APHIS Delays Published Interim Rule On Equine ImportationJune 9, 2011 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published an interim rule in the Federal Register on the importation of horses from contagious equine metritis-affected countries. The interim rule was published March 25. Implementation of the rule has been delayed until July 25. “We consider the U.S. to be contagious equine metritis (CEM) free,” says Dr. Ellen Buck, senior staff veterinarian, Equine Imports, National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS. “This is why the rule doesn’t include U.S. states. The 120-day delay will end July 25.” APHIS’ rule change amending 9 CFR part 93, published at 76 FR 16683-16686 will now incorporate an additional certification requirement for imported horses 731 days of age or less and adding new testing protocols for test mares and imported stallions and mares more than 731 days of age. “This action is necessary to provide CEM testing facilities time to make adjustments to their operating procedures that are necessary for the rule to be successfully implemented,” Dr. Buck says. “Once in place this will add security and protection against CEM to U.S. equine.” <Home>
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Hartville Group And ASPCA Renew PartnershipJune 9, 2011 The Hartville Group, Inc., and The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) today, renewed their partnership for pet insurance. Initially established in 2006, the partnership allowed the Hartville Group to develop and launch ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. The ASPCA says the society chose Hartville Group because of its commitment to pet health and humane coverage philosophy. “By renewing our strategic partnership, Hartville and the ASPCA will continue to educate pet parents about the value of pet health insurance and to design coverage worthy of the ASPCA’s humane goals,” says Dennis Rushovich, CEO of the Hartville Group. “The ASPCA’s mission is paramount in the design of our plans and we work very closely with the ASPCA as our coverage evolves to remain the best value to pet parents and the best coverage for pets. We look forward to continuing to contribute to the ASPCA’s worthy mission in this way for the long term.” According to Hartville, rising veterinary costs and more sophisticated treatments equates to more pet owners needing help to afford pet care. U.S. pet owners are expected to spend $14.1 billion on veterinary care this year—up 53 percent from 2006, according …
Lyme Disease Bacteria Take Over Lymph NodesJune 9, 2011 The bacteria that cause Lyme disease appear to hide in the lymph nodes, triggering a significant immune response, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis. However, the triggered immune response isn’t strong enough to destroy the infection. The National Institutes of Health –funded study conducted at the university, may explain why some people experience repeated infections of tick-borne Lyme disease. “Our findings suggest that Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease in people, dogs and wildlife, have developed a strategy for subverting the immune response of the animals they infect,” says Nicole Baumgarth a professor and authority on immune responses at the UC Davis Center for Comparative Medicine. “At first it seems counter intuitive that an infectious organism would choose to migrate to the lymph nodes where it would automatically trigger an immune response in the host animal, but B. burgdorferi have apparently struck an intricate balance that allows the bacteria to both provoke and elude the animal’s immune response.” The UC Davis research team explored the mechanisms that cause enlarged lymph nodes and determined the nature of the resulting immune response. Using mice, researchers found when animals were infected with B. …
New Novartis Flea And Tick Products To Hit MarketJune 9, 2011 Novartis Animal Health US, Inc. today launched new EPA-approved flea and tick control products for dogs and cats to be available through U.S. veterinarians this summer. Parastar for dogs and EasySpot for cats are species-specific formulations of fipronil, a flea and tick adulticide. Parastar and EasySpot topicals are designed to offer fast-acting, waterproof, 30-day control of fleas, chewing lice and all major ticks, including those that may carry Lyme disease. Parastar is made especially for dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age and older. EasySpot is designed exclusively for cats and kittens 8 weeks of age and older. “The Novartis family of parasiticides is defined by best-in-class medicine, so Parastar and EasySpot fit perfectly,” says Jason Drake, DVM, director of professional services at Novartis. “Together with the heartworm preventive medicine that veterinarians choose most for their own dogs and the only systemic flea product with an insect growth regulator, the proven power of fipronil found in Parastar and EasySpot is a natural addition to the family.” Parastar and EasySpot are registered in more than 40 states. Visit ParaStarPet.com or EasySpotPet.com for more information. <Home>
AVMA Looking For Talent To Perform At St. Louis ConventionJune 8, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is opening auditions for the first time for talented members, friends and family of the AVMA to perform at the annual convention as an opening act for comedian Jay Mohr. Mohr, known for his performance in Jerry Maguire, and as a Saturday Night Live alumnus, will be doing a comedy show at the Sunday Night Live event July 17. “We know we have talented members and friends at the AVMA,” says Ron E. Banks, DVM, Dipl. ACLAM, Dipl. ACVPM and chair of the AVMA Convention Management and Program Committee. “This is a great opportunity to showcase that talent. Up to three finalists will serve as warm up acts for Mohr. The winner will receive free registration for the 2012 convention in San Diego, Calif.” Talent can range from singing, dancing, playing an instrument, telling jokes or anything else that can entertain an audience. Video submissions must be posted on the AVMA’s Facebook page by 11:59 p.m. July 1. Finalists will be judged on the quality, creativity and the appropriateness of their act for the audience. The number of votes their act receives on the AVMA’s Facebook page will also factor …
Pfizer Unit Suspends Sale Of Poultry DrugJune 8, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that Alpharma, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., will voluntarily suspend U.S. sales of the animal drug 3-Nitro (Roxarsone), an FDA-approved product used by poultry producers since 1944. A recent FDA study of broiler chickens using a new analytical detection method revealed low levels of inorganic arsenic in edible tissue. Scientists from the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine and the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition developed this detection method. Inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, was found at higher levels in the livers of 100 chickens treated with 3-Nitro compared with untreated chickens. FDA officials stress that the levels of inorganic arsenic detected were very low and do not pose a health risk. “FDA detected increased levels of inorganic arsenic in the livers of chickens treated with 3-Nitro, raising concerns of a very low but completely avoidable exposure to a carcinogen,” says Michael R. Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods. “We are pleased to announce that the company is cooperating with us to protect the public health.” Arsenic is in the environment as a naturally occurring substance or as a contaminant and is found in water, air, …
CO2 Lasers: The Four Keys To SuccessJune 8, 2011 The use of lasers in veterinary practice continues to expand greatly. Thousands of veterinarians are now using CO2 laser energy in their practices in some capacity. The implementation of laser wavelengths varies from topical, non-invasive laser irradiation of damaged tissue (high- and low-power therapy lasers) to incisive vaporization of selected tissues (CO2 and diode lasers). Multiple factors are involved that will ultimately produce a superior surgical outcome and by understanding the variety of factors and components that go into an informed use of laser energy, any type of CO2 laser can be an effective surgical tool. There are four keys to successful use of any laser. Clinicians can maximize laser success by using these four simple keys. Key I. Laser Wavelengths Essential knowledge: Understand the wavelength you are using or don’t use the wavelength. The majority of clinicians in the United States use CO2 wavelength laser energy produced in the 10,600nm infrared range. The CO2 laser wavelength’s major advantage is that it is absorbed almost completely by the intracellular water present in each cell, causing rapid vaporization of the water and thus the cell. This allows for a consistent and extremely repeatable …
NYC Veterinary Specialists Providing Services In White Plains, N.Y.June 7, 2011 NYC Veterinary Specialists, a BluePearl Veterinary Partners Hospital, has begun to receive internal medicine referral cases in White Plains, N.Y. within the Veterinary Emergency Group hospital. Keith Sobel, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, will see patients at the White Plains location by referral from a primary care veterinarian for internal medicine illnesses. Dr. Sobel is experienced with procedures including abdominal ultrasound, endoscopy and bone marrow aspiration. “We are excited to have Dr. Sobel join our team and proud to be a part of the Westchester veterinary community,” says Neil Shaw, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, chief medical officer and one of the founders of BluePearl Veterinary Partners. Sobel has a special interest in Cushing’s disease and participated in the Food and Drug Administration study for approval of trilostane for use in Cushing’s disease patients. “We are pleased to be collaborating with NYC Veterinary Specialists to bring internal medicine specialty services to our local veterinary community,” says Douglas Aspros, DVM, president of Veterinary Emergency Group. BluePearl has 21 veterinary hospitals in nine states. The partnership employs roughly 250 veterinarians and 700 technicians and support staff who provide specialty and emergency care. NYC Veterinary Specialists also operates hospitals in Manhattan, …
EPA Moves To Ban ‘Most Toxic’ Rodent Poisons To Protect Pets, ChildrenJune 7, 2011 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans in June to ban the sale of “the most toxic” rat and mouse poisons, as well as most loose bait and pellet products to residential customers. The goal is to better protect children, pets and wildlife. “These changes are essential to reduce the thousands of accidental exposures of children that occur every year from rat and mouse control products and also to protect household pets,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. EPA is prohibiting rat and mouse poisons that come in pellet formulations, opting instead for block or paste bait, and requiring those products to be enclosed in bait stations that don’t allow children and pets to reach the poison. In addition, EPA intends to ban the sale and distribution of rodenticide products containing brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone and difenacoum directly to residential consumers because of their toxicity and the secondary poisoning hazards to wildlife. A ban on the non-compliant rodent control products will go into effect once EPA has concluded a cancellation process, which the agency expects will be later this year. Rodenticides containing brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone and …
Dairy Cattle Expert Tapped To Head UC Davis Tulare CenterJune 7, 2011 Terry Lehenbauer, DVM, MPVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVPM – epidemiology, was named director of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center in Tulare. Dr. Lehenbauer, an expert in dairy cattle health, welfare and economics, joined the center in 2008 as associate director for food systems. Under his new title, he oversees academic and clinical training programs for veterinary and pre veterinary students. He also manages the three-year dairy production medicine residency for veterinarians, works with the community to develop research and training programs and supervises clinical services for more than 100,000 animals at local commercial dairies and calf ranches. The Tulare center opened in 1983 to serve regional dairies, provide training for veterinary students and develop scientific studies on cattle health and food safety. The Tulare branch of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System and a district office of the California Department of Food and Agriculture is also part of the center. Lehenbauer’s research interests include animal health economics, assessment of dairy cattle health and welfare, epidemiology of cattle production systems and evaluation of diagnostic tests. He represents the American Association of Bovine Practitioners on the American Veterinary …
