AAFP releases educational toolkit for feline diabetesMay 22, 2019Managing and treating feline diabetes mellitus can be complicated, which is why the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) is releasing a Diabetes Educational Toolkit. A digital information source, the online toolkit provides veterinarians with the most relevant diagnostic and treatment information for diabetes mellitus, which is not always easy to diagnose. Further, veterinary professionals can access and gather information quickly via navigation tabs. Users can move directly to information focusing on diagnosis, treatment, remission strategy, troubleshooting, frequently asked questions, and client resources. According to AAFP, cats with diabetes mellitus require a customized treatment plan, including frequent reassessment and adjustments. The association notes that patient goals, finances, implementation of the treatment plan, and the patient's response are all aspects of effective treatment. "We are excited to release this digital resource to the veterinary community in hopes we can help veterinary professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of their diabetic feline patients through providing easy-to-access information that can be implemented for each cat," says Apryl Steele, DVM, president of AAFP's board of directors. "The purpose is to create more informed veterinary teams, as well as cat caregivers. This Diabetes Educational Toolkit is intended to be an on-the-ground tool for veterinary professionals …
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Merck Animal Health, NEADS launch educational service dog campaignMay 22, 2019A new educational campaign highlights the importance of keeping service dogs healthy from fleas and ticks. Through Bravecto Cares, Merck Animal Health will donate a portion of every Bravecto sale to National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) World Class Service Dogs from now until June 30. The funds raised will be used to support the training of NEADS Service Dogs. "Merck Animal Health knows how important it is to protect our pets, especially those that work for us," says Mark Pelham, DVM, companion animal professional services, Merck Animal Health. "More than just a nuisance, fleas and ticks can carry illness, such as Lyme disease, to our pets and our families. We are proud to collaborate with NEADS, an organization that shares our dedication to keeping pets healthy as part of their extensive service dog training program." According to NEADS, being in top health is a major factor for a world-class service dog. "The health of our dogs is as important as their task training—if they are not at optimal health, they will not be at ideal performance and can potentially put their handlers at risk," says Cathy Zemaitis, NEADS director of development. As part of the campaign, Merck is …
Bayer Animal Health, Nutreco to enhance nutritional health of farm animalsMay 21, 2019Bayer Animal Health and Nutreco are combining their efforts to improve the nutritional and health performance of farm animals. The companies have signed a global research and development collaboration agreement. Their first project together will be to come up with innovative solutions for gastrointestinal health in dairy and beef cattle. "The agreement further demonstrates our strong commitment to drive innovation in the farm animal space," says Douglas Hutchens, DVM, PhD, Bayer's head of drug discovery, external innovation and chief veterinary officer. "Joining forces with Nutreco will increase our innovative capabilities and leverage the development of new solutions for our customers. We look forward to furthering farm animal health and well-being, and contributing to the sustainable development of the dairy and beef cattle industry." The project will be run by Trouw Nutrition. "We're excited to be partnering with a company like Bayer to bring real breakthroughs in this area," says Trouw Nutrition innovation director, Saskia Korink. "By pooling our know-how and capabilities, we can truly make significant steps forward and support farmers in growing their business in a sustainable way with animal well-being as a priority."
Service dogs can lead to a better life for ownersMay 21, 2019Service dogs improve the quality of life for their owners, according to a new study. Due to an increase in demand for service dogs, researchers at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine determined a need for using standardized measures to look at the relationship between the human-animal bond and psychosocial outcomes among people with service dogs over a four-year period. Elanco Animal Health funded the study. "Our goal was to apply strong science in quantifying the effects these dogs can have on well-being," says Maggie O'Haire, PhD, associate professor of human-animal interaction at Purdue University. "The research also reveals the distinctive role a service dog may have in the lives of the families of those individuals." Of the 154 recruited participants, 97 people who used a mobility or medical service dog displayed better psychosocial health, including higher levels of social and emotional functioning, and better functioning at work and/or school in comparison to the 57 who were on a waiting list. "Previous smaller and chiefly qualitative studies have found preliminary evidence service dogs can have psychosocial benefits among individuals with physical disabilities, but the research has been limited," said Tony Rumschlag, DVM, director, consulting veterinarians, U.S. companion animal business …
Veterinarian develops platelet-rich fibrin kit for pets and equineMay 20, 2019There is now a new way to treat companion and equine animals with chronic and nonhealing wounds. Corey Orava, DVM, Enso Discoveries chief scientific officer, has developed a platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) kit for veterinary use. The procedure can be completed in less than 30 minutes and can help treat cases such as: acute/chronic/nonhealing wounds; draining tracts; graft stabilization; burns; dental surgery; and bone regeneration. "There has long been a need in the regenerative medicine space for improved products, which are cost-effective and have a focus on what is best for the animal and the practice," says Enso Discoveries chief executive officer, Patrick Farley. "Thanks to such new developments as our PRF kit, which uses our proprietary Expressate system, we have been able to help veterinarians around the country save multiple animals that were scheduled for amputation or euthanasia." PRF can also be used as a second-generation autologous blood product, which would remove the risk of rejection.
Salem, Ore., tops the list for heartworms in MayMay 17, 2019Salem, Ore., is the number one city for heartworms in May, according to Companion Animal Parasite Council's (CAPC's) top 10 list. The list reflects positive heartworm test results from the last 30 to 45 days. The following are the U.S. cities with the highest percentage increase in positive heartworm tests for May: 1) Salem, Ore. 2) Dover, Del. 3) Charleston, W. Va. 4) Norfolk, Va. 5) Amarillo, Tex. 6) Port St. Lucie, Fla. 7) Rochester, N.Y. 8) Visalia, Calif. 9) Vancouver, Wash. 10) Albuquerque, N. Mex. According to CAPC, pets on May's top 10 cities list could have been exposed locally or through travel. Factors such as transportation of shelter dogs, pet owner compliance in administering monthly heartworm preventatives, changing weather patterns, and mosquito microclimates may be the cause for the increase in positive tests. "Most people consider their pets as family members and wouldn't knowingly expose them to infection with a potentially fatal disease that ultimately compromises the length and quality of their lives. Yet millions who fail to protect their pets every month from heartworm infection are doing just that," says Craig Prior, DVM, past-president of CAPC's …
Veterinary loan repayment bill introduced in House of RepresentativesMay 16, 2019Rural veterinarians are one step closer to seeing the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) Enhancement Act become law. The act, a companion bill to S.1163, has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and would remove a withholding tax to maximize funding for the veterinary medicine loan repayment program. The VMLRP offers loan repayment assistance to relocate veterinarians to areas deemed by the U.S. department of agriculture to have shortages. In a statement, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) president, John de Jong, DVM, said, "Too many rural communities today don't have access to adequate veterinary care, leaving livestock at risk for dangerous diseases, which could impact agricultural communities and threaten public health. Unfortunately, the reality is that food-animal veterinary careers typically pay less than small-animal careers, and high levels of student debt can make it financially difficult for veterinarians to follow these career paths. "The VMLRP is extremely effective in addressing this challenge because it provides veterinarians with loan repayment assistance so they don't have to choose between paying off their loans and pursuing food-animal or public health careers. These efforts are critical to our farming and ranching communities, and we're grateful to the members of Congress …
Trupanion goes all out for Veterinary Appreciation DayMay 16, 2019Veterinary professionals are going to feel all the love on Veterinary Appreciation Day, thanks to Trupanion's new campaign, which celebrates the work they do. Starting today, the pet medical insurance company is asking pet owners to share their veterinary hero stories on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #VeterinaryLove. Those tweets and Instagram posts will then be broadcasted live in New York City's Times Square on the NASDAQ Tower on Veterinary Appreciation Day, which will be held June 18. Trupanion is reminding owners to tag their veterinary office and share a special picture of their pet using the hashtag. The company will also be sharing the hero stories on its social media platforms and online.
Scratchpay, Green Dot Bank partner to create new way to save for veterinarian visitsMay 16, 2019Scratchpay and Green Dot Bank have announced they are working together to help pet owners save money for those unexpected veterinary bills. The financial technology company will offer owners Scratchpay Savings, a new type of savings account and a debit card. "Scratchpay's current offerings help pet parents manage the high cost of veterinary care with convenient and transparent payment plans," says Scratchpay chief executive officer, John Keatley. "But we know many of our customers want to be proactive and plan ahead for the next expensive trip to the veterinarian. "Our new Scratchpay savings account will help them do just that. Set aside funds each month for their pet's health care, while also earning benefits and incentives to reward them for good behavior." The benefits of Scratchpay Savings include: • Set-it-and-forget-it savings plans through the Scratchpay app • A customized debit card, allowing convenient access to funds • Pet-friendly rewards and incentives • No minimum balance • No monthly fee Owners will also be able to earn cash back at Scratchpay partner clinic locations and special rewards will be available to account holders who also have a Scratchpay payment plan.
Penn Vet, Wharton School launch veterinary entrepreneurship programMay 15, 2019The School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet) and the Wharton School are launching a veterinary entrepreneurship program. Created for clinicians, scientists, technologists, and academic leaders, "Leading Veterinary Entrepreneurship" is designed to help veterinary professionals build entrepreneurial skills regarding public health, environmental sustainability, and human and animal well-being. "As the world becomes more complex, so does the role of veterinarians. They are uniquely positioned to ask questions with implications for animal, human, and environmental health," says Andrew Hoffman, who serves as the program's academic director and Gilbert S. Kahn dean of veterinary medicine. "And an entrepreneurial mindset is really critical, really central, to tackling challenges such as food and water security, sustainable farming, climate change, and the advancement of animal welfare." Participants will learn about the importance of opportunity identification, testing, assessment, resource allocation, and leadership competencies required to create an entrepreneurial culture. "I'm hearing a collective recognition from students, alumni, and my own colleagues regarding the role veterinarians can play in the health of communities, both local and global," Hoffman says. "I wanted to develop an executive program with the Wharton School giving veterinarians the tools to drive improvements in public health, environmental sustainability, …
