Elanco, FDA Say Trifexis Played No Role in Dog DeathsAugust 5, 2014 Trifexis, a flea killer and heartworm preventive introduced in 2011, is being blamed for nearly 1,000 dog deaths, but both the manufacturer and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioned that no evidence has been found tying the drug to the claims. Atlanta television station WSB learned after filing a Freedom of Information Act request that the FDA had received 965 complaints of Trifexis-related dog deaths. Pet owners have debated the drug’s safety on multiple websites and even started a Facebook page called Does Trifexis Kill Dogs? FDA, which approves and regulates human and animal drugs, acknowledged that dog owners and veterinarians have lodged formal complaints about Trifexis (spinosad and milbemycin oxime). “FDA is aware of adverse event reports in connection with Trifexis and continues to closely monitor them,” the agency reported in a prepared statement. “It is very important to realize that reports of adverse events do not necessarily mean that the product caused the event. Other factors, such as existing disease, exposure to chemicals or contaminants, foods, or other medications may have triggered or contributed to the cause of the event.” WSB-TV also reported in late July that 1,500 Trifexis complaints were …
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CAPC Urges Additional Heartworm TestsAugust 4, 2014 The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has updated its heartworm guidelines to recommend that a microfilariae test be performed annually on all dogs in addition to the customary antigen test and that veterinarians consider administering tests twice a year in heartworm-prevalent areas. Reports of an increasing number of false-negative antigen results led the Salem, Ore., organization to modify the guidelines July 28 after a meeting of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. Some dogs appeared to have developed immune complexes that led to a rising number of false negatives involving commercial antigen tests. “Some of the CAPC parasitology specialists speculate that one of the reasons for the increase in these false-negative test results may be related to the practice of placing heartworm-infected dogs on long-term regimens of macrocyclic lactone preventives and antibiotics rather than treating them with an approved adulticide,” the organization stated. The combination treatment, known as the slow-kill method, came into favor with some veterinarians because of an ongoing shortage of Immiticide, an adulticide manufactured by Merial Ltd. Dogs managed with these protocols may experience prolonged inflammation, which could result in the formation of immune complexes that mask the detection …
Vets Stay Legal With Signing of Drug Mobility ActAugust 4, 2014 President Obama on Friday signed into law the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act, which permits practitioners to legally transport and dispense controlled drugs away from their registered offices and across state lines. The legislation, HR 1528, was introduced more than 15 months ago by the only veterinarians serving in Congress: Reps. Kurt Schrader, DVM, an Oregon Democrat, and Ted Yoho, DVM, a Florida Republican. “This bill will not only benefit all who practice large animal veterinary medicine but the farmers and ranchers who rely on them,” Dr. Yoho said. “This law will allow veterinarians to practice their profession without fear of unnecessary government intrusion.” The law permits what the Drug Enforcement Administration in recent years had considered a violation of the Controlled Substances Act—the administration of drugs by mobile, rural and wildlife veterinarians away from the practitioner’s registered workplace. DEA sent warning letters to some veterinarians, but no one was ever charged, the American Veterinary Medical Association reported. AVMA’s new president, Ted Cohn, DVM, thanked Obama and Congress for “allowing us complete access to the medications we need to fulfill our oath to society.” “The health and welfare of our nation’s wildlife, food …
Holding On To What Makes You Happy As A VeterinarianAugust 2, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. I’m guessing that when you realized you wanted to be a veterinarian, it wasn’t because you were super excited about doing paperwork or thinking only about the science side of it. When was the last time you took a step back from your day-to-day veterinary life, away from your clients and patients and even from your staff and practice and reflected on why you became a veterinarian or why the job makes you happy? The Society for Veterinary Medicine and Literature wants you to remember the reason, as well as help veterinary students hold on to that reason. “Literature can help them retain their sense of joy about becoming/being a veterinarian,” Dean Elizabeth Stone, DVM, MS, MPP of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College said, according to The New York Times. According to their website, “The Society promotes the reading and discussion of literary works to explore important issues in veterinary medicine—and for the intrinsic pleasure and value of reading and discussing good literature, a way of renewing one's joy in being a veterinarian and …
Vet Schools Debut In Arizona, TennesseeAugust 1, 2014Amid the debate over whether veterinary school graduates can afford mortgage-sized tuition debt and whether the United States has too many practitioners comes Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D., who sees a reason to produce more veterinarians. “I know the world says, ‘Hey, vets don’t get paid enough’ and ‘Vet school is expensive,’ but I also know that the desire to be a vet is very strong in many people,” Goeppinger said. The president and CEO of Midwestern University this month opens the nation’s 29th veterinary college, while 1,620 miles to the east in Harrogate, Tenn., Lincoln Memorial University launches No. 30. The two newest veterinary colleges — each eligible for provisional accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education — will add a combined 197 first-year students to the national rolls. Last year, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges counted 2,981 first-year students among the 11,474 DVM students enrolled at 28 schools on U.S. soil. Lincoln Memorial, a private liberal arts college set in the Cumberland Mountains of eastern Tennessee, offers master’s programs in nursing and physician assistance and awards a doctoral degree in osteopathic medicine. Midwestern, which despite its name sits on the sun-baked desert floor of …
Liposuction For Pets: Procedure Becoming Increasingly PopularJuly 31, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Our society is a bit obsessed with appearance. Countless ads pop up on radio, television and in magazines promoting breast augmentations, anti-aging creams and countless ways to lose weight (through exercise, weight-loss programs, special diets, medications and surgeries). One such option is liposuction. The ad may show a woman with a not-so-flat belly next to a picture of one with a toned stomach, telling people that liposuction was the answer. So when I saw in the news that liposuction was now available for pets, I thought our society had gone too far. But, like everything else, you have to read the fine print. Although referred to as liposuction, when the procedure is performed on pets it is not cosmetic (even if your client’s pet is hoping for a svelte figure). It’s actually used to improve the health of the pet. The non-invasive procedure removes the fat from lipomas in overweight and senior dogs. If gone untreated, they can grow quite large and impede the dog’s movement. “They can be really big,” Rebecca Pentecost, DVM, told Fox 8 Cleveland. …
MSU Vet Inducted Into AOSSM Hall of FameJuly 31, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @VetPetNews. Steven Arnoczky, DVM, was inducted into the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s (AOSSM) Hall of Fame at its annual meeting in Seattle on July 11. Dr. Arnoczky is a sports medicine researcher from the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He has conducted basic science orthopaedic research for 40 years. Only the second non-physician to receive this honor, Arnoczky is being recognized for basic science contributions to the advancement of ligament reconstruction of the knee and meniscal repair and replacement. “This extraordinary honor for Dr. Arnoczky reflects the human medical community’s recognition of his contributions to orthopaedic medicine,” said John Baker, DVM, Ph.D., dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “It speaks to his accomplishments in basic science and comparative research, and his contributions reflect well on the college’s leadership in the comparative medicine philosophy.” The AOSSM established the Hall of Fame in 2001 to honor members of the orthopaedic sports medicine community who have made original and significant contributions to the specialty. Induction is the highest honor given to a society member. There are currently 58 members from 11 countries …
Pre-Veterinary Program Launches At Centenary CollegeJuly 30, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Beginning fall of 2015, Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey will offer a pre-veterinary track degree: Bachelor of Science in Equine Science. “This is a wonderful opportunity for those who are interested in the field of veterinary medicine, as well as the science-associated careers within the industry,” Michael Fugaro, VDM, Dipl. ACVS and Professor of Equine Studies said, according to NJ.com. Designed for highly motivated students by the Equine Studies and Mathematics & Natural Sciences departments, the four-year program will consist of 20-credit course loads per semester. The program is for academically-minded students pursuing careers in veterinary medicine and other animal science fields. Those fields include physiology, biomedical research, nutrition, pharmaceuticals and technology. Students in this program will receive career development advisement from experts in the field, and will also be encouraged to participate in experiential learning and internships. They will receive skills training in the areas of pro-activeness, professional networking, handling stress and time management through the pre-professionals organization. The organization will also help students with graduate school options and applications. To learn more about Centenary College’s pre-veterinary degree, …
Avivagen Explores Possible Breakthrough in Female SterilizationJuly 30, 2014 A Canadian animal health company wants to do for female dogs and cats what Ark Sciences Inc. is doing for male dogs. Ark Sciences this year began shipping to veterinarians an FDA-approved nonsurgical sterilization drug, Zeuterin Injectable Solution, that is formulated to permanently cease canine sperm production. Seizing an opportunity on the female side, Avivagen Inc. of Ottawa, Ontario, is partnering with University of Saskatchewan veterinarian Duncan Hockley, DVM, who invented what the company calls a drug-based alternative to surgical spaying. The agreement puts Avivagen first in line for an exclusive license to a technology designed for the permanent sterilization of female mammals, starting with dogs and cats and potentially extending to livestock, wild animals and even humans. The technology, which for now goes by the name “Sterilis Project,” is a long way from hitting the veterinary market. Avivagen hopes to finish proof-of-concept work by year’s end and at some point launch trial studies. “We estimate that a nonresource-constrained project could attain registration in about five years, absent technical hurdles and delays in reviews,” said Avivagen’s CEO and president, Cameron Groome. How the “Sterilis Project” drug would work on females is …
NAVTA Co-Sponsors Heartworm CE Course, Vet Tech ContestJuly 30, 2014 The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) is partnering with Merial Ltd. on a client education campaign and with Pets Best Insurance Services on a nationwide contest. The Merial partnership involves a continuing education course designed to teach veterinary technicians to have effective conversations with pet owners about the importance of year-round heartworm disease prevention. “Empowering veterinary technicians with the tools and knowledge needed to offer sound advice is paramount to Merial’s commitment to pet health,” said Sarah Cloud, a marketing director with the Duluth, Ga., drug maker, which produces the heartworm preventive Heartgard Plus. “With NAVTA’s approval, Merial is now able to offer this course to all veterinary technicians.” The free online course, available at JoinPowerOf12.com/education, is RACE approved for one continuing education credit. The material also addresses misconceptions and miscommunication. “This course provides simple tips on how to make that conversation more constructive and truly showcase the need that year-round protection serves,” said Julie Legred, CVT, NAVTA’s executive director. Also announced July 25 was the “Why I Love Being a Vet Tech” contest, which asks veterinary technicians to write a short essay explaining how they …
