AVMA seeks board of directors candidatesSeptember 5, 2017The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is seeking candidates for its board of directors from Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah. Nominations are open for candidates for election to the board representing District 7 and District 9, whose current directors' terms will expire in 2018. District 7, currently represented by Dr. John Howe, includes Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. District 9, currently represented by the board chairman, Dr. Michael Whitehair, includes Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah. District directors serve six-year terms. Terms for the new directors sought for Districts 7 and 9 will begin during July 2018 and end in 2024. Candidacy requirements Candidates must live in the district they seek to represent and must have been active members of the AVMA for at least five consecutive years immediately prior to the election. Interested parties can either be nominated by the principal veterinary organization of a state within their district, or they can file nominating petitions signed by 50 AVMA voting members residing within the district. The AVMA's Elections web page offers a guide to the process …
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Likarda receives $4M to expand companion animal diabetes researchSeptember 4, 2017Likarda, a regenerative medicine company for companion animals, has received $4 million in Series A funding from Werth Family Investment Associates to back the company's proprietary Kanslet insulin-producing cell clusters, which can be infused into animals with diabetes, allowing veterinarians to offer a minimally invasive and cost-effective answer to pet owners, according to the company. Microencapsulated islets (the insulin-producing cells of the body) are transplanted via injection into the belly of a diabetic dog, removing the need for twice-daily insulin injections, the company stated. The additional funding allows Likarda to scale the project to thousands of animals, and the clinical research program is expected to launch by the end of 2017. "Partnership with Werth Family Investment Associates brings both funds to advance our product line and extensive experience in successful pharmaceutical licensing of new products for both human and animal health," said Lisa Stehno-Bittel, Ph.D., Likarda president and co-founder. "[It's] exciting and transformational for both animal health in the region and the global prospect of cell-based therapies for diabetic pets."
AAVMC opens nomination period for awardsSeptember 4, 2017The Association ofAmerican Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) announced it has opened the nomination period for four individual awards. AAVMC Excellence in Research Award AAVMC Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award, Presented by Zoetis AAVMC Senator John Melcher, DVM Leadership in Public Policy Award AAVMC Billy E. Hooper Award for Distinguished Service For more information, visit the awards page. Award criteria and submission information is available on the individual award pages. Additionally, the nomination period for the AAVMC Public Policy Faculty Fellows Program is now open. For program information, click here. The nomination deadline for all awards listed above and the Faculty Fellows program is Friday, Oct. 13.
FTC orders Mars to divest 12 vet clinics before VCA buySeptember 4, 2017To avoid violating antitrust laws, Mars Inc., under a mandate from the Federal Trade Commission, will divest 12 veterinary clinics across the U.S. that provide specialty and emergency services no later than 10 business days after the company's $9.1 billion acquisition of VCA Inc. According to the FTC, Mars is required to divest each of the 12 clincis to one of three divestiture buyers: National Veterinary Associates, Pathway Partners Vet Management Co., and PetVet Care Centers. If the acquisition takes place as proposed, it may lessen competition for certain specialty and emergency veterinary services in 10 U.S. areas by eliminating direct competition between Mars specialists in the area and those of VCA, according to the FTC's complaint. Commission documents also claim that without a remedy, the acquisition would likely lead to higher prices for pet owners and lower quality in the specialty and emergency veterinary services they receive. One clinic in the Kansas City, New York, and Phoenix areas will be divested to National Veterinary Associates; one clinic in Chicago, Corpus Christi and San Antonio; and two clinics in Seattle will be divested to Pathway. Two clinics in the Portland area …
Pet, vet industries provide emergency relief after Hurricane HarveyAugust 31, 2017In response to Hurricane Harvey, PetSmart Charities has dedicated at least $1 million in emergency relief funding to help animal welfare agencies working to rescue, relocate, feed, and care for pets left homeless due to flooding.
AVMA donates $100,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief effortsAugust 31, 2017The American Veterinary Medical Association has donated $100,000 toward Hurricane Harvey relief efforts via the association’s charitable arm, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF).
AAEP Foundation accepting donations for horses affected by HarveyAugust 31, 2017The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation’s Equine Disaster Relief Fund is accepting aid to help horses in states affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Henry Schein Animal Health launches web-based pet vaccine resourceAugust 31, 2017Henry Schein Animal Health has announced the launch of its Companion Animal Vaccine Resource Center, a web-based hub that provides veterinarians with the latest data on infectious diseases in cats and dogs, and critical information about the role regular vaccinations of pets play in protecting animal and human health.
How bioinformatics research could affect veterinary practices, companion animal healthAugust 30, 2017Let’s face it; we can’t even keep up with all the email, client communications, and news flashing on our smartphones while maintaining a busy clinical load. Once-a-year continuing education barely keeps us afloat in the ocean of veterinary information, and now that information is coming at us more and more rapidly and in more forms.
Henry Schein to acquire Merritt Veterinary Supplies, expand U.S. presenceAugust 30, 2017Henry Schein Inc., a provider of health care products and services to animal health practitioners, announced its plans to acquire Merritt Veterinary Supplies Inc., a family-owned supplier of animal health products. Merritt serves approximately 4,500 veterinary clinics across the eastern U.S.
