Kindred Biosciences joins AAEP educational partnersSeptember 4, 2018Kindred Biosciences Inc. has joined the American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) Educational Partner Program. Educational Partners provide resources and education through the AAEP to equine veterinarians and horse owners to improve animal health and welfare. "KindredBio's partnership with the AAEP brings together two organizations that share a passion for improving equine wellness," said Denise Bevers, co-founder and COO. "Our company is focused on addressing the numerous unmet medical needs that equine veterinarians encounter daily. In addition, many of us at KindredBio are horse owners, so we understand there is no better equine partner than the AAEP." At the upcoming AAEP convention in San Francisco, the company will be the Health and Wellness Initiative sponsor, will underwrite a Sunrise Session, and will have a large presence in the exhibit hall. The company focuses on drug development for cats, dogs, and horses. Equine products in development include a product for control of pyrexia (fever) in horses, which is currently under review by the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. The company becomes the 11th equine health corporation in the AAEP's Educational Partnership Program. The 10 other AAEP Educational Partners are Boehringer Ingelheim, Cargill, Dechra Veterinary …
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Veterinary practice trends webinar highlights further industry consolidationAugust 17, 2018In just five years, 25 percent of veterinary practices, accounting for half of all veterinary visits, will be corporately owned, according to Brakke Consulting. During a webinar presented at the end of June, "Hot Topics in Veterinary Practice," Brakke senior consultant John Volk said myriad variables were contributing to the trend: looming mass veterinarian retirement, fewer vets wanting to own practices, low interest rates and high interest for investors, and more. The webinar also discussed the largest veterinary consolidators; Banfield Pet Hospital and VCA lead the way with nearly 2,000 practices; National Veterinary Associates counts more than 400 clinics, and VetCor has more than 200. Something corporate outfits can offer that consumers want is the convenience of pet health plans, which allow pet owners to pay in regular installments, increase clinic visits and revenue, improve patient care, attract new clients, and build a bond between the practice and the client. To counteract corporate sales, Volk said associates should work with a current owner, partner with others, and focus on one- and two-doctor practices. Other sectors of the profession mimic the consolidation trend. The top five animal drug manufacturers, Bayer Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco Animal Health, …
Merck, AVMF announce 2018 Veterinary Student Innovation AwardsJune 25, 2018Merck Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) have announced the winners of the 2018 Veterinary Student Innovation Awards, a new award program designed to recognize graduating seniors at each veterinary school accredited through the American Veterinary Medical Association in the U.S. and Canada. Awards were given to students in good academic standing and who have demonstrated innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity in developing a project or product that inspires others within the veterinary profession. "At Merck Animal Health, we believe in the science of healthier animals," said Scott Bormann, Merck's North America vice president. "Part of what drives that science is the identification of new challenges and the development of initiatives to address them in our ever-changing industry. We're excited to partner with the AVMF to support these inspiring students." "We are pleased to recognize and support these outstanding veterinary students," said Jan K. Strother, DVM, chair, AVMF board of directors. "Not only have these students displayed entrepreneurial spirit, initiative and creativity, but they are also making a positive difference in their communities and in our veterinary profession." Award recipients include: Carolyn Benedetto, Louisiana State University Amanda Carlson, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine Meredith Chamberlain, University of Prince Edward Island Caitlin Conner, Texas …
Merck updates Prestige equine influenza vaccine lineMay 17, 2018Merck Animal Health announced it has added new influenza-containing vaccines for horses to its Prestige line of vaccines. "For the past 10 years, we've been monitoring influenza, along with other common infectious upper respiratory diseases, through the Merck Animal Health Biosurveillance Program—a partnership with the University of California, Davis," said D. Craig Barnett, DVM, director of equine veterinary professional services for Merck. "It was through this program that we identified and isolated a new highly infectious and relevant equine influenza strain from the 2013 Ocala, Fla., influenza outbreak that impacted a large number of horses from all over the world. This strain is now part of our updated line of influenza-containing killed virus vaccines and represents a current, clinically significant strain responsible for a large influenza outbreak in well-vaccinated horses." The vaccines include Florida '13 of the clade 1 family and Richmond '07 of the clade 2 family, meeting current World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) guidelines for clade 1 and clade 2 strains. The clade 1 family of equine influenza primarily circulates in the U.S., while clade 2 predominantly circulates in Europe. "While we have not had any …
Merck announces inaugural Dog Flu Prevention WeekApril 18, 2018Merck Animal Health announced it has created Dog Flu Prevention Week, to be held during the third week of April annually (this year April 16-22), as a reminder to pet owners to protect their social dogs, either for the first time or for revaccination. Thousands of cases of dog flu have been confirmed across the country in the past year, and Dog Flu Prevention Week is being launched to recognize the anniversary of the discovery of the newest strain—H3N2—the party responsible for most cases. Dog Flu Prevention Week will kick off the discussion around vaccine-preventable diseases in conjunction with World Animal Vaccination Day, which is April 20. "All dogs that are social and interact with other dogs are at risk for dog flu, but the good news is that dog flu is vaccine preventable," said Kathryn Primm, DVM, co-author of the Pet Parent's Guide to Infectious Disease of Dogs. "Dogs can be protected against both strains of dog flu with a single vaccine, which is given as two doses, two to four weeks apart." Social dogs that are frequently in contact with other dogs at places like dog parks, dog day care and grooming facilities, and boarding kennels are at an increased …
Merck, AVMF award $280K in scholarships to 56 veterinary studentsMarch 22, 2018Fifty six veterinary students from around the world have received scholarships from Merck Animal Health, in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Through the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program, select second-and third-year students pursuing careers in companion animal or large animal medicine each will receive a $5,000 scholarship (totaling $280,000) to support their educational endeavors. "We know that the cost of veterinary education can be a challenge but want to encourage talented students to pursue their dreams," said Scott Bormann, vice president, North America, Merck Animal Health. "We're honored to support these recipients, as the work they do throughout their careers will have an important impact on the animal health industry, helping to advance the well-being of both companion and large animals." The AVMF, the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, has supported veterinary students for more than five decades. "The AVMF helps ensure the future of veterinary medicine by recognizing and supporting outstanding students," said Jan K. Strother, DVM, chair, AVMF board. "We are honored to partner with Merck Animal Health in providing these scholarship opportunities." Award recipients from U.S. and international veterinary schools …
Heroes for Healthy Pets helps veterinary clinics maintain disease-free facilitiesMarch 7, 2018At the 90th annual Western Veterinary Conference, Clorox Healthcare and Merck Animal Health, in coordination with the International Boarding and Pet Services Association, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, Pet Sitters International, VETgirl, and Barkleigh Productions, announced the launch of the Heroes for Healthy Pets Infectious Disease Management Certification Program to educate veterinary and pet professionals on the risks of infectious diseases. The program provides best practices for preventative care, including strategic vaccination and cleaning and disinfection protocols to help maintain disease-free facilities and keep pets healthy. "The Heroes for Healthy Pets certification program provides essential support to the veterinary and pet professional community to help keep pets healthy," said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP (Emeritus), CEO of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). "The program is complementary on VetFolio and provides professionals an excellent opportunity to better understand infectious diseases and preventative care." The certification program consists of two free educational modules taught by three veterinary experts in infectious disease: Understanding Infectious Diseases led by Jason Stull, DVM, Ph.D., and Michelle Evason, DVM, DACVIM, and Effective Infectious Disease Control led by Melissa Bourgeois, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM. "Dogs that are social or visit pet …
Veterinarians are mentally well but experience poor well-beingFebruary 17, 2018Veterinarians as a group don't experience psychological distress at significantly higher rates than the general population, according to a new mental health and well-being study by Brakke Consulting and Merck Animal Health. The Merck Animal Health Wellbeing Study, designed to definitively quantify the prevalence of mental illness and stress in the veterinary profession, compared findings to previous studies and to the U.S. population in general. The survey, which polled 3,540 American Veterinary Medical Association members (from a random sample of 20,000), is the first to measure well-being of such a large veterinary sample using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, which is widely used in assessing psychological distress among general and clinical populations. "This survey is unique in that, for the first time, a nationally representative sample of veterinarians in the U.S. were asked about their well-being, which is a broader measure of happiness and life satisfaction than mental health alone," said study investigator Linda Lord, Ph.D., DVM, academic and allied industry liaison lead for Merck Animal Health. One big takeaway is that 5 percent, or 1 in 20, of veterinarians struggle with serious psychological distress (roughly that of the employed general population). "The …
Merck increases Veterinary Student Scholarship Program fundingNovember 16, 2017 Merck Animal Health (MAH) has announced an increase of $115,000 in funding for its Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. The program will provide $300,000 in scholarships to outstanding second- and third-year veterinary students in the 2017-18 academic year. This increased funding will support an additional 22 scholarships for students focusing on companion animals in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. The MAH Veterinary Student Scholarship was established in 2013 in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Scholarship recipients are selected annually based on academic excellence, financial need, leadership, and area of interest within the profession. MAH provided $185,000 to the scholarship program in the 2016-17 academic year. "These students are our future visionaries and will become the leaders of the veterinary profession," said Norman Stewart, DVM, livestock technical services manager for MAH. "Through this program, we are reinforcing our long-standing commitment to education, personal development, and the science of healthier animals. It also allows us to help support the cost of veterinary education, as well as recognize and celebrate the next generation of leaders." The AVMF, the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, has supported …
Diabetes PetCare Alliance program terms expandedSeptember 7, 2017For four years running, Merck Animal Health, Purina, and Zoetis have partnered via the Diabetes PetCare Alliance to help veterinary practices diagnose new canine and feline diabetes cases and jump-start disease management. Now, the collective has lifted the previous enrollment cap of 1,000 clinics, meaning there's no limit to the number of veterinary practices that can enroll in the annual educational program, and the program enrollment period has been extended from one month to two. Veterinarians participating in the program, which is timed to prepare veterinary practices for Pet Diabetes Month in November, diagnosed an estimated 300 pets with diabetes in 2016. Veterinarians who enroll gain access to tools and resources related to diabetes awareness and screening. In addition, clients whose pets are diagnosed during the program period receive a free disease management kit from participating clinics. The kits include the following: One AlphaTRAK 2 Blood Glucose Monitoring System from Zoetis One 6-pound bag of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets DM Dietetic Management Feline Formula for cats or Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Fiber Balance Dry Formula for dogs One 10 mL vial of Vetsulin …
