Zoetis strengthens equine portfolio with acquisitionJuly 25, 2019Zoetis Inc., has entered into an agreement to purchase Platinum Performance. The acquisition aims to strengthen Zoetis’s nutritional offerings, particularly within the equine market.
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Cats' weight on the riseJuly 19, 2019Cats are, indeed, getting chunkier. This is according to a new study out of the University of Guelph’s (U of G’s) Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in Canada, which analyzed the data of more than 19 million cats in North America to demonstrate the typical weight gain and loss of the animals over their lifetimes.
Aratana Therapeutics' Nocita 10 ml gets FDA approvalJune 13, 2019Aratana Therapeutics announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has approved an additional vial size (10 ml) of Nocita. "Since its launch in 2016, Nocita has drastically changed veterinary multimodal pain management protocols because it safely and effectively controls pain in patients for up to 72 hours following certain canine and feline surgeries," says Aratana Therapeutics chief development officer, Ernst Heinen, DVM, PhD. "Ultimately, we believe a smaller vial size may allow for expanded use and improve the level of care veterinarians provide for certain painful surgeries." Nocita, which is currently available in a 20-ml vial size, is a local postoperative analgesia for cranial cruciate ligament surgery in dogs and a peripheral nerve block following owner-elected onychectomy (declawing) in cats. The smaller vial size is expected to be made commercially available in fall 2019.
Midmark acquires Mason CompanyJune 5, 2019Midmark has acquired animal boarding and containment solutions, Mason Company. Located in Ohio and founded in 1892, Mason utilizes designs and materials to ensure its products are Fear Free certified, promoting quiet and calming environments through consideration of workflow and the acute senses of animal patients. "We are extremely excited to welcome Mason to the Midmark family," says the company's president and chief executive officer, John Baumann. "The expertise Mason brings to Midmark enhances our position to design better care environments for our customers. It also strengthens Midmark's position as a leader of the animal health space that continues to bring our customers innovative solutions and new ideas as they strive to improve the quality of care." The acquisition allows Midmark to be in on early discussions of new construction, pairing its stainless steel and proprietary offerings with Mason's designs to help create comfortable accommodations for long-term boarding of companion animals. "Being involved in the early stages of a project gives us the ideal platform to deliver solutions to our customers by bringing clinical spaces, comprehensive technologies, and workflows into harmony," adds Midmark chief commercial officer, Jon Wells.
Court rejects cat-killing veterinarian's appealJune 4, 2019A Texas veterinarian's request to appeal her suspension and probation for shooting a cat through the head with an arrow has been rejected by that state's Supreme Court. In 2015, Kristen Lindsey shot a feral cat and then bragged about it on social media. In a Facebook post accompanying the photo, Lindsey wrote, "My first bow kill, lol. The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through it's [sic] head. Vet of the year award … gladly accepted." A state board in 2016 suspended her veterinary license for one year and placed her on probation for four years. Since her one-year suspension ended in October 2017, Lindsey has been permitted to practice veterinary medicine on a probationary basis. Following that, she attempted to get her sentence overturned in district court and the Texas Third Court of Appeals. Another appeal to challenge the rules dictating her disciplinary action also was pending. In April 2018, she lost both cases and was ordered to pay all costs related to the trial court and the court of appeals. "The Texas Supreme Court now becomes the highest authority in the state to confirm what we've known all along—that Kristen Lindsey is wholly deserving …
Is fear driving the anti-vaccine movement?May 22, 2019Vaccines are one of the most effective means for preventing disease ever developed and one of the great triumphs of scientific medicine. Widespread vaccination of children has dramatically reduced—and in some cases eliminated—infectious diseases that have plagued humanity for thousands of years. There is less research evidence for the impact of vaccination in companion animals, but there is ample reason to believe vaccines have been equally successful in dogs and cats.3–7 Any veterinarian old enough to remember the emergence of canine parvovirus (CPV) in the U.S. in the late 1970s, for example, would probably testify to the efficacy of vaccination in reducing the incidence of this disease.5–7 There also is compelling evidence showing the reduction of both canine and human rabies cases due to vaccination programs aimed at dogs.8–12 And similar to smallpox, the veterinary disease rinderpest was eradicated largely due to the use of an effective vaccine.13 Vaccines and autism Despite the evident success of vaccination in reducing morbidity and mortality, there has always been controversy about the practice.14 The introduction of widespread vaccination in children was initially met with resistance and legal challenges. There was fear about the safety of vaccines, as well as resistance rooted in …
AAFP releases educational toolkit for feline diabetesMay 22, 2019Managing and treating feline diabetes mellitus can be complicated, which is why the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) is releasing a Diabetes Educational Toolkit. A digital information source, the online toolkit provides veterinarians with the most relevant diagnostic and treatment information for diabetes mellitus, which is not always easy to diagnose. Further, veterinary professionals can access and gather information quickly via navigation tabs. Users can move directly to information focusing on diagnosis, treatment, remission strategy, troubleshooting, frequently asked questions, and client resources. According to AAFP, cats with diabetes mellitus require a customized treatment plan, including frequent reassessment and adjustments. The association notes that patient goals, finances, implementation of the treatment plan, and the patient's response are all aspects of effective treatment. "We are excited to release this digital resource to the veterinary community in hopes we can help veterinary professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of their diabetic feline patients through providing easy-to-access information that can be implemented for each cat," says Apryl Steele, DVM, president of AAFP's board of directors. "The purpose is to create more informed veterinary teams, as well as cat caregivers. This Diabetes Educational Toolkit is intended to be an on-the-ground tool for veterinary professionals …
Homemade cat food diets low on nutrientsMay 8, 2019Most homemade cat food recipes are unlikely to provide essential nutrients and some may even contain potentially toxic ingredients. Those are the results of a study by researchers at the University of California (UC), Davis who looked at 114 recipes from online sources and books written by non-veterinarians and veterinarians. While recipes authored by veterinarians had fewer deficiencies, the study found they were still lacking nutrients. Of the all the recipes studied, 40 percent did not provide feeding instructions and the rest lacked detail or were unclear. "Only 94 recipes provided enough information for computer nutritional analysis and of those, none of them provided all the essential nutrients to meet the National Research Council's (NRC's) recommended allowances for adult cats," says lead author, Jennifer Larsen, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine veterinary nutritionist. In addition, the study found many of the homemade cat food was lacking concentrations of three or more nutrients, with some missing up to 19 essential nutrients. Further, many recipes provided less than 50 percent of the recommend allowances of several essential nutrients, including choline, iron, zinc, thiamin, vitamin E, and manganese. The study revealed seven percent of the recipes included ingredients that are potentially toxic …
Declawing cats may soon be illegal in New YorkMay 3, 2019Legislation is currently moving through New York's state assembly in an effort to ban the declawing of cats. Declawing is already banned in several cities in California, as well as many countries around the world, including Switzerland, Israel, and the U.K. If Bill A01303 is passed, it would make New York the first state to ban the practice. "Claws play an important role in various aspects of cats' lives. They use their nails to assist in climbing and maintaining balance, to help them fully stretch, to relieve stress through kneading, and to escape danger," reads a state assembly memorandum memo. The memo goes on to say, "When the claws are removed, the animal tends to shift its gait and where it places most of its weight, causing strain on its leg joints and spine, which can lead to early onset arthritis and prolonged back and joint pain." Should the bill pass, anyone who performs an onychectomy, a partial/complete phlangectomy, or a tendonectomy procedure on a cat faces a fine of up to $1,000. Declawing will be permitted when it is necessary for therapeutic purposes, including: an existing or recurring illness; infection; disease; injury; or an abnormal condition in the …
IDEXX CEO launches wild cat conservation foundationApril 23, 2019IDEXX's chief executive officer, Jonathan Ayers, and his wife, Helaine, have created a foundation to support the funding of global wild cat species conservation initiatives and organizations. "We lionize cats such as jaguars, leopards, and cheetahs in popular culture, yet felid species in the wild are threatened with declining populations and, in time, extinction," Ayers says. "We need to do more to preserve their populations in their natural habitat." "Helaine and I believe in the importance of dedicated species conservation efforts, and we hope our foundation will help to support the vitality of wild cats, their natural habitats, and the professionals dedicated to them in a meaningful way for years to come." The Ayers Wild Cat Conservation Trust will focus on 33 species of small cats, as they currently only receive a small fraction of all wild cat conservation funding. A lot of these wild cats are endangered or vulnerable with declining populations, including the clouded leopard, the black-footed cat, the sand cat, and the fishing cat. Funds will be given to initiatives such as the Panthera Small Cats Program, which the Ayers family helped establish. The program is dedicated to the conservation of the world's 40 wild cat …
