Wheat Flour, Not Gluten Or Rice, To BlameApril 17, 2009 The melamine-contaminated pet food ingredients imported from China were actually wheat flour disguised to look like wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate, the Food and Drug Administration has revealed. Although labeled as wheat gluten or rice protein concentrate by two Chinese firms, the products were in fact wheat flour, according to David Acheson, M.D., assistant commissioner for food protection with the FDA. The addition of melamine could have been used to make the flour appear more protein-rich and less starchy, thus mimicking a high-protein product, such as wheat gluten, Acheson speculated. “Now, there is a plausible hypothesis as to why this would be done rather than taking the trouble to extract the wheat gluten and wash away the starch, you simply grind up the wheat, put it all together and then artificially create the appearance of it being high in protein by adding a high-nitrogen containing compound such as melamine,” Acheson said. The U.S. investigators have been in China for about a week, and are expected to return home sometime next week. “The FDA considers this product to be mislabeled … and we're considering possible enforcement options,” he said. The FDA made the …
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InTown Adds New Hampshire Referral Hospital To GroupApril 17, 2009The specialists at Dover Veterinary Hospital have merged with InTown Veterinary Group to form Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital in Portsmouth, N.H., which is expected to open in September. The hospital will provide 24 hour emergency veterinary services as well as internal medicine, surgery, ophthalmology and radiology services. InTown Veterinary Group's other hospitals are in Massachusetts, including Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, Essex County Veterinary Referral Hospital in N. Andover, Bulger Animal Hospital also in N. Andover and Muddy Creek Animal Care Center in Rowley. <HOME>
Benefits And Cautions For Supplements And The EyeApril 17, 2009 Whether an animal is receiving natural supplements for an ophthalmologic condition or for some other problem, herbs and nutraceuticals can affect eye health. This has not escaped the notice of ophthalmologists, as several publications have recently surfaced, exposing these possibilities and raising concern.1,2,3,4 L-lysine and Herpesvirus Certain natural products confer clear benefits, with little to no toxic outcome. For example, daily oral administration of 400 mg of l-lysine reduced viral shedding from the conjunctival fornix following rehousing in cats latently infected with feline herpesvirus type-1 (FHV-1).5,6 Usually, a physiologic stressor such as rehousing would stimulate viral reactivation.7 The successful control of herpes simplex virus type 1 in humans with l-lysine suggested that it might benefit cats afflicted with FHV-1. High intracellular concentrations of lysine and low levels of l-arginine inhibit herpes simplex virus growth in tissue culture.8,9 However, the sensitivity of cats to l-arginine deficiency required assessment of the effectiveness of l-lysine supplementation alone, i.e., sans concurrent l-arginine restriction. L-lysine poses few safety concerns. L-lysine Contraindications Two potential contraindications include renal and hepatic disease in which patients may have difficulty eliminating the large amounts of nitrogen generated from l-lysine metabolism.10 Potential drug interactions …
Henry Schein Acquires Distributor In Czech RepublicApril 17, 2009Henry Schein Inc. of Melville, N.Y., reported Jan. 12 that it has acquired Noviko, a distributor of veterinary supplies in the Czech Republic. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Noviko, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Brno, had 2008 sales of about $70 million. "Noviko is a clear market leader with a history of commitment to customer service, and is an excellent complement to our veterinary businesses in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Portugal and France," said Stanley Bergman, chairman and chief executive officer of Henry Schein. "Noviko expands our animal health presence to the Czech Republic market and provides a base for expansion into the Eastern European markets. With this acquisition, we believe Henry Schein now is the largest Pan-European animal health distributor." Dr. Jaromir Koudela will continue to serve as managing director of the business. Henry Schein also announced the purchase of two other businesses in the human market: DNA Anthos Impianti, the Italian distribution arm of Cefla Dental, and Medka, a full-service provider of medical consumables, equipment and technical services in Berlin. The three acquisitions together had 2008 sales of about $150 million.
Feline Drug Therapy UpdateApril 17, 2009 This column is based on abstracts presented at the 24th annual ACVIM Forum in Louisville (2006). In recent years molecular biology has resulted in the reclassification of Hemobartonella felis as a Mycoplasma species. There are various forms of this organism; the one usually responsible for the typical clinical signs of anemia is Mycoplasma haemofelis. Less pathogenic is Mycoplasma haemominutum.1 Diagnosis of these organisms can be a challenge.2 Clinicians are always suspicious of this disease when a cat is anemic, especially with hemolytic anemia. In some cases the organism can be seen on a blood smear. It helps if these blood smears are done immediately; if stored too long in EDTA, the organisms can detach. A diagnostic test that has become much more common and is highly reliable is PCR which detects DNA of the organism. In one experimental study, 100 percent were positive on PCR, yet only around 40 percent were positive on cytology.3 A variety of treatments have been used to treat cats with clinical signs and this infection. Common antibiotics include tetracycline or doxycycline. Generally treatment is continued for two to three weeks. Enrofloxacin and azithromycin have all been tried …
UC Davis Professor DiesApril 17, 2009 Richard L. Walker Jr., DVM, Ph.D., a professor at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, was found dead on Dec. 1 on a beach in Bodega Bay, Calif. The Sonoma County coroner’s office is investigating his death. Police reports indicated that Dr. Walker, 56, committed suicide. Walker was last seen at his campus office Nov. 30 and was reported missing by his family about 1 a.m. on Dec. 1. A preliminary investigation uncovered correspondence left for family members suggesting that Walker was possibly depressed and suicidal. He was a professor of clinical diagnostic bacteriology and a member of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists and the American Assn. of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. Funeral arrangements have not been announced. <HOME>
Ethics, Pay, Research And Animal WelfareApril 17, 2009 The ethics sessions at the American Veterinary Medical Assn. conference in New Orleans tackled some controversial issues. It was the most exciting day that I have spent at a veterinary meeting since driving a NASCAR vehicle at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Racing to Save Pets) and organizing the “think tank” wrap-up session at the University of California davis, Theilen Tribute Symposium. Why were the ethics discussions so exciting? The speakers were asked by Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics President Dr. Gary Block to present information on “hot issues” near and dear to the profession. The first speaker, Dr. Dennis McCurnin, described various incentive pay plans. He set the stage for Dr. Clayton MacKay to discuss and debate the ethics of using incentive pay to reward veterinarians for performance and productivity. Many viewpoints regarding money for medicine were aired during these two sessions. Stem Cell Debate The sparks started flying when Bernie Rollin, Ph.D., took the floor for two hours. He discussed the ethics involved in cloning and stem cell research. Rollin, a bioethicist at Colorado State University, helped attendees distinguish the difference between religious belief systems and secular government systems and how the two often …
Recessionary Relationships And RevivalApril 17, 2009 Recessionary Relationships and RevivalRecessionary Relationships and Revival03-10-2009bondbeyond, smlanimalBy Alice Villalobos, DVM After attending the North American Veterinary Conference, listening to the wildlife update at the Morris Animal Foundation luncheon and witnessing the global approval of America’s 44th president, it is plain to see that our profession, its allies and the world at large are concerned, yet hopeful. International veterinary meetings such as NAVC, the American Veterinary Medical Assn., the Purina Nutrition Symposium and the Veterinary Cancer Society allow us to mingle with colleagues from all over the world. Meetings serve as a forum to meld thoughts and opinions from colleagues of varied interests and locales. Veterinarians who work in communities afflicted with high foreclosure rates and job loss are experiencing the deepest financial difficulties. Since veterinarians and their staffs are among the most generous professionals on the planet, this brutal recession pits our caregiving nature against our business survival. One young veterinarian literally found herself in bankruptcy. She became insolvent by continuing to perform charitable work for individuals and groups who rescued dogs and cats from shelters. Personal Experience This same predicament nearly happened to me …
UGA Schedules Animal Disease Diagnostic System LectureApril 17, 2009 The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine will present a lecture on “The Challenges and Opportunities Facing the National Animal Disease Diagnostic System” at noon Nov. 2. Veterinarians, scientists, students, farmers, consumers and government officials involved in food production are invited. Beth Lautner, DVM, director of the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, will focus on the preparedness of veterinary diagnostic and research laboratories that respond to emerging and/or zoonotic diseases and animal health emergencies. The lecture will be held in room 363 of the College of Veterinary Medicine. A reception follows in room 222. Click here for details. <HOME>
We Didn’t Go To Vet School To Sell ProductsApril 17, 2009Yeah, I'll admit it. I like to write about saving money on pet care. Pet owners eat this stuff up—and so do my editors. They love the insider's guide to saving money, especially in a roller-coaster economy. And I have to admit, I enjoy offering value to my readers, my clients and my employers. Am I betraying my profession? Maybe, if you look at it through the lens of conventional wisdom, which says veterinarians need to compete on service prices and make up losses on drug, food and product sales. If I'd betrayed my own, however, I'd be taking money out of my pocket, too. I do have an obligation to my patients and, by extension, to their owners. I have an obligation to provide a valuable service. Which brings up the aforementioned word, one whose meaning I hold dear: val-ue (noun) An amount expressed in money or another medium of exchange that is thought to be a fair exchange for something. The adequate or satisfactory return or recompense for something. Expressed in personal terms as it applies to my patients, "value" means I offer a service I have been well-educated to provide at a fair market price. When it …
