New Joint Venture Launches Canine Lymphoma TestNovember 9, 2011 A new canine lymphoma diagnostic kit can differentiate patients with lymphadenopathy due to lymphoma from ones with lymphadenopathy due to other ailments, such as lymphoid hyperplasia. The Tri-Screen Canine Lymphoma Assay Kit is the first product to be offered by Tri-Screen—a new joint venture between Ireland-based animal diagnostic technology firm Tridelta Development Ltd. and animal cancer test developer Petscreen Ltd. of the U.K. Petscreen developed the Advanced Lymphoma Blood Test on which the kit is based. The test combines relative values of the acute phase proteins haptoglobin and C-reactive protein in a patient’s blood serum into an analytical algorithm to determine if a patient’s lymphadenopathy is due to lymphoma or another ailment. Petscreen enlisted support from veterinarians in the U.S. and the U.K. to test the method on samples from 194 canine patients with lymphoma, diseases with similar presentation to lymphoma, and healthy dogs. Petscreen said it partnered with Tridelta because of the company’s reputation and experience with the international pharmaceutical industry in the niche sector of manufacturing and marketing acute phase protein diagnostic kits. <HOME>
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Neuromodulation And Kidney DiseaseNovember 4, 2011 Neuromodulation and Kidney DiseaseNeuromodulation and Kidney DiseaseNeuromodulation and Kidney DiseaseNeuromodulation and Kidney DiseasefootnotesNeuromodulation and Kidney DiseaseSeptember 2011 FootnotesBy Narda Robinson, DO, DVMPosted: September 2011 1. Skelton D. Age is not a disease. Can Fam Physician. 1979;25:353-357. 2. Hotta H and Uchida S. Aging of the autonomic nervous system and possible improvements in autonomic activity using somatic afferent stimulation. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2010;10(Suppl 1):S127-S136. 3. Hotta H and Uchida S. Aging of the autonomic nervous system and possible improvements in autonomic activity using somatic afferent stimulation. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2010;10(Suppl 1):S127-S136. 4. Liang F and Koya D. Acupuncture: is it effective for treatment of insulin resistance? Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2010;12:555-569. 5. Hori E, Takamoto K, Urakawa S, et al. Effects of acupuncture on the brain hemodynamics. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical. 2010;157:74-80. 6. Noguchi E. Acupuncture regulates gut motility and secretion via nerve reflexes. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical. 2010;156:15-18. 7. Li P, Tjen-A-Looi SC, and Longhurst JC. Nucleus raphe pallidus participates in midbrain-medullary cardiovascular sympathoinhibition during electroacupuncture. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2010;299:R1369-1376. 8. Manni L, Rocco ML, Paparo SB, et al. Electroacupuncture and nerve growth factor: potential …
Cranial Electrotherapy To Treat PainNovember 4, 2011 Cranial Electrotherapy to Treat Painfootnotes 1. Tan G, Dao TK, Smith DL et al. Incorporating complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to expand psychological services to veterans suffering from chronic pain. Psychological Services. 2010;7(3):148-161. 2. Alpha-Stim ® SCS. Accessed at http://www.alpha-stim.com/the-alpha-stim-scs/ on 09-21-11. 3. Alpha-Stim ® website. Accessed at http://www.alpha-stim.com/veterinary-medicine/ on 09-18-11. 4. Berger JM, Holcomb K, San Jose N, et al. The effect of cranial electrotherapy stimulation on cribbing behavior in horses. Proceedings, 2010 ACVB/AVSAB Veterinary Behavior Symposium. Atlanta, GA. July, 2010. Pp. 6-8. 5. Culp LB, Skarda RT, and Muir WW. Comparisons of the effects of acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and transcutaneous cranial electrical stimulation on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs. Am J Vet Res. 2005;66:1364-1370. 6. O’Connell NE, Wand BM, Marston L, et al. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for chronic pain (Review). European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 2011; 47(2):1-124. 7. Bystritsky A, Kerwin L, and Feusner J. A pilot study of cranial electrotherapy stimulation …
AVMA Urges Legislators To Act Quickly On Appropriations PackageNovember 4, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association urged Senate and House conferees to quickly pass H.R. 2112, the consolidated appropriations package, and to maintain the agriculture funding levels set in the Senate version of the bill. The House and th犀利士 e Senate have each passed a version of the bill that would provide funding to certain programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012. The bill would provide appropriations to the U.S. departments of agriculture, commerce, justice, transportation, and housing and urban development. The House and Senate each sent conferees to resolve differences in the respective versions of the bill. In a letter sent today to the House and Senate conferees, AVMA governmental relations division director Mark Lutschaunig, VMD, M.B.A., applauded lawmakers for including funding in the bill for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program, the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank, the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, and for Animal Health and Disease Research. He urged the conferees to prioritize funding for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Food Safety Inspection Service, Agricultural Research Service and the Agriculture and Food Research Institute, and the Center for Veterinary Medicine. The AVMA …
Purdue To Develop Online Hub For Human-Animal Bond ResearchNovember 3, 2011Purdue to Develop Online Hub for Human-Animal Bond ResearchPurdue to Develop Online Hub for Human-Animal Bond Research, HABRI animal bond, Purdue University Press animal bond, Purdue School of Veterinary MedicinePurdue University announced today it will launch a new online resource in early 2012 to further the study of the human-animal bond.Purdue University announced today it will launch a new online resource in early 2012 to further the study of the human-animal bond.newslinePurdue to Develop Online Hub for Human-Animal Bond ResearchPosted: Nov. 3, 2011, 5:00 p.m. EDT Purdue University announced today it will launch a new online resource in early 2012 to further the study of the human-animal bond. The Purdue University Press and School of Veterinary Medicine will develop the site, to be called HABRI Central after the nonprofit Human Animal Bond research Initiative (HABRI) that funded the project through an $831,535 grant. Founding sponsors of HABRI include the American Pet Products Association, Petco and Pfizer Animal Health. The site will serve as a comprehensive bibliography and repository of scholarly material, an online publishing platform for peer-reviewed content, and a virtual collaborative community for those involved in human-animal bond studies. Human-animal bond research explores the complex relationships between animals and …
Legal Exposure Might Not Be Worth The SavingsNovember 3, 2011 Some veterinarians believe they are helping clients reduce costs by ordering compounded drugs instead of medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But there’s a reason compounded drugs are cheaper than FDA-approved medications, pharmaceutical companies say. Compounding pharmacies’ quality-control procedures are rarely as stringent or comprehensive as the good manufacturing practices required by the FDA for approved products. Therefore, the safety and efficacy of compounded drugs are not guaranteed. In a case of therapeutic failure of a compounded product when an FDA-approved medication is available, the amount the veterinarian saves the client might turn a competitive advantage into a serious disadvantage. That prescription could leave the veterinarian exposed to legal liabilities because the FDA does not test or approve compounded drugs. Liability Dangers “Many times veterinarians don’t understand that they are the first in line in liability in the event that a compounded product goes bad,” says Denise E. Farris, Esq., owner of Farris Law Firm LLC in Kansas City, Mo. “If there is an adverse reaction, he or she is liable to the client for veterinary malpractice. The liability coverage may not cover that activity because most policies do not cover …
What’s Beyond For Baby Boomers And The HAB?November 3, 2011 As a baby boomer, I officially enter my senior years when I turn 65 on Nov. 5. My husband, Ira Lifland, who is two months younger than I, follows in January. We are glad to be eligible for Medicare and thankful to be able to save a lot of money on our health insurance premiums, which were more than $30,000 last year. Even though we are healthy, our premiums have been upped annually, paralleling the profits of our carrier. Going on Medicare will be a raise for us. Our strategy is to forgo Social Security payments until we turn 70 so we receive more in the long run if we survive past 80. Ira always envied me for loving what I do. This profession is wonderful, and I enjoy working our concierge referral practices. Animal Oncology Consultation Service and Pawspice is one. Carreen Lynch, RVT, is my Pawspice partner. Pawspice offers palliative care and gentler standard care for cancer patients. It transitions into hospice as the patient’s quality of life declines or if death is expected soon. Carreen has worked with me for most of the past 25 or so years. She has read my …
FDA Approves Drug To Treat Signs Of Equine Cushing’s DiseaseNovember 2, 2011 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to market a drug for treatment of the clinical signs associated with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also known as equine Cushing’s disease. Prascend, Boehringer’s registered trademark for the drug pergolide mesylate, is the first and only FDA-approved product for the management of PPID in horses, the company said. The drug is administered in tablet form and decreases the risk of complications of PPID, including those that have the potential to be life-threatening. Equine Cushing’s disease affects an estimated one in seven horses over the age of 15, and horses as young as seven years of age have been diagnosed with the disease, according to Boehringer. Chronic laminitis is significantly more common in horses suspected of having PPID. The most common clinical signs of advanced-stage PPID that occur in horses are hirsutism or an abnormal amount of hair growth, abnormal sweating, weight loss, muscle wasting, abnormal fat distribution, lethargy, laminitis, polydipsia, polyuria, chronic infections, and recurrent infections. “Unfortunately, PPID is not a curable disease,” said John Tuttle, DVM, Boehringer equine technical services veterinarian. “However, Prascend does offer a safe and efficacious treatment option to …
FDA Seeks More Input On Food Facility Preventative Control GuidelinesNovember 1, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reopened the public comment period for seeking guidance on establishing preventative controls for registered human food, animal food and animal feed facilities. In May 2011, the FDA sought comments on best practices for hazard analysis and preventative controls for facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for human or animal consumption. The agency said it reopened the comment period “in response to a request for an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments.” Information obtained from the comments will assist the FDA in the development of guidance on preventative controls for food facilities. The FDA is specifically seeking comments in the following general categories with respect to human food, animal food or animal feed, including pet food: • Conducting a hazard analysis to determine the hazards associated with specific human food, animal food, and animal feed and processes (e.g., the procedures used to determine potential hazards and to assess whether they are reasonably likely to occur); • Implementing process controls (e.g., processes employed to prevent, eliminate, or reduce to acceptable levels the occurrence of any hazards that are reasonably likely to occur); • Validating one …
Judge Rules Against FDA In Bid To Close Franck’sOctober 31, 2011 Memories of the 2-year-old tragedy still echo through the U.S. veterinary, pharmacy and equestrian communities. For Paul Franck, the details certainly remain fresh. “I was taken aback initially,” Franck recalls of April 20, 2009, when he heard the news that 21 Venezuelan polo horses had died after receiving injections just before the U.S. Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. “I was hoping it wasn’t our pharmacy, that we weren’t involved with the prescription.” Franck added that his compounding lab is “at a good point now.” Which means circumstances have changed quite a bit from those of April 2009. Nightmare Scenario A high-profile tragedy such as the polo horse deaths is a nightmare for any organization that fills prescriptions. But a company such as Franck’s has to be ready to deal with misfills, Franck said, because no matter how diligent your operation, they are going to happen. “In our industry, there are misfills on a weekly basis,” he said. “It’s how you divulge them—how you move forward and deal with the situation—that matters.” After the horses died, Franck’s immediately hired an outside source to investige. Results revealed that the prescription was incorrectly filled …
