BIVI Teams Up With Vet Tech GroupSeptember 22, 2015Raising awareness about kennel cough is among the goals of a new partnership between drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. Under the arrangement, announced today, BIVI will provide educational material on a range of topics that veterinary technicians may use in-clinic and access on the NAVTA website, said Leslie Ferguson, RVT, a brand manager with the St. Joseph, Mo., company. “Technicians play a critical role in veterinary medicine and supporting the profession is important to me personally and BIVI as an organization,” Ferguson said. The partnership is being kicked off with an online video contest focused on kennel cough, a highly contagious upper respiratory infection in dogs. The Happy Dog Vaccine contest asks technicians to submit a video of 30 seconds or less showing how BIVI’s Bronchi-Shield Oral vaccine “is making your canine Bordetella vaccine experiences happy.” The grand prize is a $500 gift card. Ten runners-up will receive a 2016 NAFTA membership. Entries are being accepted through Nov. 14. More information is available at http://bit.ly/1L3Z1Jv. Among NAVTA’s other corporate partners are Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Merial Ltd. and Virbac Corp. In other news, BIVI reported …
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Industry-Wide Standards Approved for Pet GroomersSeptember 22, 2015Professional groomers and stylists must keep a pet first aid kit nearby and know where to find an emergency veterinarian, according to the industry’s first-ever safety and sanitation guidelines. These and 42 other standards were announced Friday at Groom Expo, an annual pet grooming show in Hershey, Pa. The Professional Pet Groomers and Stylists Alliance developed the protocol after soliciting ideas from group members and veterinarians. “I am proud to say that this document represents the expertise gained from literally hundreds of thousands of hours of hands-on, professional experience,” said alliance spokeswoman Teri DiMarino. The group’s founding members, including the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and the National Dog Groomers Association of America, unanimously endorsed the guidelines, which are available online at http://bit.ly/1G0FB0v. “All across the country, thousands of pets are entrusted to our care every day,” DiMarino said. “We have a responsibility to pet owners, their pets and our fellow groomers and stylists to provide the highest level of safety and care when grooming a pet. These standards of care reflect that.” The guidelines do not address techniques for grooming or styling an animal. Instead they focus on housing, equipment and safety. Among the standards: …
WSU to Host First Rabies RunSeptember 22, 2015Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine is supporting World Rabies Day with its first “Zombie Run for Life” on Saturday, Oct. 3. All proceeds will go to the college’s Eliminate Rabies Program to provide rabies vaccinations in Africa. Rabies is the deadliest zoonotic disease on the planet, according to the university. Every year more than 59,000 people die from rabies. The Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine is working to eliminate canine rabies worldwide. The WSU Rabies Vaccination Program team vaccinates about 300 dogs each day in east Africa, the university noted. They visit 180 villages every year in seven districts adjacent to the Serengeti National Park. Because of the program, the vaccination zone — a cordon sanitaire — is rabies free, according to the university. The university’s goal is to use the rabies-free vaccination zone as a model in other parts of Africa and Asia.
Bayer Unveils Claro for Canine Ear InfectionsSeptember 21, 2015Bayer Animal Health is planning the November release of Claro Otic Solution, a single-dose drug indicated for the treatment of canine ear inflammation and infections. Claro (florfenicol, terbinafine, mometasone furoate) is proven effective against susceptible strains of common pathogens found in canine otitis externa, Bayer reported today. The clear liquid contains antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory ingredients. The drug is intended for in-clinic use. “This new, unique treatment eliminates veterinarian uncertainty about pet owner compliance and spares pet owners the frustrations of in-home application and multiple treatment visits,” Bayer stated. Claro works on susceptible strains of yeast (Malassezia pachydermatis) and bacteria (Staphylococcus pseudintermedius), the manufacturer noted. The drug should not be used on dogs hypersensitive to the active ingredients or with perforated tympanic membranes. Otitis externa is the second most common reason dog owners take their pet to a veterinarian, according to Shawnee, Kan.-based Bayer. Claro will compete with another recently released canine ear infection drug. Elanco Animal Health in August launched Osurnia, a two-dose gel containing florfenicol, terbinafine and betamethasone acetate.
USDA Approves Avian Influenza VaccineSeptember 21, 2015Chicken and turkey producers will finally possess a weapon in the fight against the deadly and highly contagious avian flu. Harrisvaccines of Ames, Iowa, reported today that the company received the first conditional license of a vaccine targeting highly pathogenic avian influenza. The virus has killed an estimated 50 million chickens and turkeys in the United States since the initial outbreak was reported this past spring. The drug, Avian Influenza Vaccine, RNA, is not ready for distribution. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which granted the license, wants a stockpile of 500 million doses readied in time for the next outbreak, which could begin as wild birds migrate south for the winter. “Although we cannot sell the vaccine today, we are in a better position to apply this robust and rapidly produced vaccine, if and when the virus re-emerges once again,” said Joel Harris, vice president of Harrisvaccines. Another reason is that some countries are wary of buying the meat of vaccinated poultry. “There’s concern that if we start vaccinating against avian influenza [now] our trading partners will stop importing meat from the U.S.,” Harris said. Avian Influenza Vaccine, RNA is a single-dose injectable formulated for use in day-old chicks and adult hens. …
Unsung Heroes No MoreSeptember 21, 2015A veterinarian immersed in cancer studies, a veterinary technician dedicated to helping military veterans and their pets, and a Chihuahua who spent 10 years in a breeding cage were honored Saturday at the American Humane Association's annual Hero awards. Annette Sysel, DVM, MS, the president of Bauer Research Foundation in Vero Beach, Fla., was named the 2015 American Hero Veterinarian. Julie Carlson, CVT, the founder of the Phoenix group Vets for Vets' Pets, is the 2015 American Hero Veterinary Technician. "Dr. Annette Sysel and Julie Carlson are truly outstanding examples of the many dedicated animal professionals doing heroic work every day," said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, group director of U.S. Companion Animal Marketing at Zoetis Inc. Zoetis, a Florham Park, N.J., maker of animal drugs and vaccines, was the presenting sponsor of the veterinarian and vet tech awards. Sysel and Carlson were selected from among five finalists in each category and were celebrated onstage during the Hero Dog Awards ceremony. The event, which took place in Beverly Hills, Calif., will be broadcast nationally Oct. 30 on the Hallmark Channel. Sysel holds an unpaid position with Bauer Research Foundation. "Dr. Sysel has made a significant impact in …
Veterinarians Thanked With Special Gift From PenguinSeptember 18, 2015Veterinary staff at the Foster Hospital For Small Animals at Tufts University recently had a penguin named Grey/Silver as a patient in their Harrington Oncology Ward. He was having radiation treatments and recently completed his last one. The hospital staff, including Michele Keyerleber, DVM, grew attached to the penguin from the Mystic Aquarium, developing a fondness for the little creature, their Facebook page states. As it turns out, Grey/Silver – and his caretakers at the Connecticut-based aquarium – grew fond of the veterinary staff as well. They “were so thankful for the specialized treatment that Grey/Silver received that they presented the staff with this one-of-a-kind painting created by Grey/Silver himself.” Have you ever received a gift from one of your patients? Share your story in the comments.
Veterinary Interns, Residents Not Getting RichSeptember 17, 2015Veterinarians who pursue post-graduate training aren’t making piles of cash. The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges this month reported that interns employed at U.S. veterinary schools were paid an average of $26,572 during the 2014-15 academic year and the average resident earned $32,707. The pay was far below what newly graduated veterinarians grossed in private practice in 2014: about $67,000 on average. Veterinary careers go off in different directions. “I think that students and new graduates have lots of decisions ahead of them, and naturally income will be an important factor in any employment choices,” said Lisa M. Greenhill, MPA, EdD, the associate executive director for institutional research and diversity at AAVMC. “I would say that all students should research the costs and benefits of seeking additional training as it pertains to salary differentials and personal goals.” AAVMC found 315 interns enrolled in traditionally one-year programs at U.S. veterinary schools in 2014-15. Several hundred other interns were working in private practice, but their salaries were not known. Nearly all veterinary residents were in school-based, multiyear specialty programs. AAVMC counted 978 residents in the 2014-15 academic year, and their reported earnings ranged from a high of $54,774 …
‘Bleeding’ Study Seeks 100 Performance HorsesSeptember 17, 2015VetStem Biopharma is looking for 100 performance horses with a history of lung bleeding to participate in a study of whether stem cell therapy may be effective in cases of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). If proven, the treatment could replace the popular but controversial race-day drug Lasix (furosemide). The Poway, Calif., company reported that two patients—a thoroughbred racehorse and a Quarter horse barrel racer—showed no recurrence of EIPH after being treated with adipose-derived SVF and culture-expanded adipose stem cells. The early success led to the launch this week of a clinical research project that requires up to 100 horses, ranging from thoroughbreds and Standardbreds to barrel racers, three-day eventers and steeplechasers. VetStem Biopharma hopes to enroll the horses by year’s end and later submit the research data for publication. A larger study will be undertaken if the results are positive, said Ross Rich, DVM, the company’s director of clinical research. Veterinarians recommending horses for the study need to confirm EIPH through a post-race endoscopic examination or by bronchoalveolar lavage, Dr. Rich said. Lasix is controversial in the United States because of its potential as a performance-enhancing drug and as a masking agent for other drugs. The American Association of …
Virginia Tech Gets OK for Proposed Design of New Dairy, Animal Science FacilitiesSeptember 17, 2015Virginia Tech recently reported that its Board of Visitors has approved the proposed design for the second phase of the new Dairy Science Complex. Phase II builds upon the new state-of-the-art research facilities and provides additional space for research, teaching and Virginia Cooperative Extension initiatives in dairy and animal sciences. Scientists working at the new complex will collaborate with partners in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, the Department of Dairy Science, the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, the Agricultural Technology Program and with colleagues from industry and universities across the United States. The $7.6 million facility will include an applied reproductive physiology facility, an intensive metabolic research facility at the Kentland Farm complex and a bovine extension, teaching and research facility on Plantation Road. Virginia tech The new dairy facilities will be a boon to collaboration and applied research and teaching structures will allow unparalleled experiential learning for students. “The new buildings are an indication of the university’s support of the land-grant mission and will ensure the continued success of our award-winning dairy science program,” said Mike Akers, Ph.D., the department head and …
