First Impressions Of Fourth-Year RotationsApril 17, 2009What's interesting about transitioning from a student to a doctor is the way in which the everyday scenery around you changes. Like how the small-animal hospital, once a familiar and comforting place where real veterinarians work at a leisurely pace, modulates into a meshwork of clinicians whose lives are filled with never-ending patient cases, emergencies, constant pages and sleep deprivation. This is not obvious during the first three years of veterinary school. Veterinarians here (aside from the dentistry folks) never really sleep, and coffee is a staple in the food pyramid. Then there are the ICU and ward nurses, whom you know only in hallway passing during previous years–they become the most familiar faces in the hospital. During fourth year, you discover that they are the souls of the hospital unit, existing on some sort of alien energy … never running out of patience for the animals they care for. Honestly – I have unending respect for my profession. Fourth-year is challenging, and an unexpected continuum of ups and downs. Sometimes you're prepared, and other times, you fail miserably. Simply stated, you take what you've studied over the past three years and apply it to real patients. As prepared as …
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Vetoquinol USA Acquires Vet SolutionsApril 17, 2009 In a bid to bolster its product offerings, Vetoquinol USA of Buena, N.J., has acquired the assets of Vet Solutions L.P. of Fort Worth, Texas. “The acquisition combines the veterinary market expertise, diverse product lines and technical resources of two progressive, nimble companies that together will be in an even better position to support veterinarians and bring innovative products to the industry,” said Tom Robitaille, group director of Vetoquinol’s North American operations. Vetoquinol’s ethical product line includes anti-infectives, anti-inflammatories, cardiology products, nephrology products and nutraceuticals; Vet Solutions’ products include dermatologicals, nutritional supplements, cleansers, disinfectants, and oral hygiene and odor control products. The resultant larger company will be a more attractive partner for product developers for future joint ventures and strategic alliances, Robitaille said. “It’s been my experience that the bigger you become, the more opportunities come your way,” said Dan Schildgen, formerly Vet Solutions president and principal and now director of business and new product development for Vetoquinol. “Having access to the global reach and resources of Vetoquinol will allow us to accelerate and expand our product development efforts. We’re stronger and more efficient together. In the end, that will lead to more products and …
EPA Issues New Safety Measures For Rodent-Control ProductsApril 17, 2009 In an effort to reduce the risk of accidental poisonings in pets, wildlife and children, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued new safety measures for rodent-control products. EPA is requiring that ten rodenticides used in bait products marketed to consumers be enclosed in bait stations. They are brodifacoum, bromadiolone, bromethalin, chlorophacinone, cholecalciferol, difenacoum, difethialone, diphacinone, warfarin and zinc phosphide. It is also prohibiting the sale of loose bait, such as pellets, for use in homes. “The new restrictions will better protect our children, pets and wildlife from thousands of accidental exposures that occur every year,” said Jim Gulliford, EPA assistant administrator. “These practical and low cost measures provide protection while ensuring rodent control products will continue to be effective and affordable for all consumers.” EPA will require sales and distribution and packaging restrictions for products containing four (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone and difenacoum) of the rodenticides that pose the greatest risk to wildlife to prevent purchase on the consumer market. Rodenticides pose significant risks to wildlife including birds, such as hawks and owls, and mammals, such as raccoons, squirrels, skunks, deer, coyotes, foxes, mountain lions and bobcats. It can be a threat through …
California Bill Proposes New Pet Food Label RequirementsApril 17, 2009 During the first week of April, a California Senate committee will consider a proposal that would require pet food labels to include the product’s country of origin. Often at the forefront of legislation that other states follow, the California Senate Bill 1773 is the first of its kind, according to Marshall Meyers, executive vice president of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). “That’s the only one right now,” he said. PIJAC, however, deferred to the Pet Food Institute for further information. The Pet Food Institute was not immediately available for comment. The legislation was introduced in February by Senator Ellen Corbett from the East Bay’s San Leandro, but a hearing date was only set this week. The Committee on Health will hold a hearing on the proposal April 2 at 1:30 p.m. in room 4203 at the State Capitol in Sacramento The bill was also referred to the Senate Judiciary, which Corbett chairs. It has not set a hearing. The proposal also requires manufacturers to post the brand owner’s telephone number on the label. California’s Legislature will reconvene Monday, March 24, after a weeklong spring recess. <HOME>
Peer Review NewsApril 17, 2009VPI Names McConnell VP of Underwriting Veterinary Pet Insurance Co., of Brea, Calif., has named Carol McConnell, DVM, vice president of underwriting and chief veterinary medical officer. Dr. McConnell, who was previously director of veterinary education and services, will oversee all medical-related decisions at the company, including the implementation of VPI’s underwriting guidelines and rules. In related news, David Reinhard, DVM, has retired from his full-time position as VPI’s chief veterinary medical officer. Dr. Reinhard, who began his career at VPI in 1989 as a member of the company’s Veterinary Review Committee, will remain with the company part-time. Tina Merola, DVM Vets Recognized for Contributions to Vet, Human Public Health Leon Russell, DVM, a professor at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and president of the World Veterinary Assn., and Primo Arambulo III, DVM, a consultant for international affairs and global initiative on veterinary education with the Assn. of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, recently received the 2007 Karl F. Meyer-James H. Steele Gold Head Cane Award for their contributions to veterinary and human public health. The award, sponsored by The Hartz Mountain Corp., of Secaucus, N.J., was presented during …
VNN Names New Advisory Board MembersApril 17, 2009 The Veterinary News Network has added new Advisory Board members: Bernadine Cruz, DVM, from Aliso Viejo, Calif., a national speaker and a veterinary consultant for several national television programs and a member of the American Veterinary Medical Assn.’s Council on Public Relations. Ralph Johnson, from Denver, executive director of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Assn., the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society and the Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation. Zach Mills, DVM, from Duluth, Ga., vice president of U.S. Companion Animal Enterprise for Merial. Bonnie Rush, DVM, from Manhattan, Kan., professor and department head of Clinical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. Kevin Rochford, (no image available) from New York City, news director for CBS The Early Show. <HOME>
Public Hearing Set For Connecticut Proposal On Rabies RegulationApril 17, 2009 Connecticut’s Department of Agriculture will hold a public hearing on Aug. 22 on a proposed set of regulations that would require pet stores, animal shelters, petting zoos, riding stables and other entities to keep a log of the names and contact information of anyone who visits their location and handles an animal not yet vaccinated for rabies, including kittens and puppies too young for the shot. Under the proposal, all animals held in a public setting “for which there is a licensed rabies vaccine” would be required to receive the vaccine unless they are under the minimum age (3 months old for dogs and cats in Conn.) or held in a city pound. A public setting is defined as “any event, facility or premise at which the public is invited or allowed to have direct physical contact with animals.” The regulation is nothing new, says Dr. Bruce Sherman, a former veterinarian and the Dept. of Agriculture’s director for the Bureau of Regulation and Inspection. It’s been on the books for a while, as recently as three years ago, as part of the state’s Emergency Order Concerning the Vaccination or Alternative Confinement of Certain Animals to prevent …
Pet Dental Health Campaign Promotes Regular Preventive CareApril 17, 2009 Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. of Topeka, Kan., as co-sponsor of the 15th annual Pets Need Dental Care, Too campaign, is urging pet owners not to brush off dental home care. The campaign provides veterinary health teams with materials to discuss with pet owners the importance of scheduling regular, professional oral health exams and establishing an at-home dental care routine to maintain their pet’s good oral health. Only 2 percent of dog owners follow through with daily tooth brushing, the company reports. In addition, 66 percent of dogs with Stage 1 periodontal disease often go untreated because veterinary health care teams do not recommend early treatment options such as professional cleaning and X-rays. “It’s a great idea for pet owners to plan an annual visit to their veterinarian to detect any potential health problems,” said Kara Burns, LVT, a veterinary technician specialist at Hill’s. “Preventing and treating periodontal disease through routine veterinary visits and home care protocols are essential aids to ensuring a pet’s high quality of life.” In addition to Hill’s, the campaign is a partnership between the American Veterinary Medical Assn., the American Veterinary Dental Society, the Academy of Veterinary …
Artist Models New 'Adopt' Poster After Obama 'Hope' ImageApril 17, 2009 Artist Shepard Fairey, widely known for creating the Barack Obama "Hope" image, designed a poster for a new Adopt-a-Pet.com campaign that seeks to shed light on the animals up for adoption at shelters across the country. The nationwide effort features a poster created by Fairey -- the man TIME magazine named "Icon Maker" of the year -- that's modeled on his Obama "Hope" poster. "The image I created for this print reminds me of a dog I had as a kid, a mutt named Honey," Fairey said. The poster, which features a dog and the word "Adopt," was unveiled Jan. 8 at the Sunset Gallery in Los Angeles, Calif. Fairey made a brief appearance at the media event and told reporters that he's glad to be able to help in any way for shelter pets to find homes. He added that the new campaign presents "a great chance for shelter animals." By teaming with Fairey, Adopt-a-Pet.com hopes to encourage people to go out to a local shelter and adopt a pet. Dr. Pia Salk, Adopt-a-Pet.com spokesperson, said that adopting a pet means saving a life, and with more family pets being displaced …
Using The Power Of The Press To Grow Your PracticeApril 17, 2009 Whether your practice is well established or you are planning a grand opening, you will want publicity to be a part of your marketing strategy. Practices that achieve the kind of publicity that media exposure offers grow faster and stay in business longer than those that do not. Media exposure is valuable publicity and can be even more powerful than paid advertising. Advertising is increasingly expensive for any business, new or established. Publicity is free and can even be more powerful than paid advertising. America’s largest corporations know this and use it to their advantage—and you should, too. Develop a Media Kit No matter how large or small your practice is, you need to have a media kit. It is your story in a folder. If you carefully develop it and keep it up to date, you will be surprised at how often you use it and how helpful it is. Inside the folder, keep the following: • A news release about you and your practice (most important) • A photo of you and your hospital • Your bio in a short, one-page presentation • A brief summary of testimonials, praise and recommendations. • A brief …
