Weekly companion animal news: May 11, 2020
AVMA cancels convention
The AVMA has canceled its annual convention, which had been set to take place in early August in San Diego. “With so much uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a science-based, one health organization, the AVMA determined there was no way to ensure the health and safety of convention attendees by the end of July,” the organization said in its announcement. Officials are looking into the possibility of virtual conference options as an alternative to the meeting. More details will be released in the coming weeks.
Vets consider post-lockdown operations
Veterinary practice leaders are considering how they’ll provide care once restrictions are lifted. Several vet professionals told fellow NAVC publication Today’s Veterinary Business what they’re seeing, in the eighth installment of the “Tales from the COVID-19 front lines” series. “Our profession is benefiting from a variety of tailwinds,” said Dr. Bob Lester, chief medical officer at WellHaven Pet Health, a practice network with locations throughout the country. Lester listed several factors that are helping business, including the return of heartworm season, record numbers of pet adoptions, and relaxed restrictions on non-elective procedures. “With the relaxing of some restrictions, I see a mix of hope and fear,” said industry consultant Debbie Boone. “Hope that things will return to normal soon and fear that clients will not follow the safety measures needed to remain safe.”
Zoetis announces $1.25B bond sale
Zoetis announced it’s agreed to sell $1.25 billion worth of corporate bonds, in an effort to strengthen its cash reserves and retire costlier debt, Today’s Veterinary Business reports. The animal drug manufacturer expects to sell $750 million in senior notes at 2% interest and an additional $500 million at 3%. The first bonds would come due in 2030 and the second in 2050. “In light of the favorable financing rates and uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the management team determined it was prudent to secure additional liquidity now,” Zoetis Vice President Bill Price said.
Cornell surgeons perform complex canine heart surgery
Veterinarians at Cornell University partnered with human doctors to perform the key component of an open heart surgery on a dog in just about four minutes. The patient, a 7-year-old Labrador retriever, had a tumor blocking the outflow of blood from her heart. Because animal hospitals don’t typically have access to cardiopulmonary bypass machines—which can redirect blood flow for an extended period of time—the medical team at Cornell had to remove the tumor in an extremely short amount of time: They had a four-minute window to stop the blood flow into the heart, make the incision to remove the mass, close the ventricular wall and release the blood so it could flow again. In four minutes, surgeons removed approximately 90% of the mass, the Cornell Chronicle reports. The procedure as a whole lasted about five hours.
Stress relievers for dogs and cats during lockdown
The stress that many people feel right now can affect their pets, who in turn may be showing signs of stress themselves. Kara M. Burns, editor in chief of fellow NAVC publication Today’s Veterinary Nurse, names some of those symptoms here: things like changes in litterbox use or eating less for cats, or aggression and different barking patterns for dogs. “Veterinary teams must understand and explain to owners that these signs may be symptomatic of increased anxiety in the home,” Burns says. “At the same time, many of these signs could be indicative of an underlying condition which the veterinary team should rule out prior to suggesting behavior modification.” Burns offers advice that veterinary staff can give to pet owners to help reduce stress.
Dog training goes online during pandemic
With pet adoptions up during the pandemic, animal welfare experts are urging new owners to get to work right away helping their dogs learn appropriate behavior. This is especially important since pets are spending much more time with their new families now than they will once lockdowns are over. Because of social distancing guidelines, a lot of puppy training is shifting to a sort of distance learning, either using websites and YouTube videos, or going live with trainers through video chat and phone. The New York Times has the story.
Researchers look to llama in search for COVID-19 treatment
A team of scientists has identified a tiny particle that appears to block the new coronavirus, thanks to research involving a llama named Winter, Reuters reports. The group, which includes scientists at Belgium’s VIB-UGent center for medical biotechnology and the University of Texas at Austin, began four years ago looking for antibodies that might counter the SARS and MERS viruses. Researchers identified small fragments of antibodies, known as nanobodies, to see which bound most strongly to the virus. They intend to begin tests on animals, planning to allow human trials by the end of the year.
Scientists learn about ‘ghost’ dogs of the Amazon
Scientists used camera technology to learn more about the behavior of the elusive “ghost” dog in the Amazon. The short-eared dog is the only member of the canine genus Atelocynus, and it’s the only such species unique to the Amazon rainforest, Cara Giaimo writes in The New York Times. The researchers assembled a location data set using camera trap cameos. By mapping the species’s range and determining its preferred habitat, the scientists hope to protect it, Giaimo writes.