Former president of AVMA and WVA dies at 64March 29, 2019The former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA), René Carlson, DVM, has died. She was 64. A resident of Chetek, Wis., Dr. Carlson graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978 and practiced as a small-animal veterinarian for many years. She was involved in many leadership roles within the AVMA, including as a member of the House of Delegates (HOD), the council on education, as vice president, as director of international affairs, and as chair of the association's committee on international veterinary affairs. From 2011 to 2012, she served as AVMA president. In 2014, Carlson was elected president of the WVA. "René was an exceptional leader and voice for our profession," said AVMA president, John de Jong, DVM. "She had been incredibly strong these past few years as she battled her illness and fought with the optimism and dignity we will always remember her for. Personally, I will always remember her positive energy, her humility, and her love of her husband, the AVMA, and the profession." At the 2018 AVMA convention in Denver, the AVMA presented her with the Global Veterinary Service Award for promoting veterinary medicine worldwide. …
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More than one third of pet owners open to vegan pet dietsMarch 29, 2019A study by Canada's Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) has found 35 percent of pet owners are interested in feeding their pets vegan diets. Conducted in collaboration with researchers in New Zealand, the international online survey of 3,673 dog and cat owners looked at what kind of food they fed themselves and their pets. Of the 35 percent of owners, 55 percent said they would require proof a vegan diet would meet their pets' nutritional needs, would want endorsement from their veterinarian, and would want the pet food to be easily available. "While only a small proportion of pet owners are currently feeding plant-based diets to their pets, it is safe to say interest in the diets is likely to grow," says lead author, Sarah Dodd, currently a PhD candidate at OVC's department of population medicine. "People have been hearing about how vegan diets are linked to lowered risks of cancer and other health benefits in humans." The survey also found the following: • A little under six percent of owners were vegan and more than 27 percent of them already fed their pets a vegan diet; and • Seventy-eight percent of vegan pet owners were interested in …
Students participate in a yearlong veterinary innovation competitionMarch 28, 2019Three teams of veterinary students were awarded a total of $17,500 from VetPrep's third annual live finale of The IDEA, a veterinary student innovation competition. The yearlong competition was hosted by VetPrep in partnership with Merck Animal Health and was also supported by the Veterinary Innovation Council (VIC) from Texas A&M and Hill's Science Diet. The IDEA was created to provide veterinary students the opportunity to bring their ideas to life. "We created The IDEA to support young veterinary entrepreneurs because we started our company when we were veterinary students and our business allows us to interact with veterinary students frequently," says VetPrep cofounder, Ira Gordon, DVM. "Students have so many great ideas, but oftentimes lack the confidence, resources, and mentorship they need to turn their ideas into reality. The IDEA can help with all three. It is an opportunity for us to provide the type of assistance we wish was available to us back when we were students." The competition comprised 43 students from North America, the U.K., and New Zealand. The chosen semifinalists then worked with Aaron Massecar, PhD, from the VIC to fully develop their ideas. After being narrowed down, the three remaining teams competed in the …
Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists opens new hospital following Hurricane HarveyMarch 28, 2019Texas-based Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists (GCVS) has opened its new veterinary practice after its previous hospital was severely damaged during Hurricane Harvey. The new hospital replaces a temporary location set up in the wake of the 2017 storm. "We are finally at a stage where we can actually celebrate," says Ryan Buck, group president for Compassion-First Pet Hospital's Texas clinics. "While we have continued to provide care to the area pets, our people have been displaced and it is an important moment for us to all be under one roof." The new GCVS hospital will staff more than 50 veterinarians, including 30 board-certified specialists. It will continue to provide emergency care all year-round 24-7. The new building features 39 exam rooms, nine operating rooms, a 1.5-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 64-slice computer tomography (CT), digital radiography, and a varian halcyon linear accelerator. The hospital specializes in: • anesthesia and pain management; • avian and exotics; • cardiology; • dentistry and oral surgery; • dermatology and allergy; • diagnostic imaging; • 24-7 emergency and critical care; • internal medicine; • neurology and neurosurgery; • oncology; • ophthalmology; • …
UF Small Animal Hospital to provide free eye and heart screening to service animalsMarch 27, 2019Service animals near the University of Florida's (UF's) Small Animal Hospital will be able to receive free eye and heart screenings, come May 3. Sponsored by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) and StokesRx National Service Animal Eye Exam, the event will only provide free exams on active working animals that have been certified by or enrolled in a formal service animal training program/organization. "Healthy eyes and vision are critical for a service animal to be able to perform to the best of its ability," says Caryn Plummer, DVM, who will perform the eye examinations. "Regular screening may help detect problems early, which are potentially sight- or comfort-threatening, so intervention may be possible." UF veterinary cardiology faculty members will do the heart screening exams. Should veterinarians decide further examination is required, the owners will be able to make a secondary appointment at the event. To participate in the event, service animal owners can register on the website from April 1 to April 30. They must also call UF Small Animal Hospital at (352) 392-2235 to schedule an appointment. (Ask for Holly Kitchen or Katherine Devine of the ophthalmology service.)
S.C. veterinarians, DHEC to provide low-cost rabies vaccinationsMarch 27, 2019South Carolina veterinary practices are joining the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to offer low-cost rabies vaccinations to their pet patients. Although rabies vaccines can be obtained all year, the initiative provides pet owners with an affordable and convenient service, while also helping to increase rabies-prevention awareness. "Rabies vaccination fees may vary by clinic site, but no veterinarian participating in these clinics will charge more than $10 per pet," says David Vaughan, director of DHEC's division of onsite wastewater, rabies prevention, and enforcement. South Carolina state law requires all pet cats, dogs, and ferrets are vaccinated against rabies. While not mandatory, DHEC also recommends owners vaccinate horses, livestock in frequent contact with people, valuable livestock, and animals used for raw milk or raw milk product production. "Rabies is a threat to pets, livestock, wild animals, and humans," Vaughan says. "Pet owners must stay vigilant and keep their pets current on their vaccinations." In 2018, South Carolina saw 100 positive rabies cases with the following breakdown: • 42 raccoons; • 16 skunks; • 15 cats; • 13 bats; • nine foxes; • two cows; • one dog; • one goat; and …
Canadian RVT wins Petplan's 2019 Veterinary Nurse of the Year awardMarch 26, 2019Canadian registered veterinary technician Katie Berry was named the 2019 Veterinary Nurse of the Year at the Petplan Veterinary Awards in Orlando, Fla. When she went to the Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX) conference in January, Berry says she unaware she had won the award. Accepting the award was a blur she explains. "I don't know if I took a single breath. The amount of gratitude and love I felt was beyond belief." The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognize the industry's best in the U.S. and Canada. The award highlights veterinary professionals who go above and beyond to provide pets with exceptional care and clients with outstanding customer service. Berry says a co-worker nominated her for the award. According to Berry, the most fulfilling part of her job is the patients and the clients. "When I have clients I have a good relationship with, it makes this job worth it," says Berry who has been an RVT at Montgomery Village Veterinary Clinic in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, since the clinic opened in November 2017. "I love seeing my patients thriving and I like my clients knowing I am there for them when they need me." Berry believes veterinary technicians everywhere need recognition. …
Pathway Vet Alliance to hire over 175 veterinariansMarch 26, 2019Pathway Vet Alliance says it is looking to hire more than 175 veterinarians across the company's network of veterinary hospitals. In addition to veterinarians, Pathway is also hiring for hundreds of support positions—both nationwide and at its main support office in Austin, Tex.—in business development, human resources, IT, practice management, and marketing. "Our continued growth over the last few years has been extraordinary, and we remain committed to investing in our existing team members and creating new career opportunities nationwide," says Renee Harbour, the company's talent director and mergers and acquisition DVM integrations manager. "Pathway is a conduit for people who want to practice their passion and help make an impact in the veterinary industry. We invite those interested in joining our team to visit our website and become a change agent for good." In 2018, the company acquired 55 new veterinary practices, and now supports nearly 200 locations across the U.S., employing more than 4,500 staff members. Pathway was ranked 1,094 on Inc. magazine's 37th annual Inc. 5000, which is a list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Applicants interested in joining Pathway's team can visit the website.
GuardianVets wins Purina's 2019 Pet Care Innovation PrizeMarch 25, 2019GuardianVets was awarded Purina's 2019 Pet Care Innovation Prize (PCIP) after pitching to an audience of investors, retailers, and the pet care leaders at Global Pet Expo. GuardianVets is a business-to-business (B2B) telehealth service and platform allowing veterinary hospitals to offer 24-7 continuous client care. The startup is the triage provider for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and serves more than 600,000 pet owners in over 30 states. The prize is a collaborative effort of Purina's 9 Square Ventures division with investing leader, Active Capital. The startups must address pet and pet owner needs in the areas of pet health and wellness, services, technology, nutrition, and emerging innovations. As the grand prize winner, the Chicago-based company will receive a cash prize and the opportunity to work with Purina on a project. "I'm very appreciative and thankful to be the grand prize winner of the Pet Care Innovation Prize and hope to use this opportunity to continue to move GuardianVets forward and help strengthen the relationship between pet owners and their veterinary practices," says GuardianVets founder, John Dillon. "The PCIP program is built on developing comradery within the pet industry, and it's amazing to see a leader like Purina support …
PIJAC releases resource to combat antimicrobial resistance health risksMarch 25, 2019The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) has released a set of recommendations for antibiotic management and combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in companion animals. The resource includes a set of principles for all sectors of the pet care community with an emphasis on those involved with breeding, rearing, transport, and the sale of companion animals, as well as those who work with products where antibiotics regularly intersect with animals. The principles provide advice and best management practices on matters such as the use of antibiotics, sanitation, hygiene, veterinary oversight, and zoonotic disease prevention. "PIJAC is proud to have served as the pet industry's liaison on public health issues and zoonotic disease prevention for over a decade through our memorandum of understanding with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)," says PIJAC president and CEO, Mike Bober. "These recommendations are another demonstration of PIJAC and the pet care community's commitment to promoting the health and well-being of animals and humans alike." The CDC estimates two million people are infected with resistant strains of bacteria and 23,000 deaths result from antibiotic resistance in the U.S. annually. Campylobacter and Salmonella are two common bacteria types, which have resistant strains and are …
