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Typhus, apoplexy, dysentery, dropsy, and coryza are all medical terms of yesteryear, and many of these words have not survived in common medical usage. This is due, in large part, to a lack of specificity in their meaning. Apoplexy, for example, could refer to both strokes and heart attacks. Dropsy is generalized edema. Abdominal dropsy […]
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So, you have decided to sit for the ACVPM board exams and have been accepted. Congratulations! What now? Well, with more than a few months to go, a short plan may develop: study hard in the beginning, study hard in the middle and then, wait for it, study hard at the end. Head to Ohio […]
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What is a fomite, you might be wondering? Is it a thing? A place, a condition, or a person? It can actually be three of these things. A fomite is an object that can be contaminated with a bacteria, virus, or prion, and be a source of infection to other animals.
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With a name like Q fever, you would expect this disease to be obscure and rare. In fact, it is found worldwide (except in New Zealand) and can be transmitted to many species in many ways. The name comes from “query” fever because the true cause of the disease was unknown for many years. It […]
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After the recent loss of my beloved gelding, the topic of secondary toxicosis in wildlife came to mind. Digging a grave in dry, hard ground in December is never fun. Thankfully, my neighbor was kind enough to lend me his backhoe and his dad. He did question why the hole needed to be 8-10 feet […]
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Typhus sounds remotely familiar, right? It is another one of those diseases from the past? Not so fast. It is actually an emerging disease is some areas of the United States. Texas has seen more than 400 cases of murine (flea-borne) typhus since the beginning of 2017. The Greek word typhein meaning “to smoke”, was […]
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This subject is a little more obscure for the majority of our readers, but to those affected by it, understanding the risks and required safety steps is truly a matter of life or death. Let’s start with a brief introduction, to get everyone up to speed.
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