Tech, Service Seen As Top Growth Areas In Veterinary ProfessionDecember 18, 2012 A stagnant economy and fierce competition in the veterinary medicine market made 2012 a tumultuous year for the veterinary industry, but there is reason to be hopeful in 2013. New technologies, a renewed focus on service and communication and a pipeline of new treatments will help veterinarians increase client visits and provide better care to patients in the coming year and beyond. The industry may also receive some much-needed support from the federal government in the form of grants and loan repayments, but the notorious Fairness to Pet Owners Act is likely to resurface. Mobile Technology The first mass-produced personal computer, the Apple-powered Commodore PET, debuted in 1977 with a 1 MHz processor. Thirty-five years later, Apple put a device with 1,300 times the power of the Commodore PET into our hands with the iPhone 5. Cellular devices will continue to affect the veterinary industry both in the practice and in marketing to clients. A new device from San Francisco-based AliveCor can transform an iPhone into a clinical-quality electrocardiograph device. Called the Veterinary Heart Monitor, the device attaches like a case to an iPhone 4 or 4S. It includes a pair of …
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750 Participate In Online Veterinary Trade ShowDecember 13, 2012More than 750 members of the veterinary community logged in to a virtual trade show Wednesday to download marketing material, learn about the newest products and engage in same-time chats with exhibitors. The sponsors—ImproMed, AVImark and Butler Schein Animal Health—acknowledged that VetBooth was designed to save time and money. “In this tight economy, we were able to provide an innovative and entertaining forum for customers to research critical areas of their daily business, without having to leave their home or the office,” said Ron Detjen, president of ImproMed LLC, an Oshkosh, Wis.-based manufacturer of practice management software. “The VetBooth team was thrilled to be have offered an online venue to provide the veterinary community with the opportunity to gather information about products and services from leading suppliers, just as they would at a traditional trade show.” The 10-hour event also featured downloadable vendor podcasts and live webinars, including five RACE-approved classes, said Jackie Herron Kempf, ImproMed’s marketing director. Among the 25 exhibitors were Abaxis of Union City, Calif.; Heska Corp. of Loveland, Colo.; LifeLearn Inc. of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; and Merial Ltd. of Duluth, …
Millions Of Pets Skip Wellness Checks, AVMA ReportsDecember 7, 2012 That was the word Thursday from the American Veterinary Medical Association, which released the 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, a survey taken every five years to measure the state of pet care and pet ownership in the United States. The AVMA found that 3.5 percent of dog owners and 9.6 percent of cat owners swear off all veterinary visits. In addition, 10.8 percent of dog owners and 27.1 percent of cat owners visit a veterinarian only when the animal is sick. The latter percentages translated to 7.5 million dogs and 20 million cats that see a veterinarian only when they’re ailing. “What is most perplexing is that so many dog and cat owners understand that routine check-ups and preventive health care are important for their pets,” said AVMA president Doug Aspros, DVM. “Nearly 90 percent of dog owners and 75 percent of cat owners surveyed indicated that routine check-ups and preventive care are either very or somewhat important.” Regular veterinary visits are crucial to an animal’s overall health, Dr. Aspros said. “What’s important to remember is that
‘Vets On Call’ YouTube Series Garners 550,000 ViewsDecember 6, 2012 The YouTube video series “Veterinarians on Call,” sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, has recorded more than 550,000 views since its 2011 debut, the project’s production company reported today. The latest episode in the 24-video series features Deanna Fuller, DVM, of Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Lowville, N.Y. In “Blood-feeding Fleas and Ticks a Risk to Pets and Humans,” Dr. Fuller and other Countryside veterinarians examine pets suffering from flea and tick infestations. The lesson for viewers is that pet owners should work with their veterinarian to prevent infestations before they happen, according to the producer, Essex Television Group Inc. of Old Lyme, Conn. In another video, Fuller demonstrated how owners can look for potential health problems in their dog once a month. She also showed how to keep dogs at a healthy weight and brush their teeth. “These videos help the public see the important role vets play in ensuring the optimal health and wellness of pets and farm animals,” said Clint Lewis, president of U.S. operations for Madison, N.J.-based Pfizer Animal Health. The company funds the series through its Commitment to Veterinarians program, which supports the veterinary industry …
FDA Issues Warning About Nature’s Deli Treats Sold In DenverDecember 6, 2012 The manufacturer, Kasel Associated Industries Inc. of Denver, declined to voluntarily recall the treats, forcing the FDA to act, the agency reported. Kasel's owner, Ray Kasel, could not be reached to comment. The notice centers on Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky Dog Treats with the lot code BESTBY061913DEN. The 3-pound packages were sold at Costco stores in the Denver area, the FDA stated. Costco removed all the affected products and will contact customers who may have bought the treats, the FDA added. The FDA's action followed three recalls this fall involving Kasel products that may have been contaminated by salmonella. In October, Kasel withdrew a select number of Boots & Barkley Roasted American Pig Ears and Boots & Barkley American Variety Pack Dog Treats. Two weeks earlier, another lot of Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky Dog Treats was recalled. In September, some Boots & Barkley American Beef Bully Sticks distributed at Target stores were recalled. No pet illesses have been reported with any of the products. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets include lethargy, diarrhea, fever …
More Pet Food Recalled In Salmonella-tainted Peanut ScareDecember 6, 2012 Magnolia Bird Farm Inc. of Anaheim, Calif., has become the latest pet food manufacturer to recall products linked to peanuts sold by a New Mexico processor. Potential salmonella contamination has been cited in all the recalls, but no animal illnesses have been reported. Magnolia on Nov. 14 recalled raw and roasted in-shell peanuts and seed mixes that contain peanuts. The products were distributed from Oct. 12, 2011, to Oct. 12, 2012. The peanuts were processed at Sunland Inc. in Portoles, N.M. Nearly all of the more than 100 SKUs recalled nationwide involved foods in the human sector. Other recalled pet products linked to Sunland peanuts include Sleek and Sassy bird and small animal foods from Wildwood Seed & Specialties of Monroe, Ore., Yoghund Organic Banana & Peanut Butter frozen yogurt dog treats from TBD Brands LLC of Exeter, N.H., and jarred Dogsbutter from Dog for Dog of Santa Monica, Calif. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. People who handle contaminated pet products …
Ann Dwyer Takes Over As AAEP PresidentDecember 5, 2012 The AAEP’s 58th annual convention brought together nearly 6,000 veterinarians, students, technicians and exhibitors to Anaheim, Calif. Dr. Dwyer is co-owner of Genesee Valley Equine Clinic in Scottsville, N.Y., and is renowned for her expertise in equine ophthalmology, the AAEP reported. She graduated from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1983 and joined the AAEP the following year. She served on the AAEP’s Problems Analysis, Nominating and Executive Director review committees, represented District 1 on the board of directors from 2006 to 2008 and joined the Executive Committee in 2010. In other convention business: G. Kent Carter, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, was named the 2013 vice president and was inducted as a member of the AAEP Executive Committee. Dr. Carter, who is scheduled to assume the presidency in 2015, is a professor and chief of medicine at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He graduated from Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1979 and worked in private practice in Reno, Nev., before entering academia. He is a member of the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame and the International Horseshoeing …
2 Researchers To Study Equine Pigeon FeverDecember 3, 2012The 2012 Advancement of Equine Research Awards were announced at the American Association of Equine Practitioners conference, which continues through Wednesday in Anaheim, Calif. The grants will go to Roberta R. Pollock, Ph.D., a biology professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and Allison J. Stewart, BVSc, a professor of equine internal medicine at Auburn University in Alabama. A panel of equine practitioners, university professors and researcher chose Drs. Pollock and Stewart. Pigeon fever, also known as dry land distemper, is a regional disease caused by the bacteria C. pseudotuberculosis. It produces external and internal abscesses, the latter of which is fatal in about 40 percent of cases, Pollock said. She called the disease “underfunded and underappreciated.” Pollock intends to combine equine disease infection studies with a mouse model to identify and clone protective antigens from C. pseudotuberculosis. Stewart and graduate student Marta Barbra Recreo will study the transmission of C. pseudotuberculosis by houseflies, the disease’s seasonality and insect vectors. The topic for the third annual Advancement of Equine Research Awards, sponsored by St. Joseph, Mo.-based BIVI, will be announced in …
Homeopathy To Headline AVMA House Of Delegates Debate In 2013November 30, 2012 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s House of Delegates will meet early next year to vote on issues ranging from livestock handling to homeopathy. The House will vote on seven resolutions and one bylaw change when it convenes for its annual Winter Session on Jan. 5 in Chicago. Among the policy changes to be considered is one that would repudiate the efficacy of veterinary homeopathy. Submitted by the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association, the resolution calls for the AVMA to adopt a policy stating that homeopathy is an ineffective practice and that its use as veterinary therapy should be discouraged. Proponents of homeopathy welcome introduction of the resolution. “This is a wonderful chance for us to educate other vets about the benefits of homeopathic veterinary medicine,” said Jeff Feinman, VMD, CVH. “The main argument [against] homeopathy is that it’s implausible, and we will show that that’s not true at all. The research is just now catching up with the basic science.” The Connecticut VMA board of directors, which crafted the resolution, argued that there is “strong, widely accepted scientific evidence that the theoretical foundations of homeopathy …
Higher Consternation: New Vet School Plans Press On Amid An Industry In FluxNovember 30, 2012In the past three decades, only one new veterinary school has been established in the United States. But in just the past 18 months, four new schools have been proposed. At least one will open by 2014. The wave of proposals has stakeholders in academia and the profession at large wondering about the wisdom of starting new schools considering the economic reality facing today’s new veterinarians: lower wages, fewer job opportunities, rising tuition and skyrocketing student loan debt. The New Players Of the four proposed schools, only one is assured. The other three are in the planning stages. Like Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif., which boasts the most recently established college of veterinary medicine, Midwestern University is a private, nonprofit institution that offers degrees in several medical disciplines at campuses in Glendale, Ariz., and Downers Grove, Ill. The school’s first class of 100 veterinary students will arrive on the Arizona campus in fall 2014. Meanwhile, 120 miles to the southeast in Tucson, the University of Arizona’s board of regents committed $2 million to investigate building a school of veterinary medicine, which Shane Burgess, Ph.D., dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, called a natural …
