Sunday November 17, 2019

News

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Clinical Case Studies

  • Ferret with a History of Vomiting Background: A one-year-old 0.62-kg (1.4-lb) spayed female ferret, Beyoncé, was referred to Foster Hospital for Small Animals for evaluation of a five-day history of vomiting. The ferret had been examined by the referring veterinarian 3 days prior when radiographs of the thorax and abdomen were obtained (Figures 1 and 2), and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was prescribed ...
  • Severe Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Accompanied by Ipsilateral Xeromycteria Background:  A 12-year-old male castrated Labrador Retriever presented to the internal medicine service with a two-month history of chronic right-sided nasal discharge refractory to antibiotic therapy. The referring veterinarian suggested computed tomography (CT) and rhinoscopy. The owners also reported mucoid to mucopurulent discharge from the right eye (OD) and occasional blepharospasm. The dog was otherwise ...
  • Clinical Case Challenge: Vomiting, Azotemia, Elevated Liver Enzymes An 11-week old female Golden Retriever presented for vomiting, azotemia, and elevated liver enzymes.
  • Clinical Case Challenge: Just another case of idiopathic IMHA? A six-year-old, female spayed terrier mix originally presented to her referring veterinarian for a two-week history of lethargy and inappetence.
  • Clinical Case Challenge: Internal Medicine (Cat) Prepared by: Orla Mahony, MVB, DACVIM, DECVIM Case Description Harry, a 9-year-old male castrated FIV positive, DSH cat, presented to the Internal Medicine Service at the Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University for a 5-month history of diabetes mellitus. An abdominal ultrasound had shown a hydronephrotic right kidney, an ...

Success Stories

  • A Miracle for Moose Dialysis helps a puppy survive eating grapes.
  • Kirby As the saying goes, life can change in an instant. For Priscilla Doel that moment came in July 2012 when she noticed that her 6-year-old Wheaten Terrier, Kirby, had blood in his urine.
  • Boots Miraculous Story of Cheating Death Not Once but Twice! Boots, a 16-year-old cat, has cheated death twice. Nine lives? Maybe. But perhaps this cat’s resiliency has more to do with a strong family bond and the depth of love from his owners.

Research

  • Although Microscopic in Size, Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Pose a Large Threat Since their discovery, antibiotics have played an important role in keeping both humans and animals healthy, but the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria has become a major public health threat. What’s being done, and how can you help?
  • Curiosity Saved the Cats The untold story of how a small team of researchers saved the lives of millions of felines—and helped identify the cause of AIDS.
  • Diagnosing Liver Failure Biopsies can often determine the cause of the disease, but that procedure carries its own risks.
  • Doctors: More antibiotics not the answer Sam Telford explains that there is a direct correlation between the rise in deer population and Lyme disease.
  • At Your Service: Interdisciplinary Team An Interdisciplinary Team Approach to Hepatobiliary Disease At the Tufts Foster Hospital for Small Animals at the Cummings School Veterinary Medicine, we rely heavily on a talented team of veterinary specialists to help treat small animals with hepatobiliary disease.  Often times, diagnosing hepatobiliary disease is a complicated process given the liver’s wide-ranging role in digestion, intermediary metabolism and ...

At Your Service

  • At Your Service: Internal Medicine/Diabetes Care Foster Hospitals team of internal medicine specialists treats medical issues affecting major body systems, from endocrine, kidney, urinary, gastrointestinal, liver, pancreas, and respiratory system as well as infectious diseases. Although many of our internal medicine specialists have developed sub-specialties each is equipped to diagnose and manage a wide variety of complex medical issues, interpret laboratory ...
  • At Your Service: Interdisciplinary Team An Interdisciplinary Team Approach to Hepatobiliary Disease At the Tufts Foster Hospital for Small Animals at the Cummings School Veterinary Medicine, we rely heavily on a talented team of veterinary specialists to help treat small animals with hepatobiliary disease.  Often times, diagnosing hepatobiliary disease is a complicated process given the liver’s wide-ranging role in digestion, intermediary metabolism and ...
  • At Your Service: Internal Medicine Internal Medicine Veterinary Specialty The Internal Medicine Service at Tufts Foster Hospital for Small Animals is led by faculty who are board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Supporting them are trained technicians(many who are also board certified by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America), as well as interns, residents, students and staff, within a ...

Client Education

  • Warm, spring weather means tick season is here Dr. Michael Stone spoke with Boston 25 News (Fox affiliate) on the start of tick season and prevention/protection for pets.
  • A Miracle for Moose Dialysis helps a puppy survive eating grapes.
  • Dear Doctor: Blood Work: How Often? The American Veterinary Medical Association states on their website that, “geriatric pets should have semi-annual veterinary visits instead of annual visits so signs of illness or other problems can be detected early and treated.
  • Dear Doctor: A Cat with a Weepy Eye I have a cat that has a problem with a weeping eye (at the nose), a condition she has had for several years.
  • What is Cryptococcosis? It’s the most common systemic fungal disease of domestic cats worldwide, and the main environment in which the organism thrives is pigeon feces.
  • Helping Your Vet Make a Diagnosis A successful veterinary examination begins with the owner. Here’s how you can play a vital role in maintaining your cat’s good health.
  • Dear Doctor: Confusion about Feline Vaccines Can you explain the difference between the yearly rabies vaccination and the one that is given once each three years?
  • When Weight Loss is a Problem A dramatic decline in your cat’s weight can be due to a wide variety of causes, and you need to seek veterinary consultation promptly. Here’s why.
  • Curiosity Saved the Cats The untold story of how a small team of researchers saved the lives of millions of felines—and helped identify the cause of AIDS.
  • Lots You Can Do At Home to Make Vet Visits Less Intimidating 10 tips to make handling by the doctor (and you) a much less traumatic experience.
  • Dear Doctor – Canine Breast exams? Breast Exams?
  • Dear Doctor – The ideal time to wean kittens The ideal time for weaning
  • Feline Hazards Heat Up in Summer Tips from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine for keeping your cat safe and happy Keeping your kitty out of mischief is a daily duty, but owners have to be extra vigilant during the summer, when threats to your cat’s well-being generally rise with the temperature, says Michael Stone, a veterinarian who specializes in small animal care ...
  • Five Ways to Protect Your Pet from Lyme Disease Cats don’t feel its effects, but the bacteria can cause real problems for dogs Lyme disease is transmitted to people, dogs and cats when a deer tick infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi attaches itself to the skin for a blood feast. Cats don’t appear to get sick, but the Lyme bacterium can cause serious disease ...
  • The Hidden Dangers of Xylitol to Your Dog Did you know that many common household items (sugarless gum, candy, even some peanut butter) contain Xylitol, a sugar alcohol which is highly toxic to dogs? Learn more about the dangers of Xylitol and what immediate actions to take should your companion animal ingest the toxin. Swift action matters.
  • 5 Ways to Protect Your Pet from Lyme Disease A clinical assistant professor at Cummings School provides a few simple steps you can take to lessen the chances that your pet will become infected.
  • Dogs Are Also At Risk For Lyme Disease Michael Stone talks about treating Lyme disease in dogs.
  • Heartworm Information Heartworm Basics and Prevention: Prevention is the Best Medicine.  Download heartworm information here.
  • 5 Steps for successful tick removal Learn the 5 Steps for removing ticks
  • Diabetes in Your Pet What is diabetes? In veterinary medicine, there are two types of diabetes mellitus: Type I DM and Type II DM. Type I occurs when the body doesn’t make enough insulin, a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. This form of diabetes requires lifelong insulin injections. In Type II DM, the body does not use insulin ...
  • Caring For Your Diabetic Cat Treatment Regimen Your cat’s treatment regimen will include: medications to reduce its blood sugar level, dietary adjustments and exercise. Beyond these items, it will be very important that you establish an ongoing relationship with your primary care veterinarian, who will serve as a resource and expert on how you can best care for your feline ...
  • Lyme Disease in Your Companion Pets What is Lyme disease? Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi that is spread by the black-legged tick, often referred to as the deer tick. Basically, Lyme disease can be transmitted to dogs, cats and people when an infected tick attaches itself to their skin for a blood feast. An infected pet cannot transmit Lyme ...
  • Tick Talk: What can I do to protect my pet and my family from ticks? Tick season is upon us. Dr. Michael Stone, an internist at Tufts Foster Hospital for Small Animals, answers a client’s questions about how to manage the nasty critters. Q: What can I do to protect my pets—and my family—from ticks? A: Most pet owners are concerned about the presence of ticks on their animals and themselves. As my ...
  • Giving Pills to Your Pet Having Trouble Giving Pills to Your Pet? Watch this series of videos for tips and tricks
  • Is it a good idea for dogs to get the canine Lyme vaccine, even if they already had Lyme disease? Michael Stone, a staff veterinarian and clinical assistant professor at the Cummings School, responds

Stories

  • A Potential Game Changer for Pets with Diabetes Clinical studies will evaluate whether a weekly insulin injection controls glucose levels in sick dogs—and soon in cats
  • People like giving pets pumpkin, but is it good for them? Lisa Freeman, J86, V91, N96, head of the veterinary nutrition service at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center, fills us in I hear from owners—and vets—all the time that they’ve added pumpkin to a dog or cat’s diet to increase the fiber. Dog and cats don’t require any fiber in their diets. But it can help with issues ...
  • The Management of Megacolon Constipation is a common problem in cats. In its most severe form — called megacolon — the condition may actually require surgical intervention.
  • Taking Care of a Diabetic Cat Most cats with this condition can be successfully treated at home by their owners, but it’s important to try to diagnose it in its earlier stages. Here’s why.
  • Nasopharyngeal Polyps in Cats Once a definitive diagnosis is made, there are two ways to remove these aggravating polyps — but it depends on how advanced the signs are. Here’s why.
  • When Anti-Vaxxers Go to the Vet To counteract misinformation about vaccines, veterinarians share the latest dos and don’ts for your pets.
  • The Modern Threat of Rabies Combatting this ancient disease continues to be a modern challenge — and indoor cats are at some risk, as well. Here’s why vaccination is so important.
  • Dogs Eat the Darnedest Things: All About Intestinal Obstructions John Berg is mentioned in this article about intestinal issues in dogs.
  • Dear Doctor: Stray Kittens and Virus Testing Dear Donna: Your question centers around two common viruses of cats — herpes and calicivirus — which cause, in most cases, mild and self-limiting upper respiratory infections, commonly referred to as “colds.”
  • How to Quarantine Your Pet Mary Labato is quoted in this article on pet quarantines.
  • Is Your Cat Anorexic? It’s important to understand why the syndrome happens, the harmful effects it can have on your cat’s health – and the common ways to stimulate appetite.
  • Dear Doctor – A reader’s complex question My four-year-old cat, Stripe, has been diagnosed with an overactive immune system.
  • What Appetite Changes Can Mean on Cats A shift in eating habits can be harder to spot in a multicat household, but eating too much or too little are red flags that require your attention
  • Owner Grateful for Care of Himalayan Cat’s Chronic Kidney Disease Owner Jane Mason’s experience with Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center dates back 18 years to 1997 shortly after she first brought her new Himalayan home. Jane recalls spending their first Christmas Eve together at Foster Hospital when Azrielle, the runt of her litter, developed a respiratory infection. Diagnosed 15 years later ...
  • Tufts at Tech Helps Rocky Heal Rocky’s owner couldn’t afford the care her husky needed. Then she found out about Tufts at Tech, which offers provides low-cost care for family pets within Central Massachusetts’ underserved communities. Dr. Casey Connors (V15) determined a diagnosis that saved Rocky and taught the young veterinary students invaluable lessons.
  • Tess Gannaway ’16 Hometown: Providence, RI Education: B.A in Biology, Barnard College I fell in love with Tufts the very first time I stepped onto campus. On paper Tufts was a perfect fit for me: It was close to my family, had a stellar International Medicine program, and offered a dedication to the burgeoning field of One Health. In the end, however, ...
  • Cynthia Borjes, CVT Cynthia Borjes, CVT, has worked in the Foster Hospital for Small Animals for 14 Years. Working in the Clinical Sciences Department, Cindy sees an array of clients, each presenting a unique challenge. “Once I was ‘boxed’ in the head by a hungry Kangaroo who wanted her banana. Who can say that?” Cindy attended and graduated from ...