Pet Food Recall Hype Slows Down, FDA Continues InvestigationsApril 17, 2009 The Menu Foods Inc. pet food recall, which began mid-March and involved more than 100 brands of pet food, caught the attention of veterinarians, pet owners, pet food manufacturers, pet store retailers, as well as the general public. At press time, media coverage about the pet food recall had slowed down, with the latest recall being issued late May. This is a good indication that the problem is under control, says Kimberly May, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, American Veterinary Medical Assn.’s Communications Division. “There haven’t been any other complaints that have been brought to our attention,” Dr. May says. “I think people are becoming a little more comfortable that things have at least slowed down.” However, there are still concerns as to the long-term effects in animals that ate the tainted food, she says. “We’re not sure what’s going to happen as far as chronic problems,” May says. “Until we can get an idea of what that may be, I think there is going to be some concern on everyone’s part.” The recall has been quite an eye opener for many people who didn’t necessarily understand the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s role in this, …
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Taking On A Bear Of A Toothache At The ZooApril 17, 2009Zoo dentistry is one of the least talked about specialties within veterinary oral care. Companion animal, equine and zoo dentistry are growing and changing as human oral care techniques are applied to multiple species to attain a higher quality of life and remove pain. Zoo dentistry is most often accomplished behind the scenes. The zoo veterinarian, zoo veterinary dentist and their health care teams breach the "wild kingdom" to identify and remove oral pain. Because of this necessary approach, not as much is known about this specialty. The individuals who rarely get the deserved credit for the early detection of zoo animal oral pain are the keepers, handlers and zoo technicians. They study each animal in their care daily and are astute in noticing habit changes that could signify oral discomfort. Food shifting, not eating certain hard foods, excessive salivation after eating or decreased appetite are first seen by these caretakers. Spectacled Bear I am privileged to be the zoo dentist at The Beardsley Zoological Gardens in Bridgeport, Conn. The South American spectacled bear is found in the Andes Mountains of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. Gerald Durrell brought a spectacled bear, Pedro, to the Jersey Zoo in 1963. …
West Hollywood’s Ban On Declawing UpheldApril 17, 2009 The California Supreme Court has denied the California Veterinary Medical Assn.’s petition for review of a decision by the California Court of Appeal upholding West Hollywood’s ban on non-therapeutic declawing of animals. The decision, which means that the city can begin enforcing the ban on declawing, is a disappointment, said Jeff Smith, DVM, CVMA president. “We still believe it is important to have one set of rules regulating the practice of veterinary medicine in California,” Dr. Smith said. “In our view the appellate decision may have an enormous impact on all licensed professionals in our state, as well as have national implications. “Now it will be considered permissible for cities and counties to regulate veterinary medicine and other licensed professions. In the future what will prevent West Hollywood or another municipality from using their ‘police power’ to restrict other legitimate activities of licensed persons?” West Hollywood Mayor John Duran, who sponsored the declawing ordinance, welcomed the decision. “We are elated by the California Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the appeal filed by CVMA,” Duran said. “From the time I introduced this ordinance, I was confident that protecting animals from mutilation was …
First National Pet Parent’s Day Slated For April 27April 17, 2009 Veterinary Pet Insurance of Brea, Calif., has designated the last Sunday in April as National Pet Parent’s Day to recognize and honor those who consider pets a part of their family. This year, it lands on April 27. To kick off the event, VPI has launched free Pet Parent’s Day electronic greeting cards. Website visitors can choose a design and attach a personalized message to share with other pet parents, including friends, family or spouses who care for dogs, cats, birds or exotic pets. The e-cards will be available through April 27. “Research on the human-animal bond and our own data suggests that many people consider themselves pet parents,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “A recent survey by the American Animal Hospital Assn. indicates 83 percent of pet owners consider themselves their pet’s mom or dad. Many policyholders emphatically label their pets as children, and we felt compelled to set aside an annual day to recognize the special bond and commitment made by pet owners.” VPI says parental behavior can include buying presents for pets, designating a seat at the dinner table for a pet, giving …
CoQ10 Shows Promise For HeartsApril 17, 2009FOOTNOTES 1. Freeman LM and Rush JE. Nutrition and cardiomyopathy: lessons from spontaneous animal models. Curr Heart Fail Rep. 2007;4(2):84-90. 2. Hamlin RL and Buffington CAT. Nutrition and the heart. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 1989;19(3):527-538. 3. Freeman LM. Interventional nutrition for cardiac disease. Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice. 1998;13(4):232-237. 4. Rocha M and Victor VM. Targeting antioxidants to mitochondria and cardiovascular diseases: the effects of mitoquinone. Med Sci Monit. 2007;13(7):RA132-RA145. 5. Bolcal CC, Yildirim V, Doganci S, et al. Do N-acetylcystein, ß-glucan, and coenzyme Q10 mollify myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury? The Heart Surgery Forum. 2007;10(3):E222-E227. 6. Bolcal CC, Yildirim V, Doganci S, et al. Do N-acetylcystein, ß-glucan, and coenzyme Q10 mollify myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury? The Heart Surgery Forum. 2007;10(3):E222-E227. 7. Haas RH. The evidence basis for coenzyme Q therapy in oxidative phosphorylation disease. Mitochondrion. 2007;7S:S136-S145. 8. Haas RH. The evidence basis for coenzyme Q therapy in oxidative phosphorylation disease. Mitochondrion. 2007;7S:S136-S145. 9. Bolcal CC, Yildirim V, Doganci S, et al. Do N-acetylcystein, ß-glucan, and coenzyme Q10 mollify myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury? The Heart Surgery Forum. 2007;10(3):E222-E227. 10. Pepe S, Marasco SF, Haas SJ, et al. Coenzyme Q10 …
AAEP Names Moyer Vice PresidentApril 17, 2009 The American Assn. of Equine Practitioners has named William Moyer, DVM, as the 2009 vice president. He will join the Executive Committee next year and then serve as AAEP president in 2011. Dr. Moyer, professor of sports medicine and head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, is recognized for his work in equine lameness and has authored or co-authored several textbooks, including A Guide to Equine Joint Injection and Regional Anesthesia and A Guide to Equine Hoof Wall Repair. <HOME>
What Would Happen If You Died Tomorrow?April 17, 2009 Robert Parker, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, died April 7. He never made it to the clinic. He died en route, in a car accident. He may be known mostly in the surgery community and by the many students, interns and residents he mentored. But let's just stay that Rob was one of the good guys. I am trying to make sense out of the senseless. I will let others try to figure out the meaning of this tragedy in their own way and their own words. To me, to his co-workers, to his colleagues, it is utterly irrational. For the record, this column in no way implies that Dr. Parker's financial and legal house was not in order. This is definitely not the point, and certainly none of my business. Could this tragedy be a wake-up call? What if it happened to me? What if it happened to you? Most of us don’t like to think about our own death and plan for it. Turns out, we are mere mortals. So without a deadline, we tend to procrastinate, after vaguely committing ourselves to dealing with it “later.” These suggestions apply to everybody, including the …
Morris Animal Foundation Trustee DiesApril 17, 2009 Mark Morris Jr., DVM, Ph.D., a trustee and vice-president of scientific activities for Morris Animal Foundation, died Jan. 14 at his home in Topeka, Kan. He was 72. Dr. Morris Jr. gave much guidance to Morris Animal Foundation, which was founded by his parents, Mark and Louise Morris, in 1948. “Dr. Morris was committed to ensuring that his father’s vision of a foundation to improve the health and well-being of animals would carry on into perpetuity,” said Patricia Olson, DVM, Ph.D., Morris Animal Foundation president and chief executive officer. Morris Jr. dedicated his life’s work to improving the lives of animals through nutrition. He continued the work of his father, Mark Morris Sr., DVM, who was considered the founder of veterinary clinical nutrition and creator of Prescription Diet pet foods. Morris Jr. went on to expand this line of diets and developed the Science Diet line of products. Morris Jr., who was the founding member and on the board of regents of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, also pioneered the ZuPreem line of diets for exotic pets and zoo animals. “My grandfather was a visionary in clinical nutrition, but it was my father, …
FDA Says It Halted Melamine-Tainted Pet TreatsApril 17, 2009 Bird and small animal treats produced in China which tested positive for melamine were accidentally sent into the U.S. market for sale but were stopped before reaching consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. Sampling by the FDA’s Los Angeles District showed that pet treats imported from China, including treat seed sticks for cockatiels and honey cakes for hamsters tested positive for melamine, according to a government report. Those treats, about 54,000 units, “were placed on hold for redelivery and was erroneously shipped into commerce,” according to a Dec. 26, 2007, FDA enforcement report. A company-initiated recall, however, stopped the products from going beyond their distributors, a spokesperson for the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine says. “The import alert on melamine in pet products from China worked as it alerted the LOS-DO [Los Angeles District] to check,” said Laura Bradbard, acting director of veterinary center’s Communications Dept. “The company informed their nine distributors of the recall and the product returned for destruction. The system worked and the product did not get to pets.” When melamine became the no. 1 suspect in the cause of a wave of sicknesses and deaths among dogs and cats …
Public Meeting On Veterinary Biological Products ScheduledApril 17, 2009 The USDA-APHIS Center for Veterinary Biologics is holding its 14th public meeting April 7-9 to discuss regulatory and policy issues related to the manufacture, distribution and use of veterinary biological products. The meeting will take place in the Scheman Building at the Iowa State Center, Iowa State University. Based on suggestions the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service received when it first announced the meeting in December, the agenda topics will include influenza (avian, canine, equine and swine); control of E. coli 0157:H7 contamination in beef cattle; agroterrorism; and Veterinary Services and Center for Veterinary Biologics updates. There will also be updates concerning compliance activities, adjuvant approval, the center’s quality management system, the center’s export services and expediting the processing of submissions to the center, among others. Registration deadline is March 26. Click here for details. <HOME>
