News, cutting-edge trends, best practices, and products for companion animal veterinary professionals.
Zoetis Honors 2015 Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Technician
Zoetis honored the 2015 recipients of the Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Technician Awards at the annual American Humane Association (AHA) Hero Dog Awards gala held on September 19 in Beverly Hills, California. Annette Sysel, DVM, MS, of the Bauer Research Foundation received the AHA Hero Veterinarian Award, and Julie Carlson, CVT, of Vets for Vets’ Pets received the AHA Hero Veterinary Technician Award. Learn more about Dr. Sysel and Ms. Carlson at herovetawards.org/2015-winners.php.
Zoetis Receives a Conditional License From USDA for Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic
Zoetis, Inc announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted the company a conditional license for Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic, an antibody therapy to help reduce clinical signs associated with atopic dermatitis in dogs. The therapy contains an antibody that specifically targets and neutralizes interleukin-31 (IL-31), a key protein that is responsible for sending the itch signal to the brain. This new therapy will be available in a ready-to-use, sterile liquid administered as a once-monthly subcutaneous injection. Zoetis will make Canine Atopic Dermatitis Immunotherapeutic available primarily to veterinary dermatology specialists late in 2015. For more information, visit zoetis.com.
The ASPCA Acquires Humane Alliance Spay/Neuter Service and Training
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) announced it has acquired Humane Alliance (HA), the nation’s leading training and education organization focused on high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter. As a result of this acquisition, HA will expand its capacity for veterinary students, practitioners, and spay/neuter clinic staff trained nationwide. For more information, please visit ASPCA.org.
Elanco Expands Surgical and Pain Portfolio in Veterinary Market
Elanco Animal Health announced it has reached an exclusive agreement to market a leading line of 300 veterinary sutures made by Ethicon, Inc. In addition, Elanco has announced that it is stepping up its veterinary education programs on pain management and surgery by scheduling scientific symposia at veterinary meetings. Since the acquisition of Novartis Animal Health’s analgesic line, Elanco’s pain and surgical portfolio now includes the following: Deramaxx (deracoxib), Onsior (robenacoxib), Recuvyra (fentanyl), Adequan Canine (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), VETSPON absorbable hemostatic gelatin sponges, and Ethicon suture products. For more information, visit elanco.com.
Duralactin Brand Announces Two Additions for Management of Canine and Feline Inflammation
Veterinary Products Laboratories (VPL) has announced the launch of two additions to the Duralactin brand portfolio: Duralactin Feline + Fatty Acids Soft Chews, which help manage inflammation in cats and support healthy skin, and newly reformulated Duralactin Canine Joint Plus Soft Chews, which help manage inflammation while maintaining healthy joints and cartilage. Duralactin brand products contain an exclusive ingredient called microlactin that has been shown to help manage inflammation by inhibiting neutrophil migration during the inflammatory process. These products come in various flavored presentations, like soft chews, pastes, and tablets for dogs and cats and pellets for horses. For more information about Duralactin products, call 1-888-241-9545 or visit duralactin.com.
Banfield Foundation Launched With Inaugural Grant of $200,000
The Banfield Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has launched with an inaugural $200,000 commitment over three years to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), in support of its Our Oath in Action initiative. AVMF is the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the Our Oath in Action program connects members of the veterinary profession with volunteer opportunities in their communities. As of the launch, the Banfield Foundation will initially focus on growing two specific programs—Pet Advocacy and Veterinary Assistance grants. Learn more about the Banfield Foundation at BanfieldFoundation.org.
Purina Launches Critical Care Diet for Dogs and Cats
Purina Pro Plan has recently launched Veterinary Diets CN Critical Nutrition Canine and Feline Formula. This critical care diet, which is ideal for syringe or tube feeding, is formulated for dogs and cats that are critically ill, anorectic, or recovering from surgery. The new diet is also formulated to be palatable to help ensure adequate nutrient intake. The feeding guide for the CN diets offers feeding levels for hospitalized patients as well as patients requiring a maintenance diet. In addition, the diet can be top-dressed on other food as the patient is transitioned back to its normal diet. For more information, visit purinaveterinarydiets.com.
Arbor Day Foundation Offers Trees for Pets Program
The Arbor Day Foundation’s Trees for Pets program is offering veterinarians the opportunity to plant a tree in memory or honor of a pet patient. Trees are planted in national forests affected by wildfire or disease. Currently, the organization has over 800 animal professional offices using the Trees for Pets program across the U.S., and these supporters have planted over 110,000 trees to help with reforestation in national forests. For more information, visit animalpro.arborday.org.
Bayer Introduces New Single-Dose Treatment for Canine Otitis Externa
Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health has announced the approval of Claro (15.0 mg/mL florfenicol, 13.3 mg/mL terbinafine, 2.0 mg/mL mometasone furoate) Otic Solution, the first single-dose therapy proven to effectively treat susceptible strains of common pathogens found in canine otitis externa. Claro is a clear liquid solution featuring a fixed combination of antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory ingredients that requires only one veterinarian-administered treatment, eliminating veterinarian uncertainty about pet owner compliance and sparing pet owners the frustrations of in-home application and multiple treatment visits. More information is available at healthcare.bayer.com.
IDEXX Breakthrough Kidney Function Test SDMA Added to Iris Staging Guidelines
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc has announced that the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) has added symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) to their chronic kidney disease (CKD) staging guidelines. Since the SDMA test became commercially available from IDEXX in July, more than 12,000 clinics have submitted over one million blood samples to IDEXX Reference Laboratories for SDMA testing. Results from these tests show that SDMA has helped veterinarians detect early-stage kidney disease in more than 90,000 cats and dogs when their creatinine values were still normal. The SDMA test is now automatically included in all routine chemistry panels from IDEXX Reference Laboratories at no additional cost. The IRIS CKD Staging Guidelines can be found at iris-kidney.com/guidelines.
PetCure Oncology Changes Landscape for Pets With Prostate Cancer
PetCure Oncology is taking the lead in providing an advanced form of radiation therapy—Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)—that is now available to the veterinary community. Already proven successful in human medicine, SRS delivers high doses of radiation with sub-millimeter precision in a noninvasive, nonsurgical manner. In addition to treating the patient with the intent to cure, SRS requires only 1 to 5 treatment sessions as opposed to 15 to 30 with conventional radiation therapy, while minimizing both the risk and the side effects commonly associated with conventional treatment. Pets with prostate cancer usually survive just weeks to months once they have been diagnosed. For afflicted pets and their families, this new treatment may provide an option that will improve outcomes. To learn more or obtain a referral to PetCure Oncology, visit PetCureOncology.com.