Weekly companion animal news: September 20, 2021

Veterinary Emergency Group eliminates non-competes

Veterinary Emergency Group, a network of emergency hospitals, announced it would eliminate non-competes for all doctors, as well as offer shareholder opportunities and assistance with student loan debt. According to VEG, the announcement of eliminating non-competes “is the first of its kind.” Non-competes are common in employee contracts for veterinarians and make it difficult to switch jobs, according to the announcement. “Non-compete agreements have absolutely nothing to do with preventing competition and everything to do with restricting job choice,” said David Glattstein, VEG’s president and co-founder. “While there is pending legislation nationally and across some states about eliminating non-competes, we’re not ready to wait. Non-competes should be gone today.” VEG’s student loan assistance for employees will start at $2,000 a year.

Midmark acquires Shor-Line

Midmark has acquired Shor-Line, a 74-year-old manufacturer of animal cages and veterinary tables, Today’s Veterinary Business reports. Terms weren’t disclosed. Shor-Line, which is headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas, and is officially named Schroer Manufacturing Co., also specializes in scales, surgery tables, anesthesia machines and lights. According to Midmark, Shor-Line has “a long history of customer service, innovation and high-quality equipment.” Midmark acquired Mason Co., a maker of kennel systems and grooming tables, in 2019.

New York emergency care center names its first ‘chief veterinary technician’

The New York City-based Animal Medical Center, a nonprofit emergency and specialty care hospital, has named its first “chief veterinary technician.” According to AMC, it’s “one of only a handful” of animal hospitals in the country with this role. Jaclyn Mavros, a licensed veterinary technician, has been appointed to the position. According to the announcement, Mavros “will ensure compliance with patient care safety standards, foster the professional growth of LVTs and Veterinary Assistants, manage and assess quality improvement of patient care across all services, and assist in strategic planning for the hospital’s future growth plans.” Mavros will be part of AMC’s senior management team, joining the chief medical officer and the chief clinical officer in the Office of Medical Affairs.

Mars offers CE learning resources on patient safety

In honor of World Patient Safety Day on September 17, Mars Veterinary Health is making several patient safety resources available for free to the entire veterinary profession, with the opportunity to earn continuing education credits. The resources were originally developed as an internal training and development resource for Mars associates. Topics covered include patient safety culture and the “second-victim” concept; the importance of continuous improvement in health care; and how to learn from errors. The resources are available at marsveterinary.com.

85% of pet dementia cases go undiagnosed, veterinary practice group says

Early detection of pet dementia is crucial, a U.K.-based veterinary practice group says, cautioning that one in four elderly dogs and one in three cats will develop dementia. The group, Vets4Pets, said 85% of pet dementia cases go undiagnosed. The condition isn’t always easy to detect at a pet’s yearly health check because of its slow onset, said Dr. Huw Stacey, an animal behaviorist and director of clinical services at Vets4Pets. But noticing changes in behavior early means pet owners can take action sooner, like changing the pet’s diet and the way the owner interacts with them in order to slow the progress of the condition. Vets4Pets has dementia symptom checker tools for dog and cat owners on its website. The BBC reports.

Virtual ‘Vet Symposium’ will focus on technology, well-being and more

Royal Canin will hold a virtual Vet Symposium on September 28-29 featuring discussions and seminars focusing on issues such as health technology, telemedicine, dermatology and practitioner well-being. Royal Canin says more than 10,000 veterinary professionals and animal health care leaders from 100 countries are expected to attend. More information is available from Royal Canin.

Legislation would require label on foods containing sugar substitute

The AVMA has endorsed a congressional bill known as the Paws Off Act of 2021, which would require foods containing the sugar substitute xylitol to include a warning label specifying its toxic effects. Xylitol is highly poisonous to pets, especially dogs. It’s used in products like sugar-free gum and breath mints, sugar-free desserts, cough drops and other household items. According to the AVMA, xylitol is frequently not listed on ingredient labels, making it difficult for pet owners to know what products are dangerous for their pets. Xylitol poisoning calls have increased more than 3,000% in recent years, from 201 in 2005 to 6,760 in 2018, the AVMA said, citing the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ animal poison control center.

IVC Evidensia, the world’s second-largest veterinary clinic owner, moves into North America with acquisition of VetStrategy

U.K.-based IVC Evidensia, the world’s second-largest owner of veterinary clinics, is moving into North America with the acquisition of Canada-based veterinary practice group VetStrategy. This brings IVC Evidensia closer in size to Mars, the largest owner of veterinary practices globally. IVC Evidensia’s shareholders include Nestle, which holds a minority stake. Boston-based private equity firm Berkshire Partners acquired a majority stake of VetStrategy in 2020 and will roll its investment into the larger IVC Evidensia, the VIN News Service reports.

Pet Supplies Plus offers prescription medications and foods

Pet Supplies Plus is now offering prescription pet medications and prescription food. The new products will be available online through a partnership with home pharmaceutical delivery company Vetsource. Prescription orders placed online are routed to the pet’s veterinarian for electronic processing through Vetsource. The new offerings include Hill’s Prescription Diet, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, flea and tick treatments, heartworm medications and more, according to the announcement. They include brand-name and generic options.