HEALTH - Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Opposes Declawing of Cats

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has updated its policy on declawing cats to clearly oppose the procedure.

The CVMA changed the position statement’s title to Domestic Felid Partial Digital Amputation (Onychectomy or Declawing) to better reflect the nature of the procedure, and explicitly states that it “opposes elective and non-therapeutic Partial Digital Amputation (PDA), commonly known as declawing or onychectomy, of domestic cats.”

Dr. Troy Bourque, CVMA President, said in a release, “Much research has become available since we last examined this position statement and it is evident that felines suffer needlessly when undergoing this surgery as an elective measure. Furthermore, behavioural research has advanced to allow veterinarians in this field to help clients modify unwanted scratching behavior without the completion of an Onychectomy.”

Animal welfare organizations have long held policies condemning declawing for elective or non-therapeutic reasons and have promoted behaviour modification to address scratching issues.

The new CVMA policy recognizes scratching as a normal cat behaviour and nails are used by cats to assist with balance, climbing, and self-defence.

The policy goes on to say, “surgical amputation of the third phalynx of the digit alters the expression of normal behaviours in cats, causes avoidable short-term acute pain, and has the potential to cause chronic pain and negative long-term orthopedic consequences.”

Does this new policy mean the surgery is banned in Canada?

No. It is up to veterinary regulators in each province to decide whether to ban the procedure.

Some provinces in Canada ban elective and non-therapeutic surgeries such as docking and cropping in dogs, and only time will tell if that happens for declawing.

Declawing is banned in the U.K., Europe, Australia and several California cities, and New Jersey is considering a law that would ban the practice unless a vet deems the operation medically necessary.

For now, Canadian Veterinarians “have the right to refuse to perform non-therapeutic Partial Digital Amputation surgery. If alternatives fail to alleviate undesirable scratching behaviours, veterinarians have the right and responsibility to use professional judgement for a humane and ethical outcome.”

HEALTH - Experts Predicting Risky Year for Lyme Disease in NE United States

With spring just around the corner, veterinarians and ecologists are beginning to warn about ticks and Lyme disease.

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has declared March National Tick Awareness Month.

According to their press release, many people don't know one very important fact about ticks: they don't mind cold weather.

In most parts of Canada, tick activity begins when the snow starts to melt and, depending on the tick species, can continue well into late fall.

For example, black-legged ticks that can transmit Lyme disease start looking for animals to feed on when it’s 4°C outside.

“National Tick Awareness Month is a rare opportunity for us to educate and empower pet owners, so we can work together to help prevent the spread of tick-borne diseases that can affect the health of pets and people,” said Dr. Troy Bourque, CVMA President.

Felicia Keesing, an ecologist at Bard College and Rick Ostfeld, an ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York, are predicting 2017 will be a particularly risky year for Lyme in the Northeast United States.

Why?

Because the Hudson River Valley experienced a mouse plague in 2016 with an overwhelming number of the critters.

Having studied Lyme disease for more than 20 years, Keesing and Ostfeld have developed a system to predict how many cases there will be a year in advance by counting the mice the year before.

They have found that mice are very good at transmitting Lyme and are responsible for infecting the majority of ticks carrying Lyme in the Northeast.

"An individual mouse might have 50, 60, even 100 ticks covering its ears and face," Ostfeld told NPR.

There was an increase in ticks and Lyme disease in 2016, and it appears that may be the case again this year.

Ticks and their carriers, like mice, live in wooded or bushy areas with high grass or leaf litter.

To reduce the chances that a tick will transmit disease to you or your pets the CDC recommends the following:

• Check your pets for ticks daily, especially after they spend time outdoors.
• If you find a tick on your dog, remove it right away.
• Ask your veterinarian to conduct a tick check at each exam.
• Talk to your veterinarian about tickborne diseases in your area.
• Reduce tick habitat in your yard.
• Talk with your veterinarian about using tick preventives on your pet.

You can find more information about preventing tick bites on the CDC website.

HEALTH - Regulation of Antimicrobial Use by Canadian Veterinarians

A recently closed public consultation held by the Government of Canada is leading the country one step closer to addressing concerns surrounding the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) related to veterinary drugs.

Duane Landals of Veterinarians Without Borders has a lifetime of experience in the profession and is heavily involved with helping to devise a national strategy to address AMR concerns.

In addition to managing a clinical practice, Landals' background includes 15 years as registrar and CEO of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, as well as president of both the Alberta and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and as vice president of the World Veterinary Association for two terms.

“I’m totally involved with the AMR picture…it’s a very visible, global issue,” he said.

“But to address AMR, we have to look at antimicrobial use.”

In dealing with the absence of regulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in manufactured drugs and the human use of antimicrobials in animals without veterinary oversight, Health Canada initiated the public consultations that would lead to proposed regulatory changes seeking to address the growing problem of AMR in human and veterinary medicine.

The proposed changes, which are welcomed by the veterinary industry as a whole, include:

• requirement that APIs imported or sold in Canada must adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (currently they do not)
• required licensing for those who import, test, label, fabricate or package APIs
• restriction of own use importation of unauthorized veterinary drugs
• requirement that manufacturers, importers and compounders of veterinary antimicrobials provide sales volume information by species
• and introduction of an alternative, less burdensome pathway for manufacturers to legally import and sell certain low-risk veterinary drugs, known as veterinary health products (VHPs).
  
  

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association welcomes the changes.

“We have a long history of antimicrobial use in food-producing animals,” said Landals, adding that under the new changes this would be required to be overseen by a veterinarian and would be on an as-needed basis or by prescription – a change that is also in response to public demand for food free from hormones, met with the ‘Raised with Care’ public education campaign.

Every antibiotic will become prescription-only under the new regulation, much like the Veterinary Feed Directive being implemented in the U.S. as of January 2017.

“The culture of how we use antibiotics is changing,” said Landals, making reference to the health and safety of the public. “There should be no surprise.”

Landals said one of the biggest challenges is in the development of a national policy that would lead to provincial policy changes, emphasizing “there is a disconnect” between the national and provincial levels, that working groups are trying to address.

“The biggest thing is that we need consistencies between provinces,” he said, stressing that the United Nations now refers to AMR as a “world global crisis”.

Landals said he does not believe the impact will be felt on companion animal owners.

By Lindsay Seewalt

Lindsay is an experienced journalist and mother of three whose heart and home is always open to a four-legged friend. With her Corgi, Angie, as household editor-in-chief, Lindsay gives back to the animal planet through the written word on anything and all ado about pets. She is passionate about topics regarding animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, which she aims to instill in both her readers and children to be compassionate animal lovers who are conscious and considerate that furry friends around the globe deserve a voice.

LEGISLATION - New Jersey Bill Will Ban Declawing

A proposed law would make New Jersey the first state to ban declawing of cats.

Assemblyman Troy Singleton has sponsored legislation that would add onychetomy, the medical term for declawing, to the list of criminal animal cruelty offenses.

Veterinarians that perform the surgery and people who seek it out would face a fine of up to $1,000 or six months in jail. Violators would also face a civil penalty of $500 to $2,000.

Declawing done for medical reasons would be exempt from the new law.

Most people have their cats declawed to protect their property from scratching, however, rather than for medical reasons.

Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe - something many animal organizations feel is inhumane. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off the tip of each finger at the joint.

The American Veterinary Medical Association states, “declawing of domestic cats should be considered only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when its clawing presents a zoonotic risk for its owner(s).”

The Humane Society of the United States “opposes declawing except for the rare cases when it is necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors.”

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association is currently conducting a membership consultation about their domestic cat declawing policy.

If New Jersey passes this legislation, it will be following in the footsteps of a variety of countries around the world.

Declawing traditionally hasn’t been as common in places like Britain, where it was outlawed in 2006.

Many European countries prohibit or significantly restrict the practice, as do Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Turkey.

In the U.S., New York State also has pending legislation to ban the practice, and cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Burbank, Berkeley, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills already have bans in place.

Summit 2015 Claims

Sunday November 15, 2015 was the deadline for delegate and scholarship claims arising from Summit 2015. 

The claims received from delegates and those eligible for scholarships totaled $22,533.03. Urban Animal continues to seek the return of deposits and to gather contributions to allow complete reimbursement of these claims.

In October, Urban Animal reported that claims from delegates and those receiving scholarships for Summit 2015 could exceed $51,000. The fact that so many were able to contribute expenses and fees to the program is remarkable and would seem to be a testament to the support Urban Animal enjoys.

The Summit Awards program has now been completed and the Awards are on the way to each recipient by Express Post. Photo Ops with members of the Urban Animal Council will be arranged in each local area where possible. Readers may search 'Summit Award' in the InfoStream search area above (sort by date) to see recipient announcements they may have missed.

The plan to complete the IRED Scholarship Competition for the 2015 Innovator, 2015 Researcher, 2015 Emerging Leader and 2015 Digital Journalist will be announced shortly. Completion of the 2015 IRED Scholarship Competition is made possible with grants from:

• PIJAC Canada
• Petsecure/Western Financial Corporation
• Kijiji Canada
• Ontario SPCA
• CDMV Inc
• Petland Superstores
• Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

British Columbia Bans Ear Cropping

British Columbia joins most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia by banning cosmetic ear cropping of dogs. Ear cropping is considered to be an unethical practice and any person that continues to crop ears will receive disciplinary action.

College of Veterinarians of British Columbia’s (CVBC) College Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Larry Odegard said, “Ear cropping is an unnecessary procedure unless carried out in cases of injury or for reasons of health concerns.” There are no known welfare or medical benefits from ear cropping and there are known behavioural consequences; specifically communication with people and other dogs.

Several breed associations are against the ban stating that purebred breeds will not be saved for future generations if their ears were not cropped. Veterinarians and scientists have stated that cosmetic surgery is a human alteration and is unwarranted. Odegard said, “Veterinarians have an ethical responsibility to the animals they treat. Ear cropping goes against that responsibility.” The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is also against canine cosmetic surgery. The CVMA regularly encourages breed associations to change their breed standards so that cosmetic surgeries no longer occur. In the United Kingdom, dogs with cropped ears are prohibited from competing.

The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ CEO, Craig Daniell said, “For nearly two decades we have been on record opposing procedures such as tail docking, ear cropping, devocalization and declawing that impact an animal’s ability to experience good welfare and to express natural behaviours.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

CVMA’s 2015 Summit of Veterinary Leaders: Skills Taught, Skills Needed

Our collective knowledge about animal care is continuously growing and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) addressed these changes at their Summit of Veterinary Leaders. The title of the 2015 Summit was “Skills Taught, Skills Needed – The ABC’s of Veterinary Credentials”. The CVMA is committed to ensuring that new graduates are ready for practice and how that readiness is ensured. New graduates must meet certain competencies from an accredited veterinary school. The speakers discussed national and international accreditation and how this affects new graduates in Canada.

Partnered with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council of Education (COE), CVMA is involved with the accreditation of veterinary schools. Together they discussed how schools become accredited and how this affects the knowledge and skills of graduates from these schools. Speakers from Canada, the United States, and Europe participated in the discussions.

CVMA states, “This discussion is intended for all CVMA members, not just those in academia. What happens in veterinary education has an effect on the whole profession and should be of interest to every veterinarian.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

PEI Veterinarian Becomes President of the CVMA

Dr. Nicole Gallant from Prince Edward Island is the 67th president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). Dr. Gallant replaced Dr. Jean Gauvin who finished his term on July 19th, 2015. Dr. Gallant has been working with the CVMA for 8 years.

Dr. Gallant graduated from the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire at the University of Montreal in 1983. After graduation she returned to PEI and began practicing at a mixed-animal clinic. Dr. Gallant has been practicing at Kensington Veterinary Clinic for 32 years now and she became a partner in 1990. In 1988 Dr. Gallant became a councillor at the Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medical Association (PEIVMA). From 1989 to 2002 Dr. Gallant was the registrar of the PEIVMA. In 2007 she became the PEIVMA representative on the CVMA Council and in 2012 she became a CVMA Executive.

Dr. Gallant said, “It is an honour to continue my work with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association as its president. I look forward to representing the profession across the country as CVMA continues to be the national and international voice for Canada’s veterinarians, providing leadership and advocacy for veterinary medicine.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Veterinarians Flock to Calgary for Canada’s Only National Multi-Species Convention

Over 500 veterinary professionals are convening in Calgary, Alberta, to attend the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s (CVMA) annual convention. CVMA hosts Canada’s only multi-species event. Highlights of the convention this year will include anesthesia, pain management, ophthalmology, endocrine and metabolic diseases, nutrition, pharmacology, biosecurity, disease control, bovine lameness, infectious diseases, shelter medicine, clinical pathology, social media, etc. Over 40 speakers from all over the world will be presenting at the convention.

The conference started on July 16th and will continue to July 19th. It offers over 100 hours of educational material. The convention has also received approval from the American Association of Veterinary State Boards to provide continuing education credits.

2014-15 CVMA President, Dr. Jean Gauvin said, “CVMA is the national and international voice for the veterinary profession across Canada. Our annual convention has been going strong for 67 years and provides an opportunity for veterinary professionals from around the world to connect with colleagues and attend three full days of continuing education focusing on companion animals, large animals, ruminants, animal welfare and more.”

READ THE FULL NEWS RELEASE

CVMA Seeks Member Opinions on Dangerous Dog Legislation

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association is hoping to receive members’ views on “Legislation Concerning Dangerous Dogs.” All CVMA members are asked to comment on the proposed position statement prior to July 12th, 2015.

To provide input:

1. Access the revised Legislation Concerning Dangerous Dogs position
2. To comment on the proposed statement, click the log-in link at the bottom of the page and open a session using your first/last name and personal password (if you forget your password, you can request it from the automated system or contact the CVMA office).
3. Post your views in the comment box and click ‘submit comments’.

READ THE ARTICLE

CVMA Mobile App Now Available

On June 1st, 2015, CVMA released their mobile app for their annual convention in Calgary, Alberta. The app allows people to:

• Access the program and speaker information
• Evaluate sessions
• Receive important information
• Receive highlights, photos, and ratings from the most popular sessions

Using the app also gives people the chance to win daily prizes during the annual convention. The app can be downloaded by searching “CVMA 2015” on the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app may also be found by scanning the QR code.

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

OSPCA and OVMA Unleash Got a Pet? Get a Vet!™ Campaign

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) has partnered with the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) to launch a public awareness campaign that encourages pet owners build relationships with veterinarians. The campaign is titled Got a Pet? Get a Vet!™.

The OSPCA stresses the importance of having a working relationship with a veterinarian. “Veterinarians offer a variety of services to keep your pet(s) happy and healthy,” states Tanya Firmage, Director of Animal Welfare and Operations, Ontario SPCA. “Don’t wait until something goes wrong to take your pet in for a check-up. Schedule a visit with your local veterinarian to ensure a longer, healthier life for your pet(s).”

According to the OPSCA, veterinarians provide services such as:

• Early Disease Detection
• Spaying & Neutering
• Regular Vaccinations
• Flea, Tick and Parasite Prevention
• Prevention of Dental Disease
• Nutritional Counselling
• Addressing Behavioural Concerns
• Pet Identification
  
  

READ THE MEDIA RELEASE

PetLynx Welcomes CVMA as a 2015 Urban Animal Sponsor

PetLynx Corporation is pleased to welcome the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association as a 2015 Urban Animal sponsor.

CVMA has sponsored Urban Animal programs and events since 2008. Chief Executive Officer, Jost am Rhyn has been a keen supporter of the collaboration and communication facilitated by Urban Animal.

“The Summit for Urban Animal Strategies brings the industry together out of silos where we spend much of our time,” he said. “This event and other Urban Animal™ programs promote the exchange of ideas, the development of consensus and drives us toward collaboration. This is more important now than ever before.”

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is the national and international voice for Canada’s veterinarians, providing leadership and advocacy for veterinary medicine.

“The members of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association are important stakeholders in the quest for a positive experience for people and pets in urban municipalities across Canada,” said Larry R. Evans, Managing Director of PetLynx Corporation. “Veterinarians are not just the medical practitioners we depend on for the health of our companion and service animals. Vets have far reaching contributions to public health, community relationships and pet owner behaviors.”

To add your support or to become involved in the Alliance for Urban Animals, please contact Shannon Woodward 403.208.1972

CVMA offers to help develop Animal Cruelty bill

Private member's Bill C-592 to amend the Criminal Code animal cruelty section was tabled in April 2014 by Member of Parliament Isabelle Morin. At that time, MP Morin contacted the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) requesting support for this Bill. 

After careful consideration, CVMA has declined the request, instead offering to work with MP Morin to develop an amendment to the animal cruelty section of the Criminal Code that addresses the weaknesses in the current legislation. 

Amendments proposed by CVMA include: 

• Moving animal cruelty offenses out of the property section of the Criminal Code
• Adding an offense for 'brutal and vicious' killing of animals
• Removing the term 'willful neglect' as burden of proof for animal cruelty conviction

For more information, visit www.canadianveterinarians.net. 

CVMA Supports cat healthy initiative

Canada's veterinary feline specialists created Cat Healthy, an initiative to help more cats recieve the preventative healthcare they need to live longer, healthier lives. 

During the 2014 Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Convention, Cat Healthy officially launched its new website showcasing a number of preventative healthcare protocols designed to provide practical recommendations to raise the standard of care for cats across Canada. 

Fore more information, visit www.canadianveterinarians.net

Cat Healthy is the only program in Canada that was created by Canada's five local board-certified feline veterinary specialists. CVMA is pleased to support cathealthy.ca and its protocols. 

www.cathealthy.ca