Mars Veterinary Conducts 2010 National Mutt CensusMarch 22, 2010 McLean, Va.-based Mars Veterinary, a global company specializing in pet care and canine genetic breed identification, is conducting an inaugural National Mutt Census. The goal is to provide insights into the background of the nation’s estimated 38 million mixed-breed dogs. The company hopes that a portrait of the makeup of the nation’s mixed-breed dogs will lead to a better understanding of the prevalence of genetic traits and conditions among this population, said Dr. Angela Hughes, veterinary genetics research manager at Mars Veterinary. “Understanding an individual dog’s breed makeup is like understanding its family history – this information can provide an owner with valuable insights that strengthen the pet-owner relationship,” she said. Mars Veterinary urges dog owners to participate by logging on to www.muttcensus.com where they can take a five-minute survey, which asks them questions about the dog’s size and weight, its feeding and exercise habits, whether it was adopted from a shelter – as well as questions about the dog’s health. The findings will offer the most comprehensive analysis of the nation’s mixed-breed dog population ever conducted, the company said. The results may also provide researchers a better understanding of the types …
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ProHeart 6 Meeting Material AvailableMarch 19, 2010 The Food and Drug Administration has posted background information in advance of a meeting on the Risk Minimization Act Plan (RiskMAP) for Pfizer’s ProHeart 6. The Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee will meet March 24 to recommend modifications, if any, to the risk minimization and restricted distribution program for the injectable heartworm treatment. The panel will present FDA analysis of 18 months of data collected under the RiskMAP and will seek feedback from a panel of experts. A voluntary recall was issued for ProHeart 6 in September 2004 to address federal safety concerns. The background material is available here. The committee will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, at the Rockville Hilton in Rockville, Md. Oral presentations from the public are set for 1 to 2 p.m.
EPA Requires Clearer Instructions On Flea And Tick ProductsMarch 17, 2010 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 17 outlined a plan of action to increase restrictions on spot-on flea and tick products for cats and dogs, starting with a call for specific language on appropriate dosage according to a pet’s weight as well as clear warnings on labels. New restrictions will start to appear on these products in the next several months, and pet owners must carefully read and follow labels before exposing pets to these pesticides, said Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. A significant increase in reported adverse incidents prompted the EPA to conduct a year-long evaluation, resulting in a set of voluntary requirements for existing and new products to address inadequate labels. “These are poisons designed to kill fleas and ticks, and they do their job,” Owens said during a press teleconference to announce the steps that EPA will pursue. First, manufacturers of spot-on pesticide products are urged to improve labeling, making instructions clearer to prevent product misuse. In addition, more precise label instructions are required to ensure proper dosage per pet weight. Dog and cat products should also be differentiated with clear markings, and …
AVMA Tackles Veterinary Shortage With Incentive ProgramMarch 12, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), as part of its ongoing effort to boost the number of U.S. food animal veterinarians, has created a new program to tackle a veterinary shortage - an educational debt relief program. Citing a decline in the number of food animal veterinarians, the AVMA has designed a program to attract those veterinarians whose job it is to keep food animals healthy. The Food Animal Veterinarian Recruitment and Retention Program is a joint effort of the AVMA and its charitable arm, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, and funded by several industry partners. The effort provides financial incentives in the form of student loan debt forgiveness for veterinarians who commit to four years of employment in food animal veterinary medicine. Depending on demand and the availability of funds, the program seeks to support about 50 rural food animal veterinarians during the next five years by providing total payments for each practitioner of up to $100,000 for student loan debt, the AVMA said. The pilot program comes at a time when the federal government is also recognizing the critical role food animal veterinarians play in protecting food animals, the food supply and economic and …
Laser Therapy May Work On TL IVDDMarch 11, 2010 Laser therapy, the latest modality to enter the marketplace, is taking the veterinary profession by storm. But veterinary practitioners need to find out how laser helps and which units work before plunging tens of thousands of dollars into underpowered or dubious devices that pale in comparison to similarly priced laser powerhouses. Facts come from research, and laser therapy currently lacks evidential support in veterinary clinical settings. This calls into question specifics about optimal laser dose and ideal wavelengths. Until studies take place on species treated within our facilities, veterinarians are once again left relying on tissue culture, rodent and human studies. One application where laser therapy may shine is in patients recovering from thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease. TL IVDD is the most common spinal cord dysfunction in dogs.1 Dachshunds outnumber other breeds for the disease by a significant margin; one study showed that dachshunds account for nearly 72 percent of cases.2,3 Compressive spinal cord injury (SCI) causes both primary and secondary tissue damage. The secondary injury phase occurs one to two days after injury and leads to biochemically mediated neuronal death and spinal cord inflammation.4 Medical intervention yields the best clinical …
Sanofi-Aventis Pulls Trigger On Merial DealMarch 10, 2010 Sanofi-Aventis of Paris, France, exercised its option to combine its Merial animal health business with Intervet/Schering-Plough, Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Merck’s animal health business, forming a new, much larger joint venture with once and future partner Merck. Executives for the companies contend that the combined entity would be better able to bring new drugs to market, both for production and perhaps especially companion animals. “In addition to protecting their pets from parasites, more and more pet owners find themselves confronting other chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, arthritis and CNS disorders that affect their pets,” said Richard Clark, Merck’s chairman, president and CEO. “With our combined resources, we can bring new treatments to improve and lengthen pet lives.” The companies also expect to benefit from growth in emerging economies, which they expect to show both in expanding middle classes and pet ownership and increased animal-protein consumption. Overall, the global animal health industry is projected to grow about 5 percent annually for the next five years, from $19.2 billion in 2008 to a forecast $24.1 billion in 2014. Merial had been a joint venture between Sanofi and Merck until Sanofi acquired Merck’s share last July to facilitate Merck’s …
UW Veterinary Students To Host National SymposiumMarch 10, 2010 The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine is gearing up for the SAVMA Symposium from Thursday, March 11 to Saturday, March 13. More than 1,500 students from across the United States are expected to attend the SAVMA event, which stands for Student American Veterinary Medical Association. The symposium brings together veterinary medical students to learn about the latest science and technology the profession has to offer, event organizers said. A team of college students organizes the event at Monona Terrace. It is funded by veterinarians and the veterinary industry. This year’s symposium will offer various lectures and labs that include food animal science. Highlights include keynote speaker, Christopher Olsen, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of public health at the university. His talk will discuss influenza pandemics, including the 2009-10 pandemic, as diseases at the interface of animal and human health. He will emphasize the importance of a One Health approach, integrating human and animal health, in pandemic preparedness and response. Click here for symposium information, including a schedule of events. <HOME>
AVMA Reveals Trends In Veterinary Medicine, Pet CareMarch 9, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has revealed its most recent membership data, indicating a number of trends in veterinary medicine and pet care. For example, new data shows that veterinarians are increasingly seeking board certification as specialists, a trend that is in response to a demand for a higher level of care by pet owners. There were 9,826 active board-certified diplomates in 2009, a 15.5 percent increase in veterinary specialists from 2006, according to statistics from specialty colleges. In addition, the number of specialists in the internal medicine specialty increased by more than 11 percent in one year, from 2008 to 2009, the AVMA said. The increasing demand for veterinary specialists is something that the association had known was happening for some time, said Dr. Larry Corry, AVMA president, “but this data helps us understand and track this trend.” As the human-animal bond continues to grow, veterinarians are being asked by pet owners to provide increasingly advanced treatments, and this is driving them into specialties like internal medicine, neurology and oncology,” he said. The latest data shows that there are now 80,825 members of the AVMA, more than ever before, and that, for …
Nature’s Variety Expands Recall To Include All Raw Frozen Chicken ProductsMarch 8, 2010 Due to concerns of salmonella contamination, Nature’s Variety of Lincoln, Neb., has expanded a voluntary recall of its Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for cats and dogs to include additional “Best If Used By” dates. In addition, out of an abundance of caution, the company has elected to clear the market of all of its raw frozen chicken products. In February, the company issued a nationwide voluntary recall on its Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet chicken medallions, patties and chubs with a “Best If Used By” date of Nov. 10, 2010, due to concerns of salmonella contamination. Additional testing has indicated that its Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with “Best If Used By” dates of Oct. 29, 2010, and Nov. 9, 2010, may be contaminated with salmonella, the company reported. As a result, Nature’s Variety is recalling the following raw frozen products with “Best If Used By” dates of Oct. 29, 2010, and Nov. 9, 2010: UPC#7 69949 60131 9 - Chicken Formula 0.75 lb trial-sized medallions; . UPC#7 69949 60130 2 - Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions; . UPC#7 69949 60120 3 - Chicken Formula 6 lb patties;
Eli Lilly To Acquire European Rights To Pfizer Animal Health AssetsMarch 8, 2010 Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company, said that Lilly has signed an agreement to acquire the European rights to a portfolio of certain Pfizer Animal Health products. The products, including vaccines, parasiticides and feed additives, are used in the production animal and companion animal markets. The products are marketed by Pfizer and Wyeth’s Fort Dodge operations. Elanco also plans to acquire a manufacturing facility in Sligo, Ireland, used in the production of animal vaccines. As part of the deal, Sligo employees are offered positions with Elanco. The addition of this portfolio of products and a world-class manufacturing facility is a good fit for Elanco and positions the company well for sustained growth, said Jeff Simmons, president of Elanco. “Through this acquisition, we will expand and diversify our European presence with new market-leading products, augment our growing portfolio of companion animal medicines and acquire new biologic and vaccine capabilities,” he said. The European Commission requested that Pfizer divest these products as a result of Pfizer’s 2009 acquisition of Wyeth, including Wyeth’s Fort Dodge Animal Health business. Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will acquire European rights to a portfolio of marketed products, …
