AVMA LIFE Insurance expected to resume following new federal ruleOctober 16, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) AVMA LIFE Insurance is working to resume offering health insurance to association members, once the association has dealt with complicated federal and state regulations.
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New development in Valley fever vaccine for companion animalsOctober 15, 2018A novel Valley fever sub-unit vaccine for companion animals has been found by Mazen Animal Health to reduce the burden of coccidioides—the fungus that can cause Valley fever—in mice.
AVMA seeks change for veterinarians in light of income tax deductionOctober 15, 2018A request by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for veterinary practices to benefit from the pass-through income tax deduction without income limits was submitted to the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Vetology incorporates new search feature to softwareOctober 15, 2018Vetology Innovations has added new keyword search functionality to its artificial intelligence radiology software.
Clinical award partnership aims to reduce student debt and provide jobsOctober 15, 2018Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) has announced an award partnership with Southern Veterinary Partners (SVP) aimed at reducing student debt and hiring quality veterinary associates.
They Ate What?! X-ray Contest 2018October 1, 2018Toys, tiles, and towels—and a large one at that! Animals eat all sorts of things, forcing their owners to make a mad dash to their veterinarian. Once again, our annual X-ray contest drew dozens of entries, each of them perplexing in their own way, and the next one more bizarre than the last. Choosing a winner was tough, but our panel of experts came through. The winner receives $500, courtesy of IDEXX Laboratories Inc., and a one-year subscription to its Web PACS, a picture archiving communications system valued at $2,400. Total retail value of the prize is $2,900. Check out the top rad, along with the honorable mentions.
Vetsource acquires VetSuccess to enhance data delivery, analyticsSeptember 10, 2018Vetsource, a Portland, Ore.-based technology-enabled healthcare services company, has acquired Toronto-based VetSuccess, a veterinary data analytics, machine learning, and business intelligence organization. Vetsource recently closed a $50 million round of investment led by Bain Capital Ventures. The company's services include home delivery of manufacturer-sourced medications and nutrition products, as well as the mobile-optimized ScriptRight ePrescribing tool that veterinarians use to write, review, and approve prescriptions from web-enabled devices. With the acquisition of VetSuccess, Vetsource will expand its customizable dashboards that give veterinary practices detailed performance data regarding the success of its home delivery program, according to the company. "Uniting VetSuccess with our services was a natural choice, as we share a common vision in providing essential solutions to veterinary practices and partnering with them in their success," said Kurt Green, president and CEO of Vetsource. "The addition of VetSuccess' leading-edge, data-focused technology will enable our customers to gain greater visibility into the health of their business, empowering them to make evidence-based decisions using their performance data in new and unparalleled ways."
Vetology automated AI heart evaluation tech available nationwideSeptember 7, 2018Vetology Innovations LLC now offers automated heart evaluation tools to veterinarians as part of the company's artificial intelligence (AI) radiology software. In August, the San Diego-based company introduced its AI radiology software, designed to provide veterinary professionals with automated diagnostic analysis of patient radiographs. Individuals subscribing to the Vetology AI software suite will now gain full access to cardiac-specific tools, including automated heart-size evaluation and automated vertebral heart score calculations. These features work within the Vetology AI dashboard automatically when a clinic uploads an X-ray to the secure Vetology cloud. There, the software automatically evaluates an animal's heart size and the comparative size of the heart in relation to the vertebral body size. This process results in a Vetology AI heart evaluation report and vertebral heart score delivered to the veterinarian via email/fax in two minutes after the X-rays have fully uploaded. "The ability for a veterinarian to receive rapid heart analysis before they even begin evaluating a patient's radiograph is invaluable," said Seth Wallack, DVM, DACVR, founder of Vetology Innovations. "This technology leverages AI neural networks that are not yet available in human medicine. This new AI resource fulfills every attending doctor's hope …
20-plus clinics to participate in expanded osteosarcoma vaccine clinical trialSeptember 6, 2018Initial results of a pilot study for canine osteosarcoma vaccine are promising, prompting a larger study to test its safety and efficacy. Pharmaceutical company Aratana Therapeutics, which received conditional licensure for Live Listeria Vector (AT-014), has expanded its clinical trial to include more than two dozen veterinary oncology practice groups across the U.S. in order to receive full licensure. Conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, the pilot study tested the immunotherapy treatment in 18 dogs. Those that received the vaccine lived more than twice as long as the historical, matched control group, with median survival times of 956 days compared to 423 days. The expanded clinical trial is designed to collect additional safety data for the vaccine in dogs that have undergone amputation of the affected limb and have already completed chemotherapy. If the treatment is found to be as safe and effective as it appeared in the initial clinical trial, Aratana will be given full licensure, allowing it to make the drug commercially available. Live Listeria Vector (AT-014) is created by removing harmful genes from the Listeria bacteria and then attaching markers of osteosarcoma cells. It is designed to supplement standard osteosarcoma treatment of amputation …
Boehringer Ingelheim receives new label claim for repro productAugust 29, 2018Boehringer Ingelheim announced that Cystorelin is now labeled for use in combination with Synchsure to synchronize estrous cycles to allow for fixed-time artificial insemination in lactating dairy cows and beef cows. When used together, the products can provide producers with shortened time to first service, increased estrus-detection efficiency, and improved first-service conception rate in their cattle. "Cystorelin and Synchsure deliver dependability and flexibility that can improve overall herd reproductive performance," Stephen Foulke, DVM, professional services veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim. "We're proud to help producers take the guesswork out of their breeding programs and to help their herd conceive and calve on schedule, saving them time and money." While many factors have a large impact on reproductive successes such as nutrition, cow comfort, heat abatement, dry cow management and more, Dr. Foulke said the best reproduction program is one that can get done consistently and correctly. "I recommend working closely with your herd veterinarian to determine your specific reproduction goals to implement the best synchronization program for your needs," he said. Visit SyncTheHerd.com to learn more about Cystorelin and Synchsure.
