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Comprehensive veterinary information (Articles, Abstracts and Pathologies) in just one place.
Cats available for adoption: why adopt rather than buy a cat?
The abandonment of cats and unrestricted reproduction among free-living populations are still two of the main problems affecting their overall welfare. There are a lot of cats available for adoption. This post evaluates the latest data on cat abandonment, what happens to them when they are collected by shelters, and how many benefits from adoption.
Diarrhoea in dogs: diet in chronic processes
Given the difficulties of managing diarrhoea in dogs, Affinity Petcare conducted a clinical study to assess the efficacy and performance of diet in the control of chronic inflammatory enteropathies in dogs. The study consisted of administering a hypoallergenic diet or a highly digestible diet supplemented with bioactive plasma proteins and assessing its effect on dogs with chronic enteropathies.
Puppies available for adoption in shelters and animal welfare organisations
Pet abandonment affects animals of all ages, whether adults, seniors or puppies. Puppies constitute a more vulnerable population as they are still growing. However, puppies available for adoption are more appealing to some families. In this post we will review the data relating to puppies available for adoption last year.
Food for young cats: an immune system boost
Cats are carnivorous hunters who take their time when selecting their prey. They appreciate the variety of flavours and eat small quantities about 15–20 times a day. Food for young cats is particularly important, as their bodies are rapidly developing and deficiencies at this time may have consequences in the future.
Products specifically for dogs: efficacy of supplements for joint health
Increasingly more products specifically for dogs have been launched in recent years, with new formulations that improve the patients’ treatment adherence. As these supplements are incorporated in their food, dogs do not notice them and the overall diet is more appealing.
Is it necessary to use a special food for castrated dogs?
Castrated dogs, like castrated cats, have reduced energy needs compared to intact dogs and a different eating behaviour. This can cause a tendency to gain weight if their diet is not controlled. A good strategy to prevent obesity in these animals is to use food for castrated dogs.
Are there any anti-inflammatory diets for reducing drug use in atopic dermatitis?
One of the most common skin diseases in dogs (10–15%) is canine atopic dermatitis (CAD). It is an allergic inflammation of the skin with a genetic component. An anti-inflammatory diet that reduces inflammation may help manage the signs of the disease by protecting the skin barrier.
Canine coronavirus: How can you strengthen the immune system of puppies?
Canine coronavirus can infect all dogs, but puppies are the most susceptible population because their immune and digestive systems are both still immature. Canine coronavirus causes an acute, self-limiting infection that does not become chronic. The virus is eliminated in the faeces and the route of infection is therefore faecal–oral contact.
Therapy dogs and their benefits for people
Lots of people agree that owning a pet can significantly improve one’s physical, mental and emotional health.
Without having to look too far, we recently published an article in this blog, based on scientific studies conducted by the Affinity Foundation group Animales y Salud (Animals and Health), about all the benefits that dogs can offer their owners, ranging from being less prone to illnesses, to having a fuller and happier life.
Managing a veterinary clinic: profitability and liquidity
A veterinary clinic, like any company, may have a high revenue, that is, a high level of income, but on the other hand its profitability may be very low (even negative). Despite a high income, it is also possible to have insufficient cash to deal with payments or any unforeseen events.
Process improvement: work protocol during consultations
We are all aware of the importance of client service protocols during consultations. Working protocols are a fundamental part of process improvement at veterinary centres, just like any other company: the introduction of suitable working protocols increases efficiency and, in terms of client care, it ensures vets portray a consistent and professional image.
Use a schedule to optimise client management with dates and times
Lots of veterinary centre owners with years of experience behind them freely admit that the most irreplaceable person on their team is a good receptionist. In addition to being the face and voice of the company portrayed to clients, reception staff are responsible for efficiently managing the centre’s schedule, with the consequent impact on the internal organisation of work.
Oxalate and struvite stones: Urinalysis in cats
Oxalate and struvite crystals are one of the main causes of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Although the leading cause is feline idiopathic cystitis, urinary crystals occupy second place and are responsible for 25% of cases. An early diagnosis by means of a urinalysis is important to institute the most suitable treatment as soon as possible and therefore reduce the recurrence rate.
Struvite stones: help prevent them through nutrition
Struvite stones are one of the most frequent causes of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD)
In this post we explain why struvite stones tend to clump together and crystallise, what we can do to prevent them from forming and the influence of the drinking water’s degree of mineralisation. In the next post we will provide more details about everything associated with the analysis of struvite and calcium oxalate crystals.
Gastroenteritis in dogs: how are fats involved in digestion?
The composition of the dog’s diet is very important when treating gastroenteritis. Enterocytes become atrophied in the intestine and have less capacity for water retention and nutrient absorption, so foods for dogs with diarrhoea must be easy to digest.
Travelling with dogs in the car: recommendations for those first trips
Lots of your clients are probably not too keen on the idea of travelling with dogs in the car if it means adapting the vehicle or keeping the animal confined for several hours. But what if we show owners that travelling with dogs in the car is not so complicated? Let’s give it a try.
Nutritional supplements for resolving canine diarrhoea
The administration of medicines and supplements always poses a problem at the moment of truth. Owners test their imagination by inventing ingenious types of “creative cooking” to hide tablets and capsules in food.
Tablets inside a piece of cheese, antibiotics hidden in a sausage, mixing powdered medicines in food, among others. Yet it can prove fruitless when the tablet is discovered intact after the food has been eaten.
What are the differences between light dog food and a diet for obesity?
Owners face a lot of doubts and difficulties when it comes to treating obesity. Concern that their dog will feel hungry, a lack of awareness regarding obesity and the ineffectiveness of some commercial light foods often cause owners to give up all too easily. Does this challenge go beyond the consultation room?
Puppy food: special care based around immunoglobulins
Puppies are born with only 5% of the immunoglobulins they need, but this level rises to 95% thanks to their mother’s colostrum. However, immunoglobulins can only pass through the puppy’s intestinal wall during the first 24 hours postpartum. The immunity bestowed by the colostrum antibodies protects puppies for 1–2 months. During this period, the levels of maternal antibodies in the puppy’s blood gradually decline, so they must start producing their own.
People management: the seven keys to human resource management
There is little value in mastering the numbers and their interpretation if we forget the people behind them. In fact, the numbers are a consequence of how people behave. They are not a target in themselves, but a means of attaining a better understanding of what is going on.
So it is important to remember a series of basic people management rules that successful managers learn to respect. Here we present seven keys to effective people management.
Business management and marketing to attract and retain your clients
Retaining a client is about six times cheaper than attracting a new one (this difference can be even greater depending on the sector), so creating customer loyalty through a good business management and marketing strategy is one of the cornerstones for operating a profitable veterinary centre.
Wouldn’t you like your clients’ experience to be as pleasant as possible?
Gastroenteritis diets for cats: the importance of protein sources
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes a functional and structural alteration of the epithelial cells that collectively form the protective barrier in a cat’s immune system. Bacteria, viruses and even some foods act as pathogens by stimulating a strong immune response and fuelling inflammation.
Ringworm in cats: diagnostic difficulties of dermatophytosis
Dermatophytosis is a fungal infection that affects the cat’s skin. Popularly known as ringworm, it is caused by Microsporum, Trichophyton and Epidermophyton spp., althougyh Microsporum canis is the main causal agent of ringworm infections in cats.
Why do obese cats develop insulin resistance?
Weight gain and an excessive accumulation of fat result in serious associated diseases in cats. Beyond the observable mechanical and cutaneous clinical signs, recent evidence suggests that an increase in oxidative stress due to the accumulation of adipocytes creates a proinflammatory state in obese cats called metabolic syndrome.
Enteral nutrition in veterinary surgery and serious illness
Parenteral or enteral nutrition is commonly used to meet the needs of perioperative or seriously ill patients. In this post we discuss hospital situations involving malnutrition and the administration parameters and circumstances necessary for enteral and parenteral feeding.
Holidays with dogs: 10 practical tips
Travelling with a pet brings a lot more pleasure than drawbacks. Sharing one of the best times of the year with your dog also strengthens your bond with the animal, while creating lots of treasured moments. Here we have composed a list of 10 handy tips for unforgettable holidays with dogs.
Products for overweight pets
Owners first need to be made aware of their pet’s body condition. A poster in the consulting room with illustrations and a scale from 1 to 5 will help you show the owner where their pet is located on the scale, so they will accept that their animal is overweight. Another good tip is placing the body condition poster in a visible place in the waiting room, preferably near the scales, to increase owners’ awareness of the need to control the excess weight of their dogs and cats.
Alternatives to veterinary surgery in osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease or arthritis, is a very painful, chronic and degenerative inflammatory disease that affects the synovial joints and eventually leads to a loss of mobility. It is very common in older dogs and there is still no definitive cure.
Dogs and babies: greater social interaction and well-being from early childhood
The Affinity Foundation has recently conducted studies into the special link that develops between dogs and babies – and they have shed light on some quite revealing data. Over 500 children aged 9–13 years were asked about their relationship with pets, feelings, responsibility and respect.
Discover what they had to say!
Vitamin B12 is essential in senior cat food (feed)
As cats age, they suffer a decline in their ability to digest and absorb macro- and micronutrients, including cobalamin (or vitamin B12). A direct relationship between suboptimal concentrations of blood cobalamin has been reported in cats with GI disorders, with these low levels being very prevalent in senior cats.