AVMA Releases Video On DeclawingJuly 15, 2011The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) released an educational video for cat owners on declawing and its alternatives. The video offers guidance for pet owners considering declawing their cats. “Scratching is a normal cat behavior used to mark territory, condition claws and stretch,” said Bruce Nixon, DVM, incoming chair of the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee. “Unwanted clawing can be reduced by providing cats with suitable scratching surfaces, regularly trimming their nails and using synthetic nail caps. While our priority is to avoid declawing through the use of these alternatives, there are situations in which declawing may be necessary. If that's the case, aggressive pain management is absolutely necessary.” AVMA policy says veterinarians must educate cat owners regarding the decision to declaw their cat. The AVMA recommends that declawing be considered only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from destructive clawing or when clawing presents the risk of an injury or disease. The video can be downloaded here. The video demonstrates a laser declaw procedure and provides owners with information about cats’ normal scratching behaviors, other types of declaw procedures and the importance of pain management. <Home>
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UC Davis Veterinarians ID A Protein That Helps Treat Lymphoma In DogsJuly 15, 2011 A team of veterinary and human medical researchers at the University of California, Davis identified a protein that appears to play a key role in the formation of lymphoma and other tumors by inhibiting a tumor-suppressing gene. In a study funded in part by the National Institutes for Health, researchers found the protein may be a potential target for diagnosing and treating lymphoma in animals and humans. “Results from this study suggest that a gene known as RNPC1 may play a key role in the development of lymphoma,” said Xinbin Chen, a veterinary oncologist and lead researcher in the study with appointments in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the UC Davis School of Medicine. Lymphoma occurs spontaneously in dogs, representing 6 percent of all canine cancers. In their study, UC Davis researchers examined several types of human cancer cells as well as cells isolated from a mouse embryo, known as embryonic mouse fibroblasts. The team showed that the RNPC1 gene inhibited the activity of the p53 gene and reduced levels of the p53 protein in these cells. Conversely, p53 protein levels increased when RNPC1 was out of the picture. The researchers …
Merial Introduces Treatment For Respiratory Disease In CattleJuly 14, 2011 Merial today announced the U.S. launch of Zactran, an antimicrobial used to treat bovine respiratory (BRD) disease. Zactran is available by prescription only and was specifically developed to treat BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle, as well as to control respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle at high risk of developing BRD associated with M.haemolytica and P. multocida. Two key features of the product, officials said, are its response time and duration of efficacy. Zactran provides response in 24 hours and has a 10-day duration of efficacy in a single dose, according to Merial. “BRD causes between $800 to $900 million annually in economic losses from death, reduced feed efficiency and treatment costs,” said Bruce Nosky, DVM, manager of Merial’s Large Animal Veterinary Services. “Given the significant impact of BRD, veterinarians need cattle to respond quickly to treatment.” Company officials said it began shipping the product, which comes in 100mL, 250mL and 500mL bottle sizes, to veterinarian distributors this week. They will announce specific pricing to veterinarians, who will price it accordingly to their clients. The price will be competitive with other BRD …
U.K. Keeps Pre-Travel Deworming RequirementJuly 14, 2011 The European Commission agreed with the U.K. veterinary authorities to maintain controls against the tapeworm echinococcus multilocularis (EM). The commission adopted a regulation that requires pre-movement treatment for dogs travelling to the U.K., Ireland, Finland and Malta. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced in June that the U.K.’s deviation from European pet travel rules, which allows additional protection for the U.K. against rabies, ticks and tapeworms, would end Dec. 31. The movement rules on rabies and ticks will now be parallel with the rest of Europe. “This has been a long process but the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) put forward the strong scientific case for the U.K. to maintain tapeworm controls and we are delighted that the European Commission has adopted this resolution,” said Harvey Locke, president of the BVA. “In our role as guardians of public health vets were deeply concerned that the removal of tapeworm controls would see the introduction of EM to the U.K. and Ireland." The BVA and BSAVA worked with DEFRA, the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and colleagues in Ireland to lobby the European Commission for controls on tapeworms …
U.K. Vet Study To Detail Common Disease Conditions, Evidence-Based MedicineJuly 14, 2011 Veterinarians with the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine and the University of Nottingham in Loughborough, U.K. are conducting a study to identify common disease conditions or clinical signs seen by veterinarians. The study will also explore awareness of evidence-based medicine within the veterinary profession. Dr. Marnie Brennan, deputy director of the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine and lecturer in epidemiology at the school of veterinary medicine and science at the University of Nottingham, and Dr. Rachel Dean, associate professor in feline medicine at the University of Nottingham in the medicine and health sciences are organizing the study. “We are interested in collecting responses from vets doing any kind of work - clinical, government, or advisory,” Dr. Brennan said. “In addition, we would like to identify which resources veterinarians use to obtain information relating to veterinary issues. We feel this survey is quite fitting considering 2011 is World Veterinary Year.” Information is being gathered via Web survey. “This research has received ethical approval from the school of veterinary medicine and science ethics committee at the University of Nottingham, U.K.,” Brennan said. “All responses will be anonymous. The findings from this research will be published in peer …
AVMA Policy Update On Online Sales TaxJuly 14, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) adopted a policy at the association’s June executive board meeting that supports states collecting sales tax on online purchases by out-of-state customers. The AVMA State Advocacy Committee proposed the association's new policy stating that current federal law puts brick and mortar merchants at a disadvantage compared with online retailers who can charge less for the same products. “It's about leveling the playing field,” said Dr. Sullivan, owner of a five-doctor small animal practice in Torrance, Calif. and member of the state advocacy committee. “I have no problems competing with any other form of veterinary medicine as long as we're on the same playing field.” Congress has prohibited state and local governments from levying sales taxes on Internet access since the 1990s. Lawmakers extended the law three times, most recently with the Internet Tax Freedom Act Amendments Act of 2007, which continued the sales tax moratorium through Nov. 1, 2014. The AVMA committee explained in its recommendation to the executive board that veterinary clinics in states selling drugs on-site must charge sales tax, while Internet pharmacies can sell the same drugs across state lines at a cheaper price because they …
UF Veterinary Researchers ID Possible Vaccine Substances For Anaplasmosis In CattleJuly 13, 2011 Researchers at the University of Florida (U.F.) College of Veterinary Medicine say proteins common to multiple strains of Anaplasma marginale, a tick-borne pathogen could hold the key to developing an effective vaccine against the disease. The disease costs the U.S. cattle industry an estimated $300 million a year. UF veterinary scientists sequenced the genes of multiple strains of the bacteria to identify common substances that could be candidates for vaccine development. Anaplasma bacteria infect red blood cells making infected animals develop a fever, difficulty breathing and anemia. It's estimated that 30 percent of the animals that contract bovine anaplasmosis die. “At the DNA level, we examined genes to determine how similar they are among various strains of the disease,” said Michael J. Dark, DVM, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the college’s department of infectious diseases and pathology. “If they show similarity, they are probably better vaccine candidates because they would presumably offer cross-protection against multiple strains.” Attempts have been made since the early 1900s to develop a vaccine against Anaplasma marginale, but none have provided complete protection against infection with different strains of the bacteria, Dr. Dark said. Previous studies focused on two particular proteins, …
Green Sea Turtle Returns To Ocean After Tumor RemovalJuly 12, 2011 An 8.5-pound tumor was recently removed from a male green sea turtle at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA)'s Marine Turtle Research in Honolulu, Hawaii. Robert A. Morris, DVM, MS, marine biologist and an independent contractor for NOAA, performed the surgery. Dr. Morris has worked with the sea turtle program out of the Makai Animal Clinic Kailua, Hawaii for more than 15 years. “I knew there would be a lot of bleeding from a previous removal of a five pound tumor on another turtle in the same area,” Morris said. “Tying off bleeders is difficult in this area because part of the bone is invaded.” During the 20-minute procedure, Morris used Celox granules on the turtle to slow bleeding. He said the product made the operation easier as very little blood loss occurred. George Balazs, a sea turtle biologist at the NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, said the surgery to remove the tumor was only the second in Hawaii in the past nine years. Hawaiian sea turtles are a threatened species and are protected under federal law. The sea turtle was released post surgery into the ocean near Maui. <Home>
VCA Antech To Acquire MediMedia Animal HealthJuly 11, 2011 The animal healthcare company VCA Antech Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire MediMedia Animal Health LLC (Vetstreet) an online veterinary communications, education and marketing solutions company located in Yardley, Pa. VCA Antech will acquire MediMedia’s Vetstreet for $146 million in cash. The acquisition is conditioned on the expiration or earlier termination of the Hart-Scott Rodino waiting period and other customary conditions. Closing is expected in September. “We are excited about combining Vetstreet with our existing businesses,” said Bob Antin, chairman and CEO of VCA Antech. “This combination will provide both companies with outstanding growth opportunities. Vetstreet has a history of strong year-over-year revenue growth, including growth of approximately 72 percent from 2009 to 2010, as well as an estimated growth rate in excess of 50 percent from 2010 to 2011. Vetstreet's approach to providing services to veterinarians and pet owners, combined with our presence in the animal hospital and diagnostic laboratory businesses, will expand the breadth of our product offerings to the veterinary community.” Continuing education with Vetlearn, pharmaceutical and nutritional reports through VetInsite Analytics, a consumer portal with Vetstreet and communications service with Vetstreet Pro, are products now under VCA Antech ownership. …
Lincoln Memorial University To Open Veterinary College In 2012July 11, 2011 Lincoln Memorial University (LMU), in Harrogate, Tenn., plans to open a veterinary college in 2012, upping the U.S. veterinary school count to 29. The university says it will be the first to offer a six-year option for students to earn a bachelor's degree and a DVM, knocking two years off the typical stretch. Officials say the shorter time to earn a degree would reduce tuition costs and be an incentive for students to apply. LMU notified the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools of its intent to initiate a College of Veterinary and Comparative Medicine (CVCM). LMU is located in the Cumberland Gap region of the Appalachian Mountains, close to the Kentucky and Virginia boarders. The need for veterinarians in the rural region is vast considering the livelihood of local farmers and residents depend on animals, according to LMU. “The proposed CVCM will seek to fulfill the mission of Lincoln Memorial University of serving the health and wellness needs of animals and people within rural communities, especially within the Appalachian region, by providing an educational opportunity to Appalachian residents,” said Randy Evans CVCM dean. “The CVCM will make veterinary education more …
