Veterinary Lenders Eager To Do BusinessJune 28, 2010 Veterinary Lenders Eager to Do Business Veterinary Lenders Eager to Do Business cover stories, practice mgmt By Jessica Tremayne Practice owners hoping to purchase, construct or expand in this economic environment won’t have much trouble finding a lender if they present a favorable portfolio. And for some applicants this year, 100 percent financing isn’t out of the question. How Do You Compare? Veterinarians interested in knowing how they compare financially to colleagues locally and nationally can use a benchmarking tool on the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues website, NCVEI.org. Jim Stephenson, DVM, president of Simmons Northeast, a Maine company specializing in veterinary practice appraisals and sales, recommends the service. “Any veterinarian who is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association or the American Animal Hospital Association can enter their financial information on the NCVEI site and find where they stand financially.” Packaged Facts’ U.S. Pet Market Outlook 2010-11 study projected that growth in the veterinary industry over the next five years will outpace that of the …
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Free Clinics Fill Big NeedJune 28, 2010 Some pet owners are in such financial straits today that they might not even seek care for their pets. Reaching those individuals has become a priority for a number of veterinarians nationwide who have hosted free clinics. Owners and their pets line up in Atlantic City, N.J., at a free clinic offered by Suzanna Brown, DVM. “There has been a growing popularity of low-cost spay and neuter clinics and those kinds of things,” said David Kirkpatrick, a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association. Veterinarians who have offered services for free at special events find the experience as rewarding as it is hard work. Suzanna Brown, DVM, of Best Friends Animal Hospital in Mays Landing, N.J. recently held her fourth free clinic in two years. She and her staff provided maintenance care and vaccines and distributed pet food. “We’re at least an hour from Philadelphia and two hours from New York, so we’re still semirural,” she said. “However we do have Atlantic City, and the casino industry is what fuels a large part of our economy. With the recession, the casinos took a real beating.” Emmery Villada and …
RE-SCHEDULED: Therapy Laser Treatment Webinar To Be Held June 29June 25, 2010 Updated: Friday, June 25, 2010, 6:24 p.m., EDT Companion Therapy Laser is launching a free webinar series for veterinarians and veterinary technicians on therapy laser treatments and the integration of Class IV therapy lasers into small animal practices. The first session, “An Introduction to 2010’s Top Technology for Small Animal Practices,” will be held 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, June 29. Webinar host John Godbold Jr., DVM, will discuss how therapy laser technology can be integrated into a small animal practice and how the use of the laser can improve the quality of patients’ lives, retain clients, attract new clients and increase profits. Dr. Godbold is the owner of Stonehaven Park Veterinary Hospital in Jackson, Tenn., and has more than 10 years of veterinary laser experience. Laser therapy provides a non-invasive, drug-free treatment alternative for companion pets and can be used to treat ailments such as arthritis; degenerative joint disease; back pain; muscle, ligament and tendon injuries; hip dysplasia; and sprains, according to LiteCure, the manufacturer of Companion Therapy Laser. The series will continue on July 22 and Aug. 5. Topics had not yet been determined at press time. …
Idexx Seeks Vet Participation For Feline Heart StudyJune 25, 2010 Idexx Laboratories Inc. of Westbrook, Maine, has launched a national field study on feline cardiac health to better understand the prevalence of feline heart disease and the profile of cats at risk. “Current literature, based on existing cardiomyopathy studies, finds that one in six cats could have heart disease,” said Leif Lorentzen, DVM, the company’s senior medical affairs manager. “We are inviting general practice veterinarians to participate in this field study so we can better understand how cats present and classify the common traits of cats that do present. We will use our findings to quantify how feline cardiac biomarkers, when added to current blood-screening protocols, provide veterinarians with more comprehensive screening tools that advance patient care.” Unlike humans, where diet and lifestyle can be predisposing risk factors for heart disease, cats are believed to have genetic predispositions that can arise at any age, according to Idexx. Heart walls thicken over time, affecting the heart’s ability to provide adequate oxygen to tissues and can lead to similar medical complications as those seen in some types of human heart disease. “This national study will aggregate experience so that we can begin to establish sensible recommendations for when …
Update: FTC Extends Red Flags Rule Enforcement To DecemberJune 25, 2010 The Federal Trade Commission has again extended the deadline for enforcement of the Red Flags Rule, a section of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003, until Dec. 31. Enforcement was to begin June 1, 2010. The rule is an anti-fraud regulation requiring creditors and financial institutions with covered accounts to implement programs to identify, detect and respond to the warning signs, or “red flags,” that could indicate identity theft. Veterinarians fall into the category of creditors, which is defined as any entity that regularly extends or renews credit — or arranges for others to do so — and includes all entities that regularly permit deferred payments for goods or services. The rule became effective on Jan. 1, 2008, but the FTC has since issued several Enforcement Policies delaying enforcement of the rule. Most recently, the FTC announced in October 2009 that at the request of certain Members of Congress, it was delaying enforcement of the rule until June 1, 2010, to allow Congress time to finalize legislation that would limit the scope of business covered by the rule. Since then, the FTC has received another request from Members of Congress for another delay …
AFP Imaging Changes Name To ImageWorksJune 24, 2010AFP Imaging Corp., which makes veterinary, dental and medical imaging technologies, is now ImageWorks. The company said the name change, announced today, commemorates its first 12 months under new ownership, leadership and management. “We feel that the name ImageWorks embodies the energy, innovation and customer responsiveness that we value and strive to maintain,” said R. Scott Jones, ImageWorks’ chairman. “Our leading brands--Dent-X, NewTom, EVA and MiniMed--are well recognized for outstanding performance and quality throughout the world and will retain their brand identity in each of their respective markets. “The past year has brought significant growth in each of our imaging divisions. We are looking toward the next 12 months and promotion of ImageWorks as redefining moments in the company’s long history. ImageWorks has a renewed commitment for the development of innovative imaging products and providing the highest level of customer service.” The company noted that “significant investments” are being focused on the development of a dedicated customer center. It has multi-modality communications and a training and development program, including a training center for digital imaging and cone beam CT customers, distribution partners and ImageWorks employees. Both of these facilities are under development at the company’s Elmsford, N.Y., headquarters. The name …
United Pet Group Voluntarily Recalls Pro-Pet Adult Daily Vitamin Supplement For DogsJune 23, 2010 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently reported that United Pet Group of Cincinnati is voluntarily recalling all unexpired lots of its Pro-Pet Adult Daily Vitamin Supplement tablets for dogs due to possible Salmonella contamination. The product, which was sold nationally at various retailers, comes in 100-count white plastic bottles with a light blue label. The UPC code is 26851-01800. The affected products are those with expiration dates on or before “06/13.” The expiration date can be found imprinted vertically on the right side of the product label. These products are being removed from retail stores and consumers should immediately stop feeding these supplements to their pets, according to the FDA. Laboratory testing revealed that one Lot of the vitamin product was contaminated with Salmonella. United Health Group is recalling all unexpired Lots of the product out of “an abundance of caution,” the FDA reported. Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will only have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain, according to the FDA, adding that infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. The FDA …
Veterinary Emergency Team Forms In TexasJune 22, 2010 Veterinary Emergency Team Forms in Texas Veterinary Emergency Team Forms in Texas newsline Click to enlarge The Veterinary Emergency Team, which consists of 13 Texas A&M University faculty, resident veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary students, was formed to respond to disasters that affect animals in Texas. The Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, in cooperation with the Texas Animal Health Commission, has formed a mobile Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) to respond to disasters affecting small and large animals within the state. The team—made up of 13 Texas A&M faculty, resident veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary students who have completed a disaster medicine elective — is deployable under the state animal response plan in a disaster situation where there is need for additional veterinary assessment, triage and care. “As the lead agency responsible for dealing with animals affected by disasters, the Texas Animal Health Commission has done an outstanding job of developing one of the premiere animal issues in disasters plans in the country,” said Wesley Bissett, DVM, Ph.D., Texas A&M’s lead faculty member in the effort. “TAHC personnel …
Equine Piroplasmosis Outbreak Reported In New MexicoJune 21, 2010 The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reported today an outbreak of equine piroplasmosis on a farm in New Mexico. The source of the outbreak was deemed “unknown or inconclusive.” OIE noted that the reason for notification was due to a new strain of a listed disease. The casual agent in this case was Babesia caballi. Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that affects horses, donkeys, mules and zebras. The disease, which can also be caused by the parasite Theileria equi, is transmitted via tick bites or through mechanical transmission by improperly disinfected needles or surgical instruments, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which worked with the New Mexico Livestock Board in conducting an epidemiological investigation of this event. The B. caballi positive quarter horse was detected as a result of New Mexico’s equine piroplasmosis race track screening program, according to the OIE report. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the positive result on June 14. The horse has since been euthanized. OIE considers the event resolved and no more reports will be submitted. In related news, the New Mexico Veterinary Diagnostic Services (NM-VDS) was recently approved …
Natural Balance Recalls Some Dry Dog FoodJune 18, 2010 Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc. of Pacoima, Calif., on June 18 issued a voluntary recall of Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food because of the potential risk of Salmonella contamination. The recall involves: 5-POUND BAG Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food Bag UPC Code: 7-23633-99000-4 Bale UPC Code: 7-23633-99003-5 Best By Date: June 17, 2011 28-POUND BAG Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food Bag UPC Code: 7-23633-99002-8 Best By Date: June 17, 2011 The recalled product was distributed only in pet specialty stores in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. No illnesses have been reported, according to Natural Balance Pet Foods. The recall is a response to a product sample testing positive for Salmonella in a random test conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Joey Herrick, president of Natural Balance Pet Foods, wrote in a letter posted on the company website: “Upon hearing from the FDA, I immediately went to our director of …
