The latest news in veterinary medicine

Here at Fox Hollow Animal Hospital, we are not only passionate about your pet's health and wellness, but we are also active in the veterinary medicine community, both here in the Rocky Mountain region and beyond. We are your source for the latest news in the field.

In order to keep our clients up to date on the latest news and research impacting animal health and the veterinary field, we'll be updating this page regularly with updates that we find valuable. 


9NEWS and Dumb Friends League to host Have a Heart for Homeless Pets telethon

For the third year in a row, 9NEWS has partnered with the Dumb Friends League for the Have a Heart for Homeless Pets telethon.

The telethon will run all day March 1 and, of course, be televised on 9NEWS.

The money raised will go toward continuing the Dumb Friends League's efforts to give pets medical attention and shelter.

Last year's telethon raised nearly $400,000.


The Majority of Us Like Hanging with Our Dogs More Than Our Friends

A new study says that most dog owners would rather spend time with their pup than their friends.

A study of 2,000 dog owners conducted by smart dog collar company Link AKC says more than half prefer their pet over pals. Owners said they sometimes skip out on social events to be with their dog.

Eighty-one percent of those surveyed said they spoke to their dog like they would a friend. Single dog owners were twice as likely to talk to their pet about relationship problems. Eighty percent of owners said it’s a deal breaker if their partner didn’t like their dog.

The study found that six in 10 pet owners said their dog takes care of them in some way, with many saying their pet helped them get through a breakup or death of a loved one.


One year later: Is the law banning fake service dogs in Colorado working?

Grocery store chains that supported it, like King Soopers and Safeway, say they aren’t aware of instances when the law has been enforced.

But Kagan hopes it has dissuaded people from faking service animals, which is hard to measure.

“Well I hope it has,” said Kagan. “What I do know is that before we passed this bill, people who were blatantly violating the rules could look at the hotel owner or the supermarket manager and say, 'Huh, whatcha’ gonna’ do about it? It’s not a crime.'”


Fat cat? Pudgy pooch? Time to exercise

Next time you’re at the vet, you need to look your vet in the eye and say: “Doc, give it to me straight.“Is my pet fat?

And then don’t freak out if the answer is, “Yes, I’m glad you mentioned that, I’ve been meaning to tell you …”

It’s estimated that as many as 59 percent of the nation’s cats and 54 percent of its dogs are struggling with obesity, according to veterinarian Ernie Ward, founder of the Assn. for Pet Obesity Prevention, and author of the book “Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter.”

Read more...


Keeping Pets Safe From the Summer Heat

We love our pets, and if you have one, it's your job to help them deal with the heat.

In Phoenix, a dog died after being walked four miles in 107 degree weather. Veterinarians believe the dog suffered a heatstroke.

Dogs are at risk for heatstroke when left in hot cars. Officials warn parking in shade and rolling the windows down may not be enough to protect them, so just don't leave your dogs in hot cars!

But it's not only heatstroke you should worry about. The hot ground can do some serious damage to dogs' paws.


United Worker at DIA Eases Fears of Pet Parent

A worker for United Airlines is being praised for helping ease the fears of a woman traveling with her dog.

Ashley Cervantes shared her story on the Love What Matters Facebook page.

In her post, Cervantes says she was extremely nervous to travel with her dog Maya from Dallas to Hawaii where she was moving for her husband's military assignment.

She put a note on Maya's crate and included her phone number. She hoped someone would text her an update during her three hour layover in Denver.

Read more...


Denver Post: How an Arvada Baker Turned Spent Grain From Local Breweries Into a Dog Biscuit Business

Arvada resident Mary Hertle has enjoyed a thriving career as a professional culinary artist, which has included time as a restaurant chef, pastry maker and dietary manager. And after more than 20 years in the kitchen, she is now serving customers who are smaller, furrier and a lot more slobbery.

Mary uses the spent grain from local breweries to make all-natural dog biscuits for her new business venture Barking Dog Beer Bones.

The inspiration for her new business struck while she and her husband Ken were at a beer festival in Estes Park two years ago and a couple of featured vendors explaining the brewing process mentioned giving away their spent grain — the malt and other supplements that are left over after the sugar, proteins and nutrients necessary to make beer have been extracted from the grain — to farmers and bakers for reuse.

Read more...


Program in Denver Will Help Pet Owners With Large Expenses

Pets come with often unexpected costs, but there's a new program in Denver to help make sure pet owners can handle those expenses without having to give up their pet.

The city just received a $50,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to help cover one-time, large expenses for pet owners.

It was modeled after a similar program that first started in Los Angeles in 2013.

"They were able to offer the public resources to potentially retain their animals," Tracy Koss said, the customer care manager for Denver Animal Protection. "It was actually very successful. They were able to help 2,000 animals stay in their homes with their owners."

Read more...


Fire department: Don't chase pets onto ponds

After a string of dog rescues in the Denver Metro Area this winter as a result of animals falling through the thin ice on area lakes and ponds, fire department officials are urging local residents to follow the existing leash laws in an effort to keep their pets off the ice.

Read more...


Is That Service Animal Real... Or an Imposter?

With the holiday travel season, many air passengers are boarding planes with service dogs and emotional support animals — a practice that critics say is open to fraud.

How do airlines know whether these pets are true service animals and not impostors wearing an official-looking vest bought online for $39.99? The answer is, they don't. Critics say many travelers claim their pets are service or emotional support animals because they don't want to pay for them to travel.

While many of these animals are dogs, passengers have also gotten on board with birds -- including a peacock -- cats and other animals.

"I see more violations than legitimate use of service dogs in public. A drastic majority of what I've observed in airports is misuse of the service dog law," said Brian Skewis, executive officer of the California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind, the only state agency in the nation that regulates guide-dog schools and individual instructors.

Read more...


Fuzzy Introduces Pet Health App

Fuzzy, a subscription-based pet-health service, has introduced a new app that serves as a free digital hub for all your pet’s medical history and health care needs.

"Our goal is to make pet-health accessible to all pet parents,” said Zubin Bhettay, co-founder and CEO of Fuzzy. “The delivery of pet care today is antiquated. It’s more complex than it needs to be, expensive and ultimately scary for both pets and pet parents, particularly new pet parents who may not have any prior experience raising and taking care of an animal. Here at Fuzzy, we want to change that and bring preventive and accessible pet-health to all."

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Pella the courthouse dog leads the way to recovery for hundreds of children, families

Pella made her debut as Colorado’s first-ever “facility dog” in 2012, after lifelong animal lover and former Aurora police officer Amber Urban, who is now a criminal investigator for the 18th Judicial District in Arapahoe County, worked for years to bring her to Colorado.

Since then, Pella’s ability to help elicit information, clear heads and reduce trauma has led Arapahoe County — where Urban now works — and other districts to begin adding even more facility dogs (not therapy or K-9 dogs).

Pella has played a role in more than 400 cases between Sungate, the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s office and the courthouse. And since moving to the district attorney’s office, Pella’s use has “easily doubled, so I expect those numbers will continue to increase,” Urban said.

Read more...


Boulder Fire-Rescue Getting Pet Oxygen Masks

First Responders with the Boulder Fire-Rescue are receiving ten donated pet oxygen mask kits. Each of their trucks will now be equipped with at least one mask which could save a pet's life.

During a house fire, smoke inhalation can be tough on pets and can cause them to stop breathing very quickly. There have been cases where the masks have revived the pets on-scene or at least it buys the pets some time until someone can get them proper medical care.

The masks allow rescue teams to administer oxygen to an animal that needs help.

Read more...


Pooper scooper: At last, an app that finds someone to clean up after your dog

What do you get when you combine a population too busy to look up from its smartphones, a “one-tap economy” and 78 million pet dogs? You get Pooper, an app that summons someone to scoop your pooch’s waste off the sidewalk or neighbor’s lawn.

The app, which began being marketed this week despite not being up and running yet, is supposed to work pretty much like Uber. Once your dog does its job, you open the app, pinpoint the excrement on a digital map and order a scoop. You are then free to leave; a scooper — the driver in the Uber analogy — comes to do the clean up.

Read more...


How to Keep Pets Cool in the Hot Summer Months

All dogs love the outdoors, that much we know for sure. But we also know that they aren't as good as we are at keeping themselves cool in these hot summer months.

Planning to take your dog hiking in the high country on here on the Front Range this summer? Here are some tips for a safe--and fun day--on the trails!

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New FDA Approved Prescription Veterinary Medicine Can Ease Dog Anxiety Due to Loud Noises

Meet Zeus, one of millions of dogs across the country that takes anxiety medication like valium to deal with his fear of loud noises like thunder and fireworks. (Note: That is not Zeus pictured to the right.)

“Any loud sound any sudden thing that causes the dog to go in a sense of panic and phobia is a normal reaction but it just is much larger and much more intensified than what the threat would be,” says Dr. James Albert, Managing Veterinarian at City Creatures Animal Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y.

In Zeus's case, he’ll start shaking, drooling, climb in the bath tub and just start panting and acting very anxious. His anxiety medication, which is a variety that's also prescribed to people, helps him deal with his fears.

But soon Zeus may have access to a first of its kind FDA-approved prescription veterinary medicine called Sileo, the first animal-focused anxiety medication.

Read more...


Veterinary Medicine Turns to 3D Metal Printing for Innovative Surgery

For true freedom of design, 3D metal printing enables incredible solutions in industries as diverse as manufacturing and medicine. Now the technique has generated a humane resolution to a difficult problem confronting a team of veterinarians.

For the first time ever, a prosthetic titanium beak has been manufactured using 3D metal printing and implanted on Gigi, a blue macaw (a genus of the parrot family). This unusual prosthetic saved Gigi’s life, as macaws are unable to eat solid foods without a beak.

Read more... 


Animal health company assists retired military working dogs

Zoetis, a global pharmacuetical company specializing in medicines and vaccinations for pets and livestock, has launched a program to support retired military and law enforcement with funds to help offset health expenses for the animal. There are currently some 550 dogs in the program and each owner gets $300.

“I hope to expand the program and basically make it a Zoetis-wide, company-wide type of program," said Dr. Michael McFarland, group director of marketing with Zoetis, "because there’s no question that there are additional needs. The size of our wait list alone indicates to me that there’s a great deal more support that’s needed.”

For more information about the program visit rimadylk9courage.com.

Read more...


UC Davis Veterinary School Saves Animals From Extinction

Mostly because of hunters, fewer than 300 mountain gorillas remained in existence in Africa back in the 1980s. Since then, that number has almost tripled because of the work of conservationists including Gorilla Doctors, a partnership between UC Davis’ Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center (WHC) and the nonprofit Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project.

Gorilla Doctors provides veterinary care to critically endangered wild mountain and eastern lowland gorillas that live in national parks in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The group is also researching mountain gorilla genetics. A groundbreaking study it participated in last year found severe inbreeding among the gorillas, going back thousands of years. Surprisingly, the inbreeding was actually helpful in some cases because it got rid of harmful genes.

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CSU veterinary team helps miniature horse shine again with brand-new hoof

Shine, a three-year-old miniature horse, will continue living a fulfilling life thanks to the surgeons at the Colorado State University James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

The miniature horse received an OrthoPets artificial hoof after sustaining severe injuries on his left hind leg after a vicious dog attack left him with a serious infection. OrthoPets, a Denver-based company, provides prosthetics to animals of all sizes that allow them to live a normal, playful life.

“He had two broken bones: one in his leg and another in his foot,” said Jacque Corsentino, one of Shine’s owners. “It wasn’t until a few days later when we realized there was something wrong after the infection from the wound spread down his leg.”

Read more...


Colorado Senate committee votes down legislation that would have outlawed phony service animals

Republicans on the state Senate Judiciary Committee killed a bill Monday that would have criminalized attempts to pass off a pet as a service animal for the disabled.

The committee defeated House Bill 1308 on a 3-2 party-line vote. Sen. Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud said the legislation lacked a clear definition of what qualifies as a service dog.

"I don't know how in the world it can be enforceable," he said.

Committee chairwoman Ellen Roberts of Durango said it's foul for someone to fraudulently take advantage of an accommodation for the disabled but that "karma" should take care of offenders. She said she wasn't in favor of "creating a new crime."

Read more...


Northern Colorado Coalition Focuses on Animal Welfare

By Shelley Widhalm
Loveland Reporter-Herald
April 2, 2016

In building a new animal shelter, the Larimer Humane Society chose not to offer spay and neuter services that already are provided by another agency.

The Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic, which offers the services, and the Humane Society are among the 17 animal welfare agencies from Northern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming that have joined the Northern Colorado Regional Animal Welfare Coalition.

The network aims to improve communication among its member agencies and prevent duplication of services while bettering conditions for domestic animals.

Read more...


9PetCheck Brings Free Pet Care to Low-Income Colorado Residents

9News.com
April 4, 2016

Denver's KUSA 9News, in partnership with the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, is offering free pet wellness exams and rabies vaccinations as part of its annual 9PetCheck event. Scheduled for April 9 and 10 as a public service for pet owners who are struggling financially, more than 60 area veterinary clinics are participating to provide on-site care by appointment.

In 2015, some 1,600 cats and dogs were cared for as part of the 9PetCheck program. All received free wellness exams from head to tail as well as a rabies vaccination.

Read more...


Louisiana Tech professor publishes book on life, experiences as a rural veterinarian

March 23, 2016

Dr. William Green, professor of agricultural sciences and interim director of the School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry at Louisiana Tech University, has published a book based on his experiences as a rural veterinarian titled, “Doc, Did I Wake You Up?”

The book, published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, is a collection of unique and entertaining stories taken from Green’s 27 years as the owner and operator of a rural veterinary hospital in the south. Green shares his memories about the animals, their owners and other colorful characters that he encountered during his veterinary practice. He talks about his recollections of treating cats, dogs and cows during the daytime and skunks, horses or elephants at night.

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Veterinary education expanding in Texas

By Malinda Larkin
AVMA
March 16, 2016​

Further proposals for increasing veterinary student numbers have recently emerged. This time they come from two Texas institutions—Texas A&M University, which wants to expand its College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences as well as partner with other institutions in the state, and Texas Tech University, which would like to create a new veterinary school. 

The former says it wants to expand to boost enrollment of minority and rural students “and to increase the supply of veterinarians who focus on the livestock industry.” The latter also says it is responding to “student demand and industry needs,” particularly in the Panhandle, which feeds a third of the nation’s beef cattle and boasts expanding dairy and swine industries.

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