Hunting Tests US

It's hard to believe Retriever Results was started 14 short(!) years ago. What started as a way to provide objective, statistical information about dog and handler performance in US and Canadian Field Trials and US Hunt Tests has grown into something we never anticipated.

Many, if not most, of the cool features you have come to rely on in Retriever Results are a direct result of your suggestions. Your comments have helped keep the service vibrant and relevant to the information needs of our sport. And for this we thank you. Keep 'em coming.

Here are just a few of the innovations we've added recently to Retriever Results:

* COI calculations, most uslng 15 generations, plus enhanced pedigree information highlighting common ancestors.

* Enhanced dog profile, listing all handlers and pros associated with a dog

* The ability to create and share test pedigrees complete with performance information and COI.

* Enhanced My Dogs including thumbnail photos (we continue to be amazed at the creative ways subscribers use My Dogs to track not only their own dogs, but dogs they want to keep track of)

* Expansion of history back to the late '80s (and we're adding more every week)

To help get 2024 off to a good start, we've included Purina's official response to the recent rumors and a host of articles on health.

Here's to a successful new year.

Purina Response to Online Rumors

January 5, 2023

Please beware of online rumors claiming there are issues with Purina products – these false statements may be creating unnecessary stress for pet parents. There are no health or safety issues with any of our products, and they can continue to be fed with confidence.

At Purina, we take pride in feeding 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. The quality, safety and nutrition of our products is our highest priority, and we take feedback from concerned pet owners and veterinarians very seriously. Our Quality Assurance team leads more than 100,000 quality checks EVERY DAY across our factory network with the goal of ensuring our products are safe at every stage of the process – from when our ingredients arrive at our factories to when we ship our final food and treats out to retailers and consumers. Our comprehensive program ensures the foods you feed your pets, and that we feed our own, are safe.

The health and safety of pets – yours and our own – will never be compromised.

If you read something online that concerns you, or you have any questions about your pet food, please feel free to reach out to our team. We also recommend researching the source of these posts. Some are well-intentioned pet parents who are genuinely concerned and trying to be helpful, while others may be trying to create chaos and distrust of certain brands as an opportunity to sell their own products. Either way, please know that if there is a confirmed issue with any Purina product, we will be sharing that information with our consumers first.

Promising Drug to Detect Residual Disease and Cancer Recurrence
PetDX has developed a "pioneering canine cancer detection test" called OncoK9 designed to identify signs of residual cancer and recurrence in dogs previously treated for various forms of the disease. The test is designed to detect disease on a molecular level, thus giving "veterinarians a tool that may allow for earlier intervention."

You can read more here in dvm360.

Gabapentin Use
Depending on the nature of the injury and the amount of pain, if your dog gets hurt your vet may prescribe gabapentin, an opioid used for pain management. If your dog is being treated in North Carolina, starting March 1, 2025, the vet will have to file a report if the amount dispensed exceeds a 48-hour supply. Currently gabapentin has been used in an extra-label manner to treat a range of conditions and is not a scheduled drug. 

Some other states are now classifying gabapentin as a controlled substance.

You can read more here.

Metronidazole Use
VIN News reports on eight studies focused on the use of antibiotics to treat acute diarrhea. Six out of the eight suggest that antibiotics may be no more effective than diet modification. In fact, one study of 894 dogs found that dogs given antibiotics had a 88.3% recovery and those not given antibiotics had a 87.9% recovery.

You can read more here.

In the U.S., HPAI infections have been detected in wild birds in every state except for Hawaii. As of December 11, the virus was confirmed in more than 1,000 commercial and backyard poultry flocks in 47 states, affecting more than 72 million birds.

The USDA is encouraging multiple approaches to the problem, including biosecurity measures, cooperation between agencies and organizations across countries, and a coordinated vaccination campaign.

Initial testing on several HPAI vaccine candidates has been completed. 

You can read more here in AVMA News.

Veterinary Practice News has published an interesting article on the different types of pain dogs and cats experience and reviews the types of drugs best suited to each type. The article also includes a decision tree (from the 2022 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines) that can aid in prioritizing the use of the most efficacious therapeutic modalities for both acute and chronic pain.

You can read more here.

Click here to see article and chart. Source: 2022 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines[/caption]

Insurance
AKC's Pet Insurance has published some sobering statistics. Only 16% of households with dogs have pet insurance

* 1 in 3 pets will require emergency medical treatment each year

* Most commonly reported emergencies are:

* ear infections

* diarrhea or vomiting (can cost $600-$1700)

* skin infections

* other emergencies (can cost upwards of $5000)

* More than 27% of households with dogs report an incident in the last year

CareCredit
Another option is Care Credit, a health and wellness credit card to help you pay over time for pet and human health care. It works the same way as traditional credit cards except you can only use it to cover tradition medical insurance copayments and elective medical procedures. CareCredit does offer short-term financing offers that can be attractive. But if the bill is not paid in full within the agreed-upon time period, interest charges can rack up.

You can learn more here.

Pawlicy Advisor
If you're considering insurance, Pawlicy Advisor offers a website to help you understand some of the options.

You can find it here.