Raising awareness about kennel cough is among the goals of a new partnership between drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. Under the arrangement, announced today, BIVI will provide educational material on a range of topics that veterinary technicians may use in-clinic and access on the NAVTA website, said Leslie Ferguson, RVT, a brand manager with the St. Joseph, Mo., company. “Technicians play a critical role in veterinary medicine and supporting the profession is important to me personally and BIVI as an organization,” Ferguson said. The partnership is being kicked off with an online video contest focused on kennel cough, a highly contagious upper respiratory infection in dogs. The Happy Dog Vaccine contest asks technicians to submit a video of 30 seconds or less showing how BIVI’s Bronchi-Shield Oral vaccine “is making your canine Bordetella vaccine experiences happy.” The grand prize is a $500 gift card. Ten runners-up will receive a 2016 NAFTA membership. Entries are being accepted through Nov. 14. More information is available at http://bit.ly/1L3Z1Jv. Among NAVTA’s other corporate partners are Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Merial Ltd. and Virbac Corp. In other news, BIVI reported that its “10-Day Challenge” resulted in more than 7,800 in-clinic conversations with pet owners about Lyme disease prevention. The initiative was conducted from April 20 to May 1. “Lyme disease is increasing and expanding geographically, which means that highly trained veterinary professionals across the nation are critical in promoting its prevention to pet owners,” said Mark R. Kimsey, DVM, associate director of pet marketing at BIVI. BIVI supplied educational materials to help veterinary staff facilitate discussions.
