Santa Barbara Delays Spay/Neuter Law To Study EffectsApril 17, 2009Santa Barbara County, Calif., will not require pet owners to spay or neuter their cats and dogs for now. County supervisors decided to form an 11-member community task force instead, charging it with studying the effects of a mandatory spay and neuter ordinance. Tuesday's 4-1 vote by the board of supervisors means that the implementation of a countywide spay/neuter ordinance will be delayed for months. The task force will consist of board-appointed individuals. The goal of the county's draft ordinance is to "reduce pet overpopulation and arrest the growth of the associated costs," a staff report prepared for the board of supervisors states. The usual exemptions in such ordinances include: Veterinary medical exemption Purebred and/or show cats and dogs In the county temporarily Working dogs (law enforcement, service, search and rescue, herding and others if determined) Breeding permit, if breeding If pet owners don't comply, they generally get "fix-it" tickets, with a grace period to resolve their case. Exemptions and grace periods, however, are not enough to gain the support of some animal groups. On one side of the ongoing spay/neuter debate, opponents say that a mandatory spay/neuter law infringes on the property rights of pet owners and might also …
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We Can’t Have It Both WaysApril 17, 2009 I’ve suffered the disgrace of a malpractice lawsuit--no, not mine. But I served as a witness in a case brought against another veterinarian. The deposition was an uncomfortable experience (understatement). Restraining my unfortunate inclination towards verbal excess was the hardest part, yet I managed. And so did my colleague on the hot-seat, by the way. I’m sure he’s almost gotten past the night sweats nearly two years after the fact. In case you’ve never been the defendant --or unwitting witness-- in a lawsuit brought against you or your hospital for negligence, malpractice or (God forbid!) animal cruelty, let me inform you that it’s just what you’d expect: a nightmare worthy of the post-traumatic stress disorder that we spared folk can only imagine. Perhaps I hyperbolize, but it’s no stretch to say that most of us worry a whole lot about being sued. I do. But as a generalist, I’ve got it easy. Our profession rejects the human-animal bond—in a court of law, that is. I’m lucky enough to know my every client and have the luxury of investing time in their trust. The specialists, ER docs and high-volume vets? They’re not so fortunate. I’ve gotta …
New Website Tracks Wildlife DiseasesApril 17, 2009The University of Wisconsin-Madison and the U.S. Geological Survey have developed the Global Wildlife Disease News Map. The online map tracks news of wildlife disease outbreaks around the world, such as West Nile virus, avian influenza, chronic wasting disease and monkeypox. Other health conditions, such as pesticide and lead poisoning, are also marked by geographic location. The project is part of the Wildlife Disease Information Node (WDIN), a collaboration between UW-Madison, the National Wildlife Health Center and the National Biological Information Infrastructure. WDIN aims to provide a comprehensive online wildlife disease information warehouse, said project leader Josh Dein, VMD, of the Madison-based U.S. Geological Survey wildlife health center. "People who collect data about wildlife diseases don't currently have an established communication network, which is something we're working to improve," Dr. Dein said. "But just seeing what's attracting attention in the news gives us a much better picture of what's out there than we've ever had before." <HOME>
Dog Breed Bans Explored In TexasApril 17, 2009The issue of enacting laws to ban or regulate pit bulls, Doberman pinchers and Rottweilers in Texas has landed on the Texas state attorney general's desk. A request for an opinion on whether cities and counties have the power to target certain dog breeds through legislation was made by Republican state Rep. Tony Goolsby in a letter to Attorney General Greg Abbott. Lawmakers are set to consider the topic in the next legislative session in Austin. Measures commonly known as breed-specific legislation, or BSL, have been proposed in municipalities across the United States. In Sioux City, Iowa, the city council recently voted 5-0 in favor of a pit bull ban. In Texas, several cities have expressed interest in enacting similar laws, Goolsby wrote in his letter to Abbott. Members of the state's pit bull clubs, however, oppose BSL and instead are in favor of improvement and enforcement of existing laws. <HOME>
Pet Therapy Bill Passes First HurdleApril 17, 2009 A Colorado House of Representatives committee on Feb. 5 approved a bill that would allow licensed physical therapists who aren’t veterinarians to perform physical therapy on pets. The legislation, which is sponsored by Rep. Anne McGihon, is House Bill 1126. Members of the state’s House Health and Human Services Committee approved it this week after hearing testimony from pet owners, some of whom brought along their pets. Under the bill, a therapist would not be able to practice veterinary medicine, just physical therapy. The measure now moves to the full State House for debate. If it passes, the bill would become law effective July 1. The full text of the bill is available on the Colorado Legislature website.
Top 10 Holistic TrapsApril 17, 2009Many of us get snowballed sometimes by the hype that alternative treatment providers heap onto the airwaves and Internet. Here are 10 of the most common holistic traps to avoid. 1.Dubious Allergy Diagnostics and Treatments In January 2008, the Washington state attorney general and Department of Health secretary asked the FDA to block the sale and distribution of unproven and dangerous "energy medicine" devices, citing several, including Bicom, Bodyscan and VEGA.1 Other dubious allergy-testing techniques include applied kinesiology (AK), pulse testing, and hair analysis. AK tests for allergies by noting muscle strength alterations in an individual's outstretched arm when they hold "test" vials.2,3 2,3 Veterinary AK employs a human surrogate who touches the animal and gets tested on behalf of the animal, since animal patients cannot follow instructions as well. More bizarre is treating the surrogate in place of the animal: "Once the sensitivities are identified, a quick, painless and noninvasive acupressure treatment through the surrogate is used to rebalance the pet's nervous system response to the identified allergens. Muscle testing is also utilized in the prescriptive phase to identify any additional necessary medications and to individualize dosages."4 2.Glandulars Authors touting glandular lore advise …
Bayer Launches Get To Vet CampaignApril 17, 2009 Advantage Topical Solution from Bayer Animal Health has launched the Help Your Pet, Get to the Vet Campaign. The mission of the national initiative, which was launched Monday during the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas, is to distribute more than $250,000 in veterinary vouchers to help offset costs and concerns for pet owners during these economic times. From Feb. 16 through Feb. 28, the campaign will give up to 13,000 pet owners the chance to receive a $20 rebate good toward preventive veterinary care, including vaccinations, wellness exams, flea and tick treatment and prevention, heartworm preventatives and dental care. Vouchers are available on a first-come basis from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET every hour on the hour with up to 1,000 vouchers distributed each day. More than 80 vouchers will be distributed every hour. The morning of the campaign launch brought in more than 20,000 website hits. “During these challenging economic times, we want to help consumers defray the cost of preventive care for their pets,” said Joerg Ohle, president and general manager of Bayer Animal Health of Shawnee, Kan. “At Bayer Animal Health, everything we do is to …
Cornell Receives Gift For Equine Education, ResearchApril 17, 2009 Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine recently received a $25,000 unrestricted gift from Plainfield Asset Management LLC, a hedge fund sponsor in Greenwich, Conn., that has global interests in horse racing and gaming. The college will use the money to support Cornell’s equine Clinical Fellowship, held by Sophy Jesty, DVM, ’01. The two-year Clinical Fellows Program, which launched in August, will address the growing shortage of academic veterinarians who conduct research on animal diseases. The cost per student is estimated at $220,000. “The gift, which we understand will help to train the next generation of equine researchers and educators, is an investment in a bright and viable future—for education, for the horse racing industry and for the state’s economy,” said Harold Levy, managing director, special counsel for Plainfield. Plainfield has investments in Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, both New York horse racing facilities, and is the principal investor in Capital Play, one of the bidders for the video lottery terminal at Aqueduct Race Track in New York. <HOME>
Cash In On 2008 Tax DeductionsApril 17, 2009 Authorities say some practices are observing a decrease in revenue and profits for 2008 as clients defer discretionary procedures and delay bringing in their animals as a direct effect of the volatile economy. “If the decreasing revenue trend continues, practice profits may be down for the year as compared to 2007 results. Because many practice owners make quarterly estimated tax payments equal to their actual income and self-employment taxes from the previous year, the payments based on last year’s profits may result in overpaying estimated tax payments in 2008 and generating refunds next spring,” according to Lorraine List, CPA, CVA, of Summit Veterinary Advisors LLC. “Refunds are great, but wouldn’t you rather have the money now than later?” List asks. “Practice owners should speak with their certified public accountant to determine whether they can safely reduce their fourth-quarter estimated payments this year and still not incur penalties for underpayment of estimated tax.” List says practices that are growing and making higher profits than last year should consider accelerating deductions into 2008 to reduce income taxes this year. “Some expenses can be prepaid before year end and still be deductible, such as projected state tax …
Webster Acquires Columbus SerumApril 17, 2009 Webster Veterinary Supply, a division of Patterson Companies Inc. of St. Paul, Minn., recently acquired Columbus Serum Co., a full service distributor of companion pet veterinary supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals based in Columbus, Ohio. Webster has also acquired Odyssey Veterinary Software LLC, an early stage developer and marketer of Diagnostic Imaging Atlas software based in Plano, Texas. DIA is a client communication tool that includes more than 2,000 3D clinical animations and images that can help veterinarians explain and illustrate a pet’s diagnosis and recommended treatment to their clients. <HOME>
