VCA Antech To Acquire Canadian Hospital Chain For $76 MillionJanuary 11, 2012VCA Antech to Acquire Canadian Hospital Chain for $76 MillionVCA Antech to Acquire Canadian Hospital Chain for $76 Million, veterinary, animal hospitalsVCA Antech Inc. will purchase Canadian animal hospital operator Associate Veterinary Clinics Ltd. for CDN $77 million (about U.S. $75.5 million).VCA Antech Inc. will purchase Canadian animal hospital operator Associate Veterinary Clinics Ltd. for about U.S. $75.5 million, VCA reported today.newslineVCA Antech to Acquire Canadian Hospital Chain for $76 MillionPosted: Jan. 11, 2012, 2:15 p.m. EST VCA Antech Inc. will purchase Canadian animal hospital operator Associate Veterinary Clinics Ltd. for CDN $77 million (about U.S. $75.5 million), VCA reported today. Los Angeles-based VCA made an initial investment in Associate Veterinary Clinics in January 2008 and will complete its purchase of the company at the end of the month. The acquired company and its network of 44 animal hospitals in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, will operate as VCA's Canadian business unit, giving the companies a combined North American network of 585 animal hospitals across 41 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. Associate Veterinary Clinics, formed in 1981, has pro forma annual revenue of about CDN $95 million (about U.S. $93.2 million). VCA plans to make additional investments in Associate …
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UW-Madison Organizes Search Committee For Vet School DeanJanuary 10, 2012UW-Madison Organizes Search Committee for Vet School DeanUW-Madison Organizes Search Committee for Vet School Dean, Daryl Buss, medical sciences, veterinary medicineThe University of Wisconsin-Madison appointed members to a search-and-screen committee to assist in the university's search for the next dean of its school of veterinary medicine.Daryl Buss, DVM, Ph.D., dean of the school since 1994 and the second dean in the school's history, will step down in June.newslineUW-Madison Organizes Search Committee for Vet School DeanPosted: Jan. 10, 2012, 5:55 p.m. EST Dr. Tony Goldberg is heading up the search for University of Wisconsin's next vet school dean. The University of Wisconsin-Madison appointed members to a search-and-screen committee to assist in the university's search for the next dean of its school of veterinary medicine. Daryl Buss, DVM, Ph.D., dean of the school since 1994 and the second dean in the school's history, will step down in June. Tony Goldberg, DVM, Ph.D., professor in the department of pathobiological sciences, is chairing the search committee. Other appointees include: Lisbeth Ambrosius, doctor of veterinary medicine student; Ellison Bentley, DVM, clinical associate professor, department of surgical sciences; Mark Cook, Ph.D., professor, department of animal …
Pets' Sentimental Value Raises Larger QuestionJanuary 9, 2012Pets' Sentimental Value Raises Larger QuestionPets' Sentimental Value Raises Larger Question, texas dog euthanized, pets nonecomic damages, texas dog lawsuitA Texas appeals court ruled in November that the owners of a dog accidentally euthanized at an animal shelter could be awarded damages based on the animal's sentimental value. A Texas appeals court ruled in November that the owners of a dog accidentally euthanized at an animal shelter could be awarded damages based on the animal's sentimental value. The finding appeared to reverse 120 years of Texas law that held that sentimental value was not recoverable for harm to a dog. newslinePets' Sentimental Value Raises Larger QuestionBy Steve Barghusen, DVM, JDFor Veterinary Practice NewsPosted: Jan. 9, 2012, 4:45 p.m. EST A Texas appeals court ruled in November that the owners of a dog accidentally euthanized at an animal shelter could be awarded damages based on the animal's sentimental value. The finding appeared to reverse 120 years of Texas law that held that sentimental value was not recoverable for harm to a dog. In the recent case, Avery, an 8-year-old mixed-breed dog, escaped from his owners' yard and was picked up by animal control in Fort Worth, Texas. The owners could …
Electronic Consultation: A Tool To Increase Pets’ Standard Of CareJanuary 9, 2012 In addition to being economically feasible, consulting with specialists via telemedicine is smart medicine, those in the business say. Telemedicine keeps patients at the primary care office, retaining revenue, while providing real-time specialty care through a board-certified consultant. Clients are assured of expert care and save time by not having to make an appointment elsewhere with a specialist. In the middle are the consulting companies, which report that they work hard to accommodate practitioners’ schedules. “Many of the cases we see cannot be referred due to cost or the need for a short turnaround on results,” says Jennifer S. Fryer, DVM, executive director of Veterinary Answers LLC in Harrison, N.Y. “We work with specialists in anesthesia, small animal internal medicine, large animal medicine, dermatology and nine other specialties. “The turnaround time is based on the veterinarian’s need, but typically it’s within a few hours,” Fryer continues. “When it comes to imaging, we collaborate with PetRays, which offers stellar radiology, cardiology and dentistry consultations.” Services such as Veterinary Answers, Idexx Telemedicine Consultants and North Carolina State University’s Veterinary Telemedicine Group all report that their technology is easy to use when connecting general practitioners with board-certified veterinarians. …
Putney Selects Former Idexx VP Dupree As COOJanuary 9, 2012TJ Dupree is Putney's new COO. Pet pharmaceutical company Putney Inc. hired TJ Dupree as chief operating officer, the company reported today. Dupree formerly served as corporate vice president, companion animal group, with Idexx Laboratories Inc. of Westbrook, Maine. In his new role, Dupree will have strategic and operational responsibility for all of Putney's commercial operations including sales, marketing, service and global supply chain. Dupree joined Idexx, an animal health diagnostics and information technology solutions company, in 2003 as vice president of strategy and business development. Prior to joining Idexx, he was a manager for the Boston Consulting Group of Boston. Putney focuses on the development and sale of generic prescription medicines for pets. The company recently raised $21 million in capital and added nine people to its management and research and development and regulatory teams over the last year. It expects to add another 10 commercial and technical team members this year. <HOME>http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/images/vpn-tab-image/TJ-Dupree-250px.jpg1/9/2012 12:18 PM
Senior Vets Push For Greater InfluenceJanuary 6, 2012 In 2009, after several years of off-and-on debate, the American Association of Retired Veterinarians decided to change its name. It became the American Association of Senior Veterinarians (AASrV), a name leaders believed not only better described its members but one that would help the organization take on a larger role in both members’ lives and the veterinary world at large. Instead of serving as primarily a social organization, the refocused AASrV seeks to establish more of a voice in professional matters. Instead of just holding luncheons or receptions, it would offer informative newsletters and specialized programs geared toward veterinarians who want to remain active mentally, physically and, for some, professionally. “I sense there are a lot of veterinarians at the same stage of life that I am: We want to slow down, but we don’t really want to disconnect completely from matters of veterinary medicine,” says AASrV board member Bob Ranier, DVM, who retired several years ago from Pfizer, where he worked in development and research. “We think this can be the ideal organization to help them” maintain that connection. Nonprofit Status With a board that includes many longtime leaders, including former American Veterinary …
FDA To Prohibit Extralabel Cephalosporin Use In LivestockJanuary 4, 2012 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an order today to prohibit certain extralabel uses of the cephalosporin class of antimicrobial drugs in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys, effective April 5, 2012. The FDA issued the order to preserve the effectiveness of cephalosporin drugs for treating disease in humans, the agency said. The FDA issued a similar order in 2008, but revoked the order prior to implementation to consider remarks made during the comment period. The prohibited uses of cephalosporins in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys in the latest order include: • Using cephalosporin drugs at unapproved dose levels, frequencies, durations, or routes of administration; • Using cephalosporin drugs in cattle, swine, chickens or turkeys that are not approved for use in that species (e.g., cephalosporin drugs intended for humans or companion animals); • Using cephalosporin drugs for disease prevention. Today’s order responds to public comment made following the 2008 order and includes the following exceptions, which protect public health while considering animal health needs, the FDA said: • The order does not limit the use of cephapirin, an older cephalosporin drug that is not believed by the …
Top Stories Of 2011January 4, 2012Top Stories of 2011Veterinary Practice News Top Stories 2011Veterinary Practice News' Picks for the Top Stories of 2011Veterinary Practice News Top Stories of 2011newslineTop Stories of 2011Posted: Jan. 4, 2012, 11:00 a.m. EST Now that 2011 has come to an end, Veterinary Practice News magazine invites you to take a look back at some of the veterinary stories that made headlines this year. Watch our video to see our picks for the top veterinary stories of 2011. Don't forget to tell us your picks in the comment section. http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/images/misc-images/TopStories-FINAL-300px.jpg1/4/2012 8:19 AM
Why Dr. Just Graduated Can’t Find A JobJanuary 3, 2012 Make no mistake, we are making more veterinarians. Already, the industry supports 12,000 more practicing veterinarians than we had five years ago. And academic institutions are still taking on more students. Add into this mix a stagnant retirement rate (now that tough economic times have made a career’s graceful exit an uncomfortable non-reality) and you’ve got a recipe for too many cooks in the kitchen. So is it any wonder some sit idly by—if you consider a never-ending search for employment an idle respite—while the rest of us tarry on? Higher Unemployment What’s our problem? If we know our unemployment rate is on the rise, and meanwhile the retirement age creeps inexorably upwards ... why is it we insist on taking on more veterinary students? The simplest answer to the conundrum lies in our reliance on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), its findings and our academic institutions’ willingness to accept these stats’ veracity. After all, this federal organization prides itself on its ability to track labor statistics and predict demand so that any industry can make judicious choices. So when BLS predicts veterinary doctorate demand to grow by almost 9 percent over the next …
PetSafe Fund Gives $3,000 To Animal Welfare GroupsJanuary 3, 2012 The PetSafe Ethos Charity Fund awarded $3,000 among six animal welfare groups in the fund’s inaugural year, PetSafe reported today. The fund supports the groups' care and rehabilitation of homeless pets to help make them more adoptable. “We created the fund because we share the passion and compassion of our fellow pet owners,” said Randy Boyd, CEO of Knoxville, Tenn.-based Radio Systems Corp., makers of the PetSafe brand. Each of the six nonprofit animal welfare organizations received $500, including: • Concerned Citizens for Animals of Simpsonville, S.C. • Rescued Pet Adoption League of Alba, Texas • SPEAK Animal Hospital and Animal Sanctuary of Binghamton, N.Y. • Nebraska Humane Society of Omaha, Neb. • Operation Education Animal Rescue of Murfreesboro, Tenn. • Midwest Pug Rescue, Minnesota Division. PetSafe, which makes pet behavior lifestyle products and services, accepts applications for aid through the Ethos Fund Charity on the company’s website. Product donations are made twice a month. Donations of any size can be can be made through the website. PetSafe gives a “Happy Dog” T-shirt to anyone donating $25 or more.
