VCA Antech To Acquire Healthy PetApril 17, 2009newslineVCA Antech to Acquire Healthy PetVCA Antech to Acquire Healthy PetVCA Antech to Acquire Healthy PetLos Angeles-based VCA Antech Inc. has agreed to buy Healthy Pet Corp. for $152.9 million in cash.Los Angeles-based VCA Antech Inc. has agreed to buy Healthy Pet Corp. for $152.9 million in cash. Los Angeles-based VCA Antech Inc. has agreed to buy Healthy Pet Corp. for $152.9 million in cash. Healthy Pet, based in Fairfield, Conn., operates 44 animal hospitals with annual revenue of about $80 million. On completion of the merger, which is expected in June, the combined companies will operate more than 430 animal hospitals in 38 states. "We believe that the combination of VCA Antech and Healthy Pet provides a great strategic fit and an opportunity to expand in certain states, particularly Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia and Georgia," said Bob Antin, chairman and chief executive officer of VCA Antech. "Healthy Pet also operates several specialty and teaching facilities that will help support our focus on continuing education in the Northeast. "In addition, we believe the opportunity to continue to acquire individual animal hospitals remains strong. We currently anticipate that animal hospital acquired revenue for 2007 (exclusive of our acquisition of Healthy Pet) …
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U.S. Bans Wheat Gluten Imports From Chinese CompanyApril 17, 2009newslineU.S. Bans Wheat Gluten Imports from Chinese CompanyU.S. Bans Wheat Gluten Imports from Chinese CompanyU.S. Bans Wheat Gluten Imports from Chinese CompanyAfter finding contaminated wheat gluten in pet food, the U.S. banned imports of the item from one Chinese company on Friday and suggested further scrutiny of other wheat imports.After finding contaminated wheat gluten in pet food, the U.S. banned imports of the item from one Chinese company on Friday and suggested further scrutiny of other wheat imports. After finding contaminated wheat gluten in pet food, the U.S. banned imports of the item from one Chinese company on Friday and suggested further scrutiny of other wheat imports. In an import alert issued March 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that wheat gluten imported from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company Ltd. of the Wangdian Industrial Zone in China, contained melamine, a synthetic plastic that may be implicated in recent pet deaths and illnesses that may have occurred after the animals ate pet food containing the toxin. The FDA is still actively tracing the path of the contaminated wheat gluten, it said last week, but it does not believe the ingredient has made its way into human food. …
Survey Says Consumer Confidence In Pet Food Remains HighApril 17, 2009newslineSurvey Says Consumer Confidence in Pet Food Remains HighSurvey Says Consumer Confidence in Pet Food Remains HighDespite a recall that has dragged on for three months, consumers remain confident about pet food and its brands.Despite a recall that has dragged on for three months, consumers remain confident about pet food and its brands.Survey Says Consumer Confidence in Pet Food Remains High Despite a recall that has dragged on for three months, consumers remain confident about pet food and its brands, according to a new survey commissioned by the Pet Food Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based association that represents pet food manufacturers. Seventy percent of pet owners who responded to the poll conducted by a third party polling agency said their opinion toward pet food at this time is "favorable" or "very favorable," Duane Ekedahl, president of the institute, told Pet Product News International this morning. In addition, a similarly high number of pet owners said they are sticking with their original brand of pet food, Ekedahl noted. And although hundreds of brands were affected by the recall and many media reports indicated pet owners turned to home cooking for their pets, sales of pet food declined by only …
Top 10 Reasons Pets Taken To VetApril 17, 2009newslineTop 10 Reasons Pets Taken to VetTop 10 Reasons Pets Taken to VetBased on all medical claims received in 2006, Veterinary Pet Insurance has named the top 10 reasons dogs and cats were taken to the veterinarian.Based on all medical claims received in 2006, Veterinary Pet Insurance has named the top 10 reasons dogs and cats were taken to the veterinarian. Based on all medical claims received in 2006, Veterinary Pet Insurance has named the top 10 reasons dogs and cats were taken to the veterinarian. As with last year's list, skin allergies, urinary tract infections and upset stomachs remain near the top for both pets. New conditions to this year's list include pyoderma for dogs and tooth extractions for cats. 2006 Top 10 Claims by Incident – Dogs 1. Skin allergies2. Ear infections3. Stomach upsets4. Urinary tract infections5. Benign tumors6. Pyoderma7. Sprains8. Osteoarthritis9. Enteritis10. Eye infections 2006 Top 10 Claims by Incident – Cats 1. Urinary tract infections2. Stomach upsets3. Kidney failure4. Skin allergies5. Diabetes6. Respiratory infections7. Ear infections8. Tooth extractions9. Colitis10. Hyperthyroidism 05/22/2007Top 10 Reasons Pets Taken to Vet
Open Meeting On Supplement Safety Scheduled For AprilApril 17, 2009newslineOpen Meeting on Supplement Safety Scheduled for AprilOpen Meeting on Supplement Safety Scheduled for AprilOpen Meeting on Supplement Safety Scheduled for April The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences recently formed a committee to collect and examine data related to the safety of three dietary supplements offered for dogs, cats and horses, whether in feed or separately. The committee will hold its first meeting on April 25, which will include an open session from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for veterinarians and other interested individuals and organizations. The committee will issue a report at the end of the project, which is being sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, highlighting the committee's findings and conclusions about the safety of the supplements and provide recommendations for future analyses. The project is expected to last about one year. The committee members include Jim Riviere, DVM, Ph.D., director of the Center of Chemical Toxicology Research and Pharmacokinetics, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine; Dawn Boothe, DVM, Ph.D., professor and director of the Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory at Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine; Gail Czarnecki-Maulden, Ph.D., senior research nutritionist at Nestle Purina PetCare; David Dzanis, DVM, Ph.D., owner …
Recall Expands To Include Wheat-Free DietsApril 17, 2009newslineRecall Expands to Include Wheat-Free DietsRecall Expands to Include Wheat-Free DietsRecall Expands to Include Wheat-Free Diets Melamine, the toxic ingredient suspected in causing potentially hundreds of pet deaths during the last few months, was found in an imported rice protein used to make dog and cat food, fueling concern that the largest pet food recall in history might expand even further. The U.S. government is inspecting all rice imports from China, it said today. Up until this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had focused on wheat gluten laced with melamine as the prime suspect in the pet food recall that has affected more than 100 brands. It also banned imports of wheat gluten from a single Chinese supplier after finding the gluten contaminated with melamine. On Tuesday, however, Natural Balance Pet Foods of Pacoima, Calif., recalled all of its wheat-free Venison dog products and its dry Venison cat food, regardless of code dates due to melamine found in its rice protein concentrate, an ingredient recently added to the below products. The recalled products include:Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog FormulaVenison and Brown Rice Canned Dog FoodVenison & Brown Rice Formula Dog TreatsVenison and …
Toxic Ingredient Might Have Been Added As Protein Source, FDA SaysApril 17, 2009newslineToxic Ingredient Might Have Been Added as Protein SourceToxic Ingredient Might Have Been Added as Protein SourceThe toxic ingredient suspected of contaminating millions of containers of pet food might have been put there intentionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today.The toxic ingredient suspected of contaminating millions of containers of pet food might have been put there intentionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today. The toxic ingredient suspected of contaminating millions of containers of pet food might have been put there intentionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today. Melamine found in wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China could have been used to "artificially increase protein content," said Stephen Sundlof, DVM, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. It's just a theory at this point, but the FDA is investigating all options, he said. At this point, however, China has not allowed FDA inspectors into the plants suspected of supplying the contaminated products. When the pet food recall was initiated in March, the FDA's investigation focused on wheat gluten imported from China that was tainted with melamine, but earlier this week the government agency found melamine in a rice protein concentrate …
SmartPak Joins Dog FoodApril 17, 2009newslineSmartPak Joins Dog Food SmartPak Joins Dog Food SmartPak Joins Dog Food Adding to the ever-expanding pet food recall, SmartPak of Plymouth, Mass., recalled one of its dog food products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today. The company said it was recalling a single production run of LiveSmart Weight Management Chicken and Brown Rice dog food because it contained rice protein concentrate supplied by Wilbur-Ellis. Earlier in the week, the FDA said it found melamine, a chemical implicated in the death of 16 cats and dogs and potentially many more, in rice protein concentrate imported from China by San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis. SmartPak, which sells directly to consumers through its website, said it had notified every pet owner by both phone and e-mail of its recall. Less than 1,200 pounds of the food had left its facility, SmartPak said.The company does not use rice protein concentrate in any of its other LiveSmart formulas, it said. Of the five pet food manufacturers that received rice protein concentrate from Wilbur-Ellis, only one remains unidentified. Natural Balance, Royal Canin and Blue Buffalo all recalled pet food products related to the Chinese rice protein earlier this week. Today the …
Studies Show Need For Increased Awareness Of Parasite PreventionApril 17, 2009newslineParasite Prevention AwarenessParasite Prevention AwarenessSurveys confirm that heartworm and intestinal parasites remain prevalent across the U.S. Surveys confirm that heartworm and intestinal parasites remain prevalent across the U.S. Studies Show Need for Increased Awareness of Parasite Prevention Three surveys conducted over the past year confirm that heartworm and intestinal parasites remain prevalent across the U.S., highlighting the need for improved pet owner awareness of prevention alternatives, according to Novartis Animal Health U.S. Inc. of Greensboro, N.C. Novartis Animal Health is encouraging veterinarians and their staff to educate clients on the health risks that parasites pose to pets and families, and to promote compliance with year-round parasite preventives. Novartis Animal Health said that the three surveys—two conducted by the company and one by the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine—show that parasite prevalence is high and compliance with preventives is low. Novartis Animal Health's survey of more than 1,000 veterinary clinics in 11 Western U.S. states found that heartworm is in fact an issue in that area of the country. Forty-nine percent of the responding clinics reported heartworm positive cases, totaling more than 2,300 incidents of heartworm in pets in 2005. LSU's School of Veterinary Medicine's study on dogs rescued …
Shearer Named Hartz Veterinarian Of The YearApril 17, 2009newsline Monday, February 16, 2004 Hartz Mountain Corp. named Tami Shearer, DVM, of Columbus, Ohio, winner of its 2003 Veterinarian of the Year award. The award was one of several presented at Dog World magazine's 49th Show Dogs of the Year Awards ceremony, presented by Nature's Recipe the night before the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Dog World and Veterinary Practice News are both published by BowTie, Inc. "What we at Hartz wanted to do is find unique veterinarians who celebrate the human-animal bond," said Hartz's Chief Scientific Officer Albert Ahn, DVM. "We're fortunate to have selected Dr. Shearer. She is truly, the complete, compassionate veterinarian as evidence by her academia, her publishing and by her own outreach programs in her community." Shearer, who received her veterinary degree in 1985 from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, is the owner of the Shearer Pet Hospital and founder of the Pet Hospice and Education Center— one of only 100 pet hospices in the country. "There are so many veterinarians who work small miracles every day and I feel so honored that I was chosen," Shearer said. Nominated by one of her clients, Shearer …
