Antech Diagnostics (part of Mars Petcare) has announced the completion of its final study of a new blood test for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Chronic vomiting and diarrhea are among the most common reasons why dogs are presented for veterinary evaluation. Determining the cause can be complex and time-consuming—not to mention costly for the client.

Antech’s new diagnostic test, scheduled to hit the market in the second quarter of this year, will allow veterinarians to determine whether a dog’s chronic gastrointestinal signs are consistent with IBD (canine chronic enteropathy), according to 

Traditional diagnosis in these cases involves obtaining endoscopic tissue biopsies for histopathology, but veterinarians and owners may choose to delay this costly diagnostic while ruling out other potential causes. “Access to an easy, noninvasive, cost-effective blood test allows veterinarians to diagnose or rule out IBD faster, speeding delivery of the proper therapy that will return a dog to good health as quickly as possible,” according to the release.

“The ability to reach a diagnosis faster—avoiding the precursor path of ‘let’s try this,’ and ‘ok, let’s try this,’—will save time, money and frustration for pet owners and veterinarians alike,” said Jennifer Ogeer, BSc, DVM, MSc, MBA, MA, Antech’s vice president of medical affairs and commercial marketing.

What’s more, the test may help veterinarians monitor a dog’s therapy over time, according to the release. IBD is a complex disease that responds to a wide array of treatments, but those treatment measures must be individualized for each patient to ensure a dog’s good health and wellbeing in the long run.

“The ability to track a dog’s response to therapy after diagnosis with a simple blood test that’s both easy and cost-effective means we can tailor treatment to suit each individual dog. Best of all, dogs get better faster; and for IBD dogs, we’re able to keep them healthy for the duration of their lives.”

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The noninvasive and cost-effective tool will help veterinarians identify the cause of canine chronic enteropathy and monitor a dog’s response to treatment over time.



First diagnostic test for canine IBD coming soon

If you are a veterinary professional who lives in the left half of the United States, odds are you've been to the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) at least once. And with good reason. This international event, currently in its 92nd year, covers topics in every area of veterinary medicine for every level of veterinary professional. 

If you can't make it to this year's conference, which starts tomorrow and runs through Thursday, don't worry, dvm360.com will be on hand to bring you the latest news and clinical insight on everything from telemedicine to toxicology, practice management to parasitology, preventive care to professional development, and so much more.

About 15,000 veterinary professionals are expected to attend. This year’s conference theme, “Discover Your Why,” promises to empower attendees to discover their purpose within the veterinary community via a wide array of hands-on labs, small-group workshops and educational and networking opportunities. 

“We’re thrilled to once again welcome those from across the U.S. and the globe to Las Vegas for the 2020 WVC Annual Conference,” says WVC CEO Andrea Davis in 

. “The start of a new decade is an exciting time to show the veterinary community that WVC continues to grow and get better, and during the conference we’re planning on sharing how we plan to take WVC into the future."

 this week for conference updates—including an exciting announcement from the event planners—and follow us on 

Can't make it to the 92nd annual Western Veterinary Conference? We'll be there, and we'll keep you posted on the latest news and information from Las Vegas. 

It's WVC weekend, and we've got it covered

Hey, veterinary professionals. We know you’re busy. That’s why we’ve made it even easier for you to get the latest veterinary news.

Click the video below to view the top 3 stories of the week in 60 seconds:

A new clinical study could lead to the first treatment for 

 is still enrolling participants. Any pooch is eligible regardless of age, breed or health.

WeatherTech’s Super Bowl ad inspired Petco's CEO to donate $250,000 to the University of 

Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine

Videos

Want to be in the know? Check out the veterinary news highlights from this week.

News in a minute: Acute canine pancreatitis treatment, Dog Aging Project, $250,000 donation to fund cancer research

The nuts and bolts of pet health insurance

Pet health insurance benefits for pets and owners

An overview of pet health insurance, including its history, market value, types of insurance, average premiums and deductibles, as well as the most common conditions for pet insurance claims.

Harnessing the Power of Pet Health Insurance

We learn very early in life how to speak. In society, we learn to communicate in a manner that is generally standardized so that we can be understood by others. As infants and children, we learn language primarily by exposure and imitation; you say a word and I repeat something similar. (Remember your first days of high school French?)

Learning languages as a child is easier than learning as an adult because there is less complex information to digest and transmit. We learn to associate words with meanings. Conceptual applications are generally very simple, and grammatical rules are of little importance. If you listen to people speak English in developing countries, you’ll notice that the use of incorrect verb tense and incorrect pronouns is common.

I remember as a small child learning pronouns to the tune of a children’s song. Sixty-plus years later I can remember not only the tune but all of the pronouns. And while they are a relatively small part of our language, pronouns make a big impact when used incorrectly. Living in the Caribbean for some years, I am still amused when I hear an elderly Anguillan ask, “When them went?” or “Where she be?”

Increasing numbers of employees entering the workplace have gender identities and expressions that differ from what we commonly might think of when discussing gender. Recently someone close to me shared that they had struggled with their gender identity for years, finally realizing that their assigned gender at birth was not who they are. In fact, this person feels neither male nor female but both and at the same time. This is known as “gender fluid.”

After the surprise wore off, I became confused … not so much by who my friend was but by how I would relate to them and honor their wishes. The first thing that hit me was “How do I address them?” Do I say “he” or “she” or some other newly coined term? Then I realized it wasn’t just me who had always referred to them by their gender-associated pronoun. What about their other friends? Their family? Their coworkers?

So, I started reading and found to my surprise that the issue is less confusing than we might think. Keep in mind that gender and sexual orientation are very different. Sexual orientation indicates who you are attracted to, while gender applies to who you are. Most of us grew up with two genders—male and female—but it isn’t that simple anymore. A term commonly applied today is “nonbinary,” which means neither exclusively male nor exclusively female. (Some people who are nonbinary experience their gender as both male and female, while others experience their gender as neither male nor female.) According to the most widely cited definition, a person is called transgender (or trans) if their gender identity

their internally experienced gender—differs from the gender identity expected on the basis of what was legally assigned at birth.

Gender diversity may be new to most of us, but it is not new to society. There is evidence of transgender and nongender people dating back 4,000 years, and research indicates well over 100 instances of diverse gender expression in Native American tribes at the time of early European contact. “Two-Spirit” is a modern term used by some indigenous Native Americans to describe Aboriginal people in their communities who fulfill a traditional and necessary third gender ceremonial role in their culture. The cultural legacy of these people was nearly erased by religious indoctrination and the imposition of laws criminalizing varied sexuality and gender expression.

More recently, a UCLA study showed that the percentage of trans adults has doubled in the past 10 years from 

 In some survey reports, up to 2.7% of today’s youth identify as gender nonconforming.

As it should be, most communities in recent years have become more inclusive and accepting of gay and lesbian neighbors, employees and coworkers

Long a less visible part of society, LGBTQ individuals have made great strides socially, politically and economically. Today there is increased awareness of nonbinary individuals being subjected to harassment and denial of basic rights. Nonbinary and transgender colleagues, coworkers and clients deserve and will demand equality.

So, what impact will this have on your practice culture? How will it affect your business? (And it will.) We will have to learn sensitivity to LGBTQ employees, clients and colleagues.

The implications for the workplace in general and for veterinary practices in particular are obvious: Things will change. According to social-science company CivicScience, nonbinary people have higher unemployment rates than those who identify with a specified gender.

 Masculine nonbinary people who still appear male or are not "passing as female" generally have a harder time in the work environment. Yet many companies are making small but measurable efforts to recognize nonbinary employees and customers, and nonbinary is increasingly offered as an option with male or female on credit applications, insurance forms and driver’s licenses. 

In English,a noun can be one of four genders: masculine (man, actor), feminine (woman, mare), common (parent, friend), and neuter (house, car). So, If a person can appear male but consider themselves female, or they were born female but consider themselves male—or consider themselves neither male nor female—how should we address or refer to or them?

First, avoid using the gender-specific pronouns “he,” “she,” “her” or “his.” Rather than struggle uncomfortably with searching for the correct pronoun, it is common and surprisingly easy to simply ask how the individual 

to be referred to. In some settings, applications and email signatures include the individual’s preferred pronouns.

All of this may be new to you and unprecedented in your workplace. But acceptance of political, religious, racial, sexual differences will broaden horizons and enhance our experience of life. So the most important thing to remember is that while their experience may seem foreign, all of your employees, coworkers and clients should always be addressed with tolerance, respect and courtesy.

Flores AR, Herman JL, Gates GJ, et al. How many adults identify as transgender in the United States? The Williams Institute website: 

https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/How-Many-Adults-Identify-as-Transgender-in-the-United-States.pdf

. Published June 2016. Accessed February 14, 2020.

2. Counting counts: Quantifying LGBTQ experiences & sentiment (Part 1). Civic Science website: 

https://civicscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LGBTQ___report-3.pdf

. Published 2019. Accessed February 14, 2020.

3. Herman JL, Flores AR, Brown TNT, et al. Age of individuals who identify as transgender in the United States. The Williams Institute website:

https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/TransAgeReport.pdf

. Published January 2017. Accessed February 14, 2020.

4. Rider GN, McMorris BJ, Gower AL, et al. Health and care utilization of transgender and gender nonconforming youth: A population-based study. 

As society evolves, veterinary practices must adapt to new norms. Today, gender is one of those areas where a “new normal” means you have to adjust how you address employees and clients who may not think as you do.

You, he, she and me equals us

Valentine’s Day is a great time to reflect on how much you appreciate your patients, clients and coworkers. They might give you a hard time some days, but it’s all a labor of love right?

Need some inspiration this Valentine’s Day? Say no more. Here are a few articles that can help you show the love—or simply warm your heart.

Free valentines that could earn cash for your practice

Did you know that sending Valentine’s Day messages to your clients could lead to more moolah for your practice? Use these adorable (and free) valentines to let your clients know you’re thinking about them and to offer discounts or free add-on services. You can also use them to send friendly reminders to clients about wellness visits.

Pet owners are always looking for new ways to say “I love you” to their furry family members, and veterinary professionals are no exception. Here are a few ways you can show your own pets how much they mean to you

Share a beer with them. Try getting your canine companion some nonalcoholic "dog beer," which is a beef- or chicken-based drink.

Treat your dog to low-calorie treats like peas or plain popcorn.

Let your indoor cat outside (but only on a leash so it doesn't get into poisonous plants or other possible hazards).

How the Vet Confessionals Project led to love

If you’re a sucker for romance, then this story is for you. One brave veterinary professional used the Vet Confessionals Project, an anonymous effort that allows veterinary professionals to express themselves freely, to share how she felt about one special coworker. She wrote a poem professing her love and adoration for the man she calls her “best friend.” The two fell in love shortly after. And here are a few more 

Is your pooch single and ready to mingle? Well, if dogs had their own dating sites, each breed’s profiles would likely be very different. Just for fun, take a look at these cutely crafted canine dating profiles. The golden retriever’s ideal date is a “long game of catch in the park,” while the Chihuahua’s pleasures include going to her favorite bark-ery for a yummy treat.

Celebrate the month of love with these heartfelt Valentine’s Day articles.