Mars Inc. completes VCA Inc. acquisitionSeptember 12, 2017What started in January is a done deal, as Mars Inc. has announced that its acquisition of VCA Inc. is now complete. VCA will operate as a distinct and separate business within Mars Petcare, alongside Banfield Pet Hospital, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, and Pet Partners. Bob Antin, co-founder and CEO of VCA animal hospitals, will remain at the helm at its Los Angeles headquarters. "I welcome the 25,000-plus VCA team members to the Mars Petcare family of companies," said Poul Weihrauch, president of Mars Global Petcare. "VCA's partnerships with veterinarians and pet care providers, as well as their breadth and expertise in veterinary services, diagnostics and technology, will position all of us to deliver more comprehensive care and continue on our journey supporting our purpose: a better world for pets." Mars, which reports approximately $35 billion in sales per year and operates in more than 80 countries, produces Pedigree, Royal Canin, and Whiskas pet food brands, in addition to owning Banfield, BluePearl, and Pet Partners. VCA delivers pet health care services through more than 800 small animal veterinary hospitals in the U.S. and Canada; Antech Diagnostics, a nationwide clinical laboratory system that services all 50 states and Canada; animal diagnostic …
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Avoiding fatalities during veterinary dental proceduresSeptember 11, 2017I recently received a call from a good friend who also is a referring veterinarian. Our conversation reminded me of an important topic I’ve been meaning to write about: identifying and containing life-threatening risks associated with dental procedures.
Veterinary clinics go mobileSeptember 7, 2017When pet owners aren’t keen to bring a sick pet into a clinic or particular animals just don’t do well in a setting away from their home, mobile veterinarians who make house calls that include the same services of a traditional clinic and can often discover issues bothering the pet that don’t come up in an exam room, step in to get the job done.
Diabetes PetCare Alliance program terms expandedSeptember 7, 2017For four years running, Merck Animal Health, Purina, and Zoetis have partnered via the Diabetes PetCare Alliance to help veterinary practices diagnose new canine and feline diabetes cases and jump-start disease management. Now, the collective has lifted the previous enrollment cap of 1,000 clinics, meaning there's no limit to the number of veterinary practices that can enroll in the annual educational program, and the program enrollment period has been extended from one month to two. Veterinarians participating in the program, which is timed to prepare veterinary practices for Pet Diabetes Month in November, diagnosed an estimated 300 pets with diabetes in 2016. Veterinarians who enroll gain access to tools and resources related to diabetes awareness and screening. In addition, clients whose pets are diagnosed during the program period receive a free disease management kit from participating clinics. The kits include the following: One AlphaTRAK 2 Blood Glucose Monitoring System from Zoetis One 6-pound bag of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets DM Dietetic Management Feline Formula for cats or Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Fiber Balance Dry Formula for dogs One 10 mL vial of Vetsulin …
Working with euthanasia-reluctant clientsSeptember 6, 2017When an animal begins to fail due to age or disease and its quality of life diminishes, the inevitable and unpleasant discussion about euthanasia may become necessary.
Food as medicine messagingAugust 25, 2017Therapeutic diets, increasingly part of pets’ health care regimens, are good tools at veterinarians’ disposal when addressing specific ailments. A problem surrounding these diets, however, isn’t whether they work; it’s discussing their benefits with clients.
Zoetis launches Clavamox Chewable for dogs, catsAugust 18, 2017Zoetis announced the commercial launch of Clavamox Chewable (amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium tablets), which is effective in treating skin infections in dogs and cats, periodontal infections in dogs, and urinary tract infections in cats, according to the company.
The amazing grace of senior petsAugust 17, 2017I think the dilemma for a lot of veterinarians is the healthy pet,” said Steven Marks, BVSc, MS, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVIM, but he wasn’t trying to be humorous in his assessment.
Support veterinary clients' supplemental endeavorsAugust 16, 2017As pet owners become increasing proactive when it comes to their pets’ health, one category that surfaces regularly during veterinary exam room discussions is supplements.
Will thermal imaging gain greater traction in veterinary practice?August 15, 2017A manatee with a bum shoulder and a chance meeting with a researcher gave one veterinarian his introduction to thermal imaging 30 years ago.
