Nature’s Variety Expands Recall To Include All Raw Frozen Chicken ProductsMarch 8, 2010 Due to concerns of salmonella contamination, Nature’s Variety of Lincoln, Neb., has expanded a voluntary recall of its Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for cats and dogs to include additional “Best If Used By” dates. In addition, out of an abundance of caution, the company has elected to clear the market of all of its raw frozen chicken products. In February, the company issued a nationwide voluntary recall on its Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet chicken medallions, patties and chubs with a “Best If Used By” date of Nov. 10, 2010, due to concerns of salmonella contamination. Additional testing has indicated that its Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with “Best If Used By” dates of Oct. 29, 2010, and Nov. 9, 2010, may be contaminated with salmonella, the company reported. As a result, Nature’s Variety is recalling the following raw frozen products with “Best If Used By” dates of Oct. 29, 2010, and Nov. 9, 2010: UPC#7 69949 60131 9 - Chicken Formula 0.75 lb trial-sized medallions; . UPC#7 69949 60130 2 - Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions; . UPC#7 69949 60120 3 - Chicken Formula 6 lb patties;
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Eli Lilly To Acquire European Rights To Pfizer Animal Health AssetsMarch 8, 2010 Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company, said that Lilly has signed an agreement to acquire the European rights to a portfolio of certain Pfizer Animal Health products. The products, including vaccines, parasiticides and feed additives, are used in the production animal and companion animal markets. The products are marketed by Pfizer and Wyeth’s Fort Dodge operations. Elanco also plans to acquire a manufacturing facility in Sligo, Ireland, used in the production of animal vaccines. As part of the deal, Sligo employees are offered positions with Elanco. The addition of this portfolio of products and a world-class manufacturing facility is a good fit for Elanco and positions the company well for sustained growth, said Jeff Simmons, president of Elanco. “Through this acquisition, we will expand and diversify our European presence with new market-leading products, augment our growing portfolio of companion animal medicines and acquire new biologic and vaccine capabilities,” he said. The European Commission requested that Pfizer divest these products as a result of Pfizer’s 2009 acquisition of Wyeth, including Wyeth’s Fort Dodge Animal Health business. Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will acquire European rights to a portfolio of marketed products, …
Veterinary Symposium To Feature Wildlife Biologist Jeff CorwinMarch 5, 2010 Jeff Corwin, wildlife biologist and Emmy-winning TV host, is slated to speak at the Professional Compounding Centers of America’s three-day veterinary symposium starting Thursday, March 4 in Houston, Texas. The continuing education symposium offers a comprehensive review of veterinary compounding needs – including avian, equine, large animal, exotic/zoo animal and household pet medicine, organizers said. Speakers will cover topics ranging from veterinary dosage forms and problem solving, to the legal aspects of veterinary compounding. Corwin’s presentation, Tales from the Field, explains the goal of conservation, the practical application of ecology in conservation biology and the interaction between animals and their environment. He will also describe environmental factors affecting the animals’ ecosystems and their harmful impact, organizers said. Five additional speakers will present seminars relating to veterinary medicine. The symposium takes place at the PCCA Learning Center. For more information, call 800-331-2498. <HOME>
FDA: Consult Veterinarian Before Buying From Online Pet PharmaciesMarch 5, 2010 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urges pet owners who shop for prescription pet medicines online to make sure they remain A.W.A.R.E. of exactly what they are buying. There is no foolproof way to tell if an online pharmacy is legal, according to the FDA. To help pet owners protect their pets, the agency provides the following guidelines: A – Ask your veterinarian. Before buying online, talk with a veterinarian. Some questions the FDA suggests are: “Do you trust the internet pharmacy site?”, “Have you ever worked with the company?”, and “Have other clients used that site?” If any of the answers are “yes,” what were the veterinarian’s experiences? W- Watch for red flags. Some warning signs the FDA points out include: the site does not require veterinary prescriptions for prescription drug orders; the site has no licensed pharmacist available to answer questions; the site does not list physical business address, phone number or other contact information, the site is not U.S.-based; the site is not licensed by the State Board of Pharmacy where the business is based; the site does not protect your personal information. A – Always check for site accreditation. In …
Idexx Laboratories Reports Revenue GrowthMarch 4, 2010 Idexx Laboratories Inc. of Westbrook, Maine has reported that revenues for the fourth quarter of 2009 increased 11 percent to $270.3 million, from $243.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ayers said Idexx showed a strong fourth quarter that beat expectations. “Organic revenue growth, led by our Companion Animal Group, increased modestly to 6 percent, as strong demand for certain products such as our Catalyst Dx chemistry analyzer offset continued economic weakness and soft consumer spending.” Organic revenue growth, the company said, excludes the impact of changes in currency exchange rates, which contributed about 5 percent to revenue growth, and revenue from businesses acquired or divested subsequent to the beginning of the prior year period, which had minimal impact on revenue growth. The Companion Animal Group (CAG) revenues for the fourth quarter of 2009 were $217.9 million compared to $196.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates and revenues from a recently acquired business contributed approximately 4 percent and 1 percent, respectively, to revenue growth. Organic growth of 6 percent was the result of increased sales volume, mainly in the Idexx VetLab and laboratory …
Lilly Reports Revenue Growth, Comfortis Sales StrongMarch 4, 2010 Eli Lilly and Co. reported financial growth for the fourth quarter and full year of 2009. Worldwide sales of animal health products in the fourth quarter of 2009 hit $353.1 million, an increase of 8 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the drug maker based in Indianapolis. The company said its Comfortis (spinosad) dog flea product has contributed to a 1 percent growth in U.S. sales, to $187.7 million, mainly because of higher prices and increased sales of the product. However, that is partially offset by lower demand of other animal health products. Sales outside the U.S. increased 17 percent, to $165.5 million, driven primarily by increased demand and, to a lesser extent, the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates, the company said. For the full-year of 2009, worldwide animal health sales increased 10 percent to $1.207 billion. U.S. animal health sales for 2009 were $672.2 million; a 25 percent increase credited to the inclusion of sales from the dairy cow supplement Posilac (sometribove) acquisition made in October 2008. Animal health sales outside the U.S. were $535.0 million, a 4 percent decrease caused by the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange rates. …
Profits Up Sharply At Iams, Flat At Hill’sMarch 4, 2010 Procter & Gamble Co. reported a sharp increase in net profit for its snack and pet food unit, which includes Iams and Eukanuba pet foods, while rival Colgate-Palmolive showed relatively flat operating profit for its Hill’s Pet Nutrition business for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2009. P&G reported net earnings for its snacks and pet care business increased 56 percent for its second quarter to $98 million, a spike driven by price increases, lower commodity costs and manufacturing cost savings. Net sales for the unit increased six percent to $835 million while volume sales edged up by 1 percent. Pet care volume for the quarter increased in the mid-single digits, boosted by product initiatives and increased promotional activity; human snacks volume declined by the low-single digits, P&G reported. “Pet care delivered solid volume growth in the mid-single digits behind the continued strength of the Iams Proactive Health, Iams Premium Protection and Eukanuba Naturally Wild initiative,” said Teri List, P&G senior vice president and treasurer during the company’s second quarter conference call with financial analysts. “P&G all outlet share of the pet nutrition business is up versus prior year and is approaching 10 percent.” Year-to-date, snack and …
New Cancer Research May Benefit AnimalsMarch 4, 2010 A partnership between Colorado State University and Japan is expected to pave the way for new cancer treatments for naturally occurring tumors in larger animals such as cats and dogs as well as in humans. The university will focus on carbon ion therapy for the treatment of multiple cancers and look at medicinal chemistry therapy¬--the use of naturally occurring chemicals such as antioxidants--as a way to boost the effectiveness of carbon ion therapy. “This partnership also allows us to create an international open laboratory that will be a platform for other U.S. researchers with expertise in cancer and toxicology to connect with the knowledge and resources available in Japan, the world leader in this new field of research,” said Jac Nickoloff, head of CSU’s Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences. A trilogy of cancer expertise from College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is involved: Animal Cancer Center, the newly launched international Center for Environmental Medicine and the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences. The Center for Environmental Medicine, which will house the new research program, launched in 2008 at CSU in partnership with Japan during a trade mission trip. Counterparts in Japan …
American Humane: Every Day Is Tag DayMarch 3, 2010Starting on April 3, the American Humane Association (AHA) kicks off its “Every Day Is Tag Day” annual event to encourage pet owners to tag and microchip their cats and dogs so that a lost pet has a better chance of being recovered, the AHA said. The organization dedicated to protecting children and animals cites the 9 million lost pets that arrive at U.S. shelters each year as the reason behind this awareness campaign. About 15 percent of dogs and 2 percent of cats without ID tag or microchip are recovered, the AHA said. Most lost pets without identification are not reunited with their families, said Dena Fitzgerald, American Humane’s spokeswoman. “At the very least, every cat and dog needs a collar and ID tag, but the best solution is to also microchip your pet for permanent identification,” she said. The AHA offers the following ways to give lost animals a better chance of returning home: Remember that indoor pets also need tags and microchips. Many strays in shelters are indoor pets that got lost. . Make sure pets wear a collar with a current ID tag, rabies tag and city license. Include a contact name, address …
No Such Thing As Negative ExploratoryMarch 2, 2010 You may have heard this saying: “If you don’t have negative exploratory laparotomies, you’re not doing enough of them.” The idea is to encourage practitioners to recommend abdominal surgery on patients who don’t have a definitive diagnosis quite yet. For example, a patient could have unexplained vomiting or a suspicion of foreign body ingestion. “Take this patient to surgery,” goes the advice, “because the risks of procrastinating outweigh the risks of missing a correctable condition.” In other words, a negative exploratory laparotomy is acceptable. Well, this columnist humbly disagrees. Systematic Approach We have already discussed the art of performing a thorough exploratory laparotomy [“Secrets of a Successful Exploratory Laparotomy,” February 2008]. Missing a foreign body, enlarged lymph nodes or distended gallbladder is avoided by following a systematic approach. Making an abdominal incision that is long enough is also critical. This will allow careful observation and palpation of the liver cranially, the bladder caudally, and all organs in between. Still, there should be no such thing as a negative exploratory. If you don’t find anything grossly abnormal or fixable or removable, then you should at least take some biopsies and …
