IDEXX topic of the month

 Yvonne McGrotty from Idexx Laboratories Ltd presents notes on bile acids.

Paul Mahoney from Idexx Teleradiology discusses radiographic positioning, including patient preparation, routine views, special techniques and alternative modalities. This one-hour webinar was first broadcast as part of BSAVA’s Learn@Lunch series. Learn@Lunch broadcasts are available to BSAVA members only and are free to attend - visit the education page of the BSAVA website for details of future Learn@Lunch webinars. Recordings will be available for 3 years via the BSAVA Webinar Library.

This webinar will guide us through the diagnostic approach of the ‘yellow cat’, mentioning some of the fascinating particularities of the feline species. Whilst icterus can be a very noticeable clinical sign that is straightforward to identify, it is not pathognomonic of a specific disease. Understanding bilirubin metabolism is indispensable in classifying icterus and building the differential diagnosis list which will guide the investigations. As we all are very aware, cats are not small dogs! Their metabolic and anatomical characteristics impact the type of pathology we observe in practice. Amongst other differences, cats are strict carnivores and are less adaptable when protein intake decreases. Their common bile duct joins the pancreatic duct before entering the duodenum, which may increase the risk of ascending bacterial infection. Feline characteristics are also important to bear in mind when interpreting blood and urine laboratorial analysis. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

Canine leishmania is a vector borne disease caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum and transmitted by sand flies. Leishmania infantum is endemic in many parts of southern Europe. The sand fly vector is not currently present in the UK, but despite this, the disease is being identified more and more frequently, due to the large number of imported dogs being brought into the UK from mainland Europe. Clinical disease results from an inappropriate and ineffective immune response to the parasite. A wide variety of clinical signs can be present which may include exfoliative dermatitis, lymphadenopathy and weight loss. In this webinar we will focus on the clinical approach to the patient with suspected Leishmaniasis and provide a brief overview of treatment options and recommendations for monitoring response to treatment. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

A short overview of the pathophysiology of adrenal disease focussing on hyperadrenocorticism and hypoadrenocorticism. Discussions on the commonly associated laboratory tests including diagnostic performance. Emphasising a few key points and pitfalls to help improve the confident in your diagnoses. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month‘ webinars is available here.

This webinar gives an overview of differential diagnoses for canine lymphadenopathy, the technical and diagnostic challenges of lymph node cytology and how to approach further testing in cases of lymphoma. Tips to help avoid non-diagnostic samples and a brief overview of the spectrum of canine lymphoma should equip you to tailor the diagnostic approach for your patients. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

Feline oral lesions are usually challenging. Inflammatory and neoplastic oral diseases might be similar at clinical examination: a proliferative lesion not always is a neoplasia. For this reason, for making a definitive diagnosis, and meeting client’s expectation, a holistic approach is advisable. In this presentation, the most common feline oral diseases, with special attention to feline chronic gingivo-stomatitis and proliferative oral diseases, are reviewed. You will understand how important the collaboration between clinician and pathologist is and will learn how clinicians might help pathologists in making a definitive diagnosis. Finally, you will understand why you should take biopsies from feline oral lesions, and when to do that. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

Urinalysis can be a time-consuming job in-house, requiring a functional microscope, a centrifuge, and staff with both the time and expertise to perform a sediment exam. Ideally urine samples should be analysed with 1-2 hours of voiding to increase confidence in results. Delay in analysis can lead to changes in temperature or pH which can lead to precipitation of crystals, which can subsequently lead to potential misdiagnosis and inappropriate decisions regarding case management. This webinar will help you become more confident in your interpretation of urine sediment examination (including identification of crystals, epithelial cells and casts). This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

Antimicrobial resistant infections are an increasing challenge in both human and veterinary medicine. Various multi-drug resistant organisms have emerged in healthcare settings and are no longer an uncommon finding in small animal practice. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is driven, at least in part, by antimicrobial use (both appropriate and inappropriate). Every time we prescribe an antimicrobial we may be contributing towards development of AMR, so we have the responsibility to do so only when appropriate – by selecting the optimal drug regime, dose, duration of therapy and route of administration and, when possible, ensure this is supported by culture and antimicrobial susceptibility results. Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) aims to improve and facilitate the appropriate use of antimicrobials. It should be a continuous improvement cycle, not an end point exercise. In this short webinar we will point you to different and varied resources that will help you start or further develop an antimicrobial stewardship programme in your practice. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

In this webinar Dr Bill Saxon discusses aspects of preventative healthcare for dogs and cats. He covers the importance of establishing baseline diagnostic profiles, the statistical evidence in favour of preventative healthcare and guidance on specific abnormalities. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

Urolithiasis is an all too common concern in companion animal practice, with identification of urolith type proving key to management recommendations that reduce recurrence in dogs and cats. IDEXX Internal Medicine Consultant, Michelle Evason, says that patients with urolithiasis frequently present with signs of lower urinary tract inflammation (e.g. haematuria, dysuria), due to urolith mucosal irritation and often concurrent infection, with the most common urolith types being struvite and calcium oxalate. Initiation of timely therapy plans based on diagnostics, urolith analysis, culture and susceptibility, and the latest research, aids immediate management and targets ongoing prevention. IDEXX offers cutting edge urolithiasis analysis, with expanded services in 2022 to include urolith culture and susceptibility testing. This case-based webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

IDEXX Internal Medicine Consulting team has seen an increased call volume relating to cats in the UK with pancytopenia; this surge is currently being investigated by specialist vets at the Royal Veterinary College in London. IDEXX Internal Medicine Consultant Dr Yvonne McGrotty states “Affected cats may present with signs of inappetence, lethargy, pallor, pyrexia and spontaneous mucosal bleeding. The mortality rate associated with this condition is high and an effective treatment is currently unknown. Clinicopathological findings usually include severe leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and anaemia.” The cause of this spike in cases has not been fully elucidated to date, but a potential link to mycotoxins (naturally occurring toxins produced by some types of fungi) in certain foodstuffs is being investigated further, along with other possible toxins. Pancytopenia cases have so far been linked to a single food manufacturer and three brands of food have been recalled as a result. Full details of the recall are available on the Food Standards Agency website, however the FSA have recently stated that they have been unable to establish a causative link between the recalled foods and the pancytopenia outbreak. Sick cats, or cats that are known to have eaten any of the recalled foods, can be screened by performing a complete blood count, including film examination. Vets who believe that they have identified a potential case are being urged to complete a survey on the RVC website to help vets there to identify common factors, which might ultimately assist them in determining the underlying cause. BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX has provided this webinar by Yvonne McGrotty to explain more about anaemia in cats. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

This webinar is a brief overview of the types of dermatology cases that are appropriate for biopsy submission, and the methods for taking skin biopsies for histopathology, with specific reference to alopecia cases. A brief description on how to differentiate inflammatory and non-inflammatory causes of alopecia is given and where biopsy might fit into the work up for these different causes of alopecia. There is guidance on biopsy submission to the laboratory and a summary of information needed by pathologists to make the most of skin samples. This is followed up with a case example where biopsy was the final step of the work-up for a patient. This webinar is provided by BSAVA Education Partner IDEXX. A collection of IDEXX ‘topic of the month’ webinars is available here.

Paul Mahoney is a veterinary surgeon employed with Idexx Laboratories as part of their Teleradiology team.