For Referring Veterinarians

Blastomycosis is a fungal infection that is being seen more commonly in our pet population, with dogs being more commonly infected than cats. Blastomyces dermatitidis, a dimorphic fungal organism, is the causative agent and is most commonly seen in the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri River Valleys, as well as mid-Atlantic states. Infection is caused by inhalation of spores that settle in terminal airways as well as inoculation of wounds. Once infection is established, the organism…

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) can provide yet another means of noninvasive diagnostics in evaluation of gastrointestinal tract disease in medium to large breed dogs. Minimally invasive diagnostics are an emerging and needed trend in both human and veterinary medicine. When evaluating acute or chronic gastrointestinal tract disease, endoscopic evaluation of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract is the most common minimally invasive diagnostic currently utilized. Although endoscopy is an excellent diagnostic tool in the majority…

For most of us, treatment of feline (and canine) viral diseases can be a frustrating endeavor because there is no direct therapy for most infections. Therapy consists largely of supportive care with medications to control symptoms and therapy to maintain hydration and nutrition. For more severe viral disease such as Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and Parvovirus, fatality rates remain unacceptably high and for less severe infections such as calicivirus and herpes virus, long term immune…