Zoetis Releases Johne’s Disease Assay KitSeptember 25, 2014A new test for Johne’s disease, a deadly infection of cattle, is available for sale to veterinarians and farmers, Zoetis Inc. reported today. The test, SERELISA ParaTB Ab Mono Indirect, is designed to detect Mycobacterium avium antibodies in cattle serum and plasma in less than 75 minutes. Johne’s disease, also known as paratuberculosis, can cost U.S. cattle producers hundreds of millions of dollars a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Infected cattle are doomed to death once clinical signs such as diarrhea and weight loss appear. Cattle may be vaccinated against Johne’s disease, but no cure is available. Paratuberculosis is contagious and may spread throughout a herd when an infected animal is introduced. Infected cattle may appear healthy for months or years before symptoms begin to appear, Zoetis noted. “Calves are most susceptible to Johne’s disease and producers want to help protect them,” said Matthew Krecic, DVM, MS, MBA, Dipl. ACVIM. “Producers often wait to add newly purchased cattle to the herd until certain the animals are free from the disease,” said Dr. Krecic, the senior technical services manager of U.S. Diagnostics for Zoetis. The SERELISA assay kit features 90 percent …
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Report: Ontario Vet School has Huge Economic ImpactSeptember 25, 2014The University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) contributes more than $125 million to Ontario’s economy each year, according to a new economic analysis by Deloitte LLP. The global consulting firm reviewed the vet school as part of a process supporting reaccreditation. OVC provides the government with an excellent return on its investment, and contributes to the province and country in critical ways besides educating veterinarians, the report noted. “We’ve always known that the University of Guelph and Ontario Veterinary College contribute to the quality of life in our province, and this report shows just how significant an impact OVC has on Ontario’s economic vitality,” said Franco Vaccarino, Ph.D., president of the University of Guelph. “It emphasizes the broad-based value OVC brings to the province and beyond, particularly in animal health and food production, food security and safety, emergency preparedness and infectious diseases.” “This report highlights the necessity and economic importance of Ontario having its own accredited veterinary school,” said Elizabeth Stone, DVM, dean of the OVC. “In addition to training veterinarians, OVC plays a critical role in developing and disseminating research to industry and is a vital link in the public health community, ensuring issues are tackled …
Connections Count in New Idexx CampaignSeptember 24, 2014Idexx Laboratories Inc. is working to improve pet care and the financial health of veterinary practices through a multiyear campaign that includes online and in-person education, one-on-one customer support and even a photo contest. The Westbrook, Maine, manufacturer of diagnostic equipment and services this month launched Strengthen the Bonds, a program that emphasizes the importance of intertwined relationships between pets, owners and veterinary staff. Research conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association found that veterinary practices where revenue grew by more than 10 percent two years in a row tended to emphasize animal and interpersonal bonds during client visits and behind the scenes. “When these bonds are strong, pets and practices stay healthier,” said Tammi Lesser, LVT, Idexx’s senior director of marketing. “We created the Strengthen the Bonds framework to offer the veterinary community a new lens through which they can evaluate innovative ways of delivering care, fostering loyalty among clients and improving teamwork.” More than a dozen videos posted at Idexx.com/strengthenthebonds provide an introduction to the need for strong bonds. Additional tools related to veterinary care and relationship-building, including webinars and case studies, are available through the company’s online Learning Center. A bonus for
Atlantic Veterinary College to Hold 26th Annual Open HouseSeptember 24, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews The Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island will hold its 26th annual Open House Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, which is organized and run by the college students, is an opportunity for the public to go behind the scenes at a veterinary medical college. There will also be a parade of dog breed and clicker training with dogs, among other activities. Children can bring their favorite stuffed toys for a check-up and treatment at the Teddy Bear Clinic. The college will also be accepting pet food and/or toy donations for the PEI Humane Society.
NexGard Success Triggers Factory ExpansionSeptember 23, 2014 Merial Ltd. broke ground Monday on the $25 million expansion of a manufacturing plant in Paulinia, Brazil, to support additional production of the new flea and tick medication NexGard. Launched early this year, NexGard (afoxolaner) Chewables rang up $40 million in U.S. sales in the second quarter. That figure represented 9 percent of Merial’s international companion animal business. Merial CEO Carsten Hellmann called the expansion of the Paulinia facility—one of 18 plants worldwide—“an important part of our global business and manufacturing strategy.” “With [NexGard] registrations filed globally, we are significantly expanding our current manufacturing capacity to prepare for demand and growth,” Hellmann said. NexGard is a vegetable-based, meatless chew approved for use in dogs at least 8 weeks old and weighing four pounds or more. The monthly prescription medication is indicated to kill fleas and a variety of ticks. The medication also is sold in Europe and Japan. The expansion is expected to ultimately supply more than 100 countries. The construction should be finished in early 2015, Merial reported. The work includes 21,000 square feet of additional production rooms and new equipment. The Paulinia plant should create 85 jobs, …
Cornell Vet College Names New Assistant Dean for Marketing & CommunicationsSeptember 23, 2014 Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has named G. Leonard Johnson as assistant dean for marketing and communications. Johnson, who will take on the role in October, will provide overall strategic leadership and direction for the brand and marketing initiatives of the college and its enterprise operations. He will manage marketing activities, including outreach, events and business market research initiatives; lead and oversee media relations, communications, publications, web development, social media and digital presence; and direct delivery of executive-level communications support for the dean. The new position, according to Cornell, was created in part to guide the marketing and business development of the college’s growing enterprises. These include clinical services provided in the Cornell University Hospital for Animals, the Cornell University Veterinary Specialists and Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, as well as the Animal Health Diagnostic Center, which earn more than $40 in annual revenue. Johnson previously served as executive director of marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Prior to that, he served as vice president of corporate marketing for The McGraw-Hill Companies in New York. Before joining McGraw-Hill Companies, he served various marketing positions at Unilever, a consumer packaged goods corporation.
Legal Fight Escalates Between Purina, Blue BuffaloSeptember 22, 2014 Pet food giant Nestlé Purina filed additional legal claims last week against Blue Buffalo Co., accusing the competitor of overstating the quality of its LifeSource Bits, cat litter and Jolly Joints dog treats. Blue Buffalo called the allegations a “smear campaign” and challenged the qualifications of an independent scientific expert who examined other Blue Buffalo products. The legal brawl stems from a false-advertising lawsuit filed May 6 by Nestlé Purina Petcare Co., which asserted that a preliminary laboratory report had uncovered poultry byproduct meal and grain in some Blue Buffalo recipes. Blue Buffalo, which filed a countersuit May 14, declares in its advertising and legal responses that the company’s dog and cat foods are free of chicken and poultry byproduct meals, corn, wheat and soy. The Wilton, Conn., company defended its LifeSource Bits, cat litter and dog treats. “Nestlé Purina is attempting to muddy the waters … by adding a list of new unfounded allegations to continue its malicious attack,” said Blue Buffalo founder and chairman Bill Bishop. “With numerous quotes in its press release from its chief marketing officer, Nestlé Purina makes it clear that this entire lawsuit is simply a marketing campaign disguised …
Colorado State Vets Help Ailing Military DogSeptember 22, 2014 A 9-year-old mixed-breed dog that sniffed out bombs during military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan is recovering after heart surgery performed Sept. 16 at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Kay, a now-retired war dog, was discovered to have an inoperable heart tumor after he settled down with his U.S. Army handler, Brandon Donahue, in Brighton, Colo. “We could definitely tell he was lethargic and tired, and he wasn’t feeling right,” Donahue said. The former soldier and his wife, Brandi, stopped at Colorado State after sitting through other veterinary consultations that included suggestions of euthanasia. Brandon Donahue knew he had to do more for Kay, who was credited with saving countless American lives overseas. “He put his life in danger, sometimes more than I did,” he said of their military service. “It means the world that we were able to return the favor and help him out.” Publicity about Kay’s condition led to $9,825 in contributions for the dog’s surgery and recovery. Though his cancer is inoperable, a surgical team led by Catriona MacPhail, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVS, created a 1- by 1-inch hole in the bottom of the heart …
U.K. Vets Remove Cataracts in Asian BearSeptember 22, 2014 The veterinary charity Animal Health Trust successfully performed cataract surgery on a moon bear that was rescued from the wild in Vietnam’s Thanh Hoa province. The juvenile bear, named James, had learned to live and play in virtual darkness, according to Animals Asia, which hosted the surgery at its Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre. Animals Asia is a group dedicated to fighting the harvesting of bear bile, an ingredient used in traditional Chinese medicine, and to other animal welfare causes. Ophthalmologists from the U.K.-based Animal Health Trust found a cataract in James’ left eye and a hypermature cataract in the right eye, which the veterinarians feared was permanently useless because it showed little to no reaction to light. The recent surgery should completely restore vision in the left eye and partially in the right, the veterinarians said. “It is very difficult for us to estimate how much James can see with his right eye, because blind bears will use their keen sense of smell and hearing to move around,” said Animals Asia senior veterinarian Joost Philippa, DVM, Ph.D. “Even with cataracts in both eyes it was sometimes difficult to notice that James could …
Merck Awards $5,000 Student ScholarshipsSeptember 18, 2014 Fifteen veterinary students with a strong interest in dairy or beef medicine each received a $5,000 scholarship from Merck Animal Health. The annual Bovine Veterinary Student Recognition Awards were announced today on the first day of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners conference in Albuquerque, N.M. “The contributions that large animal veterinarians make to our world are immeasurable,” said Norman Stewart, DVM, livestock technical services manager with Summit, N.J.-based Merck, a manufacturer of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other products. “They help keep our animals healthy and our food safe and affordable.” The scholarships and a free trip to the conference went to: Chelsea Allan (Ontario Veterinary College) Benjamin Baird (Washington State University) Lindsey Borst (University of Minnesota) Julie Conner (University of California, Davis) J.D. Folsom (Oklahoma State University) Jacob Hagenmaier (Kansas State University) Jennifer R. Holle (University of Wisconsin) Daniel J. Lopez (Cornell University) Lee Michels (University of Minnesota) Halley Oliveira (Cornell University) Emily K. Severt (Ohio State University) McKenzie Steger (Iowa State University) Peter A. Strassburg (University of Wisconsin) Holt Tripp (Oklahoma State University) Ashley Zondlak (Michigan State University) The scholarship recipients must be in their third or fourth year of …
