New Initiative Seeks To Reverse Decline In Veterinary VisitsSeptember 8, 2010 Bayer Animal Health of Shawnee Mission, Kan., and Brakke Consulting of Dallas have launched a new research initiative that will investigate the causes behind the reduction in companion animal veterinary visits and identify ways on how veterinarians can increase them. The study is being launched in response to statistics bringing light to this trend. For instance, one million fewer veterinary visits were recorded in 2006 versus 2001, according to data published by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Bayer Animal Health and Brakke Consulting point out that the decline has accelerated during the recent recession, with more than half of veterinarians seeing stagnant to declining visits. “The research results should give veterinarians the information they need to better understand recent trends in pet owner behavior, which will help them to develop strategies to increase veterinary care,” said Ron Brakke, president and founder of Brakke Consulting. Bayer Animal Health and Brakke Consulting will collaborate with the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues. Specifically, the study will measure pet owner perceptions of the need for veterinary services, obstacles to scheduling visits and the role of alternative channels for pet health information and products. The project will target companion animal …
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Franck’s Resumes Veterinary CompoundingSeptember 7, 2010 Franck’s Compounding Lab of Ocala, Fla., reported today that it has resumed its veterinary compounding practice, effective immediately, after voluntarily suspending it in May. Franck’s decision comes shortly after a federal judge denied a U.S. Food and Drug Administration request for a preliminary injunction that would have shut down the veterinary compounding business. “Veterinary compounding is a longstanding, recognized and medically vital service,” Paul Franck, owner of Franck’s Compounding Lab, said in a prepared statement. “We are resuming this practice so that we can help veterinarians and pet owners who rely on compounded medicines to stay healthy and treat life-threatening conditions. We have been compounding human and veterinary medications for more than 27 years and we are as committed as ever to meeting the special needs of doctors, veterinarians and their patients.” However, the FDA’s complaint is not being dismissed entirely. The court just was not convinced at this preliminary stage that the FDA’s legal theory was correct and that a preliminary injunction was warranted, according to Franck’s. The FDA maintains that animal medications compounded from bulk ingredients constitute “new animal drugs” that cannot be distributed without an FDA-approved new animal drug application. Franck’s …
HealthyPet Acquires Veterinary MetricsSeptember 7, 2010 HealthyPet, a provider of veterinary client communication and education tools, has acquired Veterinary Metrics Inc., also known as Vet Met. The Atlanta-based company offers analytics products and services that are designed to identify areas of operational inefficiency and uncover missed revenue opportunities in veterinary practices. “HealthyPet and Vet Met share a common goal of helping veterinarians improve their practices through simple, easy-to-use communication and data analytics services,” said Brian Tennyson, CEO of HealthyPet. “Vet Met clients will benefit from HealthyPet’s industry-leading communication services platform and HealthyPet clients will benefit from Vet Met’s proprietary software, practice analytics and implementation strategies.” Vet Met’s management team will remain in place and continue to operate out of its Atlanta office. <HOME>
American Humane Association Names New President/CEOSeptember 3, 2010The American Humane Association named Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., as president and chief executive officer, effective Oct. 1. Dr. Ganzert currently serves as deputy director of philanthropic services at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C. “Robin brings an unparalleled combination of energy, professional reputation and nonprofit management ability toward achieving our mission to ensure that all children and animals are free from abuse, cruelty and neglect,” said David Gies, American Humane Association chairman. “Her relationships and credentials in driving high-impact philanthropy give American Humane Association a new foundation from which to build on 133 years of achievements. We enthusiastically welcome Robin’s leadership to this historic and vitally important organization.” Ganzert will replace George Casey, interim president and chief executive officer. Casey has guided the organization since the departure of CEO Marie Belew Wheatley in January
Midwest Veterinary Supply Opens Branch In DallasSeptember 3, 2010 Midwest Veterinary Supply Inc., a wholesale distributor of veterinary supplies, reported recently that the company is opening a new branch in Dallas. The facility will stock and ship more than 9,000 items, as well as house Midwest’s sales representatives serving veterinary clinics in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana and Arkansas. “The South Central region of the United States represents a tremendous opportunity for Midwest to continue our plans to grow with the veterinary profession in this area,” said Guy Flickinger, president of the Burnsville, Minn.-based company. “We believe our industry knowledge, clinical expertise and commitment to the veterinary profession will be well received in these new markets.” With the opening of the new Midwest Veterinary Supply branch, the company said it will focus on serving the large animal, companion animal and equine needs of veterinarians in Texas and the surrounding states.
FDA Approves New Pet Medication Tablet SizesSeptember 3, 2010 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two new sizes of Bayer Animal Health’s Drontal (praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate) pet medication tablets, which are used in pet cats and kittens for the removal of various internal parasites. Available sizes now include: • 13.6 mg praziquantel and 54.3 mg pyrantel base (as pyrantel pamoate) • 18.2 mg praziquantel and 72.6 mg pyrantel base (as pyrantel pamoate) • 27.2 mg praziquantel and 108.6 mg pyrantel base (as pyrantel pamoate) Revised pet medication dosing requirements are as follows: “Administer a minimum dose of 2.27 mg praziquantel and 9.2 mg pyrantel pamoate per pound of body weight according to the dosing tables on labeling. May be given directly by mouth or in a small amount of food. Do not withhold food prior to or after treatment. If reinfection occurs, treatment may be repeated.” The FDA has also revised the kitten age and weight restriction for the drug. The labeling now indicates that Drontal Tablets are not for use in kittens less than two months of age or weighing less than 2 pounds. The label previously said not for use in kittens less than one month …
Laser Therapy Webinar Series Begins ThursdaySeptember 3, 2010 Companion Therapy Laser has released the dates and times of its Class IV Companion Therapy Laser Webinar Series. The first session, “Treatment for Everyday Acute Conditions,” will be held from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday. The webinar will be presented by John Godbold Jr., DVM, owner of Stonehaven Park Veterinary Hospital in Jackson, Tenn. He has more than 10 years of veterinary laser experience. Click to register. Godbold will also be the presenter for the second session, “Treatment for Everyday Chronic Conditions,” which will be held from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, Sept. 23. Click to register. The third session, “Pain Management & Control,” takes place from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, Oct. 7. The webinar will be presented by Robin Downing, DVM, Dipl. AAPM, CVA, owner of Windsor Veterinary Clinic and The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colo. Dr. Downing is an affiliate faculty member at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Click to register. The fourth session in the webinar series, “Applications in a Veterinary Rehabilitation …
California Spay/Neuter Bill DefeatedSeptember 2, 2010 California Senate Bill 250, which would have required spay or neuter surgery for most of the state’s dogs and cats, failed passage in the State Assembly this week on a vote of 28-40. SB250 had moved to a third reading in mid-August after being shelved as inactive for almost a year. The aim of the bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, was to help curb pet overpopulation. SB250 would have called on cat owners to spay or neuter their cats at 6 months of age if the cats were allowed to roam at large. The bill also would have required the sterilization of all dogs at 6 months old unless the owner got an unaltered-dog license. In addition, SB250 would have required anyone who sells or adopts out an intact dog, regardless of the dog’s age, to provide the licensing agency with the name and address of the new owner within 10 days. The bill had a list of other requirements as well. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and the American Kennel Club, both long-time opponents of the bill, sent out media alerts Wednesday lauding the outcome. “PIJAC has consistently opposed state-enacted …
Cellular Care Begins With AutophagySeptember 2, 2010 Autophagy was the subject of a State of the Art presentation given by James Bradner, M.D., Ph.D., at the 2010 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum in Anaheim. Literally, “autophagy” means “self-cleaning.” Bodies can’t live without their autophagy systems in place. Autophagy encompasses the automatic disposal systems of the cell. Interestingly, when autophagy adapts to starvation, certain mechanisms are activated that also have anti-aging and anti-cancer effects. We learned that our cells void metabolic waste and the kidneys extract it from serum and eliminate the waste through the urine. However, there was no clear understanding of autophagy or how the cellular cleansing phenomenon operates on a molecular level until recently. Read on and be amazed at the basic miraculous efficiency with which our bodies function every second of every day. Where It Begins The flesh of our cells is called cytoplasm. It contains all the microproteins and chemicals and structures needed to operate. Waste products are created in the cytoplasm and that waste must be digested and transported outside the cell. How does this happen? Scientists have observed that cell debris—proteins and organelles—gets encapsulated by tiny rearrangements of membranes and moved …
Cost Vs. Value On Client FrontSeptember 2, 2010 Your first appointment of the morning is an obese female beagle you spied three-legging it into the exam room. The likely diagnosis, you ruefully muse, is a cruciate injury, which at this time of day means more caffeine is in order. After a dose of Cuban coffee, you’re onto the physical, the pre-rad discussion, sedation radiographs and the pièce de resistance: a lengthy post-rad discussion of options. It’s on this last stretch that I always seem to get hung up. It’s inevitably a tough slog. That’s either because: • The client is having a tough time accepting the diagnosis. (“It’s just a limp!”). • The expense of the board-certified option you recommended has occasioned a swoon. • The discussion has stalled on the subject of obesity denial. (Sixty-five pounds on a beagle is no mean feat.) “Surgical intervention is the well-accepted gold standard for the treatment of canine cruciate ligament ruptures,” you tell the client. “Sure, that’s $2,400 for a dog her size, but your alternatives are Y and Z. And while Y might be better than doing nothing, you definitely don’t want Z.” Second ‘Opinion’ Fast-forward to that evening, when your client is scheduled …
