World Conference On Veterinary Education Marks Profession’s 250th AnniversaryMay 11, 2011 The World Conference on Veterinary Education (WCVE) will take place May 13-15, at VetAgro Sup Veterinary Campus in Marcy l’Etoile in Lyon, France. International industry leaders will meet to take part in roundtables on global veterinary education needs and strategies, the views on education and the work of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on competencies of veterinary graduates. The conference is being held as part of Vet Year 2011, to promote knowledge and understanding of the profession and to mark its 250th anniversary. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), considered the world’s largest alliance of animal welfare organizations, will be in attendance at the conference to promote the teaching of animal welfare, a concept which has not formed an intrinsic part of the curricula of a veterinary student, according to the group. WSPA says good animal welfare is an integral part of animal health and should form an integral part of the education of veterinarians. “We wish to congratulate the veterinary profession on its 250th anniversary and look forward to this conference and its debate on many of the important issues surrounding veterinary sciences’,” says Ruth DeVere, head of education at …
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Report: California Leads Nation In Dog BitesMay 10, 2011 State Farm reported today that California filed the most dog bite claims in 2010, accounting for $11.3 million in payouts. The company released its list of the top 10 states that filed dog bite claims last year. Overall, the Bloomington, Ill.-based insurance company said it paid more than $90 million in 2010 as a result of nearly 3,500 dog bite claims. State Farm does not refuse insurance based on dog breed with the exception of the state of Ohio, which has determined that pit bulls meet the definition of a “vicious dog.” A dog’s tendency to bite depends on such factors as heredity, obedience training, socialization, health and the victim’s behavior, according to State Farm. “We believe there are good dogs and bad dogs within every breed, just as there can be responsible and irresponsible owners of each breed,” the company commented. However, under the right circumstances, any dog might bite, the company warned. Children account for more than 60 percent of all dog bite victims, State Farm reported. Of the 33 dog bites that resulted in death last year, 20 of the fatalities were young children, according to the company. The …
Ranchers Receive Aid For Cattle Affected In Texas WildfiresMay 10, 2011 Pfizer Animal Health is helping veterinarians in areas affected by Texas wildfires assess and treat cattle through a new voucher program. Assistance is available to livestock producers and veterinarians to ensure impacted livestock are evaluated and treated. Vouchers worth $100 are being offered to reimburse Texas veterinarians for consulting fees to assess their clients’ impacted livestock. To treat animals with respiratory problems created by the fires, Pfizer Animal Health is also making free antibiotics available. “Many local ranchers are losing their homes and their major or only source of income – their cattle,” says Roger Saltman, DVM, MBA, group director cattle veterinary operations with Pfizer Animal Health. “It is a devastating and emotional situation for everyone involved. We feel we can help most by ensuring that ranchers in affected areas are able to receive the expert services and products needed to save and care for their animals.” Since Monday, the Texas Forest Service is responding to seven major fires that span 586,624 acres and report 207 of the 254 Texas counties have burn bans in place. When cattle have been affected by smoke inhalation, the animals must be assessed within 48 hours to determine the …
Texas Senate To Hear Dog, Cat Breeder BillMay 10, 2011 A Texas bill that seeks to establish a licensing process for pet breeders is up for a public hearing before a Senate committee on Thursday, May 12, 2011. House Bill 1451, which passed the House late last month, would require the state’s dog and cat breeders to receive a license from the state Department of Licensing and Regulation. A dog or cat breeder is defined as any person who possesses 11 or more adult intact female animals and is engaged in the business of breeding animals for direct or indirect sales or for exchange in return for consideration. The original version of the bill would have prohibited breeders from possessing more than 50 adult intact female animals at any time, unless he or she receives a special exemption from the department. That provision has been removed. Under HB 1451, licensees would have to be inspected at least once every 18 months and “at other times as necessary to ensure compliance.” Previously, the original version of the bill called for licensees to be inspected at least once every 12 months. Inspections may be done by department employees, but the bill also allows for inspection …
Veterinary Shortage Needs May Be Answered With Veterinary Services Investment ActMay 10, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association penned an action alert press release on Monday, May 9, urging veterinarians to contact their Senators to be original cosponsors of the Veterinary Services Investment Act. Senators Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and Debbie Stabenow D-Mich., are currently circulating a ‘Dear Colleague Letter’ in support of Veterinary Services Investment Act. This bill will help address the nation’s most pressing veterinary needs, according to its authors. The bill was first introduced during the last session of Congress and is now being reintroduced. Justification for the bill is the shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians working with the U.S. food supply, food and public safety. More than 1,300 counties have less than one farm veterinarian per 25,000 farm animals, while more than 500 counties have at least 5,000 farm animals but no veterinarians living there to treat them. More veterinarians are needed in nearly every area of veterinary medicine but particularly in large animal medicine to treat livestock and poultry, according to the AVMA. Veterinarians practicing public health are needed for the first line of defense on disease surveillance and food safety, the bill's authors state. The bill would establish a grant program …
Veterinary Practice Managers Earn CertificationMay 9, 2011The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) today announced new members earning credentials as Certified Veterinary Practice Managers (CVPM). Certification is achieved by demonstrating knowledge and experience necessary to successfully manage the evolving operations of a veterinary practice. VHMA supports veterinary practice management with guiding principles, including the pursuit of excellence in practice management, opening channels of communication and networking among practices. The CVPM program includes a written examination that tests relevant management knowledge in human resources, law and ethics, marketing, organization of the practice and finance. Among veterinary practice leaders, the CVPM designation is recognized to represents the highest credential. VHMA's members who have recently earned their CVPM credential are: Nancy L. Brown (Fryeburg, Maine) Andrea Crabtree BS (Orange, Calif.) Mickey Owen Fenno (Bowie, Maryland) Nicole Jennifer Frost, CVT (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) Robert D. Gribble, DVM (Hallsville, Texas) Stacey Colleen Hayner (Seekonk, Mass.) Patricia Hunt, CVT (Miami, Fla.) Patti McCarragher (Mississauga, Ontario) Margaret Morozov (Augusta, NJ) John Edward Schaible, VMD (Bethlehem, Penn.) Julie Stewart CVT, PHR (Winter Haven, Fla.) Melissa Rochelle Tompkins-Rupert BS, CVPM (Orange, Calif.)
USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Accepting ApplicationsMay 9, 2011 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that applications are being taken for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP). The National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA) helps qualified veterinarians offset a significant portion of debt they incurred while pursuing their veterinary medicine degrees in return for their service in designated high-priority veterinary shortage situations for an allotted period of time. If a qualified veterinarian commits to at least three years in providing veterinary services in a designated veterinary shortage area, USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) may repay up to $25,000 of their student loan debt annually. Loan repayment benefits are limited to payments of the principal and interest on government and commercial loans received for the attendance at an accredited college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or Veterinary Medical Degree. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) facilitated a Texas stakeholder working group to identify areas in need of rural vet practitioners. Eight multi-county areas in Texas have been designated as VMLRP shortage situations. These shortages include treating beef and dairy cattle, small ruminants, swine, poultry and equine. Click here …
FDA OKs First Test To Diagnose, Distinguish MRSA And MSSAMay 9, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the KeyPath MRSA/MSSA Blood Culture Test as the first test for Staphylococcus aureus infections that is able to identify the bacteria as methicillin resistant (MRSA) or methicillin susceptible (MSSA). The test determines whether bacteria growing in a patient’s positive blood culture sample are MRSA or MSSA within about five hours after any bacterial growth is detected in the sample. Aside from blood culture equipment, the test does not require any specific instruments to get results. The new test was approved for human use and will not be marketed for veterinary use at this time, according to the FDA. “This will have only limited impact on our veterinary patients,” says Anthea Schick, DVM, Dipl. ACVD, of Dermatology for Animals in Avondale, Ariz. “This test can tell a methicillin resistant staph aureus case from a susceptible one in blood culture. Most cases of methicillin resistant staph in our veterinary patients are due to a different species of staph (Staphylococcus pseudintermedius) and most cultures we are submitting are from skin samples, ear infections and draining tracts rather than blood infections.” The test was primarily developed with human MRSA conditions in …
Hill’s Calls On Owners Of Paunchy Pets To Take ‘Million Pound Pledge’May 6, 2011 Hill’s Pet Nutrition of Topeka, Kan., and Alison Sweeney, host of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, launched an initiative today aimed at helping pudgy pets shed pounds. The Science Diet Million Pound Pledge invites owners of overweight or obese cats and dogs to visit PetFit.com and pledge to help their pet lose weight. All participating pet owners will receive a “Try Me Free” rebate for a Science Diet weight management food of their choice, redeemable at PetSmart, and gain access to interactive weight loss tools to help their pets get back to a healthy weight. The goal is to help the nation’s pets lose a combined total of 1 million pounds and become more healthy. “Making sure that my family eats healthy and exercises is extremely important to me, so when I found out that my dog Winky needed to lose a few pounds, it was really upsetting,” Sweeney said. “With the help of Science Diet, Winky is back on track and now I’m encouraging loving owners across the country to visit PetFit.com and pledge to help their pets lose weight.” To coincide with the launch of the Science Diet …
VCA Offers Free Boarding For Pets Affected By Recent DisastersMay 5, 2011 VCA Animal Hospitals announced that select locations are offering free boarding assistance for companion animals whose families have lost homes, or have been evacuated, due to storms in the southeast and wildfires in Texas. The VCA Becker Animal Hospital in Homewood, Ala.,is offering free boarding for those affected by tornadoes in the state. For more information on the hospital as well as free boarding, click here. VCA Catoosa Animal Hospital in Ringgold, GA., is offering free boarding as well. For more information on the hospital as well as free boarding, click here. "VCA has a long-standing tradition of working in its local communities to help provide the best for pet parents and their pets," said Art Antin, chief operating officer of VCA Animal Hospitals. "For residents affected by the recent devastating events, VCA is working to assist them by providing free pet boarding so they can focus on the safety and welfare of their families and homes." For those affected by the ongoing wildfires in Texas, 20 VCA Animal hospitals located in the Dallas - Fort Worth area are offering free boarding. There is also a
