Tuscon Veterinary Center Offers Emergency Aid To Animals Impacted By FireJune 24, 2011 The Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson (VSCT) is offering free care to dogs and cats injured or displaced from the Monument Fire in the Sierra Vista area. The wild fires displaced domesticated animals, as well as cattle and horses. The fire in the Huachuca Mountains has spread to more than 29,000 acres, affecting thousands in the area, many of whom evacuated their homes. It is 59 percent contained. “VSCT’s professional staff is doing all it can to help the people of the Sierra Vista area by providing free feeding, boarding and care to their dogs and cats,” says Dr. Barbara Gores, Dipl. ACVS and founding owner of VSCT. “We will make sure that our veterinary center is available to provide the care and shelter that these animals need while their owners are unable to provide it due to the fire and the tragic displacement it has caused.” New Frontier Animal Hospital in Sierra Vista is triaging all the animals and is working to identify hundreds of displaced animals. VSCT agreed to help by making room in its 32,000 sq. ft. hospital to house as many displaced animals as possible. The animals can stay at VSCT until …
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UG Vet Student Awarded VPL ScholarshipJune 24, 2011 Veterinary Products Laboratories (VPL), a division of Central Life Sciences, announced its funding of a 2011 scholarship for an "exceptional veterinary student." The scholarship winner was selected by the Association for Women Veterinarians Foundation (AWVF). Jennifer M. Bonovich, a third year veterinary student at the University of Georgia (UG), College of Veterinary Medicine, received the VPL scholarship. A group of 112 applicants were evaluated by a four-person AWVF committee based on leadership potential, career path and influence in veterinary medicine in and outside of school. Corrie Brown, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP wrote a letter of recommendation supporting Bonovich. “Jennifer defines the word dependable,” Dr. Brown says. “I know that Jennifer has almost sole care for her young daughter as her husband is in the military and can only be with them for brief periods. It amazes me as to how Jennifer can do well in school, provide so well for her daughter and still show up on time every morning with a big smile.” Bonovich is a lieutenant colonel in the Civil Air Patrol, Air Force Auxiliary, where she conducts search and rescue operations. She is a Federal Aviation Administration certified pilot, certified pharmacy technician …
Judge Orders BioPet, PetSafe To Stop Selling Dog Breed ID KitsJune 23, 2011 An appellate court judge has denied a request by BioPet Vet Lab Inc. and PetSafe, both of Knoxville, Tenn., to stop an injunction that prohibits them from selling their dog breed identification test kits. The injunction was requested by Mars Veterinary as part of a patent infringement lawsuit it filed against the two companies. In the lawsuit, filed in December 2010, Mars claims BioPet infringed on “one or more of the claims” of the U.S. patent it licenses to make its Wisdom Panel dog breed identification products “by using, selling and offering to sell the dog breed identification services associated with its DNA Breed Identification Kit product.” The suit was later amended to add PetSafe, which began marketing and selling BioPet’s Breed Identification Kits under the PetSafe brand name earlier this year. The defendants argued that they were not infringing on the patent because they were not performing all of the steps outlined in the analysis process. They also challenged the validity of the patent itself, according to court documents. In March 2011, a U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Virginia granted Mars a preliminary injunction that required BioPet and PetSafe to stop …
UF Vets Successfully Treat Ivermectin Toxicity In Australian ShepherdJune 23, 2011 The University of Florida Small Animal Hospital recently treated a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd named Charly for acute ivermectin toxicity. The case prompted UF veterinarians to warn pet owners to take stock of all their pets’ medications, particularly how and when they are administered. “Many people already know to be aware of medications in their homes, and to be careful how those drugs are stored so pets and children can’t get access to them,” says Carsten Bandt, DVM, an emergency and critical care specialist and chief of the UF emergency service. “However, people may not think about environments other than houses, such as barns or farms, where different types of animals frequently mingle and medications may be given outside.” Sandra Johnson said she gave her four horses deworming medication on May 17, but she didn’t see Charly consume some of the flavored ivermectin one of the horses had spit out. In fact, Johnson said she didn’t know what had happened to the dog until a veterinarian asked if Charly had consumed ivermectin. “In most cases and in most breeds, side effects are not a concern with conventional doses,” Dr. Bandt says. “In Charly’s …
CAPC Reports Higher Rate Of Feline Heartworm And RoundwormJune 23, 2011 Cats need better protection from heartworms and roundworms, data collected by laboratories for Idexx, Antech and Banfield Pet Hospitals in 2010 shows. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) announced the results today. The results of the national sample can be found on the CAPC website, which allows viewers to search for canine or feline infection rate results by state, county and type of parasite. Six percent of 780,000 nationally collected fecal samples from cared-for cats contained the eggs of the feline roundworm, Toxocara cati. Of the 4 million cared-for canine fecal samples examined, the national average was 2.9 percent containing the eggs of Toxocara canis. Only four states – Alaska, Arizona, California and Nevada – had a higher percentage of dogs that were infected with roundworms than cats. A higher percentage of cats tested positive for heartworms than dogs in every state except for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. For the 250,000 feline samples and 5 million canine samples, the national averages were 2.7 percent of cats being positive and 1.2 percent of dogs testing positive. About three out of every 100 cats tested positive for heartworm antigen, an indicator that these positive cats have …
Ceva Appoints New Director Of MarketingJune 23, 2011 Ceva Animal Health today announced that Steve Hoffman joined the company as director of marketing for companion animals. Hoffman is a 17-year veteran of the animal health business and was formerly senior associate director of pet marketing for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. Before that position he was director of marketing for Fort Dodge Animal Health. “Steve has an established track record of successful product launches and extensive brand management experience,” says Craig Wallace, CEO of North American Zone at Ceva. “He knows the veterinary profession and has an intuitive understanding of the pet-owning public. He is a strong leader and his expertise and contacts in the industry will be invaluable as we continue to grow.” Hoffman will be responsible for strategic planning and execution of all companion animal health products, related campaigns and management of the companion animal marketing team. “I am pleased to join Ceva, a fast-growing company with a bright future that has much to offer both the veterinary profession and the pet-owning public,” Hoffman says. “It’s a unique opportunity to nurture existing brands, set the stage for new ones, and develop a first-class team.” <Home>
AKC Health Foundation Hosts Two-Day ConferenceJune 22, 2011The 2011 National Parent Club Canine Health Conference is set for Aug. 12-14 starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency at The Arch in St. Louis. The event, hosted by the AKC Canine Health Foundation and sponsored by the Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, previously was open only to representatives of breed clubs, but this year registration is open to all canine health advocates. Experts in canine cancer, heart disease, nutrition and the history of veterinary medicine will be on hand. Conference attendees will get dinner and a tour of the new Purina Event Center. Scheduled speakers include: • Donald Smith - Cornell University/ History of Veterinary Medicine and Canine Research • Mark Neff - Van Andel Research Institute/ Today's Complex Genetic Research and the Canine Advantage • Kathryn Meurs - Washington State University/ Canine Cardiology • Albert Jergens - Iowa State University/ Inflammatory Bowel Disease • Joan Coates - University of Missouri, Columbia/ Neurology - Degenerative Myelopathy • Jaime Modiano - University of Minnesota/ Cancer Research Overview and Cellular Pathogenesis • Matthew Breen - North Carolina State University/ Canine Comparative Cancer Genetics • Nicola Mason - University of Pennsylvania/ Cancer Biotherapeutics …
Vet Report Gives Tips For Avoiding Salmonella InfectionsJune 22, 2011 The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has a published a report that provides pet owners with tips on how to avoid salmonella infections. It follows a string of pet product recalls, mainly for pig ears, that were prompted by salmonella concerns. The report, written by Kate KuKanich, DVM, recommends pet owners avoid raw pet food diets, purchase individually packaged pig ears (as opposed to buying the ears in bulk bins) and check pet food packaging to ensure it is in good condition prior to purchase. Other recommendations include: • Storing pet foods, treats, and nutritional products in accordance with label instructions, preferably in a cool, dry environment. • Saving the original pet food packaging material, including the date code and product code of all food products, for product identification in case of food contamination. • Discouraging children, the elderly, and immunosuppressed people from handling pet food and treats. • Washing hands with soap and water before and after handling pet food, treats, and nutritional products. • Using a clean scoop to dispense pet food into bowls. • Washing water and food bowls used by pets, as well as …
Has ‘Realty Reality’ Created More Pet Rest Homes?June 22, 2011 Most of us have been able to help clients who loved adopting one or two older pets. Many of these older pets were left behind due to the “no pets allowed” policy of rest homes that their owners moved into. Some were left behind when their owners died. It surprised me that the bond between the adopting person or family and the older pet was so strong. The bond was filled with as much love as if the pet was theirs since it was young. It surprised me how much love and money was poured into the older adopted pet to battle cancer or organ failure. There is a special compassion and kindness in these caregivers who rescue older animals. Veterinarians are seeing more pet lovers adopting older pets. Most of these kind-hearted caregivers feel that they are helping to save lives of wonderful, unfortunate animals. They are dutiful and care for their charges with love and attention. They seek professional medical care for their animals’ age-related conditions and ailments. Most good Samaritans who rescue older animals are able to keep a balanced life and maintain their jobs and personal affairs while providing proper care …
10 Tips To Deal With Lumps And BumpsJune 22, 2011Tumor excision is arguably one of the most commonly performed surgeries on animals. We talked with Stephen Withrow, DVM, a surgical oncologist at the Colorado State University Animal Cancer Center in Fort Collins. Dr. Withrow is double boarded in surgery and internal medicine (oncology). A pioneer of cancer surgery, he has dedicated his career to improving protocols, surgeries and patient care. Plus, he literally wrote the book—“Withrow and MacEwen’s Small Animal Clinical Oncology” (Fourth edition, Saunders 2007). He kindly shares 10 pearls to improve the care of your cancer patients. 1 Work It Up It is beneficial to reach a probable diagnosis before excising any mass beyond a wart or a straightforward presumed lipoma. It would be good to obtain a fine needle aspirate or biopsy to determine if the mass is benign or malignant. This determines what Withrow calls the “surgical dose.” This guides how aggressive the surgical excision has to be: Can we live with narrow margins for a benign tumor, or do we need 1-2-3 cm margins in every direction for a malignant mass? We know that the first surgery is the most likely to provide clean margins. If a biopsy is performed, it would be …
