Zoetis completes $2 billion acquisition of AbaxisAugust 1, 2018Zoetis Inc. announced on July 31 the completion of its acquisition of Abaxis, a developer, manufacturer, and marketer of diagnostic instruments for veterinary point-of-care services for approximately $2 billion. The acquisition, first announced on May 16, aims to enhance Zoetis' presence in veterinary diagnostics, a category of the animal health industry with approximately 10 percent compound annual growth over the last three years. "Abaxis, with its VetScan family of diagnostic instruments, brings Zoetis experienced colleagues and a proven, competitive platform for growth in diagnostics," said Juan Ramón Alaix, CEO of Zoetis. "By leveraging our global scale and direct customer relationships in approximately 45 countries, we can help Abaxis accelerate that growth in the U.S. and worldwide. Together, we can bring more veterinarian customers comprehensive solutions to predict, prevent, detect, and treat disease in animals." Zoetis executives will comment on the acquisition and provide updated financial guidance at the company's second quarter 2018 financial results webcast and conference call on Aug. 2 at 8:30 a.m. (ET). Investors and the public may access the live webcast by visiting the Zoetis website at http://investor.zoetis.com/events-presentations.
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Henry Schein disaster relief hotline open for California wildfire victimsAugust 1, 2018The Henry Schein Disaster Relief Hotline is open for veterinarians who may experience operational, logistical, or financial issues as a result of damage caused by the Northern California wildfires. The toll-free number for all Henry Schein customers is 800-999-9729 and is open 24/7, with real-time assistance available from Team Schein Members from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The Henry Schein Disaster Relief Hotline remains open throughout the year to provide assistance to practitioners during their preparation and recovery from disasters. To help meet the challenges of rebuilding a practice in the wake of a natural disaster, practitioners can download the company's Recovery Guide for Office-Based Practitioners. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people and communities throughout California as they cope with the destruction caused by the wildfires," said Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and CEO of Henry Schein. "We are prepared to help health care providers whose practices may sustain damage, and we encourage those practitioners to contact our disaster relief hotline for assistance."
House, Senate pass animal drug user fee legislationAugust 1, 2018The U.S. House and Senate have passed the Animal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2018 (HR 5554/S 2434), which are vital to increasing veterinary access to drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The House passed the bill on July 16, and the Senate passed the bill on July 31. The legislation includes language that would expand conditional approvals beyond minor uses and minor species. The animal drug user fee amendments will reauthorize the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine to continue collecting animal drug and animal generic drug user fees from the drugs' sponsors. These fees, coupled with annual appropriations, support FDA's animal drug review processes and ultimately improve veterinary access to FDA-approved drugs. Conditional approval of new animal drugs will incentivize the development of new and innovative products for conditions that prove particularly difficult to study, according to the AVMA. "By providing new animal drugs with a predictable pathway to market, these fees help provide veterinarians with access to new and additional tools that can potentially improve treatment outcomes, provide alternatives to existing therapies, fill unmet medical needs in veterinary medicine, and ultimately …
MyVet Imaging becomes Rayence subsidiaryAugust 1, 2018MyVet Imaging Inc. is now a subsidiary of South Korean digital imaging provider Rayence. The New Jersey-based company will sell its own high-resolution CMOS intraoral sensors with proprietary image processing software along with other veterinary dental solutions as well as DR flat panels and radiographic X-ray systems and ultrasound devices. The new subsidiary also will launch a dedicated equine imaging solution that will include the world's first 4-by-6-inch equine intraoral MyVet Imaging will be the primary resource center for development, production, logistics, and customer service for North America as well as Europe. As part of the launch, MyVet Imaging has updated its logo. "With this commitment, we expect to increase our combined global veterinary imaging sales by concentrating fully in the veterinary market space," said Leo Park, president of MyVet Imaging. "We are upgrading our business model to reflect complete dental, DR packages, and imaging solutions business. We are anticipating additional investments to develop more advanced veterinary dental imaging products [and] expand our manufacturing capabilities domestically." The company will display its complete veterinary portfolio at the New York Vet conference in November.
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.
As U.S. pet obesity balloons, vets, owners talk diet, nutritionApril 20, 2018The dog and cat pet obesity epidemic in the U.S. continues to grow, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). In the organization's 2017 annual clinical survey, 56 percent of dogs and 60 percent of cats were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarian. In 2016, APOP found 54 percent of dogs and 59 percent of cats were overweight or obese. In the survey, pet owners and veterinary professionals were questioned about diet and nutrition, sources of pet food advice, the benefits of corn, dry versus canned, whether pet food has improved, the best sources of pet dietary recommendations, and more. Among the findings: 58 percent of pet owners and 54 percent of veterinary professionals reported having tried to help their own pet lose weight via low-calorie and weight loss diets combined with increased exercise. 25 percent of pet owners and 43 percent of veterinary professionals said they were "too busy" to exercise their dog; 21 percent of pet owners and 19 percent of veterinary professionals cited behavior issues as a barrier. Inadequate access to exercise areas and physical limitations of the owner and pet rounded out the reported challenges. 48 percent of …
Are our patients being sold out by Big Pharma?November 2, 2011Only a fraction of the drugs we veterinary professionals use on our patients are actually approved for use in veterinary settings.
A Journey To Spain And PortugalMarch 20, 2007In November I participated in a European symposium with Robert M. Miller, DVM, author of "The Revolution in Horsemanship." In Spain, Dr. Miller presented seminars at the Barcelona Veterinary College and the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez. In Portugal, we held a symposium at the Royal Veterinary College in Lisbon and at the Equuspolis Center at the world-famous National Horse Fair in Golega. This traditional equestrian show began in 1571 on St. Martin's Day. It features the best Lusitanos for international buyers. Our mission was to acquaint horse enthusiasts with the concept of imprint training of foals followed by habituation training. Imprinting occurs most efficiently within the first hour of the foal's life. One hour of imprint training directly after birth, while the foal is still recumbent, removes fear of humans forever. The technique requires the trainer to touch the foal's entire body, with special attention to rubbing the ears, mouth, inside the nostrils, and legs and feet. On the following days, the foal is taught by habituation to tolerate blankets, saddles, noises, vehicles, other animals and anything that could potentially scare or "spook" an adult horse. Dr. Ron Fuller, who organized the symposium, demonstrated how he …
Abaxis Veterinary Market Sales Up 19%January 26, 2007Abaxis Inc.'s veterinary market reported revenue of $16.31 million for its third quarter ended Dec. 31, compared to revenue of $13.74 million in the year-ago period. Veterinary reagent disc sales for the third quarter were $8.7 million, an increase of 13 percent in the year-ago period. Year to date, the division reported revenue of $47.01 million, compared to revenue of $38.45 million in the year-ago period. Overall, Abaxis reported net income of $2.78 million on revenue of $22.02 million for its third quarter, compared to net income of $1.85 million on revenue of $17.44 million in the year-ago period. Year to date, the company reported net income of $7.29 million on revenue of $63.41 million, compared to net income of $5.15 million on revenue of $49.13 million in the year-ago period. Abaxis also reported a 42 percent revenue growth in its international revenue, compared to last year's third quarter, and a 47 percent international revenue growth year to date. International sales now account for 17 percent of the company's total revenue.
AAHA Issues, Revises Animal Welfare, Ethics StatementsNovember 10, 2005Fireflies might prove a fatal snack to exotic reptiles, according to a health alert released by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). Veterinarians should alert pet owners and advise them to take steps to prevent both the intentional or accidental ingestion of these common insects, the center reported. Based on a handful of reports from reptile owners, symptoms of poisoning quickly follow a lizard's ingestion of fireflies. These symptoms include head shaking, oral gaping, unsuccessful attempts at regurgitation and a darkening in color. The symptoms usually appear within 30 minutes of ingestion, and death might follow within the hour. Death is thought to be a result of heart malfunction. "A single firefly would have a very high probability of resulting in death," says Dr. Steve Hansen, board-certified veterinary toxicologist and director of the APCC. The warning is being issued to amphibian and bird owners as well. In addition to the lizard cases, fatal poisonings in tree frogs have been documented. In another instance, a bird that ingested a firefly regurgitated it but did not die, says Hansen. The health alert is based on about a half-dozen poisoning cases that have been …
