New Survey Highlights Value of Veterinary Technicians
Recognizing the value of veterinary technicians, the HEARTGARD Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) team recently conducted a survey to explore the state of the industry. Results showed that almost all veterinarians feel veterinary technicians are knowledgeable about preventive pet health (98%) and capable with regard to patient care (99%). The survey also explored in-clinic heartworm disease discussion and education. Less than 10% of veterinary professionals said dog owners are “very knowledgeable” about heartworm disease, and more than half said the dog owners who visit their clinic do not usually ask about heartworm prevention before the clinicians bring it up. However, according to the survey, once dog owners are educated about heartworm disease and the need for prevention, nearly all of them (98%) are compliant with prevention recommendations.
■ Learn more at HeartgardClinic.com/infographic.
Dechra Launches New Mousses
Dechra Veterinary Products has now added its 2 most popular formulas, MiconaHex+Triz and TrizCHLOR 4, in easy-to-use mousses. The mousses are available in 7.1–fluid ounce pump dispensers. MiconaHex+Triz Mousse has 2% chlorhexidine, 2% miconazole, TrizEDTA, and Dechra’s ceramide complex. TrizCHLOR 4 has 4% chlorhexidine and TrizEDTA. Both contain no alcohol, so they are nonirritating to ulcerated or abraded skin. They are labeled for dogs, cats, and horses.
■ Contact your Dechra representative or distributor representative for further details on availability.
Grant Advances Clinical Trials at OSU College of Veterinary Medicine
June 2017 marked the first year anniversary of the Blue Buffalo Veterinary Clinical Trials Office (BBVCTO). In 2016, Blue Buffalo announced a $6 million gift to advance clinical trials at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The gift supports initiatives at the BBVCTO to conduct research to enhance medical knowledge and improve patient care for both animals and humans. The research studies focus on the development of new treatments for cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. Pet owners work with veterinary researchers during the trials with the ultimate goal of finding new therapies and diagnostic tests that will improve animal and human health.
■ For more information, visit vet.osu.edu/vmc/cto.
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AAFP Announces New Client Brochures
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has just released 2 new client brochures: “How Do I Know if my Cat is in Pain?” and “Degenerative Joint Disease.” These brochures provide valuable and reliable information for cat caregivers on topics that affect the quality of life of their cats. The AAFP had thanked Zoetis and Boehringer Ingleheim for their sponsorship of these brochures and their commitment to improve the lives of cats through client education. The brochures can be downloaded at www.catvets.com/guidelines/client-brochures.
■ For more information on the AAFP, visit www.catvets.com.
WSAVA Congress Update
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Congress will explore healthy breeding and other aspects of small animal practice from September 25 through 28, 2017, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Healthy breeding has been selected as a focus topic by the local host, the Danish Small Animal Veterinary Association, in light of growing concerns about the risks of inherited conditions and the welfare issues they raise for companion animals. A lecture stream covering genetic testing, genetic counseling, and other topics is included in the Scientific Program, and the World Congress will also offer a roundtable discussion on brachycephalic syndrome, hosted jointly by the WSAVA and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA).
■ Learn more at wsava2017.com.
Meritorious Service Award Announced
Professor Bojan Zorko from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, will receive the 2017 WSAVA Award for Meritorious Service in recognition of the role he has played in developing the veterinary profession in Slovenia. Zorko is a specialist in canine and feline medicine and professor of veterinary radiology at the University of Ljubljana. He is also Director of the International Veterinary Radiology Association for Central and Eastern Europe.
■ Learn more about Zorko and the award at org/article/recipient-2017-wsava-meritorious-service-award-announced.
Heartworm Removed from Cat’s Femoral Artery
Veterinarians from the University of California, Davis recently removed a heartworm from a cat’s femoral artery. After an initial evaluation at a local veterinary emergency room in Berkeley, Stormie, a 4-year-old female Siamese, was brought to specialists at the UC Davis veterinary hospital. Cardiologist Dr. Catherine Gunther-Harrington and Dr. Ingrid Balsa of the Soft Tissue Surgery Service, assisted by cardiology resident Dr. Maureen Oldach, successfully removed a 13-centimeter heartworm from Stormie’s right femoral artery without breaking it. The artery was repaired, and the doctors decided that amputation was not necessary. Removal of a heartworm via the femoral artery is extremely rare in veterinary medicine and has been reported on only a few occasions in dogs, but never in cats.
■ Learn more about the case at ucdavis.edu/whatsnew/article.cfm?id=3884.
