AVMA Urges Greater Vet Oversight In Meat ProductionApril 17, 2009 Responding to a Department of Agriculture report, the American Veterinary Medical Assn. on Dec. 12 called for increased veterinary oversight of preslaughter activities at U.S. meat plants. The USDA Office of the Inspector General report followed an investigation of the Hallmark/Westland beef recall this year. Investigators examined the history of Food Safety and Inspection Service inspections at Hallmark/Westland and at 10 other facilities, which slaughter older dairy or beef cows removed from the herd for various reasons, usually because of decreased production. The report indicated, among other things, too few veterinarians in inspection positions. “This report proves that personnel from the front-line supervisor to the public health veterinarian were overtasked and they could not keep up with all of the inspection procedures they were charged with carrying out,” said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “The public health veterinarian at the Hallmark/Westland plant was by himself, where before, there were two veterinarians assigned to the plant. “If the Food Safety and Inspection Service does not assign a sufficient number of inspectors, supervisors and veterinarians and provide the training they require, we take a gamble with food safety and …
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UF Gets Grant To Expand Shelter Medicine ProgramApril 17, 2009 The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine recently received a three year, $1.7 million grant from Maddie’s Fund to expand its shelter medicine program. Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program is geared to enhance support for local animal rescue operations, improve disease control and adoption rates among shelter animals and expand professional training. “This is a transitional time for the animal welfare field as growing demand for animal-friendly solutions is challenging traditional sheltering paradigms,” said Julie Levy, DVM, Ph.D., who will become the Maddie’s professor of shelter medicine at the college and was a co-investigator on the grant. “There is an international desire to shift from a reactive animal-control model in which massive numbers of animals are processed through shelters with an overall high euthanasia rate to one in which proactive preventive measures reduce shelter admissions with individualized programs tailored to different types of animals to result in higher save rates.” Cynda Crawford, DVM, Ph.D., a co-discoverer of the canine influenza virus, will be the Maddie’s clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine. She will work with Dr. Levy and Natalie Isaza, DVM, to implement additional clinical and educational programs. …
International Equine Conference On Laminitis ScheduledApril 17, 2009 The Fourth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Disease of the Foot will be held Nov. 2-4 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Michael Matz, who was the trainer of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, will be the featured speaker. Barbaro’s owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, will be honored at the event, as well as John and Marianne Castle, the driving force behind the conference. The Castles granted the seed money for the First Laminitis Conference in 2001 in memory of their Appaloosa named Spot that became afflicted with laminitis. In addition to the Castles, sponsors include Merial, of Duluth, Ga.; Thoroughbred Charities of America; and Purina Mills, of St. Louis. The conference is a joint effort of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary medicine, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. To register, visit www.laminitisconference.com. <HOME>
License Fees On Agenda For Colorado HearingApril 17, 2009 During its meeting March 11, the Colorado Department of Agriculture will field comments from the public on its proposal to modify a state law that regulates pet facilities. The changes would affect some veterinarians, pet stores, animal wholesalers, grooming and boarding facilities, animal breeders and animal shelters. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Lakewood, Colo., at 700 Kipling St., Ste. 4000 in the Inspection & Consumer Services Division of the Dept. of Agriculture. The proposal would amend the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act to require pet “facilities” to apply annually for a license for each of its services that falls under a separate category. For example, if a pet store sells dogs and cats, breeds parrots to stock for sale, offers grooming and pet boarding and some dog obedience classes, it might need to apply for up to a five licenses, all with separate fees. Stores that strictly sell fish or other aquatic pets - not including reptiles or amphibians - could apply for an aquarium-only license for about $55 cheaper than the general “Pet Retail/Wholesale.” The Dept. of Agriculture says the fees are necessary to cover costs related to policing …
ASPCA’s Graffiti Ads Target Inner-City Pet OwnersApril 17, 2009 The new graffiti ad campaign recently unveiled by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals aims to raise awareness about the organization’s mobile spay/neuter clinics. The urban street art reaches out to inner-city pet owners in New York City with a message about the benefits of spaying and neutering. The ads are meant to help foster positive attitudes toward pet sterilization, specifically among the target demographic, according to the ASPCA. Three artists -- Darren Brass of Miami, Fla.; Mike G of Ottawa, Canada; and KaNo of New York City -- created murals for display on phone kiosks and wallscapes throughout the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. The ads also appear in local newspapers throughout New York City. In one of the pieces featured in the 10-week campaign, the message reads, “What’s good for your dog is good for NYC.” In 2008, more than 24,000 cats and dogs were spayed and neutered in the ASPCA’s mobile clinics. Ed Sayres, ASPCA president and CEO, said the message “packs a powerful punch in the fight against pet overpopulation.” <HOME>
Colorado State Recruits Arthritic Dogs For Clinical StudyApril 17, 2009 Colorado State University is enrolling 36 dogs for a clinical study on the effects of an herbal supplement on pain and lameness associated with arthritis. The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study will also investigate complications associated with herbal supplements. “Dogs in pain often receive anti-inflammatory medication as a treatment,” said Narda Robinson, DVM, director of the university’s Center for Comparative and Integrative Pain Medicine. “There are concerns about the long-term side effects of these drugs such as gastric ulcers, bleeding, abdominal pain and kidney or liver damage. Although many herbal manufacturers make claims that their product addresses pain without negative side effects, research supporting these claims—especially regarding how that research pertains to pets—is sparse.” The university is interested in enrolling dogs who, although lame, have not yet received any pain medications for their lameness. Dogs are eligible if they 1) have clinical evidence of lameness in one or more limbs, 2) have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in one or more joints in that limb and 3) bear significantly less weight on the affected limb, compared to the contralateral limb, as determined by force plate evaluation. Dogs enrolled in the study will be seen at the …
Tennessee Suspends Veterinarian’s LicenseApril 17, 2009 The Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners has suspended a veterinarian’s medical license after viewing a secretly recorded video that showed him inhumanely restraining and euthanizing animals at a county shelter. The board deemed William Baber, DVM, an “eminent threat to public safety” and will not allow him to practice pending the results of an additional hearing, at which his license to practice may be revoked. Dr. Baber has a private practice in Gallatin, Tenn., and a contract with Sumner County Animal Control to perform euthanasias. The board said it suspended Baber's license for: Engaging in gross malpractice or a pattern of continued or repeated malpractice, ignorance, negligence or incompetence in the course of practicing veterinary medicine; . Unprofessional or unethical conduct or engaging in practices in connection with the practice of veterinary medicine that are in violation of the standards of professional conduct; . Conduct reflecting unfavorably upon the profession of veterinary medicine; . Professional incompetence; . Leaving non-livestock animals unattended during euthanasia procedures and before death occurs, and not confirming death before the body is disposed of. Baber had …
College Universities Create Animal Welfare ProgramsApril 17, 2009Humane Society University, the educational arm of the Humane Society of the United States, has partnered with The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management in Washington D.C. to offer a Graduate Certificate in Community Advocacy. The program, consisting of online and brief onsite components, is geared for students interested in becoming a leader of community activism or agent for public policy in any area of animal welfare. Courses include leadership styles, grassroots politics, state and local government politics, focus group research, media relations and advanced practicum in community advocacy. Once completed, students can apply their coursework toward the Political Management Master's degree. The program begins spring 2009. HSU has also partnered with Duquesne University's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement in Pittsburgh to develop an online Bachelor of Science degree program with a major in Humane Leadership. The program, which begins Aug. 23, is designed for individuals working in animal care and control facilities in the United States. In addition, the pair has developed a Master of Science in Community Leadership degree. It is intended to develop management skills that are directly transferable to leadership positions within one's animal care and control organization. Students …
HSUS Agenda On Par With That Of PETAApril 17, 2009 If you graduated from vet school after 1981, you’ve heard of the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights. The AVAR is an organization of 3,000 vets dedicated to the protection of the rights of animals in laboratory, agriculture, wildlife, shelter and in-home settings. On Jan. 14, the Humane Society of the United States launched a new organization in conjunction with AVAR inviting veterinarians to participate in an amalgamation of the two groups. It’s calls the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Assn., or HSVMA. In case you believe this alphabet soup has nothing to do with your life as a veterinarian, you may want to reconsider. The HSUS wants you to join the HSVMA. It entreats all vets to reject the AVMA’s milquetoast stance on crucial animal-welfare imperatives, such as sow confinement, force-fed foie gras production and other practices that impinge on the basic rights of animals to live their lives free of human subjugation. Come join the alternative movement to better the lives of animals beyond the scope of your daily practice, it urges. Specifically, the HSVMA has set its sights on young veterinarians who may elect not to walk lockstep with the AVMA on hot-button animal-welfare …
Vet Task Force Creates Spay, Neuter GuidelinesApril 17, 2009A task force of 22 veterinarians, convened by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, has compiled medical care guidelines for spay and neuter clinics targeted to reduce pet overpopulation and euthanasia. The guidelines are an effort to ensure a consistent level of care within these spay-neuter programs, especially since such a wide variety exists, including stationary and mobile clinics, shelter services and feral cat programs. "We are very excited about the publication of a document describing medical care guidelines for spay-neuter programs," said Miranda Spindel, DVM, president of ASV. "Our hope is that by providing a consensus document created by a group of professionals with expertise in these areas, the guidelines for consistent, quality care in spay-neuter programs will be set." The guidelines, which are published in the July 1 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, are based on acceptable practices that all spay-neuter programs can attain, said Brenda Griffin, DVM, one of the task force members and a member of the ASV Board. The guidelines include recommendations for preoperative care (patient transport and housing, patient selection, client communication, record keeping and medical considerations), anesthetic management (equipment, monitoring, perioperative considerations, anesthetic protocols …
