This Newsletter will include a Bacterial Otitis Protocol, notes from trade shows, the "Whitford Report," a special contribution from Lou Gotthelf and more. I would like to encourage the DermaPet using community to write me about their experiences in derm, with questions on cases or about this Newsletter. If useful and permitted by the author then I might pass it on to the Newsletter list which includes 4,000 vets (and growing) via direct email, another 7,000 posted indirectly and countless more who read it reposted in newsgroups or lists. I also encourage you to visit http://www.dermapet.com or call 800-755-4738 for DIRECT sales. We also sell via select distributors.
DermaPet IS the largest veterinary dermatologic company in virtual reality.
Just back from the George Muller Conference in Kona, Hawaii where I attended as a vet and ended up as an exhibitor due to a no-show. Since I was due to give a seminar on "New Approaches to Ear Problems" at the Hawaii Vet conference and shipping is always a problem, as if in an ever-ready battery commercial, we used our back-up booth material for Kona. The stimulating program was surprisingly well attended. Besides our speakers there were several other "experts" who claimed they were there for the education more than the tax deductible vacation. Peter Ihrke, head honcho for this and the WCVD, opened with Malassezia dermatitis and pleased vinegar lovers everywhere (and some boric acid addicts) with his report of excellent results using MalAcetic. Theresa DeManuelle followed. Then came Ken Kwochka who, much to our delight and surprise, suggested everyone use TrizEDTA for Pseudomonas otitis. Donna Angarano closed out the speakers. The golf tournament was won by my cartmate, the ever so hard to distract, Virgil Traynor (Auburn, CA); who was visiting with his classmate since undergrad, Jim Gordon (Lemoore, CA). Virgil also kept me in golf balls since many of my shots "found the lava" and his hobby is finding balls. Mike Bohn (Manhattan Beach, CA), playing with his attractive wife Mary, won the long drive contest. We also had the privilege of taking my Dad's classmate, George Muller, and Charles Chen (Taiwan) to dinner after a tasting of wine which was generously supplied by the veterinarian owned Rosenblum winery. BTW, the Millennium Zinfandel is both wonderful and reasonably priced; please come to the WCVD for a taste.
At the HVMA in Honolulu, we picked up the pace. Japanese vets were there in force; members of JAHA, JSAVA, WAHA and NAHA were all on hand for my lecture. Eric Ako organized another fine seminar with well respected speakers like Greg Ogilvie and Ian Dunbar. A growing number of mainland vets are discovering this meeting.
Chuck Michaels also attended meetings in North Carolina and the DC Academy as well as visited our friends at PVP in Omaha. Somehow we also had a table manned at the Auburn meeting. Busy month!
Protocol for Bacterial Otitis
The following Treatment Plan which is a modification of Step 6 (see Seven Steps to Treating Ears in the DermaPet folder on VIN or at my web site http://www.dermapet.com)
Product News
New Products:
We now have the 16 ounce size of TrizEDTA which actually has a shelf life (once reconstituted) of at least 6 months. Since they are in crystalline form-they need water to be added, we have been shipping them all over the world. 16 ounce MalAcetic Conditioner with the popular trigger sprayer is coming soon.
MalAcetic moist Towelettes will be available in January. This is a totally new delivery system for the vet market which will be good for dry baths, intertriginous dermatitis, hot spots, ears, chins, dreaded Anal Sacs, use your imagination!
Price Increase: Effective Y2K, the Ear/Skin Cleanser will be $4.79 (from $4.49) for the 4 ounce and $11.79 (from $10.99) for the 16 ounce.
"Gemish" clarification: The Mechanism of Action as to why aluminum containing Burrows solution should NOT be used with fluorquinolones is that nalidixic acid forms chelation complexes with various metal ions that associate with the 3-carboxyl and 4 oxo-substituents. This causes the complex to exhibit decreased lipophilicity and absorption. While this was originally written about gastric absorption, it appears both the Baytril makers and Mark Papich (the derm pharm guru) agree that Burrows solution will make fluoroquinolones less, if at all, effective.
There has been some discussion on the Avian and other lists as to using TrizEDTA in rhinosinusitis cases. This follows and supports one of the may published reports by Wooley et al.
Lou Gotthelf (Louegee@aol.com), Montgomery, AL author of Small Animal Ear Diseases: An Illustrated Guide. W.B. Saunders, Co. Ready January, 2000 writes:
Ear disease affects many more patients than you might realize. Take the number of canine patients in your client base and multiply times 20% and that's how many dogs in your practice have ear disease. Most of them are allergic dogs and have Malassezia otitis externa. Some of them have bacterial otitis. Many more have otitis media as a result of chronic ears. Look for these patients to add additional profit to your hospital.
The "Whitford Report"
MEDICATED BATHS. I recommend you prescribe the appropriate shampoo in the exam room and sell the client the dispensing size. Then offer the service of a medicated bath which is charged as a separate line item. The major reason medicated shampoos are not more effective is inappropriate application. Train staff how to do a medicated bath correctly. Use a timer to ensure the medication gets sufficient skin contact time. The client should bring the medicated shampoo for each bath. The residual is returned to the client when the pet is picked up after the bath. This totally eliminates the huge waste often seen when gallons of medicated shampoo are kept in the back and included in the fee charged for the bath. Be sure to use cool water if it is pruritic. I have found that a properly administered medicated bath can dramatically decrease the other medications (especially steroids) often used.
On a more somber note, readers may not know that my late father attended vet school (with George Muller), and I finished 2 years of undergrad, at tradition laden Texas A&M. Anyone who ever spent any time there had to be fixated on the tragedy affecting one of the most famous collegiate traditions, the 70 year old Bonfire for the Texas/ A&M game (won by the Aggies 20-16). Outside observers noted the strong Spirit which pulled the school (and less visibly, the alumni) together in mourning.
Please send me the email address of (or forward this to) any other vets that you feel might be interested in this or further 'newsletters'.
| Steven Melman VMD DermaPet Animal Dermatology and Behavior Clinics Potomac, MD 20854 |
dermapet@aol.com http://www.dermapet.com 800-755-4738 fax 301-365-0191 |
8909 Iverleigh Court 
Potomac, Maryland 20854
301-983-8387 800-755-4738 Fax 301-365-0191
E-mail dermapet@aol.com