Economy 2014: Observers Are Cautiously OptimisticFebruary 10, 2014 Professionals in the veterinary sector paused when asked what single word describes the economic outlook for veterinarians in the new year. It may have been a tough question after a year of slow economic recovery, growing uncertainty about how federal healthcare reform will affect veterinary operations and a national economy that has taken its time recovering from the recession. It wasn’t surprising that two lending professionals who focus on the veterinary sector both chose the word “opportunity.” But they also expressed uncertainty about the coming year. “Changing” was chosen by a practice management consultant who was most concerned about how the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, will affect veterinary practices. Michael Dicks, Ph.D., director of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s economics division, chose the word “sensitive.” “The economy is growing, but it’s extremely sensitive to any new piece of information,” Dr. Dicks said. “In general, I don’t think there are any movements to break out. The economy wants to grow. There’s every sign it will grow, but every time that happens it will snap back.” The debate among economists is whether the nation will see roughly a 2 percent growth in gross …
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Several Pro-Pet Dog, Cat Foods Recalled Due to Salmonella ThreatFebruary 7, 2014 Pro-Pet LLC is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of Hubbard Life and QC Plus dog food and Hubbard Life and Joy Combo cat food because of possible salmonella contamination. The recalled dry food was produced over a two-day period and distributed in 29 states. No animals have been sickened by the food, the manufacturer reported Wednesday. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. People who handle contaminated pet products may exhibit similar symptoms. Pro-Pet, based in St. Marys, Ohio, urged pet owners who purchased any of the recalled food to discontinue its use and call 888-765-4190 for further instructions. Customer service representatives will answer calls from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST Monday through Friday. The food was distributed in these states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Product Best By Lot Code UPC Number 40 lb Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food 05 06 …
New Milk-Bone Treat Earns VOHC Stamp Of ApprovalFebruary 4, 2014Milk-Bone dog biscuits have been promoted for years as a treat that “freshens breath” and “cleans teeth.” Now, the manufacturer, Del Monte Foods, has won the endorsement of the Veterinary Oral Health Council for the company’s new Milk-Bone Brushing Chews, which when fed daily are touted as effective as brushing a dog’s teeth twice a week. The treats are scheduled for national distribution in March after their unveiling in January at the North American Veterinary Community conference in Orlando, Fla. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) awarded its Seal of Acceptance for Milk-Bone Brushing Chews’ ability to control tartar. More than 80 percent of dogs develop periodontal disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society. “In addition to professional teeth cleanings, it is important in our [veterinary] profession to recommend at-home plaque- and tartar-control products to our clients that are recognized for meeting clinical standards and evaluated by an organization such as the VOHC,” said Jan Bellows, DVM, Dipl. AVDC, Dipl. ABVP. Dr. Bellows, who attended the unveiling, is president of the American Veterinary Dental College. More than 30 pet products have earned the VOHC Seal of Acceptance since 1998. Among them are Greenies dental chews from …
Labrador Retriever, Other Large Dogs Top Popularity ListFebruary 3, 2014The mild-mannered, family-friendly Labrador retriever is once again the most popular dog breed in the United States, the American Kennel Club reported Friday. Labs earned the top spot for the 23rd consecutive year, though the French bulldog could challenge for the lead at some point if its rise continues. The AKC found that the popularity of French bulldogs has jumped over the past decade, with a 323 percent increase in registrations since 2003. The breed is No. 11 on the list of the 2013 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S. Larger dogs dominated the list, with the Labrador retriever at No. 1, the German shepherd in the second spot and the golden retriever finishing third. "Owning bigger breeds—an economic indicator of sorts—have been on the rise during the past five years,” AKC spokeswoman Lisa Peterson said. "As the economy has improved, people are turning back to the big dogs they love, which cost more to feed and care for than the smaller breeds that saw a rise in popularity in 2007 and 2008.” The AKC, which maintains the world’s largest registry of purebred dogs, also found that some rare breeds whose registrations had declined …
Microchips Open Murky Legal Waters, But AVMA Still Urges The PracticeFebruary 3, 2014 Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the March 2014 issue of Dog Fancy magazine, a sister publication of Veterinary Practice News. Most owners presume that if they have their pet tagged with microchip identification and she becomes lost, someone who finds the pet will scan the chip and notify the owner. Often, fortunately, the scenario does play out this way. Shelters, animal-control organizations and veterinarians usually scan for microchips on recovered dogs. "While microchipping is, indeed, a new and helpful way to reclaim a lost pet, there are some occasional murky legal waters stemming from certain circumstances and facts,” explains Heidi Meinzer, an animal law attorney in Alexandria, Va. For example, when microchips are placed in the dog upon the client’s request, rarely is any "proof” of ownership required. "A lost, non-microchipped dog owned by family X may be found by family Y, who after diligently trying to find the owner decides to keep the dog and microchip her,” Meinzer explains. "If family X locates the dog, perhaps even showing up with registration papers, the door opens for a property dispute between the families.”In some cases, ownership may not be so clear-cut. Generally, in common …
New Veterinary Drugs Debut At NAVCJanuary 29, 2014 Merial, based in Duluth, Ga., released NexGard (afoxolaner) Chewables, an FDA-approved flea and tick killer for dogs. The company reported that NexGard is the first and "only soft, beef-flavored chew” designed to provide "long-lasting, next-generation flea and tick control.” The prescription-only drug comes in a vegetable-based, meatless nugget that is approved to prevent flea infestations and kill both fleas and the American dog tick. NexGard contains a new molecule, afoxolaner, that disrupts the nervous systems of fleas and ticks, causing hyperexcitation and death, the company stated. The drug may be given once a month to dogs at least 8 weeks old and more than 4 pounds. Bayer, based in Shawnee Kan., introduced Remend, a topical line formulated to manage wounds, abrasions and lacerations in cats and dogs and lubricate dry eyes. Wound Spray Gel and Corneal Repair Gel contain hyaluronic acid (HA), which Bayer’s director of veterinary technical services, Cristiano von Simson, DVM, MBA, said fosters "an environment conducive to re-epithelialization at the site of the wound.” The company’s Eye Lubricating Drops is a preservative-free gel containing 0.4 percent Hyasent-S (cross-linked HA). All three products are designed for use in-clinic and at …
Veterinary Technician Group Gets Permanent DirectorJanuary 8, 2014Julie Legred, CVT, has been named executive director of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), a role she filled on an interim basis for the past year. The technicians group and NAVC in November announced a partnership that brought NAVTA under the larger organization’s oversight. The arrangement allowed NAVTA, a volunteer-run group, to maintain its independence while relying on NAVC to handle many of the day-to-day responsibilities. "With NAVC and NAVTA working together, it opens up tremendous opportunities to provide unique, leading-edge educational formats, as well as bringing the veterinary technician profession together to foster change and progression with the best use of people and resources,” Legred said. "Now I can truly concentrate on not only the day-to-day activities but also moving forward on strategies and opportunities specifically for the veterinary technician profession, working to bring great ideas from our NAVTA board, NAVTA members and veterinary technicians closer to becoming a reality,” she added. Legred is a two-time president of NAVTA and the owner of Veterinary Technician Advancements, a consulting company. She agreed to transfer current clients to her business partners, NAVC …
Correct Body Temp During Surgery Speeds RecoveryDecember 30, 2013Anesthesia is a very fragile time for animals because they easily can become hypothermic, putting them at risk of infection and delaying their recovery. "When you anesthetize a patient, one of the functions it loses is its ability to affect thermoregulatory control," explained Kelson Danielson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, a surgeon at Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in New York. "For instance, as you get cold, you shiver to help keep warm, but under anesthesia, they are unable to do that. "In addition, their brain loses its ability to keep that set point that keeps the temperature normal. They are also less metabolically active, so the body is burning less energy during anesthesia and that will decrease the amount of heat that is produced." Many of the drugs used during anesthesia compound the problem because they cause vasodilation, which the body normally uses to stay cool when it is overheated. So, if it is already cool and drugs cause vasodilation, the body will become hypothermic. "Human research shows that once surface cooling occurs, blood moves from the extremities to the core blood compartment, which can make it very difficult to rewarm the patient," explained Sandra …
Rapid Growth Seen For Pet Health InsuranceDecember 30, 2013 The rising cost of veterinary services and Walmart’s likely entry into the market should help push U.S. sales of pet health insurance toward the $1 billion mark by 2020, the market research firm Packaged Facts stated in a new report. The Rockville, Md., firm predicted enormous potential for an industry that started in 1980 with Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) of Brea, Calif., a company that today is fighting to maintain an estimated 47 percent market share amid growing competition. U.S. sales of pet health insurance were expected to reach $536 million in 2013, which would represent a 16 percent jump in one year, Packaged Facts reported. Among the reasons for the spike, and a 12 percent increase the previous year, are post-recession consumer optimism, greater competition and rising support from veterinarians, Packaged Facts added. Pet owners learn about insurance most often from a veterinarian or clinic staff, who reveal to clients a means to help pay for a growing menu of costly procedures such as pacemaker implantations, radiation therapy and CAT scans, according to the report. Younger veterinarians tend to be more enthusiastic about pet health insurance, the report’s authors, George Puro and David Lummis, …
2014 Brings Promise Of Technological AdvancesDecember 30, 2013 Two researchers believe the status quo will soon go out the window in veterinary medicine, and they are advising veterinarians to consider updating their education if they’ve been out of vet school very long. Individualized veterinary medicine, or IM, is a game changer, they say. IM is the use of a pet’s genetic information to optimize drug therapy or to institute preventive measures suited to that patient, according to researchers Katrina Mealey, DVM, and Michael Court, BVSc. Both are professors and endowed chairs in the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. They are also key parts of the WSU Individualized Medicine Program, which is studying hundreds of animals with the goal of identifying predictors of drug effects. Why is this so important? They say such research will help veterinarians more safely and effectively treat patients with drugs. It’s common knowledge that there is high variability in drug efficacy and safety in many drugs used in veterinary patients. Some cancers, for example, can be fought with a drug to which 50 percent of patients will respond well, while other cancer drugs can positively affect 90 percent of the patients. For other drugs, most …
