Legislation Requiring Veterinarians to Write Prescriptions
July 25, 2011–HR 1406, the Fairness to Pet Owners Act of 2011, would require all veterinarians to write a prescription at the time of prescribing a medication, regardless of whether or not the veterinarian would also be dispensing the product to his or her client. Veterinarians would also be required to provide a written disclosure that the pet owner may fill the prescription through the clinic or another pharmacy. AVMA feels that this legislation is unnecessary and redundant since AVMA policy already encourages veterinarians to write a prescription in lieu of dispensing when asked by a client, which allows pet owners the ability to have the prescription filled at the pharmacy of their choice. Visit avmacan.avma.org/avma/issues/alert/?alertid=51102516 for further information and to contact your U.S. house representatives regarding this legislature.
AVMA Future Leaders Announced
July 16, 2011–The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has launched its new Future Leaders Program by announcing 10 veterinarians who will take part in the program during its inaugural year. This program, created by AVMA with support from Pfizer Animal Health, will develop volunteer leaders for the AVMA and other veterinary organizations, with the goal of helping participants develop leadership and problem-solving skills related to organized veterinary medicine. The 10 participants were selected from more than 70 nominees and include Drs. Melissa Austin-Gundel, Abigail Bowers, Dustin Brown, Erin Casey, John Feutz, Christoper Gargamelli, Micah Kohles, Shannon Mesenhowski, Elizabeth Nunamaker, and Libby Todd.
Preventive Partnership Established
July 18, 2011–An alliance of professional veterinary associations and leaders in the animal health industry announced the establishment of the Partnership for Preventive Pet Healthcare. This partnership has been specifically created to address the decline in pets’ health due to an increase in preventable health conditions and a decrease in the number of pet visits to veterinarians, despite a growing pet population. A task force assembled by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and AVMA has developed preventive health care guidelines for dogs and cats; these guidelines will be published in each associations’ journals (JAVMA and JAAHA) in early fall. In addition, the partnership has introduced the first phase of its website, PetHealthPartnership.org.
Inaugural Meeting of Senior Care Society
July 18, 2011–The International Veterinary Senior Care Society (IVSCS) has been created to educate veterinarians, animal health care providers, and the general public about the medical and behavioral care of senior animals. This inaugural meeting was held to elect a board of directors, approve bylaws, and develop a mission statement. Future action items include establishing a society website, determining educational strategies, and organizing meetings for directors and society members. The board of directors is:
- David Bruyette, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM
- David Merrick
- Bernadine Cruz, DVM
- Fred Metzger, DVM, Diplomate ABVP
- Julie Legred, CVT
- Marsha Reich, DVM, Diplomate ACVB
- Heidi Lobprise, DVM, Diplomate AVDC
- Ernie Ward, DVM
- Heather Lynch, LVT
Society membership is open to all people focused on promoting senior care. Virbac Animal Health is assisting with development of the society but is inviting other companies to provide support as well.
New Addition to Frontline Family
Merial (merial.com) has launched Certifect, a new topical flea and tick control product for dogs that provides rapid and sustained tick-killing ability, detaches ticks from pre-existing infestations, kills adult fleas quickly, and prevents development of all stages of fleas. This product, a combination of fipronil and amitraz, begins killing ticks within 6 hours of application, kills 100% of ticks within 18 hours, and provides tick-killing efficacy for 1 month. Certifect is approved for use in puppies older than 8 weeks (and > 5 lb) and in breeding, pregnant, and lactating dogs. While it is not approved for use in cats, no adverse affects were noted in cats that shared homes with treated dogs. For further information, visit certifect.com.
Extended Shelf Life for Propofol
Abbot Animal Health (abbott.com) has introduced PropoFlo 28, a version of propofol that has a shelf life of 28 days once it has been opened. This extended shelf life makes it an option for clinics that may not routinely use an entire bottle of PropoFlo within 6 hours after it is opened, which is the maximum shelf life of that product. PropoFlo 28 is indicated for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia by intermittent injections or constant rate infusion and for induction where maintenance is provided by inhalant anesthetics. In addition to an extended shelf life, PropoFlo 28 provides smooth, rapid inductions and recoveries; does not produce local tissue reaction with perivascular administration; and is not cumulative with repeat injections. For further information, visit Abbott’s website.
Hypoallergenic Feline Diet for Diagnosis & Management
Nestle Purina PetCare (purina.com) has announced the availability of their newest Purina Veterinary Diet, HA Hypoallergenic Feline Formula. This new diet is formulated for cats with gastrointestinal (GI) and/or dermatological food allergy clinical signs and can be used during elimination diet trials to help identify cats with food allergies. It can also be used for cats with challenging GI conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease. The formula contains hydrolyzed protein and a low-allergen carbohydrate source and is easy to digest. To learn more about this product as well as its companion product, HA Hypoallergenic Canine Formula, visit PurinaVeterinaryDiets.com.
Comprehensive Selection of IV Solutions
Abbott Animal Health (abbott.com) now provides the largest portfolio of veterinary IV crystalloid solutions, ranging in size from 250 mL to 5 liters. These new veterinary solutions join Abbott’s selection of veterinary-labeled fluid therapy products, which also include peripheral catheters and IV sets. Abbott provides customer support through comprehensive in-clinic training, RACE-accredited online education, and expert technical support. For further information, visit Abbot’s website.
Perception Gaps Between Veterinarians & Pet Owners
July 18, 2011–A joint study conducted by Bayer HealthCare LLC (bayerhealthcare.com), Brakke Consulting (brakkeconsulting.com), and the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (ncvei.org) confirmed that there is a gap in knowledge between pet owners and veterinarians when it comes to providing long-term health care for companion animals. The Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study found that 95% of veterinarians surveyed believe that pets require at least 1 wellness examinations annually and 72% felt that these examinations are the most important service they provide. However, pet owners felt differently, that regular veterinary examinations were not vital to the ongoing health of their pets. The study has identified 7 ways to help increase pet owner visits:
- Track visits and follow-up on data.
- Market your practice, especially through social media.
- Have clients and pets see the same veterinarian at each visit.
- Communicate to clients why regular examinations are important.
- Consider new pricing policies, such as annual wellness plans paid for monthly.
- Make your practice a cat-friendly environment.
- Make your practice user-friendly; for example, schedule patient’s next appointment at current visit.
For further information on this study, go to ncvei.org/articles/BVCUSIndustryPresentation AVMA.pdf.