News, cutting-edge trends, best practices, and products for companion animal veterinary professionals.
Petplan Awards
Thousands of veterinary professionals were nominated, but only six were named “top dog” at the 2015 Petplan Veterinary Awards Dinner. Pet insurance provider Petplan hosted the fourth annual black tie gala this past January at Orlando’s Four Seasons, in tandem with the NAVC Conference. These awards honor those who provide exceptional service to pets, clients, and communities. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2016 awards. Nominate an exceptional individual or practice and learn more about this year’s winners by visiting GoPetplan.com/VetAwards.
Receptionist of the Year (New in 2015!) — Bob Gauthier, Red Mountain Animal Hospital, Mesa, AZ
Practice of the Year — Coral Springs Animal Hospital, Coral Springs, FL
Veterinarian of the Year — Dr. Tracey Jensen, Wellington Veterinary Clinic PC, Wellington, CO
Veterinary Technician of the Year — Monique Feyrecilde, Mercer Island Veterinary Clinic, Mercer Island, WA
Practice Manager of the Year — Gretchen Dillon-Sauer, South Carolina Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care, Columbia, SC
Pet Parent of the Year (New in 2015!) — Lindsay Condefer, Founder, Tails Animal Rescue, Philadelphia, PA
TalkingVet Releases Website Dedicated to Medical Voice Recognition
TalkingVet, a division of Business Technology Insight, LLC, now provides training for veterinarians. Their voice recognition software creates voice-generated text 4 to 5 times faster than manual typing (with 99% accuracy) and allows most navigation functions to be completed using simple voice commands. The software further includes a vast database of animal specific terms and ensures that the veterinarian’s notes are comprehensive, providing added legal protection. The technology is compatible with all major veterinary electronic medical record systems and includes the full technical support of Talking Vet and Business Technology Insight, starting with the initial review of the individual veterinarian’s requirements. For more information visit talkingvet.com or call 877-776-1276.
VetFolio and LifeLearn Announce Collaboration
LifeLearn, Inc, a company devoted to mobilizing knowledge in the animal health industry, and VetFolio, a subscription-based platform of professional development resources for veterinary professionals, have collaborated to make VetFolio educational content available through the LifeLearn Sofie cognitive computing application. Presented as a joint partnership between the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), VetFolio contains a vast amount of clinical and professional development information, such as RACE-approved continuing education sessions, NAVC Conference proceedings, clinical studies, moderated discussion forums, and industry news.
Using natural language rather than key search terms, veterinarians simply type a question for Sofie, and in mere seconds the program scans hundreds of thousands of pages of VetFolio content to return relevant, objective, and evidence- based treatment options. In addition, VetFolio will provide Sofie subscribers with recommendations for additional educational resources contained within VetFolio as well as access to experts within the VetFolio community.
Recently, the LifeLearn Sofie application received two Everyday Health Awards for Innovation at the Digital Health Summit during the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including the Pet Health and Audience Choice Awards. For more information on their collaboration with Vetfolio, visit sofie.lifelearn.com.
New IDEXX Test Detects Kidney Disease Earlier Than Standard Screening Technologies
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc is introducing a kidney function test that identifies SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine). This new renal biomarker identifies the onset of kidney disease months, or even years, earlier than traditional methods, greatly expanding treatment options. IDEXX plans to include the SDMA kidney test in all routine reference laboratory chemistry profiles at no additional cost and with the same rapid turnaround time. This will enable veterinarians to diagnose kidney disease earlier, including during routine preventive care testing, when kidney function is still at a level that allows effective intervention and disease management. To learn more about the technology and treatment protocols, visit idexx.com/sdma.
Itchology App for iPhone Helps Pet Owners Care for Itchy Dogs
Pet Health Apps, a software developer for pet health monitoring, has announced the release of Itchology for iPhone. Itchology helps owners of itchy dogs track and make sense of their dogs’ itchiness, a common canine health problem that leads to ongoing veterinary care. Because allergic dermatitis in dogs can be influenced by changes in weather and pollen levels, Itchology imports and charts temperature, humidity, and pollen forecasts for a user’s geographic location. The data collected with Itchology can be shared with a veterinarian through the app. For more information visit itchology.com.
Putney Launches Carprofen Chewable Tablets
Putney, Inc, which focuses on the development and sale of generic prescription medicines for pets, has announced the launch of its FDA-approved Putney Carprofen Chewable Tablets. With this product approval, Putney is the only company with FDA approved generics of all three dosage forms of carprofen products, which includes chewable tablets, sterile injectable solution, and caplets. According to Putney’s analysis of data, the number of carprofen caplet units sold through veterinarians increased threefold as generic carprofen caplets gained market share, indicating more pets were treated when veterinarians had an affordable generic option. For more information about Putney products, visit putneyvet.com.
Nutramax Laboratories Introduces Dasuquin Advanced for Joint Health
Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Sciences, Inc has introduced DASUQUIN ADVANCED Joint Health Supplement for Dogs, which builds on the avocado/ soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate combination in DASUQUIN. The enhanced formula of DASUQUIN ADVANCED adds Boswellia serrata extract (containing acetyl-11-keto-boswellic acid [AKBA]), NMXCC95 Curcumin longa extract (containing curcuminoids), and alpha-lipoic acid to the product. DASUQUIN ADVANCED is available in chewable tablets in Small to Medium Dog and Large Dog strengths, which veterinarians can dispense by the week, month, or other desired period of time to meet each client’s needs. For more information, visit dasuquinadvanced.com or call customer service at 888-886-6442.
Zoetis Launches New Witness FeLV-FIV Combination Test
Zoetis has announced the availability nationwide of the new combination WITNESS FeLV-FIV Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) Antigen and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Antibody Test Kit. The new test offers veterinarians an accurate and cost-effective point-of-care option that requires no refrigeration or snapping. The WITNESS FeLV-FIV Test Kit uses Rapid Immuno Migration (RIM) technology to detect the presence of FeLV antigen and FIV antibodies, providing results in approximately 10 minutes. Also, veterinarians don’t need to wait for it to come to room temperature to use. For more information visit zoetisus. com/simplysmarterchoice or contact Zoetis customer service at 1-888-ZOETIS-1.
Zoetis Announces New Program to Benefit Retired Military and Police Dogs
Zoetis has launched the RIMADYL K-9 Courage Program to provide veterinary medical support for retired military and police dogs. The program will help with annual health care costs for as many as 500 dogs, with each recipient receiving $300 on a debit card annually to be used for services offered at their veterinary clinic, such as wellness exams, vaccinations, or grooming. Zoetis has joined with The Sage Foundation for Dogs Who Serve and the National Police Dog Foundation to help spread the news about the RIMADYL K-9 Courage Program and verify applicants. For more information about how to apply for the RIMADYL K-9 Courage Program or help these special dogs, visit rimadylk9courage.com.