Fall 2024 EBVMA Newsletter

from our President, Gary Block, DVM, MS, DACVIM

 

Hello colleagues,

 

Our quarterly newsletter is focused on highlighting the work of the EBVMA and keeping members apprised of our initiatives as well as opportunities for member engagement.

 

We recently completed a collaboration with VIN where multiple experts-including two current EBVMA Board members-recorded a 90 minute presentation that delved into evidence-based antibiotic therapy for conditions including UTIs and diarrhea as well as their appropriate use in the perioperative period. This is currently being edited and will be available on VIN and on our EBVMA website in the near future. Ou next topic will likely be focused on a review of common analgesics used for dogs and cats with DJD. Anyone with expertise in this area and interested in participating in this roundtable should reach out via info@ebvma.org

 

We had a “Veterinary Viewpoints” article published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine entitled “Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine: Potential, Practice and Pitfalls”. This article, available at https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17239 is an overview of the history of EBVM and a public pronouncement of what our organization is going to do to highlight the need for dedicated teaching of EBVM at the university level, for rigorous adherence to established research reporting guidelines, for expansion of EBVM infrastructure, and for the provision of easily accessible tools that permit clinicians to incorporate EBVM into their daily practice. The article also highlights this year being the 20^th anniversary of the founding of the EBVMA.  

 

In September, the EBVMA Board had a letter to the editor published in Veterinary Record that was critical of the WSAVA’s decision to include multiple continuing education tracks at their 2024 Congress promoting traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM). The letter notes that such inclusion was a tacit endorsement of a largely pseudoscientific alternative therapy that often utilizes “medicines” derived from wildlife including highly endangered species.  Those looking for a more detailed critique of TCVM can check out an article written by EBVMA past-President, Brennen McKenzie at https://skeptvet.com/2011/05/traditional-chinese-veterinary-medicine/

 

We also wanted to bring to your attention an important decision by Wiley & Sons to stop publishing the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. This journal, with a history of dubious publication standards, has had hundreds of papers retracted. In their website announcement, Wiley also reported that it was closing 19 additional journals citing “large-scale research fraud.”

 

We are still looking for members interested in participating in a new initiative where the EBVMA will critically review web-based point of care (POC) clinical support tools such as VetCompanion, PlumbPro, and VetBytes with the goal of publishing these results.

Lastly, stay tuned for an invitation to an open meeting in January where EBVMA members can share their thoughts, ideas and suggestions with the Board.

 

Gary Block DVM, MS, DACVIM

President EBVMA

 

P.S. Anyone interested in getting more involved with the EBVMA, volunteering for one of our committees, writing an article for Vet Practice News, working on one of our research projects, or with interest in joining the Board should email us at info@ebvma.org

Who’s who on the Board?

 

Martin Whitehead BSc, PhD, BVSc, CertSAM, MRCVS

Chipping Norton Veterinary Hospital, Chipping Norton, UK

 

My first degree was in psychology, followed by a PhD in comparative auditory biophysics – studying the sounds produced by the ears of vertebrates, from frogs to humans.  I then moved to the US and spent seven years as a biomedical scientist in medical school tertiary-care ENT departments, doing both basic and clinical-applied research.  There, in the early ‘90s, I witnessed some of the early benefits of evidence-based medicine in the human field (and resistance to EBM among senior doctors).  As a result, after returning to the UK and training as a veterinarian, I was an early proponent of EBVM in the UK.

 

My entire veterinary career has been in UK private practice, including first-opinion farm and equine (both stopped a few years ago), small-animal, exotic-pet & zoo work, and referral-level small-animal medicine and exotic-pet practice.  I am an Advanced Practitioner in small-animal medicine.  Despite my very mixed-practice past, nowadays almost all of my clinical work is running a radioiodine unit for hyperthyroid cats, zoo work and exotic pets.

 

I have carried-out and published some veterinary research in practice, and written articles on a number of veterinary topics – my veterinary publications are listed here:  https://www.chippingnortonvets.co.uk/about-us/research-and-publications.

 

I believe clinical practice should be evidence-based, science-based and rational.  I have tried to make the veterinary hospital I have worked in for 25 years, and co-run for 16 years, as evidence-based as possible.  My previous career as a research scientist gives me greater ability to critique research papers, and a deeper understanding of the quality and reliability of evidence, than that of most veterinarians.  I have a particular interest in countering both irrationality (e.g., alternative medicine), and misinformation and disinformation produced using scientific methodology (agnotology), in the veterinary sphere.

 

Bob L. Larson, DVM, PhD, ACT, ACAN, ACVPM

Dr. Bob Larson received his DVM from Kansas State University in 1987 and a PhD from the KSU Department of Animal Sciences in 1992. He spent five years in private practice and then 10 years at the University of Missouri. In 2006 he returned to Kansas State University as the Coleman Chair of Food Animal Production Medicine where his teaching and research focuses on beef cattle production and health. He is board certified by the American College of Theriogenologists, the American College of Animal Nutrition, and the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine – Epidemiology specialty.

Bob was first exposed to evidence-based medicine through interaction with colleagues and books such as: Where’s the Evidence – Debates in Modern Medicine by William Silverman (Oxford University Press, 1998), and Evidence-Based Medicine 2^nd Ed by Sackett, Straus, Richardson, Rosenberg, and Haynes (Churchill Livingstone, 2000). At about the same time, others in veterinary medicine were also becoming interested in evidence-based medicine and the first Symposium on Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine was hosted by the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University in 2004. From that initial meeting, a Steering Committee for Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine was formed and Bob was the Chair for 2005-2006. Shortly after, Bob was a charter member of The Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Association and served as the first president of the organization from 2006 to 2008 and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

Recent big news has become a topic of conversation on the EBVMA Listserv and was recently posted by Immediate Past-President, David Ramey, DVM:

The webpage for Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a journal that had dubious publication standards, now includes this announcement by its publisher, John Wiley & Sons Ltd: “Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ceased publishing as of September 2024.” A PubMed search reveals 1,497 papers in the journal have been retracted. It previously became front-page news: “John Wiley & Sons, a global publication house with revenues north of $2 billion, announced on May 19, 2024, that it was closing 19 journals it acquired as part of its 2021 purchase of Egypt-based Hindawi publishing company, citing large-scale research fraud.” [Ernst E. The infamous journal ‘Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine’ is no more! EdzardErnst.com, Oct 12, 2024]

Cross posted from Stephen Barrett, MD

Stay tuned for more information or discussion on this topic from the EBVMA, or better yet, join the EBVMA and participate in the conversation!

Dear EBVMA members,

I feel fortunate to be President of the EBVMA during its 20-year anniversary and have many other colleagues to thank for helping to create and keep the EBMVA alive. The current EBVMA, all-volunteer, Board devotes countless hours every month to the organization. It is their vision, creativity and motivation that has allowed the organization to develop and pursue initiatives that should make the organization even more relevant and exciting in the future. An ever- improving website, initiatives such as an EBVMA Journal Club, a partnership with VetPrescriber, a resource that critically evaluates drug claims made by pharmaceutical companies, and a collaboration with VIN where experts take on some of the most asked clinical question on VIN message boards are all in the works. Our bimonthly Vet Practice News articles have been well received and cover a wide range of clinically relevant topics.

Like many of you, I have often found evidence-based medicine to be inextricably linked to statistical competencies that I was never taught in vet school or during my residency. Despite my attempts to fill this gap in my knowledge base, I often found myself glossing over the stats information in the materials and methods sections of veterinary journal articles, believing I had no way of knowing whether the authors appropriately utilized the Kruskal-Wallis test or Bonferroni correction. Until getting more involved in the EBMVA I simply assumed that any paper published in a peer-reviewed journal was, by definition, free of design, execution, and interpretation errors, as there was no chance that reviewers and editors would allow a flawed manuscript to get past their screening processes. While ignorance may have been bliss, I now know that these assumptions were, unfortunately, incorrect. However, one need not be a PhD statistician or epidemiologist to make some conclusions about the methodology used in scientific papers, and the EBVMA is an excellent resource for providing basic but important tools for ensuring that the information and conclusions in the studies you are reading actually support their claims. Examples of useful resources on the EBVMA website include our “Evidence Anxiety Series” podcasts, as well as a range of links for practitioners to help them practice EBVM. I encourage members to check out these and other resources at https://ebvma.wildapricot.org/ebvma-resources.

You all should have previously received our updated “rebranding letter” that noted the expanded efforts of the EBVMA to take on the issue of how sources of information get filtered

through other sources - advertisements, online webinars, drug reps, conference speakers, etc. - that can intentionally or unintentionally modify the information to fit their own narratives or goals, leaving practitioners trying to sort through confusing or conflicting information.

With active growth of the EBVMA will come growing pains. However, one of the best salves for these pains is to encourage members to get involved and contribute a little bit of time to the organization. Whether that means participating in the upcoming journal club initiative, offering to write an article for Vet Practice News, or volunteering for a committee or Board position, member engagement will help keep the momentum we have created moving forward. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at GBYLC@AOL.com or our Executive Secretary, Dr. Thomas Doker at info@EBVM.org. Thank you for your continued support.

Gary Block DVM, MS, DACVIM President EBVMA

If you use citation management software, it can search online for full-text articles (including free copies) for you

Published September 15, 2023 at https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/

Practicing evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) requires finding published evidence. Fortunately, there are some solid techniques that can help you find many full-text articles even when you are not affiliated with an institution.

There is not one, central place to look for all relevant information in veterinary medicine, so what you should look for is a guide where to look.

Read the full article here.  Written by EBVMA members, L.M. Rey, MSLS, and Heather K. Moberly, MSLS, AHIP(D), FHEA, PgCert (Vet Ed) 

Independent research is needed to answer questions about telemedicine

Published August 7, 2023 at https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/

Veterinarians are busy, and not always with animals. Emails, voicemails, and our EMR worklist grows like a field of foxtail grass in the spring. However, while technology is often sold to make life or work easier, things can also go awry.

One of the big “disruptors” in contemporary veterinary medicine seems to be the looming specter of telehealth. This term does not really have any standardized definition, but in general, means “medicine at a distance.” The patient and the provider are connected in different locations through technology. In fact, at some level, if you have ever been emailed a photo of a cat’s rear end and asked, “Are these tapeworms?” you have already practiced telemedicine!

Read the full article here! Written by EBVMA Member, Greg Bishop, DVM

While current evidence hints at improved health outcomes when animals and humans interact positively, we need more vigorous studies.  

Published July 24, 2023 on https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) describe the human-animal bond (HAB) as a “mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviors essential to the health and well-being of both.”1,2

Various human and animal interactions can fall within the HAB purview. HABRI data suggest at least 85 million households in the U.S. benefit from the HAB annually.1,3 According to AVMA 2017-2018 data, about 60 percent of households have some type of pet. However, pet ownership only represents one aspect of the HAB.4 Human-animal connections can be almost endless and include:

Pet and pet parent

Zoo animal and zookeeper

Jockey and horse

Therapy pets and patients

Animals involved in animal-assisted interventions/activities/therapies

Read full article by EBVMA member Erica Tramuta-Drobnis, VMD, MPH, CPH

Cooperative efforts among physicians, veterinarians, and other stakeholders are essential to diagnose infectious disease cases more rapidly and accurately

Published May 30, 2023 on https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com

Have you ever asked a client presenting with a pet with vomiting or diarrhea if the animal is on heartworm prevention? Is it relevant? It should be. Intestinal parasites commonly afflict our patients, and those on monthly heartworm prevention may be at lower risk than those without.

Asking clients about a pet’s exposure to other animals at dog parks, grooming, or daycare facilities for our canine friends and cats that go outside is paramount, but we need to take it further, evaluating the need for prevention with a One Health lens.

Read Full Article

Knowing the challenges, how can we work together to build better and more robust grading schemes that are validated and reproducible?

Published May 23, 2023 on https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com

By Andrew D. Miller, DVM, Dipl. ACVP

The time has come for all of us to have an honest discussion about grading in our profession. No, I do not mean exam grades, but rather those provided by veterinary pathologists on biopsy samples of cancer procured from our animal patients.

Human cancer diagnostics are replete in tumor grading schemes, many of which are directly tied to patient outcome and/or response to therapy. However, veterinary medicine remains woefully behind in developing, validating, and applying grading schemes to cancer in our animal patients. We all want what is best for our patients, so how can we move our field forward and start better developing and utilizing grading schemes in cancer diagnostics?

Read Full Article

Methodology of studies should be carefully assessed before accepting the association between being gonadectomized and lifespan reflects a causal relationship

April 11, 2023 on https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com

By Martin L. Whitehead, BSc, PhD, BVSc, CertSAM, MRCVS

A Google search shows many veterinary and animal-welfare websites claim neutering prolongs the lifespan of male and female dogs. Certainly, many studies1-10 have reported a consistent association between canines being gonadectomized and longer average lifespan—several months to two years longer in females, and none to over a year longer in males.

However, the methodology of these studies should be carefully assessed before accepting that the association between being gonadectomized and lifespan reflects a causal relationship (i.e. that neutering really does prolong lifespan).

Read Full Article

In the U.S., each state defines minimum requirements for animal boarding facilities differently

Published March 10, 2023 on https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com

By Greg Bishop, DVM

Small animal practitioners will recognize this scenario: a client hands you a list of vaccines like they are turning in a menu at a sushi restaurant. They are going out of town, and their pet’s boarding facility (aka kennel) has vaccine requirements. The client wants you to give these exact shots.

For an animal health professional, especially one striving to be an evidence-based practitioner, this presents a dilemma. You are supposed to be the one with recommendations for preventive care based on good science. How and where is each kennel coming up with their specific requirements? Of course, mandatory vaccines are not unique to kennels, many veterinarians are familiar with standardized requirements for international animal transport. However, the standardization is the key difference.

Read Full Article