FDA Approves First Drug To Prevent Fescue Toxicosis In HorsesDecember 3, 2010 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported today that it has approved the first drug to prevent fescue toxicosis, a disease that can cause reproductive problems in horses. Equidone Gel (domperidone), which is marketed and distributed by Dechra Veterinary Products of Overland Park, Kan., is a dopamine antagonist that works at the cellular level to block the agonistic action of toxins produced by an endophytic fungus living on fescue grass. The product is administered orally by syringe once a day. The gel comes in disposable 25 cc syringes that can be used for multiple doses. The strength is 110 mg domperidone per cc of gel. The FDA has approved Equidone Gel (domperidone), a dopamine antagonist that works at the cellular level to block the agonistic action of toxins produced by an endophytic fungus living on fescue grass. In a letter to veterinarians, the FDA said, “Equidone Gel is the only FDA-approved animal drug that contains domperidone as the active ingredient. Now that Equidone Gel is approved and available for veterinary use in the United States, domperidone should not be imported from other countries or compounded from bulk…You may have specific patients that require …
SPONSORED CONTENTTest Match: Two Anti-Itch Drugs Face OffReducing pruritis is critical to enhancing quality of life for both patients and their people, hence the ongoing search for effective treatments. Ilunocitinib, a recently FDA-approved Janus kinase inhibitor, gave a powerful performance in a head-to-head match-up with Apoquel®. +
Scil Animal Care Company Adds CE Courses For 2011December 2, 2010 Scil Animal Care Company Inc. of Gurnee, Ill., has added Internal Fracture Fixation and TPLO Made Easy to its continuing education course offerings. Registration for the courses, which are available through Scilvet Academy, begins Jan. 1. The Internal Fracture Fixation class will review classifications and nomenclature of fractures, bone healing, fracture forces and selecting appropriate implants. The lecture portion will also discuss power equipment, the surgical techniques involved with the use of implant plates, screws, IM pins and wires. In the hands-on workshop, the attendee will perform repairs of selected fractures of the humerus, radius/ulna and femur/tibia. The workshop will close with a discussion of postoperative care. “This basic course will give the veterinarian the skills necessary to make appropriate decisions in handling fracture cases and repairing them in their own clinic,” said Jeff Mayo, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, a Scil CE instructor. “The course will set the foundation for pursuing more advanced techniques.” The TPLO Made Easy class will focus on evaluating and diagnosing canine cruciate disease. Components of the TPLO saw, implant system and appropriate implant sizes will also be discussed. The hands-on workshop will cover surgical techniques involved in …
How Good A Surgeon Are You?December 1, 2010 Time flies. It has been three years since my first monthly surgery column in Veterinary Practice News. To celebrate this anniversary, I will ask some simple questions to test your surgical knowledge of past Surgical Insights. Circle “true” or “false” for each question. 1. Incisions heal end to end, not side to side. Therefore, a good surgeon should strive to make the shortest possible incision to speed up healing. True or false? 2. To be exact, a laparotomy is a flank incision. A celiotomy is a ventral midline incision in the linea. However, a laparotomy is considered an accepted synonym of celiotomy. True or false? 3. Surgery on a ruptured bowel or gallbladder is considered clean contaminated. True or false? 4. We should minimize the duration of anesthesia and surgery because each additional hour under anesthesia increases the risk of infection by 30 percent. True or false? Grade Yourself Odd-numbered statements (1, 3, etc.) are false. Even-numbered (2, 4, etc.) statements are true. 0-9 correct answers: Don’t feel bad, you probably would have aced a quiz on Cushing’s disease or chronic renal failure. That …
Dechra Grows Vet Pharmaceutical Business With UK AcquisitionDecember 1, 2010 Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC reported today that it has acquired Genitrix Ltd., a U.K.-based veterinary pharmaceuticals company, for about $8.4 million. An additional $1.2 million will be payable upon achievement of specific milestones, according to Dechra Pharmaceuticals, also based in the United Kingdom. Dechra's acquisition is consistent with the company’s strategy to grow its international veterinary pharmaceutical business, said Dechra Pharmaceuticals, which has a U.S. division, Dechra Veterinary Products, in Overland Park, Kan. “Genitrix range of equine and companion animal products enhances and complements our U.K. product portfolio,” said Ian Page, chief executive of Dechra Pharmaceuticals. “Furthermore, the recently approved canine epilepsy product, Libromide, provides future growth opportunities through potential mutual recognition in Europe. The acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing in the first full year following ownership.” Genitrix had revenue of about $3.7 million in the year ended March 31, 2010, according to Dechra Pharmaceuticals. <Home>
New Study Group Focuses On Practice ManagementNovember 30, 2010 EDTA new study group has formed to offer independent veterinarians a way “to improve their practice management success through the sharing, analysis and discussion of key information, challenges and opportunities in an increasingly changing industry.” The group, Strategic Growth Alliance, was formed by Purchasing Services Inc. of St. Petersburg, Fla., in partnership with Gary Glassman, CPA, a partner with the veterinary accounting and financial consulting firm of Burzenski & Co. P.C. in East Haven, Conn. The study group will consist of 20 Purchasing Services practice owners. Each practice will provide financial and operational data, which Burzenski & Co. will analyze. <Home>
ExtendCredit.com Extends Services To VetsNovember 30, 2010 ExtendCredit.com, an online provider of customer financing plans, has launched what it says is an alternative to conventional third-party financing. With the new Pet Healthcare Payment Plan program, extended payment terms are mutually agreed upon between the veterinary clinic and the pet owner. The pet owner gets a payment he can afford, while veterinarians and animal hospitals can earn additional revenue through modest finance charges, according to the company. “We recognize that pets are part of the family, and like any family member, pets sometimes need an emergency medical procedure to relieve suffering from a very treatable illness or injury,” said Joe Simrell, co-president of ExtendCredit.com. “But unlike other family members, pets aren’t covered by the family’s medical insurance and pet insurance typically does not cover enough of the bill. “In today’s tough economy, pet owners face hard choices about how they intend to pay for an emergency surgical procedure for their pet,” Simrell said. “Using a veterinarian or animal hospital that offers our payment plan program, they can get authorized for the procedure and pay for it without breaking their budget.” For details, call 888-364-2808 or visit Extendcredit.com/petcare-credit. ExtendCredit.com of Aliso Viejo, Calif., …
Vet Groups Take On Heartworm Resistance IssuesNovember 30, 2010 Resistance to heartworm products is a possibility, but current preventive strategies must be used until additional research is complete, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) and the American Heartworm Society (AHS). The organizations made the announcement after a meeting in late August to discuss scientific and clinical field observations concerning resistance to heartworm products. Attendees, including veterinary parasitologists and cardiologists and scientific researchers, explored the potential relationships between resistance to heartworm products and veterinary and pet owner compliance, loss of product efficacy and effective heartworm testing and treatment protocols. Jay Stewart, DVM, president of CAPC, said the meeting reflects the continued concern of both organizations. However, continued investigation of heartworm product efficacy should not lead to an abandonment of current preventive practices, Dr. Stewart said. Wallace Graham, DVM, president of AHS, talked about the importance of a comprehensive approach fostered by the combined efforts of the two organizations. “We must continue to take a collaborative approach, across organizations and medical disciplines, to address concern among the public and veterinary communities about heartworm resistance,” Dr. Graham said. “We remain open to this concern, and believe cases of resistance to be geographically limited and, …
First Class Of Candidates Achieves CVPP StatusNovember 30, 2010 Twenty-two applicants took and passed the 2009 CVPP exam. After passing the exam, candidates have six months to submit their case reports. To date, 15 have received CVPP status. Two applicants had just submitted their case reports at press time and five more were still working on their reports. The second class is already under way. Seven applicants took the 2010 CVPP exam at the IVAPM Annual Conference in Kansas City in August, with six passing. The one who did not will have the opportunity to retake the exam in 2011. The deadline for the third cycle of applications is Jan. 15. For details, visit Ivapm.org. <Home>
Elanco Challenges Bayer’s Ad ClaimsNovember 30, 2010 The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has recommended that Bayer Animal Health modify or discontinue certain advertising claims made in print advertising and on its website for its flea, tick and mosquito control products K9 Advantix and Advantage for dogs and cats. The claims at issue were challenged by competitor Elanco Animal Health, maker of the dog flea control product Comfortis. Elanco is a division of Eli Lilly and Co. Bayer reported that although it disagreed with the findings, it would modify its website and revise future iterations of its print advertising in accordance with NAD’s recommendations. The company noted its commitment to the self-regulatory process. The claims at issue included: Advantage and K9 Advantix “stop biting fleas in three to five minutes”; “Kills over 99 percent of flea larvae within 20 minutes”; and “Don’t give fleas a biting chance”; among others. NAD recommended that Bayer discontinue, in consumer-directed advertising, the claim that Advantage “stops biting fleas within three to five minutes.” However, NAD concluded that a modified claim, accompanied by supporting evidence, could be used in advertising directed at veterinarians. Bayer indicated it would modify the claim in …
NAVC Lines Up Behavior ConferenceNovember 30, 2010 The annual North American Veterinary Conference, set for Jan. 15-19 in Orlando, Fla., will be holding a “behavior conference within a conference.” It’s geared toward veterinarians, veterinary technicians and animal trainers. The conference includes a hands-on “Behavior Laboratory for Humane Handling and Managing Techniques” session; a full-day session sponsored by Novartis on behavioral pediatrics and risks to children of dog bites, among other topics; a “Feline Behavior: Bad Mood or Wrong Food” session sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition; and a half-day presentation from Elanco Animal Health. The latter will cover topics such as behavior medicine in general practice and, separation anxiety. The conference will conclude with a full-day symposium sponsored by Nestlé-Purina. It will focus on the use of behavior medication and supplements in cats, the effect of diet in the older dog, and temperament testing, among other topics. <Home>
