Opinion: Let’s Reform Health Care For A Better TomorrowOctober 26, 2009 Health-care reform would be especially good for our profession, as practice owners and employers wouldn’t have the financial burden and social obligation of carrying health insurance for their employees. Many veterinary hospitals, like other small businesses, don't always have the money or the will to offer health coverage as a benefit. One of my former receptionists, Martha, had health-care insurance during the six years she was on my staff. Then she went to work at another hospital that did not provide health insurance. When Martha developed symptoms of a urinary tract infection, she delayed going to see the doctor because she and her husband were saving for a house and she was uninsured. Six weeks later, she did go to the doctor and was told she had advanced cervical cancer. Martha died in three days. She was only 32 and had been married for 10 years. Everyone who knew Martha was upset that she put off seeing the doctor because she didn’t have health insurance. This is a sad but true story. Many people believe that not having insurance isn't a good excuse for not getting yourself checked out if a problem comes …
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Boehringer Ingelheim To Acquire Fort Dodge Products From PfizerOctober 26, 2009 Boehringer Ingelheim and its subsidiary Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. reported Oct. 26 that it will acquire a “significant portion” of the Fort Dodge Animal Health business from Pfizer Animal Health. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Pfizer Inc., parent company of Pfizer Animal Health, recently acquired Wyeth and its subsidiary Fort Dodge Animal Health. Pfizer and Wyeth began joint operations on Oct. 16. The Boehringer Ingelheim-Pfizer deal includes products in the United States, Australia, Canada and South Africa, as well as two manufacturing and research facilities located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Products being acquired in Europe are still subject to approval by European anti-trust authorities. As part of the deal, Boehringer Ingelheim will acquire the Duramune line of vaccines for dogs, the Fel-O-Vax line of vaccines for cats and the Rabvac line of rabies vaccines manufactured and sold in the United States, Canada and Australia. The company will also acquire a portfolio of pet and equine pharmaceutical products currently sold in the United States. In addition, the company will acquire cattle vaccines in the United States and Canada, including the Triangle, Pyramid and Presponse vaccine lines. Pharmaceutical products …
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health’s Q3 Dips 12%October 23, 2009 Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health recently reported revenue of $669 million for its third quarter ended Sept. 30, a 12 percent decrease compared to $759 million in the year-ago period. The sales decline was primarily due to the overall economic environment, difficult comparisons against the 2008 launch of bluetongue vaccine and back orders on certain products, according to the company, adding that the back orders were due primarily to the ongoing integration of animal health manufacturing practices and quality standards. Year to date, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health reported revenue of $2 billion, a 14 percent decrease compared to $2.3 billion in the year-ago period. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health’s parent company, Schering-Plough, reported net income of $515 million on revenue of $4.5 billion for its third quarter, compared to net income of $614 million on revenue of $4.6 billion in the year-ago period. Year to date, Schering-Plough reported net income of $2 billion on revenue of $13.5 billion, compared to net income of $1.4 billion on revenue of $14.2 billion. <HOME>
AAEP Foundation Study Highlights Equine Research PrioritiesOctober 22, 2009Equine veterinarians believe that the musculoskeletal system, laminitis and horse-side laboratory tests are research and funding priorities, according to a new study by the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Foundation. The 2009 AAEP Membership Equine Research Study assessed the opinions of AAEP members regarding priorities in equine health care and research. The aim is to assist the equine industry in directing its financial support of equine research projects. The last similar study was conducted in 2003. “The 2009 AAEP Membership Equine Research Study is a valuable tool in determining where the industry should direct support for equine research in the future,” said Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, Ph.D., chair of the AAEP Foundation. “With this updated study, the industry is able to identify the areas of equine research important to veterinarians, thus enhancing the industry’s ability to make important decisions as to where time and resources should be directed to help horses through research.” The survey was sent to 6,717 members via email with the survey to be completed online. AAEP received 572 responses. About 88 percent of respondents practice in the United States, with another 6 percent in Canada and the remaining percentage practicing in other countries. …
Hill’s Pet Nutrition Names New PresidentOctober 21, 2009 Suzan Harrison has been named president of Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. North America, a subsidiary of the Colgate-Palmolive Co. She succeeds Neil Thompson, who was promoted to president and chief executive officer of Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. in April. Prior to her new role, Harrison served as vice president of marketing for Colgate U.S. “Suzan’s record of delivering strong business results reflects her focus on innovation and across-the-board functional collaboration,” Thompson said. “Her leadership will help drive Hill’s initiatives and our mission to help enrich and lengthen the special relationship between people and their pets.” Harrison said she is excited to become part of the Hill’s team. “I have long admired the Hill’s business and look forward to continue building upon our heritage of caring and our commitment to the community and the profession,” she said. Hill’s Pet Nutrition is based in Topeka, Kan. <HOME>
Equine Piroplasmosis Outbreak Reported In TexasOctober 21, 2009 The World Organization for Animal Health reported on Oct. 21 an outbreak of equine piroplasmosis in Kleberg, Texas. The last reported occurrence was in August. Equine piroplasmosis (Theileria equi) is a tick-borne disease that affects horses, donkeys, mules and zebras. The disease is primarily transmitted via tick bites, although it has been spread mechanically from animal to animal by contaminated needles, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The disease is not endemic to the United States; native tick species do not currently carry the parasites that cause the disease, according to APHIS. The source of the most recent outbreak was deemed “unknown or inconclusive.” APHIS and the Texas Animal Health Commission are conducting a comprehensive epidemiological investigation of the event, which started on Oct. 2 when a 7-year-old quarter horse mare was presented ill to a local veterinary hospital. A blood-borne pathogen was subsequently suspected and the horse was placed in isolation and initial diagnostic samples taken. The horse tested positive for equine piroplasmosis on Oct. 12. Thirty-one other horses epidemiologically linked with the affected animal were tested the following …
Arizona Animal Hospital To Showcase New Green Facility In NovemberOctober 20, 2009 Central Animal Hospital of Tucson, Ariz., will host an open house for the public on Nov. 7 to showcase its new green facility. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4020 E. Speedway, just south of Alvernon. The hospital expects to be the first veterinary hospital in North America to receive a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized green building certification system that provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using environmentally-friendly and energy-saving features. The animal hospital’s owners, Drs. Michael Samuels and Judy Miller, said they believe it is the responsibility of business owners, especially those in the health care field, to take into consideration the health of the environment as well as the health of their patients when constructing new facilities. They hope to serve as an example for others, they said. Some of the building’s green features include: Extensive daylight – the new building brings in natural light via a central light monitor, glass block and solatubes. . Automatic light …
Pfizer Unveils Product Details Of Fort Dodge AcquisitionOctober 19, 2009 Pfizer Animal Health of New York on Oct. 19 released a summary of its new U.S. product portfolio as a result of Pfizer’s recent acquisition of Wyeth and its subsidiary Fort Dodge Animal Health. Pfizer and Wyeth began joint operations on Oct. 16. With the acquisition, Pfizer Animal Health reports that it now offers an enhanced portfolio in beef, dairy and companion animals, as well as a redefined product line for swine, equine and poultry. Pfizer Animal Health’s new U.S. product portfolio summary includes: Livestock Beef and diary - Factrel (gonadorelin hydrochloride) and the line of Synovex implants, which the company said complements the current U.S. cattle portfolio, such as Draxxin (tulathromycin), Dectomax, Excede (ceftiofur crystalline free acid), Excenel (cefriofur hydrochloride), Bovi-Shield Gold, Lutalyse (dinoprost tromethamine), Orbeseal and Spectramast (ceftiofur hydrochloride). . Swine – Suvaxyn brands, including Suvaxyn PCV-2 vaccine for circovirus. The company said this addition rounds out the line of Respisure, Flusure, Draxxin and Excede. . Poultry – The acquisition adds a broad range of poultry vaccines, including Poulvac and Maternavac IBD-Reo, a broiler-breeder vaccine.
Pfizer Closes Wyeth Acquisition DealOctober 16, 2009 Pfizer Inc. of New York reported Oct. 16 that it officially acquired Wyeth and its subsidiary Fort Dodge Animal Health. “The acquisition of Fort Dodge Animal Health further strengthens Pfizer’s commitment to the animal health industry, the veterinary profession, livestock producers and pet owners,” Pfizer Animal Health said in a prepared statement. “The combined animal health business creates a diversified and complementary portfolio of products and services for customers and gives Pfizer an outstanding entry to new areas of business and emerging diseases.” Details on the new product portfolio and the impact it will have on businesses are expected to be released on Oct. 19. <HOME>
People And Animals To Take Cover In ‘Great California ShakeOut’ On Oct. 15October 14, 2009 More than 6.4 million people have signed up to participate in the “Great California ShakeOut” earthquake drill, scheduled for Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m. PDT. The aim is to help all Californians get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes, according to the Earthquake Country Alliance, which sponsors the event. Participants are urged to drop, cover and hold on, the recommended procedure to protect oneself from falling objects in an earthquake. Last year’s “Southern California ShakeOut” was such a success, organizers decided to make the event statewide, said Mark Benthien, executive director of the Earthquake Country Alliance. “We received a lot of requests to go statewide,” he said. “Earthquakes can happen anywhere in California.” Those that are participating in the drill include businesses, nonprofit organizations, medical centers, colleges and universities, schools, government agencies and individual families, among others. Although Benthien didn’t have a count of participating animal groups, pet stores or veterinary clinics immediately available, he did offer some advice. “People need to know how to secure their space, whether it is to protect a human or an animal,” he said. For example, veterinarians may want to take …
