New Lego Product Features Female VeterinarianJune 29, 2015Lego has introduced a new line of products of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). One of those new women-in-STEM is a veterinarian! Mia, part of the Lego Friends universe, is now a veterinarian and, according to her product description, girls can: Help injured animals with Mia at the Vet Clinic! Today she is looking after a cat and a dog. Help her examine the dog on the table and check his heart and lungs with her medical tools. Then take him over to the scales to be weighed – he needs more exercise in the Vet Clinic’s animal playground. Later take the cat on the medical trolley to have her paw x-rayed in the sliding scanner. She will need to stay at the clinic for a while, so help clean, feed and pamper her to make her feel better. Then it’s time to answer the phone and check patient records on her computer — it’s another busy day at the Vet Clinic! Heartlake City, the city that’s part of the Friends line, features a lot of stereotypical girl hangouts — e.g., juice bar and hair salon — so Mia’s new clinic definitely adds some science to the town. …
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Pittsburgh Zoo Names Child With Leukemia Honorary VeterinarianJune 26, 2015When 7-year-old Emily expressed her dream of one day becoming a veterinarian, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with the help of the Pittsburgh Zoo, made it happen. The young leukemia patient got to visit the zoo and PPG Aquarium and help treat the animals. To treat the animals, however, she needed to be a veterinarian. The Pittsburgh Zoo was on top of it, naming her Honorary Veterinarian, giving her blue scrubs complete with her name and even calling her “Dr. Emily” throughout the day, wpxi.com reports. Dr. Emily’s first patient was an alligator named Hawkeye, and you can see from the video below that she was both excited and nervous to be living out her dream. After treating Hawkeye and recording all the necessary notes concerning the alligator’s exam, Dr. Emily got to help examine a tenrec and then assist in trimming the beak of a penguin. We’re guessing this was a dream come true for Emily and would be for any animal lover and aspiring veterinarian like her.
Veterinarians Give Flamingo a Second Chance With Artificial LegJune 25, 2015When a pink flamingo fractured its leg at Sorocaba Zoo in the southeastern part of Brazil, the veterinary team had to act quickly. Although it is not known how the flamingo injured itself, Breaking News reports that to prevent an infection from killing the bird, Dr. Andre Costa, a veterinarian at the zoo, surgically removed the limb. Noting that the 6-year-old flamingo would not survive with only one leg, Costa and his team chose to supply the ailing bird with an artificial leg. The 7-inch limb — made of carbon — was donated by prosthesis manufacturer that is local to the area. Reuters Video This X-ray shows the leg fracture that the flamingo suffered. Costa attached the new limb and so far the Chilean pink flamingo is adjusting nicely. He has a bit of a limp still as he gets used to it, but he tucks it under himself in the familiar pose we all associate with flamingos.
Virginia Tech Vet Students Put Pets on Weight-Loss ChallengeJune 25, 2015Cricket, a black-and-white shorthaired cat, is the biggest loser, at least when it comes to a recent weight loss challenge that took place at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. The Purina-sponsored challenge takes place every year when a group of students put their overweight pets on a diet. It is inspired by the TV show the “Biggest Loser.” This year, nine cats and one dog participated in the Purina Overweight Management Challenge. Cricket, who is owned by fourth-year veterinary student Liddy Hepner of Hydes, Md., came out on top losing about 2 kg or just over 4 pounds. “It was about 30 percent of his body weight,” said challenge organizer Courtney Walski of Chesapeake, Va. Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech Stewart Morgan, DVM, Ph.D., clinical nutrition resident in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, performs a body condition scoring exam on Cricket, who won the “Biggest Loser”-inspired weight loss challenge. Purina provided ProPlan OM, a therapeutic diet specifically formulated for overweight dogs and cats, for all the participants. “We believe veterinary students learn nutrition best using a hands-on approach,” said Lauren Pagliughi, DVM, Purina college manager. “The …
No Charges Against Texas Veterinarian Who Killed Cat with Bow and ArrowJune 24, 2015A grand jury’s decision to let a Brenham, Texas, veterinarian off the hook after killing a cat with a bow and arrow and boasting about it on Facebook sparked social media outrage and broad mainstream media coverage on Wednesday. An Austin County grand jury "no billed" Kristen Lindsey, DVM, for the alleged April incident in which she shot a cat named Tiger in the head, according to the Austin County District Attorney's Office. While she said in a Facebook post that the cat was feral, news outlets have reported that the cat, Tiger, belonged to a neighbor. Facebook The cat that Dr. Kristen Lindsey was accused of killing is believed to be a neighbor’s pet named Tiger. The Sheriff's Office said it had received an unsworn hearsay report that the veterinarian was acting to protect her pets from a "potentially rabid stray cat." Despite conducting an investigation, deputies were unable to determine where or when the incident took place, and without that they lacked probable cause to obtain a search warrant for any Austin County properties pertaining …
Purina Launches Natural Therapeutic FoodJune 24, 2015Nestle Purina PetCare of St. Louis is launching its first veterinary-channel natural therapeutic food, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Naturals with added vitamins and minerals. The new products will be available July 1 in canine and feline formulations and in dry and canned varieties. “Research tells us that the natural trend in pet food is growing in all segments,” said Grace Long, DVM, director of technical marketing for the company’s therapeutic diets. “Many owners want to feed their pets as they do their family members. Veterinarians are sometimes frustrated with the challenges of recommending a therapeutic diet for a pet with a health condition, only to be refused by an owner who questions the diet’s ingredient list. With EN Naturals, we have the best of both worlds—ingredients that satisfy owners and therapeutic nutrition that meets the needs of the patient.” According to the company, the diets were formulated to provide the same benefits as the traditional EN diet: High total digestibility (dry matter) for optimal nutrient absorption Coconut oil as a source of medium-chain triglycerides in the canine formulas to provide a readily digestible and utilized energy source Moderate fat for growth and maintenance Low fiber for ease of digestion Bovine …
Henry Schein Inc., Acquires 85 Percent of Jorgen Kruuse A/SJune 24, 2015Henry Schein Inc. a provider of health care products and services to office-based animal health, dental and medical practitioners, has announced that it will acquire 85 percent of Jorgen Kruuse A/S, a leading distributor of veterinary supplies in the Nordic countries and an international provider of veterinary products and services. Kruuse’s 2014 sales were about $90 million. The acquisition will extend Henry Schein's geographic presence to Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The deal was announced June 23. The remaining 15 percent of Kruuse will be retained by the Kruuse family. Henry Schein, based in Melville, N.Y., expects the transaction to close in the third quarter, and for the acquisition to be neutral to its earnings per share from the date of closing through the end of 2015 and accretive thereafter. Additional financial details were not disclosed. Founded in 1896 and headquartered in Langeskov, Denmark, Kruuse offers a large portfolio of proprietary products and branded consumable merchandise, as well as pet accessories, capital equipment and pet food to veterinary clinics and retail pet stores in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Kruuse has an operational presence in Poland, the United Kingdom and China, and serves customers in more than 100 countries through a network …
Veterinarians Treat Rescued DolphinJune 24, 2015Last Sunday, a beached dolphin was discovered at Clearwater Beach in Florida. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium retrieved the rough-toothed creature, which is known to live near the northern Gulf of Mexico and Hawaii. The dolphin was subsequently taken to SeaWorld Orlando where a team of veterinarians have been treating it, The St. Petersburg Tribune reports. The dolphin has been quarantined while veterinarians administer antibiotics and fluids. The 7-foot, 200 pound male is very weak and is being closely monitored 24/7. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); This Father's Day morning, SeaWorld Orlando was called to care for a rough-toothed dolphin found beached on the... Posted by SeaWorld on Sunday, June 21, 2015
Penn Vet Study Reveals a More Accurate Method for Blood Glucose TestingJune 23, 2015When it comes to testing blood glucose levels, glucose meters have the advantage of being fast and requiring only a small drop of blood; however, they are not as accurate as some other methods of measuring blood glucose. But don’t count them out yet: In a new study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine have found a way of obtaining more accurate measurements from glucose meters by using blood plasma or serum rather than whole blood, as reported by the university. “Correlation between glucose concentrations in serum, plasma, and whole blood measured by a point-of-care glucometer and serum glucose concentration measured by an automated biochemical analyzer for canine and feline blood samples” was reported in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in June. The findings have already resulted in changes in practice at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital and may inspire an investigation into whether the same should hold true for human patients who rely on glucose meters to monitor their blood glucose levels. University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine Rebecka Hess …
Longtime OSU Vet Professor to RetireJune 23, 2015Michael Lorenz, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (small animal), has spent the past 46 years educating veterinarians. On July 1, Dr. Lorenz will step into retirement. Lorenz most recently served as Oklahoma State University Regents Service Professor of small animal internal medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. He began his career in veterinary medicine at OSU earning both his undergraduate degree and in 1969, his DVM degree. Lorenz completed his internship and residency at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and served on their faculty before going to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia where he taught from 1972 to 1988. In 1988, he transferred to Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine where he served as dean from 1988 to 1994. Lorenz returned to OSU in 1997 where served as the associate dean of academic affairs until 2001 when he became the interim dean. In 2004, he was named dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine—the first alumnus to fill that position. After serving as the interim dean and dean for 10 years, Lorenz stepped down in 2011 to focus on clinical work and teaching as …
