Genetics Tell An ‘Out Of Africa’ StoryJune 2, 2010 How did Charles Darwin buck the accepted theory of creation during the 1800s without the help of genetics? He was the ultimate zoologist, observer and collector. Darwin had experts analyze hundreds of fossils and thousands of animals collected during his five-year trip to South America and the Galapagos Islands aboard the Beagle (1831-36). The ship was commissioned to map the harbors and coastline of South America. Darwin spent 30 years working on his theory before publishing his revolutionary book “The Origin of the Species.” His theory challenged the world to think of evolution by natural selection over the millennia. It was widely debated before being accepted during his lifetime. This is the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s book, and this year also marks the seventh anniversary since the human genome was completed. The cat, dog and horse genomes are now also completed. These achievements allow genomic scientists to track the true “origin of the species” by probing for shared ancestral mitochondrial DNA found in ancient bones from archaeological sites around the world. The Molecular Clock It is hard to believe, as we look at today’s genetic diversity, that humans, house cats, dogs and some horses shared …
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Animal-Only Insulin Still In InfancyJune 2, 2010The lack of a steady, reliable insulin supply for the veterinary industry used to be an obstacle to regulating pet diabetes, experts say. Today, owner acceptance and education are additional hurdles, but manufacturers are working to simplify the management of the disease for clients and veterinarians. Instead of relying solely on human insulin makers, several drug companies are catering to the veterinary industry and seeking Food and Drug Administration approval of their products. They also are investing in research to discover how to make diabetes maintenance more successful. Lauren Boyd, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Grand Rapids, Mich., says she uses as many types of insulin as she can in order to understand them. “It’s a pain to switch insulin once the animal is regulated, but it is necessary sometimes when the product is discontinued or there’s a problem with it,” Dr. Boyd says. She says she follows advancements in insulin offerings and in making diabetes more bearable for the pet and owner, but she has questions about one company’s pending introduction of a transdermal insulin delivery system. Novartis Animal Health signed an agreement March 31 with Phosphagenics Ltd., an Australian pharmaceutical company, to develop the system …
Osteosarcoma StatisticsJune 2, 2010 Here are some numbers to keep in mind when dealing with osteosarcoma of long bones: Early peak in age: two years Late peak in age: eight years Breeds: most often large and giant Area most affected: the metaphysis of long bones Front leg: often “away from the elbow” Hind leg: “close to the knee” may be debatable Front vs. back: front limbs are affected twice as often as hind legs Without chemotherapy, 90 percent will metastasize within one year Average survival with amputation alone: four months Average survival with radiation therapy alone: four months Average survival with amputation and chemo: 10 months, though some say one year What on earth is limb sparing? Limb sparing, or “limb spare,” is a highly specialized limb salvage procedure that consists of en bloc excision of the tumor. Depending on the specific location, the missing bone may or may not need to be replaced with some sort of graft. The most common and practical location for limb sparing is the distal radius. The missing bone can be replaced with a variety of grafts: the distal ulna; the distal radius segment itself after radiation or pasteurization; …
VCA Antech To Acquire Pet DRxJune 2, 2010VCA Antech to Acquire Pet DRxVCA Antech to Acquire Pet DRxnewslinePosted: Wednesday, June 2, 2010, 12:43 p.m., EDT VCA Antech Inc. of Los Angeles, Calif., has signed a definitive merger agreement with Pet DRx Corp. for $41.25 million in cash. Pet DRx operates 23 animal hospitals in California and has annual revenue of about $64 million. On completion of the merger, the combined companies will operate more than 520 animal hospitals in 40 states. "I am very pleased with the combination of the two companies," said Bob Antin, chairman and chief executive officer of VCA Antech. "Both companies have hospitals in the California market, with a presence in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Diego, Sacramento and Coachella Valley. The combination will allow the hospitals to share valuable medical and management capabilities with a continuing focus on delivering the highest quality of veterinary care. "We are excited about the opportunities to explore and expand our teaching programs and the outreach that the combination of these hospitals provides. We look forward to combining the hospital management teams to build a more effective presence in the California market." Under the agreement, the $41.25 million in cash will be applied first to pay …
Thoracic Radiographs Effective Screening Test In Older Pets, K-State Researchers SayJune 1, 2010Thoracic Radiographs Effective Screening Test in Older Pets, K-State Researchers SayThoracic Radiographs Effective Screening Test in Older Pets, K-State Researchers SaynewslinePosted: Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 4:59 p.m., EDT Kansas State University researchers recently found that thoracic radiographs are an effective screening measure to detect nonclinical disease in geriatric dogs and cats. At K-State's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, senior animals can be enrolled in a program that includes screenings every six to 12 months. The exam includes a physical examination, blood work, urinalysis and fecal examination. A thoracic radiograph is included in the 12-month screening. Laura Armbrust, DVM, Dipl. ACVR, associate professor of radiology at K-State, and Dakota Chambers, a sophomore in biology, reviewed medical records from the teaching hospital of all dogs and cats that had undergone geriatric screening from May 2005 to September 2009. For the study, geriatric dogs were defined as 7 years old and older and geriatric cats as 11 years old and older. The researchers were most interested in looking for thoracic disease in animals that did not have signs of clinical disease. The researchers found that significant thoracic radiographic abnormalities were present in 17 percent of the cats in the study and 4 percent of …
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Found In ArizonaMay 28, 2010 The World Organization for Animal Health reported May 28 that vesicular stomatitis virus was detected in three horses in Cochise County, Ariz. The organization received the information from John Clifford, DVM, deputy administrator for the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS and the Arizona Department of Agriculture are conducting an epidemiological investigation of the event. The premises where the virus was discovered has been quarantined. The owners were advised to separate animals bearing lesions from healthy animals, implement on-farm insect control programs and use protective measures when handling affected animals to avoid human exposure to the disease. Vesicular stomatitis virus, last detected in Arizona in spring 2005, commonly occurs during warm months in the Southwest, particularly along river ways and in valleys, according to the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Texas and New Mexico had a few cases last year. Horses, cattle and swine are most susceptible to vesicular stomatitis virus. Infected animals may have blister-like lesions in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves and teats. The blisters swell and break, leaving raw tissue that may cause the animals to refuse to eat or drink and show signs …
APHIS Enforcement Of Dog Breeder Regulations CriticizedMay 27, 2010 The federal agency responsible for enforcing animal welfare laws was ineffective in achieving compliance with "problematic” dog dealers, according to a report released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). The report followed an audit of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) animal care unit, which is responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. In addition to citing the agency’s lack of effectiveness in enforcing the act, OIG took issue with how some violations were documented as well as how penalties were calculated and assessed. The report also highlighted how some large-scale breeders circumvent USDA oversight because they sell dogs over the Internet. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) said it hopes the findings will lead to better enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. Already, federal appointed and elected officials have offered administrative and legislative reforms. As part of its audit, OIG reviewed the animal care unit’s inspections of dog dealers with a history of violations. OIG also visited 81 dealer facilities in eight states. The report states that the animal care unit believed that education and cooperation would result in long-term dealer compliance and, accordingly, …
FDA Joins Vet2011May 26, 2010 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has joined national and international veterinary groups in calling 2011 the World Veterinary Year, also being referred to as Vet2011. 2011 marks the 250th anniversary of veterinary education. The world’s first veterinary school was founded in Lyon, France, in 1761 at the initiative of French veterinarian Claude Bourgelat. By setting up the world’s first veterinary training institution, Bourgelat, in turn, created the veterinary profession itself, according to the World Organization for Animal Health and the other founding members of Vet2011. The aim in celebrating Vet2011 is to improve public awareness and remind policymakers that modern veterinarians are not only animal doctors and animal welfare advocates, but also key public health stakeholders because of their role in promoting food security by supervising animal production hygiene, controlling zoonoses, monitoring food quality and safety, biomedical research and protecting the environment and biodiversity. The official opening ceremony of the World Veterinary Year will take place in Versailles, France, on Jan. 24, 2011. The American Veterinary Medical Association will host a symposium on the topic during its annual convention, to be held July 16-19, 2011 in St. Louis, Mo.
FDA And NIH Launch Website For Reporting Food And Drug Safety IssuesMay 25, 2010 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health launched a new website on May 24, 2010 that allows consumers to report safety problems related to pet foods and treats, among other features. The Safety Reporting Portal is designed to provide consumers, veterinarians, animal drug manufacturers and other parties in the food and drug industries with a mechanism to report pre- and post-market safety information to the federal government. “The portal will be a key detection tool in improving the country’s nationwide surveillance system and will strengthen our ability to protect the nation’s health,” FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg said. “We will now be able to analyze human and animal safety related events more quickly and identify those measures needed to protect the public.” The new website includes sections for the following: Reportable Food Registry - A more user-friendly electronic portal for submitting food reports as required by law. It collects reports from the food industry and public health officials regarding problems with food, including animal feed, that presents a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse heath consequences or death to humans or animals; . Pet Consumables …
Cuba Reports Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease OutbreaksMay 24, 2010 Cuba has reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) two outbreaks of rabbit hemorrhagic disease. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an extremely contagious and fatal viral disease of domesticated and wild rabbits belonging to the Oryctolagus cuniculus species, according to OIE. Outbreaks have been reported at farms in Baragua and Venezuela. Both municipalities are located in Cuba’s Ciego de Avila province. In Baragua, Cuba’s ministry of agriculture reported 2345 rabbits as susceptible, 945 cases, 945 deaths and 1,400 rabbits as destroyed. In Venezuela, the ministry reported 140 rabbits as susceptible, 41 cases, 41 deaths and 99 destroyed. The first confirmation of the disease occurred on May 18. The outbreaks are still recorded as unresolved, according to OIE. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted. The last outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease reported in Cuba was in August 2005. According to OIE, the disease has always been confined to Cuba’s western provinces, but the recent occurrence has taken place in a province in the central-eastern region of the country. A disease emergency has been declared in the region and the neighboring areas. A disease alert has been declared for the entire country. The use …
