Vesicular Stomatitis Confirmed In TexasJune 12, 2009 An electron micrograph depicts VSV, the virus responsible for vesicular stomatitis (VS) in horses, cattle and pigs. Courtesy of US Department of Health and Human Services. The Texas Animal Health Commission reported June 12 that vesicular stomatitis, a sporadically occurring virus that is endemic to the United States, has been detected in a horse in Starr County, Texas. This is the nation’s first case of VS for 2009. The last outbreak was in 2006 where 17 horses and a dozen cattle on 13 premises within Wyoming were confirmed to have the virus. Signs of the disease include blisters, lesions and sloughing of the skin on the muzzles, tongue, teats and above the hooves of susceptible livestock, including horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, deer and some other species of animals. Sand flies and black flies are thought to play a role in the virus transmission. “To prevent the spread or introduction of infection, many states and countries will place additional entry requirements or restrictions on the movement of animals from affected states, or portions of the state,” said Bob Hillman, DVM, Texas’ state veterinarian and head of the TAHC. “Call the …
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FDA Approves Drug For Feline HyperthyroidismJune 12, 2009 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Dechra Ltd.’s Felimazole (methimazole), the first drug approved for the treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats. “Hyperthyroidism is one of the most common diseases seen in middle-aged and senior cats,” said Bernadette Dunham, DVM, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. “Cats can become seriously ill with this condition. The approval of Felimazole offers cat owners, in consultation with their veterinarians, an effective medical treatment for this serious disease.” Methimazole has been used to treat feline hyperthyroidism for years, but because it is a drug for humans, its use in animals has been off-label. Field studies evaluating the effectiveness and safety of the product were conducted in the United Kingdom and the United States. Success was measured by a decrease in the production of thyroid hormones or T4 levels and improvement in clinical signs, such as weight gain, cessation of vomiting and regaining normal eating habits. A total of 166 hyperthyroid cats were treated with Felimazole. In the U.K. study, 77 percent of cats had normal T4 levels and 81 percent had reduced disease severity by day 42. In the U.S. study, 61 percent of cats were …
Equine Piroplasmosis Outbreak Reported In MissouriJune 11, 2009 The World Organization for Animal Health reported on June 11 an outbreak of equine piroplasmosis in Jackson County, Mo. The last reported occurrence was in February. EP is a tick-borne disease that affects horses, donkeys, mules and zebras. The disease, caused by Theileria equi, is transmitted via tick bites or through mechanical transmission by improperly disinfected needles or surgical instruments, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The source of the most recent outbreak was deemed “unknown or inconclusive.” The affected premises is a horse stable in Jackson County involving a 7-year-old quarter horse gelding purchased six months ago. The horse showed clinical signs consistent with EP on June 1. The next day, the horse was presented to a veterinary medical hospital in Kansas because of an acute illness consistent with infection of a blood-borne pathogen. The horse was placed in quarantine and isolation. The horse and other animals on the affected premises -- 63 including horses, ponies and mules -- were examined for ticks. No ticks were found, according to the OIE report. Test results for the other animals are pending, and the …
Charitable Giving Dips Slightly Amid RecessionJune 11, 2009 Americans donated $307.7 billion in 2008, with $6.6 billion going toward animal and environment organizations, according to Giving USA, a publication of the Giving USA Foundation. The report was researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Overall charitable giving was down from $314.1 billion in 2007, a record year since the annual report on philanthropy began in 1956. The animal/environment subsector, which represents 2 percent of total estimated giving, saw a 5.5 percent drop from the year before. “With the United States mired in a recession throughout 2008, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that charitable giving would be down,” said Del Martin, chairman of the Giving USA Foundation. “However, what we find remarkable is that individuals, corporations and foundations still provided more than $307 billion to causes they support, despite the economic conditions. “It would have been easy to say ‘not this year’ when appeals came their way, and we definitely did see belt-tightening. This drop in giving meant that nonprofits have had to do more with less over the past year, but it could have been a lot worse.” Other recipients of …
You, Too, Can Beat TechnophobiaJune 10, 2009 Are you a technophobe when it comes to your work? Would your colleagues call you a “virtual veterinary Luddite”? Does the thought of computer-related veterinary work—online or for recordkeeping, in particular—give you a massive migraine? Maybe it induces panic attacks, instead. Either way, you’re in good company. Plenty of veterinarians among us eschew the “evils” of the common machinery that a growing percentage of practices can no longer live without. Sure, by now all our practices have computers. Maybe we even know how to use them when we absolutely have to. But does that mean we’re willing to take our practices to the next level computer-wise? Usually the answer is a big NO. There’s always something higher on our wish list. Digital X-rays, anyone? Different Kind of Tool When we think of ourselves as technologically savvy, many of us point to all that stainless-steel surgical hardware we adore, the power tools that line the back of our OR’s cabinets, the fancy anesthesia monitors, dental rads, fecal centrifuges and blood work machines. They’re cool, right? Yet add a laptop to one of those neat-o trinkets and it becomes a leering countertop tool eerily reminiscent …
Evidence Points To Acupuncture For Disk DiseaseJune 10, 2009 The hot topic of evidence-based medicine sparks debate between integrative medicine practitioners and the mainstream because many incorrectly assume that complementary medicine treatment strategies cannot withstand scientific scrutiny. The door swings both ways, however. Evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) requires “the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.”1 For veterinary medicine to establish itself as an evidence-based profession, regular approaches to everyday conditions require re-evaluation according to this new standard. In their introduction to EBVM, Holmes and Ramey warn against relying overmuch on common sense, educated guesses and uncontrolled observations instead of results from “reliable empiric research.”2 They advise that in addition to having the capacity to critically appraise scientific literature, “(A) good clinician needs good powers of observation, empathy with patients and clients, manual dexterity and a host of other skills.” Now it seems that acupuncture may become one of those skills based on accumulating results indicating substantive benefits. One area where evidence is mounting in favor of acupuncture concerns spinal cord injury. Medical management methods for dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease (TL IVDD) deemed non-surgical candidates typically include steroids, …
Praising Our DVM Authors And IconsJune 10, 2009 The world fell in love with veterinarians as they read James Herriot novels, but today things are different. In fact, life in the fast lane and in cities worldwide finds many pet owners seeking help at larger veterinary hospitals with multiple associates who often refer them for specialty care at mega-practices. The contemporary sick-pet story no longer has the quaint James Herriot-style feeling. Pet owners who encounter high-tech veterinary medicine have a quite different experience. But the human-animal bond remains the same. The bond is the mortar, grout and glue that holds together the foundation of our profession. Modern veterinary authors are stepping up to tell today’s story. We can wistfully look back to the good old days, but we must read the new DVM authors, inspired by Herriot, who write about our evolving profession. We need to acquaint ourselves with the newest generation of veterinary authors who address their books to the public, such as Nancy Kay, Nick Trout, Tami Shearer, Debra Eldredge, Robin Downing, Shannon Nakaya, Elizabeth Hodgkins, Baxter Black, Marty Becker, Robert M. Miller, yours truly and many others too numerous to mention here. Our clients have the opportunity to witness the …
Compounders In Spotlight After DeathsJune 10, 2009 Compounding pharmacies have come under increased scrutiny since the deaths of 21 polo horses shortly before the U.S. Open Polo Championship in Palm Beach County, Fla., in April. Franck’s Pharmacy of Ocala, Fla., admitted April 23, just days after the deaths, that it incorrectly prepared medication used to treat the horses. An internal investigation led by an outside lawyer “concluded that the strength of an ingredient in the medication was incorrect,” said Jennifer Beckett, Franck’s chief operations officer. The statement did not specify the ingredient, but Florida State Veterinarian Thomas Holt, DVM, said the deaths most likely were caused by a selenium overdose. At press time, it was unclear whether the team’s veterinarian specified an incorrect selenium dosage in the prescription or if the pharmacy caused the error. Beckett told Veterinary Practice News that she cannot comment because of the ongoing investigation. “We are waiting for the investigation to take its course,” she said. The larger question may not be who is at fault, but what effect this will have on the compounding industry. Will this tragedy lead to tighter regulations and increased scrutiny of compounding pharmacies? It may be too soon to …
Imulan Signs Vet Cancer Agreement With ImmunoPhotonicsJune 9, 2009 Imulan BioTherapeutics LLC of St. Joseph, Mo., recently signed an exclusive licensing agreement for ImmunoPhotonics Inc.’s apSTAR, a new laser device for cancer. apSTAR, named after Autologous Patient Specific Tumor Antigen Response, is a patented medical device technology that uses a specific laser wavelength to liberate tumor specific antigens and activate an immune response against the tumor cells. The companies indicate that studies have shown that the device improves the rate of primary and metastatic tumor regression and induce long term tumor immunity. Imulan’s new oncology division, Veterinary Cancer Therapeutics, has already started establishing cancer centers around the country using the apSTAR medical device technology. “We are very excited to be working with ImmunoPhotonics to advance this simple, yet comprehensive oncology breakthrough,” said Craig Woods, DVM, chief executive officer of Imulan and Veterinary Cancer Therapeutics. “The apSTAR laser will help shift the emphasis towards immune-based therapies and away from cytotoxic drug or radiation therapy for many types of cancer.” The device is currently available on a limited basis in the United States, with full scale production scheduled for later this year. ImmunoPhotonics is based in Roseland, Va. …
Animal Survivor Event Highlights Veterinary Medical AdvancesJune 8, 2009Four dogs and one cat were in the spotlight June 4 during the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s Animal Survivor Media Event, which took place at the ACVIM Forum & Canadian Veterinary Medicine Association Convention in Montreal. The annual event gives insight into the medical advances that saves pets’ lives. “The ACVIM’s Animal Survivor is a wonderful opportunity to highlight animals that beat the odds,” said Jenn Armbruster, ACVIM communications and media relations manager. “With the help of their owners, general practitioners and ACVIM board-certified veterinary specialists, these animals overcame life-threatening illnesses to live life to the fullest once again.” One such example is Forrest Gumpy, a Jack Russell that was adopted by the McDougall family in 2007. Dixie Gumpy’s owners, specifically now 15-year-old Sarah-Simone McDougall, discovered his love for the water and decided to enter him into DockDogs diving events, leading him to compete with some of the top dogs in the world. However, Gumpy was struck with stage IV lymphoma shortly thereafter. Even though his fight with lymphoma had him going through many rounds of chemotherapy, and he relapsed three times, he remained happy and had a wonderful quality of life, according …
