endeavor.”

"Chick Bites" at Pets at Home. (Photo courtesy of Meatly)

“…We are thrilled to be working with Owen and the team to provide cultivated meat pet food products to our customers for the first time in the world. This innovation has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of pet food and will be a game-changer for the industry,” Anja Madsen, chief operating officer of Pets at Home, said in the release.

With the product release at Pets at Home, the retailer is now the first to sell pet food made from cultivated meat.

 According to a company announcement, Meatly has plans to raise additional funds to scale production and broaden the availability of Meatly Chicken in the next 3 to 5 years and plans to continue collaborating with The Pack and Pets at Home.

Currently, 20% of meat is used to feed pets.

 Compared to traditional meat, which uses 40% of global habitable land and 30% of global fresh water, cultivated meat only utilizes 2% and 6%, respectively. Additionally, there is no antibiotic or hormone use involved in cultivated meat.

Meatly Chicken is produced from a single sample of cells taken from one chicken egg.

 Over the course of a week, the chicken egg cells are fed with a blend of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, resulting in meat with a texture resembling chicken pâté.

 “Meatly Chicken is just as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast,” wrote the company.1 According to Meatly, that one sample is enough to produce cultivated meat that will feed pets forever.

“The launch of our Chick Bites treats is a watershed moment for the pet food industry. Cultivated meat offers a tasty, low-carbon, and healthy protein source, which has the potential to eliminate farmed animals from the pet food industry,” Damien Clarkson, CEO and cofounder of The Pack, said in a news release.

Meatly launches world’s first cultivated pet food! News release. Meatly. February 6, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://meatly.pet/meatly-launches-worlds-first-cultivated-pet-food/

Prisco J. ‘World’s first’ lab-grown meat for pets launches in the UK. CNN. February 12, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/science/first-lab-grown-meat-pets-meatly-spc/index.html#:~:text=London%2Dbased%20Meatly%20is%20selling,Meatly

FAQ’s. Meatly. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://meatly.pet/faqs/

We make real meat, without animals. Meatly. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://meatly.pet

A London-based startup is now selling the first-ever cultivated dog treats

World’s first lab-grown meat pet treats launched in the UK

A veterinary professional practices suturing during a hands-on lab at the 2024 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

The next Fetch dvm360 conference offers a variety of hands-on lab experiences for veterinary team. The conference will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 14-16, 2025.

Most of the labs will be presented on Saturday, March 15, 2025, with 1 additional session on Friday, March 14. Additionally, the labs will be mostly held at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina with others at off-site locations.

Lab attendees must be registered to attend the conference and will incur additional costs to participate in these unique sessions, for which seats are limited. Labs can be added during the conference registration process or by modifying an existing registration. Email events@dvm360.com for assistance, if needed.

Times: Friday, March 14, 1:30 to 3:45 pm and Saturday, March 15, 2:45 to 5:30 pm

This 2-hour interactive lab sponsored by PRN Pharmacal/PBI Gordon will be held twice and is open to veterinarians and technicians. It provides an opportunity to expand and enhance suturing skills as well as to network. Various patterns, types of knots, and tacking and walking sutures will be practiced while participants gain knowledge about knot security, tensile strength, and sutures for various cases.

Fees: $29 for technicians; $49 for veterinarians

Times: 9:15 am to 12:00 pm and 1:30 to 3:45 pm

This 90-minute lab is sponsored by Zoetis and presented by Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD; Andrew Hillier, MANZCVS (Canine Medicine), DACVD, BVSc; and Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V. It includes a prerequisite, 60-minute online course that is included with the fee. Learners in Charlotte will either review a cytology under a microscope or choose the next diagnostic step for a patient. Six stations—featuring digital cytology, microscope care, and dermatology diagnostic kits—will showcase clinical cases for attendees to review.

Fees: $200 for technicians, practice managers, and other hospital staff as well as students, recent veterinary school graduates, military veterinarians, and retired veterinarians. $425 for veterinarians; plus a $20 expense to all attendees to receive their final Rescuer certification.

This 6-hour hands-on course also includes online prerequisite modules in basic and advanced life support options. Presented by Elise Littleton, LVT, VTS (ECC); and Leslie Wereszczak, MS, LVMT, VTS (ECC). The course is designed to equip veterinary professionals with life support concepts and techniques, which will be reinforced with simulations, leading to veterinary CPR certification.

For more information about the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte and to register to attend, visit the 

Topics in suturing, cytology, and emergency care are presented by expert faculty for veterinary professionals

Unique labs provide hands-on training at Fetch Charlotte

On this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by 

, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes special guest Kemba L. Marshall, MPH, DVM, DABVP (Avian), to discuss her new book 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine. 

Throughout the episode, Marshall shares her journey to becoming an author, including what led her to begin this conversation on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in veterinary medicine, her "why" and start to veterinary medicine, and what she hopes future generations of veterinary professionals will look like and resources they have to continue advancing DEI in the industry. 

 Instagram account to enter for a chance to win a copy of Marshall's book. 

 [Kemba] embarked on her latest venture in 2020, when she founded Marshall Recruiting Consortium to address the lack of diversity in agriculture and animal health sciences. I'm curious to get your perspective on that thing, Kemba, but like, what made you step into that 

 in 2020? What was [it] like, did you have like, an AHA moment?

Kemba L. Marshall, MPH, DVM, DABVP (Avian)

: Yeah, I think we all did. So, so COVID-19 is happening, and I think all of us are like, what is this? And, oh, by the way, the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, [and] Ahmad Aubrey, it was thing after thing after thing that was happening. And I think all of us, we were we were experiencing it at the same time, ...so many of us were either [in] quarantine at home, working from home, and you were just in your home with your social media or your radio or your television, and it was like compounded thing after compounded thing. And at that time, what I found was so many of my veterinary colleagues were reaching out to me, asking me questions, and Adam, I will tell you, at first I was like, not only do I have nothing to say, but I refuse to speak. I don't want to talk about it. I just, no, because I'm literally in my own thing trying to work it out. 

] was like, but Kemba, what if you do say something, and what if you say something to individuals that may not hear it from another person, but they'll hear it from you. And that sent me on this whole other journey to say, What would veterinary medicine look like if I said I personally want to be involved in advancing the profession? 

Instagram Giveaway Rules (Contest now closed)

Survey Sweepstakes Official Rules Template

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD AT TIME OF ENTRY. Void where prohibited by law. This sweepstakes begins on February 12, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. ET and ends on February 19, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET (“Promotion Period”). Sponsor’s computer is the official time keeping device for this Sweepstakes. Enter the Sweepstakes during the Promotion Period by: (1)viewing the post on Instagram or LinkedIn; and (2)commenting on the post and tagging three friends. Online entries must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on January 22, 2025. Alternatively, anyone may enter the Sweepstakes by printing the words “MMAC Book Sweepstake,” along with his or her name, title, date of birth, street address, city, state, zip, and phone number on a 3.5" by 5" white index card. Mail the card to MultiMedia Animal Care, LLC Attn: Marketing Department, 2 Commerce Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512. To be considered eligible, entries must be received no later than January 22, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET. No methods of entry other than the methods specifically described herein will be accepted. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected or incomplete entries or unsuccessful attempts to enter. Incomplete entries and/or entries not received by the deadlines will not be eligible.Limit (1) one entry per person, per mailing address, per outer-mailing envelope, and per email address.

Winner will be selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received on or about January 24, 2025. Drawing will be conducted by MultiMedia Animal Care, LLC whose decisions are final. Drawing times are subject to change or cancellation with or without notice. Odds of winning will depend upon the total number of eligible entries received. For winner’s name, send a separate self-addressed, stamped envelope to 2 Commerce Drive, Cranbury, NJ 08512 by February 14, 2025.

The prize (“Prize”) consists of the following: three (3) copies of 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine

 by Dr. Kemba Marshall with Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of $60.00 each. Dr. Marshall is not a participant or sponsor of this promotion.

The limit is one winner for each Prize. Winners will be notified by direct message, phone, email, overnight delivery or first class mail, as Sponsor shall determine. If a Winner does not respond to Prize Notification as directed within five (5) days of the attempted notification date or if a Prize or Prize notification is returned as unclaimed or undeliverable, such Winner will be disqualified, Prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected. Upon disqualification, the Prize will be forfeited and no compensation will be given.

Prize is not transferable. No cash or prize substitutions, except the sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Acceptance of Prize constitutes permission to use that winner's name, likeness, and photo, and hometown for promotional and publicity purposes in any media now known or later developed, worldwide, at no additional compensation unless prohibited by law. All costs and expenses associated with Prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided such as reservation fees, taxes, insurance and other expenses incurred by accepting the Prize are the sole responsibility of the Winner. By participating and accepting a prize, winner releases and agrees to hold harmless, MultiMedia Animal Care, LLC, its respective parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, service agencies, sponsors and any independent contractors of any kind arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of the prize or the participation in this sweepstakes or any sweepstakes-related activity.

This sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the United States of America who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry. Void wherever prohibited by law. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. Persons in any of the following categories are not eligible to participate or win a prize: (a) persons who since January 1, 2024 were or are employees or agents of MultiMedia Animal Care, LLC, its respective parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, service agencies, sponsors and any independent contractors of any kind of the above organizations; (b) individuals engaged in the development, production, or distribution of materials or the implementation of the sweepstakes and (c) immediate family of, or persons living in the same household as any person in any of the preceding categories.

Information collected by Sponsor in connection with this Sweepstakes may be used by Sponsor and shared with third parties involved in administration of the Sweepstakes. Information collected from entrants is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy available at 

https://www.mjhlifesciences.com/privacy-policy/

. Sponsor is not responsible for any disclosure made by the other or any third party. By participating in the Sweepstakes and providing your information, Entrants hereby agree to Sponsor’s collection and usage of their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted Sponsor’s Privacy Policies.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram, LinkedIn, or Dr. Kemba Marshall. You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor and not to Instagram or LinkedIn.Instagram is a registered trademarks of Meta, Inc. LinkedIn is a registered trademark of LinkedIn Corporation.

Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any individual found, in its sole opinion, to be tampering with the operation of the Sweepstakes; to be acting in violation of these Official Rules; or to be acting in an unsportsmanlike manner or with the intent to disrupt the normal operation of the Sweepstakes. Any use of robotic, automatic, macro, programmed, third party or like methods to participate in the Sweepstakes will void any attempted participation affected by such methods and the disqualification of the individual utilizing the same. CAUTION AND WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS PROMOTION IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Promotion, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Sweepstakes, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. In such event, Sponsor reserves the right to award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. If due to a printing, production or other error, more prizes are claimed than are intended to be awarded, Prize will be awarded in a random drawing from among all verified and validated entries. In no event will more than one Prize be awarded. In the event of any conflict with any Sweepstakes details contained in these Official Rules and Sweepstakes details contained in other Sweepstakes-related materials, the details of the Sweepstakes as set forth in these Official Rules shall prevail.

By entering, each entrant agrees for entrant and for entrant’s heirs, executors, and administrators (a) to release and hold harmless MultiMedia Animal Care, LLC, Dr. Kemba Marshall, Meta, Inc. and LinkedIn Corporation and their respective officers, directors, and employees (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from such entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (b) that Released Parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, with respect to any prize, including, without limitation, to such prize’s quality or fitness for a particular purpose; and (c) to be bound by these Official Rules and to waive any right to claim any ambiguity or error therein or in the Sweepstakes itself, and to be bound by all decisions of the Sponsor, which are binding and final. Failure to comply with these conditions may result in disqualification from the Sweepstakes at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Sweepstakes, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Sweepstakes, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.Sponsor makes no warranties, and hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, concerning any prize furnished in connection with the Sweepstakes. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, SUCH PRIZES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPONSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

This Promotion is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules shall be governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey, without regard to any principles of conflict of laws. All disputes arising out of or connected with this Promotion will be resolved individually, and without resort to class action, exclusively by a state or federal court located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Should there be a conflict between the laws of the State of New Jersey and any other laws, the conflict will be resolved in favor of the laws of the State of New Jersey. To the extent permitted by applicable law, all judgments or awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket damages (excluding attorneys’ fees) associated with participation in this Promotion and shall not include any indirect, punitive, incidental and/or consequential damages.

The Sponsor and Administrator of this Sweepstakes is MultiMedia Animal Care, LLC, 2 Commerce Drive, New Jersey 08512.

Podcasts

Kemba L. Marshall, MPH, DVM, DABVP (Avian), shares more about her upcoming book, and the journey that brought her to becoming an author 