Background Cats are the most popular pet in the United States and much of Northern Europe. Although 78% of owners consider their cats to be family members, many cats, particularly seniors, do not receive appropriate preventive care. 1 – 3 One of the main obstacles to owner compliance is the lack of a clear recommendation by the veterinary team. 4 Guidelines can help veterinarians to minimize this obstacle, strengthen the human-pet-veterinary bond, and improve the quality of life of cats. Goals The goals of this article are to assist veterinarians to: Deliver consistent high-quality care to senior cats. Promote longevity and improve the quality of life of senior cats by: recognizing and controlling health risk factors; facilitating and promoting early detection of disease; improving or maintaining residual organ function; and delaying the progression of common conditions. Define aspects of screening, diagnosis, treatment and anesthesia of senior cats.

Phenobarbital can interfere with the thyroid axis in human beings and rats by accelerating hepatic thyroxine metabolism because of enzyme induction. In human beings, it also can interfere with the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST) used to assess adrenal function by accelerating dexamethasone metabolism. This effect can cause a lack of suppression of pituitary ACTH and subsequent adrenal cortisol release after dexamethasone administration. The effects of phenobarbital on the thyroid axis, the adrenal axis, and adrenal function tests were prospectively investigated in 12 normal, adult dogs. Phenobarbital was administered at 5 mg per kilogram of body weight (range, 4.8-6.6 mg/kg) PO q12h for 29 weeks, resulting in therapeutic serum concentrations (20-40 g/mL). Serum total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4) by equilibrium dialysis, total triiodothyronine (TT3), thyrotropin (TSH), and cholesterol were determined before and during phenobarbital treatment. LDDST, ACTH stimulation tests, and ultrasonographic evaluation of the adrenal glands were performed before and during treatment. TT4 and FT4 decreased significantly (P Յ .05), TT3 had minimal fluctuation, TSH had only a delayed compensatory increase, and cholesterol increased during phenobarbital treatment. The delayed increase in TSH, despite persistent hypothyroxinemia, suggests that accelerated hepatic thyroxine elimination may not be the only effect of phenobarbital on the thyroid axis. There was no significant effect of phenobarbital on either of the adrenal function tests. With the methods employed, we did not find any effects of the drug on the hormonal equilibrium of the adrenal axis. Key words: Adrenal axis, Adrenal function tests, Phenobarbital, Thyroid axis. In rats and human beings, anticonvulsant drugs have considerable effects on the thyroid gland and thyroid hormone metabolism. Phenobarbital increases hepatic metabolism and biliary excretion of thyroxine by inducing hepatic enzymes, such as thyroxine-glucuronosyltransferase and cytochrome P450 enzymes. [1][2][3][4][5] In rats, a primary increase of hepatic thyroxine uptake stimulates hepatic deiodinative and excretory processes. Increased fecal and deiodinative clearance of thyroxine and triiodothyronine activates the thyroid axis, resulting in increased pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) secretion and subsequent establishment of a new steady state with normal thyroxine concentrations and somewhat increased TSH concentrations.2,4,6 Thyroid gland weight remains increased, indicating chronic stimulation. 2Several textbooks and review articles in the veterinary literature mention that phenobarbital decreases basal serum thyroxine concentrations in dogs.7-10 However, more recent data suggest that phenobarbital treatment at 30-45 mg q12h for 3 weeks has no significant effect on total thyroxine University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; email: jtaboada@ mail.vetmed.lsu.edu. Submitted June 26, 1998; Revised March 12, 1999, and July 1, 1999; Accepted October 19, 1999 (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4), and TSH ...

Veterinary anatomy is often a source of trepidation for many students. Currently professional veterinary programs, similar to medical curricula, within the United States have no admission requirements for anatomy as a prerequisite course. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of a week-long precourse in veterinary anatomy on both objective student performance and subjective student perceptions of the precourse educational methods. Incoming first year veterinary students in the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine professional curriculum were asked to participate in a free precourse before the start of the semester, covering the musculoskeletal structures of the canine thoracic limb. Students learned the material either via dissection only, instructor-led demonstrations only, or a combination of both techniques. Outcome measures included student performance on examinations throughout the first anatomy course of the professional curriculum as compared with those who did not participate in the precourse. This study found that those who participated in the precourse did significantly better on examinations within the professional anatomy course compared with those who did not participate. Notably, this significant improvement was also identified on the examination where both groups were exposed to the material for the first time together, indicating that exposure to a small portion of veterinary anatomy can impact learning of anatomical structures beyond the immediate scope of the material previously learned. Subjective data evaluation indicated that the precourse was well received and students preferred guided learning via demonstrations in addition to dissection as opposed to either method alone. Anat Sci Educ 9: 344-356. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

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The goals of this study were to explore the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator profile and gender differences of Louisiana State University veterinary students. A 12-year composite sample (N = 935) revealed that the personality profile was different from the published US population norm, but similar to the bimodal ESTJ-ISTJ profile found in Louisiana medical students. Significant gender differences were found among six of the 16 types. A 12-year trend analysis revealed a significant shift away from the prototypical ESTJ-ISTJ profile, culminating in a discernable heterogeneous profile for both males and females in the last four years. Composite scores for the 2004-2007 cohort (N = 331) revealed that the predominant types for women were ENFP, ESFJ, ESTJ, ISFJ, and ISTJ. For men, the predominant types were ESTJ, ESTP, INTP, and ISTJ. Post hoc tests confirmed significant gender differences for ESTP, INTP, ISTP, and ESFJ types. The evidence of significant gender differences and confirmation that personality profiles have begun to vary widely across the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator spectrum in the last four years have implications at the practical and theoretical levels. This could have profound effects on pedagogical considerations for faculty involved in veterinary medical education.