Nutramax Study Says Cosequin Safe For Diabetic CatsJune 6, 2011 Nutramax Laboratories, Inc. revealed results from a study that suggest Cosequin for Cats, a joint health supplement, will not affect the management of diabetes. According to Nutramax, the study provides evidence of Cosequin’s safety in diabetic cats, many of whom could benefit from joint health support due to being overweight or geriatric. Cosequin for Cats contains the active ingredients glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. The study showed no major changes in the blood value fructosamine when the product was administered at label-recommended levels. Fructosamine levels reflect the average glucose levels during the previous two to three weeks. Despite safety indications, the company recommends pet owners check with their veterinarian before changing diet or management of a diabetic cat. Nutramax noted that Cosequin’s glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are also available with the ingredient avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) in Dasuquin providing advanced joint health support. <Home>
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VPI Donates $10,000 To Search And Rescue DogsJune 6, 2011 Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. announced it has donated $10,000 to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) to help fund veterinary care for search and rescue dogs serving in areas damaged by tornadoes. The funds will contribute to any necessary medical care. Injuries such as lacerations and damage from dermal and inhaled toxins are commonly suffered by dogs in the line of duty, according to VPI. There are only 200 federally certified search and rescue dogs in the country, making their abilities valuable and unique, however when an accident or injury occurs the medical fees can exceed the veterinary care stipend handlers receive, VPI states. AVMF was established as the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 1963. In the last decade, the foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $9 million to help veterinarians help pets. Visit AVMF's website for more information. <Home>
Philadelphia Beaver Confirmed To Have RabiesJune 3, 2011 A beaver that attacked three people in Philadelphia tested positive for the rabies virus. Test results were provided to the Game Commission today by the Department of Health’s Bureau of Laboratories in Exton, Chester County. Walter Cottrell, MS, DVM, Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife veterinarian, made the announcement. The beaver carcass was taken to the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center and prepared for transfer for rabies testing at the Department of Health facility. A necropsy will be conducted at New Bolton to determine if there were other potential causes for aggression, such as injury or another type of disease. As a precaution, Game Commission officials encourage residents to avoid the Pennypack Creek waterfront area. On June 1, a husband and wife were fishing when a beaver bit the woman’s leg. As her husband attempted to assist her, the beaver turned and bit him in both his arms and chest. On June 2, in the area of Roosevelt Boulevard, a child was bitten by a beaver. A search for other affected beavers is expected to be conducted by the Game Commission and United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services. Since 2000, between 350 and …
IverCare Dewormer Launches Loyalty Program And WebsiteJune 3, 2011 Farnam’s IverCare (ivermectin) Paste has introduced a consumer loyalty program that enables customers to earn free doses of dewormer. A free dose is earned by collecting four UPC codes from IverCare boxes. The loyalty rewards will periodically change and can be redeemed by printing a mail-in certificate from the company’s new website. No extra shipping or handling fees are charged for the free product. Mail-in certificates for free IverCare dewormer are also available through retailers. The new website includes facts about parasite lifecycles and prevention. The site also details how untreated infestations can affect horses, and products that may be used to successfully treat equine worm infestations are listed. IverCare (ivermectin) Paste 1.87 percent is a broadspectrum dewormer that treats horses up to 1,500 pounds, the company says. The product is available in the Sure-Grip syringe. <Home>
Changing The Face Of Veterinary OncologyJune 3, 2011 In late 2007, just as the Great Recession began to roll across the country, Mona Rosenberg, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (Oncology), started seeing a difference in business at her Veterinary Cancer Group in Southern California, which comprises four clinics. Fewer people were coming through the door. And of those who did, fewer were opting to follow standard of care. Instead, more were choosing minimalist, less-expensive treatments. To Dr. Rosenberg, who founded her clinic as a one-person shop in 1992 and grew it into what may be the largest veterinary oncology practice in the U.S., this posed two major challenges: how to keep the business healthy and how to keep giving cancer-stricken animals and their owners the care they sought and deserved. A New Approach The answer, she soon realized, was to operate the clinics as she always had—just a little more creatively. For clients limited by money but wanting the best care for their pets, she and her staff suggested new ideas. Was there a clinical trial where they could get treatment essentially for free? Was there an outside financing plan to explore? Could they devise a less-expensive treatment plan that could deliver results similar to …
Sage Veterinary Specialty Centers Launches In The San Francisco Bay AreaJune 2, 2011 Sage Centers for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care in San Francisco Bay launched its consolidated veterinary service offerings and its new website. Through the new services, San Francisco Bay veterinarians and pet owners have access to specialists in orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, oncology, internal medicine, neurology, cardiology, physical rehabilitation and emergency care in the same organizational structure and brand. The emergency and specialty care facilities formerly operated as three separate entities: Veterinary Surgical Associates (VSA), Veterinary Medical Specialists (VMS) and Tri-Valley Animal Emergency Center (TVAEC). “Our goal by consolidating under the Sage structure is to provide the San Francisco Bay Area referring veterinarians and pet owners with new levels of convenience and peace of mind, while retaining the values, standard of care and commitment to service they have come to expect from all our practices,” says Julie D. Smith, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, one of the managing partners of Sage. “Our new name highlights the collaborative nature of our facilities, speaks to the level of expertise of our veterinary specialists and symbolizes the compassion and commitment to healing and to the environment that we offer.” Sage Centers for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care retains the same …
Obese Pet Label Given To New Parents And Elderly OwnersJune 2, 2011 Flexcin International announces data findings stating new parents represent the fastest-growing demographic inquiring about dog-joint health issues relating to pet obesity. The company analyzed demographic data from its customer advisor department to determine the largest percentage of pet obesity-related inquiries. In a six-month analysis from June through December 2010, new parents represented roughly 32 percent of all dog-joint health inquiries tied to overweight pets, which is an increase from 25.7 percent in 2008. Elderly pet owners came in second at 28.5 percent. Other data gleaned from new parent pet owners showed that 78 percent say their dog eats food that dropped from the baby’s high-chair, 68 percent say they pay less attention to their dog’s food portions and 65 percent say they had less time for dog walks. “Through the research and our discussions with veterinarian experts, new parents tend to let down their guard when watching their dogs’ diet because their focus is clearly on addressing their new baby,” says Tamer Elsafy, CEO and founder of Flexcin. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention recently reported that one out of five of the 170 million dogs and cats in the U.S. are considered obese. Flexcin …
Intervet/Schering Plough Launches Dairy Education ProgramJune 2, 2011 Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health announced a new dairy education program, which includes a toolkit, online employee training and residue prevention tips. The company is working with dairy veterinarians and producers to educate their employees about the responsible use of animal-health products. Intervet/Schering Plough says the goal is to maintain consumer confidence and eliminate the potential for antibiotic and drug residues entering the food chain. “Preventing residues is the responsibility of the entire dairy industry,” says Norm Stewart, DVM, technical services manager for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. “We recognize the importance of helping veterinarians and dairy owners, managers and employees have all the information and tools they need on this issue.” The toolkit, designed to be used to communicate the proper use of animal-health products, as a supplement to typical protocols and procedures, includes shelf stickers to identify animal-health products, English and Spanish posters highlighting the withdrawal times for animal-health products and halters to handle animals for proper administration of injectable animal-health products. “Animal-health products are critical to keeping animals healthy and productive and dairy producers must use them responsibly to ensure the wholesomeness and safety of our milk and meat supply,” Dr. Stewart says. “We are committed …
AAEP Foundation Gives Funds For Horses Affected By Severe WeatherJune 1, 2011Relief organizations responding to equine emergencies in the aftermath of a series of destructive storms this spring are eligible for funding from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation, the group announced. The foundation also welcomes donations for its Equine Disaster Relief Fund to help accommodate the potential needs of equine and veterinary communities impacted by recent storms and natural disasters. To make a donation, visit the AAEP Foundation website. The AAEP Foundation accepts year-round funding requests to assist organizations responding to disasters and emergencies affecting the equine community. Organizations working to help horses in areas devastated by recent severe weather or other natural disasters can apply for funding from the Foundation's Emergency Relief Fund. After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, the AAEP Foundation formed an Emergency Relief Fund to aid horses in the event of a natural disaster. Since then, the foundation has donated emergency funds to support the Mounted Division of the New Orleans Police Department, the Louisiana State Veterinary Medical Association's Equine Committee Foundation, the Mississippi State Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Disaster Relief Fund, hay and feed programs in the gulf region, and support for …
Bravo Recalls Select Pig EarsMay 31, 2011 Bravo of Vernon, Conn., is voluntarily recalling one lot of its pig ear chews because the product may be contaminated with salmonella. The company has recalled its Bravo Pig Ears with the product code 75-121 and lot number 12-06-10. The lot number is printed on the side of the shipping container delivered to distributors and retailers. The pig ears themselves are not individually labeled. The recalled chews were shipped to distributors between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 2011, and distributed to retailers on both the East and West coasts. Consumers who bought Bravo Pig Ears during this time frame should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Bravo has recalled one lot of its pig ear chews. A routine sample test performed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture detected salmonella in a batch of Bravo's pig ears, prompting the recall. Bravo reported that it doesn’t have any pig ears from this batch left in inventory. No reports of illness in either people or animals have been reported, according to Bravo. Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and …
