Equine Veterinarian Aiming for OlympicsAugust 14, 2015Fernando Cardenas, DVM, came to the United States from Colombia in 1987. Having grown up around horses, it was only natural for Dr. Cardenas to become an equine veterinarian, opening 3H Veterinary Service in New Hill, North Carolina. But his love of horses expanded past taking care of them. He also had an interest in sport horse performance. He also competes with Quincy Car, his 12-year-old horse, in show jumping, stating that his passion is horseback riding. "Show jumping is the test between the rider and horse to clear 12 to 13 obstacle courses,” Cardenas told WRAL Sports. Cardenas, who calls his horse smart and brave, recently competed at the Pan-American games in Toronto. Now he has his sights on the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “There are many, many people that I competed with that just ride for a living, so I said to myself I was probably one of the very few amateurs competing at this level.” In the upcoming months, Cardenas will continue to work …
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Livestock Pose Giant Threat to British VetsJuly 28, 2015Don’t be careless around bulls and other large animals. That’s the advice of the British Veterinary Association, which found that more than half of veterinarians working with production animals on farms had been injured over the previous 12 months. Even interacting with smaller livestock can be dangerous. “Kicked in the side of the head while castrating a calf” was among the responses to BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey. Among wounded practitioners, nearly 1-in-5 classified their injuries as “very” or “quite” severe. “By far the most common injury was bruising caused by kicks, with almost 85 percent of production animal vets who had been injured reporting this,” BVA stated in July as part of Farm Safety Week. “Other injuries reported included lacerations, crush injuries, head injuries caused by kicks and fractures caused by kicks.” One large animal veterinarian recalled being targeted by a pair of bulls. “Bruised and shocked,” the practitioner stated. “Both attacks [while] doing whole herd testing on separate bulls, one stock and one beef bull. Both attacked from behind on a farm with poor facilities.” Another complained of “cattle crushes and squashed body parts.” Veterinarians and farm owners must be safety conscious, said BVA President …
Registration Opens for AABP ConferenceJune 29, 2015The American Association of Bovine Practitioners is advertising a schedule chock-full of continuing education and in-depth training when the organization holds its 48th annual conference. Registration for the convention, set for Sept. 17 to 19 at Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, is available at http://bit.ly/1Lyx7mU. The conference theme, “Embrace Change, Expand Skills, Explore Opportunities,” refers to the evolution of bovine medicine and the need to adopt new skills, the organization stated. “The general sessions will focus on cattle welfare topics for beef and dairy farms, and keynote speaker Dave Daley will present current thoughts on animal welfare and the changing social ethic,” said AABP president-elect and Ohio veterinarian Fred Gingrich, DVM. “Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn from veterinarians and producers who have experienced undercover videos released from their farms,” Dr. Gingrich added. Nearly 20 preconference seminars will be held beginning Sept. 13 on topics ranging from “The Veterinarian’s Role in the Dairy Fresh Pen” to “Dairy Cattle Lameness.” Ten limited-enrollment clinical forums are scheduled for Sept. 17 and 19. Subjects include “The Life of a Young Veterinarian: Debt, Purchasing a Practice, Work/Life Balance” and “VFD’s—What Veterinarians Need to Know.” Also planned are …
Drugs in Livestock Feed Put Under Vet SupervisionJune 2, 2015The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, looking to reduce the threat of antibiotic resistance in people and animals, today released the final rule governing the judicious use of antimicrobials in livestock feed and drinking water. The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) final rule empowers veterinarians to authorize antimicrobials when necessary for medical purposes only. Some drugs linked to antibiotic resistance have been used to improve the efficiency of livestock feed or fatten animals. “The actions the FDA has taken to date represent important steps toward a fundamental change in how antimicrobials can be legally used in food-producing animals,” said Michael R. Taylor, FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods. “The VFD final rule takes another important step by facilitating veterinary oversight in a way that allows for the flexibility needed to accommodate the diversity of circumstances that veterinarians encounter while ensuring such oversight is conducted in accordance with nationally consistent principles.” The American Veterinary Medical Association stated that it worked closely with the FDA to ensure the rule is “practical and in the best interests of animal health, public health and the veterinary profession.” “Particularly critical” to the final rule, according to AVMA, is the requirement for a veterinarian-client-patient relationship when …
It’s B-a-a-c-k! Livestock Virus ReturnsMay 22, 2015Vesicular stomatitis, a contagious virus that afflicts mainly horses and cattle, has returned to Texas for the second year in a row after starting the season in New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. Texas last year saw vesicular stomatitis (VS) cases at 54 premises in 11 counties before the disease, which causes blistering and swelling of animals’ tongues and lips, faded away. Colorado, which was hit even worse than Texas, has not reported any cases this year. Until 2014, Texas had been VS-free for five years. “If you suspect your animals have VS, you should notify your veterinarian immediately,” said State Veterinarian Dee Ellis, DVM, who also serves as executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission. “Texas had its largest VS outbreak in history last year, and we must remain vigilant in protecting our livestock industry in 2015.” The first case of 2015 in the Southwestern United States was confirmed April 29 by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories. The New Jersey serotype of the virus was found in a horse in Grant County, N.M. Two days later, infections of the same serotype were confirmed in three horses in Maricopa County, Ariz., and in a mule in Kane County, Utah, that …
What's New in Equine Endometritis, Placentitis and CloningApril 17, 2015Originally published in the March 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. The issues in equine reproduction today may be as numerous as the potential advancements in the field tomorrow. Endometritis and cloning have grabbed the attention of some experts, while others, such as Scott Bailey, DVM, Dipl. ACT, are focused on contraception and placentitis. Dr. Bailey, an assistant professor of theriogenology at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said contraception isn’t discussed enough. “A lot of performance mares really struggle with managing behavior in the face of a competition schedule,” Bailey said. Owners he’s spoken with feel strongly that mares don’t do as well as geldings. “There are statistics that show that when they are in heat and in competition they are less likely to jump their best or race their best or win first place,” he said. Contraception is an issue for owners who want their horses to do as well, and it’s important from the standpoint of population control, Bailey said. “We still are faced with an overpopulation of horses in the U.S.,” he said, adding that when he applies for research grants related to equine reproduction, “We very often get the question back, ‘Why …
UT Helps Get Steer Back on His FeetMarch 27, 2015Dudley’s done all right since a rescue group, a prosthesis manufacturer and University of Tennessee veterinarians teamed up to provide the young steer with a new foot. The 800-pound Hereford was moved from a Nashville, Tenn., farm to the university in Knoxville after losing his left rear hoof in a tangle with baling twine. More of his lower limb was amputated at the UT veterinary hospital, a cast was applied and about a month later, in February, a prosthetic limb was installed. By late March, Dudley was still learning to walk normally again. “We are pleased to announce that Dudley is now safe and recovering,” said David Anderson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, the university’s director of large animal clinical services, who performed the amputation. “The next stage of recovery is crucial as Dudley adjusts to walking and improves his balance and strengthens his muscles with his prosthetic foot.” Stepping in to rescue Dudley was The Gentle Barn, a nonprofit group based in Santa Clarita, Calif. The organization took possession of Dudley after learning that his owner couldn’t afford his care, and co-founder Ellie Laks arranged for his move to the University of Tennessee. Dudley was an outstanding patient after …
K.C. Corridor Snags Another Animal Health TenantMarch 20, 2015An Australian company is making itself at home in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor before building its new global headquarters. Integrated Animal Health Inc., which has a few products on the market and more under development, in mid-March signed an agreement with Northwest Missouri State University and the institution’s Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Hubbard Center, a business incubator in Maryville, Mo., will work with Integrated Animal Health on the testing and developing of products designed to improve the health of cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and fish. Formed in December 2013, Integrated Animal Health makes horse fertility feeds and equine performance supplements. The company is designing feed additives to help control mastitis, reduce antibiotic use in dairy cattle, and improve weight gain in dairy calves and feedlot cattle. Also in the pipeline are an Oxycodone pain-relief patch for racehorses suffering from leg soreness, other feed additives, parasiticides, and a gender-selection technology for the breeding of hogs and dairy cattle. “Providing adequate protein to the world is one of the key challenges facing people and governments around the world,” said Blake Hawley, DVM, who will oversee the company’s U.S. operations after serving as chief commercial officer …
More Options for Bad Joints in Aging PetsMarch 2, 2015Originally published in the February 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News There’s no shortage of ways for a veterinarian to approach the treatment of joint problems in aging pets. For dogs in particular, a path taken from several fronts is recommended by Brenda S. Kennedy, DVM, MS, of Canine Companions for Independence. “A multimodal approach is necessary to reduce pain and minimize further degeneration in the joints,” Dr. Kennedy said. “This is especially true for senior pets, who are more likely to be in a more advanced stage of the disease process.” Kennedy was to speak in January at the North American Veterinary Community conference in Orlando, Fla. Her talk was titled “Canine Longevity: Strategies to Extend Healthspan.” The multimodal therapy she refers to can include the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), analgesics such as tramadol, amantadine and gabapentin, or injectable polysulfated glycosaminiglycans like Adequan, or products like oral glucosamine, chondroitin, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Adjunct therapies like acupuncture and physical rehabilitation may also be beneficial, she added. Start With Diet, Exercise The basics of diet and exercise are a message that Kennedy and other experts drive home. “Maintenance of a lean body condition along with …
Anti-Vax And Your Clients: Tips For CommunicationFebruary 24, 2015Unlike the ‘anti-vax’ movement among parents of small children, experts say most of the cases of horses going unprotected from common illness are not due to concerns about the vaccines’ side effects. The causes behind lapses in vaccine schedules are probably many and various. Rusty Ford, equine program director for the Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian, believes many situations come down to two factors: strapped finances and a lack of education. Vaccines are one more expense to add to the cost of horse ownership of course, but rolling the dice with the horse’s immune system can prove more expensive if the animal contracts a serious disease. Ford believes many people just don’t understand how easily diseases like West Nile Virus can spread. “West Nile Virus hit Kentucky’s equine population in late summer/fall 2001 with eight horses being confirmed as affected,” Ford recalled. “The following year Kentucky reported 513 cases, of which 496 (97 percent) were not immunized.” Fortunately, horsemen responded to the outbreak quickly: In 2003, the prevalence dropped to 102 cases with 94 percent unvaccinated and then dropped to eight cases in 2004 and nine in 2005. It’s important to understand that the level of public awareness of …
