New Animal Supplement Trade Group FormsAugust 23, 2010 Eight companies have formed an organization ‒ the second of its kind ‒ that represents animal supplement manufacturers, marketers, ingredient suppliers and others in the segment. The National Association of Animal Supplement Manufacturers & Marketers (NAASM) is a non-profit organization based in Las Cruces, N.M., that aims to ensure the quality of animal supplement ingredients and products. To that end, NAASM offers guidelines for product quality assurance and adverse event reporting. It also provides support for complying with product labeling standards set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and for undergoing inspections by regulatory agencies. Members may display the NAASM Quality Seal on their products, websites, product literature and advertisements. Founding members are AHC Products Inc.-AniMed of Winchester, Ky.; Advantech Ltd. of Fort Dodge, Iowa; Bio-Nutrition of Las Cruces, N.M.; Calm Coat of Oldsmar, Fla.; FlavorTek Inc. of Syracuse, Neb.; Kaeco Group Inc. of Savannah, Mo.; Pharma Chemie of Syracuse, Neb.; and Vedco Inc. of Saint Joseph, Mo. Membership is by invitation only and is available to manufacturers, formulators, marketers and raw material suppliers. Associate memberships are available to companies involved in …
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Professional Veterinary Products Files For BankruptcyAugust 23, 2010 Professional Veterinary Products Ltd. of Omaha, Neb., reported Friday that it has filed for bankruptcy to facilitate the sale of its assets. The company’s subsidiaries, ProConn LLC and Exact Logistics LLC, also filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11. Earlier in August, Professional Veterinary Products reported that it had “encountered significant and material financial challenges ... primarily as a result of macroeconomic factors and a general downturn in the economy.” This included a drop in gross profit margins and in sales in its core business segments, according to the company. Before the filing Friday, Professional Veterinary Products said it had evaluated alternatives, including an overall reorganization of its business operations and a sale of the business. At this point, however, the company is pursuing a sale of substantially all its assets under a Bankruptcy Court supervised auction and sale process. The board of directors and the management said they “believe that this course of action will be in the best interests of all the stakeholders and will maximize value for all of the constituents.” Professional Veterinary Products will continue to operate its business as a debtor-in-possession.
Memphis Mulls Mandatory Sterilization Of Dogs, CatsAugust 20, 2010 A Memphis, Tenn., City Council committee has recommended mandatory spaying or neutering of cats and dogs. The full council is expected to vote on the issue Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. The ordinance, approved by the Committee on Public Services and Neighborhoods, would require dogs weighing 30 pounds or more and cats over 6 months old to be sterilized. Exemptions would be provided for: • Police dogs. • Service dogs. • Hunting dogs. • Dogs or cats certified by a licensed veterinarian as having a health reason for not being spayed or neutered. • Dogs or cats boarded in a licensed kennel or business. • Dogs or cats registered with the American Kennel Club, Cat Fancier Association or other recognized registry or trained and kept for the purpose of show, field trials or agility trials. “There is an element of overpopulation prevention that comes by this naturally, but the key here is in public safety,” said Councilman Shea Flinn, the ordinance’s sponsor. Owners of unaltered animals would have to pay a one-time $200 permit fee. The permit would authorize the whelping of no more than one litter per female dog in …
VCA Breaks Ground On California HospitalAugust 19, 2010 VCA South County Animal Hospital reported today that it broke ground on its new facility in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The 8,500-square-foot animal hospital will include a waiting area, exam rooms, general surgical suites, laboratory and an intensive care unit. “Our entire VCA South County team is excited about the start of construction of our new, larger hospital,” said Steven Paulick, DVM, the hospital's medical director. The facility, in San Luis Obispo County, is expected to be completed in April. The pre-construction and construction services are being provided by Specialty Construction Inc. of San Luis Obispo. VCA South County Animal Hospital is part of the VCA network, which operates more than 520 animal hospitals in 40 states.
California Spay/Neuter Bill Awakens After Year Of InactivityAugust 18, 2010 California Senate Bill 250, which would require spay or neuter surgery for most of the state’s dogs and cats, has moved to a third reading after being shelved as inactive for almost a year. The bill is now poised for a final vote, although a specific date had not been set at press time. SB 250, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, failed a third reading in September 2009 and subsequently was moved to an inactive file to be considered at a later date. The new bill status was made yesterday. The bill calls on cat owners to spay or neuter their cats at 6 months of age if the cats are allowed to roam at large. The bill also requires the sterilization of all dogs at 6 months old unless the owner gets an unaltered dog license. SB 250 would also require 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. Any existing unaltered dog’s license number and microchip number for the dog must appear on the document transferring ownership of …
Quincy Bioscience’s New Animal Division To Focus On Canine Cognitive HealthAugust 18, 2010 Quincy Bioscience, a biotechnology company in Madison, Wis., reported today that it has launched an animal health division that will initially focus on product development for canine cognitive health. The move is based on Quincy Bioscience’s patented jellyfish protein apoaequorin in human trials, which is protecting brain cells against neuronal degeneration, according to the company. “The essential biochemical properties of the canine brain are not very different from the human brain,” said Mark Underwood, president of Quincy Bioscience. “Dogs are susceptible to many of the same neurological issues due to aging, such as cognitive dysfunction, we face as humans. The jellyfish protein will help dogs with healthy brain aging in the same way it helps people—by supporting calcium regulation neurons.” David Merrick has been named general manager of Quincy Animal Health. Merrick has held several positions with companies in the animal health industry, including vice president of sales and marketing for an animal health generic pharmaceutical company. “I’m extremely excited to be part of something this ground breaking for the animal health industry,” Merrick said. “The United States has 56 million senior dogs and cats with few products that effectively address the symptoms of cognitive …
Nonprofits Still Taking Hit From RecessionAugust 17, 2010 Nonprofit groups continue to suffer in the wake of one of the nation’s worst economic downturns, according to GuideStar USA Inc.’s survey of public charity and private foundations. GuideStar, which provides data on more than 1.8 million IRS-recognized nonprofits, conducted the survey online in June. “The Effect of the Economy on the Nonprofit Sector: A June 2010 Survey” elicited responses from about 7,000 organizations, 5 percent of which were animal-related. Overall, about 40 percent of the respondents reported a further decline in contributions in the first five months of 2010 compared to the year-ago period. At the same time, 63 percent saw an increase in demand for their services. "Our survey echoes what we’ve been hearing from the nonprofit sector for the past couple of years,” said Chuck McLean, GuideStar’s vice president for research. “The results prove that nonprofits have a long way to go to achieve the success they experienced before the recession.” Among the survey's findings: • 8 percent of respondents indicated that their organizations were in imminent danger of closing. • In order to balance budgets, 17 percent of respondents reduced program services and 11 percent laid off employees. • …
Former UC Davis Vet School Dean Dies At 91August 17, 2010 Donald Jasper, DVM, Ph.D., a former dean of the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, died July 25 at the University Retirement Community in Davis. He was 91. Dr. Jasper served as dean for eight years beginning in 1954. He then returned to a teaching and research position in 1962. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5, at the University Retirement Community auditorium, 1515 Shasta Drive. “Don was one of our founding faculty members and served as dean during the time when the school was rapidly developing,” said Bennie Osburn, DVM, the current dean. “After he stepped back into a faculty role, he became known as an expert in mycoplasma mastitis, a serious disease of dairy cattle, and was one of the leaders as clinical pathology for animals became a specialty. “Don was always well-liked as a person and as a highly valued member of our faculty.” During the late 1940s, Jasper was instrumental in developing pathology as a separate discipline at UC Davis, according to the university. Before that, pathology was part of the veterinary science division, with research focused strictly on disease-oriented, rather than discipline-oriented, …
University Of Florida Adds Shelter Medicine Certificate ProgramAugust 16, 2010 The University of Florida is now offering its students a shelter medicine certificate program. The program, which consists of a total of 15 units, is designed to address a shortage of veterinarians trained in the special needs of veterinary care in animal shelters, according to the university. “The certificate will identify students who have completed an intensive training program in this field, providing a valuable credential for those seeking a career in animal sheltering or competing for residency training,” said Julie Levy, DVM, Ph.D., director of Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida. “Our initial program will be conducted at U.F., but it’s our hope to develop online offerings so that students at other veterinary schools have access via distance learning.” The program aims to expose students to a cross-section of opportunities in shelter medicine, including care of sheltered animals, animal disaster management, cruelty investigations and forensics, shelter animal behavior and welfare, high-quality high-volume sterilization surgery and research in shelter medicine. A special projects elective offers the opportunity for mentored participation in an in-depth topic, such as working with a shelter to perform a shelter population management analysis, an infectious disease outbreak intervention or …
Merrick Expands Beef Treats Recall To All LotsAugust 16, 2010 Merrick Pet Care Inc. of Amarillo, Texas, has expanded its recall of Beef Filet Squares and Texas Hold’ems dog treats to include all lots of the two products. The recalled products come in 10-ounce packages and were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the U.S., according to Merrick. Merrick issued limited recalls of both products earlier this month and in July after samples turned up positive for salmonella. No illnesses have been reported. Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Humans can become infected, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the treats or surfaces exposed to the recalled product, according to the company. Consumers who bought 10-ounce packages of Beef Filet Squares for Dogs and Texas Hold’ems are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions can contact the company at 800-664-7387 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT Monday through Friday.
