From wildlife to pets, animals require rehabilitative care every day for varying reasons. The Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation organization alone receives more than 10,000 wildlife animals each year.

 According to the organization, these animals have been orphaned, injured, or displaced.

 In animal companions, rehabilitative care is also important, as pets can find themselves in unwanted situations or be affected by medical conditions that require prompt treatment.

Research in rehabilitative therapies is also crucial, as patients with injuries, surgeries, or chronic conditions can benefit from novel developments. Moreover, by integrating rehabilitation into treatment plans, veterinarians can significantly improve pain management, mobility, and overall quality of life for their patients.

The following articles offer snapshots into animals’ recovery journeys and more:

 Beautiful Brumbelow, a 12-year-old mixed breed dog, faced a serious injury after attempting to jump over a fence. Learn about the veterinary care she received, and her rigorous at-home rehabilitation plan.

Abandoned walrus calf is receiving intensive care from rehabilitation team

Delve into an orphaned Pacific walrus calf’s demanding rehabilitation care requirements and rescue story. The calf, Little Miss Walrus, is part of only 11 total walrus rescues by Alaska SeaLife Center.

Stem cell trials explore musculoskeletal and neurological abnormalities

Earlier this summer, the FDA gave the green light for clinical trials at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine aimed at harnessing stem cell therapies to treat musculoskeletal and neurological issues in dogs and horses. With promising early results, these trials could pave the way for advancements not only in veterinary medicine, but potentially in human healthcare as well.

Rescue, rehabilitation, and release. Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation. Accessed September 20, 2024. 

https://www.wildlife-rescue.org/rescue-rehabilitation-release/

Articles

Read stories about inspiring recovery journeys by animals, plus potential new stem cell therapies

3-must reads on animal rehabilitation

Researchers examining the beached fin whale 

Photos courtesy of Marine Mammal Care Center

A 51 ft endangered male fin whale washed ashore in Torrance, California on the evening of August 10, 2024.

 The juvenile whale was alive when it beached before passing about 2 and a half hours later.

 Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance in Los Angeles (OARRA), Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Orange County (PMMC), and Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles (MMCCLA) have since come together, performing a necropsy to determine the animal’s cause of death.

The whale stranded on the beach at approximately 5:30 pm on Saturday, August 10.

 Los Angeles County Lifeguards were onsite, ensuring the safety of the hundreds of bystanders that had gathered. MMCCLA staff arrived on scene to communicate what was happening with the public. The whale passed at around 8:00 pm.

Researchers and Los Angeles County Lifeguards with the 51 ft whale

“Fin whales are an endangered species and, as such, don’t strand often, especially not so soon after passing,” Keith Matassa, CEO of OARRA said in a news release.

 “What we learn from the unfortunate passing of this whale will be invaluable. It will help us to tell this whale’s story in service to other whales living today.”

On the morning of August 11, Matassa worked with Alissa Deming, DVM, vice president of Conservation Medicine and Science at PMMC, in addition to Lauren Palmer, DVM, Tammy Da Costa Gomez, DVM, DACVS (SA), and Mattison Peters, DVM, MPH, of MMCCLA on the beginning stages of the necropsy.

 The group began a careful examination and sample collection from the whale.

“PMMC was honored to support this collaborative effort with the goal of learning as much as possible from this animal,” Deming said of the necropsy.

 “Our team, alongside our LA partners at OARRA and MMCCLA, collected invaluable samples and data that wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support from LA County Lifeguards and Beaches and Harbors.”

Fin whales are considered endangered by the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

 They are the second-largest species of whale, only smaller than the blue whale. Like all large whales, they used to be prime targets for commercial whalers, until whaling ended in the 1970s and 1980s. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the biggest threats to fin whales today are vessel strikes, followed by entanglement in fishing gear, ocean noise, and climate change.

“Whales are magnificent creatures, and the circumstances of this stranding are very sad,” John Warner, CEO of MMCCLA said. “As sad as the death of a whale is, it offers a rare opportunity for researchers to gather valuable data that can help us protect these animals as their populations recover. We are grateful to everyone involved, including LA County Lifeguards, Bay Watch, Coast Guard, LA County Beaches and Harbors, Cabrillo Aquarium, and members of the public that gathered to pay their respects to this magnificent animal.”

The organizations collaboration was coordinated through the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The NOAA (Permit No. 24359) has built a network of conservation organizations to respond to stranded marine mammals in California. MMCCLA, PMMC, and OARRA, are among the organizations included in the network.

The results and findings of the necropsy will be used to better understand the threats that fin whales face, and conclusions will be shared with policymakers. Researchers at OARRA and PMMC will test and analyze the samples taken during the necropsy, and the organizations will release a full report of their findings once the data has been processed and reviewed.

Southern California Conservation Organizations Join Forces to Determine the Cause of Death of Endangered Fin Whale. News release. Business Wire. August 15, 2024. Accessed August 19, 2024. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815755400/en/Southern-California-Conservation-Organizations-Join-Forces-to-Determine-the-Cause-of-Death-of-Endangered-Fin-Whale

Fin Whale. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Accessed August 19, 2024. 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/fin-whale

Southern California conservation organizations come together to determine cause of death for a beached fin whale

Conservation organizations investigate endangered fin whale death

Good morning dvm360 readers! dvm360 is excited to announce that we have officially launched Fetch On-Demand for Fetch Kansas City 2024! Fetch On-Demand brings the best sessions, speakers, and CE opportunities straight to you, so you can 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 your way. You can learn more and get 

As you begin to enjoy Fetch On-Demand, here is what was popular this week on dvm360.com:

 this week that its product Zenrelia has received approval from the FDA. Zenrelia is a once a day orally, with or without food tablet to control pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis as well as atopic dermatitis in canine patients at least 1 year old.

 with dvm360 at Fetch Kansas City, Rachel Allbaugh, DVM, MS, DACVO, discussed multiple advancements now available for treating and managing squamous cell carcinoma.

 this week that it will be adding molnupiravir, which was first developed to treat human viral infections, to its formulary due to recent researcher demonstrating its promise for treating feline infectious peritonitis.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast, host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomed Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, to discuss feline dermatology conditions, effective treatment options, and how general practitioners can communicate strategies better to clients.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in San Diego, California became the 

 to perform a cesarean section on a North American porcupine after one of their porcupines, Maizey, experienced complications during labor.

Wrap up: Elanco receives FDA approval for Zenrelia, and other veterinary news

Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, discusses medical concerns that can manifest themselves in a cat’s behavior, ahead of his lecture at Fetch Coastal in Atlantic City

Pachel Coastal Behavioral Diabetes

What can a cat’s behavior say about that patient’s health? In an interview with 

, Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, discussed various medical conditions in felines—including arthritis and osteoarthritis, and endocrine disorders like hyperthyroidism and diabetes—that can show up as behavioral changes. He also discussed changes in eating habits, irritability and stress thresholds, and what these changes could mean.

[The medical conditions] that we often see can be lumped into a couple of different categories. So, I would say that when we're looking at the urinary tract, for example, some of those invisible conditions like bladder stones or urinary tract infections, we can absolutely see medical conditions resulting from that. We can also see other issues that are stemming from pain or discomfort and that could take on a wide variety of expressions or underlying patterns, whether we're talking about gastrointestinal discomfort, whether we're talking about arthritis or osteoarthritic pain—anything else that causes any degree of discomfort, those are definitely going to show up as behavior changes.

And then, certainly in cats, we also see other hormonal changes, like hyperthyroidism, where we know that those cats are probably going to be a bit more active, and perhaps can be more interested in eating everything in front of them. So we see some of those metabolic changes, but we can also see changes in irritability and stress thresholds as a result. We're casting a wide net to look at all of those things when we're evaluating those caps for underlying medical concerns.

Some of the other concerns that we can see specifically in cats... Quite honestly, we see some of the other endocrine disorders. And again, thinking about other things like diabetes or some of the other things that might have more classic medical concerns, more medical manifestations, and yet, thinking about the impact on overall mood and emotion, those are some of the factors that we can certainly see. And again, I think the overall, overarching theme, is that anything that creates a level of discomfort, agitation, irritability, disrupted sleep or rest, all of those things are likely to show up in some way within the behavioral profile of the animal.

Videos

The impact of medical conditions on feline behavior

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a new temporary restriction on the importation of animal commodities originating from or transiting Honduras, effective September 12, 2024. A New World screwworm (NWS) diagnosis in a horse led to the recent restriction.

Per the announcement, the APHIS has banned the import of ruminants and swine from Honduras.

 The import of pet dogs, hedgehogs, tenrecs, elephants, hippos, rhinos, and tapirs from Honduras is permitted, however. These animals must be accompanied by a certificate signed by a full-time veterinary official in the region of origin, according to the USDA announcement.

 Moreover, the certificate must confirm that the animal was inspected for screwworm within 5 days before its shipment to the US and that it is either free of screwworm or, if previously infested with screwworm, was quarantined and treated until cleared of the infestation before leaving the region.

“Horses imported directly from Honduras must complete and adhere to the established import screwworm protocol,” wrote the APHIS in its announcement.

 This protocol consists of a minimum quarantine period of 7 days upon arrival. The APHIS allows for a shorter quarantine period of 3 days upon arrival for horses that live in a screwworm-free country for a minimum of 7 days, immediately prior to being exported to the US.

The APHIS states that shipment must include health certificates from all locations visited in the 60 days prior to export. Moreover, a screwworm certification from a licensed veterinarian in the exporting country is necessary. The document must certify that the horse was examined and found free of screwworm after a stay of at least 7 days in a country.

Honduras joins a list of more than 60 countries affected by screwworm with import restrictions. Among those are Cuba, Laos, Tanzania, Argentina, Costa Rica, South Africa, Singapore, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and more.

A NWS infestation happens when the larvae of the NWS fly, 

, invade the tissues of living mammals by burrowing themselves into wounds, feeding on the animal’s living tissue. These larvae will occasionally infest the flesh of birds as well.

The USDA eradicated NWS from the US in 1966 through a method called sterile insect technique, which involves releasing sterile flies into the wild to interrupt their breeding cycle, according to the agency.

However, the risk of NWS being reintroduced into the US is still a threat today, as NWS endemic to Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and various South American countries.

If left untreated, NWS can cause serious and potentially fatal harm to affected animals. Signs of a NWS infestation in mammals or birds include the following

Import alert: New World screwworm restrictions for animal commodities originating from or transiting Honduras. News release. United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. September 18, 2024. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/3b685b4

Animal Health Status of Regions. United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. September 18, 2024. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/regionalization-evaluation-services/region-health-status

New World screwworm. United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. August 8, 2024. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/cattle/ticks/screwworm

The announcement comes after a diagnosis of New World screwworm in a horse

USDA issues new import restrictions for certain animals from Honduras

The definition of retirement is different for everyone, but most people view retirement as a scheduled date in time when they stop working. People start marking off the days on their calendar waiting for the time to pass until that date they officially retire. One common question that comes up often is what will you do next? However, the other question, for those who do not have pensions, is what do we do to prepare ourselves for a time when we can stop working for an income?

People should view retirement as a constant transition over time, not a definitive line drawn in the sand. People will reach a specific age and find out they are not financially prepared to retire, have no idea on what to do next, or continue to work because their work has become their identity. On the other note, there are people who will run the first chance they get. Since we are always trying our best to plan ahead, this can be stressful because they are attempting to juggle everyday responsibilities, and this can distract them from staying on track.

There are very few things in life where we have direct control on the outcome. Some things in life are out of our control because of variables like nature. The rest of the outcomes that are often stressed about are created by people. This can be like where your next paycheck will come from and how the stock market will perform. Since we try to balance our future with the present, let’s dive into what specific actions could be taken today to create the most flexibility and options for that one day where you no longer must work for a paycheck.

When’s the last time you took a serious look at how you’re building wealth for retirement? Oftentimes people are willy nilly saving money. There might be a retirement account like an IRA or 401(k), cash accumulating inside a savings account, and maybe taxable investments. For practice owners, this might be the same story but most of the cash is being held inside the business with no true plan on how to increase business profits or actively take money to build personal wealth. Any money that gets saved is inconsistent and without any coordination on balancing risk, taxes, and access to those funds.

There is a concept that can be used where a line is drawn between lifestyle and wealth building. When we start looking at them separately, this provides an opportunity to understand how much is actively being consumed today and what remains for potential wealth building purposes. A place to start is by setting up an account outside of your personal checking that captures all income, including W2, 1099, and business profits. From that account there would be a set amount distributed periodically each month in 1 installment, 2 installments, or weekly to your personal checking. This will set a baseline on what will be consumed in lifestyle, and remaining income will accumulate, and you have a choice to start using those funds towards wealth building or consuming more into your lifestyle.

Over the years, we have observed that people often live on 30% of what they make but only save 5%. Imagine someone who plans to retire tomorrow, what do you think is the likelihood that they can sustain the same lifestyle by only saving 5%?

During the accumulation phase of life, people find themselves taking on excessive risk to reduce the gaps while relying heavily on the performance of the stock market and economy. For people whose expenses appear out of control, and that saving 20% feels impossible, this is understandable because change is tough. If you’re a person that lives a modest lifestyle below your income, saving money can be easy. A spending plan is a great place to gain awareness on your spending behaviors and to find out what is possible to change. By focusing on a spending plan for at least 90 days this will establish a baseline on what is spent on average, especially for variable expenses that change each month like food. By using the account previously mentioned to distribute a set amount for lifestyle, over time the excess money will accumulate inside the account and as expenses change within your personal checking the rest should hopefully build up in savings. Every so often a status check should be done for those that are not consistently saving 20%.

For those that can save 20%, this should give you the permission slip to spend more. There is another option to save more money towards retirement to make the transition happen sooner. The good news is there are options. As an owner, the practice should be helping you save by withdrawing a set amount each month for personal wealth building along with a target on the business accounts to sweep any excess cash each quarter. We commonly refer to the excess as “dead cash” because this money has no purpose and there should be a set amount established to keep in the account for operations such as payroll and accounts payable.

Now is the time to get your money off the sidelines. Excess cash that is not growing loses spending power over time. This means as things cost more, you will need to use more dollars to pay for them. When the money is not growing, this can result in funds going down quicker than expected. By taking advantage of guaranteed assets, liquid money markets, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and business reinvestments these can all be great opportunities to continue growing funds.

Compound interest to some can feel like magic. Interest earns interest and that continues to happen over and over. The longer someone waits the less interest they will earn on their money over time. The concept comes full circle when you compare different balances. One thousand dollars earning 4% interest will produce $4. One million dollars earning 4% will produce 40,000 dollars. In most cases that interest would be reinvested to then earn more interest. The larger the balances the larger the interest.

As your investments and assets earn interest, those funds could be redirected towards other assets to bring more diversity to your plan. For owners, most of their future is invested into the practice. Profits on the practice should be viewed as interest. The profits can be used to grow the profits more or be used to help with building personal wealth. The same is true for a liquid investment account that earns interest each year. That interest could be taken from the account and put into another asset, which might have different qualities with regards to taxes, risk, and accessibility. Whenever there are financial hardships, or income decreases, those other assets could be used to help fund other assets. This way there is control and options whenever life does unexpected pivot.

By establishing and maintaining a balance between spending and saving, the feeling of living paycheck to paycheck can be less. We often consume everything in front of us and by setting up parameters and boundaries we are causing ourselves to take a second look. As we focus on consistent savings behavior, over time assets will start to grow exponentially and the interest earned on those assets can be redirected to create more balance within someone’s plan. The best thing to do is look at how you’re approaching retirement and understand what you are doing that is within your control compared to outside of your control.

This material is intended for general public use. By providing this content, Park Avenue Securities LLC and your financial representative are not undertaking to provide investment advice or make a recommendation for a specific individual or situaton, or to otherwise act in a fiduciary capacity. Securites products and advisory services offered through Park Avenue Securites LLC (PAS), member FINRA, SIPC. OSJ: 4200 West Cypress Street, Suite 700, Tampa, FL 33607, 813-289-3632. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. The individuals associated with Florida Veterinary Advisors do not maintain specialized licenses or qualificatons for the financial services provided to veterinary professionals. Florida Veterinary Advisors is not registered in any state or with the U.S. Securites and Exchange Commission as a Registered Investment Advisor. Florida Veterinary Advisors is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. 7019783.1 Exp 9/26

How viewing retirement as a gradual transition, rather than a fixed date, can transform your financial planning and ensure a more secure and flexible future.