The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced earlier this year that Jan Suchodolski, MedVet, DrVetMed, PhD, AGAF, DACVM, professor and associate director for research of the gastrointestinal laboratory at Texas A&M, and Purina Petcare endowed chair for microbiome research, as the recipient of the 2024 AVMA Career Achievement in Canine Research Award.

“Suchodolski's pioneering work in defining the gastrointestinal microbiome in dogs has revolutionized our understanding of canine health and disease," expressed Rena Carlson, DVM, AVMA president, in an organizational release.

 "His research has had a profound impact on veterinary medicine and has paved the way for new diagnostic tools and treatment approaches."

this award from the AVMA honors one of its members for its contributions to the field of canine research and is selected by the AVMA council on Research. In order to qualify, AVMA members must be submitted by either another AVMA member or nonmember, or organization, governmental or not, and the council will not consider any self-nominations.

The requirements for nominations are a letter summarizing the nominee’s professional background with current professional activity, statement of significant achievements, qualifications for the award, and significant research achievements included. An interactive PDF form must be filled out and their curriculum vitae/resume, and relevant publications, not going over 4 single-sided typed pages, and a high-resolution headshot. The nominee will also need up to 3 letters of support from fellow veterinarians, colleagues, clients, or organizations, not exceeding 3 single-sided pages each. The winner will receive a $2,500 honorarium and a crystal award

Suchodolski is a 2003 graduate of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna and is now a board-certified veterinary microbiologist. He has authored or coauthored over 400 peer-reviewed publications, cited more than 10,000 times, and has a field citation of 3.66, meaning that his papers are cited 366% more often than papers from other investigators within his field.

 “The effect of the macrolide antibiotic tylosin on microbial diversity in the canine small intestine as demonstrated by massive parallel 16S rRNA gene sequencing” that was published in 2009, he became the first researcher to investigate the huge impact that antibiotics have on the gut microbiome of dogs. Since the study was published, Suchodolski was participated in or initiated additional studies on the matter, making it an important focus of efforts to improve antimicrobial stewardship in the medical and veterinary profession.

His research has also led to improvements on how the gut microbiome can be evaluated in the clinical setting. In his study, “A dysbiosis index to assess microbial changes in fecal samples of dogs with chronic inflammatory enteropathy,” that was published in FEMS Microbiology Ecology in 2017, he established a simplified and new way to assess the fecal microbiome.

 The new way utilizes accessible technology of quantitative PCR and validating the fecal dysbiosis index. The index is currently available commercially through the GI laboratory to provide an affordable method for an inside look of the gut microbiome health in canine patients with GI diseases.

“I am very honored I was selected by the AVMA Council on Research to receive the prestigious career achievement award,” expressed Suchodolski. “I’m thankful for this recognition and would also like to acknowledge and thank all my collaborators and students that have worked with me for the past 20 years.”

Suchodolski’s research has won multiple awards such as the Zoetis Award for Research Excellence and the Outstanding Research Leader Award, Convocation, CVM from Texas A&M University. He was also elected as a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association, which is considered a rare honor for a veterinarian, and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Morris Animal Foundation.

Dr. Jan Suchodolski wins 2024 AVMA Career Achievement in Canine Research Award. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. June 6, 2024. Accessed October 10, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/news/press-releases/dr-jan-suchodolski-wins-2024-avma-career-achievement-canine-research-award

AVMA Career Achievement in Canine Research Award. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed October 10, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/about/awards/avma-career-achievement-canine-research-award

Suchodolski JS, Dowd SE, Westermarck E, et al. The effect of the macrolide antibiotic tylosin on microbial diversity in the canine small intestine as demonstrated by massive parallel 16S rRNA gene sequencing. 

. 2009;9:210. Published 2009 Oct 2. doi:10.1186/1471-2180-9-210

AlShawaqfeh MK, Wajid B, Minamoto Y, et al. A dysbiosis index to assess microbial changes in fecal samples of dogs with chronic inflammatory enteropathy. 

. 2017;93(11):10.1093/femsec/fix136. doi:10.1093/femsec/fix136

Articles

A professor at Texas A&M University received this award for his long-term contributions to canine research 

AVMA announces 2024 AVMA Career Achievement in Canine Research Award

Soot (left) and Shepard (right). (Photo courtesy of University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and Lauren Bryan)

Shepard, a 10-month-old kitten is on a journey to recovery from feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) after his brother and littermate, Soot, passed away, likely of FIP, 3 months before Shepard began showing clinical signs of the disease.

Shepard’s treatment was overseen by Katelynn Ondek, DVM, PhD, a veterinary neurology and neurosurgery resident, who explained in a University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine report

 how the team at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana diagnosed and treated the usually fatal disease before treatment for it—compounded GS-441524—was 

Soot and Shepard were both adopted by the same family. In March 2024, Soot began limping on his right rear leg, losing control of his bowel and bladder, and losing interest in eating. As the month progressed, Soot experienced worsening symptoms, including seizures, hypothermia, and bradycardia. He was then taken for emergency treatment, but ultimately euthanized when he could not be stabilized. Definitive diagnostic tests are still pending for Soot, but preliminary results strongly indicate FIP, per the university report.

Three months later, on July 31, 2024, Shepard began having green nasal discharge and wheezing. After 2 days, he became lethargic and showed a diminished appetite. The following day, Shepard developed neurological signs, including stiff back legs, a wobbly walk, and splaying of his legs. It was at this point that his family took action. According to Ondek, the family's heartbreaking experience with Soot helped them identify Shepard's clinical signs, helping them to get him hospitalized and receive timely treatment.

FIP manifests in 2 forms: the "dry" or noneffusive type, which may cause neurological issues, and the "wet" or effusive type, characterized by fluid buildup in body cavities. Both Shepard and Soot experienced non-effusive FIP.

Veterinarians were able to stabilize Shepard after he arrived at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital's emergency room (ER). He was then referred to the neurology and neurosurgery service for diagnostic testing, which involved blood work and an MRI.

“The MRI allows us to look at the gross structures of the brain and spinal cord. In Shepard, it revealed an infection or inflammation of the tissue around his brain and spinal cord [meningitis]. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis lets us look microscopically at the nervous system, and Shepard’s sample was positive for FIP,” explained Ondek in the report.

The ER began Shepard’s treatment with supportive care and antibiotics. Then, the hospital's neurology team administered a steroid to minimize inflammation in his central nervous system. He also underwent a blood transfusion during his hospitalization.

However, even with these treatments, Shepard’s health continued to deteriorate until he received a legally-sourced antiviral therapy: the injectable antiviral remdesivir — a treatment for cats with FIP that had recently become available.

Shepard’s case was the first to be legally treated at the university’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital with remdesivir.

 Originally recognized for its effectiveness against COVID-19 in humans, remdesivir received FDA approval for veterinary use in 2022. However, according to Ondek, the treatment has been “nearly impossible” to acquire in veterinary clinics.

 At $775 for a 100 mg vial, the medication is not affordable for many veterinary practices.

“We are very fortunate that we were able to obtain this medication from Carle [Hospital in Urbana, Illinois],” Ondek remarked in the report.

Within 24 hours of starting remdesivir, Shepard began to improve. By the fourth day of treatment, he was racing around the treatment room, displaying only mild incoordination.

After 8 days in the hospital, Shepard was discharged. Family follow-up videos show that he is now behaving like a typical kitten, though he remains a bit wobbly, according to the report.

According to Ondek, studies have found that cats that survive the first 2 days are more likely than not to have an 80% or greater chance of long-term survival with antiviral treatments, the report relayed.

Shepard has since been switched to oral GS-441524, which became available for veterinary use from Stokes Pharmacy in June 2024. “The new compounded oral medication from Stokes, which is identical to the Bova formula used in the UK and Australia, was just legalized in June 2024 and will be a game-changer for veterinary medicine moving forward,” said Ondek in the report.

Five years ago, FIP was considered fatal. Treatments like remdesivir and GS-441524 have now increased the survival rate to between 50% and 100%.

The advised length of antiviral treatment is 84 days. There is a chance of relapse during or after this initial period, according to the report.

 Some cats with neurologic FIP may also experience permanent, non-progressive neurological deficits even if they fully recover.

“Shepard is not out of the woods yet, but we are all rooting for him and will be following him closely over the next few months,” said Ondek in the report.

Recently, Austin Pets Alive! (APA!), a nonprofit animal shelter and rescue organization in Austin, Texas, 

 with the University of Florida Shelter Medicine program in Gainesville to study FIP treatment responses in shelter cats with and without a FeLV co-infection.

APA! has treated more than 250 cats, primarily FeLV-positive, achieving a 75% survival rate during the 6-month treatment and observation period, with FeLV co-infection seemingly having no impact on FIP treatment outcomes.

Bryan L. A tale of two kitties: Feline infectious peritonitis. University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. September 13, 2024. Accessed October 10, 2024. 

https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet-health-columns/feline-infectious-peritonitis-remdesivir/

McCafferty C. Compounded oral FIP treatment is now available. dvm360. September 10, 2024. Accessed October 10, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/compounded-oral-fip-treatment-is-now-available

Littrell A. Nonprofit shelter collaborates on lifesaving FIP treatment. 

. September 4, 2024. Accessed October 10, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/nonprofit-shelter-collaborates-on-lifesaving-fip-treatment

A 10-month-old kitten survives FIP with 2 recently available medications

A kitten’s fight against FIP

Karen Roach, RVT, VTS (ECC), will be presenting multiple emergency care CE sessions at the 2024 Fetch Coastal conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey; October 14-16, 2024

Emergency care education at Fetch Coastal

Karen Roach, RVT, VTS (ECC), a training mentor at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in New Jersey, has a keen interest in veterinary emergency and critical care. She will be presenting and co-presenting multiple educational sessions at dvm360’s 2024 Fetch Coastal conference.

Fetch Coastal is being held October 14-16, 2024, at the Atlantic City Convention Center in New Jersey. For more information and to register as an attendee, visit the 

, Roach discussed the topics she is scheduled to present on Monday, October 14, 2024. Among those topics are diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), pain management, triage, transfusion medicine, and Kirby’s Rule of 20.

The following is a transcript of this video:

I just love a good DKA case, which is diabetic ketoacidosis, and they're just very challenging cases. There's a lot of balancing that has to go on. There's a lot of IV fluid pumps and syringe pumps and a lot of stuff like that, but they're just so rewarding when you get those patients through. So I love to talk about it.

I'm doing a talk on pain management specifically for emergency and critical care patients, and within that, I also talk about treating stress and anxiety in our patients, because that's also very important. If they're stressed and painful, you got to treat both of those things.

I'm also doing a talk on triage and another one on transfusion medicine. And then I'm actually doing a combo talk with Andrea Pace, [CVT, VTS (ECC)] who works here at Mount Laurel [Animal Hospital]. We are doing a talk together on Kirby's Rule of 20 from the [emergency department] to treatment. That's a way of treating critical patients based on these 20 points that a critical care doctor came up with quite a few years ago.

For more articles and interviews from Fetch Coastal, visit our 

Videos

Karen Roach, RVT, VTS (ECC), will be presenting sessions on emergency care at the 2024 Fetch Coastal conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

An education in emergency and critical care

Christopher G. Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ, explains the 3 current classifications/stages of heart disease

Dr. Byers FOD interview on heart disease

Missed out on Fetch Kansas City 2024? No worries—we’ve got you covered! For just $199,

gives you access to the best sessions, speakers, and over 30 CE credits. Learn when, where, and how it fits into your busy life. Whether you’re catching up between appointments, learning from the comfort of home, or squeezing in a quick session over coffee, Fetch On-Demand gives you the flexibility you need to earn CE credits on your terms.

Ready to jump in? Start exploring the best of

In veterinary cardiology, heart disease can be categorized into 4 stages: 

 An animal is at risk for heart disease without showing any symptoms, usually because their breed has a predisposition to the condition. In an interview with dvm360, Christopher G. Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ, gives the example of a Maine Coon cat. 

This stage is subcategorized into B1 and B2, with B1 patients having heart conditions that aren't severe enough to warrant treatment, and B2 patients having conditions and structural changes, but no outward clinical signs. 

A patient with a heart condition and structural changes that is displaying outward clinical signs. 

 This stage involves a patient with severe symptoms of heart disease that no longer responding to treatment. 

Christopher G. Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ: 

So, currently we have stages of heart disease, not really heart failure. So, we use stage A, which means, just by breathing, just by being born, for example: a Maine Coon cat is at risk for heart disease. [It] doesn't have any symptoms or structural abnormalities, but just by being alive, they have a risk. Then we have stage B, which gets subcategorized into B1, and B2. So, a cat or a dog with a heart murmur, for example, that's not severe enough to warrant therapy or treatment, that kiddo is staged as B1. But, a B2 cat or dog with a murmur and structural changes, but really no outward clinical signs, we'll call them a B2.

Christopher G. Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ, provides an overview of the 4 current classifications of heart disease

The 4 stages of heart disease 

Don't miss out and sign up for Fetch Coastal 2024 

The Itchy and Scratchy Show (Part 1): How to Confidently Diagnose Canine Allergies

Julia Miller, DVM, DACVD, uses this presentation to explain the best method for determining whether an allergic work-up is the result of food or environmental factors, how to rule out alternate possibilities, and when it's appropriate to consider allergy testing. 

Dermatologic Conundrums: The Cases that Make You Scratch Your Head – “Fungal” Diseases

This session will take attendees on a deep dive into unusual and complicated fungal dermatologic cases that pose as challenging diagnoses to even the best dermatologists. Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, offers tips for achieving quick and accurate diagnoses, how to best narrow down a differential list, and potential treatment options.

Pruritic and Purring: How Feline Allergy Differs From the Dog

This lecture from Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, will provide an analysis of the differences between feline and canine allergic disease, including a discussion about topics that require further research, and current challenges that veterinary dermatologists face.

Fetch Coastal attendees will want to make sure they catch these 3 dermatology-focused sessions

Dermatology sessions to watch at Fetch Coastal 2024

A recent survey by Ollie, a subscription dog food company, revealed that many pet owners are unaware of the reality of their pet’s health, holding misconceptions about their diet. According to the survey, 3 in 5 dog owners think their pets are at an ideal weight with a healthy body condition, despite approximately 60% of dogs in the US being considered overweight.

 This awareness gap could be contributing to the rising obesity rates in pets, according to Ollie.

Ollie surveyed 2,000 dog owners to explore how their perceptions of their dog’s health might be influencing current health trends.

 The company shared their findings in their 2024 Dog Wellness Report. According to the report, pet parents’ top 3 concerns regarding their pet’s health was longevity (31%), joint health or mobility (19%), and digestion or gut health (18%). Specifically, Gen Z showed concern about skin and coat health, while baby boomers were worried about weight management. The concern about weight management was also prominent among owners of medium, large, and extra-large dogs.

According to the report, more than 50% of dog owners agree that weight significantly affects their pet’s health and happiness, yet can be a challenging topic to discuss.

 The survey revealed that many dog owners are sensitive to outside comments about their dog's weight, especially within Gen Z and millennials.

More than 25% of those surveyed felt that treats should account for at least half of their dog's daily intake, with the average believed amount being 37%. On average, owners of smaller dogs were more inclined to think that treats should constitute a bigger part of their dog's diet. Treats should only make up 10% of a canine’s diet.

70% of dog owners were unaware that being able to easily feel their dog's ribs is a sign of a healthy weight. Additionally, 80% did not realize that they should also be able to feel their dog's spine and hip bones.

9 in 10 respondents reported their dog's happiness and mental well-being is part of their pet’s health.

“Dog obesity is a growing health crisis, leading to joint issues, heart disease, and shortened life spans—yet many owners don't realize their pets are overweight. This serves as a wake-up call for dog parents to take control of their pets' health with help from brands like Ollie, which offers personalized meal plans and portion control to ensure dogs maintain a healthy weight,” wrote Ollie in a company release.

According to the Morris Animal Foundation, dogs are not the only animals with high obesity rates. Sixty percent of cats are also overweight or obese, and approximately 30% of horses are also considered obese.

 Additionally, certain dog breeds appear more prone to obesity, indicating a potential genetic influence on weight gain.

Research in the United Kingdom identified a genetic mutation linked to overweight or obese Labrador retrievers and flat-coated retrievers, particularly among dogs from service dog lineages.

 Additionally, a 2021 report by the Royal Veterinary College examined dog obesity in the UK and identified 8 breeds with a higher risk of being overweight compared to crossbred dogs in the same sample.

Researchers have also found that older pet owners, those who exercised less weekly, and owners with lower income levels were all linked to a greater risk of obesity in companion animals.

New survey by leading fresh dog food brand Ollie reveals common misunderstandings about pet health. News release. Ollie. October 9, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-survey-by-leading-fresh-dog-food-brand-ollie-reveals-common-misunderstandings-about-pet-health-302270993.html

Ollie’s 2024 Wellness Report. Ollie. Accessed October 9, 2024. 

https://www.myollie.com/2024-dog-wellness-report/

Understanding obesity, weight loss in dogs and cats. Morris Animal Foundation. August 3, 2023. Accessed October 9, 2024. 

https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/weight-loss-in-cats-and-dogs#:~:text=Recent%20statistics%20classify%20the%20majority,above%20their%20ideal%20body%20weight

Ollie’s 2024 Dog Wellness Report showed that many dog owners lack awareness about what a healthy dog weight is