Merck To Acquire Schering-PloughApril 17, 2009 Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., has agreed to acquire Schering-Plough of Kenilworth, N.J. The $41.1 billion cash and stock deal, which needs regulatory approval, includes Schering-Plough’s animal health business. Merck owns 50 percent of Merial Ltd. as a joint venture with Sanofi-Aventis. Richard Clark, Merck's chairman, president and chief executive officer will, lead the combined company, which will operate under the Merck name and be headquartered in Whitehouse Station. The companies reported in a statement released March 9, that the transaction contains many strategic benefits. For example, the merger expands their global presence with a geographically diverse revenue base. Schering-Plough generates about 70 percent of its revenue outside the U.S., including more than $2 billion in annual revenue from emerging markets. This will dramatically accelerate Merck’s international growth efforts, including the goal of reaching top five market share in targeted emerging markets, according to the statement. The transaction also brings complementary product portfolios and pipelines in the human health market, increased manufacturing capabilities and a stronger commercial organization. Merck expects a substantial majority of Schering-Plough employees to remain with the combined company. Both companies …
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CT Can Help Avoid Useless SurgeryApril 17, 2009 Sherman is a 10-year-old neutered male terrier mixed-breed dog who first came to see me last fall. The primary complaint was a multilobular soft tissue mass arising from the left chest wall. The reason for referral was to determine if Sherman's mass could be excised and, if not, what alternatives could be offered, such as radiation therapy. Diagnostic imaging remains one the most useful tools in the clinical staging and re-evaluation of animals with cancer. The sensitivity and specificity of the various modalities, such as survey radiography, ultrasonography (US) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) vary, and therefore, their abilities to distinguish tumor size, margins, and invasiveness differ. The value of various diagnostic imaging techniques in cancer detection is determined by four properties: spatial resolution, contrast discrimination, temporal resolution and distortion. These properties differ for each of the imaging techniques and Sherman is a classic example to illustrate the differences. Diagnosing Sherman Sherman presented with a freely movable left sided mid-chest wall mass. The mass was soft, non-ulcerated, not painful, and not appearing to be fixed to underlying costal muscles or rib. There was a complete lack of appreciable resolution of the mass by …
Should You OE Or Should You OHE?April 17, 2009 Spays are one of the most common surgeries performed in veterinary practices. However common it is, this procedure has the strange propensity to generate heated discussions between advocates of the ovariectomy (OE) and proponents of the ovariohysterectomy (OHE). So let’s try to stay away from the controversy and concentrate on the science. Why is OE vs. OHE even a debate? It is based on the assumption that diseases of the uterus are prevented by removing it—no uterus, no future disease? OE Preferred in Europe This argument doesn’t fly in Europe, where OE has been practiced for decades with reportedly no increased incidence of uterine disorders. The risk of uterine tumor in particular is extremely small (0.003 percent).1 In addition, the uterus atrophies after ovariectomy, which may further reduce the risk of disease. Elizabeth Arnold Stone, a board-certified surgeon at the Ontario Veterinary College in Canada, writes in the last edition of Slatter’s Textbook of Small Animal Surgery: “There is no definitive advantage for removing the uterus in addition to the ovaries during routine neutering. Ovariectomy is less invasive and takes less time than ovariohysterectomy.”2 This also means that anesthesia is …
David Little Named Director Of WVC's Oquendo CenterApril 17, 2009The Western Veterinary Conference has named David Little as chief executive director of the Oquendo Center for Clinical Education, which is scheduled to open later this month at WVC's 81st Annual Convention in Las Vegas held Feb. 15-19. Little's duties will be to help provide vision and leadership, hire and oversee staff, establish priorities, monitor performance, manage the operating budget and generate written and oral communications pertaining to the center's activities. He will also be responsible for business development and execution as well as delivering programs and services that comply with WVC Board of Directors' objectives for the facility. Prior to this position, Little served as director of the Convention and Meeting Planning Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "I am very excited to become a part of the Western Veterinary Conference team and have the opportunity to oversee and manage the Oquendo Center," Little said. "I believe this world class facility will set the standard for hands-on veterinary education and training, and it is a privilege and honor to have been invited to be a part of its growth, along with being associated with the quality individuals within the organization." <HOME>
Medical Inventor Launches $75 Million Competition To Sterilize PetsApril 17, 2009 In an effort to help control pet overpopulation, medical inventor Dr. Gary Michelson is offering $25 million for the first entity to develop a single dose, non-surgical sterilant for use in cats and dogs, and up to $50 million in grant funding to support research toward that end. Found Animals Foundation, Michelson’s nonprofit organization, made the announcement along with its partner Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs at the SPAY/USA Conference in Chicago on Oct. 16. The goal of the Michelson Prize and Grants in Reproductive Biology is to encourage researchers in the United States and other countries to take on the challenge of non-surgical pet sterilization. The foundation says that although surgical spay/neuter procedures are relatively safe and effective, it is not ideal. “Surgical spay/neuter procedures are just too expensive and inconvenient for many pet owners—we need a better solution,” said Aimee Gilbreath, executive director of Found Animals. The foundation said it would also help make sterilization accessible and affordable worldwide, and aid developing countries where pet overpopulation is even greater. Researchers have been on the verge of discovering pet contraceptives and non-surgical sterilants for …
Central Jersey Gets 24-Hour Animal Emergency FacilityApril 17, 2009 Central Jersey Gets 24-Hour Animal Emergency FacilityCentral Jersey Gets 24-Hour Animal Emergency Facility Animerge of Raritan, N.J., has completed its $1 million expansion and renovation project, transforming it to a 24-hour animal emergency facility. The animal hospital, which services also include specialty surgery and ophthalmology, increased its size from 2,400 square feet to 5,800 square feet and now includes two operating rooms, six exam rooms and an elevator for the second-floor patient area. Dean Newton, DVM, director of Animerge and one of the practice’s founders, said that he recognized the need for a larger facility but didn’t want to relocate, so the hospital began building up instead of out. The installation of the elevator allows for faster transport of patients to the operating room or special treatment areas than in a traditional one-story facility, he said. Animerge also increased its staff from four veterinarians to 10 veterinarians. There are 35 additional staff, including veterinary technicians, client services and reception staff. “We’re very excited about our new facility and our increased ability to provide emergency care for pets in the area,” Dr. Newton, DVM, said. “There was an urgent need for a medical …
Victoria To Ban Tail DockingApril 17, 2009 It will soon be illegal to dock dogs' tails in Victoria, Australia if new regulations are passed. The regulations were released for public comment in February and have received the support of Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron, state and national animal welfare groups and veterinary association. The only tail docking that would be allowed under the new regulation would be for therapeutic purposes, such as cases in which a tail has been crushed or has cancer. "Tail docking should not be a necessary or mandatory requirement for any breed of dog," Cameron said. "The Australian national Kennel Club has indicated tailed dogs in a traditionally docked breed should not be discriminated against by judges." If the legislation is passed, Victoria will join the growing list of Australian regions, including South Australia and Queensland, that have banned the practice. Tail docking has also been banned in numerous other countries, including Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Finland. Tail docking is becoming an increasingly controversial issue in the United States, as well. Late last year a dog fancier sued the American Kennel Club. His suit, which was dismissed in a 3-2 vote, …
A Round-About Way To Diagnose CancerApril 17, 2009 One of the more confusing times in an oncology examination room is describing what a "round cell tumor" is to a pet owner. The term is broad and describes myriad tumors that appear cytologically or histologically as a monotonous population of undifferentiated cells with high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios. In dogs, this group includes mesenchymal and epithelial tumors as osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, certain melanomas, chondrosarcoma, and basal cell tumors. However, the ultimate origin of most "round cell tumors" belongs to those cells of bone marrow-derived origin such as lymphoma, mast cell tumor, or histiocytic tumors or additionally from transmissible venereal tumors. The clinical presentation of a round cell tumor is variable, making a definitive clinical diagnosis difficult. However, the role of immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry continues to emerge as a tremendous aid in obtaining the proper diagnosis so that appropriate treatment plans and prognoses can be presented to the pet owner. The identification of neoplastic disease relies on the microscopic features of the tumor cells and their similarity to normal cellular counterparts. So, in the case of well differentiated tumors, the cellular identity is frequently achieved. However, for the poorly differentiated tumors assigning a cell …
Number Of Displaced Pets Climbs At Midwest Emergency SheltersApril 17, 2009 The number of homeless pets of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, continues to swell as more animals arrive at emergency shelters. The emergency Cedar Rapids animal shelter set up at Kirkwood Community College has taken in 1,000 displaced animals. An estimated 85 percent of the animals have owners, according to Kirkwood Animal Health staff. In addition to the pet dogs and cats, the shelter’s animal tally includes birds, rodents, lizards and ferrets. The Kirkwood rescue effort mobilized after the Cedar Rapids Animal Control headquarters was flooded. Animal rescue organizations have issued emergency relief grants to assist shelters in the Midwest with the pet overflow. In response to the severe flooding, International Fund for Animal Welfare, American Humane Association and Animal Rescue League of Boston teamed up to help local animal control. Staging at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Quincy, Ill., the three groups set up a temporary shelter, which also grows each day. The residents include fawns, horses, chickens, dogs and kittens. As the floodwaters recede, the continued efforts of rescue groups are expected to add to the number of animals that are transported to emergency housing. Shelter volunteers expect more people will start to reclaim …
Vet Ophthalmologists To Examine Service Dogs For FreeApril 17, 2009More than 150 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists are scheduled to provide free eye exams to service dogs as part of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists' Second National Service Dog Exam Day, which runs May 3-9. The goal is to preserve the sight and health of working dogs, including guide dogs, handicapped assistance dogs, detection dogs and search and rescue dogs. "Many of ACVO's ophthalmologists generously provide similar services to their service dog clients throughout the year," said Stacee Daniel, executive director of the organization. "Our hope is that by checking these animals' vision on the national day of service, we will be able to help a large number of dogs better assist their human friends." To qualify, dogs must be active working dogs certified by a formal training program or organization or enrolled in a formal training program. Veterinarians interested in participating can register here. Owners or agents for the dogs can register the animal beginning April 1 here. Once registered, the owner or agent can locate a participating ophthalmologist to schedule an appointment. More than 180 ACVO diplomates volunteered last year by screening the ocular health of about 1,500 service dogs. The …
