Arbutus Medical now taking applications for free orthopedic toolkitsMay 28, 2019Arbutus Medical will be awarding two charitable organizations free orthopedic power tool systems through its Vets for Safe Surgery charitable partner program. The company says it is donating surgical toolkits valued at $1,500 each to organizations dedicated to treating animals. "Last year through our Vets for Safe Surgery partner program, we supported the Gorilla Doctors, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo," says Michael Cancilla, Arbutus Medical director of engineering and partnerships. "While the Gorilla Doctors have overcome many of the challenges of their work—such as performing surgery on a wild gorilla, intervening in the wild and outside of an operating room or medical clinic—access to the necessary surgical equipment still poses a barrier in their ability to treat the gorillas. Our donation of orthopedic power tools helped them preserve this endangered species." Arbutus Medical is now accepting applications until June 30. Both local and international applicants are invited to apply. Winners will be announced July 15 on its Facebook page. To apply, click here.
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Cornell Veterinary Biobank receives international accreditationMay 27, 2019Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Biobank is the first biobank in the world to achieve the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation's (A2LA's) international certification. A2LA is an international accreditation body that assesses a range of laboratory types using standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Cornell's biobank received accreditation against ISO 20387, which requires facilities demonstrate the competence of their biobank's operation and ability to provide biological material and associated data for research and development. "Quality accreditation increases the confidence in our operation. It shows we are transparent about our processes, open to critique, and are doing high-quality work under a rigorous standard," says Marta Castelhano, DVM, MVSc, director of the Cornell Veterinary Biobank. To receive accreditation, each step in the process requires close inspection from A2LA. As a result, Dr. Castelhano, along with the rest of her team, developed, tested, and implemented almost 80 new standard operating procedures for the biobank in the last year. "The achievement of earning A2LA's first accreditation to the new ISO 20387 standard ensures Cornell's operations will function with the highest level of quality," says A2LA's general manager, Adam Gouker. "We're proud to be a part of this historic …
Dogs can alert human risk to Lyme diseaseMay 27, 2019Health-care providers can now use dogs as a way to measure human risk for Lyme disease, according to a study by Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). "This research shows how man's best friend continues to safeguard humans as a sentinel to alert humans where they are at greatest risk for Lyme disease," says CAPC executive director, Christopher Carpenter, DVM. "The model established in this research breaks new ground to give residents, travelers, and health-care providers a county-level map to help them identify areas of risk across the country." Through the study, researchers quantified the relationship between canine seroprevalence for the disease-causing bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Lyme disease in humans. Seroprevalence is used to calculate the number of dogs testing positive among all tested dogs within a county. The study showed a correlation between human incidence and dog seroprevalence. According to researchers, they were able to study more than seven years of nationwide canine diagnostic data as a result of dogs being tested annually for exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi. The collected data represented more than 400 million data points, which is usually difficult to obtain when looking directly at ticks and the environment. "By combining sophisticated statistical modeling with this …
TGen, Ethos develop diagnosis test for canine lymphomaMay 24, 2019A new test may assist veterinarians in more accurately diagnosing canine lymphoma. Developed by Ethos Veterinary Health, Ethos Discovery, and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), the test is based on the results of a study that analyzed 180 dogs with cancer. The teams used their test, ePARR, to confirm first whether the dogs in the study had lymphoma and then determined what type they had. Results indicate the test was more than 90 percent accurate among a range of lymphoma sample types. "An ongoing need exists for robust validation of molecular diagnostics in veterinary medicine. This study is an example of exhaustive validation of one such molecular test," says Will Hendricks, PhD, assistant professor in TGen's Integrated Cancer Genomics Division and one of the study's senior coauthors. "Overall, ePARR is more than 90 percent accurate across sample types and diagnostic settings." The researchers say not only could molecular-level investigations into dog DNA improve the health of dogs with cancer, but it could help understand cancer in humans, too.
Purina offers supplements for dogs experiencing anxious behaviorsMay 24, 2019Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements has introduced a new management option for canines that experience anxious behaviors. Calming Care is a probiotic supplement that helps dogs cope with external stressors like separation, unfamiliar visitors or sounds, and changes in routine and location. The supplement also aids in maintaining positive cardiac activity during stressful events, promoting a positive emotional state. According to Jason Gagné, DVM, DACVN, director of veterinary technical communication for Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, a veterinarian should be sought out if a dog is displaying undesirable behaviors. "What might be perceived as just a characteristic of a particular breed or part of a dog's personality could really be an anxious behavior that needs attention." Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements surveyed 826 owners about anxious behaviors in dogs and found: • 62 percent have witnessed excessive barking, compulsive jumping and shaking, or trembling. • 35 percent believe their dog's personality is among the primary causes of one or more of its concerning behaviors. • 25 percent said these behaviors have impacted their lifestyle or caused a change in their routine. Further, with summer fast approaching, Purina notes that canine anxiety often intensifies during this period. "The summer …
Pet King Brands introduces authorized seller programMay 23, 2019Pet King Brands has implemented an authorized seller (brand partner) program to protect its distribution channels. The pet health product company says it is taking this step to protect its ZYMOX dermatology and Oratene brushless oral care enzymatic product lines from being sold by unauthorized distributors. "At Pet King Brands, we are committed to providing the best experience for both our customers and consumers of our products," says the company's founder and president, Pamela K. Bosco. "However, due to unauthorized sellers and the potential for counterfeit products on the marketplace, we have implemented our Authorized Seller/Brand Partner program to ensure the highest-quality customer experience going forward." Pet King Brands is also revising its minimum advertising price (MAP) policy to include more violation affects and subsequent enforcement actions. It is using a MAP monitoring and unauthorized seller enforcement software tool to further its investment in regulating all channels to authorized resellers. "We understand the impact an unregulated MAP environment creates for every good standing reseller," Bosco says. "This is why we are committed to taking swift action against MAP violators and cleaning up the unauthorized sale of goods online."
Covetrus integrates prescription management platform with eVetPracticeMay 23, 2019Covetrus is integrating its eVetPractice with its prescription management technology to provide veterinarians a more synchronized and streamlined user experience. "We're very pleased to offer practices using AVImark, ImproMed, and, now, eVetPractice, an unparalleled level of integration with our prescription management technology," says Chris Dollar, senior vice president of Covetrus' global software services. "Driving innovation, enhancing our practice management capabilities, and simplifying the experience for our customers is at the core of our mission." Even with flea, tick, and heartworm disease on the rise, compliance for veterinary prescriptions and preventative medications is low. Restructuring the workflow through Covetrus' practice management system can help remove administrative burden, drive greater client engagement, and improve health and financial outcomes. "One of our top priorities was to integrate our eVetPractice and prescription management capabilities to streamline and enhance performance for the practices," says Georgia Wraight, president of Covetrus' global prescription management. "By automating documentation and making prescription management easier for eVetPractice customers, we can now deliver a more seamless experience and empower veterinarians with tools to drive improved compliance." Other benefits of the real-time integration include synchronization between online prescription management and clinic software, coordinating and tracking the status of prescription authorizations and …
AAFP releases educational toolkit for feline diabetesMay 22, 2019Managing and treating feline diabetes mellitus can be complicated, which is why the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) is releasing a Diabetes Educational Toolkit. A digital information source, the online toolkit provides veterinarians with the most relevant diagnostic and treatment information for diabetes mellitus, which is not always easy to diagnose. Further, veterinary professionals can access and gather information quickly via navigation tabs. Users can move directly to information focusing on diagnosis, treatment, remission strategy, troubleshooting, frequently asked questions, and client resources. According to AAFP, cats with diabetes mellitus require a customized treatment plan, including frequent reassessment and adjustments. The association notes that patient goals, finances, implementation of the treatment plan, and the patient's response are all aspects of effective treatment. "We are excited to release this digital resource to the veterinary community in hopes we can help veterinary professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of their diabetic feline patients through providing easy-to-access information that can be implemented for each cat," says Apryl Steele, DVM, president of AAFP's board of directors. "The purpose is to create more informed veterinary teams, as well as cat caregivers. This Diabetes Educational Toolkit is intended to be an on-the-ground tool for veterinary professionals …
Merck Animal Health, NEADS launch educational service dog campaignMay 22, 2019A new educational campaign highlights the importance of keeping service dogs healthy from fleas and ticks. Through Bravecto Cares, Merck Animal Health will donate a portion of every Bravecto sale to National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) World Class Service Dogs from now until June 30. The funds raised will be used to support the training of NEADS Service Dogs. "Merck Animal Health knows how important it is to protect our pets, especially those that work for us," says Mark Pelham, DVM, companion animal professional services, Merck Animal Health. "More than just a nuisance, fleas and ticks can carry illness, such as Lyme disease, to our pets and our families. We are proud to collaborate with NEADS, an organization that shares our dedication to keeping pets healthy as part of their extensive service dog training program." According to NEADS, being in top health is a major factor for a world-class service dog. "The health of our dogs is as important as their task training—if they are not at optimal health, they will not be at ideal performance and can potentially put their handlers at risk," says Cathy Zemaitis, NEADS director of development. As part of the campaign, Merck is …
Bayer Animal Health, Nutreco to enhance nutritional health of farm animalsMay 21, 2019Bayer Animal Health and Nutreco are combining their efforts to improve the nutritional and health performance of farm animals. The companies have signed a global research and development collaboration agreement. Their first project together will be to come up with innovative solutions for gastrointestinal health in dairy and beef cattle. "The agreement further demonstrates our strong commitment to drive innovation in the farm animal space," says Douglas Hutchens, DVM, PhD, Bayer's head of drug discovery, external innovation and chief veterinary officer. "Joining forces with Nutreco will increase our innovative capabilities and leverage the development of new solutions for our customers. We look forward to furthering farm animal health and well-being, and contributing to the sustainable development of the dairy and beef cattle industry." The project will be run by Trouw Nutrition. "We're excited to be partnering with a company like Bayer to bring real breakthroughs in this area," says Trouw Nutrition innovation director, Saskia Korink. "By pooling our know-how and capabilities, we can truly make significant steps forward and support farmers in growing their business in a sustainable way with animal well-being as a priority."
