After The RecallFebruary 1, 2008pet food recalls that began a year ago in March--one of the most sweeping in the nation's history--irrevocably changed some consumers' buying habits. Ninety-three percent of pet owners knew of the recalls, according to the market research firm Mintel in Chicago. The most common reaction was to switch brands, with 16 percent converting to organic food. Mintel doesn't expect those buyers to remain converts. However, Packaged Facts in Rockville, Md., another research firm, believes the $15.4 billion pet-food market is up for grabs and predicts the winner. "Alternative pet foods are emerging as the primary beneficiaries," says David Lummis, a senior analyst with the firm, writing in Petfood Industry magazine. Among the alternatives he cites are high-end natural and organic pet foods; raw, frozen, refrigerated and homemade food; and U.S.-sourced, locally grown and smaller-batch foods. The category's growth seems unstoppable. Sales of organic pet foods in the U.S. totaled $30 million in 2005, an increase of 46 percent over 2004. In 2006, sales increased 36.7 percent to $41 million, the Organic Trade Assn. says. Whatever choices clients make, today many are armed with a new-found knowledge of pet food manufacturing and ingredients' country of origin. "One of the most significant …
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AAEP Updates Equine Vaccination GuidelinesJanuary 30, 2008The American Assn. of Equine Practitioners' Infectious Disease Committee, which is comprised of researchers, vaccine manufacturers and private practitioners, has updated its equine vaccination guidelines. Recommendations have been made for the use of vaccines based on the age of the horse and its previous vaccination history. The "Guidelines for the Vaccination of Horses" include: The identification of tetanus, Eastern/Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, West Nile virus and rabies as core vaccines. . The addition of a vaccination protocol for anthrax. . Recommendations for the storage and handling of vaccines, as well as information on vaccine labeling and adverse reactions. . Inclusion of the AAEP's Infectious Disease Control Guidelines, which provide an action plan for the containment of infectious disease during an outbreak. "The goal of the guidelines is to provide current information that will enable veterinarians and clients to make thoughtful and educated decisions on vaccinating horses in their care," said Mary Scollay, DVM, chair of the Committee. The vaccination schedules are complemented by supporting information on topics including vaccine technology and disease risk-assessment, allowing veterinarians to customize vaccination programs specific to the needs of an individual horse or group of …
AAHA Meeting To Mark 75 YearsJanuary 15, 2008The American Animal Hospital Assn.’s 75th anniversary conference will be held in Tampa, Fla., March 27-30, marking a change in its yearly conference schedule. Based on surveys, AAHA found that attendees didn’t want to spend too much time away from their practice and wanted to be home in time to get back to work on Monday. To help meet these needs, AAHA’s conferences will now run Thursday through Sunday every year. More than 300 hours of continuing education covering scientific, management, technician and team topics will be offered. Scientific sessions will include endocrinology, anesthesia, behavior, cardiology, clinical pathology, dentistry, dermatology, emergency and critical care, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, pain management, radiology and ultrasound, respiratory, surgery and urology. Other topics will include preventive medicine and disease screening of purebreds; improving critical care outcomes with nutrition; economics and new horizons of pain management; patient and owner management considerations for pets with chronic illnesses; preparing for practice ownership; greening your practice; and electronic health records. Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. of Topeka, Kan., is sponsoring “The Puzzling Patient: What to Do When the Pieces Don’t Fit.” The symposium includes “The Feline Perspective—Nothing Is as Easy as It Looks”; “The Largest Endocrine Organ: I …
Animal Health Companies Increase R&D SpendingNovember 19, 2007Animal health companies spent $663 million in 2006 to research and develop potential new products and to maintain the longevity of existing products, according to the Animal Health Institute’s Research and Development Survey. This constitutes a 7 percent increase over 2005 spending. Innovative research represented 86 percent of total research and development spending, the same as in 2005. The remaining 14 percent went toward research to ensure the longevity of existing products. In 2006, 26.4 million pounds of antibiotics were sold for use in farm and companion animals, an increase from 24.4 million pounds sold in 2005. Data represent answers from Animal Health Institute member companies, which include Abbott Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., Elanco Animal Health, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Intervet Inc., Merial Ltd., Novartis Animal Health U.S. Inc., Pfizer Animal Health and Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp. <HOME>
Amphibian Disease Conference To Meet In ArizonaOctober 16, 2007Almost 300 people, including veterinarians, scientists and fish and wildlife managers, will meet Nov. 5-7 in Tempe, Ariz., at a conference on stopping the spread of a fungal-based amphibian disease. Hosted by the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC)–a multilateral organization with members from the federal and state governments, zoos, the pet industry, conservation groups and others–the conference will include panels to discuss amphibian deaths related to the so-called Bd fungal disease, know as chytridiomycosis and caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidi. Speakers will review case studies and identify actions needed to limit its spread in both captive and wild situations. Sponsors of the event include the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fish and Wildlife Service and other government groups as well as the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the Phoenix Zoo/Arizona Zoological Society, the Turner Foundation, Conservation Intl., Defenders of Wildlife, the Houston Zoo and the Herpetologists’ League. For more information click here. <HOME>
Chip Claim Gets Under Oncologists’ SkinOctober 2, 2007 Last month’s Associated Press news reports of microchips causing cancer in pets led to widespread media coverage. But veterinary experts say there is no evidence that cancer is a problem in microchipped pets. A series of veterinary and toxicology studies dating from the mid-1990s purportedly showed that microchip implants had induced malignant tumors in some laboratory mice and rats. This, coupled with a case report documenting the death of a 9-year-old French bulldog due to a subcutaneous cancerous mass, was fuel for a denouncement of microchips, which were recently given the nod by the Food and Drug Administration for use in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Cheryl London, DVM, oncologist at The Ohio State University, says she is enraged at the inaccuracies passed off as fact in the media reports. She says she was misquoted in the national report, and says the record needs to be set straight based on fact. “In the 15 years I’ve been practicing, I have not seen one sarcoma in the neck area of a dog,” London says. “Millions of implanted microchips resulting in four cases is not evidence. Even if the four potential cases were scientifically determined to be linked to …
A Comparison Of Veterinary Practices In The United States And HollandJuly 18, 2007In the August 2007 issue, Dennis M. McCurnin, DVM, wrote on an article titled, “A Comparison of Veterinary Practices in the United States and Holland.” The article discussed single practitioners, diagnostic fees, cat services and client education. Here is the continuation of the article that appeared in print: Several issues could be considered by both U.S. and Dutch veterinarians to increase and improve efficiency. First, we all must learn to do more multitasking; that is to handle more cases per day, by using more than one exam room at a time per DVM. Many practices have only one consultation or exam room per DVM. This limits the number of cases that can be seen each day. If two consultation rooms were available per FTE DVM receiving cases, then larger numbers of cases could be serviced. To make full use of two consultation rooms per DVM, the art of delegation must be perfected. Delegation also requires a well-trained staff to be able to delegate to. We must develop quality staff to allow delegation to improve efficiency. We also need to develop more consultation rooms in most practices by converting office space, storage space or other areas that could be developed into …
An Education In Feline DentistryJune 26, 2007When studying feline dentistry, advanced education is the key. The understanding of feline periodontal pathology, feline resorptive lesions, feline oral radiology diagnostics, feline oncology and feline oral inflammatory pathology are all essential in correct diagnosis and creating a proper treatment plan. This is not a comprehensive listing but it is the most commonly confronted pathology that you will note in the feline. If the wellness exam at your hospital does not include a complete oral examination, add it to your assessment today. Mastering the Normal The feline dental formula, eruption times, root numbers, and the modified Triadan numbering system must be mastered. Good sources for studying these topics are "Veterinary Dentistry Principles and Practice," Wiggs/Lobprise Editors; Lippincott-Raven;1987, and "An Atlas of Veterinary Dental Radiology," DeForge/Colmery, Editors; Iowa State University Press/Blackwell Publishing; 2000. These texts are an important starting point. Drs. Wiggs and Lobprise discuss the intricacies of the normal and the abnormal of the feline oral condition. "An Atlas of Veterinary Dental Radiology" gives a radiographic visualization of oral structures in the feline and the canine Quick Study of Terms Feline gingivitis: The gingiva tissue overlies the bony alveolar processes of the maxilla and mandible and surrounds the …
Advice On Planning A Dream RebuildJune 21, 2007Practice owners in the midst of building a new hospital have more than aesthetics to plan for. A new clinic's floor plan should improve workflow efficiency on a day-to-day basis, says Sal Longo of Crosby Longo Architecture Studio, LLC in Lafayette and New Orleans, La. He calls it proper program zoning and says to think of the new clinic in terms of zones: the treatment area, the laboratory, the pharmacy, the exam rooms, etc. Planning how these zones will lay out takes intimate knowledge of the entire veterinary staff's workflow and movement through the hospital, Longo says. Nanette Walker Smith, RVT, of the Veterinary Support Personnel Network, agrees. Having worked in many a hospital where misplaced fixtures and poor floor plans made it difficult to move around, she developed a special interest in and studied veterinary architecture. "Cage and stall doors should all open so as not to occlude the workspace or hallway," she says. "Picture moving a debilitated animal with minimal assistance and multiple IVs or monitors attached from one place to another." Sometimes architects and planners aren't privy to these intricacies, Smith says, so helping them along in their planning will benefit everyone.
How To Promote Weight Loss: The Big Dog, Big Losers CompetitionJune 21, 2007Nine-year-old Winnie used to spend her evenings like many children her age: lounging around on the couch, watching television and eating her favorite snack—chicken alfredo pizza. The only problem: Winnie wasn't a 9-year-old child. She is a schnauzer-poodle mix. And at 27.3 pounds, she was also 8 pounds overweight, according to Anne Chauvet, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM and owner of Veterinary Neuro Services LLC in Sarasota, Fla. Winnie's owners, Bonny Rauch and husband Larry, of Bradenton, Fla., decided to take action on Winnie's weight problem when another family pet, also an overweight schnauzer, died of kidney failure at age 7. That's when Rauch found an advertisement in her local newspaper for the Big Dog, Big Loser contest, a weight-loss competition hosted by Veterinary Neuro Services to help dog owners get their pets back into shape. The 12-week competition started Jan. 17 and began with eight contestants, each of whom received a health check-up from their own veterinarian before the competition. After Dr. Chauvet's staff got the go-ahead from participants' veterinarians, they loaded the dogs' physical information into Royal Canin's "Fit for Life" software program to determine their target weight and the diet needed to get them there. The software also calculated …
