NAVC, WVC Conferences Present AwardsMarch 16, 2016The U.S. veterinary industry’s two largest conferences have wrapped up for the year, but not before announcing a variety of awards. The NAVC Conference, organized by North American Veterinary Community, named its Speakers of the Year. They are: Equine: Amanda House, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, a clinical associate professor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Exotics: Doug Mader, DVM, MS, Dipl. ABVP, the owner of Marathon Veterinary Hospital in Marathon, Fla. He won for the third year in a row and sixth time overall. Food animal: Cindy Wolf, DVM, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Practice management: Andrew Roark, DVM, MS, of Greenville, S.C. Small animal: Justine Lee, DVM, Dipl. ACVECC, Dipl. ABT, the CEO and founder of VETgirl. Veterinary technician: Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS, of Wamego, Kan. NAVC was held in mid-January in Orlando, Fla., and drew record-breaking attendance of 17,328. Taking place in early March in Las Vegas was WVC, formerly known as Western Veterinary Conference. Honored at the 88th annual WVC meeting were: Randall G. Ezell, DVM, a past WVC president, treasurer and board member, who received the Conference Program Dedication Award. Richard Simmonds, DVM, …
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Veterinarian Helps Dogs Injured in Iditarod Snowmobile CrashMarch 15, 2016Many veterinarians volunteer every year to lend their services to Alaska’s annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. One such volunteer, Lynel Tocci, DVM of Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists, was on duty at the Nualto checkpoint when dogs were brought in for treatment. It was 2 a.m. on Saturday. It was also Dr. Tocci’s first year as an Iditarod veterinary volunteer. The dogs, belonging to two of the race’s top competitors, were struck by Arnold Demoski, a 26-year-old who had been out drinking. He crashed into the sled dogs at “speeds up to 100 mph,” SunSentinel reports. One dog was killed. The other two, which were brought to Tocci, needed her help. One had been unconscious and was now in shock. The other was suffering from a leg fracture and will receive surgery this week. Tocci gave the dogs fluids and hydromorphone. Demoski has since apologized and has been charged with “assault, reckless endangerment and reckless driving,” according to SunSentinel. A devastating incident, but one that could have been a lot worse had it not been for Tocci. As she told SunSentinel, “it’s fortunate the Iditarod makes sure qualified …
Dechra to Buy U.S. Drug Maker PutneyMarch 15, 2016Putney Inc., a manufacturer of generic veterinary drugs, is being sold for $200 million to a subsidiary of U.K.-based Dechra Pharmaceuticals. The deal was announced today and is expected to close in April. The acquisition comes 10 years after New England native Jean Hoffman established the company in Portland, Maine. Today Putney produces 11 generic veterinary drugs and three medications for people, generating $49.6 million in net revenue in 2015. “The sale underscores the success of Putney’s commercialized product portfolio and our robust development pipeline, which we have built from the ground up since I founded the company in 2006,” Hoffman said. “Putney is the leader in pet generic drugs by any measure: revenues, pipeline, FDA approvals and market share.” What the sale means for Putney’s Portland operation and its 62 employees is unclear, spokeswoman Susan Hanley said. “Since the sale hasn’t closed, we don’t know,” Hanley said. “Dechra hasn’t told us about their future plans. They’re committed to the same vet professional that we serve.” Sharing in the sale proceeds is the investment firm Safeguard Scientifics Inc. The Radnor, Pa., company owns 28 percent of Putney and expects to walk away with at least $58 million, a nearly 400 …
Despite Losses, Aratana Focused on FutureMarch 15, 2016Drug developer Aratana Therapeutics Inc. lost $84.1 million in 2015 but reported having plenty of cash on hand to support planned launches of osteoarthritis, inappetence and pain medications for dogs. The net loss, more than twice the size of 2014’s red ink, didn’t dishearten CEO Steven St. Peter, M.D., who in the company’s financial report Monday pointed to “significant progress on our late-stage product candidates.” Awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine are three products that Aratana expects to begin selling in late 2016: Galliprant (grapiprant tablets), for the control of pain and inflammation in dogs with osteoarthritis. Entyce (capromorelin oral solution), for appetite stimulation in dogs with inappetence. Nocita (bupivacaine liposome injectable solution), for local pain relief in dogs recovering from cranial cruciate ligament surgery. Galliprant also was submitted to the European Medicines Agency for review and could launch across Europe in 2017. St. Peter told financial analysts in a conference call today that his Leawood, Kan., company hopes to partner with a larger company, perhaps a pharmaceutical manufacturer, to bolster international sales. “We seek a ... big company, small company collaboration,” he said. “What we’re looking for is a partner …
Penn Vet Researchers Advance One Health Concepts in EducationMarch 15, 2016Stephen Cole, VMD, and Shelley Rankin, BSc, Ph.D., two researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet), are advancing the One Health concepts by developing two case studies for use in health education. One Health is the idea that the health and wellbeing of humans, animals and the environment are interconnected. “In the veterinary field we talk about One Health almost every single day, but there are few people in the medical profession who actually understand what that means,” said Dr. Rankin, an associate professor of microbiology. “With these case studies, we can really demonstrate why One Health is a meaningful concept for clinicians across fields.” In medical training, a case study approach to learning asks students to imagine that they are already practicing professionals and walk through how they would handle a challenging scenario, Penn Vet noted. Dr. Cole, a postdoctoral fellow, felt that students could benefit from more exposure to case studies in their education as a chance to truly engage with the material they learn in lectures. “I wanted to put together case studies …
Expert: Introduce Vectra 3D to Heartworm FightMarch 14, 2016Ceva Animal Health is urging veterinarians and dog owners to add the topical parasiticide Vectra 3D to heartworm drug regimens as an additional layer of protection. The Double Defense campaign, unveiled last week at the WVC conference in Las Vegas, reminds practitioners and clients that heartworm preventives are extremely effective—perhaps 99.99 percent—but that mosquitoes, when given enough chances, can capitalize on slim opportunities and infect a dog. “After fighting heartworm the same way for decades, it’s time for a new approach,” said John McCall, professor emeritus of infectious diseases at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. A study conducted by McCall, MS, Ph.D., found that Vectra 3D (dinotefuran/pyriproxyfen/permethrin) was at least 95 percent effective in repelling and killing mosquitoes for 28 days. The monthly spot-on is labeled for use on dogs to fight fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. C. Thomas Nelson, DVM, who co-authored the American Heartworm Society’s heartworm guidelines, noted that macrocyclic lactones used to prevent heartworms in dogs are virtually 100 percent effective. “Virtually … doesn’t mean completely,” Dr. Nelson said. “You can’t stop it all,” he added. “Something is going to get through.” The efficacy of heartworm preventives also is threatened by resistance issues. In …
Vet Tech CE Day Proves Extremely PopularMarch 14, 2016What if you scheduled a conference for 50 veterinary technicians and then 250 accepted the invitation? You would find a larger meeting place. That’s what Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center (VSEC) did after receiving overwhelming demand for the 2016 Greater Philadelphia Area Veterinary Technician Conference. The free, daylong educational event will take place Saturday at The Brookside Manor in the suburban community of Feasterville-Trevose, 20 miles from VSEC’s Philadelphia hospital. “We’ve just been completely overwhelmed by the demand,” said Scott Franco, the conference organizer and VSEC’s marketing manager. Even with seats reserved for 250 vet techs, more than a dozen other veterinary professionals were placed on a waiting list. “There are a lot of veterinary conferences with a veterinary technician’s track, but a free event like this is pretty rare,” said hospital co-owner Laura W. Tseng, DVM, Dipl. ACVECC. Five continuing-education credits will be awarded to veterinary technicians attending lectures on anesthesia, nutrition, triage, oncology and grief management. A lunchtime roundtable discussion will feature three veterinary technician specialists. The event drew support from the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, which will staff a booth, and from corporate sponsors Antech Diagnostics, Brief Media, Elanco Animal Health, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Stokes …
$20 Million Gift Brings CSU Closer to Research InstituteMarch 11, 2016Colorado State University recently reported that an anonymous racehorse breeder has donated $20 million to build a regenerative medicine research facility. This fulfills a $65 million matching challenge from lead donors John and Leslie Malone, according to the university. The Malones, who raise dressage horses and Thoroughbred racehorses, pledged $42.5 million for the planned facility in late 2014. They challenged CSU to raise $32.5 million to match the equivalent amount that they directed to building the facility. The Malones’ additional $10 million is slated for institute operations over the first five years. Groundbreaking of the CSU Institute for Biologic Translational Therapies, which will feature laboratories, specialized surgical suites and conference space for veterinarians and physicians, is expected to take place later this year. “We are deeply grateful for another tremendous gift to help establish the Institute for Biologic Translational Therapies,” said CSU President Tony Frank. “This support, combined with the transformational gift from John and Leslie Malone, will advance Colorado State’s work in a new era of veterinary and translational medicine.” The Institute for Biologic Translational Therapies will develop next-generation remedies based on living cells and their products. These include patient-derived stem cells to …
Fred Gingrich, DVM, Named Ohio Veterinarian of the YearMarch 10, 2016The Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) has named American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) President Fred Gingrich, DVM, the 2015 Veterinarian of the Year. Outgoing OVMA President Dr. Brad Garrison presented the award, largely considered the Association’s highest honor, during a special award ceremony at the annual Midwest Veterinary Conference. A 1995 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Gingrich is the owner of Country Roads Veterinary Services and Ashland Veterinary Clinic in Ashland, Ohio, where he practices dairy and small animal medicine. Dr. Gingrich is a champion for the Ohio Dairy Veterinarians Association and has worked to educate veterinarians and dairy producers across the state on responsible drug use. On a national level, his involvement in organized veterinary medicine includes serving on the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Task Force on Veterinary Compounding Legislation, the Clinical Practitioners Advisory Committee and the Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents. A long-time member of the AABP, Dr. Gingrich is also a past winner of the organization’s Preventative Medicine Dairy Award and recently assumed the role of president. “To rise to such national prominence obviously speaks well of his talents and standing with his veterinary …
Gavel Passed on to New OVMA President at Annual ConventionMarch 10, 2016Scott Pendleton, DVM, of Cadiz, Ohio, has assumed the role of President of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA). At the organization’s annual Midwest Veterinary Conference (MVC), outgoing President Dr. Brad Garrison passed the gavel on to his successor. “I value the work of organized veterinary medicine and the real changes it can make for the practicing veterinarian,” Dr. Pendleton said, remarking that his main goal for his presidency will be to increase support for the OVMA’s Veterinary Political Action Committee (VPAC). Dr. Pendleton’s one-year term as president officially began March 1. He will lead the OVMA’s 20-member Board of Directors, which guides the association’s policies, resources and strategies. In the past, he has served the Board as vice president, secretary and district representative. Type image credit here Dr. Pendleton’s primary goal for his year as president is to increase support for OVMA’s Veterinary Political Action Committee. A 1989 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Pendleton is owner of Cadiz Animal Clinic, where he practices solo mixed-animal veterinary medicine. Dr. Pendleton is also president of the Harrison County Historical Society and is a birdwatcher. He …
