Public Voting Opens for Veterinary Hero AwardsJune 16, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News at @vetpetnews A veterinarian and a veterinary technician will be thrust into the national spotlight this fall when the American Humane Association honors heroic dogs and the professionals who look after the medical needs of animals. The public has until July 21 to vote at HeroVetAwards.org for a Hero Vet and a Hero Vet Tech. Hundreds of nominees were pared to five finalists in each category. The two winners will be named Sept. 27 at the Hero Dog Awards, which will be broadcast later on the Hallmark Channel. Dogs and their extraordinary exploits have been recognized since 2011, but this is the first year that veterinary staff will be celebrated. “All 10 finalists do heroic work every day to benefit the welfare and well-being of animals and promote the human-animal bond,” said Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., the American Humane Association’s president and CEO. “To us, all vets and vet techs are heroes, and it will be an honor to share the stage at the Hero Dog Awards with our winning Hero Vet and Hero Vet Tech.” Veterinary drug maker Zoetis Inc. of Florham …
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Video: Veterinarian’s Proposal to Decrease LamenessJune 16, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Daniel Thomson, MS, PhD, DVM, in an effort to decrease lameness in cattle, has come up with a new approach, called the Step-Up Management Program, that starts with education and consistently scoring locomotion. One of the ways of doing that is through communication. "Being able to communicate clearly across segments about the severity of lameness is critical not only to managing lameness, but also to preventing the injuries that cause it," Thomson said, according to Drovers CattleNetwork. "Lameness is prevalent and it does cause losses. It is one of those issues we've seen for years; however, it hasn't received the credit or the blame it deserves for what it really costs us within the industry." The Step-Up Management Program hopes to enlighten those in the industry about lameness through communication. Its other goals include: • Protection of the animal's well-being • Implementation of a scoring system to determine lameness severity • Diagnosis and treatment of lameness …
WSAVA Committee Launches One Health CampaignJune 13, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews Medical professionals and the public will learn more about pets and the key role they play in One Health—the concept that links the health of people, animals and the environment—under a three-year project announced by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. The organization’s One Health Committee unveiled its second three-year project this week during a two-day meeting at Duke Medical Center in Durham, N.C. “One of three focus areas for the One Health Committee is comparative and translational clinical research,” said committee chairman Michael Day, BVMS, Ph.D., Dipl. ECVP, a professor at the University of Bristol in England. “Holding this meeting at one of the major global human health centers was a major step forward in engaging with the human medical community, which remains one of the greatest One Health challenges. “We need to take every opportunity to promote the benefits to human medicine of investigating shared spontaneously arising diseases in dogs,” he added. The meeting included a lecture by Dr. Day titled “Cats, Dogs and Humans: One Medicine, One Health,” a tour of Duke’s comparative oncology research laboratories, and discussions with representatives …
Veteran Professor Recommended as Michigan State DeanJune 13, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews A longtime Michigan State University professor is expected to be the next dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, replacing Christopher Brown, BVSc, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM. The selection of John Baker, DVM, MS, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, is subject to the approval of the board of trustees, the university announced this week. Dr. Baker has taught in the department of large animal clinical sciences for 30 years and serves as associate director of AgBioResearch, a university-wide program that investigates topics ranging from agricultural production to childhood obesity. “Dr. Baker’s career has provided him with a firsthand appreciation of all the roles of the college: its research, teaching and outreach missions,” university provost June Youatt said. “His broad understanding of the college, its assets and perhaps most significantly, its importance to the university, the science and the practitioner communities, make him ideally suited to this position at this time.” Baker previously served as section head for Food Animal Medicine and Surgery, as associate dean for research and graduate studies, and as director of the University Research Containment Facility. The Ohio State University veterinary graduate …
Western University Hospital to Drop Banfield AffiliationJune 12, 2014The Banfield name is coming off the teaching hospital at Western University of Health Sciences in Ponoma, Calif. A 10-year partnership between the Banfield Pet Hospital chain and Western’s College of Veterinary Medicine is scheduled to end Nov. 30, when the university will assume what it called “full autonomy” over the facility. The hospital name will change from the Banfield Veterinary Clinical Center to the WesternU Pet Wellness Center. “The relationship between WesternU and Banfield has been mutually beneficial, and we want to thank all of those who have supported us over the past 10 years,” said the college’s dean, Philip Nelson, DVM, Ph.D. “We look forward to the exciting opportunities that present themselves in establishing our own practice philosophy, and we will do everything we can to make sure that this transition does not negatively affect customer service or the health of our patients.” Banfield and Western will maintain a relationship, which includes student rotations, said the Portland, Ore., company’s chief medical officer, Jeffrey Klausner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM. “Although there will no longer be a formal agreement in place, Banfield and Western are still committed partners in education,” Dr. Klausner said. “Banfield will continue its support of student …
Novartis Introduces Antibiotic to Fight Swine Respiratory DiseaseJune 12, 2014Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews Novartis Animal Health has released a broad-spectrum antibiotic formulated to treat swine respiratory disease, which carries a high mortality rate in pigs of all ages. Florvio (florfenicol) 2.3% Concentrate Solution is administered through drinking water and is intended for treating respiratory disease in nursery pigs from 8 to 13 weeks old as well as grower and finisher pigs. Swine respiratory disease is a leading cause of mortality, accounting for 44 percent of nursery pig loss and 61 percent of grower/finisher pig loss, Novartis reported. Clinical studies and field trials found that florfenicol quickly reduces clinical signs of swine respiratory disease, the company added. “Florvio combines several of the key attributes veterinarians most commonly look for in an antibiotic for treating pigs diagnosed with respiratory disease,” said Mike Daly, the Novartis farm animal brand manager. “It’s broad spectrum, fast-acting, and the active ingredient in Florvio is used only in veterinary medicine.” The concentrated liquid is indicated for the treatment of respiratory disease associated with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, Streptococcus suis and Salmonella choleraesuis. “Strep suis is a significant pathogen in nursing and wean pigs, causing pneumonia, lameness and convulsions,” said …
Survey: Ross University Grads Happy to Be VeterinariansJune 12, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews Ninety percent of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) graduates are satisfied with their career choice to become veterinarians, according to the school’s recently released 2013 Alumni Survey Report. RUSVM conducts the alumni survey annually to understand the employment status one year post graduation, as well as gain a sense of preparation levels by its graduates. The 2013 survey was sent to 274 graduates. A total of 87 graduates (32 percent) responded. Source: Ross University Sixty-two percent of all employed Ross University graduates had salaries of more than $60,000 a year. Graduates didn’t seem to have a hard time finding a job as 86 percent found one within six months after graduation. Five percent found a job between six and 10 months of graduation. The remaining graduates either did not report (8 percent) or were unemployed (1 percent). In regard to salary, 62 percent of respondents indicated they made more than $60,000, 21 percent reported a salary of $40,000 to $59,000 and 15 percent earned less than $40,000. The majority (10 out of 13) of the graduates earning …
Veterinary Technician’s Life Changed by DonationJune 11, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews The DuPage Community Foundation Companions’ Fund recently gifted Joliet Junior College with a $20,000 grant. The grant money was designated for scholarships for the college’s veterinary technology program. One of the recipients, Jade Cheney, says that the scholarship was life-changing. "This award allowed me to significantly cut my hours at work because I didn’t have to worry about tuition costs,” Cheney said, according to The Chicago Tribune. "The award enabled me to focus much more on my studies, especially during my last two semesters when studying was intense. I was fortunate to get this award when I needed it most." The extra time to study paid off, with Cheney receiving an associate’s degree in applied science, graduating with high honors and even delivering the commencement address. As a graduate, Cheney is eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), which she will do in July. Her career seems to be right on path, and she feels the DuPage Animal Hospital in Villa Park, Illinois -- where she has worked for the past eight years -- is the perfect place to be. Nicole …
Ohio State Nears Start of Hospital Renovation ProjectJune 10, 2014Ohio State University expects to break ground in September on the first phase of the $30 million expansion and upgrade of the Veterinary Medical Center. The university board of trustees approved the first phase June 6, clearing the way for $13.8 million in work that will include renovation of the intensive care unit at the Hospital for Companion Animals and construction of conference space and faculty and staff offices in a freestanding building connected to the hospital. The overall project will include the construction or renovation of 57,000 square feet at the hospital. Planned are clinical, teaching and surgery space, a new lobby and reception area, and improvements to patient rooms, animal holding areas and admission and discharge locations, the university reported. Ohio State University An exterior view of the planned Veterinary Medical Center at Ohio State University. “We look forward to having a facility that reflects the excellence of our clinical and academic programs, and the expert compassionate care that we provide to our patients and clients,” said Rustin Moore, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVS, the College of Veterinary Medicine’s associate executive dean and the executive director of the Veterinary Medical Center. Fundraising is …
RCVS Moves to Clarify Veterinarian-Client RelationshipJune 6, 2014 British veterinarians could elect not to treat a pet away from their hospital, even if an owner insists on a visit, under revised guidelines being considered by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The updated guidelines would encourage in-clinic visits, clarify when a veterinarian may want to travel to a sick or injured animal, and ensure that clients are better informed about after-hours emergency care and costs. Responsibility for a pet’s welfare ultimately rests with the owner, the organization’s 42-member council decided. The council endorsed the updates Thursday after a three-day hearing and following surveys of veterinarians and animal owners. The draft changes to the Code of Professional Conduct were forwarded to the Standards Committee for refinement and final approval. The current code advises veterinarians to consider all requests for at-home visits and states that practitioners are “not expected to risk life or limb.” The revised language would empower veterinarians to decline a travel request when they deem an out-of-office visit unnecessary or unsafe. The British Veterinary Association contributed to the debate and supports the changes. “The willingness of veterinary surgeons to provide 24/7 emergency care is one of the main reasons that the …
