Blood Typing And Cross-matchingApril 17, 2009 Successful transfusion medicine in the veterinary industry relies heavily on blood typing and crossmatching—and recognizing the difference between the two. Blood typing focuses on the antigens on the surface of the red cell. Crossmatching focuses on antibodies in the plasma. In a crossmatch, donor red cells are mixed with the plasma of the recipient. If antibodies exist in the recipient plasma to antigens on the red cells of the donor, transfusion reactions can occur. Ann Schneider, DVM, director of Eastern Veterinary Blood Bank in Severna Park, Md., says that veterinarians today are more willing to blood-type and crossmatch their patients than they have been in the past. “This is a great benefit to the patients, the veterinarians and the blood banks, as it not only reduces the possibility of a transfusion reaction, but it also helps us allocate limited resources to benefit the largest number of patients.” Anne Hale, DVM, owner and director of Midwest Animal Blood Services Inc. in Stockbridge, Mich., says that improvements in point-of-care blood typing technologies continue to enhance veterinary practitioners’ ability to blood-type recipients and provide type-matched transfusions for their patients. “Crossmatching test kits are available to allow point-of-care …
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Equine Nutrition Conference Scheduled For MayApril 17, 2009The Southeast Equine Conference, focusing on "Horse Nutrition for the Future," is set to take place May 8-9 at the Agricenter in Memphis. The conference, which will also be available online with an interactive Webcast, is open to veterinarians, horse owners and the general public. "Participants will hear the latest scientific information from some of the nation's leading equine professionals," said Preston Buff, Ph.D., who is board certified in equine nutrition and with Mississippi State University's Extension Service. "We will address nutrition issues related to reproduction, foals, performance horses, easy-keepers and older horses. Other topics include dental advancements, selenium nutrition and feed management for diseases and disorders." The conference will open with a free reception and trade show from 5-7 p.m. May 8. Registration fees before May 1 for the second day of the event are $50 to attend in Memphis or $35 online. Sponsors include MSU's Extension Services and the University of Tennessee. Click here for details. <HOME>
Contagious Equine Metritis Reported In KentuckyApril 17, 2009 The World Organization for Animal Health reported Wednesday that a 16-year-old Quarter Horse stallion from Woodford, Ky., tested positive for Taylorella equigenitalis. The venereal infection, also known as contagious equine metritis, was last reported in the U.S. in December 2006. Test results were confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which submitted the information to the World Organization for Animal Health. The stallion was identified as having contagious equine metritis during routine testing for export of semen. An early investigation indicated that the stallion was used for semen collection only and not used for live breeding to mares. The affected premises has eight other horses, all of whom were reported as clinically healthy. Laboratory samples have been taken from these horses, but the results are pending. The semen and premises are under an official state quarantine. The source of the outbreak is under investigation. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture and USDA officials are tracing all shipments of semen from the stallion as well as all horses that visited the premises since the stallion's arrival. <HOME>
NAVC To Celebrate 25 YearsApril 17, 2009The North American Veterinary Conference has scheduled a variety of programs and music entertainment to celebrate its 25th anniversary Jan. 19-23 in Orlando, Fla. This year's program features more than 1,400 hours of continuing education, presented by about 375 speakers and instructors. There will also be more than 50 hands-on laboratories, including anesthetic complications, urinalysis, bandaging in dogs, behavior in cats, cattle handling, critical-care nursing, laparascopic ovariohysterectomy, small-mammal emergency techniques and darting/remote injection systems (for wildlife). Specialty program tracks and laboratories for veterinary technicians are also scheduled as well as the Hill's Practice Management Core Seminar for practice managers. Exotic program highlights include aquatic medicine, avian diagnostic medicine, emergency and critical care medicine, small-mammal medicine, surgery, reptiles (lizards, turtles and tortoises), wildlife medicine and conservation and zoonotic diseases. NAVC has a diverse lineup of speakers, including Melinda Merck, DVM, who will lead a mock trial to help veterinarians understand what is involved in raising, breeding, training dogs for fighting as well as what an actual dogfight entails and how to be court witness; Jonna Mazet, DVM, director of the Wildlife Health Center at University of California, Davis, who will discuss her research on California sea otters at the …
Companies, Executives Indicted In Pet Food RecallApril 17, 2009 Two Chinese business and two executives along with a United States company and its owners were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for their roles in the massive pet food recall that resulted in thousands of pet owners reporting serious illnesses and death in their pets that ate the tainted food, the U.S. Department of Justice reported. Chinese company Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co., LTD. (XAC), its owner and manager Mao Linzhun, and Chinese company Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products, Arts and Crafts I/E Co., LTD (SSC) and President Chen Zhen Hao were charged in a 26-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. XAC processes plant proteins and exports those products to the U.S., and SSC is an export broker. Both executives are believed to be residing in China. In a similar but separate case, Las Vegas-based ChemNutra Inc. and its owners , Sally Qing Miller and Stephen S. Mille r, were charged in a 27-count indictment. ChemNutra imports food products from China and sells them to companies in the food industry. ChemNutra and the Millers deny any wrongdoing or any intent of wrongdoing. They said they …
Wheat Flour, Not Gluten Or Rice, To BlameApril 17, 2009 The melamine-contaminated pet food ingredients imported from China were actually wheat flour disguised to look like wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate, the Food and Drug Administration has revealed. Although labeled as wheat gluten or rice protein concentrate by two Chinese firms, the products were in fact wheat flour, according to David Acheson, M.D., assistant commissioner for food protection with the FDA. The addition of melamine could have been used to make the flour appear more protein-rich and less starchy, thus mimicking a high-protein product, such as wheat gluten, Acheson speculated. “Now, there is a plausible hypothesis as to why this would be done rather than taking the trouble to extract the wheat gluten and wash away the starch, you simply grind up the wheat, put it all together and then artificially create the appearance of it being high in protein by adding a high-nitrogen containing compound such as melamine,” Acheson said. The U.S. investigators have been in China for about a week, and are expected to return home sometime next week. “The FDA considers this product to be mislabeled … and we're considering possible enforcement options,” he said. The FDA made the …
InTown Adds New Hampshire Referral Hospital To GroupApril 17, 2009The specialists at Dover Veterinary Hospital have merged with InTown Veterinary Group to form Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital in Portsmouth, N.H., which is expected to open in September. The hospital will provide 24 hour emergency veterinary services as well as internal medicine, surgery, ophthalmology and radiology services. InTown Veterinary Group's other hospitals are in Massachusetts, including Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, Essex County Veterinary Referral Hospital in N. Andover, Bulger Animal Hospital also in N. Andover and Muddy Creek Animal Care Center in Rowley. <HOME>
Benefits And Cautions For Supplements And The EyeApril 17, 2009 Whether an animal is receiving natural supplements for an ophthalmologic condition or for some other problem, herbs and nutraceuticals can affect eye health. This has not escaped the notice of ophthalmologists, as several publications have recently surfaced, exposing these possibilities and raising concern.1,2,3,4 L-lysine and Herpesvirus Certain natural products confer clear benefits, with little to no toxic outcome. For example, daily oral administration of 400 mg of l-lysine reduced viral shedding from the conjunctival fornix following rehousing in cats latently infected with feline herpesvirus type-1 (FHV-1).5,6 Usually, a physiologic stressor such as rehousing would stimulate viral reactivation.7 The successful control of herpes simplex virus type 1 in humans with l-lysine suggested that it might benefit cats afflicted with FHV-1. High intracellular concentrations of lysine and low levels of l-arginine inhibit herpes simplex virus growth in tissue culture.8,9 However, the sensitivity of cats to l-arginine deficiency required assessment of the effectiveness of l-lysine supplementation alone, i.e., sans concurrent l-arginine restriction. L-lysine poses few safety concerns. L-lysine Contraindications Two potential contraindications include renal and hepatic disease in which patients may have difficulty eliminating the large amounts of nitrogen generated from l-lysine metabolism.10 Potential drug interactions …
Henry Schein Acquires Distributor In Czech RepublicApril 17, 2009Henry Schein Inc. of Melville, N.Y., reported Jan. 12 that it has acquired Noviko, a distributor of veterinary supplies in the Czech Republic. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Noviko, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Brno, had 2008 sales of about $70 million. "Noviko is a clear market leader with a history of commitment to customer service, and is an excellent complement to our veterinary businesses in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Portugal and France," said Stanley Bergman, chairman and chief executive officer of Henry Schein. "Noviko expands our animal health presence to the Czech Republic market and provides a base for expansion into the Eastern European markets. With this acquisition, we believe Henry Schein now is the largest Pan-European animal health distributor." Dr. Jaromir Koudela will continue to serve as managing director of the business. Henry Schein also announced the purchase of two other businesses in the human market: DNA Anthos Impianti, the Italian distribution arm of Cefla Dental, and Medka, a full-service provider of medical consumables, equipment and technical services in Berlin. The three acquisitions together had 2008 sales of about $150 million.
Feline Drug Therapy UpdateApril 17, 2009 This column is based on abstracts presented at the 24th annual ACVIM Forum in Louisville (2006). In recent years molecular biology has resulted in the reclassification of Hemobartonella felis as a Mycoplasma species. There are various forms of this organism; the one usually responsible for the typical clinical signs of anemia is Mycoplasma haemofelis. Less pathogenic is Mycoplasma haemominutum.1 Diagnosis of these organisms can be a challenge.2 Clinicians are always suspicious of this disease when a cat is anemic, especially with hemolytic anemia. In some cases the organism can be seen on a blood smear. It helps if these blood smears are done immediately; if stored too long in EDTA, the organisms can detach. A diagnostic test that has become much more common and is highly reliable is PCR which detects DNA of the organism. In one experimental study, 100 percent were positive on PCR, yet only around 40 percent were positive on cytology.3 A variety of treatments have been used to treat cats with clinical signs and this infection. Common antibiotics include tetracycline or doxycycline. Generally treatment is continued for two to three weeks. Enrofloxacin and azithromycin have all been tried …
