AAHA Updates Canine Vaccination GuidelinesSeptember 26, 2011The American Animal Hospital Association released its 2011 Canine Vaccination Guidelines on Friday. The guidelines were originally created in 2003 and had not been updated since 2006. They offer a review of canine vaccines licensed in the U.S. and Canada, updated recommendations for core versus non-core vaccines, and revised recommendations for shelter-housed dogs. The task force responsible for developing the guidelines included experts in immunology, infectious diseases, internal medicine, law and clinical practice. Among the improvements for 2011 is a new Frequently Asked Questions section to address common questions posed to the task force by practicing veterinarians. The section is divided into four categories, including administration of vaccines, vaccine products, vaccine adverse events, and legal issues pertaining to vaccinations. Many of the questions included were derived from FAQ’s developed by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Vaccine Guidelines Group. Other changes to the 2011 edition include updated recommendations on serologic testing, expanded discussion on vaccine adverse events, review of the legal implications associated with administering vaccines in clinical practice, and full consideration of both U.S. and Canadian canine vaccination regulations. “Having served on every AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines Task Force to date (2003, 2006, 2011), I am confident in saying …
SPONSORED CONTENTThe Reality of Veterinary Surgery ErgonomicsOne of the greatest challenges of Work-Related Musculo-Skeletal Disorders (WRMSD) is that they can come on slowly. They can be easy to ignore initially. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) issued ergonomic guidelines to help veterinarians catch problems early. + Learn More
Laaman To Host Free Revenue Boot CampSeptember 23, 2011 Laura Laaman and Associates of Wilton, Conn., will host a free Revenue Boot Camp for Veterinarians and Practice Managers on Oct. 17, 2011, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. CT at the Hilton Garden Inn in Houston. Laaman and Associates has hosted revenue boot camps for pet lodging facilities as part of its Outstanding Pet Care Consulting Program, but this is the first veterinary-specific program the company has offered. Speaker, author, sales trainer and consultant Laura Laaman will lead the boot camp. The program will provide techniques for veterinarians and practice managers to promote pet wellness by increasing compliance. Laaman and Associates said these strategies will contribute to healthier pets, happier pet parents and increased practice revenue. The presentation will cover a variety of topics, including turning a phone into a revenue-generating machine, converting inquiries into appointments instead of sending them to the competition and differentiating a practice. Registration for the boot camp can be found here or by calling 203-379-1271. <Home>
BVA To Launch CM-SM Screening SchemeSeptember 23, 2011 The British Veterinary Association’s Kennel Club Canine Health Schemes management committee will roll out a new scheme to screen dogs for chari-like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM) in January 2012, the BVA reported today. The program will focus on dogs for potential breeding stock, especially the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – the most common breed to be born with the congenital defect that leads to SM. The BVA said the aim of the screen is “to reduce, and hopefully eliminate, the incidence of inherited CM and SM in dogs.” Chari-like malformation, also known as caudal occipital malformation syndrome, is characterized by a congenital malformation of the occipital bone, resulting in a crowded caudal fossa and cerebellar herniation at the foramen magnum. The subsequent disruption of cerebral spinal fluid flow results in the formation of SM, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. The condition is also suspected to be inherited in a number of other toy breeds including Griffon Bruxellois, King Charles Spaniels, Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Affenpinschers and Maltese, according to the BVA. An owner wishing to take part in the scheme will first need to have an MRI …
Vet Students Have High Depression Rates, Study FindsSeptember 21, 2011 Veterinary students are more likely to struggle with depression than human medicine students, undergraduate students and the general population, according to several recent studies from Kansas State University researchers. Mac Hafen, therapist and clinical instructor in K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, and researchers from K-State, the University of Nebraska and East Carolina University examined depression and anxiety among veterinary medical students. “We are hoping to predict what contributes to depression levels so that we can intervene and make things run a little bit more smoothly for students,” Hafen said. Once a semester for the past five years, the researchers surveyed veterinary students in various stages of academic study. The survey helped uncover a rate of depression occurrence and understand how it related to the amount of stress veterinary students experience during their four years of study. During the first year of veterinary school, 32 percent of the veterinary medicine students surveyed showed symptoms of depression, compared with 23 percent of human medicine students who showed symptoms above the clinical cutoff, as evidenced by other studies. The researchers discovered that veterinary students experience higher depression rates as early as the first semester. Their depression rates …
AVMA, AAHA Partner For Preventive Pet Health CareSeptember 21, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association are establishing the Partnership for Preventive Pet Healthcare, a campaign to raise the importance of regular veterinary exams within both the profession and the pet-owning public. The initiative, unveiled at the American Veterinary Medical Association convention in St. Louis in July, is supported by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges and an initial 13 industry sponsors. The groups cited declining visits that began before the economic downturn and an increase in preventable health conditions in dogs and cats as the reason for campaign. One goal is to provide guidance and ensure that veterinary visits lead to early disease detection and prevention. A key component of the initiative is to emphasize at least yearly wellness exams for cats and dogs. Veterinarians can do more to communicate the benefits of preventive health care, according to the organizers. “It is important that we recognize that, as a profession, we have to be better at educating pet owners regarding the importance of preventive care and of the unique role that veterinarians play in enhancing the relationship between pet owners and their best friends,” said Michael Moyer, VMD, …
Bayer Study Spawns Ideas To Boost Veterinary VisitsSeptember 21, 2011 Veterinarians can take steps to reverse the trend of declining patient visits and revenue, according to the second phase of the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study. The results were released in July during the American Veterinary Medical Association convention in St. Louis. Among the findings of the second phase, conducted in May: 51 percent of veterinarians reported a net decrease in patient visits and 42 percent said revenues fell in 2010 compared with 2009. A key finding of the study, commissioned by Bayer HealthCare’s Animal Health Division and conducted by Brakke Consulting of Dallas with the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues, was the knowledge gap between pet owners and veterinarians in regard to providing for the long-term health of pets. Some 95 percent of veterinarians believed that pets need at least annual well visits, 72 percent reported that wellness exams are the most important service provided and 65 percent reported that their clientele does not value annual wellness exams. In addition, 43 percent of veterinarians completely agreed with or somewhat agreed with the statement, “I often worry that pet owners feel I am only recommending wellness examinations to make money.” The first phase …
Small Animal Neuromodulation And Kidney DiseaseSeptember 21, 2011FOOTNOTES1 Skelton D. Age is not a disease. Can Fam Physician. 1979;25:353-357. 1 Hotta H and Uchida S. Aging of the autonomic nervous system and possible improvements in autonomic activity using somatic afferent stimulation. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2010;10(Suppl 1):S127-S136. 1 Hotta H and Uchida S. Aging of the autonomic nervous system and possible improvements in autonomic activity using somatic afferent stimulation. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2010;10(Suppl 1):S127-S136.1 Liang F and Koya D. Acupuncture: is it effective for treatment of insulin resistance? Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2010;12:555-569.1 Hori E, Takamoto K, Urakawa S, et al. Effects of acupuncture on the brain hemodynamics. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical. 2010;157:74-80. 1 Noguchi E. Acupuncture regulates gut motility and secretion via nerve reflexes. Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical. 2010;156:15-18. 1 Li P, Tjen-A-Looi SC, and Longhurst JC. Nucleus raphe pallidus participates in midbrain-medullary cardiovascular sympathoinhibition during electroacupuncture. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2010;299:R1369-1376. 1 Manni L, Rocco ML, Paparo SB, et al. Electroacupuncture and nerve growth factor: potential clinical applications. Archives Italiennes de Biologie. 2011;149:247-255. 1 Ohsawa H, Okada K, Nishijo K, et al. Neural mechanism of depressor responses of arterial pressure elicited by acupuncture-like stimulation to a hindlimb …
FDA To Host Meetings On Drug Fee ProgramsSeptember 20, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a pair of public meetings on Monday, Nov. 7, 2011, to receive feedback on its drug user fee programs for the animal health industry, the agency reported today. The Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) and the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act (AGDUFA) give the FDA authority to collect user fees from the animal health industry and use those fees to make the drug approval process faster and more predictable. The current ADUFA and AGDUFA programs expire on Sept. 30, 2013, and the FDA is seeking public comment on the overall performance of the programs and the aspects of the programs that should be retained, changed or discontinued to strengthen the programs. The meetings will be held at the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine in Rockville, Md. Those wishing to attend or make a presentation can register by emailing ADUFAReauthorization@fda.hhs.gov for the ADUFA meeting, which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon EST, or AGDUFAReauthorization@fda.hhs.gov for the AGDUFA meeting, which will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. The email should contain each attendee’s name, title, affiliation, address, email and phone number, as …
AAHA Acquires My Veterinary CareerSeptember 19, 2011The American Animal Hospital Association acquired the assets of My Veterinary Career, a Danville, Ky.-based recruiter and career manager, AAHA reported. The acquisition was made in response to the 30 percent turnover rate in the veterinary profession, the AAHA said. “Veterinary medicine continues to be plagued by high turnover rates,” said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, the American Animal Hospital Association's CEO and executive director. “We know that turnover has many negative effects on a practice, including the bottom line, the culture, patient care and customer service.” MVC’s 10-person team will remain intact, according to founder Stith Keiser, a former veterinary hospital administrator who will serve with AAHA as business manager for career development. “AAHA’s staff and reach within the industry will allow MVC to reach a broader population base, and we will continue serving practices of all sizes and specialties in the United States and Canada,” Keiser said. MVC, founded in 2008, matches veterinary staff and professionals with employers based on personality, goals, communication style and technical skills. The MVC team consists of veterinarians, managers and technicians with backgrounds in small animal, large animal and specialty practices. More information on My Veterinary Career can be found at
Saint Louis Zoo Creates Institute For Conservation MedicineSeptember 19, 2011 The Saint Louis Zoo will establish an Institute for Conservation Medicine to research diseases known to affect threatened and endangered wildlife and how disease relates to domestic animals and public health, the zoo reported today. The institute will partner with universities, medical schools, ecologists, physicians, veterinarians and other health professionals to study the interrelated nature of diseases in animals and humans in the context of environmental change. It will be funded through private support and grants. “Many of these diseases are now common household terms,” said Sharon Deem, DVM, Ph.D., who will serve as director of the new institute. “Avian flu, West Nile virus, SARS, Ebola and monkeypox are all newsworthy today. "Unfortunately, because these diseases may be transmitted from animals to humans, it is possible that wildlife may be seen as the ‘bad guys,’ threatening human health," Deem continued. "In reality, wild animals are not the bad guys. Rather, growing human populations are moving into the wilderness areas with their domestic animals and also trading illegally in wildlife, which may lead to an increase in infection diseases.” Deem is a wildlife veterinarian and epidemiologist. She has conducted conservation and research projects in 20 countries …
