COLD WEATHER PET DEATHS, DOG POOP PUNISHMENT, VIP PETCARE EXPANDS in this episode of Off Label Veterinary News, your source for commentary on Animals, Medicine, and Practice Life.

Fellow animal advocates, I've had an ongoing concern about many pets left outdoors during severe cold weather. You can help encourage changes in animal care ordinances by sharing verified stories of pets suffering or injured when left outdoors in cold weather. NOTE: This thread isn't intended to debate specific conditions or the care of particular pets, wildlife, or working dogs. My goal is to compile stories animal advocates can use when petitioning local municipalities and governments when creating animal care guidelines in order to save lives and unnecessary suffering. Thank you.

TOP ISSUES VETERINARY PROFESSIONALS WILL BE TALKING ABOUT IN 2018

Some of the top veterinary topics we’ll be covering in 2018 for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary industry professionals. 

What Physicians Don't Understand about Obesity, Canine Cancer Liquid Biopsy, Intestinal Organoids

“Why don't we just treat it for free?” is a question that many pet owners have for veterinarians, especially in cases where the pet owner can’t afford treatment.

Trump Bans “Evidence-based,”  Online Pet Food Sales Rise, Will Student Debt Delay Your Retirement?

I was honored to present a special keynote at the 2017 Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) Your Weight Matters Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana USA. In this impassioned presentation, I discuss why I believe pet obesity is a disease, why obesity is a shared disease of humans and animals, the role pet care shaming and weight bias play in veterinary medicine, and why I've dedicated much of my career to fighting pet obesity. I also review the role of chronic inflammation, strategies for effective weight loss, differences in pet owner and veterinary professionals' attitudes on diet and nutrition, and challenges for the future of pet food and weight loss. 

THIS EPISODE:

1) Dog eats 21 pacifiers - and lives to bark about it!

2) Microsoft IoT Core announces pet facial recognition code and releases a how-to video for a pet door utilizing facial recognition on hackster.io

3) Service Dog Disrupts "Cats: The Musical" in Manhattan. Yes, you read that correctly. A service dog attacked an actor during the opening number. Guess it wasn't a fan of "Cats."

4) Australian study evaluates if offering free cat adoptions affects cat fate, rates of medical or behavioral disorders, and adherence to pet care guidelines. The researchers also investigated if free cat adoptions attracted a different type of pet owner. The results are astounding! Read the fascinating study here: http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/12/92/htm