AVBEC Thursday is Back! Enter Now!June 18, 2015Enter our "A Veterinary Book for Every Clinic Sweepstakes" (AVBEC) sweepstakes! Fill out the form below for the chance to win a copy of “BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Ophthalmology, Third Edition” courtesy of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and WILEY. The editors of Veterinary Practice News will randomly choose 5 winners. According to the publisher, "This new edition of one of the BSAVA’s most popular Manuals has been extensively revised, drawing on the expertise of a predominantly new roster of authors. The Manual focuses on common ophthalmic conditions in dogs and cats, structured into examination and clinical techniques; diagnosis and treatment of common ocular diseases, and a problem-oriented approach to common clinical presentations. The Manual provides an accessible source of practical information for general practitioners, veterinary students, nurses and technicians, and will also be a useful resource for those working toward specialist qualifications." Entries close at 11:59 P.M. PDT on Wednesday, June 24, 2015. One entry per household. Fill out the form below for the chance to a copy of BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Ophthalmology, Third Edition. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States or District of Columbia, …
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Comment Now on Future of Compounded DrugsJune 18, 2015Veterinarians have until Aug. 17 to weigh in on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s proposed policy on the compounding of animal drugs from bulk active ingredients. Released in May, “Guidance for Industry No. 230” acknowledges that the compounding of animal drugs from bulk substances is currently illegal but may be an appropriate treatment option in some cases. “This draft guidance, once finalized, will help to ensure that animal drugs compounded from bulk drug substances are available for patient care without compromising the animal drug approval process or jeopardizing the safety of the food supply,” said Bernadette Dunham, DVM, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. The agency also is asking veterinarians to suggest bulk substances that compounders could use to create medications “for an individual animal patient or veterinarian office use under specified conditions.” The agency stated that drugs compounded from bulk ingredients should be medications of last resort in many cases. “FDA is concerned about the use of [these] animal drugs … especially when approved alternatives exist that can be used as labeled or in an extralabel manner,” the document states. “Compounded drugs have not undergone premarket FDA review of safety, effectiveness or …
Everyone's Recreating Chris Pratt's Scene from Jurassic World. Will You?June 18, 2015It started with zookeepers recreating the iconic scene from Jurassic World, featuring Chris Pratt's character stopping raptors from attacking a worker. Now everyone is joining in, and you should too! Check out these photos from Heather Prochnow (ironvet2084) and Katie Martocci (kmart317) Instagram as they tried to recreate the scene. Challenge accepted. #prattkeeping #jurassiczoo #jurassiczookeeping #velocikitties A photo posted by Heather Prochnow (@ironvet2084) on Jun 18, 2015 at 12:09pm PDT Seriously. Herding cats. #velocikittens #jurassiczookeeping #jurassiczoo #prattkeeping A photo posted by Heather Prochnow (@ironvet2084) on Jun 18, 2015 at 12:13pm PDT Today, we wrangled up some wild kittens...Jurassic World style! #PrattKeeping …
Savannah Cats Take Part in Cornell’s Biobank StudyJune 18, 2015Two Savannah cats recently stopped by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine to donate blood samples and undergo testing for a feline health screening study. This will help build a database of genetic sequences and medical information that scientists will use to identify the underlying causes of many inherited diseases of cats, according to Marta Castelhano, DVM, director of Cornell Veterinary Biobank. Conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and diabetes mellitus may have some basis in genetics, Dr. Castelhano said. By comparing DNA from cats that have these diseases with DNA from healthy cats, the Biobank hopes to locate the genes responsible, he further said. These answers will help identify cats at risk of disease and may eventually aid in developing more effective treatments, said Bruce Kornreich, DVM, Ph.D., associate director of the Cornell Feline Health Center, which helps fund the Biobank. The Savannah cat is a cross between a domestic cat and a species of wild cat native to Africa called a serval, a breeding that results in a cat with some features of both animals, according to Cornell University. The two Savannahs that visited, Motzie and Peanut, live in Oklahoma with their owner Deborah-Ann Milette, …
Trupanion Announces "Veterinary Appreciation Day"June 18, 2015 (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Wishing a very happy Veterinarian Appreciation Day today to all of the amazing, compassionate and dedicated... Posted by Trupanion on Thursday, June 18, 2015 Trupanion, a Seattle-based company that provides medical insurance for dogs and cats, has declared June 18, 2015 to be the first annual “Veterinary Appreciation Day.” Encouraging pet owners everywhere to says to their veterinarians, Trupanion created this day to “recognize veterinarians and the wonderful work they do, dedicating countless hours and compassionate care to help animals thrive,” according to a press release. "We understand being a veterinarian can be both wonderful and incredibly difficult. On June 18, we encourage animal lovers everywhere to show their appreciation and say thanks to the compassionate veterinarians dedicated to helping animals who mean so much to us and help us live better lives," said Darryl Rawlings, Trupanion founder and CEO. "We know your work is hard, and we want you to know that we appreciate everything you do." Pet owners can say thanks to their veterinarians on social media, …
Vet School’s 3-D Printer Adds Personal TouchJune 17, 2015What they see is what they get at the Mississippi State University Veterinary Specialty Center, which is using a 3-D printer to construct plastic copies of patients’ damaged spines and skulls. The replicas spit out by the $2,200 LutzBot TAZ 4 3-D printer allow veterinarians and students to examine internal injuries up close and plan corrective measures. “We take CT scans of spinal injuries, convert them into three-dimensional images on a screen and convert those to files that can transmit that information to the printer,” said Andy Shores, DVM, MS, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM. “The result is a plastic model identical to what was on the screen.” The reproductions also assist in the education of Mississippi State veterinary students and neurosurgery residents, said Dr. Shores, chief neurosurgeon in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “The equipment prints out bony structures, so future students can see exactly how a particular injury looks and get a better appreciation for the condition we’re talking about while on rounds,” he said. “If you have a patient with a broken bone or vertebrae, to be able to put that structure in your hand goes a long way toward the students’ understanding what it is and how …
Apoquel Anti-itch Drug Remains in Short SupplyJune 17, 2015Dog owners and veterinarians wondering when they can obtain the wonder drug Apoquel likely will have to wait awhile longer. Zoetis Inc., which makes the anti-itch medication, has been dealing with enormous demand and undisclosed manufacturing issues since Apoquel (oclacitinib tablet) was launched in early 2014. The Florham Park, N.J., company made good on a pledge to ramp up production by April 2015, but problems on the manufacturing end continue to limit the supply. Zoetis this month reinstituted a ban on new orders from veterinarians, spokeswoman Colleen White said today. “We have communicated to our customers an update to our supply plan, and as part of that we advised that we are temporarily not accepting new orders for Apoquel,” White said. She declined to go into detail about the manufacturing issues and when they may be resolved. “We’re committed to making Apoquel available to more new customers as soon as possible,” she said. “We have experienced some challenges in the supply of Apoquel as we have pursued a rapid and large scale-up of production.” More than 13,000 U.S. veterinarians have access to Apoquel, more than double the number who could offer it to clients and patients in 2014, …
Michigan State Launches Collaboration on International ProgramsJune 16, 2015Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Department of Animal Science (ANS) have partnered in an effort to open up opportunities for students and faculty with international research, teaching and learning objectives. Nanda Joshi, Ph.D., assistant professor in MSU’s Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, will lead the new collaboration. He will work with ANS and CVM to identify priority areas of international engagement, to cultivate cross department and cross college international opportunities and to develop implementation strategies. “[Dr. Joshi] will provide leadership and clear objectives for the collaborative effort, which will help provide connections and opportunities, along with helping to identify funds in order for interested students and faculty to achieve international research, teaching and learning objectives,” according to the college in its announcement in early June.
Veterinarian Receives Honor For Sponsoring Arson DogJune 16, 2015We’ve all heard of hero dogs — dogs who work as therapy dogs or service dogs and especially dogs who assist police and fire departments in solving crimes. Some of you may have treated these dogs. One such dog, Kai, is an arson dog. Back in 2011 she discovered the fire accelerant that burned down an Alamo Height’s house, a woman, her child and her roommate. Kai has been a successful arson dog for five years. Part of her success is due to the help of her veterinarian, Lewis Radicke, DVM. Dr. Radicke works at the Lincoln Heights Animal Hospital in San Antonio and sponsors Kai’s care, an action he was recently honored for. "The whole staff loves her and they love to see her. And you can see how she reacts," Radicke told KSAT 12. He added that he’s proud every time he learns of a big case she’s working on because his care is partly responsible for how well she performs on the job. "There are a lot of these cases where she's spot-on. I mean, she picks up on it and she knows," he said. Radicke was not the only honoree. The American Humane …
UF PETS Gets Level 3 CertificationJune 13, 2015The University of Florida’s Pet Emergency Treatment Services (PETS) clinic in Ocala has been certified as a Level 3 veterinary emergency and critical care facility by the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society. UF College of Veterinary Medicine made the announcement in early June. “The UF PETS facility in Ocala serves Marion County veterinarians and pet owners in that area by providing the expertise we have available at our main Gainesville facility but on a smaller scale,” said Carsten Bandt, DrMedVet, chief of the hospital’s emergency and critical care service. “We received this certification because of our capabilities and high standards of emergency and critical care.” According to the society’s website, the Level 3 emergency and critical care facility is an acute care facility with the medical staff, personnel and training necessary to provide emergency and critical patient care. Facilities receiving the Level 3 designation are open to receive small animal emergency patients on nights, weekends, and holidays 365 days a year. UF PETS, which opened in July 2012, treated more than 4,200 small animal patients in 2014, according to Dana Zimmel, DVM, associate dean for clinical services at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine.
