U.S. Orders Stockpile of Avian Flu VaccineOctober 15, 2015Ceva Animal Health and Harrisvaccines have been awarded separate $6 million contracts to produce millions of doses of avian influenza vaccine for the National Veterinary Stockpile. The vaccine will be held in reserve in case of another outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, a virus that led to the deaths this year of at least 50 million U.S. chickens and turkeys. The contracts were awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The agency stated that the drug stockpile is merely a defensive measure and “does not signal a decision to vaccinate.” Harrisvaccines, based in Ames, Iowa, agreed to manufacture 48 million doses of Avian Influenza Vaccine, RNA, which received conditional license approval in September. Nearly half of the supply will be available within 45 days, the company noted. Ceva Animal Health, a Lenexa, Kan., division of the international company Ceva Santé Animale, will produce 100 million doses of Vectormune AI. “We hope the U.S. poultry producers do not have to suffer through an avian influenza outbreak this fall or during 2016,” said Kristi Moore Dorsey, MS, Ph.D., Ceva Animal Health’s vice president of research and development. “As part of the USDA …
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AVMA Wants No Changes With KetamineOctober 15, 2015Calling ketamine “critical for veterinary medicine,” the American Veterinary Medical Association today urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help fight an international proposal that could impose stricter controls on the anesthetic and pain management drug. A letter signed by Ron DeHaven, AVMA’s CEO and executive vice president, stated that moving ketamine hydrochloride injection from Schedule III to Schedule I status in the United States “would result in this essential drug being less accessible—or even inaccessible—to the veterinary profession.” A World Health Organization committee in mid-November is scheduled to consider a Chinese proposal to place ketamine under strict international control along with nine other drugs used in human or veterinary medicine. Combating abuse and diversion of the drugs is at the root of the discussion. Dr. DeHaven, DVM, MBA, wrote that “strict regulations and safeguards are in place to help prevent” the illegal use of ketamine. More than 130 AVMA members responded to a call to submit comments to FDA. The comments included first-person accounts of how ketamine is used on pets, large animals and wildlife. “We reiterate that ketamine is a key component of veterinary medical anesthetic and pain management protocols worldwide, and any regulatory …
OSU Launches Campaign to Support Hospital Expansion ProjectOctober 15, 2015The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center has launched a $2 million fundraising campaign to support the Enhancement and Expansion project at its Hospital for Companion Animals. The goal is to raise the money by December 31. “Our $30 million addition and renovation includes a state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit that opens soon, as well as a spacious, comfortable lobby and new surgery suites,” said Rustin Moore, DVM, Ph.D., dean and Ruth Stanton Chair of Veterinary Medicine. “With more than 27,000 companion animal visits last year, we need to expand to better accommodate our clients and patients, their beloved pets.” The campaign includes a direct mail component to reach out to people who care about animals and may not be familiar with Ohio State’s facility, according to the university. In addition, alumni of the College of Veterinary Medicine are promoting the campaign in their veterinary practices by displaying custom made posters, the university further noted. For details, visit the website here.
Disney Veterinary Team Saves Taveta Golden WeaverOctober 14, 2015About two weeks ago, a Taveta golden weaver chick was attacked by a Hamerkop in the middle of the night as he attempted to fly. Both birds reside inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The 15-gram chick was found in critical condition in its aviary along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail at the resort, Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks, wrote in a Disney Parks Blog Wildlife Wednesday post. A keeper brought the injured bird to the veterinary hospital located at the resort. The veterinary team that examined him discovered the Taveta golden weaver had suffered damage to his trachea and was having trouble breathing. Natalie Mylniczenko, MS, DVM, DACZM, said of the bird, “His trachea had basically started closing in on itself from all the inflammation so he couldn’t breathe. The advantage of birds is that they also have air sacs in their body which help with flight, but are also an integral part of their respiratory system.” With that knowledge, Dr. Mylniczenko and her veterinary team (which included keepers) acted quickly, realizing the best way to save the bird’s life was to insert a …
Vet Speakers Group Is Work in ProgressOctober 13, 2015Thirteen veterinarians with expertise in areas ranging from anesthesia to surgery are teaming up to share their knowledge with fellow practitioners. A new group called the Veterinary Association of Progressive Speakers, or VAPS, will hold its first seminar Feb. 20 and 21 in Atlanta and has tentatively scheduled a second meeting for April in Chicago. VAPS was co-founded by pet obesity expert Ernie Ward, DVM, and pharmacology and nutraceuticals authority Lester Mandelker, DVM, Dipl. ABVP. “While our lectures may not have the razzle-dazzle of the big national meetings, we believe one can learn a lot more intense, up-to-date practical information from our forthcoming lectures, including direct interactions with our speakers,” Dr. Mandelker said. Attendees at the Atlanta meeting should be able to earn continuing education hours, Mandelker said. The seminar will take place at the Hilton Atlanta/Marietta Hotel and Conference Center. “We will have all our seminars certified for CE credit and even offer state pharmacy law requirement courses,” he said. Vic Cook, director of program operations and strategic initiatives at the American Association of Veterinary State Boards, wasn’t aware of VAPS but said the classes could be …
Banfield Owner to Buy BluePearl ChainOctober 13, 2015Mars Petcare, which owns Banfield Pet Hospital and food brands such as Royal Canin and Iams, has agreed to purchase the BluePearl Veterinary Partners chain for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals but is expected to close by year’s end, the companies announced Friday. BluePearl, based in Tampa, Fla., operates 54 specialty and emergency care hospitals in 17 states. “This agreement is a natural fit for us,” said Darryl Shaw, BluePearl’s CEO and co-founder. “Mars is an iconic, family-owned organization with a very significant commitment to pets. Once completed, this exciting development will enable us to make key investments in our people, facilities, systems and infrastructure, allowing us to continue to grow and drive up standards of veterinary care.” The BluePearl leadership team will remain in place, spokeswoman Carrie O’Brion said. BluePearl will operate independently from Mars and the more than 900 Banfield veterinary hospitals, O’Brion said. As it does now, BluePearl may get referral cases from Banfield veterinarians, she added. The purchase fills a hole in Mars’ pet business. …
UW Blood Donor Dog RetiresOctober 13, 2015Rueben, an 8-year-old Labrador retriever, has retired after donating 37.6 pints of blood to the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Care blood bank over the course of four and a half years. “When you take his size into account, about half that of your average person, that’s the human equivalent of about nine gallons,” said Julie Walker, DVM, clinical assistant professor of critical and emergency care. Reuben and his owners, Dawn and A.J. Brauner of Portage, Wis., have made the trip to UW Veterinary Care at least 40 times for donations, according to the UW’s School of Veterinary Medicine. That adds up to a lot of time since donor animals need to spend the day at the hospital. However, as the school noted, there are many benefits to being a donor, such as free food, preventative medications, routine vaccines, health examinations, heartworm testing and dental scaling and polishing. The blood bank is always looking for new donors. For details, visit the website here.
Skewer-Gobbling Boxer Wins Hambone AwardOctober 9, 2015Curtis made a wooden barbecue skewer disappear, but he couldn’t keep it hidden forever. The Princeton, W.Va., boxer on Wednesday was named the 2015 Hambone Award winner, an honor bestowed by Nationwide pet insurance on the animal with the most unusual insurance claim. Curtis’ story began when he snatched a chicken and beef shish kabob off a kitchen counter. “I saw him grab it and chased him outside,” owner Valerie Mould said. “When I caught up to him, I yelled for him to drop it and grabbed the end sticking out of his mouth, but the skewer snapped right as I got my hands on it and Curtis swallowed it in one bite.” Thinking the skewer would break down naturally, a veterinarian advised Moulds to monitor Curtis. When he started vomiting the next day, Curtis was rushed to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Va., where ultrasound and endoscopic examinations revealed nothing, leaving the experts to assume the wooden skewer had dissolved. Curtis resumed acting like Curtis, but months later he stopped playing and his appetite declined. Visits to his local veterinarian …
Onsior Now Comes in Injection FormOctober 9, 2015Elanco Animal Health has released an injectable formulation of Onsior for pain management in cats. Onsior (robenacoxib) tablets were launched in 2012 under Novartis Animal Health, which Elanco acquired earlier this year. The two formulations may be used interchangeably, Elanco reported this week. Onsior injection is indicated for 24-hour control of postoperative pain and inflammation associated with orthopedic surgery, ovariohysterectomy and castration. The drug may be used in cats at least 4 months old and weighing at least 5.5 pounds. Onsior injection “provides veterinarians with the flexibility to choose the administration formulation and corresponding labeled dose that best fit within their surgical protocols,” the Greenfield, Ind., company stated.
University of Florida Launches Equine Online CourseOctober 9, 2015The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine has launched an online, undergraduate equine course. It will include everything from common health issues and anatomy to history of the species and an understanding of equine-related business and research. “Because it’s online, we are able to offer this course to students at universities where they might not have a strong equine sciences department,” said Patrick Larkin, Ph.D., an adjunct lecturer in the college’s department of large animal clinical sciences who serves as course coordinator. “It’s also good exposure for students to decide whether or not they want to go into this field.” The course is aimed at sophomore or higher-level students and features pre-recorded lectures. Students must log in to the course website to watch lectures and complete assignments and may post questions in a discussion forum, Larkin said. About 30 students from across the country and the world are enrolled in the course this semester, according to the university. “This class offers students who are interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine or
