USDA Cracks Down On Internet Pet SalesSeptember 11, 2013 The U.S. Department of Agriculture has narrowed the definition of a retail pet store in a move that brings more Internet animal sellers under federal oversight. The government on Tuesday issued a final rule that is expected to affect up to 4,640 dog breeders, 325 cat breeders and 75 rabbit breeders nationwide. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed the rule in May 2012 in an effort to address what the agency calls "sight unseen” transactions in which a buyer never sees the animal or its living conditions before purchase. The rule forces many of those breeders to comply with Animal Welfare Act guidelines. "We know that if the federal standards are being met, the animals are getting humane care and treatment,” said Ed Avalos, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. "By revising the definition of retail pet store to better suit today’s marketplace, we will now improve the welfare of more pet animals sold sight unseen.” The rule exempts a number of operations and people, including traditional pet stores, sellers of working dogs, most animal rescues …
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Beat Goes On With Mobile Canine Heart ExamsSeptember 11, 2013 The Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour, sponsored by YourDogsHeart.com and Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., will make its next stop Sept. 14 in New Brighton, Minn., as part of the 2013 BART Duathlon. The annual project has checked more than 7,000 canine hearts in 25 cities and 15 states since the screenings began in 2009. Other upcoming stops include Boulder, Colo., on Sept. 19, Englewood, Colo., on Sept. 20, Colorado Springs, Colo., on Sept. 21, and Carmel, Calif., on Oct. 5. In addition to listening to each dog’s heart through a stethoscope, a veterinary cardiologist will be on hand to answer questions about canine heart health. "We look forward to educating local dog owners about heart disease in dogs and the treatment options,” said Andrew Beardow, BVMS, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVIM, a Boehringer Ingelheim veterinary cardiologist participating in the tour. The most common symptoms of canine heart disease include waning interest in walking or exercise, labored breathing, coughing, loss of appetite and weight loss. "By emphasizing the importance of annual veterinary examinations and early diagnosis of heart disease, we hope to help more dogs live longer and better lives,” Dr. Beardow said. If an …
Limited Recall Of Purina One Dog Food UnderwaySeptember 3, 2013 A small amount of Purina One dry dog food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential salmonella contamination. Affected are 3.5-pound bags of White Meat Chicken & Whole Barley Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food with a best-by date of October 2014 and the production code 31071083. Both identifiers may be found on the back or bottom of the bag. No other Purina or Purina One dog or cat products are involved in the recall. The food was made during a single production run and shipped to U.S. retailers, the company stated. The recall was initiated after a single bag was discovered to be tainted by salmonella. No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported in connection with the food, the manufacturer added. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in animals include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. People who handle contaminated pet products may show similar symptoms. St. Louis-based Nestlé Purina apologized "for any inconvenience” and advised pet owners who purchased the recalled food to call 800-473-8546 to obtain a refund.
Fewer Limits Placed On ProHeart 6 Heartworm DrugAugust 28, 2013Approved changes to the RiskMAP for ProHeart 6 (moxidectin) now allow dogs to receive their first injection of the heartworm preventive after age 7, the manufacturer, Zoetis Inc., reported today. ProHeart 6, effective for six months at a time, previously was permitted for first-time use in dogs ages 6 months to 6 years. Removing the restriction on older dogs followed a 4½-year safety review that found age was not a reliable indicator of when a dog may show side effects, said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, the group director of Companion Animal Veterinary Operations at Zoetis. "Veterinarians can now offer six months of uninterrupted heartworm protection to all healthy dogs ages 6 months and older, and provide greater peace of mind to their owners,” Dr. McFarland said. Working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, Florham Park, N.J.-based Zoetis succeeded in making two other changes: Injections may be done by a veterinary technician or assistant who completes a Web-based training program. A client consent signature is no longer required, a step McFarland termed "unnecessarily frightening for a pet owner.” "Although significant restrictions have been lifted, Zoetis remains committed …
Goldenfeast Issues Limited Recall Of 8 Bird FoodsAugust 28, 2013 Eight varieties of Goldenfeast exotic bird food have been voluntarily recalled because of potential salmonella contamination linked to parsley flakes, the Phoenixville, Pa., company reported. Potentially contaminated parsley was supplied to bird food maker Goldenfeast Inc. by Specialty Commodities Inc.newsline, pet-health-news, recall Eight varieties of Goldenfeast exotic bird food have been voluntarily recalled because of potential salmonella contamination linked to parsley flakes, the Phoenixville, Pa., company reported Monday. The parsley ingredient was supplied to Goldenfeast Inc. by Specialty Commodities Inc., which in February began a voluntary recall of flakes distributed to a number of pet food manufacturers. No human or pet illnesses have been reported in connection with the parsley flakes, Goldenfeast reported. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in animals include lethargy, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. People who handle contaminated pet products may show similar symptoms. The recalled food includes all package sizes but only selected best-by dates. • Australian Blend: May 31, 2013, through Oct. 31, 2013. • Bean Supreme: July 31, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2013. • Caribbean Bounty: July 31, 2013 through Sept. 30, …
AAHA Mandates Anesthesia During Dental WorkAugust 27, 2013 AAHA-accredited veterinary hospitals must anesthetize and intubate all dental patients under a new standard of care that challenges the practice of anesthesia-free cleanings seen increasingly in the industry. The rule, part of the updated 2013 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, applies to cleanings and any other dental procedure. "The guidelines state that general anesthesia with intubation is necessary to properly assess and treat the companion animal dental patient,” said Kate Knutson, DVM, president of the American Animal Hospital Association. "Because AAHA practices are expected to practice the highest level of veterinary excellence, AAHA’s leadership felt it necessary to update this dental standard so that they reflect best practices outlined in the guidelines.” The standard, released publicly today after being disseminated to member hospitals, was approved in June by the AAHA board of directors. The policy has the support of the American Veterinary Dental College. "Dental experts agree with and endorse AAHA’s new mandatory standard regarding anesthesia and dentistry,” said AVDC president Jan Bellows, DVM, Dipl. AVDC, Dipl. ABVP. Any AAHA practice scheduled for an accreditation evaluation on or after Nov. 1 is …
AVMA Lobbyists Hard At Work On Pending LegislationAugust 22, 2013 Federal legislation that would strengthen laws against animal fighting and horse soring and allow veterinarians to legally administer controlled drugs while on the road are drawing maximum support from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Governmental Relations Division. The Washington, D.C., office this month updated its 113th Congress Legislative Agenda, which identifies bills that deserve the greatest focus from lobbyists working on behalf of AVMA and about two dozen pieces of legislation that get less attention. The Governmental Relations Division pushes not only for the passage of selected bills but also the defeat of legislation deemed not in the best interests of veterinary medicine or the public. Two bills vigorously opposed are HR 1150, which would ban the use of antibiotics in food animals for nonmedical reasons, and HR 1094, which would prohibit the sale and transport of horses targeted for slaughter. Individual bills have the best chance of becoming law if they are attached to the massive Farm Bill, which Congress is under pressure to approve by Sept. 30, said Whitney Miller, DVM, MBA, an assistant director in the Governmental Relations Division. Failure to approve the Farm Bill, which Dr. Miller said contains "tons of programs …
Florida Practitioner Becomes Latest My Vet’s The Best WinnerAugust 22, 2013 Miami veterinarian and animal rescue advocate James Bogdansky, DVM, was named the winner of Pets Best Insurance’s quarterly My Vet’s the Best contest, the company reported Wednesday. Dr. Bogdansky, who practices at Country Club Animal Hospital, received 3,562 online votes through the company's website and Facebook page. He also became eligible for the 2013 grand prize: a trip for two to Western Veterinary Conference. The veterinarian was awarded $1,000, which he will use to start a foundation for underprivileged animals, and the person who nominated him gets $200. "Each quarter, we receive an influx of nominations for veterinarians who routinely go above and beyond to keep pets healthy,” said Jack Stephens, DVM, founder and president of Boise, Idaho-based Pets Best. "Pets Best Insurance takes tremendous pride in recognizing these tireless professionals and supporting the treatment of animals in need. "We encourage pet owners to continue nominating their favorite veterinarians each quarter.” Bogdansky and his family over the past 22 years have rescued and adopted a range of animals, from birds, dogs and cats to ducks, rabbits and snakes. He also works with organizations such as the Cat Network, …
Recent Disasters Underscore Value Of Microchipping PetsAugust 21, 2013Public awareness of the importance of microchipping is on the rise. To underscore the importance of the microchipping procedure, many rescue organizations and veterinary clinics around the country offer free and discounted microchipping services. vet-breaking-newsRecent Disasters Underscore Value of Microchipping Pets By Lori Luechtefeld For Veterinary Practice News In the wake of the Oklahoma City tornadoes in May, the value of pet microchipping was a common theme in news reports regarding lost and reunited pets. As the pet rescue and veterinary communities turned to the plight of affected animals, a centralized website, www.OKCLostPets.com, was set up to help reunite missing pets and owners. In the following weeks, hundreds of successful reunions were reported on the site. Kimberly Weiss, DVM, a veterinarian for the McLean County Animal Response Team, told the New York Daily News that many pets that were microchipped or wearing ID collars were quickly reunited with owners. However, this wasn’t the case for all lost pets on www.OKCLostPets.com. Owners in multiple lost-pet reports regretfully noted that their pets were not microchipped. That said, public awareness of the importance of microchipping is on the rise, …
AVMA May Overhaul How It Does BusinessAugust 21, 2013 The American Veterinary Medical Association, looking to become more transparent and more responsive to the needs of its 84,000 members, may eliminate the House of Delegates and other bodies in favor of a streamlined governance structure. An 11-person task force that studied the subject for more than a year concluded that the current set-up—the House of Delegates, an executive board, councils, committees and task forces—fosters a policymaking process that is "too slow, cumbersome, political and, at times, inefficient.” The task force’s recommendations were to be discussed in July at the AVMA’s annual convention. Another team, comprising AVMA leaders and members, will solicit feedback and submit a final proposal to the executive board. When the executive board, which meets at least six times a year, may approve reorganization is unknown. AVMA has adapted to change over its 150-year history, said the organization’s president, Douglas G. Aspros, DVM. "Now we face another pivotal fork in the road where we must decide whether to embrace a new governance structure, one that can evolve with society and the changing face and needs of our members,” Dr. Aspros …
