New Mosquito Control Guidelines
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has issued its first-ever set of guidelines on mosquito control. The guidelines recommend an “Integrated Pest Management (IPM)” strategy, which employs the use of EPA-registered repellents/insecticides on pet and humans, minimizing exposure and altering the environment to discourage mosquito growth development. The guidelines emphasize that repelling and killing the vector should be a part of the strategy to protect canines, and several products are available for use on dogs to repel and kill mosquitos for an entire month, including some that are labeled to control other ectoparasites as well.
■ Learn more at capcvet.org/guidelines/mosquitoes.
Bi Declares 2017 The Year Of The Small Dog
Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), maker of METACAM (meloxicam), has announced a campaign to raise awareness that small-breed dogs are as at risk for osteoarthritis (OA) as larger dogs. BI will provide veterinary practices with educational materials to help their teams learn more and to prompt conversations about OA in small dogs with their clients. Canine OA is often associated with larger breeds because of the well-known challenges bigger dogs often face with joint function and discomfort. However, small-breed dogs can also suffer from joint disease for a variety of reasons, including obesity, luxating patellas, trauma, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, or normal wear and tear causing cartilage damage.
■ For more information about the campaign and METACAM, visit metacam.com.
Campaign materials include downloadable dog owner booklets and pain medication guides.
AFSCAN Announces 2017 Research And Studentship Awards
The African Small Companion Animal Network (AFSCAN) has announced the recipients of the 2017 AFSCAN Research and Studentship Awards. The awards, now in their second year, aim to promote small animal clinical research relevant to the African continent and to facilitate the training and development of veterinary students and academics working in Africa.
The AFSCAN Research Awards offer academics working at a veterinary school in Africa the opportunity to secure a grant to fund a locally relevant clinical research project of their devising and to be partnered with a research laboratory overseas. These 2 projects have been selected for funding:
- Hezron Nonga from the College of Veterinary and Medical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania, has received funding for a 2-year project titled “Safeguarding Public Health through Control of Zoonotic Parasites of Dogs.” This award is being supported by Zoetis and the Petplan Charitable Trust.
- Olusegun A. Fagbohun from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, has received funding for a 2-year project titled “Molecular Epidemiology of Rabies Virus in Dogs in Nigeria.” This award is being supported by the Swiss Association for Small Animal Medicine.
The AFSCAN Studentship Awards enable an African undergraduate veterinary student to spend 6 to 8 weeks participating in a research project related to disease or the welfare of companion animals of relevance to African society. These 3 awards have been made this year:
- Veterinary student Esther Ombura from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, will be working on a project titled “Antimicrobial Resistance in Dogs.”
- Veterinary student Victor Ishengoma from the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania, will be working on a project titled “Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumour in Tanzania: People’s Awareness and Disease Occurrence in Selected Villages in Morogoro.”
- Veterinary student Lois Sanni from the Federal University of Agriculture, Ogun State, Nigeria, will be working on a project titled “Evaluation of Lipid Peroxidation and Plasma Antioxidant in Arthritic and Non-arthritic Dogs.”
■ Learn more at wsava.org/article/driving-veterinary-learning-africa-2017-research-and-studentship-awards-announced-afscan.
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New Heartworm Incidence Survey
The American Heart Society (AHS) has announced its latest survey data, along with unveiling a new heartworm incidence map based on data from veterinary practices and shelters across the country. Numbers reported by participants in the 2016 AHS Incidence Survey indicate that the average number of positive cases per veterinary clinic has been inching upward. The average number of dogs diagnosed per clinic in 2016 rose by 21.7 percent over 2013 numbers.
The AHS revealed the top 5 states in heartworm incidence were Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Tennessee—all states that have been in the top tier since the AHS began tracking incidence data in 2001. Rounding out the top 10 states were South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Florida.
■ You can learn more at heartwormsociety.org, and an online treatment app is available at heartwormtoolkit.com.
Latest On WSAVA Ketamine Campaign
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has stated that “ketamine is an essential medicine” and that it has particular value for spay and castration initiatives. Last year, WSAVA began a campaign after learning about efforts by some countries to put the drug under international scheduling, which could put access to it at risk in many parts of the world.
WSAVA’s campaign to promote the importance of ketamine included an online petition signed by more than 14,000 individuals (primarily veterinarians) from around the world. Thanks to those efforts, the accessibility of ketamine is not likely to be discussed by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs during 2017.
■ To learn more and view the infographic highlighting the importance of ketamine, visit wsava.org/article/wsava-ketamine-campaign-–-update.
First-Ever Airport Veterinary Hospital Opens at JFK
On June 8, history was made at JFK when Compassion-First Pet Hospitals opened AirHeart Pet Hospital at New York’s iconic airport. The hospital is located inside the ARK at JFK, “the world’s first privately owned, 24-hour animal terminal and airport quarantine center.” AirHeart Pet Hospital’s mission is to provide crucial medical care for animals making their way through and living around JFK.
As you may have guessed, “AirHeart” is inspired by groundbreaking aviator Amelia Earhart. The hospital hopes to pay homage to the historic figure by becoming a pioneer in its own work, as the first “distinctly branded, ground-up hospital with the sole purpose to serve…veterinary medical needs in an airport setting.”
John Payne, CEO of Compassion-First Pet Hospitals, confirmed his belief in this purpose-driven project, saying, “With more than two million pets and other live animals being transported annually in the U.S., veterinary medical care is critically needed. We strongly believe this will be a model to carry forward to other airports across the country and perhaps across the globe.”
Lauren Jordon, DVM of AirHeart, added, “Because of our location, we will face some of the most interesting medical challenges, so we have ensured our state-of-the-art facility and the professional staff are fully equipped to meet any issue that comes our way.”
AirHeart cut no costs in its efforts to provide first-class veterinary care to JFK patrons. The hospital is fully staffed with 5 veterinarians, 13 licensed veterinary technicians, and 13 veterinary assistants. The facility in which they work is state-of-the-art, including 6 exam rooms, two isolation wards, two operating rooms, a treatment room, a radiology suite, a special procedures suite, a pharmacy, and a lab area.
Initially, AirHeart will be open Monday through Saturday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, with hours expected to be extended beginning on July 31st to 8:00 am to midnight Monday through Saturday and on Sundays from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
■ For more information, visit airheartpets.com.
The AirHeart Pet Hospital team includes (from left to right) Rajkumumar Ramadhin, VA; Margaret McLaughlin, Hospital Director; Amanda Kempa, LVT; Dr. Stephanie Austin; Deborah Bascombe, LVT; and Dr. Lauren Jordon.