Free Webinar on Foraging and Enrichment For Pet BirdsMay 30, 2014 Follow Jessica Pineda on Twitter at @parrotsandvets Lafeber and LafeberVet is hosting a webinar on parrots entitled "Foraging and Enrichment for Birds.” The webinar will be presented by M. Scott Echols, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (Avian Practice). According to the Lafeber press release on the webinar, "Wild birds spend more than 50% of their day foraging and feeding, particularly during the morning and evening hours. In this live interactive web-based course, Dr. Echols reviews foraging as a natural behavior and discusses how lack of foraging can negatively affect behavior in captivity. Multiple animal video examples (avian and otherwise) will be used to demonstrate important enrichment concepts. Basic principles will be highlighted with the end goal to get people to start thinking about ways to enrich the lives of captive animals, especially birds.” Echols is a well-known veterinarian in the avian community. He practices throughout the United States in various hospitals and veterinary schools. He is an adjunct professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, and he is also the creator of several educational DVDs, including "Captive Foraging" by Avian Studios. Dr. Echols is a frequent lecturer at …
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Oklahoma State Adds 2 Endowed Veterinary PositionsMay 30, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. The Oklahoma State University veterinary school has grown to 16 endowed chairs or professorships with the appointments of faculty members Melanie Boileau and Todd Holbrook. Dr. Boileau, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, was named the McCasland Clinical Professor, and Dr. Holbrook, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVSMR, will fill the June Jacobs Endowed Chair in Veterinary Medicine, the university reported Thursday. The dean of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Jean Sander, DVM, MAM, Dipl. ACPV, called the addition of two endowed positions "phenomenal." "These positions provide resources to faculty members to allow them to pursue their fields of interest for the betterment of veterinary medicine and ultimately animal and human health," Dr. Sander said. "We are forever grateful to our donors who make this possible." The McCasland Foundation, named after Oklahoma oilman and philanthropist T.H. McCasland, funded Boileau's professorship. She is an associate professor and the food animal section chief at the Veterinary Medical Hospital. Her research interests include a non-antimicrobial treatment for infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis and the …
Lyme Disease Likely Millions Of Years OldMay 29, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. If the Companion Animal Parasite Council had been around 15 million years ago, its annual forecast may have been the same as today's: a high risk of tick-borne Lyme disease. Oregon State University reported today that researchers in the College of Science looked closely at fossilized amber to discover ticks and spirochete-like cells that resemble Borrelia, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease in dogs, people and other mammals. Borrelia are so prevalent in modern-day life that 1 in every 130 U.S. dogs was infected in 2013, according to a Banfield Pet Hospital study. The Oregon State findings, published in the journal Historical Biology, arose from Dominican Republic amber that dates to 15 million to 20 million years ago. "Ticks and the bacteria they carry are very opportunistic," said paleoentomologist George Poinar Jr., MS, Ph.D., a professor emeritus in the department of integrative biology. "They are very efficient at maintaining populations of microbes in their tissues and can infect mammals, birds, reptiles and other animals." Ticks outweigh mosquitoes as vectors of disease, Poinar said. "They can carry bacteria that cause …
PHOTOS: Vets Treat Kids' Stuffed Animals For CharityMay 29, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Smitt/Thinkstock My bear once lost an eye, the thread (stuffed animal veins) was hanging from his face. My brother's bunny had a hole in his ear, the blood (stuffing) spilling out. One of our parents would kiss it, put a bandage on it. But we both knew our stuffed pets needed veterinary attention. What if they developed a fever or tummy ache? They had to be taken to the vet immediately. Thanks to the Sacramento Zoo, children with ailing stuffed animals were able to do just that. On Saturday, May 24, 2014, the zoo held its second annual Stuffed Animal Vet Clinic. This year, they raised money for the Sacramento Police Canine Association. The $600 raised at the event benefitted Bodie, a police dog in need of veterinary services and recovery. Photo Courtesy Sacramento Zoo A reception table for check-in was set up on the Veterinary Hospital Lawn. Checkups, at a fee of $3 per animal, were held at vet stations. The vet …
Some Lamb Crunchys Dog Treats RecalledMay 29, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Los Angeles treat manufacturer Pet Center Inc. has voluntarily recalled a limited number of 3-ounce bags of Lamb Crunchys because of potential salmonella contamination. The dog treats were distributed in California, Colorado, Washington state and Wisconsin through the Gelson's Market chain and three wholesalers: General Pet Supply, Nor-Sky Pet Supply Distributors and Independent Pet Supply. The Colorado Department of Agriculture detected salmonella in a random sample, the manufacturer reported. No pet or human illnesses have been linked to Lamb Crunchys, which are made from dehydrated lamb lungs. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. People who handle contaminated pet products may exhibit similar symptoms. The U.S.-made treats come in 3-ounce, 8-ounce and 1-pound bags, but only the smallest size is affected. The recalled bags show the UPC number 727348200038 and a date code of 122015. Any of the recalled treats may be returned to the place of purchase for a refund. The company is fielding questions at 800-390-0575 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific time Monday through Friday. Previous: Have You Ever …
Have You Ever Been Interviewed By A Dog?May 28, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. It's Monday morning and you're on your way to an interview at the only university in Edinburgh, Scotland, that teaches veterinary nursing. You are one of over 400 students vying for 30 available spots. What can you do to stand out? Edinburgh Napier University has an answer: they're bringing a dog, Belle, to your interview. You answer their questions while Belle fights for your attention. How will you react? Will you respond to the dog? In what way will you interact with her? The university is interested in the answers as they interview each veterinary nursing candidate. According to The Boar, "[t]he hope is this will provide the university with a better insight into how the candidate interacts with animals and to see if they have the potential to be a successful vet." In the workplace, veterinarians and veterinary staff are often performing dual tasks: treating the pet and speaking with a client. The university is looking at how well candidates do when they're being quizzed on their experience, passion and qualifications for veterinary nursing …
Melinda Frye To Head Colorado State Veterinary SchoolMay 28, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. A Colorado State University professor who worked as a registered nurse before earning her veterinary degree has been promoted to lead CSU's Professional Veterinary Medicine Program. Melinda Frye, DVM, MS, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, will take over in July as associate dean in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. In her new role, Dr. Frye will oversee a veterinary school that U.S. News and World Report ranks as the nation?s third best. She will replace Dean Hendrickson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, who is stepping down to return to teaching and equine surgery. Frye earned her veterinary degree from Colorado State in 1996. The four-year DVM program enrolls about 138 students annually. "Dr. Frye has an impressive and diverse range of experiences and achievements that will benefit our students and our veterinary program," said Mark Stetter, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. "Beyond her admirable credentials in teaching, research and clinical service, it's wonderful to have an accomplished woman in a role that so visibly demonstrates what our students can do in science, medicine and the …
First VS Cases Of 2014 Confirmed In TexasMay 28, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Five Texas horses have been quarantined after being diagnosed with vesicular stomatitis, a contagious viral disease of livestock that last appeared in the state in 2009, the Texas Animal Health Commission reported today. Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is rarely fatal but brings economic losses when the movement of infected or exposed animals is restricted. Some states and countries may bar the importation of susceptible animals living in affected states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the infection in the five Kinney County horses—the first cases in the nation this year. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories identified the virus as the New Jersey serotype. VS, which resembles foot and mouth disease, is believed to be spread by sand flies and black flies. The disease may cause lesions in the mouth, tongue, muzzle, teats or hooves of mainly horses, cattle and swine. Sheep, goats and llamas are sometimes affected. Most infected animals recover within three weeks. No specific treatment is recommended other than supportive care such as softened feeds, according to The Merck Veterinary Manual. The five Texas horses …
Jurassic World Veterinarians Have An Official (Fictional) PatchMay 28, 2014 Follow Jessica Pineda on Twitter at @parrotsandvets pic.twitter.com/BskormLiFL Colin Trevorrow (@colintrevorrow) May 27, 2014 Even the genetically-cloned dinosaurs need their veterinarians, as shown in this image from the director of Jurassic World, Colin Trevorrow. There seems to be a lack of veterinarians in fiction (Wikipedia only has 11 listed, with the most well-known on the list being Doctor Dolittle. GoodReads has 14 books that feature veterinarians. There's been several movies with fictional veterinarians (most notably Doctor Dolittle again). What do you think? Who is your favorite fictional veterinarian? Were you inspired by them? Previous: Shortage of Apoquel Allergy Drug to Last Into 2015 Click here for more Veterinary Practice News. <HOME>
Shortage Of Apoquel Allergy Drug To Last Into 2015May 28, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. The new canine anti-itch drug Apoquel is in such high demand and short supply that some veterinarians are unable to prescribe it. The manufacturer, Zoetis Inc. of Florham Park, N.J., reported that the shortage may continue until mid-2015, about 18 months after the only Janus kinase inhibitor formulated for veterinary use hit the U.S. market. Apoquel (oclacitinib tablet) is given twice a day for the control of itching associated with allergic dermatitis and the control of clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis. A clinical trial of dogs suffering from allergic dermatitis found that the drug was effective within 24 hours. The drug's success—Apoquel may be given once a day for maintenance purposes after two weeks—has dog owners and veterinarians eager to try the medication. But some practitioners, like Tim Hunt, DVM, of Bayshore Veterinary Hospital in Marquette, Michigan, can't get their hands on it. "I would like to try Apoquel, as all the info seems to be glowing, but have been unable to get any," Dr. Hunt said. "I have clients asking often about this drug but have not been …
