Dog Owners Lodge Fewer Jerky ComplaintsFebruary 19, 2015The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported today that jerky treats remain the suspected cause of some pet illnesses and deaths even as the number of new cases has waned. The agency has spent the past several years looking at a possible connection between jerky consumption and pets, doing everything from laboratory testing and animal necropsies to soliciting veterinarian input and inspecting factories in China, where many of the treats are produced. No conclusive evidence has been found to pin the blame on jerky—specifically, chicken, duck or sweet potato treats—but the FDA isn’t backing down. “Although it is impossible to determine in every case whether the events reported were in fact caused by eating jerky pet treats, the FDA continues to believe that there is an association between some of the reports and consumption of jerky pet treats,” the agency stated. The periodic FDA update revealed that about 270 complaints were received over a five-month period ending Sept. 30, 2014. In the previous period, from October 2013 to May 2014, some 1,800 complaints were collected. Altogether, the consumption of jerky treats has been loosely connected to illnesses in more than 5,800 dogs, 25 cats and three people. More than …
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Zoetis Funds 2 Pig Virus Research StudiesFebruary 19, 2015A swine-exclusive veterinary clinic and university researchers will use $157,000 in grants to study porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), which has killed millions of piglets across the United States and Canada. Drug and vaccine maker Zoetis Inc. awarded the money to Suidae Health and Production, a veterinary practice with offices in Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, and to Iowa State University. The research grants are intended to find better ways to control PEDv in breeding and farrowing herds, according to Florham Park, N.J.-based Zoetis. “We were interested in proposals that help discover novel approaches for optimizing the immune response of sows and gilts to help control PEDv,” said Steve Sornsen, DVM, MS, senior director of Veterinary Business Solutions at Zoetis. “The outcome of these projects should provide insights into new PEDv control methods that can be incorporated into current production systems for the industry,” Dr. Sornsen added. Grant applicants were narrowed to eight finalists and then to the two recipients. Both projects are expected to be completed in 2015, Zoetis stated. Suidae was awarded $98,000 to study the efficacy of vaccination in boosting the immune response to PEDv in both naïve sows and previously exposed sows, Zoetis reported Wednesday. Some naïve …
Found Animals, Spay4LA To Unveil Mobile ClinicFebruary 19, 2015For veterinarians, World Spay Day is another opportunity to share what you know about spay/neuter surgery with your patients, raise awareness about spaying and neutering pets and possibly encourage owners with unaltered pets to have the surgery done. Found Animals will be at Los Angeles City Hall next week to help Spay4LA promote their second mobile pet clinic. In a recent press release, the mobile clinic was described as a pet “hospital on wheels that will allow the organization to serve thousands of more pets in areas that desperately need access to affordable spay/neuter services.” Their current mobile clinic services the Los Angeles area “five days per week and alters more than 5,000 pets per year,” their website states. The second mobile clinic will allow them to double that number, an effort Found Animals is pleased to be a part of. The two organizations will be joined by L.A. City Council President Herb J. Wesson, Jr., ASPCA, Brenda Barnette, the General Manager of the Los Angeles Animal Services Department, and Erika Brunson, founder of the Coalition for Pets & Public Safety. The World Spay Day event is not only about unveiling the new mobile clinic. It’s also a …
University of Minnesota to Host Camelid Health ConferenceFebruary 19, 2015The University of Minnesota will host “Cria Care and Biosecurity—A Strategy for Camelid Farms—Challenges and Best Practices,” on Feb. 28. The conference, designed for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and alpaca and llama owners, will be led by Claire Whitehead, BVM&S, MS, FHEA, MRCVS, Dipl. AVIM (large animal). Dr. Whitehead grew up in the United Kingdom, developing a passion for alpacas on the family farm. In May 2011, she established a private practice running a camelid-only referral and consultancy practice and runs courses for vets and owners/breeds on camelid health and reproduction. She is currently building a new camelid-focused facility to be opened later this year. The conference will discuss biosecurity issues, disease prevention, neonatal mortality and angular limb deformities, among other topics. For details, visit the University of Minnesota website.
Meet The Dean: College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn UniversityFebruary 18, 2015Calvin M. Johnson, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVP, was appointed dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University in 2013. Johnson says he was drawn to a career in academia where he could teach students, advance biomedical knowledge through research and practice that knowledge for the public’s well-being. Under Johnson’s leadership, the college educates 480 veterinary students and 71 graduate students in biomedical sciences, and supports the professional activities of 107 faculty members and 250 staff. Q. Why did you enter veterinary medicine? A. As a student interested in animals and understanding the scientific basis of disease, I could not have selected a better career than being a veterinarian. The profession has provided tremendous opportunities for these pursuits, and also integrates opportunities for meaningful public service, impactful research that improves the health of animals and humans and the sheer personal challenge of bringing all of these elements under the umbrella of a single career. I have always admired the veterinary profession because it is relatively small, yet it carries a high degree of public trust and respect, which has been well earned by many highly accomplished veterinarians. I’ve always had a desire to strengthen and promote the veterinary profession. …
Illinois Practitioner Clearly the BestFebruary 18, 2015An Illinois veterinarian whose patients include police K9s and shelter animals on Tuesday was named the winner of Pets Best Insurance Services’ 2014 My Vet’s the Best contest. Mary Felt, DVM, who practices at DuPage Animal Hospital in the Chicago suburb of Villa Park, received a plaque and a $1,000 check during a presentation held at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. Dr. Felt plans to spend the money on organizations she works with, including Yorkie Rescue and Making Our Pugs Safe Pug Rescue. “Veterinarians can make a significant difference in the lives of pets and their owners, and Dr. Felt exemplifies this through her many efforts to help animals in need,” said Pets Best founder Jack Stephens, DVM. A panel of veterinarians selected Felt from among 20 finalists. Felt, a 1994 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, has interests in internal and shelter medicine. She provides the primary care for police K9s in the cities of Elmhurst and Villa Park. The 2013 winner was Sarah Coburn, DVM, MS, of North Slope Borough Veterinary Clinic in Barrow, Alaska. Pets Best is based in Boise, Idaho, and provides health insurance coverage for cats …
Norbrook Releases Carprofen Injection for DogsFebruary 17, 2015Pharmaceutical company Norbrook Laboratories, Ltd. has announced its new Carprieve (carprofen) Injection for Dogs. Carprieve Injection is a subcutaneous injectable carprofen designed for the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and for the control of postoperative pain associated with soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries in dogs. According to Jonathan Whitt, the marketing manager for Companion Animals, Norbrook, Inc., Caprieve is “a generic alternative to Rimadyl Injectable where a veterinarian prescribes injectable carprofen for pain relief in dogs,” he added. Norbrook says the Carprieve Injection contains the same active ingredient, formulation and dosing regimen as Rimadyl. Carprieve Injection is available from veterinary product suppliers in 20 mL and 50 mL bottles.
Missouri Professor Earns Board-Certification in RadiologyFebruary 17, 2015Charles Maitz, DVM, Ph.D., an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, has become a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiology in the subspecialty of radiation oncology. The university recently posted the news on its website. Dr. Maitz, who joined the college in July, holds a joint position with the School of Medicine’s Department of Radiology and the International Institute of Nano and Molecular Medicine. Maitz earned both his DVM and Ph.D. at the University of Missouri.
Ross University Hosts Second Annual Student Research DayFebruary 14, 2015More than 30 students at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine participated in the school’s second annual Student Research Day on Jan. 23. The event is an opportunity to promote and celebrate student-led research. The posters were judged by nine RUSVM faculty members representing a variety of clinical and biomedical expertise. Judges evaluated the posters on the criteria of appearance, clarity, analysis and student’s day-of presentation and responses to questions. The winners: First Place — Streptococcus agalactiae vaccine in nile tilapia (RUSVM student Maria Zayas and RUSVM faculty members Drs. Esteban Soto, Oscar Illanes, Michelle Dennis, Fortune Sithole) Second Place — Separation anxiety prevalence and severity in the typical St. Kitts “island dog” (RUSVM students Elizabeth Kost and Erika Bebout and RUSVM faculty member Dr. Maziel Arauz) Third Place (tie) + Gross and histopathological lesions of renal stephanuriasis in St. Kitts swine (RUSVM student Danielle Morosco and RUSVM faculty members Drs. Oscar Illanes and Carmen Fuentealba) + Validation of an in vitro culture method for cestodes (RUSVM students Kathleen Neuville, Janel Cawthra and Chele Lathroum and RUSVM faculty member Dr. Jennifer Ketzis) The day also included a presentation of awards and a guest lecture from Richard Goldstein, DVM, chief medical officer from the Animal …
AKC Foundation Selects 6 Research FellowsFebruary 12, 2015Six veterinary researchers focused on canine issues were named Clinician-Scientist Fellows on Wednesday under a program managed by the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. Each will receive $10,000 in support of their research project and $2,000 to present the results at a national scientific meeting. The fellowship program is designed to encourage young researchers and advance canine and human health, according to the Raleigh, N.C., foundation. “As emerging key opinion leaders in veterinary medicine, their relationships with our donors and their understanding of the value of collaboration is critical to helping us solve our greatest health concerns faster,” said the foundation’s chief scientific officer, Shila Nordone, Ph.D. Financial support for the program comes from individual donors and other sponsors. An “Adopt a Researcher” function on the foundation website—http://bit.ly/1yqKA5C—allows contributors to direct their donation to an individual fellow. Members of the 2015 class, the third in the program’s history, and their research projects are: Emily Brown, DVM, of the University of California, Davis: The genetic etiology of Addison’s disease in Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers and other dogs. Steven Friedenberg, DVM, MS, MBA, of North Carolina State University: The genetic causes of autoimmune diseases in dogs. Hyun Ji …
