Veterinary Eye Doctors Rally To Help Service DogsJune 23, 2014 More than 7,000 service animals received free eye exams in May as part of an American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists campaign designed to honor their public work. Nearly 29,000 service animals have been examined over the seven years of the National Service Animal Eye Exam Event, the ACVO reported today. Nearly all the patients examined this year were dogs employed as guide, handicapped assistance, detection, military, search and rescue, or registered therapy animals, but horses and a donkey were checked as well. More than 250 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists participated in the event in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, looking for everything from eye redness, squinting and cloudy corneas to retinal disease, early cataracts and other abnormalities. “Early detection and treatment are vital to these working animals,” said Stacee Daniel, executive director of the Meridian, Idaho-based ACVO. “Our hope is that by checking their vision early and often, we will be able to help a large number of service animals better assist their human friends.” Success was measured not only by what the ophthalmologists did or didn’t find but also by the response of the owners. “Special thanks go out to the service …
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Soring Bill at Risk as Congressional Term Winds DownJune 23, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews Supporters of legislation that would stiffen penalties for soring sent a message to federal lawmakers last week: Giddyup. Introduced in April 2013, the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act has been sitting in a House subcommittee for the past year and will die if the current Congress fails to advance and approve the bill by January 2015. Representatives of the American Veterinary Medical Association joined horse owners and other backers June 18 for the Walk on Washington. Tennessee Walking Horses, spotted saddle horses and racking horses paraded through Union Square in view of the U.S. Capitol in support of the proposed law, which counts 292 House members and 56 senators as co-sponsors. The American Association of Equine Practitioners and dozens of other veterinary, horse industry and animal protection groups have called on Congress to pass the bill. The PAST Act would amend the Horse Protection Act by: • Making the actual act of soring illegal. Soring is the deliberate infliction of pain to produce a high-stepping, unnatural gait in performance horses. • Increasing civil and criminal penalties for violations. • …
Start-Up Drug Maker Kindred Biosciences Moving QuicklyJune 20, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News at @vetpetnews Veterinarians in 2015 may have three more pharmaceutical options for dogs suffering from osteoarthritis, atopic dermatitis or postoperative pain if Kindred Biosciences can keep to its timetable. The development-stage drug maker is flush with money, ideas, and veterinary and business expertise as it manages a pipeline filled with more than 10 potential products designed for the treatment of everything from gastrointestinal disease in cats to laminitis in horses. The drugs likely to debut first are CereKin, AtoKin and SentiKin. The farthest along is the osteoarthritis medication CereKin (diacerein), an interleukin-1 beta inhibitor that has completed canine enrollment in a multicenter, pivotal field study. The Burlingame, Calif., company expects to file a New Animal Drug Application for CereKin this year and hopes to win U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in 2015. All that for a company that didn’t exist three years ago. “The completion of enrollment … on schedule and on budget is a strong validation of our business model and a testament to the quality and dedication of our team,” said Kindred co-founder Richard Chin, MD, whose career includes leadership roles at human …
Calming Drug Reformulated for Small Cats, DogsJune 19, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews Dexdomitor, a sedative and preanesthetic manufactured by Zoetis Inc., now comes is a dosage appropriate for smaller dogs and cats. The new formulation, Dexdomitor 0.1, has a 0.1 mg/ml dosage. The volume permits U.S. veterinarians to more accurately administer doses for dogs less than 20 pounds and cats less than seven pounds, Zoetis reported today. Dexdomitor (dexmedetomidine) is used to keep pets calmer in treatment rooms. Available in Europe since August 2013, the new formulation is one-fifth the concentration of original Dexdomitor, negating the need for dilution. “Dexdomitor and now Dexdomitor 0.1 allow veterinarians and their staff to perform minor procedures on small dogs and cats, which they might not be able to do if the pet were struggling or resisting being held by staff members,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, the group director of Companion Animal Veterinary Operations for Zoetis. “Using a sedation protocol helps enhance the comfort and safety of the pet and the staff and provides a more positive clinic visit for the client as well.” Zoetis, based in Florham Park, N.J., commissioned a survey in March that …
WVC Schedules CE Classes in Oklahoma, IndianaJune 18, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews Western Veterinary Conference’s continuing education program is heading east. All-day classes on small animal dermatology or gastroenterology are scheduled for Sept. 20 and Oct. 25 in Oklahoma City and Indianapolis, respectively. Each earns six CE hours. Moving CE chances from Las Vegas to other cities significantly cuts the travel trouble. “Time and cost are the two most common obstacles to gaining continuing education in the veterinary profession,” said David Little, CEO of Western Veterinary Conference. The new program, called WVC On The Road, is an outgrowth of the offerings at the annual Western Veterinary Conference and the year-round education at the nearby Oquendo Center. “We are always looking for ways to connect veterinary professionals with the educational resources they need to gain knowledge and expertise throughout their careers,” Little said. “Beginning with the opening of the Oquendo Center and now with On The Road, WVC continues to enhance our commitment to year-round, continuing education opportunities.” On the Road classes are likely in 2015, Little said. The fall schedule is: • Sept. 20 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.): “Small Animal Dermatology: …
Study Aims to Keep Intermingling Dogs HealthyJune 18, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews Dog parks, agility competitions and breed shows are more than just gathering spots for canines. They’re also places where infectious diseases such as kennel cough and distemper can easily spread. A team of veterinary researchers in July will launch a 20-month study with the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals in an effort to provide dog owners with practical recommendations for reducing the risk of disease transmission. “Whether participating in various dog sports, attending training classes or simply visiting the local dog park, mitigating the risk of infectious disease transmission should be of concern to all responsible dog owners whose dogs are regularly in contact with other dogs,” said Eddie Dziuk, chief operating officer of the Columbia, Mo.-based Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is taking the lead on the study, which is funded by an $11,942 grant from the Orthopedic Foundation. The principal researcher is Jason Stull, VMD, MPVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVPM, an assistant professor in the department of veterinary preventive medicine. Also involved are disease specialists Armando Hoet, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVPM; …
Going Green Brings Gold to Oakland Zoo Veterinary HospitalJune 18, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews The Oakland Zoo’s environmentally friendly veterinary hospital has earned the second-highest level of LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The 17,000-square-foot hospital joined the Oregon Zoo Veterinary Medical Center in Portland as the only two West Coast veterinary facilities to hold Gold status ― one step below Platinum. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a program that recognizes the design, construction and operation of “green” buildings. The goal is to reduce the use of energy and water. “Achieving LEED Gold confirms Oakland Zoo’s ongoing environmental leadership and demonstrates our immediate and positive impact on our planet’s resources, said Nik Dehejia,” the zoo’s CFO. “The building of the Veterinary Hospital addresses critical environmental challenges, creates opportunities for ‘green’ jobs, environmental education for thousands of children and families who visit the zoo, and reduces our long-term operating costs.” Noll & Tam Architects Natural light helps reduce energy costs at the Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital. Among the environmental highlights of the hospital, which opened in October 2012, are: • Maximum use of natural …
Trupanion Pet Insurance Proposes $75 Million IPOJune 17, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News at @vetpetnews Trupanion, which commands about 10 percent of the U.S. pet health insurance market, is planning a $75 million initial public offering (IPO) to help pay down a mountain of debt. The Seattle company revealed in documents filed Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that while annual revenue and the number of insured pets continues to rise, profits have been elusive. Losses the past three years totaled $3.9 million, $6.4 million and $8.2 million. The number of IPO shares and the anticipated price are to be determined. Trupanion reported that some of the proceeds would be used to reduce the company’s $29.9 million debt. The balance sheet includes $12 million outstanding on a loan that carries an 11 percent interest rate. “The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our financial flexibility, create a public market for our stock, obtain additional capital and increase our visibility in the marketplace,” one document explained. The company got its start in Canada in 2000 under founder and CEO Darryl Rawlings. Trupanion enrolled its first U.S. pet in 2008, and today it insures more than 181,000 …
Harrisvaccines’ PEDv Vaccine Wins Conditional LicenseJune 17, 2014A vaccine formulated to fight porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), which has killed an estimated 7 million piglets across the United States in just over a year, has been awarded a conditional license, manufacturer Harrisvaccines reported today. The vaccine was introduced in August 2013 under the brand name iPED and quickly gained favor among veterinarians and pork producers. The newly licensed vaccine was renamed Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Vaccine, RNA, which reflects its SirraVax RNA Particle Technology. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conditional license — the first granted for a PEDv vaccine — allows Harrisvaccines to sell the vaccine directly to veterinarians and swine producers, the company stated. Conditional licenses are sometimes issued to meet an emergency or unmet need, Harrisvaccines noted. “A conditionally licensed product must show a reasonable expectation of efficacy, and all safety and purity requirements must be met,” the Ames, Iowa, company added. Harrisvaccines moved quickly in 2013 to develop a vaccine for PEDv, which is spread through feces, causes severe diarrhea and vomiting, and kills up to 100 percent of infected young pigs. “The impact of this disease has been devastating,” said Hank Harris, DVM, Ph.D., the founder and CEO of Harrisvaccines. “We recognized the great …
Iowa to Host Beef Cattle Welfare SymposiumJune 16, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News at @vetpetnews Iowa State University will host the 4th International Beef Cattle Welfare Symposium July 16-18. The event is designed for veterinarians, students, animal scientists, beef producers, retailers and government officials. Attendees will be able “to discuss, debate and learn more about the specific welfare issues that are certain to impact and change the beef cattle industry, based on the ever-changing production practices and in response to animal welfare concerns in the livestock and poultry industries.” Such issues will include all angles of the beef supply chain, according the university, including social concerns, production, environment, transportation, processing, marketing, trade regulations and legislation. The first day is designed to provide participants with hands-on experience in diagnosing and treating lameness in beef cattle, practicing the correct technique for on-farm euthanasia and learning a variety of on-farm techniques for minimizing stress during handling and management procedures, including dehorning. The other two days will consist of a scientific program. Sessions will include discussions about current and future beef cattle welfare concerns, low stress cattle handling, beta-agonist use, lameness and pain management. For symposium details and registration info, visit their
