Petco Removing All Dog, Cat Treats Made In ChinaMay 21, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Petco operates 1,300 company stores and more than 100 smaller-format Unleashed by Petco stores. Petco will stop selling Chinese-made dog and cat treats by year's end in reaction to an ongoing investigation of pet illnesses possibly linked to tainted jerky. The San Diego-based chain today became the first national pet specialty retailer to ban Chinese-made treats from its shelves. The action came days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that more than 5,600 dogs and 24 cats had became ill over the past seven years after eating jerky treats. More than 1,000 dogs died. No proof has been found to conclusively link jerky to the pet illnesses. Most of the jerky was produced in China. Chinese-made dog and cat treats will disappear from Petco's 1,300 stores, its website and Unleashed by Petco locations over the coming months. "We know some pet parents are wary of dog and cat treats made in China, especially chicken jerky products, and we've heard their concerns," Petco CEO Jim Myers said. "Very simply, we feel this decision …
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Animal Care Students Help Care For Abandoned KittenMay 20, 2014Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Early one brisk morning in Rugeley, Staffordshire County, England, a package awaited the employees of a veterinary clinic on Market Street. It was no ordinary, post-office-delivered package lying on the doorstep. It was a living, breathing entity, meowing in its infancy: a kitten. Lenny's abandonment was short-lived. Without his feline mother, or a human substitute, Lenny found refuge in the hands of Joanne Waldron, RVN, head nurse at the Donnachie & Townley veterinary clinic. Waldron took the kitten home and for the first few days fed him at two-hour intervals. A lecturer of the Level 2 Animal Care Course at Stafford College, Waldron brought Lenny to her students, who help care for the kitten. They have bathed Lenny carefully and keep track of his developments. They dote on the kitten, bringing him to and from Stafford College in a specially-prepared basket ? one that contains a hot water bottle and a teddy bear. They have even taken over his feeding schedule, which is now every four hours, on weekdays. "The students have been giving me a bit of a break and …
Merck Releases 12-Week Flea, Tick MedicineMay 20, 2014Merck Animal Health today upped the ante in the world of flea and tick preventives with a flavored chew proven to be effective for 12 weeks at a time. "Bravecto is a breakthrough innovation that offers pet owners and veterinarians something that no other product does—the longest-lasting oral flea and tick prevention currently available," said KJ Varma, senior vice president of research and development at Summit, N.J.-based Merck. The product is indicated to kill fleas for 12 weeks, the black-legged tick, American dog tick and brown dog tick for 12 weeks, and the Lone Star tick for eight weeks. The 12-week claims do not apply to dogs less than 6 months old. The active ingredient, fluralaner, is a new ectoparasiticide belonging to the isoxazoline group, Merck noted. The chew may be given to help control flea allergy dermatitis, the manufacturer added. Bravecto's five dosages are based on a dog's weight: 4.4 to 9.9 pounds, 9.9 to 22 pounds, 22 to 44 pounds, 44 to 88 pounds and 88 to 123 pounds. Clinical trials revealed the most common adverse reactions to be vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, polydipsia and flatulence.
Merial's NexGard Now Indicated Against 2 More TicksMay 19, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter @vetpetnews. Afoxolaner, the active ingredient in NexGard, helps treat and control fleas and ticks for 30 days at a time. NexGard (afoxolaner) Chewables, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved last year as a flea and tick preventive, is now indicated to protect against the black-legged tick and the Lone Star tick. The manufacturer, Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga., reported the update today in regard to ticks linked to Lyme disease, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and tularemia. "As ticks continue to become more of a threat and spread to new geographic areas, treatment with a product like NexGard, which kills both fleas and ticks, will be especially important," said Hal Little, DVM, Merial's director of field veterinary services. Laboratory studies found that NexGard was highly effective against the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum) 48 hours after treatment and that it maintained efficacy for one month, Merial stated. The initial claim involved the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis). The active ingredient, afoxolaner, is formulated to kill fleas and ticks for 30 …
Jerky Probe Reveals 1,800 More Cases, No AnswersMay 19, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. The FDA investigation of pet jerky involves treats made with chicken, duck or sweet potato. Ciolo/I-5 Studio Advice to Pet Owners The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released this advisory to pet owners: "Jerky pet treats should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be fed only occasionally and in small quantities. "FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs jerky pet treats to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased water consumption or increased urination. "If the dog shows any of these signs, consumers should immediately stop feeding the jerky pet treat. In addition, owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi-like syndrome (increased glucose in …
4 Horses Die After Receiving Compounded EPM DrugMay 16, 2014Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter @vetpetnews. Horses are infected with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis through contaminated food or water. Cioli/I-5 Studio The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued an advisory about compounded veterinary medications after four horses being treated for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) died. Adverse events such as seizures, fever and death were reported in two Kentucky horses and eight Florida horses that received a pyrimethamine-toltrazuril combination. Four of the horses died or were euthanized and six horses are recovering, FDA reported. Wickliffe Veterinary Pharmacy of Lexington, Ky., compounded two lots—one paste and one oral suspension—containing pyrimethamine and toltrazuril. "At this time, FDA testing indicates that one lot of product contained higher levels of pyrimethamine than the labeling indicates," the agency stated. "All of the products in these lots are accounted for and are no longer in distribution," FDA added. The usual dose of pyrimethamine in horses is 1 mg/kg when combined with sulfadiazine as an FDA-approved treatment for EPM. Toltrazuril is not approved for use in horses, the agency noted. Bayer Animal Health offers toltrazuril as the active …
California Wildfire Damages Sound-Eklin HeadquartersMay 16, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter @vetpetnews. Among Sound-Eklin?s product offerings is the Mark portable X-ray system. The Carlsbad, Calif., headquarters of veterinary imaging company Sound-Eklin was severely damaged in one of the wildfires ravaging San Diego County, affecting the offices and warehouse and shutting down the manufacturer's website. All 70 people who work at the location escaped injury when the Poinsettia Fire reached the property Wednesday. "While the fire has caused severe damage to a substantial portion of the facility, VCA is working diligently to satisfy customer requirements and prevent supply disruptions," parent company VCA Inc. reported. "VCA has in place standard insurance coverage for both property damage and business-interruption losses, but it is unable at this time to assess the financial impact of the fires to its business." Sound-Eklin's customer support department remains open at 800-819-5538. "Thankfully, due to our contingency protocols, customer service is up and supporting customers, and the SoundSafe image cloud has all images safe and secure in the AT&T data center in Mesa, Ariz.," Sound-Eklin noted on its lone Web page. Sound-Eklin, which sells
Vet Clinic Opened At Iron River Animal ShelterMay 15, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Photo credit Northwoods Animal Shelter In late 2013, the Northwoods Animal Shelter in Iron River, Michigan, was buzzing with talk of opening an animal hospital. By January, that talk turned into reality and construction began. But that would not be the only change at the site. In February, Robert Anderson, DVM, the veterinarian who was renting the space, retired. Construction continued and the new facility was finished. April saw the opening of the Four Seasons Animal Hospital. Spring had sprung. Spring also brought volunteers to support the animal hospital, just as they do the shelter. But the hospital isn't entirely volunteer-run. A full-time veterinary staff, including Cheryl Matuszewski, DVM and practice manager Kelly Devorak, graces the Four Seasons Animal Hospital. Photo credit Northwoods Animal Shelter Cheryl Matuszewski, DVM Since the April 7th opening, the Four Seasons Animal Hospital has had numerous clients. "We are pleasantly surprised at how busy we have been," said shelter manager Bonnie Jewell, according to The Daily News. Jewell also praised how well …
Missouri Veterinary Student Wins Bayer Communication ContestMay 15, 2014 Katherine Nadolny, second from left, won the Bayer Excellence in Communication Award. With her are, from left, University of Missouri veterinary dean Neil C. Olson; Ronald Cott, Missouri's associate dean for student and alumni affairs; and Adrienne Willette of Bayer Animal Health's Veterinary Technical Services. Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. A fourth-year student at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine is the top winner of Bayer Animal Health's second annual Bayer Excellence in Communication Award. The contest challenges veterinary students to display effective communication skills in a clinical setting involving a client. Missouri's Katherine Nadolny received a $2,500 scholarship for being a school-level winner and an additional $2,500 for winning the national competition. Twenty-six other regional winners were awarded $2,500 each. The college's dean, Neil C. Olson, DVM, Ph.D., said the communication competition "is helping veterinary schools shape future veterinarians." "We are ecstatic that one of our own Mizzou Tigers, Katherine Nadolny, has received this coveted award and scholarship," he added. A panel of faculty judges evaluated their students' filmed interviews and selected the local winner. Sixteen schools submitted …
Bravo Recalls Some Raw Food Made For Dogs, CatsMay 15, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Beef & Beef Heart and Balance Premium Turkey Formula are among the recalled Bravo pet foods. Manchester, Conn., pet food maker Bravo today announced a limited product recall after Listeria bacteria was discovered in one sample. The bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, poses a greater threat to people than pets. A small number of dogs exhibited nausea and diarrhea that may be associated with the recalled food, Bravo stated, but no related human illnesses, which may include fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhea, were reported. Listeria infections are most common in newborns, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The voluntary recall involves raw food formulated for dogs or cats. "Bravo is issuing this action out of an abundance of caution and sincerely regrets any inconvenience to pet owners as a result of this announcement," the company reported. The recalled products were sold nationwide. Consumers are asked to complete a claim form available here and return …
