WVA, OIE seek contributors for World Veterinary Day 2018 awardApril 28, 2018 To celebrate the World Veterinary Day (WVD) taking place globally today, the World Veterinary Association (WVA) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) are organizing the World Veterinary Day Award to honor the most successful contribution by the veterinary profession on the selected theme for 2018. The competition is open to all WVA member associations, alone, or in cooperation with any other selected body. The winner of the World Veterinary World 2018 will be announced on the WVA and OIE websites on June 15. The theme for this year's World Veterinary Day is "The role of the veterinary profession in sustainable development to improve livelihoods, food security, and safety." Eligibility All World Veterinary Association member associations that contribute to the World Veterinary Day theme alone or in cooperation with other bodies can participate in the competition. Criteria The WVD 2018 Award will be given to the veterinary association who will best promote the theme of "The role of the veterinary profession in sustainable development to improve livelihoods, food security, and safety" during the WVD. The organizers also will consider activities that took place in the past, are still ongoing, or are planned for the future. …
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AVMA global food security policy follows World Veterinary Day 2018 themeApril 27, 2018In advance of World Veterinary Day 2018, April 28, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced the association's first global food security policy, which complements the theme of this year's event, promoting the role of the veterinary profession in sustainable development to improve livelihoods, food security and safety. The AVMA Committee on International Veterinary Affairs wrote the policy following its 2017 Global Food Security Summit. "Veterinarians, as individuals and as members of associations, play a vital role in food security through their education and professional support of large-scale farmers and smallholders; work on disease-eradication programs; roles in ensuring good biosecurity; public health interventions for food safety; research; capacity building; and as a source of expert advice and opinion for governments, the media, consumer groups and the public," wrote the AVMA Food Safety Advisory Committee in a statement. "Veterinarians have always been key to ensuring a safe and abundant food supply around the world, said Michael Topper, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP, president of the AVMA. "This policy commits the AVMA to bring together different groups with diverse areas of expertise to establish public and private stakeholder partnerships to achieve global food security." World Veterinary Day 2018 is …
Midmark promotion offers free dental trainingApril 27, 2018Midmark Animal Health announced the launch of its 2018 Animal Health Imaging Training promotion, designed to help veterinary professionals learn new skills and better facilitate dental care for their small animal patients. During the promotion, which runs until early 2019, Midmark is offering participants an X-ray positioning continuing education course, free with the purchase of eligible products. Offered to veterinarians and veterinary technicians by Midmark Academy, the Dental Radiography and Positioning Training is provided on-site by a member of the Midmark Animal Health Training and Education Network. The half-day course, which provides professionals with four hours of a continuing education credit, covers a variety of topics, including imaging software, X-ray positioning techniques, and proper machine maintenance. To take part in the promotion, veterinary professionals must purchase at least one of the following products: Midmark Digital Dental X-ray sensors Midmark CR Digital Dental Radiography Reader Midmark Complete Digital Dental X-ray Systems with Sensor Midmark Complete Digital Dental X-ray Systems with CR Additionally, important dates include: Mar. 11 - Dec. 31, 2018: Promotional order period Jan. 31, 2019: Last date to take shipment of products Mar. 11, 2018 - Jan. 31, 2019: Period when eligible invoices must be dated Feb. 28, …
JAVMA now free online, via app for SAVMA membersApril 27, 2018Student AVMA (SAVMA) members can now read the Journal of the American Veterinary Association (JAVMA) for free online or through the JAVMA mobile app. Students can sign in to the app with their SAVMA ID and password or register online at avmajournals.avma.org to get free access to all of the journal's clinical research, feature articles, and content. SAVMA members who want to receive the print version may subscribe at a significant discount rate of $40 per year. On-the-go access through the JAVMA mobile app allows subscribers to read it from an iPhone, iPad, or Android mobile device. App functions include: Pinch-to-zoom functionality to view text and images in greater detail Full-text and archival search capabilities Note taking, note syncing, and bookmarking pages Navigation by table of contents and page carousel Easy sharing of articles via email or social media The mobile app is available through the Google Play and Apple App stores. Learn more at avma.org/JAVMAapp.
CVMA Kennel Code updates regulations for breeders, operatorsApril 26, 2018 The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) released its newest edition of A Code of Practice for Canadian Kennel Operations (also known as the Kennel Code), which outlines best humane practices in regards to dog boarding and breeding. Last published in 2007, the updated document reflects changing societal views in regard to the human-animal bond and incorporates new scientific evidence in many aspects of dog breeding and kennel management, including social needs, housing, medicine, and nutrition. Designed as an educational tool for breeders and kennel operators, the information detailed in the Kennel Code applies to various environments where dogs are housed, both indoors and outdoors, for short- and long-term periods, including facilities that offer private breeding, boarding, daycare, animal rescue, and training. The document also serves as a resource for veterinarians with such clients, providing an understanding of the role veterinarians play in establishing and maintaining an effective veterinarian-client-patient-relationship with facility owners/operators and the animals within them. Additionally, similar to the National Farm Animal Care Council's codes of practice for farmed animals, the Kennel Code serves as a resource for legislative bodies, allowing the judicial system to more easily determine if the acceptable standards of care …
Purdue University research aims to customize cancer treatmentsApril 26, 2018Researchers at Purdue University exploring Doppler light scattering, a new method for testing how patients will respond to various drugs, say it could help customize chemotherapy treatments for patients diagnosed with cancer, paving the way for more effective, personalized treatments. Similar to meteorological Doppler weather radar, which sends electromagnetic waves into clouds to determine the overall motion of raindrops, Doppler light scattering creates a 3-D map of activity occurring within living tissue samples, allowing researchers to see how cancerous cells respond to different chemotherapy drugs and treatment methods. "We're looking at the motion inside living tissue rather than rain droplets, and we're using infrared light instead of radar," said David Nolte, Ph.D, professor of physics and astronomy at Purdue. "It's like watching the weather inside living tissue as the tissue is affected by cancer drugs." Working in collaboration with John Turek, Ph.D, professor of basic medical sciences at Purdue's College of Veterinary Medicine, and Mike Childress, DVM, associate professor of veterinary medicine, Nolte's team performed the study on 19 dogs previously diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma, which is molecularly and clinically similar to lymphoma in humans. To test the Doppler light scattering method, biopsied tissue samples were placed in a multi-wall …
Research supports use of FES to ease back pain in horsesApril 26, 2018A study presented by Sheila Schils, Ph.D. at the 2017 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention discussed the use of functional electrical stimulation (FES), a type of electrotherapy that stimulates motor nerves responsible for muscle function, to reduce back pain in horses with asymmetric multifidi muscles. The principal of EquiNew, a company that specializes in therapeutic modalities for use in the equine industry, Schils' presented the results of a study conducted by Diane Isbell, DVM, a private practitioner from Livermore, Calif., Suzan Oakley, DVM, DACVSMR, of Oakley Equine Sports Medicine in Florida, and Ugo Carraro, MD, of the University of Padova in Italy. The team worked with a group of 24 horses: 12 that received FES treatments and 12 that did not. All 12 of the horses that received the treatments were retired—two due to back problems and the remaining 10 for reasons unrelated to the back. None of the 24 horses in the study had been ridden for two months leading up to the study. Researchers administered 35-minute FES treatments to the 12 retired horses three times per week for eight weeks. Schils said researchers placed a back pad with six …
Maddie's Fund awards $100K in grantsApril 25, 2018National animal welfare foundation Maddie's Fund announced the 10 recipients of this year's Maddie Hero Awards, recognizing organizations across the U.S. that have furthered the foundation's "no-kill nation" mission and contributed to the overall welfare of companion dogs through innovative ideas, progressive thinking, and preventative action. Introduced in 2016, the honor awards each recipient a $10,000 grant. The 2018 Maddie Heroes and their teams: Alan Borgal, Animal Rescue League of Boston Jon Cicirelli, San Jose Animal Care and Services, Calif. Ryan Clinton, Attorney, Austin, Tex. Denise Deisler, Jacksonville Humane Society, Fla. Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Brevard County Sheriff's Office South Animal Care Center, Fla. Teresa Johnson, Kansas City Pet Project, Mo. Aimee Sadler, Dogs Playing for Life, Col. Risa Weinstock, Animal Care Centers of New York City Lori Weise, Downtown Dog Rescue, Calif. Makena Yarborough, Lynchburg Humane Society, Va. Established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield in 1994, Maddie's Fund is a family foundation with an overall objective of eliminating unnecessary euthanasia in animal shelters and ensuring all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a home. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $208.9 million in grants toward increased community lifesaving, shelter medicine education, and pet …
WVC announces 2019 annual conference datesApril 24, 2018In response to feedback from Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) Annual Conference attendees, the organization is moving its conference back to February and has shortened the duration by one day. Dates for the 2019 WVC Annual Conference will be Feb. 17-20 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. "[Our] goal is to always respond to the needs of the profession and our participants," said David Little, WVC CEO. "Additionally, we constantly strive to provide the best value and experience possible for those attending our events. Moving the WVC Annual Conference back to February means more reasonable hotel room rates and increased availability and less competition with other major conferences." In addition, WVC also will shorten the duration of the conference by one day. The event still will launch on Sunday morning but will finish at the end of the day on Wednesday. According to the organization, it will adjust educational programming times to ensure all conference participants will continue to have a full menu of high-quality and diverse learning opportunities and will have the ability to obtain all required annual CE hours at one event. "We understand and are sensitive to the pressures on veterinary professionals, time being one …
K-State research center cumulative gift reaches $1MApril 24, 2018The Kansas State University Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, an interdisciplinary research center in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has received a $1 million cumulative gift ($250,000 for each of the last four years) from Abaxis to further its mission of combating vector-borne diseases with a focus on pathogenesis, surveillance, and disease prevention. The Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases is at the forefront of research on issues influenced by urban areas that continue their encroachment into animal habitats and can become unsuspecting starting points for vector-borne diseases, according to Ken Aron, chief technology officer at Abaxis. "We've identified several projects, including vaccine development to control canine infections with Ehrlichia species, Anaplasma species infections in dogs, and Rickettsia, the Rocky Mountain spotted fever disease agent, also in dogs," said Roman Ganta, Ph.D., professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, and center director. Additionally, Ganta identified a project for developing axenic, or cell-free, media growth of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species pathogens. The Abaxis gift also provided matching support for a K-State National Bio and Agro-defense Facility transition fund grant focused on vaccine development and a pathogenesis study to prevent heartwater, which is caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium. …
