Grappling With Quality Of Life And Over-treatment IssuesApril 17, 2009 I was asked to speak on some tough topics at the Human-Animal Bond Track and at the Personal/Professional Development Track Ethics Sessions during the 144th AVMA Meeting in DC. The assigned topics for me were: Maintaining Quality of Life at The End of Life during the Human-Animal Bond (HAB) Sessions and Preventing Over-treatment at a Veterinary Cancer Referral Clinic during the Ethics Sessions. Dr. Richard Timmins, President of the American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians, selected the theme of Quality of Life (Q of L) for the HAB track. The Bustad Memorial Lecture was given by Dr. Richard Meadows and titled, Practical Ways to Improve Q of L in Dogs. Dr. Frank McMillan compared the scientific view with the intuitive view in his papers, What Do We Mean by Q of L?, and Research Questions Regarding Q of L. Dr. Melissa Bain discussed Behavioral Management to Promote Q of L. Dr. Marsha Heinke, CPA, spoke on Making Q of L the Focus of the Practice Team. Dr. Timmins clarified O of L for Animals in Confinement. Dr. Bernie Rollins, Ph.D. of Bioethics at CSU, organized the Ethics theme at AVMA meeting, which dealt with conflicts and ethical …
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Petfood Forum Seeks Speakers For April 2009 ConferenceApril 17, 2009Petfood Industry magazine is looking for veterinarians and other pet food industry professionals to speak at its annual Petfood Forum, to be held April 20-22 in Rosemont, Ill. The forum, geared for pet food industry executives worldwide, is accepting submissions of abstracts for noncommercial oral and poster presentations on the topics of nutrition and ingredients; packaging; safety and regulatory issues; processing and production subjects; market data, trends and predictions; company profiles; and new products. Click here for details, call 815-966-5544 or e-mail tphillips@wattnet.net. Abstracts must be received by Sept. 30. Petfood Industry magazine is published by Watt Publishing Co., which focuses on the agrifood and woodworking industries. <HOME>
Some UTI Remedies Validated By ResearchApril 17, 2009 For those looking for non-pharmacologic alternatives to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections several options exist. Some are "old cures" now validated by rigorous research. Various over-the-counter formulas await motivated consumers who have grown tired of treating their animals with antibiotics and are fearful that with each course, they are fostering more resistant strains of bacteria. Typically, herbal mixtures may contain botanical diuretics, urinary antiseptics, anti-adhesion plants or anti-inflammatory agents. Fortunately, most of the products enticing consumers appear relatively innocuous, at least based on information gleaned from human trials. Additional options, such as probiotics and acupuncture, may not typically be considered "first-line" alternatives for UTIs, but could be helpful integrative adjuncts, nonetheless. Diuretic Herbs Herbal diuretics span a continuum in terms of strength.1 Weak diuretics include plants such as cleavers, horsetail and pipsissewa. Dandelion and stinging nettle fall in the moderate category, while parsley, celery, birch, lovage, and goldenrod rank as strong diuretics. Parsley's diuretic effect, recognized since ancient times, appears to be mediated through an inhibitory action on the sodium-potassium pump.2 Each of these plants also has a spectrum of other benefits. For example, parsley and its relative, celery, possess calcium channel-blocking …
Veterinary Parasite Center Receives Novartis GrantApril 17, 2009Veterinary Parasite Center Receives Novartis Grant Veterinary Parasite Center Receives Novartis Grant newsline Novartis Animal Health of Greensboro, N.C., has donated $225,000 to the Oklahoma State University Foundation to become the first industry partner of the university's National Center for Veterinary Parasitology, the company announced Jan. 6. The grant will help make the center operational by providing support for laboratory renovations and related start-up costs, according to the foundation, OSU's principal fund-raising organization. Renovations are scheduled to begin in 2009 and graduate studies in 2010. As a founding partner, Novartis will help guide and develop the center as a member of its advisory board and interact with graduate students and residents in training. Ultimately, OSU sees the center becoming a national resource for diagnostic testing that will help train clinically oriented veterinary parasitologists. "In the last several years, there has been a decline of veterinary parasitology training in the U.S.," said Michael Lorenz, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, dean of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. "The NCVP is an opportunity for us to continue training in the discipline of veterinary parasitology and to provide a source for national diagnostic testing." <HOME>
Groomed For SuccessApril 17, 2009 Ideal for surgery out of the office, the Andis Vet Pak Super AGR+ clipper kit puts together a top-performing rechargeable clipper, two batteries, a charger stand and a car charger adapter. The metallic green Super AGR+ clipper, which Andis calls “the industry's most powerful cordless rotary motor clipper,” runs continuously for one hour with a high speed of 3,800 strokes per minute. Its #40 surgical stainless steel CeramicEdge blade even cuts through wet hair. “We’ve reduced the weight of the clipper by 20 percent and the size by 10 percent but kept the same level of power as a corded clipper,” says Fred Koeller, vice president of marketing at Andis in Racine, Wis. Also new: two new powerful AGP model clippers with their own touch of style. Pick your favorite – the purple Super 2 Speed Clipper, running at 4,400 strokes per minute, or the green 2 Speed Clipper, at 3,400 strokes per minute. Both are equipped with a 4x4 blade drive, offering 25 percent more torque for faster cutting, even through mats or thick coats. For pricing information or to find a local distributor, call (800) 558-9441 or visit www.andis.com. …
Dr. Sherman To Speak On Afghan Project At AVMAApril 17, 2009 David M. Sherman, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, will discuss his ongoing work in Afghanistan at a presentation at the American Veterinary Medical Assn. convention in New Orleans this month. His lecture, “Providing Animal Health Care in Afghanistan,” will be held at 10 a.m. July 19 in Auditorium B at the convention center. The talk is based on his work in Afghanistan to set up a community-based veterinary network and is part of the conference's "One Medicine" subsection. Dr. Sherman is the author of “Tending Animals in the Global Village” (Blackwell, 2002), in which, according to Amazon.com, he discusses global trends that affect how the veterinary profession serves society and how veterinary professionals define their roles. “This is an agrarian culture that depends on livestock for its existence,” says Sherman about his work in Afghanistan. He is a Massachusetts veterinarian and an international expert on goat health. As much as 70 percent of the Afghan population earns a living from animals, at least in part. Sherman and his work will be profiled in the August issue of Veterinary Practice News. <HOME>
Findings In Food Recall Presented To DiagnosticiansApril 17, 2009 Researchers say that the chemicals melamine and cyanuric acid worked together to cause health problems and even death in pets this past spring. New studies show what many were guessing at the end of the months-long pet food recall that began this past March: When combined, melamine and cyanuric acid can produce deadly effects in pets. One study found that cats fed food containing only one of those two chemicals experienced no problems whereas cats that ate pet food with both melamine and cyanuric acid “quickly experienced acute kidney failure.” The study was led by veterinary toxicologist Birgit Puschner at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory in the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Results also showed that cats receiving the food with both chemicals present “developed fan-shaped crystals in their urinary tracts,” an abnormal development in healthy cats. The study was published in the November issue of the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. An additional study on 22 pigs, led by Steve Ensley of Iowa State’s veterinary lab, also concluded that a combination of melamine and cyanuric acid causes a more potent result on an animal’s kidney than …
May Fundraiser To Benefit Community Outreach Vet ProgramApril 17, 2009 Rural Area Veterinary Services, a nonprofit organization that provides free veterinary care to animals in remote communities worldwide, is holding its first Bay area fundraiser at 7 p.m. May 18 at the Muse Gallery in San Francisco. The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature a silent auction, a DJ, wine and appetizers. Each year, RAVS provides more than $1 million in veterinary services to more than 10,000 animals. “I have witnessed the effects of war, poverty and isolation on human communities and their animals,” said Jennifer Scarlett, a lead veterinarian for RAVS. “When beasts of burden, domestic animals and feral animals suffer, their suffering compounds the health and economic problems of the people around them. “With RAVS, I’ve seen the entire community change and take on humane responsibility for the animals in their care. Likewise, I’ve had the pleasure of watching veterinary students gain empathy and skill.” RAVS projects include caring for sick and injured animals in rural communities, free spaying and neutering, vaccination and parasite control services for dogs and cats, and routine care for horses and livestock. RAVS also provides educational programs for adults and children on …
Pfizer Reportedly In Talks To Buy WyethApril 17, 2009 The parent company of Pfizer Animal Health is in talks to acquire the parent company of Fort Dodge Animal Health, The Wall Street Journal reported Jan. 23. The deal could be valued at more than $60 billion. A deal isn’t imminent and given recent market volatility and overall economic uncertainty, the talks are fragile and could collapse, people familiar with the matter told the newspaper. Spokesmen for the parent companies, New York, N.Y.-based Pfizer and Madison, N.J.-based Wyeth, said they don’t comment on marketplace rumors. The deal, if completed, could create billions of dollars in cost savings through the combination of back-office operations, research and development, sales and manufacturing, according to The Wall Street Journal. The two companies face the upcoming expiration of patents on their most lucrative products as well as competition from makers of generic drugs. Also, because of a tougher regulatory environment, gaining approval of new treatments is more difficult, forcing many companies to narrow their research focus. “Those realities have prompted calls for industry consolidation from the investment community,” the newspaper reported. “For years, companies have withstood pressure to merge, hoping that new …
Catalyst Council Names First Board MembersApril 17, 2009The Catalyst Council, a Kansas City-based organization created to promote increased veterinary care for cats and to boost the image of cats in society, has named its initial board of directors. Dan Kramer, senior marketing manager of Pfizer Animal Health, will chair the group. "At the Catalyst Summit, the entire feline industry came together and in one voice declared the current situation as unacceptable while painting a very optimistic path to making a positive difference," Kramer said, referring to the number of cats that do not receive veterinary care. "The Catalyst Council is simply the next step in putting these plans into action. I am very proud of the many companies, organizations and individuals who have been so proactive in their desire to make a difference, and we welcome everyone who has an interest in the outcome to join us in a broad-based initiative to raise the standard of care for all cats." Other officers include vice chair Robert Rohde (president of the Dumb Friends League), corporate secretary Jane Brunt, DVM (a former American Association of Feline Practitioners president and chair of the CATalyst Summit, a event held in February at which the group decided to form an ongoing organization), …
