Dr. Pam Nichols Speaks At Conference

American Animal Hospital Association Conference


Changing attitudes toward pets have led to advancements in veterinary medicine, which, in arenas such as cancer treatment and rehabilitation, progressively began to mirror those received by humans, said Pamela Nichols, a veterinarian who owns an animal hospital in Bountiful, Utah.

"Ten years ago, I think pets weren't as important to their owners as they are now," Nichols said. "Now people think of them as children. People dress them up, celebrate their birthdays all those things have shown how elevated a place our animals take in our lives."

Nichols was among 130 experts on Sunday who discussed recent trends and innovations in veterinary medicine at the American Animal Hospital Association Conference, a trade convention expected to draw more than 2,500 professionals to the Long Beach Convention Center. The 73-year-old organization is the only one that accredits American and Canadian veterinary hospitals. The event concludes Wednesday.

Hot topics of discussion included new chemotherapies, canine rehabilitation, vaccines, diets, behavior, pain management and the viability of alternative medicine.
Treatment approaches and philosophies have changed, said veterinarian Dennis Feinberg, a past AAHA president who practices in Charleston, S.C.

"There's much more intervention earlier on when it comes to pain management," he said, referring to dogs and cats. "We used to think that companion pets have a higher level of pain tolerance, but we've seen that they show it in different ways. I think rehabilitation medicine is still starting to evolve in hospitals."

At most, 15 percent of veterinary hospitals offer rehabilitation, Nichols said.

But she's also believes that number will grow within a decade. Consequently, this emerging field has given rise to specialists within the profession, Feinberg said, from internists to oncologists.
Treatment for dogs and cats have, in part, been influenced by those of humans. Nichols cites therapies such as underwater treadmills, thera-balls and swim tanks as some of the recent innovations. The water activities are used to help dogs lose weight, strengthen their muscles and allowed arthritic pets freedom for more movement. Thera-balls, like the exercise balls at gyms, have also been used for muscle-strengthening as well as balance.

Cancer treatments for pets also involve radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, Feinberg said. Those afflicting dogs include lymphoma, skin tumors and bone cancer.

"We use the same protocols," he said.

In generally, dogs historically fare best in recovery, he continued, citing the strong owner-pet bond as a factor.

This article was written by
Samantha Gonzaga
(801) 294-5960 • www.utahanimalcare.com | 689 West 500 South • West Bountiful, Utah 84087

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