Nationwide pet insurance opens 2018 Hambone Award voting September 26, 2018After reviewing nearly 1.5 million pet insurance claims received over the past year, Nationwide has nominated 12 candidates for the 2018 Hambone Award. Each year, the pet health insurer scours its database of 700,000-plus insured pets to honor the most unusual pet insurance claim of the year. The winner will be decided by a public vote, open now through Oct. 8, at HamboneAward.com. In addition, the veterinary practice that treated this year's Hambone Award winner will receive a $10,000 Nationwide-funded award through the Veterinary Care Foundation to treat pets whose owners could not otherwise afford treatment. From a pair of German shepherds who were found after 21 days trapped in an abandoned missile silo to a cat who went through a dryer's fluff cycle, all 12 nominees have uniquely harrowing tales. All nominated pets have made full recoveries and received Nationwide insurance reimbursements for eligible veterinary expenses. The 2018 Hambone Award nominees Howard the golden retriever (San Diego). This tech-hungry hound swallowed an electronics charger. Veterinary practice that treated Howard: Bodhi Animal Hospital (San Diego) Maddy the Labrador (Charlotte, N.C). Water-loving Maddy found herself playing on the shores of danger when she was suddenly …
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BabelBark, Fear Free partner for pets, owners, veterinariansSeptember 26, 2018 Pet software developer BabelBark has announced a partnership with Fear Free, an educational initiative designed to train veterinarians, pet professionals, and pet owners to ease the fear, anxiety, and stress of the pets in their care. The new agreement enables BabelBark to educate pet owners with tailored content developed by Fear Free and become a tool for veterinarians to create unique pet profiles that can be accessible and shared online. "Both [organizations] share a common mission of connecting pet parents, veterinary professionals, and the pet professional community through every step of a pet's health and wellness needs to ensure pets have a Fear Free experience," said Roy Stein, BabelBark founder and CEO. According to Stein, the partnership will provide a new level of support to veterinarians through technology, allowing them to deliver individualized information and consultations to each pet parent. "Fear Free and BabelBark believe in creating a strong bond with the entire pet community, ensuring that each pet visit is a positive and enjoyable experience," said Marty Becker, DVM, Fear Free founder and Veterinary Practice News columnist. When the professional team and pet parent are on the same page regarding a …
World's first HDR brachytherapy center for pets targets tumorsSeptember 26, 2018A veterinarian and a medical doctor in Utah are delivering high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy to canine and feline cancer patients. Clayton Watkins, DVM, owner of VetMed Consultants and human radiation oncologist and brachytherapy specialist John K. Hayes, MD, recently received state approval for a radiation facility where animals can be treated on site at their Holladay location, the first dedicated radiation facility for pets in Utah and the first facility in the world dedicated to HDR brachytherapy for pets. HDR brachytherapy administers radiation via a robotically controlled radioactive seed that delivers a pinpointed burst of radiation directly into the tumor, applied via catheter. Originally designed to target certain forms of human cancer, human radiation oncologists have used it with success on cancers of the prostate, breast, cervix, uterus, and in the head and neck, and others. "Our clients love the results we can get for their family pet," said Dr. Watkins. "Brachytherapy is not painful and does not result in systemic side effects. Compared to other types of radiation, brachytherapy provides a higher dose of radiation and less exposure to normal tissues, it's less expensive, and is it better shaped to the tumor we are …
Morris Animal Foundation funds 13 wildlife studies with $850KSeptember 25, 2018Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) will extend $850,000 to fund 13 wildlife research studies. Through the new grants, the foundation is supporting scientists from Tufts University, Cornell University, and the Smithsonian Institution. The foundation's Wildlife Animal Scientific Advisory Board reviewed all submitted grant applications and selected, based on scientific merit and impact, the studies with the greatest potential to save lives, preserve health, and advance veterinary care. Wildlife studies funded for 2018 include: Understanding the Impact of Lead Poisoning in Bald Eagles Researchers will analyze multiple data sources to learn if lead continues to impact the long-term health and recovery of bald eagles. This new information will be used to help inform policy and public communication about lead exposure in bald eagles and other wildlife. Tackling Another Contagious Cancer in Tasmanian Devils Researchers will investigate a second, recently discovered, contagious cancer in Tasmanian devils, devil facial tumor 2 (DFT2). Understanding how the disease is evolving and spreading will provide important clues on how to manage this disease and other contagious cancers affecting both Tasmanian devils and dogs. Saving Endangered Frogs from Deadly Fungal Disease Researchers will look at ways to boost the immunity of …
Royal Canin marks a milestoneSeptember 21, 2018Royal Canin is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a global provider of health and nutrition products for dogs and cats.
FDA issues alert for isoxazoline class of flea, tick productsSeptember 21, 2018The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting veterinarians and pet owners of the potential for neurologic adverse events in dogs and cats when treated with isoxazoline class flea and tick products, including Bravecto, Nexgard, and Simparica. Data received by the agency as part of its routine post-marketing activities indicates that some animals receiving Bravecto, Nexgard, or Simparica have experienced adverse events such as muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures, said the FDA in a statement. Credelio, another isoxazoline class product, recently received FDA approval. These products are approved for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations, and the treatment and control of tick infestations. The FDA said it is working with manufacturers of isoxazoline products to include new label information to highlight neurologic events, as they were seen consistently across the isoxazoline class of products. These products continue to be safe and effective for the majority of animals, said the FDA, adding that it carefully reviewed studies and other data on Bravecto, Credelio, Nexgard, and Simparica prior to approval. The agency is asking the manufacturers to change product labeling in order to provide veterinarians and pet owners with the information they need to make treatment decisions …
KSU veterinary researchers, Anivive license FIP antiviral drugSeptember 20, 2018A collaboration at Kansas State University and Anivive Lifesciences is promoting the commercial development of GC376, an antiviral compound for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which previously has had no effective treatment or cure. Yunjeong Kim, DVM, PhD, ACVM, and Kyeong-Ok "KC" Chang, DVM, MS, PhD, virologists at KSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, and William Groutas, a medicinal chemist at Wichita State University, have been collaborating since 2006 to develop antiviral drugs for human and animal viruses. The licensing agreement was coordinated by the KSU Institute for Commercialization with Anivive Lifesciences, a California company whose proprietary software accelerates the discovery and development process of new pet medicines. "We have been working on antiviral drugs that inhibit a specific virus protease of some important human and animal viruses, and we were able to make very potent inhibitors of FIP," Dr. Kim said. "Through collaborative work with Niels Pedersen at the University of California, Davis—including a field trial on feline patients—we became increasingly hopeful that antiviral treatment may one day substantially benefit cats with FIP. Licensing our compound to Anivive Lifesciences is a huge step forward in transitioning our research to commercialization to make this treatment available to the …
Assistive devices give pets with disabilities a new "leash" on lifeSeptember 20, 2018The resources and support available are a much-needed big step forward from the days when a veterinarian had few options to offer a pet owner with a disabled pet. These days, when a pet owner with a disabled companion animal asks her veterinarian, “Will my pet still have a good quality of life?” the answer can be, in many cases, a resounding “Yes.”
Purina Institute seeks to advance nutritional scienceSeptember 20, 2018Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. intends for its newly launched Purina Institute to be "the global voice of Purina's science representing its more than 500 scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts who are on a mission to advance nutritional science to help pets live longer, healthier lives," said the company in a statement. The institute seeks to elevate the topic of pet nutrition with veterinarians to drive conversations with pet owners about the role of nutrition in overall pet health. Current research shows that 83 percent of pet owners say they completely trust veterinarians to provide helpful information on pet food, but only 22 percent of veterinarians report initiating nutrition conversations with their clients. The Purina Institute will: Share Purina's nutritional discoveries (e.g., brain and digestive health, molecular nutrition), while leveraging expertise from Purina and Nestlé affiliates making discoveries in human nutrition Facilitate knowledge sharing and innovation by showcasing objective, fact-based information sourced from the wider scientific community on current trending topics across pet and human nutrition Collaborate with the global veterinary community and scientific thought leaders by hosting scientific events, roundtables, panel discussions, and webinars at the Institute's Conference and Education Facility in St. Louis Support …
Performance Dog recalls all frozen raw pet foodSeptember 19, 2018Bravo Packing Inc. of Carneys Point, N.J., has issued a voluntary recall of all Performance Dog products, a frozen raw pet food, due to potential Salmonella contamination. The company's recall comes after a sample of Performance Dog, collected during an FDA inspection, tested positive for Salmonella. No human or animal illnesses have been reported to date. Performance Dog generally works with the distributor Tefco, located in Brooklyn, which fills orders to brick-and-mortar retail stores or to consumers directly. Performance Dog comes frozen in 2-lb. and 5-lb. plastic sleeves. The recalled product has manufacture date code 071418. The manufacture date codes are printed on the boxes that contain the plastic sleeves, but not on the individual plastic sleeves. Therefore, if the cardboard box has been discarded, there are no unique identification numbers on the individual sleeves that allow customers to determine that they possess the recalled products. If you purchased this product since July 14 and cannot determine whether it is affected by the recall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that you exercise caution and throw the product away. Consumers with questions should contact Bravo Packing Inc. at 856-299-1044, Monday - Friday 6 a.m. -2 p.m., and Saturday 4 …
