 readers! We hope that you had a great week and are hopefully looking forward to this long weekend if you have one. Did you know that there is only 1 week left to submit your nomination for our 2024 Veterinary Heroes Award? For the last 4 years, 

 has honored peer-nominated veterinary professionals to showcase the amazing work they are doing within the veterinary industry, and we are back this year with new categories! Check out the 

 to learn more and submit your hero today! 

Here is our top articles this week on dvm360.com:

 last week for over 300 bags of Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food due to a potential presence of loose metal within these certain bags.

, Monica Tarantino, DVM, MBA, cofounder of the Senior and Geriatric Dog Society, shared more about the Senior and Geriatric Dog Society, how to communication with clients about home adjustments for senior pets, and more.

 features Michael Natale, LVT, discussing his best practices and techniques for placing a catheter with host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA.

 what the coerenza approach is and how it can create team collaboration on exercise, environment, nutrition, and responsibility to give pets a better quality of life

" is now available! Check out these 3 veterinary centers that have recently opened or will be coming soon possibly in a city, state, or country near you!

Articles

Wrap up: Recall issued for dry dog food in select states, and other veterinary news

With a recent study revealing cat ownership is on the rise,

Trupanion aimed to shed light on some common concerns these new cat owners may face.

 There has been an increase in cat ownership in the past 5 years and, in 2023, 24% of United States households owned at least 1 cat. Of that 24% of households nationwide, half of them own more than 1 cat.

 The number of insured pets has also increased over the past 5 years.

According to Trupanion data, dogs make 82% more unexpected veterinary visits compared to cats. Trupanion consulted with veterinarian and Trupanion general manager, Stephen Rose, BVSc (Hons1), M Infotech, CVA, ACVCHM, for his insights on this trend, “As Trupanion data highlights, cats are less likely to visit the veterinarian than their canine counterparts. While there are a multitude of reasons cats may be less likely than dogs to visit the veterinarian, one such reason is that cats tend to hide their pain and discomfort, which can mask signs of illness. This makes regular veterinary visits important for cats to ensure they receive the necessary care and health checks they might not show they need.”

Trupanion also revealed some fun facts from analyzing its data on cats and its members

The most common cat names for Trupanion insured cats are Luna, Oliver, and Leo.

Highest cat populations for Trupanion members are in Ontario, Canada and California, USA.

In 2024, 35% of cat owners using Trupanion have 2 or more cats insured.

In 2023, the most popular cat breed was Ragdoll with the Maine Coon following in second place. 

So far in 2024, Maine Coon is the most popular and Ragdoll is in second place.

The record highest single invoice Trupanion has paid for a cat was in 2017 and totaled over $53,000 for the treatment of Peritonitis.

After evaluating over 20 years of data, Trupanion has determined the most common claims for feline patients

With these claims, Trupanion has also revealed that the average veterinary invoice for lymphoma cases estimates at $600, the average invoice for vomiting approximates at $450, and the average invoice for a mass lesion approximates $400.

These are all conditions and diseases that Trupanion encourages new and long-time cat owners to be aware of. Some of these concerns can be prevented with routine exams and others can be managed effectively with appropriate veterinary care. Pet insurance can help owners cover the cost of these conditions and should be communicated at veterinary visits to guide clients with this financial decision.

Packaged Facts, “Pet Population & Ownership Trends in the US, 7th Edition.” MRI-Simmons. January 2024. Accessed May 24, 2024. 

https://www.marketresearch.com/Packaged-Facts-v768/Pet-Population-Ownership-Trends-Edition-35936759/

truInsights: Trupanion data reveals trends in feline health. News release. Trupanion. May 23, 2024. Accessed May 24, 2024. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240523081903/en/truInsights-Trupanion-Data-Reveals-Trends-in-Feline-Health

State of the industry report. North American Pet Health Insurance Association. May 3, 2023. Accessed May 24, 2024. 

https://naphia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NAPHIA-SOI2023-Report-Highlights_Public-May9.pdf

Trupanion analyzed over 20 years’ worth of data to identify common concerns for cats

Feline health trends revealed through insurance claims

Pet owners with plans of bringing their canine friends to the beach this summer should be advised to exercise caution. Carly Fox, DVM, senior veterinarian in the emergency and critical care service at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC), the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital and New York City’s only Level 1 Veterinary Trauma Center, is urging dog owners to be cautious of sand impaction from trips to the beach.

"Many beaches now allow dogs, and owners love to bring them along for some fun in the sun. However, a danger that is often overlooked is the risk of sand impaction," Fox said in a news release.

 "It may sound overly cautious, but I’ve seen many dogs come into the hospital with sand impaction after just a normal day of play at the beach."

Sand impaction ­­— an accumulation of ingested sand that causes a blockage in the intestines — can happen when dogs repeatedly ingest sand while retrieving balls, sticks, or other objects from on the beach. According to Fox, dogs can ingest a substantial amount of sand while playing fetch.

 Other scenarios that can lead to sand ingestion or impaction include digging in sand and flinging it, drinking beach water with sand in it, or licking or eating sand with palatable spills on it.

With symptoms typically appearing 12 to 48 hours after time spent at the beach, sand impaction can quickly turn into a life-threatening emergency.

 Fox discussed some of the symptoms associated with sand impaction, such as vomiting, refusal to eat, and lethargy, stating how owners notice these signs but “don’t often make the association” between sand impaction and their dog’s symptoms. "When we take X-rays and see a sausage-like blockage of sand in the intestines causing a gastrointestinal obstruction…we ask, ‘have you been at the beach?’,” she said.

Unlike with other forms of obstruction, it is advisable to manage sand impaction through medical means rather than through surgical intervention."We don’t rush these dogs to surgery like we might with other types of obstructions, such as a swallowed sock," said Fox. "Medical management—meaning fluids, walking to stimulate gastrointestinal motility, and antinausea medications—tends to be very effective. We monitor the dogs closely and repeat x-rays to ensure the sand is moving through to the colon."

According to the AMC, there are major risks associated with surgery for sand impaction. "Surgical removal involves dealing with millions of particles of dirty sand, which greatly increases the risk of infection," Fox explained. "Fortunately, dogs usually respond very well to medical management."

To avoid sand ingestion, the AMC recommends that owners adopt preventive measures, such as rinsing off toys and refraining from playing fetch directly on the sand.

 These acts are easy to exercise and can largely contribute to the safety of dogs. 

AMC urges dog owners to be cautious of sand impaction from trips to the beach. News release. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. Accessed May 23, 2024.

Sand impaction in dogs: What happens when your dog eats too much sand. Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota. Accessed May 23, 2024. 

https://aercmn.com/sand-impaction-in-dogs/#:~:text=Small%20amounts%20of%20sand%20will,a%20blockage%20in%20the%20intestines

A veterinarian shares insight on sand impaction in dogs, discussing signs, treatment, and prevention.  

Beach days with dogs: Exercising caution to prevent illness 

Officials with the FDA and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) attended the annual China International Companion Animal Food Ingredients Conference (CAFIC 2024) in Yangzhou last month. The conference is hosted by Chinese company, LAMB Consultancy, which specializes in marketing, compliance, and international trade of pet foods, animal feeds, ingredients, additives, equipment, and certification programs. The theme of this year’s conference was “How technology and management improve safety, quality and innovation of pet foods.”

 China produces 1.46 million metric tons of dry pet food and the total value of China's wet pet food production was estimated to be 3 billion USD. And the industry is only expanding. The annual growth averages at an increase of 10% in the past 5 years.

Some highlights from the presentations include Ted Shibata, acting director of the USDA’s Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Shanghai, provided an overview of US pet foods and ingredients and trade status with China. Other presenters represented the Netherlands, Poland, and Thailand. There was a total of 28 presentations, a panel discussion, and a tour to Keshan Pet Food.

Ashley van Batavia, DVM, MA, veterinarian of USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) office in Beijing, gave a presentation and introduced protocols of US pet foods and rendered animal protein ingredients signed by APHIS and the Chinese counterpart, and regulation APHIS has been implementing to guarantee bio-safety of US pet foods and pet food ingredients.

Edward Potter, assistant country director at FDA's China Office, gave the keynote speech on "US Compliance Requirements for Foreign Pet Food Facilities and Pet Food Importers." He answered questions about FDA regulations on pet foods and ingredients and explained the pre-market pet food ingredient approval process and the FSMA Final Rule for Preventive Controls for Animal Food. He also highlighted the importance of the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) and the mandatory requirements for exporting pet foods to the US.

From left to right: Edward Potter, assistant country director at FDA’s China Office, Ashley van Batavia, DVM, MA, veterinarian of USDA-APHIS office in Beijing, and Ted Shibata, acting director of USDA-ATO in Shanghai, presenting at CAFIC 2024. (Photo courtesy of LAMB Consultancy)

Ingredient suppliers and food companies also had the opportunity to present advanced ingredient technologies and new initiatives the company’s are planning. The panel discussion allowed for an open discussion of successes, challenges, and progress in adapting new product innovation, manufacturing optimization, and quality control of pet food/treat products.

FDA and USDA elaborated how supply chains of pet foods, treats, and ingredients safeguarded between USA and trade partners at CAFIC 2024. News release. LAMB Consultancy Co, Ltd. May 22, 2024. Accessed May 23, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-and-usda-elaborated-how-supply-chains-of-pet-foods-treats-and-ingredients-safeguarded-between-usa-and-trade-partners-at-cafic-2024-302152663.html

US pet foods and pet food ingredients were reviewed along with trade and export status with China

FDA and USDA discuss animal food ingredients at annual conference

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it is awarding over $22.2 million to 81 projects led by 48 states, universities, veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and industry organizations. The goal of the funding is to provide better early detection, enhance prevention, preparedness, and rapid response to the diseases that are most threatening to United States livestock.

“Bolstering animal disease preparedness is crucial because these diseases devastate livestock and hardworking farmers whose animals are affected, and threaten America’s access to safe, healthy, affordable food,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, under secretary for USDA marking and regulatory programs, in an organizational release.

 “APHIS plays an important leadership role in protecting against current and future threats to US animal health, and these investments are key to supporting this work.”

According to an organizational release, the USDA awarded funding is though the 2018 Fam Bill’s National Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN).

 Along with this funding, APHIS is announcing an additional investment of $900,000 in Fam Bill Funds to replenish the national stockpile of classical swine fever vaccinations.

Some of the organizations receiving funding are the following:

NADPRP will receive $16.2 million from APHIS to support 74 new projects through the NADPRP. The new projects will help states develop and practice plans to control disease outbreaks quickly, train responders and producers to perform critical animal response outbreak responses activities and increase producers using effective and practical biosecurity measures. The funding will also be used to educate livestock owners on disease prevention and what happens during an outbreak, support animal movement decisions during a disease outbreak, and more.

APHIS is also reviewing proposals submitted in a separate NADPRP funding opportunity for Tribes and Tribal organizations with plans to award that funding in June 2024.

NAHLN will receive $1 million from APHIS plus an additional $5 million directly to NAHLN laboratories for any infrastructure needs. These projects will also enhance early detection of high-consequence animal diseases as well as improve emergency response capabilities of NAHLN’s national network of veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

The National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB) permits APHIS to stockpile animal vaccinations as well as other related products to use in the case of an outbreak of a certain high-consequence foreign animal disease such as foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, and African swine flu.

USDA awards $22.2 million in Farm Bill Funding to protect animal health. News release. US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Service. May 16, 2024. Accessed May 23, 2024. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-awards-222-million-farm-bill-funding-protect-animal-health#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20May%2016%2C%202024%20%E2%80%93,diseases%20that%20threaten%20U.S.%20livestock.

The money will be used to enhance prevention, preparedness, early detection, and rapid response for diseases threatening livestock in the United States

USDA awards millions in Farm Bill funding

Editor's Note: This article was originally published by 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced the state’s first case of influenza A (H5N1) virus, otherwise known avian influenza. in a human. The identified patient is a farmworker who had regular exposure to livestock infected with influenza A. The farmworker diagnosed with infection had mild symptoms and has since recovered.

“Michigan has led a swift public health response, and we have been tracking this situation closely since influenza A (H5N1) was detected in poultry and dairy herds in Michigan. Farmworkers who have been exposed to impacted animals have been asked to report even mild symptoms, and testing for the virus has been made available,” Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FACP, chief medical executive, for the State of Michigan, said in a statement.

This follows extensive public heath actions over the course of the last few months by the state of Michigan to allow farmworkers to monitor and notify local public health officials should they have symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk to the public remains low; To protect farm and farmworker privacy, additional details are not being provided.

MDARD said it continues to implement a proactive, science-based approach to mitigating the spread of H5N1. Michigan's response to H5N1 has been a one-health approach, working with federal, state and local partners to address animal and public health concerns rapidly. Three US Department of Agriculture (USDA) emergency management teams have been on the ground assisting MDARD in day-to-day responses at all impacted poultry facilities statewide. An epidemiological team from USDA is also deployed to further assist in tracing and testing within dairy herds to be able to provide real-time information.

This news comes less than 2 months after the first human case of avian influenza A in the United States was reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

 That person became infected following contact with dairy cows presumed to be infected with avian influenza. The person’s primary symptom has been conjunctivitis and is being treated with an antiviral. The person was told to isolate while in recovery.

1. First case of influenza A (H5) detected in Michigan resident. Michigan Health and Human Services news statement. May 22, 2024. Accessed May 22, 2024.


https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/newsroom/2024/05/22/influenza-a-detection

Parkinson J. Avian Flu Reported in First American This Year. 

https://www.contagionlive.com/view/avian-flu-reported-in-first-american-this-year

A Michigan farmworker who had regular contact with livestock was confirmed to have contracted the virus.