Esaote Group specializes in developing medical imaging systems including ultrasound and MRI machines and other healthcare technology. Subdivision, Esaote North America has just launched a new ultrasound system for veterinary practices. The new MyLabFOX is designed with a multi-faceted and adaptable scanning solution.

The new MyLabFOX by Esaote North America. (Image courtesy of Esaote)

The MyLabFOX includes the following design elements

 The MyLabFOX features a state-of-the-art touch interface, designed to enhance usability by enabling intuitive gesture interaction and making cleaning effortless. The easily cleanable designed was made specifically with busy veterinary practices in mind.

 The ultrasound system is equipped with a new generation of probes covering a wide range of clinical applications, from abdominal exploration to cardiology examinations, delivering exceptional image quality and diagnostic accuracy.

There is a wide 13" touchscreen, customizable probe setup, and battery support for uninterrupted scanning.

 Optimization tools such as “Easy Mode & Easy Color” and “AI-powered Augmented Insight,” the MyLabFOX enhances productivity and diagnostic efficiency. There are also more advanced features like “AutoEF and XStrain” technology to streamline the examination process, providing quick and accurate results.

 The MyLabFOX is part of a larger digital ecosystem, allowing for seamless data management and connectivity. Veterinary professionals can review exams offline with MyLab Desk VET or collaborate with experts in real-time using MyLab Share.

For more information on the MyLabFOX or other technology from Esaote, the imaging company offers live webinars and in-person events to help support veterinary professionals with their diagnostic equipment.

Esaote introduces the versatile MyLabFOX veterinary ultrasound system. News release. Esaote North America. May 14, 2024. Accessed May 15, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esaote-introduces-the-versatile-mylab-fox-veterinary-ultrasound-system-302143375.html

Articles

Esaote North America has launched the MyLabFOX

Ultrasound system for veterinary imaging

The Bridge Club, an organization committed to advancing veterinary medicine, is introducing the inaugural Bright Minds Singapore award and its second annual Bright Minds UK Award. These prestigious accolades honor visionary thinkers, wellness advocates, and innovators in the field of veterinary medicine. In collaboration with Singapore Vet Show and London Vet Show, the esteemed awards will highlight groundbreaking innovation within the industry during the 2024 conferences.

"We are thrilled to broaden the platform for recognizing the tireless efforts of those who work diligently behind the scenes to improve this profession," says Charlotte Ellicott, Marketing and Content Director for CloserStill Media. "Highlighting the contributions of these exceptional individuals and organizations provides us all with an opportunity to learn and contribute more to veterinary medicine."

The Bright Minds Awards began in the United States in 2018 and has honored more than 16 professionals and organizations. These awards are nominated and voted upon by the profession.

The Bright Minds Awards consist of 3 key categories.

Industry Influencer: This award recognises individuals who promote and elevate veterinary medicine through various platforms such as social media, articles, public speaking, or media appearances, shedding light on the profession, medical advancements, and its people.

Practice Game Changer: This category honors individuals or teams dedicated to improving veterinary practices by addressing daily challenges. Practice Game Changers develop new workflows, strategies, and approaches to advance veterinary medicine.

Wellness Champion: Recognising the importance of mental health and overall wellness in veterinary practice, this award highlights individuals or teams who prioritise people with wellness initiatives and care programs in specialty or general practice.

Voting for the Bright Minds Singapore Award and UK Awards begin on May 15.

To nominate a colleague or yourself, please submit your nomination at https://www.thebridgeclub.com/brightmindawards by July 15.

For more information, visit https://www.thebridgeclub.com/brightmindawards.

Celebrating veterinary thought leadership at Singapore Vet Show and London Vet Show

The Bridge Club expands global influence with Bright Minds Award

Newborn foal, Vicky, cared for by the LATH team. (Photo by Jason Nitsch ’14 / Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences)

Soon after birth, a German warmblood foal nicknamed Vicky, became separated from her mother, Queenie, after rolling into an adjoining stall. Just a few hours apart creates serious consequences because Vicky could not receive the special care a mother horse typically provides in the initial hours of a foal’s life.

 Because of the situation's severity, the foal was rushed to the Texas A&M Large Animal Teaching Hospital (LATH) by owner, Gavin Britz, MD, MBBCH, MPH, MBA, FAANS, a human neurosurgeon for Houston Methodist in Texas.

Britz purchased Queenie while she was pregnant. Because of transportation delays, Queenie didn't arrive at Britz’s stable in Chappell Hill, Texas, until about 2 1/2 weeks before her due date. Unexpectedly, Queenie went into labor earlier than anticipated, resulting in Britz missing Queenie giving birth. According to a news article from Texas A&M,

 the barn manager found Vicky in the adjoining stall hours later, but the foal had already missed out on colostrum, which is a preliminary form of milk that contains extra nutrients, antibodies, and antioxidants that is normally passed from mother to baby in the first few hours after birth.

“If a foal doesn’t get colostrum in the first few hours of life, developing sepsis is a huge risk, because they are born without an immune system, so they can’t fight off any insult to their little bodies unless they get important antibodies from the mare,” Amanda Trimble, BVMS, MS, PGCertVetEd, DACVIM (LAIM), a clinical assistant professor of equine internal medicine at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said in a news release.

Britz has close relations working with graduates and veterinarians at the Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and felt comfortable putting his horse’s care in their hands. “When we found her, the baby was not doing well,” Britz said in the release.

 “We contacted the local vet, who said to bring her down to their hospital. After we took her there, they said she probably wasn’t going to survive, but we could try and take her to Texas A&M.”

When Vicky first arrived at the hospital, she was reported as extremely weak, not nursing well, and showing an abnormally lethargic demeanor. Her mother, Queenie accompanied the foal to the hospital.

Vicky with her mother, Queenie. (Photo by Jason Nitsch ’14 / Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences)

“Vicky had what we call neonatal sepsis and failure of passive transfer — basically, she had a bacterial infection that was making her sick. She also hadn’t nursed and wasn’t getting the nutrients she needed for energy, so she was very weak,” said Trimble.

Vicky was treated with intravenous fluids and supplemental glucose to make up for the loss of nutrition; plasma for antibodies and immune system support; and antibiotics and anti-inflammatories to address the infection and pneumonia. Initial evaluation after these treatments showed that Vicky still had low energy, so the veterinary team also applied a technique called the Madigan squeeze, which can stimulate neural pathways that are normally stimulated during birth.

“Essentially, it’s like we re-birthed her,” Trimble explained. “We apply a nice, steady pressure around the thorax for 20 minutes, and it feels like going through the birth canal again and something resets.”

This can be necessary if a foal is experiencing neonatal maladjustment syndrome which causes neurological abnormalities like confusion, disorientation, or unresponsiveness.

 Neonatal maladjustment syndrome affects 1% to 2% of foals and can occur with rapid deliveries, like in Queenie and Vicky’s case.

After these prompt treatments, Vicky was showing signs of improvement until the foal’s umbilicus began developing a serious infection. “Her umbilicus wasn’t completely normal the first week, but we weren’t as concerned as we were about the sepsis initially. We wanted her to stabilize before we took her to surgery,” Trimble said. “The thing that we worry about with umbilical infection is that abscesses can form internally, and because of where all the blood vessels go from the umbilicus, the infection can spread to other organs as well,” she added.

Dustin Major, DVM, DACVS (LA), a clinical assistant professor of large animal surgery, removed the umbilicus and its internal vessels to ensure the infection was gone. This allowed Vicky to make a complete and full recovery.

Trimble attributes Vicky’s recovery to the LATH’s incredible work and the barn manager’s speedy action in bringing the foal to the hospital. “Infants can get sick really quickly; they can be fine one day and then the next day they might need this level of care,” she said. “Fast recognition is important, as well as knowing the normal milestones that a healthy, happy foal should be meeting. If they’re not meeting them, having the owner or the caretaker recognize that and getting them veterinary care is key to the foal surviving.”

Bennett M. Texas A&M veterinarians work around the clock to save newborn foal. News release. Texas A&M Today. May 8, 2024. Accessed May 14, 2024. 

https://today.tamu.edu/2024/05/08/veterinarians-save-newborn-foal/

Young A. Neonatal maladjustment syndrome in foals. UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Center for Equine Health. May 10, 2021. Accessed May 14, 2024. 

https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/neonatal-maladjustment-syndrome-foals

The Texas A&M Large Animal Teaching Hospital team used intensive care, special techniques, and surgery to save the German warmblood

University veterinarians save newborn foal

Emergencies happen every day and at any given time. As primary care practitioners, our days are often occupied with preventive care appointments, scheduled surgeries and minor to moderate illness. True emergency cases are rare but can be a significant challenge when they arrive during already fully booked and hectic days. Unfortunately, some of these cases are not recognized immediately as emergencies upon arrival or during the initial phone call (if a call occurred), which can result in worsening or loss of a patient. Even if properly identified as an emergency, if teams aren’t properly prepared on how to handle them, efficiency in managing a successful outcome as well as the rest of the day is compromised.

Early identification is one of the most important parts of successfully managing emergency patients. The sooner the better; delay in recognition can result in worsening of the patient and even prove fatal in moderate to severe cases.

Some calls are easily identified as a true emergency:

Very pale, white, or gray mucous membrane

Others are not as clearly defined. Use of a telephone triage sheet (

), often employed at emergency room facilities, can help teams focus on the right questions to ask clients. To best accomplish this, you would also need to create a list of “red flag” statements from pet owners that may indicate a severe problem.

As your team interacts with the pet owner, they should be actively listening for these red flags that would indicate an emergency exists. For example, the pet owner may say their pet:

Is pacing and coughing or trying to vomit

Is not breathing right or breathing abnormally

Because of the inability to directly evaluate the patient via phone call, lack of medical training for our front staff, and unreliability of pet owner observations, we need to limit our classification of calls to immediate, same day, and scheduled. These are not medical classifications but rather designed to help our front staff and technicians decide how quickly these patients should be seen. It also acts as a guide, where appropriate and available, to decide when it’s more appropriate to refer directly to a local emergency or specialty hospital. The first step is to define with your teams (local specialists or ER can help) what are clear IMMEDIATE, SAME DAY, and/or SCHEDULED emergencies. Generate a list of conditions, laminate, and keep near all phones.

When the patient is in crisis, delay in treatment could significantly worsen the condition, impair ability to treat (severe lacerations), result in infection (wounds), or lead to death, or there is any doubt in severity of condition. All eye injuries and blunt force trauma cases should be considered an immediate emergency regardless of how good or bad the patient looks. The patient should come in immediately or go to the closest ER

Respiratory and cardiac distress, saddle thrombus, asthma, smoke inhalation

HBCs (ALWAYS, no matter how stable they may appear)

Injuries-actively bleeding, severe blood loss, animal attacks

Distended abdomen - large-breed animals attempting to vomit

Allergic reactions such as facial swelling, respiratory distress, upper airway stridor restless behavior, urticaria

Straining to urinate, inability to urinate or defecate, tenesmus

Sick kittens or puppies - young animals should never be weak or lethargic

Acute onset of collapse, paresis or paralysis or loss of consciousness

Vomiting or diarrhea - especially when accompanied by anorexia, lethargy, hematochezia, melena or hematemesis

Dystocia - actively contracting for >20 minutes or no fetus >4 hours

Diabetic patients - +/- vomiting and anorexia

Patients who have been ill for a couple of days and appear to be worsening but are still relatively active and alert with no sudden decline. Patients with ongoing medical conditions (diabetes, Cushing’s, congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic renal failure (CRF), etc.) are at risk for acute-on-chronic illness. Delaying to the next day could result in severe crisis or infection. Fit the patient into an ER slot or any open appointment. They should not wait until the next day.

Nonlife-threatening, minor conditions that would not be adversely affected by a delay. The patient is acting/eating/drinking normally otherwise or slightly quieter. Examples are minor skin infections, mild to moderate lameness, sneezing, occasional vomiting, and diarrhea, etc. Schedule for the next available appointment within the next 1-3 days, but if the patient worsens then escalate to same day or immediate.

The next step is to clarify within your hospital what type of cases you are not equipped to treat and need to refer to or redirect to a local ER or specialty hospital. To help avoid confusion and better identify true emergencies it’s recommended training your staff to ask pet owners what they are seeing, not what they think the problem is. Too often we are sent in the wrong direction by a pet owner’s “diagnosis” which could lead to a delay in treatment, or inappropriate, or harmful procedures or treatments. The use of a decision tree (

) that can be kept by all phones is a useful tool to help train our team and ensure consistency in identifying emergencies.

When in doubt, always escalate to the next highest level of concern.

Direct pet owners to bring all medications the pet is currently receiving with the pet.

Direct pet owners to bring any/all potential toxins the pet may have ingested.

Notify the medical team of any immediate emergencies that are on the way to the hospital/clinic.

When possible, assign the incoming case to a specific doctor or team.

Be prepared to reschedule or reassign appointments to other days or doctors. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

If referring the patient to a local ER, notify the facility and send any pertinent medical records.

The emergency patient is at your hospital, now what?

Upon arrival at the hospital or clinic, all declared emergencies or severely sick patients should be triaged/evaluated by a technician or doctor within 90 seconds for a medical classification of severity.This will enable your medical team to immediately intervene where appropriate and develop a treatment plan for the patient.

Patient is limp and non-responsive, arrest is imminent, or presents DOA.

However, dead is not dead, yet. Teams may have a chance to revive if arrest was just prior to or upon arrival.)

Patient vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. The patient may be severely obtunded. Indicators are unfavorable.


Patient vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. The patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable.


Patient vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable to excellent.

Questions or actions that can help identify severity and progression

Has the pet’s status changed since calling (or since starting to come to the hospital if they didn’t call)?

When was the pet last normal? What changed?

Confirm previous telephone triage questions with the owner. For unannounced cases, review the triage questions.

The triage telephone tree can be adapted to “immediate treatment” and “can be squeezed in.”

A physical exam assessment is the main determination of severity coupled with a history. For example, a clinically stable patient but ingested a very dangerous and/or rapidly absorbed toxin vs. unstable HBC. Once a full assessment has been performed, teams can then decide on the best course of action. If the decision is made to transfer a critical or serious case, stabilize prior to transfer. Unstable patients are at high risk of death during the time it takes to reach a new facility.

If true emergencies are relatively uncommon in your hospital, your teams may be unprepared to handle these cases when they do arrive. To avoid this, it’s best to have a plan in place for how to handle them. This would involve preparing your team and hospital.

Since our days are filled with appointments, when an emergency comes in, there can be confusion as to who will be taking the case. Often, it happens to be whoever is available at that point in time. While that can work well, it doesn’t solve for when all the doctors are actively engaged in exam rooms or performing procedures.

Designating a doctor each day to be the go-to doctor for emergencies helps provide clarity for the team on who to go to when an emergency presents itself. In these cases, it is common to have 2-3 appointment times blocked off throughout the day to account for these. If no emergencies come in, the front staff can proactively call pet owners who are waiting for a future appointment and see if they want to come in early. If an emergency does come in but not at the time blocked off, this will allow a buffer of time that will allow the doctor to catch up with delayed appointments.

In addition to having a doctor assigned to be the “emergency” doctor of the day, it is also ideal to also identify and assign daily “emergency team” to support that doctor. This usually comprises 2-3 technicians and/or assistants who are familiar with the location of all the equipment and supplies in the hospital. When an emergency arrives, they are the team activated to minimize disruption of the other doctors and technicians caring for the scheduled appointments. From this team, you will want to assign one to be the triage technician for emergency patients.

Emergency patients should be assessed within 90 seconds of their arrival. A triage technician assigned at the beginning of the shift performs the initial assessment and makes the important decision to bring the patient to the treatment area or leave the patient with the owner if it's stable.

When performing a triage, technicians or doctors should always assess the standards:

The important questions that teams can use to identify incoming potential emergency cases, ways to classify the different types of emergencies you will encounter, and how to be best prepared are addressed.

Preparing your team for patient emergencies: How it takes a team to triage effectively and efficiently 

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it has updated its dog and cat importation regulations. The goal of the updated guidelines is to continue to ensure that the United States remains free from canine rabies.

“The regulation more closely aligns with the World Organization for Animal Health’s standards for the international movement of dogs from countries with a high risk of dog rabies. Furthermore, it addresses recent challenges seen with international dog importations, such as fraudulent documentation and dogs housed in unsafe conditions if they didn’t meet requirements for entry to the United States,” the CDC shared in its statement about the updated guidelines.

In 2021, the CDC temporarily suspended the importation of dogs from over 100 countries that were considered high risk for rabies transmission after concerns regarding the introduction of a dog-maintained rabies virus variant and the risk it poses to the public’s health. Before the suspension, approximately 1 million dogs were imported to the United States annually, and a certificate of rabies vaccinations was required if the dogs were coming from a high-risk country, but not for dogs coming from low-risk countries.

Some dogs may require additional documentation depending on whether they were vaccinated in the United States or where they lived within 6 months of trying to come into the US. Dogs that were in a high-risk country 6 months before arriving in the United States and have no valid documentation of rabies vaccination issues in the United States are required to arrive via air at a port of entry with a CDC-registered animal care facility (ACF).

Dogs entering the country must also have a reservation at an ACT before arriving and have a valid rabies titer obtained from a CDC-approved laboratory before arriving or undergo a 28-day quarantine at an ACF upon arrival. There are currently no new requirements for cats unless a cat is found to be ill or dead en route to, or upon arrival, at a US port of entry.

The American Veterinary Medical Association said in an organizational release it has welcomed the updated regulation and was working with Congress on legislation like the Healthy Dog Importation Act to help reduce the number of sick dogs being imported into the US.

“The AVMA continues to support the CDC’s efforts to improve dog importation standards and is pleased to see the implementation of this new rule that will help protect public health and positively impact canine health and welfare,” said Rena Carlson, DVM, AVMA president.

For anyone traveling, the CDC encourages them to check out its new question-and-answer tool on its website to determine what rules apply to their pet based on where the dog is traveling from, travel dates, and where their dog received its vaccinations.

CDC updates dog importation regulation; New rules will start August 1, 2024. News release. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 8, 2024. Accessed ay 14, 2024. 

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s0508-Dog-Importation-Regulation.html

Dog import requirements strengthened to prevent canine rabies return. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. May 10, 2024. Accessed May 14, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/news/dog-import-requirements-strengthened-prevent-canine-rabies-return?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

The new federal import requirements will be in effect on August 1, 2024

CDC issues new dog import requirements 

The FDA has issued a conditional approval for the first torsemide drug for dogs (UpCard-CA1; Vetoquinol). This drug is intended to be used alongside concurrent medications including pimobendan, spironolactone, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. This therapy combination will help manage pulmonary edema, a buildup of fluid in the lungs seen in dogs with congestive heart failure caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).

MMVD is an abnormality in the heart valve or muscle that prevents the valve from closing properly and should be diagnosed by a veterinarian through thorough physical and cardiac evaluations.

 This abnormality affects the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently and can lead to an enlarged heart (cardiomegaly). If left untreated, MMVD can progress to congestive heart failure, causing fluid buildup in the chest and abdomen. MMVD is prevalent across various dog breeds, with a higher occurrence in smaller breeds such as Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Yorkshire terriers, and dachshunds. At the 2023 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) forum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, third year cardiology resident at Texas A&M University, Tess Sykes, DVM 

 on the link between cardiac complications including MMVD in Borzoi dogs.

According to the FDA and Vetoquinol, UpCard-CA1 is packaged in vials containing 32 or 96 mL and should be administered orally once daily at a dose of 0.05 to 0.2 mg/lb (0.11 to 0.44 mg/kg) of bodyweight.

The FDA allows drugs treating serious or life-threatening diseases in animals to be marketed after demonstrating safety and manufacturing standard before receiving full approval. The organization allows recognized the difficulty this disease poses for gathering effective studies as it would be time consuming and difficult to gather a large data pool.

 Therefore, the FDA has deemed UPCard-CA1 has met the necessary requirements for expanded conditional approval.

However, during the conditional approval time, Vetoquinol must demonstrate that it is actively working toward collecting the remaining effectiveness data needed to achieve full approval. Full approval must be attained within 5 years after receiving conditional approval, or this drug will no longer be in effect.

FDA conditionally approves first torsemide animal drug for dogs. News release. FDA. May 10, 2024. Accessed May 13, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-conditionally-approves-first-torsemide-animal-drug-dogs

This initial conditional approval is valid for 1 year with the potential for 4 annual renewals