AVMA: Cecil the Lion ‘Suffered an Inhumane Death’July 30, 2015Saying it was “profoundly saddened,” the American Veterinary Medical Association issued a statement Wednesday about the killing of the African lion Cecil. The lion’s death drew international attention and outrage following news reports that Cecil had been lured from Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park in early July and was killed by big-game hunter and Minnesota dentist Walter J. Palmer. The AVMA statement: “All over the world, people are expressing their shock and horror over the killing of Cecil, a famous lion that lived in a protected reserve in Zimbabwe. According to media reports, an American trophy hunter paid $50,000 to hunt the lion. Also according to media reports, the lion was illegally baited into leaving the protected area of the park, shot with a bow and arrow, and suffered for 40 hours until he was shot, skinned and beheaded. “We are profoundly saddened by Cecil’s death under these circumstances. “We don’t want to make this a debate about hunting in general or trophy hunting; we know advocates and opponents hold strong opinions. No matter how you feel about these activities, it appears that Cecil suffered an inhumane death caused by actions that were illegal. “The AVMA’s Animal Welfare …
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Shelter Cat Campaign Surpasses ExpectationsJuly 30, 2015The Million Cat Challenge recently crossed the quarter-million mark in its efforts to help animal shelters save the lives of 1 million cats by 2019. The campaign, launched in 2014, is a joint project of the University of California, Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program and the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida. The campaign helps animal shelters implement five key initiatives to reduce feline euthanasia. These programs lower the number of cats coming into shelters, help prevent feline disease and suffering, manage the flow of cats into shelters and promote adoption, according to the campaign founders. “We knew how hungry animal shelters are to save cats’ lives, so we designed the Challenge to give them the tools they needed to do it,” said Kate Hurley, DVM, of the U.C. Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program. “Through their creativity, ingenuity, and determination, they’ve gotten us to a quarter million lives saved sooner than we ever expected.” U.C. Davis Dr. Kate Hurley of the U.C. Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program. With sponsorship from California-based foundation Maddie’s Fund and the support of North America’s leading animal welfare organizations, the Challenge has so far signed up 263 shelters throughout …
Voyce Pro Offers Remote Monitoring of Dogs’ HealthJuly 28, 2015The manufacturer of the Voyce health monitor has launched a service that allows veterinarians to track a canine patient’s well-being away from the clinic. Voyce Pro, from i4C Innovations Inc. of Chantilly, Va., is a veterinary-exclusive program that practitioners may use to look after dogs recovering from surgery or being treated for heart, joint or respiratory disease or conditions such as obesity and anxiety. Voyce President Jeff Noce called the service, which was unveiled in July at the American Veterinary Medical Association convention, “an entirely new level of personalized care for veterinary patients.” “Based on the success and feedback we had with our consumer model, Voyce, we have created the wellness monitoring program exclusively for veterinarians,” Noce said. Worn around a dog’s neck, the battery-powered monitor measures resting heart and respiratory rates, activity, calories burned and distance traveled. Sent over a Wifi connection to an Internet-enabled computer or smartphone, the readings may help a veterinarian identify and react to trends. “In conjunction with exam findings and diagnostics, the program provides a more comprehensive view of a patient’s ongoing health status,” said Amanda Landis-Hanna, DVM, the company’s director of veterinary medicine. “Voyce Pro helps identify and manage acute and chronic health …
Livestock Pose Giant Threat to British VetsJuly 28, 2015Don’t be careless around bulls and other large animals. That’s the advice of the British Veterinary Association, which found that more than half of veterinarians working with production animals on farms had been injured over the previous 12 months. Even interacting with smaller livestock can be dangerous. “Kicked in the side of the head while castrating a calf” was among the responses to BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey. Among wounded practitioners, nearly 1-in-5 classified their injuries as “very” or “quite” severe. “By far the most common injury was bruising caused by kicks, with almost 85 percent of production animal vets who had been injured reporting this,” BVA stated in July as part of Farm Safety Week. “Other injuries reported included lacerations, crush injuries, head injuries caused by kicks and fractures caused by kicks.” One large animal veterinarian recalled being targeted by a pair of bulls. “Bruised and shocked,” the practitioner stated. “Both attacks [while] doing whole herd testing on separate bulls, one stock and one beef bull. Both attacked from behind on a farm with poor facilities.” Another complained of “cattle crushes and squashed body parts.” Veterinarians and farm owners must be safety conscious, said BVA President …
Penn Vet Receives $100,000 Commitment to Aid Student ScholarshipsJuly 28, 2015The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) has received a $100,000 commitment from the Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) to create an endowment for student scholarships. The TERF Opportunity Scholarship Fund will provide financial support to Penn Vet students, with a preference for those intending to practice in equine medicine. Penn Vet will select the recipients based on academic criteria and financial need, according to the university, which made the announcement in late July. “We are so grateful to TERF for creating this lasting legacy, which will help Penn Vet students with financial support and mentoring,” said Penn Vet Dean Joan C. Hendricks, VMD, Ph.D., The Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “The TERF Opportunity Scholarship Fund will have an impact on the veterinary profession, and the care of horses, for many years to come.” TERF is described as a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to supporting and promoting equine education and research by sponsoring scholarships in veterinary medicine, and supporting organizations that educate the public in the proper care of horses. “Our purpose in establishing the TERF Opportunity Scholarship Fund at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is two-fold,” said Herb Moelis, …
New Arizona Vet School Gets $2.5 Million RanchJuly 27, 2015The University of Arizona has added a 45-acre ranch to the array of facilities awaiting students when the nation’s 31st veterinary college opens. The Steele Foundation reported last week that it is donating DK Ranch to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which anticipates welcoming 100 students to the new Veterinary Medical and Surgical Program in August 2016. The program’s original 2015 start-up date was moved back pending a site visit this winter by the Council on Education, which accredits colleges of veterinary medicine. The ranch, valued at $2.5 million, is located southwest of Sedona, Ariz. “Our schools and departments will utilize DK Ranch to complement existing programs at the UA and to create new ones specifically related to the region,” said Shane Burgess, Ph.D., dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “The DK Ranch allows us to offer experiential learning and research opportunities to our students.” Among those benefiting from the gift will be UA’s School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences. “We are confident that the DK Ranch is in great hands,” said Marianne Cracchiolo Mago, president of the Phoenix-based Steele Foundation. “The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is poised to break barriers …
Voting Underway in Favorite Veterinarian ContestJuly 27, 2015The American Veterinary Medical Foundation is looking for the next Dr. Carlos Campos and Dr. Tim Hunt. The charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association has selected 20 finalists from among 500 nominees for the title America’s Favorite Veterinarian. Public voting in the annual contest runs through Sept. 1 at www.avmf.org/afv. Campos and Hunt were the 2013 and 2014 winners, respectively. “This honor has given me the opportunity to talk about the merits of our great profession to others,” Hunt said. The nomination process began with clients submitting a brief essay on why their veterinarian deserved special recognition. A judging panel chose the finalists based on the essays and each nominee’s community involvement, ethical behavior, passion for the profession, and connections to animals and their owners, according to the foundation. “Each nominee’s story is unique and compelling,” said AVMF board chairman John Brooks, DVM. “It is the public who will decide America’s Favorite Veterinarian.” The foundation website shows the top-10 vote getters. As of today, the leader was Lisa Aumiller, DVM, of Mount Laurel, N.J. The finalists: Dr. Aumiller Dustin Brown, DVM, of Midwest City, Okla. Kirsten Cooke, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Gainesville, Fla. Emilio …
Assisi Relaunches Electromagnetic Healing DeviceJuly 27, 2015A New York company, Assisi Animal Health, has released an upgraded device that uses electromagnetic current to reduce inflammation and pain and promote wound healing in cats, dogs and horses. The Assisi Loop 2.0 is an animal version of SofPulse, which generates a targeted pulsed electromagnetic field (tPEMF) to control pain and inflammation in people. SofPulse, made by Ivivi Health Sciences of San Francisco, is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Assisi acquired the veterinary rights from Ivivi in 2013. The improved device, the Assisi Loop 2.0, comes in 4- and 7.5-inch diameters and with a strengthened sheath to protect the coil from patients’ teeth and to retain its shape. The smaller unit was unveiled in July at the American Veterinary Medical Association conference. Assisi Animal Health points to the FDA clearance as proof of the technology’s efficacy. The company is both funding and planning clinical trials on the veterinary side—something not required by law. “[We] look forward to helping educate the veterinary profession on the latest innovations in NPAIDs and tPEMF technology to improve the level of care they are providing their patients,” said Assisi CEO John Wilkerson, Ph.D. NPAID stands for non-pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory device, a term coined and trademarked …
Veterinarians Play Table Tennis to Raise Funds for CharityJuly 24, 2015Your veterinary office may have shown its support of various animal-related charities. Perhaps you made a donation or offered some service, such as free checkups or neuter or spay surgeries. For staff of the Mandeville Veterinary Hospital, giving to charity was a little more creative. Twelve staff members, including head veterinary surgeon and regional manager Jeremy Stewart BVetMed CertVR MRCVS and practice manager Adrian Hayter, engaged in 60-minute shifts beginning at 3 p.m. on July 10 and ending on July 11 at 3 p.m., Get West London reports. When they weren’t on shift, there was a barbecue, water slide and badminton for them to enjoy. Monies from the event went toward Dogs Trust and The Celia Hammond Animal Trust. The 12 participating members played while other staff and friends showed their support. Hayter told Get West London that, “It was an extraordinary 24 hours. We had our core team of players and we had staff and friends popping in at all times of the day and night to lend their support by joining in the table tennis matches. It was such fun and this is what kept us going through the …
Illinois Vet College’s Fall Conference Set for Mid SeptemberJuly 24, 2015The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine will host its Fall Conference for Veterinarians at the iHotel and Conference Center in Campaign, Ill., Sept. 17-18. The event will feature more than 70 sessions ranging in topics from practice management to insulin resistance in dogs and cats to anesthesia in reptiles. Pre-conference classes on foreign animal disease will be offered Sept. 16, as part of the National Veterinary Accreditation Program. The conference includes up to 17 hours of CE credit for veterinarians. The early registration discount ends Aug. 31. Sponsors include Zoetis, Boehringer Ingelheim, IDEXX, Storz, Elanco, the Class of 1962 Endowment Fund, the Dr. LeRoy G. Biehl Endowment Fund and the Sidney Krock Radiology Lectureship Fund. For details, visit the website.
