Trupanion angles to create the 'Cone of Joy'October 5, 2017Memes about the "Cone of Shame" abound on the internet, despite the fact that these devices often are medically necessary for companion animal recovery. Trupanion aims to take the "shame" out of the cone with its Cone of Joy design contest. The Cone of Joy design competition is simple: Design a fun and fashionable pet-friendly cone and submit a high-quality photo and a brief description of the creation to trupanion.com/coneofjoy. Pet lovers in the U.S. and Canada will vote for their favorite Cone of Joy submissions. The 25 finalists who receive the most votes will each win a $100 cash donation to an animal welfare organization of their choice. How to enter the Trupanion competition Create an original design using a cone for a cat or dog Submit a photo of your design and a brief description on trupanion.com/coneofjoy Vote for your favorite design through Oct. 20 Share your submission and encourage friends, family, colleagues, and followers to vote to increase your chances of winning "This is a fun way to celebrate the wonderful work shelters do throughout the U.S. and Canada," said Chloe Gill, shelter channel manager at …
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WSAVA unveils first global veterinary dentistry guidelinesOctober 4, 2017To support veterinarians around the world in improving recognition of dental disease and providing greater dental care to patients, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) launched global veterinary dentistry guidelines. WSAVA hopes the guidelines will help bridge what it perceives as a significant gap in veterinary education globally and to encourage a greater emphasis on dentistry in the veterinary curriculum, according to the organization. WSAVA's Global Dental Guidelines, launched during its World Congress in Copenhagen, include information and images of oral anatomy and common pathology, as well as best-practice recommendations for oral examinations and an easily implementable dental health scoring system. Evidence-based guidance on periodontal therapy, radiology, and dental extractions also is included, together with details of minimum equipment recommendations. A key theme is WSAVA's rejection of anesthesia-free dentistry, which it describes as ineffective and a cause of unnecessary stress and suffering to patients. "Dental, oral, and maxillofacial diseases are, by far, the most common medical conditions in small animal veterinary medicine," said Brook Niemiec, DVM, DAVDC, co-chair of the WSAVA Dental Guidelines Committee. "They cause significant pain, as well as localized and potentially systemic infection but— because pets rarely show outward …
VitusVet adds direct appointment booking to suite of servicesOctober 4, 2017VitusVet, a pay-for-performance digital solution for veterinary practices, added direct appointment booking to its suite of services available to practices in North America.
Zoetis launches Witness FFH test to detect three feline diseasesOctober 4, 2017Zoetis Inc. announced the launch of Witness FFH, a triple test that detects antigens to feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline heartworm, as well as antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Witness FFH is a simple, convenient, and cost-effective test that requires no refrigeration and is priced comparably to current FeLV-FIV tests on the market with the added benefit of heartworm testing, the company stated. "Zoetis is committed to delivering high-quality, point-of-care diagnostics to help easily and affordably diagnose conditions or diseases that affect the quality or duration of a pet's life," said Chris Demiris, marketing director, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "The new Witness FFH test is a rapid, reliable test that helps keep cats healthy." "A shared clinical sign of all three diseases is vomiting, so a triple test helps veterinarians make accurate diagnoses more quickly," said Matthew Krecic, DVM, MS, MBA, DACVIM, senior technical services manager, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "Sick cats may also have FeLV or FIV; therefore, testing for those concurrent with heartworm is sensible." Veterinarians should consider testing for heartworm infection in cats because clinical signs can be confused with those of many other diseases, including feline asthma, …
MWI Animal Health, Securos Surgical invest in Serene LLCOctober 3, 2017MWI Animal Health and Securos Surgical, both a part of AmerisourceBergen, announced they have invested in the emerging pipeline of Serene LLC and will negotiate a distribution partnership with its veterinary subsidiary, Convetra Inc. "This investment by MWI and Securos is an important validation of the potential of our tin-117m in the veterinary marketplace," said Dennis Steadman, board director of Serene LLC. The proprietary tin-117m therapies being developed by Serene and Convetra are targeted to treat a variety of medical conditions afflicting companion animals, horses, and humans, according to MWI Animal Health. Convetra is currently conducting trials in canine osteoarthritis (OA) using tin-117m in a therapeutic approach called radiosynoviorthesis, the company stated. In the U.S., an estimated 20 percent of dogs one year of age or older—or about 16 million—are afflicted with some degree of OA, according to the company.
Dr. Mogens Hansen receives 2017 Henry Schein Cares International Veterinary Community Service AwardOctober 3, 2017Dr. Mogens Hansen, champion of global animal health and rabies vaccination programs, has received the fifth annual Henry Schein Cares International Veterinary Community Service Award. The Danish Small Animal Veterinary Association (DSAVA) nominated him in recognition for his long-standing involvement in animal welfare in developing countries. He received the award at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress 2017 in Copenhagen. Besides running his own small animal clinic in Denmark, since 2006 Dr. Hansen has participated in more than 15 animal birth control and rabies vaccination programs for stray dogs in India and Thailand. Vets Beyond Borders Denmark aims to neuter and vaccinate at least 70 percent of the street dog population in a particular area and ensure a local caregiver feeds the animals. Vets Beyond Borders Denmark has neutered and vaccinated more than 10,000 dogs and cats around the world. Hansen also supports a range of animal welfare projects in Central America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia. He is a co-founder of and contributor to netdyredoktor.dk, a website he developed with Danish colleagues that has become an online destination for animal health in the Nordic region. …
Zoetis seeks to award scholarships for 2018-2019October 3, 2017Zoetis Inc. and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges are partnering again to provide scholarships to second- and third-year veterinary students in the U.S. and the Caribbean. Recipients of the 2018 Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship Award will receive $2,000 for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. Interested students can apply at VETVANCE, a free online resource for veterinary students and recent graduates. The application period is from now through Nov. 30. Eligibility criteria Awards are given based on academic excellence, financial need, diversity, sustainability, leadership, and career interest. Scholarships will be awarded to students in all areas of professional interest, including food animal medicine, small animal clinical medicine, research, government services, public health, and organized veterinary medicine. The award is part of the Zoetis Commitment to Veterinarians, a platform the company created to support leadership and diversity among future veterinarians, and to help offset the significant costs associated with a veterinary education. Winners will be announced at the 2018 Student American Veterinary Medical Association Symposium. To date, Zoetis' program has awarded nearly $6 million in scholarships to more than 2,700 students. To learn more about …
They Ate What?! X-ray Contest 2017September 29, 2017 Our annual X-ray contest didn't fail to deliver on the most odd and incomprehensible items removed from the stomachs of clients' animal companions. We received dozens of entries—more than ever before—and it was close. Check out this year's winner and most honorable mentions! Check out the winner >
Canine rabies vaccination promises unexpected benefitsSeptember 28, 2017 New research funded by Morris Animal Foundation shows the rabies vaccine may have a positive impact on overall canine health and is associated with a decrease in death from all causes. Darryn Knobel, BVSc MSc MRCVS PhD, associate professor of epidemiology and population health at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine recently published his research results in the journal Vaccine. What the findings show The study found that vaccination reduces the risk of death from any cause by 56 percent in dogs 0 to 3 months of age. While all dogs had decreased mortality, the percentage decrease was highest in young dogs, with the effect diminishing over time. Dr. Knobel's study area incorporates an impoverished region of South Africa, where infectious diseases, including rabies, are an ever-present threat to humans and dogs. The research team concluded that the decrease in mortality couldn't be explained by a reduction in deaths due to rabies alone. "This led us to propose that the vaccine may have a non-specific protective effect in dogs, perhaps through boosting the immune system to provide enhanced defense against other, unrelated diseases," said Knobel. "A similar phenomenon has been observed in children, although …
Dental product earns veterinary oral health council sealSeptember 28, 2017Two clinical studies show that SwedencareUSA's ProDen PlaqueOff Dental Bites for dogs significantly reduce the formation of plaque and tartar. As a result, the bites earned the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) health claim seal "helps control plaque and tartar." Jerzy Gawor, DVM, Ph.D., president of Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations and president elect of the European Veterinary Dental College, performed the studies. "VOHC acceptance is an important indicator in the efficacy of pet dental health products," said Martin Shimko, president of SwedencareUSA in Poulsbo, Wash. "Pets love them, and now … there is science behind the product." Study methods Two groups of dogs, one group with small dogs, and one with small and medium size dogs, participated in the studies. Between two subgroups, one received ProDen PlaqueOff Dental Bites and one received a placebo without the bites' active ingredient, Ascophyllum nodosum. All dogs were examined and had their teeth cleaned prior to the study. Study results After 30 days, researchers measured for plaque and tartar. Groups receiving ProDen PlaqueOff Dental Bites had significantly less plaque and …
