Rabies Booster Works in Some Exposed PetsJanuary 26, 2015Pets whose rabies vaccination has expired will likely survive exposure to the deadly virus if they are quickly given a booster, according to Kansas State University researchers. The discovery also means that pet owners potentially could choose short-term quarantine of such animals at home rather than euthanasia. Many states now require unvaccinated pets that are exposed to rabies to be quarantined for six months at an animal control facility, a costly proposition for owners faced with paying thousands of dollars in kennel bills. “This has the potential to save a lot of pets’ lives,” said Michael Moore, DVM, MPH, the project manager at the Kansas State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. “Our hope is that now animals with an out-of-date vaccination status that are exposed to rabies will be allowed to be handled the same as dogs and cats with up-to-date vaccinations. They will be given a booster and a 45-day observation at home.” The study, published Jan. 15 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, was the first to present scientific data on animals with out-of-date rabies vaccinations, Kansas State reported. Most of the 74 dogs and 33 cats that Dr. Moore and his colleagues …
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How To Sort Out Cats That Can't Close Their MouthsJanuary 21, 2015Originally published in the January 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News I’ve had a run of feline patients who presented with the inability to close their mouth. Coincidentally, a recently published review in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry discussed diagnoses behind the inability to close the mouth.1 Let’s review some of the more common causes. Differential Diagnoses When a cat is suddenly unable to close its mouth, there are only a handful of differentials: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) luxation; TMJ fracture or caudal mandible fracture; Open-mouth jaw locking; Acquired dental malocclusion; Mandibular neurapraxia (a.k.a. trigeminal neuropathy or trigemninal neuritis). The patient history and comprehensive physical examination provide clues for an accurate diagnosis. If no history of trauma exists and no signs of head trauma are seen, TMJ luxation and TMJ/caudal mandibular fractures are unlikely. Caudal mandibular fractures and TMJ fractures may result in a shift of the mandible and an inability to close the mouth. Symphyseal separation or parasymphyseal fracture will not typically cause an inability to close the mouth, therefore if a cat presents with symphyseal separation and is unable to close the mouth, this suggests additional trauma caudally, usually in the form of a TMJ luxation or caudal mandibular/TMJ …
Drug Maker Putney Celebrates Regulatory SuccessesJanuary 15, 2015Fresh off government approval of four generic animal drugs, manufacturer Putney Inc. this week reported receiving the go-ahead for a fifth: Enrofloxacin Antibacterial Injectable Solution. The generic version of Bayer Animal Health’s Baytril Antibacterial Injectable Solution is indicated for the treatment of bacterial infections in dogs. The Putney drug won the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, giving the company its fifth FDA endorsement in five months. Putney President and CEO Jean Hoffman credited the Portland, Maine, company’s research and development team for the recent approvals. “Only six generic pet medicines were approved by the FDA in 2014, and four of them were Putney products,” Hoffman said. The latest achievement made Putney the only manufacturer with an FDA-approved generic of enrofloxacin for pets in both flavored tablet and injectable dosage forms. The company’s Enrofloxacin Flavored Tablets are formulated for dog and cats. A rollout date for Enrofloxacin Injectable Solution was not announced. Three of the four Putney drugs approved in 2014—Dexmedetomidine HCl, Meloxicam Solution for Injection and Carprofen Chewable Tablets—are in veterinary pharmacies. The fourth, Carprofen Sterile Injectable Solution, is expected to be released soon, the company stated. Putney’s last approved drug of 2014, Carprofen Chewable Tablets, …
Study: Cancer Patients Benefit From Therapy DogsJanuary 14, 2015Therapy dogs lifted the spirits of adult cancer patients by improving their emotional well-being and quality of life, according to research co-sponsored by veterinary drug manufacturer Zoetis Inc. The clinical study, published this week in the Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology, involved patients receiving combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy for gastrointestinal, head or neck cancers. A questionnaire called the FACT-G (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—General) found that the patients’ emotional well-being jumped over the course of animal-assisted visits even as they underwent “marked and significant declines in both physical and functional well-being,” according to the researchers. Principal investigator Stewart B. Fleishman, M.D., of New York’s Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital called the work “the first such definitive study in cancer.” “Having an animal-assisted visit significantly improved [the patients’] quality of life and humanized a high-tech treatment,” Fleishman said. “Patients said they would have stopped their treatments before completion except for the presence of the certified Good Dog Foundation therapy dog and volunteer handler.” Besides Zoetis, the New York-based Good Dog Foundation and the Pfizer Foundation contributed to the research. “There is mounting evidence in human and veterinary medicine that the emotional bond between people and companion animals can …
Dogs Can’t Hide Feelings From ScientistsJanuary 13, 2015Research conducted by Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. has confirmed that dogs, like people, become flush with happiness and excitement. The findings, according to Purina behavior scientist Ragen T.S. McGowan, Ph.D., illustrate how the human-animal bond works both ways, lighting up the lives of both people and pets. “Scientists have known for years how to evaluate negative states such as stress and anxiety in animals,” McGowan said. “Less is known about how to measure positive states such as happiness or excitement.” McGowan and her team used thermal, or infrared, cameras to examine how external stimuli can generate joyful emotions in dogs, the company reported today. The cameras measured temperature fluctuations in dogs’ eyes, ears and paw pads as blood flowed to those areas. “Thermal imaging has been widely used in animal welfare studies to assess inflammation in racehorses, for example, or to see how certain conditions affect livestock’s stress levels,” McGowan said. “This is one of the first times it is being used to measure positive responses in pets.” Part of the study involved having people with no connection to a group of shelter dogs sit with and pet them for 15 minutes, the company stated. The dogs …
Elanco Completes Takeover of Novartis Animal HealthJanuary 9, 2015Novartis Animal Health is no more. The division of Swiss-based Novartis AG officially merged with Elanco Animal Health as of Jan. 1 in a $5.4 billion sale to Elanco’s parent company, Eli Lilly and Co. One day later, Novartis’ U.S. line of Sentinel canine heartworm and flea preventives was spun off to competitor Virbac for $410 million to satisfy regulators’ concerns. The marriage of Novartis Animal Health and Elanco created the world’s second-largest veterinary pharmaceutical company after Zoetis Inc. “Elanco’s acquisition of Novartis Animal Health brings together two strong companies with a passion for serving the customer,” said Rob Aukerman, president of North American commercial operations for Elanco. “We will continue to offer the products our customers trust, while significantly investing in the development of new solutions to our customers’ greatest unmet needs.” Absent from the Elanco portfolio are Sentinel Flavor Tabs and Sentinel Spectrum, which Fort Worth, Texas-based Virbac will now sell. The line generated more than $90 million in U.S. sales in 2014. Virbac also took on an undisclosed number of Novartis employees—“predominantly commercial teams,” according to the company. “The addition of these strong brands to Virbac’s current portfolio of products, together with the doubling …
Another Zebra Diagnosis: Feline Pyogenic GranulomaJanuary 7, 2015Originally published in the December 2014 issue of Veterinary Practice News Case Discussion Fonzie, a 12-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat, was presented for evaluation of a proliferative, bleeding, friable mass arising from the gingiva and mucosa of the dorsolateral surface of the right caudal mandible. Appetite was normal, but the patient did have a history of occasionally exhibiting abnormal chewing motions. The mass had been present for approximately three months and was removed by Fonzie’s primary care veterinarian approximately one month before presentation to me. Biopsy submitted by the primary care veterinarian revealed ulcerated and inflamed granulation tissue. Although the mass appeared to be completely excised on histopathology, it recurred within a few weeks postoperatively. At the time of presentation to me, the mass was approximately 1.5 mm x 1.0 mm x 0.8 mm, located in the area of a missing right mandibular first molar (tooth 409, Figure 1). John R. Lewis, Northstar Vets Figure 1. Pyogenic granuloma in the area of the missing mandibular first molar tooth of a cat. A dental radiograph of the right caudal mandible revealed no osseous involvement and no evidence of retained roots (Figure 2). No other areas of the …
Sleepypod Offers to Replace Crash-Damaged Travel GearDecember 23, 2014Sleepypod, whose dog travel harnesses have won top marks, is offering a free replacement or discounted pricing when a pet carrier or safety harness is damaged in a traffic accident. The program extends to competitors’ equipment as well. The burden of proof falls on pet owners, who must provide a police report and photos and answer a questionnaire. Damaged Sleepypod products are eligible for no-charge replacement—other than shipping costs—while owners of other brands may receive 30 percent off the Pasadena, Calif., company’s selection of mobile pet beds, carriers and harnesses. “Sleepypod wants to ensure pet safety after an auto accident,” said co-founder and lead product designer Michael Leung. “The integrity of a pet safety restraint may be compromised during an auto accident, so it is critical to inspect a pet carrier or harness for damage before being reused.” Damage may include anything from broken stitches and zippers to torn webbing. “If the accident is severe enough, webbing could be stretched, and therefore weaken the material,” Leung said. More information about the replacement program, which was announced Dec. 18, is available at www.sleepypod.com/accident-replacement-program. The nonprofit Center for Pet Safety, which conducts crash-testing, has deemed Sleepypod’s Clickit Sport …
Abbott Releases 24-Hour Feline Pain DrugDecember 23, 2014Cats recovering from surgery may rest peacefully overnight with the use of a new 24-hour pain control drug from Abbott Animal Health. The Abbott Park, Ill., veterinary drug maker today announced the launch of Simbadol (buprenorphine injection) across the United States, five months after the medication received Food and Drug Administration approval. Simbadol is indicated for postoperative pain control in cats and is formulated to minimize the need for overnight dosing. The drug is the first and only FDA-approved opioid analgesic for cats to provide 24-hour pain control in a single dose, according to Abbott. The Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine is among the first users of Simbadol. Tammy Grubb, DVM, Ph.D., an assistant professor of anesthesia and analgesia, called the drug “an important advancement for cats and for veterinarians.” “We can be comfortable that our patients have adequate analgesia, even through the night,” Dr. Grubb said. Available in 10mL multidose vials, Simbadol is distributed by MWI Veterinary Supply, Henry Schein Animal Health and Midwest Veterinary Supply.
Jaguar Seeks Limited Approval of Canine Diarrhea DrugDecember 22, 2014The startup drug company Jaguar Animal Health today reported the filing of its first New Animal Drug Application (NADA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If approved, the drug Canalevia would be used to treat dogs stricken with watery diarrhea during chemotherapy. Jaguar described Canalevia as a first-in-class anti-secretory agent intended for use in multiple animal species. The NADA filing requests Minor Use/Minor Species (MUMS) status for dogs as the drug undergoes further study. The limited designation would allow Jaguar to distribute Canalevia “before collecting all necessary effectiveness data, but after proving the drug is safe and showing that there is a reasonable expectation of effectiveness,” the San Francisco company stated. The decision to pursue MUMS status followed a meeting Oct. 22 between Jaguar and FDA representatives, according to the company. “[The] approach … will allow us to bring this new tool for management of certain chemotherapy side effects to dogs in need as soon as possible,” Jaguar reported. Canalevia contains crofelemer, an antidiarrheal found in the Croton lechleri tree and used to treat HIV-associated diarrhea in people. Jaguar in September launched its first non-prescription product, Neonorm Calf, for the treatment of watery diarrhea, or scours, in …
