IMAGING
lower than in dogs and humans. “The low plasma concentrations found in horses is actually similar to guinea pigs,” Dr. Yocom added. “We don’t know if that’s because of the herbivore diet or that they’re both hindgut fermenters, but those are possible theories.” Average time to maximum concentration was also similar between groups, but the individual ranges were still quite large. It took anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours for horses to reach maximum plasma concentrations. “We would recommend dosing about 4 hours before your desired peak effect,” she said.
In the synovial fluid, CBD was only reliably detected in the high-dose group, and the plasma levels correlated with increases in synovial levels. “We don’t know if there may be a cumulative effect since we did see CBD in synovial fluid more frequently after 5 weeks when compared with 12 and 24 hours,” Dr. Yocom explained. While the study was the first step in evidencebased analysis of CBD in horses, the doses used in the study were much higher than are typically present in commercially available supplements so that the team could provide a measure of safety data for future studies. MeV
For more information: Yocom AF, O’Fallon ES, Gustafson DL, et al. Pharmacokinetics, safety, and synovial fluid concentrations of single- and multiple-dose oral administration of 1 and 3 mg/kg cannabidiol in horses. J Equine Vet Sci. 2022;(18)113:103933. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0737080622000715?via%3Dihub
What Do You Call the Person Who Assists You? Only 10 states have a clear definition for the title “veterinary technician” and restrict its use to people with formal credentials in that state, according to a new report by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). Veterinary practice acts in 29 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico lack restrictions on use of the title “veterinary technician.” Another 10 states limit who can use titles of “certified veterinary technician,” “licensed veterinary technician,” “licensed veterinary medical technician” or “registered veterinary technician,” but do not restrict use of the more general title of “veterinary technician.” Ashli R. Selke, NAVTA president and a credentialed veterinary technician, said NAVTA data indicate that title protection and pay are among the top concerns of veterinary technicians, many of whom think improved title protection will lead to better pay. “Protecting the title of ‘veterinary technician’ is the right thing to do from a legal perspective, helps the consumer better understand who they are working with, and gives the title value,” Ms. Selke said. “That, in turn, enhances the profession and creates an incentive for indi-
viduals to go to school and earn the right to use that title.” The NAVTA report offers detailed recommendations for legislatures and regulatory agencies, academic institutions, veterinary medical and technician associations, veterinary practices, and others. “We commend our colleagues at NAVTA on this important study,” said Jose Arce, DVM, the president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Veterinary technicians—graduates of an AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities® [CVTEA]- or Canadian Veterinary Medical Association [CVMA]-accredited program—are an integral part of veterinary medicine and care teams. The AVMA encourages schools, organizations and regulatory authorities to use the appropriate terminology for veterinary technicians, who are integral parts of veterinary medicine and care teams.” There are 216 veterinary technician programs in the United States accredited by the AVMA’s CVTEA, which graduate about 5,500 students per year.
CHECK OUT OUR TECHNICIAN UPDATE https://bit.ly/3kfKvnj-MeV on getting certification in Montana.
For more information: Protection for ‘Veterinary Technicians’ is Needed and Desired, But Absent and Misunderstood in Most States. https://d2vjg8vjbfxfu1.cloudfront.net/app/uploads/20220222135054/NAVTA_Title-Protection_Whitepaper_final-1.pdf.
14
Issue 4/2022 | ModernEquineVet.com
