Weekly companion animal news: October 5, 2020

Elanco to restructure, eliminate 900 positions

Elanco Animal Health says it will restructure its business, eliminating more than 900 jobs following its $6.89 billion acquisition of Bayer Animal Health. The cuts will take place worldwide, affecting employees in sales and marketing, research and development, manufacturing and quality control, and back-office support. The job cuts will cost at least $170 million in severance payments, but Elanco will save much more in the long term. “After our early view of the combined business, we have full confidence in delivering $275 million to $300 million in synergies, with the first two-thirds coming in the first 30 months,” said Jeff Simmons, Elanco’s president and CEO. “Today’s actions will reduce duplication and increase efficiency within our global footprint, while the team builds longer-term plans around procurement savings, SKU optimization and streamlining manufacturing processes.” Fellow NAVC publication Today’s Veterinary Business reports.

Valuing veterinary technicians in practice

Many veterinary practices remain inadequately staffed in the veterinary technician department. The challenge of retaining technicians was the focus of a session during this year’s AVMA Convention. Practice leaders can make sure they’re valuing their technicians by defining a team structure and distinguishing between credentialed technicians and veterinary assistants, said Kenichiro Yagi, president of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. The first step, Yagi said, is for practice leaders to complete an assessment gauging how the practice is using technicians, by separating the tasks performed by veterinarians and those performed by technicians. Low utilization can cause problems like increased turnover and lower morale. More information is available from the AVMA.

AVMA announces new retirement plan for veterinarians

The AVMA announced a new retirement plan for its members, which the association says features competitive investments, outstanding service and greatly reduced plan maintenance. The new AVMA Trust Retirement Plan, available to practice owners and self-employed veterinarians beginning October 1, is offered through Transamerica, in partnership with TAG Resources and Envestnet Retirement Solutions. According to a recent AVMA Trust survey, 40% of independent practice owners do not currently offer a retirement plan to their employees, and those that do often have limited options.

Merck becomes VHMA Gold Business Alliance Partner

The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association announced that Merck Animal Health is becoming a Gold Business Alliance Partner of the association. “Merck Animal Health’s dedication to the health and well-being of animals has earned it a reputation as a leader in veterinary medicine, and we are excited for Merck to share its innovative products and services with VHMA member practices,” said VHMA executive director Christine Shupe.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health participates in national rabies vaccine program

Boehringer Ingelheim is working with governments, universities and airplane pilots to deliver an oral rabies vaccine via airplane drops. The USDA-led initiative is the largest coordinated effort to control rabies in the United States, fellow NAVC publication Today’s Veterinary Practice reports. Wild animals account for nearly 93% of reported U.S. rabies cases. In the vaccination program, small waterproof bags of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Raboral V-RG vaccine are hidden in wax-covered sachets—like the catsup packets found at fast-food restaurants—covered in fishmeal coating, the smell of which attracts raccoons and other wildlife. When a raccoon bites through the bait, it punctures the packet and gets a liquid rabies vaccine in its mouth. “The liquid actually goes into the oral cavity and is taken up by the tonsils and initiates an immune response in the tonsils,” said Dr. Joanne Maki, technical director of the North America Veterinary Public Health group at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. “After several days, it becomes a systemic immune response.”

Hallmarq updates MRI unit for small animals

Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging, whose products include a standing MRI machine for horses, has released a second-generation MRI system for large-breed dogs and other small animals. The unit comes with five coils, including a 1-meter-long V-shaped spine coil and bed, to assist with the imaging of large-breed dogs. “This coil fits closely to the pet’s shape, providing a 20% better signal than a flatbed made for humans,” the company said. Illinois-based Hallmarq installed the new system in a Chattanooga, Tennessee, veterinary hospital, Today’s Veterinary Business reports.

Nearly half of pet owners have been in debt for their pet, survey shows

Forty-seven percent of pet owners have gone into debt for their pet, up from 36% in 2019, according to a new survey from LendingTree. The financial services company surveyed 1,378 pet owners. Results showed that a third of pet owners said their pet-related spending has increased during the pandemic. Sixty-two percent were surprised by how much it costs to own a pet, and 59% said they were caught off guard by an unexpected medical expense. And cat owners reported the same level of financial burden as dog owners.

Cat imitates human in first scientific demonstration of behavior

A Japanese cat has been shown by researchers to imitate the actions of her owner under controlled scientific conditions. The ability has only been seen in a handful of creatures, and the finding could suggest imitation arose relatively early in mammal evolution, Science magazine reports. “People think of cats as solitary and antisocial,” said Kristyn Vitale, a cat cognition researcher and animal behaviorist at Unity College. “But this study reinforces the idea that they’re watching us and learning from us.” The cat, named Ebisu, was able to copy actions like using her paw and face to touch a box after her owner did. Ebisu accurately copied her owner more than 81% of the time in research trials.