Canine Influenza Virus Shelter Study LaunchedNovember 3, 2009 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has launched a three-year study on Canine Influenza Virus (CIV), also commonly called the dog flu. The study, funded by the Morris Animal Foundation, aims to help shelters develop testing and control methods to limit the effects of the disease in communities nationwide. Miranda Spindel, DVM, ASPCA director of veterinary outreach, and Gabriele Landolt, DVM, of Colorado State University’s Department of Clinical Sciences, will conduct the study, which will include ASPCA shelter partners in Tampa, Fla.; Austin, Texas; Sacramento, Calif.,; Charleston, S.C.; New York; and Denver, Colo. “Infection control practices can reduce the risk of CIV and are key to preventing the spread of viral disease within facilities,” Dr. Spindel said. “Due to the fact that the virus is easily transmitted between dogs housed in close contact with each other, it is problematic for animal shelters. This study seeks to address this vulnerable population.” The study will also determine whether a rapid “bedside” test can be effectively used for screening dogs upon entering the shelter. If such a test were available, dogs could be tested for CIV prior …
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FDA Issues Alert On Pet Insulin Product Due To Formulation ProblemsNovember 3, 2009 Veterinarians are being warned to closely monitor dogs and cats receiving Vetsulin because the product may have varying amounts of crystalline zinc insulin in the formulation, according to an alert sent out Nov. 2 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Vetsulin, which is manufactured by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, is a porcine insulin zinc suspension used to treat diabetes in animals. Because the product is out of specification, there could be a delay in insulin action and overall longer duration of insulin activity, according to the FDA. Products having significant problems with stability can affect the management of chronic diseases. Unstable insulin products can result in unpredictable fluctuations in the glucose levels of diabetic patients, the FDA noted in its alert. Veterinarians are urged to monitor patients for any changes in onset or duration of activity, or for any signs of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. The classic signs of hyperglycemia include increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss and lethargy. The classic signs of hypoglycemia include disorientation, unsteadiness, weakness, lethargy and seizures. The FDA said that while Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is working with them to resolve the issue, supplies may be limited. Therefore, the FDA …
Seasons Of Suppers Pet Food Drive Now Under WayNovember 3, 2009 The Seasons of Suppers campaign is under way and once again aiming to feed a record number of pets owned by homebound seniors who receive meals from Meals On Wheels. The campaign, now in its fourth year, is run by the Banfield Charitable Trust in partnership with Banfield, The Pet Hospital and Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA). The Banfield Charitable Trust said that it hopes to double monetary donations this year to fund, or start, new pet feeding programs through We All Love Our Pets (WALOP) grants. Last year, the Trust raised $42,000 in monetary donations, which funded more than 50 WALOP grants. Meals On Wheels programs throughout the country can apply for these grants to initiate or sustain pet-food distribution programs locally. In addition to the money raised last year, the campaign also collected thousands of pounds of pet food that local Meals On Wheels programs distribute. Banfield alone collected 13,000 pounds last year at its main campus in Portland, Ore. “MOWAA’s mission is to eradicate senior hunger by 2020,” said Enid Borden, president and chief executive officer of the association. “That is our focus, and …
UPDATE: FTC Extends Red Flags Rule Enforcement To 2010November 3, 2009 The Federal Trade Commission is delaying enforcement of the Red Flags Rule, a section of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003, until June 1, 2010. The FTC posted a notice on its website Friday stating that the delay is at the request of Members of Congress. Enforcement was to begin Nov. 1. The rule is an anti-fraud regulation requiring creditors and financial institutions with covered accounts to implement programs to identify, detect and respond to the warning signs, or “red flags,” that could indicate identify theft. Veterinarians fall into the category of creditors, which is defined as any entity that regularly extends or renews credit—or arranges for others to do so—and includes all entities that regularly permit deferred payments for goods or services. However, the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 3763 proposing to exempt certain businesses, including veterinarians, with less than 20 employees from having to comply with the rule. The bill replaces H.R. 2345 and now goes to the U.S. Senate. Since the bill has not been passed into law, veterinarians are still expected to comply with the rule before the current enforcement date, according to the American Veterinary Medical …
Reminder: Drug Reports Must Be Submitted Online Starting Nov. 1October 30, 2009 Beginning Nov. 1, California veterinarians, practitioners, pharmacies and other drug prescribers will be required to submit drug reports online. Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) reports previously could be mailed or faxed in, but now the reports must be submitted through an online reporting application hosted by Sacramento-based Infinite Solutions Inc. (ISI). The new system will make it much easier for authorized prescribers to quickly review controlled substance information via the automated Patient Activity Report in an effort to identify and deter drug abuse and diversion through accurate and rapid tracking of Schedule II through IV controlled substances, according to the Office of the Attorney General. ISI validates submitted controlled substance prescription data using a validation criteria established by the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. ISI performs the validations and accepts data that meets the established criteria and rejects data that doesn’t. Errors and warnings are generated if the submitted data does not meet the validation criteria. Veterinarians and others are required to register with ISI prior to submitting their reports. Each registered user can sign up for a user name and password. Click here for registration …
Harrisons’ Pet Products Case Report Contest Under WayOctober 29, 2009 Harrisons’ Pet Products of Lake Worth, Fla., is hosting a clinical case report contest in which veterinarians can compete for a chance to win $1,000. The contest involves photographic documentation of an animal case in which Harrisons’ Pet Products (AVIx, HEALx or Harrison’s Bird Foods) were used alone or in conjunction with other products to resolve a disorder. To qualify, veterinarians must photograph the original presentation and continue to photograph various progressions in treatment. Close-up digital images must be taken at a resolution high enough for a 4” by 3” image to be printed at 300 ppi. Click here to view a sample clinical case report. Text (Word document) and images (.jpg, .tif or .psd) should be emailed to info@exoticdvm.com with “Clinical Case Report” as the subject line by Dec. 1. The winner will be announced at the North American Veterinary Conference in January. Click here for details on the company. <HOME>
Neogen Launches Equine Loyalty ProgramOctober 27, 2009 Neogen Corp. of Lansing, Mich., recently launched its Equine Loyalty Program to provide rebates of up to 6 percent to licensed veterinarians who purchase eligible equine veterinary care items, including select sizes of AluSpray, Chondroprotec, EqStim, HyCoat, Liver 7, ThyroKare Powder, Tri-Hist Granules, Vita-15 and EquiSleeve. The program runs from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28. “Like every other business that has been able to weather the recent tough times, we owe our success to our loyal customers,” said Tracey Reynolds, Neogen’s ethical products marketing manager. “Our loyalty program is an opportunity for us to say thank you to our best customers, and go a little further than that by offering cash rebates for qualifying purchases.” To qualify for the minimum rebate of 3 percent, veterinarians must purchase at least $2,500 of the qualifying products during the program period; purchases of at least $5,000 can earn a 4 percent rebate; $7,500 can earn a 5 percent rebate; and purchases of $10,000 can earn the maximum rebate of 6 percent. Products can be mixed and matched. Earned rebates will be paid to veterinarians within 45 days after the conclusion of the program. One …
Opinion: Let’s Reform Health Care For A Better TomorrowOctober 26, 2009 Health-care reform would be especially good for our profession, as practice owners and employers wouldn’t have the financial burden and social obligation of carrying health insurance for their employees. Many veterinary hospitals, like other small businesses, don't always have the money or the will to offer health coverage as a benefit. One of my former receptionists, Martha, had health-care insurance during the six years she was on my staff. Then she went to work at another hospital that did not provide health insurance. When Martha developed symptoms of a urinary tract infection, she delayed going to see the doctor because she and her husband were saving for a house and she was uninsured. Six weeks later, she did go to the doctor and was told she had advanced cervical cancer. Martha died in three days. She was only 32 and had been married for 10 years. Everyone who knew Martha was upset that she put off seeing the doctor because she didn’t have health insurance. This is a sad but true story. Many people believe that not having insurance isn't a good excuse for not getting yourself checked out if a problem comes …
Boehringer Ingelheim To Acquire Fort Dodge Products From PfizerOctober 26, 2009 Boehringer Ingelheim and its subsidiary Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. reported Oct. 26 that it will acquire a “significant portion” of the Fort Dodge Animal Health business from Pfizer Animal Health. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Pfizer Inc., parent company of Pfizer Animal Health, recently acquired Wyeth and its subsidiary Fort Dodge Animal Health. Pfizer and Wyeth began joint operations on Oct. 16. The Boehringer Ingelheim-Pfizer deal includes products in the United States, Australia, Canada and South Africa, as well as two manufacturing and research facilities located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Products being acquired in Europe are still subject to approval by European anti-trust authorities. As part of the deal, Boehringer Ingelheim will acquire the Duramune line of vaccines for dogs, the Fel-O-Vax line of vaccines for cats and the Rabvac line of rabies vaccines manufactured and sold in the United States, Canada and Australia. The company will also acquire a portfolio of pet and equine pharmaceutical products currently sold in the United States. In addition, the company will acquire cattle vaccines in the United States and Canada, including the Triangle, Pyramid and Presponse vaccine lines. Pharmaceutical products …
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health’s Q3 Dips 12%October 23, 2009 Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health recently reported revenue of $669 million for its third quarter ended Sept. 30, a 12 percent decrease compared to $759 million in the year-ago period. The sales decline was primarily due to the overall economic environment, difficult comparisons against the 2008 launch of bluetongue vaccine and back orders on certain products, according to the company, adding that the back orders were due primarily to the ongoing integration of animal health manufacturing practices and quality standards. Year to date, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health reported revenue of $2 billion, a 14 percent decrease compared to $2.3 billion in the year-ago period. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health’s parent company, Schering-Plough, reported net income of $515 million on revenue of $4.5 billion for its third quarter, compared to net income of $614 million on revenue of $4.6 billion in the year-ago period. Year to date, Schering-Plough reported net income of $2 billion on revenue of $13.5 billion, compared to net income of $1.4 billion on revenue of $14.2 billion. <HOME>
