Good morning dvm360 readers! We hope that everyone had an amazing week and is ready to tackle the weekend. With August being a week away, that means we are officially less than a month away from our 

! Throughout the next few weeks, we will be talking to multiple faculty members to give previews into their upcoming sessions and what they are looking forward to most about being at a Fetch conference.

In the meantime, here is what was popular this week on dvm360.com:

Research conducted at the University of Cambridge 

 that they have identified the genetic mutation causing progressive retinal atrophy in English shepherd dogs, which will result in eliminating the disease within the breed.

 conducted by researchers at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine revealed a link between methanogenic patterns within the gut microbiome of wild Sable Island horses and their survival.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, and David Hall, cofounder of 

 talk trends and challenges practice owners facing in 2024.

dvm360 contributor Louise S. Dunn, recently 

 how to support higher pay raises through compensation and benefit strategies that can help keep staff invested, retained, and happy.

World Small Animal Veterinary Association 

 its guidelines for the control of reproduction in dogs and acts to help veterinary professionals apply their knowledge on surgical and medical methods to control reproduction in dogs and cats effectively.

The American Veterinary Medical Association recently 

 a free booklet that farm owners can utilize for tips, evacuation kit checklists, and other important information to know when preparing animals in the event of a disaster.

Articles

Wrap up: Researchers identify genetic mutation causing progressive retinal atrophy, and other news   

Odie Pet Insurance, a comprehensive pet health insurance provider, has announced a collaboration with Insuritas, an embedded insurance provider for financial institutions in the country. This collaboration integrates Odie's offerings into Insuritas' BUNDLE embedded insurance platform, creating a convenient pet insurance option for customers, according to a news release.

The new partnership will give Insuritas’ financial institution clients access to Odie’s pet insurance coverage. The platform will include an ‘Illness and Injury’ plan, an ‘Accident Only’ plan, and a ‘Wellness Plan’ that will offer reimbursement for routine care items. Customers will also be able to select and customize their coverage.

"With Odie's 'pet insurance as a solution' platform, we make it simple for strategic partners to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace by efficiently launching a new line of business," said Miles Thorson, CEO and co-founder of Odie Pet Insurance, in a news release.

 "We are thrilled to partner with Insuritas to power their pet insurance solution across their ecosystem of financial institutions, enhancing their service offerings and furthering our mission of coverage accessibility."

"This exciting development is just another key example of Insuritas' commitment to provide diversified non-interest income for our financial institution partners," Jeffrey Chesky, president and CEO at Insuritas, said in the release.

 "For over two decades, BUNDLE has empowered banks and credit unions to offer essential insurance products that meet their customers' needs. We are extremely pleased to incorporate Odie's pet insurance coverage into an already comprehensive portfolio of protection products."

The collaboration between the two organizations began in late 2023. Since then, Insuritas’ pet insurance line has seen interest and growth, according to Odie Pet Insurance.

 Online purchases of insurance or protection products seem to be a common trend, according to the release, with 1 in 5 of Insuritas clients who started the process online receiving a quote, and 1 in 3 who received a quote online purchasing a policy.

With only around 4% of pets covered by insurance in the United States and veterinary care costs rising, many pet owners face difficult choices about their pets' medical care due to financial pressures.

 The successful collaboration between Insuritas and Odie Pet Insurance underscores the critical need for affordable and comprehensive insurance options, emphasizing the importance of this pet insurance solution, according to the release.

Odie Pet Insurance and Insuritas announce strategic partnership. News release. Odie Pet Insurance. July 24, 2024. Accessed July 26, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/odie-pet-insurance-and-insuritas-announce-strategic-partnership-302204237.html

The collaboration between Odie Pet Insurance and Insuritas will give Insuritas’ financial institution clients access to Odie’s pet insurance coverage

New partnership between pet insurance organizations announced 

Researchers at the University of Cambridge recently published their findings in 

after identifying the genetic mutation that is causing progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) in English shepherd dogs. PRA is a group of inherited diseases causing progressive degeneration of the light sensitive cells within the back of the eyes. When it comes to PRA in dogs, they are born with normal vision but by the age of 4-5 they go totally blind with no treatment.

According to the release, by identifying the canines carrying this disease before they lose vision, this can be then used as a tool to guide breeding decisions to prevent the passing of the disease onto puppies.

 Historically, owners did not realize their dog had PRA until they were middle-aged, which means it could have been passed on to puppies if they had bred, making this a hard disease to control.

“Once the dog’s eyesight starts to fail there’s no treatment – it will end up totally blind,” said Katherine Stanbury, BSc, PhD, a researcher in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and first author of the report.

“Now we have a DNA test, there’s no reason why another English Shepherd Dog ever needs to be born with this form of progressive retinal atrophy – it gives breeders a way of totally eliminating the disease.”

The team discovered the genetic mutation causing the disease is recessive, meaning English shepherd dogs can only suffer this blindness if they inherit 2 copies of the gene. For breeding, if a dog only has 1 copy, this makes the dog a carrier and it will not develop PRA but can pass it onto its puppies. If 2 of these carriers are bred together, almost 1 in 4 puppies will be affected. Because dogs are ‘very inbred,’ many individuals are related, giving them a higher chance of being affected by recessive disease when compared to humans.

The inspiration behind the study came after the team was contacted by a distraught owner of an English shepherd dog, who was diagnosed with PRA. This dog was working as a search and rescue dog but had to retire due to visual deterioration that caused total blindness.

To complete the study, researchers put out a call for DNA samples from other owners or breeders, receiving 6 samples with PRA and 20 without. This gave them enough information to pinpoint the genetic mutation causing PRA using whole genome sequencing. With these findings, PRA can be completely eliminated from English shepherd dog populations quickly.

The team is offering commercial canine genetic testing services to breeds to help them avoid breeding canines that will develop inherited diseases. These tests will now offer a DNA test for Progressive Retinal Atrophy in English Shepherds that can be bought for £48, a little over 61 USD. Anyone can buy these tests and all that has to be done is pet parents or veterinary professionals will need to swab the inside of the dogs mouth and send it back to the lab for testing.

“An owner won't necessarily notice their dog has got anything wrong with its eyes until it starts bumping into the furniture. Unlike humans who will speak up if their sight isn’t right, dogs just have to get on with things,” explained Cathryn Mellersh, BSc, PhD, University of Cambridge’s Department of Veterinary Medicine, senior author of the report.

“For the price of a decent bag of dog food people can now have their English Shepherd tested for Progressive Retinal Atrophy prior to breeding. It’s about prevention, rather than a cure, and it means a huge amount to the people who breed these dogs. They no longer need to worry about whether the puppies are going to be healthy or are going to develop this horrible disease in a few years’ time,” she concluded.

This discovery is the 33rd genetic mutation causing an inherited disease in canines that the researchers found, and out of those 33, 23 cause eye diseases. These findings highlight the fact the health and wellbeing of canines has been compromised due to how they have been bred by humans.

The researchers believe that their work with dogs can help provide clarity of the human version of the disease as well as identify targets for gene therapy in the future.

New genetic test will eliminate a form of inherited blindness in dogs. News release. University of Cambridge. July 21, 2024. Accessed July 25, 2024. 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1051683

Researchers have identified the genetic mutation causing this disease, and a DNA test to identify it 

Genetic test eliminates progressive retinal atrophy in English shepherd dogs

Photo: Ксения Левашова/Adobe Stock

Canine music, classical music, or no music? A study on the effect of music on canine stress levels recently demonstrated a correlation between canine-specific music and lower stress levels in dogs compared to classical music and no music.

The study was conducted by PetPace, a pet health monitoring company; and Pet Acoustics, a producer of animal-specific auditory products. The goal of the study was to assess and quantity the effects of Pet Acoustics’ canine-specific music compared to other types of music. The PetPace smart collar was to monitor biometric data such as heart rate variability (HRV), pulse rates, and activity levels of dogs exposed to classical music and no music.

The study revealed a reduction in stress and anxiety levels among dogs when exposed to Pet Acoustics’ canine-specific music. Specifically, canines who listened to this music exhibited a lower pulse rate and higher heart rate variability (HRV) in response to the music, which indicated physiological changes typically associated with a more relaxed state.

“We are thrilled to deepen our understanding of canine health through this study and enable more comforting care for our beloved pets,” Asaf Dagan, co-founder of PetPace and co-lead author of the study expressed in an organizational release.

 “Using our machine learning and AI-powered PetPace collar to study the effect of Pet Acoustics canine-informed music reveals incredible insights of the healing power of the auditory experience.”

The participants’ average of median pulse rates was 5.9% lower when these dogs were exposed to music compared to when they were not exposed. On average, the median HRV was 1.3% higher during canine music exposure periods compared to non-exposure periods. Regarding the dogs’ activity levels, results were varied, according to the study. 10 out of 20 dogs showed a decrease in median activity scores during canine music exposure, while the other half showed an increase. Overall, the total average of median activity scores was 3.5% lower when the dogs were exposed to canine music.

According to the study’s authors, the specialized music tailored for canines employs a science-based approach to calm behavioral stress in dogs. Unlike music designed for human ears, this music adjusts instruments, frequencies, and decibel levels through digital modification in original compositions to suit the acute hearing range of dogs.

The dogs involved in the study were recruited from the Assistance Dog International (ADI) accredited service dog organization, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD), in Torrington, Connecticut, according to PetPace.2 ECAD oversaw the study to ensure it supported animal welfare, as well as reviewed all safety considerations related to noninvasive biometric monitoring parameters and noninvasive music or sound interventions. The organization allowed 12 service dogs in training to participate in the study.

Marlow J, Dagan A, Pia R. Biometric study proves canine-specific music mitigates stress levels. 

https://international-animalhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Biometric-Study-Proves-Pet-Acoustics%C2%AE-Canine.pdf

Groundbreaking study using PetPace AI collar finds Pet Acoustic Canine-Specific music reduces pet stress and anxiety over classical or no music. News release. PetPace. July 23, 2024. Accessed July 24, 2024. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240723555313/en/Groundbreaking-Study-Using-PetPace%E2%84%A2-AI-Collar-Finds-Pet-Acoustic%C2%AE-Canine--Specific-Music-Reduces-Pet-Stress-and-Anxiety-Over-Classical-or-No-Music

A study by PetPace and Pet Acoustics revealed music tailored for dogs reduced canine stress levels

What effect does music have on dogs?

To help veterinarians effectively apply their knowledge on surgical and medical methods for controlling reproduction in dogs and cats, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) published global guidelines, “WSAVA guidelines for the control of reproduction in dogs and cats.” The guidelines, aimed at ensuring the welfare of these animals, detail the latest evidence-based scientific options for reproduction control and the many existing sterilization techniques.

The document—a comprehensive 136 pages—discusses current sterilization practices and newer approaches, encompassing both surgical and nonsurgical methods. It examines the health advantages and disadvantages associated with each approach, while also addressing relevant ethical considerations. Additionally, it examines the effects on behavior and longevity resulting from both gonadectomy and hormone-sparing sterilization methods.

 The document also provides detailed instructions on how to perform the various types of surgeries, providing figures, diagrams, step-by-step images, suture pattern photos, and real-life photos of the various surgeries to help veterinarians perform novel procedures.

The guidelines were created by the WSAVA Reproduction Control Committee, which was chaired by Stefano Romagnoli, VMD, MS, professor in the Department of Animal Medicine at the University of Padova in Italy. To create the document, the committee collected hundreds of scientific publications encompassing all aspects of canine and feline sterilization, contraception, health impacts, and decision-making processes, according to the release.

As stated in the document, the guidelines provide information on

Achieving control of reproduction in dogs and cats with (spay-neuter, vasectomy, ovary-sparing techniques) or without surgery (through the use of hormones, vaccines, locally sclerotizing agents).

The benefits and the detriments of both approaches for the long-term health of dogs and cats.

The most cost-effective and ethical reproduction control strategies in shelter animal populations and non-owned dog and cat populations.

According to the guidelines, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to sterilization methods and reproduction control for these animals. Instead, “[f]or owned pets, such a decision should be made on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the owner with due consideration of species, sex, breed, purpose and lifestyle of the pet as well as financial constraints,” according to the guidelines.

“The best options for reproduction control in dogs and cats are the ones that have the least long-term health concerns,” the document stated.

The guidelines also discussed how reproduction control methods for animals in shelters may differ from those for owned pets, explaining that policy makers of shelters “will only agree to” permanent sterilization options that are cost-effective, and oppose alternatives that retain sexual behavior in pets that could reduce the likelihood of adoption and lead to an increase in pet abandonment.

“Conversely, vasectomy and ovary-sparing surgery should be offered as an alternative option to gonadectomy following proper consultation with the prospective owners of large and giant breed dogs at risk,” wrote the guidelines’ authors. The recommendation is supported by a study published 2023, which found that gonadectomy increased the risk of overweight or obesity in most dogs compared to those that remained intact, according to the document.

The guidelines also highlight the notable concern of surgical site infections in patients undergoing a procedure. Yet, data on antimicrobial prophylaxis is limited and conflicting, the authors mentioned.

 Due to the risks associated with antimicrobial resistance, the guidelines discussed avoiding prophylaxis in routine sterilizations that are brief, conducted in a clean environment, and lack additional infection predispositions. Additionally, the authors stress that effective pain management is essential for all surgical procedures without exception.

“Management of surgical pain begins before surgery, is maintained through the surgical procedure and is continued afterwards. Multimodality management of pain is preferred. Local anesthetic techniques are particularly appropriate as they may provide excellent analgesia without causing systemic side effects,” wrote the authors.

The document emphasized the importance of veterinarians staying up-to-date on reproduction control approaches. “Small animal practitioners need to acquaint themselves with current knowledge regarding reproductive control offering a host of novel approaches replacing the potentially harmful practice of routine gonadectomy of young dogs and cats,” it stated.

“Veterinarians play a crucial role in guiding these decisions, weighing the risks and benefits to ensure the best outcome for the animal, the client, and the broader community,” read the summary.

Romagnoli S, Krekeler N, de Cramer K, et al. WSAVA guidelines for the control of reproduction in dogs and cats. 

WSAVA guidelines address methods, risks, ethics of pet reproduction. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. July 24, 2024. Accessed July 24, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/news/wsava-guidelines-address-methods-risks-ethics-pet-reproduction

WSAVA guidelines offer comprehensive information on different reproduction control options for cats and dog and more

Guidelines for latest feline and canine sterilization practices and other reproduction control methods

Earlier this year, GeniusVets conducted a survey for practice owners to get a better understanding of their challenges, how they succeed, and how they have maintained growth after the spikes that came to veterinary clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic  On this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, David Hall, cofounder of GeniusVets, and our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, discuss the results of the survey and how certain trends in veterinary medicine are affecting practice ownership. 

So we did a study in late January, we put it out, and we continue to collect some information in February. We identified top performing veterinary practice owners nationwide, and by top performing, what we were talking about is, not only were they continuing to stay strong here in this environment, whereas everybody was spiking during COVID in terms of demand, but a lot of practices around the country have felt a cool off, number of invoices went down by a few percentage points last year, that sort of thing. But that's not everyone across the board. That's just the average. There certainly is practices out there that have continued growing, practices that have been adding staff successfully, which is something everyone wants to do, practices that have been really achieving their goals and are performing at a high level. 

So that's really kind of who we wanted to target. And they're all at different levels. Some of them are 2 doctor practices. Some of them are 3, 4, 5, some of them are 6 [to] 10, so we want, we also want to get you know good diversity of opinion there based on kind of the maturity of their own veterinary practice. But we put out a simple survey, three questions, open ended questions, what do you think the trends are that are facing veterinary practice ownership in 2024 and then similar for the threats facing ownership and the opportunities facing practice owners right now.

Podcasts

David Hall, cofounder of GeniusVets, and Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, discuss findings from a GeniusVets survey on practice ownership