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 …
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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 …
iCVI iPad App Growing In PopularityAugust 13, 2014 Back in June, the iCVI iPad was launched. It was developed by the The Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Center of Excellence, in partnership with the Texas Center for Applied Technology (TCAT) part of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station. The app, according to the IIAD press release, is a mobile Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) application, “which support[s] veterinary practitioners submitting animal health certificate records from the field.” According to the app’s description: “Veterinarians will find this tool valuable for generating Certificates of Veterinary Inspection for submission to state veterinary offices.” itunes/apple The iCVI app on iTunes is free. The features of the app, according to the app page, include: Offline/Online CVI creation CVI filtering Submission to state vet. offices via emailed PDF Offline/Online printing Import of animal data from CSV Multiple animal management conveniences Attachment of pictures “This new technology will help streamline the work flow for our veterinarians in the field,” said Bill Brown, DVM, Kansas animal health commissioner, in the IIAD press release. “We want to make sure that tools are …
Wisconsin Vet School Sees Increased Grant SupportAugust 12, 2014 The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine recently reported that its grant support grew by almost 14 percent, from $18.5 million to $21 million, from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014. Grant support has increased 54 percent since 2011-2012, when the school brought in $13.6 million, according to the school. “The talent, dedication and tireless efforts of our faculty, staff and students have led us to excel in a trying time for research funding,” said Dean Mark Markel, DVM, Ph.D. “The recent federal government shutdown, sequestration and budget cuts have made funding harder to come by. That we have been able to not only thrive but also improve in this context underscores the quality of our work. This is an incredible accomplishment.” The school noted that it continues to earn significant support from donors as well. When gifts are factored in with grants, total extramural funding grew 11 percent from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014, from $21.8 million to $24.2 million, and by 46 percent since 2011-2012 when the school’s total was $16.6 million.
Stephens Announces Leadership Change At Pets BestAugust 12, 2014 Jack Stephens, DVM, the face of pet health insurance in the U.S., announced today that he is retiring from day-to-day responsibilities as president of Pets Best Insurance Services. Dr. Stephens will remain one of three managers of the business, on its board of directors and a significant shareholder. Going forward, he said, he will be more focused on the company’s strategy. “After 33 years in an all-consuming role of championing pet health insurance, I simply want to have more free time to travel with my wife, Vicki and enjoy life while I still have my health,” Stephens said. “Age does that to you. “I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am right now,” he said Tuesday morning. “I am hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in February, then Vicki is joining me for Serengeti, Zanzibar and Rwanda for gorilla watching.” Stephens will also be promoting his book, “A Different Kind of Veterinarian,” which is available on Amazon. Stephens, 67, pioneered pet health insurance in the U.S., promoting it as a means to end economic euthanasia. He did so after a trip to the grocery store in which he bumped into a client who had …
