Veterinary Chain to Get New Majority OwnerJuly 18, 2014 National Veterinary Associates, the owner of 244 hospitals in 39 states, is being sold to a private equity fund for an undisclosed price. Summit Partners, a Boston-based investment company, will transfer its holdings in National Veterinary Associates to Ares Management of Los Angeles. The chain’s senior managers will retain a minority stake, Ares reported Thursday. National Veterinary Associates, which was founded in 1996 by Stanley R. Creighton, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, bills itself as the largest private owner of independent freestanding veterinary hospitals in the United States. The hospitals enjoy considerable freedom in how they operate and keep their original names, such as Countryside Pet Clinic in Andover, Kan., and Martin Downs Animal Hospital in Palm City, Fla. “As part of its mission, [National Veterinary Associates] provides the tools and resources for its veterinarians to deliver high-quality care and client services that cater to the needs of its hospitals’ local communities,” Ares reported. When he began acquiring independent hospitals, Dr. Creighton believed that “veterinary medicine is best practiced when veterinarians craft their own hospital and community-specific strategies,” National Veterinary Associates states on its website. The chain is headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif. Bennett Rosenthal, …
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Drug Makers, Compounders at Odds Over FDA OversightJuly 17, 2014 The Animal Health Institute, a trade group representing pharmaceutical manufacturers, is demanding that the Food and Drug Administration crack down on the illegal compounding of veterinary drugs, saying the practice puts animals at risk and jeopardizes the development of new medications. The appeal was made during a media conference call Wednesday and at a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., involving stakeholders and organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association. The Animal Health Institute is not asking for the elimination of all drug compounding. The group supports a pharmacist’s manipulation of FDA-approved drugs to meet individual patients’ needs and the occasional compounding of bulk, active ingredients under FDA’s discretionary powers. “The third type of compounded drugs … is dangerous and illegal,” said Richard Carnevale, VMD, the Animal Health Institute’s vice president for regulatory, scientific and international affairs. “These are dangerous drugs crafted by pharmacies acting as manufacturers and often promoted to veterinarians as a way to increase profits. “They are not looking to help Mrs. Jones’ cat,” Dr. Carnevale said of such companies. “They even offer disclaimers that they are not responsible for …
Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act Heads to PresidentJuly 17, 2014 Federal legislation that would permit veterinarians to legally transport and dispense controlled drugs away from their office appears on the fast track to becoming law after the U.S. Senate approved the bill by unanimous consent Wednesday. The Senate action followed the House’s approval eight days earlier. The bill now goes to President Obama for his expected signature. Two veterinarians—U.S. Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Ted Yoho of Florida—sponsored the legislation in an attempt to eliminate violations of the Controlled Substances Act when practitioners go about their everyday work of making house calls or treating farm animals. The Drug Enforcement Administration in recent years interpreted the Controlled Substances Act as prohibiting the removal and administration of some drugs away from a veterinarian’s registered location. The American Veterinary Medical Association welcomed the Senate’s approval of HR 1528, also known as the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act. “We are grateful for the outreach and engagement in support of this legislation and are seeking swift action by the president,” wrote AVMA blogger Ashley Morgan, DVM, the assistant director of the Governmental Relations Division.
New Heartgard Made for Dogs With Food AllergiesJuly 17, 2014 The oral heartworm preventive Heartgard now comes in tablet form for dogs that have food allergies. The new medication, Heartgard Tablet (ivermectin), does not contain food ingredients that may trigger an allergic reaction, according to the manufacturer, Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga. “Many dogs suffer from food allergies, and most oral heartworm preventives have meat components in their formulation,” said Michael Murray, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, a Merial technical marketing director. Merial is offering Heartgard Tablet in addition to the longtime preventive Heartgard Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel), a beef-flavored chewable. Both formulations are administered monthly for the prevention of heartworm disease. Heartgard Tablet is available in three dosages based on a dog’s weight: up to 25 pounds, 26 to 50 pounds and 51 to 100 pounds.
Sterilization Effects Worse for Golden Retrievers Than LabsJuly 15, 2014 Golden retrievers are more likely than Labrador retrievers to be diagnosed with joint disorders or cancer after the animals have been spayed or neutered, according to the results of a study published Monday in the online journal PLOS ONE. Intact members of both breeds enjoy lower rates of joint disorders and cancer, researchers at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine added. The researchers did not take a stand on spaying and neutering, which is done to an estimated 83 percent of all U.S. dogs to control the pet population and prevent unwanted behaviors. Instead, they stated that the study served to measure the long-term health effects of sterilization and to educate breeders and dog owners who are deciding when, and if, to spay or neuter their animals. When a golden or Labrador retriever is sterilized can play a role in the onset of joint disorders and cancer, the researchers stated. A connection was found between early sterilization—before the animal is 6 months old—and the appearance of joint disorders. About 5 percent of intact golden and Labrador retrievers of both genders suffer from a joint disorder, the researchers determined. The rate in dogs …
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Residents Receive Award for Work in Canine CardiologyJuly 11, 2014 Randolph Winter, DVM, a veterinary resident at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biological Sciences, and Lance Visser, DVM, a veterinary resident at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, recently each received the 2014 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Resident Research Award for their respective work in canine cardiology. Dr. Winter’s project is “Biologic Variability of N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Cardiac Troponin I in Health Dogs and Dogs with Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease.” He is working with his mentor, Ashley Saunders, DVM, to enhance treatment of mitral valve disease through the identification of biological markers of disease. Dr. Visser’s project is “Echocardiographic Assessment of Right Ventricular Systolic Function Following a Single Dose of Pimobendan Versus Atenolol in Conscious Healthy Dogs: A Prospective, Blinded, Randomized, Crossover Study.” He aims to define the best-performing echocardiographic variables that track changes in right ventricular function in response to pharmacologic manipulation. His data will stimulate further studies that will allow veterinary cardiologists to define new ways of evaluating and prognosticating for dogs with heart and lung diseases that affect heart function. Both projects are funded by the American Kennel Club Canine Health …
Bill Permitting Off-Clinic Drug Dispensing Passes HouseJuly 9, 2014 Federal legislation that would legalize the transporting and dispensing of controlled drugs away from a veterinarian’s office moved a step closer to being enacted when the House of Representatives approved the measure by voice vote Tuesday. The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act would authorize practitioners, particularly mobile and livestock veterinarians, to carry drugs away from their registered location and across state lines. Veterinarians commonly dispense drugs away from a clinic, but the Drug Enforcement Administration in recent years took what the American Veterinary Medical Association called a "narrow interpretation” of the Controlled Substances Act and forbid the practice. The DEA sent letters to violators, but no veterinarians have been charged, AVMA reported. The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act now moves back to the Senate, which approved a version in January. The legislation was sponsored by the only two veterinarians serving in Congress: U.S. Reps. Kurt Schrader, DVM, an Oregon Democrat, and Ted Yoho, DVM, a Florida Republican. "Today is a victory for veterinarians across this country, but more importantly, it’s a victory for the health and well-being of the animals they are entrusted to care for,” Dr. Schrader said. "Ridiculous bureaucratic interference from the DEA would …
4 K-State Students Earn Scholarships in Army Veterinary CorpsJuly 9, 2014 Four Kansas State University veterinary students were recently selected to earn scholarships in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps under the F. Edward Hebert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program. The health professions scholarship pays 100 percent of the tuition for a graduate-level health care degree at any accredited medical, dental, veterinary, psychology or optometry program in the United States or Puerto Rico. The recipients are: Taylor Boles, third-year student; Lisa Crevoiserat, third-year student; Kaitlin Foley, second-year student; and Kathleen Stewart, second-year student. “K-State led the way in the number of veterinary scholarship recipients this year,” said Staff Sgt. Erika L. Rough, the center commander in the Army Medical Recruiting Center. “K-State has phenomenal students and the Army is lucky to gain them amongst our ranks.” “We are extremely proud of our students who are willing to commit to serve our country through military service following graduation,” said Ronnie Elmore, associate dean for academic programs, admissions and diversity programs in Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “The Health Professions Scholarship Program enables our student recipients to concentrate on their veterinary educations and graduate without incurring significant educational debts. This program allows our graduates to not …
Want To Be A Better Surgeon? Play Video Games!July 9, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @VetPetNews Video games have become more advanced since the days of Pong and Atari. They’re more interactive, allowing gamers to control the outcome of the game through their movements. Nintendo’s Wii forces players to stand up, move their arms and legs in such a way that the character on the screen does the same. But can video games really improve a doctor’s skills? Heather Towle-Millard, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS believes that it does. In a study in human medicine, laparoscopic box trainers were used to test dexterity and psychomotor skills. The study revealed that participants “who played video games more than three hours per week had 37 percent fewer errors, were 27 percent faster and scored 42 percent better in the box trainer exercises than students who had no video game experience,” according to JConline. This led to the conclusion that perhaps playing video games improved the students’ laparoscopic surgery skills. After learning of the study from colleague Lynetta Freeman, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, Dr. Towle-Millard wondered if conducting the study with veterinary students would produce the same results. …
