Innovation
Founder of Veterinary Generic Medicine Company Recognized
Goldman Sachs selected Jean Hoffman, founder and CEO of Putney, to attend their first Builders & Innovators Summit honoring the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in America. The Builders & Innovators Summit brought together a diverse group of innovators dedicated to economic growth and job creation in America. The selection recognizes her success in building a company that is fulfilling an unmet market need for generic medicines for pets. Putney was founded by Jean Hoffman in 2006 with a vision to become the leading provider of high quality, bioequivalent and specialty drugs supporting the U.S. veterinary community. For additional information, visit putneyvet.com.
New Product
Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent for Veterinary Clinics
Alpha Tech Pet’s latest innovation, SoapBerries Laundry Detergent, is 100% natural, hypoallergenic, and biodegradable. Each reusable packet cleans 4 to 6 loads of laundry; leaves no residues like typical detergents; and is free of dyes, fragrances, and artificial colors. Each box washes over 120 loads with no need for additional stain removers or fabric softeners. Veterinary endorsed as pet friendly, SoapBerries Laundry Detergent is also a natural solution for pets with dermatological concerns. Visit alphatechpet.com/soapberries-2boxescase.aspx or call 800-222-5537.
Announcements
Dr. Ford W. Bell Keynote Speaker at 2013 ACVIM Forum
Ford W. Bell, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology), will deliver the keynote address, “From Prostate Cancer to Museums: A Veterinary Journey” at the 2013 ACVIM Forum, June 12 to 15, in Seattle, Washington. Located in the heart of downtown Seattle, this conference provides the most current information and research available on the five ACVIM specialties: cardiology, large animal internal medicine, neurology, oncology, and small animal internal medicine. Grow your expertise, network, and earn CE credits — all at one meeting. Register online today at www.ACVIMForum.org and save with early bird pricing.
Power of 12: Year-Round Heartworm Prevention Program
Merial is expanding efforts to encourage year-round heartworm prevention with the Power of 12—a new long-term program to support veterinary professionals and increase the number of dogs receiving monthly doses of heartworm preventives. Veterinarians and clinic staff who participate in the Power of 12 program will be provided with a suite of new resources, including a comprehensive clinic action plan, tools to set goals and measure progress, and access to in-person consultations with trained support staff.
The Power of 12 will serve as a call to action for the veterinary profession to keep up the momentum of last year’s 12.12.12 Campaign, which encouraged veterinarians to have an additional 12 conversations per month with clients about heartworm disease to spur a 12% increase in the number of pets receiving 12 doses of heartworm prevention.
Last year, more than 11,000 veterinary professionals and nearly 8500 practices participated in the 12.12.12 Campaign, which resulted in an additional 400,000 dogs receiving year-round heartworm prevention when compared to the previous year. Despite this progress, however, millions of dogs in the U.S. still do not receive monthly heartworm preventives. The Power of 12 will help increase the number of protected dogs and continue to facilitate “critical conversations” between veterinarians and pet owners that emphasize the serious threat of heartworm disease to canine and feline health and the importance of prevention.
Individuals and practices that participated in 12.12.12 will be automatically registered for the Power of 12 program. New clinics can sign up at joinpowerof12.com.
Virbac Donates $10,000 to Service Dog Non-Profit
As part of its continued dedication to service dogs, Virbac Animal Health (virbacvet.com) donated $10,000 to New Horizons Service Dogs (newhorizonsservice dogs.org), a nonprofit organization that partners trained dogs with the disabled, mostly in the area of wheelchair and mobility assistance. The donation was funded by a collaboration of corporate goodwill and a promotion that donated one dollar from each promotional bag of C.E.T. VeggieDent Chews that were sold September through November 2012. The funds will assist with training of service dogs and general company operations..
Bayer-AAFP Study on Cat Care & Practice Growth
A new study by Bayer HealthCare LLC Animal Health Division (bayer-ah.com) in collaboration with the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) (catvets.com) and Brakke Consulting (brakkeconsulting.com) reveals that 78% of veterinarians believe that better care for cats represents one of the most significant, missed opportunities for the profession. Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study III: Feline Findings also found that 46% of clinics are taking steps to increase visits among feline patients, attract more cat owners, and make their practice more “friendly” to cats. The Bayer-AAFP partnership aims to foster greater awareness and adoption of the AAFP’s “Cat Friendly Practice” program. For further information, visit catfriendlypractice.catvets.com.
PRACTICE RESOURCES
Social Media Tools for Veterinarians
The Greenies Brand, makers of vet-recommended dental chews and treats, are launching a veterinary portal on Facebook. The portal is designed to help veterinarians navigate the expanding world of social media, providing easy-to-use tools to connect clients to their practices. Through the portal, veterinarians will gain access to a CE-accredited webinar presented by a social media expert, customizable social media posts, and downloadable client resources. As more pet owners go online for information regarding their pet’s health, an active digital presence becomes more important for veterinarians. To learn more about the portal, visit facebook.com/greenies.
New Products
Flea & Tick Control Collar Lasts 8 Months
Bayer HealthCare has introduced Seresto, an easy-to-use flea and tick control collar as an alternative to topical treatments. The sustained release technology combines 2 effective active ingredients, imidacloprid and flumethrin. The collar, which lasts 8 months, helps increase client compliance. It kills ticks on dogs or cats within 48 hours and repels and kills reinfesting ticks in as quickly as 6 hours. Fleas are killed within 24 hours on dogs and cats and reinfesting fleas within 2 hours. For more information, visit bayerdvm.com.
Prescription Diet for Pet Weight Loss
Hill’s Pet Nutrition is now distributing Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution pet food for dogs and cats. Validated by a veterinarian-supervised, blinded feeding trial with 314 client-owned dogs and cats, the study was uniquely designed to determine if pets would lose weight even if their owners didn’t know they were participating in a weight loss study. The pets lost an average of 0.7% of initial body weight per week, a rate of weekly weight loss comparable to rigorously managed weight loss programs. In addition, to help veterinary health care teams start the weight conversation, Hill’s offers Healthy Weight Protocol, a new approach to more accurately diagnose and manage pet weight problems. For more information visit HillsVet.com/Metabolic; the new Hill’s Healthy Weight Protocol tools can be accessed at HWP.HillsVet.com.
Probiotic Supplement Effective Against Common Canine GI Issue
Purina’s FortiFlora is the first veterinary probiotic supplement indicated for canine flatulence. A study conducted by Nestlé Purina PetCare demonstrates efficacy in reducing both the number of flatulence events and the amount of hydrogen sulfide that gives canine gas its distinctive odor. “As a result of the Purina study, we now know FortiFlora is effective in helping manage dogs with flatulence. This provides a unique opportunity for veterinarians to proactively ask dog owners about the condition and offer an effective recommendation,” explained Grace Long, DVM, MS, MBA, Director, Veterinary Technical Marketing, Nestlé Purina PetCare. For more information, contact your Nestlé Purina Sales Consultant or call 800-222-VETS (8387).
Announcements
Pfizer Animal Health Grants $120,000 to ACVIM Foundation
The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Foundation received a grant of $120,000 from Pfizer Animal Health (animalhealth.pfizer.com) to establish a fellowship fund for inflammation, infectious disease, and immunology research. “This new strategic partnership with Pfizer Animal Health provides funding that will go a long way toward advanced research of diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of disease in animals being conducted by ACVIM Diplomates,” said Paige Heydon, Director, ACVIM Foundation. Grant proposals will close February 20, 2013, and will be awarded by March 15, 2013. For more information, visit ACVIMFoundation.org.
Community Veterinary Partners
Community Veterinary Partners added 6 new veterinary hospitals to its partnership family in 2012, and now co-owns and manages 9 hospitals within 150 miles of Philadelphia. CVP works with veterinarian owners who want to run the medical side of their practices, but want help with administrative and team management tasks. CVP creates a long-term
strategy and develops sustainable methods for veterinary practices, while taking care of business and management tasks for the practice. “Having a group like Community Veterinary Partners to handle the daily tasks of financial management, allows me to practice the type of veterinary medicine that I want to the best of my ability,” said Dr. Pomerantz, who recently partnered with CVP. “CVP is helping streamline the inefficiencies in my practice so that more resources will be available for clients, patients and staff.” For additional information, visit cvpco.com.
New Products
New ULTRA Duramune 1/2 ML Vaccine Line
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI), has announced the launch of ULTRA Duramune, a new 1/2 mL canine vaccine line with 50% less volume per dose. The first of its kind, the ULTRA Duramune line offers disease protection, patient comfort, and safety, through innovative improvements to the vaccine manufacturing process. Manufactured with PureFil Technology, the improved purification processes and tighter manufacturing profiles result in more serial-to-serial consistency. In addition, PureFil Technology is designed to reduce vaccine reactions associated with extraneous proteins and cellular debris. ULTRA Duramune will be available in core and non-core combinations, many of which are newly formulated to better align with current AAHA vaccine guidelines. For more information on the ULTRA Duramune vaccine lines, please visit biviultraduramune.com.
Blood Glucose Monitoring System For Veterinary & Home Use
Links Medical Products, Inc (LMP) Animal Health Group, a leader in the manufacturing and marketing of innovative products, announced the introduction of a new Pet Gluco blood glucose monitoring system. Calibrated specifically for dogs and cats, Pet Gluco is a fast, easy-to-use, affordable way to monitor diabetic pets. It features a large display where test results are visible within 5 seconds after insertion of the test strip and a quick-eject button for easy disposal of strips. For more information, visit lmpanimalhealth.com, call 888-425-1149, or email info@lmpanimalhealth.com
Announcement
Veterinary Products Partnership
Dechra Veterinary Products U.S. has entered into a long-term agreement with ArthroDynamic Technologies to exclusively sell, market, and distribute A-Cyst Sterile Solution, Polyglycan-SA (small animal) Solution, and Polychews Supplement in the U.S. A-Cyst is a patented device designed for temporary replenishment of the glycosaminoglycan layer in the bladder for feline idiopathic cystitis. Polyglycan-SA is a patented device for the post-surgical lavage of joints to assist in the normalization of the joint following arthrotomy and arthroscopy. Polychews Supplements are a soft daily-use oral supplement designed to meet the unique needs of aging and geriatric dogs. For more information, please visit dechra-us.com or call 866-933-2472.
