Universal Unveils Portable PET ScannerApril 13, 2016Universal Medical Systems Inc. has teamed up with a Maryland company to bring to the veterinary market a portable, high-resolution positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. The 50-pound piPET scanner may be used with small or large animals and is suited for diagnosing lameness in horses, Universal reported Tuesday. The Solon, Ohio, distributor of veterinary imaging devices noted that piPet’s small size allows it to be transported between veterinary hospitals. The machine’s 9-inch bore diameter can accommodate everything from a dog’s head for brain images to an equine leg during a lameness examination. The manufacturer is Brain Biosciences Inc. of Rockville, Md. “X-ray radiography, CT and MRI imaging provide information about anatomical changes due to trauma or disease process,” said Brain Biosciences’ president, David Beylin. “piPET scanner allows you to scan and visualize disease-related changes in metabolism on a molecular level, in 3D, with high resolution and contrast.”
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AAHA Study: Culture Can Make or Break Veterinary Practice's SuccessApril 13, 2016The culture and relationships within a veterinary practice may have a significant impact on its overall success. That’s according to survey data that was revealed during the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) 2016 State of the Industry presentation. The AAHA 2016 State of the Industry, which was presented during the AAHA Austin 2016 Yearly Conference, examined data from a fall 2015 survey AAHA conducted with the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver that studied organizational culture in veterinary practices. AAHA Chief Executive Officer Mike Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP (C/F) shared the survey results along with an update on economic data from IDEXX Laboratories. The culture study surveyed more than 1,000 veterinary hospitals to study the qualities of organizational culture in veterinary practices, evaluate the overall and specific subcultures in veterinary hospitals, and determine how culture affects veterinary practice metrics. Key findings of the culture survey include: Perceptions toward training and career development as well as staff relationships with veterinarians are positive. Perceptions toward institutional fairness and communication as well as rewards and recognition can be improved. Less positive perceptions of culture are held by employees with little decision making power …
Funds Raised to Help Dog Whose Legs Were Broken on PurposeApril 13, 2016A dog named Iris (nickname Dara’Lynn) came to the Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, Ariz., last November with two broken legs. After examination, veterinarians determined that her legs had been broken for some time. Iris was treated, but even after four months, her legs still aren’t healing. Iris must wear splints, which cause problems of their own, including pressure sores and rashes. Go Fund Me Iris needs orthopedic surgery, so the Pima Animal Care Center put together a Go Fund Me fundraiser to help raise funds to pay for it. The surgery will be performed by Douglas A. Rohn, DVM, Diplomate ACVS of the Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson. As they write on their Go Fund Me page: “It is going to cost $3,400 by Dr Rohn who has generously offered to only charge us for one fracture. Dr Rohn is an extremely experienced boarded specialist and he is confident he can help Dara'Lynn run and play again! Please consider donating. Together we can mend the wrongs that have been committed against this innocent little sweetheart.” As of press time, the fundraiser has …
Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine's Hosts Open House on April 16April 13, 2016The Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Open House is set for April 16, and will showcase the variety of educational opportunities offered through the veterinary medical profession. Open House, from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., will feature a variety of educational and fun activities for all ages on the college’s campus, located on 1130 Wire Road. The event is free to the public and no registration is required. “Open House is a fun-filled, educational day that allows people to see what Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is all about and the exciting opportunities open to those who aspire to become a veterinarian,” said Megan Hataway, one of two student coordinators for Open House and a second-year student from Enterprise, Ala. The event is planned and organized by veterinary students and more than 200 volunteer to showcase the college as a community outreach program. “Open House is a student run event and gives our students an opportunity to show what they have learned to both potential future veterinary students as well those interested in what we do here,” said Dr. Ray Wilhite, laboratory coordinator for the college’s Department of …
Florida Dog Impaled While Playing FetchApril 12, 2016A young dog is recovering after he was accidentally impaled on a 19-inch-long stick and swiftly treated at a BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital in Tampa, Fla. The injury to Radar, a 1-year-old Australian cattle dog, occurred April 8 as he and his owner played a routine game of fetch in a park. The 2-inch-wide stick is believed to have stuck vertically into the ground as Radar pursued it, and then he somehow ran or fell onto it, puncturing his chest 8 inches deep. "It was terrifying," owner Maya Niewiadomska said. "It was one of the most terrifying things I have seen in my entire life." Luckily for Radar, his best friend knew what to do. Niewiadomska is studying to become a physician's assistant, so she knew not to remove the stick, which could have caused even more damage. Niewiadomska rushed Radar to the BluePearl specialty hospital. BluePearl Veterinary Partners operates 54 hospitals in 17 states. Radar was placed under anesthesia, and Nick Rappa, DVM, and Michael Reems, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, performed surgery to remove the stick and close the hole. Dr. Rappa said Radar's rib cage prevented the stick from damaging major organs. "Everything went extremely well," he said …
Truck Crushes into Veterinary HospitalApril 12, 2016If it isn’t an SUV crashing into veterinary clinics, it’s a truck. That’s what happened to Grand River Veterinary Hospital in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada, which now has a truck in their front office. As the Hamilton Specter reports: “The tractor-trailer was going eastbound on Alabastine Avenue when it collided with a freightliner travelling south on Argyle Street North. The freightliner, which was being operated by a 38-year-old Hamilton woman, then struck the Grand River Veterinary Hospital building. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured and the driver of the freightliner was transported by ambulance to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.” Thank no one was injured, animals or humans. The hospital posted on their Facebook, “Due to the massive accident in the front of our office, we will be closed until further notice. We will accept phone calls as they come into our line. Please still attempt to call us for your animals needs.”
Merck Animal Health Donates $10,000 to Communities Impacted by WildfiresApril 12, 2016After the wildfires in Oklahoma and Kansas, Merck Animal Health has announced it will donate $10,000 to help support impacted communities. The Kansas Livestock Foundation and Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation will each receive $5,000 to assist in the recovery and rebuilding efforts. “For many in these communities, the land and cattle are their livelihood and some have been left with nothing,” said Shannon Kellner, associate vice president of Food Animal Business. “These farmers and ranchers are more than just our customers, they are our neighbors and friends. We often cite our commitment to the industry using the phrase, ‘Your Livelihood. Our Responsibility,’ and today we are truly bringing the words to life.” Supporting those impacted by the fires also has a very personal tie for Merck Animal Health, with employees stepping in to lend a hand. For example, David Worrell, senior territory manager of the Food Animal Team-Cattle, and his wife, Nancy, donated a semi truckload of more than 40 hay bales to ranchers in Southern Kansas. “My wife and I felt compelled to do something to assist these victims because we’ve personally been in similar situations and know what it is like to feel helpless,” Worrell said. “As a Merck …
New Robotic Lifting Device Works to Help Injured HorsesApril 12, 2016To help horses recover from limb fractures and other traumatic injuries, researchers and engineers from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, have created a robotic lift system for injured horses. According to a news release from the university, written by Alison Williams, a third-year veterinary student, “A team of researchers has partnered with RMD Engineering, a local Saskatoon engineering and manufacturing company, to design and build a one-of-a-kind robotic lift system. The lift will help rehabilitate horses suffering from acute injuries and other musculoskeletal problems by providing mobility, weight distribution and support.” Normally, a horse’s recovery from surgery is complicated: They have a strong flight response, and they’re heavy weight can cause issues too. And, as Williams points out: “Veterinarians regularly use slings to help support injured horses, but current designs significantly limit the animals’ normal activity and support all of their weight on the thorax and abdomen. This leads to further problems because of compression on the lungs and development of pressure sores. With the lift system … clinicians can reduce and redistribute the weight the horse is carrying dynamically. The system allows the animal to be mobile with …
Wisconsin’s Veterinary Care Upgrades Nuclear ImagingApril 12, 2016The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine’s UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) recently incorporated nuclear imaging upgrades in the effort to speed up visits and improve diagnoses for its animal patients. UWVC has been using an imaging method called nuclear scintigraphy, in which tracers are tagged to injected drugs that travel to specific sites in the body. By using a gamma camera to determine the location and quantity of the element in an organ, veterinarians can measure how well it is functioning or if an active process, like cancer growth or bone fracture repair, is affecting the area, according to the university. This improved gamma camera will allow images to be obtained more quickly and with greater detail, the university noted. “The new camera is 33 percent faster, and it’s more sensitive, so it provides more detail and helps us with diagnoses and allows us to get animals in and out faster,” said Kenneth Waller, DVM, clinical assistant professor of diagnostic imaging and assistant dean for clinical affairs at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s definitely an overall improvement in our clinical offerings.” Recent upgrades also help reduce stress for …
Pro Plan Adds Dry Urinary Food for DogsApril 11, 2016Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets now offers a kibble recipe for dogs dealing with urinary issues. UR Urinary Ox/St Canine Formula joins a canned variety that was introduced in March 2015 for the management of struvite and calcium oxalate bladder stones. The additional formula is a needed option for veterinarians and dog owners, said Jason Gagné, DVM, Dipl. ACVN, director of veterinary technical marketing at Purina Pro Plan. “While many veterinarians recommend canned diets for urolithiasis patients, some dogs prefer a dry kibble or may even refuse to eat canned food,” Dr. Gagné said. The dry UR diet is formulated to control mineral levels and create “a urinary environment that is unfavorable to the development of both sterile struvite and calcium oxalate crystals,” manufacturer Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. stated. The veterinary-exclusive formula supports the elimination of sterile struvite uroliths and reduces the risk of recurring struvite or calcium oxalate uroliths, the company added. The dry food is made from corn, brewer’s rice and chicken byproduct meal, among other ingredients. The canned recipe starts with chicken, rice and meat byproducts.
