Recalls Issued For Dog Treats, Horse FeedJanuary 31, 2011Merrick Pet Care Inc. of Amarillo, Texas, is recalling its Jr. Texas Taffy pet treat due to potential Salmonella contamination. The decision is “in the abundance of caution,” the company said. No illnesses have been reported to date, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which sent out a media alert today. Specifically, the Jr. Texas Taffy pet treat recall includes Item #27077, UPC #02280827077 and all lots up to and including 10364. The treats were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the United States. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures, according to the FDA. Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain, according to the FDA. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. Pet owners are urged to contact their veterinarian if their pet has consumed the recalled product and have these symptoms. Salmonella can also be a risk to humans. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any …
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Nebraska Mulls New Dog Breeder RegulationsJanuary 28, 2011 A Nebraska bill that seeks to establish new regulations for the state’s commercial dog breeders is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) claims the bill would adversely affect state breeders and is urging interested parties to make their voices heard by state lawmakers. Legislative Bill 427 defines a commercial dog breeder as any person: • who sells, exchanges, leases, or in any way transfers or offers to sell, exchange, lease, or transfer 31 or more dogs in a 12-month period beginning on April 1 of each year; • who owns or harbors four or more dogs, intended for breeding, in a 12-month period beginning on April 1 of each year; • whose dogs produce a total of four or more litters within a 12-month period beginning on April 1 of each year; or • who knowingly sells, exchanges, or leases dogs for later retail sale or brokered trading, regardless of the number of animals. Under this proposal, commercial dog breeders would be eligible to receive an “outstanding designation” from the state Department of Agriculture. To qualify, the breeder must pass all of the inspection components established …
Abaxis To Form Commercial Laboratory For VetsJanuary 27, 2011Abaxis Inc. has plans to enter the animal health commercial laboratory market with a new alliance with Kansas State University, K-State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab and the National Institute for Strategic Technology Acquisition and Commercialization, the commercial arm of Kansas State University. The Union City, Calif.-based company made the announcement today. The alliance will prove a full service commercial laboratory for veterinarians across the United States, according to Abaxis. “We have been working on this project for one and a half years, and are excited that the strategic alliance has finally come together so we can get to work on executing the plans that have been in place for some time now,” said Clint Severson, Abaxis CEO and Chairman of the Board. The Abaxis Veterinary Reference Laboratory (AVRL) will be based in the Kansas City area. Abaxis reported secured employment agreements with senior executives and extensive experience in start-up, operation and commercialization of laboratory services. The company also said it has contracted with consultants with broad experience in animal health laboratory commercialization and has had extensive Abaxis Advisory Board participation in the planning phases of the laboratory. “While this venture will be a full service, highly competitive commercial laboratory, it will …
The Benefits Of Medical Massage FootnotesJanuary 24, 2011The Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesThe Benefits of Medical Massage FootnotesBy Narda Robinson, DVM, DO1. Calvert RN. The History of Massage. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, 2002, p. 27. 2. Mainous RO. Infant massage as a component of developmental care: past, present, and future. Holist Nurs Pract. 2002;17(1):1-7. 3. Diego MA and Field T. Moderate pressure massage elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response. International Journal of Neuroscience. 2009;119:630-638. 4. Touch Research Institute. Massage Therapy Research. Touchpoints. 2010;17(3):1. Accessed at http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research/Touchpoints%20Summer%202010.pdf on 07-20-10. 5. Diego MA and Field T. Moderate pressure massage elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response. International Journal of Neuroscience. 2009;119:630-638. 6. Diego MA, Field T, and Hernandez-Reif M. Temperature increases in preterm infants during massage therapy. Infant Behav Dev. 2008;31(1):149-152. 7. Feldman R, Singer M, and Zagoory O. Touch attenuates infants' physiological reactivity to stress. Developmental Science. 2010;13(2):271-278. 8. Diego MA and Field T. Moderate pressure massage elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response. International Journal of Neuroscience. 2009;119:630-638. 9. Lutz W and Sulkowski WJ. Vagus nerve participates in regulation of the airways: inflammatory response and hyperreactivity induced by occupational …
Acupuncture, Massage Can Get Gut GoingJanuary 24, 2011About a third of human patients with digestive disorders “follow their gut” and seek help from complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches designed to restore normal motility and glandular function.1 People may feel queasy about the risks of side effects from laxatives, enemas and psychoactive medications, whether they themselves or their animal companions are suffering from gastrointestinal (GI) complaints.2 Even when certain patients still require medications, their systems’ response to pharmacotherapy may prove inadequate. Introducing acupuncture and massage as neuromodulatory techniques can speed recovery and reduce reliance on drugs. Effective neuromodulation requires an understanding of the neural pathways involved and the means by which the one can restore normal firing patterns in the nervous system. When they design a neuromodulatory treatment, medical acupuncturists and massage therapists target body regions that send signals through peripheral nerves, spinal reflex pathways and brainstem nuclei. 3 An additional consideration in digestive disorders includes focus on the enteric nervous system (ENS). The ENS comprises a network of nearly 100 million neurons embedded within the walls of the alimentary canal. This impressive population of nerves can operate independently of the brain and spinal cord so that, in the absence of central nervous system …
FDA Seeks Public Comment On NARMS Strategic PlanJanuary 24, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine is soliciting public comment on its “National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (NARMS) Strategic Plan.” The agency made the document available today. Comments will be accepted until March 25. The document, described by the FDA as a “dynamic roadmap,” outlines the program’s strategic goals and objectives for 2011 through 2015 on the issue of sustained food safety through monitoring and research. Specifically, the goals are: • To develop, implement and optimize a shared database, with advanced data acquisition, analysis and reporting tools; • To make sampling more representative and more applicable to trend analysis; • To strengthen collaborative research projects; and • To support international activities that promote food safety, especially those that promote mitigation of the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance determinants. The FDA noted that these goals build on progress made since NARMS’ inception in 1996. The program—established as a partnership between the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture—is a national public health surveillance system that tracks antibiotic resistance in foodborne bacteria. NARMS monitors antimicrobial susceptibility among enteric bacteria from food animals, …
New Regenerative Center To Treat Both Animal, Human PatientsJanuary 20, 2011 The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and the Wake Forest University’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., have signed an agreement to form the Virginia Tech/Wake Forest Center for Veterinary Regenerative Medicine (CVRM). The agreement, which was announced today, facilitates the application of cutting-edge regenerative treatments to both human and animal patients, according to the two groups. As part of the collaboration, clients at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital may have the option to enter their pets into clinical trials, giving them access to cutting edge technology unavailable elsewhere, the vet college noted. In return, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine will have the ability to evaluate new regenerative medicine techniques in spontaneously occurring animal diseases that can be models for human disease. “The CVRM is a tremendous opportunity to provide new medical alternatives for animals, including loved household pets, while generating scientific knowledge that can save and transform human lives,” said Roger Avery, senior associate dean of research and graduate studies at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Chronic kidney disease in cats is one area of current research interest. It is being treated in an effort to induce kidney …
Fellowship Recipients Will Focus On Animal Health ResearchJanuary 19, 2011 Five veterinary professionals were recently awarded with The Pfizer Animal Health-Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Fellowship for Advanced Degree. Pfizer Animal Health and Morris Animal Foundation made the announcement today. The fellowships are in an effort to address the critical shortage of veterinary scientists. “Most veterinary students choose clinical practice instead of research careers, resulting in a critical need for new scientists capable of conducting research necessary to advance veterinary medicine,” said Cathy Knupp, vice president of veterinary medical research and development for Pfizer Animal Health. Each fellow will receive $60,000 per year for four years—provided equally by Pfizer Animal Health, Morris Animal Foundation and the student’s academic institution—for living expenses and tuition while pursuing advance veterinary study. Upon receiving their degree, graduates commit to stay in the animal health research field for at least four years. “By providing students with a living wage while they pursue advanced scientific training, this fellowship program opens the door to new careers for veterinary professionals and helps enrich the future of veterinary medical advances,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, group director of veterinary medical services and corporate citizenship for Pfizer Animal Health. The recipients are: …
Idexx Still Seeks Participants For Feline Cardiac Disease SurveyJanuary 18, 2011 Idexx Laboratories Inc. reported yesterday that it is still enrolling participants for its feline cardiac disease survey. Initial findings are already shedding new light on the prevalence of feline heart disease and the profile of cats at risk, according to the Westbrook, Maine-based company. For instance, preliminary results verify prior studies that found one in six cats are at risk for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The survey, which will continue to enroll participants through the first half of 2011, was launched by Idexx last spring. How the study works: veterinarians complete the online or printable form, screen feline patients with the Cardiopet proBNP Test and fax or enter results online. Details can be found at idexx.com/knowcardio. To date, more than 3,500 patients have been tested as part of Idexx’s survey, and more than 90 percent of practices have said they have taken action—rechecking results or recommending a referral to a cardiologist based on elevated Cardiopet proBNP results. “Based on results collected to date, we believe that veterinarians should advise cat owners to have their at-risk pets tested for cardiac conditions more regularly,” said Andrew Beardow, BVM&S, Dip. ACVIM (cardiology) of Idexx. “Most owners don’t …
Dirty Mouths, Euthanasia Denial And UsJanuary 18, 2011 Some recent new clients were special. An aged woman was accompanied by her adult granddaughter with a middle-aged min-pin in tow. The subject at hand was perhaps the most impressively putrid mouth I’ve beheld in more than 15 years of practice. And yep, you guessed it: The owner declined to treat. How bad was said cavity of doom? Let’s just say her osteomyelitis was so severe this dog no longer possessed a cranial mandible. Her canines sagged ineffectually in what was left of their sockets, held aloft more by the mass of matted hair and heavy tartar than by the promise of any alveolar bone below. Of course, this dog could no longer close her mouth, which was why the old woman had deigned to allow her granddaughter to drag the dog to a vet. The woman was obviously not happy to be there. In her early 90s and hard of hearing, she loudly cleared up any remaining doubt as to her reluctance, accusing me of trying to steal her savings when her dog wanted for nothing in her care. This, after a detailed explanation of periodontal disease with a way-beyond-textbook example as Exhibit A. Worst. …
