Amazon enters the pet food arena with dry kibbleMay 7, 2018Everyone wants a bite of the pet food market, including Amazon, which just this week launched its own brand of dog food, Wag. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent $32 billion on pet food in 2017, and competition among online and brick-and-mortar retailers isn't slowing any time soon. Wag, available to Amazon Prime customers, comes in chicken, beef and lentil, and salmon varieties, and contains no added grains, according to the online retailer. The dry kibble comes in 5-pound bags for $12.99 and 30-pound bags for $44.99, and a 15-pound bag for puppies for $26.99. Amazon's guarantee of quality statement claims that all its pet food is manufactured in the U.S., with U.S. and imported ingredients (but doesn't specify countries of origin), and each serving is comprised of 35 percent protein. The company plans to offer additional products at a later date, said spokesperson Nell Rona.
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Zoetis expanding animal vaccine R&D in ChinaMay 7, 2018Construction has begun on a Zoetis-owned combined global manufacturing and research and development center in Suzhou, China, which will produce vaccines for swine, cattle, fish, and companion animals to protect against strains of disease prevalent throughout the country. The site represents the multinational animal health company's ongoing effort to develop its manufacturing in China; Zoetis recently opened a facility, also in Suzhou, where the company's PHARMAQ business will begin R&D for vaccines being developed for China's farmed fish industry. "We at Zoetis have a deep understanding of the animal health challenges that livestock farmers and veterinary professionals in China face every day," said Mike Wang, senior vice president, Greater China Cluster, Zoetis. "With this new center for vaccine innovation co-located with expanded manufacturing capabilities in Suzhou and a team of highly trained field representatives, we are well-positioned to help China's livestock farmers answer increasing demand for a safe and abundant supply of pork, milk, beef, and fish. Plus, we can support veterinarians as they strive to help pets live longer, healthier lives." Zoetis began operations in China in 1995. Today, the country is its fifth largest market, bringing in $174 million (USD) in revenue in 2017. With …
American Humane Hero Veterinarian, Veterinary Nurse Awards voting openMay 7, 2018Voting has opened for the fifth annual American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards sponsored by Zoetis. A panel of veterinary professionals and animal care experts reviewed more than 200 nominations and has selected 10 veterinarians and veterinary nurses as finalists. The winners will be flown to Los Angeles to be honored on Sept. 29 as part of the eighth annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards, sponsored by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and Zoetis. The Hero Dog Awards will air nationwide as a two-hour special on Hallmark Channel this fall. "Veterinarians and veterinary nurses are heroes to our animals, and to us," said Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., president and CEO of American Humane. "These dedicated professionals work behind the scenes and without fanfare to keep these family members happy and healthy. We and the nation thank them, one and all!" "Our finalists are outstanding examples of the veterinary community," said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, DABVP, executive director, Zoetis Petcare marketing. "The American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Veterinary Nurse Awards are Zoetis' way of giving back to those who keep our best friends healthy and strengthen the life-enhancing, even life-saving human-animal bond. Congratulations to …
AVMA offers resources to help observe, celebrate National Pet WeekMay 4, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association wants to help veterinary professionals share National Pet Week with clients by providing resources and content for social media and marketing purposes. The event, which occurs each year during the first full week of May and celebrates the special bonds between pets and people, provides an opportunity to deepen connections with clients and educate pet owners about the importance of providing a lifetime of love to animal companions of all shapes and sizes, according to the AVMA. To help practices observe National Pet Week, the AVMA provides a toolkit of veterinary clinic resources for members, including: Ready-to-use content to post on social media pages, including copy-and-paste message posts and ready-to-download images Ideas for easy, stress-free ways to celebrate National Pet Week in the clinic and around the community Marketing tips and best practices to spread the word about clinic events or promotions Each day of National Pet Week incorporates a different theme: Sunday - Choose well, commit for life Monday - Socialize now. New doesn't have to be scary. Tuesday - Nutrition and exercise matter. Wednesday - Love your pet? See your vet! Thursday - Pet …
New Jersey officials discover H. longicornis uptickMay 4, 2018 The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of the longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, in Union County after an infestation was first found last August on a Hunterdon County sheep. H. longicornis is native to China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan, and also has populations in Australia, New Zealand, and Russia, as well as on multiple Pacific islands. In South Korea, it has been linked to the spread of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus, described in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report as "a newly emerging infectious disease." SFTS symptoms include fever, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, and elevated serum enzyme levels, according to the CDC. The tick has been associated with rare human disease, such as spotted fever rickettsiosis, according to Andrea M. Egizi, an author of a study on the New Jersey longhorned tick infestation, published in Rutgers Center for Vector Biology. Thus far, no New Jersey longhorned ticks have been found to be carrying disease, according to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. H. longicornis has the potential to infest dogs, cats, livestock, and more. It can …
US pet owners spent nearly $3B on grooming services in 2017May 3, 2018Data released by market research firm Packaged Facts shows that U.S. pet owners spent nearly $3 billion on animal grooming/spa services and products in 2017. The firm, which is partnered with the nonprofit American Pet Products Association, links the expenditure to the increasing trend of pets being considered as family members, citing that 76 percent of those surveyed said it was "important to keep their pets clean and fresh-smelling." "Treating pets as family members has been a significant trend in the pet market for the past decade, with the vast majority of pet owners today considering their pets to be part of the family," said David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts. "With more pet owners keeping their pets close by both at home and on the go, it is driving them to seek out grooming services and products that will allow them to keep their pets clean and well kept. As a result, the movement towards treating pets as family members is undoubtedly one of the overriding factors impacting sales in the grooming market, both services and products." The data was published in a report titled "Pet Grooming, Skin & Coat, and Spa Products, and Services in the …
Rhino at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo receives CT scanApril 27, 2018Veterinarians at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo performed a CT scan on a 7½-year-old eastern black rhinoceros named Layla. The scan, which is believed to be the first of its kind performed on a rhino, was necessary in order to determine appropriate treatment for a known obstruction in the patient's nasal passageway. "As far as we know, this is the first time anyone has done a CT scan on an adult rhino, so we are in uncharted waters," said Michael Adkesson, DVM, DACZM, vice president of clinical medicine for Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo. Layla's keepers became concerned about her last December when they observed her drooling and struggling to breathe. Veterinarians at Brookfield Zoo diagnosed her with obstructive sinusitis and, as rhinos primarily breathe through their noses, nasal obstructions are an immediate cause for concern. On Jan. 29, Layla underwent surgery by specialists Anthony T. Blikslager, DVM, Ph.D, DACVS, and Mathew P. Gerard, BVSc, Ph.D, DACVS, from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and they determined she had a bacterial infection in her nasal passageway. In the two months following the procedure, the rhino received weekly intravenous antibiotic therapy in an attempt …
JAVMA now free online, via app for SAVMA membersApril 27, 2018Student AVMA (SAVMA) members can now read the Journal of the American Veterinary Association (JAVMA) for free online or through the JAVMA mobile app. Students can sign in to the app with their SAVMA ID and password or register online at avmajournals.avma.org to get free access to all of the journal's clinical research, feature articles, and content. SAVMA members who want to receive the print version may subscribe at a significant discount rate of $40 per year. On-the-go access through the JAVMA mobile app allows subscribers to read it from an iPhone, iPad, or Android mobile device. App functions include: Pinch-to-zoom functionality to view text and images in greater detail Full-text and archival search capabilities Note taking, note syncing, and bookmarking pages Navigation by table of contents and page carousel Easy sharing of articles via email or social media The mobile app is available through the Google Play and Apple App stores. Learn more at avma.org/JAVMAapp.
WVC announces 2019 annual conference datesApril 24, 2018In response to feedback from Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) Annual Conference attendees, the organization is moving its conference back to February and has shortened the duration by one day. Dates for the 2019 WVC Annual Conference will be Feb. 17-20 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. "[Our] goal is to always respond to the needs of the profession and our participants," said David Little, WVC CEO. "Additionally, we constantly strive to provide the best value and experience possible for those attending our events. Moving the WVC Annual Conference back to February means more reasonable hotel room rates and increased availability and less competition with other major conferences." In addition, WVC also will shorten the duration of the conference by one day. The event still will launch on Sunday morning but will finish at the end of the day on Wednesday. According to the organization, it will adjust educational programming times to ensure all conference participants will continue to have a full menu of high-quality and diverse learning opportunities and will have the ability to obtain all required annual CE hours at one event. "We understand and are sensitive to the pressures on veterinary professionals, time being one …
Survey finds opportunity growing for professional pet sittersApril 24, 2018Pet Sitters International (PSI) released its 2018 State of the Industry Survey, revealing that its member pet-sitting businesses performed more than 22 million pet-sitting assignments and generated more than $440 million in pet-sitting revenues last year. The association's survey—conducted every two years—gathers data about gross business revenues, types of services most offered, average charges for services, and more. According to the organization, its member businesses averaged 137 clients and 3,816 pet-sitting assignments in 2017. The national average gross revenue for these businesses was $75,658, showing an increase over the 2016 survey results, which indicated an average of 109 clients, 2,645 pet-sitting assignments, and $60,625 gross revenue in 2015. PSI conducted its survey exclusively online from Jan. 23, 2018, to Feb. 26, 2018. Approximately 28 percent of the nearly 6,000 member businesses contacted completed the survey. Visit petsit.com.
