SpotOn blog

Well, 2020 has been quite the year so far. While the data indicates many veterinary practices are on the road to recovery we still have a bit of uncertainty looming. Spectrum wanted to use this time to fast track some long-needed improvements to our lab tracking system that was just completed July 6^th. These new improvements are the framework that will allow us to add more clinic and pet parent functionality in the future. We are very excited and sincerely appreciate our clinic’s patients during this transition.

Allergies are triggered by diverse environmental, dietary, and seasonal factors. Although hyposensitization therapy is often the best option to clear up an allergy, there are many ways to reduce symptoms and increase treatment effectiveness. It should be noted that, although these tips and tricks will decrease allergy symptoms, they alone cannot be the only treatment option. Best results are observed when these tips and tricks are used concurrently with hyposensitization therapy.

COVID-19: The Impact

Health officials across the U.S. and all over the world are working hard to combat COVID-19. For veterinarians, this work includes providing care for pets: horses, livestock, laboratory animals, aquatic, exotic, and wild animals – all work that is essential and helps protect both animal and human health. Practices have had to put plans in place to protect their team, minimize exposure for staff and pet parents. They have had to scrounge to find personal protective equipment that even human medical professionals have struggled to find. But recent clinic data has shown some positive indications that leave some cautiously optimistic about the state of the industry.

Once allergy testing has been completed, a diet trial and hyposensitization are 2 other important elements of a proper allergy workup. This article will dig deeper into diet's role as part of an effective allergy management strategy.

Spectrum Veterinary – A Year in Review

Spectrum Veterinary’s vision for 2019 included expanding our sales leadership team across the United States, launching a new Group Purchasing Organization partnership and closing out the year with the acquisition of another allergy diagnostic laboratory. It was an exciting year for us and we are excited to announce that we accomplished all our 2019 company objectives. 

We also tested 31,086 patients in 67 different countries in 2019. That is all made possible because of clinics like you who are committed to treating the source of allergy not just the symptoms. Kudos to you!

When it comes to diagnosing allergies, pet parents (and subsequently veterinarians) are faced with an increasing number of options. Intradermal testing, serum based assays, hair and saliva assay offerings can make it confusing for everyone to figure out which option is right for the patient's unique scenario.  The popularity of hair and saliva assays has also been increased through websites like Groupon and Amazon by advertising directly to pet parents. 

The veterinary space is growing – and so are we. It’s one of the many reasons we’re constantly seeking to streamline the immunotherapy process. From our staff trainings to our comprehensive treatment diaries, we’re there to support you and your patient mile-by-mile on the road to recovery. Whether your practice has been ordering refills for years or just submitted its first sample, your partnership means everything to us. So it almost goes without saying: We value your opinion.

"In companion animal practice, testing serum/blood for the presence of antibody (serology) to vaccine-preventable diseases (see TABLE 1) continues to gain acceptance as a means of assessing the immune status of individual patients."