NEW PRODUCTS
A Double Threat Against Fleas & Ticks
March 2012—Virbac Animal Health (virbacvet.com) has two new parasiticides available—EFFITIX Topical Solution for Dogs, which kills and repels ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes, and EFFIPRO Topical Solution for Cats, which provides tick and flea protection. EFFITIX, a unique combination of fipronil and permethrin that has dual action (kills and repels) against parasites, has been shown to kill more than 90% of ticks within 6 hours and 99.6% of fleas within 12 hours of treatment. It also starts to repel ticks within 10 minutes of application. EFFIPRO, a fipronil-based product, has been shown to control fleas up to 4 weeks and kills ticks up to 30 days. For more information or to order, contact Virbac at 800.338.3659.
Keeping Track of Pets One “Tagg” at a Time
March 2012—Snaptracs, Inc, has introduced Tagg–The Pet Tracker (pettracker.com). This tracking system uses advanced GPS tracking technology that allows pet owners to see where their dogs are and receive a notification (text or email) if the pet wanders out of the area (“geofence”) designated by the owner. The lightweight tracker attaches to the dog’s collar and can be worn at all times, even while swimming. The user friendly system can be set up through a computer and the website provides support and allows owners to manage their own accounts. The product retails for $99.95 and the monthly service fee is $7.95 (the first month is free). There is also a Tagg product available for cats (pettracker.com/pet-gps/gps-cat-tracking).
If you’re interested in sharing information on Tagg–The Pet Tracker with your clients or retailing the product in your clinic, visit pettracker.com/contact-us and select Brochure Requests or Veterinary/Animal Hospital, respectively. Interested in viewing videos about the Tagg device? Go to youtube.com/taggthepettracker.
Practice Management Software on the Move
January 2012—ImproMed, LLC (impromed.com), has added the ImproMed Slate Tablet PC to its extensive line of medical management hardware and software. The Slate Tablet PC allows users to carry and access their Infinity Practice Management Software anywhere they go, on a lightweight tablet. This product can also capture electronic signatures and allow charges for procedures to be entered as they are performed, expediting the examination process for clients and veterinary professionals. The Slate Tablet PC features a built-in camera and speakers as well as Bluetooth and Wifi connectivity. For more information, visit impromed.com/slate-tablet-pc.
Honey for Advanced Wound Healing
January 2012—Links Medical Products, Inc (linksmed.com) has introduced their new medical-grade Manuka honey dressings to help manage and treat animal wounds and burns and to speed healing. Extensive research demonstrates that medical-grade Manuka honey (only available from New Zealand) offers bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties to promote accelerated wound healing, while its high osmotic activity maintains a moist wound healing environment and helps clean and debride wounds. These wound care dressings can be ordered by calling 888.425.1149 or emailing info@linksmed.com.
The Number 12: Promoting Heartworm Disease Prevention
March 2012—The 12.12.12 Campaign, launched by Merial (merial.com) and supported by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA, aahanet.org), is an industry-wide call to action for the veterinary professional to make 2012 the year in which more dogs are protected against heartworm disease. The campaign also encourages pet owners to consult their veterinarians about using heartworm preventive year-round.
Despite the decline in visits in many veterinary clinics, the decline in heartworm products dispensed is greater. Research shows that 64% of dogs leave the veterinary clinic without a single dose of heartworm preventive and only 15% of patients receive 12 doses of preventive per year. The current industry guidelines from AAHA, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Heartworm Society, and Companion Animal Parasite Council all recommend administering one dose of heartworm preventive each month.
What 12.12.12 Means…
The 12.12.12 program has 3 goals:
- Increase the number of dogs protected against heartworm disease by 12%.
- Administer 12 doses (year-round protection) of heartworm preventive to patients.
- Complete the previous 2 goals in 2012.
When you break goal #1 down, the 12% increase (which counts dogs not currently on heartworm prevention) equals administering year-round heartworm prevention to:
- 12 dogs per month per full-time veterinarian or
- 3 dogs per week per full-time veterinarian.
Taking the 12.12.12 Pledge
Clinics that would like to participate in the 12.12.12 campaign can sign up at join121212.com. Individual veterinarians can also join the program and commit to the goal of placing 12 additional patients per month on year-round heartworm disease prevention.
So far, more than 3000 veterinary professionals and clinics have taken the pledge. Merial will recognize and reward the practices that demonstrate the highest level of commitment to the 12.12.12 standards through a national, multitiered sweepstakes. This sweepstakes is open to clinics throughout the country that have taken the 12% pledge, measured their progress, and shared their success. Winners will be announced December 12, 2012.
Utilizing the 12.12.12 Tools
The 12.12.12 campaign has multiple tools available to veterinary professionals that take the pledge:
- Monthly Emails: Emails will be sent on the 12th of each month that contain tips and information that clinics can use to educate the clinic staff and pet owners about heartworm disease and prevention. Clinics can encourage pet owners to use Merial’s available email reminders and smartphone apps that remind owners to administer monthly heartworm prevention.
- Quarterly Materials: Clinics that join the 12.12.12 movement will also receive quarterly shipments of educational tools for in-clinic staff and pet owner education and rewards to promote staff involvement for supporting the clinic’s goal of increasing heartworm disease prevention.
- CLIENT CONNECTION Plus: This program helps identify clients who are not following dosing recommendations and sends them customized mailings with valuable offers.
- Parasite Counselor Program: Developed in partnership with AAHA, this web-based course will be introduced in early 2012 and educate veterinary staff about heartworms, empowering them to take an active role in advising pet owners about common issues with heartworm disease prevention.
- Webinar/Video Series: This series by AAHA will focus on ways practice teams can have the most productive conversations with clients about heartworm and parasite prevention.
- Articles: Articles and inserts dedicated to the topic of heartworm disease prevention will be included in AAHA’s Trends magazine.
- Pet Owner Resources: Articles and videos on heartworm prevention will be available at AAHA’s HealthyPet.com, providing a valuable and trusted resource for pet owners.
Measuring the Success of 12.12.12
Clinics in the 12.12.12 program will be provided with graphical “thermometer” posters that allows practices to display the total number of wellness visits per month and the total number of 12-pack heartworm preventives prescribed, displaying the percentage of canine patients that leave with a year-round supply of heartworm preventive.
In addition to the posters, data can be extracted from existing practice management software to enable clinics to measure the number of dogs prescribed heartworm preventives as well as the number of doses they receive over the course of a year.
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc (idexx.com), through its CORNERSTONE software, is collaborating with AAHA to conduct a pilot study in select AAHA-accredited hospitals on process changes that measure the impact on heartworm testing and prevention.
Summing It Up
“We developed the 12.12.12 campaign to support veterinary professionals in their role as advocates for heartworm prevention and overall pet health. The campaign will also help pet owners understand why year-round heartworm disease prevention is so important, to foster agreement between the pet owner and the veterinary practice that their pet needs a year-round heartworm preventive,” says Dr. Michael Murray, technical marketing director of U.S. Parasiticides at Merial. “By having specific, achievable targets for increasing the number of dogs that receive year-round heartworm disease prevention, the veterinary practice can create their specific plan of action to reach their goal.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Veterinary Clinical Pathology Technicians Take Center Stage
March 2012—The Academy of Veterinary Clinical Pathology Technicians (AVCPT) is the most recent specialized veterinary technician group to receive provisional approval by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA, navta.net). The AVCPT’s mission statement “is to advance the area of and promote excellence in the discipline of veterinary clinical pathology. The veterinary technician specialist (VTS) will demonstrate superior knowledge and performance of clinical pathology techniques, which will promote improved client service and confidence as well as enhanced patient care. The AVCPT will further the recognition of credentialed specialty technicians as leaders in the profession of veterinary clinical pathology.” For more information, contact the AVCPT by email, avcpt.vts@gmail.com.
Investing in the Future: 331 Students Receive Scholarships
March 2012—For the third consecutive year, Pfizer Animal Health (pfizerAH.com) and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (avmf.org) continue their ongoing commitment to invest in the future of the veterinary profession, announcing the recipients of this year’s student scholarship program. Pfizer awarded $2500 each (total, $827,500) to 331 second- and third-year veterinary students at accredited universities through the U.S. and the Caribbean. Students were chosen based on several criteria, including academic excellence, professional interests, financial need, diversity, leadership, and potential for contribution to the veterinary profession. To view a list of the scholarship recipients, visit Pfizer’s website.
National Observances: March & April
March
• Poison Prevention Awareness Month
• ASPCA’s Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
• Poison Prevention Week, March 18–24
• National Puppy Day, March 23
April
• ASPCA’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
• American Red Cross’ National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
• Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month
• National Heartworm Awareness Month
• National Ferret Day, April 2
• National Pet ID Week, April 17–23
• World Veterinary Day, April 28
• International Guide Dog Day, April 29
• National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, April 30
• Hairball Awareness Day, April 30
Courtesy American Veterinary Medical Association
(avma.org/press/animalhealth/wellness_calendar.asp)