Effort To Ban Exotic Pets ‘Effectively Dead’May 4, 2009 *Editor's Note: This item was updated on May 4: "Non-Native Species Bill Needs Changes, Sponsor Says."* Opponents of House Resolution 669, known as the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, proclaimed the bill “effectively dead” after a Congressional subcommittee hearing April 23 in Washington, D.C. The legislation could have halted trade in thousands of nonnative animal species in the U.S., including most birds, reptiles, fish and several mammals—hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and ferrets—commonly kept as pets. Pet owners and pet industry players throughout the country have been contacting their representatives in grass-roots opposition to the bill. The hearing was held by the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, chaired by Rep. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, who wrote the bill. The hearing record is being held open for 10 days for responses and for the panel to decide whether to proceed with the bill. But Andrew Wyatt, president of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, called the hearing a “smashing success.” “H.R. 669 is effectively dead,” Wyatt said. “Two weeks leading up to the hearing, USARK mounted a grass-roots campaign of letter writing and phone calls,” he said. “We …
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Non-Native Species Bill Needs Changes, Sponsor SaysMay 4, 2009 U.S. Rep.Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, sponsor of the Nonnative Wildlife Prevention Act and chairwoman of the Congressional subcommittee that held a hearing on the bill in April, has acknowledged that the legislation needed to be changed before it progresses further. “We recognize the bill is by no means perfect and that changes will be needed to address various concerns before any legislation moves forward,” Bordallo said of House Resolution 669. Her acknowledgment came toward the end of the April 23 hearing and reflected the results of a grass-roots protest against the legislation from the pet industry and pet owners. Subcommittee members said they received thousands of calls, emails and letters from pet owners and others urging defeat of the legislation, which could mandate the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve or disapprove most non-native animal species, including birds, fish, reptiles and small mammals, for importation and trade within the United States. “It is clear that committee members from both sides of the aisle heard from the pet-owning public about their concerns with this bill,” said Marshall Meyers, CEO and general counsel of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, who testified at …
Neogen Buys Maker Of Immunoassay Test KitsMay 4, 2009 Neogen Corp. of Lansing, Mich., has acquired International Diagnostic Systems Corp., which develops, makes and markets test kits for the detection of drug residue in food and animal feed and drugs in forensic and animal samples. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Part of IDS’s operations will be moved to and integrated with Neogen’s Lexington, Ky., facilities. IDS’s research and development operations and key employees will remain in St. Joseph, Mich. In addition to U.S. sales, IDS distributes in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and China. The company reported revenue of about $2 million in the most recent fiscal year. “International Diagnostic’s products are complementary and a nice fit with our existing forensic and drug-detection product lines,” said Lon Bohannon, Neogen’s president. “The IDS purchase also provides Neogen with key collaborative relationships with influential industry partners, and increased access to important international markets, including China.” <HOME>
Nutro Not Under Investigation, FDA SaysMay 4, 2009 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine clarified in late April that “Nutro Products Inc. is not currently under investigation.” Although it generally does not confirm or deny investigations, the agency issued the formal statement following a consumer-oriented website’s “incorrect” article that the company was under investigation. “FDA is clarifying that Nutro Products Inc. is not currently under investigation,” the one-paragraph statement began. “FDA does not typically confirm or deny the existence of an FDA investigation. It has recently come to our attention, however, that a media report incorrectly concluded and reported that Nutro Products Inc. was the subject of an investigation.” According to Nutro, the Consumer Affairs website, has been posting consumer complaints about Nutro and drawing “false links” between adverse health events and the use of Nutro products for the past year. “While consumer concerns about Nutro product quality are rare, we take every complaint seriously,” the company wrote in a statement. “When we learn of an issue, we work with consumers to obtain information and request that samples of any product in question be submitted for testing at an independent facility.” The company urged …
Abbott Hosts Anesthesia SummitApril 30, 2009Having well-trained veterinary technicians performing anesthesia can help improve anesthetic monitoring and provide individualized treatment with reliable medications, said veterinary anesthesiologists who attended Abbott Animal Health’s first Anesthesia Summit. They also agreed that the following areas of veterinary anesthesia are essential: Closely monitoring animals while achieving the correct vaporizer setting of gas-induced anesthesia can lessen the likelihood of adverse events during surgery; . Using an individualized dose-to-effect anesthetic treatment can help in correctly evaluating a pet during surgery, as the surgical stimulus may vary throughout the procedure; and . Using a reliable anesthetic can help to ensure rapid, precise control over the depth of anesthesia and can assist in a smooth return of cognitive and motor skills. Education is key, said Khursheed Mama, BVSc, DVM, Dipl. ACVA, associate professor of anesthesia at Colorado State University, who attended the summit. “While products are important, they are not as important as educating people in the reasons for monitoring patients and supporting them appropriately during anesthesia,” she said. Lynn Bromstedt, divisional vice president of Abbott Animal Health, said the summit also provided the company with tremendous insight. “As a result, Abbott is closely looking at current protocols …
Colgate And P&G Post Quarterly SalesApril 30, 2009 Both Colgate-Palmolive Co. and the Procter & Gamble Co. reported quarterly sales results on April 30. Net sales for Colgate’s Hill’s pet division increased slightly during the first quarter of 2009, while net sales for P&G’s pet care division, which includes snacks, declined four percent during its third quarter of fiscal year 2009. New York, N.Y-based Colgate reported Hill’s Pet Division net sales at $506.4 million during the first quarter of 2009 ended March 31, compared to $503.2 million in the same period a year ago. Unit volume declined 7 percent, pricing increased 14 percent and foreign exchange was negative 6.5 percent. Hill’s organic sales, which exclude foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestments, increased 7 percent during the quarter. Volume growth in Russia, Germany, Turkey, the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and Austria was more than offset by volume declines in the United States, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada. Operating profit increased 3 percent during the quarter to $131.7 million due to the benefits of higher pricing, which more than offset the impact of higher raw and packaging materials costs. Products contributing to Hill’s sales in the U.S. …
Royer And MWI Reach Distribution AgreementApril 30, 2009 MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. of Meridian, Idaho has been named the exclusive U.S. distributor for Royer Animal Health’s Matrix III Cisplatin Beads and R-Gel Antibiotic Wound Dressing. Both products are designed to provide veterinary professionals with localized treatment options for cancer, infections and general wound management. Matrix III Cisplatin Beads are indicated for use in the local control of equine sarcoids. Clinical studies have shown the effective use of this product in other tumor types such as melanoma, squamous cell, carcinoma and osteosarcoma, according to Royer Animal Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royer Biomedical Inc. R-Gel Antibiotic Wound Dressing is a time-released antibiotic gel that solidifies in situ. The product has been used for a range of small- and large-animal indications, including contaminated wounds, dental abscesses, deep lacerations, bite wounds, necrotic tissue, infected tendon sheaths, septic joints, postoperative orthopedic infections and hoof abscesses. The products, which were recently released, are being used in more than 600 veterinary clinics and by 40 veterinary schools and teaching hospitals worldwide, according to Frederick, Md.-based Royer. <HOME>
Study Indicates Fish May Feel PainApril 29, 2009 Researchers from Purdue University and the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science say they have proven that fish feel pain in what they say is the first study to systematically investigate thermonociception in unanaesthetized fish. The findings could raise questions about slaughter methods and how fish are handled in research, said Joseph Garner, D.Phil, an assistant professor of animal sciences at Purdue. The study, published online April 18 in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science, has prompted fresh calls for angling to be banned in some countries, according to U.K. publisher MailOnline. To test the hypothesis that goldfish perceive heat as aversive, the researchers attached small foil heaters to 16 goldfish and slowly increased the temperature. A safety cut-off temperature of 50 degrees Celsius was built into the test apparatus. Half of the fish were injected with morphine beforehand while the other half received saline. The researchers believed that those with the morphine would withstand higher temperatures before reacting if they felt pain. Instead, both groups responded to the heat with an escape response at about the same temperature, with a mean baseline of 38 degrees Celsius. Two hours later, however, the researchers noticed that …
AAHA Freezes Helping Pets FundApril 28, 2009The American Animal Hospital Assn. Foundation has temporarily suspended grants from the Helping Pets Fund because of a financial crunch. Grant requests have nearly tripled since November, so the disbursement was faster than anticipated, according to the foundation. “By temporarily suspending the grants, we will help provide long-term stability for the AAHA Helping Pets Fund,” said Kate Crumley, DVM, chairwoman of the foundation's board of trustees. “We remain steadfast in our belief that thousands of pets will benefit in the future from this short-term stoppage.” The foundation expects to resume grants in July, or sooner with adequate financial support. “We have ambitious goals to grow the Helping Pets Fund in order to help more pets in need of health care,” Dr. Crumley said. “All donations are greatly appreciated and will help meet the growing demand.” Since its inception in 2005, the AAHA Helping Pets Fund has awarded more than $800,000 to help more than 3,000 pets receive veterinary care. Click here for donation details. <HOME>
Swine Flu Not Present In U.S. Pigs; Veterinary Precautions Still EncouragedApril 28, 2009 Although the number of U.S. human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection has climbed to 40, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest figures, it still has not been detected in any U.S. pigs. “At this point, it appears to be human-to-human transmission only,” said Ron DeHaven, DVM, chief executive officer of the American Veterinary Medical Assn. “We’ve been in contact with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and there have been no reports of outbreaks among animals, although their members are certainly aware of what’s happening and are stepping up surveillance for the virus with federal and state animal health officials.” For instance, the AASV on April 26 released information specifically geared toward veterinarians. Among its key points: The virus is currently transmitting person to person and does not involve pigs for transmission. . The virus is not known to be in U.S. pigs. . The swine influenza virus is a zoonotic disease and appropriate precautions (i.e. hand-washing, mask and gloves during necropsies and personal equipment such as N95 respirators and goggles) should be implemented to minimize the risk of infection and disease transmission.
