Purina: ‘No Quality Issues With Beneful’February 26, 2015Pet food manufacturer Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. is defending its Beneful brand as safe in light of a lawsuit that claims the food killed or sickened an undetermined number of dogs. The lawsuit alleges that the illnesses and deaths were linked to contaminated grain and food-grade propylene glycol used in eight Beneful kibble recipes. The document, filed Feb. 5 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, requests class-action status, which if granted could turn thousands of dog owners nationwide into plaintiffs. St. Louis-based Purina issued a statement calling Beneful “a favorite of millions of pet owners and their dogs.” “First and foremost, there are no quality issues with Beneful,” the company stated. “Beneful is a high-quality, nutritious food enjoyed by millions of dogs every day. In fact, in 2014, nearly 1.5 billion Beneful meals were served to millions of happy, healthy dogs who enjoy and thrive on this food.” The lawsuit was filed by Discovery Bay, Calif., dog owner Frank Lucido, who said his German shepherd and Labrador retriever became sick and his English bulldog died within weeks of starting a Beneful diet. Lucido’s attorney, Jeffrey B. Cereghino, claimed in the lawsuit that testing of Beneful by the Association for Truth …
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Study: Toxoplasmosis Contaminating Central Illinois WaterwaysFebruary 26, 2015Toxoplasmosis is moving rapidly through central Illinois’ landscape and contaminating local waterways, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois. The study, published online in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases in January, assessed risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii exposure in muskrats and American mink—both semiaquatic mammals—in east-central Illinois. The agricultural region has extensive drainage systems that could potentially transport T. gondii oocysts into the watershed, according to the study. The researchers used muskrats and American mink as sentinels of watershed contamination. “We thought we’d do a broad prevalence survey in minks and muskrats,” said University of Illinois graduate student Adam Ahlers, who led the study with veterinary clinical medicine professor Mark Mitchell, DVM, Ph.D., Illinois Natural History Survey mammalian ecologist Edward Heske, Ph.D., and natural resources and environmental sciences professor Robert Schooley, Ph.D. “And when we got the data back, we were really surprised because the prevalence rates were higher than expected.” The researchers found antibodies for T. gondii in 18 of 30 muskrats and 20 of 26 minks. Infection rates were ≥1.7 times higher than those typical for mammals in upland habitats in this region, according to the study. The researchers suspected that …
AKC Updates Website, LogoFebruary 25, 2015Staying current with technology, the 130-year-old American Kennel Club has launched a redesigned website along with what the registrar of purebred dogs describes as a streamlined, modern logo. The New York-based AKC contracted with the design firm Makeable to plan and build the new website, which is optimized for mobile devices and features greater functionality on all breed pages, the organization reported. “We spent more than a year immersed in research and discovery to ensure we presented a redesigned platform that would not only serve the members of our sport, but also the millions of dog owners around the country,” said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung. He called the website—www.AKC.org—“progressive and inclusive while also staying true to our heritage.” Besides maintaining an expansive log of purebred dogs, AKC advocates for canine health, oversees more than 5,000 clubs and affiliated organizations, and maintains rules and regulations governing competitions such as breed shows and agility events.
Distributor MWI Sold to AmerisourceBergenFebruary 25, 2015AmerisourceBergen Corp. officially entered the veterinary distribution channel Tuesday with the takeover of MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. The transaction was completed just six weeks after the companies announced AmerisourceBergen’s intention to purchase all outstanding shares of MWI common stock for $190 each. The total price was estimated at $2.5 billion. Numerous law firms launched investigations into whether MWI investors were shortchanged. At least one of them, the Delaware firm Andrews and Springer, declined to take action. “We have not filed a case against MWI and are not going to,” attorney Craig J. Springer said. The San Diego-based Shareholders Foundation reported Feb. 10 that it sued on behalf of an investor. A spokesman could not be reached to comment on the status of the lawsuit. MWI went from a standalone company based in Boise, Idaho, to a wholly owned subsidiary of one of the world’s largest distributors of human drugs. MWI’s management team, led by President and CEO Jim Cleary, remained in place. AmerisourceBergen President and CEO Steven H. Collis hailed the MWI executives. “With our combined knowledge of manufacturer and provider services, our global reach and partnership philosophy, we will bring the next generation of superior customer service and …
Multi Radiance Launches Laser Rental for Pet OwnersFebruary 25, 2015Multi Radiance Medical has a solution for veterinarians who recommend laser therapy but struggle with client compliance. The Solon, Ohio, manufacturer unveiled a rental program Tuesday that sends pet owners home with the handheld TQ Solo so they can administer laser therapy to their dogs and cats. A companion website, www.RentMyPetLaser.com, directs pet owners to a participating veterinarian to receive an official diagnosis and treatment plan. The veterinarian determines how much to charge for the rental. “Vets set the price based on their market and what they think is an appropriate price,” said J. Mark Strong, national sales director of Multi Radiance’s veterinary division. The battery-powered TQ Solo, which comes in a kit that includes instructions and a treatment-tracking form, is designed for pain relief and healing. No goggles are needed because of the laser’s super-pulse technology. The rental time should be measured in days, not months, Strong said. “When you have a week or two of consistent treatment, you get a good outcome,” he said. More clients are asking about laser therapy, Strong said. “It has continued to grow and grow,” he said. “Pet owners have been hearing about it. They do online research. Sometimes it’s …
Don’t Skip Vaccinations, AVMA AdvisesFebruary 24, 2015Diseases such as rabies and distemper have been held in check but could roar back if the anti-vaccination movement making headlines in human medicine emerges on the animal side, the American Veterinary Medical Association is warning. The Schaumburg, Ill., organization last week issued a statement about vaccinations and how the failure to immunize a growing number of children has led to a measles outbreak in the United States. AVMA noted that the domestic dog variant of rabies has been eliminated in the United States because of widespread vaccinations and that diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, and panleukopenia aren’t prevalent anymore. “This trend could easily be reversed, however, by the same circumstances that are allowing measles to spread in the United States,” AVMA reported. The rabies vaccine in animals also reduces the chance of people contracting the deadly disease. “Unvaccinated pets are not only at risk themselves, but pose a threat to other animals, including young pets that have not yet received their full series of vaccines and thus are not fully protected, or those individuals that can’t be vaccinated due to pre-existing health issues,” said AVMA President Ted Cohn, DVM. “Vaccinating your pets helps to keep them safe …
Virginia Tech Vet College to Host Human-Animal Bond SymposiumFebruary 24, 2015The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech will be sponsoring a human-animal bond symposium on March 6 at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center. The event, “The Animal Human Experience: Exploring the Bond,” aims to bring together experts from multidisciplinary fields to explore the benefits and challenges of human-animal interactions, services and therapies. Marie Suthers, DVM, professor of anthrozoology at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., will be the keynote speaker. Dr. Suthers served as the founding director of the veterinary college’s Center for Human-Animal Relationships between 1999 and 2006. “Dr. Suthers has more than 25 years of experience in veterinary practice, academic and community education and the study of human-animal interaction,” said Bess Peirce, DVM, the current director of the center and symposium organizer. “She is a well-known national and international speaker on the relationship between people and animals, including the impact of human-animal interaction of specific human populations and the well-being of animals employed in therapeutic interventions for humans.” Symposium speakers will cover a range of topics, such as the link between animal abuse and abuse of vulnerable human populations and equine-assisted psychotherapy. A panel discussion on an integrated approach to animal-assisted therapy …
Virbac Strengthens Ties to Heartworm SocietyFebruary 23, 2015Virbac Animal Health, which last month added the Sentinel brand to its catalog of heartworm-fighting medications, has taken another step by becoming a platinum-level sponsor of the American Heartworm Society. Virbac’s three-year commitment of $100,000 in annual funding gives the Fort Worth, Texas, company a non-voting seat on the Heartworm Society’s executive board. The nonprofit organization counts on sponsors to help pay for research into heartworm disease and for education of the veterinary industry and public. Four other companies hold top-level Platinum status: Bayer Animal Health, Elanco Animal Health, Merial Ltd. and Zoetis Inc. Virbac acquired the U.S. rights to the popular heartworm drugs Sentinel Flavor Tabs and Sentinel Spectrum in early January from Novartis Animal Health. Novartis was required to spin off Sentinel because of a merger with Elanco. Virbac’s other heartworm medications are Iverhart Max and Iverhart Plus. The acquisition of Sentinel reinforced Virbac’s commitment to heartworm education and compliance, said President and CEO Paul Hays. “We look forward to further strengthening our relationship with veterinary professionals as well as the AHS,” he said. Virbac was a silver-level sponsor since 2007—a group that includes veterinary product manufacturers Ceva Animal Health, Heska Corp., Idexx Laboratories Inc. and Merck …
UF Hospital Earns Top Emergency CertificationFebruary 23, 2015The University of Florida Small Animal Hospital has become the state’s only VECCS-certified Level 1 veterinary emergency and critical care facility. Thirteen hospitals nationwide have received the highest-possible designation from the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (VECCS). The only other on-campus Level 1 facility is Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. The honor, which UF announced Feb. 16, was well-deserved, said Carsten Bandt, DVM, Dipl. ACVECC, chief of the Small Animal Hospital’s emergency and critical care service. “We achieved this certification due to our capabilities and high standards of our emergency and critical care facility,” Dr. Bandt said. San Antonio-based VECCS mandates that Level 1 hospitals be open around the clock, meet strict staffing and equipment standards, and employ full time at least one American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care diplomate. The Florida hospital has six of the board-certified specialists, who see cases ranging from trauma and acute kidney disease to lacerations and exposure to toxins, according to the university. More than 4,000 small animal patients are brought to the hospital each year, said Dana Zimmel, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ABVP. “In collaboration with our surgery service, our hospital can provide emergency neurosurgery …
Georgia Teaching Hospital Set for DebutFebruary 23, 2015The University of Georgia’s newly constructed Veterinary Medical Center will become the training ground for third- and fourth-year veterinary students when it opens March 25. The 300,000-square-foot complex includes the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the Veterinary Education Center, an equine performance arena, and the Field Services Building, which will feature an equine dental suite and housing for mares and foals. The facilities replace a 35-year-old teaching hospital that sees more than 24,500 small and large animal visits a year and ranks as one of the smallest in the United States. “The future of veterinary education in Georgia will be well served through this facility for many years to come,” said Sheila Allen, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. The new hospital can be expanded as needs change and is three times larger than the old building, which will be turned into research and instructional space. Among the architectural features are open lobbies and corridors partly illuminated by natural light, an outdoor courtyard and green space. The adjacent Veterinary Education Center offers 80-seat and two 40-seat classrooms for third-year students as well as a 160-seat auditorium for lectures and continuing education courses. First- and second-year students …
