FDA Holding Public Meeting On Preventive Controls For Food Facilities April 20April 13, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, April 20, focusing on preventive controls for food facilities as part of the recently enacted FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. The meeting will be held at the FDA White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Md., from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Food facilities include those that manufacture, process, pack or hold human food or animal food and feed, including pet food. The Food Safety Modernization Act amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to establish the foundation for a modernized, prevention-based food safety system and gives FDA for the first time a legislative mandate to require comprehensive, science-based preventive controls across the food supply, according to the FDA. Specifically, the FDA is seeking information on preventive controls used by facilities to identify and address hazards associated with specific types of food and specific processes. The meeting is meant to give the public an opportunity to provide information and share views that will inform the development of guidance and regulations on preventive controls for such food facilities, according to the FDA. The meeting, “FDA Food Safety Modernization Act: Focus on Preventive Controls …
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AVMA Launches Online Vet Finder Tool For Pet OwnersApril 12, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association has launched a veterinary practice search tool for pet owners online at MyVeterinarian.com. The website provides pet owners with detailed information about veterinary practices from around the country, including the clinic’s name, address, phone number and business hours; the medical services provided; the species of animal served; and the names of the veterinarians on staff. Practices can also list their website address. A map is available to show the clinic’s location. “Thousands of practices are listed on MyVeterinarian.com, and we’re adding more every day,” said Larry Kornegay, DVM, president of the AVMA and a companion animal practitioner from Houston. “Pet owners who visit our site can be assured that they are getting information from a trusted source that represents more than 81,500 veterinarians across the country.” In addition, pet owners can search the site for specific health and pet care related topics, such as what clinics might offer dermatologic or behavior services, or where boarding and training is available. There is also a link to the AVMA’s Animal Health page, which provides information related to general pet care, emergency and first aid resources. Veterinarians …
More Awareness Needed On Canine Vector Borne Diseases, Researchers SayApril 11, 2011 Researchers are calling for a greater awareness of the dangers posed to animals and humans by canine vector borne diseases (CVBD). The call was put forth today at the 6th Canine Vector Borne World Forum in Nice, France. The forum is supported by Bayer Animal Health. CVBD are diseases transmitted by parasites—also called vectors—such as ticks, fleas, sand flies and mosquitoes. “A number of the CVBDs cause real suffering and even death in dogs, and many CVBDs represent a zoonotic risk,” said Dwight Bowman, Ph.D., a professor of parasitology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s vital that veterinarians and pet owners everywhere understand the seriousness of the threats posed, and take action to prevent transmission of these diseases.” Martin Pfeffer, a professor at the Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health in Germany, added, “Data presented here highlight the underestimation and underreporting of serious diseases such as Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE), despite their potential to threaten the life of infected animals. Like many of the CVBDs, TBE has spread beyond its traditional home and is being found across Europe and Asia, exposing previously unaffected populations to this serious disease. In light of the increasing …
Vets Asked To Participate In Free Feral Cat Spay DayApril 8, 2011 Alley Cat Rescue will host its second annual Free Feral Cat Spay Day on Wednesday, April 27. The national event is designed to encourage the veterinary community and the public to end cat homelessness and to decrease shelters’ euthanasia rates by practicing trap-neuter-return, according to the nonprofit organization. In a media alert issued today, Louise Holton, president of Alley Cat Rescue, encouraged veterinarians to participate by offering at least two free spays or neuters of feral cats to the public. The organization noted that the day is not only meant to help reduce feral cat numbers and assist colony caretakers, but to also help the veterinary community showcase their compassion for animals and bring them new clients in the future. The initiative is also catching on internationally such as in South Africa and Canada, according to Alley Cat Rescue. As of press time, more than 280 veterinary clinics had registered to participate. (Details on participating can be found at www.saveacat.org.) Last year, more than 150 veterinary clinics from 17 states joined Alley Cat Rescue in the effort. Together, more than 200 community cats were spayed/neutered.
Maryland Mulls Changes To Spay-Neuter Task ForceApril 7, 2011 Maryland legislators have amended spay-neuter companion bills to add more members to a proposed spay-neuter task force. A public hearing on one of the measures is set for Friday, April 8, 2011. As introduced, Senate Bill 639 and House Bill 339 called for a task force “on the establishment of a statewide spay/neuter fund.” The purpose of this body would be to: • Collect and review data on the number of spay/neuter services performed each year in the State and the unmet need for the services; • Review ongoing successful local spay/neuter programs in the State; • Review spay/neuter programs in other states and identify best practices; • Review and make recommendations regarding the most appropriate funding mechanism for a spay/neuter fund; and • Make recommendations regarding the establishment of a spay/neuter fund that best meets the needs of the State. The task force was to include appointees by the senate president, speaker of the house and a designee of the secretary of agriculture, as well as one representative each from the Maryland Association of Counties; Humane Society of the United States; Maryland Veterinary Medical Association; Maryland Votes for Animals; Howard County …
NASC To Host Educational ConferenceApril 7, 2011 The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), a nonprofit industry trade group, plans to hold its annual conference on Wednesday, May 11 through Friday, May 13, 2011, in San Diego. The event, which is mandatory for all NASC members, will feature educational workshops and presentations designed to keep animal supplement professionals up-to-date on regulatory programs and industry trends. Portions of the conference, including the keynote speech and certain workshops, are open to non-members. “As our organization grows, it’s necessary for us to provide members with an executive forum that keeps them and our industry ahead of the curve from both a regulatory and business perspective,” said NASC president Bill Bookout. The first day of the conference includes a basic training session for NASC members only. Workshops held on Thursday and Friday are open to non-NASC members. Topics include: how to identify quality contract manufacturers and raw material suppliers; effective probiotic use in products; developments in Canada; labeling; trends and growth opportunities in the equine and companion animal markets; and updates on state and federal programs. In his keynote speech, Sports Illustrated editor Jim Gorant, author of The Lost Dogs, will discuss the rehabilitation of dogs …
Low Thiamine Levels Prompts Canned Cat Food RecallApril 6, 2011 WellPet LLC is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Wellness canned cat food due to low thiamine levels. The company discovered the low levels during independent testing conducted together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to a single, isolated consumer complaint received by the FDA. The FDA sent out a media alert on the recall today. In a letter dated yesterday to pet owners, Tim Callahan, CEO of WellPet, said the recall is in an abundance of caution. “Please know, the vast majority of products tested had the appropriate levels of thiamine; however, with the number of recipes we offer, we did not want to make this more confusing,” Callahan said. “Therefore to avoid confusion and in an abundance of caution, we have decided to recall all canned cat products with the specific date codes noted below… Though the chance of developing this deficiency is remote, withdrawing these products is the right thing to do and we are removing it from retailers’ shelves.” The lots involved in the recall are: • Wellness Canned Cat Food (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13; • Wellness …
Georgia Won’t Tax Vet ServicesApril 6, 2011 Georgia will not add a sales tax to veterinary services. House Bills 385-388, introduced earlier in the year, included language that would have taxed “veterinarian expenses for pets.” Medications and supplies are already taxed, but veterinary services are not. State legislators made the revision in late March. The Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, which had urged veterinarians and pet owners to contact their legislators and ask them to oppose such legislation, called the decision a victory opponents of the tax. “This was a great victory for the GVMA and the veterinary profession, and for Georgia pets and their owners,” said Kevin Chapman, DVM, president of GVMA. “Georgia’s pet lovers should congratulate themselves for their courage and determination in fighting this legislation. GVMA didn’t do it alone. We had a lot of help from all those individuals and organizations like ours that love pets, and together we got it done.” GVMA had maintained that adding sales tax to veterinary services could have forced owners to forego life-saving procedures and opt for economic euthanasia; could have had a substantial financial impact on responsible veterinary care of pets; and could have led to an increase in pet abandonment. …
‘Revenue Boot Camp’ Seminar Targets Vets Who Provide Non-Medical BoardingApril 6, 2011 ‘Laura Laaman & Associates will launch a five city seminar tour beginning in May on boosting profits in the pet lodging industry. Revenue Boot Camp, which is part of the company’s Outstanding Pet Care Consulting Program, is designed for veterinarians offering non-medical boarding and other pet lodging owners. Sample topics to be included in the seminar: • How and why to sell 50 percent of your revenue with activities and other add on’s; • How to turn a phone call into a reservation; • Ten ways to beat competition; and • How and why to run a profitable referral campaign. Revenue Boot Camp locations: • Tuesday, May 3 in Stamford, Conn. • Wednesday, May 4 in Boston • Thursday, May 5 in Orlando, Fla. • Friday, May 6 in Atlanta • Wednesday, May 11 in San Francisco Laura Laaman is a speaker, author, sales trainer and consultant who specializes in the pet services industry. She established Laura Laaman & Associates in 1989. For seminar details, click here. <Home>
Census: German Shepherd Mix Is Most Popular MuttApril 5, 2011 The German Shepherd is the most common breed identified in America’s mutts, according to Mars Veterinary’s first National Mutt Census. The census, released today, was launched in March 2010 to reveal the “paw print” of America’s mixed breed population. Mixed breed dogs account for about 53 percent of all pet dogs in the United States, according to Mars Veterinary, maker of the Wisdom Panel Insights dog DNA test. The Rockville, Md.-based company collected DNA samples from more than 36,000 mixed breed dogs. These samples then underwent genetic analysis by the Mars Veterinary team to determine the breed history of each dog. This genetic data was combined with more than 16,000 responses to a Web survey from mixed breed owners. The survey asked questions about their dog’s size and weight, his feeding and exercise habits, whether he was adopted from a shelter, as well as questions about the dog’s health. “The Mars Veterinary National Mutt Census provides a vivid snapshot of past and present trends in mixed breed dogs,” said Angela Hughes, DVM, veterinary genetics research manager at Mars Veterinary. “Thanks to the census, we know what breeds are wide-spread, as well as …
