Feds Propose Protecting Four Macaw Species As EndangeredJuly 6, 2012 In a proposal that could curtail interstate trade of four species of macaws, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service today proposed listing the great green macaw, hyacinth macaw and military macaw as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as certain subspecies and distinct populations of the scarlet macaw. To assist law enforcement efforts, the agency is further proposing to extend ESA protection to all scarlet macaws. “Endangered” status means that the species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Since 1987, all of the species have been listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which means they require both an export permit from the country of origin and an import permit from the country of destination to be traded internationally. This listing generally precludes commercial trade. In addition, imports of CITES-listed exotic birds, including all these macaws, into the U.S. was essentially eliminated by the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992. That act does allow for permits to be issued for scientific research, zoological breeding or as a personal pet when certain criteria are …
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PMI Nutrition Recalls Some Mazuri, LabDiet FeedsJuly 5, 2012After receiving some customer complaints about animal illness and small bird deaths, PMI Nutrition International LLC, a unit of St. Paul, Minn.-based Land O'Lakes Inc., has recalled four varieties of LabDiet and Mazuri feed products for small birds, guinea pigs, maned wolves and primates. The recalled products have the potential for elevated vitamin D levels, which can be harmful to animals if fed for extended periods, PMI reported. The recalled products are: Formula No. Item No. Description Lot No. 5025 0001330 Guinea Pig Diet 50# APR17122 56A6 0001452 Mazuri Small Bird Maintenance 25# APR15123 5MA2 0040996 Mazuri Primate Maintenance Biscuit 25# APR22122 5MD9 0011482 Mazuri Maned Wolf Diet 33# APR21122 The lot numbers are laser printed on the back of each bag, near the top, the company reported. The exotic animal feeds were manufactured at PMI's plant in Richmond, Ind., and distributed throughout the U.S. and to some international customers. PMI reports it has contacted dealers and has asked dealers to notify customers and retrieve the animal feed. The diets should not be fed, the company reported. Customers who purchased the recalled animal feed will receive a full refund and are urged to contact their local …
Pfizer Seeks Production Animal Research ProposalsJuly 3, 2012Pfizer Seeks Production Animal Research ProposalsPfizer, Pfizer research, animal research, Cattle Call grant program, animal research grantPfizer Animal Health is accepting research proposals its 2012 Cattle Call grant program.Pfizer will provide a grant of up to $100,000 to one or more individuals for research proposals that emphasize improvements in meat and milk production or immune function in beef or dairy cattle.newslinePfizer Seeks Production Animal Research ProposalsPosted: July 3, 2012, 6:15 p.m. EDT Pfizer Animal Health is accepting research proposals its 2012 Cattle Call grant program. Pfizer will provide a grant of up to $100,000 to one or more individuals for research proposals that emphasize improvements in meat and milk production or immune function in beef or dairy cattle. The company is especially interested in research aimed at improving meat and milk production and reducing respiratory and reproductive diseases in cattle. "We believe that the most productive way to advance veterinary research will be through an open model of innovation," said Michelle Haven, vice president of business development for global alliances and strategic planning with Pfizer. "By partnering with researchers who have specific areas of expertise and share our commitment to innovation, Pfizer Animal Health can help address unmet needs in …
Advances In Veterinary Medicine Improve Wound CareJuly 3, 2012 Wound healing is an uncomplicated process in animals for the most part, but challenges do arise. Fortunately, veterinary medicine has seen significant advances in wound management. “We have made great strides in our understanding of wound healing and the subcellular interactions that occur among growth factors, cytokines and other cells to create the extracellular matrix needed for wound healing,” says Bryden J. Stanley, MVetSc, MACVSc, Dipl. ACVS. “This understanding allows us to optimize the wound-healing environment.” Day 2 Most of the wounds that veterinarians treat are acute because of trauma, such as those suffered in a car crash or in a fight with another animal. Acute wounds include lacerations, punctures and degloving, or shear, injuries, according to Dr. Stanley, an assistant professor in the department of small animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Nicole Heinrich, DVM, whose practice is limited to dermatology, sees her share of chronic wounds in patients treated at McKeever Dermatology Clinic in Eden Prairie, Minn. With animals, “chronic” describes wounds that heal slowly because of an underlying condition. After VAC therapy, Blueberry’s wound was sutured on day 4. Therapy …
FTC Workshop To Look At Pet Med PricingJuly 3, 2012 The Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, to examine the ways pet medications are distributed to consumers and how these practices affect consumer choice and price competition, the agency reported today. “American consumers spend a tremendous amount of money on medications for their pets every year. High prices on these medications mean that consumers have less money for necessities. It’s important that these medications are safe and effective and that pet owners get the benefits of a fair and robust marketplace,” said Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the FTC. “This workshop will help us understand these and other issues related to the medications we buy for our pets to keep them healthy.” The workshop will be free and open to the public, and pre-registration is not required. The FTC has not yet released an agenda for the workshop, which will be held at the commission’s satellite conference center in Washington, D.C., but questions to be addressed include: How are pet medications distributed to consumers? What are the business rationales for various pet medication distribution practices? How do these practices affect prices to consumers? …
Foreign Objects Cause Pedigree Dog Food RecallJuly 2, 2012 Mars Petcare US recalled three varieties of Pedigree weight management canned dog food products due to a potential choking risk, the Franklin, Tenn.-based company reported Saturday. The affected products may contain small pieces of blue plastic, which entered the food during the production process. Mars identified the source of the plastic and resolved the issue, the company reported. Some consumers have found plastic pieces, but Mars has not received any reports of injury or illness with from the recalled food. Mars is working with distributors and retail customers to ensure the recalled products are not being sold and are removed from inventory. The company encouraged consumers who purchased recalled cans to return them to the retailer for a full refund or exchange. The recalled products include Pedigree weight management canned dog foods with a lot code printed on the end of the can that begins with 209, 210, 211 or 212 and a Best Before date that falls between 2/24/2014 and 3/23/2014, and the following UPCs and descriptions: UPC Description 2310034974 Pedigree Healthy Weight Premium Ground Entrée in Meaty Juices 2310001913 …
DOT May Expand Pet Incident Reporting For AirlinesJuly 2, 2012 Prompted by letters from U.S. Senators and a petition submitted in 2010 by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the U.S. Department of Transportation in late June proposed expanding its reporting requirements for airlines that transport animals. “This new rule is good news for animal lovers,” said Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary. “It will help ensure that all animals can be transported safely and will enable consumers to more accurately compare airlines when it comes to the care provided to their pets in the air.” Proposed changes include extending the mandate to an additional 21 U.S. airlines (currently only the 15 largest U.S. airlines are required to report animal losses, injuries and deaths) and to require reports for all cats and dogs transported (current rules only apply to animals transported as pets by their owners but not those transported commercially by breeders and distributors). With the expansion of airlines to include all airlines operating at least one plane with 60 or more passenger seats, the reporting requirement would apply to airlines carrying 99.6 percent of domestic passengers and 98 percent of international passengers that travel on …
Vets Trusted, But Seen Less Often By Owners, Survey SaysJune 29, 2012 Pet owners are spending less money and visiting the veterinarian less frequently, but they still rely on veterinarians to help them make spending choices for their pets, according to a recent survey. Pet owners rely on veterinarians as their primary channel for pet products, including flea and tick control, heartworm prevention, joint health, pain management and therapeutic food, according to the survey, conducted in November by consulting firms Pert Group of Hartford, Conn., and Brakke Consulting of Dallas. However, respondents visited the veterinarian nearly 20 percent less in 2011 than they did in 2007, when Pert and Brakke conducted the first study. And the portion of pet owners who visit the veterinarian at all declined from 88 percent in 2007 to 77 percent in 2011. “Dogs and cats are feeling the bite of the recession as pet owners put a leash on pet care expenses,” said Susan Spaulding, executive vice president and principal at Pert. “The recession has not only decreased what consumers spend on their own health, but what they spend at the veterinarian.” Cat owners spent 28 percent less on heartworm prevention, 23 percent less on dental products and 20 percent less on flea …
Study Highlights Shelters’ Success In Finding Owners Of Microchipped PetsJune 28, 2012 <img alt=" border=" 1"="" height="140" hspace="3" data-cke-saved-src="/images/vpn-tab-image/shelter-cat1-250px.jpg" src="/images/vpn-tab-image/shelter-cat1-250px.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;"> Pets that are microchipped have a better chance of being returned to their owner after entering an animal shelter than those that are not, according to a recent study by Linda Lord, DVM, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State and service head for Community Practice, Outreach and Shelter Medicine. Specifically, the return-to-owner rate for cats was 20 times higher and for dogs 2.5 times higher for microchipped pets than were the rates of return for all stray cats and dogs that had entered the shelter. “This is the first time there has been good data about the success of shelters finding the owners of pets with microchips,” Dr. Lord said. “We found that shelters did much better than they thought they did at returning animals with microchips to their owners.” For the study, 53 shelters in 23 states agreed to maintain monthly records about microchipped animals brought to the facilities. Only shelters that automatically conduct scans for microchips on all animals were eligible to participate. Collectively, there were …
Searching Nearby Best Strategy for Finding Lost Pets, Study SaysJune 28, 2012The keys to finding a lost pet include searching within one’s neighborhood, putting up posters, using the Internet and checking local shelters, according to a survey conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The ASPCA interviewed more than 1,000 pet-owning households to find out if they lost a dog or cat in the past five years, and if they did, whether or not they found the pet and where they looked. Among those surveyed: 15 percent had lost a dog or cat in the past five years; 14 percent of dog owners lost their dog in the past five years; 15 percent of cat owners lost their cat in the past five years; 85 percent of those lost dogs and cats were recovered; 74 percent of lost cats were recovered; 93 percent of lost dogs were recovered; 49 percent of dog owners found their dog by searching the neighborhood; 15 percent of dogs were recovered because they were wearing an ID tag or had a microchip; 30 percent found their cat by searching the neighborhood; 59 percent of cat guardians found their cat …
