Small Animal

Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis for any pet owner. But now, thanks to new advanced imaging equipment known as the Mini Explorer II, UC Davis veterinarians can diagnose and treat disease earlier, with greater precision.

Charlie, a 2-year-old male Maltese mix, and his owner, Tyler Wilcox, were on a routine walk in their neighborhood when Charlie was severely attacked by a much larger dog. The other dog had Charlie is his mouth—shaking him violently—and was not letting go. Wilcox was forced to intervene, having to get physical with the other dog in order to save Charlie. Charlie was rushed to the nearest veterinary clinic where he was sedated and stabilized, but it was clear that his injuries were life threatening – he would need surgery within a few hours.

Dinx, a 10-year-old female cat, was brought to the UC Davis veterinary hospital for evaluation of a low grade soft tissue sarcoma mass on her ear that grew back after surgical removal a year prior. Most likely, another surgery would be required to remove the mass.

UC Davis veterinary cardiologist Dr. Joshua Stern led a team of researchers that has found a link between some popular grain-free, legume-rich dog diets and a type of nutritional deficiency and canine heart disease known as taurine-deficient dilated cardiomyopathy. The FDA took notice and issued warnings about the potential connection.

What’s in your dogs’ diets could be a factor in whether they develop heart disease, according to a new FDA report.

Rhyme, a 2-year-old male ragdoll mix cat, was being medically managed for a liver shunt for the past six months. That followed nearly two years of trying to discover the root of his illness, which seemed to have plagued him for as long as could be remembered. When a specialist in Rhyme’s hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia finally diagnosed the shunt, he recommended Dr. Bill Culp at the UC Davis veterinary hospital, who has been performing a minimally invasive procedure to correct shunts in dogs for many years. Luckily for Rhyme, Dr. Culp has also utilized this technique in cats when presented with a similar scenario.

Oso, a 2-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever, started dragging his back legs while on a walk. His veterinarian in Bend, Oregon—surgeon Dr. Mauricio Dujowich, a UC Davis alum—performed an MRI that revealed a massive tumor inside his spinal cord, pinching the nerves to his back legs.

The hospital is currently in the process of implementing a modern, sustainable Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) that provides cutting-edge clinical, teaching, and research imaging functions for clinicians, students, faculty, staff, referring veterinarians, and clients. The hospital’s current PACS is aging and does not allow clinicians to utilize it to the best of its abilities.

Earlier this year, K9 Officer Cort of the Fairfield (CA) Police Department was stabbed while apprehending a suspect. California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers were on site and immediately called their air division that had a helicopter in the area. CHP flew Cort to the UC Davis airport where campus police transported him about a mile to the university’s veterinary hospital.

Aero, a 7-year-old German shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix, is back in action with the Anderson (CA) Police Department as a narcotics-detecting K9 officer. Four years ago, however, he was forced to prematurely retire after a mysterious illness caused his energy levels to plummet and his muscles to atrophy. His handler, Officer Mike Hallagran, did not think Aero would survive.

Bobby, a 12-year-old male miniature Schnauzer, developed cataracts in both eyes, presumably brought on by his diabetes. While he could still sense light in his eyes, the cataracts clouded his vision to the point of essential blindness. Navigation of his home was accomplished by memory and by utilizing a heightened sense of feel, especially on the staircase. His owner, John Yeung, was eager to have Bobby’s vision restored, so he sought out the help of UC Davis alum and former ophthalmology resident Dr. Kristina Burling, a board-certified ophthalmologist. Since 1994, Dr. Burling has owned and operated Animal Eye Specialists in Campbell, California near Yeung’s home in San Jose. Dr. Burling successfully performed cataract surgery on Bobby’s left eye. However, the cataract removal on his right eye had to be abruptly stopped mid-surgery due to an underlying systemic disease that caused Bobby’s heart rate to fall dangerously low. Dr. Burling made the smart decision to stop the surgery, as Bobby was no longer in a healthy enough position to proceed. That's when UC Davis stepped in to help.

It’s fitting that Dr. Sara Thomasy is an ophthalmologist. Her eyes light up when she talks about the breakthroughs being made at UC Davis thanks to recent acquisitions of state-of-the-art imaging equipment. Eight new pieces of imaging equipment and one new piece of laboratory technology, made possible by grants from the Center for Companion Animal Health, now allow the Ophthalmology Service to provide new levels of care.

UC Davis researchers analyzed homemade cat food recipes and found none provided all essential nutrients for healthy adult cats.

Dr. Karen Vernau has been named the recipient of the 2019 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, recently investigated levels of methylmercury in a small sampling of commercial dog foods and found good news for dog owners.