Supplements Gaining Sales And RespectMay 5, 2009 Despite the recession, veterinary supplement makers are reporting better sales in 2009 than they experienced last year, along with a steady flow of new inquiries from veterinarians. Consumers spent $1.3 bill-ion on veteri-nary supplements in 2007. The industry is experiencing 15-18 percent growth each year, with annual revenue of $1.8 billion projected by 2012. Holistic veterinarians have long praised supplements and nutraceuticals, but the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) says some producers don’t provide enough evidence that their products work. Practitioners of evidence-based medicine also can be skeptical. While the CVM hasn’t changed its stance, some in the veterinary industry have. “Supplements are an acceptable component to veterinary medicine today,” says Bill Bookout, founder and president of National Animal Supplement Council, which is trying to create a nationally consistent framework for veterinary supplements. “Supplements are used by 90 to 95 percent of general practitioners and 100 percent of holistic veterinarians.” More research is being conducted and has been publicly presented. Many supplement companies are forging strong relationships with veterinarians and are working together, providing one more tool for veterinarians to use. Internet-savvy clients are finding information online and asking …
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Surviving RecessionMay 5, 2009 The veterinary medical industry is said to be recession proof, a reputation earned from minimal damage suffered in past economic downturns. It even has seen notable growth during times other industries struggled to stay afloat. But in reality, veterinary clients are the same Americans featured in daily news reports—people losing their jobs and cutting family budgets. If a practice is feeling the pinch, it’s because clients are feeling it, too. Demographics, client base and a practice’s focus tend to be the top factors in a clinic’s ability to withstand the turbulence. Depending on their location in the U.S., veterinarians report either troubling times or business as usual. Practices that offer grooming, nail trimming or pet supplies are seeing a drop in revenue. Those that focus on vaccinations, spay/neuters or high-cost specialty services have similar issues. “Specialty and emergency care is being affected more than primary care practices,” says Ted A. Sprinkle Jr., DVM, CEO of New York-based Pet Partners LLC. “I own 20 primary care facilities from Maine to Florida and as far west as Denver. Each practice is being affected differently. “The veterinary industry hasn’t been as affected as others, but it has …
Poor Psychological Health Common In Vet Profession, Researchers SayMay 4, 2009 Compared to the general population, young veterinarians experience a significantly higher level of psychological distress, work-related anxiety and depression, according to the March issue of the Australian Veterinary Journal, published by Wiley-Blackwell. Furthermore, the study, “Psychological well-being of Australian Veterinarians,” found that at least one-third of the 2,125 respondents, regardless of age, reported poor psychological health. “Anecdotally, veterinarians have a stressful job, dealing with sick animals, upset owners and the challenges of managing a small business,” said co-author Lin Fritschi, Ph.D., from the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research. “We found that the average levels of distress were about the same as other professional groups such as doctors. However, about a third of the vets, especially new graduates, had quite high levels of stress, anxiety and depression.” Based on their findings, the authors contend that “professional bodies and veterinary schools may wish to consider the merits of providing training in dealing with work-related distress, anxiety and depression to improve the psychological well-being of veterinarians, and possible reduce the attrition from the profession.” The authors also cited another study published last year in which the estimated rate of suicide in veterinarians in Western Australia and Victoria …
Effort To Ban Exotic Pets ‘Effectively Dead’May 4, 2009 *Editor's Note: This item was updated on May 4: "Non-Native Species Bill Needs Changes, Sponsor Says."* Opponents of House Resolution 669, known as the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, proclaimed the bill “effectively dead” after a Congressional subcommittee hearing April 23 in Washington, D.C. The legislation could have halted trade in thousands of nonnative animal species in the U.S., including most birds, reptiles, fish and several mammals—hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and ferrets—commonly kept as pets. Pet owners and pet industry players throughout the country have been contacting their representatives in grass-roots opposition to the bill. The hearing was held by the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, chaired by Rep. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, who wrote the bill. The hearing record is being held open for 10 days for responses and for the panel to decide whether to proceed with the bill. But Andrew Wyatt, president of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, called the hearing a “smashing success.” “H.R. 669 is effectively dead,” Wyatt said. “Two weeks leading up to the hearing, USARK mounted a grass-roots campaign of letter writing and phone calls,” he said. “We …
Non-Native Species Bill Needs Changes, Sponsor SaysMay 4, 2009 U.S. Rep.Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, sponsor of the Nonnative Wildlife Prevention Act and chairwoman of the Congressional subcommittee that held a hearing on the bill in April, has acknowledged that the legislation needed to be changed before it progresses further. “We recognize the bill is by no means perfect and that changes will be needed to address various concerns before any legislation moves forward,” Bordallo said of House Resolution 669. Her acknowledgment came toward the end of the April 23 hearing and reflected the results of a grass-roots protest against the legislation from the pet industry and pet owners. Subcommittee members said they received thousands of calls, emails and letters from pet owners and others urging defeat of the legislation, which could mandate the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve or disapprove most non-native animal species, including birds, fish, reptiles and small mammals, for importation and trade within the United States. “It is clear that committee members from both sides of the aisle heard from the pet-owning public about their concerns with this bill,” said Marshall Meyers, CEO and general counsel of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, who testified at …
Neogen Buys Maker Of Immunoassay Test KitsMay 4, 2009 Neogen Corp. of Lansing, Mich., has acquired International Diagnostic Systems Corp., which develops, makes and markets test kits for the detection of drug residue in food and animal feed and drugs in forensic and animal samples. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Part of IDS’s operations will be moved to and integrated with Neogen’s Lexington, Ky., facilities. IDS’s research and development operations and key employees will remain in St. Joseph, Mich. In addition to U.S. sales, IDS distributes in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and China. The company reported revenue of about $2 million in the most recent fiscal year. “International Diagnostic’s products are complementary and a nice fit with our existing forensic and drug-detection product lines,” said Lon Bohannon, Neogen’s president. “The IDS purchase also provides Neogen with key collaborative relationships with influential industry partners, and increased access to important international markets, including China.” <HOME>
Nutro Not Under Investigation, FDA SaysMay 4, 2009 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine clarified in late April that “Nutro Products Inc. is not currently under investigation.” Although it generally does not confirm or deny investigations, the agency issued the formal statement following a consumer-oriented website’s “incorrect” article that the company was under investigation. “FDA is clarifying that Nutro Products Inc. is not currently under investigation,” the one-paragraph statement began. “FDA does not typically confirm or deny the existence of an FDA investigation. It has recently come to our attention, however, that a media report incorrectly concluded and reported that Nutro Products Inc. was the subject of an investigation.” According to Nutro, the Consumer Affairs website, has been posting consumer complaints about Nutro and drawing “false links” between adverse health events and the use of Nutro products for the past year. “While consumer concerns about Nutro product quality are rare, we take every complaint seriously,” the company wrote in a statement. “When we learn of an issue, we work with consumers to obtain information and request that samples of any product in question be submitted for testing at an independent facility.” The company urged …
Abbott Hosts Anesthesia SummitApril 30, 2009Having well-trained veterinary technicians performing anesthesia can help improve anesthetic monitoring and provide individualized treatment with reliable medications, said veterinary anesthesiologists who attended Abbott Animal Health’s first Anesthesia Summit. They also agreed that the following areas of veterinary anesthesia are essential: Closely monitoring animals while achieving the correct vaporizer setting of gas-induced anesthesia can lessen the likelihood of adverse events during surgery; . Using an individualized dose-to-effect anesthetic treatment can help in correctly evaluating a pet during surgery, as the surgical stimulus may vary throughout the procedure; and . Using a reliable anesthetic can help to ensure rapid, precise control over the depth of anesthesia and can assist in a smooth return of cognitive and motor skills. Education is key, said Khursheed Mama, BVSc, DVM, Dipl. ACVA, associate professor of anesthesia at Colorado State University, who attended the summit. “While products are important, they are not as important as educating people in the reasons for monitoring patients and supporting them appropriately during anesthesia,” she said. Lynn Bromstedt, divisional vice president of Abbott Animal Health, said the summit also provided the company with tremendous insight. “As a result, Abbott is closely looking at current protocols …
Colgate And P&G Post Quarterly SalesApril 30, 2009 Both Colgate-Palmolive Co. and the Procter & Gamble Co. reported quarterly sales results on April 30. Net sales for Colgate’s Hill’s pet division increased slightly during the first quarter of 2009, while net sales for P&G’s pet care division, which includes snacks, declined four percent during its third quarter of fiscal year 2009. New York, N.Y-based Colgate reported Hill’s Pet Division net sales at $506.4 million during the first quarter of 2009 ended March 31, compared to $503.2 million in the same period a year ago. Unit volume declined 7 percent, pricing increased 14 percent and foreign exchange was negative 6.5 percent. Hill’s organic sales, which exclude foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestments, increased 7 percent during the quarter. Volume growth in Russia, Germany, Turkey, the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and Austria was more than offset by volume declines in the United States, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada. Operating profit increased 3 percent during the quarter to $131.7 million due to the benefits of higher pricing, which more than offset the impact of higher raw and packaging materials costs. Products contributing to Hill’s sales in the U.S. …
Royer And MWI Reach Distribution AgreementApril 30, 2009 MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. of Meridian, Idaho has been named the exclusive U.S. distributor for Royer Animal Health’s Matrix III Cisplatin Beads and R-Gel Antibiotic Wound Dressing. Both products are designed to provide veterinary professionals with localized treatment options for cancer, infections and general wound management. Matrix III Cisplatin Beads are indicated for use in the local control of equine sarcoids. Clinical studies have shown the effective use of this product in other tumor types such as melanoma, squamous cell, carcinoma and osteosarcoma, according to Royer Animal Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royer Biomedical Inc. R-Gel Antibiotic Wound Dressing is a time-released antibiotic gel that solidifies in situ. The product has been used for a range of small- and large-animal indications, including contaminated wounds, dental abscesses, deep lacerations, bite wounds, necrotic tissue, infected tendon sheaths, septic joints, postoperative orthopedic infections and hoof abscesses. The products, which were recently released, are being used in more than 600 veterinary clinics and by 40 veterinary schools and teaching hospitals worldwide, according to Frederick, Md.-based Royer. <HOME>
