Onsior Now Comes in Injection FormOctober 9, 2015Elanco Animal Health has released an injectable formulation of Onsior for pain management in cats. Onsior (robenacoxib) tablets were launched in 2012 under Novartis Animal Health, which Elanco acquired earlier this year. The two formulations may be used interchangeably, Elanco reported this week. Onsior injection is indicated for 24-hour control of postoperative pain and inflammation associated with orthopedic surgery, ovariohysterectomy and castration. The drug may be used in cats at least 4 months old and weighing at least 5.5 pounds. Onsior injection “provides veterinarians with the flexibility to choose the administration formulation and corresponding labeled dose that best fit within their surgical protocols,” the Greenfield, Ind., company stated.
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Purdue to Begin Testing Phase for Dog-Breeding StandardsOctober 8, 2015Purdue University reported that it will begin the pilot testing phase for its recently completed dog-breeding standards by the end of the year. The goal of the research is to provide breeders with uniform standards for care and wellbeing in all states to ensure the quality of life that dogs deserve, according to lead researcher Candace Croney, head of Purdue’s Center for Animal Welfare Science. The center is jointly supported by the Purdue Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture. The wellbeing of the dogs will be evaluated before and after the breeders implement the standards. The draft standards take in all areas of health and wellbeing and address the needs of adult dogs, juvenile dogs and puppies, including dogs’ access to food, water and shelter; availability of veterinary and preventative health care; behavioral wellness; and genetic selection. The research also is addressing ethical issues such as the end of breeding careers and rehoming of animals. “All animal care policies must be grounded in science as well as ethics and social responsibility,” Croney said, who …
Aratana Suffers Setback on Canine Lymphoma ProductsSeptember 25, 2015Aratana Therapeutics Inc. has sharply reduced its hopes for two canine lymphoma therapies but predicted a bright future for four other emerging products. The news, presented today during a conference call with market analysts, sent the veterinary biopharmaceutical company’s stock tumbling by 39 percent at the end of trading. Aratana intends to stay in the lymphoma arena through the development of second-generation monoclonal antibodies, said President and CEO Steven St. Peter, M.D. “Given the mixed clinical and scientific results, Aratana does not believe AT-004 or AT-005 in their current first-generation format will capture the desired canine lymphoma opportunity,” he said. AT-004 and AT-005 are designed to treat B-cell and T-cell lymphoma, respectively. But disappointing outcomes in combination with chemotherapy, as well as only $387,000 in second-quarter sales of conditionally licensed AT-005 and nothing from fully licensed AT-004, persuaded Aratana to shrink expectations. St. Peter said the decision to pursue other lymphoma therapies was based on market opportunities, an increasing number of veterinary oncologists—as many as 400 today—and rising demand for pet health insurance. “We know from looking at the market that insurance tends to drive treatment options, and insurance is growing,” St. Peter said. “So we think it’s a growth …
MSU Treats Dog Hit by TrainSeptember 9, 2015A collie named Lad is back on his four furry feet after being hit by a train, according to the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Emergency and Referral Clinic, which treated him. “For a dog with such extensive injuries, Lad has really made a remarkable recovery,” said Dena Lodato, DVM. “A large part of that is the work that Mr. Foster and his family and friends did to keep up with his rehab exercises after surgery.” Lad’s owner, Tommy Foster, had been mowing the back lawn one afternoon while the young pup played outside. When Foster finished mowing, he called for Lad and heard a distant whine. Foster and his neighbor set out to find Lad, eventually coming upon the dog on the train track, unable to stand, with cuts on his head. Lad had been hit by a train. Foster first brought Lad to a local clinic where X-rays revealed a dislocated right femur and multiple pelvic fractures. The injuries were so severe that Foster was referred to MSU’s emergency veterinary clinic. Dr. Lodato repaired Lad’s left …
Why Leptospirosis is an Increasing ThreatAugust 31, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Leptospirosis is being seen in dogs in more and more places across the U.S. The bacterial disease presents with non-specific symptoms such as lethargy, lack of appetite, changes in urination frequency and vomiting. “We see leptospirosis every week,” said Richard Goldstein, DVM, chief of medicine at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. The hospital is a referral center for dogs from the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area, including “dogs who never leave Manhattan.” The disease is caused by a corkscrew-shaped bacterium called Leptospira interrogans. Signs of leptospirosis in dogs vary depending on the infecting strain, the geographic area in which it was transmitted and the host immune response. Some dogs never exhibit symptoms, while others show mild illness and still others develop severe illness, which can result in liver or kidney disease. “Since 2013 in Florida, we have seen a 10-fold increase,” explains Carsten Bandt, DVM, Dipl. ACVECC, assistant professor of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. “Leptospirosis is made up of …
How to Treat the Congenital Cleft PalateAugust 21, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Cleft palate surgeries are one of my favorite procedures in dentistry and oral surgery. Maybe it is because the opportunity to see a puppy amidst a predominately geriatric patient population. Perhaps it’s because every cleft palate is just a little bit different than the previous one. The most likely reason is the exhilaration and challenge of repairing a defect that has already had three (or more!) attempts at repair prior to presenting to a specialist. © 2009, John Lewis, University of Pennsylvania. Figure 1A: Bilateral cleft lip in a 7-month-old pit bull. Figure1B: Bilateral clefts of the primary palate in the same dog. Terminology Defects of the primary palate occur from a lack of fusion of the developing incisive bone to the palatine process of the maxilla and/or defects of development of the soft-tissue structures of the upper lip. These defects are often extending from the midline incisive papilla, radiating rostrolaterally, unilaterally or bilaterally (Figure 1A and 1B). Unilateral cleft-lip defects in dogs occur more commonly on the left side, which is also …
Why Diagnosing Pancreatitis in Dogs and Cats is Still a ChallengeAugust 19, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Loved this article? Then subscribe today! Pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, or PLI, is the most accurate laboratory test for diagnosing pancreatitis in dogs and cats, experts say. Accurately identifying this gastrointestinal malady has long baffled practitioners. Pancreatic biopsy is considered the gold standard diagnostic test for pancreatitis, but it is uncommonly performed due to the invasiveness and expense of the surgery. Most clinical cases can be diagnosed with a combination of a compatible history and clinical signs, and with the serum PLI and abdominal ultrasound, said Steve Hill, DVM, MS, of Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego. “Routine serum amylase and lipase levels, which are commonly part of general chemistry panels, have limited utility in diagnosing pancreatitis due to their low sensitivity and specificity in both dogs and cats,” said Dr. Hill, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, small animal, and the immediate past president of the Comparative Gastroenterology Society. “The most accurate laboratory diagnostic test is the pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, which measures pancreas-specific lipase and has very good sensitivity and specificity for acute and chronic pancreatitis,” he …
What You Need to Know About Murmurs and Heart Disease in Senior DogsAugust 12, 2015Originally published in the August 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Subscribe today! A loud murmur may not indicate heart disease in a dog, and conversely, a dog with heart disease may not necessarily have a loud heart murmur. That was the top piece of advice to general practitioners offered up by Pamela M. Lee, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (Cardiology), an assistant professor in veterinary clinical sciences at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. In older, small- to medium-size breed dogs, the most common heart diseases are degenerative issues, such as endocardiosis, also called chronic degenerative-valve disease or acquired valvular heart disease, Dr. Lee said. For large-breed dogs, the most common heart disease is dilated cardiomyopathy, where heart muscle contracts poorly, Lee said. When checking for endocardiosis, it’s the type of heart murmur, not the loudness, that a practitioner should listen for. “One of the big things to know, at least with endocardiosis: The severity of the heart disease does not correlate with a loud heart murmur,” Lee said. This may be important to keep in mind, because experts spoken with, including Lee, pointed to …
Elanco Launches Osurnia for Canine Ear InfectionsAugust 5, 2015Osurnia, a new treatment for inflamed or infected canine ears, also may help with owner compliance because of its makeup and dosing schedule, according to manufacturer Elanco Animal Health. Osurnia (florfenicol/terbinafine/betamethasone acetate) comes in gel-filled, single-dose tubes that are administered seven days apart to treat canine otitis externa. A dog owner is instructed to squeeze the gel into the ear canal through a flexible, soft tip, and then gently massage the ear to spread the medication. The two-dose regimen should appeal to owners, Elanco stated today in announcing the launch of the drug. “Pet owner compliance is one of the biggest challenges veterinarians face when treating otitis externa in dogs,” said Wayne Rosenkrantz, DVM, Dipl. ACVD, of Animal Dermatology Clinic in Tustin, Calif. “With Osurnia, the innovation of an effective treatment administered in just two doses is much more convenient for pet owners and will increase the likelihood that they will complete the entire treatment program.” Osurnia was developed by Novartis Animal Health, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the drug before Elanco acquired the company earlier this year. Osurnia is indicated for the treatment of otitis externa associated with susceptible strains of the …
Zoetis Reveals Anti-Itch Therapy for DogsAugust 4, 2015Zoetis Inc. plans to arm veterinary dermatologists with a new weapon this fall: an antibody therapy designed to turn off the itch switch in dogs suffering from atopic dermatitis. The Florham Park, N.J., drug and vaccine maker reported Monday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a conditional license for Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic. Delivered monthly by injection, the antibody neutralizes interleukin-31, a protein that instructs a dog’s brain to begin scratching, Zoetis stated. The therapy joins another Zoetis product, the daily drug Apoquel, as a way to control canine itching regardless of the underlying problem. While Apoquel is indicated for cases of allergic or atopic dermatitis in dogs at least 1 year old, the new therapy may be used with any dog afflicted with atopic dermatitis. “By helping to relieve itching and the clinical signs associated with atopic dermatitis in affected dogs, it will also help restore quality of life for both atopic dogs and the people who love them,” said Arizona veterinary dermatologist Thomas Lewis II, DVM, Dipl. ACVD, who participated in clinical studies of the antibody therapy. Apoquel has been in short supply since the pill was launched in January 2014, and Zoetis is not …
