(AVMA) added prevention of disease to the veterinary oath. Considering that the pet population is on the rise yet veterinary visits are declining, this change to the oath is very timely. AAHA is committed to ensuring that pets receive the preventive healthcare needed to keep them healthy and happy, and just as committed to providing tools to help veterinary professionals accomplish that. The various Guidelines published by AAHA are a great example of those tools. Four Guidelines specifically focus on being proactive in the prevention of disease, rather than being reactive and treating disease as it occurs: • The AAHA-AVMA Canine and Feline Preventive Healthcare Guidelines address the lack of understanding by the pet-owning public of the important relationship between regular health evaluations and the well-being of their pets. • The AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines and AAFP/AAHA Feline Life Stage Guidelines also address the importance of routine preventive care, along with the value of building strong relationships between the pet owner and the veterinarian. These Guidelines help veterinary teams understand unique and specific wellness and preventive healthcare necessary through the various stages of life, leading to the best possible care. • The AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats focus on the importance of nutritional assessments and dietary recommendations for every pet at every visit, including one of the fastest growing health issues facing both pets and humans today: obesity. As a veterinary professional, implementing any of the AAHA Guidelines will be beneficial to both your practice and the animals you serve. The Guidelines above are even more useful and powerful when integrated, with the focus on optimal preventive care. Wouldn't it be great to have more patients coming to you for preventive healthcare exams before problems start? All four of the Guidelines address prevention and have areas that overlap and complement one another. By combining them and implementing an approach to ensure all key topics and recommendations are covered during each visit, your team will be poised to provide optimal preventive care in a more efficient manner, leading to healthier patients and happier clients.

Mechlorethamine (Mustargen), Oncovin) (vincristine), procarbazine and prednisone (MOPP) chemotherapy is useful for relapsed canine lymphoma. This study evaluates the efficacy of MOPP after substitution of CCNU (lomustine, LOPP protocol) or BCNU (carmustine, BOPP protocol) for mechlorethamine in 60 dogs with relapsed lymphoma. Seven of 14 (50%) dogs treated with BOPP responded, for a median of 129.5 days for complete responders (range 9-354 days) and a median of 140 days for partial responders (range 4-276 days). Twenty-three of 44 (52%) dogs treated with LOPP responded for a median of 112 days for complete responders (range 48-250 days) and a median of 84.5 days for partial responders (range 69-290 days). Two dogs receiving a combination of LOPP and BOPP partially responded for 28 and 163 days, respectively. With BOPP chemotherapy, nine dogs (20.5%) and seven dogs (50%) had one or more episodes of Grade II or higher neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, respectively. Seven dogs (50%) had one or more episodes of Grade II or higher gastrointestinal toxicity. While receiving LOPP chemotherapy, 28 dogs (63.6%) and 17 dogs (38.6%) had one or more episodes of Grade II or higher neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, respectively. Seventeen dogs (38.6%) had one or more episodes of Grade II or higher gastrointestinal toxicity. Overall, there were 17 non-fatal treatment-related episodes of sepsis requiring hospitalization. Eight dogs (13%) died or were euthanized because of treatment-related sepsis and/or chemotherapy-related complications. Severe haematologic toxicity, coupled with the improved response duration observed in dogs receiving reduced doses during B/L-OPP rescue, underscores the need for protocol optimization.

Despite the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in the human and companion animal populations, and the global trends for increasing numbers of affected people and pets, there are few successful interventions that are proven to combat this complex multifactorial problem. One key strategy involves effective communication between human and veterinary healthcare professionals with patients and clients about obesity. In human healthcare, the focus of communication should be on physical activity as part of overall health and wellbeing, rather than assessment of the body mass index; clinical examination of patients should record levels of physical activity as a key 'vital sign' as part of their assessment. Successful weight loss programmes for companion animals also involves strategic communication with the entire healthcare team leading clients through the 'stages of change'. There is great potential in employing a 'One Health' framework to provide novel solutions for the prevention and treatment of this condition in people and their pets. Comparative clinical research into the biology of obesity and its comorbidities in dogs and cats is likely to lead to knowledge relevant to the equivalent human conditions. The advantages of companion animal clinical research over traditional rodent models include the outbred genetic background and relatively long lifespan of pets and the fact that they share the human domestic environment. The human-companion animal bond can be leveraged to create successful programmes that promote physical activity in people and their pets with obesity. Dog walking is a proven motivator for human physical activity, with health benefits to both the owner and the dog. Realizing the potential of a One Health approach will require the efforts and leadership of a committed group of like-minded individuals representing a range of scientific and medical disciplines. Interested parties will need the means and opportunities to communicate and to collaborate, including having the resources and funding for research. One Health proponents must have a role in forming public policy related to the prevention and management of overweight and obesity.

Guidelines are offered to guide the veterinary practitioner in designing a comprehensive, individualized wellness plan for each stage of a dog's life. Life stages are defined by both age and breed characteristics for practical purposes. Each patient visit should use an individualized approach to patient handling, preventive care, and early disease detection. Environment, behavior, nutrition, parasite control, vaccinations, dental care, zoonotic disease control, safety, and reproductive health should be addressed.

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