Ceva Animal Health Hopes To Capitalize On 2012 GrowthFebruary 13, 2013 Veterinary pharmaceutical maker Ceva Animal Health is preparing new products and plotting an aggressive advertising campaign to drive more business to veterinary clinics, the company’s North American division announced Tuesday. Sales of Ceva’s Vectra parasiticides for dogs and cats grew by 34.5 percent in the United States in 2012. Looking to capture even more market share for Vectra, the company is planning television advertising and “first dose free” coupons in 2013. The company’s behavior segment, which includes products such as Feliway for cats and Adaptil for dogs, increased by 30.4 percent in 2012, the Lenexa, Kan.-based division reported. A new product, Feliway Wipes, will be introduced at the Western Veterinary Conference, which begins Sunday in Las Vegas. Adaptil and Feliway will be centerpieces of a nationwide Behavior Advocate Program and a veterinary-exclusive sampling program, the company added. Also planned is the continuation of the Keep The L.O.V.E. Alive bus tour, which aims to increase awareness of behavior products as an alternative to euthanizing a pet. “We are coming off a very strong year and believe Ceva will continue growth with an outstanding team in place, …
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England Makes Microchips Compulsory In Dogs By 2016February 11, 2013 Free microchips will be implanted through 18 Dogs Trust centers and through local authorities and housing associations, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reported Feb. 6. Owners who fail to microchip their dog after being advised to do so by police or local authorities may be fined up to $800. The new law won the endorsement of groups such as the London-based dog welfare charity Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Association. “This will help to reduce the number of dogs that needlessly end up with an uncertain fate in council pounds and rescue centers when their owners simply cannot be traced,” said Clarissa Baldwin, chief executive of Dogs Trust. “We urge dog owners to view microchipping as part and parcel of dog ownership and, importantly, also take responsibility for keeping their contact details up to date.” BVA president Peter Jones, BVSc, MRCVS, applauded the move and said pet owners may find free microchipping through some veterinarians. “The introduction of compulsory microchipping is a giant leap for dogs and their owners and is something that vets have long campaigned for,” Dr. Jones …
Experts Urge Keeping Housecats Inside, Sterilizing Feral CatsFebruary 8, 2013 The reaction arose from a study conducted by the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Migratory Birds. Published Jan. 29 in the journal Nature Communications, the report crunched numbers from 90 previous studies to conclude that while backyard cats kill their fair share of wildlife, an estimated 80 million farm cats, strays and feral felines are responsible for 69 percent of bird mortality and 89 percent of mammal mortality. “This study…demonstrates that the issue of cat predation on birds and mammals is an even bigger environmental and ecological threat that we thought,” said George Fenwick, Ph.D., president of the American Bird Conservancy in Washington, D.C. The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association noted that the issue “can’t be solved overnight” and must be addressed in “a meaningful way.” “It is clear that effective solutions to the problems of free-roaming cat overpopulation and wildlife predation will have to include newer and more innovative approaches,” said Barry Kellogg, VMD, the Washington, D.C.-based group’s senior veterinary medical adviser. Dr. Kellogg pointed to community-based TNR programs as “the most viable, long-term approach available at this time …
Lumina Media Takes Over Magazines, Books, Websites Of BowTie Inc.February 5, 2013The acquisition, effective Feb. 1, includes certain assets of BowTie Inc., including trade magazines like Veterinary Practice News and Pet Product News International; consumer magazines such as Reptiles, Horse Illustrated and Urban Farm; websites including VeterinaryPracticeNews.com, AnimalNetwork.com and DogChannel.com; and bestselling books about animals, including “Dog Heroes of September 11th” and “The Original Dog Bible.” “We are thrilled to bring these storied brands under our umbrella,” said Harris, who has been appointed interim CEO of Lumina Media. “Combining the talented, passionate teams that have built such a robust content engine with the technology and expertise of our existing joint ventures creates the perfect platform on which to create an infinite variety of special-interest content for delivery in all formats.” Lumina Media is the latest in a series of professional partnerships between Fry and Harris and their respective companies. Harris is the co-founder and co-owner of National Publisher Services (NPS), the leading provider of publishing management services. …
Labrador Retriever Still Most Popular Dog, AKC ReportsFebruary 4, 2013 “Bigger breeds are making their move,” AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson said. The Labrador retriever retained its position as top dog for the 22nd consecutive year, tying with the poodle for the most popular breed of all time. The popularity of “portable pooches” appears to be waning, Peterson reported. The top five did not include a toy breed for the first time since 2003, which also was the last time Yorkshire terriers were not in the top five. In 2012, Yorkshire terriers swapped places with bulldogs, falling to sixth. Chihuahuas, pugs and Pomeranians all dropped some notches on the popularity roster. Here are the AKC’s top 10 U.S. breeds for 2012: 1. Labrador retriever 2. German shepherd 3. Golden retriever 4. Beagle 5. Bulldog 6. Yorkshire terrier 7. Boxer 8. Poodle 9. Rottweiler 10. Dachshund The least popular breed in 2012—drum roll, please—was the English foxhound, which finished at No. 175. In related news, New York City-based AKC expanded its roster of recognized breeds to …
Cats Kill Billions Of Birds, Small Mammals Each Year, Study ConcludesJanuary 31, 2013 With razor-sharp claws and a penchant for chew toys, backyard and feral cats are serial killers of small mammals and birds, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. The study’s figures were apocalyptic: 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals such as mice, voles, squirrels and rabbits are killed every year by U.S. cats, the researchers reported. Those are just median figures. The study’s bell curves top out at 5 billion and more than 25 billion, respectively, for birds and mammals. “This study…demonstrates that the issue of cat predation on birds and mammals is an even bigger environmental and ecological threat that we thought,” said Dr. George Fenwick, president of the American Bird Conservancy in Washington, D.C. Peter Marra and Scott Loss of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and Tom Will of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Migratory Birds crunched numbers from 90 previous studies on cat predation to come up with their findings. While backyard cats kill their fair share, an estimated 80 million farm cats, strays and feral felines are responsible for 69 percent …
Hartz Withdraws Chicken Chews, Oinkies Pig Skin Twists With ChickenJanuary 28, 2013 “Even though two-thirds of the products we tested did not contain antibiotic residues, we would rather be overly cautious by voluntarily withdrawing these products from the market,” Secaucus, N.J.-based Hartz Mountain Corp. stated. Antibiotic residue led two other manufacturers to take similar steps in recent weeks. St. Louis-based Nestle Purina PetCare Co. voluntarily withdrew all Waggin’ Train and Canyon Creek Ranch chicken jerky dog treats sold in the United States, while Milo’s Kitchen, a brand of San Francisco-based Del Monte Corp., voluntarily recalled Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers Home-style treats. The antibiotics discovered in the Hartz treats are approved for use in poultry in China and European Union nations but not in the United States, Hartz noted. No evidence has been found that the treats raise health concerns or sicken pets, the company added. “Upon learning about the nationwide voluntary withdrawal of several other brands of chicken jerky products through media reports, Hartz acted immediately to begin additional testing to determine if the same unapproved antibiotic residues …
Researchers Report On Caloric, Bacterial Content Of Bully SticksJanuary 28, 2013Tufts and University of Guelph researchers reported today that many veterinarians and pet owners could not identify the source of bully sticks and did not realize that the popular dog treats quickly add calories to an animal’s diet. The study, published in the January issue of the Canadian Veterinary Journal, also noted that some of the bully sticks tested were contaminated by bacteria. Bully, or pizzle, sticks are made from the uncooked, dried penis of a bull or steer. Tasty bully sticks can add calories and carry bacteria. The researchers, representing the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and the University of Guelph, examined 26 bully sticks purchased from retailers in the United States and Canada and made by different manufacturers. Random testing of the bully sticks found that they contained from nine to 22 calories per inch, or 88 calories in the average 6-inch stick. Eighty-eight calories is equal to 9 percent of the daily calorie requirements for a 50-pound dog and 30 percent for a 10-pound dog, the researchers stated. “While calorie information isn’t …
Canine Vaccines: The Best Current ThinkingJanuary 24, 2013 Before the American Animal Hospital Association published the first canine vaccine guidelines in 2003, veterinarians had only manufacturers’ recommendations for guidance. This posed a problem when veterinarians grew increasingly concerned with over-vaccination and a link between certain vaccines and sarcoma development in cats became apparent. Experts and academics have collaborated on the topic three times since the release of the initial canine vaccine guidelines, helping veterinarians create a rational vaccine program to include in their patient wellness protocols. “Years ago, the profession was heavily marketed through the need for annual vaccinations,” says Robert Franklin, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Oregon Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Beaverton, Ore. “Now we educate owners about the total wellness needs of their pets. Vaccines are an important preventive in a wellness program, but are just part of it.” Without discussing specific brands, the AAHA guidelines cite the duration of immunity (DOI) of core vaccines. The task force deems these vaccines as highly effective, having a potency of five years to lifetime. However, the task force has agreed that core vaccines should be given every three years. Members of the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccination Task Force • Link V. Welborn, DVM, …
Market For Pet Fish, Birds, Small Animals On Rebound, Report FindsJanuary 17, 2013The Packaged Facts report, released this month, found that 84.3 million fish make up nearly 73 percent of the pet population when dogs and cats are excluded. Fish-owning households totaled 7.2 million in 2012, up about 100,000 from the previous year. The report noted that owners of fish, birds, reptiles and small animals tended to be younger, less educated and less affluent than pet owners in general. They also relied more on social media. Bird owners, for example, were 24 percent more likely than the average pet owner to trust product information discovered on a social sharing website. Avian households totaled 4.6 million in 2012, down from 5.8 million in 2008, when the economic recession took hold. The good news for retailers, Packaged Facts added, is that the number has spiked by 24 percent since 2010, when just 3.7 million households had birds. Pet professionals would be wise to engage the owners of fish, birds, reptiles and small animals, co-authors Robert Brown and Ruth Washton wrote. “These pet owners represent big business for the pet industry,” the writers emphasized. “They groom and board their birds, buy toys for their iguanas, purchase …
