Canine Influenza a New Strain, Officials SayApril 13, 2015The canine influenza outbreak afflicting more than 1,000 dogs in Chicago and other parts of the Midwest is caused by a different strain of the virus than was earlier assumed, according to laboratory scientists at Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin. Researchers at Cornell say results from additional testing indicate that the outbreak is being caused by a virus closely related to Asian strains of influenza A H3N2 viruses, currently in wide circulation in southern Chinese and South Korean dog populations since being identified in 2006. There is no evidence that it can be transmitted to humans. The outbreak in the Midwest had been attributed to the H3N8 strain of virus, which was identified in the U.S. dog population in 2004 and has been circulating since. The H3N2 virus had not been previously detected in North America. The outbreak in Chicago suggests a recent introduction of the H3N2 virus from Asia. Testing of clinical samples from the outbreak conducted at The New York State Animal Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell indicated that the virus was Influenza A. Further testing led researchers to believe a new strain was at fault. Subsequent testing, carried out with the assistance of …
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AVMA, COE Erect Higher FirewallApril 13, 2015The American Veterinary Medical Association and its college-accrediting Council on Education have taken steps to eliminate what critics charge are conflicts of interest between the two groups. The policy changes came during a period in which the U.S. Department of Education is weighing the continued long-term recognition of the Council on Education as the accrediting body for 30 U.S. veterinary colleges and a smaller number of schools in Canada and overseas. Among the changes enacted in March or April: The Council on Education barred AVMA board members from college site visits. An AVMA board member will no longer serve as a non-voting liaison to the council. The AVMA board of directors approved $10,000 in funding so the council may hire outside legal counsel rather than rely on advice from AVMA lawyers. AVMA board members and members of the House of Delegates may not serve on the committee that selects AVMA members to serve on the council. Instead, the three positions will be at-large. Board chairman Chip Price, DVM, supported the exclusion of AVMA board members from site visits and as liaisons. “Although the board remains confident that the firewall between the COE and AVMA board of directors is …
Skunks at Center of Kansas Rabies SpikeApril 13, 2015Kansas State University is urging pet owners to be aware—rather than alarmed—about a sharp rise in positive rabies tests, most of them involving infected skunks. The Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory today reported that 28 animals across the state were confirmed rabies carriers in the first three months of the year compared with 10 in the same period of 2014. Skunks were the focus of 23 recent cases, cats in three, and a head of cattle and a fox in the remaining two. “Rabies is always around,” said laboratory diagnostician Rolan Davis. MS. “If we see a jump in cases, we feel it’s our duty to let people know and urge them to take steps to protect themselves and their pets should an infected animal wander into their backyard.” Coinciding with the rise in positive tests was a 20 percent increase in the number of cases submitted to the lab—208 in early 2014 versus 248 in the first quarter of 2015. “We are always cautious when reporting increased positive results because we don’t want to cry wolf,” said laboratory project manager Mike Moore, DVM, MPH. “But one quarter into the year, we have thus far seen nearly three times more …
Fill up Your Bookshelf With AVBEC Thursday! Enter Our A Veterinary Book for Every Clinic SweepstakesApril 9, 2015Bookshelf a little bare? Veterinary Practice News is here to help, with our "A Veterinary Book for Every Clinic" (AVBEC) Sweepstakes. According to the publisher, this book is "the only visual guide to equine ultrasonography based on digital ultrasound technology. 'Atlas of Equine Ultrasonography' provides comprehensive coverage of both musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal areas of the horse. Ideal for practitioners in first opinion or referral practices, each chapter features normal images for anatomical reference followed by abnormal images covering a broad range of recognised pathologies. The book is divided into musculoskeletal, reproductive and internal medicine sections and includes positioning diagrams demonstrating how to capture optimal images. With contributions from experts around the world, this book is the go-to reference for equine clinical ultrasonography." Fill out the form below for the chance to win a copy of “Atlas of Equine Ultrasonography,” courtesy of Wiley Blackwell. Entries close at 11:59 P.M. PDT on Tuesday, April 15, 2015. One entry per household. Loading... RULES & GUIDELINES NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of International Giveaway who are Age of majority in your Country of …
Kansas Vet College Focuses on Infectious Diseases with New Center of ExcellenceApril 9, 2015 (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); The CVM's Dr. Roman Ganta, director of the Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, accepts a very generous check... Posted by Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine is establishing a new center of excellence to help control infectious diseases in both humans and animals. The Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases (CEVBD) will officially launch April 8. Specifically, the center is described as an interdisciplinary research center with a mission to combat vector-borne diseases with a focus on pathogenesis, surveillance and disease prevention. “The CEVBD will prepare us well to build a nationally and internationally recognized program to combat the emerging threats of vector-borne diseases in the U.S., including bacterial, parasitic and viral diseases,” said Roman Ganta, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, who will oversee the center. “The center also will strive to synergize with the soon-to-be-established federal facility in Manhattan, the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, or NBAF. The research that …
Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease or Canine Influenza hits MidwestApril 8, 2015You’ve seen the news: Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (CIRD) has hit Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, with 5 dogs reported dead and thousands more infected. The Chicago Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is recommending that dog owners take immediate, precautionary measures to prevent exposure to the virus. Dr. Donna Alexander, director of Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control has been reviewing data on the flu and stated, “The summary of those hospitals that reported through the CVMA to our offices and those who reported directly to this office indicates that 73% of those responding note an increase in CIRD. For those that supplied exact number of animals, we can report that there have been 1,013 cases of CIRD since January and 5 mortalities. The age of the animals presenting vary but show more severe forms in dogs under 1 year of age and greater than 7 years of age. Few veterinarians are submitting diagnostic specimens for evaluation. Of those submitted for PCR or other testing, the majority came back negative, some are still pending. Of those reporting positive, 93% are positive for canine influenza.” The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) describes canine influenza as “a highly …
Western University President to RetireApril 7, 2015Philip Pumerantz, PhD, the founding and sole president of Western University of Health Sciences, will retire Sept. 8. Dr. Pumerantz made the announcement April 3 in a letter to WesternU Board of Trustees Chair Richard Bond, DO. “The time has come for me to move to a new role, and in the process allow for an orderly transition and wise leadership succession for the University,” Pumerantz wrote in his letter. Pumerantz is the second-longest currently serving university president in the United States, having officially taken office on September 6, 1977, the day after Labor Day. His tenure as a university president is currently exceeded only by Dr. Norman Francis of Xavier University (45 years), the university noted. Pumerantz’s retirement date also is the day after Labor Day. “Having known the president for 37 years of his 38-year term, it is hard for me to imagine the University going on without him, as I’m sure it is for all of you,” Bond told WesternU board members in a message. “But go on it must. We will have many opportunities to celebrate Dr. Pumerantz’s legacy. Our first order of business must be to establish a committee and a process for selecting our …
AVBEC Thursday: Enter Our A Veterinary Book for Every Clinic SweepstakesApril 2, 2015Fill out the form below for the chance to win a copy of “Canine and Feline Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease,” courtesy of Wiley Blackwell. According to the publisher, "'Canine and Feline Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease' is the first book to draw together clinically relevant information on the anesthetic management of dogs and cats with existing disease conditions. Providing a detailed reference on avoiding and managing complications resulting from concurrent disease, the book offers a ready reference for handling anesthesia in patients with common presenting diseases. Organized by body system, 'Canine and Feline Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease' is designed to allow the reader to quickly find and apply advice for anesthetizing patients with specific conditions. "Each chapter presents in-depth, practical information on the special considerations before, during and after sedation and anesthesia of a patient with a given disease. 'Canine and Feline Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease' is a useful reference for general practitioners, veterinary students, specialists in a variety of areas and veterinary anesthesiologists alike." Entries close at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, April 7, 2015. One entry per household. Loading... RULES & GUIDELINES NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of International Giveaway who are Age of majority in your Country of residence or …
Cornell’s Farm Animal Hospital Gets New NameApril 2, 2015Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has renamed its farm animal hospital to Nemo Farm Animal Hospital. The college made the announcement in late March after receiving a gift from George Goldner and Nancy Krieg, owners of pig named Nemo. Nemo was the first of his species to undergo a multidrug chemotherapy protocol for lymphoma, according to Cornell University. The veterinary college’s oncologists treated Nemo in 2013 with the chemotherapy protocol used to treat lymphoma in dogs, cats and humans, modifying the delivery method for a 730-pound pig. The treatment put Nemo’s disease into remission for more than a year and markedly advanced comparative cancer therapy knowledge, the university noted. Nemo died in May 2014. “We are deeply grateful to George and Nancy for their generous gift in memory of Nemo,” said Michael Kotlikoff, VMD, Ph.D., the Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “It will help us to remain at the forefront of cancer research, to purchase the necessary technology and to recruit the very best talent to carry out this vital work.”
AVMA Reacts to Indiana ‘Religious Freedom’ LawMarch 31, 2015The American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2017 convention is more than two years away, but the organization issued a statement today about the get-together in Indianapolis and an expanding controversy. At issue is a new Indiana law called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which opponents say sanctions discrimination and the potential denial of services to gays and lesbians. Gov. Mike Pence has asked the state legislature to quickly clarify the law and forbid business owners from discriminating against customers. AVMA acknowledged the outcry and said the issue “has raised concerns for us regarding our 2017 annual convention.” The AVMA statement reads: “The law poses many unsettling questions and leaves us facing a disturbing problem: We and our members are concerned that not all of our attendees will be welcomed in Indiana and that some may face discrimination. In addition, we are concerned that access to quality animal health care to some groups of the Indiana public may be compromised by this law. Neither is acceptable to the AVMA. We join the growing number of companies who encourage the state of Indiana to revisit this law and take additional measures to prevent its interpretation as enabling discrimination, and we’re encouraged by …
