Heartworm Group Plans $200,000 in New ResearchDecember 23, 2014The American Heartworm Society, which works to spread awareness about heartworm disease in pets, has set aside $200,000 to fund its first independent research. The Wilmington, Del., organization will continue to work with Morris Animal Foundation and other partners on heartworm studies. The society’s board of directors in October approved three projects with the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology but decided that more needs to be learned about issues such as macrocyclic lactone resistance to heartworm preventives and the role of the immune system in heartworm prevention. “While we will maintain our strong focus on heartworm education through scientific symposia, heartworm guidelines, online initiatives and client education tools, we have concluded that research also is needed to further our profession’s understanding of this serious disease,” said President Stephen Jones, DVM. The organization is accepting research proposals and has posted more information at www.heartwormsociety.org/about/our-research. The awards will range in value from $10,000 to $50,000. The three research grants coordinated with the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology totaled $58,000 and went to Timothy Geary, Ph.D., of McGill University in Montreal; Charles D. Mackenzie, BVSc, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, of Michigan State University; and Michael T. Suderman, M.Sc., of Cell …
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Abbott Releases 24-Hour Feline Pain DrugDecember 23, 2014Cats recovering from surgery may rest peacefully overnight with the use of a new 24-hour pain control drug from Abbott Animal Health. The Abbott Park, Ill., veterinary drug maker today announced the launch of Simbadol (buprenorphine injection) across the United States, five months after the medication received Food and Drug Administration approval. Simbadol is indicated for postoperative pain control in cats and is formulated to minimize the need for overnight dosing. The drug is the first and only FDA-approved opioid analgesic for cats to provide 24-hour pain control in a single dose, according to Abbott. The Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine is among the first users of Simbadol. Tammy Grubb, DVM, Ph.D., an assistant professor of anesthesia and analgesia, called the drug “an important advancement for cats and for veterinarians.” “We can be comfortable that our patients have adequate analgesia, even through the night,” Dr. Grubb said. Available in 10mL multidose vials, Simbadol is distributed by MWI Veterinary Supply, Henry Schein Animal Health and Midwest Veterinary Supply.
Deathstalker Scorpion Breathes Life into Washington State Canine Clinical TrialDecember 23, 2014Despite what its name may imply, the deathstalker scorpion could actually help veterinarians treat dogs with cancer. A recent clinical trial at Washington State University (WSU) shows that a re-engineered molecule found in the venom of the deathstalker scorpion latches onto malignant tumors, making the diseased tissue glow brightly and distinctly against normal tissues. Consequently, surgeons are better able to detect—and remove—cancerous cells while leaving healthy ones behind, according to the university. The product that lights up cancer cells is referred to as “tumor paint,” developed and patented by Jim Olson, MD, Ph.D., a pediatric neuro-oncologist and researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. Tumor paint is licensed by Blaze Bioscience Inc., a Seattle-based private biotechnology firm that Dr. Olson help found in 2010. Olson said he developed tumor paint not only to help people but also the pets they love. “Many animal tumors resemble those that arise in humans so it only makes sense for the two groups to reap the benefits that tumor paint can provide during cancer surgery,” he said. “As WSU uses the technology to help dogs, the dogs provide information that’s applicable to human cancers.” Although the canine clinical trial …
Jaguar Seeks Limited Approval of Canine Diarrhea DrugDecember 22, 2014The startup drug company Jaguar Animal Health today reported the filing of its first New Animal Drug Application (NADA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If approved, the drug Canalevia would be used to treat dogs stricken with watery diarrhea during chemotherapy. Jaguar described Canalevia as a first-in-class anti-secretory agent intended for use in multiple animal species. The NADA filing requests Minor Use/Minor Species (MUMS) status for dogs as the drug undergoes further study. The limited designation would allow Jaguar to distribute Canalevia “before collecting all necessary effectiveness data, but after proving the drug is safe and showing that there is a reasonable expectation of effectiveness,” the San Francisco company stated. The decision to pursue MUMS status followed a meeting Oct. 22 between Jaguar and FDA representatives, according to the company. “[The] approach … will allow us to bring this new tool for management of certain chemotherapy side effects to dogs in need as soon as possible,” Jaguar reported. Canalevia contains crofelemer, an antidiarrheal found in the Croton lechleri tree and used to treat HIV-associated diarrhea in people. Jaguar in September launched its first non-prescription product, Neonorm Calf, for the treatment of watery diarrhea, or scours, in …
FDA Approves Equine Lameness DrugDecember 22, 2014Ceva Animal Health has brought to the United States a drug that earned wide support around the world for the treatment of navicular syndrome in horses. Tildren (tiludronate disodium) went on sale on U.S. soil this month after winning approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More than 250,000 doses of the intravenous solution have been administered worldwide over the past 12 years, Ceva announced today. Ceva earlier this year launched a U.S. equine division, promising drugs such as Tildren, the estrus suppressant Altresyn (altrenogest) and the stress reducer ConfidenceEQ. Some U.S. equine veterinarians knew about Tildren but couldn’t obtain it without a special import agreement, Ceva noted. “The approval of Tildren by the FDA provides veterinarians and horse owners an excellent new tool for managing navicular syndrome,” said Steve Hoffman, vice president of Ceva’s equine business unit. Navicular syndrome is the most common cause of chronic forelimb lameness in horses, the company noted. Tildren is formulated to regulate osteoclasts in areas of excessive activity. “In navicular syndrome, excessive mechanical stress results in bone resorption outpacing bone formation,” Ceva added. “Tildren works at areas of active bone resorption, restoring balance to the process of bone remodeling.” Kyle Creech, DVM, Ceva’s equine …
AVMA Slams Investigation of Veterinary IndustryDecember 22, 2014The American Veterinary Medical Association today expressed its “disappointment and concern” with a newspaper investigation that questioned the fast-track development of animal drugs and examined how the pharmaceutical industry’s relationship with AVMA and veterinarians creates potential conflicts of interest. The three-part Indianapolis Star series, titled “Pets at Risk,” also noted that despite growing appreciation of the human-animal bond, U.S. pet owners may recover only minimal damages, if any, when drugs or veterinary care fall short of expectations. AVMA President Ted Cohn, DVM, sent a letter to the editor that he said spelled out “our disappointment and concern about a series of articles that we believe impugn veterinarians and call into question their integrity and professionalism.” “The articles are heavy on conjecture and innuendo and short on facts,” Dr. Cohn wrote. The lead article explained how animal drugs are tested on only a fraction of individuals compared with research into human medications, saving the veterinary companies time and money but raising the possibility of unforeseen side effects. Trifexis, a flea and heartworm preventive drug manufactured by Elanco Animal Health of Greenfield, Ind., was spotlighted because of pet owner claims that the medication has killed hundreds of dogs—charges that Elanco disputes. Defending …
BluePearl Jumps in With Penguin Cataract SurgeryDecember 19, 2014Needles and Bugs won’t have any trouble diving or waddling when the Detroit Zoo opens the Polk Penguin Conservation Center in late 2015. The two aquatic birds had cataract surgery performed on both eyes Wednesday at the BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital in Southfield, Mich. Needles, a 26-year-old female macaroni penguin, and Bugs, a 30-year-old female rockhopper penguin, were diagnosed with cataracts during a previous examination performed by BluePearl doctors, the Tampa, Fla., hospital chain reported. Gwen Sila, DVM, Dipl. ACVO, performed both surgeries. “Bugs and Needles will now have a better quality of life as they’ll be able to see much more clearly,” Dr. Sila said. “That will be important to help them acclimate to their new surroundings when they are moved to their new exhibit in the future.” Sila and BluePearl donated the time and services. A zoo grant paid for supplies, according to BluePearl. Ground was broken in June on the Polk Penguin Conservation Center. Once completed, the $29.5 million, 33,000-square-foot exhibit will feature a 25-foot-deep pool where zoo visitors standing above or below can watch penguins dive deep. The penguin pen is expected to house about 80 individuals representing four species: rockhopper, macaroni, king …
All-Inclusive Pet Hotel, Vet Practice ExpandsDecember 19, 2014Southern California veterinarian John Boyd, DVM, has opened his second all-in-one pet resort, offering boarding, day care, dog training and grooming services in addition to veterinary care. The first Dr. Boyd’s Pet Resort & Veterinary Center launched in 2011 a mile away from the San Diego airport, a convenient location for pet owners to drop off their cat or dog before they flew out on vacation or business. The second location opened Monday in Irvine, Calif., just eight miles from the Orange County airport. The new facility is twice the size of the original—25,000 square feet versus 12,000. The Irvine business brings “our first-of-its-kind concept to a community that loves pets,” Dr. Boyd said. The website WalletHub.com ranks Irvine as the fourth-best city in the United States for pet lovers. Heading up the operation as CEO is Boyd, a 1986 graduate of the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Assisting him in Irvine are chief medical officer Christina Branshaw, DVM, and veterinarians Amy Krier, DVM, and Mike Mansfield, DVM. Staffed 24 hours a day, both locations charge daily boarding fees of $49 for dogs and $29 for cats. Day care is $29 and $20, respectively. …
Aratana Moves Ahead on 2 Canine DrugsDecember 19, 2014A drug being studied for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain in dogs showed positive results in a pivotal field study, according to the developer, Aratana Therapeutics Inc. The Kansas City, Kan., veterinary drug maker also announced the launch of a pivotal field effectiveness study for a drug formulated to treat post-surgical pain in dogs. The osteoarthritis drug, code-named AT-001, was used in a blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter dose-ranging study involving 280 client-owned dogs. The dogs, all of whom had osteoarthritis, were split into AT-001 and placebo groups and received daily oral doses for 28 days, Aratana reported Thursday. Validated owner-assessed pain scores showed that AT-001, which uses the compound grapiprant to target the EP4 receptor, demonstrated statistically significant improvements compared with the placebo, Aratana noted. The company expects to win U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of AT-001 in 2016. “We believe AT-001 has the potential to be an important product in the well-established pain market,” said President and CEO Steven St. Peter, MD. Aratana also reported the initiation of a pivotal field effectiveness study of a drug licensed from Pacira Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Parsippany, N.J. AT-003 is an injectable, extended-release bupivacaine formulated for post-operative pain in dogs. A …
Zoetis Unveils FeLV, FIV Combo TestDecember 18, 2014Veterinary drug maker Zoetis Inc. this week began taking orders for a new test designed to diagnose both feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Shipments are scheduled to begin Jan. 5. The Witness test kit uses Rapid Immuno Migration (RIM) technology to detect the presence of FeLV antigen and FIV antibodies within 10 minutes, according to the Florham, Park, N.J., company. No refrigeration or snapping—a common physical step in point-of-care diagnostic tests—is necessary. “Since the Witness FeLV-FIV test kit does not require refrigeration, it is easy to store, does not take up refrigerator space, and veterinarians don’t need to wait for it to come to room temperature to use,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, the group director of Companion Animal Veterinary Operations for Zoetis. The combination test rates at 92.9 percent sensitivity and 96.5 percent specificity for FeLV and 93.8 percent sensitivity and 93.4 percent specificity for FIV, the company added. Feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus are potentially fatal. FeLV rates in the United States range from 2 to 4 percent of all cats and up to 13 percent or more of cats that are ill, very young or at high risk …
