New Regenerative Center To Treat Both Animal, Human PatientsJanuary 20, 2011 The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and the Wake Forest University’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., have signed an agreement to form the Virginia Tech/Wake Forest Center for Veterinary Regenerative Medicine (CVRM). The agreement, which was announced today, facilitates the application of cutting-edge regenerative treatments to both human and animal patients, according to the two groups. As part of the collaboration, clients at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital may have the option to enter their pets into clinical trials, giving them access to cutting edge technology unavailable elsewhere, the vet college noted. In return, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine will have the ability to evaluate new regenerative medicine techniques in spontaneously occurring animal diseases that can be models for human disease. “The CVRM is a tremendous opportunity to provide new medical alternatives for animals, including loved household pets, while generating scientific knowledge that can save and transform human lives,” said Roger Avery, senior associate dean of research and graduate studies at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Chronic kidney disease in cats is one area of current research interest. It is being treated in an effort to induce kidney …
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Fellowship Recipients Will Focus On Animal Health ResearchJanuary 19, 2011 Five veterinary professionals were recently awarded with The Pfizer Animal Health-Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Fellowship for Advanced Degree. Pfizer Animal Health and Morris Animal Foundation made the announcement today. The fellowships are in an effort to address the critical shortage of veterinary scientists. “Most veterinary students choose clinical practice instead of research careers, resulting in a critical need for new scientists capable of conducting research necessary to advance veterinary medicine,” said Cathy Knupp, vice president of veterinary medical research and development for Pfizer Animal Health. Each fellow will receive $60,000 per year for four years—provided equally by Pfizer Animal Health, Morris Animal Foundation and the student’s academic institution—for living expenses and tuition while pursuing advance veterinary study. Upon receiving their degree, graduates commit to stay in the animal health research field for at least four years. “By providing students with a living wage while they pursue advanced scientific training, this fellowship program opens the door to new careers for veterinary professionals and helps enrich the future of veterinary medical advances,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, group director of veterinary medical services and corporate citizenship for Pfizer Animal Health. The recipients are: …
Idexx Still Seeks Participants For Feline Cardiac Disease SurveyJanuary 18, 2011 Idexx Laboratories Inc. reported yesterday that it is still enrolling participants for its feline cardiac disease survey. Initial findings are already shedding new light on the prevalence of feline heart disease and the profile of cats at risk, according to the Westbrook, Maine-based company. For instance, preliminary results verify prior studies that found one in six cats are at risk for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The survey, which will continue to enroll participants through the first half of 2011, was launched by Idexx last spring. How the study works: veterinarians complete the online or printable form, screen feline patients with the Cardiopet proBNP Test and fax or enter results online. Details can be found at idexx.com/knowcardio. To date, more than 3,500 patients have been tested as part of Idexx’s survey, and more than 90 percent of practices have said they have taken action—rechecking results or recommending a referral to a cardiologist based on elevated Cardiopet proBNP results. “Based on results collected to date, we believe that veterinarians should advise cat owners to have their at-risk pets tested for cardiac conditions more regularly,” said Andrew Beardow, BVM&S, Dip. ACVIM (cardiology) of Idexx. “Most owners don’t …
Dirty Mouths, Euthanasia Denial And UsJanuary 18, 2011 Some recent new clients were special. An aged woman was accompanied by her adult granddaughter with a middle-aged min-pin in tow. The subject at hand was perhaps the most impressively putrid mouth I’ve beheld in more than 15 years of practice. And yep, you guessed it: The owner declined to treat. How bad was said cavity of doom? Let’s just say her osteomyelitis was so severe this dog no longer possessed a cranial mandible. Her canines sagged ineffectually in what was left of their sockets, held aloft more by the mass of matted hair and heavy tartar than by the promise of any alveolar bone below. Of course, this dog could no longer close her mouth, which was why the old woman had deigned to allow her granddaughter to drag the dog to a vet. The woman was obviously not happy to be there. In her early 90s and hard of hearing, she loudly cleared up any remaining doubt as to her reluctance, accusing me of trying to steal her savings when her dog wanted for nothing in her care. This, after a detailed explanation of periodontal disease with a way-beyond-textbook example as Exhibit A. Worst. …
Exploring Owner-directed AggressionJanuary 18, 2011 Nothing is so distressing for an owner as having a seemingly ungrateful dog who metaphorically or literally bites the hand that feeds. Why on earth would a dog joyously receive a delicious treat from his owner, say a rawhide chew, and then protect that morsel from his owner with every last ounce of strength? Simply walking past the bad players when they have such a highly emotive item is enough to trigger a display of growling, lip lifts, snaps or even biting. And as for touching this food item, forget about it. Or trying to take it away, well, that is just plain dangerous. If protecting valued food objects is the only area in which the dog expresses aggression, the solution is easy. Simply don’t give the dog those things in the first place. The philosophy here is the same as if you gave a child a penknife and he stabbed you in the leg with it. Your reaction should be to confiscate the penknife for good. Unfortunately, the protection of valued food or quasi-food-like items is often not where the syndrome of owner-directed aggression ends. There are several typical situations in which dogs of …
Make Sound Commitment To SonographyJanuary 18, 2011 Ultrasound services aren’t necessarily reserved for high-volume practices, experts say. Although many veterinarians determine that their client bases might not validate the expense, some sonographers work independently and will travel to a veterinarian’s office. Depending on the quality, a new ultrasound machine can cost from $10,000 to $100,000, but the price tag isn’t the only potential obstacle. A veterinarian sometimes invests in the equipment but is unprepared for the learning curve. Some say that even seasoned practitioners need a year to feel comfortable interpreting ultrasound images. “A lot of practices buy ultrasound equipment with the intent of using it more,” says Gretchen Rowe, DVM, of Animal Diagnostic Imaging LLC and president of the International Veterinary Ultrasound Society. “In reality, it takes a pretty dedicated person within a practice to use ultrasound to its fullest potential as a diagnostic tool. It takes thousands of cases to be really good at it, but it depends on what your goal is and how you intend to use it.” Bear, 14-year-old MN Siamese cat with a spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia. The anechoic gall bladder (left) and spleen (near field top) residing with the heart (bottom right) within the thorax. …
Raw Food Webinar Presented By Nature's VarietyJanuary 17, 2011Raw Food Webinar Presented by Nature's VarietyRaw Food Webinar Presented by Nature's VarietyRaw Food Webinar Presented by Nature's VarietyJoin DogChannel and our sister site VeterinaryPracticeNews.com on Thursday, March 10, as Nature's Variety presents an exclusive webinar on raw food diets for dogs.Join DogChannel and our sister site VeterinaryPracticeNews.com on Thursday, March 10, as Nature's Variety presents an exclusive webinar on raw food diets for dogs.newslinePosted: January 17, 7:30 p.m., EDT Register today to participate in an upcoming webinar on raw food diets for dogs. Join VeterinaryPracticeNews.com and our sister site DogChannel.com on Thursday, March 10, as Nature's Variety presents an exclusive webinar on raw food diets for dogs. The "Raw Food Demystified" webinar will help you understand the commercially packaged raw food diet option. This webinar answers the what, how, when and why of raw food diets, taking the mystery out of this diet option. Raw Diets Demystified will be presented by Nature's Variety and seen exclusively on DogChannel.com and VeterinaryPracticeNews.com, Thursday, March 10, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST. To attend the webinar, register in advance at VeterinaryPracticeNews.com/diet. In addition, four lucky dog lovers will be chosen at random to …
Study Reveals Causes For Yearly Decline In Vet VisitsJanuary 17, 2011 A new study reveals why companion animal veterinary visits have been declining over the past several years. The reasons, as cited by the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study, are: the economic impact of the recession, fragmentation of veterinary services, consumers substituting Internet research for office visits, feline resistance, perception among pet owners that regular medical check-ups are unnecessary and the cost of care. Bayer Animal Health, Brakke Consulting and the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues released the study today. The study included individual interviews and focus groups with veterinarians, focus groups with pet owners and a nationally representative survey of 2,000 dog and cat owners to determine the factors contributing to the decline in veterinary visits. According to a recent survey conducted by the NCVEI, 56 percent of veterinarians reported that patient visits for the first nine months of 2010 were down compared to the year-ago period. But declines in veterinary visits have been documented as far back as 2001, according to the three groups behind this new study. The six root causes defined: • Economic impact of the recession—Although the study did not reveal an exact figure on how much of the …
Sergeant's Obtains Patent For Pest Control FormulaJanuary 17, 2011Sergeant's Obtains Patent for Pest Control FormulaSergeant's Obtains Patent for Pest Control FormulaSergeant's Obtains Patent for Pest Control FormulaSergeant's Pet Care Products Inc. of Omaha, Neb., reported today that it has acquired the rights to a patented pest-control formula from Sumitomo Chemical Co. of Japan. Sergeant's Pet Care Products Inc. of Omaha, Neb., reported today that it has acquired the rights to a patented pest-control formula from Sumitomo Chemical Co. of Japan. newslinePosted: January 17, 2011, 7 p.m., EDT Sergeant's Pet Care Products Inc. of Omaha, Neb., reported today that it has acquired the rights to a patented pest-control formula from Sumitomo Chemical Co. of Japan. The deal allows Sergeant's to manufacture and sell spot-on pesticide compositions that combine fipronil with an insect growth regulator, such as methoprene or pyriproxyfen. Both fipronil and the insect growth regulator s-methoprene are used in top selling veterinary channel flea and tick product Frontline Plus. "The license agreement with Sumitomo for its pest controlling formulation is both exciting and important for Sergeant's," said Bob Scharf, president and CEO of Sergeant's. "It will allow us to gain access into a large market that has been dominated by a small number of products." Caryn …
Dr. Stephen Ettinger Receives Lifetime Achievement AwardJanuary 17, 2011 Stephen Ettinger, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, chief medical officer at Pet DRx, received the 2011 Mark L. Morris, Sr., Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in small animal veterinary internal medicine, small animal cardiology, teaching and hospital management. The award was presented by Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. on Jan. 15 during the opening ceremony of the North American Veterinary Conference being held in Orlando, Fla. “Each year, our nominees have experience in a wide range of fields in the veterinary profession,” said Janet Donlin, DVM, chief veterinary officer at Hill’s. “Dr. Ettinger’s organizational service, research contributions and involvement in the academic future of veterinary medicine put him at the forefront and made him a natural choice to receive the Mark L. Morris, Sr., Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, his authored Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine remains the gold standard in veterinary internal medicine resources.” In recognition of Dr. Ettinger’s lifetime of service, Hill’s will donate $20,000 to the Morris Animal Foundation in his name. The nonprofit was founded by Dr. Mark Morris, Sr., in 1948 and has since funded more than 1,700 studies. <Home>
