Weekly companion animal news: August 2, 2021

Colorado veterinary clinics deal with high demand and frustrated pet owners

Veterinary clinics in the Pueblo, Colorado, area say they’re overwhelmed with demand for care, which is leading to frustration from pet owners who can’t get in for service, KOAA reports. Hilltop Pet Clinic is one of the few places that’s accepting new patients. Brian Crook, the owner and medical director at the clinic, said he’s never seen this dilemma in his 35 years as a veterinarian. “There isn’t anywhere for anyone in Pueblo to go without a waiting list,” said pet owner Delilah Armijo. She said the only way to get service in some cases is to seek after-hours emergency care, which can come with exorbitant costs. “We are trying,” Crook said. “It’s not that we don’t want to see you; we really want to take care of your pet, but we don’t want to cut corners.”

Illinois animal shelters deal with summer pet influx

Illinois’ second-largest county-run pet shelter has fewer than 200 animals in its care for the first time in weeks, after being at “critical capacity” in June, the Daily Herald reports. Amid a summer influx of pets, DuPage County Animal Services has been able to reduce the number of animals in its care thanks to adoption, reunification and rescue partners. “Usually in the summer months, people are taking vacations, kids are back from school and other priorities might cause them to reevaluate whether now is the time to get rid of their pet,” said Laura Flamion, the agency’s operations manager. Flamion added that more people are dealing with financial hardship or moved because of the pandemic. “If interested in acquiring a new pet, adopt or rescue locally, but understand it is a commitment for the life of the pet,” said Emily Young, interim marketing and communications manager at the nearby Lake County Health Department.

Veterinary Cannabis Society launches website with educational resources

The Veterinary Cannabis Society, which says it’s the first nonprofit in the country that focuses on advocating for the use of cannabis as medicine for animals, has launched a website with educational resources for veterinarians, pet owners and cannabis product companies. The website will offer “critically reviewed articles, a curated research library, podcasts” and other resources for VCS members, according to the announcement. It will highlight local, state and federal developments related to cannabis use in animals.

How human food waste could improve dog food

Researchers in Europe say that small amounts of dried human food waste could be a viable dog food ingredient. In a new program called Food 4 Feed, food waste was collected from hotels in the Greek city of Heraklion, shredded, and dried in a greenhouse over 10 days. Dr. Nadine Paßlack, a professor of small animal internal medicine at Justus-Liebig University in Germany, led a study testing dog diets with 5%, 10% and 15% dried food. The study found that dog foods could feasibly contain up to 5% of the food waste; digestibility may limit amounts beyond that. Petfood Industry reports.

WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee seeks new members

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Hereditary Disease Committee is seeking two new members, including an active practitioner with an interest in companion animal hereditary disease and an expert on feline hereditary disease. According to the announcement, committee membership allows participants to work with global peers and to enhance veterinary care and patient welfare. The committee is chaired by Dr. Jerold Bell, a clinical geneticist, professor at Tufts University, and owner of a practice in Connecticut. Applications are due by September 6.

Smart dog collar can now measure sleep patterns

New York-based smart collar maker Fi announced it’s adding sleep to its collar’s tracking capabilities, TechCrunch reports. The feature uses the collar’s motion sensing technology to monitor dogs’ sleep during the day and night. The goal is to offer metrics that could indicate underlying health problems—for example, the collar could show the dog is sleeping too much or taking frequent trips to the water bowl in the middle of the night. Fi raised $30 million in February and is working to grow its reach in the United States, including through a recent distribution deal with Chewy.

A new smartphone app tries to detect feline pain

A technology company in Canada has created an app meant to detect whether a cat is feeling pain. The app, called Tably, was developed by Sylvester.ai. It uses the phone’s camera to detect pain based on ear and head position, eye narrowing, muzzle tension and whisker changes. It’s based on the “Feline Grimace Scale,” which has been deemed a reliable tool to assess acute pain in cats. While an app like this could be helpful, cat owners should also look at their pet’s whole body to assess their well-being, according to Alice Potter, a cat welfare expert at the U.K.-based RSPCA. Reuters reports.

PetScreening allows rental property managers to assess potential risks posed by prospective pets

PetScreening, which helps property managers evaluate the risk of prospective pets living in their apartment properties, is expanding its presence in a large property management firm. Bridge Property Management has already implemented PetScreening at more than 44,000 apartment homes in 122 communities, and the firm will now roll the service out in the rest of its portfolio. Using PetScreening, a rental applicant enters information about their pets into the company’s platform, which analyzes rental housing-related risk based on factors such as breed, weight and age.