FDA Extends Fee Programs' Comment PeriodDecember 21, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration extended until Jan. 15, 2013, the comment period for the reauthorization of the Animal Drug User Fee Act and the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act. The acts give the FDA authority to collect user fees from the animal health industry and use the money to make the drug approval process faster and more predictable. The FDA originally sought comments when it published a notice of public meeting in September. (Read an earlier story here.) The agency reopened the comment period to allow the public and stakeholder groups to provide comments throughout the process of reauthorizing both acts. The agency is interested in responses to two questions and welcomes other input: 1. What is your assessment of the overall performance of the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) or Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act (AGDUFA) thus far? 2. What aspects of ADUFA or AGDUFA should be retained, changed or discontinued to further strengthen and improve the program? Background information and a transcript from the November public meeting are available through the FDA website. Comments can be …
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Shelters Shuffle Cats, Reduce EuthanasiaDecember 20, 2011Shelters Shuffle Cats, Reduce EuthanasiaShelters Shuffle Cats Reduce Euthanasia, shelter cats, shelter dogs, PetpointThe positive downward trend of feline intakes and euthanasia at animal welfare organizations continued in November, according to the November Petpoint Report.Intakes of cats declined 6 percent and euthanasia of cats decreased 4 percent in November compared to the year-ago period. Owner surrender and stray cat intakes declined year over year by 5 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in November, while adoptions and returns to owners increased by 2 percent and 5 percent.newslineShelters Shuffle Cats, Reduce EuthanasiaPosted: Dec. 20, 2011, 1:15 p.m. EST The positive downward trend of feline intakes and euthanasia at animal welfare organizations continued in November, according to the November Petpoint Report. Intakes of cats declined 6 percent and euthanasia of cats decreased 4 percent in November compared to the year-ago period. Owner surrender and stray cat intakes declined year over year by 5 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in November, while adoptions and returns to owners increased by 2 percent and 5 percent. Most of the changes to the cat populations at shelters in November are consistent with year over year trends over the past six months, according to the report, including a …
CSU To Build $5M Equine Reproduction Lab ReplacementDecember 19, 2011 Colorado State University will begin construction next summer on a $5 million replacement for the school’s Equine Reproduction Laboratory that burned down in July. The 11,000-sq. ft. facility has an expected completion date of early 2013. A portion of the estimated $5 million needed for the facility will be covered by insurance, and CSU has been raising funds to cover the remainder of the costs. Experts from the ERL see mares and stallions from around the world develop technology to preserve their bloodlines. Several techniques used in human and animal reproduction assistance were pioneered at the ERL, including semen freezing and cooling. The 30-year old center was the first to harvest eggs from deceased mares and develop full-term, healthy foals. All client services and research formerly conducted in the destroyed space are continuing uninterrupted in other buildings on the grounds. The new, larger building will include additional space for research and serving clients. The building will also include improved teaching space and offices, along with distinct areas for mare and foal work, assisted reproduction services, and stallion work. Animal movement into and around the building will also be …
Virbac’s Otitis Externa Treatment For Dogs Approved In U.S.December 16, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Virbac Animal Health Inc.’s Easotic (hydrocortisone aceponate, miconazole nitrate, gentamicin sulfate) Suspension for the treatment of otitis externa in dogs. The FDA approved the drug for the treatment of otitis externa in dogs associated with susceptible strains of yeast (Malassezia pachydermatis) and bacteria (Staphylococcus pseudintermedius). Administration of Easotic includes instilling 1 mL of the drug in the affected ear once daily for five days. Each milliliter contains 1.11 mg of hydrocortisone aceponate, 15.1 mg of miconazole nitrate, and 1,505 micrograms of gentamicin sulfate. Virbac, based in Fort Worth, Texas, launched Easotic in Europe in 2009, where it is sold in an airless pump bottle. <Home>
Catalyst Council Expands Program That Boosted Feline RevenuesDecember 15, 2011 National feline advocacy group the Catalyst Council will expand its Cat Friendly Practice Makeover program and roll out a pilot program to strengthen relationships between animal control agencies next year, the company reported today. The organization’s board also retained two members and elected two members. The council’s board voted at its annual meeting in November to expand the Cat Friendly Practice Makeover program after encouraging results from during its 2011 pilot year. The program, which transfers “ordinary” veterinary practices into “more cat-friendly practices,” helped the “best-performing and most engaged practices” that participated achieve an increase between 14 and 33 percent in feline revenue from May through September of this year compared to the year-ago period. The group, based in Annapolis, Md., plans to release full results from the program in early in 2012. The board also voted to launch a pilot program called “Top to Top,” designed to build coalitions and strengthen relationships between animal care and control agencies and veterinarians in local communities. Finally, the board voted to retain chair Alexis Nahama, vice president of marketing at VCA Antech and treasurer Karen Felsted, DVM, C.P.A., M.S., C.V.P.M., CEO of Felsted Consulting; and elected Bill Lopez, …
Penn Vet Opens $750K Minimally Invasive Surgical SuiteDecember 15, 2011 The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine recently opened a $750,000 minimally invasive surgical suite at the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, the school reported today. The Buerger Family Foundation Surgery Suite includes equipment to allow veterinarians at the hospital to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures. The suite is the first of its kind in a veterinary teaching hospital to include a comprehensive array of minimally invasive surgical procedures, including: • Arthroscopy; • Laparoscopy; • Thoracoscopy; • Interventional radiology; • Interventional endoscopy; • Minimally invasive fracture repair. Minimally invasive surgical procedures allow for quicker recovery times, shorter hospital stays and less opportunity for post-surgery infection, according to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Equipment in the suite includes the Karl Stroz Or1 Integration system, the Berchtold lighting and boom system, and the Covidien Electrosurgical Force Triad Unit. The integration equipment transmits information from various video and data sources and routes it to multiple locations both inside and outside the operating room. The surgical cameras, C-Arm fluoroscope, picture archiving and communication system, Internet images and network data can be sent to any of the six displays within the suite, as well as to a …
VSIPP To Hold Annual Conference In FebruaryDecember 14, 2011 Mike Staver and Shawn McVey are scheduled to deliver keynote speeches at the Veterinary Specialists in Private Practice’s annual conference Feb. 2-4, 2012, in Austin, Texas. Staver will open the event with a speech titled “Change Management” focusing on the skills necessary to lead staff through change. McVey will close the event with a speech titled “Veterinarian Heal Thyself: Lessons In Leadership” addressing the key emotional intelligence challenges in veterinary medicine and specific strategies to overcome the most common concerns. The conference will also feature two panel discussions. Pfizer Inc. of New York and Calpro Research of Rocklin, Calif., will host a panel discussion on their collaborative Referring Veterinarian Strategic Communication Initiative, aimed at strengthening communication between specialists and referring veterinarians. The second discussion will focus on corporate practices and will include a panel consisting of Reuben Merideth of Eye Care for Animals, Brian Cassell of Moon Collaborative, Doug Drew of VCA Antech and Neil Shaw of Bluepearl Veterinary Partners. The conference will also include a presentation titled “State of the GP’s and the Specialists Industry” focusing on challenges facing the industry and actions that can be taken. VSIPP will also offer two pre-conference specialty …
Pets’ Appetite For Oddities Leads To Millions In Treatment CostsDecember 14, 2011 Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. policyholders spent nearly $5.2 million treating pets that ate foreign objects from January through November this year, VPI reported today. The Brea, Calif.-based pet insurance company received more than 6,500 foreign object ingestion claims during the 11-month period. Surgery to remove foreign objects from the stomach of a pet cost an average of $1,472, and surgery to remove foreign objects from the intestine cost an average of $1,910. Notable items ate by VPI-insured dogs and cats through November include: • About 100 rocks; • A box of razor blades; • A foot-long metal hanger; • A cholla cactus; • 130 fish oil capsules; • Chopsticks; • 14 hair bands; • A cinnamon scented pine cone; • 15 vanilla votive candles; • Clothing and rat poison; • Two baby bottle nipples; • Deer antlers; • Two plastic baggies and a bottle cap; • Dental floss; • Three sewing needles; • An entire tube of dog toothpaste; • Five pounds of trash and a scrub brush; • Artificial finger nails; • 62 vitamin D soft gels; • A glass ornament; • 5-inch skewer; • A golf ball skin; • A battery; • Glue; • A …
Aflatoxin Prompts Third Dog Food Recall In One WeekDecember 12, 2011EDITORS' NOTE: Advanced Animal Nutrition has corrected the lot numbers for its recalled Dog Power dog food. The recall applies to lot numbers 4K1004 through 4K1322. Advanced Animal Nutrition recalled several lots of its dry Dog Power Dog Food due to aflatoxin levels above the acceptable limit. The company is the third to recall food due to aflatoxin in the past week, following recalls from Procter & Gamble and Cargill. The affected products were manufactured between Jan. 4, 2011, and Nov. 18, 2011, and include: • Dog Power Adult Maintenance Formula 21-12 Dog Food, 50 lb. bags; • Dog Power Hunters Formula 27-14 Dog Food, 50 lb. bags; • Dog Power Hi-Pro Performance Formula 26-18 Dog Food, 50 lb. bags. The recall applies to the above products with Packaging Date Codes [lot numbers] K0004 through K1322. The affected products were distributed in Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana. Retailers have been instructed to remove the affected brands and products from their shelves. The company said consumers should return affected products, whether opened or unopened, to their place of purchase for a full refund. They can also call 1-866-648-7646 …
Merial Launches Vet Jet Video Following FDA AdvisoryDecember 9, 2011 Merial released a video today showcasing the proper use of its Vet Jet transdermal vaccination system in response to a September advisory of a possible fracture risk associated with the use of the device on kittens. The Vet Jet is the exclusive delivery system for Merial’s Purevax Recombinant Feline Leukemia Vaccine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the advisory following three adverse event reports involving the use of the product. In two of those cases, the respective users may have failed to properly lock the device’s nozzle into place before using it, causing the nozzle to dislodge and fracture the each kitten’s femur. The nearly 13-minute long video features instructions on the proper steps involved with using the Vet Jet. More than 90 seconds of the video are dedicated to instructions on properly locking the nozzle into place, including the following warning: “A nozzle that is not seated and locked securely may detach itself with significant force upon injection, which could cause injury to the cat or clinic staff.” The video also includes instructions on assembling the system, operating the plunger and identifying the proper …
