• Sunday, January 21, 8pm ET: Home Care and End of Life Issues (Dr. Margie Scherk)

  In this presentation, we will investigate helping clients provide home care for the purposes of comfort and avoidance of the side-effects of their companion's illness. What are some tools for making the subjective assessments of quality of life more understandable? How do we know when a patient is 'suffering'? When is the 'right time' to assist the ending of a life? And, how do we as healthcare providers cope with this?

  PSST... Did you see the recent AVMA article featuring our 2007 AAFP President? Way to go Margie!
  http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/dec06/061215i.asp

• Sunday, February 18, 8pm ET: The AAFP Vaccination Guidelines revisited (Dr. Jim Richards and Dr. Kate Hurley)

Dr. Lester's December hypoproteinemia rounds transcript and handout are now available in the Library: Transcript

The Nominations Task Force of the Leadership Development Committee is seeking nominations for board positions available in 2007. Four Director positions and the position of President-Elect are open for election. These terms will begin on January 1, 2008. Directors serve a two-year term; the President-Elect serves one year and then becomes President the following year. This is your opportunity to help mold the future of the AAFP!

The minimum requirement for a board member is at least three years' membership in the AAFP. Involvement in committees, attendance at AAFP meetings, and ability to work as a team player will also be considered by the Nominations Task Force when submitting its recommended slate of nominees to the Board for consideration.

Interested individuals should contact the AAFP office for a copy of the Biographical/Qualifications form, which must be completed and returned to the AAFP office no later than April 1, 2007. Please contact info@aafponline.org or 1-800-874-0498 for further information.

AAFP RESEARCH GRANT

The AAFP will present a $30,000 research award in 2007 for meaningful research in Feline Vaccine-Associated Sarcoma. The grant is generously funded through the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. Please visit the AAFP Online website for further instructions and the grant application: http://www.aafponline.org/resources/grants.htm

All applications and 10 copies of the proposal must be received in the AAFP office by May 15, 2007. Grant selection will be completed by July 1, 2007.

ATTENTION CATVETS.COM WEBSITE VOLUNTEERS

AAFP members interested in developing the Cat Topics section of the new website, please email Dr. Kari Mundschenk (drkm@justforcatsvet.com). She has been unsuccessful in reaching a few volunteers from the Fall conference sign-up and we really need your help.

FELINE CASE DISCUSSION

Some more great info has been added by Dr. Susan Little to the message board discussion on newborn kitten limb abnormalities: http://www.vin.com/Members/BoardsMain/Boards.plx?Read=2&B=CE&Id=169*2074*44841

This discussion may help you avoid misdiagnosing a potentially self-correcting problem (includes pictures, video and radiographs).

AAFP Members, please contact Dr. Deb Givin (catdoc@prexar.com) to submit your own interesting cases. Case discussions not only provide continuing education to our student members, but also allow practicing veterinarians to share their experiences.

JOURNAL ABSTRACTS OF INTEREST

Comparison of endoscopic and full-thickness biopsy specimens for diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and alimentary tract lymphoma in cats.
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2006 Nov 1;229(9):1447-50.
Evans SE, Bonczynski JJ, Broussard JD, Han E, Baer KE.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17078807&dopt=Abstract

Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its efficacy in comparison with doxycycline in the treatment of Chlamydophila felis infection in cats with conjunctivitis.
Vet Rec. October 2006;159(18):591-4.
N Gerhardt, B S Schulz, C Werckenthin, K Hartmann
http://veterinaryrecord.bvapublications.com/cgi/content/abstract/159/18/591

Swimmer syndrome in a Devon rex kitten and an English bulldog puppy
J Small Anim Pract. October 2006;47(10):615-9.
G Verhoeven, H de Rooster, M Risselada, P Wiemer, L Scheire, H van Bree
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2006.00069.x

Evaluation of static telepathology in veterinary diagnostic cytology.
Vet Clin Pathol. September 2006;35(3):303-6.
Paola Maiolino, Brunella Restucci, Serenella Papparella, Gionata De Vico
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16967413&dopt=Abstract

IN THE NEWS

Feline Alzheimer's Disease was promoted in several media blasts in December...

Study Shows Cats Can Succumb To Feline Alzheimer's Disease
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=58305

The JFMS featured this research in the August 2006 issue:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed

Do you know why white cats with one blue and one yellow eye are often deaf on the side with the blue eye?
The article below offers a possible clue:
Malaysian Mystery Leopards- National Wildlife Magazine article
http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=112&articleID=1413

AVMA NEWS

Information briefs are available on the AVMA website for your review (click on "Backgrounders" under the Reference bar). For example:

• Q-fever (http://www.avma.org/reference/backgrounders/qfever_bgnd.asp)
• Plague (http://www.avma.org/reference/backgrounders/plague_bgnd.asp)
• Tularemia (http://www.avma.org/reference/backgrounders/tularemia_bgnd.asp)

The AVMA features the AAFP in their December issue:
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/dec06/061215h.asp

WEBSITES OF INTEREST

Global Disease Alert Mapping System
http://www.healthmap.org/

Feline Medical Curiosities
http://www.messybeast.com/freak-cats.htm

Anomalies and Deformities of Limbs
http://www.messybeast.com/twistedlimb.htm

Flat Chest Kitten Defect and Pectus Excavatum
http://www.catvet.homestead.com/FCK.html

Are you searching for a position in a feline practice?
http://www.aafponline.org/resources/ads/positions.htm
Did you know that AAFP members are eligible to post complimentary classified ads on our website and in the newsletter? Please contact the AAFP office for more information.

Are you making the most of your complimentary AAFP Rounds membership benefit?
A new HOW TO VIN VIDEO is available to help you learn how to use and post to the message boards.

AAFP WEBSITE ACCESS

"Member Login" information for the AAFP Online website (www.aafponline.org) requires a username (your Last name) and a password (your AAFP member ID #). If you have any questions about the Member log-in, please email info@aafponline.org or call (800) 874-0498.

Access to the AAFP Rounds website requires a VIN username and password (www.vin.com/AAFPRounds). Complimentary registration for a VIN username and password is available to our AAFP membership upon request.

Have you reviewed the AAFP membership directory?
Click on the "Find an AAFP doctor" button to review what the public can see. Member's should also log-in to review email addresses and additional referral information available to your colleagues. Please notify the AAFP office of any changes to your contact information for referrals, journal and newsletter delivery. Or, you can "Update Your Information" within the Member section of the AAFP Online website (http://www.aafponline.org/members/log_in.htm). Help us continue your membership benefits by making sure we can stay in touch with you!