Arizona Vet Dies, Husband ChargedApril 22, 2015The husband of Arizona veterinarian Kerman Dubash has been charged with first-degree murder and domestic violence after she was removed from life support. Dr. Dubash, DVM, MS, the co-owner of Pusch Ridge Pet Clinic in Oro Valley, a suburb of Tucson, died Monday night at a hospital. She was 50. A memorial service is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Tucson. Emergency personnel were called to Dubash’s home April 12. She was found unconscious after an apparent assault, police stated, and CPR was performed. Her husband, former veterinarian George A. Majewski, 62, remains in custody. His license was revoked in 2010 after run-ins with a client and with administrators at the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board. A psychiatrist who examined Majewski described him as suffering from severe mental illness and bipolar disorder. He also experienced post traumatic stress disorder after defecting from communist Poland, the psychiatrist reported. Kerman Dubash’s profile on the Pusch Ridge website called her “an avid hiker” who “truly enjoys exploring the wide open spaces of Arizona with her family.” A 1986 graduate of Bombay Veterinary College in India, she earned a master’s degree from Ohio …
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Hartz Unites Pet Owners in Flea, Tick FightApril 22, 2015The Hartz Mountain Corp. today launched a campaign aimed at getting cat and dog owners to think about battling parasites, but the manufacturer of over-the-counter flea and tick products isn’t necessarily trying to drive business to veterinarians. The promotion, titled “No F&T,” focuses on the importance of year-round flea and tick protection. One spokeswoman is Laguna Hills, Calif., veterinarian and Internet radio show host Bernadine Cruz, DVM, who says a strategy of prevention can save pet owners money. “I have a special interest in flea and tick care for dogs and cats,” Dr. Cruz said. “When applied consistently, pet owners can safeguard their animals and their homes year-round, eliminating costly veterinary office visits for infestation and help protect the health of their pets and family.” Hartz makes a variety of pet products, including collars, shampoos and sprays designed to kill fleas and ticks. The monthly spot-on medication UltraGuard Pro (etofenprox) is formulated for cats and dogs. Lance Hemsarth, senior director of research and development at the Secaucus, N.J., company, spoke about flea infestations in announcing the campaign’s launch. “Only 5 percent of the problem is addressed when consumers treat the adult fleas they can actually see,” Hemsarth said. “That means …
Tammy Beckham Hired as K-State Veterinary DeanApril 22, 2015The director of a national research institute was named dean of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine on Tuesday, replacing longtime administrator Ralph C. Richardson. Tammy Beckham, DVM, Ph.D., will move to Manhattan, Kan., from Texas A&M University, where she leads the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases and the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. Her new $295,000-a-year job is effective Aug. 2. Dr. Beckham becomes the 12th dean in the college’s 110-year history. “She is recognized as an international expert in the diagnosis of foreign animal diseases and will be a tremendous leader to help guide us toward our goal of becoming a Top 50 public research university by 2025,” said provost and senior vice president April Mason, MS, Ph.D. Beckham also was made a tenured professor in the department of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, an appointment she can maintain when she leaves the dean’s office. Her predecessor, Dr. Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, will return to teaching as a veterinary college faculty member after serving as dean since 1998. The Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence. Beckham has overseen the institute since 2010 in its efforts to conduct …
Changes Inject New Life Into VetStemApril 21, 2015Regenerative medicine developer Vet-Stem Inc. has changed its name to VetStem Biopharma at the same time the company announced key milestones in its allogeneic stem-cell program. The Poway, Calif., company, founded in 2002, processes fat collected from cats, dogs and horses and sends concentrated stem cells back to the animal’s veterinarian for injection as a treatment of joint, tendon or ligament conditions. VetStem reported today that its laboratory was awarded cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) status under a regulatory program overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company also hired regenerative medicine veteran Kevin Hicok, MS, MSc, as director of research and development. “Our allogeneic [donor] adipose stem cell development program has been kicked into high gear with the completion of our cGMP manufacturing facility and hiring of [Hicok],” said CEO and chief science officer Bob Harman, DVM, MPVM. VetStem has worked with veterinarians to provide regenerative therapy for 10,000 patients. The name change is a sign of the company’s evolution, said Alexis Nahama, DVM, who joined VetStem in January as president and chief commercial officer. “Everything we do today is geared towards meeting and exceeding pharmaceutical industry standards,” Dr. Nahama said. “We track cases …
Criminal Charge Possible in Texas Cat KillingApril 21, 2015The Austin County Sheriff’s Office today concluded its investigation into allegations that Texas veterinarian Kristen Lindsey, DVM, killed a neighbor’s cat with a bow and arrow. The case was turned over to the county district attorney, who will decide whether to charge Dr. Lindsey with cruelty to nonlivestock animals, the sheriff’s office reported on its Facebook page. The state law allows for a misdemeanor or felony charge to be filed, depending on the circumstances. Lindsey, 31, ignited an Internet firestorm last week when a photo posted on her now-deleted Facebook page claimed to show a cat she is alleged to have shot in the head with a bow and arrow. An accompanying comment under her name referred to the act as “my first bow kill … lol.” Besides a criminal charge, Lindsey could face punishment from the American Veterinary Medical Association, of which she is a member. The 86,000-member organization reported Monday that its disciplinary arm, the Judicial Council, will look into the case. The panel, made up of five members elected by the House of Delegates, is empowered to suspend a veterinarian’s AVMA membership or expel the person due to unethical conduct. The email address JudicialCouncil@avma.org …
UGA Vet College Selects Equine Surgeon to Head CE ProgramApril 21, 2015P. O. Eric Mueller, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVS, has been named head of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s Continuing Education program. Dr. Mueller is a professor of large animal surgery and chief medical officer for the College of Veterinary Medicine Large Animal Teaching Hospital. He also serves as the college’s director of equine programs. “Our continuing education programs are designed to provide the highest quality and most current information to our referring veterinarians and alumni, while at the same time serving as an avenue to establish long lasting personal relationships with our veterinarians,” Mueller said. “I will solicit and encourage input from our constituents in order to deliver clinically pertinent and high-quality CE.”
CSU Condemns Alumna’s Alleged Cat KillingApril 20, 2015Colorado State University administrators Saturday addressed what they called “deeply disturbing news” involving a 2012 veterinary college graduate who bragged on Facebook about killing a cat with a bow and arrow and who posted a photo supposedly showing the animal. Kristen Lindsey, DVM, a veterinarian at Washington Animal Clinic in Brenham, Texas, was fired Friday. The Austin County Sheriff’s Office launched a criminal investigation and stated that Dr. Lindsey would be interviewed this week with her attorney present. Colorado State issued a 457-word letter from Mark Stetter, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and Melinda Frye, DVM, MS, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, the associate dean for veterinary academic and student affairs. “We … strongly decry the grotesque actions and comments displayed in that post,” Drs. Stetter and Frye wrote. “We trust … that the case will be appropriately adjudicated through both the law enforcement system and the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.” They said CSU veterinary students and “our many graduates … achieve great things each day.” “We also wish to express our support for you, as students and veterinary professionals who joined this field with integrity …
FDA Warns of Pet Exposure to Human Anti-inflammatoryApril 20, 2015The U.S. Food and Drug Administration alerted pet owners Friday to the dangers of flurbiprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for humans that has been blamed for sickening or killing several cats. Flurbiprofen is used in some topical medications to treat muscle and joint pain in people, and it occasionally is prescribed for pets as an ophthalmic solution to treat inflammatory eye conditions. In the two cases cited by FDA, the cream or lotion containing flurbiprofen was not applied to the cats but instead was used on the owners’ neck or feet. How the cats were exposed to the drug was not known. The products also contained the muscle relaxer cyclobenzaprine and active ingredients such as baclofen, gabapentin, lidocaine or prilocaine. Pet Poison Helpline, a Bloomington, Minn., organization that advises pet owners and veterinarians about poisoning issues and treatments, called flurbiprofen a very potent NSAID that is not recommended for oral use in dogs or cats because of their extreme sensitivity. “Pet Poison Helpline receives thousands of calls each year about pets accidentally exposed to human NSAIDs, especially over-the-counter products such as ibuprofen or naproxen,” said Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, Dipl. ABT, Dipl. ABVT. Dr. Brutlag, Pet …
Vet Fired After Bragging of Killing CatApril 17, 2015 Facebook This photo appeared on Dr. Kristen Lindsey’s Facebook page. Click on the photo above to see the original image. (WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT.) We'll be posting updates as they come in. Read the original story. Update 6 (4/18/2015, 7:45 a.m. PDT): The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners posted on their Facebook page that they are aware of the situation regarding Kristen Lindsey, DVM, and request people write to them via email. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners has been made aware of the situation with one of our licensees. We will... Posted by Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners on Friday, April 17, 2015 Update 5 (4/17/2015, 6:45 p.m. PDT): KBTX.com has more reactions about the controversial killing. (Warning, video does contain GRAPHIC IMAGES.) Update 4 (4/17/2015, 6:15 p.m. PDT): There have been reports that the cat was being fostered by volunteer with True Blue Animal Rescue in Brenham, Texas. The organization has put up their own statement, …
Henry Schein Unleashes Puppy Gift BoxesApril 17, 2015Veterinary products distributor Henry Schein Animal Health will ship something different to practitioners. The Dublin, Ohio, wholesaler announced a long-term partnership Thursday with Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit group that pairs nearly 300 trained assistance dogs a year with disabled people. Boxes filled with grooming items, treats and other pet products will be sent to veterinary clinics for delivery to clients who raise puppies on behalf of Canine Companions for Independence. The Puppy Raiser Care Package, which also includes product coupons, is intended to reduce the costs that volunteers incur before the animals become full-fledged working dogs. Veterinarians will receive a plaque acknowledging their participation in the program, which is scheduled to start later this year. “The puppy raiser devotes so much time, energy and personal financial resources for the benefit of people needing assistance, so we think it is only fitting to support that generosity with this gift,” said Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and CEO of parent company Henry Schein Inc. “The veterinarian, as the health care partner of the puppy raiser, also contributes to the betterment of society by providing the care needed to ensure the puppy grows into a working assistance dog.” About 1,400 volunteer puppy …
