Royal Canin releases Pill Assist to help administer medication to dogs October 2, 2018Royal Canin has launched veterinary-exclusive Pill Assist soft chews to simplify administering medication to dogs. According to a study by the company, Pill Assist enabled successful pill administration in 97 percent of cases. "We understand the stress pet owners face when trying to provide necessary medication for their pets," said Catherine Lenox, DVM, CVA, DACVN, scientific affairs manager for Royal Canin. "A dog's medication cannot help if it is not taken. Royal Canin developed Pill Assist to ease the burden on pet owners and enable dogs to better consume the medication they need." The product's soft texture can be molded around any pill shape, is available in sizes for small and medium-to-large dogs, has moderate calorie content, and includes vitamins and prebiotics. The product can be found at select veterinary clinics.
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20-plus clinics to participate in expanded osteosarcoma vaccine clinical trialSeptember 6, 2018Initial results of a pilot study for canine osteosarcoma vaccine are promising, prompting a larger study to test its safety and efficacy. Pharmaceutical company Aratana Therapeutics, which received conditional licensure for Live Listeria Vector (AT-014), has expanded its clinical trial to include more than two dozen veterinary oncology practice groups across the U.S. in order to receive full licensure. Conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, the pilot study tested the immunotherapy treatment in 18 dogs. Those that received the vaccine lived more than twice as long as the historical, matched control group, with median survival times of 956 days compared to 423 days. The expanded clinical trial is designed to collect additional safety data for the vaccine in dogs that have undergone amputation of the affected limb and have already completed chemotherapy. If the treatment is found to be as safe and effective as it appeared in the initial clinical trial, Aratana will be given full licensure, allowing it to make the drug commercially available. Live Listeria Vector (AT-014) is created by removing harmful genes from the Listeria bacteria and then attaching markers of osteosarcoma cells. It is designed to supplement standard osteosarcoma treatment of amputation …
Meet KC Animal Health Corridor Investment Forum 2018's 12 competitorsAugust 27, 2018Twelve emerging animal health companies from three countries vied last week for investment opportunities in a "Shark Tank" format with more than 200 animal health companies and 40 financial funds at the 10th annual KC Animal Health Investment Forum. "The Global Animal Health Investment Forum is the premier stage for emerging companies to showcase innovations and technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the animal health industry," said Kimberly Young, president of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. Each company is given 10 minutes to present their ideas in front of seven judges, including executives from Nestlé Purina PetCare, Bayer Animal Health, Ceva U.S. Holdings, and Petsmart, followed by a five-minute Q&A session. Presenting companies are seeking anywhere from $500,000 to $20 million in funding and have revenue projections of $20 million within five to seven years. "The Investment Forum is really unique," said Roy Stein, founder and CEO of BabelBark. "It gave us exposure to a mix of people with different backgrounds that were open minded and ready to listen to the newest technology. During Global Animal Health Week we connected with significant investors, potential partners and clients that provided us with enough traction to secure funding and …
Zoetis Core EQ Innovator equine vaccine fights five core diseasesAugust 24, 2018Zoetis' new Core EQ Innovator equine vaccine contains all five core equine disease antigens—West Nile, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus, and rabies—in one vaccine. Core EQ Innovator provides a safe and effective immune response against the five core equine disease antigens as demonstrated in safety and efficacy trials, Zoetis stated, adding that the vaccine has been field tested in more than 1,000 horses with 99.7 percent of horses being reaction free.2,3 "Viral respiratory and neurologic diseases are the leading preventable causes of death in horses," said Jacquelin Boggs, DVM, MS, DACVIM, senior veterinarian, Equine Technical Services at Zoetis. "While annual vaccination against the core equine diseases has long been an established standard of care, Core EQ Innovator will simplify compliance and help provide protection to all horses against these deadly diseases. We trust this vaccine will better equip veterinarians with the tools they need to help protect the health and well-being of horses." All of the disease antigens in Core EQ Innovator are backed by the Zoetis Equine Immunization Support Guarantee, which provides horse owners and veterinarians with vaccination support, including diagnostic testing and treatment, the company stated. Available in a 1-mL dose and safe …
Blue Buffalo Co. launches canine obesity, joint health dietAugust 23, 2018Blue Buffalo Co. has launched BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet W+M Weight Management + Mobility Support for dogs. According to the company, the therapeutic diet contains L-carnitine, which has been shown to facilitate weight loss and help maintain lean body mass in dogs; betaine, which supports dogs' ability to metabolize fat; moderate levels of dietary fiber from powdered cellulose, pea fiber, dried tomato pomace, and chicory root, which promote satiety and weight loss; turmeric, vitamin C, and vitamin E to limit oxidative stress, which has been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. It also contains EPA, DHA, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate, as well as deboned salmon, fish oil, canola oil, flaxseed, and shrimp meal.
TraumaFX releases advanced canine medical simulatorJune 5, 2018K9 Diesel, a new canine medical simulator, has been released for commercial availability by TraumaFX, a division of Kforce Government Solutions and global provider of human and canine medical training simulators. Developed jointly with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), K9 Diesel offers 28 different features and medical intervention sites. The simulator builds on the TraumaFX K9 Hero model released in 2016, which offered a rugged design and life-like skeleton. K9 Diesel's added features include: Adjustable, realistic breathing Added audio cues (including four different sounds an injured dog might make) Interchangeable limbs Packable axillary wounds Decompression for gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) Realistic venous and arterial bleeding for hemorrhage control training. Additionally, users are able to easily preprogram training scenarios, which can be named and saved for future use, allowing instructors to focus on the techniques of the learner while the simulator functions on its own throughout the exercise and captures the results for later review. "With K9 Diesel, operational K9 care is realized for the first time via simulation," said Carolyn Hollander, vice president of TraumaFX. "Working closely with DOD operational K9 teams, we have been able to replicate many more real-world medical situations." The simulator …
Kindred Biosciences' Mirataz commercially available in U.S.May 9, 2018Update: this product is now commercially available in the U.S. Kindred Biosciences Inc. has received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for Mirataz (mirtazapine transdermal ointment) for the management of weight loss in cats. Mirtazapine, which blocks specific serotonin and histamine receptors that play a role in appetite and nausea, demonstrated a 3.9 percent increase in body weight in cats with unintended weight loss in as little as 14 days, according to San Francisco-based Kindred. To help improve owner and patient compliance, Mirataz will be available in a topical formulation applied to the inner pinna of a cat's ear. Research shows daily topical application for 14 days resulted in measurable plasma concentrations of mirtazapine in cats, the manufacturer stated. Mirataz offers the confidence of a product approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine, convenience of transdermal application, Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) production quality, known stability, manufacturer technical support, and a practical way to manage feline weight loss without administration of oral medication, according to Valentine S. Williams, DVM, DACVS, director of veterinary affairs at Kindred Biosciences.
AAHA releases new edition of Veterinary Fee ReferenceMarch 20, 2018Discover how to remain profitable and competitive within your unique market with the 20th anniversary edition of the American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) statistical book, Veterinary Fee Reference. The new edition includes U.S. veterinary fees for more than 530 services and cases and more than 640 tables with data on discounts, vaccination services, and time scheduled for procedures. The reference's evidence-based fee setting data allows veterinarians to confidently price services correctly for per market (accounting for median household income of clients, metropolitan status of the practice, etc.) and practice philosophy, age, and size. New and updated data include: Fees for acupuncture and in-home euthanasia Reasons practices elected to change fees Gross annual revenue of survey respondents Information on in-home euthanasia services Frequency of preventive care exams, rabies vaccines, FVRCP vaccines, and other services Veterinary Fee Reference, Tenth Edition American Animal Hospital Association Pages: 460 Product Code: VFRE10 ISBN: 978-1-58326-027-2 Publication Year: 2018 Edition: Tenth Format: Paperback Member: $154.95 Nonmember: $259.95
