AVMA Delegates Push Jerky InvestigationMarch 18, 2014 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s House of Delegates backed away last week from a proposal that would have discouraged the feeding of jerky treats to pets and instead recommended that veterinarians continue to work with federal investigators to determine whether jerky is to blame for the deaths of hundreds of animals since 2007. The House of Delegates, which enacts policies for the veterinary profession, returned a petition to the Executive Board with a recommendation that AVMA members "provide input to the Food and Drug Administration on incidents and conditions [that] could be associated with pet food and treats.” The FDA admitted in October that the agency could not conclusively link jerky treats and pet illnesses. Bernadette Dunham, DVM, Ph.D., the director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, at the time called the episode "one of the most elusive and mysterious outbreaks we’ve encountered.” The FDA also urged veterinarians to contribute to the ongoing investigation by reporting adverse events. The House of Delegates, which met during the Veterinary Leadership Conference in Chicago, endorsed the federal investigation and urged veterinarians "to work with FDA to enhance efforts in safeguarding a healthy pet population through quality control …
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UC Davis Vets Hold Continuing Education Symposium in ChinaMarch 13, 2014 Veterinarians from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine leveled the international veterinary playing field somewhat as they traveled to China to showcase the latest small animal veterinary techniques. The inaugural International Small Animal Practice Symposium—produced and taught by UC Davis’ Andrew Burton, DVM, Gina Davis, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, Jonathan Dear, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, and Karl Jandrey, DVM, MAS, Dipl. ACVECC—was held over a four-day span at the Nanjing Agricultural University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Nanjing, China. The multiple daily sessions were attended by 50 Chinese veterinarians. The veterinary focus in China is on food animal medicine, according to UC Davis, and educational opportunities for veterinary students interested in small animal medicine are not as plentiful as they are at American and other Western veterinary schools. Drs. Burton, Davis, Dear and Jandrey discussed topics routinely encountered at the UC Davis’ William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. “Our colleagues at Nanjing Agricultural University were fantastic hosts and truly placed a large amount of energy and support into this event,” said Jandrey. “They are committed to continue this relationship and these training symposia,” he added. The daily symposium schedule consisted of:
No Vacation This Year From Lyme, Heartworm DiseaseMarch 13, 2014 Besides heat waves and thunderstorms, other serious conditions will threaten the United States this year as temperatures rise, the Companion Animal Parasite Council warned today. The nonprofit Salem, Ore.-based group is forecasting the spread of tick-borne Lyme disease beyond its traditional borders and a heightened risk of heartworm disease across much of the nation. The council used computer models similar to those employed to predict hurricanes to issue several advisories to veterinarians and pet owners: • Lyme disease, historically a Northeastern threat, is spreading into the Midwest and southward through the mid-Atlantic states. • New England and the Pacific Northwest will play host to Lyme disease hot spots. • The region from Virginia to Texas, and even into California, will be at high risk of ehrlichiosis. • The risk of heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, may be particularly bad in Texas, the Southeast and along the Pacific coast from Northern California to Washington state. To keep pets safe, CAPC recommends: • Using medications that offer year-round protection against ticks, heartworm and other parasites. • Scheduling regular veterinary checkups. • …
Activyl Manufacturer Knocks Effectiveness of Frontline PlusMarch 13, 2014A study comparing the efficacy of the spot-on topical flea treatments Activyl and Frontline Plus has left one pet pharmaceutical manufacturer declaring victory and a competitor challenging the research. Merck Animal Health on Feb. 26 released the results of an in-home study that found Activyl, in the company’s words, “was more effective than Frontline Plus in controlling flea populations on pets.” Frontline Plus is manufactured by Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga. “Activyl eliminated more than 99 percent of fleas on pets after two monthly applications versus a 54.8 percent reduction achieved by Frontline Plus,” Merck reported. “At the end of the two-month study, nearly five times more pets treated with Activyl were flea free, and Activyl users found significantly fewer fleas in their homes.” Merial countered that in-home product comparisons are unreliable because of multiple variables. “These variables include pre-existing flea biomass (eggs, larvae, pupae) in the home, differences in temperature and humidity between different homes, flea development ‘hot spots’ outdoors, and even flea-infested visitor pets,” the company noted in a prepared statement. “We know from many years of conducting our own flea and tick control research that studies such as this—conducted in pet owners’ homes—are not well suited for …
We Should Have Learned These Lessons BeforeMarch 6, 2014 Everyone learned that “What goes up must come down.” Anyone with money in the stock market in late 2008 saw accounts drop seemingly by half almost overnight. Real estate values went down and the banks became unstable. As a result of the economic meltdown, the Gross National Product fell and the unemployment rate rose. All in all, not a good time for most people from 2008 through 2010. The specific numbers are still being crunched, but the veterinary profession was not as affected as most other business sectors. Most veterinarians felt lucky they were not automobile dealers, real estate salespeople, bankers or stock brokers. Were veterinarians hurt? Absolutely, but not to the extent many others were hit. The specific effect depended on your practice location, practice type and your attitude about the recession. In most cases, veterinary practices were somewhat resistant to the recession, although not recession-proof. From various surveys done by AAHA, AVMA and NCVEI, reported gross revenues vary from being up 10-15 percent to being down 25-30 percent. As Dr. Karen Felsted, CEO of NCVEI, has said many times, “Flat is the new up.” Some practices on both coasts of the …
Elanco Animal Health to Buy German Poultry Vaccine MakerFebruary 25, 2014 Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Co., reported today that it will acquire poultry vaccine manufacturer Lohmann Animal Health. Lohmann, based in Cuxhaven, Germany, also markets a range of feed additives. “The addition of Lohmann Animal Health provides a unique opportunity for Elanco to expand our presence in the global poultry market and to enter the global poultry vaccine market with a solid base, established products, and global commercial and manufacturing capabilities,” said Jeff Simmons, president of Elanco Animal Health. The agreement grants Greenfield, Ind.-based Elanco all the assets of Lohmann SE and its animal health subsidiary, including plants in Cuxhaven and Winslow, Maine. The transaction price was not disclosed. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014. Elanco reported that the acquisition complements the company’s “mission to help the global food chain deliver a safe, affordable, sufficient food supply.” “As the middle class grows in size and affluence throughout the world, the demand for eggs and poultry is growing rapidly,” said William Weldon, vice president of Elanco research and development. …
Penn Vet Educator, Equine Surgeon Charles Raker Dies at 93February 25, 2014 Charles W. Raker, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, who co-founded the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center campus and was credited with training many of today’s equine surgeons, died Feb. 16. He was 93. Dr. Raker was a charter diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, which he helped found in 1965 and served as president in the mid-1970s. “Dr. Raker was a quiet giant, a gentleman, modest and humble, a trusted man of integrity,” said Corinne Sweeney, DVM, New Bolton Center’s associate dean and executive director of its large animal hospital. “He was such an important figure in the history of veterinary surgery and of New Bolton Center.” Raised in Chester County, Pa., Raker spent eight years in private practice after graduating from Penn Vet’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 1942. He returned to Penn Vet in 1950 as an assistant professor of veterinary medicine in a move designed to enhance the school’s livestock and large animal curriculum. “I looked on teaching as a challenge and never looked back,” he later recalled. After helping establish New Bolton Center in 1952, Raker took a crash course in surgery at Cornell University with a focus …
Med-Vet Issues Limited Recall of Insulin SyringesFebruary 21, 2014 Medical products distributor Med-Vet International is voluntarily recalling 140 boxes of mislabeled veterinary insulin syringes. The Oasis syringes were labeled with 40 units per 0.5cc when they should have been marked with only 20 units per 0.5cc, Med-Vet reported today. The mix-up could lead to lower than prescribed insulin doses, the Mettawa, Ill., company stated. Animals receiving subtherapeutic doses of insulin may show signs of hyperglycemia, including dehydration, an increase in thirst, urination, malaise or lethargy, and urinary tract infections. No injuries have been reported, Med-Vet added. The recall involves the Oasis 0.5cc U-40 insulin syringe with a 29-gauge, half-inch needle. The lot number is 20120610, and the item number is MV1/2CCINS-40 or 1/2CCINS-40. The syringes were distributed from January 2013 to February 2014 to veterinarians, consumers, animal hospitals, animal shelters and farmers, Med-Vet stated. The company is fielding questions by telephone at 800-544-7521 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST and by email at customerservice@shopmedvet.com. <HOME>
Alaska Vet Wins My Vet’s the Best ContestFebruary 21, 2014 An Alaska veterinarian who serves an area larger than the entire state of Minnesota was named the grand-prize winner of Pets Best Insurance Services’ annual My Vet’s the Best contest. Sarah Coburn, MS, DVM, practices at North Slope Borough Veterinary Clinic in Barrow, Alaska. The clinic is the sole source of veterinary care within an 89,000-square-mile area, Pets Best reported. Dr. Coburn was presented with a $1,000 check Tuesday during the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. She intends to spend the money on shelter and insulation for outdoor dogs. “I believe I won My Vet’s the Best because our situation and remoteness here is so different from what most other veterinarians face,” Coburn said. “It’s a challenge, but it’s interesting every day. Since it’s an area that can’t support a private vet, I’m glad to provide a service that otherwise wouldn’t be here. It’s a lot of variety, and it’s very rewarding.” She treats everything from dogs and cats to snowy owls and walruses, and she helps state health inspectors with examinations at local restaurants. She also will work at the Iditarod dog sled race, which kicks off March 1. Coburn was selected …
Ark Sciences Releases Canine Sterilization DrugFebruary 18, 2014 The only FDA-approved nonsurgical sterilization drug for male dogs began shipping to U.S. veterinarians Monday nearly a decade after an earlier version exited the market. The new drug, Zeuterin Injectable Solution, is a blend of zinc gluconate and the amino acid arginine. The manufacturer, Ark Sciences Inc. of Ventura, Calif., has trained and certified more than 400 veterinarians in the use of Zeuterin. The procedure does not involve traditional neutering—the surgical removal of a dog’s testicles. Instead, Zeuterin is injected without general anesthesia directly into each testicle using a fine, 30-gauge needle. Sperm production ends within one to three days, and the testes ultimately shrink, the manufacturer stated. The drug is indicated for male dogs ages 3 to 10 months and may be delivered under mild sedation. “It’s a simple, one-time procedure that takes only minutes,” said celebrity veterinarian Marty Becker, DVM, who attended the product launch Monday at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. “It is such an improvement over traditional castration that shelter operators and veterinarians are embracing it.” Dr. Becker reported that Zeuterin is the first veterinary product he has endorsed. Also present at the unveiling were McAllen, Texas, …
