ExtendCredit.com Extends Services To VetsNovember 30, 2010 ExtendCredit.com, an online provider of customer financing plans, has launched what it says is an alternative to conventional third-party financing. With the new Pet Healthcare Payment Plan program, extended payment terms are mutually agreed upon between the veterinary clinic and the pet owner. The pet owner gets a payment he can afford, while veterinarians and animal hospitals can earn additional revenue through modest finance charges, according to the company. “We recognize that pets are part of the family, and like any family member, pets sometimes need an emergency medical procedure to relieve suffering from a very treatable illness or injury,” said Joe Simrell, co-president of ExtendCredit.com. “But unlike other family members, pets aren’t covered by the family’s medical insurance and pet insurance typically does not cover enough of the bill. “In today’s tough economy, pet owners face hard choices about how they intend to pay for an emergency surgical procedure for their pet,” Simrell said. “Using a veterinarian or animal hospital that offers our payment plan program, they can get authorized for the procedure and pay for it without breaking their budget.” For details, call 888-364-2808 or visit Extendcredit.com/petcare-credit. ExtendCredit.com of Aliso Viejo, Calif., …
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Vet Groups Take On Heartworm Resistance IssuesNovember 30, 2010 Resistance to heartworm products is a possibility, but current preventive strategies must be used until additional research is complete, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) and the American Heartworm Society (AHS). The organizations made the announcement after a meeting in late August to discuss scientific and clinical field observations concerning resistance to heartworm products. Attendees, including veterinary parasitologists and cardiologists and scientific researchers, explored the potential relationships between resistance to heartworm products and veterinary and pet owner compliance, loss of product efficacy and effective heartworm testing and treatment protocols. Jay Stewart, DVM, president of CAPC, said the meeting reflects the continued concern of both organizations. However, continued investigation of heartworm product efficacy should not lead to an abandonment of current preventive practices, Dr. Stewart said. Wallace Graham, DVM, president of AHS, talked about the importance of a comprehensive approach fostered by the combined efforts of the two organizations. “We must continue to take a collaborative approach, across organizations and medical disciplines, to address concern among the public and veterinary communities about heartworm resistance,” Dr. Graham said. “We remain open to this concern, and believe cases of resistance to be geographically limited and, …
First Class Of Candidates Achieves CVPP StatusNovember 30, 2010 Twenty-two applicants took and passed the 2009 CVPP exam. After passing the exam, candidates have six months to submit their case reports. To date, 15 have received CVPP status. Two applicants had just submitted their case reports at press time and five more were still working on their reports. The second class is already under way. Seven applicants took the 2010 CVPP exam at the IVAPM Annual Conference in Kansas City in August, with six passing. The one who did not will have the opportunity to retake the exam in 2011. The deadline for the third cycle of applications is Jan. 15. For details, visit Ivapm.org. <Home>
Elanco Challenges Bayer’s Ad ClaimsNovember 30, 2010 The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has recommended that Bayer Animal Health modify or discontinue certain advertising claims made in print advertising and on its website for its flea, tick and mosquito control products K9 Advantix and Advantage for dogs and cats. The claims at issue were challenged by competitor Elanco Animal Health, maker of the dog flea control product Comfortis. Elanco is a division of Eli Lilly and Co. Bayer reported that although it disagreed with the findings, it would modify its website and revise future iterations of its print advertising in accordance with NAD’s recommendations. The company noted its commitment to the self-regulatory process. The claims at issue included: Advantage and K9 Advantix “stop biting fleas in three to five minutes”; “Kills over 99 percent of flea larvae within 20 minutes”; and “Don’t give fleas a biting chance”; among others. NAD recommended that Bayer discontinue, in consumer-directed advertising, the claim that Advantage “stops biting fleas within three to five minutes.” However, NAD concluded that a modified claim, accompanied by supporting evidence, could be used in advertising directed at veterinarians. Bayer indicated it would modify the claim in …
NAVC Lines Up Behavior ConferenceNovember 30, 2010 The annual North American Veterinary Conference, set for Jan. 15-19 in Orlando, Fla., will be holding a “behavior conference within a conference.” It’s geared toward veterinarians, veterinary technicians and animal trainers. The conference includes a hands-on “Behavior Laboratory for Humane Handling and Managing Techniques” session; a full-day session sponsored by Novartis on behavioral pediatrics and risks to children of dog bites, among other topics; a “Feline Behavior: Bad Mood or Wrong Food” session sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition; and a half-day presentation from Elanco Animal Health. The latter will cover topics such as behavior medicine in general practice and, separation anxiety. The conference will conclude with a full-day symposium sponsored by Nestlé-Purina. It will focus on the use of behavior medication and supplements in cats, the effect of diet in the older dog, and temperament testing, among other topics. <Home>
Pet Owners File Lawsuit Against OTC Flea/Tick ManufacturersNovember 30, 2010 Several pet owners filed a class action lawsuit in San Francisco against Central Garden and Pet Co. and Farnam Companies Inc., both manufacturers of over-the-counter flea and tick control products. The lawsuit claims Biospot and Spot-On products have sickened and, in some cases, killed the plaintiffs’ pets due to pyrethrin poisoning. Central Life Sciences, which encompasses Farnam Companies and is part of Central Garden and Pet Co., said the suit is unfounded and that it will “vigorously” defend against it. The Schaumburg, Ill.-based company noted that no products have been recalled and that there have been no recommendations to remove any products from store shelves. The plaintiffs seek monetary and injunctive relief as well as punitive damages. <Home>
Survey Claims Uk Vets Over Inflate Med PricesNovember 30, 2010 Veterinarians in the United Kingdom are charging twice as much as online veterinary pharmacies for the same medicines, according to Vet-Medic Pharmacy, a U.K. online veterinary pharmacy, which recently revealed results from its cost comparison survey. The survey, which was conducted by an independent research company, compared prices of pet medicines in supermarkets, pharmacies, pet superstores, veterinary practices, online pharmacies and veterinary medicine suppliers across the United Kingdom. The survey focused on the most commonly purchased pet health products and leading brands, including Frontline flea control treatments for both dogs and cats; Drontal worming tablets for both dogs and cats; and Optimmune eye treatment. The survey revealed that vet prices were more than double those of the same product purchased online. For example, a six-pack of Frontline for cats is available online for about US $26, while the same product is sold in veterinary practices for about US $61, according to Vet-Medic. The claim that veterinary practices are over-inflating the price of medicines is an unfair accusation, said Harvey Locke, BVSc, president of the British Veterinary Association. “Veterinary practices will mark up the cost of the medicines they supply in order to cover the costs …
Differential Diagnosis Of HypoglycemiaNovember 30, 2010 One way to help organize your thoughts on the differential diagnosis of hypoglycemia is to consider tumors vs. non-neoplastic reasons for the chemical imbalance. Here is a non-exhaustive list. Non-neoplastic causes of hypoglycemia include: • Liver insufficiency (shunt) • Liver failure (cirrhosis) • Sepsis • Addison’s • Idiopathic (neonatal, juvenile, hunting dog) • Starvation • Lab error • Iatrogenic (insulin OD) Tumors causing hypoglycemia include: • Insulinoma • Hepatocellular carcinoma • Leiomyoma • Leiomyosarcoma • Hemangiosarcoma Dr. Phil Zeltzman is a mobile, board-certified surgeon near Allentown, Pa. His website is DrPhilZeltzman.com. Home>
The Flip SideNovember 30, 2010 Pets living primarily outdoors need more calories during winter months to maintain a healthy weight, nutritionists say. This fact may be unknown to the owner and overlooked by the veterinarian considering many pets now enjoy indoor life. Statistics Overweight and obese stats (according to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention: • An estimated 15 percent of U.S. dogs and cats are obese. That’s 26 million obese pets. • An estimated 45 percent of U.S. dogs are overweight or obese. • 35 million U.S. dogs are estimated to be overweight or obese; 6.7 million are obese. • An estimated 58 percent of U.S. cats are overweight or obese. “If kept in a cooler environment, pets’ energy expenditure actually increases with the increased calories that are burned to keep them warm,” says Sally Perea, DVM, Dipl. ACVN, a senior nutritionist with Natura Pet Products Inc. “Some pets kept outdoors may even put on extra weight as a way to increase their fat layer to stay warm. With this said, most pets are going to be kept in an indoor environment, so they should not have these additional energy needs.” Veterinarians should ask clients …
Mare Ovulation Drug Gets FDA ApprovalNovember 30, 2010 Thorn BioScience, a subsidiary of CreoSalus Inc., has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its SucroMate Equine, indicated to regulate ovulation in mares. The injection increases the likelihood of conception during breeding for both natural bred and artificially inseminated horses, according to the Louisville, Ky.-based company. It is the first FDA approved drug of its kind developed and manufactured in Kentucky, the company noted. SucroMate will be manufactured in CreoSalus’ Class 5 aseptic clean room under the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Process. “Over a decade of research and development has been devoted to develop a platform technology that delivers peptides on a sustained release,” said company co-founder Barry Simon, DVM. “SucroMate Equine is the first application of the technology. SucroMate Equine delivers a stable, sterile and consistent dosage of deslorelin for mare ovulation.” The new product also means that horsemen will not have to rely on compounded products that may not meet specifications or work properly, Dr. Simon added. A national distribution agreement has been signed with Canadian-based Bioniche Life Sciences, which has an animal health division specializing in animal reproduction. SucroMate Equine is expected to be available for veterinarians through distributors …
