Abstract
AAFP
Ten solutions to increase cat visits
A new study conducted by Bayer HealthCare, in collaboration with the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), reveals significant opportunities for veterinary practices. The Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study III (BVCUS III): Feline Findings, conducted in November 2012, is the third in a series of studies sponsored by Bayer HealthCare, LLC, Animal Health Division.
Though there is a broad decline in veterinary visits, this and earlier studies have indicated that cats are especially underserved. Bayer and the AAFP have collaborated with the goal to clearly understand the obstacles to feline veterinary care and develop innovative solutions to overcome these barriers.
Based on the research from the BVCUS III: Feline Findings, the AAFP has worked to develop Ten Solutions to Increase Cat Visits. These solutions provide practical tips for veterinary practices to implement in order to alleviate many of the obstacles to routine feline veterinary care.
You can download the full document, Ten Solutions to Increase Cat Visits, at www.catvets.com/education/bvcus3. A summary can also be found on pages 832–833 of this issue.
From left: Dr Cristiano von Simson, John Volk and Dr Jim Thomas present thought-provoking cat owner research data from the BVCUS III: Feline Findings at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) convention in Chicago in July
Ian Spinks, President and General Manager of Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health North America, describes the company’s commitment to improving feline health care and strengthening veterinary practices, as well as providing an overview of the new BVCUS III: Feline Findings
The AAFP’s Exhibit Booth at the AVMA convention
Dr Elizabeth Colleran presents the AAFP’s Ten Solutions to Increase Cat Visits. The session was followed up by additional presentations on the path to better feline care
iCatCare
Permethrin – a call for better regulation
Accidental poisoning of cats by permethrin is a worldwide problem. In the UK, such cases are most often linked to inappropriate use on cats of spot-on flea control products, designed for dogs, containing concentrated permethrin. Toxicity can also occur through contact contamination with treated dogs in the household, usually when the owner has not been warned of the potential hazards of such contact.
To reduce the number of such incidents of accidental feline poisoning by permethrin, International Cat Care, the parent charity of ISFM, has launched a campaign for better regulation of the sale of permethrin-containing products in the UK. ISFM is aiming to put pressure on the UK Veterinary Medicines Directorate to upgrade the category of all permethrin-containing products from AVM-GSL to NFA-VPS, which requires a Suitably Qualified Person to advise purchasers of the product.
To add your vote to the campaign go to www.icatcare.org/permethrin. Clinical protocols for the treatment of permethrin overdose in cats are also available here.
Awards
Susan Little receives ISFM/Hill’s award
The 2013 ISFM/Hill’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Feline Medicine came as a lovely birthday surprise for Dr Susan Little when it was presented to her just as she was about to give her final lecture at the World Feline Veterinary Congress in June (see page 835). From left: Claire Bessant, Chief Executive of ISFM, Susan Little, Iveta Becvarova, Director of Academic Affairs, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Todd Towell, scientific spokesperson for Hill’s
ABCD/Merial young scientist awards
The European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD)/Merial Young Scientist Awards 2013 were also presented during the ISFM’s World Feline Veterinary Congress in June. The recipients were veterinary surgeons Deborah Gow (left) and Sanne Dolieslager. Debbie, also a qualified veterinary nurse, is currently undertaking her PhD in immunology at the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh University. She received the basic research award for her work on the feline colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1) and its receptor, CSF-1R. She demonstrated that feline macrophages can be produced and maintained in culture, by using either blood or bone marrow cells and a range of species macrophage stimulating factors. Sanne’s paper on the aetiopathogenesis of feline chronic gingivostomatitis helps to improve our understanding of the interrelations between immune system dysregulation and infectious agents (bacteria, viruses) frequently present in the cat’s mouth. The study, which earned her the clinical research award, was undertaken as part of her PhD studies at the Infection and Immunity Research Group, University of Glasgow
