Dr Bozelka reviews abnormal ECG strips and what to ask when interpreting ECGs

Interview with Dr Frank Bozelka

 at the this year's Fetch Nashville conference, Frank Bozelka, DVM, recapped portions of his lecture, including basic patterns that can set the stage for a abnormal ECG strips in an emergency patient. 

Some of the basic patterns other than a normal sinus rhythm are ventricular rhythms, atrial rhythms, and then ad blockers are going to be the big 3 that we're going to cover in the lecture...Whenever I'm looking at an ECG, or whenever I'm training anybody to look at an ECG and interpret what's going on the two big questions are what's the rate? And then what type of rhythm are we looking at?

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Frank Bozelka, DVM, gives an inside look some of the take aways attendees received during his previous Fetch Nashville lecture

Decoding ECGs patterns

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) has announced its 2024 Compassionate Care Veterinary Student Scholarships (CCVSS) which will be awarded to 5 veterinary students who are currently in their first, second, or third years at an American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited veterinary school in the US, Canada, the Caribbean, or the United Kingdom. Students who (1) demonstrate an interest in animal welfare, animal rights, or animal protection issues and (2) represent a commitment to equitable access and inclusion in veterinary medicine via service or lived experience will be under consideration to receive $10,000.

According to the HSVMA, the organization aims to use its expertise and resources to advance animal welfare via leadership, advocacy, education, and service in the veterinary field.

Special consideration will be given to students who can demonstrate that they volunteer, work within, or otherwise serve underserved and marginalized communities. Additional consideration will also be given to applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color as these individuals are underrepresented in the veterinary field. The HSVMA cited Zippia, a career expertise company, to demonstrate the underrepresentation in the veterinary profession. According to data from Zippia, the most common ethnicity of veterinarians is White (83.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.1%), Asian (4.8%), Unknown (4.3%), and Black or African American (1.4%).

Some general submission requirements for students interested in applying for the CCVSS include the following

2 letters of recommendation (one letter must be written by a faculty member or clinician employed at the veterinary school you are attending)

Statement of intent which demonstrates interest in animal welfare and service or experience with equitable access to care for underserved communities

Financial information (expected debt burden)

Any professional and volunteer activities

The deadline to apply is June 30, 2024, and to access the scholarship application, you must first join as a student member. Student membership is free through the first year of graduation. The scholarships will be granted by August 31, 2024.

HSVMA Compassionate Care Veterinary Student Scholarships. Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed June 4, 2024. 

https://www.hsvma.org/hsvma-compassionate-care-scholarship

Veterinarian demographics and statistics in the US. Zippia. Accessed June 4, 2024. 

https://www.zippia.com/veterinarian-jobs/demographics/

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association will award 5 veterinary students

Veterinary scholarships for animal welfare

Veterinary diagnostic laboratories are now utilizing a new web-based diagnostic tool to help quickly detect porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). The syndrome is a highly contagious virus that costs the United States swine industry 100s of millions of dollars annually, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA),

 scientists at Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Ohio Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University, South Dakota State University, and the University of Minnesota are utilizing a $1 million grant from the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The laboratories and academic institutions are using the Swine Disease Reporting System (SDRS) to rapidly detect any new strains of PRRS.

“This collaborative effort between academic institutions and veterinary labs, supported by USDA funding, underscores the collective commitment to tackling animal health challenges, empowering swine veterinarians and producers as end users,” said Andreia Arruda, DVM, MSC, PhD, associate professor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and chair of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ (AASV) PRRS Committee, in the organizational release.

The SDRS is a collaboration between 6 National Animal Health Laboratory Network, accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and collects, collates, and monitors diagnostic data of 9 infectious agents within swine herds in the United States. The system also helps keep farms, producers, productions systems, participating laboratories, and veterinarians the systems collects data from confidential.

The goal of SDRS is to aggregate swine diagnostic data and then report it through internet dashboards and monthly reports breaking down the dynamics of pathogen detection by polymerase chain reactions-based assays over a period, specimen, geographical area, and age group.

SDRS also recently announced the launch of the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (SDRS BLAST Tool), a web-based tool that allows veterinarians, producers, and other users to compare PRRS genetic sequences with those already in the system.

“The launch of the SDRS BLAST Tool represents an important advancement on information technology for PRRS understanding, prevention, and control across various geographical levels,” explained Arruda.

SDRS has detected 133 new PRRS sequences between 2010-2023, with many new strains coming from samples collected in Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota. The most common new sequences detected were in grow-finish pigs, highlighting the importance of the age group on the ecology of PRRS as well as other pathogens. This information can help improve biosecurity and biocontainment to mitigate risks of new strains emerging.

“Collaboration with industry stakeholders is critical to a timely disease response, and this project, in part through the SDRS Blast Tool, is building relationships needed on a day-to-day basis for endemic disease management,” said Michelle Colby, DVM, MS, national program leader for animal biosecurity at NIFA. “Relationships that will be essential if we are ever faced with the need to respond to a transboundary or emerging disease within the U.S. swine industry.”

PRRS diagnosis quicker thanks to new online tool. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. June 3, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://www.avma.org/news/prrs-diagnosis-quicker-thanks-new-online-tool

McCafferty C. Researchers develop rapid detection tool for swine disease. dvm360. Published April 30, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/researchers-develop-rapid-detection-tool-for-swine-disease

The reporting system is a working effort between academic institutes and laboratories to detect porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome

New tool diagnoses PRRS quicker than before 

In celebration of its upcoming Veterinary Appreciation Day on June 18, 2024, pet health insurance provider Trupanion is hosting its first Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards. The awards program has garnered numerous nominations for veterinarians and their support staff with close to 45,000 votes from the public.

 These new awards are aimed at recognizing the remarkable contributions and dedication of veterinary professionals who tirelessly work to ensure and improve the well-being of pets and their owners.

Although 75% of veterinary professionals indicate personal contentment with their career,

 they also frequently face extended work hours, challenging cases, and emotionally demanding scenarios.

 A 2021 collaborative study by Merck Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) looked at the well-being and mental health of veterinarians in the United States. The study found that 92% of participants identified heightened stress as one of their primary mental health challenges and 88% of respondents pointed to student debt and concerns regarding the risk of suicide as key stress factors among veterinarians.

According to Trupanion, the announcement of its Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards was met with a surge of gratitude for the veterinary community.

 "We’re elated to see the response to Trupanion’s first Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards," Margi Tooth, president of Trupanion, said in a news release.

 “We first established June 18 as Veterinary Appreciation Day in 2015 to recognize the incredible impact the veterinary community has on the lives of pets, pet parents, and their communities every single day. Through these awards, we can further ensure the inspiring and often courageous stories of their unwavering dedication are shared, celebrated, and honored,” said Tooth.

Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, and Trupanion’s chief veterinary officer, also commented on the public’s response to the new recognition awards. “We're thrilled to see so much enthusiasm around this celebration. As I read through the submissions, it's abundantly clear how profound, diverse and far reaching the veterinary community’s impact truly is. Witnessing colleagues rallying together with pet parents is incredibly heartwarming,” he said in the release.

How the Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards program works

 Veterinary professionals and pet owners are invited to nominate a hospital team member they know or work with. Veterinary professionals who accepted their nomination by May 15, 2024, are being showcased in Trupanion’s Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards website: https://vetappreciationday.trupanion.com/

The public then votes on nominees for Veterinarian of the Year and Veterinary Professional of the Year. This year, votes were casted between May 17 and May 24, 2024.

 Award winners are announced on Veterinary Appreciation Day. The public can participate in honoring the winning individuals and others professionals in the veterinary community.

Trupanion’s Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards generates overwhelming recognition for the veterinary community. News release. Trupanion. May 30, 2024. 

Merck Animal Health’s fourth Veterinary Wellbeing Study indicates progress in addressing mental health challenges among veterinary teams. Merck Animal Health. January 15, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. 

https://www.merck-animal-health.com/blog/2024/01/15/4th-veterinary-wellbeing-study/

Neuwirth D. Veterinary Appreciation Day. One Fur All. May 8, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. 

https://www.onefurallpets.com/blogs/news/veterinary-appreciation-day#

Veterinary Wellbeing Study. Merck Animal Health. January 2022. Accessed June 3, 2024. 

https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2022/02/2021-PSV-Veterinary-Wellbeing-Presentation_V2.pdf

trupanion Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards. Trupanion. Accessed June 3, 2024. 

Trupanion launched its first Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards with public participation through vote casting

New awards program provides an opportunity to recognize veterinary professionals

Black-footed ferrets are North America’s only native ferrets and the species was thought to be extinct until 1981, when the last colony was found near Meeteetse, Wyoming.

 The species is now categorized as endangered, and since 1989, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) has participated in a cooperative breeding program to support the repopulation of black-footed ferrets. As of now, 1218 kits have been born at NZCBI, with over 750 ferrets reintroduced to the wild.

 The NZCBI has 48 black-footed ferrets currently in exhibits and for public view.

The zoo is now celebrating the birth of a new litter of 6 kits.

 One-year-old female, Aristides, gave birth to the ferrets on May 11, 2024 and this is Aristides' second litter. The father, 2-year-old Thanos has now produced 3 litters.

Aristides with her litter. (Photo credit: Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

The animal care team is keeping a close watch on the new additions and at 4 days old, the kits underwent regular check-ups to monitor their development and weight gain. There is also a temporary live webcam on the NZCBI website.

At birth, black-footed ferret kits are blind, weigh under 10 grams, and have a thin layer of white fur. Their distinctive mask-like eye markings and dark feet markings appear around 3 weeks old. They open their eyes at about 37 days old. Between 45 and 50 days, kits start exploring outside their den and the tunnel systems in their enclosures, which simulate the prairie dog burrows of their natural habitat.

The kits nurse for about a month before beginning to eat meat and sample their mother's diet. They separate from their mother around 3 to 4 months old.

In August, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program for black-footed ferrets will perform a genetic assessment of the entire population in human care. This assessment will decide if the kits stay at NZCBI, move to another breeding facility, or join the US Fish and Wildlife Service pre-conditioning program for wild release. This program teaches ferrets to live in burrows and hunt prey before reintroduction to the wild.

Black-footed ferrets Born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. News release. Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. May 17, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. 

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/news/black-footed-ferrets-born-smithsonians-national-zoo-and-conservation-biology-institute

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute celebrate a new birth for this endangered species

Newborn litter of black-footed ferrets welcomed by national zoo

Photo courtesy of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

In an attempt to conserve horse well-being and discourage horse soring at Tennessee walking horse shows, the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced that it will be putting forth stronger Horse Protection Act regulations.

 The action drew support from the organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).

The Horse Protection Act, a federal legislation, bars horses that have been subjected to soring from taking part in shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions. Moreover, the Act prohibits the transportation of sored horses to or from any of these events.

“For far too long, some within the Tennessee walking horse industry have sored and abused their horses, despite the industry’s inspection process and our own enforcement efforts,” Jenny Lester-Moffitt, undersecretary for USDA Marking and Regulatory Programs, said in a news release. “This abuse must stop. Eliminating this cruel practice will help protect horses competing in these shows and level the playing field for the industry. The independent inspection process should strengthen the competition at these shows and benefit the many owners and trainers who do right by their animals.”

Soring practice uses chemicals, pressure, or devices, such as chains, on a horse’s limbs or hooves to induce severe pain that causes the horse to enact a faster gait. Some of the chemicals that are used for soring include agents like mustard oil, diesel fuel, and kerosene, which cause blisters and burning. Pressure shoeing has also been utilized—cutting a horse's hoof close to the quick and tightly nailing on a metal shoe or forcing the horse to stand on a raised object, such as a block, for hours with all the pressure being exerted on the sensitive part of their soles. Pressure shoeing causes extreme pressure and pain when a horse’s weight is placed on its’ hoof, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

 In addition to excruciating physical pain, soring also results in distress, inflammation, and/or lameness for these horses.

According to the USDA, effective February 1, 2025, the strengthened Horse Protection Act regulations announced on April 29, 2024, will include

Eliminating industry self-regulation and the role of industry-backed Designated Qualified Persons as inspectors at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions. Only APHIS inspectors and independent non-APHIS-employed horse protection inspectors screened, trained, and authorized by APHIS will have inspection authority

Prohibiting any device, method, practice, or substance applied to a horse that can cause or is associated with soring

Prohibiting on Tennessee walking or racking horses all action devices and nontherapeutic pads, artificial toe extensions, and wedges, as well as all substances on the extremities above the hoof, including lubricants

Removing the scar rule from the regulations and replacing it with a more accurate description of visible dermatological changes indicative of soring

Amending recordkeeping and reporting requirements for management at covered events to better enforce the HPA

The practice of soring is most often seen in Tennessee walking horse shows that some equine owners and trainers execute to gain competitive racing competitions and give buyers fraudulent purchase prices at horse shows.

 In public statements, officials with the AVMA and the AAEP condemned the practice and applauded the action taken by APHIS.

"Ending the cruel and inhumane act of horse soring is long overdue and the strengthened regulations announced by the USDA will help end this needless suffering of horses by providing more enforcement mechanisms to maintain horse welfare," Rena Carlson, DVM, AVMA president, said in a news release

 "Culminating years of sustained advocacy by the AVMA and AAEP to end horse soring, we thank the USDA for recognizing this need for greater protection and look forward to working with them as this new rule is implemented."

"This is the beginning of a new era for horse health and welfare in the United States,"

Katherine (Katie) Garrett, DVM, DACVS, AAEP president, said in the same release. "The AAEP is grateful for the perseverance of the many individuals and organizations who tirelessly advocated for stronger protections."

USDA strengthens regulations to protect horses from soring abuse. News release. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. April 29, 2024. Accessed May 22, 2024. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-strengthens-regulations-protect-horses-soring-abuse

AVMA and AAEP praise strengthened regulations on horse soring. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. May 16, 2024. Accessed May 22, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/news/press-releases/avma-and-aaep-praise-strengthened-regulations-horse-soring

What is horse soring? The Humane Society of the United States. Accessed May 22, 2024. 

https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/what-horse-soring

Effective February 1, 2025, the new regulations are an effort by the federal agency to put an end to the practice of horse soring