Declaws Should Be Performed HumanelyDecember 7, 2009 We have all heard some of the reasons onychectomy is evil: • It as a barbaric as cutting people’s knuckles off. Cats end up miserably painful and unable to walk and jump for the rest of their lives. • No reasonable cat would willingly choose to have the procedure done. • Vets have only gone to school for, like, 20 years or so, and are obviously incapable of making intelligent decisions. Plus, they’re in it for the money. Therefore, politicians, lobbyists and activists should make sound decisions for them. Some of the grounds to allow vets to do declaws include: • It is a surgical procedure, performed under general anesthesia, which should only be offered after discussing the pros and cons with the owner--just like any other surgery. • Declawing should not be a convenience or an automatic procedure. It should be chosen as a last resort, when other recognized, established options (regular nail trimming, training, glued-on plastic nail caps, etc.) have failed. • Scratching babies, kids, grandmas, chemo patients, AIDS patients and furniture is not always easy to prevent. In selected cases, declawing may then be an alternative to relinquishment or euthanasia. • Forbidding vets to perform …
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Financial News Briefs - December 2009December 7, 2009VCA Same-Store Revenue Drops 4.9% VCA Antech Inc.’s animal hospital division reported revenue of $257.4 million in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to $253.3 million in the year-ago period. The 1.6 percent increase was driven by acquisitions made in the past 12 months. Same-store revenue dropped by 4.9 percent during the quarter. However, the company noted that same-store gross profit margin improved by 40 basis points, to 20.5 percent. Four acquisitions made during the quarter had combined annual revenue of $8.4 million. Year to date, the division reported revenue of $757 million, compared to $730.4 million in the year-ago period. VCA Antech’s laboratory division reported third-quarter revenue of $77.5 million, compared to $77.1 million in the year-ago period. Year to date, the division’s revenue was $237.8 million, up from $235.6 million. VCA Antech’s medical technology division reported third-quarter revenue of $13.7 million, compared to $12.5 million in the year-ago period. Year to date, the revenue was $33.5 million, down from $38.2 million. Overall, the Los Angeles-based company reported third-quarter net income of $37.5 million on revenue of $338.6 million, compared to $36.9 million and $332 million, respectively, in the year-ago period. …
Animal Hospital In Arizona Goes GreenDecember 4, 2009Animal Hospital in Arizona Goes GreenAnimal Hospital in Arizona Goes GreennewslinePosted: Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009 Central Animal Hospital of Tucson, Ariz., has moved into a 5,000-square-foot “green” facility. The hospital expects to be the first veterinary hospital in North America to receive a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Paperwork should be completed by year’s end, according to co-owner Michael Samuels, DVM. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized “green” certification system that provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using environmentally friendly and energy-saving features. Dr. Samuels and co-owner Judy Miller, DVM, said they believe it is the responsibility of business owners, especially those in health care, to take into consideration the health of the environment as well as the health of patients when constructing facilities. Some of the building’s green features include: Extensive daylight. The building brings in natural light using a central light monitor, glass block and Solatube Daylighting systems. Automatic adjustable lighting. Depending on the available natural light, high-efficiency electric lights will adjust to provide the proper lighting. Ventilation. Carbon dioxide and temperature sensors adjust the ventilation to provide a healthy and comfortable …
New Haven County VMA Is BackDecember 4, 2009 After almost three decades of dormancy, the New Haven County, Conn., Veterinary Medical Assn. has reformed. “The association had been very active in the 1960s and 1970s, but over time with leadership changes and a dip in membership, people stopped showing up at the meetings,” said Ken Aldrich, hospital director at the New Haven Central Veterinary Hospital, who spearheaded the revival. “It eventually became inactive.” After noticing a disconnect among veterinarians in New Haven, Aldrich checked with key hospitals and found interest in restarting the group. The initial meeting, held in March 2008, brought in about 85 people. “We have been amazed at the outpouring of support,” Aldrich said. “We have really tried to cater the lectures and locations to the needs of the veterinarians. It is great to see that desire for continuing education and for connecting personally with peers.” Aldrich said he’s especially exciting to see how the association has brought different generations together to discuss veterinary medicine. Click here to visit the group’s newly launched website. <HOME>
UC Davis Launches Disease Surveillance SystemDecember 4, 2009 The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine has launched a global early-warning system, called PREDICT, in an effort to find and control diseases that move between wildlife and people. The system, which will be developed with funding of up to $75 million over five years, is one of five new initiatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development known in combination as the Emerging Pandemic Threats Program. The USAID is developing these initiatives to help prepare the world for infectious diseases such as H1N1 flu, avian flu, SARS and Ebola. Davis’ primary PREDICT partners are the Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Trust, Global Viral Forecasting Inc. and Smithsonian Institution. The team will be active in global hotspots where important wildlife host species have significant interaction with domestic animals and high-density human populations. This may include South America’s Amazon Basin, Africa’s Congo Basin and neighboring Rift Valley, South Asia’s Gangetic Plain and Southeast Asia. As activities in targeted regions come online, the team will focus on detecting disease-causing organisms in wildlife before they spill over into people. Among the 1,461 pathogens recognized to cause diseases in humans, at least 60 percent are of animal origin, …
‘Pets And Poisons’ Leaflet Focuses On Holiday SafetyDecember 4, 2009 In light of the upcoming holidays, the British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation has re-launched its “Pets and Poisons” leaflet to warn pet owners about common household and garden substances that may be dangerous to pets. Such hazards include raisins, chocolate, liquorice, antifreeze and electrical cables, among others. “Our message to pet owners is don’t ruin your Christmas through carelessness,” said Bill Reilly, president of the BVA. “The loss or illness of a family pet is devastating but poisoning in the home can be easily avoided. “Some substances may make your animal drool or vomit so they should always have access to clean drinking water. If there is any doubt or concern, owners should contact their vets for advice immediately.” Substances that can be poisonous to pets, as outlined by the BVA, include: Chocolate and liquorice (common Christmas gifts) Raisins and sultans (used in Christmas cake recipes) Certain nuts Xylitol-sweetened foods Sweets Other foods such as onions, avocados and grapes Plants such as lilies and daffodils Cleaning and do-it-yourself products Car anti-freeze Human medicines Substances with low toxicity that could cause drooling, vomiting or diarrhea include: Blu-Tack or other similar adhesives (used to put up …
Survey: Nonprofits Report Decreased Contributions In 2009December 4, 2009 A new survey of public charity and private foundation employees found that 51 percent of the organizations saw a decline in contributions over the first nine months of 2009, compared to 35 percent in the year-ago period. The major factors cited for a decline in contributions were fewer individuals giving (69 percent) and smaller gifts (also 69 percent). The online survey was conducted in October by GuideStar, which provides data on more than 1.8 million IRS-recognized organizations. About 2,565 organizations were surveyed, 133 of those were animal-related. About 46 percent of the respondents said that their organization receives the majority of donations between October and December, the period known as the giving season. Of this number, 45 percent anticipate that total contributions for the 2009 giving season will be lower than those for the 2008 giving season, according to the survey. On top of that, about 62 percent of respondents reported increased demand for their organization’s services. Still, only 31 percent said that their organization had reduced budgets for 2010. Another 36 percent reported increased budgets for 2010 and 29 percent said that next year’s budgets would be the same as this year’s, according to …
All’s Not Quiet On The Media FrontDecember 3, 2009I’ve been censored. My work in other media has been unceremoniously dumped on back pages at times. When I talk brands, industry niches and corporate responsibility, I get heavily edited. Sometimes the legal department gets called in for a consult. But I don’t resent it. After all, somebody’s got to keep the loudmouth in line. I’ve learned the hard way. Writing about certain topics means your editor gets a call from microchip companies, over-the-counter flea-product manufacturers, or once—inexplicably—the Taser brand stun gun people (when I suggested that their product might be less than safely employed as a puppy park accessory). Editors get all jumpy about these things. No one likes a bullying phone call from PetMeds’ legal peeps after they get their panties in a bunch over an online pharmacy smackdown in USA Today. Uneven Relationships Then there are the advertisers. A certain pet food company turns up its nose at advertising with any work I author at a large online pet portal (not that I ever wrote anything uncomplimentary about its products). Another, however, will happily do so, in spite of more than one bit of negative writing with respect to its product line. How to fathom the mind …
Discovery Could Lead To New Treatment Options For ‘Ich’ In Freshwater Fish, Scientists SayDecember 3, 2009 A team of researchers reported on Dec.3 that they have discovered the presence of two bacteria in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, or “Ich,” a single-celled parasite that commonly attacks freshwater fish. They hope the discovery could open up new avenues for treating fish infected with the parasite. The discovery was made during an Ich genome mapping project conducted by five researchers from The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, two researchers from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and one researcher from the J. Craig Venter Institute. While working to sequence the genome, they found that the parasite harbors two apparently symbiotic intracellular bacteria: Bacteroides and Rickettsia. The scientists say the two bacteria represent new species. “It was unexpected; it was stunning to find bacteria in Ich. And, it came about due to the genome sequencing,” said Harry Dickerson, a co-author of the study, which is published in the December issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Now, the scientists plan to determine if Ich remains infective if the bacteria are removed. They say it could bring them a step closer to developing better treatment for Ich, also known as white spot disease. Ich bores into the …
Thiamine Deficient Cat Food Recall Notice UpdatedDecember 2, 2009 Diamond Pet Foods of Meta, Mo., recently reported that 21 cases of thiamine deficiency in cats have been confirmed since the company’s September voluntary recall of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball products. The cases have been confined to the New York and Pennsylvania areas and no other reports have been received since Oct. 19, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company first announced the recall on Sept. 23, stating that the products were deficient in thiamine, an essential ingredient for cats, according to the FDA. Symptoms of deficiency can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. In the first stage, cats may show decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. Neurologic signs can develop later, including ventriflexion of the neck, wobbly walking, circling, falling and seizures. If left untreated, it may lead to death, according to the FDA. Cat owners are urged to contact their veterinarian if their pet has consumed the recalled product and have any of these symptoms. The affected products were distributed in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and …
