Oregon Veterinarians Sound Off On Human Med Pharmacists Dispensing To PetsNovember 16, 2012 More than one-third of Oregon veterinarians surveyed reported cases in which retail or online pharmacists changed the prescribed dose of a medication for an animal patient or substituted a different product without the doctor’s authorization, according to the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association. While the altered medications tended not to harm a patient, some veterinarians described cases in which an animal died or was euthanized. About 115 Oregon veterinarians responded to the online survey, which the OVMA ordered in reaction to the now-stalled national Fairness to Pet Owners Act, which would require veterinarians to issue prescriptions to clients. “It really goes back to February, when one of our members contacted our office because she had concerns about the House resolution,” Glenn Kolb, executive director of the OVMA, said today. “We started hearing some stories [about prescription errors].” The good news, Kolb said, is that more than half of the survey respondents had been contacted by a pharmacist to answer questions about an order. “Together they work hand in hand to meet the needs of the client and the best interests of the patient,” the survey noted. The bad news, Kolb added, is that “When …
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Veterinary Ophthalmologist Found Dead Near TucsonNovember 16, 2012 Prominent California Veterinarian Dies in Car Firetony basher, anthony basher, ophthalmology, veterinary, tusconAnthony “Tony” Basher, a British-born board-certified veterinarian specializing in ophthalmology, was found dead in a burning car Nov. 9 near Tucson, Ariz., the Pima County Sheriff’s Department reported. He was 54.A prominent veterinary ophthalmologist died in a car firenewslineVeterinary Ophthalmologist Found Dead Near Tucson Anthony “Tony” Basher, a British-born board-certified veterinarian specializing in ophthalmology, was found dead in a burning car Nov. 9 near Tucson, Ariz., the Pima County Sheriff’s Department reported. He was 54. Basher, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVS, Dipl. ACVO, had been working part time in Tucson and at Eye Care for Animals clinics in Temecula and Santa Monica, Calif., after he was fired from Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego, his ex-wife, Kim, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. She didn't disclose the reason for his firing. The cause of Dr. Basher's death is under investigation, the Sheriff’s Department stated, but Kim Basher, also a veterinarian, told the newspaper that his death was an accident, possibly caused when brush and grass caught fire under the car. The car belonged to the owner of the house …
Adams '15-Minute Kill' Claim DisputedNovember 15, 2012The National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended today that Phoenix-based Farnam Pet Products modify or discontinue certain advertising claims for its Adams Flea & Tick Spot On for Dogs, including statements that the product “starts to kill fleas and ticks in 15 minutes.” The NAD, an investigative unit of the advertising industry's system of self-regulation, also ruled that Farnam provided sufficient support for certain claims related to the product’s applicator. All the claims were challenged by FidoPharm, a Yardley, Pa., subsidiary of Velcera Inc. and the maker of PetArmor, a competing product. Farnam will “take the NAD’s recommendations into account in an appropriate way when crafting future advertising," the company stated. FidoPharm noted that both Adams and PetArmor are topically administered pesticide solutions that, when administered every 30 days as directed, control fleas and ticks on dogs year-round. The active ingredients in Adams is etofenprox, which kills fleas and ticks; (S)-methoprene, an insect growth regulator that kills flea eggs by preventing them from hatching and flea larvae by preventing them from molting; and piperonyl butoxide, an insecticide synergist. The active ingredient in PetArmor is fipronil, which …
Fellowships Give Canine Researchers A Leg UpNovember 15, 2012 Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the distinction between the American Kennel Club and the independent American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. In the face of diminishing government support for biomedical canine research, the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation has selected five canine research fellows for sponsorship. The foundation is providing a total of $60,000 to five colleges of veterinary medicine to fund the fellowships. Each fellow will receive $10,000 to continue canine research projects and $2,000 to travel to a national conference and present findings. The foundation established the program to assist researchers committed to canine health and “make sure that there is a focus for that,” said Shila Nordone, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of the Raleigh, N.C.-based foundation. “Veterinary biomedical research has been hit pretty hard in comparison to human medical research,” Dr. Nordone said. Funding to biomedical animal research has shifted at the national level to human research through the National Institutes of Health, Nordone added. “We have to do what we can to nurture the next generation [of researchers],” she said. …
Henry Schein To Kick Off Disaster Relief Symposium Series In NYCNovember 12, 2012 Henry Schein Inc. of Melville, N.Y., will host a series of symposiums for health care professionals, including veterinarians, recovering from Hurricane Sandy. The first meeting will kick off Friday at the Westin New York at Times Square hotel in New York City from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST. For the initial symposium, Henry Schein, the parent company of Butler Schein Animal Health of Dublin, Ohio, is convening a panel of speakers from the insurance, claims management and disaster recovery industries, along with representatives from dental, medical and animal health associations, to discuss topics related to the recovery of health care practices impacted by the storm. "We are hosting this [symposium] for all three of our business verticals as a way to help those impacted by the devastation of Sandy to be able to understand what they’re experiencing personally and professionally and to give them guidance that they’re not alone,” said Steve Kess, vice president of global professional relations for Henry Schein. The kickoff meeting, titled “Recovery Empowerment Symposium: Emerging from the Storm,” will cover topics including: How to access federal agencies, including the U.S. Federal …
AVMA, Foundation Continue Post-Sandy WorkNovember 9, 2012The American Veterinary Medical Association and its foundation are working to distribute donated supplies to veterinary clinics impacted by Hurricane Sandy and assisting veterinarians who are providing emergency care to animals in the region, the organizations reported. In addition, four Veterinary Medical Assistance Team members are helping clean oil off sea birds and other wildlife caught in a storm-related oil spill in New Jersey. The animals are being sent to Tri-State Bird Rescue in Delaware, where the team members and other volunteers are treating the wildlife. “The storm has really been far more devastating than anyone could have anticipated, particularly along the shore," AVMA president Douglas Aspros, DVM, said Thursday. “Organizations like the AVMA and AVMF are uniquely qualified to understand the needs of veterinarians in an emergency. We can’t always provide everything that they might need, but we can provide help in a strategic and effective way." Besides the team members assigned to Delaware, team leader Patty Klein was dispatched to the government's National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., where she helped assess the damage to veterinary facilities on the East Coast. “We’re all family in veterinary medicine,” Dr. Aspros said. “Individual veterinarians have offered assistance to their …
Animal Cruelty Law Fails In North DakotaNovember 8, 2012“We were disappointed Measure 5 was defeated, but the opposition has promised to create legislation in 2013,” said Dee Coyler, adoption coordinator for the MonDak Humane Society in Williston, N.D. “Their ads said they had better legislation, and anything that benefits animals is a positive.” “If they can do it in 2013, then let’s go and do it,” she added. The initiative, also known as the Prevention of Extreme Cruelty to Dogs, Cats and Horses Act, was sponsored by the group North Dakotans to Stop Animal Cruelty. The measure failed, 67 percent to 33 percent. Other exceptions under Measure 5 included lawful behavior by licensed veterinarians, public and private medical and scientific researchers, and anyone protecting life or property. The key opposition group was North Dakota Animal Stewards, a coalition made up of the Stockman’s Association and the North Dakota Farmer’s Union. “They made it look like we were going after hunting and agriculture,” Coyler said. “They made it seem like it wasn’t what it was.” <HOME>
Vets Cope With Animals, Infrastructure In Storm's WakeNovember 8, 2012 The 1948 film noir “The Naked City,” set in Manhattan, concludes with: “There are 8 million stories in the naked city.” These are the stories of the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy on some of New York City’s dogs, cats and veterinarians. Halfway House for Pets One week after Sandy devastated the Staten Island neighborhood where Boulevard Veterinary Group is located, veterinarian Michael Arpino’s clinic has become a halfway house for wayward dogs and cats. “We took in 17 cats rescued after the storm from a hoarder’s home that was destroyed, and we’ve been boarding them for two nights,” Dr. Arpino reported Monday. The cats were rescued by Guardians of Rescue, an animal rescue group, and all were suffering from flea anemia and were covered in residue from storm water. “We’ve been using a lot of our medicine,” Arpino said. If not for donations from some of Arpino’s vendors, such as Antech Diagnostics of Irvine, Calif., which provided feline leukemia and AIDS blood tests, and Pfizer Animal Health of Madison, N.J., which supplied antibiotics and flea medication, Arpino said he …
Veterinarian Ted Yoho Headed To CongressNovember 7, 2012 Florida Veterinarian Ted Yoho Wins Seat in Congressflorida, ted yoho, veterinarian, election, congressFlorida veterinarian Ted Yoho was elected to Congress on Tuesday with a convincing victory over a Democratic challenger and just two months after he narrowly defeated 12-term incumbent Cliff Stearns in the Republican primary.Dr. Yoho, 57, started his path to Washington, D.C., while working as a large animal veterinarian in Gainesville, Fla.newslineVeterinarian Ted Yoho Headed to Congress Florida veterinarian Ted Yoho was elected to Congress on Tuesday with a convincing victory over a Democratic challenger and less than three months after he narrowly defeated 12-term incumbent Cliff Stearns in the Republican primary. Dr. Yoho, 57, turned his attention to politics while working as a large animal veterinarian in Gainesville, Fla. His years in practice and his interaction with farmers, ranchers and business owners made him concerned for "the state of our nation" and led him to realize it was time to "stand up for America," according to his campaign website. "We did it!" Yoho told supporters today on his campaign Facebook page. "Last night...you all elected me to represent you in Washington. I couldn't be more honored and humbled. This is a …
Salmonella Concern Prompts Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bar RecallNovember 7, 2012Charlee Bear Recalls Crunch Bar Dog Treatscharlee bear, protein crunch bars, recall, dog treats, salmonellanewsline, recallcharlee bear, protein crunch bars, recall, dog treats, salmonellaCharlee Bear Dog Products recalled some Protein Crunch Bars on due to possible salmonella contamination.Salmonella Concern Prompts Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bar RecallPosted: Nov. 2, 2012, 4:02 p.m. EDT Charlee Bear Dog Products of Madison, Wis., voluntarily recalled some Protein Crunch Bars on Thursday because the dog treats may be contaminated with salmonella. The treats were distributed nationally in September and October 2012, the company stated. The potential for widespread contamination was noted after a sample of the Chicken Recipe with Carrots variety tested positive for salmonella, the company reported. Charlee Bear is recalling that lot number and additional lot numbers manufactured under contract by another company. Some bags of Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars Chicken Recipe with Carrots were recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. The recalled Protein Crunch Bars come in 5.5-ounce bags and include: Chicken Recipe with Carrots (UPC 8710890000) Lot number 19812 and best-by date of 07-16-2015 Lot number 19912 and best-by date of 07-17-2015 Lot number 20012 …
