FDA Seeks Public Comment On NARMS Strategic PlanJanuary 24, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine is soliciting public comment on its “National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (NARMS) Strategic Plan.” The agency made the document available today. Comments will be accepted until March 25. The document, described by the FDA as a “dynamic roadmap,” outlines the program’s strategic goals and objectives for 2011 through 2015 on the issue of sustained food safety through monitoring and research. Specifically, the goals are: • To develop, implement and optimize a shared database, with advanced data acquisition, analysis and reporting tools; • To make sampling more representative and more applicable to trend analysis; • To strengthen collaborative research projects; and • To support international activities that promote food safety, especially those that promote mitigation of the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance determinants. The FDA noted that these goals build on progress made since NARMS’ inception in 1996. The program—established as a partnership between the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture—is a national public health surveillance system that tracks antibiotic resistance in foodborne bacteria. NARMS monitors antimicrobial susceptibility among enteric bacteria from food animals, …
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Efficacy Vs. CostJanuary 21, 2011 Penny-wise owners can be pound foolish, drugmakers say. Animal owners who question a drug’s price often don’t understand the time, the scientific breakthroughs and the regulatory hurdles involved in bringing a product to market, manufacturers say. “Issues of cost are very real,” says Dana Fertig, DVM, MS, manager of veterinary technical services at Dechra Pharmaceuticals PPC, a British firm with U.S. headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. “The issue of price questioning is where having a trusting relationship with clients can make all the difference. If owners trust that what the veterinarian is recommending is best for their pets, they’re more likely to comply with recommendations. Using something proven to work on the condition means a speedier recovery.” But what clients need to understand most, manufacturers say, is that Food and Drug Administration approval of a drug means the product is efficacious. Luitpold Pharmaceuticals of Shirley, N.Y., is committed to strict adherence to FDA rules and regulations, says Allyn Mann, product manager for Luitpold’s Animal Health Division. “We maintain very high-quality standards for our manufacturing to ensure the ongoing safety, efficacy and concentration of active ingredients that is required for FDA approval. The results …
Mastocytoma Drug Gets Conditional OKJanuary 21, 2011 Veterinarians treating dogs suffering from mast cell tumors now have a new drug in their arsenal: Kinavet-CA1 (masitinib). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted conditional approval to AB Science USA’s product in mid-December. The company began shipping orders in January. “[Kinavet-CA1] gives clinicians a new treatment option which we believe is going to help address a very serious disease,” said Albert Ahn, DVM, president of AB Science USA. Mast cell tumor, also known as mastocytoma, is the most common cutaneous malignant neoplasm in dogs, accounting for 16 to 21 percent of all skin tumors, Dr. Ahn said. Specifically, the approved indication is “for the treatment of recurrent or nonresectable Grade II and III cutaneous mast cell tumors in dogs that have not previously received radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy except corticosteroids,” the company reported. The product is administered orally once a day. Masitinib has been available through AB Science S.A. in Europe for the treatment of canine mast cell tumors since 2009 under the brand name Masivet. The drug has proven very successful, Ahn said. “Our European colleagues continue to be amazed at the strong interest and the excellent results with the use …
New Regenerative Center To Treat Both Animal, Human PatientsJanuary 20, 2011 The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and the Wake Forest University’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., have signed an agreement to form the Virginia Tech/Wake Forest Center for Veterinary Regenerative Medicine (CVRM). The agreement, which was announced today, facilitates the application of cutting-edge regenerative treatments to both human and animal patients, according to the two groups. As part of the collaboration, clients at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital may have the option to enter their pets into clinical trials, giving them access to cutting edge technology unavailable elsewhere, the vet college noted. In return, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine will have the ability to evaluate new regenerative medicine techniques in spontaneously occurring animal diseases that can be models for human disease. “The CVRM is a tremendous opportunity to provide new medical alternatives for animals, including loved household pets, while generating scientific knowledge that can save and transform human lives,” said Roger Avery, senior associate dean of research and graduate studies at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Chronic kidney disease in cats is one area of current research interest. It is being treated in an effort to induce kidney …
Fellowship Recipients Will Focus On Animal Health ResearchJanuary 19, 2011 Five veterinary professionals were recently awarded with The Pfizer Animal Health-Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Fellowship for Advanced Degree. Pfizer Animal Health and Morris Animal Foundation made the announcement today. The fellowships are in an effort to address the critical shortage of veterinary scientists. “Most veterinary students choose clinical practice instead of research careers, resulting in a critical need for new scientists capable of conducting research necessary to advance veterinary medicine,” said Cathy Knupp, vice president of veterinary medical research and development for Pfizer Animal Health. Each fellow will receive $60,000 per year for four years—provided equally by Pfizer Animal Health, Morris Animal Foundation and the student’s academic institution—for living expenses and tuition while pursuing advance veterinary study. Upon receiving their degree, graduates commit to stay in the animal health research field for at least four years. “By providing students with a living wage while they pursue advanced scientific training, this fellowship program opens the door to new careers for veterinary professionals and helps enrich the future of veterinary medical advances,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, group director of veterinary medical services and corporate citizenship for Pfizer Animal Health. The recipients are: …
Idexx Still Seeks Participants For Feline Cardiac Disease SurveyJanuary 18, 2011 Idexx Laboratories Inc. reported yesterday that it is still enrolling participants for its feline cardiac disease survey. Initial findings are already shedding new light on the prevalence of feline heart disease and the profile of cats at risk, according to the Westbrook, Maine-based company. For instance, preliminary results verify prior studies that found one in six cats are at risk for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The survey, which will continue to enroll participants through the first half of 2011, was launched by Idexx last spring. How the study works: veterinarians complete the online or printable form, screen feline patients with the Cardiopet proBNP Test and fax or enter results online. Details can be found at idexx.com/knowcardio. To date, more than 3,500 patients have been tested as part of Idexx’s survey, and more than 90 percent of practices have said they have taken action—rechecking results or recommending a referral to a cardiologist based on elevated Cardiopet proBNP results. “Based on results collected to date, we believe that veterinarians should advise cat owners to have their at-risk pets tested for cardiac conditions more regularly,” said Andrew Beardow, BVM&S, Dip. ACVIM (cardiology) of Idexx. “Most owners don’t …
Dirty Mouths, Euthanasia Denial And UsJanuary 18, 2011 Some recent new clients were special. An aged woman was accompanied by her adult granddaughter with a middle-aged min-pin in tow. The subject at hand was perhaps the most impressively putrid mouth I’ve beheld in more than 15 years of practice. And yep, you guessed it: The owner declined to treat. How bad was said cavity of doom? Let’s just say her osteomyelitis was so severe this dog no longer possessed a cranial mandible. Her canines sagged ineffectually in what was left of their sockets, held aloft more by the mass of matted hair and heavy tartar than by the promise of any alveolar bone below. Of course, this dog could no longer close her mouth, which was why the old woman had deigned to allow her granddaughter to drag the dog to a vet. The woman was obviously not happy to be there. In her early 90s and hard of hearing, she loudly cleared up any remaining doubt as to her reluctance, accusing me of trying to steal her savings when her dog wanted for nothing in her care. This, after a detailed explanation of periodontal disease with a way-beyond-textbook example as Exhibit A. Worst. …
Exploring Owner-directed AggressionJanuary 18, 2011 Nothing is so distressing for an owner as having a seemingly ungrateful dog who metaphorically or literally bites the hand that feeds. Why on earth would a dog joyously receive a delicious treat from his owner, say a rawhide chew, and then protect that morsel from his owner with every last ounce of strength? Simply walking past the bad players when they have such a highly emotive item is enough to trigger a display of growling, lip lifts, snaps or even biting. And as for touching this food item, forget about it. Or trying to take it away, well, that is just plain dangerous. If protecting valued food objects is the only area in which the dog expresses aggression, the solution is easy. Simply don’t give the dog those things in the first place. The philosophy here is the same as if you gave a child a penknife and he stabbed you in the leg with it. Your reaction should be to confiscate the penknife for good. Unfortunately, the protection of valued food or quasi-food-like items is often not where the syndrome of owner-directed aggression ends. There are several typical situations in which dogs of …
Make Sound Commitment To SonographyJanuary 18, 2011 Ultrasound services aren’t necessarily reserved for high-volume practices, experts say. Although many veterinarians determine that their client bases might not validate the expense, some sonographers work independently and will travel to a veterinarian’s office. Depending on the quality, a new ultrasound machine can cost from $10,000 to $100,000, but the price tag isn’t the only potential obstacle. A veterinarian sometimes invests in the equipment but is unprepared for the learning curve. Some say that even seasoned practitioners need a year to feel comfortable interpreting ultrasound images. “A lot of practices buy ultrasound equipment with the intent of using it more,” says Gretchen Rowe, DVM, of Animal Diagnostic Imaging LLC and president of the International Veterinary Ultrasound Society. “In reality, it takes a pretty dedicated person within a practice to use ultrasound to its fullest potential as a diagnostic tool. It takes thousands of cases to be really good at it, but it depends on what your goal is and how you intend to use it.” Bear, 14-year-old MN Siamese cat with a spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia. The anechoic gall bladder (left) and spleen (near field top) residing with the heart (bottom right) within the thorax. …
Raw Food Webinar Presented By Nature's VarietyJanuary 17, 2011Raw Food Webinar Presented by Nature's VarietyRaw Food Webinar Presented by Nature's VarietyRaw Food Webinar Presented by Nature's VarietyJoin DogChannel and our sister site VeterinaryPracticeNews.com on Thursday, March 10, as Nature's Variety presents an exclusive webinar on raw food diets for dogs.Join DogChannel and our sister site VeterinaryPracticeNews.com on Thursday, March 10, as Nature's Variety presents an exclusive webinar on raw food diets for dogs.newslinePosted: January 17, 7:30 p.m., EDT Register today to participate in an upcoming webinar on raw food diets for dogs. Join VeterinaryPracticeNews.com and our sister site DogChannel.com on Thursday, March 10, as Nature's Variety presents an exclusive webinar on raw food diets for dogs. The "Raw Food Demystified" webinar will help you understand the commercially packaged raw food diet option. This webinar answers the what, how, when and why of raw food diets, taking the mystery out of this diet option. Raw Diets Demystified will be presented by Nature's Variety and seen exclusively on DogChannel.com and VeterinaryPracticeNews.com, Thursday, March 10, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST. To attend the webinar, register in advance at VeterinaryPracticeNews.com/diet. In addition, four lucky dog lovers will be chosen at random to …
