Penn Vet Names New Board of Overseer MembersJanuary 8, 2015The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) has appointed Juan Luis Ferrer Perez, VMD, Felicia Madison Levy, Richard Lichter and Gail Riepe to its Board of Overseers. Overseer boards serve as bridges between Penn’s schools and centers and the community beyond campus boundaries, according to Penn Vet. Although overseers do not have fiduciary responsibility, the president, provost and board of trustees rely heavily on these boards to help inform the work of the schools and centers. “It is with great pleasure that we welcome four accomplished individuals to join Penn Vet’s Board of Overseers,” said Joan C. Hendricks, VMD, Ph.D., the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “Drawing on their varied professional expertise, Juan, Felicia, Richard and Gail will undoubtedly help bring Penn Vet to new heights.” Dr. Perez graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 and completed his veterinary degree at Penn Vet in 1982. He worked for three years at County Animal Clinic in New York and then returned to Puerto Rico where he was born and raised. He established Hospital de Animales Villa Caparra in Guaynabo, where he currently serves as medical director. University …
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Texas A&M Creates Eli’s FundJanuary 6, 2015In an effort to help veterans and their animals, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) has created Eli’s Fund. Specifically, the fund aims to provide financial support for active service men and women, medically retired veterans’ service dogs and retired military dogs with veterinary bills at the college. Eli’s Fund was spearheaded by Mike Moore, DVM, a CVM development council member. Dr. Moore’s original $5,000 gift to the Texas A&M Foundation to create Eli’s Fund honored Colton Rusk of Orange Grove, Texas, and his military working dog, Eli, whose family Moore knows well through his work on behalf of wounded warriors and their families. After Rusk’s death in active duty on Dec. 6, 2010, Eli refused to work or even move from Rusk’s cot at their base, so he was released to retire in Orange Grove with Rusk’s family. At that time, Eli was only the second dog in the United States history to be granted this honor, according to Texas A&M. The Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation has pledged to cover all of Eli’s veterinary care for the rest of his life. To give to Eli’s Fund, visit the Texas A&M Foundation
Balancing Financial Realities with Value of ProfessionDecember 31, 2014Many veterinarians who are just starting out may find it a challenge to pay off their high educational debt. For example, the average debt reported by Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine 2014 graduates was $170,380, a figure that may be hard to offset with an average reported salary of $64,678. “The downturn of the economy impacted veterinary medicine and what graduates could earn in their first year,” said Roger Fingland, DVM, executive associate dean for K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and director of the Veterinary Health Center. “It is important to educate people who want to be veterinarians about the financial realities. But, I think the value of being a veterinarian has to always be in the discussion.” Veterinarians not only treat pets and livestock, but also help with zoonotic disease maintenance. The interaction between animals and humans secures the continuous demand for the profession, and the fewer veterinarians we have, the larger potential for catastrophic disease, according to Michael Dicks, Ph.D., director of the economics division for the American Veterinary Medical Association. The objective of the economics division is to find ways to enhance the lifelong value of a veterinary degree, Dr. Dicks said. Understanding the …
Yellow Rockfish Fitted with Prosthetic EyeDecember 30, 2014 A yellow rockfish (Sebastes flavidus) at the Vancouver Aquarium got a second chance at a better life after veterinarians removed its eye that had been damaged by cataracts caused by age. After they removed the eye, the doctors fitted the fish with a prosthetic eye that served two purposes: to keep the fish looking OK cosmetically and to discourage other fish from attacking it on its bad side. The doctors said that other fish in the aquarium saw that the fish was missing its eye and attacked it on that side. Now that the fish is fitted with the fake eye, the attacks have subsided. The surgery was performed by Dr. Martin Haulena, DVM, MSc, Dipl. ACZM, of the Vancouver Aquarium with Dr. Lesanna Lahner, DVM, MPH, CVA, of the Seattle Aquarium assisting. The duo had previous experience attaching a prosthetic eye to a copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus). The surgery involved attaching the new eye to the fish’s eye socket with nylon sutures and titanium clips.
$42.5 Million Gift to Fund Regenerative Research at CSUDecember 30, 2014Two horse lovers plan to donate $42.5 million to Colorado State University to help researchers develop regenerative medical therapies for animals and people. The gift, the largest in the university’s history, will be used to construct and equip the Institute for Biologic Translational Therapies. The research conducted inside will look at stem cells and other therapeutic options for the treatment of ailments such as musculoskeletal disease, the university reported Monday. The gift from Denver-area philanthropists John and Leslie Malone allocates $10 million toward operating costs and $32.5 million for construction of a building that will house laboratories, surgical suites and meeting areas for veterinarians and physicians. The donation requires the university to raise $32.5 million in matching funds for the building’s construction. “We are tremendously grateful to John and Leslie Malone for their generous philanthropy, foresight and dedication to scientific discovery,” said Colorado State President Tony Frank, DVM, Ph.D. “In addition to being the largest cash gift in the university’s history, their commitment positions us to build on our foundation as a leader in translational medicine, where advances in veterinary medicine very rapidly move into the sphere of benefiting human health.” The institute will be unique, Colorado State reported, in its …
Another Investigation Takes Vet Industry to TaskDecember 29, 2014Two leading U.S. veterinary organizations are criticizing a published report that questions the financial ties between food animal veterinarians and the drug industry and casts doubt on whether practitioners can be counted on to oversee the judicious use of antibiotics in animals such as chickens and cattle. The investigation by the news service Reuters came on the heels of a similar report in The Indianapolis Star, which examined potential conflicts of interest between pharmaceutical companies and small animal veterinarians. Both accounts noted that while financial connections between drug makers and doctors of human medicine are open to public scrutiny, the veterinary industry is free to arrange and keep secret its relationships. “That means veterinarians can be wined and dined and given scholarships, awards, stipends, gifts and trips by pharmaceutical benefactors without the knowledge of the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] or the public,” according to the Reuters series, titled “Farmaceuticals.” The American Association of Bovine Practitioners objected to the tone of the Reuters report and pointed out inaccuracies. One article in particular, headlined “Veterinarians Face Conflicting Allegiances to Animals, Farmers and Drug Companies,” was meant to “disparage the ethics, scientific training and food animal veterinarians’ relationship with …
Georgia Vet College to Host Shelter SymposiumDecember 29, 2014 Happy summer from the College of Veterinary Medicine! Good luck to all prospective applicants that will be starting the admissions process in the coming weeks. #ugacvm #facesofvetmed A photo posted by Faces of Vet Med (@facesofvetmed) on Jun 6, 2014 at 12:12pm PDT The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine will host the 7th Annual Shelter Medicine Symposium on Jan. 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will focus on the best management and medicine practices for local and regional shelters. The symposium is geared for veterinary professionals and others who work in animal control facilities and humane societies, or with animal rescue groups in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Admission is free but registration must be made by Jan. 1: tinyurl.com/sheltermedregistration. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians will be able to register after the event for CE credit.
Iowa Vet College Names Rademacher as Swine Extension VetDecember 25, 2014Chris Rademacher, DVM, has joined the faculty at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine as the swine extension veterinarian. Dr. Rademacher is internationally renowned for his experience and expertise in evidence-based swine production medicine, according to the college. “We are extremely pleased to have one of the most progressive young swine veterinarians in the United States joining our faculty,” said Pat Halbur, DVM, Ph.D., chair of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine department. “Dr. Rademacher’s international experience in swine production medicine and applied clinical research will make him a highly sought out and valued resource for swine veterinarians and pork producers.” In his role, Rademacher will continue his focus and interest in using research methodologies to answer specific health and production questions and disseminate that information broadly to swine veterinarians and pork producers to continuously improve pork production in the United States. “I am looking forward to serving swine producers and veterinarians and assisting them in improving the health, welfare and productivity of the animals they care for.”
Hurry! Veterinarians Get Brief Tax BreakDecember 23, 2014A gift with an extremely short lifespan was given to veterinary practices and other small businesses when President Obama signed tax-break legislation approved by Congress. The gift is Section 179, a part of the tax code that enables small businesses to immediately write off up to $500,000 in capital asset purchases on their taxes instead of using depreciation over time. The legislation increased the limit from $25,000. The bill was signed into law Dec. 19 along with a package of $42 billion in tax incentives. The approved deductions include those for medical equipment, office furniture, computers and fixtures. Section179.org, an online resource covering that section of the tax code, explained that the measure covers only the 2014 tax year. “Therefore it is a good business decision for many to finance equipment immediately to make the December 31, 2014, cutoff for the write-off provisions,” the website advised. The legislation is a one-year, retroactive extension of the Section 179 tax breaks. That’s great for anyone who made big purchases this year, but time is running out for anyone else, said Tom A. McFerson, CPA, of Gatto McFerson CPAs, an accounting and consulting firm that focuses on veterinary practices. Making the purchase is …
Sleepypod Offers to Replace Crash-Damaged Travel GearDecember 23, 2014Sleepypod, whose dog travel harnesses have won top marks, is offering a free replacement or discounted pricing when a pet carrier or safety harness is damaged in a traffic accident. The program extends to competitors’ equipment as well. The burden of proof falls on pet owners, who must provide a police report and photos and answer a questionnaire. Damaged Sleepypod products are eligible for no-charge replacement—other than shipping costs—while owners of other brands may receive 30 percent off the Pasadena, Calif., company’s selection of mobile pet beds, carriers and harnesses. “Sleepypod wants to ensure pet safety after an auto accident,” said co-founder and lead product designer Michael Leung. “The integrity of a pet safety restraint may be compromised during an auto accident, so it is critical to inspect a pet carrier or harness for damage before being reused.” Damage may include anything from broken stitches and zippers to torn webbing. “If the accident is severe enough, webbing could be stretched, and therefore weaken the material,” Leung said. More information about the replacement program, which was announced Dec. 18, is available at www.sleepypod.com/accident-replacement-program. The nonprofit Center for Pet Safety, which conducts crash-testing, has deemed Sleepypod’s Clickit Sport …
