AVMA’s 145th Annual Convention Heads To ‘The Big Easy’May 17, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Assn. will host about 10,000 veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary students and other attendees at its 145th annual convention July 19-22 in New Orleans, La., also known as "The Big Easy." Sessions will cover the latest trends on topics such as cloning, genomics, stem cell treatments, raw diets for pets and laser surgery. Hot topics will include avian influenza, food safety, obesity and the One Health Initiative. There will also be hands-on training in veterinary chiropractic medicine, acupuncture and microcurrent therapy. “But perhaps the most important programs at this year’s convention will be those that allow attendees to volunteer in the revival of the city through a first-of-its-kind ‘voluntourism’ program,” said Gregory Hammer, DVM, president of the organization. Veterinarians and other convention attendees will have the opportunity to help rebuild and rehabilitate animal shelters damaged during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. On July 17 and 18, about 200 volunteers will clean, paint and provide other services to the Plaquemines Parish Animal Control facility, the St. Charles Parish Animal Shelter and the Jefferson West Parish Animal Shelter. Volunteers will also construct an outdoor recreational area for cats at the Jefferson East Parish …
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AVMA Council Election ResultsMay 17, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Assn.’s House of Delegates elected 17 new council members during its session held in Washington, D.C., during the AVMA’s convention in July. New council members, by council, follow. Constituency represented is listed in parentheses. Biologic and Therapeutic Agents John Waddell, DVM, MBA (private clinical practice, predominantly food animal) Communications Helen K. McShane, DVM (private small animal practitioner) Suzanne L. Craig, DVM, Dipl. ACLAM (at large) Education Herbert E. Whiteley, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVP (veterinary medical research) Nathan D. Voris, DVM, MBA (private equine clinical practice) William S. Swecker, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVN (large animal clinical science) Robert B. Cherenson, DVM (private practice, food animal exclusive) Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine Tracey DuVernoy, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM (public health agencies/armed forces) Brushan Jayaro, DVM, Ph.D., MPH (public health agencies/armed forces) Donald E. Hoenig, VMD (agricultural agencies) Research G. David McCarroll, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (private clinical practice) Kent Lloyd, DVM, Ph.D. (veterinary medical research) Veterinary Service Carlos E. Bonnot, DVM (private mixed practice, predominantly food animal/equine) Cheri A. Johnson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM (academic clinical science)
AVMA Names Executive Vice PresidentMay 17, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Assn. has named Ron DeHaven, DVM, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, as the new executive vice president. Dr. DeHaven will succeed Bruce Little, DVM, who has held the position of executive vice president since 1996 and is retiring at the end of this year. As APHIS administrator, DeHaven oversees a $1.9-billion budget and 8,300 employees. He is also responsible for the protection of U.S. agriculture and natural resources from exotic pests and diseases, administering the Animal Welfare Act and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. “This position at the AVMA will provide me an exciting opportunity to give back to the profession,” DeHaven said. “I will be in a leadership position in the organization that represents 75,000 veterinarians at a time when the profession is at a crossroads. We are facing a future where the intersection of animal health and public health, and food supply veterinary medicine is becoming critical to meeting the needs of a global society.” DeHaven began his career at APHIS in 1979 as a veterinary medical officer, and later served as a regional director, veterinary staff officer, deputy administrator and …
Avian, Exotics ConferencesMay 17, 2010 The 28th Annual Assn. of Avian Veterinarians Conference and Expo and the Assn. of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians’ Annual Conference and Business Meeting will be held in August in Providence, RI. The AAV conference will take place Aug. 4-9; AEMV will take place Aug. 4-5. For more information, visit www.aav.org or www.aemv.org. <HOME>
Available Resources For Fire VictimsMay 17, 2010For the latest information and resources on the California wildfires, please visit one of the following Web sites. Check back often for updates. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: Los Angeles is providing wildfire evacuation and rescue services for animal victims of the fire through its Disaster Animal Response Team (DART). For information or to make a donation, click here. Red Cross: Look up the latest efforts by the Red Cross to assist victims of the California wildfires as well as make a donation or volunteer. For details, click here. The National Interagency Fire Center tracks the latest information on the wildfires, including breakdown by county, acreage burned, percentage contained and street closures. For more information, click here. For a list of animal disaster groups serving California, click here. The Santa Barbara County Animal Services Program has implemented a hotline to assist pet owners with evacuation and sheltering for the Sedgewick fire. For details, click here. The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA have gathered the latest information on animal evacuations and locations that accept pets. For details, click here. The Equestrian Coalition …
ASPCA’s Doctor Named Vet Of The YearMay 17, 2010 The Veterinary Medical Assn. of New York City has named Robert Reisman, DVM, Veterinarian of the Year for his work on animal cruelty cases at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Dr. Reisman, medical coordinator of Animal Cruelty Cases at the organization's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, was also recognized for his service as president of the association in 2007 and as veterinary editor of the association’s newsletter from 2001 to the present. “Addressing and eradicating animal cruelty is one of our key goals as an organization,” said Ed Sayres, ASPCA president and chief executive officer. “I am very proud of Dr. Reisman’s continued excellence in the management and caretaking of cases of abuse and neglect that, unfortunately, pass through our doors every day.” <HOME>
Aquatic Vets To Meet In D.C.May 17, 2010 A new global organization has been formed specifically to serve veterinarians and veterinary organizations involved in aquatic animal medicine. The idea and momentum behind the formation of the Aquatic Veterinary Assn.—which is holding its first annual meeting in July in conjunction with the American Veterinary Medical Assn. Annual Convention in Washington D.C.—was developed over the past several years through ongoing discussions with aquatic veterinarians in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, among other countries. Through these discussions, it was clear that their needs were not being met, says Interim Secretary Chris Walster, BVMS, MRCVS, of The Island Veterinary Associates in the United Kingdom. One issue was the lack of a professional society that focused on the practice aspects of aquatic medicine in its many forms, including companion animal medicine, food animal production, exhibition animals found in zoos and public aquaria, research and others, he said. By forming such a group, AqVA hopes to see aquatic veterinary medicine grow into a more recognized field. “Formalizing organized aquatic veterinary medicine under an incorporated and registered nonprofit professional association will also elevate aquatic veterinary medicine from a niche area of veterinary …
Arizona Vet Hospital To Launch Blood Bank At Upcoming SymposiumMay 17, 2010 Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center of Tucson, Ariz., will introduce its new blood bank and will begin recruiting potential blood donors at its upcoming Pet Health Symposium, to be held on May 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is open to the public and the veterinary community. Admission is $20. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Hope Animal Shelter, which recently merged with Casa de los Gatos and SAFE (Saving Animals From Euthanasia). Hope Animal Shelter is a no-kill shelter for dogs and cats. Casa de los Gatos operates a cage-free sanctuary for special-needs cats (ie. cats with feline leukemia and displaced ferals). SAFE is a nonprofit organization that is working to develop a community-based resolution to the euthanasia of adoptable companion animals. Pet Health Symposium is sponsored by Idexx Laboratories of Westbrook, Maine; MWI Veterinary Supply of Meridian, Idaho; Merial of Duluth, Ga.; and Novartis of Greensboro, N.C. Click here for details. <HOME>
ASPCA Celebrates 142 YearsMay 17, 2010 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals celebrates its 142nd anniversary in April, also known as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. To commemorate the event, the organization will host the third annual ASPCA Day on April 10 with a combination of civic and community events. “While we fight animal cruelty day in and day out, April, and specifically ASPCA Day on April 10, is a great time for us to take stock of our progress, and celebrate our bond with animals as a nation,” said Ed Sayres, ASPCA president and chief executive officer. Landmarks in cities across the country will light up in orange, ASPCA’s signature color, to show support. Several national icons have already confirmed their participation, including the Empire State Building, Niagara Falls, the Los Angeles Coliseum and the Sears Tower in Chicago. The ASPCA Day Festival will take place in New York City’s Union Square that evening, with live music by the X Brothers featuring Joe Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult. This year also marks the second annual Community Leader of 2008 announcement, a contest where animal enthusiasts show how they “Go Orange for Animals.” The most …
Senior, Arthritic Dogs Get Moving With Step InitiativeMay 17, 2010 More than 3.7 million steps were tracked by pet owners as part of the nine-month program Steps to Play More, an initiative sponsored by Novartis Animal Health US Inc. and canine arthritis medication Deramaxx (deracoxib) to get senior and arthritic dogs moving again. The participants used a dog pedometer to track the daily activity level of their dogs and then recorded the number of steps online at www.stepstoplaymore.com. The pedometer and online tracker provided a week-by-week gauge of each dog’s progress toward getting back to playing again. “It’s great to see these dogs walking and playing again,” said Bernadine Cruz, DVM, of California’s Laguna Hills Animal Hospital, who spearheaded the effort by more than 4,000 veterinarians nationwide. “Keeping pets active and on their paws is the best way to get them in shape and keep them healthy longer. With Deramaxx, the pedometer and the Steps to Play More program, pet owners saw firsthand how each step makes a healthier dog.”
