Morris Animal Foundation funds studies targeting critical cat illnessesNovember 17, 2017Studies of three deadly infections in cats are among the research projects awarded more than $400,000 in grants from Morris Animal Foundation. The studies will help veterinary scientists advance the health of cats, particularly those in shelter environments where infectious diseases take a greater toll. "Cats are one of the most beloved pets in the United States, with an estimated 85 million gracing our homes and our lives," said John Reddington, DVM, Ph.D., Morris Animal Foundation president and CEO. "Their owners want to do everything they can to care for their feline companions, and that includes the very best veterinary care. And that's where Morris Animal Foundation comes in. The studies we fund address critical health issues that cats are facing, saving lives and giving our feline friends longer, healthier lives." Through this year's grants, the foundation is supporting five researchers and one fellow at five universities, including Colorado State University, Michigan State University, and the University of Sydney, Australia. The foundation's Small Animal Scientific Advisory Board reviewed all submitted grant applications and selected, based on scientific merit and impact, the studies with the greatest potential to save lives, preserve health, and advance veterinary care. Feline studies funded …
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UC Davis launches survey on the use of cannabis products for petsNovember 17, 2017The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has launched a survey to learn more about the use of cannabis products on pets. "With the increasing use of medical cannabis and the start of recreational use [in California] in January, the interest in using it for pets has really grown," said Jamie Peyton, DVM, chief of small animal integrative medicine at UC Davis and the primary researcher behind the study. "The goal of the survey is to start the conversation about the use of hemp and cannabis products for pets." More pet owners are asking veterinarians about cannabis use for their companion animals, but vets currently are not allowed to prescribe or recommend cannabis products for pets, Dr. Peyton said. The anonymous online survey asks basic information about the pet and about its medical history, and includes questions about the type of marijuana products the pet owner administers, the reason for using the product, and how often it is administered. The final question asks if the respondent would involve their pet in a study of marijuana products for pets. The goal of the survey is to inform future research. "There's no published, peer-reviewed study on …
Pets Best announces the 2017 My Vet's the Best contest winnerNovember 17, 2017Pets Best Insurance Services LLC, a pet insurance agency based in Boise, Idaho, has announced veterinarian Ivan Pryor, DVM, as the recent winner of its My Vet's the Best contest. "For seven years we've held this nationwide contest to honor and recognize the exceptional service of veterinarians," said Jack Stephens, DVM, founder of Pets Best. "Dr. Pryor has made a positive impact on his local community by providing kind, compassionate, and exceptional care to his clients and their pets." The 2017 contest brought in more than 3,000 votes cast by pet owners through the Pets Best Facebook page. Dr. Pryor, who practices at Dillsburg Veterinarian Center in Dillsburg, Pa., won the contest after receiving 2,157 total online votes. As the winner of the My Vet's the Best contest, Dr. Pryor receives $1,000 from Pets Best to help and treat animals in need in his community. Dr. Pryor will donate his winnings to the Unleashed Foundation, where the money will be used to help pets who need medical care but whose owners have financial struggles. "I am very honored that one of my clients would take the time to write a letter …
Focused Ultrasound Foundation launches veterinary programNovember 16, 2017 The Focused Ultrasound Foundation in Charlottesville, Va., has launched a veterinary program to study focused ultrasound therapies for the treatment of animals. The initiative enables veterinary researchers to test state-of-the-art therapies in their patients, while collecting data necessary to accelerate the adoption of the technology for human applications, according to the foundation. "Veterinary medicine can lag behind human medicine, leaving veterinarians frustrated with the lack of options for their patients," said Kelsie Timbie, Ph.D., program director. "Our goal with this program is to create a win-win scenario for all involved. Veterinarians will have new, innovative therapies to offer clients, and insights gained in dogs and cats will help inform clinical trial design in humans." The goal of the research program is to offer a variety of benefits over traditional therapies in animals, including faster recovery times, a reduced risk of infection, and no aggravating stitches to chew. Focused ultrasound is an effective way to treat inaccessible areas, as well as incompletely treated or recurrent tumors, according to the foundation. The first study in this program will take place in early 2018 at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) at Virginia Tech …
Merck increases Veterinary Student Scholarship Program fundingNovember 16, 2017 Merck Animal Health (MAH) has announced an increase of $115,000 in funding for its Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. The program will provide $300,000 in scholarships to outstanding second- and third-year veterinary students in the 2017-18 academic year. This increased funding will support an additional 22 scholarships for students focusing on companion animals in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. The MAH Veterinary Student Scholarship was established in 2013 in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Scholarship recipients are selected annually based on academic excellence, financial need, leadership, and area of interest within the profession. MAH provided $185,000 to the scholarship program in the 2016-17 academic year. "These students are our future visionaries and will become the leaders of the veterinary profession," said Norman Stewart, DVM, livestock technical services manager for MAH. "Through this program, we are reinforcing our long-standing commitment to education, personal development, and the science of healthier animals. It also allows us to help support the cost of veterinary education, as well as recognize and celebrate the next generation of leaders." The AVMF, the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, has supported …
PetPace smartcollar aids first human-canine 12,500-mile All-In Trek teamNovember 16, 2017Breanna Cornell and her 4-year-old husky-rottweiler mix, Sophie, are scheduled to set out on completing the nation's longest and most rigorous mega-hike expedition on Sept. 4, 2018, with help from PetPace, a provider of health monitoring technology for pets. Cornell and Sophie will attempt to be the first female and human-canine team to complete the All-In Trek. The mega-hike requires a continuous, self-supported hike through the top four hiking trails in the nation. The duo will start their journey on the North County Trail, followed by the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Coast trail, and the Continental Divide, traveling by air to each start point. Besides facing a mix of rough terrain, adverse weather conditions, and the unexpected, and the pair also will battle the physical drain of hiking roughly 35 miles per day. In order to better safeguard Sophie's health, Cornell will receive a special travel pack for Sophie from the company. The travel pack will provide full connectivity between Cornell's PetPace smartphone app and Sophie's PetPace health monitoring smartcollar. This will allow Cornell to closely monitor her pet's caloric expenditure, activity levels, and vital signs. Sophie's smartcollar also can send …
TechLab receives USDA licenses for Giardia Vet CheckNovember 15, 2017 TechLab Inc. in Blacksburg, Va., a developer and manufacturer of rapid noninvasive diagnostic tests for gastrointestinal diseases, announced that it has received a USDA establishment license and product license for Giardia Vet Check. The test, an automatable enzyme immunoassay, qualitatively detects Giardia cyst antigen in canine and feline fecal samples and is the first USDA-licensed Giardia microwell ELISA available in the US veterinary market.
Next-gen clinicsNovember 14, 2017Today's veterinarians seek to create diverse hospital models that meet growing clinic and client demands. We look at how a progressive practice embraces facility upgrades and fosters an enhanced customer experience.
Cornell, Tufts scientists receive $2.5M from NIH for cancer studyNovember 14, 2017Cornell and Tufts University scientists have received a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to use dogs as a model for studying cancer immunotherapies. The dogs used in the study are treated with similar care as human patients, with the potential of being cured of lymphoma. Kristy Richards, Ph.D., MD, associate professor of Biomedical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine with a joint appointment at the Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine is co-principal investigator on the grant, along with Cheryl London, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, a research professor at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. The grant will investigate whether combinations of PD1 inhibitors and other targeted therapies may increase effectiveness of cancer treatment in dogs, thereby setting up the possibility for human trials. Clinical trials in dogs should begin in the next six months, at which time, the researchers will reach out to referring veterinarians for candidate canine patients with lymphoma. Veterinary oncologists at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine and at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Conn., will enroll and treat patients during the trials. Patients also will be enrolled at the …
FDA withdraws draft guidance regarding animal drug compoundingNovember 14, 2017 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is withdrawing draft Guidance for Industry No. 230, "Compounding Animal Drugs from Bulk Drug Substances," in order to clarify that the agency intends to issue a new draft for public comment next year. The draft guidance issued in May 2015 proposed conditions under which the FDA generally would not take action against the compounding of animal drugs from bulk drug substances, with the goal of making such animal drugs available for patient care without jeopardizing the safety of animals and humans or compromising the animal drug approval process. Current law does not permit compounding of animal drugs from bulk drug substances, but the FDA recognizes circumstances exist where there is no approved drug that can be used or modified through compounding to treat a particular animal with a particular condition. In those limited situations, an animal drug compounded from bulk drug substances may be an appropriate treatment option. In developing the new draft, the FDA will carefully consider the issues specific to compounding animal drugs, including the significance of using compounded drugs as a treatment option in various veterinary settings and animal species. FDA will publish the new draft …
