AAHA Releases Nutritional Guidelines For Dogs, CatsJuly 1, 2010The American Animal Hospital Association today released its Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. The guidelines were developed on the basis that good nutrition enhances pets’ quality and quantity of life and is integral to optimal animal care. “Incorporating nutritional assessment into the routine examination protocol for every patient is important for maintaining optimal health, as well as their response to disease and injury,” said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, executive director of AAHA. “The goal of the new guidelines is to provide a framework for the veterinary practice team to help make nutritional assessments and recommendations for their patients.” The guidelines were, in part, prompted by results that AAHA found through its compliance study, which was published last year. The study found that 7 percent of pets that could benefit from a therapeutic food were actually on such a regimen. “The compliance discrepancy along with the many factors considered in assessing the nutritional needs of a healthy dog or cat, as well as the pet with one or more medical conditions, led to the development of the AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats,” the organization said. The guidelines break down nutritional assessment into “screening” and “extended” …
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Feline’s Pride Recalls Chicken Formula Cat FoodJuly 1, 2010 Feline Pride’s of Buffalo, N.Y., has issued a voluntary nationwide recall of its natural chicken formula raw food for cats and kittens because of concerns of salmonella contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The recalled product, produced June 10, was packaged in 2½-pound uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to consumers. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about one week. The company said the recall affects orders placed and shipped June 10 through June 17. Feline’s Pride and the FDA are working to determine the source of the problem. Neither Feline’s Pride nor the FDA has received reports of salmonella infection relating to the recalled product, according to the company. Pets suffering salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans, according to the company. Cat owners are urged to contact their veterinarian if their pet consumed the recalled product and is exhibiting these symptoms. Humans can become infected, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their …
Class IV Laser Therapy Symposium ScheduledJuly 1, 2010 Veterinarians and veterinary technicians are invited to attend a symposium on Class IV laser therapy Aug. 13 at Colorado State University. The full-day symposium is being offered by the CSU Center for Comparative and Integrative Veterinary Medicine, the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association and the American Institute of Medical Laser Applications. LiteCure LLC of Newark, Del., is sponsoring the program. The symposium will highlight the science behind Class IV laser therapy in companion animal and equine veterinary practice. The course will include an in-depth discussion of the biochemical cascade of events caused by laser at the tissue level and how this translates into the effective analgesia, resolution of inflammation and accelerated tissue healing. Lectures will cover dosing guidelines and calculations, treatment methodology and reasonable therapeutic expectations for a variety of conditions. Lecture titles include: • "Clinical Evidence on Laser Therapy: Benefits, Controversies and Questions,” by Narda Robinson, DVM, DO, Dipl. ABMA, FAAMA, who oversees complementary veterinary education at CSU. • "Medical Lasers, the Basics of Lasers and Tissue Interaction,” by Brian Pryor, Ph.D., founder and CEO of LiteCure. • "The Evolution of Laser Therapy, Current Applications and Its Future Promise,” by Juanita Anders, Ph.D., …
Sogeval Signs Canadian Distribution AgreementJuly 1, 2010 Sogeval Laboratories Inc. of Coppell, Texas, has signed a distribution agreement with Veterinary Healthcare Solutions Inc. (VHS), a Canadian-based distributor of veterinary medical products. VHS will be the exclusive wholesale distributor in Canada of Sogeval’s Douxo dermatological products, Clenz-a-Dent oral hygiene products and certain nutritional supplement products. Veterinary Healthcare Solutions is a newly created partnership between Andrew LeGallais of Borderlink Veterinary Supplies, a sales agency of veterinary products in Canada, and Thomas Branton, DVM, a practicing veterinarian in Ontario. In conjunction with Borderlink, VHS can “offer veterinary manufacturers a complete gateway into Canada, including a full sales and marketing team,” according to the company. Sogeval Laboratories Inc. is the North American subsidiary of Sogeval SA, based in Laval, France.
Take Your Cat To The Vet Week Set For AugustJune 30, 2010 Feline Pine has extended its National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day to an entire week, Aug. 16-22. The natural cat litter company lengthened the observance because of positive responses from veterinarians and cat owners last year in Chicago, said Michele Gaspar, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (feline), the company's national “spokesvet.” “The excellent feedback showed us that with some extra effort, cat owners who hadn’t thought of taking their cat to the vet could be spurred to do so,” Dr. Gaspar said. National Take Your Cat to the Vet Week aims to educate cat owners about the importance of annual veterinary visits for their pets. In a national survey conducted by Feline Pine in spring 2009, more than one-third of the 720 respondents said they took their cats to the veterinarian only when the animal was sick. Only 17 percent of those surveyed had their cats regularly vaccinated against diseases like rabies and distemper. “We want to convey that cats are not a low-maintenance pet,” Gaspar said. Cats are typically subtle in their signs of pain or discomfort. Annual vet visits can pinpoint issues that might otherwise be overlooked by the cat owner. This, …
Online Bloat Survey Under WayJune 29, 2010 Two researchers have launched an online survey to obtain information relevant to bloat, a condition in which a dog has a distended stomach. The literature on bloat points in many directions, which has not brought breeders any closer to a solution, according to researchers Carmen Battaglia, Ph.D, of the American Kennel Club and Cynthia Otto, DVM, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The aim of the survey is to look at conditions relevant to the further study of the disease. The survey is open to veterinarians, dog owners and breeders who have a dog that has bloated. The survey also asks for information on dogs that haven’t bloated. More than 2,000 responses have been collected, Dr. Otto said. The researchers hope to have at least 5,000 responses by the anticipated end date of September. To take the survey, visit BreedingBetterDogs.com and click on “Bloat Survey.” A summary of the results will be posted on the website in November.
Animal Behavior CE Classes SlatedJune 28, 2010 CE credits will be available when veterinary behaviorist Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVB, talks about dog and cat behavior during workshops in Colorado and Pennsylvania. Dr. Dodman, right, is director of the Animal Behavior Clinic and a professor of clinical sciences at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. He also wrote several books on animal training. One-day cat workshops will be followed by two-day dog workshops. They are scheduled for Aug. 27-29 in Boulder, Colo., and Oct. 22-24 in Pittsburgh. The cat workshops have been approved for six continuing education units through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards/Registry of Approved Continuing Education. The dog workshops have been approved for 13 CEUs through the IAABC, AAVSB/RACE the Certification Council for Certified Pet Trainers. For more information, visit www.thepetdocs.com. <HOME>
RE-SCHEDULED: Therapy Laser Treatment Webinar To Be Held June 29June 25, 2010 Updated: Friday, June 25, 2010, 6:24 p.m., EDT Companion Therapy Laser is launching a free webinar series for veterinarians and veterinary technicians on therapy laser treatments and the integration of Class IV therapy lasers into small animal practices. The first session, “An Introduction to 2010’s Top Technology for Small Animal Practices,” will be held 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, June 29. Webinar host John Godbold Jr., DVM, will discuss how therapy laser technology can be integrated into a small animal practice and how the use of the laser can improve the quality of patients’ lives, retain clients, attract new clients and increase profits. Dr. Godbold is the owner of Stonehaven Park Veterinary Hospital in Jackson, Tenn., and has more than 10 years of veterinary laser experience. Laser therapy provides a non-invasive, drug-free treatment alternative for companion pets and can be used to treat ailments such as arthritis; degenerative joint disease; back pain; muscle, ligament and tendon injuries; hip dysplasia; and sprains, according to LiteCure, the manufacturer of Companion Therapy Laser. The series will continue on July 22 and Aug. 5. Topics had not yet been determined at press time. …
Idexx Seeks Vet Participation For Feline Heart StudyJune 25, 2010 Idexx Laboratories Inc. of Westbrook, Maine, has launched a national field study on feline cardiac health to better understand the prevalence of feline heart disease and the profile of cats at risk. “Current literature, based on existing cardiomyopathy studies, finds that one in six cats could have heart disease,” said Leif Lorentzen, DVM, the company’s senior medical affairs manager. “We are inviting general practice veterinarians to participate in this field study so we can better understand how cats present and classify the common traits of cats that do present. We will use our findings to quantify how feline cardiac biomarkers, when added to current blood-screening protocols, provide veterinarians with more comprehensive screening tools that advance patient care.” Unlike humans, where diet and lifestyle can be predisposing risk factors for heart disease, cats are believed to have genetic predispositions that can arise at any age, according to Idexx. Heart walls thicken over time, affecting the heart’s ability to provide adequate oxygen to tissues and can lead to similar medical complications as those seen in some types of human heart disease. “This national study will aggregate experience so that we can begin to establish sensible recommendations for when …
Update: FTC Extends Red Flags Rule Enforcement To DecemberJune 25, 2010 The Federal Trade Commission has again extended the deadline for enforcement of the Red Flags Rule, a section of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003, until Dec. 31. Enforcement was to begin June 1, 2010. The rule is an anti-fraud regulation requiring creditors and financial institutions with covered accounts to implement programs to identify, detect and respond to the warning signs, or “red flags,” that could indicate identity theft. Veterinarians fall into the category of creditors, which is defined as any entity that regularly extends or renews credit — or arranges for others to do so — and includes all entities that regularly permit deferred payments for goods or services. The rule became effective on Jan. 1, 2008, but the FTC has since issued several Enforcement Policies delaying enforcement of the rule. Most recently, the FTC announced in October 2009 that at the request of certain Members of Congress, it was delaying enforcement of the rule until June 1, 2010, to allow Congress time to finalize legislation that would limit the scope of business covered by the rule. Since then, the FTC has received another request from Members of Congress for another delay …
