Massachusetts May Allow Non-Economic Damages For Pet LossJanuary 27, 2010 Damages for the malicious injury to pets would be allowed under Massachusetts House Bill 1250, legislation first introduced in 2009 and set to be heard Thursday, Jan. 28. HB 1250, sponsored by Rep. James Arciero, D-Middlesex, adds to current law the option for non-economic damages in lawsuits alleging the malicious injury or killing of a pet. As written, the bill says such damages may include emotional distress and loss of companionship. The bill leaves much discretion, according to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). Though two alternative damages are listed, other non-economic damages are possible, PIJAC said. In addition, PIJAC said such damages are not determined by monetary loss, and juries often have discretion in making an award. PIJAC opposes legislation that would grant non-economic damages to pet owners, saying such measures can subject breeders, pet product manufacturers, retailers and veterinarians to excessive claims and raise the cost of companion animals for the public. A hearing on the bill is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 28 before the Joint Judiciary Committee, Room A-1 in the state Capitol in Boston.
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Veterinary Advisory Board Expands At Abaxis Inc.January 26, 2010 Four practitioners are joining the Veterinary Advisory Board at Abaxis Inc., a northern California company that manufactures, markets and sells portable blood analysis systems for the veterinary patient-care setting to provide rapid blood constituent measurements. This brings the number of board members to eight highly respected veterinarians, according to Abaxis. The expansion results in a diverse team of board-certified specialists and private practitioners to help with instrument use, test interpretation and patient management, the company said. Customers also benefit from seminars taught by advisory board members, at national, state and local conferences, and through industry meetings and Abaxis University. Craig Tockman, DVM, director of professional services for Abaxis North American Animal Health, said the board members are valued in their respective areas of expertise, as well as being outstanding educators. “By combining that expertise with Abaxis’ 24/7 technical service department, the company continues to expand its direct customer service benefits and economical point-of-care systems for the veterinary market,” Tockman said. New to the advisory board and their specialties: Mary Anna Thrall, DVM, MS, Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Pathologists – Clinical Pathology.
AVMA Backs Proposal To Create Opportunities For More Wildlife And Zoo VeterinariansJanuary 25, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) commends newly introduced federal legislation that seeks to develop affordable and well-qualified opportunities for individuals who are interested in careers as wildlife and zoo veterinarians, as well as spur job growth. The Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Medicine Enhancement Act, introduced Jan. 21 by Congressman Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., will help bolster the nation’s supply of veterinarians specializing in the care of wildlife and zoo animals, the AVMA says. W. Ron DeHaven, DVM, AVMA chief executive officer, says this legislation will strengthen curriculum in veterinary schools, adding, “It will create opportunities for our veterinary graduates to work in the areas in which they have studied, and it will protect both animals and people.” According to the legislation, it serves four main purposes: • Create new funded positions for wildlife and zoological veterinarians. • Limit the amount of educational debt for veterinary medicine students while providing incentives to study and practice wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine. • Help schools and colleges of veterinary medicine develop pilot curricula specializing in wildlife and zoological veterinary medicine. • Expand the number of training programs in wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine for veterinary students. According to …
Veterinary Teams To Enter Haiti This WeekendJanuary 25, 2010 Editor's Note: A previous version of this story inaccurately reported that the AVMF's Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams were operating in Haiti. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), an international animal welfare organization, says plans are underway for a plane to transport a rescue team Jan. 23 from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The government of Haiti has asked WSPA to help with emergency relief operations after the massive Jan. 12 earthquake. WSPA, along with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and other animal welfare groups that have united as the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH), plan to arrive in Haiti this weekend. It is estimated that there were 5,925 poultry, 1,450,000 cattle, 1,900,000 goats, 500,000 horses, 80,000 mules, 1 million pigs and 153,000 sheep before the earthquake, according to most recent data from the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization. The rescue teams have put together the necessary equipment and medicines, including vaccinations and bandages. To assist with Haiti relief efforts for pets, Banfield pet hospitals has donated $10,000 to benefit the companion animal population of the affected island nation. The Banfield donation goes …
80% Of ‘Painful’ Dogs Have Spinal CompressionJanuary 22, 2010In the late 1990s, a classic study1 drew important conclusions about dogs who have “only” paraspinal pain. Out of 429 dogs diagnosed with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), 25 had signs of back pain only. “Back pain only” means they had no proprioceptive deficits and therefore had normal motor function. A myelogram was performed. It revealed that in 80 percent of these dogs, spinal cord compression was detected, which of course was not suspected based on clinical signs alone. The authors’ conclusion is very straight forward: “Dogs with thoracolumbar IVDD that have clinical signs of back pain alone, without neurologic deficits, may have substantial compression of the spinal cord.” The take-home message is simple: If only for liability reasons, you probably should suggest advanced imaging to your client, whether a myelogram, CT or MRI. And you should document this recommendation in the medical record, which of course is also a legal document. The article referenced may seem old, but we verify its conclusion regularly. Rather than steroids, these patients will benefit from surgery. Sure, we know patients who have improved on steroids (and hopefully strict confinement). But we also know patients who were sent home on steroids, were allowed …
NIFA Seeks Nominations For Veterinary Service Shortage SituationsJanuary 22, 2010 Friday, Jan. 22 kicks off the 45-day nomination solicitation period, as authorized by the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA) passed into law in January 2003. This law established a new VMLRP, allowing the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program of entering into agreements with veterinarians under which they agree to provide veterinary services in veterinarian shortage situations. Additional key dates of the program include: March 8 - submission deadline for nominations. . April 30 - publication in the Federal Register of the Notice of Selected Veterinarian Shortage Situations (also on NIFA website). . June 30 - application period closes. . September 30 - offers made to selected individual veterinarian applicants and agreements executed. The goal of the program is to make educational loan repayment agreements with veterinarians who choose to provide veterinary services in veterinarian shortage situations for a determined period of time. A cumulative total of approximately $9.6 million is available for NIFA to administer this program, according to the department of agriculture. Shortage situation nominations must …
New Joint Industries Conference Set For SeptemberJanuary 21, 2010 Changes are in store for the Pet Food Institute’s (PFI) annual meeting this fall, when the Washington, D.C.-based organization unites with its strategic partner, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), to host a new Feed and Pet Food Joint Industries Conference for the animal feed and pet food sectors on Sept. 22-24 in Chicago, Ill. This event marks the first conference of its kind for these industry sectors, organizers say. The joint conference will focus on top business trends, food and feed safety developments, and operational challenges facing the animal feed and pet food industries. The initial conference revolves around the theme, “Working in the Rapidly Changing Business, Operations and Regulatory Environment.” In order to co-host, PFI will change the dates and location of the PFI Annual Industry Meeting, which previously was scheduled for October in Washington, D.C. In addition, the NGFA will move its annual Feed Industry Conference, traditionally conducted in December, to coincide with the collaboration. The program will cover business-focused topics, such as the outlook for the supply, quality, cost and availability of ingredients used in manufacturing animal feed and pet food; new trends; and the demand for environmental sustainability. Topics …
Organizations To Reveal Attributes Of Successful Veterinary PracticesJanuary 20, 2010 Early this year, the results of a Success Attributes Initiative are set to be released to identify the characteristics and behaviors that are consistent with optimal veterinary practice performance and success. Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), VetPartners, and the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) are partnering to tackle the question: What makes some practices thrive and not others? Christine Shupe, CAE, executive director of VHMA, says the main goal is to provide those practices that are not running as efficiently as they could be with the tools, resources and knowledge to manage their practices more efficiently and eventually become more effective and profitable. The first step of the joint initiative is to seek information via an online survey from veterinary practices. Dick Goebel, DVM, immediate past president, VetPartners, says the key is to learn the differences between practices based on their profitability. It’s also important to pinpoint the specific characteristics of high-performing practices, Shupe adds. The second step - validating results and conducting in-depth interviews with staff at these successful practices - gets underway shortly. Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, DVM, CVPM, CEO of NCVEI, says, “One key factor we hope to identify is what …
Hill’s Honors Dr. John Harvey With 2010 Mark L. Morris Sr. Lifetime Achievement AwardJanuary 18, 2010 Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. has recognized John W. Harvey, DVM, Ph.D., with the 2010 Mark L. Morris Sr. Lifetime Achievement Award, presented Jan. 16 at the opening ceremony of the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Fla. This year, the honor goes to a veterinarian who has contributed to the welfare of companion animals through a lifetime of professional work, according to the Topeka, Kan.-based pet food manufacturer. Dr. Harvey serves as professor and executive associate dean and award-winning professor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. His work in clinical pathology and physiology, along with his expertise in hematology, makes him an ideal candidate for the award, Hills said. “Dr. Harvey is a highly dedicated and world-renowned educator, and his accomplishments make him very deserving of this Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Daniel Aja, DVM, director of professional affairs at Hill’s. Dr. Harvey’s scholastic accomplishments include 113 refereed papers in veterinary and human medicine journals (many describing syndromes not previously recognized), three books, 46 book chapters, 56 proceedings papers, 65 abstracts and 31 research grants. He is an accomplished national and international lecturer with more than 250 major seminar engagements worldwide. A …
Veterinary Outreach In Haiti Includes Mobile Animal ClinicJanuary 15, 2010 Veterinary Outreach in Haiti Includes Mobile Animal Clinic Veterinary Outreach in Haiti Includes Mobile Animal Clinic newsline The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) continues to monitor the situation in Haiti and prepare the distribution of veterinary medical supplies as needed, says Heather Case, the association’s coordinator for emergency preparedness and response. The main focus is to help human survivors of the 7.0 earthquake that struck Jan. 12, then after about a week, Case says, the attention turns to companion animals, livestock and wildlife. “There are some livestock issues that are of concern, as well as some companion animal issues,” she says. It’s anticipated that the immediate needs will include vaccinations and supplies for traumas. According to Chris Cutter, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) spokesperson, the organization has a team on the ground in neighboring Dominican Republic and is stocking a mobile clinic to take into Haiti. “It’s impossible to tell at the moment, but we’re preparing to do some mass vaccinating and feeding of backyard livestock along with acute vet care, vaccination and feeding of companion animals,” Cutter says. He adds that there’s a big population of stray dogs in the …
