The population analytics reported by Banfield over the last three years have detected trends in health and disease over time for pets that live in the United States, enabling professional focus on what’s needed to promote the health of companion animals. In 2011, the first year of the report, we focused on the most common diseases affecting pets in the United States, while the 2012 report uncovered trends related to chronic diseases and conditions, estimated using the electronic pet health records from the world’s largest veterinary practice. This year’s report describes the overall lifespan of pets on a state-by-state basis, as well as factors that may influence lifespan. The interactive report can be reviewed at stateofpethealth.com.

Trends reported this year include highlighting states with the shortest lifespan (Louisiana and Mississippi) and longest lifespan (Colorado and Montana) for dogs and cats. States with the healthiest and longest living pets have, in general, the highest neutering and spaying rates. In Mississippi, the state ranking lowest for pet longevity, 44 percent of the dogs are not neutered or spayed. Nearly 20 percent of the cats in Louisiana and Mississippi aren’t spayed or neutered but in Montana and Colorado, the states with the longest lifespan, that number is closer to 8 percent. Neutered male dogs live 18 percent longer than un-neutered male dogs, and spayed female dogs live 23 percent longer than unspayed female dogs.

Spay and neuter are just part of the equation for a healthy, long life. The other important elements of regular preventive care include annual dental cleaning, protection from parasites and infectious diseases (vaccination) as well as good nutrition. With regular preventive care and health screening, early detection of chronic conditions is possible, and active management can minimize impacts to quality of life for the pet (and the family).

The State of Pet Health Report helps the profession understand the current and future challenges for veterinary care. Not only is this report an important tool for Banfield, it’s a valuable resource for the profession as a whole as it raises awareness of the need for regular preventive care and early disease diagnosis. Collectively, the profession can use the power of population data reported in the State of Pet Health Report to work toward ensuring all pets receive the medical care they deserve.

In the summer issue of the Banfield Journal, author David Dilmore, DVM, presents an article on the etiology, diagnosis and management of Lyme disease in dogs. His overview gives you the information you need to educate your clients on the signs of Lyme disease, discusses how a diagnosis is made and makes recommendations for treatment. Some of Dr. Dilmore’s most important takeaways are the keys to Lyme disease prevention—tick preventives, vaccination, frequent checking of pets for ticks, and removal of ticks as soon as they are found. In addition, there’s a sidebar of talking points about the disease that you can discuss with Lyme disease with your clients.

In our Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) in this issue, author Patrick Shearer, BVMS, PhD, asks the clinical question: Does supplemental oxygen, when delivered in the post-operative period, prevent episodes of hypoxia or hypoxemia in dogs during recovery from anesthesia? The bottom line is that it does help; the precise length and method of delivery should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the length and nature of the surgery and the patient’s pre-operative health status.

You can find these articles and view past issues of the Journal on Banfield’s website.

Sandy Still, Pharm.D., veterinary pharmacist and senior buyer for Banfield Pet Hospital^®’s Formulary team, recommends that you tell your clients that expired medications are not recommended for use. First off, there is no guarantee that they will still be effective or whether they may cause side effects. Exposure to light or humidity could change the chemical instability of a product or medication over time.

Your clients will want to know then, how should they dispose of expired medications. It’s important to let them know that they should not flush expired medications down the toilet where they can get into the water supply. Also, your veterinary practice, most hospitals and pharmacies cannot accept expired medications because it’s just too expensive to get rid of them.

Fortunately, there are take-back programs nationwide that have events scheduled on certain days and times. Direct your clients online to the Drug Take-Back Network where they can find a state-by-state listing of what’s happening in their area for the collection and disposal of unused medications. Your clients can also check out their state’s board of pharmacy, their area’s local waste guide or visit earth911.com for more information.

If your clients can’t get to a waste site or are unable to find a take-back program nearby, you can suggest mixing the drug in with kitty litter or coffee grounds and placing it in the trash (not compost trash, but regular trash). Obviously this is not preferred from an environmental perspective, but it’s a good option in a pinch and better than flushing down the toilet and into the water supply.

Committed to advancing the profession with new knowledge and insights on canine and feline health, researchers at Banfield Pet Hospital^® conduct epidemiological studies to provide critical answers that help improve the health of our pet populations. Research projects range from identifying risk factors for feline chronic kidney disease to understanding how lifespan is affected by different factors, such as time of neutering and body condition. 

Banfield is well-positioned to design and perform rigorous studies at its headquarters in Portland, Ore., because it employs a team of highly skilled researchers—referred to as Banfield Applied Research & Knowledge (BARK). BARK uses data from Banfield’s proprietary electronic medical records system, Petware^®—which collects pet health information from over 800 hospitals nationwide— to generate evidence that can be used in clinical practice. BARK also conducts clinical trials by leveraging Banfield’s hospital network.

To build research capacity and leverage expertise in companion animal epidemiology, BARK collaborates with other specialized researchers from around the world. In 2011, Dr. Chika Okafor accepted a Mars, Inc.-funded post-doctoral position, based at Ontario Veterinary College, in Ontario, Canada. In partnership with BARK researchers, Chika will be making innovative contributions to the veterinary field, with a special focus on the role nutrition plays in dog and cat health and diseases. 

BARK’s Ashlee Addleman, Research Program & Projects Manager, recently caught up with Chika and discovered how he got started in the field of veterinary epidemiology.

What sparked your interest in the field of epidemiology and population-based research?

Thank you for the question. Upon graduation from veterinary school, I worked as a clinician in a small animal hospital and later as a public health veterinarian, focusing on zoonotic diseases control. During these duties, I became convinced that I would serve the society better by improving the quality of animal health at the population level as opposed to individual animals. Hence, I pursued subsequent training in the field of epidemiology, and I have enjoyed every bit of my involvement in population-based research.

What area(s) of feline and canine health are you studying as part of this post-doctoral position?

My broad area of study is the lower urinary tract disease of dogs and cats. Specifically, I am investigating what roles nutrition, personal characteristics of the pet (age, sex, weight, neuter status, etc.), and clinical observations (results of urinalysis) play in the diagnosis of lower urinary tract stones in dogs and cats. 

What impact do you hope your research will have?

I am excited that the results observed so far in dogs can help companion animal clinicians improve early clinical decision-making in the diagnosis and management of lower urinary tract stones in dogs. Broadly, I expect that the outcome of my research would provide support for evidence-based health care and wellness in companion animals, thus influencing changes that would improve the quality of veterinary care in these animals.

In your opinion, what’s next for the field of veterinary epidemiology?

Veterinary epidemiology has made great and significant progress in advancing both animal and public health over the years. However, there is always room for improvement. In my view, companion animals have not received as much attention as the other animals in veterinary epidemiology, but within the last decade improvements have been made. In general, I see a need for a holistic population-based approach that would involve investigating both infectious and non-infectious components in the understanding of the health challenges of animals.

We thank Chika for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with us! Dr. Okafor’s research and new findings from his post-doctorate research work at OVC are expected to be published in peer-review journals. Chika is pictured here with his dog, Zeus.

BARK hopes to contribute more Exclusive Research Scoops, featuring these special interviews.  Subscribe to the Wagging Tail Blog RSS feed so you don’t miss the next one! To learn more about Banfield’s BARK team, please visit banfield.com.

For the latest findings in the State of Pet Health Report, visit stateofpethealth.com.

Have you ever wondered how the exotic pets in America feel, and whether their owners are doing enough to make them feel “at home”? Here in Australia, they are collectively known as “unusual pets” rather than “exotic” ones because a lot of them are actually native to Australia. As such, they are not really exotic, just not traditionally kept as pets until recently.

It would help if I could read these pets’ minds, but I suspect that with the care many exotic pet owners put into designing the perfect enclosures, many of these pets feel as if they are still living in the desert—even if the weather outside is frightful! If only pet owners or veterinarians interested in exotic pets could make a trip to the country of the pet’s origin to get a first-hand experience of what these pets would like in their man-made habitat! Since that’s probably not likely, the next best thing is to read up on the species in question, so that the optimal enclosure and diet can be provided to simulate the “home” environment of the pet as much as possible.

Understanding our pets’ natural behaviors is important as well. One of the veterinary assistants I worked with in Chicago decided to name her pet Bearded Dragon after me upon learning that I was leaving the practice. She also showed me a video of this peculiar behavior that the Bearded Dragon was doing. When it was picked up, it would wave its right arm in the air, as if doing a slow motion “karate-chop.” I had forgotten what it meant until recently. This was actually a “submissive” behavior. Bearded Dragons that are of a lower hierarchy in their unique social structure would perform this gesture to signal to the more dominant Bearded Dragon that it can have the food (or any other commodity) first.  

It strikes me that however exotic a pet is, its behavior changes very little, no matter how far it is from its natural habitat. This is probably a big part of the appeal of owning an exotic pet. Most exotic pet owners probably get transported thousands of miles away into the desert when they look into the sandy enclosures of their exotic pet, and get a brief respite from everyday life (or the freezing cold outside).

So the next time you are presented with an exotic pet patient, remember that although they might look and feel a little different, they are not loved any less by the owner of a regular pet, and it’s our job to help make them feel a little more “at home.”

For example, we know from the Banfield population that oral health (dental calculus, periodontal disease, etc.) is the most prevalent health issue for dogs and cats, affecting four out of five pets over the age of 3. We also know that periodontal disease in dogs is associated with kidney and heart disease. Waltham can deepen this understanding by studying the mechanisms and microbiology of the disease process so that solutions can be developed as options for pet owners. This research is shared with the profession through peer-reviewed research and with consumers in products like dental chews and diets.

When you combine the power of fundamental nutrition science with the scope of evidence from population research, you have a formula for advancing knowledge of pet health and well-being.  This is what can truly make the world a better place for pets.

In the spring issue of the Banfield Journal, author Thomas Mohn, DVM, DABVP, presents an article on “Pediatric physiology,” which talks about the significant physiologic differences seen in pediatric pets and provides important clinical considerations that can be drawn from these differences. Dr. Mohn addresses the fact that a neonate’s development requirements change rapidly over the first few weeks of life and treatment plans need to change accordingly. In addition, he goes into depth describing the neonate’s body systems and what to consider when administering anesthesia, CPR and drug therapy. Dr. Mohn stresses that small-animal clinicians must be diligent when dealing with neonatal pets. It can make the difference between success and failure when it comes to their medical care.

Our Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) in this issue is based on data collected by Banfield’s Applied Research and Knowledge team (BARK). Author Patrick Shearer, BVMS, PhD, gives us an insight into which diseases are common in pediatric patients across America that have visited Banfield hospitals, and where practitioners can make the biggest impact on their veterinary care. The bottom line is that general practitioners can make the most difference in the areas of dental health, weight management and feline medicine, and the best time to address these topics is while our patients are still puppies and kittens. The first few visits can help to shape a patient’s future health, so why not get off to the right start?

You can read the Journal online on Banfield’s website.

Like most people, I have a very individualized view on life—I spent a lot of time doing some unsavory jobs (cleaning kennels, giving flea baths to cats, and cooking fast food) before being accepted to vet school. I went to school for eight years before starting to work as a doctor, and I worked as a doctor for 18 years in order to get the perspective I currently have on practice.  

Everyone’s got their own individualized views as well, and each of these views gives them a different perspective and a different understanding of what they see, hear and understand—including what they see, hear and understand from me. So what I need to remember is the following: If I want to be understood, it is MY job to be more understandable. The responsibility for successfully communicating something important lies with me—not with the people I want to share it with. 

So when I am trying to explain the importance of diagnostic testing to a client, I have to remember that they never took a course in internal medicine or clinical pathology. Some of them maybe didn’t even take a course in English. I need to figure out what they do know, so I can help them understand what they need to know.  

Oftentimes when I am working with a client, I just notice that the head nods aren’t really in the right place anymore, or their eyes seem a bit more glazed or distracted than they did when we were just talking about the pet’s history. This is usually a good time for me to stop and check in. Depending on the client, it might be a comment like: “I know I just went over a lot of stuff, was I making any sense?” and then see what they come back with. Sometimes I’ll be a bit more to the point: “Wow—did I just try to squeeze a whole year of endocrinology into the last 5 minutes?” Either way, I’ve let the client know that I realize the information isn’t easy to understand, that I want them to actually understand it—not just to hear it—and that I am here to discuss it with them, not just to unload it on them.

Checking in also builds trust. When clients know that I care, and I am paying attention to them as well as their pet, it helps them to appreciate both my competency as well as my character. Then they can trust that even if they don’t fully understand everything, my intent and ability to help are in the right place. Sometimes this is enough to get us to the next step in the treatment plan.

Communicating with the folks I work with can be just as challenging. Not many of my associates or even my colleagues have the same perspective and history that I do, and this can make understanding difficult. Figuring out where they stand on an issue helps me know the best way to make it easier for them to understand—and hopefully for us both to agree.

So that’s all good for the workplace. Now, if anyone else has a good idea about how to help my 7-year-old understand why she can’t have a Chihuahua to keep in her backpack, I would really appreciate it.

All of us in veterinary medicine get interesting cases every week. There are some things that I’ve seen only once in my 15 years (so far) of practice and likely will never see again. These cases may have been seen by other vets who also found it strange and would have liked to have been able to read other doctors’ experiences in the same situation. But even the routine cases can be worth discussing because there are little tips and suggestions that can make treating these pets easier. By formally writing up the case, you can make it available for other doctors who may be faced with something similar. We learn as much from each other as we do from texts and lectures, making case studies a great way to teach and be taught. Case write-ups are different than your standard article because they are real-world situations faced by real doctors. The nature of these cases makes them more applicable to daily practice.

But taking the time to write up a case can also benefit you. I have found that when I’m teaching someone, I end up learning more about the subject. In order to be able to accurately present information, you have to understand it yourself.  When you formally write up a case you must organize your thoughts and have your facts straight in a way that could past the muster of an editor and be published. The process by which you get to this point requires you to truly understand the knowledge you are trying to impart. And the more you understand your own cases, the better doctor you will be.

Case studies are often published, but that’s not a requirement. Many veterinary practices do weekly or monthly rounds, going over cases that they have seen. When you write up a case for your own practice, you are going through the same process as you would with formal publishing. You are preparing to teach as well as expanding your own knowledge. While publishing in a recognized journal can be exciting (if sometimes intimidating), you can concentrate just on the doctors you know in a more informal setting.

Over the next week I encourage you to find one case that’s a bit out-of-the-ordinary and memorable. Take some time to write it up, then find someone to teach it to, or submit it to a journal. You’ll learn more and will help pass that knowledge on to others.

You can also visit the Banfield website to read case studies written by myself and some of my colleagues.

Leaving aside the fundamental misunderstanding of how important Smallie is to our family, I was surprised to hear that so many believed having a cat in the household would put our daughter at increased risk for injury or disease. As a researcher, my immediate reaction was to ask whether there was evidence to back up those beliefs. I found that studies about the impact of pet ownership on childhood health and development remain limited. However, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that childhood pet ownership is associated with a variety of positive health outcomes. A recent study from Finland found that children living with pets during their first year of life had fewer respiratory symptoms and infections than children raised in households without pets.¹ Research has also shown that growing up with pets is associated with reduced risk of gastroenteritis², reduced risk of developing common allergies³ and may have a positive impact on social and emotional development.^4,5 

Of course, any positive health impacts are contingent upon the development of a positive relationship between pet and child. To that end, we carefully prepared Smallie for our daughter’s arrival—purchasing pheromone diffusers, creating safe spaces for Smallie to retreat to, and filling the house with the sights, sounds and smells of a baby well before our daughter’s birth. Our careful planning definitely paid off. Today, our daughter and cat have become fast friends. As someone who grew up with multiple pets that enriched my life, I couldn’t be happier.  

Although our experience to date has been a positive one, there are risks that I remain mindful of, and reasonable precautions are necessary. Pregnant women and very young children should not come in contact with cat litter. In order to prevent exposure I handled all litter-cleaning duties during my wife’s pregnancy and placed Smallie’s litter box in an area not accessible to our daughter. The risk of injury due to scratching and biting is also likely to increase as our daughter begins to crawl, walk and interact with her environment. Development of a positive pet/child relationship was a good start, but we’re also teaching our daughter appropriate ways to behave toward pets and making sure we carefully observe all interactions. With proper planning and supervision the risks of introducing a new child into a household with pets can be minimized.

My experience is not unique. Many new and expectant parents have concerns about the impact that pet ownership will have on their infant’s health. Although it is a complex and personal issue, as veterinary professionals we do have a role to play. It is our duty to ensure that parents are equipped with accurate information, both before and after they welcome their new family member. When I watch our daughter experience the unconditional affection and comfort that Smallie so lovingly provides I’m certainly glad I did my homework.

1. Bergroth E, Remes S, Pekkanen J, et al. Respiratory tract illnesses during the first year of life: Effect of dog and cat contacts. Pediatrics. 2012;130(2):211-220.
2. Heyworth JS, Cutt H, Glonek G. Does dog or cat ownership lead to increased gastroenteritis in young children in South Australia? Epidemiol. Infect. 2006;134(5):926-934.
3. Ownby DR, Johnson CC, Peterson EL. Exposure to dogs and cats in the first year of life and risk of allergic sensitization at 6 to 7 years of age. JAMA. 2002;288(8):963-972.
4. McNicholas J, Collis GM. Children’s representations of pets in their social networks. Child Care Health Dev. 2001;27(3):279-294.
5. Daly B, Morton LL. An investigation of human-animal interactions and empathy as related to pet preference, ownership, attachment, and attitudes in children. Anthrozoos. 2006:19(2):113-127.