CSU Studies Effects of Climate Change in Polar BearsAugust 19, 2014 Colorado State University is helping lead a research project that seeks to better understand the impacts of climate change and infectious disease in polar bear populations. Polar bears, as the university describes it, have become a poster species for climate change because the animals have always lived by hunting seals on remote ice. With the melting sea ice, polar bears increasingly are moving inland. This shift has the potential to spawn a “perfect storm” that could devastate polar bears through decreased food supply and increased exposure to disease, pollution and people, according to Colleen Duncan, DVM, assistant professor of pathology at CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and a lead investigator of the project. Colorado State University Dr. Colleen Duncan, a veterinary pathologist at CSU, studies disease and population dynamics in Arctic wildlife. For example, polar bears have joined the scavengers that feed on whale bones piled together by indigenous Alaskan tribes, Dr. Duncan said. This relatively new behavior means different food, disease and environmental exposure that could affect bear health in multiple ways, she noted. Just this spring, Duncan traveled to northernmost Alaska with fellow researchers from …
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AVMA Economic Meeting Set for Oct. 28August 19, 2014 Registration is underway for the American Veterinary Medical Association’s second annual Economic Summit, which will explore topics such as what veterinarians are earning and why more practices are consolidating. The all-day meeting will take place Oct. 28 at the Westin O’Hare in suburban Chicago. Among the speakers will be Michael Dicks, MS, Ph.D., the AVMA’s director of veterinary economics; Jeffrey Klausner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, the chief medical officer at Banfield Pet Hospital; and Lisa Greenhill, the associate executive director for institutional research and diversity at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. Veterinary compensation, veterinarian supply and demand, the prices charged for veterinary services, and how veterinary markets influence everyday business decisions will be discussed. The registration cost is $199 until Oct. 6 and $249 afterward. More information is available at AVMA.org/Events/Symposiums.
U.S. Cracks Down on Sale of Foreign PuppiesAugust 19, 2014 The federal government has imposed new restrictions on the importation of puppies under 6 months old, drawing praise from the American Kennel Club and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The rule, part of an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act, prohibits young puppies from entering the continental United States for resale, research or veterinary purposes. Puppies under 6 months old will be permitted if they are a personal pet, breeding stock, or a show, competition or training dog. The regulations were published Monday in the Federal Register and go into effect Nov. 17, 2014. “We welcome this new rule as it will reduce the suffering of thousands of animals by curbing the importation of sick puppies from overseas,” said Cori Menkin, senior director of the ASPCA Puppy Mills Campaign. “Breeding facilities in foreign countries are not subject to oversight by the United States government, so the conditions under which many of these dogs are bred and raised are substandard. The new rule means that the U.S. no longer provides a friendly marketplace for these suffering animals.” The AKC, which registers purebred dogs and sanctions events, stated that it was “pleased.” …
British Vets Forced to Compete With ‘Dr. Google’August 18, 2014 British practitioners are fed up with the world’s most popular veterinarian, who they accuse of encouraging clients to self-diagnose and treat their pets at home, sometimes to the detriment of the animal. The veterinarian, known only as “Dr. Google,” has influenced the vast majority of pet owners, according to the British Veterinary Association. The veterinary organization reported Sunday that 98 percent of practitioners surveyed stated that their clients’ behavior was swayed by what the pet owners found online. Furthermore, nearly 40 percent of veterinarians said the owners’ online research was unhelpful. “It worries me to hear that so many people are relying on guesswork or unverified Internet sources for health advice for their pets,” said BVA President Robin Hargreaves, MRCVS. “While there is some useful information about pet behavior and health available online, particularly from the established animal charities, the best source of information for animal health concerns will always be your vet, who knows your pet.” Across the Atlantic, Dr. Google has been blamed for lackluster interest in regular veterinary checkups. A 2014 survey conducted by the coalition Partners for Healthy Pets found that 48 percent of U.S. pet owners first turned to the …
Purdue to Develop Standards for Dog BreedersAugust 15, 2014 Commercial dog breeders nationwide may adhere to the same animal care standards in a few years if a Purdue University project is successful. Candace Croney, MS, Ph.D., an associate professor of comparative pathobiology and animal science, is embarking on a two-year research assignment designed to develop and test science-based best practices covering everything from the housing of breeding dogs to their health. “Although many states have standards in place, they are highly variable from state to state,” Croney said. “In addition, several factors that significantly impact dog welfare, such as their housing, have not been well studied, raising questions about the basis and adequacy of current standards. “This project will help fill the gaps in regard to better meeting dogs’ needs,” she said. The work is underwritten by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the Pet Food Institute and the World Pet Association. Other Purdue researchers and institutions such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Animal Welfare will participate. Dog breeders have come under fire for the conditions that some animals and their offspring are exposed to. Some jurisdictions ban the retail sale of commercially bred dogs. “Given that over …
Virus Hits Livestock Hard in Colorado, TexasAugust 15, 2014 Vesicular stomatitis, a contagious but rarely fatal livestock disease, has been diagnosed at nearly 190 locations across Colorado and Texas since the viral outbreak began in late May. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Wednesday that 76 new premises, or locations, have been identified since Aug. 6. The new cases involved 105 horses, five head of cattle and three previously disease-free counties. Two of the newly infected counties, Broomfield and Jefferson, are in Colorado, while the other is Williamson County, Texas. “Veterinarians have been very observant and diligent to report horses and other livestock that are suspicious of being infected,” said the Colorado state veterinarian, Keith Roehr, DVM. Livestock owners outside of Colorado and Texas should take precautions, said Elizabeth Davis, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, a director of equine medicine and surgery at Kansas State University. “It’s an interesting disease because it does have pretty significant clinical signs,” Dr. Davis said. “Most commonly, it causes painful oral blisters in horses that can affect the mouth, muzzle and tongue. Additional signs may include lesions on the udder and/or around the top of the hoof where it meets the hairline. “Vesicular stomatitis also …
VPI Wellness Plans Win AAHA’s EndorsementAugust 14, 2014 Veterinary Pet Insurance Co.’s pet wellness plans have earned the approval of the American Animal Hospital Association, which named the company a Preferred Business Provider. Brea, Calif.-based VPI joins MWI Veterinary Supply, Wells Fargo and CareCredit as Preferred Business Providers under a program that offers special pricing or other services for AAHA members. VPI’s pet wellness plans, known as Everyday Care, can cover examinations, tests, vaccinations, sterilization and dental cleanings, depending on the level of care purchased by a cat or dog owner. Wellness exams help meet the goals of the AAHA/AVMA Preventive Healthcare Guidelines. “We believe the [VPI] program is consistent with our core mission of improving pet health and increasing patient visits by providing pet owners with cost-effective ways to manage ongoing pet health care costs,” said AAHA’s CEO, Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP. “AAHA reviewed the VPI program, and we believe it offers veterinarians and pet owners a wellness program option that eliminates many of the challenges of practice-administered wellness plans,” Dr. Cavanaugh added.
Veterinary Anesthetic Alfaxan Approved for U.S. DistributionAugust 14, 2014 An intravenous injectable anesthetic commonly used in Australia will be released to U.S. veterinarians Aug. 25, the manufacturer, Jurox Animal Health, reported. Alfaxan (alfaxalone 10 mg/mL) is approved for use in cats and dogs. The drug is indicated for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia and for the induction of anesthesia followed by maintenance with an inhalant anesthetic. Winning U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Alfaxan took time, said JJ O’Brien, CEO of Australia-based Jurox. “Since beginning this process, we have had countless inquiries as to why it has not been available to U.S. veterinarians,” O’Brien said. The drug is widely accepted by Australian veterinarians and has been used in 20 countries. “An independent study commissioned by Jurox reported Australian veterinarians to rely on Alfaxan for induction as often as 74 percent of the time in cats and 52 percent in dogs,” the company stated. Alfaxan’s U.S. distributors will include Henry Schein Animal Health, MWI Veterinary Supply, Patterson Veterinary Supply, NEVSCo, Midwest Veterinary Supply and Victor Medical Co. Jurox earlier this summer opened its U.S. headquarters in Kansas City, Mo.
AAVMC Welcomes New President, French Veterinary SchoolAugust 14, 2014 The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges has new leadership in place with the installation of President Trevor Ames, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, and the naming of president-elect Eleanor M. Green, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ABVP. The Washington, D.C., organization, which looks after the interests of veterinary colleges worldwide, also recently added a 49th full member: the University of Lyon’s VetAgro Sup in France. As president, Dr. Ames will lead AAVMC’s board of directors for one year. He also is dean of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. “I view this opportunity to serve as a tremendous honor, and I’m looking forward to an exciting year,” Ames said. “Our colleges and the profession are dealing with a variety of important issues, but I think our stakeholders share a great sense of common purpose and we’re going to make a lot of progress in creating a better future for veterinary medicine.” He replaced Kent Hoblet, DVM, MS, the dean of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Next in line for the presidency is Dr. Green, the dean of veterinary medicine at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine …
Texas Colleges Partner On New Degree PathAugust 14, 2014 Texas A&M University and Western Texas College have partnered to initiate a new degree path for students at Roscoe Collegiate High School. Texas A&M will work with the Texas community college to establish a route to the STEM Pathways, which will be offered soon through the high school. STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Math — creates more opportunities for students in agriculture related degree programs, according to the colleges. “This sets the stage for [the high school students] to potentially enter the Biomedical Science Program, which can lead to pre-vet pathways, or one of the six Colleges of Agriculture, that are a door to a variety of agricultural professions,” said Kim Alexander, Ed.D., the superintendent at Roscoe Collegiate High School. Western Texas College and Roscoe Collegiate High School have already been partnering for dual credit for the past 15 years. Dual credit courses satisfy the curriculum requirements of both the high school and the junior college. Roscoe students could take dual credit courses during their junior and senior years. Five years ago, the high school began allowing students to begin taking dual credit courses as freshmen. “Most collegiate high schools are in large metro …
