Winn, AAFP team to offer vet student scholarshipsJanuary 31, 2018Winn Feline Foundation and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) have announced two scholarships for third- or fourth-year veterinary students enrolled in an accredited veterinary college or school in the United States or Canada. The organizations are offering one $2,500 scholarship for a veterinary student with an interest in feline practice and a second $2,500 scholarship for a veterinary student with an interest clinical scientific research. Awards are based on academic achievement, financial need, leadership, and dedication to and excellence in the study of feline medicine, health, and welfare. All applications will be reviewed, selected, and approved by the AAFP and Winn. In addition to a short application form, interested students also will be required to answer two essay questions asking for the applicant to explain his/her specific interest and background in feline health and welfare, and to describe plans for future participation in feline medicine. Completed applications with accompanying supplementary documents must be received no later than March 23. The winning recipient will be notified on or before April 16. Applications and instructions are available at winnfelinefoundation.org/partners/affiliations and catvets.com/members/students/. The AAFP offers additional resources at the …
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Boehringer Ingelheim panel to discuss lone star ticks at Florida vet conferenceJanuary 31, 2018At 2018 VMX: Veterinary Meeting & Expo in Orlando, Fla., Boehringer Ingelheim will host a panel discussion on the diseases transmitted by the lone star tick affecting dogs and humans, "Lone Star Tick: Risk to Dogs, Risk to Humans." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lone star ticks are found in at least 30 U.S. states, and are they are spreading to new areas of the country. The panel discussion will include five important facts about ticks that all veterinarians should know, tips for treatment of tick-borne illness in pets, and an update on a human allergy to red meat associated with the lone star tick. Panelists include Onyinye Iweala, MD, Ph.D., allergist, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill whose research includes the alpha-gal meat allergy in humans; Brian Herrin, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM, assistant professor at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine; and Thomas Mather, Ph.D., professor of entomology and director of the TickEncounter Resource Center at the University of Rhode Island. The discussion is scheduled to take place in the VMX Expo Hall Education Square on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 9:55 - 10:55 a.m. and 10:55 - 11:55 a.m.
Union label within the profession?January 25, 2018What’s in a word? If that word is union, as in labor union, plenty. For some, the word causes suspicion while others see work-life salvation. Early this year, a small grassroots movement of veterinary staff personnel, including associate veterinarians, mostly Seattleites, formed the National Veterinarian Professionals Union (NVPU).
Elanco announces FDA approval of new flea, tick preventiveJanuary 24, 2018Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Co., announced that Credelio has been approved by the FDA. Credelio is a new monthly oral tick and flea option for dogs that contains the patented active ingredient lotilaner, which targets the nervous system receptors of ticks and fleas, not dogs, according to the company. The preventive protects against lone star, American dog, black-legged, and brown dog ticks, as well as fleas. "When choosing pet medications, veterinarians and pet owners are most concerned with safety for the pet as well as efficacy of the product. Lotilaner, the active ingredient in Credelio, was selected from hundreds of candidate molecules with this in mind," said Tony Rumschlag, DVM, director, regional consulting for Elanco. "This new tasty chewable is fast-acting and effective against ticks and fleas, while being easy on dogs and puppies." In a field study, 100 percent of Credelio tablets were administered successfully and dogs accepted 94 percent of them when offered by hand, in an empty bowl, or with food, according to the company. The product's active ingredient—lotilaner—circulates in the dog's blood stream, targeting the receptors of ticks and fleas when they bite the dog. In clinical studies, it killed 100 …
KSU establishes translational and comparative oncology research centerJanuary 24, 2018The Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine's new Center of Excellence for Translational and Comparative Oncology Research (CETCOR) focuses on improving the diagnosis, management, and treatment of both human and animal cancers. CETCOR was established in late 2017 through start-up funding from the university's Johnson Cancer Research Center and support from the College of Veterinary Medicine. "The overriding objective of CETCOR is to expedite the pre-clinical and clinical development, production and/or licensure of novel or improved medical interventions—drugs, immunotherapeutics and medical devices—for the treatment, diagnosis and monitoring of both human and animal cancers," said Raelene Wouda, BVSc, DACVIM (Oncology), MANZCVS (SAIM), assistant professor of oncology in the college's clinical sciences department. One unique aspect of CETCOR is that it does not focus on a single type of cancer or the development of a single novel drug or technology, said Dr. Wouda. "Our group aims to facilitate the advancement of all cancer-associated research taking place on campus and within the wider K-State community, whether that be at the basic physiologic and pharmacologic level or in the later stages of the therapeutic drug development pathway," Wouda said. CETCOR's primary mission is to advance discoveries by university faculty and …
App boosts Merck Veterinary Manual contentJanuary 23, 2018The Merck Vet Manual App digitally enhances all of the information in The Merck Veterinary Manual and makes it readily available anytime, anywhere, according to the company. Accessible on multiple handheld devices, the app provides guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders and diseases in companion, exotic, laboratory, and food animals. The mobile app offers: Thousands of topics written by more than 400 veterinary experts from more than 20 countries Thousands of photos, illustrations, and videos of disorders and diseases Clinical calculators Numerous reference guides and hundreds of useful tables All of this material resides on the device so accessing it does not use data, and after installation an internet connection is not needed. Download the app for Apple devices at the App Store; for Android devices, at Google Play. App, online reference offer digital enhancements When connected to the internet, the app can access many features found on the online reference at merckvetmanual.com, including quizzes and case studies, news and commentary, and pet health content written in consumer-friendly language for sharing with clients. "Both the online reference and the app are based on the latest edition of the book, but the digital …
Abaxis gains USDA approval of VetScan FLEX4 Rapid TestJanuary 23, 2018Abaxis Inc., a diagnostics company manufacturing point-of-care instruments and consumables for the medical and veterinary markets worldwide, announced that the USDA, Center for Veterinary Biologics, approved its new VetScan FLEX4 Rapid Test for veterinary use. The FLEX4 is a 4-in-1 lateral flow test used for detecting heartworm antigen as well as antibodies for Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma in canine whole blood, serum, or plasma samples. The VetScan FLEX4 Rapid Test offers improved shelf life, ease of use, room temperature storage, and price, as well as a 4-in-1 alternative for vector-borne disease testing on a single cassette, according to the company. Results are available within 8 to 10 minutes. The company plans to ship the FLEX4 to its distributors later this quarter; it should be available to U.S. veterinarians shortly thereafter. Abaxis said it will continue to sell the single test platform currently available for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis.
Dr. Freeman Hrabowski to address 2018 AAVMC conferenceJanuary 23, 2018The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) has announced that during its annual conference, March 2-4 in Washington, D.C., Freeman Hrabowski, Ph.D., president of University of Maryland - Baltimore County, will address conference attendees on March 2 during the 1:30 p.m. session. Hrabowski, who served as UMBC's president since 1992, was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time (2012) and one of America's Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report (2008). A child-leader in the civil rights movement, Hrabowski was featured in Spike Lee's 1997 documentary, "Four Little Girls," on the racially motivated bombing in 1963 of Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Hrabowski and UMBC have been featured on CBS' "60 Minutes" and other media. He holds honorary degrees from more than 20 institutions, including Harvard, Princeton, Duke, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, Haverford College, and Harvey Mudd College. Note: Discounted lodging incentives for the AAVMC annual conference expire on Jan. 29.
JustFoodForDogs issues recall due to possible Listeria contaminationJanuary 22, 2018JustFoodForDogs (JFFD) of Los Alamitos, Calif., is voluntarily recalling its Beef & Russet Potato, Fish & Sweet Potato, and Turducken dog food meals in all sizes. The green beans used in these meals may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the company. Listeria monocytogenes can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans if they were to intentionally or unintentionally ingest the dog food or come into contact with contaminated feces from a pet that has eaten the food. The recalled diets were distributed through 11 JustFoodForDogs retail locations in Southern California, three Pet Food Express locations in Southern California, and 10 Northern California Pet Food Express locations. JFFD is recalling all of the above-mentioned products made from the dates of Nov. 1 through Jan. 14. These represent Best By lot code dates on all three of the JFFD recalled products of 11/01/18 through 01/14/19. The products being recalled were sold refrigerated or frozen and include all sizes offered: 7 oz., 14 oz., 18 oz., and 72 oz. No confirmed Listeriosis has been reported, but there have been reports of short-term symptoms in some dogs (diarrhea and vomiting). There have been no reports of human illness to date. The potential for contamination was …
How veterinarians cope with patient deathJanuary 22, 2018Every veterinarian experiences occasional complications, sad outcomes, or patient deaths, but some have developed coping skills and strategies that help them manage the emotional impact and learn and grow from these events, according to a study authored by Sara White, DVM, MSc. The study will appear in the February 2018 issue of the journal Anthrozoös. The study questioned 32 shelter and spay-neuter veterinarians about their experiences, thoughts, and reactions as they coped with life-threatening complications or death related to spay-neuter. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify themes and patterns in the responses of veterinarians who were successful in coping with these adverse events. In the aftermath of a patient death or serious complication, veterinarians who were surveyed described feelings of guilt, sadness, anxiety, and self-doubt, and felt deep empathy for their clients. Some said they never recovered from the trauma of these events, while others were able to transform the incidents into learning experiences and opportunities for growth in their technical and emotional skills. The veterinarians who coped most effectively were those who were able to talk openly with colleagues about the events, and who were able to learn and improve protocols. Further, successful veterinarians had learned to place the loss into perspective, and had developed expertise in how to handle and support themselves through the event's …
