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.
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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 …
Putney Releases Injectable Carprofen for DogsFebruary 12, 2015Drug maker Putney Inc. this week began selling Carprofen Sterile Injectable Solution, a generic version of Rimadyl, the anti-inflammation medication that has earned longtime rights holder Zoetis Inc. hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. The development gives Putney all three dosage forms of generic Rimadyl: injectable, chewable tablets and caplets. The active ingredient, carprofen, is formulated to control osteoarthritis pain and inflammation in dogs and for postsurgical pain. “Putney is helping veterinarians make pet health care more affordable for their pet owner clients by bringing new FDA-approved veterinary generic medicines to the market,” CEO Jean Hoffman said. Putney launched Carprofen Chewable Tablets in December. At the time, the Portland, Maine, company estimated industry sales of chewable Rimadyl and its generic equivalents at $70 million a year. Another U.S. drug maker, Bayer Animal Health, offers generic Rimadyl in soft chewable tablets under the brand name Quellin. Zoetis’ 2014 earnings report, released Wednesday, highlighted the threat to sales of one of its flagship products. “Growth was offset by competition to our Rimadyl franchise and competitive pressure in vaccines and parasiticides,” Zoetis stated. Rimadyl was released in 1997 by Pfizer Inc., which years later spun off its Pfizer …
Mississippi State Vet Students Attend Jackson Zoo Welcome EventFebruary 12, 2015The Jackson Zoo recently hosted a welcome party for the students of Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU-CVM). Thirty students as well as MSU-CVM Dean Kent Hoblet, DVM, attended on Feb. 4. The event was geared to give students an opportunity to visit and tour the zoo and vet hospital. Tours were broken into three groups. Zoo staff discussed daily routines of animal care, medication procedures, animal behaviors and exotic care polices. The students were also given a chance to speak directly with Michael Holifield, DVM, zoo veterinarian, and also with zoo keepers in the different sections of the zoo. Students showed interest in exotic medicine and animal care, along with researching endangered species, according to a zoo spokeswoman. In addition, the students were able to ask questions about an expanded program that will be offered through the Jackson Zoo. Read “Mississippi Vet School Expands Partnership with Jackson Zoo.”
Jaguar Sees Future for Equine Ulcer DrugFebruary 11, 2015Jaguar Animal Health, whose nonprescription Neonorm Calf is its only commercial offering, reported Tuesday the filing of its ninth Investigational New Animal Drug (INAD) application. The San Francisco company hopes the proposed treatment for ulcers and ulcer-related diarrhea in horses, along with other drug candidates, will fill its product pipeline in coming years. The INAD application is an early step in the regulatory process and precedes studies designed to investigate a drug’s safety and efficacy. The latest contender from Jaguar contains an anti-secretory agent derived from the Croton lechleri tree. The drug is formulated to treat and prevent the recurrence of ulcers throughout a horse’s stomach, intestines and colon. The formulation also could be used to treat diarrhea in ulcer-stricken horses. “There are currently no FDA-approved new animal drugs available for the treatment of colonic ulcers in horses, thus making this product a complete, first-in-class ulcer and gut treatment for more active horses like performance and racing horses as well as for horses used recreationally,” said Tim Dotson, Jaguar’s executive director of regulatory affairs. Citing a study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, the company reported that 97 percent of performance horses have either a colonic or …
