Few things strike as much fear into the hearts of shelter veterinarians and staff as an outbreak of respiratory disease. While successful management of stress and provision of preventive medicine can dramatically decrease the incidence of this troubling condition, it can still spiral into serious disease. Dr. Elizabeth Berliner, Director of the Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program at… Learn More
You may know Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) isn’t a death sentence for cats. But did you know exactly how it impacts the length of time they live? Would it surprise you to know it doesn’t? At the 2015 NAVC Veterinary Conference, Annette L. Litster, BVSc, PhD, FANZCVSc (Feline Medicine), MMedSci (Clinical Epidemiology), former Director of… Learn More
When it comes to doing a physical exam on a newborn puppy or kitten, does your shelter or rescue group’s care team know what to look for? At the 2015 NAVC veterinary conference, Elizabeth Thomovsky, DVM, MS, DACVECC, of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University, spoke on “What to Expect in a Neonatal… Learn More
The best way to help any cat entering an animal shelter will depend on the cat. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for many shelter workers to tell the difference between a cat who is a social animal, used to humans, but severely stressed out or afraid, and a truly feral cat. Sara L. Bennett, DVM,… Learn More
Senior pets are special. Shelter pets are special. And senior pets in shelters need some special considerations when it comes to anesthesia. Dr. Emily McCobb is a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist and Director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. At the 2015 ASPCA-Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Conference at… Learn More
It’s a stickily delicious solution to a lot of common dog challenges, and it’s being celebrated during National Peanut Butter Lovers Month! Peanut butter can help relieve stress in shelter dogs, keep dogs in homes occupied and happy, and distract dogs from frightening or disruptive situations. And of course, it can be made into a… Learn More
Is the missing link to saving more lives, relieving animal suffering, saving money on general operating costs and boosting community goodwill hiding in plain sight in your animal shelter’s spay/neuter clinic? Shelter veterinarians are not just a set of hands to perform surgery, give vaccines and treat emergencies. They’re a powerful source of experience, knowledge,… Learn More
What does a mother’s love look like? To answer that question, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) turned to Maddie’s Fund® Director of Veterinary Programs and Executive Leadership Team member Dr. Laurie Peek, who is both a veterinarian and a medical illustrator. Dr. Peek was inspired to paint “A Mother’s Love” in… Learn More
They’re the all-too-often unsung heroes of veterinary medicine, but we’re going to sing about them here. We’re talking about veterinary technicians, with a special chorus of gratitude for those who go into shelter medicine practice. Veterinary technicians assist in surgery, assess vitals, draw blood, comfort frightened patients, explain procedures to clients and do everything registered… Learn More
Few topics generate as much interest across the sheltering, veterinary and pet-owner worlds as consistently as antibody titer testing. In an upcoming free webinar from VetFolio, Richard Ford, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACVPM, will give attendees an overview of the state of titer testing today, including: What antibody does, and does NOT, mean when attempting to… Learn More