Fear Free issues request for research proposalsMarch 5, 2019Fear Free is now accepting proposals to help researchers focus on reducing fear, anxiety, and stress related to veterinary visits or/and enriching the lives of pets at home. To qualify, proposals must be original, evidence-based research that will increase and enhance the understanding of the science and knowledge on which Fear Free training and education is based. Fear Free is offering a grant amount of up to $2,500 to individuals, groups, or teaching institutions looking for assistance to help fund their study. Submissions can meet one of two categories: 1) Research in dogs and/or cats exploring the prevention, reduction, or assessment of fear, anxiety, stress, and pain associated with veterinary visits, including travel, facilities, procedures, hospitalization, or the return home. 2) Research in dogs and/or cats studying the effects of techniques, approaches, and strategies to decrease fear, anxiety, and stress in the home including environmental enrichment, meeting behavioral needs, therapeutic interventions, and measures and tools for evaluating stress and distress. Research projects should have Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee or Welfare approval. Submissions are accepted throughout the year, but are now being reviewed. Proposals can be submitted to: fearfreepets.com/fear-free-research
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UF College of Veterinary Medicine spends $6 million to expand its facilitiesMarch 4, 2019University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine is expanding its facilities with a new $6-million addition, which will help to better train its students and offer primary care and dentistry services. Built a decade ago, the current building offers 100,000 sf with the new space adding about 12,000 sf. It will provide more space for primary care and dentistry services, and will also contain offices for administrative personnel. The ground floor of the original facility now has more room for emergency and critical care services. Before construction of the new building, primary care and dentistry service clients shared an entrance and lobby with emergency clients. The university says when pet patients are stabilized, they can be seamlessly transferred to primary care in the new building.
Martha Stewart to enter animal CBD market with new partnershipFebruary 28, 2019A good thing could be in the works for pet well-being thanks to a collaboration between lifestyle guru and animal lover Martha Stewart and Canopy Growth Corp. The Canadian cannabis and hemp company announced today that Stewart has joined Canopy in an advisory role to assist with developing and positioning a broad new line of product offerings. "I am delighted to establish this partnership with Canopy Growth and share with them the knowledge I have gained after years of experience in the subject of living," Stewart said. "I'm especially looking forward to our first collaboration together, which will offer sensible products for people's beloved pets." Stewart is a vocal advocate for animals, championing the health and wellness of pets and farm animals alike. According to Canopy, several clinical trials are underway to explore the effectiveness of CBD and other cannabinoids as they relate to improving the lives of both humans and animals. The company says it will be guided by Stewart's knowledge of consumer products and merchandising. "As soon as you hear the name Martha, you know exactly who we're talking about," said Canopy Growth chair and co-CEO, Bruce Linton. "Martha is one of a kind and I am …
Trupanion donates $12,000 following veterinary conferencesFebruary 28, 2019Trupanion has donated $12,000 to three animal charities in lieu of handing out booth trinkets at recent industry events. Over the last two months, the pet insurer has donated $5 to the following nonprofits on behalf of every person that visited its booth: Greyhound Pets of America received $4,715 after the VMX conference; The Farley Foundation—which assists those struggling financially to pay for veterinary care for their pets—was given a donation of $1,505 at the end of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association's (OVMA's) conference in Toronto, Canada; and Nevada's SPCA received $5,860 at the close of WVC.
ISU to begin canine anticancer immunotherapeutic agent clinical trialsFebruary 28, 2019Iowa State University (ISU) College of Veterinary Medicine is starting a clinical study for a new canine anticancer immunotherapeutic. Produced by NovaVive, the anticancer treatment, Immunocidin, has received regulatory approval in the U.S. and Canada to treat mammary tumors. The study will observe dogs with stage I or stage II splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) who have undergone a splenectomy to determine the effectiveness of Immunocidin in combination with doxorubicin chemotherapy. Sixty-six dogs will participate in the trial and survival times will be monitored. "Treatment options and survival outcomes for canine HSA have remained essentially stagnant for the past two decades," said Chad Johannes, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, oncology). "Additional therapeutic options for HSA are needed and we look forward to learning more about how immune stimulation via Immunocidin may play a role in improving outcomes for dogs." Ten oncology clinics will participate in the trial. To find one, visit bit.ly/2D56wBv and enter AAHSD004874 in the keyword search.
Boehringer Ingelheim announces North American headquarters in GeorgiaFebruary 27, 2019Boehringer Ingelheim has announced it is investing $120 million in Georgia, creating 225 jobs. "For nearly 40 years, the company and its predecessors have helped make the state of Georgia a key player in animal health—from its beginning producing rabies vaccines in Athens, to multiple facilities today that are playing an instrumental role in advancing animal health and well-being," said Everett Hoekstra, president of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA. "Our investments will expand our capabilities and presence in Georgia, and drive future growth and innovation to help prevent disease in livestock and pets." The North American headquarters will be located in Duluth and result in the creation of 75 jobs. Boehringer's manufacturing and research and development facility in Athens is adding over 100 new jobs, and the manufacturing facility in Gainesville is producing more than 50 jobs. "We're excited to welcome Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA to the Peach State," said Governor Brian P. Kemp. "As a family-owned business, they will join a first-class corporate family here in Georgia. I look forward to working with them to strengthen our university system and existing industries in agribusiness, health technology, and science."
Cat declawing may soon be a thing of the past in CaliforniaFebruary 27, 2019Assemblyman Bill Quirk has introduced a bill that would ban the declawing of cats in California. "Declawed cats can suffer long-term physical complications as a result of declawing—it's not just a fancy manicure," Quirk said upon introducing AB 1230. "It's painful, unnecessary, and needs to stop… When this bill becomes law, only licensed veterinarians performing the procedure for specific therapeutic purposes will legally be able to declaw a cat, saving them from a lifetime of pain and possible lameness." The practice is already illegal in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and six other California cities. Further, in several other parts of the world, declawing has been banned. "Declawing is one of the most painful and unnecessary surgeries in all of veterinary medicine," said Jennifer Conrad, DVM, CVA, founder of the veterinarian-run nonprofit Paw Project. "We've seen what these cats go through. We are veterinarians who are standing up against the status quo because it is the right thing to do. We want veterinary medicine to be about helping animals, not helping couches." Studies have found declawed cats are more liable to bite or have other behavioral issues and often end up in animal shelters as a result.
Boehringer Ingelheim, GNA Biosolutions to develop ASF rapid diagnostic toolFebruary 27, 2019Veterinarians, farmers, and the food-producing industry may soon have a new tool to help diagnose and stop the worldwide spread of African swine fever (ASF). Boehringer Ingelheim and GNA Biosolutions are partnering up to develop a rapid ASF diagnostic test that would be used in combination with GNA's portable molecular diagnostic platform. "This partnership represents another example of our focus on prevention and our continuous effort to control swine diseases," said Alain Wille, DVM, head of global business unit swine at Boehringer Ingelheim. ASF is a devastating viral infection of swine causing severe clinical disease and high mortality. The disease is untreatable and no effective vaccines are currently available. ASF does not affect humans. The disease could potentially jeopardize many countries' pig trade and supplies. Recent outbreaks of the ASF in China have resulted in more than 600,000 pigs being culled within the past few months. "We are delighted to enter this collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in animal health," said GNA Biosolutions cofounder and managing director, Lars Ullerich, PhD. "This collaboration further emphasizes the role of GNA Biosolutions in the rapidly developing field of extra-laboratory diagnostics and extends the application of our pulse-controlled amplification (PCA) technology into …
SAGE partners with San Francisco ophthalmology clinicsFebruary 26, 2019SAGE Veterinary Centers, a specialty and emergency veterinary organization, has added two new partner locations to expand its services and provide patients with better specialty care. The organization has partnered with Veterinary Vision, a provider of ophthalmology treatment in the San Francisco Bay area. Its clinics in San Carlos and San Francisco treat more than 3,100 patients and perform over 12,000 examinations annually. According to Veterinary Vision's Cynthia Cook, DVM, PhD, incorporating ophthalmology into the specialty services provided at SAGE Centers will allow optimized outcomes for ophthalmic emergencies, coordinate care for patients presenting with ocular manifestations of diseases affecting other organs, and coordinate complicated patient management with anesthesia and surgery departments when needed. "SAGE and Veterinary Vision are uniquely aligned in cultural values," said Gina Del Vecchio, SAGE chief executive officer. "People are our most important asset, and we are both delighted and honored to welcome the doctors and staff of Veterinary Vision into the SAGE family."
Hill's facing class-action lawsuit over excessive vitamin D levelsFebruary 22, 2019A lawsuit has been filed against Hill’s Pet Nutrition for selling dog food containing too much vitamin D.
