Peer Reviewed

Stereotactic radiotherapy is a powerful cancer treatment technique, but care must be taken in patient selection, treatment planning, and radiation delivery to avoid late side effects.

This continuing education article describes how conventional and stereotactic radiotherapy are used for definitive or palliative treatment in veterinary oncology and the importance of patient selection for these treatment options.

Although little is known about the long-term prognosis of small animals with primary erythrocytosis, it can typically be managed for months to years while maintaining a good quality of life.

General practitioners should discuss that although little is known about the long-term prognosis, erythrocytosis can typically be managed for months to years while maintaining a good quality of life. 

The primary goals of trilostane therapy are resolving clinical signs of hyperadrenocorticism and avoiding oversuppression of the adrenal axis.

The primary goals of trilostane therapy are resolving clinical signs of hyperadrenocorticism and avoiding oversuppression of the adrenal axis.

Most cases of pemphigus foliaceus are presumed to be idiopathic. Immunosuppressive drugs are the most common treatment, and while recurrence is common, prognosis is fair to good.

Pemphigus foliaceus is the most common autoimmune skin disease in dogs and cats. The prognosis for dogs with PF is fair and for cats is good; however, recurrence is common. 

An understanding of the potential complications following TPLO surgery can help guide therapy and enable improved client counseling.

TPLO is one of the most commonly recommended and most successful surgical procedures for CCLR. Mild routine complications may be handled by the general practitioner; however, with regard to more severe complications, it is important to know when a patient should be referred back to the orthopedic surgeon or to a rehabilitation specialist. 

Creating an appropriate weight loss or management plan involves more than scaling back on a patient’s existing diet.

Pet Food Institute’s Nutrition Subcommittee provides guidance for selecting a proper diet for weight loss among the different types of diet options available for dogs and cats.

Keeping cats from hunting and ingesting paratenic hosts such as lizards and frogs can limit the transmission of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus.

Prevention is all about limiting contact with the intermediate or paratenic hosts. You may want to consider annual screenings specifically for A abstrusus for cats with a history of feline lungworm infection, or in areas where these infections are more commonly seen. 

FeLV vaccines prevent viral shedding and progressive infection and decrease the opportunity for at-risk cats to become infected or seriously ill.

FeLV remains a serious disease, and veterinarians should continue to follow existing guidelines for vaccination and prevention to lower its prevalence.

Sustained self-licking and overgrooming are common behaviors associated with compulsive disorders in felines.

Although compulsive disorder is a relatively rare diagnosis for cats, this behavior can lead to a significantly decreased quality of life for both cat and owner.