Has ‘Realty Reality’ Created More Pet Rest Homes?June 22, 2011 Most of us have been able to help clients who loved adopting one or two older pets. Many of these older pets were left behind due to the “no pets allowed” policy of rest homes that their owners moved into. Some were left behind when their owners died. It surprised me that the bond between the adopting person or family and the older pet was so strong. The bond was filled with as much love as if the pet was theirs since it was young. It surprised me how much love and money was poured into the older adopted pet to battle cancer or organ failure. There is a special compassion and kindness in these caregivers who rescue older animals. Veterinarians are seeing more pet lovers adopting older pets. Most of these kind-hearted caregivers feel that they are helping to save lives of wonderful, unfortunate animals. They are dutiful and care for their charges with love and attention. They seek professional medical care for their animals’ age-related conditions and ailments. Most good Samaritans who rescue older animals are able to keep a balanced life and maintain their jobs and personal affairs while providing proper care …
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10 Tips To Deal With Lumps And BumpsJune 22, 2011Tumor excision is arguably one of the most commonly performed surgeries on animals. We talked with Stephen Withrow, DVM, a surgical oncologist at the Colorado State University Animal Cancer Center in Fort Collins. Dr. Withrow is double boarded in surgery and internal medicine (oncology). A pioneer of cancer surgery, he has dedicated his career to improving protocols, surgeries and patient care. Plus, he literally wrote the book—“Withrow and MacEwen’s Small Animal Clinical Oncology” (Fourth edition, Saunders 2007). He kindly shares 10 pearls to improve the care of your cancer patients. 1 Work It Up It is beneficial to reach a probable diagnosis before excising any mass beyond a wart or a straightforward presumed lipoma. It would be good to obtain a fine needle aspirate or biopsy to determine if the mass is benign or malignant. This determines what Withrow calls the “surgical dose.” This guides how aggressive the surgical excision has to be: Can we live with narrow margins for a benign tumor, or do we need 1-2-3 cm margins in every direction for a malignant mass? We know that the first surgery is the most likely to provide clean margins. If a biopsy is performed, it would be …
Velcera And FidoPharm Say An Appeal To Merial’s Claim ImminentJune 22, 2011 The United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on Tuesday granted motions filed by Merial Limited and Merial SAS for contempt against Velcera and FidoPharm and their contract manufacturer for PetArmor Plus, Cipla Limited. The court stayed its order for 60 days to allow for an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Velcera and FidoPharm say the pet health products companies intend to seek an expedited appeal and will defend their ability to continue selling PetArmor Plus, the first generic fipronil product available on retail shelves in the U.S. Velcera and FidoPharm stated in a press release that the companies intend to pursue the action they filed in federal district court in Delaware in February 2011, seeking a declaratory judgment that Merial’s patent directed to a particular composition containing fipronil and s-methoprene is invalid and not infringed by PetArmor Plus. The validity of Merial’s patent was not at issue in the Georgia court proceedings. PetArmor Plus currently remains on the market. <Home>
Caring For CatsJune 22, 2011 Right after graduating from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1990, Elizabeth J. Colleran, DVM, MS, set out on the typical small-animal career path. She did an internal medicine internship, then went to work for a mixed practice, caring for dogs, cats and the occasional bird. Right away, she saw some problems—or rather, some opportunities. “I came to see that cats were really underserved, and, in many respects, misunderstood,” says Dr. Colleran, 59. “I worked where there were barking dogs everywhere, and where there wasn’t great ventilation, and when cats came in, they freaked out.” That made Colleran think that the way to structure her own practice would be to create a separate specialized facility where cats could receive care in a less stressful setting. Cat Advocate Colleran joined the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and began meeting other veterinarians who specialized in caring for cats. Finally, in 1998, she opened the Chico (Calif.) Hospital for Cats. She now also owns the Cat Hospital of Portland (Ore.). Elizabeth J. Colleran, DVM, MS Along the way, she became not only a passionate advocate for better veterinary care …
Colorado Institute Awards Funding To VetDCJune 22, 2011 The Colorado Institute for Drug, Device and Diagnostic Development (CID4), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, selected Veterinary Emerging Technologies Development Corp. (VetDC) to receive funding and management assistance. VetDC develops and commercializes technologies to address unmet medical needs in companion animals. In the first quarter of 2011, VetDC acquired all North American veterinary rights to VDC-1101 (GS-9219), an anti-proliferative agent that targets lymphoid cells and works by inhibiting DNA synthesis, leading to the induction of apoptosis or programmed cell death. The VDC-1101 acquisition from Gilead Sciences allowed for development and commercialization of the agent for use in animal cancer. “We are excited to partner with VetDC and their experienced management team,” says Richard C. Duke, founder and chief scientific officer of CID4. “Our capital and management resources will assist with late-stage clinical trials and the potential commercialization of what may be an important new therapeutic option for animals suffering from lymphoma.” Steven Roy, president and CEO of VetDC says CID4 funding will help advance the company’s lead cancer program and increase employment. <Home>
Western Veterinary Conference Selling On-Demand PresentationsJune 22, 2011 Veterinarians can access select sessions presented at the Western Veterinary Conference online. WVC's Presentations On-Demand is available by annual subscription starting at $199 for a year-long subscription at the WVC online store. High-resolution, streaming videos from WVC 2011 and WVC 2010 can be viewed using PCs, Macs, 3G smart phones or tablets. Conference notes, which also include a CD, are available starting at $15. A WVC-Encore DVD-ROM set, which includes the notes CD, audio and a PowerPoint presentation is also available. Prices for the DVD-ROM set start at $49. The WVC-Encore Apple iPod Classic includes audio and a PowerPoint from the conference starting at $249. Visit WVCStore.com for more information. <Home>
ACVO Gives Free Exams To Service AnimalsJune 21, 2011The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists today announced a 25 percent increase in service animal exams from last year at the ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam Event. More than 200 volunteer board certified veterinary ophthalmologists throughout the U.S. and Canada examined 4,000 service animals during the annual event, which took place May 23. Guide dogs, assistance dogs, detection dogs, search and rescue dogs and other service animals including horses and a service donkey received free vision exams. As part of the program, a team of ACVO doctors hosted a service dog screening event at Lackland Air Force B ase in San Antonio at the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Center. Approximately 150 Transportation Security Agency dogs and military working dogs were screened. “We are beyond pleased by the number of service animals that received a free eye exam during this year’s event,” says Stacee Daniel, executive director of the ACVO. “Our volunteer veterinary ophthalmologists saw a record 4,000 animals which will help them stay in good eye health and continue to do their job of helping others.” The ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam Event goals are to benefit individuals who rely on service dogs, strengthen referral relationships …
Seven Antibiotics Classes Possibly Limited For Ag Use If Act Becomes LawJune 20, 2011 U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) introduced S. 1211, known as the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2011 (PAMTA), on June 15. The bill amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to withdraw seven classes of antibiotics critical for treating infections in humans from use on industrial farms unless animals or herds are sick with disease. “The emergence of drug-resistant superbugs is a human health problem that affects us all,” says Laura Rogers, project director of Pew Human Health and Industrial Farming. “We commend Sen. Feinstein, Sen. Collins, Sen. Reed and Sen. Boxer for their bipartisan collaboration to ensure that our antibiotics will work for us when we need them most.” The American Medical Association and other health organizations warn that overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food animal production presents a serious threat to human health because it creates strains of drug-resistant bacteria. A task force led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health, antibiotic-resistant bacteria could render diseases like pneumonia, meningitis and tuberculosis untreatable. …
Idexx Laboratories Brings LNA Technology To Veterinary DiagnosticsJune 20, 2011 Exiqon today announced that it granted a non-exclusive license to Idexx Laboratories, Inc., to use Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) technology in products for veterinary diagnostics. LNA provides unique characteristics to molecular assays and offers many possibilities for developing competitive products. Exiqon will receive upfront, milestones and royalty payments on global sales of the products covered by this agreement. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “We are pleased to see Idexx Laboratories has chosen to apply Exiqon's proprietary technology in the field of veterinary diagnostics,” says Lars Kongsbak, CEO and president of Exiqon. “We are excited that the LNA technology is now being applied in veterinary diagnostic products which emphasizes the broad applicability of the LNA technology.” <Home>
Million Heart Challenge Website Supports Canine Cardiology ResearchJune 20, 2011 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) announced it will donate $15,000 to the American College of Internal Veterinary Medicine to support canine cardiology research after 1 million guests visit the Million Heart Challenge website. BIVI will also finance a vacation to a pet owner and veterinary professional participating in the challenge. “Diseases such as congestive heart failure (CHF) affect millions of dogs worldwide,” says Lara Sheeley, senior brand manager for BIVI. “These diseases dramatically reduce the quality of life for dogs and ultimately lead to their deaths. The Million Heart Challenge is our way of helping to educate pet owners about CHF and supporting promising new research while having some fun along the way.” About 10 percent of the 75 million U.S. dogs have heart disease. About 75 percent of older dogs and predisposed breeds have heart disease. “Canine heart disease is a critical challenge to dog owners, veterinarians and manufacturers,” Sheeley says. “The Million Heart Challenge is a way to work together toward our common goal of prolonging the lives of the dogs we love.” To participate, visit the Million Heart Challenge website. Click on the show your heart button …
