Remind horse owners to safeguard against rabiesJune 7, 2018According to veterinary research published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the American Horse Council, horses are nearly four times more likely to contract rabies than dogs. Across the U.S., the majority of horses are not vaccinated for rabies and often run a higher risk of exposure than dogs, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Everybody is at risk for developing rabies," said Bonnie R. Rush, DVM, MS, DACVIM, Interim Dean at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. "[Horses are] at higher risk for being exposed probably at pasture, but being in a stall does not preclude exposure. The consequences of interacting with a horse that has rabies are significant." Horses can be exposed to rabies most commonly through bats, raccoons, foxes, and skunks. Two examples of public equine rabies cases include the 2008 Missouri State Fair; and the 2006 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, which required the notification of more than 150,000 people for potential rabies exposure. Rabies is the deadliest among the five core equine diseases, which also include Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus, and West Nile. Horses are continually exposed …
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Brakke to offer webinar on veterinary industry issuesJune 7, 2018Brakke Consulting Inc. is offering a one-hour webinar later this month on four issues facing veterinarians and the veterinary industry. Presented by senior consultant John Volk, "Hot Topics in Veterinary Medicine" will examine such topics as: Supplier Concentration: What Does it Mean to Veterinary Practices? Veterinary Practice Consolidation: Bubble or Long-Term Trend? Preventive Care Plans: Are They Essential to Your Future? Healthy Veterinarians, Healthy Practice: How is your Wellbeing? Participants will have an opportunity to participate in discussions and ask questions. In addition, each attendee will receive a copy of the presentation. "The webinar will include up-to-the-minute data on important issues facing the industry and the implications for veterinary practitioners," says John Volk. "I'm confident that every participant will leave with some take-aways that he or she can apply immediately in their practice." The webinar will be presented four times: June 27, 11 a.m. EDT June 27, 4:30 p.m. EDT June 28, 11 a.m. EDT June 28, 4:30 p.m. EDT To register, go to brakkeconsulting.com and scroll down to the "What's New" area on the lower right-hand side of the home page. Registration deadline is Friday, June 22; cost is $79.
Help clients who travel hire the best professional pet sitterJune 6, 2018As more than 88 million Americans prepare for family vacations this summer, educational association Pet Sitters International (PSI) reminds pet owners to use caution when deciding who will watch their animals, recommending they forgo hiring hesitant friends and neighbors to fill this role and instead seek professional pet sitters, trained to handle potential emergencies. "When it comes to finding pet care, don't prioritize convenience over quality," said Beth Stultz, PSI vice-president. "Just because you can quickly find and book the services of a pet lover with a profile on a pet-sitting or dog-walking app doesn't mean you are choosing a qualified pet-care provider. Pet owners should take a closer look to ensure they are hiring not just a pet lover, but a pet lover who is also a true pet-care professional." Professional pet sitters come to clients' homes, which limits interruption to pets' routines and eliminates the stress and danger of exposing them to new, unfamiliar environments. Additionally, many professionals provide services for owners traveling with animals, offering pet-care services at hotels for clients who need to leave their animals and participate in non-pet friendly events or activities. PSI advises pet owners to schedule a consultation …
Vetsource online veterinary pharmacy secures $50M in financingJune 6, 2018Vetsource, an online veterinary pharmacy founded in 2005, has closed a $50 million private financing round led by Bain Capital Ventures. The company provides prescription management services to more than 17,000 U.S. veterinary practices with more than 8,100 practices contracted to deliver pet medication and food to clients. The funding will go toward helping veterinarians run a better business, deliver better care, enhance client experience, and provide marketing and technology solutions for improved medical and financial outcomes for veterinarians and pet owners, according to the company. "Vetsource has made a tremendous impact on veterinary practices and pet care, and we are excited to support the team in expanding the reach of its core business and complementary SaaS capabilities," said Yumin Choi, managing director at Bain Capital Ventures. "With its innovative business model, unique partnerships across the industry, and strong management team, we believe Vetsource will continue to cement its market leadership and drive massive positive change in the veterinary industry." "We are excited to bring a partner like Bain Capital Ventures into the Vetsource business," said Kurt Green, Vetsource president and CEO. "They share our commitment to empowering veterinarians to leverage innovative technologies …
Dogs and cats prefer protein, right? Not so, says OSU studyJune 6, 2018Dogs prefer foods high in fat while cats are carb lovers, according to study results published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The study, conducted by Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University, monitored 17 healthy adult dogs and 27 cats over a 28-day period using four types of foods designed to encourage subjects to make food choices based on what their bodies were telling them they needed—not based on flavor. If palatability isn't balanced between foods, cats prefer to eat high levels of protein and dogs want to eat high levels of fat, according to OSU's Jean Hall, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, the study's corresponding author. With the flavor factor removed, the results were "much different than what traditional thinking would have expected," said Dr. Hall. "Some experts have thought cats need diets that are 40 or 50 percent protein," she said. "Our findings are quite different than the numbers used in marketing and are going to really challenge the pet food industry." The dogs and cats in the study had four food choices: high-fat, high-carbohydrate, high-protein, and balanced foods. Dogs had one hour each day to eat all they wanted …
Veterinary study shows promise for noninvasive echotherapy treatmentJune 5, 2018 A canine cancer patient was found to be cancer free following a noninvasive focused ultrasound treatment, reports Theraclion, a company specializing in medical equipment for echotherapy. The procedure was administered as part of a veterinary study at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM), financed by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, which is investigating the treatment of dogs with sarcomas and mast cell tumors with Theraclion's Echopulse technology. "These canine tumors tend to occur on the limbs and may recur if they are not entirely removed. As a result, often amputation is required," said Jeffrey Ruth, DVM, DAVBP, DACVR, clinical assistant professor of radiology at VWCVM. "It is our hope that focused ultrasound will add to current treatment options by providing a way to noninvasively ablate the mass and also trigger an anti-tumor immune response." The study is one of several launched by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in its veterinary program to develop focused ultrasound therapies for the treatment of companion animals. While the technology was originally designed to treat tumors in humans, its robotic design allowed for it to be easily adapted for veterinary uses, according to Theraclion. "As veterinary treatments are …
TraumaFX releases advanced canine medical simulatorJune 5, 2018K9 Diesel, a new canine medical simulator, has been released for commercial availability by TraumaFX, a division of Kforce Government Solutions and global provider of human and canine medical training simulators. Developed jointly with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), K9 Diesel offers 28 different features and medical intervention sites. The simulator builds on the TraumaFX K9 Hero model released in 2016, which offered a rugged design and life-like skeleton. K9 Diesel's added features include: Adjustable, realistic breathing Added audio cues (including four different sounds an injured dog might make) Interchangeable limbs Packable axillary wounds Decompression for gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) Realistic venous and arterial bleeding for hemorrhage control training. Additionally, users are able to easily preprogram training scenarios, which can be named and saved for future use, allowing instructors to focus on the techniques of the learner while the simulator functions on its own throughout the exercise and captures the results for later review. "With K9 Diesel, operational K9 care is realized for the first time via simulation," said Carolyn Hollander, vice president of TraumaFX. "Working closely with DOD operational K9 teams, we have been able to replicate many more real-world medical situations." The simulator …
Bulldog dies after botched neuter at fake vet clinicJune 1, 2018Two Florida residents are facing charges of animal cruelty and practicing veterinary medicine without a license after a neutering procedure performed at their "veterinary clinic" resulted in a dog's death. On April 23, Omarnestor Delrio took his 12-year-old American bulldog, Royalty, to what he thought was a veterinary clinic in Hialea, Fla., but was just an apartment that occupants Jose Alvarez-Marrero, 58, and Sophia Gonzalez, 40, had set up as a makeshift veterinary clinic. According to police reports, Delrio had brought Royalty to the pair before for veterinary treatment; however, neither Alvarez-Marrero nor Gonzalez is a licensed veterinarian. Anesthesia was administered on a couch, the dog was moved to a folding table, and Alvarez-Marrero began the procedure. After suturing, when Royalty began to swell around the removed testicle area, Alvarez-Marrero reopened the incision and gave the dog more anesthesia after he exhibited signs of discomfort, according to reports. Delrio returned to the apartment with Royalty twice after the procedure: two days later after complaining to Alvarez-Marrero his dog wasn't eating or drinking, and then again when additional treatment failed to work. Delrio took Royalty to a Knowles Animal Clinic in Miami, but it was too late. Royalty died one week …
Enter Veterinary Practice News' 2018 They Ate What?! X-ray ContestJune 1, 2018Pets eat the most puzzling things that land them in the vet's office: shoes, coins, socks, teddy bears, watches, rubber ducks, rocks, lightbulbs, kitchen utensils, pendants, golf balls, and more. If the rads weren't there to prove this stuff actually happens, the tales would be hard to believe. That's why Veterinary Practice News is asking the veterinary community to submit radiographs to the 2018 They Ate What?! X-ray contest that show how truth is often stranger than fiction when it comes to the contents of some pets' stomachs. The winner, selected by a panel of veterinarians and Veterinary Practice News editors, will receive $500 and a one-year subscription to Web PACS, a Picture Archiving Communications System valued at $2,400, from contest prize sponsor, IDEXX Laboratories Inc. How to enter: Go to VeterinaryPracticeNews.com/xraycontest and log in or register to enter. Upload high-resolution images—large files reproduce best—and fill in your name, clinic name and address, telephone number, and a short explanation of the case, including the outcome. If available, include images of the patient and the recovered item(s). The submission deadline is July 23. The winner and honorable mentions will be unveiled in the …
WSAVA global veterinary therapeutics access campaign gains supportersJune 1, 2018As the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) continues its campaign to secure equal access to veterinary therapeutics around the world, more global animal health organizations lend their support. The World Veterinary Association, the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, and the Federation of Companion Animal Francophone Veterinary Associations are the latest groups to join the cause with 10 WSAVA member associations already involved. In a 2016-2017 member survey, 75 percent of respondents confirmed that challenges to accessing veterinary medical products hampered their ability to meet the needs of their patients, and 20 percent assessed the impact of this issue as resulting in a severe restriction on their ability to provide a high level of care. "We face a Herculean task in trying access everything from basic medical consumables, such as syringes and needles, right up to veterinary drugs," said Olatunji Nasir, DVM, MVsc (Surgery), MCVSN, medical director and CEO of the Truthmiles Animal Hospital in southwest Nigeria, one of the countries affected. "Registration fees are very high because they are the equivalent of what is charged for human drugs despite the fact that the volume used is much lower. The process of registering a new drug …
