I love going to veterinary conferences. Learning about advances in veterinary medicine and checking out new products and pharmaceuticals is an essential part of keeping up-to-date in my field. At the 2014 Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas last month, I attended some great educational sessions and discovered some new veterinary and consumer products that I will follow with interest. They have a lot of potential for not only helping our pets, but also helping us to learn more about them. Here’s a sampling of products and information that I ran across:
— Apoquel: Who hasn’t lived with at least one itchy dog? Sometimes their condition is so bad it makes you want to start scratching yourself. With this new drug, some dogs may find rapid relief, maybe even within a few hours. It’s not a steroid, so it doesn’t have the side effects that are associated with those types of drugs. The drug works by targeting cytokines (proteins) associated with itching and inflammation. It’s suitable for dogs with flea allergies, food allergies or contact allergies.
