AAVMC announces 2018 award honoreesDecember 22, 2017The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) has announced the recipients of four awards that recognize professional excellence, achievement, and service in academic veterinary medicine. The awards will be officially presented during the AAVMC's 2018 Annual Conference and Assembly, which will be held March 2-4, 2018 at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C. Jennifer Hodgson, BVSc, Ph.D., MRCVS, DACVM, from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine received the 2017 AAVMC Distinguished Teacher Award. The award recognizes excellence in professional veterinary medical education and is presented to an educator whose sustained record of teaching excellence and ability, dedication, character, and leadership has contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession. In her role as associate dean for professional programs, Dr. Hodgson is responsible for all academic and student affairs relating to Virginia-Maryland's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, and teaches bacteriology and mycology in the DVM curriculum. Colin Parrish, Ph.D., the John M. Olin Professor of Virology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, received the 2018 AAVMC Excellence in Research Award. The honor designates Dr. Parrish as the outstanding veterinary medical researcher of the year and recognizes his demonstrated excellence in original research, leadership in …
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Zomedica, Celsee Inc. partner to deliver cancer liquid biopsy platformDecember 21, 2017Zomedica Pharmaceuticals Corp. has entered into a license and supply agreement with Celsee Inc., an innovator of progressive rare cell capture, characterization, and retrieval products in the emerging field of liquid biopsy. Under the terms of the agreement, Zomedica will have animal health exclusive global rights to develop and market Celsee's liquid biopsy platform for use by veterinarians as a cancer diagnostic. A liquid biopsy is a blood test with the potential to detect the presence of circulating tumor cells in the blood. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are shed from a primary tumor into neighboring blood vessels and are transported throughout the body's circulatory system. The detection of CTCs in the blood could indicate a cancer diagnosis without the need for an invasive tissue biopsy, according to Zomedica. "Liquid biopsy is cutting-edge technology in human medicine right now and we're excited about the opportunity to develop and market this platform for use in veterinary medicine," stated Gerald Solensky, Jr., CEO at Zomedica. "We selected the Celsee platform because of the ease of use, workflow simplicity, and flexibility to use our novel canine biomarkers. If we successfully develop Celsee's technology, we believe we will be able to …
Giving the topic of sound veterinary nutrition the respect it deservesDecember 20, 2017Do enough professionals among the veterinary profession treat companion animal nutrition with the significance it deserves? What's driving the US pet obesity epidemic? Are practitioners doing enough to address it? Veterinary Practice News asked Martha G. Cline, DVM, DACVN, president, American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition, and a clinical veterinary nutritionist at AAHA-accredited Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, N.J., these questions and more about the topic of diet and nutrition. Here's what she had to share. Why did you decide to specialize in veterinary nutrition? During the summer between my first and second year of veterinary school, I worked with the nutrition department at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) through a summer research program. The focus of this research was canine obesity. This experience was the foundation of my interest, which solidified during my clinical year when I spent additional time rotating through the nutrition services at UTCVM, Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, N.J., and Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. I had excellent mentorship at all of these facilities that helped guide me on my way (shout out to Drs. Angela Witzel, Joe Bartges, Claudia Kirk, Laura …
UC Davis announces 32nd annual Heumphreus Lecture headlinersDecember 19, 2017The 32nd Annual Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture will take place Feb. 3 at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). This year's event features farrier Daisy Bicking, APF-I, CFGP, CE/CI, founder of Daisy Haven Farm: School of Integrative Hoofcare, and Nicholas Frank, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, professor of large animal internal medicine, the chair of the Clinical Sciences Department, and associate dean of Academic Affairs at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Farriers and equine veterinarians are invited to attend the lecture, which honors Charles Heumphreus, the school's farrier from 1967 to 1985. The program was initiated to foster the veterinarian-farrier relationship in order to develop a better understanding of equine foot disorders. Registration and a complete schedule for the event can be found on the UC Davis website. The Heumphreus Lecture serves as an opportunity for farriers and veterinarians to share insights and collaborate on industry best practices. A veritable "who's who" of farriers and veterinarians have served as past guest lecturers. This year's program will focus on laminitis and endocrine disorders. Lecture details During the morning session, Bicking will present …
Henry Schein acquires eVetPracticeDecember 19, 2017Henry Schein Inc. has acquired eVetPractice, a provider of cloud-based practice management solutions to veterinary clinics. The company will join Henry Schein Veterinary Solutions. "As the veterinary practice management software market expands into cloud-based solutions, we at Henry Schein understand that partnering with eVetPractice enhances our ability to power successful practices by providing our customers with the latest in value-added services and technology solutions," said Stanley M. Bergman, chairman of the board and CEO of Henry Schein. "Our distribution footprint and comprehensive technology offerings, which now include the cloud, ensure that veterinary professionals can continue to rely on us as a trusted advisor, as we endeavor to help them operate more efficient and successful practices while delivering quality care." Based in Athens, Ga., and founded in 2011, eVetPractice serves approximately 900 customers. The company was founded by Eddie Heinz, who will join the HSVS executive team and continue to lead the eVetPractice solution and customer support teams. Henry Schein Veterinary Solutions has North American offices in Oshkosh, Wis., Piedmont, Mo., and Trevose, Pa. Henry Schein Animal Health is based in Dublin, Ohio.
USDA grants Zoetis' Vanguard Rapid Resp one-year DOIDecember 19, 2017The USDA has granted Zoetis' Vanguard Rapid Resp intranasal vaccine line one-year duration of immunity (DOI) claims for Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), and canine parainfluenza virus (CPiV). Vanguard Rapid Resp is the first and only intranasal vaccine line in the US that has been demonstrated to provide one year of protection against three important canine infectious respiratory diseases (CIRD), according to the company. "The demonstration of a one-year duration of immunity for all three antigens in Vanguard Rapid Resp represents an important step in the protection of dogs from CIRD. This new DOI confirms the efficacy of a single product that provides both rapid and durable protection against these important antigens in the CIRD complex," said Stephan Carey, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, assistant professor of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, consultant for Zoetis. "This extended DOI is essential in reducing morbidity and mortality from infectious respiratory disease among dogs in social or commingled environments such as boarding facilities and shelters." Vanguard Rapid Resp is available in three antigenic combinations (Bb + CPiV + CAV-2; Bb + CPiV; Bb only), and all of these choices can be administered with a syringe …
AVMA names keynote speaker for 2018 conventionDecember 18, 2017Shiza Shahid is to deliver the keynote address during the American Veterinary Medical Association annual convention to be held this year in Denver, July 13-17. Shahid, who grew up in Pakistan as a staunch advocate for social change and women's rights, went on to serve as founding CEO of the Malala Fund with Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, and is currently the host of USA Today's new show, ASPIREist. Named a Time Magazine 30 Under 30 World Changer and a Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur, Shiza is a prominent speaker on millennial and women's entrepreneurship. Through her seed fund, NOW Ventures, she supports mission-driven startups that strive to create positive global impact. The keynote address is free and open to all convention attendees and registered guests. Visit avmaconvention.org for more information.
AVMA Economic Summit highlights veterinary income, job marketDecember 15, 2017At the fifth American Veterinary Medical Association Economic Summit, held Oct. 23-24 in Rosemont, Ill., the latest AVMA pet demographic survey highlighted interesting findings regarding ownership and veterinary income. According to the report, which will be released in 2018, the number of dog-owning households is the highest since the AVMA began measuring pet ownership, the number of cat owners has dropped drastically, horse and pet bird ownership are declining, and backyard poultry ownership is increasing. In the scheme of ups and downs, Frederic Ouedraogo, Ph.D., assistant director of the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division, said that real veterinary income has been declining for more than seven years. Further, veterinarians are likely to experience peak income of about $125,000 annually by age 59, and those who become practice owners soon after graduation earn more than those who become owners later in their career. "If you're not an owner after 10 years postgraduation, continue being a nonowner," he said. "Owners make money in the first years after graduation … nonowners have low income initially, but after 30 years, their income is equal to owners'." Charlotte Hansen, a statistical analyst in the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division, compared the value of …
What Veterinary Practice News readers loved in 2017December 15, 2017Another new year is upon us, but before we embrace 2018 and all it might have to offer veterinary professionals and the industry, let's recap Veterinary Practice News' 10 most-read features of 2017. 1. Canine influenza virus 2017: Beyond two show dogs 2. 10 secrets to keep your veterinary nurses happy 3. University of Minnesota develops cancer drug that helps dogs with hemangiosarcoma 4. Study: Cats eating dry food have increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes 5. Zoetis earns license for Cytopoint skin therapy 6. Raising greyhound health awareness 7. American Association of Feline Practitioners revises declawing position 8. The 7 top challenges facing veterinary medicine in 2017 9. Petco officially enters the veterinary hospital ring with Thrive 10. The strangest things vet techs have heard clients say
Penn Foster offers veterinary practice management certificate programDecember 14, 2017Penn Foster College, a provider of online degree programs and individual courses, launched its Veterinary Practice Management Undergraduate Certificate program. The new program helps prepare students to become veterinary practice managers by providing them with education in the procedures, policies, and management skills needed in the daily operations of a veterinary business. The undergraduate certificate offers 19 college credits, covering skills including managerial and financial accounting, veterinary practice systems, planning and leadership, business ethics, and more. The program is offered through Penn Foster's technology-enabled learning platform, where interactive, mobile-friendly courses, progress-tracking and goal setting tools, and personal coaches help students complete the program while managing their busy lives. In addition to earning an undergraduate certificate, completion of the program satisfies the college semester hours required for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager exam offered by the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association. Penn Foster also offers veterinary training programs for its AVMA-Accredited Veterinary Technician Associate Degree, NAVTA-approved Veterinary Assistant Career Diploma, and Pet Grooming Certificate.
