Diagnostics—liver, pancreatic, kidney, and intestinal biopsies—are another big application, according David Twedt, DVM, DACVIM, a professor of clinical sciences at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Even laparoscopic-assisted surgical procedures, such as intestinal foreign body removal, are gaining traction, he added.
“I think these results add support to the idea that many veterinarians are looking favorably at cannabinoids as an alternative treatment for several things including pain, seizures and anxiety,” says Dr. Lori Kogan, one of the authors of the survey report.
The deadliest tick-borne disease has Colorado roots. Powassan virus—which is fatal in 10 percent of cases and leaves half of its victims with brain damage—hasn’t been detected in a Coloradan. But scientists first isolated it from a tick found along the Cache la Poudre River in 1952, six years before the first known human case (in Ontario), says Powassan expert Dr. Gregory Ebel of Colorado State University.
In a recent pilot study, Colorado State University researchers set out to determine whether the orientation of a whorl—clockwise or counterclockwise—indicates a horse’s propensity to favor his right or left side.
Brian Scansen, DVM, is an associate professor of cardiology and the section head of cardiology and cardiac surgery at the Colorado State University James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital. For more than a decade, he’s been forging ties with human cardiologists to build what he believes could be a fruitful collaboration for both specialties. [TCTMD (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics) is produced by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.]
The AKC Canine Health Foundation also is sponsoring a study, through Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, to evaluate the use of CBD oil in treatment-resistant dogs with epilepsy.
Dr. Lori Kogan, of Colorado State University, said the US study suggested 50% of pet owners had their pet as their feature photo on their devices. She said this behaviour offered insights into the close bonds between people and cats and dogs.
By Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM, and Rachel Baden, DVM: It can be challenging to know what type of medication to use and at what dose—whether it be in the clinic or at home for longer-term care—and there is a lot of information available that isn’t the easiest to interpret. This article reviews some common types and dosages of pain medications used to provide analgesia to birds, reptiles, and exotic companion mammals.
While some pet owners swear by CBD, keep in mind that researchers are just starting to learn how to use it for pets and at which dosages, says Stephanie McGrath, D.V.M., a veterinarian and assistant professor of neurology at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
New Zealand-born equine orthopaedic surgeon and researcher Dr. Wayne McIlwraith received the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Research Award for his life-long contributions to equine research, specifically relating to orthopaedics, joint disease and biologic therapies.