• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Animal Care Expo 2017: Do This, Not That - Shelter Medicine Fundamentals

May 12, 2017
Amanda Landis-Hanna, DVM

Where should shelters concentrate their efforts when it comes to keeping their populations healthy? Experts provide some time-saving tips that can be applied to both shelters and private practices.

This week at the 2017 Animal Care Expo in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Kate Hurley, DVM, MPVM, director of the University of California, Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program, and Sandra Newbury, DVM, director of the University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program, talked about some activities that shelters should do less often so that they have more time for other activities that may have greater impact on the health and well-being of pets in the shelter.

Widely attended by veterinarians, shelter administrators, and volunteers, the session offered several “do’s” and “don’ts” that can be applied to private practice animal hospitals as well as shelters.

Advertisement

DO:

  • Remove all debris before using a decontaminant. In animal hospitals and shelter settings, organic debris such as hair, dirt, and feces can harbor disease. Drs. Hurley and Newbury reminded attendees that “elbow grease” was just as important as decontamination in minimizing disease transmission. So, remove all debris prior to using a decontaminant, and allow appropriate contact time.

Additionally, it is important to select the correct decontaminant for the disease one is trying to prevent or treat. For example, accelerated hydrogen peroxide can be used in situations of parvovirus and to remove organic debris; it’s also fast acting. Both doctors recommend selecting an appropriate decontaminant and using only that decontaminant; dispose of other decontaminants to prevent inappropriate use.

Keep animals that are sick with the same disease together. Patients that are ill with the same disease do not need to be quarantined from one other. If multiple dogs have upper respiratory infection, they can be housed in the same space, allowing for appropriate interaction and socialization. This space should be cleaned last to minimize spread to healthy dogs, but the dogs do not need to be isolated from each other.

  • Vaccinate early and often. Vaccinate all animals upon arrival, including those with mild illnesses. According to Dr. Newbury, “The harm done by vaccines is very small, while the harm done by disease is very high and possibly lethal.” Pediatric animals should be vaccinated every 2 weeks until 20 weeks of age in an effort to provide the vaccine as maternal antibodies wane. Animals should be moved through the shelter as quickly as possible to minimize exposure to disease; do not wait for vaccine boosters before adopting out an animal.

Vaccines that are given inappropriately can cause significant problems, but accidents happen. Have a plan in place to identify adverse reactions and to treat them quickly. A subcutaneous FVRCP vaccine that is ingested can replicate and cause full-blown disease; do not draw FVRCP vaccines near a cat’s face, and immediately remove with a decontaminant any vaccine that may have spilled on the skin. If intranasal Bordetella vaccine is given subcutaneously, the Bordetella can replicate causing Bordetella disease, liver failure, and death; treat these patients quickly with antibiotics effective against Bordetella.

DON’T:

  • Test for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency viruses. In many cases, the cat’s history is unknown, so interpreting FeLV/FIV test results can be difficult. Drs. Hurley and Newbury recommend not testing every cat in the shelter. Instead, train the staff and volunteers to recognize signs of disease and abnormalities, and test only those animals that show signs of illness.
  • Use footbaths. Footbaths have been shown repeatedly to be ineffective. In cases of panleukopenia or parvovirus, where disease spread is a concern, use shoe covers or contaminated shoes that will stay in the isolated area.

Amanda Landis-Hanna, DVM, graduated from Auburn University in 2002. Since then, she has practiced small animal, exotic, shelter, and relief medicine. She was a VCA medical director for 7 years in California and Virginia, and she served as director of veterinary medicine for Voyce from 2013 to 2016. Dr. Landis-Hanna resides in Virginia with her family and rescue Labrador, Sophie.


Advertisement

Latest News

Novel vaccine on the market for viruses in pigs

3 Must-reads for World Oceans Day

Research reveals efficacy of non-surgical contraceptive alternative for cats

Potential blood transfusion may offer lion chance of survival

View More Latest News
Advertisement