Elanco Animal Health becomes stand-alone companyMarch 11, 2019Elanco Animal Health says it is now a fully independent company after completing its split from Eli Lilly. In 2017, Lilly announced the exploration of potential strategic alternatives for Elanco. "This is a historic day for everyone at Elanco," says company president and chief executive officer, Jeff Simmons. "It reflects our team's hard work over the past two years, and the confidence we have the right strategy and are successfully progressing the execution against it." The share exchange was finalized a little less than six months after 19.8 percent of Elanco's shares were sold to the public. Since then, Elanco reported two quarters of financial and operating results as a standalone company. "With this milestone behind us, we look forward to a singular focus delivering innovative solutions and services for our customers—the farmers, veterinarians, and pet owners that are central to our success," Simmons says. "We welcome our new Elanco shareholders who join us and offer our appreciation to our customers, and Lilly for the decades of support."
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U.S. congressmen introduce bill to end deadly experiments on kittensMarch 11, 2019A new bill has been introduced to get the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to stop performing harmful experiments on felines. U.S. congressmen Brian Mast and Jimmy Panetta have introduced the Kittens in Traumatic Testing Ends Now Act of 2019. "The fact we need a piece of legislation to tell the federal government to stop killing kittens is ridiculous on its face, but what's even worse is when you hear the government is actually breeding hundreds of these cats just to intentionally feed them parasite-ridden raw meat and then kill them even though they're perfectly healthy," Mast says. "These tests are awful, abusive, and unnecessary, not to mention a serious misuse of millions of taxpayer dollars. This needs to stop now." "This common sense, bipartisan bill will require the USDA to adhere to the same animal welfare standards the department is charged to uphold," Panetta says. "While I strongly support scientific research, taxpayer money and federal resources should be spent on advancing scientific research in an ethical manner, not on inflicting pain on innocent kittens in outdated experiments. I hope this bill helps us get closer to ending this cruel practice.
Veterinary pain management market expected to be worth $1.73 billion by 2026March 8, 2019A marketing and consulting firm says the global veterinary pain management market is projected to reach $1.73 billion by 2026. According to a report by Grand View Research, the growth will be partially fed by an increase in the number of veterinary practitioners. In addition, a high rate of chronic illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and osteoarthritis, will help boost the market over the next seven years. Further, North America is expected to be a major player in the growth. In 2018, it held the majority of the veterinary pain management market, as a result of favorable pet insurance policies and strategic initiatives implemented by numerous companies. Other highlights from Grand View Research's report include: • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) accounted for the largest market share regarding revenue in 2018 due to the increase of chronic diseases; • the number of people who own a companion animal is anticipated to grow over the forecast period due to the rise in pet adoption and expenditure for better pet care; • Osteoarthritis (OA) is expected to hold the largest market share as a result of the increasing rate of obesity; • postoperative pain is expected to exhibit …
Kansas State University to study impact of supplement in geriatric dogsMarch 8, 2019Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine is set to study the impact of a lean muscle supplement in geriatric dogs. Forty dogs suffering from three of the four following conditions will be enrolled in the study: • weakness; • weight loss; • slowed or altered mobility; and • exercise intolerance. The study—which will test MYOS RENS Technology's Fortetropin—will be performed under the supervision of Kenneth R. Harkin, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), professor and section head of small animal internal medicine. All the dogs will be fitted with an activity collar. After monitoring their activity for two weeks, 20 dogs will be assigned to receive the supplement and 20 will receive a placebo. Activity levels will continue to be monitored and the quality of life assessment, based on the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs questionnaire, will be used to evaluate results. "Pet owners often remark their dog is slowing down as they enter their golden years," Dr. Harkin says. "Although osteoarthritis is often tipped as the culprit, the loss of muscle mass associated with old age is an underappreciated cause. Geriatric dogs with muscle mass loss fatigue easily, which by itself can negatively impact their quality of …
Four Kansas State University veterinary students receive $1,000 AVMA scholarshipsMarch 7, 2019Four Kansas State University veterinary students have each been awarded $1,000 by the Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Legacy Endowed Scholarship. The awards are given to students at 32 AVMA-accredited veterinary colleges in the U.S., the Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada, and St. George's University and Ross University in the Caribbean to support their education. This year, the scholarships went to third-year veterinary medicine students, Danielle Pickering and Katelyn Guill-Sanchez, and second-year veterinary medicine students, Rebecca Tomasek and Katya Luckenbach. "This scholarship will help me relieve some of the financial burden of veterinary school, as I pursue a career in small animal or mixed medicine, and eventually a doctorate," Pickering says. "As a veterinary student who is interested in public health and international veterinary medicine, I am always looking for educational opportunities to travel to other countries to experience what the field of veterinary medicine is like in them," Luckenbach says. "Being an out-of-state student, it is hard to justify borrowing extra money for electives involving international travel, so having the privilege of being awarded this scholarship will help to fund my upcoming international veterinary tours elective." "I am so excited to receive this award for the …
Banfield Foundation commits $1 million to keep pets and domestic abuse victims togetherMarch 7, 2019The Banfield Foundation says it is investing $1 million in its Safer Together initiative to help victims of domestic violence and their pets find pet-friendly shelters. According to a recent study, up to 89 percent of pet-owning domestic violence victims report their abuser has threatened, injured, or killed the family pet. Further, about six to 10 percent of domestic violence shelters allow animals onsite. The Safe Together grant would allow qualifying nonprofit organizations to apply for funding as they increase their capacity to help people and pets escape domestic violence. "Through our work and the work of other outstanding organizations, we hope to create a world where victims never have to choose between their own safety and the safety of their loved ones, including their pets," says Banfield Foundation executive director, Kim Van Syoc. "Victims often remain in a dangerous environment because they do not have access to a pet-friendly shelter or program, and we believe saving the life of a pet can save the life of a human. Pets play an essential role in families, particularly during crises like domestic violence. Keeping pets safe and healthy helps ensure they remain a vital part of their …
AAHA releases 2019 Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and CatsMarch 7, 2019The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has updated its dental care guidelines with the goal of decreasing oral pain and improving the quality of life for dogs and cats. While not always apparent to pet owners, by the age of three, dogs and cats have some level of periodontal disease. Updated from the 2013 edition, the 2019 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats are designed to help veterinary professionals expand their current client education efforts, so pet owners understand periodontal disease can be avoided through regular dental checkups and proper home care. The new guidelines also help veterinary practitioners address the fear of anesthesia among pet owners, as it is the most common reason for declining dental procedures. "Regular dental care is one of the most powerful ways we can improve the quality of life of our patients," said AAHA chief executive officer, Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP (emeritus). "AAHA continues to support the use of general anesthesia in dental procedures to promote appropriate diagnostic capabilities and decrease patient stress, injury, and risk of aspiration. Because home care is crucial in the support of a healthy, pain-free mouth, client communication and education remain central to these guidelines." Detailed …
Boehringer Ingelheim launches initiative to fight heartworm disease in dogsMarch 6, 2019Boehringer Ingelheim is debuting Heartworm 2020, an initiative dedicated to increasing the number of dogs who receive heartworm disease prevention in 2019. The initiative comes in response to a report from the American Heartworm Society (AHS) that found a 21 percent increase in positive heartworm tests per clinic. "We knew we could help increase the number of dogs receiving the heartworm disease prevention," says Sarah Cloud, Heartgard brand director. "Heartworm 2020 addresses this issue at the grassroots level by asking everyone in the veterinary clinic to participate. If every clinic does their part to get 20 new dogs on prevention, that means 583,240 more dogs will be protected from this potentially deadly disease in 2019 than were protected in 2018." To help clinics accomplish the Heartworm 2020 goal, Heartgard Plus will give heartworm disease education tools and incentives to pet owners. Heartgard Plus will also provide clinics with tracking tools and educational resources for staff. "Helping clinics educate pet owners on the on-going risks of heartworm disease is the first step in increasing the number of dogs on prevention," says head of U.S. Pet Veterinary Professional Services, Zach Mills, DVM. "Heartworm 2020 will help educate pet owners on heartworm …
Pennsylvania clinic to host second K9 Veterans Day eventMarch 6, 2019Leader Heights Animal Hospital is hosting its second annual K9 Veterans Day event to recognize, honor, and celebrate service animals from organizations in York County, Pa., and nearby areas. Held on March 16, this rain-or-shine event takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with the ceremony beginning at 1:30 p.m. The celebration is open to the public; however, the organizers are asking that pets stay at home to not distract the service animals. The event includes: • Hero awards for local service animals • Memorializing fallen service animals in the clinic's K9 Memorial garden • K9 demonstrations • Free fingerprinting for children • Dog pampering (with free laser therapy) and nail trims for all service animals • Raising money for the West York K9 department and York County Sheriff's Office K9 department • Free food For more information, see Leader Heights Animal Hospital's Facebook page or email cbear@nvanet.com.
Royal Canin inspires future veterinarians with contestMarch 6, 2019Royal Canin has teamed up with Vet Set Go to give aspiring teen and tween veterinarians the chance to win one of three sought-after spots at Auburn University's junior vet camp. "Like many of my colleagues, my love for animals and desire to help them was awakened at a young age," says Laura Pletz, DVM, scientific services manager at Royal Canin. "In early elementary school, I remember being so appreciative of the veterinarian who cared for my puppy when he broke his leg. I dreamed of being able to provide that same level of care for all animals, which is the moment I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian. I never strayed from that passion and would have loved to have had the opportunity to participate in a program such as junior vet camp." The camp runs from July 14 to 19 and is offered to students entering sixth through eighth grade. Three contest winners will receive all-inclusive entry including free tuition, meals, and housing. Attendees will learn about veterinary treatment in classrooms, laboratories, and outdoor facilities. The students will be taught about public health, food, animals, wildlife, anatomy, x-rays, and first aid. Mentoring about veterinary science careers will …
