Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital ranked No. 1 in CalPro Research surveyFebruary 14, 2018The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Teaching Hospital ranked highest among 26 participating companion veterinary teaching hospitals across North America in the most recent CalPro Research Referring Veterinarian Survey. The national survey evaluates veterinary teaching hospitals on the basis of referring veterinarians' feedback concerning such categories as responsiveness, communication, client and patient experience, and quality of medicine. Referring veterinarians described the high quality of medicine and the clarity of instructions for follow-up care as defining features of the Purdue's patient services. The hospital was ranked above average in almost every specialty service category surveyed. "The survey results are a reflection of the consistent effort by dedicated faculty and staff, said Duncan Hockley, DVM, director of the Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital. "I am proud of our veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and supporting staff who work tirelessly to provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients and clients," he said. "We are pleased that our referring veterinarians appreciate our work." The study has been conducted annually since 2012, with more than 11,000 primary care veterinarians providing feedback for the teaching hospitals of veterinary colleges in the U.S. CalPro Research professional services company provides customer service metrics …
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Zoetis offers high-volume veterinary chemistry testingFebruary 13, 2018Zoetis has launched Carysta HVC (high volume chemistry), a standalone, chemistry diagnostic instrument designed to bring reference-lab quality testing to high-volume veterinary practices. Carysta HVC offers a menu of 37 routine and specialty parameters, available as singly selected tests or fully customizable panels, all on one system. The instrument, specifically designed for those veterinary practices conducting the highest volume of diagnostic tests, offers veterinarians greater operational flexibility than current instrument solutions, while improving quality, productivity, and reducing clinic costs of testing, according to the company. Carysta HVC is based on liquid reagent technology ideally suited for veterinary clinics, reference laboratories, and shelters that need greater throughput and test selection flexibility. The system runs multiple patient samples simultaneously with minimal sample volumes, enabling high-volume veterinary clinics to practice cost-effective medicine based on patient needs and allowing customized test selection based on veterinary requirements, and allows veterinarians the to add urgent samples with no work flow interruption. The product will be distributed through an exclusive partnership with DiaSys Diagnostic Systems USA LLC. Availability of Carysta HVC is expected in March. For more information, visit carysta.com.
Human behaviors may increase dog bite risk, study findsFebruary 13, 2018In an observational survey study of almost 700 individuals in the U.K., those who experience greater levels of anxiety, irritability, and depression may be at greater risk of being bitten by either a strange dog or one in the home. The findings were published online this month in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Previous research has shown that most bites come from dogs that are familiar; 55 percent of the bites in this study came from unfamiliar dogs. According to lead author Carri Westgarth, Ph.D., Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at the University of Liverpool, Cheshire, U.K., although the latter finding was surprising, the real significance lies in the personality finding. "This has never been reported before, and I wasn't even really looking for that," said Westgarth. "But to me, how we behave regarding our health is likely to be influenced by our personality." More research is needed to see whether the results can be replicated using "a more detailed measure of personality," she added. Annually, about 9,500 U.S. citizens are hospitalized due to dog bite injuries, according to "Emergency Department Visits and Inpatient Stays Involvind Dog Bites," Laurel Holmquist, M.A. and Anne Elixhauser, Ph.D., …
Southern Veterinary Partners network hits animal hospital No. 40February 13, 2018Southern Veterinary Partners (SVP), based in Birmingham, Ala., has acquired its 40th animal hospital with Friendship Veterinary Hospital in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Veterinarian owned and operated SVP regional network of animal hospitals is the largest veterinary management company based in the South. Friendship Veterinary Hospital is an American Animal Hospital Association-accredited hospital that provides care to companion animals and exotic pets. SVP provides centralized support for the animal hospitals in its network, including marketing, HR, finance, inventory, and purchasing management, and enhanced benefits to team members, according to the organization. The hospitals retain their names, culture, and local commitment to their communities as well as veterinarians and staff that provide their clients with high-quality veterinary care. SVP believes that leveraging its infrastructure allows the hospitals in its network to focus on medicine and their patients to facilitate best-in-class veterinary services and exceptional client experiences, the company stated.
Strangles vaccine within reach for horsesFebruary 12, 2018Scientists from the Animal Health Trust (AHT), the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the Karolinska Institute, and Intervacc AB, have developed a new protein-based vaccine to protect horses from strangles. Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi bacteria, leads to large pus-filled abscesses in horses' throat and neck. The research was recently published in Vaccine. " … Our Strangvac vaccine protected over 80 percent of horses from this dreadful disease," said Jan-Ingmar Flock, Ph.D., CEO of Intervacc AB, the company that produced the vaccine. "Strangles is a scourge of the equine world and the development of Strangvac has the potential to prevent many thousands of horses from falling ill each year." "Strangvac is an extremely exciting vaccine," said Dr. Andrew Waller, head of bacteriology at AHT. "The vaccine was designed using information from sequencing the DNA of Streptococcus equi and highlights the potential that the genome-era heralds for improving the health of animals and people. Improving the health of horses is a core aim of the Animal Health Trust and we are proud to have helped make this vaccine a reality towards finally breaking the hold this disease currently has on our …
Pet food recall issued from Smokehouse, Raws for PawsFebruary 12, 2018Smokehouse Pet Products has issued a recall for limited lots of Beefy Munchies due to possible Salmonella contamination. The product is sold in 4-ounce bags with UPC number 78565857957, lot number 449294, and a best used by date of 10/25/19 stamped on the back of packaging. Beefy Munchies were sold in Washington, Michigan, North Carolina, and Colorado through distributors selling to various retailers. Routine sampling by the Colorado Department of Agriculture revealed the presence of the pathogenic bacteria in two packages of the product. No illnesses have been reported to date with this recall. Raws for Paws Ground Turkey Pet Food in Minnesota is recalling about 4,000 pounds of 1-pound and 5-pound chubs due to Salmonella contamination. The product was distributed through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa directly to consumers and through online mail order. They are packaged into regular Turkey Pet Food cases and Pet Food Combo Pack cases, which contain a variety of pet foods. The recalled products have case codes of 9900008, 9900009, 9900014, and 9900015. The manufacture date of Turkey Pet Food cases is 10/12/2017, and the manufacture dates of Combo Pack cases are between 10/12/2017 and 2/2/2018. Two children in …
Human Animal Bond Certified now offered to veterinary professionalsFebruary 12, 2018 The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) have unveiled Human Animal Bond Certified—a new certification course for practicing veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and veterinary practice managers. Through a series of online modules assembled by experts in the field of human-animal interaction science, veterinarians, veterinary nurses and veterinary practice managers can now develop a formal understanding of the research demonstrating the health benefits of pet ownership and human-animal interaction, and learn how best to use that knowledge in the practice of veterinary medicine. "Human Animal Bond Certified will become the new gold standard for veterinarians looking to engage their clients in a meaningful and effective way," said Tom Bohn, NAVC CEO. "Through an easy online interface that can be completed at an individualized pace, the Certification will support every aspect of a veterinary practice, from better client dialogue and compliance to improved financial performance." According to a recent HABRI pet owner survey, veterinarians are a trusted resource for scientific information on the human health benefits of pets, and vets have an opportunity to further strengthen their relationships with pet owners. When 2,000 pet owners were educated about the human health …
Raw feeding trends continue to rack up risks for dogsFebruary 8, 2018In a new study, researchers at the University of Melbourne's U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital found that consuming raw chicken meat increases a dog's risk of developing acute polyradiculoneuritis (APN) by more than 70 times. The cause of APN in dogs has baffled the veterinary community for a long time, said Matthias le Chevoir, DVM, DECVN, chief investigator on the project. "It is a rare but very debilitating condition where the dog's hind legs first become weak," he said. "It can then progress to affect the front legs, neck, head and face. Some dogs may die from the disease if their chest becomes paralyzed. Most dogs eventually recover without treatment but it may take up to six months or more in some cases. "In our clinic alone we see around 30 cases per year and around three in ten cases would not recover," Dr. le Chevoir continued. "Watching your pet suffer is obviously very distressing and it can be difficult for owners to nurse their pet if the condition can gradually improve." Paralysis results from the dog's immune system becoming unregulated and attacking its own nerve roots, progressively worsening over several days. APN is the canine version …
AVMA seeks help with livestock, public health vet shortageFebruary 5, 2018The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is asking Congress to help with funding to reduce the number of regions across the nation that currently suffer from a shortage of livestock and public health veterinarians. The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture has said that 187 regions are in need of staffing, and the AVMA points to threats to animal health and the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers as major reasons to fill the need. The solution is passage of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act, according to the organization. High debt loads—which reached $143,758 on average for 2016 graduates of veterinary colleges—can make it cost-prohibitive for young veterinarians to practice in rural areas, as rural salaries are often lower than those in urban areas. The federally funded loan repayment program mitigates the educational burden new vets feel by offering loan forgiveness to those who commit to serving at least three years in underserved areas. However, the program does not receive enough funding to meet the demand, in part because each award is subject to an expensive income withholding tax that sends the program's funding back to the government. The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program …
AAEP publishes updated infectious disease guidelinesFebruary 2, 2018The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has published its Updated Infectious Disease Control Guidelines, which includes newly created guidelines for Rhodoccocus equi. Most of the changes to the current guidelines pertain to updated sampling and control measures. The AAEP's Infectious Disease Committee also amended suspected case guidelines for respiratory, neurologic, and clostridial diarrhea to outline appropriate actions and steps for suspected cases, along with several resource documents for sampling and equine herpesvirus. Additionally, R. equi has been added to the existing list of available infectious disease guidelines. "Rhodococcus equi remains a significant disease of growing foals despite considerable research into its treatment and prevention," said Peter Morresey, BVSc, DACT, DACVIM, 2017 chair of the Disease Guidelines Subcommittee. "These new guidelines incorporate current thinking and a systematic approach balancing diagnostics, therapeutics, and economics." All of the guidelines have been reformatted for improved consistency and navigation. The guidelines documents are now available as PDFs, enabling practitioners to save the guidelines to their portable devices for access offline in the field. They also contain links to other resources on all disease conditions for those wanting additional reference material. Visit aaep.org/guidelines/infectious-disease-control/using-guidelines to view and/or download the new and updated guidelines.
