Agent Of ChangeOctober 18, 2010Health scare gives Brett Cordes new direction as a veterinarian By the time Brett Cordes, DVM, was in his mid-30s, he had worked in veterinary practices for the better part of two decades. He started in high school, worked his way through college and veterinary school, then spent 10 years as a practicing vet. The way he handled potentially hazardous materials, particularly chemotherapy drugs, was often cavalier during these years, he admits. He wore little or no protective gear when handling chemotherapy agents and often dumped pills into his ungloved hand when dispensing them. He poured oncology drugs down the sink, even after noting how some left an angry red stain that lingered for days. Then in 2006, a specialist diagnosed an almond-sized lump on his neck as a rare form of thyroid cancer. One of the first questions the doctor asked: Was Dr. Cordes ever exposed to chemotherapy? Suddenly everything changed for Cordes, from the way he practiced veterinary medicine to the way he thought about workplace safety. “Most veterinarians really do everything. We’re our own oncologist, radiologist, pharmacist, dentist,” says Cordes, now 39, who is careful to note that although he and his physicians strongly suspect his exposure …
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Hill’s Launches Weight Reduction Program For DogsOctober 18, 2010 Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. of Topeka, Kan., today launched a weight loss program aimed at improving pet owner feeding compliance. The Hill’s Prescription Diet Therapeutic Weight Reduction Program, available only through veterinary clinics, is recommended for dogs requiring clinical nutrition such as overweight, obese or obese-prone dogs. The program was designed with four principles in mind, according to Hill’s. They are: • Convenience and efficacy – Each starter kit contains pre-measured Hill’s Prescription Diet r/d Canine Weight Loss-Low Calorie Dry brand pet food and low-calorie biscuit packets customized to help dogs reach their target weight. The kits are available in a small breed size (target weight of 10 pounds – 35 pounds) with an up to five-week supply and a medium/large breed size (target weight of 36 pounds – 105 pounds) with an up to four-week supply. Home delivery for clients can be coordinated through a Hill’s representative. Replacement cartons to refill both the meals and biscuits are also available. • Support – Pet owners are given a Therapeutic Weight Reduction Guide which includes the health care team feeding recommendation, instructions and tips. Pet owner online support is also available at PetFit.com. Veterinary staff can access support …
Feline Focus: Treating Cats HolisticallyOctober 18, 2010 When it comes to holistic medicine for cats, some extra concerns arise. The following list addresses these issues alphabetically, categorized by modalities. Acupuncture People seem surprised to learn that cats can respond as favorably as dogs to acupuncture, until they witness a cat purring contentedly while being treated. Three conditions lead to peaceful and safe feline acupuncture sessions: • Flexibility in point selection gives the veterinary acupuncturist options for neuroanatomic stimulation that allow a cat to remain relaxed while still achieving positive results. • Having an attentive assistant helps ensure the patient will not ingest an acupuncture needle. • For the unusual cat who refuses acupuncture, low-level laser therapy can provide a degree of neuromodulation that can resemble, though not replace, the benefits of acupuncture. Neuroanatomically designed studies on cats illustrate the effects and mechanisms of action for acupuncture for pain1, esophageal motility disorders2-3, neuroprotection after spinal cord injury4-5, hemodynamic regulation6 and resuscitation.7 Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Aromatherapy, the inhalation of highly concentrated plant-based oils, can cause euphoria or sedation in cats. Some respond even more strongly to the airborne volatile compounds from valerian root than they do to …
BDI Pharma Launches Animal Health DivisionOctober 14, 2010 BDI Pharma Inc., a national distributor of biotech therapies, has launched an animal health division to focus on the biopharmaceutical needs of veterinary professionals. The launch of the new division, 4legPharma, has been in the making for some time, according to Angela Phillips, director of animal health. BDI Pharma has been serving the veterinary community since 1995 and has experienced significant growth within this sector for extralabel use, she said. “As the animal health division of BDI Pharma, 4legPharma is backed by over 15 years of experience in handling urgent need, critical care pharmaceutical products,” Phillips said. “We are uniquely positioned to offer veterinary specialists the best of both animal drugs as well as human therapies for extralabel use to treat pets suffering from the same chronic, life-threatening conditions that affect humans.” 4legPharma gives the appropriate sales channel for veterinarians, she added. Current product categories offered by 4legPharma: antibiotics, chemotherapy, generic specialty drugs, human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and albumin and veterinary pharmaceuticals. 4legPharma plans to expand the product line down the road. Although BDI Pharma just announced the new division earlier this week, the company has had a tremendous response, Phillips said. The division’s …
New Online Vet Buying Group FormsOctober 12, 2010 Digital DVM, a sales and marketing provider in Denver, today launched an online veterinary buying group. GroupDVM (www.groupdvm.com) is designed to provide veterinary professionals exclusive deals directly from animal health manufacturers and authorized distributors. “Consolidation of distribution has many positive effects on the animal health industry, including improved customer service, product selection and operational efficiencies,” said Daryl Schraad, president of Digital DVM. “However, with the average distributor representing more than 20,000 items, many products get lost in the shuffle. “In addition, the growing corporate presence in veterinary medicine can leave the independent veterinarian without a voice in the market. GroupDVM was created as a direct response to both of these important industry issues.” GroupDVM members are offered daily and weekly deals featuring 30 percent to 50 percent discounts on veterinary products and services, as well as reduced pricing on industry events such as conference registration fees. Each deal is available to members for a limited time and requires a minimum number of participants before it can be redeemed. As a result, the company says it is able to guarantee partnering product manufacturers and authorized distributors a pre-determined level of sales for every deal …
Vet Tech Week Sparks New Events, ProgramsOctober 12, 2010 National Veterinary Technician Week, launched by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America in 1993, began yesterday and runs through Saturday, Oct. 16. Events are already springing up across the country. For example, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, this year’s sponsor, is hosting more than 20 events in various states designed just for technicians. Attendees will have the opportunity to mingle with other veterinary technicians and learn about Hill’s continuing education opportunities. Drinks, ice cream and light hors d’oeuvres will be served. For details, click here. Hill’s has also partnered with Hallmark Business Connections to create a digital e-card with a special thank you message that will be sent to more than 8,000 technicians. This will also be distributed to more than 18,000 veterinarians, academicians, veterinary and veterinary technician students and practice managers encouraging them to take time to thank their technicians. On NAVTA's website it offers suggestions on how veterinary hospitals can celebrate the observance of National Veterinary Technician Week. A few ideas include conducting client workshops, creating a community pet calendar, inviting a speaker to talk about clinical advances and launching continuing education initiatives. Banfield, …
NCVEI: Revenue For Vet Practices On The UpswingOctober 11, 2010 More than 50 percent of veterinary practices have seen revenue growth this year compared with the year-ago period, according to the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues. Another 12 percent showed no growth, while about 33 percent to 35 percent saw revenue declines. The nonprofit organization gathered the statistics on its website by asking veterinary practices how their clinic’s quarter one and quarter two revenues in 2010 compared with 2009. The breakdown is as follows: Quarter 1 Quarter 2 2010 increased > 5% 26.6% 26.8% 2010 increased 1% - 5% 28.2% 26% 2010 was essentially flat 12.2% 12.2% 2010 declined 1% - 5% 20.8% 21.1% 2010 declined > 5% 12.2% 13.8% In related news, the average practice has a profit margin of 9.8 percent with the median being slightly higher at 10.2 percent, according to results from the NCVEI/VetPartners Profitability Estimator. NCVEI puts this into perspective: a practice needs to have a profit margin of 18 percent or higher to sell at the gold standard of 100 percent of gross revenue. Here is the breakdown showing the percentage of practices at each level of profitability: Profit Margins Percentage of …
Blue Buffalo Issues Voluntary Recall On Select Dog Food ProductsOctober 8, 2010 Blue Buffalo Inc. has issued a voluntary recall on specific production runs of its Wilderness Chicken-Dog, Basics Salmon-Dog and Large Breed Adult Dog products due to higher than normal levels of vitamin D. “We came to this conclusion after discovering that our supplier had made a scheduling error and produced a vitamin D supplement immediately prior to preparing the ingredients for the Blue products that are in question,” CEO Bill Bishop said today in a letter posted on the company’s website. “We believe that some of the vitamin D supplement may have been carried over into our products, resulting in more vitamin D than is called for in our formulas.” Bishop noted that the potential of increased vitamin D presents no serious health risk. However, if a dog shows any adverse reaction to the recalled products, the dog should be seen by a veterinarian, he added. Typical symptoms might include excessive water intake and/or excessive urination, and in some cases vomiting. Bishop said Blue Buffalo will reimburse any veterinary or testing expenses related to illness caused by the recalled products. Michigan State University issued its own media statement today on the recall saying that veterinarians …
Vetericyn Changes Name To Innovacyn Animal HealthOctober 8, 2010 Vetericyn Inc., which was formed last year to bring to market its Vetericyn line of wound and skin care products for animals, is now Innovacyn Animal Health. The animal business unit is joined by Innovacyn Human Health under the new parent company Innovacyn Inc. The product brand name, Vetericyn, remains the same. Innovacyn marked its entry into the human over-the-counter market on Thursday with Puracyn OTC, a first aid spray for humans. The product is based on the same Microcyn technology used in the Vetericyn line of animal products. The technology is similar to the oxychlorine compound that is part of the immune system’s natural response to invading pathogens, according to the Rialto, Calif.-based company.
Program Awards $500,000 To Combat Shortage Of Food Animal VetsOctober 6, 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation have awarded $500,000 in veterinary school loan repayments as part of the Food Animal Veterinarian Recruitment and Retention Pilot Program. The program, first announced earlier in the year, was designed to provide financial incentives in the form of current student loan debt grants for veterinarians who commit to four years of employment in food animal veterinary medicine. Five recipients recently each received $100,000, spread over four years of service in areas of need. They are: Dr. Shaw Perrin (Ohio State University) practicing in Goshen, Ind.; Dr. Austin Ayars (Ohio State University) practicing in Phoenix; Dr. Conrad Spangler (University of Minnesota) practicing in Dalhaert, Texas; Dr. Kay Russo (Cornell University) practicing in Stephenville, Texas; and Dr. Scott Morey (Kansas State University) practicing in Concordia, Kan. “We received well over 100 applications from interested veterinarians, who underscore the need for this program,” said Michael Cathey, head of the AVMF. “It was encouraging to see so many veterinarians interested in food animal medicine, but more has to be done. Many of our applicants told us they were forced to turn down job offers in rural areas because of …
