Registration open for Veterinary Biologics Training ProgramJanuary 17, 2018The Institute for International Cooperation in Animal Biologics (IICAB) has opened registration for the Veterinary Biologics Training Program, which will be held May 14-18 in Ames, Iowa. The program provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's regulatory process for assuring the purity, safety, potency, and efficacy of veterinary biologics (vaccines, bacterins, antisera, diagnostic kits, and other products of biological origin). During the weeklong program, staff from the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) at the USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service provides information on the requirements and processes for licensing/registration and testing of veterinary biological products. The inspection and compliance process for production, release, and post-marketing surveillance of veterinary biological products is also covered in both lectures and workshops, IICAB said. Professionals working in the veterinary biologic industry, researchers developing biologics, and regulatory personnel are encouraged to attend to learn about current CVB requirements. More than 2,700 individuals have attended the program since it was launched in 1996, including 750 individuals from 90-plus countries. The program is organized by IICAB and is co-sponsored by CVB and the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Individuals interested in an introduction or refresher in the ever-changing field of immunology …
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AAHA releases updated canine, feline diabetes management guidelinesJanuary 15, 2018The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released its 2018 AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, which offers updates to the association's 2010 guidelines. New online tools and educational resources for pet owners and veterinary teams include: Quick-reference algorithms on diabetes monitoring, troubleshooting, and hypoglycemia New information on insulin formulations and recommendations for their use Thorough discharge and home monitoring diary templates for dogs and cats How-to videos on insulin administration, capillary blood sampling, and urine glucose testing Client and staff education materials AAHA guidelines review the latest information to help veterinary teams address central issues and perform essential tasks to improve the health of their patients. The newly revised guidelines are supported by an educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Merck Animal Health.
Phoenix Lab to offer Giardia Vet Chek from TechLabJanuary 12, 2018TechLab Inc., a developer and manufacturer of rapid noninvasive diagnostic tests for gastrointestinal diseases, announced that Phoenix Lab will be one of the first veterinary reference labs in the Pacific Northwest to offer Giardia Vet Chek test to customers. "For more than 28 years, Phoenix Lab's mission has been to bring the best science and best service to our veterinary community in the Pacific Northwest region," said Faye Sturtevant, DVM, Ph.D. and CEO at Phoenix Lab. "We are excited to add TechLab to our menu of clinical veterinary testing, which aligns with our vision to partner with best-in-class companies as we expand nationally." The Giardia Vet Chek test is an automatable enzyme immunoassay optimized for canine and feline fecal samples to aid in the diagnosis of giardiasis. The test is the first TechLab product to be manufactured under the company's USDA establishment license.
Petplan to hold veterinary clinic business strategy speaker seriesJanuary 12, 2018Petplan pet insurance announced it will hold its Business of Veterinary Medicine Conference in partnership with VMX on Feb. 2. The speaker series is designed to help independent veterinary practice owners answer the challenge posed by the increase in marketing-savvy, corporate-owned hospital networks. "Practice owners are becoming more aware of the need to pay attention to the business side of veterinary medicine," said Andy Roark, DVM, an industry speaker, author, and media personality who Petplan partnered with to develop the series. "The rise of corporate practices are really forcing business to the forefront." According to Dr. Roark, the most important business principles that practice owners and staff should focus on are strategy (where they are going as a practice), operations (efficiency in providing services), marketing (how to tell their story to find clients), and client experience (how the practice makes people feel). "Vets have always done a good job with operations and efficiency," Roark said. "The area that has the potential to make the biggest impact now is a practice's specific strategy for its clientele. Veterinarians are coming to the understanding that different clients want different things, and they can't be all things to all people. Practice …
AVMA publishes cannabis resource for membersJanuary 12, 2018A new document available exclusively to American Veterinary Medical Association members provides comprehensive background information to help veterinary professionals understand the legal aspects of cannabis use in animals; field questions and advise clients who are interested in marijuana therapies for their pets; and identify toxic exposures. Cannabis: What Veterinarians Need to Know addresses such topics as the legal status of medicinal marijuana in veterinary medicine, how cannabinoids function, marijuana risks to pets, clinical signs and treatment of acute marijuana toxicosis, and effects of chronic marijuana exposure. Available on the Cannabis Use and Pets page of the AVMA's website, the document is the first in a series of related materials the association is developing as a resource for its members. Future tools will include information on medicinal marijuana in pets, and educational materials clinicians can share directly with clients.
Ohio economy reaps billions from veterinary fieldJanuary 10, 2018Veterinary medicine contributes $13 billion annually in direct and supporting services to Ohio's economy, according to a 2017 economic analysis by Regionomics LLC, which researched veterinary medicine's impact in economic activity and employment contributions to the Buckeye State. The study, a collaborative effort between the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) and The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), found that veterinary services in Ohio contribute $2.4 billion in direct economic output while sustaining more than 23,000 jobs. Support of animal-related industries, including agricultural production, reflects an additional $10.6 billion in annual economic activity. "Veterinary medicine supports Ohio's economy and communities in a variety of substantive ways, including agriculture, research, and human health," said Rustin Moore, DVM, Ph.D., DACVS, Ohio State CVM dean. "As the only college of veterinary medicine in Ohio, we are proud of the role we play in direct economic activity, supporting the efforts of veterinary practitioners, and advancing the economic health of all animal care-related industries in Ohio." Veterinarians work in a variety of disciplines impacting economic growth and job creation beyond caring for companion animals. Areas …
Zoetis appoints US Diagnostics executive director and chief medical officerJanuary 10, 2018Zoetis has appointed Richard E. Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA to the position of executive director and chief medical officer, US Diagnostics, effective Feb. 5. Dr. Goldstein will lead the diagnostics team in expanding its product portfolio and will spearhead the division's studies and publishing opportunities. "Dr. Goldstein is a well-respected, internationally-renowned veterinarian in small animal internal medicine and we're honored to have him join our Zoetis team," said Lisa Lee, vice president, US Diagnostics and Business Solutions, Zoetis. "His award-winning work, research, and passion for preventing genetic and infectious diseases make him an ideal fit for our company as we continue to develop innovative technologies and solutions to diagnose disease as well as treat and improve the lives of pets." In his role at Zoetis, Goldstein will work closely with the US Companion Animal Division to develop educational events for sales and marketing, while leading the company's "Predict, Prevent, Detect and Treat" strategy. He also will manage the Key Opinion Leader program. Goldstein and his team will continue to emphasize digital innovation, diagnostics, genetic tests, and biodevices as important tools to help veterinarians make better healthcare decisions informed by data. Prior to joining Zoetis, Goldstein spent 12 …
Aratana Therapeutics secures USDA conditional license for canine osteosarcoma vaccineJanuary 10, 2018Aratana Therapeutics announced that its canine osteosarcoma vaccine, Live Listeria Vector (AT-014), has been granted a conditional license by the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics for the treatment of dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma, 1 year of age or older. The vaccine is a novel immunotherapy developed by using a listeria-based antigen delivery system licensed from Advaxis Inc. "Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs and, since there haven't been advances to raise the standard of care in nearly 20 years, dogs often face a poor prognosis," said Ernst Heinen, DVM, Ph.D., chief development officer of Aratana Therapeutics. "We are hopeful that our canine osteosarcoma vaccine will be a new tool for veterinary oncologists to prolong survival in dogs with osteosarcoma." According to the company, the vaccine is a lyophilized formulation of a modified live, attenuated strain of listeria that activates cytotoxic T-cells. The therapeutic expresses a tumor-associated antigen that directs T-cells to fight cancer cells, even after the bacteria are cleared; the therapeutic capitalizes on the dog's immune system and its ability to attack bacterial infections, redirecting it to fight cancer cells, the company stated. Data from a clinical study …
Henry Schein acquires interest in Brazilian veterinary product distributorJanuary 9, 2018Henry Schein Inc. has acquired a 60 percent ownership investment in ABASE, a family-owned distributor of veterinary healthcare products with a strong presence in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Headquartered in Jaguariuna, ABASE sells pharmaceuticals, pet food, diagnostic equipment, and consumables primarily to the companion animal, swine, poultry, and bovine segments. Financial terms were not disclosed. "This ownership investment strengthens our position in Brazil's animal health market, which we established earlier this year in the state of Rio de Janeiro with our investment in Tecnew. It also diversifies our relationship with global suppliers and approximately doubles our vol. "We look forward to leveraging the expertise between Tecnew and ABASE to further advance both businesses and to focus on new opportunities to help veterinarians in Brazil run more efficient, successful practices while providing the highest quality care." ABASE was founded in 1990 by Edison Baba, who will retain a minority ownership position and continue to lead the business as a managing director. The company has approximately 90 employees, including a sales staff of more than 45, and operates a centralized distribution center in Jaguariuna. Henry Schein's Global Animal Health business has operations or affiliates in 24 countries, including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, China, Malaysia, …
PetIQ to acquire VIP Petcare for $220MJanuary 9, 2018PetIQ Inc. is to acquire Community Veterinary Clinics LLC (d/b/a VIP Petcare), which operates 2,900 veterinary clinics within pet retailers across 31 states. The transaction is expected to close by the end of this month. Windsor, Calif.-based VIP Petcare offers diagnostic tests, vaccinations, prescription medications, microchipping, and wellness checks, and distributes pet wellness products and medications. In 2017, VIP Petcare treated more than one million pets through its stationary clinics as well as its 76,000 mobile clinics, according to the company.
