Maryland Mulls Changes To Spay-Neuter Task ForceApril 7, 2011 Maryland legislators have amended spay-neuter companion bills to add more members to a proposed spay-neuter task force. A public hearing on one of the measures is set for Friday, April 8, 2011. As introduced, Senate Bill 639 and House Bill 339 called for a task force “on the establishment of a statewide spay/neuter fund.” The purpose of this body would be to: • Collect and review data on the number of spay/neuter services performed each year in the State and the unmet need for the services; • Review ongoing successful local spay/neuter programs in the State; • Review spay/neuter programs in other states and identify best practices; • Review and make recommendations regarding the most appropriate funding mechanism for a spay/neuter fund; and • Make recommendations regarding the establishment of a spay/neuter fund that best meets the needs of the State. The task force was to include appointees by the senate president, speaker of the house and a designee of the secretary of agriculture, as well as one representative each from the Maryland Association of Counties; Humane Society of the United States; Maryland Veterinary Medical Association; Maryland Votes for Animals; Howard County …
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NASC To Host Educational ConferenceApril 7, 2011 The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), a nonprofit industry trade group, plans to hold its annual conference on Wednesday, May 11 through Friday, May 13, 2011, in San Diego. The event, which is mandatory for all NASC members, will feature educational workshops and presentations designed to keep animal supplement professionals up-to-date on regulatory programs and industry trends. Portions of the conference, including the keynote speech and certain workshops, are open to non-members. “As our organization grows, it’s necessary for us to provide members with an executive forum that keeps them and our industry ahead of the curve from both a regulatory and business perspective,” said NASC president Bill Bookout. The first day of the conference includes a basic training session for NASC members only. Workshops held on Thursday and Friday are open to non-NASC members. Topics include: how to identify quality contract manufacturers and raw material suppliers; effective probiotic use in products; developments in Canada; labeling; trends and growth opportunities in the equine and companion animal markets; and updates on state and federal programs. In his keynote speech, Sports Illustrated editor Jim Gorant, author of The Lost Dogs, will discuss the rehabilitation of dogs …
Low Thiamine Levels Prompts Canned Cat Food RecallApril 6, 2011 WellPet LLC is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Wellness canned cat food due to low thiamine levels. The company discovered the low levels during independent testing conducted together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to a single, isolated consumer complaint received by the FDA. The FDA sent out a media alert on the recall today. In a letter dated yesterday to pet owners, Tim Callahan, CEO of WellPet, said the recall is in an abundance of caution. “Please know, the vast majority of products tested had the appropriate levels of thiamine; however, with the number of recipes we offer, we did not want to make this more confusing,” Callahan said. “Therefore to avoid confusion and in an abundance of caution, we have decided to recall all canned cat products with the specific date codes noted below… Though the chance of developing this deficiency is remote, withdrawing these products is the right thing to do and we are removing it from retailers’ shelves.” The lots involved in the recall are: • Wellness Canned Cat Food (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13; • Wellness …
Georgia Won’t Tax Vet ServicesApril 6, 2011 Georgia will not add a sales tax to veterinary services. House Bills 385-388, introduced earlier in the year, included language that would have taxed “veterinarian expenses for pets.” Medications and supplies are already taxed, but veterinary services are not. State legislators made the revision in late March. The Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, which had urged veterinarians and pet owners to contact their legislators and ask them to oppose such legislation, called the decision a victory opponents of the tax. “This was a great victory for the GVMA and the veterinary profession, and for Georgia pets and their owners,” said Kevin Chapman, DVM, president of GVMA. “Georgia’s pet lovers should congratulate themselves for their courage and determination in fighting this legislation. GVMA didn’t do it alone. We had a lot of help from all those individuals and organizations like ours that love pets, and together we got it done.” GVMA had maintained that adding sales tax to veterinary services could have forced owners to forego life-saving procedures and opt for economic euthanasia; could have had a substantial financial impact on responsible veterinary care of pets; and could have led to an increase in pet abandonment. …
‘Revenue Boot Camp’ Seminar Targets Vets Who Provide Non-Medical BoardingApril 6, 2011 ‘Laura Laaman & Associates will launch a five city seminar tour beginning in May on boosting profits in the pet lodging industry. Revenue Boot Camp, which is part of the company’s Outstanding Pet Care Consulting Program, is designed for veterinarians offering non-medical boarding and other pet lodging owners. Sample topics to be included in the seminar: • How and why to sell 50 percent of your revenue with activities and other add on’s; • How to turn a phone call into a reservation; • Ten ways to beat competition; and • How and why to run a profitable referral campaign. Revenue Boot Camp locations: • Tuesday, May 3 in Stamford, Conn. • Wednesday, May 4 in Boston • Thursday, May 5 in Orlando, Fla. • Friday, May 6 in Atlanta • Wednesday, May 11 in San Francisco Laura Laaman is a speaker, author, sales trainer and consultant who specializes in the pet services industry. She established Laura Laaman & Associates in 1989. For seminar details, click here. <Home>
Census: German Shepherd Mix Is Most Popular MuttApril 5, 2011 The German Shepherd is the most common breed identified in America’s mutts, according to Mars Veterinary’s first National Mutt Census. The census, released today, was launched in March 2010 to reveal the “paw print” of America’s mixed breed population. Mixed breed dogs account for about 53 percent of all pet dogs in the United States, according to Mars Veterinary, maker of the Wisdom Panel Insights dog DNA test. The Rockville, Md.-based company collected DNA samples from more than 36,000 mixed breed dogs. These samples then underwent genetic analysis by the Mars Veterinary team to determine the breed history of each dog. This genetic data was combined with more than 16,000 responses to a Web survey from mixed breed owners. The survey asked questions about their dog’s size and weight, his feeding and exercise habits, whether he was adopted from a shelter, as well as questions about the dog’s health. “The Mars Veterinary National Mutt Census provides a vivid snapshot of past and present trends in mixed breed dogs,” said Angela Hughes, DVM, veterinary genetics research manager at Mars Veterinary. “Thanks to the census, we know what breeds are wide-spread, as well as …
Updated FEI Equine Prohibited Substance List Now In EffectApril 4, 2011 The International Federation for Equestrian Sports, commonly known as FEI, sent out a media alert today reminding veterinarians and anyone else involved in the horse racing industry that the 2011 FEI Equine Prohibited Substance List came into effect April 4. “The fight against doping is one that all International Federations are committed to and the FEI is working tirelessly to come up with new ways to contribute to that fight in line with the joint-recommendations produced by the commissions headed by Professor Arne Ljungqvist and Lord Stevens,” said Graeme Cooke, director of the FEI Veterinary Department. “Everyone involved in horse sport needs to be aware of the changes in the 2011 list and this crucial information is now easily accessible online and via free downloadable applications for iPhones and other media devices.” The updated list has been publicly available since the FEI General Assembly in Taipei last November, when it was unanimously approved. FEI noted that as part of its ongoing Clean Sport campaign and to maintain fair play, it will continue with a full range of testing at major events during the season. The list can be accessed by clicking
New Veterinary Management Company Takes Joint Venture ApproachApril 1, 2011 A new management company, Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP), has entered the veterinary market. The company was founded to be a partner to veterinary practices as they navigate the changing marketplace, according to Rich Lester, founder and CEO of VPP. “For the first time in the industry, many veterinary practice owners face problems that are impacting their exit plans and profitability,” said Lester, who is also the former president of BrightHeart Veterinary Centers. “Owners who are ready to retire are finding the younger associates are less excited about buying a practice because of their large student loan burdens and trying to balance family responsibilities. “Another issue is that pet owners who previously turned to veterinarians for the purchase of medications are now buying from low cost Internet pharmacies. “These issues, among others, are causing disruptive changes in the practice of veterinary health care, impacting the bottom line of practice owners. VPP’s partnership approach can help owners and their current associates navigate these issues successfully.” In addition to being president of BrightHeart Veterinary Centers for almost three years, Lester has spent most of his career in human health care services where he focused on forming joint ventures …
AHS Lines Up Heartworm University Summer SessionsMarch 31, 2011The American Heartworm Society will be hosting three sessions about heartworm disease this summer as part of its Heartworm University. Entitled “Heartworm University: A(ntigens) to Z(oonosis),” the series of presentations will provide an overview of new AHS survey data on heartworm incidence as well as information on pathophysiology and diagnostic prevention and treatment protocols. The curriculum will also cover the latest information on controversial topics such as “slow kill” of heartworms and macrocyclic lactone lack of efficacy investigations, according to AHS. Dates and locations are as follows: June 2 in Destin, Fla. – To be held in conjunction with the Georgia/Alabama Veterinary Medical Association meeting. Instructor: Clarke Atkins, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of North Carolina State University. Aug. 14 in Hershey, Pa. – To be held in conjunction with the 5th Annual Keystone Veterinary Conference. Instructor: Dr. Atkins. Aug. 20 in Tyler, Texas – To be held at the Green Acres Baptist Church. Instructor: Matthew Miller, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Texas A&M University. Additional sessions of Heartworm University will be announced by AHS early this summer. For details, click here. Sponsors of Heartworm University include Bayer Animal Health, Merial Ltd., Pfizer Animal Health, Elanco, Idexx Laboratories, Intervet/Schering-Plough …
Vets Can Add To Bottom Line With Pet Retail ProductsMarch 31, 2011 Despite a serious downturn in the economy, pet ownership and spending continue to grow. But competition within the pet market is also growing. On one side is the growth of big-box pet outlets while on the other are retailers increasing the number of pet and pet-related products they sell. For example, even Home Depot is increasing its pet product selections and in some cases is actively promoting these products. Even smaller local retailers such as gift and hardware stores are stocking more pet and pet-related merchandise. For veterinary practices seeking to add or grow existing pet product revenue streams, these trends create a number of challenges, but opportunities as well. In terms of challenges, veterinary practices do not have the resources to compete with big retailers’ ability to advertise or offer deeply discounted prices. However, there is room for veterinary practices to cut out specialized niches, such as medications, prescription diets and specialty foods, medicated and/or therapeutic grooming products, and more. Veterinary practices can also leverage their client base through e-mail and direct mail marketing efforts and resources, such as websites and brochures. The key is identifying a niche and using available assets to promote …
