Spay/Neuter License Plate Program Aims To Curb Homeless Animals In CaliforniaJune 7, 2010 The California Spay and Neuter License Plate Fund and the California Veterinary Medical Board are kicking off the California Spay and Neuter Specialty License Plate Program 11 a.m. tomorrow at the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter. The program aims to provide funding for free and low-cost spay and neuter surgery programs throughout the state. The license plates will feature original artwork created and donated by actor Pierce Brosnan. Brosnan will be joined by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other guests at the launch. “The Spay and Neuter License Plate Program is unprecedented in California and a brilliant initiative,” said Stephanie Ferguson, DVM, vice president of the California Veterinary Medical Board. “The proceeds from this program will tremendously benefit animal shelters and help curtail the number of homeless animals throughout the state. We’re also extremely fortunate to have the generosity and crucial support of Pierce Brosnan and other well-known celebrities. Specifically, the program will fund spay and neuter surgeries through local animal care and control agency voucher programs and through in-house or local veterinary clinics. Net proceeds from the sale and annual renewal of the license plates will fund spay and neuter surgeries, not shelter overhead costs, the …
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APHIS Seeks Public Comment On Information CollectionJune 4, 2010 The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking public comment on its request for information collection on three separate matters. All comments are due Aug. 3. In the first, APHIS is requesting approval of an information collection associated with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories animal health diagnostic system. APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories provides a variety of information and services, centered around diagnosis of domestic and foreign animal diseases, support of disease control and eradication programs, reagents for diagnostic testing, training and laboratory certification. Such activities involve information collection, including the VS Form 4-9, Request for Reagents or Supplies; VS Form 4-10, NVSL Customer Contact Update; and VS Form 4-11, Request for NVSL Laboratory Training. APHIS is asking that the approval on its use of the information collection be for 3 years. Click here to submit a comment. APHIS is also requesting an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for the importation of horses, ruminants, swine and dogs from regions of the world where screwworm is considered to exist. APHIS, among other things, regulates the importation and interstate movement of certain …
FDA Launches Animal Food Pilot ProgramJune 4, 2010 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine launched on June 4, 2010 the beginning of a pilot program to accept and review GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) notices for substances used in animal food. Through the program, individuals, also referred to as the “notifier” by the FDA, can submit “notices of claims that a particular use of a substance in food for animals is exempt from the statutory premarket approval requirements based on the individual’s determination that such use is GRAS.” In short, the notifier can inform the FDA of their determination that the use of a substance is GRAS, rather than petition FDA to affirm that the use of a substance is GRAS, as in the case of food additives. GRAS status is an exemption to the food additive definition. Under the 1958 Food Additives Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, food additive includes any substance that is intentionally added to food and is subject to premarket review and approval by the FDA. However, if the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, …
X-Ray Contest Entries Due By June 30June 3, 2010Veterinary Practice News’ fifth annual “They ate WHAT?” radiograph contest is accepting entries through June 30. The popular competition highlights the surprising variety of non-edible objects that veterinarians discover in their patients. Radiographs must be emailed to VPNeditor@luminamedia.com. They must be accompanied by a 100-word explanation of the case and the submitter’s name, clinic address and telephone number. Previous entries have included cats, dogs, reptiles, birds and large animals whose radiographs disclosed dietary indiscretions involving knives, paper-towel holders, sewing needles, jewelry, rubber ducks and rocks, among an amazing variety of objects. The first-place winner will receive a digital single-lens reflex camera. Two runners-up will get digital point-and-shoot cameras. Sound-Eklin of Carlsbad, Calif., is sponsoring the contest. Last year’s winners may be viewed at VeterinaryPractice News.com/Contest. Entries become the property of Lumina Media, LLC, which reserves the right, without further consideration, to use all photos and text in any publication, media and related promotions. By submitting your materials, you agree that your contact information may be given to a contest sponsor, which may use the information for marketing purposes. You further agree that your photo, text, name, and city and state may be posted on BowTie-owned websites and, in …
Kent Nutrition Group Recalls One Lot Of Lamb FeedJune 3, 2010 Kent Nutrition Group Inc. is voluntarily recalling 36 bags of one specific lot of its Kent Feeds 20 Lamb DQ45 Medicated, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported June 2, 2010. The company implemented the recall after excess amounts of copper were discovered in feed from lot number 810127 during routine sampling. At the time the recall was issued, no customers had complained or reported animal health issues, the FDA said. There is no effective treatment for copper toxicity in sheep other than removing the excess copper from the diet, according to the FDA. Symptoms include lethargy, anemia, teeth grinding, extreme thirst, weakness and recumbency and the condition can result in death, the agency said. The recalled lot of feed was manufactured in Logansport, Indiana. Some bags from lot 810127 have been shipped to dealers in northern Indiana. The lot number of the product is located on the tape of the sewed-end of the Kent Feeds bag. Customers who have purchased Kent Feeds 20 Lamb DQ45 Medicated from lot number 810127 are urged to return it for a full refund. Customer questions or concerns may be directed to the company at 800-552-9620 Monday through Friday between …
A Guide To Managing Osteosarcoma PatientsJune 2, 2010Muffin, an 8-year-old female Rottie, presents with a two-week history of right front leg lameness. The physical exam is within normal limits except for a firm mass on the distal forearm, which is painful on palpation. You suspect a tumor. How would you approach this case? What are your rule-outs? A: A suspicious lesion in the right radius of Muffin, an 8-year-old female Rottie. Photo by Dr. Phil Zeltzman Radiographs of the distal radius and ulna are the next logical step. They reveal a lytic and proliferative lesion with soft-tissue swelling (see photo A). Malignant long bone tumors include osteosarcoma (about 85 percent of the time), chondrosarcoma (5 percent), fibrosarcoma (5 percent) and hemangiosarcoma (5 percent). There is a small chance of a metastatic lesion. If this were a benign lesion, it could be an osteoma, chondroma or bone cyst. It also could be osteomyelitis from a bacterial or fungal infection. Euthanasia offered as a sole treatment option is not ethically acceptable and medically recommended in 2010. Primary bone cancer is a treatable condition that requires a thorough work-up before irreversible decisions are made. A standard work-up should include: CBC and chemistry. An increased alkaline phosphatase …
The Trouble With Pet SterilizationJune 2, 2010 Of all the e-mails and phone calls the last five years of blogging has brought my way, the most commonly queried issue has to do with how to source a tubal ligation or vasectomy for dogs. Apparently, it’s near impossible to find veterinarians willing to take on these simple procedures in some parts of the country. Which is endlessly frustrating to pet owners who have read up on tubal ligation and vasectomies for canine sterilization and decide this approach might just be best for their pet. As in: My breeder/community/veterinarian suggests that I spay or neuter my dog. I’d rather not because a) I want him to compete athletically. b) I’m not convinced of the health benefits of removing her sex organs entirely. c) I’m concerned about the health risks of spaying and neutering (obesity, osteosarcoma, cruciate ligament disease, longevity studies in Rottweilers, etc.). d) He or she has no imminent health or behavior problems that require a zero-sex-hormones approach. All I want is to keep him from potentially adding to the pet overpopulation problem. I don’t know about you, but in light of this kind of well-reasoned argument, I’m not capable …
Genetics Tell An ‘Out Of Africa’ StoryJune 2, 2010 How did Charles Darwin buck the accepted theory of creation during the 1800s without the help of genetics? He was the ultimate zoologist, observer and collector. Darwin had experts analyze hundreds of fossils and thousands of animals collected during his five-year trip to South America and the Galapagos Islands aboard the Beagle (1831-36). The ship was commissioned to map the harbors and coastline of South America. Darwin spent 30 years working on his theory before publishing his revolutionary book “The Origin of the Species.” His theory challenged the world to think of evolution by natural selection over the millennia. It was widely debated before being accepted during his lifetime. This is the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s book, and this year also marks the seventh anniversary since the human genome was completed. The cat, dog and horse genomes are now also completed. These achievements allow genomic scientists to track the true “origin of the species” by probing for shared ancestral mitochondrial DNA found in ancient bones from archaeological sites around the world. The Molecular Clock It is hard to believe, as we look at today’s genetic diversity, that humans, house cats, dogs and some horses shared …
Animal-Only Insulin Still In InfancyJune 2, 2010The lack of a steady, reliable insulin supply for the veterinary industry used to be an obstacle to regulating pet diabetes, experts say. Today, owner acceptance and education are additional hurdles, but manufacturers are working to simplify the management of the disease for clients and veterinarians. Instead of relying solely on human insulin makers, several drug companies are catering to the veterinary industry and seeking Food and Drug Administration approval of their products. They also are investing in research to discover how to make diabetes maintenance more successful. Lauren Boyd, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Grand Rapids, Mich., says she uses as many types of insulin as she can in order to understand them. “It’s a pain to switch insulin once the animal is regulated, but it is necessary sometimes when the product is discontinued or there’s a problem with it,” Dr. Boyd says. She says she follows advancements in insulin offerings and in making diabetes more bearable for the pet and owner, but she has questions about one company’s pending introduction of a transdermal insulin delivery system. Novartis Animal Health signed an agreement March 31 with Phosphagenics Ltd., an Australian pharmaceutical company, to develop the system …
Osteosarcoma StatisticsJune 2, 2010 Here are some numbers to keep in mind when dealing with osteosarcoma of long bones: Early peak in age: two years Late peak in age: eight years Breeds: most often large and giant Area most affected: the metaphysis of long bones Front leg: often “away from the elbow” Hind leg: “close to the knee” may be debatable Front vs. back: front limbs are affected twice as often as hind legs Without chemotherapy, 90 percent will metastasize within one year Average survival with amputation alone: four months Average survival with radiation therapy alone: four months Average survival with amputation and chemo: 10 months, though some say one year What on earth is limb sparing? Limb sparing, or “limb spare,” is a highly specialized limb salvage procedure that consists of en bloc excision of the tumor. Depending on the specific location, the missing bone may or may not need to be replaced with some sort of graft. The most common and practical location for limb sparing is the distal radius. The missing bone can be replaced with a variety of grafts: the distal ulna; the distal radius segment itself after radiation or pasteurization; …
