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OSMA Blog

  • Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease: What Shelter Practitioners Need to Know January 9, 2023
  • There’s No Such Thing As An Ugly Bunny! Rabbit Spay and Neuter Pearls December 15, 2022
  • Protected: Beyond “Doing Better”: Ordinal Rating Scales to Monitor Behavioural Indicators in Well-Being of Cats December 7, 2022
  • Positive Doesn’t Need to Be Negative: Adopting and Living With an FIV-Positive Cat October 26, 2022
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Decreasing Barriers: An Adoption Strategy for Big Dogs in an Open Admission, Managed Intake Facility

Posted on June 25, 2022 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
June 29, 2022

By Dr. Esther AttardDirector, Toronto Animal Services; Board Member, OSMA Toronto Animal Services is an open admission, managed intake facility. We have noticed animal populations on the increase when compared to 2021. In 2021 during the time period of January 1 – June 12, data reports indicate intake of 1,435 animals and in 2022, during . . . read more

Omicron Update for Shelters: December 17, 2021

Posted on December 18, 2021 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
December 21, 2021

By: Linda Jacobson, DVM I wasn’t expecting to write a blog about a giant COVID wave in December 2021. Yet, here we are. I want to start by acknowledging those who have been most directly impacted by this pandemic, those who have lost loved ones, have suffered with severe illness, or continue to suffer with . . . read more

Lifesaving Vaccines!

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
April 22, 2021

by Esther Attard Since the race to produce a COVID-19 vaccine began I’ve been thinking of the role vaccines play in shelter medicine.  I remember a time, not that long ago, when cats would succumb to panleukopenia and dogs to parvovirus acquired during their shelter stay.  It was devastating to say the least!  Dogs and . . . read more

Cloth Face Coverings: A Non-Systematic But Hopefully Fairly Balanced Overview

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
July 8, 2020

July 5, 2020 There’s been a recent groundswell of support for face masks in Canada and the US. Many Ontario jurisdictions have recently mandated face coverings in public indoor settings. Quite a number of political figures in the US, who previously did not support mask-wearing, are now appearing in public wearing masks, and supporting or . . . read more

OSMA Weekly COVID Briefing

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
July 6, 2020

Note, July 5, 2020: There’s still an enormous amount going on, but basic information is not longer changing as quickly as it was. So these briefings will become sporadic from now on and/or will be replaced by longer pieces on specific subjects. June 15, 2020 Black Lives Matter and Animal Sheltering The COVID-19 pandemic has . . . read more

Q&A: Can My Pet Catch or Transmit the COVID-19 Virus?

Featured

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
July 6, 2020

Here are answers to some common questions that shelters might be facing from their volunteers, staff and the public right now. Feel free to copy and paste if you wish. The situation is changing rapidly and this information will be updated as needed. Thank you to Dr. Scott Weese for regular updates and counsel through . . . read more

Stress In Family Dogs During And After COVID-19

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
April 22, 2020

With many families still working from home and the kids still out of school, it’s important to consider changes in routine and interrupted rest time that may affect dog behaviour. Most family dogs are used to having a fairly consistent daily routine.  They get breakfast and a quick morning walk, they see the family off, . . . read more

Caring for Cats during COVID-19: Advice for Caregivers and Foster Parents

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
April 6, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of our lives. From illness or even tragedy among loved ones, the anxiety of not knowing what will happen next, to the boredom from staying in our homes and socially isolating, to the financial strain many of us are feeling from being unable to work, life is not the . . . read more

COVID-19: A Very Quick Overview for Animal Shelters

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 8, 2020

Do animal shelters need a COVID-19 plan, and why? Yes. To minimize the impact on life-saving capacity; To minimize the impact on staff; To help protect volunteers and visitors. Virologist Dr. Ian Mckay, in his excellent Virology Down Under blog, states, “China has bought us time to prepare.” We should use that time well. Staff . . . read more

Animal Hoarding: Can We Respond Differently?

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 1, 2020

We hear quite frequently from shelters who have confiscated or taken in large numbers of hoarded animals…. and then struggle to treat them or find them homes. These animals often have serious medical problems or are poorly socialized, or both. Providing the care they need can really strain shelter resources . This blog highlights an . . . read more

2020 AAFP Retrovirus Guidelines: What Do They Mean for Shelters?

Posted on February 3, 2020 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
February 3, 2020

(Note: This blog contains information from all the references listed below, although it focuses on the new Retrovirus Guidelines. Comments and footnotes reflect  expert opinion and my own opinions.) Transmission of feline retroviruses: What do we know now? The risk of transmission of FIV between spayed or neutered cats in a normal household is very . . . read more

Working with undersocialized cats

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
January 7, 2020

By Dr. Jacklyn Ellis, PhD. For many cats, humans provide the comfort and companionship that is essential to their well-being. But for cats that have had limited exposure to people, humans are something very different. Our intentions are unclear, and we are often perceived as a threat. However, with a little patience (and a lot . . . read more

Medical conditions and outcomes in 371 hoarded cats

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
August 16, 2019

A recent scientific article authored by OSMA’s own Dr. Linda Jacobson and published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery sheds new light on our understanding of hoarded cats in animal shelters.  What was the study about? A retrospective study was conducted by analyzing medical records pertaining to hoarded cats taken in by The . . . read more

The value of RVTs (and why every shelter should employ them)

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
April 7, 2019

A recent study has confirmed what we all already know – RVTs rock! What was the study about? More scientifically speaking, the study was a survey of companion animal practices in Ontario. The goal was to evaluate the current utilization levels of veterinary technicians and the value they bring to veterinary practices. The study was . . . read more

Judge Rules OSPCA Act Unconstitutional

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
February 14, 2019

UPDATED FEBRUARY 14, 2019 The landmark January court ruling concerning the 100-year-old OSPCA Act is of paramount importance to those of us working in animal welfare. What does it mean for animal welfare and animal shelters in Ontario? Legal counsel for the case, Kurtis Andrews, and Camille Labchuk, Executive Director for Animal Justice, kindly agreed . . . read more

Can That Kijiji Parvo Puppy be Treated as an Outpatient?

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
October 5, 2018

Canine parvovirus enteritis can be an unaffordable and devastating disease for pet owners. The inability to pay for conventional in-hospital care can result in the heartbreak of relinquishment or euthanasia. Three recent studies have broken new ground by reporting the results of outpatient treatment for parvo.1–3 The justification for this approach? “We were tired of . . . read more

Ticks in Ontario: What Animal Shelters Should Know

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
February 28, 2020

[Blog updated February 2020, with thanks to Dr. Andrew Peregrine for his suggestions.] There’s a lot of ongoing hype in the media about ticks  – like this cartoon that popped up on Facebook a while back. This kind of fear-mongering is concerning. It’s very reasonable to be informed, watchful and responsible, and quite another thing . . . read more

The Sexy Work of Saving Lives: Combined RTF and TNR Study

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
May 26, 2018

For many of us, getting our hands dirty in the OR is infinitely preferable to spreadsheets, graphs and statistics. However, articles like this one from New Mexico [1], detailing the successes of their community cat management program, really get the juices flowing! The jump-off point is that community cat population control is the single most . . . read more

Medical Care of Neonatal Kittens

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
April 22, 2018

  Neonatal l kittens (0-2 weeks old) are our most vulnerable and fragile patients. Increasingly, shelters are able to help and save these kittens. One could reasonably make the point that “neonatal kittens are not small adult cats”! Here are some of the ways they are unique, and how we can tailor our medical care . . . read more

Universal canine behaviour assessments in shelters: More flaws than benefits?

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
June 29, 2018

* Update: Since this blog was written, the ASPCA has released a position statement on behaviour assessments for dogs in shelters.   There’s growing evidence that universal canine behaviour assessments in shelters are not able to accurately assess a dog’s temperament, and are certainly unable to accurately predict how that dog may behave in a . . . read more

Simple ways to minimize URI: New study

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

This blog summarizes the findings of an important new study on feline URI in shelters. The study investigated the incidence of URI at nine shelters and analyzed the factors associated with incidence.   Executive summary URI rates in cats can be substantially reduced by using simple strategies. The most significant protective factors were providing > . . . read more

Canine Influenza in Ontario: What Shelters Should Know

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
May 21, 2018

UPDATED MAY 21, 2018 The most recent Worms & Germs Blog on canine influenza states that no new cases were identified in Ontario in April and May. This means that there is no longer a threat of spread from the cases introduced into the province earlier this year. Canine influenza has therefore been eradicated from . . . read more

Treatment of Demodex and Other Mites: Finally, a Magic Bullet?

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

Historically, canine demodicosis has been a difficult and frustrating condition to treat. As recently as 2013, the leading veterinary dermatology textbook, Small Animal Dermatology, stated that, despite a good prognosis with appropriate treatment, cure “may take nearly a year”. The need to titrate ivermectin, avoid its use in susceptible breeds, deal with occasional but alarming adverse . . . read more

Treatment of bacterial CIRDC, URI and pneumonia in dogs and cats: 2017 Guidelines

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

The 2017 Antimicrobial Use Guidelines for Treatment of Respiratory Tract Disease in Dogs and Cats1 cover acute and chronic bacterial upper respiratory infections in dogs and cats, as well as bronchitis, pneumonia and pneumothorax. They include recommendations for first-line treatment for the different syndromes, as well as doses and information about antibiotic options. The full . . . read more

But that Famvir dose is so high! Another look at famciclovir and feline herpes

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

There’s been a lot of interest in our blog about the optimal famciclovir (Famvir) dose for feline herpesvirus. It’s lovely to have a dose that’s backed up by research – after all, anyone can claim success for any dosage regimen at all in a disease that’s usually self-limiting! BUT, the pharmacokinetically optimal dose (90mg/kg BID) is . . . read more

Links: New Book: Every Nose Counts, and more

Posted on August 19, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
August 19, 2017

WHAT’S OUT THERE IN SHELTER MEDICINE THIS MONTH? SHELTER METRICS, INTAKE PROCEDURES, HEARTWORM AND MORE   Shelter data – new resource: Accurate data, appropriately presented, saves lives – by harnessing energies in the right direction and by attracting donors. Dr. Janet Scarlett, the inaugural Director of Shelter Medicine and a distinguished veterinary epidemiologist, has teamed . . . read more

Low perioperative mortality in a high-volume spay and neuter clinic

Posted on August 19, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

I was asked recently what would be considered an acceptable complication rate for a high-quality-high-volume spay and neuter (HQHVSN) clinic. That’s an excellent question and it’s important that we have benchmarks for these rates. The complication that keeps us awake at night is, of course, perioperative mortality. A new article reports mortality rates in 113,906 . . . read more

Is a single vaccine useful? Should that one rabies vaccine be a 1-year or 3-year?

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

This question came our way a few months ago: “Two city council members are challenging our TNR program. Specifically they are criticizing the fact that we don’t booster the 3-yr rabies vaccine after 1 yr as recommended by the AVMA. We’re working on our response but frankly all the recommendations from the USDA label to . . . read more

Comparing FeLV/FIV point-of-care tests: Which is most accurate and why that matters

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

A new study compared four point-of-care tests for FeLV and FIV from IDEXX, Witness, Anigen and VetScan. These tests are often the only test used for retroviruses in cats, given the lack of good “gold standard” confirmatory tests. Shelters may euthanize cats that test positive, or, for those that adopt out positive cats, a positive . . . read more

No need to give kittens corn syrup post-op?

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

It’s common practice to apply corn syrup to the oral mucosa of kittens after pediatric surgery. The ASV spay/neuter guidelines state that this practice “may” be beneficial. but up until now we haven’t really known if it is or isn’t. Logically, kittens would seem to be at risk of hypoglycemia after a period of fasting, and . . . read more

Topical treatment for ringworm: New study points to more flexible treatment options

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

A new study compares the efficacy of commercially available topical antifungal products against ringworm spores. It’s important to emphasize, as the author did in the discussion, that this was not a clinical study and results may or may not reflect what happens in infected cats in a clinical setting. The study also did not address the . . . read more

PCR for diagnosing ringworm: New study

Posted on March 19, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

This new study from the Toronto Humane Society compared fungal culture and PCR results before treatment in 132 cats (28 positive on fungal culture and 92 negative) and during treatment in 17 positive cats. Before treatment, the sensitivity of PCR was 100% and specificity was 88.5%. In other words, a negative result was extremely reliable but there were . . . read more

Links: Canine Behaviour Evaluations Pointless? and More

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
May 14, 2017

WHAT’S OUT THERE IN SHELTER MEDICINE THIS MONTH? Click the links for more: No better than flipping a coin: Why behaviour evaluations in shelters are fundamentally flawed Temporary CVO accreditation for rabies vaccination clinics Animal transport webinars by the ASPCA: Vaccinations, funding and goals Ensuring a safe journey How to transport cats What to do . . . read more

Still Fighting for Positive Change: Canada Shelter Stats 2015

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies’ Shelter Statistics Report 2015  (1) undoubtedly contains good news. The survey covers only humane societies and SPCAs, i.e. many other groups are not included, but it still provides the best data we have for Canada. From the fluctuations in the data tables over the years, we also need to take these . . . read more

Famvir dose for cats with herpes: New study findings

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Ontario Shelter Medicine Association
March 16, 2018

Famciclovir (Famvir) has been around for a while as a treatment for feline herpesvirus infection. Until now, though, we haven’t really known how much to use, or how often. A new study has some answers. First, though – when should we consider using Famvir? It’s not always straightforward. If there is severe stress and overcrowding, . . . read more

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