Weekly companion animal news: COVID-19 updates and more

BabelBark offers free access to online client communication platform during coronavirus outbreak

As concerns continue to rise over the coronavirus, BabelBark announced it would allow veterinary practices to use its software for free to communicate with pet owners and provide remote veterinary care. BabelBark’s platform allows veterinarians to communicate with pet owners using photos, text and video. It also links vets with patient medical records. “This remote monitoring allows at-risk owners to stay at home without compromising others’ health and safety and still get medical care for their pets,” according to the announcement.

Petfood Forum postponed due to COVID-19

Petfood Forum 2020, originally scheduled for April 27-29, is now scheduled for August 19-21, due to concern over COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. The location is still set for the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

PIJAC issues open letter to state and local officials about COVID-19

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and other organizations issued an open letter to state and local government officials urging them to consider pet well-being during the public health response to the coronavirus pandemic. “Grocery stores that may be allowed to remain open generally only offer basic pet food options and they don’t have the specialized food, supplements and even medication that are required to maintain the health of millions of beloved pets and animals nationwide—nor are they set up logistically to serve ALL pets in this country,” the letter says. “Grocery stores alone cannot fulfill the need and animals would needlessly suffer.” The writers urge officials to allow pet stores to remain operational “to at least a limited degree so that staff can take appropriate care of the animals housed there. Since staff will need to be on site regardless of whether or not the store is open, it makes sense to allow them to provide pet owners with necessary food and care items.”

LSU veterinary researchers plan to develop COVID-19 vaccine

Veterinary researchers at Louisiana State University are developing a vaccine they believe will be “quite protective” against COVID-19. According to Gus Kousoulas, head of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at LSU, they’ve isolated the major genes of the coronavirus. “They are ready to be sent to the Tulane primate center as well as other sites throughout the state to be tested,” Kousoulas said. Scientists are producing two vaccines, planned to be tested in the next few months, KLFY reports.

FDA issues surgical mask and gown conservation strategies during COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration acknowledged that demand for personal protective equipment—like surgical masks, surgical and isolation gowns, and surgical suits—may outpace supply during the coronavirus outbreak. The agency has provided guidance for health care organizations and personnel to conserve supplies. They’re organized by level of severity, from adequate supplies to complete lack of availability. Today’s Veterinary Nurse (also published by NAVC) has the announcement.

Artificial intelligence model tracks spread of Lyme disease

Using 17 years of publicly available data, researchers built an artificial intelligence model that can help identify regions of the United States where Lyme disease may go unreported, Health IT Analytics reports. The researchers published their study in the JAMA Network Open. “We believe our analysis can help predict the trajectory of where Lyme will spread,” said Maria Pilar Fernandez, a post-doctoral researcher at Columbia University and the lead author of the study. “Identifying high-risk areas can lead to surveillance in counties and areas where infections are likely to emerge. It also allows authorities to alert physicians and the public, which can lead to early treatment, when it is most effective.” The AI model developed by the research team was able to predict the first reported Lyme disease case an average of 5.5 years earlier than it was reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

U.K. vets warn of dachshund health risks after dog show win

After a wire-haired dachshund got the top spot at the Crufts dog show in the United Kingdom, veterinarians are worried prospective owners may decide to get a dachshund without realizing the breed can experience serious health problems. “We are urging anyone thinking about bringing home this increasingly popular breed to be aware of the spinal issues that dogs bred to have a long and low body type can suffer from, and to speak to their vet for tailored advice,” the British Veterinary Association said in an announcement. Their body shape makes all six varieties of dachshunds—standard Long-, smooth-, wire-haired, and their miniature versions—at risk of serious spinal and neurological issues that usually require surgery to fix, according to BVA. “These problems may not be immediately obvious, but often cause them life-long discomfort and may need costly treatment,” the organization said.

International Cat Tracker study looks at the travels of more than 900 house cats

A new project sheds some light on the long-elusive mystery of where house cats go when they go outside. For the pasts six years, the International Cat Tracker project has examined more than 900 cats across four countries, using GPS trackers for a week at a time to learn how large the cats’ range is and where they go. “I was surprised at how little these cats moved,” the study’s lead author, Roland Kays, of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, told National Geographic. “Most of them spent all their time within 100 meters [330 feet] of their yard.” The problem, though, is that even within their limited range, cats can still cause damage to local wildlife populations. For example, urban areas have already been affected by human development, said Troi Perkins, one of the study’s authors. “The more pet cats outside, the more stress and fatalities local wildlife species can encounter….The ecological impact of house cats roaming outside can be even more dire when there are threatened or endangered wildlife living nearby.”

SoundByte: Churu — an appetite motivator for cats

Made with all-natural ingredients, Churu veterinary formula not only works as an appetite motivator. It can be used as an anxiety reducer and exam distractor, to deliver medication and for post-surgery recovery when cats won’t eat or drink. It’s available in tuna and chicken formulas, and in 12 kcals and 4 kcals. View the SoundByte with all the information here.