Available Resources For Fire VictimsMay 17, 2010For the latest information and resources on the California wildfires, please visit one of the following Web sites. Check back often for updates. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: Los Angeles is providing wildfire evacuation and rescue services for animal victims of the fire through its Disaster Animal Response Team (DART). For information or to make a donation, click here. Red Cross: Look up the latest efforts by the Red Cross to assist victims of the California wildfires as well as make a donation or volunteer. For details, click here. The National Interagency Fire Center tracks the latest information on the wildfires, including breakdown by county, acreage burned, percentage contained and street closures. For more information, click here. For a list of animal disaster groups serving California, click here. The Santa Barbara County Animal Services Program has implemented a hotline to assist pet owners with evacuation and sheltering for the Sedgewick fire. For details, click here. The San Diego Humane Society and SPCA have gathered the latest information on animal evacuations and locations that accept pets. For details, click here. The Equestrian Coalition …
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ASPCA’s Doctor Named Vet Of The YearMay 17, 2010 The Veterinary Medical Assn. of New York City has named Robert Reisman, DVM, Veterinarian of the Year for his work on animal cruelty cases at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Dr. Reisman, medical coordinator of Animal Cruelty Cases at the organization's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, was also recognized for his service as president of the association in 2007 and as veterinary editor of the association’s newsletter from 2001 to the present. “Addressing and eradicating animal cruelty is one of our key goals as an organization,” said Ed Sayres, ASPCA president and chief executive officer. “I am very proud of Dr. Reisman’s continued excellence in the management and caretaking of cases of abuse and neglect that, unfortunately, pass through our doors every day.” <HOME>
Aquatic Vets To Meet In D.C.May 17, 2010 A new global organization has been formed specifically to serve veterinarians and veterinary organizations involved in aquatic animal medicine. The idea and momentum behind the formation of the Aquatic Veterinary Assn.—which is holding its first annual meeting in July in conjunction with the American Veterinary Medical Assn. Annual Convention in Washington D.C.—was developed over the past several years through ongoing discussions with aquatic veterinarians in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, among other countries. Through these discussions, it was clear that their needs were not being met, says Interim Secretary Chris Walster, BVMS, MRCVS, of The Island Veterinary Associates in the United Kingdom. One issue was the lack of a professional society that focused on the practice aspects of aquatic medicine in its many forms, including companion animal medicine, food animal production, exhibition animals found in zoos and public aquaria, research and others, he said. By forming such a group, AqVA hopes to see aquatic veterinary medicine grow into a more recognized field. “Formalizing organized aquatic veterinary medicine under an incorporated and registered nonprofit professional association will also elevate aquatic veterinary medicine from a niche area of veterinary …
Arizona Vet Hospital To Launch Blood Bank At Upcoming SymposiumMay 17, 2010 Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center of Tucson, Ariz., will introduce its new blood bank and will begin recruiting potential blood donors at its upcoming Pet Health Symposium, to be held on May 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is open to the public and the veterinary community. Admission is $20. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Hope Animal Shelter, which recently merged with Casa de los Gatos and SAFE (Saving Animals From Euthanasia). Hope Animal Shelter is a no-kill shelter for dogs and cats. Casa de los Gatos operates a cage-free sanctuary for special-needs cats (ie. cats with feline leukemia and displaced ferals). SAFE is a nonprofit organization that is working to develop a community-based resolution to the euthanasia of adoptable companion animals. Pet Health Symposium is sponsored by Idexx Laboratories of Westbrook, Maine; MWI Veterinary Supply of Meridian, Idaho; Merial of Duluth, Ga.; and Novartis of Greensboro, N.C. Click here for details. <HOME>
ASPCA Celebrates 142 YearsMay 17, 2010 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals celebrates its 142nd anniversary in April, also known as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. To commemorate the event, the organization will host the third annual ASPCA Day on April 10 with a combination of civic and community events. “While we fight animal cruelty day in and day out, April, and specifically ASPCA Day on April 10, is a great time for us to take stock of our progress, and celebrate our bond with animals as a nation,” said Ed Sayres, ASPCA president and chief executive officer. Landmarks in cities across the country will light up in orange, ASPCA’s signature color, to show support. Several national icons have already confirmed their participation, including the Empire State Building, Niagara Falls, the Los Angeles Coliseum and the Sears Tower in Chicago. The ASPCA Day Festival will take place in New York City’s Union Square that evening, with live music by the X Brothers featuring Joe Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult. This year also marks the second annual Community Leader of 2008 announcement, a contest where animal enthusiasts show how they “Go Orange for Animals.” The most …
Senior, Arthritic Dogs Get Moving With Step InitiativeMay 17, 2010 More than 3.7 million steps were tracked by pet owners as part of the nine-month program Steps to Play More, an initiative sponsored by Novartis Animal Health US Inc. and canine arthritis medication Deramaxx (deracoxib) to get senior and arthritic dogs moving again. The participants used a dog pedometer to track the daily activity level of their dogs and then recorded the number of steps online at www.stepstoplaymore.com. The pedometer and online tracker provided a week-by-week gauge of each dog’s progress toward getting back to playing again. “It’s great to see these dogs walking and playing again,” said Bernadine Cruz, DVM, of California’s Laguna Hills Animal Hospital, who spearheaded the effort by more than 4,000 veterinarians nationwide. “Keeping pets active and on their paws is the best way to get them in shape and keep them healthy longer. With Deramaxx, the pedometer and the Steps to Play More program, pet owners saw firsthand how each step makes a healthier dog.”
Anxiety Drug For Dogs Nears FDA ApprovalMay 17, 2010 The U.S. Food & Drug Administration will soon announce its approval of Eli Lilly & Co.'s Reconcile (fluoxetine hydrochloride), perhaps as soon as Monday. The tablets are for use in dogs and puppies 6 months of age and older and 8.8 pounds or heavier, according to FDA-established guidelines. The flavored, chewable drug will be approved "for the treatment of canine separation anxiety in conjunction with a behavior modification plan." The drug, based on the active ingredient in Prozac, is not for use in people. Behavior modification uses could include counseling, such as rewards for good behavior, and training for a dog to be content alone, according to the drug’s prescribing information. Reconcile will not be the first anxiety medication for dogs on the market. Clomicalm was approved by the FDA in 1999. Reconcile will, however, be Lily's first drug approved for its new companion animal business. Reconcile is expected to be available within the next several weeks.
Heartworm Society Unveils Educational Web Site For KidsMay 17, 2010 The American Heartworm Society launched a new grammar school section on its Web site at the American Veterinary Medical Association's annual convention. The new site, sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health, is designed to teach children ages 5 through 15 about heartworm disease in pets. "Teaching children the responsibilities involved in taking care of a pet is one of the many steps in developing the young person into a caring and compassionate individual," said Sheldon Rubin, DVM, secretary-treasurer of the American Heartworm Society. "The dangers of heartworm disease and the proper care of pets are just a few of the many lessons our Web site will teach children." The grammar school section, linked from www.heartwormsociety.org, offers several downloadable coloring pages and games focused on pet care and heartworm prevention. The activities feature two new cartoon characters, Jake the dog and Ginger the cat. Along with nutrition and exercise, the activities emphasize the need for twice-a-year veterinary appointments, which is the impetus behind Fort Dodge and the AVMA's partnership for Pet Wellness Month, also launched at the convention. <HOME>
$24 Million Settlement Reached In Pet Food Recall CaseMay 17, 2010Canada-based Menu Foods and other companies that were involved in last year’s massive recall of pet foods have agreed to pay a combined $24 million to pet owners. The settlement, which was outlined in papers filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Camden, N.J., still needs court approval. A hearing has been scheduled for May 30. Under the settlement, the companies will pay all of the pet owners’ documented expenses for the injury and death of their pets as a result of consuming the recalled products, Reuters reported. The recalls were first announced in March 2007 after dogs and cats became ill or died as a result of eating the tainted food. The contaminants were discovered to be melamine and cyanuric acid, which were in ingredients from China that went into pet food in the United States. <HOME>
$24 Million Menu Foods Settlement Gets Preliminary OKMay 17, 2010$24 Million Menu Foods Settlement Gets Preliminary OK$24 Million Menu Foods Settlement Gets Preliminary OKpet food recall, settlementThe U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey has given preliminary approval for a $24 million settlement agreement involving last year’s massive pet food recall.The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey has given preliminary approval for a $24 million settlement agreement involving last year’s massive pet food recall.newslinePosted June 2, 2008, 9:02 p.m., EDT The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey has given preliminary approval for a $24 million settlement agreement involving last year’s massive pet food recall. Canada-based Menu Foods was slapped with more than 100 class-action lawsuits after dogs and cats became ill or died as a result of eating the tainted food. The contaminants were discovered to be melamine and cyanuric acid, which were in ingredients from China that went into pet food in the United States. The settlement agreement creates a settlement fund that will allow pet owners to potentially recover up to 100 percent of all economic damages, subject to certain limitations. The fund, administered by a neutral claims administrator, will be available to persons in the United States and …
