AnimalNetwork's Top 10 Must-Read Stories For 2010January 3, 2011Dog Breeds That Don't Shed Consider dog breeds that shed less and avoid hair-covered furniture. Build An Outdoor Aviary Build a beautiful outdoor bird aviary for your pet birds, finches or canaries. Raw Food Diet for Dogs The benefits and drawbacks of feeding your dog a raw diet. 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Check here for the latest news as we count down to opening day. American Dressage Star Courtney King-Dye Injured in Riding Accident The 2008 Olympic rider is in the hospital after suffering serious head trauma. Why does my cat throw up after eating? CatChannel veterinary expert, Arnold Plotnick, DVM, explains the possible causes for frequent vomiting in cats. Are all orange tabby cats male and are all calico cats female? CatChannel veterinary expert, Arnold Plotnick, DVM, explains how cats get their gender and colors. Bearded Dragon Basking Open Mouth Why do bearded dragons bask with their mouth open? Common Problems in Goldfish Questions regarding common problems in goldfish.
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VeterinaryPracticeNews.com's Top 10 Must-Read Stories For 2010January 3, 2011 VeterinaryPracticeNews.com's Top 10 Must-Read Stories for 2010VeterinaryPracticeNews.com's Top 10 Must-Read Stories for 2010VeterinaryPracticeNews.com's Top 10 Must-Read Stories for 2010VeterinaryPracticeNews.com's Top 10 Must-Read Stories for 2010VeterinaryPracticeNews.com's Top 10 Must-Read Stories for 2010 newsline. Quality of Life Scale Nasal Cancers Rare but Deadly Nasal passage cancer generally develops very insidiously in older pets. It is rare in cats and not common in dogs. It composes about 1 percent of feline tumors and up to 2.5 percent of canine tumors. Long-nosed breeds (dolichocephalic) and senior dogs are at higher risk. ACTH Stimulation Testing: A Low-Dose Protocol ACTH stimulation testing is a common procedure in small-animal practice used for diagnosing both hypoadrenocorticism and hyperadrenocorticism. One Clinician’s Experience With a New Treatment For Feline Stomatitis Feline stomatitis, the most painful oral disease in the feline, has many faces and names. Find out about AnimalNetwork's Top 10 Must-Read Stories for 2010. Canine Melanoma Vaccine Gets Conditional OK The U.S. Department of Agriculture has conditionally licensed a vaccine to treat canine oral melanoma—the first approved therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of cancer in …
Henry Schein Enters Australasia Vet MarketJanuary 3, 2011 Henry Schein of Melville, N.Y., has completed the acquisition of Provet Holdings Ltd., a full-service veterinary distributor and service provider. The acquisition marks Henry Schein’s entry into the Australasia veterinary market. The Brisbane, Queensland-based company, which reported revenue of about $278 million for fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, operates four core businesses: veterinary product wholesaling; sales, support and development of practice management software; consulting, education and training services; and online business activities. Provet Holdings owns and operates 10 warehouses across Australia and three in New Zealand. About 1,900 independent veterinary practices in Australasia are served by the company. “Henry Schein’s global veterinary business now has annual revenue of nearly $2 billion and we serve approximately 47,000 veterinary practices worldwide,” said Stanley Bergman, chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, who first announced the acquisition agreement in mid October. “The rapid growth of Henry Schein’s worldwide animal health presence reflects our long-term commitment to our veterinary customers and our firm belief in the significant potential of the global health market.” Bergman also welcomed Provet CEO Dr. Nigel Nichols and his colleagues to Henry Schein. <HOME>
AVMA Begins Accepting Input On Model Veterinary Practice Act In JanuaryDecember 30, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Association will begin accepting comments on the Model Veterinary Practice Act (MVPA) on its website in January. The 30-day public comment period will be open to veterinarians, veterinary team members, pet owners, farmers and anyone else who has an interest in animals and veterinary medicine. The AVMA first made the announcement in early November to give interested parties time to review the current model, which can be found here. The MVPA, which was last reviewed in 2003, is used by state legislatures and state veterinary licensing and exam boards to help shape the rules and laws that govern the course of veterinary medicine, according to John Scamahorn, DVM, chair of the AVMA Model Veterinary Practice Act Task Force. Related story: AVMA Seeks Comments on Model Veterinary Practice Act <Home>
Small-Animal Practices Not Immune To Antimicrobial ConcernDecember 29, 2010 Though study results vary, researchers looking into methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in human and animal medicine say the incidence of colonization is high. Veterinary researchers postulate that animals can be carriers of the bacteria and transfer it to humans, but it is much more likely for the animal to become colonized by a human carrier than the latter. Scientists report that every bacterium has resistance capabilities and that determining which animal a resistant strain will show up in is impossible. Statistics are lacking, and there’s not a specific region, breed or healthy person known to be more affected than another. This lack of information calls for vigilance from the veterinary industry, as it has become a target when looking to pin blame on why antibiotic resistance is occurring. “The American Veterinary Medical Association created the judicious use guidelines, in part to ensure current and future availability of veterinary antimicrobials,” says Christine Hoang, DVM, MPH, assistant director in the Scientific Activities Division of the AVMA. “We are bringing veterinary expertise to the table in the antimicrobial discussion for the benefit of people and animals.” Veterinarians in small-animal practices should keep up with federal discussions regarding the therapeutic …
Boost Profit Now To Maximize Practice ValueDecember 29, 2010 Practice values have been trending down for the past decade because of the economy and management mistakes, according to consultants. But, they say, an owner can maximize practice value by increasing net profit. Those steps aren’t new or mysterious but take work and a willingness to change. Seasoned owners are shocked when the appraised value of their practice is less than anticipated, so they may postpone retirement in hope of recouping some value. “Veterinarians frequently rely on the sale of their practice for retirement funds,” says Paul Camilo, CVPM, of Veterinary Consulting Services. “This is a bad idea. If the practice doesn’t sell at the rate necessary for a comfortable retirement, there’s no Plan B and veterinarians end up holding onto the practice, working past their planned retirement date.” A better idea is to make the practice as profitable as possible during the practicing years and save money during that time, says Jessica Lee, CVPM, of Pinnacle Integrated Veterinary Solutions. “Building practice value can be simple,” Lee says. “Having good customer service, making your practice stand apart from others and adding new services can bring in new clients and retain existing ones. Having a good …
Rush To Stem Cells Carries Some RiskDecember 28, 2010 Regenerative medicine, the buzzword for stem-cell therapy and the like, has given birth to the possibility of a pain-free life for orthopedic patients. Thousands of veterinarians in North America are learning to treat degenerative joint conditions using adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).1 The implied translational benefits for humans are compelling. According to one account, nearly 2,000 dogs suffering from osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal ailments have received intra-articular injections of autologous, pre-processed stem cells.2 A majority responded favorably and about one-third no longer needed anti-inflammatory medication.3 Media hype suggests that a veritable fountain of youth giving old dogs new joints may have been unearthed.4-5-6-7 While hope for an arthritis cure springs eternal, if stem cells do, a problem blossoms, and that is neoplasia. This has happened and is raising questions about the safety of stem-cell therapy. The authors of a paper released in October 2010 wrote, “Understanding the conditions in which MSCs enhance tumor growth and metastasis is crucial, both to safely develop MSCs as a therapeutic tool and to advance our understanding of the role of tumor stroma in carcinogenesis.” 8In 2009, a teenager developed a brain tumor from …
AMA President To Show At NAVC’s One Health EventDecember 28, 2010The North American Veterinary Conference reported today that Cecil Wilson, MD, president of the American Medical Association, will be attending the One Health Symposium at the NAVC Conference on Monday, Jan. 17, in Orlando, Fla. Dr. Wilson will also participate in an evening panel discussion on the topic. “We are excited about the possibilities of collaboration among physicians and veterinarians that this meeting will afford—and by the implicit encouragement for physicians to think and act in a one-health manner that Dr. Wilson’s attendance extends,” said NAVC Executive Director Colin Burrows, BVetMed, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM. “The AMA strongly supports the One Health Initiative, the collaborative effort of multiple disciplines to attain optimal health for humans, animals and our environment. “More than 60 percent of human infectious diseases and the preponderance of emerging infectious disease have an animal vector. Better collaboration is needed between human and veterinary medicine to protect the public health.” The One Health Initiative is described as a worldwide movement to forge co-equal, all-inclusive collaboration between veterinarians, physicians and other health care and scientific disciplines. It is endorsed by various professional organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, AMA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Global …
Certification Day Nears For Surgical Techs EverywhereDecember 28, 2010 At long last, surgery technicians will have their own certification. This is excellent news for technicians who spend their lives behind a surgical mask, scrubbed in or handing surgical instruments. After years in the making, a new breed of veterinary technicians specializing in surgery will soon emerge. The Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians (AVST) was approved by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. After completing a rigorous application process and passing an examination, veterinary surgical technicians will have a degree that shows their unique expertise. Since the certification announcement, hundreds of technicians from the United States and abroad have e-mailed AVST board members. Below is a guide to the seven parts of the application package. The information came from AVST president Heidi Reuss-Lamky and secretary Teri Raffel. 1. Proof of professional experience • Applicants must show proof of credentials and must be licensed, certified or registered veterinary technicians. For U.S. applicants, the designation may vary depending on the state. • A copy of a diploma from an American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited program should be submitted. • Applicants should show that they have worked at least 6,000 hours as credentialed technicians. This represents about three …
NAVC Seminar To Focus On Stress-Related Behavior IssuesDecember 22, 2010 Veterinary Products Laboratories will be sponsoring a seminar on stress-related behavior issues on Sunday, Jan. 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. during the 2011 NAVC Conference in Orlando, Fla. “Canine Fears, Phobias and Noise Aversions,” to be presented by Gary Landsberg, DVM, Dipl. ACVB, and Theresa DePorter, DVM, will cover how management and treatment through the combined use of environmental management, behavior modification and an evidence based look at drug and natural options can provide a long term solution. The final conference program will have the assigned room. Refreshments will be served and there will be time for questions, according to Veterinary Products Laboratories (conference booth No. 2110/2112). <Home>
