Joint luxation is a common occurrence in veterinary medicine. Prompt and accurate assessment of a luxation is essential for restoring normal joint function. A proper orthopedic examination, along with orthogonal radiographs, is the first step in correctly diagnosing and determining treatment options. Treatment choices include conservative management, surgical stabilization, or a combination of both. The appropriate treatment depends on the patient's evaluation, the specific joint affected, and the extent of the damage.
Canine patellar luxation is a complex condition with multifactorial developmental skeletal abnormalities that lead to quadriceps extensor mechanism malalignment and contribute to the luxation in a compounding manner. Surgical techniques to realign the quadriceps extensor mechanism and improve patellar stability include varying trochleoplasty techniques, tibial tuberosity transposition, soft tissue reconstruction, antirotational techniques, prosthetic implants, and corrective osteotomies. An individualized surgical plan must be created for each patient to address the clinically significant musculoskeletal abnormalities contributing to patellar luxation.
Many aspects of feline orthopedics differ from those of the canine. One cannot simply extrapolate what is known for dogs, or risk not only increased complication rates but also the potential for suboptimal outcomes in feline patients. Making an accurate diagnosis may be the biggest challenge. Feline orthopedic examination and gait assessment are more difficult due to several factors, including anatomic differences, varying presenting complaints, and natural feline behaviors in a hospital setting. This article aims to summarize common feline orthopedic conditions and aid in improved diagnostic accuracy.
Veterinary rehabilitation has an integral role in veterinary orthopedic medicine. Rehabilitation can improve outcomes for postsurgical cases and provide medical management for non-surgical conditions. This article focuses on the relationship between orthopedic and rehabilitation medicine, existing evidence, rehabilitation assessment, and client education.
This review article summarizes the emergence of vaccine hesitancy in companion animal medicine and its parallels with human health care. Factors influencing pet owner vaccination decisions include concerns about safety, necessity, cost, overvaccination, and misinformation. Current literature suggests veterinarians remain the most trusted source of vaccine information and play a central role in maintaining vaccine confidence. The article reviews available data on companion animal vaccination trends, owner attitudes, and veterinary team perceptions while highlighting communication strategies, including motivational interviewing and presumptive recommendations, that may improve vaccine acceptance and strengthen preventive health care delivery.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are rapidly being adopted in veterinary medicine. Unlike human medicine, where the Food and Drug Administration has established comprehensive pre-market approval pathways for AI-enabled medical devices, veterinary AI tools are marketed and deployed without regulatory oversight, independent validation, or post-market surveillance. This article examines the current regulatory landscape for veterinary AI across the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom, and explores the roles of professional organizations in establishing standards through position statements and task forces. Liability and data privacy considerations are discussed, along with practical guidance for practitioners evaluating and adopting AI tools.
