NAVTA announces diagnostic imaging as 16th specialty for vet techsSeptember 14, 2018The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) has announced a 16th specialty academy for veterinary technicians, the Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Diagnostic Imaging (AVTDI). The AVTDI comprises veterinary technicians who wish to perform higher-level diagnostic imaging, including digital radiography, fluoroscopic special procedures, CT, MRI, ultrasonography, and nuclear imaging. The organizing committee for the AVTDI worked diligently to meet the NAVTA Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties (CVTS) standards for the association's specialty recognition, according to Ed Carlson, interim chair of the CVTS. The AVDTI joins the existing 15 NAVTA-recognized veterinary technician specialties: dentistry, anesthesia, internal medicine, emergency and critical care, equine nursing, zoological medicine, surgery, behavior, clinical practice, nutrition, clinical pathology, dermatology, ophthalmology, laboratory animal medicine, and physical rehabilitation. The NAVTA CVTS, formed in 1994, provides guidelines to veterinary technician organizations to form specialties and assists the existing academies. Academies develop pathways and advanced standards that candidates must complete and maintain in order to be awarded the designation of veterinary technician specialist in a specific discipline.
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Thirteen dogs win Walkin' Pets calendar contest supporting disabled petsSeptember 13, 2018The 2019 Walkin' Pets worldwide calendar contest has announced 13 winners from around the world. This year, the winning dogs hail from eight countries: Thailand, Brazil, Germany, England, United States, Mexico, Italy, and Wales. The champions were selected by popular vote on the Walkin' Pets Facebook page and were announced through a video by the company. The winning dogs range in age from 1 to 11 and are of all sizes and breeds, including a dachshund, a German shepherd, a Siberian husky, French bulldog, and more. Each year, the contest features pets using Walkin' Wheels wheelchairs to help raise awareness of options for disabled pets with mobility challenges. The 2019 calendar is available for pre-order at (888) 253-0777. All proceeds from calendar sales go to the Handicapped Pets Foundation.
California to test pilot program for injured police dogsSeptember 13, 2018California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1776 on Sept. 6, establishing a pilot program that would authorize medical technicians to provide emergency, ground-based transportation to a veterinary facility for police dogs injured in the line of duty. This bill would authorize the County of San Bernardino to work with the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency to conduct a pilot project starting Jan. 1, 2019, in which they collect specified data about the results and submit a report to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 2022. As an exception, there must be no person requiring medical attention or transportation at the scene when the request is made, and the ambulance must have a policy permitting the transportation of an injured police dog. The canine handler must accompany the dog and remain in full control during transport. Additionally, the canine handler remains responsible for any first aid given to the injured police dog during transport.
Pet doc publishes more tales of owning a veterinary practiceSeptember 13, 2018P.J. Miller, DVM, has authored a new book, Designer Dogs, Awkward Hugs & a Pigeon: Veterinary Tales, Again, a humorous behind-the scenes novel describing his personal experiences owning a veterinary practice. As a follow-up to his first book, Cute Poodles, Sweet Old Ladies & Hugs, his new volume includes the same characters and relationships loved by fans. It provides an insider's view into life as an animal doctor and gives a deeper glimpse into the emotional human-animal bond. Miller has been practicing veterinary medicine in Central Florida for more than 20 years. Designer Dogs, Awkward Hugs & a Pigeon: Veterinary Tales, Again is published by thirty8street Publishing and is available at Amazon.
Boehringer Ingelheim gives support shots for World Rabies Day 2018September 13, 2018Merial, part of Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), announced it will donate 75,000 doses of rabies vaccine to the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) in recognition of World Rabies Day on Sept. 28. The donation is a result of the Shots for Good initiative, in which BI pledged to donate doses of rabies vaccine for every dose of Purevax, Recombitek, and Imrab vaccine purchased by participating veterinary practices from July 2 to Aug. 10, 2018. The donated vaccines will support a mass dog vaccination campaign in Madagascar to control the disease and limit the potential for reintroduction of rabies from neighboring countries. "The support of our participating veterinary practices made this donation possible," said Zach Mills, DVM, executive director of BI's U.S. Pet Veterinary Professional Services. "BI understands the importance of vaccination to the overall health of pets worldwide. With more than a decade of experience advocating for rabies prevention, the Global Alliance for Rabies Control has the infrastructure to put this donation to good use." GARC will manage the campaign in Madagascar with government veterinary services and international and local nongovernmental organizations. Established protocols will be used to plot and …
Pets' role in well-being recognized at Pet Night on Capitol HillSeptember 11, 2018The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and the Pet Leadership Council (PLC) met with members of Congress for Pet Night on Capitol Hill to highlight the importance of pets to human health and well-being. During the event, leaders from the pet care community demonstrated their unity and commitment to increasing awareness of the health benefits of responsible pet ownership and displayed programs and legislative initiatives, including the Pet Care Trust, Pets Add Life, and the Pet and Women Safety Act Coalition to the public. More than 400 guests were given the chance to interact with registered Pet Partners therapy animals. "More than 85 million American households have at least one pet and a growing field of science demonstrates that life with a healthy pet is beneficial to all," said Bob Vetere, PLC and HABRI chairman. "Momentum is building toward a more pet-friendly society with 98 percent of Americans considering their pet to be an important part of the family." The pet care community supports bipartisan legislation that increases accessibility to pets, including measures to provide service dogs to veterans with post-traumatic stress, and that helps survivors of domestic violence find safe shelter with …
Trupanion pet insurance appoints new member to board of directorsSeptember 11, 2018Trupanion Inc. pet insurance company announced the appointment of Jackie Davidson to its board of directors, effective Sept. 5. "We are very pleased to welcome Jackie to our board," said Darryl Rawlings, CEO. "Jackie is a seasoned financial leader with a strong track record in guiding companies through periods of growth and innovation. We look forward to working closely with Jackie and our board as we continue to grow Trupanion and the broader medical insurance for pets category." Davidson currently serves on the board of BuildPulse, is a member of the board of trustees for the Washington CPA Foundation, serves on the advisory board of ClientLinkt, and is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Washington Society of CPAs. Most recently, she worked as the CFO at Market Leader.
WSAVA provides continuing education in Latin AmericaSeptember 11, 2018The World Small Animal Veterinary Association Vaccination Guidelines Group (VGG) held a series of meetings and continuing education sessions in Mexico as part of a first step in WSAVA's three-year project aimed at enhancing levels of understanding of infectious diseases among veterinarians across Latin America. WSAVA committee members, including Michael Day, VGG chairman, emeritus professor, met with veterinary association leaders, academics, first-opinion practitioners, and government regulators in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. They delivered three evening CE sessions and live-streamed the Mexico City session to share with registrants for 30 days after the presentation. Prior to the visit, the VGG conducted an online questionnaire to collect data on veterinary demographics, infectious disease occurrence, and vaccination protocols, and presented the results during the CE events. "Mexican veterinarians are accustomed to the principle of annual revaccination of dogs and cats with multicomponent products, but those we spoke to were excited by the new concepts of less frequent and individualized vaccination, incorporated into a preventive healthcare package for pets," said Day. "Vaccine-preventable infectious diseases such as canine distemper and parvovirus infections, remain highly prevalent in Mexico. Increasing herd immunity by improving vaccination coverage is clearly an important goal for …
Steve's Real Food issues recall due to possible Salmonella, L. monoSeptember 10, 2018Steve's Real Food of Salt Lake City, Utah, is voluntarily recalling pet food products due to possible Salmonella and/or L. mono contamination. The recalled products are one lot of 5 lb. Turducken Recipe, one lot of 2 lb. Quest Emu Diet, and one lot of 2 lb. Quest Beef Diet. Animals who eat food and humans who handle contaminated products are at risk for Salmonella and L. mono. Pets affected may experience lethargy, diarrhea/bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. No pet or human illnesses from this product have been reported to date. The affected products were nationally distributed and are identified with the following UPC codes and the "Best by" date located on the front of the bag. Click on the image for detail. This voluntary recall is being initiated after the Washington Department of Agriculture tested a collected sample that tested positive for Salmonella and/or L. mono. The company conducted its own test, which resulted in a negative result for both Salmonella and L. mono. Any product with the …
Vetsource acquires VetSuccess to enhance data delivery, analyticsSeptember 10, 2018Vetsource, a Portland, Ore.-based technology-enabled healthcare services company, has acquired Toronto-based VetSuccess, a veterinary data analytics, machine learning, and business intelligence organization. Vetsource recently closed a $50 million round of investment led by Bain Capital Ventures. The company's services include home delivery of manufacturer-sourced medications and nutrition products, as well as the mobile-optimized ScriptRight ePrescribing tool that veterinarians use to write, review, and approve prescriptions from web-enabled devices. With the acquisition of VetSuccess, Vetsource will expand its customizable dashboards that give veterinary practices detailed performance data regarding the success of its home delivery program, according to the company. "Uniting VetSuccess with our services was a natural choice, as we share a common vision in providing essential solutions to veterinary practices and partnering with them in their success," said Kurt Green, president and CEO of Vetsource. "The addition of VetSuccess' leading-edge, data-focused technology will enable our customers to gain greater visibility into the health of their business, empowering them to make evidence-based decisions using their performance data in new and unparalleled ways."
