Joint program immerses high schoolers in veterinary scienceAugust 23, 2018In a three-week residential program presented by the Boston Leadership Institute and BluePearl Veterinary Partners, 16 high school students dissected eyes, learned how to perform physical examinations on dogs, presented research findings, and performed lab work. While summer educational institutes are plentiful, it's rare to find such an extensive program in veterinary science for teens. "The students have just been great," said William Snell, DVM, DACVS-SA, who is the medical director of BluePearl's Charlestown, Mass., hospital and who organized the curriculum and instructors. "They are really actively involved; they've been asking good questions. … They are like sponges soaking up knowledge." "The veterinary medicine program this summer in particular was extremely successful for a variety of reasons," said Makayla Karr-Warner, marketing assistant for Boston Leadership Institute, which offers several STEM-related summer institutes. "The students raved about the instructor lineup. They thoroughly enjoyed learning from different veterinary specialists, being exposed to a variety of specialties and potential career paths." While living in a nearby college dormitory for the duration of the program, students toured Southwick's Zoo and BluePearl's Waltham hospital, built mock …
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Create an employee wellness plan for the winAugust 23, 2018The mental health of veterinary professionals is the topic at all of our professional meetings and in all the publications. I'm so thankful that it has transitioned from a taboo topic to a mainstream one. While attending the July 2018 AVMA and VetPartners meetings in Denver, I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from several esteemed people who are teaching and coaching on the topic. As a practice management consultant, I am always looking for ways to help my clients improve their practices. So, in evaluating all that I learned about this topic, I began to wonder… all of this talk is fantastic, but what are clinics doing to turn these conversations into action? Veterinary practice leaders need help creating and executing a wellness plan that fits their practice and and their team. Daily practice is hard and busy, and despite your best intentions, the demands of patients and clients fill your days, leaving bigger projects such as an employee wellness plan on the back burner. I turned to certified compassion fatigue coach Julie Squires for guidance. Julie is with Rekindle (rekindlesolutions.com) and is known nationwide …
FDA releases new vet resource for prescribing opioidsAugust 23, 2018The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is launching a new resource guide for veterinarians prescribing opioids for pain management in animals. The issue has come to the fore due to the opioid crisis and the occurrence of people hurting their pets to gain access to the drugs. The FDA says it is committed to addressing the misuse and abuse of drugs on all fronts, with a significant focus on decreasing exposure to opioids and preventing new addiction by taking steps to encourage more appropriate prescribing, said FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, in an official statement. While any health care provider can take advantage of the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy program for opioid analgesics, there hasn't been a lot of information tailored specifically to veterinary medicine, he added. "That's why we have developed a new resource containing information and recommendations specifically for veterinarians who stock and administer opioids," Dr. Gottlieb said. "Today, we're issuing important information for veterinarians to ensure they have additional context regarding the potential for people to misuse the products they are prescribing to their animal patients." The issue of abuse stems from the lack of opioids specifically approved for use in animals, …
UF College of Veterinary Medicine to open equine acupuncture centerAugust 23, 2018The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine will open a new acupuncture center early next month for horses in the Ocala/Marion County area, which is home to several Kentucky Derby winners and is often referred to as the "horse capital of the world." The UF Equine Acupuncture Center will consist of a 6,240-sf barn, which includes 12 stalls and a treatment area, and a 12,500-sf arena. The center will function as a clinic through which Huisheng Xie, BSc,VM, PhD, a clinical professor in the integrative medicine service at the UF Veterinary Hospitals, will provide acupuncture therapy to aid in treatment of a variety of conditions affecting horses. Dr. Xie founded The Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in 1998. The new center will be located adjacent to the Chi Institute, about two miles west of Interstate 75 in Reddick. "Acupuncture has been practiced in both animals and humans for thousands of years in China," he said. "The benefits of acupuncture have been documented in an increasing number of clinical trials, and, as a result, we have a better understanding of acupuncture's method of action. Our patients can benefit greatly from these new developments." Acupuncture involves the use of …
Radagast Pet Food issues expanded voluntary recallAugust 22, 2018Radagast Pet Food Inc. of Portland, Ore., is expanding a voluntary recall to include an additional quantity of Rad Cat Raw Diet across all varieties due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The expanded recall includes products starting with and including Lot No. 62763, through and including Lot No. 63101. These lots have Best By dates of 10/19/18 through 12/3/19; the products were shipped to distributors in the U.S. and Canada between 5/10/17 and 8/9/18. The following Rad Cat Raw Diet products (1 oz. sample, 8 oz., 16 oz., and 24 oz. sizes) are included in the recall: Rad Cat Raw Diet Grass-Fed Beef Recipe Rad Cat Raw Diet Free-Range Chicken Recipe Rad Cat Raw Diet Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe Rad Cat Raw Diet Natural Pork Recipe Rad Cat Raw Diet Free-Range Turkey Recipe Rad Cat Raw Diet Pasture-Raised Venison Recipe The Lot No. and Best By date can be found on the bottom of each container. The company has identified a source of potential contamination in its facility and has taken proactive measures to eradicate it. This expanded recall will capture any additional lots that may have been affected, according to the company. No pet or human illnesses caused by …
TechAccel, Reliance Animal Health launch Covenant Animal Health PartnersAugust 22, 2018TechAccel and Reliance Animal Health Partners have partnered to bring animal health innovations to market under the name of Covenant Animal Health Partners. The subsidiary will generate income via asset sales or licensing deals instead of marketing and distributing its own products to compete with animal health firms, said Brett Morris, CFA, principal with TechAccel, a venture and technology development organization focused on agriculture and animal health. The new company aims to develop and register animal health products such as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics, and new drug delivery systems. "This new enterprise assembles an all-star team of industry leaders with first-hand know-how in product development," said Michael Helmstetter, PhD, president and CEO of TechAccel. "Covenant will identify and advance new technologies to market, as well as operate external innovation programs for the global animal health industry." The new team includes the four founders of Reliance: Thomas Campi, DVM, Thomas Kennedy, PhD, Robert Nordgren, PhD, and Thomas Overbay, DVM, who, along with Dr. Helmstetter, will serve as a Covenant board member and managing director. "The market is hungry for external product support," said Morris. "Covenant's thesis is to develop new products for approval by …
UC Davis veterinarian discovers rare blood disorder in catAugust 22, 2018Miao Miao, a four-year-old male domestic shorthair cat, was brought to the University of California, Davis veterinary hospital with persistent nosebleeds. Based on previous medical issues, his owners were aware that he had some variation of a blood platelet disorder, but the exact makeup of that was never discovered. Specialists with UC Davis' internal medicine service ran a range of tests to discover the root of his bleeding issue. A complete blood count showed that Miao Miao was not anemic, had no evidence of inflammation, and a normal platelet count. An ultrasound also was performed, which showed that Miao Miao had no evidence of bleeding into any of his other bodily cavities. Miao Miao was hospitalized for a few days to ensure he did not develop significant bleeding, and so that the team could discuss his case with other clinicians and researchers. Through a collaboration of UC Davis emergency, internal medicine, and research specialists, a unique cause to Miao Miao's bleeding was found. Ronald Li, DVM, MVetMed, PhD, DACVECC, a critical care specialist with the UC Davis veterinary hospital's emergency room, operates a platelet physiology laboratory with equipment and capabilities found in only a handful of veterinary centers around …
FDA approves NexGard expanded label claimsAugust 22, 2018Merial, part of Boehringer Ingelheim, received approval from the U.S Food and Drug Administration to expand the label claims for NexGard (afoxolaner). The flea and tick control product is now approved to prevent Borrelia burgdorferi infections as a direct result of it killing Ixodes scapularis vector ticks, commonly called black-legged, or deer, ticks. NexGard is the first and only flea and tick product to receive FDA approval for preventing infections that cause Lyme disease by killing the vector ticks, the company stated. The approval comes just as veterinarians and pet owners in many parts of the country are being warned about the potential of an increased number of Lyme disease cases in 2018. The FDA approval is based on two well-controlled laboratory studies that showed that NexGard effectively prevented the transmission of B. burgdorfei infections after dogs were infested with wild-caught I. scapularis ticks 28 days after treatment with NexGard, said the manufacturer. "Both studies measured the transmission of B. burgdorferi to dogs after exposure to infected ticks," said Zach Mills, DVM, head of US Pet Veterinary Professional Services. "All dogs treated with NexGard tested negative for B. burgdorferi infection, demonstrating that transmission was prevented as a direct result …
STAAR 2019 canine rehab, wellness conference registration openAugust 21, 2018The Symposium on Therapeutic Advances in Animal Rehabilitation (STAAR) has announced that registration is open for the April 24-28 event held in Florham Park, N.J. This lab-focused working conference is ideal for veterinarians, surgeons, veterinary technicians, physical and occupational therapists, and specialists treating functional impairments and working to prevent injury and maximize performance in canines, the organizers stated. "STAAR's unique method of education incorporates lecture with interactive practical labs designed to imprint and reinforce skills that can be implemented immediately into practice," said the conference hosts in a statement. "Instructors include many of the pioneers in the field of animal rehabilitation, as well as internationally recognized educators in canine physical therapy and sports medicine." Attendees can explore new concepts, advanced techniques, and the latest treatments in rehabilitative medicine and physical therapy while practicing skills on their target audience. Dogs are plentiful—usually one dog per three to four attendees—which allows ample practical opportunity and experience. Also, STAAR allows attendees to register only for the course(s) and the workshop(s) they want, rather than registering for an entire conference. Some of the workshop labs being offered at STAAR 2019: Myofascial manual therapies for the axial skeleton and extremities; Laurie Edge-Hughes, BScPT, …
IDEXX-Direct rapid overnight service expands to rural US vet practicesAugust 21, 2018IDEXX Laboratories Inc., announced its U.S. reference laboratory division will expand its rapid overnight service, known as IDEXX-Direct service, to thousands of rural U.S. veterinary practices. A new, state-of-the-art reference laboratory in Louisville, Ky., offers veterinary hospitals the latest possible patient sample pick-up time with next-morning results, the company stated. The advanced laboratory and expanded IDEXX-Direct service are part of a national network of laboratories and logistics that serves more than 20,000 customers in the U.S. Set to open in September, the laboratory is intended to complement the company's other reference laboratory in Memphis, Tenn., which supports IDEXX-Direct service and is also located near a national carrier hub. "Before IDEXX made this major expansion with a new national carrier, we'd need to wait an additional 24 hours or more if we missed our pick-up window—but we don't always have time to wait for a result," said Ken Greene, DVM, owner of Philema Animal Clinic in Leesburg, Ga. "There are important tests we can only get with IDEXX, and this later pick-up option will help us to get results faster and ultimately provide better care." For more information on IDEXX Reference Laboratories, visit idexx.com.
