Wedgewood Pharmacy, Diamondback Drugs compounding pharmacies mergeJuly 18, 2018Two animal-health compounding pharmacies, Wedgewood Pharmacy of Swedesboro, N.J., and Diamondback Drugs of Scottsdale, Ariz., have merged to "increase the breadth of medications available, to improve the speed of delivery to veterinary practices and patients, and to evolve the service and quality available to the market today," the companies said in a joint statement. The new company, which will operate as Wedgewood Pharmacy, will employ more than 500 and serve more than 40,000 prescribers. Marcy A. Bliss, Wedgewood Pharmacy's president and CEO, will lead the combined organization. "Combining our two pharmacies will provide more capabilities and enhanced service for all of our customers," Bliss said. "Our deep, combined expertise in compounding medications, together with best-practice prescribing tools, will enhance our customers' experience of doing business with us. We look forward to sharing new preparations, services and tools as they are rolled out. During the process, our integrated pharmacist, customer care, and sales teams will allow us to stay connected with the unique needs of each veterinarian and patient we serve." "Our two organizations have a great deal in common, both historically and in serving the unique needs of veterinary medicine today," said Fabian McCarthy, president …
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Injectable anesthetic Alfaxan Multidose approved by FDAJuly 17, 2018A new product registration of the intravenous injectable anesthetic Alfaxan has received approval by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. Alfaxan Multidose contains the same formula as the original product, but with an added preservative to extend product shelf life to 28 days after the vial has been broached.
AVMA announces Pride VMC recipientJuly 17, 2018Mia Cary, DVM, chief of professional services and strategic alliances at the American Veterinary Medical Association, received the inaugural Pride Veterinary Medical Community 2018 Leadership Award.
AVMA names new volunteer leadersJuly 16, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association House of Delegates named 19 new volunteer leaders for AVMA’s councils and committees during the association’s annual convention.
Heartgard producer launches feline parasiticideJuly 16, 2018A new monthly heartworm disease prevention product for cats has been announced by Boehringer Ingelheim. Applied topically, Centragard (eprinomectin and praziquantel transdermal solution) can also treat and control hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms.
IKEA recalls LURVIG water dispenser due to pet suffocation riskJuly 13, 2018IKEA has issued a global recall on the LURVIG water dispenser for pets, effective immediately. The company cites the risk of dogs and cats getting their heads stuck in the dome of the dispenser as the reason behind the recall, reporting two incidents of suffocation worldwide. IKEA sold 16,700 units in the U.S. and 7,767 in Canada from October 2017 to July 2018. "At IKEA, the safety and security of our products is our top priority, which is why we have decided to recall the LURVIG water dispenser," said Petra Axdorff, business area manager at IKEA of Sweden AB. "We are deeply saddened by these events and know that pets are important and loved family members for many of our customers." IKEA is urging its customers to immediately stop using the dispenser and return it to any location for a full refund. Proof of purchase is not required. Any questions are to be directed to IKEA's customer service line at 888-966-4532 (U.S.) or 1-800-661-9807 (Canada). Article number: 303.775.72
RUSVM debuts new research and pathology buildingJuly 13, 2018Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) has opened a new Research and Pathology Building designed to facilitate multidisciplinary research collaborations and better allow students and faculty to address issues relating to the One Health initiative. Located on St. Kitts, an island country in the West Indies, the site is expected to further enhance the school's research capabilities in a global capacity. Research in the new facility will allow for an improved understanding of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases (e.g. leptospirosis, dengue, chikungunya), reducing the development of antimicrobial resistance, and protection of threatened and endangered species and ecosystems in the Caribbean. Specifically, research will address sea turtle conservation and feral animal immune contraception strategies, as well as National Institutes of Health-funded research on arboviruses. "Our commitment to research is essential to the future of veterinary medicine, which will involve collaborations across multiple disciplines to address zoonotic diseases that pose devastating threats in the Caribbean region and beyond," said Sean Callanan, Ph.D., MVB, MRCVS, CertVR, DECVP, dean at RUSVM. "The center also represents our commitment to provide our students with an innovative and advanced educational program that prepares them to become leaders within the One Health realm." The facility creates 13,000 …
Zoetis launches mobile app version of VetVance websiteJuly 13, 2018Zoetis has launched a mobile version of its VetVance website. VetVance, a free educational resource, provides veterinarians, veterinary students, recent graduates, and veterinary technicians with online content relating to professional development, business skills, professional stewardship, financial literacy, and personal wellness. The new mobile app, available for use on iOS smartphones/tablets and Android smartphones, features many of the tools found on the VetVance website, including courses, course progress tracking, and registrant profiles. Registrants who use VetVance span multiple areas of interest, including small-, large-, and production-animal medicine, as well as academia, laboratory, industry, and other areas. They represent a range of professional veterinary experience and include nearly 8,000 students enrolled in, and more than 6,000 practicing veterinarian graduates from, a U.S. or Caribbean college of veterinary medicine. "Currently, VetVance has nearly 17,000 registrants globally," said Christine Jenkins, DVM, DACVIM, vice president and chief medical officer, Veterinary Medical Services and Outcomes Research at Zoetis. "This new mobile app will provide additional access for users, and more opportunities for Zoetis to reach an even broader audience with important messaging around topics of greatest interest to the veterinary professional, including personal wellness and financial literacy." The free …
Colin Harvey honored with 2018 WSAVA Scientific Achievement AwardJuly 12, 2018Colin Harvey, BVSc, FRCVS, DACVS, DAVDC, has received the 2018 World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Award for Scientific Achievement in recognition of his work to highlight the importance of veterinary oral and dental health in companion animals as well as in developing tools to support the incorporation of dental procedures and dental preventive strategy into daily veterinary practice. The award will be presented during this year's WSAVA World Congress, Sept. 25-28 Singapore. Dr. Harvey graduated from the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Sciences before completing an internship and surgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania. He was trained in dental procedures by faculty of the School of Dental Medicine at the UPenn. Until his retirement in 2013, he was professor of surgery and dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania, a position he held for 33 years. As a boarded specialist in both surgery and dentistry (charter diplomate of American Veterinary Dental College), he introduced a range of oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures into clinical, teaching, and research activities. This led to improvements in the major oral surgery reconstructive techniques necessary for cancer patients, as well as in the management of oral trauma …
FDA warns against using possible nonsterile animal drug productsJuly 12, 2018The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting veterinarians and animal owners to not use animal drug products labeled as sterile produced and distributed by Ranier's Compounding Laboratory "due to a lack of sterility assurance." Jeannette, Pa.-based Ranier's also does business as Ranier's Pharmacy and Ranier's RX Laboratory. The FDA is urging veterinarians to check their inventory, quarantine any purportedly sterile drug products, and not administer them to patients. Administration of a nonsterile drug product intended to be sterile may result in serious and potentially life-threatening infections or death, according to the report. FDA issued a warning letter to Ranier's Compounding in March 2017 following an inspection. During FDA's recent follow-up inspection of Ranier's compounding facility, investigators observed insanitary conditions, including poor sterile production practices. On June 6, 2018, FDA recommended that Ranier's Compounding recall all unexpired human and animal drug products intended to be sterile and to cease sterile operations until it makes adequate corrections at its facility. On June 7, 2018, Ranier's Pharmacy informed FDA that it agreed to voluntarily recall and cease sterile operations. However, the company has failed to comply with its commitment, reported the FDA. To date, no …
