Pfizer To Spin Off Animal Health Business In 2013June 8, 2012Pfizer Inc. plans to spin off its animal health business in July 2013 under the moniker Zoetis, the New York City-based company reported yesterday. Pfizer's New York headquarters Pfizer is preparing an initial public offering of a minority ownership stake in the standalone company. “Our focus continues to be on taking the actions that will generate the greatest after-tax value for our shareholders, with share repurchases remaining the case to beat in allocating cash proceeds from the separation,” said Ian Reed, chairman and CEO of Pfizer. The name Zoetis is derived from the term “zoetic,” which contains the root “zo” as in “zoo” and “zoology” and means “pertaining to life,” according to Pfizer. “The name best captures the company’s focus on partnership with veterinarians, livestock producers and companion animal owners by providing innovative products and solutions that advance animal health and human well being,” said Juan Ramon Alaix, president of Pfizer Animal Health. Pfizer plans to provide details regarding the spinoff as part of its 2012 second quarter earnings report, likely in late July or early August. Pfizer’s animal health business, based in Madison, N.J., employs about 9,000 people and markets products to 120 …
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Drs. Foster And Smith Starts Shipping To CanadaJune 7, 2012 Online pet supply retailer Drs. Foster and Smith began shipments to Canada on select pet products via ground service earlier this week, the Rhinelander, Wis.-based company reported today. Drs. Foster and Smith started taking orders from Canada for pet supplies on Monday and partnered with a shipping carrier to deliver products north of the border. The company is shipping only non-prescription pet products to Canada and has no plans to sell prescription medications abroad at this time, said Gordon Magee, Internet Marketing and Media Manager with Drs. Foster and Smith. Pet supplies available for shipment to Canada are marked with a Maple Leaf on their product pages on the Drs. Foster and Smith website. The company is marketing the new service via online ads and paid search results on Canadian search engines, but has no plans to market outside of the online arena. Canadian consumers have already started placing orders at a higher than expected rate, Magee said. <HOME>
Philly Mulls Pet Limit LawJune 6, 2012Philly Mulls Pet Limit LawPhiladelphia pets, Philly cats, Phillt dogs, Philly pets, Philadelphia dogs, Philadelphia catsThe Philadelphia City Council will hear a bill tomorrow, June 7, 2012, that would limit the number of dogs and cats allowed in a residence to 12.The city will hear a bill tomorrow, June 7, 2012, that would limit the number of dogs and cats allowed in a residence to 12.newslinePhilly Mulls Pet Limit LawPosted: June 6, 2012, 5:45 p.m. EDT Philly seeks to limit the number of cats and dogs per residence. The Philadelphia City Council will hear a bill tomorrow, June 7, 2012, that would limit the number of dogs and cats allowed in a residence to 12. The bill would also limit the number of unsterilized pets per household to two cats and two dogs. The proposal passed through the council's committee on public health and human services on Tuesday and would take effect immediately if passed. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council opposes the bill on the grounds that on the grounds of a lack of correlation between the number of pets in a household and the quality …
TNR Groups Provide Vet Care To Captured CatsJune 5, 2012TNR Groups Provide Vet Care to Captured Catsrecsued cats, feral cats, neuter cats, spay cat, cat rabies, feline leukemiaMost feral cat groups provide rabies vaccinations to captured felines, but only about one in eight provide feline leukemia shots, according to a survey of 120 groups conducted by nonprofit feral cat advocacy group Alley Cat Rescue.The majority (96 percent) of feral cat groups neuter stray cats before placing them in homes, and most groups also provide spay and neuter services to owned cats to prevent future colonies from forming, according to Alley Cat Rescue.newslineTNR Groups Provide Vet Care to Captured CatsPosted: June 5, 2012, 6:10 pm. EDT Most "trap-neuter-return" feral cat groups provide vaccines and other veterinary services to prior to releasing them, according to a survey of 120 such groups conducted by Alley Cat Rescue, a feral cat TNR advocacy group. Ninety-six percent of the groups provide rabies vaccinations to feral cats, while 64 percent provide distemper vaccinations. Twelve percent provide feline leukemia shots, 62 percent deworm feral cats and 64 percent provide flea treatment. The majority (96 percent) of feral cat groups neuter stray cats before placing them in homes, and most groups also provide …
New Drug Shows Promise In Heart PatientsJune 4, 2012 The fundamentals of treating congestive heart failure in dogs and cats have not changed appreciably over the years, but one fairly new drug along with fairly new diagnostic tests have given veterinarians additional tools for patient care. Pimobendan, marketed under the trade name Vetmedin by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica of St. Joseph, Mo., is used in dogs with congestive heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy, chronic mitral valve insufficiency and degenerative mitral valve disease. The drug increases heart muscle contractions and dilates the blood vessels, so as to strengthen the heart’s ability to pump and allow easier blood flow. The Cardiocare test, manufactured by Idexx Laboratories of Westbrook, Maine, helps determine whether an animal’s labored breathing is caused by primary respiratory disease or congestive heart failure. The test measures a hormone released in the bloodstream in response to increased stretch or strain of heart muscle. A similar test was developed by Antech Diagnostics of Irvine, Calif. Helpful Care The standard of care for canine congestive heart failure treatment, written by a committee of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine cardiology diplomates, calls for triple therapy including furosemide, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, and pimobendan, noted …
LSU Chooses Vet Tech To Head Nursing At HospitalJune 4, 2012 The Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in April promoted veterinary technician Lee Ann Eddleman to director of nursing at the school’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Eddleman joined the school as a veterinary technician in 1997 and went on to serve as supervisor of the Small Animal intensive Care Unit. She received the school’s Technical Management Award in 2005 for her technical service. All veterinary technicians and technician supervisors at the school’s teaching hospital now report to Eddleman, who will report to the hospital director. <HOME> 6/4/2012 3:36 PM
Webster Plans June EquiHealth LaunchJune 1, 2012 Webster Veterinary, a unit of St. Paul, Minn.-based Patterson Companies Inc., expects to fully launch its EquiHealth equine practice communications platform later this month. The platform, which can be directly integrated in the practice’s website, will be available to a limited number of veterinary practices before the full launch. The program provides veterinarians with a secure Internet portal to allow their clients access to equine medical information, resources, and 3D educational materials, Webster reported. Client services included within the platform include online medical records, integrated Coggin’s certificates and access to Webster’s VetSource home delivery program. Equine veterinarians will also be able to log onto the portal to send clients appointment and healthcare reminders and use other e-marketing tools, including online surveys, newsletters and personalized updates, Webster reported. “EquiHealth provides a powerful connection between veterinarians and horse owners that will help grow business, strengthen relationships and facilitate optimal care,” said Derrick Drinnon, Webster’s equine sales director. <HOME>http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/images/article-images/equinehealth-site-300px.jpg6/1/2012 4:05 PM
Cerenia Vomiting Med Approved For Use In Cats, Younger DogsMay 31, 2012 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a label update for Cerenia (maropitant citrate) Injectable Solution, a veterinary antiemetic drug, to include the treatment of vomiting in cats older than 16 weeks, according to Pfizer Animal Health, the drug’s maker. In addition, the new label lowers the recommended age of use in dogs from 16 weeks to 8 weeks for the prevention and treatment of acute vomiting in dogs for both the injectable and tablet form of Cerenia, which was first approved in the United States in 2007. The injectable solution is generally uses to treat vomiting at the practice while the tablets are designed for home use. Cerenia tablets are also approved for the use of prevention of vomited due to motion sickness in dogs older than 16 weeks. “Because of the positive results of Cerenia and its importance among veterinary professionals and pet owners, Pfizer Animal Health was committed to providing the science to support this label update so that cats and younger puppies may also be effectively treated for vomiting,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, group director of veterinary operations for the companion animal division of Pfizer Animal Health. …
Report Urges Action To Nurture Public, Food And Research VetsMay 31, 2012 With more than half of veterinary students seeking training in companion animal medicine, many veterinary sectors, including academia, industry, food animal and public service, face potential shortages of qualified veterinarians that could have significant effects on public health, according to a National Research Council of the National Academies of Science report released yesterday. The report, written by the Committee to Assess the Current and Future Workforce Needs in Veterinary Medicine, warned that without immediate action, the academic veterinary community may not successfully prepare future generations of veterinarians for faculty teaching and research positions, jobs in state diagnostic laboratories and federal research and regulatory agencies, and the pharmaceutical and biologics industry. This potential shortage could be exacerbated by a strengthening economy that could create many new jobs in industry, according to committee member Fred Quimby, retired vice president and senior director of the Laboratory Animal Research Center at Rockefeller University in New York. The rising cost of veterinary education contributes to the situation, as costs could deter some veterinarians from pursuing advanced degrees and others from applying for lower paying positions, including government jobs in food safety, epidemiology and wildlife management. Moreover, the report found that a …
Veterinarian David Schwarz: Dedicated To AnimalsMay 31, 2012 The word “veterinarian” often elicits a sense of dedicated service, as in dedicated to the care of animals and to the veterinary profession itself. Many veterinarians attest that their love for animals began at a young age. They work hard to get into—and pay for—vet school and then spend a lifetime of long hours and dedicated care helping the very animals they once fell in love with. David Schwarz, DVM, is one such example. He’s been in practice for 36 years, and although Dr. Schwarz knew he wanted to be a veterinarian at 8 years old, he didn’t foresee becoming a practice owner. “Circumstances just worked out that way,” says Schwarz, who has owned and operated the Ashland Animal Hospital in Ashland, Mass., since 1977. Some of the challenges of being a veterinary practice owner are continually trying to provide the best care to patients, educating clients and maintaining a state-of-the-art animal hospital employing highly qualified staff, according to Schwarz. “It is an endless work in progress,” he says. Yet, he doesn’t stop there. Schwarz has kept busy over the years by getting involved with various industry groups and organizations. For instance, …
