Saving SaraNovember 30, 2011Saving SaraSaving Sara, sea turtle rescue, sea turtle hospitalAt 11p.m. Aug. 3, I was called out on a most unusual emergency call on the island of Big Pine Key in the heart of the Conch Republic.At 11p.m. Aug. 3, I was called out on a most unusual emergency call on the island of Big Pine Key in the heart of the Conch Republic.newsline, avianexoticSaving SaraBy Douglas Mader, DVMFor Veterinary Practice NewsThis sea turtle is lucky to be alive.Posted: Nov. 29, 2011, 6:40 p.m. At 11p.m. Aug. 3, I was called out on a most unusual emergency call on the island of Big Pine Key in the heart of the Conch Republic. I have been the staff veterinarian for the Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital for 17 years. The hospital, a converted strip club, is funded by donations and is dedicated to treating all species of sea turtles. Over 100 sick and injured throwbacks to the dinosaurs come to the facility yearly. In addition, several hundred stranded or wayward turtle hatchlings often pay short visits to the hospital each summer. A brightly painted orange and white turtle ambulance is available 24/7 to respond to any and all sea turtle emergencies …
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Having The Heart For Veterinary CardiologyNovember 30, 2011 Michele—pronounce that Ma-KAY-lee—Borgarelli, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ECVIM (cardiology), has been studying cardiovascular disease in dogs for more than 15 years. Most of his studies and research have been in Italy, his home country, but he now resides in the U.S. and is an associate professor of cardiology at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “People should know that cardiovascular disease in small animals is very common but they are not terminal diseases,” Dr. Borgarelli said. “With the available treatment today we are able to manage patients and we can provide them a good quality of life for a long time.” Borgarelli has a string of research studies under his belt. For instance, during a period of five years, Borgarelli and his research team conducted two population studies involving more than 300 dogs. One, published in 2008, involved dogs that had mitral valve disease at different stages. Another study involved dogs with the mild form of the disease. Borgarelli expects this study to be published shortly. “Dr. Borgarelli has contributed substantially in the field of veterinary cardiology in many ways,” said Jens Haggstrom, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ECVIM (cardiology), professor of internal medicine at the Department of …
Feline Non-Recognition AggressionNovember 30, 2011 One term used to describe and assess feline personality is “equability,” referring to mood stability. Some cats scoring high on this scale are extremely stable and highly unlikely to fly off the handle. Others, at the opposite end of the scale, are mercurial and may become enraged almost literally at the drop of a hat. The latter type of cat is most likely to be the aggressor in what is descriptively termed “non-recognition aggression.” This type of aggression is something that all veterinarians should know about because it usually entails aggression of one cat to another after a visit to a veterinarian’s office. A typical scenario is as follows: Cats A & B, though not necessarily mutually bonded, cohabit peacefully until the fateful day. Cat A is taken to the veterinarian’s office for some procedure, often one entailing the use of heavy sedation or anesthesia. On being brought home and let out of his carrier, Cat A is immediately and savagely attacked by Cat B, almost as if Cat B does not recognize his long-term housemate. The attacks by the resident non-equable cat on the cat returning home from the veterinarian’s office can be quite savage …
Brave New World In Veterinary MedicineNovember 30, 2011 North Carolina State University is the only university in the country to offer autologous bone marrow transplants (BMT) for dogs with lymphoma—one of the most common canine cancers. Steven Suter, VMD, MS, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM (Oncology), an assistant professor of oncology at North Carolina State University, has been performing the transplants since October 2008. He says that a 40-50 percent cure rate is reported in humans with B-cell lymphoma using the same procedure, although the canine data is still tentative. “When do you say a dog is cured?” Dr. Suter asks. “For people it is five years out [after the transplant procedure]. For dogs I estimate we can say two years after treatment is a success. In the first group of 24 dogs with B-cell lymphoma that we treated, eight are long-term survivors.” Suter started providing this service with the hope that the procedure could be perfected and performed in the specialty clinical setting. Since the inception of the project, Suter has continued to modify the protocol. Apply: The rehydrated graft is applied into a surgery site. If a surgery site is not very vascular, pre-mixing with patient blood is advised. “We …
R&D Spending Will Spur Growth In Animal Health Biotech Industry, Report SaysNovember 29, 2011R&D Spending Will Spur Growth in Animal Health Biotech Industry, Report Says R&D Spending Will Spur Growth in Animal Health Biotech Industry, animal biotechnology growthThe animal health biotechnology industry is projected to grow into an $11 billion industry by 2016, according to a new report from market research publisher Ibisworld. The animal health biotechnology industry is projected to grow into an $11 billion industry by 2016, according to a new report from market research publisher Ibisworld. newslineR&D Spending Will Spur Growth in Animal Health Biotech Industry, Report Says Posted: Nov. 29, 2011, 6:20 p.m. EST The animal health biotechnology industry is projected to grow into an $11 billion industry by 2016, according to a new report from market research publisher Ibisworld. Revenue growth in the industry is forecast to rise at an annual rate of 7.9 percent over next five years, including a 9.0 percent increase in 2012. Favorable legislation and improved economic conditions will spur continued research and development activity, benefiting industry operators, according the report. Future development in genetic engineering is also expected to play a larger role in the industry, with developments likely to focus on improving food quality and disease resistance among livestock. Industry growth "will …
Finalists Named In Heska Inspiration In Action ContestNovember 28, 2011 Heska Corp. selected five finalists for its 2011 Inspiration in Action contest, which aims to benefit the veterinary profession, the company reported today. Now it's up to the public to choose the winner. Heska, of Loveland, Colo., will award $25,000 to the grand prize winner and $5,000 to the second place winner. Entrants submitted ideas on how best to spend the prize money to further or support the veterinary profession. Heska CEO and Chairman Robert Grieve said the company promotes the contest as a means to encourage innovation. This year’s finalists include projects submitted by the Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic, Locust Trace Veterinary Clinic, Project V.E.T.S., Project S.T.R.A.Y., and Veterinarians without Borders. The Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic would use the prize money to establish a medical facility in Belize to provide essential, and currently unavailable, services to many of Belize’s veterinarians. The Locust Trace Veterinary Clinic would use the prize money to provide students with scholarships to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Project V.E.T.S. would use the money to build awareness of its mission and needs for donations and volunteers. Project S.T.R.A.Y. would use the money to assign live-in dogs that need advanced …
Winn Feline Foundation Names New CEONovember 22, 2011 Winn Feline Foundation, a non-profit fundraiser for feline research studies, hired Maureen Walsh as CEO. In her new role for the Hillsborough, N.J., foundation, Walsh will focus on building brand awareness. She intends to expand the foundation’s outreach efforts to veterinary professionals, researchers and fanciers. “Cat lovers everywhere need to know about the important feline medical research that Winn supports every day and the difference donations make to the health and well-being of our feline friends,” Walsh said. Walsh previously served as chief marketing officer for the Institute of Management Accountants in Montvale, N.J. Winn Feline Foundation, established in 1968, supports studies that aim to improve cat health. The organization has funded more that $3 million in research at more than 30 partner institutions worldwide.
NAVC Expeditions – Veterinary Learning Around The WorldNovember 21, 2011 In a quest to be the first veterinary group to offer veterinary continuing education credit on every continent, the North American Veterinary Conference started “Expeditions” in February 2008. The program’s motto is, “The destination is your classroom, and nature is your teacher.” The idea behind Expeditions is to help promote the One Health concept: Human Health – Animal Health – World Health. The Expeditions program pairs veterinarians with veterinary experts, biologists and naturalists familiar with the animals and geography of the region. The RACE-approved CE programs cover the natural history and biology of the regions’ fauna and flora, as well as veterinary implications such as health and disease, both in the wild and captive situations. For instance, on the most recent Expedition to the Amazon rainforest, the course was taught by me; Greg Lewbart, MS, VMD, Dipl. ACZM; and Carol Walton, DVM. I have been working with exotics since my residency in primate and zoo animal medicine in 1986. Dr. Lewbart is an internationally acclaimed expert in fish, invertebrates and amphibians, and Dr. Walton has spent the last 20 years living, teaching and doing research in the Amazon rainforest (as well as summers in Antarctica …
Michigan Vet Named Legend Of The YearNovember 21, 2011 Equine veterinarian Tanja Molby, DVM, of Suttons Bay, Mich., won the second annual Bayer Animal Health Legend of the Year Award from Bayer Healthcare LLC’s Animal Health Division. Bayer presented the award to Dr. Molby last weekend at the American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention in San Antonio, Texas. The award recognizes veterinary professionals who provide equitarian aid or exceptional care for horses in need. Bayer recognized Dr. Molby for helping create the Michigan Equine Foundation, which received a $5,000 donation from Bayer as part of the award. The foundation assists horses and their owners with veterinary care and hay when facing economic hardship. Bayer selected Dr. Molby from a pool of more than 500 nominations submitted between Aug. 1, 2011, and Oct. 15, 2011. The four other finalists for the award were: • Scott W. Hansen of Gresham, Ore.; • Vivian Freer, DVM, of Tyron, N.C.; • Eric Davis of Davis, Calif.; and • Dave Turoff of Placerville, Calif. Lori Odishoo of Berlin, Conn., won a sweepstakes among horse owners who nominated their veterinarians for the Legend of the Year Award. She will ride alongside television host Darley Newman for a future episode of the …
AVMA Calls For Stoppage Of Prescription Bill, Praises Spending Package, Applauds McDonald’sNovember 18, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association today urged the U.S. Senate not to support a mandatory prescription writing bill, applauded Congress for passing a bill with appropriations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and condemned an egg producer for alleged mistreatment of its hens. The AVMA applauded its members for helping stall H.R. 1406, the Fairness to Pet Owners Act., in the U.S. House of Representatives but said efforts are underway to introduce similar legislation in the Senate. The bill would require veterinarians to write a prescription at the time of prescribing a product for a companion animal, regardless of whether or not the veterinarian is dispensing the product to a client. It would also require veterinarians to provide a written disclosure notifying the pet owner that they may fill the prescription through the prescriber or another pharmacy. The association called H.R. 1406 unnecessary and redundant because of the AVMA’s long-standing policy encouraging veterinarians to write a prescription in lieu of dispensing when a client would like to use a different pharmacy. The AVMA had previously called upon its members to contact their representatives after Walmart issued a statement of support for the bill. See the previous …
