Companion News for April 2

The American Pet Products Association is forecasting a 4.8 percent increase in spending on veterinary care in 2019, largely because of millennial pet owners, according to Today’s Veterinary Business. The trade group’s annual pet industry spending breakdown found that clients spent $18.11 billion on veterinary care in 2018, a rise of 6.1 percent over the previous year. The total is expected to hit $18.98 billion in 2019. Overall spending in the U.S. pet industry is estimated to top $75 billion in 2019, a record high and a year-over-year increase of 3.9 percent.

Animal health industry veteran Paul Hays joins Vets Plus

Vets Plus, Inc., the Wisconsin-based nutraceutical manufacturer, has announced that Paul Hays has joined its senior management team. Mr. Hays, most recently President and CEO of Virbac US, joins Vets Plus as Chief Commercial Officer and will lead sales, marketing and commercial development activities for all Vets Plus brands and for the company’s Noble Pharma manufacturing division. Mr. Hays led Virbac’s North American operations from 2012 through 2018 where he accelerated its growth through key product acquisitions, sales force expansion and by revamping its production facility. Prior to Virbac, Mr. Hays served as President & CEO of Synbiotics Corporation where he was responsible for the re-organization and turnaround of the veterinary diagnostics company and orchestrated the sale of the company to Pfizer Animal Health in 2010. He continued with the enterprise as Pfizer’s Vice President of Global Diagnostics until 2012. These roles were preceded by 10 years in executive roles at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, serving successively as VP-US Sales & Marketing, VP-Global Swine Business, VP-Global Area Management & Marketing and EVP-US Business Operations.

WSAVA names 2019 animal welfare award winner

An American veterinarian, board-certified in both animal welfare and behavior, has been announced as the recipient of this year’s World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Award for Companion Animal Welfare. Dr. Melissa Bain is a professor of Clinical Animal Behavior at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in the United States, where her research interests include enrichment for confined cats, owner attachment issues and stress in shelter animals. She is to receive the Award in recognition of the significant contribution she has made to animal welfare through integrating the field of human-animal interactions with veterinary clinical behavior. In addition to her clinical, teaching, and research duties as Professor of Clinical Animal Behavior, she is Director of Professional Student Clinical Education. In this role she mentors veterinary students and residents, ensuring that the next generation of veterinarians is equipped with the expertise to further advance companion animal welfare globally.

Patterson acquires UK-based veterinary practice management solution

Patterson Companies, Inc. announced the company has agreed to acquire VetIT, a cloud-based veterinary practice management solution based in the United Kingdom. The new acquisition will fall under National Veterinary Services (NVS), a subsidiary of Patterson, according to a release. Patterson is focused on building its value-added model in the veterinary market by increasing the company’s service offerings, as well as its equipment and technical service strategy, to capture market share as veterinarians expand their practice capabilities to meet heightened pet owner expectations. In acquiring VetIT, Patterson will be able to support more customers in the United Kingdom, and utilize technology tools from the United States to increase market share.

Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists finalizes recovery from Hurricane Harvey, opens state-of-the-art hospital

Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists (GCVS) announced the opening of its new, state-of-the-art hospital, after its former hospital was destroyed in Hurricane Harvey. In its new location, GCVS is now one of the largest veterinary specialty hospitals in Texas, according to a release. Each year, GCVS treats more than 50,000 patients, from dogs and cats to exotic animals such as birds and reptiles. GCVS was the focus of two seasons of Nat Geo WILD’s Animal ER, which aired worldwide in 2016–17. The new 50,292-square-foot hospital, located at the intersection of I-10 and Chimney Rock/Wirt Rd., will bring together 14 departments and over 50 veterinarians, including 30 board-certified specialists, and more than 200 support staff under one roof.

Pathway Vet Alliances looking to hire over 175 veterinarians

Pathway Vet Alliance announced the company is now looking to hire over 175 veterinarians across the company’s network of veterinary hospitals. In addition to the doctor openings, Pathway is seeking well-qualified candidates for hundreds of new support positions, the majority of which are focused on clinical roles at hospital locations, including managers, support staff and more. Pathway is also continuing to hire new team members at their main support office in Austin to accommodate for the current growth and expected 2019 expansion.

Dr. René Carlson, former president of AVMA and WVA, dies

Dr. René Carlson, who served as president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA), has died, the AVMA announced. “René was an exceptional leader and voice for our profession,” said Dr. John de Jong, president of the AVMA. “She had been incredibly strong these past few years as she battled her illness and fought with the optimism and dignity that we will always remember her for. Personally, I will always remember her positive energy, her humility and her love of her husband, the AVMA and the profession.” In addition to serving as AVMA president from 2011-2012, Dr. Carlson took on several other leadership roles at the AVMA as a member of the AVMA House of Delegates, the AVMA Council on Education, and as AVMA vice president. She also served as the AVMA director of international affairs and as chair of the association’s Committee on International Veterinary Affairs.

More than 300 veterinary students awarded through Zoetis Scholarship Program

Zoetis and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) announced the awarding of $630,000 in scholarship funds to 315 second- and third-year veterinary students at 33 colleges of veterinary medicine through the Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship Program for 2019. Each scholarship award is valued at $2,000. The announcement was made at the 2019 Student American Veterinary Medical Association Symposium in Athens, Georgia. Now in its tenth academic year, the Program has awarded $6.7 million, helping to offset education expenses for more than 3,300 veterinary students.

Congratulations to Ulcergard and Gastrogard Training Winners

Boehringer Ingelheim would like to thank all distributors who participated in training on Ulcergard and Gastrogard. By completing this training segment the first 55 distributor sales reps won a Bluetooth Speaker with the Gastrogard logo. Boehringer Ingelheim will be handling fulfillment for all winners.

Congratulations to all the winners. Click here to see the list of winners for the Boehringer Ingelheim Ulcergard and Gastrogard training.