StemCell Therapy

PARSIPPANY, N.J. & WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) today announced the acquisition of Ethos Diagnostic Science, a veterinary reference lab business dedicated to serving leading specialty animal hospitals, the greater veterinary community and researchers with accurate, reliable results. Having entered the veterinary reference laboratory space through the acquisitions of both Phoenix Lab and ZNLabs in 2019, Zoetis continues to grow its diagnostics presence to offer comprehensive and enhanced value to veterinarians in the U.S. Financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

Ethos Diagnostic Science is a business unit of Ethos Veterinary Health and has laboratory locations in Boston, Denver and San Diego. Its clinical team has decades of combined experience in veterinary and laboratory medicine and is proud of the strong client relationships built through comprehensive review of accurate, reliable results for the best possible patient outcomes. Ethos Diagnostic Science performs testing for all veterinary species in hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, microbiology, parasitology, endocrinology, serology, cytology and histology. It aims to provide the highest quality results in rapid turnaround times, while advancing the field of veterinary diagnostic medicine.

Acquisition Adds to Zoetis Growing Presence in Reference Labs

We are thrilled to add the Ethos Diagnostic Science labs to our expanding diagnostics presence in the U.S., and we look forward to working with their dedicated, trusted, board-certified pathologists and laboratory technicians, said Lisa Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Diagnostics for Zoetis. With the addition of Ethos labs in San Diego, Denver and Boston, we continue to build a more holistic diagnostics portfolio at Zoetis, and together we can provide veterinarians with even more valuable service and accurate insights that inform the care they provide to animals.

Were very proud of Ethos Diagnostic Science and our lab teams who have demonstrated our core value of innovation and provided invaluable service to our clinical teams, pet families at Ethos Veterinary Health and veterinary teams of our lab customers, said Brian Cassell, DVM, Chief Strategy Officer, Ethos Veterinary Health. We look forward to a continued strong relationship with Zoetis as they add our labs to all that they can offer the veterinary community.

Reference Labs Complement Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Reference laboratories and point-of-care diagnostic testing are highly synergistic, offering veterinarians a single source for a full spectrum of tests, as well as access to the expertise of board-certified specialists and pathologists to support test results. In 2018, through the acquisition of Abaxis, Inc., and its world-class portfolio of VetScan diagnostic instruments and rapid tests, Zoetis became a leader in the development, manufacture, and marketing of veterinary point-of-care diagnostic instruments and consumables.

The global veterinary diagnostics category, which includes reference laboratory and point-of-care diagnostics, is estimated to exceed $4 billion1, with compound annual growth of approximately 10% over the past three years1. Zoetis expects the diagnostics category to continue to grow faster than the animal health industry, with growth in the high single digits; this growth is driven by pet owners increasing interest in pet wellness trends along with rising medicalization rates, increasing standards of veterinary care, and the convenience of in-clinic testing1.

About Zoetis

Zoetis is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 65 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines, vaccines and diagnostic products, which are complemented by biodevices, genetic tests and a range of services. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries. In 2018, the company generated annual revenue of $5.8 billion with approximately 10,000 employees. For more information, visit http://www.zoetis.com.

About Ethos Diagnostic Science

Ethos Diagnostic Science, part of Ethos Veterinary Health, is a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory founded in 2015 as the former STAT Veterinary Lab. With lab locations in Boston, Denver and San Diego, Ethos Diagnostic Science performs testing for all veterinary species in hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, microbiology, parasitology, endocrinology, serology, cytology and histology, and aims to provide the highest quality results and rapid turnaround times, while advancing the field of veterinary diagnostic medicine. For more information, visit http://www.ethosdiagnostics.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the current views of Zoetis with respect to business plans or prospects, future operating or financial performance, future guidance, future operating models, expectations regarding products, expectations regarding the performance of acquired companies and our ability to integrate new businesses, expectations regarding the financial impact of acquisitions, future use of cash and dividend payments, and other future events.

These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if management's underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Zoetis expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. A further list and description of risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, including in the sections thereof captioned Forward-Looking Statements and Factors That May Affect Future Results and Item 1A. Risk Factors, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our Current Reports on Form 8-K. These filings and subsequent filings are available online at http://www.sec.gov, http://www.zoetis.com, or on request from Zoetis.

1 Based on internal estimates and publicly available information.

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Zoetis Acquires Ethos Diagnostic Science, a Veterinary Reference Lab Business, to Further Expand its Comprehensive Diagnostics Capabilities - Business...

Veterinary CRO Market by Service Type (Clinical Trials, Toxicology, Market Authorization & Regulatory Support and Others), Application (Dogs, Cats, and Others), End User (Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Neurology and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019 - 2026

New York, Feb. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Veterinary CRO Market by Service Type, Application, End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019 - 2026" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05844034/?utm_source=GNW

The global veterinary CRO market was valued at $485.5 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $894.7 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 7.9% from 2019 to 2026. Contract research organizations (CROs) are companies that aid in conducting research for a sponsor company. Moreover, veterinary CROs are companies, which are specialized in in-vivo studies that involve companion animals. Sponsor companies seek provision from veterinary CROs to support research and development programs for biopharmaceutical industries. Furthermore, different types of services are provided by veterinary CROs such as clinical trials, toxicology, and market authorization & regulatory support. These services are utilized by veterinary medicine manufacturers to test the safety and efficacy of veterinary drugs, which are used in different indications such as oncology, neurology, and infectious diseases. The factors that boost the growth of the veterinary CRO market include surge in ownership of companion animals and rise in animal health expenditure. Furthermore, other factors such as increase in prevalence of various diseases among companion animal acts as a major factor that contributes toward the growth of the market. However, lack of standardization in veterinary CROs is a factor that restrains the growth of the market. Conversely, surge in awareness related to animal healthcare across the globe is expected to provide lucrative opportunities in the market during the forecast period. The veterinary CRO market is segmented into service type, animal type, indication, and region. On the basis of service type, the market is divided into clinical trials, toxicology, market authorization & regulatory support, and others. By animal type, the market is classified into dogs, cats, and others. Depending on indication, it is categorized into oncology, infectious disease, neurology, and others. Region wise, it is analyzed across North America (U.S, Canada, and Mexico) and Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, Australia, rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and rest of LAMEA).

KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS This report entails a detailed quantitative analysis along with the current global veterinary CRO market trends from 2019 to 2026 to identify the prevailing opportunities along with the strategic assessment. The market size and estimations are based on a comprehensive analysis of key developments in the industry. A qualitative analysis based on innovative service types facilitates strategic business planning. The development strategies adopted by the key market players are enlisted to understand the competitive scenario of the market

Key Market Segments By Service Type o Clinical Trials o Toxicology o Market Authorization & Regulatory Support o Others By Animal Type o Dogs o Cats o Others By Indication o Oncology o Infectious Disease o Neurology o Others By Region o North America o U.S. o Canada o Mexico o Europe o Germany o France o UK o Italy o Spain o Rest of Europe o Asia-Pacific o Japan o China o Australia o Rest of Asia-Pacific o LAMEA o Brazil o Saudi Arabia o South Africa o Rest Of LAMEA

List of key players profiled in the report: Charles River Laboratories, Inc. Clinvet KLIFOVET AG Lhlein & Wolf Vet Research Oncovet Clinical Research ONDAX Scientific Triveritas Veterinary Research Management (VRM) Ltd VetPharm, Inc. VETSPIN SRL

LIST OF OTHER PLAYERS IN THE VALUE CHAIN (These players are not profiled in the report. The same will be included on request) AlcheraBio LikardaRead the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05844034/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Clare: clare@reportlinker.comUS: (339)-368-6001Intl: +1 339-368-6001

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The global veterinary CRO market was valued at $485.5 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $894.7 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 7.9%...

Horses are really good at getting hurt. Liz Arbittier, VMD, CVA, once treated a horse with a metal pitchfork-tineskewered hoof. Barn staff left the fork in the wheelbarrow, which was blocking the stall, while momentarily stepping away. Upon returning, the worker found the horse standing on the fork, which had pierced the bottom of the foot and come out the back of the heel/pastern.

Amazingly, after surgery and a long recovery, he was absolutely fine, said Arbittier, whos an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvanias New Bolton Center School of Veterinary Medicine, in Kennett Square.

Sharp metal prongs arent the only things that can injure a horse. Samantha Parkinson, DVM, CVMMP, the equine field service resident at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, has seen several horses impale themselves on wooden handles of pitchforks.

Horses are uncannily efficient at finding things with which to hurt themselves, she said.

Often, its the most common barn fixtures that cause injury. Here are five that veterinarians encourage clients think twice about before using.

It helps to always have the snaps pointing toward the wall and making sure the screw-eye doesnt have any gaps/metal edges, Arbittier said. Investing in safety snaps or hangers is a good idea.

Its okay to feed hay on the groundthats the natural way horses eat, he said.

That poses a hazard for the horses mouth, lips, and gums, said Lindsay Goodale, DVM, an equine practitioner and a lecturer at Cornell University. The best option is to avoid sharp metal, but if its in your barn check it regularly for damage.

If theyre designed to fold down after use, return them to that position, Ahlschwede says.

Its not possible for everyone to change their latches, but they can make sure that horse owners, staff, and others bringing horses in and out always push the latches all the way in to avoid injuries, Goodale said.

See the article here:
5 Common Things You Won't Find in Horse Vet's Barn - TheHorse.com

Shirley Russell knew a lot about her dog, Cricket. She knew that the shaggy-haired Pumi loved to catch a ball before it bounced, that she loved being a therapy dog, and that shed give her human friends a gentle tap on the arm if she wanted more petting.

So whenemergency vets recommended hospitalizing the 12-year-old dog to give her, maybe, a few extra weeks in her six-year battle against cancer, Russell knew what needed to be done:

I just looked at them and said, Im taking her home, she said. We sat in the chair until about midnight, then I put her in the bed and laid there holding her until 4:30 in the morning.

Cricket died the next day with the help of in-home euthanasia.

She was tired, Russell said. She had gone through a lot.

But she wasnt alone. For the past six years, Cricket has had the help of veterinary oncologist Alice Villalobos, a Torrance-based veterinarian who specializes in palliative and end-of-life hospice care for dogs and cats.

For Cricket, palliative care meant treating the cancerthe dog underwent four surgeries and four chemotherapy sessions for her recurrent tumorsand getting a slew of supplements and medications to keep the champion agility dog active and comfortable.

Hospice care meant preparing Russell for the days when nature would take its inevitable courseand guiding her about how to recognize her dog was ready to cross the rainbow bridge.

In human medicine, physicians dont generally refer to hospice until patients are about three days before death, said Villalobos, who in January received the Shomer Ethics Award from the Society of Veterinary Medical Ethics for her contributions to both cancer and palliative care for pets.

When we use the word hospice, we want to make sure people know that we are going to support the pet and provide comfort care whenever they get the diagnosis of a life-limiting disease, said the Hermosa Beach resident.

While palliative care is a growing niche in the world of pet care, it isnt all that different for dogs and cats than it is for humans. The goal is to make patients comfortable so they can live out their days in peace, even in spite of incurable conditions. The only difference for pets is the added option of euthanasia when suffering becomes intolerable.

Many times people say, Let nature take its course, said Villalobos, who has been called the"Mother of Veterinary Hospice by the SVME. And then Im contacted to help with that end-of-life decision. People want to know, When is the right time to put my pet down?

To aid in this decision-making, Villalobos developed a Quality of Life Scale to help people determine if their pet has acceptable life quality to continue with pet hospice. Her guidelines have been shared and used by veterinarians and pet-owners worldwide.

In the old days some doctors would just recommend euthanasia right away, Villalobos said. People would take a limping dog into the vet and they would come home without a dog. [Doctors] would choose to do euthanasia upon diagnosis.

Veterinarians, she said, would often give patients two options when presented with a seriously sick pet: Euthanize the pet or opt for surgery, the latter of which is expensive and may not necessarily extend the animals life significantly.

Im trying to give people a third optionand that is hospice, Villalobos said. Hospice embraces the whole beginning right up to the end. It allows people time to grieve and gives me time to counsel the family members.

For Ari Dane of Playa del Rey, Villalobos helped his 17-year-old chihuahua, Roxy, stay comfortable despite a trio of grim diagnoses including a chest tumor, heart problems and kidney disease.

(Roxy) keeps bouncing back and shes still here, said Dane, who sees Villalobos about every six weeks. She will perk up around mealtime, but most of the time she sleeps. Its fading time.

Under Villalobos direction, Dane adds more than 15 different medicines and supplements to Roxys food every day, all of which are meant to treat the tiny dog's myriad health issues. Its a tedious, expensive process, but one that Dane wouldnt give up.

Its a sad thing to watch her decline, but thats the price of admission, he said. Roxy has been a part of the family for 17 and a half years. I wouldnt want her to be treated any differently.

Pets As family

In a society where people consider pets part of the familyand where half of all dogs that reach the age of 10 will be diagnosed with cancer, according to the American Veterinary Medical Associationit only makes sense that palliative care would become a part of the deal.

As of 2020, there were more than 800 members in the International Association for Animal Hospice & Palliative Care (IAAHPC), an organization dedicated to developing guidelines for comfort-oriented care to pets as they approach the end of life. The organization was founded in 2009.

Veterinarians have been offering some measure of comfort care for animals as long as they have been caring for them, but the shift has come with families embracing pets as members of the family, said IAAHPC President Tyler Carmack, a Virginia-based veterinarian. They now wish their pets to have the same level of compassionate care at end of life as our human family members.

Carmack said many providers and pet-owners shy away from discussing hospice and palliative care until their pets are already very sick. She hopes this will change as people become more aware of their options.

As we open the communication about caring for pets as they enter their end-of-life stage, we allow more and more families to make the best possible decision for their pet and their family, Carmack said.

Costs of care

Of course, caring for sick and dying pets isnt cheap.

According to the Veterinary Cancer Society, cancer care costs for dogs ranges between $150 and $600 per dose of chemotherapy and between $1,000 and $6,000 for radiation. Pet insurance can help pay some of these costs, but many companies have a cap on annual or per-illness expenses.

On top of that, in-home euthanasia, the option most palliative care specialists prefer, costs about $250.

For many pet-owners, its a price that must be paid.

You get them as a pup and you know that youre probably going to outlive them, Russell said. Its part of the package.

For more information about Dr. Alice Villalobos and to get information on palliative care for pets, visit http://www.pawspice.com. Villalobos operates out of Harbor Animal Hospital. She plans to move her services to Redwood Animal Hospital in Redondo Beach in the coming months.

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This South Bay veterinarian is leading the pack to provide hospice care for cats and dogs who are terminally ill - Beach Reporter

The University of Georgias research and development expenditures reached a record high of $477.5 million over fiscal year 2019, according to a UGA Today news release.

Research and development expenditures increased by 5.4% over the last year and by 34% over the past five years, according to the release.

As UGA grows its research enterprise, we are expanding our positive impact on the world while strengthening the economy of our home state, said President Jere Morehead in the release. Gains in agricultural productivity; improvements to health care; the creation of new, marketable products these are just a few of the many benefits stemming from UGAs research and development that are driving our increased economic impact on Georgia, which is now estimated at $6.5 billion per year.

Multiple UGA professors have received research grants over the past year, according to the release. Ted Ross, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, received an award of up to $130 million from the National Institutes of Health in September 2019 to develop a universal flu vaccine. Ross initially received $8 million from the NIH, but the award could increase up to $130 million. If all contract options are exercised, the seven-year project would be the largest award ever received by UGA, according to a September 2019 UGA Today news release.

Jessie Kissinger, a genetics professor, won two awards totaling $16.2 million to develop health informatics databases, according to the release. David Okech, an associate professor in the School of Social Work, has been awarded nearly $20 million from the U.S. Department of State since 2018 to combat human trafficking.

UGA is currently ranked at number 57 in the National Science Foundations survey of overall research and development expenditures across U.S. universities, according to the release. The ranking is based on UGAs fiscal year 2018 research and development expenditures, totaling $453.2 million. UGA currently ranks first for the number of new products brought to market among U.S. universities.

The release said new initiatives at the university, including the Innovation District and the construction of the $65 million I-STEM building, are expected to expand UGAs reach in research.

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UGA's research and development expenditures total $477.5 million - Red and Black

Decorations in an employee's cubicle at Planned Parenthood in Overland Park. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service

By CELIA LLOPIS-JENSENKansas News Service

TOPEKA Kansans will likely vote this August on whether to become the fourth state to enshrine in their constitution that abortion isn't a right.

Anti-abortion activists say Kansas needs the change to protect its current abortion laws against potential court challenges.

Their abortion rights counterparts warn many of those laws already go too far, and the constitutional amendment would pave the way for making abortion illegal.

Where does Kansas law stand on abortion today?

In broad strokes, it doesnt allow a few key abortion methods and women generally cant get abortions after 22 weeks of (or slightly more than halfway through) pregnancy.

Being the victim of rape or incest doesnt get women out of those rules. Kansas makes some exceptions for pregnancies that go very wrong and could kill the mother or do her serious physical harm.

Kansas abortion laws say life begins at fertilization.

(Click here to skip ahead to our summary of the states various laws. )

The ballot measure cleared the Kansas Senate last week. The Kansas House may vote this week.

The constitutional amendment would then go to a public vote in August. It would add a line to the state bill of rights saying abortion isnt constitutionally protected and that lawmakers can pass laws on abortion, including for pregnancies that resulted from rape or incest or threaten a womans life.

How did your senator vote? View voteshere.

Democrats have tried to derail the amendment by suggesting it could lead to an outright abortion ban. Republicans called that fearmongering.

Good lord I cant imagine that passing, Senate President Susan Wagle pushed back. That is a scare tactic.

Voters in Tennessee were the first to change their constitution in 2014 to clarify it contains no right to abortion. Alabamians and West Virginians followed suit in 2018. Alabama has since passed a nearly complete abortion ban and Tennessees governor is pushing to stop abortions at about six weeks pregnancy, before many women may know theyre pregnant.

The Kansas push follows a state supreme court ruling last year that concluded women have control over their own bodies and whether to have children. Abortion, it said, is therefore constitutionally protected.

Anti-abortion groups fear the decision will lead to an avalanche of court rulings that will strike down other laws they got passed over the years. For abortion rights advocates, the ruling was insurance against the U.S. Supreme Court someday striking down Roe v. Wade.

Right now, Roe and other federal legal precedent stop states from banning abortion. (Thats why Alabamas ban is tied up in court.)

But in places like Kansas where state supreme courts have found a right to abortion under state constitutions the procedure would stay legal even without Roe.

Whats on the books in Kansas today?

Kansas has hundreds upon hundreds of lines worth of abortion statutes and regulations. Heres a peek at some. They dont apply to removing a fetus that died naturally within a mother.

Some of these laws arent in force, pending the outcome of lawsuits.

The 22-week cutoff: No abortions of a viable fetus once 22 weeks have passed since the pregnant woman last began a menstrual period. (Some babies born at that very premature age have been able to survive.) Kansas allows an exception to save a mothers life or stop serious and permanent damage to her bodily functions, but only if two doctors without legal or financial affiliation to each other to agree the abortion is needed. Only one such abortion took place in the past five years, state reports show. Other Kansans left the state for the procedure.

Parental permission:Anyone under 18 seeking abortion needs written notarized permission from both of her parents. But there are several exceptions, such as if she is married, her parents are divorced, or she was the victim of incest by her father. Minors can ask a judge to waive the parental permission law. If judges dont rule within 48 hours, the law is automatically waived.

Counseling for minors: Unless its an immediate medical emergency, minors must meet with a counselor and take along a parent or someone over the age of 21 with an interest in their wellbeing and no affiliation with the abortion facility. The conversation should include talking about abortion and alternatives.

Child rape: Kansas law defines sex with someone under the age of 14 as rape. If a child is under 14 years old, the doctor must turn over fetal tissue from her abortion to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, together with the names of her parents.

No D&E: Dilation and evacuation called dismemberment abortion by anti-abortion groups and in state law is the most common procedure after 13 weeks of pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. A Kansas law that could soon be struck down because of last years state supreme court ruling bans D&E except to save a mothers life or stop serious and permanent damage to her bodily functions.

The abortion pill: About 60% of abortions in Kansas involve this pill, and at least one of the states four clinics has used doctors in other states to guide women through the process remotely by video while they sit in the clinic. A Kansas law tied up in court bans that.

Mandatory information: Women have to wait 24 hours after requesting an abortion.

A Kansas law called the Womens Right to Know Act kicks in. It sets rules about what clinics have to tell women, in addition to messages they need to hang on their walls and post online, and information that the states health agency puts on this dedicated website.

Above is a sign hanging in an abortion clinic in Overland Park, with information in font. It tells women that Medicaid may help pay for the cost of carrying a child to term, that fathers are on the hook for child support, and other information.

Women receive information about agencies and resources to help with adoption or parenting.

They are told in writing the abortion will end the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.

They are told how old their embryo or fetus is and what anatomy it has likely developed so far.

Shortly before their abortion, doctors then must offer to let them hear the heartbeat and view the sonogram, and women must sign a sheet of paper indicating they accepted or refused.

The law requires telling women several things that are scientifically disputed, including about breast cancer risks and that fetuses can feel pain by 22 weeks.

Abortion licensure: Abortion clinics in Kansas must get a license from the state each year. That, anti-abortion activists say, keeps patients safe. But clinics argue its meant to make their operations more difficult by piling on extra rules beyond the regular forms of oversight for the medical field. The abortion clinic rules touch on everything from lavatories to staffing to annual equipment checks and surprise inspections.

Public money and abortion: No using the State General Fund and other types of state revenue for abortion, and state employees cant perform abortions. That includes the University of Kansas Medical Center. Faculty cant do abortions on the clock or on university property. The sole exception: To save a womans life.

Private insurance and abortion: Health plans cant cover costs from an abortion unless its to save a womans life. State law allows for purchasing a policy rider to cover abortion, but researchers say thats rarely available. (Separately, the federal Medicaid and CHIP programs pay for abortion in Kansas only to save a mothers life or in cases of rape or incest.)

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @Celia_LJ or email her at [emailprotected] The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of Kansans, their communities and civic life.

Read the original here:
Abortion in Kansas: Here's what the state's laws allow today - hays Post

For Bonnie Ascher-Nette, DVM, there is no such thing as too much time spent with horses. An equine veterinarian who specializes in sports medicine, she devotes her days to treating the animals she loves and dedicates any time left over to training and showing her amateur-owner hunter, Denver HTF.

As a young girl, Ascher-Nette dreamed of attending veterinary school and always intended to work with horses, but upon arrival at Michigan State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, she learned that balancing riding and work would be an ongoing challenge.

I think anyone whos been through vet school will tell you its one of the hardest things youve ever done in your life, said Ascher-Nette, 31, Ridgefield, Connecticut. But at the end, when you graduate, its the most gratifying thing youve ever done in your life.

A lot of people who go into vet school wanting to be equine vets end up [in] small animal, she continued. They dont end up becoming equine vets on the way out, and I think part of it is because the lifestyle of an equine vet is hard.

People advised her that if she wanted time to enjoy her own horse, she should rethink her career choice, but Ascher-Nette was determined.

I stayed with the equine track, as did a number of my friends, and it all ended up working out in the end, she said.

Ascher-Nette now works for Rabanal Equine, where she cares for New York and Connecticut-based high performance hunters, jumpers and dressage horses. While she has flexibility in scheduling her appointments, shes on call around the clock and drops everything for an emergency.

It can become hard when you are accessible to your clients 24/7, said Ascher-Nette. Its good because youve built a relationship and youve built a trust base; they trust you when you say, This is what I want to do for your horse, but at the same time, being that accessible puts a strain on your personal life, your hobbies and relationshipskind of everything.

When not working, Ascher-Nette is bringing along Denver, whom she bought as a 4-year-old in 2016.

Bred by Hilltop Farm (Maryland), Denver was doing the baby green hunters whenAscher-Nettes longtime trainer, Patty Miller, spotted the Hanoverian gelding (Donarweiss GGFRaj Mahal LTF, Royal Prince) and encouragedAscher-Nette to buy him.

The pair hit it off immediately, winning the Pennsylvania-bred young hunter under saddle at Devon (Pennsylvania) in their first horse show outing. By 2017 they were winning tricolors in the adult amateurs.

Ascher-Nette also moved to Connecticut in 2017, and she started training with Kristen Abbatiello-Neff of Sea Horse Stables LLC in Newtown, Connecticut.

The next year, Ascher-Nette set her sights on qualifying for the Marshall & Sterling Insurance League National Finals, held in September in Saugerties, New York, during the HITS On-The-Hudson circuit. She hoped Denver would come away with mileage and experience, and toAscher-Nettes delight, he won the championship in the SmartPak Adult Hunter division.

Last year she moved up to contest the 33 amateur-owner division, winning multiple tricolors and challenging their skills in national derbies as well.

Hes been above and beyond what we all hoped that he could be, said Ascher-Nette. When you accomplish something together, whether its in the show ring or its just one of those light bulb lessons, its not only your horse thats learned something, youve learned something along with them. Its your relationship thats grown.

She relishes every accomplishment with Denver, and not just in the show ring. It will be at home, those moments in our lesson when well both just get it, itll remind me of three years ago, where we were and where were both at now, she said. For me, I feel like thats the most gratifying thing about bringing a young horse along, is knowing that youve been involved in every step of the process.

2019 was a big year in Ascher-Nettes personal life as well: She married Eric Ascher-Nette in June.

To fit everything in, Bonnie schedules out her personal endeavors far in advance, traveling to support her husband at his marathons or going on mini-vacations. Sometimes she finds a way to mix work and pleasure, spending the past two winter seasons in Wellington, Florida, where she treated clients and competed Denver at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

This year, we got some clients that have a lot of show horses that are staying up here for the winter, said Bonnie. My boss [Amy Rabanal] and I also talked about work-life balance, and as much as I loved going to Florida for the season, it was a long time to be away from my husband.

That was really tough for both of us, added Bonnie. Were really close; we talk every day, multiple times a day. So, being gone for almost four months out of the year with not a lot of opportunity to see each other was tough. My boss and I had talked about ways to make my work-life balance better.

Bonnie acknowledges high performance equine medicine is not a low-stress job.

The higher the levels you go in sport horse medicine, the more pressure there is on everybody, not just on the vet, said Bonnie. Theres pressure on the rider, theres pressure on the trainer, pressure on the owner. Each part of veterinary medicine has its own pressure-filled situation, but I think in sport horse medicine, especially working at levels where youre working on horses that are going to Wellington or going to World Cup Finals or things like that, theres added pressure from all sides.

See the article here:
The Chronicle of the Horse - The Chronicle of the Horse

Dr. Daniel Koller, a veterinarian, attended a court hearing in Hillsboro, Ore., last month. He was arrested in November over the death of a dachshund he was treating.

BEAVERTON, Ore. After his dog Bleu sustained a leg injury over the summer, Andres Figueroa brought the 7-month-old dachshund in for a checkup at a sleek suburban clinic outside Portland, Ore., that was decorated with cutouts of cheerful pets.

But in the exam room, the veterinarian said, Bleu tried to nip at him. He snatched the dog by the mouth and torso with such jarring force that Bleu defecated on the table, Mr. Figueroa said, and then lifted him into the air by the snout until he began to lose consciousness.

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Distraught, Mr. Figueroa recovered his dog and left. Back in the car, Bleu curled on his lap in a daze, his breathing labored. By the next day, the dogs lungs were filled with fluid and he had to be put down.

I was in shock, Mr. Figueroa said. I knew I had to call the police.

After going to the authorities about the veterinarian, Dr. Daniel Koller, Mr. Figueroa discovered that the practitioner had decades of complaints filed against him in two states by regulators, customers and employees.

Across the country, there is less accountability for veterinarians than there is for practitioners who treat people. While courts award multimillion-dollar judgments for negligence in hospitals, states treat companion animals as a form of property, and owners have little opportunity to sue for damages beyond the cost of a replacement.

Unlike the extensive national records kept on doctors and nurses, there is no comparable data repository to track problematic veterinarians, and state review boards rarely put sanctioned practitioners out of business.

Practicing in both California and Oregon off and on for the past 30 years, Dr. Koller first faced a criminal charge of animal cruelty three years after he got his license in 1974; regulators in California said he was seen kicking and beating a German shepherd that employees later found dead. He had his license revoked for that and other abuse allegations in 1979, restored in 1984 and suspended again in 2001.

In the 1980s, he built a network of budget veterinary clinics in Oregon but also faced a new round of complaints. Oregon officials suspended his license in 2008 and revoked it in 2010, but he returned to practice five years later.

In interviews with The New York Times, eight customers detailed a series of concerning encounters at Dr. Kollers clinics in the four years since his license was most recently restored.

One said Dr. Koller snatched her whimpering dog by the scruff of the neck with such force that the dog wet the table. Another said the doctor choked her frightened puppy. Some had concerns after their pets that went in for surgery ended up dying.

Dr. Koller declined an interview request, telling a reporter: I dont talk to anyone. Goodbye.

In a 2015 memo to Oregon officials, he said he maintained high standards for care and cited support from numerous veterinarians, who said he was an excellent practitioner and a caring person who advocated for low-income people.

I am not a danger to my patients, Dr. Koller wrote.

Disciplinary Actions Are Rare

While there is no nationwide database for the public to track veterinary discipline, state records show the rarity of serious enforcement actions. In Oregon in recent years, about 6 percent of complaints handled by the veterinary board resulted in the finding of a violation.

In states that make enforcement reports readily available, including Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, records show cases in which veterinary personnel who had racked up five board actions or more were able to continue practicing.

Lori Makinen, the executive director of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board, said enforcement in human medicine and veterinary medicine cannot be compared because society does not place as much value on an animals life. Under the law, she said, animals are considered property.

But Linda Rosenthal, a member of the New York State Assembly who has worked on animal issues for years, said states should acknowledge the changing relationships that people have with their pets. Ms. Rosenthal said she had been exploring a plan to establish pets as a special category under tort law, somewhere between people and property, but expected strong resistance.

Dr. Jeff Young, a Colorado-based veterinarian who has a show on Animal Planet, helped develop a model law a few years ago that would expand potential veterinary damages to $10,000 for pets.

But industry advocates quickly moved to quash it, arguing that it would make the cost of veterinary care prohibitively expensive, Dr. Young said, in part because of insurance rates. Meanwhile, he noted, clinics were offering operations that cost thousands of dollars to keep pets alive.

It seemed like total hypocrisy to me, he said.

Beatings and Death

Much of the case against Dr. Koller prepared by California regulators in the 1970s concerned his treatment of the German shepherd at a pet hospital outside Monterey.

An administrative law judge wrote that a woman had brought in the stray animal for treatment of a leg injury. The judge found that on two occasions in July 1975, Dr. Koller hung the dog off the ground, beating it with his hand and foot until it lost consciousness. The dog lost three teeth.

Employees later found the dog in the freezer used to store dead animals, according to the veterinary board documents.

A jury convicted Dr. Koller of animal cruelty in that case, and he was sentenced to 100 days in jail.

The veterinary board in California was looking at a range of other concerns. In October 1974, regulators said, Dr. Koller pounded the head of a Lhasa apso dog named Tammy until both eyes were hemorrhaged, according to documents. In 1975, officials found evidence that he beat a dog named Coco for several minutes when the dog would not stop barking; bit and pounded a dog being prepared for surgery; used a slip lead to suspend a dachshund by the neck for at least 30 seconds; and violently slammed a cat on the sides and floor of its cage.

In 1979, the board revoked his license. Five years later, it reinstated it.

Dr. Koller expanded his work to Oregon in the 1980s and franchised a series of Companion Pet Clinics, offering lower-cost services than competitors.

Gretchen Kaehler, who briefly worked with him during that period, said the focus on a high-volume, low-cost model called for cost-saving measures like reusing needles with sterilization to the point that they would be difficult to insert into the animal.

Ms. Kaehler said she never saw Dr. Koller abuse animals, noting that he had a dog of his own, and that she recalled him being friendly and smart. But he was so focused on the business, Ms. Kaehler said, that he fired her for spending too much time comforting the animals.

He wasnt going to spend a lot of time petting them, Ms. Kaehler said. He didnt have that nurturing side. It was very much just business.

Im a Litigator

Dr. Koller, who had apparently been studying the law when he was barred from veterinary practice, began aggressively defending himself against critics in court.

After a customer complained in 1987 that Dr. Koller had hurt her cats leg by handling it roughly, Dr. Koller filed a defamation lawsuit against the customer and several others who had criticized him. Court records indicate that the case was settled.

Im a litigator, Dr. Koller once said, according to a 2004 article in The Oregonian. I like the courtroom battle.

By the early 2000s, Dr. Koller was facing another legal problem. In 2001, his daughter called 911 to their home in California, where paramedics found Dr. Kollers wife unconscious and him semiconscious with a fresh puncture wound in his arm, according to regulatory records. He later admitted to using Telazol, a veterinary anesthetic.

California officials suspended his license but later held off on full revocation by imposing a four-year probationary period in 2004.

In Oregon, regulators scrutinized Dr. Koller after he pleaded no contest in 2007 in a driving-under-the-influence case in which he tested positive for morphine. They also looked at reports that staff members had seen him practicing medicine while impaired once reportedly falling asleep during surgery.

At the time, he was also battling one of his former employees, Maureena Schmaing. A receptionist at his clinic in the early 2000s, Ms. Schmaing said she watched Dr. Koller throw a cat onto the ground and step on its head to inject it with a sedative. In another case, she said, she saw him beat a husky.

Ms. Schmaing said that after witnessing such conduct one day, she was in tears and began compiling a dossier on her boss with the help of Tessa Sage, a former veterinary technician at another clinic who had talked with some of Dr. Kollers clients.

In 2004, the women filed a 79-page complaint to the Oregon veterinary board, detailing what they described as abusive treatment of animals, a lack of supervision of an intern and mistakes that led to pets dying.

I thought for sure it was going to have an impact, Ms. Schmaing said. All I wanted was for him to be stopped.

Dr. Koller disputed Ms. Schmaings complaint, citing contrary testimony offered by other employees and noting that Ms. Schmaing had repeatedly brought her own pet in for care. The board in the end said it was unable to substantiate the abuse allegations. Two years later, in 2008, it suspended Dr. Kollers license, in part citing his history of illegal drug use, and then revoked it in 2010.

Dr. Koller continued to manage veterinary facilities, though he did not act as a veterinarian, and in 2015, he was able to get his license reinstated.

I understand the gravity of what has transpired, he wrote to Oregon officials, and I believe that I have met the requirements to reinstate my license to responsibly practice the profession that I so love.

His problems continued. In 2018, the board fined him $1,500 for trying to spay a male cat. Customers continued to come forward with complaints about rough handling of their pets and unexpected deaths during surgery.

Mr. Figueroa said he was shocked at Dr. Kollers treatment of his dachshund during his visit in September.

I started yelling and saying something like, Why he did that? And he just told me to leave, Mr. Figueroa said.

Mr. Figueroa went outside and called his parents, who drove to the clinic to confront Dr. Koller.

Dr. Koller blamed Mr. Figueroa for not warning him that his dog bites, and then turned to Mr. Figueroas father, who was clearly angry. Do you want to go outside or do it here? Dr. Koller said before starting to walk around the counter. Others intervened to de-escalate the situation.

Bleu was euthanized the next day on the advice of another veterinarian.

In November, the district attorney in Washington County filed criminal charges of animal abuse stemming from Mr. Figueroas case. Dr. Koller has pleaded not guilty and remains in good standing with the veterinary board.

Since the case was publicized, Mr. Figueroa and his family have become acquainted with other former clients of Dr. Koller. They often gather outside the clinic in Beaverton, Ore., with protest signs; No Excuse for Animal Abuse, read one during a recent demonstration.

They urge people to think twice before taking their pet inside.

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Abusing Pets and Drugs, One Vet Has Left Decades of Despair in His Wake - msnNOW

Groups work together at the Cornell Animal Health Hackathon, held in the Cornell Vet School on Sunday and the two previous days. Participants, whose backgrounds span from engineering, veterinary medicine to business, solved animal health challenges over the course of the Hackathon. (Nandita Mohan/Sun Staff Photographer)

Professor Michael Dorf, law, and Professor Sarah Kreps, government, on Wednesday night debated the legal and political concerns surrounding the third-ever impeachment. The talk was moderated by Prof. David Bateman, government. (Michelle Zhiqing Yang/Sun Staff Photographer)

Senior forward Paige Lewis advances the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

Freshman forward Izzy Daniel moves the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. After five minutes of overtime, the game ended in a 1-1 tie. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

This Sunday, Barton Hall was filled with booths from clubs and organizations at ClubFest. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

Students meet club members and learn about different organizations at ClubFest in Barton Hall this Sunday. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

At Barton Hall, Students visit club booths at ClubFest this Sunday. Hosting over 1000 clubs and organizations, ClubFest provides students with the opportunity to check out on-campus groups. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

Groups work together at the Cornell Animal Health Hackathon, held in the Cornell Vet School on Sunday and the two previous days. Participants, whose backgrounds span from engineering, veterinary medicine to business, solved animal health challenges over the course of the Hackathon. (Nandita Mohan/Sun Staff Photographer)

Professor Michael Dorf, law, and Professor Sarah Kreps, government, on Wednesday night debated the legal and political concerns surrounding the third-ever impeachment. The talk was moderated by Prof. David Bateman, government. (Michelle Zhiqing Yang/Sun Staff Photographer)

Senior forward Paige Lewis advances the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

Freshman forward Izzy Daniel moves the puck at the womens hockey game against Clarkson on Friday. After five minutes of overtime, the game ended in a 1-1 tie. (Boris Tsang/Sun Photography Editor)

This Sunday, Barton Hall was filled with booths from clubs and organizations at ClubFest. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

Students meet club members and learn about different organizations at ClubFest in Barton Hall this Sunday. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

At Barton Hall, Students visit club booths at ClubFest this Sunday. Hosting over 1000 clubs and organizations, ClubFest provides students with the opportunity to check out on-campus groups. (Michael Wenye Li/Sun Senior Photographer)

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THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS | February 2nd, 2020 - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

A rendering of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Long Island University announced today a $2 million gift from the 2007 Forbes Entrepreneur of the Year Clint Severson and Conni Ahart for the new College of Veterinary Medicine, opening fall 2020. The donation will establish the Veterinary Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management Center, located within the College of Veterinary Medicine. The College of Veterinary Medicine will be one of only four veterinary programs in the Northeast, joining the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University and Tufts University.

Conni and I are dedicated to the expansion of higher veterinary learning and medical advancement in the veterinary field, said Clint Severson. The Veterinary Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management Center will enable LIUs College of Veterinary Medicine faculty to create new paths and fresh solutions in veterinary education, and provide students with real-world experience along with traditional classroom training.

As members of the Council of Advisors for the new College of Veterinary Medicine, Clint Severson and Conni Ahart are noted philanthropists dedicated to animals, and the entrepreneurship training that is much needed in veterinary medicine. Mr. Severson was the chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Northern California-based Abaxis, a cutting edge medical devices company that enablesphysicians and veterinarians to respond to the healthneeds of their clients at the point-of-care.

The Veterinary Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management Center will focus on Entrepreneurship and Management, supporting LIU Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students who are interested in veterinary concept/product development and clinic management. The Center will engage students across multiple disciplines including management and business, and offer students Veterinary Entrepreneurship and Management scholarships and fellowships.

Clint Severson and Conni Aharts partnership with LIUs College of Veterinary Medicine exemplifies their deep commitment toward pioneering research and animal care, said Dr. Kimberly R. Cline, president of Long Island University. We are grateful for their generous gift that will give LIU the resources to be at the forefront of veterinary education.

The College has secured partnerships with more than 50 affiliates, including primary care and specialty clinics, zoos, research laboratories and shelters, where students will gain real world experience in surgery, diagnostic support, intensive care and other areas critical for successful veterinary practice. At full enrollment, the veterinary school will serve 400 students, with 100 in each graduating class.

Mr. Severson and Ms. Aharts support of LIUs College of Veterinary Medicine will allow students the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial initiatives designed to move concepts from theory to practice, as well as create partnerships with industry and venture capitalists, stated Dr. Randy Burd, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo awarded LIU $12 million as part of New York States investment in transformational local health care initiatives, helping to establish Long Island as a biotechnology research corridor.

Clint Severson and Conni Aharts gift allows us the opportunity to expand on our commitment to prepare a globally competent, practice-ready, entrepreneurial veterinary workforce capable of addressing current and future needs of animal health, added Dr. Carmen Fuentealba, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Learning financial aspects connected to veterinary training is critical. LIU College of Veterinary Medicine students will correspondingly receive training in financial management and business practice in the curriculum, and through mentoring via the new center.

For more information, visit http://www.liu.edu/vetmed.

Submitted By LIU College of Veterinary Medicine

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LIU's College Of Veterinary Medicine To Open This Fall - Long Island Weekly News

GARDENA, Calif., Jan. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --In November 2019, Innovet Pet joined hands with the Ithaca community in helping raise $12,220 for Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine's SAVMA Auction. Innovet Pet has garnered significant buzz in the pet world with their products that put personalized healthcare into pet owners' hands.

Cornell University says generous contributions such as Innovet's help ensure students are able to take part in important educational activities that give them the best chance for success in their veterinary careers. In particular, the university says they plan to use the $12,220 to pay for the overwhelming majority of the costs of attending this spring's national veterinary educational symposium, SAVMA Symposium. At the event, students are given the opportunity to experience veterinary medicine at the national level, meet and network with future colleagues, and share and learn ideas from some of the world-renowned veterinarians in the field.

"We are so honored to have worked with the Ithaca community, Cornell University, and their bright students," says Innovet's co-founder Dave Louvet. "We're dedicated to our mission in helping animals everywhere get the proper care they deserve. In doing so, we've created several innovative products, but it's important to know that at-home care can only go so far. This makes veterinarians a key part of our pets' lives. By ensuring our future veterinarians get the best college experience possible, we're taking another step in giving pets around the world a better life."

Cornell University couldn't agree more, saying events like SAVMA Symposium couldn't happen without contributions from those like Innovet Pet. That's why Innovet Pet says they hope that in leading by example, they can inspire and show other pet owners how they can get involved in their communities to help the pets out. 2019 was a big year for Innovet Pet, who made several donations to different animal causes, including The LA Dog Cafe, but the company says they're dedicated to making 2020 an even bigger and more generous year.

To learn more about Cornell's Veterinary program, visit https://www.vet.cornell.edu. For more information on Innovet Pet's involvement in different communities and to see their products visit innovetpet.com.

About Innovet Pet From tips to caring for your pet's health to products that improve it, Innovet Pet (innovetpet.com) has put personalized pet care in pet owners' hands for almost two decades. Since their inception, Innovet has made transparency, affordability, trust, and innovation the pillars of their company. This has made them the number 1 pet CBD company world-wide.

Media ContactCompany Name: Innovet PetPress: Gio Sy, PR + Marketing / Kacy Johnson, PR CoordinatorPhone:888-269-3154City, State: Gardena, Ca

http://www.innovetpet.comFacebook: @innovetpetproductsInstagram:@innovetpetproducts

SOURCE Innovet Pet

https://www.innovetpet.com

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Innovet Pet Joins The Ithaca Community In Supporting Future Veterinarians - PRNewswire

Dr. Olatunji Nasir, medical director and CEO of Truthmiles Animal Hospital Ltd. in Ikeja, Nigeria, is his countrys ambassador for the African Small Companion Animal Network. Nigeria only has 9,000 veterinarians in a country with 190 million people. (Courtesy of Dr. Nasir)

Dr. Olatunji Nasir is an ambitious man. He dreams of having veterinary clinics in all the major cities in his country in the next five yearsall with the same standard of care. He is CEO and medical director of Truthmiles Animal Hospitals Ltd. in Ikeja, Nigeria, which has two locations. Hes been successful at tapping into the burgeoning dog ownership in southern Nigeria.

In the past, owners preferred dogs such as pit bulltype dogs, Mastiffs, and Doberman Pinschers, mostly for security purposes. But hes begun to see more small dogs in recent years.

This has to do with millennials. More younger people are owning pets, he said. These owners spend more, too. The older folks say, I dont even do this for my kids.

To help further elevate his practice, Dr. Nasir is taking part in a pilot clinic-to-clinic twinning program that connects select companion animal veterinary clinics in member countries of the African Small Companion Animal Network with clinics in the U.S. led by AVMA members. The program, coordinated by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Foundation, began in 2018 with funding from Zoetis, thanks to Dr. Eileen Ball, the companys global associate medical director for commercial development and life cycle innovation.

Dr. Nasir and two other veterinarians from Nigeria, Drs. Abubakar Bala Muhammad and Kunle Abiade, have partnered with three practitioners from Caring Hands Animal Hospital Inc., which has eight clinics in Virginia.

What is happening in the U.S. is light years ahead. You look at the possibilities, and were limiting ourselves (in Nigeria). But the clients are not as rich where I am. People spend more on their pets in the U.S., but its still possible to raise the standard of care in practice, said Dr. Nasir, who is the ambassador for AFSCAN in Nigeria. It has brought hope to me to do better.

Dr. Kevin Stevens, who owns Ballito Animal Hospital on the east coast of South Africa, is coordinator of the pilot AVMA-AFSCAN Twinning Project and an AFSCAN board member. He said the project seeks to promote sustained relationships and mutual learning that will help veterinary professionals better understand one anothers perspectives, challenges, and needs and enhance companion animal health and welfare and understanding of disease surveillance and control.

Its a good mental exercise to think about a case without the tools we normally rely on, like an ultrasound that is immediately available to us on the ER (emergency room) floor. The biggest lesson Ive learned is focusing on the core of veterinary practice and not relying on the bells and whistles, when most of the information we can get through pretty low-tech means.

Dr. Shana OMarra, chief medical officer, DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital

He and a working group composed of representatives from each of the sponsoring organizations manage the pilot program, which in its first year also includes veterinarians at the nonprofit DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon. DoveLewis veterinarians are partnering with a group of veterinarians from Kenya, Namibia, and South Africa.

The goal is for twinned practices to do virtual grand rounds monthly and connect informally between scheduled rounds to talk about anything practice related, be it business management or general case management questions, for example. Going forward, U.S. and AFSCAN veterinarians at all of the twinned clinics in the pilot program, plus Dr. Stevens and other members of the program management team, plan to come together four times a year to hold virtual grand rounds. Dr. Nasir even had a chance to meet his U.S. counterparts last year face-to-face at the AVMA Convention in Washington, D.C. The pilot program management group hopes to facilitate a first face-to-face meeting of all AFSCAN and AVMA member practitioners at AVMA Convention 2020 in San Diego.

The AVMA-AFSCAN Twinning Project not only helps make global connections and promotes the one-health concept but also develops a network among the African clinics to connect and share practical advice. This network helps enhance the clinics business practices and the veterinary profession overall in AFSCAN member countries.

Were starting to build by country to country and encourage individuals to engage with each other, Dr. Stevens said, adding that two practices in Zambia have started twinning with two clinics in the U.K. in a second pilot program being administered in partnership with the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Communication usually happens via GoToMeeting, WhatsApp, email, and DropBox, working around different time zones and schedules. Occasionally, issues crop up because of internet and electricity outages, which arent uncommon for parts of Africa.

Veterinary medicine varies widely from one AFSCAN member country to anotheror even from city to city. In Nigeria and Kenya, practices may have first-class medicine and all the equipment a typical U.S. practice may have, Dr. Steven said. But in countries such as Zambia, Namibia, Ghana, and Mozambique, clinicians might not even have a microscope. They also likely have to send blood to laboratories in South Africa and wait days for the results. Dr. Stevens, in South Africa, has a video endoscope and digital X-ray machine, but practices just miles away hardly have any equipment, let alone the latest technology.

You have to respect the different levels of practice, Dr. Stevens said.

Dr. Shana OMarra, chief medical officer at DoveLewis, recalls one of the first cases she presented to her twinning partners. It involved a CT scanner, which the African veterinarians didnt have in their clinics, forcing her to take a step back.

Its a good mental exercise to think about a case without the tools we normally rely on, like an ultrasound that is immediately available to us on the ER (emergency room) floor, Dr. OMarra said. The biggest lesson Ive learned is focusing on the core of veterinary practice and not relying on the bells and whistles, when most of the information we can get through pretty low-tech means, such as a comprehensive physical examination and repeated assessments.

She enjoys being exposed to different infectious disease processes or discussing how to approach an unknown toxicosis. In particular, Dr. OMarra is impressed at how skilled her African counterparts are at blood film evaluation. The discussions are a way for everyone to step outside their local pattern recognition and talk about the basics of medicine in a clinically applicable way.

Its not as if the American veterinarians have a leg up on the African vets. Its very much a meeting of the minds, Dr. OMarra said.

She quickly noticed similarities when she brought up professional wellness and how to foster that in a hospital setting. The African practitioners said they shared many of the same struggles, from difficulties in setting personal boundaries to burnout.

It was really interesting to hear from them that its all universal, Dr. OMarra said. Its not all about workplaces, because they are so different. We are veterinary providers, and we all have the same tendency to give of ourselves till were depleted.

Her goal is to meet with her counterparts at the AVMA Convention and host them at DoveLewis as soon as this year.

At AVMA Convention 2019 this past July in Washington, D.C., Drs Stevens and Nasir met with Dr. Beth Sabin, AVMA director of global outreach, and others on the pilot program management team to discuss how to measure the success of the AVMA-AFSCAN Twinning Pilot Program and how to proceed as it moves into its second year. In addition, Drs. Nasir and Stevens met with Drs. Brian Neumann, Jeff Newman, and Karen Murphy, the lead twinning program veterinarians at Caring Hands. They also had a chance to attend continuing education sessions. Zoetis and AFSCAN paid for the travel expenses, and the AVMA covered convention registration for Drs. Nasir and Stevens.

The big challenge nowadays is its a virtual world. It can bring a global veterinary perspective in vet practice, Dr. Stevens said. But to meet people face-to-face makes a huge difference. To participate in a procedure and see it yourself in practice is totally different from the virtual world. Were trying to do relationship building to where it becomes a face-to-face relationship, and there is interaction. It makes the experience that much more real.

Dr. Stevens hopes more participants can meet at AVMA Convention 2020 in August in San Diego. In the meantime, the twinning pilot program just kicked off its second year with a call for a limited number of additional U.S. clinics, led by AVMA member veterinarians, to twin with three practices in Tanzania.

The pilot program, as approved by the AVMA Board of Directors, will run at least through December 2021, with potential to continue two more years.

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African, US veterinarians have meeting of minds | American Veterinary Medical Association - American Veterinary Medical Association

A new cooperative between students and faculty of Texas A&Ms College of Veterinary Medicine is educating the community on the connection between domestic violence and pet abuse.

Aggies Fostering Hope has three goals: foster animals who are victims of abuse in domestic violence situations, teach veterinary professionals about the link between domestic violence and pet abuse, and educate the general public through community outreach to raise overall awareness of this issue.

The organizations outreach chair Alyssa Felton, a third-year veterinary medicine student, said the organization teaches students about the scientific connection between pet abuse and domestic violence.

Eighty-five percent of women entering shelters reported their partner had threatened, injured or killed a family pet, Felton said. They stay in the situation because the one positive relationship they have is with that animal, and if they left that animal, they know something bad would happen to it.

The vet school fosters the animals while Aggies Fostering Hope works to connect the pets owners with them through social workers and Phoebes Home, a shelter for female victims of domestic violence based in Bryan-College Station. Women can visit their pets in a secure environment at the vet school, and anonymity is kept to ensure the victims security. The animals medical assistance is taken care of by various donors.

The idea for Aggies Fostering Hope was formed last year between Hunter Greer, a fourth-year veterinary science student, and Dr. Karen Cornell, the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Melodie Raese and Jamie Foster, third-year veterinary science students, took Greer and Cornells idea further while taking a community outreach elective course offered by the college. Raese and Foster developed a plan to help those in domestic violence situations while also educating veterinary professionals.

Vets are the first who see potential situations where a dog keeps coming in with problems, or they have a client that jumps from vet to vet, Felton said. When veterinarians can identify and address pet abuse is possibly happening in a home, they can make available opportunities for clients because most of the time the victim is who is bringing the pet into the vet.

The organization created brochures to give to visiting veterinary professionals that include several Texas-based resources for those experiencing domestic violence. The idea is for vets to take these brochures back to their clinics to make these resources available to clients who may be exhibiting signs of pet abuse or domestic violence.

Felton said raising awareness and donations for this issue is something close to her heart because it offers victims the opportunity to start over.

I would never leave my dog behind somewhere, and I can just imagine how hard that can be on someone else, Felton said. Being able to help an animal and the person who loves them to start a better life, thats what a vet really means to me: helping the animal and their person.

The College of Veterinary Medicine is always accepting donations for the fostered animals. Aggies Fostering Hope encourages everyone to learn more about the link between pet abuse and domestic violence, and asks the campus community to spread awareness of this issue by liking their Facebook page.

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Finding the missing links | News - Texas A&M The Battalion

CONCORD New Hampshire would become the second state in the nation to ban the declawing of cats except for medical reasons, under legislation fiercely debated Thursday by animal rights advocates and seasoned veterinarians.

State Rep. Katherine Rogers, D-Concord, said she has received more encouragement on this bill than any she has worked on over seven terms in the Legislature.

Declawing is the equivalent of cutting off your fingers at the highest knuckle. It is painful, Rogers said.

The California-based Paw Project has urged lawmakers across their nation to bring their states in line with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, New York state and 28 countries around the world that have banned the practice.

Dr. Jennifer Conrad, the organizations founder, estimates one in four cats is declawed as part of a $1 billion-a-year business.

I have had vets tell me it is their bread and butter, that they are making $75,000 to $80,000 a year and they arent going to stop doing it until its against the law, said Conrad, a trained veterinarian.

HB 1387 would make it illegal to declaw a cat unless the procedure was necessary in order to address the physical medical condition of the cat, such as an existing or recurring illness, infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition in the claw that compromises the cats health.

Leaders of the New Hampshire Veterinary Medicine Association said such claims about the frequency and consequences of declawing are overblown, and the Legislature should be careful not to over-regulate animal care.

There are some instances where declawing is appropriate, but we try as veterinarians to not do the procedure as frequently as we did decades ago, said Dr. Jane Barlow Roy, past president of the group.

We think legislating veterinary medical practices is detrimental to our profession. This could become a slippery slope.

While Barlow Roy said she hasnt declawed a cat in five years, she said some clients insist their vets to do it.

My goal is to preserve the human-animal bond, so if they say, I am going to euthanize my cat as opposed to declawing it, then I will declaw it, Barlow Roy said.

We have been told if you arent going to do it, I will find somebody else.

Angela Ferrari, of Dog Owners of the Granite State, said most owners declaw their cat only in the case of serious medical issues, such as tumors on the paw or severe ingrown nails that endanger the health of the animal.

I havent met anybody in my experience who decides to get a cat declawed just for the sake of it, said Ferrari, whose group opposes the bill.

Dr. David Stowe, former owner of a seven-vet practice in Laconia, said he decided in the 1990s to use laser surgery for declawing because it caused the animal less pain.

The vast majority do not declaw, but the majority are in favor of leaving it up to veterinarians, Stowe said.

Clearly the number is going down; it is nowhere near what it used to be.

Julia Seeley, state director of the Humane Society of the United States, said her agency backed the bill.

It is an unnecessary surgery, most often performed to address convenience issues such as a problem scratching of household furniture, and it provides no medical benefit to the cat, Seeley said.

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Animal rights advocates, vets battle over whether to ban declawing cats - The Union Leader

A cluster of horse racing deaths in 2019 has led to increased calls for safety-related reforms and standardization in the industry.

Conversations among racetrack organizations, horse owners, the public, and equine veterinarians across the U.S. led to the creation of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition as well as other efforts such as the Horse Integrity Act introduced in Congress.

The coalition comprises six racetrack organizations: The Breeders Cup, Churchill Downs, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Keeneland, the New York Racing Association, and The Stronach Group. The TSC, which launched Nov. 19, 2019, aims to make operational, medical, and organizational changes to the racing industry.

As doctors of veterinary medicine, the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) commends the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition for its wide-ranging initiatives to ensure the safety of the sports equine and human athletes, said 2019 AAEP President Dr. Jeff Berk in a statement. Everyone in the horse racing industry shares responsibility for safety, from veterinarians and trainers to breeders, owners, racetracks and state regulators. The focused and collaborative effort of the coalition promises meaningful safety reforms in the years ahead.

The AVMA endorses the AAEP policy on therapeutic medications in racehorses, which includes a recommendation that all racing jurisdictions adopt the uniform medication guidelines set forth by the Racing and Medication Testing Consortium Inc. The AVMA and AAEP work closely on horse racing and other issues. Read the full policy.

The coalition has proposed some of the following reforms:

Dr. William Farmer, equine medical director of Churchill Downs, said the creation of the coalition is a big milestone.

Track management and track owners are coming together to help push this through, which is something very different, he said. Traditionally, it has been regulators trying to push medication reform, not the tracks themselves.

Dr. Farmer, who is also a racetrack veterinarian, worked with the coalition on its medical reforms while he was under contract with the Breeders Cup.

Dr. Stuart E. Brown II, a partner at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, said there has always been an emphasis on the need to control the atmosphere on the racetrack for the safety of horses and riders.

A lot of effort goes into making sure, especially from an integrity standpoint, that we make the sport as safe as possible, he said. We never want to take a horse death lightly.

According to data from the Equine Injury Registry, which is maintained by the Jockey Club, the number of fatalities per 1,000 starts has decreased in the last 10 years (see chart). But despite the overall decrease, the recent cluster of injuries has led to questions about safety.

The Equine Injury Registry isnt expected to release official numbers on fatalities per starts for 2019 until this spring. According to media reports, however, there were more than 400 racing-related deaths of horses across the U.S. in 2019.

Specifically, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, saw 40 deaths, including one during the Breeders Cup Classic. The majority of the fatalities at Santa Anita, a track operated by The Stronach Group, have been attributed to the weather in California. The state received an abnormally large amount of rain in early 2019.

In December, Santa Anita installed a positron emission tomography scanner to support diagnosis of preexisting conditions in horses that could contribute to breakdowns. It is the first to be installed in a horse racing facility.An official report from the California Horse Racing Board about the deaths at Santa Anita had yet to be released at press time in late December.

Dr. Farmer said the industry is united in its goal to make the sport safer, more open, and more transparent.

We have made a lot of changes, we still have a lot to make, and we are actively making them, in all tenses of the wordpast, present, and future, he said.

Horse racing dates back as far as 1665 in the U.S. and Canada, said Dr. Kathleen Anderson, AAEP past president. Historically, horse racing was seen as a local or state event, but it evolved into a national and international sport as transportation improved. Technology, more recently, has also changed the way the public can interact with the sport.

In an age where the individual matters, horse racing injuries have found increased scrutiny from a populace that sees the sport through a different lens, Dr. Anderson said. To address this, the racing industry has sought to improve the oversight of the sport. The implemented policies vary from state to state and from track to track, thus the conundrum we face with how to achieve uniformity of regulation and safety within the budgets of a wide spectrum of racing venues and racing ownership.

An earlier effort for self-regulation within horse racing came in 2013 from the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the industrys scientific advisory organization, and the Association of Racing Commissioners International, the association of state racing regulators, which develops model rules it encourages its members to adopt. The hope was for pari-mutuel regulators for the 38 U.S. horse racing commissions to adopt these uniform national reforms involving medication regulation and enforcement. Now known as the National Uniform Medication Progress, it introduced a controlled therapeutic medication list, the Multiple Medication Violations Penalty System, restrictions on the use and administration of furosemide, and the RMTC code of laboratory accreditation and minimum standards. Adoption by states hasnt been consistent. A map showing the states that have adopted the four facets of the NUMP can be found at the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association website.

Race-day administration of medications is a key topic in horse racing safety conversations. Furosemide is the only medication that can be given on race day and is used to treat exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Although furosemide is widely used in the U.S., most countries have prohibited its use on race day because of its role as a potential performance enhancer.

Meanwhile, others in and out of the horse racing industry have proposed their preferred changes to the sport.

The Horseracing Integrity Act (HR 1754) was introduced in the 116th Congress. The legislation would establish the Horseracing Anti-Doping and Medication Control Authority as an independent, private, nonprofit organization that would develop and administer a program for Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse racing. The Federal Trade Commission would have oversight. Similar bills have been introduced in previous Congresses over the past decade, but none have passed.

The Jockey Club, the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity, and others have come out in support of this most recent iteration of the bill.

The Jockey Club believes that horses should race only when free from the effects of medication, and the Horseracing Integrity Act would achieve that goal, said Shannon Luce, the director of communications at The Jockey Club. We can significantly improve equine health and reduce fatalities, but to do so, we need one set of anti-doping and medication rules across the country, a system that the Horseracing Integrity Act will create.

Another recent effort is the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities. It is the result of a collaboration among racing jurisdiction stakeholders in the mid-Atlantic region. They have produced a strategic plan with five defined goals that could serve as a template for other jurisdictions going forward. The goals include developing regional safety best practices, increasing awareness and understanding of conditions associated with injury, and developing improved methods to identify horses at increased risk of injury.

States have also started making their own reforms.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and racetracks in the state adopted new medication rules in December intended to reduce the use of pre-race medication. The plan would also eliminate race-day use of furosemide in 2-year-old horses. As of late December, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had not approved the proposal.

The California Horse Racing Board also approved a series of reforms to be presented to Gov. Gavin Newsom in December.

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, the new CHRB chairman, said in a board meeting in November that there will be changes under his leadership.The days of permissive medication are over, he said during the meeting. We will gradually eliminate medications and keep them away from racing and training.

Dr. Anderson said that the loss of any horse in competition is of great concern to the racing industry and equine veterinarians.

The visionary goal is zero catastrophic injuries, hence the reforms that move us closer to the goal. Both the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition and the Horseracing Integrity Act are tackling this from different camps but using the same bottom line: Uniformity is paramount. It is the key to national safety and the general welfare of the horses.

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Once more around the track | American Veterinary Medical Association - American Veterinary Medical Association

The Calving Corner is a popular attraction at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Dairy cows on the verge of giving birth rest in a spacious pen while an audience seated on surrounding bleachers eagerly awaits. On a Saturday earlier this month, Karen, a cow from Meadow Spring Farm in Lititz, had been showing signs of readiness for hours: changing position frequently, nesting" in the bedding straw, and breathing rapidly, with occasional pauses for contractions.

While cows in the Corner are expected to deliver unassisted, as they would on their farms, Mike Pesato, a board-certified food animal veterinarian from Penns School of Veterinary Medicines Field Service, was on hand as a volunteer in case any of the moms needed help.

As Karens labor failed to advance, Pesato stepped in.

I was preparing to end my shift but I talked with the farmers and said, before I go, why dont we just check her, assess the situation, says Pesato. What he found was a large calf on the brink of birth, but stuck upside down, with its nose butting up against Karens pelvic bone. With the help of farmers Tom and Andy Bollinger, Pesato guided and pulled bull calf Sherman out into the world.

Veterinary expertise like Pesatos is a crucial aspect of Pennsylvanias thriving agriculture industry, and Penn Vets presence at the 104th Farm Show, held Jan. 4-11 in Harrisburg, highlighted that fact in many dimensions of the festivities, which attract half a million people annually.

Penn Vet has been a participant at the Farm Show for nearly half a century, and dozens of members of the school community took part this year. Whether offering formal veterinary assistance like Pesato, providing engaging informal education at the Penn Vet booth, or advocating for the school with legislators and other leaders in agriculture, as Penn Vet Dean Andrew Hoffman and other faculty did on multiple occasions through the week-long celebration, their involvement highlighted the fact that the school is not just part of the showits a true partner in the $135 billion agricultural industry statewide.

The numbers make it plain: About three-quarters of Pennsylvania veterinarians are Penn Vet graduates, practicing in 66 of the states 67 counties. The New Bolton Centers Field Service team cares for 23,000 large animal patients in the counties surrounding the Kennett Square facility, while New Boltons hospital sees thousands more patients annually. New Bolton Center is home to one of the three labs that compose the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System, or PADLS, which conduct disease surveillance and testing to rapidly detect potential threats. And research programs at both New Bolton and the main campus in Philadelphia work to enhance science that can make farms safer, more productive, and more sustainable, both environmentally and economically.

The show kicked off the morning of Jan. 4 with opening ceremonies, including remarks from Governor Tom Wolf, Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, and U.S. Rep. Glenn G.T. Thompson, interspersed with the occasional emphatic moo from a cow in the arena. Its essential that we support our farms for today, but also for the future that we want to have in Pennsylvania, said Wolf.

Afterward, Hoffman, joined by Associate Dean Gary Althouse and Office of Government and Community Affairss Michael Smith, connected with the governor, secretary, and legislators including Thompson and State Sen. Judy Schwank, to discuss mutual priorities. During a tour of the facilitywhich includes a 1930s-era main hall, three arenas, conference facilities and more, totaling more than a million square feet, punctuated by the aroma of maple syrup and potato donuts in the food hallsthey also found opportunities to talk with representatives from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Farm Bureau, PennAg Industries, as well as members of the public.

My job is to connect with people in agriculture, and share what were doing to support the industry, said Hoffman, whose clinical veterinary background includes work in equine respiratory medicine. Were educating people here about the profession and the necessity of veterinarians in sustainable agriculture.

Hoffmans ambitions for the school mirror what hes been hearing from industry and government leaders, farmers, clients, and members of the public: They want to know about accesshow are we going to make sure they can get the care their animals need, he says. But theyre also asking about infectious disease spread, zoonotic diseases that are being transmitted between domestic population and wildlife and vice versa or are even being brought in from different countries. Theres interest in every aspect of what we do.

With a growing number of dual-degree programs, and new ventures like the Pennsylvania Wildlife Futures Program, a partnership between the Vet School and the states Game Commission to address diseases that threaten wildlife as well as pets, livestock, and humans, Hoffman aims to train new veterinarians to meet the increasing demands placed on them, while anticipating and planning for new challanges that are coming down the pike.

Back at the Penn Vet booth in the Expo Hall, veterinary students lured in passersby with animal-themed hats and a yucky stuff table, which included a manatee skull, a horses hoof in a jar, and massive intestinal deposits that formed around a tiny stone ingested incidentally.

Second-year veterinary students Julia Weeder, Katie Newcamp, and Meagan Rodriguez were among two dozen students who volunteered part of their weekend to staff the booth.

Rodriguez, who worked an afternoon shift, said attending the Farm Show is a good learning experience, as coming from New York City she lacked the familiarity that some of her rural-dwelling peers had with livestock and farms. Newcamp enjoyed talking with the many children who approached the booth, including one little guy who was about 7 who was very clear that he wanted to be a vet when he grows up.

The students spoke to several older veterinarian-hopefuls as well, including Sophia Sigel, a middle schooler from Media, Pennsylvania, who was attending with her dad, Matt. A member of the Delaware Country 4H, Sigel breeds and shows sheep and has her eye on vet school.

On Monday, Jan. 6, at the Farm Show, members of the FFA, a leadership organization for young people interested in careers in agriculture, were invited to come by the Penn Vet booth to discuss opportunities in veterinary medicine. Roughly 75 came by, talking with representatives from the school, including several students interested in pursuing large animal medicine. The Pennsylvania FFA state officers, prestigious elected positions in the organization, joined Hoffman on Wednesday, Jan. 8, for a dynamic hour-long conversation covering everything from the academic requirements of a veterinary education, to issues in agribusiness, which veterinary students graduating from Penn Vet are increasing well-positioned to address.

Penn Vet offers an extraordinary training program for studentsparticularly those looking to pursue a career at the cross-section of agriculture and veterinary medicine, said Althouse, associate dean of sustainable agriculture and veterinary practices at the school. With 100 percent of our students being trained in large and food animal medicine, were preparing them to not only be exceptional clinicians in the field, but to also be visionary thinkers capable of providing solutions to some of the industrys most pressing challenges.

Fury and Ugo, two puppies in training for scent detection at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, were among the attractions at the Show on Wednesday, prompting many visitors to stop to engage in discussions of how such working dogs may one day be deployed to detect odors such as chronic wasting disease, an insidious infection of deer, or spotted lanternfly, an emerging and highly destructive invasive insect in Pennsylvania.

Wednesday was also the Farm Shows Public Officials Day. More than a dozen legislators visited the Penn Vet booth that day, including House Speaker Mike Turzai and Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa.

The theme that carried through each such interaction, whether with students or legislators, was that agriculture and world-class veterinary medicine must be inextricably linked. Speaking amid Saturdays crowds by the main entrance to the show, Joel Rotz, manager of government affairs and communications for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, had no trouble ticking off a number of reasons he and his organization deeply value Penn Vets expertise, noting in particular the schools efforts on food safety assurance and animal disease surveillance. Thats a real badge of honor, he says. Chris Herr, executive vice president of PennAg Industries echoed that point, saying, Pennsylvania is an animal agriculture state, and the work Penn Vet does is a real strength for us.

For Pesato, who enjoyed his third year volunteering in Calving Corner, bringing Sherman into the worldand sharing that with an audience of more than 100 peoplewas an honor in and of itself. For the public to get the chance to see the camaraderie between farmer and veterinarian, the communication there, he says, I think people really came away informed and pleased.

Homepage photo: Crowds gathered to watch cows give birth at Calving Corner, one of many popular attractions in the one million square foot facility in Harrisburg.

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Safeguarding farms and food - Penn: Office of University Communications

Dear Tabby,

We are planning to do some camping this winter with our dog. What should we consider before taking the dog camping with us?Craving a Campfire in The Heights

While camping with your furry friends can be fun, its not without some risk and better enjoyed if youve prepared well. Our friends at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine have some advice on making the most out of camping with your canine.

Make sure campground allows pets

First of all, make sure that you choose a campground that will work for you and your dog.

Many campgrounds allow pets, with certain rules and regulations, said Dr. Mark Stickney, clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Often, the rules regarding pets can be seen posted on their website or answered over the phone.

Most rules will include things such as having your pet on a leash, making sure they are supervised at all times and requiring proof of vaccinations, Stickney said. Even if they dont require health records or vaccination certificates, its a good idea to bring them along just in case.

Pack essentials for your pup

Just as you need to pack food and other essentials for yourself, dont forget to pack necessities for your pets as well. Some items youll need to bring are plenty of food, a pet first-aid kit, a harness and a leash. Even if the campsite has natural water resources, such as streams or lakes, you must still bring plenty of water for your pet to drink throughout your stay.

Your pets will want to drink out of any pond and lake in sight, but there are many different diseases they can catch by doing that, Stickney said. So you dont want that to be their primary source of water.

Keep your pet close to camp and on leash

Coming into contact with wild animals is a definite risk when you are out in a national forest or grassland. Although most of the wildlife you run into want to keep away from you as well, you should have a way of containing your pet just in case.

If your pet does get into a tussle with a wild animal, you do not want to get into the middle of it, Stickney said. There is a very good chance you will be bitten or harmed.

Your best method of action is calling off your pet or to try scaring away the wild animal.

In order to prevent such situations in the first place, it is a good idea to keep your pets close to you throughout your camping expedition and to have a leash or harness available at all times.

Before setting off on your camping adventure, make sure your pets are up-to-date on all of their vaccinations, especially rabies. Depending on the campsites location, you may consult with your veterinarian about any other vaccinations that your pet may need as well as discuss appropriate flea and tick control.

Do you have a question for Tabby? If so, email her at deartabbyquestions@gmail.com.

Meet Carli. Much like Mary Poppins, this 2-year-old terrier/Black Mouth Cur mix is practically perfect in every way! Carli is about 43 pounds and gets along well with humans and other dogs. She knows commands, is crate trained, social and loves to cuddle. Seriously, though, Carli is the best girl! If youre looking to add a dog to your family, Carli would fit seamlessly into your home. To learn more, go to http://www.k-9angelsrescue.org.

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Resolving to camp more in 2020? Should you take your dog along? - The Leader

Jan. 15, 2020

Christmas Eve 2019 brought a special gift to the world when a rare baby black rhino was born at 5:40 a.m. at Lansing's Potter Park Zoo.

Doppsee, the calfs mother, had been closely monitored during her 15-monthlong pregnancy by a dedicated team of animal scientists that included MSU veterinarians and students.

The baby calf a boy named Jaali, pronounced Jolly stood within the first few hours of being born and has since stayed close beside Mom in the protected pen at the zoo.

Caregivers report that Doppsee, unlike most of her breed, has a docile and gentle disposition that allows zookeepers to work closely with her, providing opportunities for MSUs veterinary medical students to observe physical exams, blood draws and ultrasound skills.

Collaborating with Potter Park Zoo is a wonderful educational experience, not only for our veterinarians, but also for our veterinary medical students, says Julie Strachota, clinical instructor for MSUs Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and resident for the Large Animal Theriogenology Service. I never would have expected that I would be doing transrectal and transabdominal ultrasounds on a black rhino.

The veterinarians and zookeepers monitored Doppsee and her fetus weekly, providing opportunities for MSUs veterinary medical students to observe physical exams, blood draws and ultrasound skills. Most importantly, they ensured that she and her baby calf were kept safe, happy and healthy.

Being able to get this hands-on experience is invaluable to me, as Doppsee is a species I am not able to work with often, so this experience continues to help me learn more about what it means to be a veterinarian, says Bridget Walker, a third-year veterinary medical student.

Ronan Eustace, adjunct professor at MSUs School of Veterinary Medicine and director of animal health at Potter Park Zoo, mentored veterinary students during summer sessions and oversaw the regular visits.

Dr. Eustace always welcomes us to bring as many students as we can to work with the animals at Potter Park Zoo, says Strachota. During one of our ultrasound examinations, one of the senior students commented that it was the best day of veterinary school. What the zoo is doing for our veterinary curriculum is invaluable.

While important to the pregnancy, the ultrasounds and blood tests on Doppsee provided more than imaging of her baby. Black rhinoceroses are critically endangered with only 5,000 remaining in the wild and 60 in protected environments.

Doppsee carries valuable genetics in the captive population of eastern black rhinos. The more these genetics spread, the greater chance there is of preserving the global population of black rhinos.

With the help of Monica Stoops, lead scientist of Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, zookeepers and veterinary staff were able to develop an understanding of Doppsees hormone levels, estrus cycle and behavior. Doppsee, and the valuable data gathered about her cycle and pregnancy, contributed to several research studies. These studies will provide valuable information on black rhino reproduction information that cannot be obtained from wildlife populations.

If we can maximize reproductive success in these captive populations, then they may become sustainable and thats the goal, says Eustace.

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Rare baby rhino born after MSU vets assist with pregnancy - MSUToday

I didnt stay awake until midnight to watch the ball drop in Times Square. Nonetheless, I was still in my jammies when clients called late morning New Years Day. One good thing about being in practice so long on our little Island is that I know my clients pretty well. I know their names, their kids names, their pets names and histories, so when the owner told me Sandy wasnt feeling well I immediately knew several pertinent facts. Sandy was a middle-aged large breed female dog and she was not spayed.

It started around Christmas, her owner said. She was drinking more than usual, and was incontinent once or twice. I understood why they hadnt been too concerned initially. Once before Sandy had experienced increased drinking and urine leaking that had turned out to be a minor urinary tract infection, nothing worrisome. But last night her appetite was off, he continued, and this morning she vomited.

Often with such symptoms, I might be comfortable giving telephone advice, making an appointment for the following day, and staying happily lounging in my jammies. But I knew those pertinent facts. Sandy was an unspayed, middle-aged, large breed, female dog. Better come right down, I said.

Pyometra. A potentially life-threatening bacterial infection in which the uterus fills with pus and can actually rupture if treatment is delayed. The signs can be notoriously subtle for such a serious condition, initially consisting of nothing more than increased drinking and urination, but then progress to depression, loss of appetite, fever, abdominal distention, and vomiting. It occurs most frequently in dogs greater than seven years old with one study reporting almost one-fourth of all intact bitches may develop pyometra by the age of ten. Predisposed breeds include Bernese mountain dog, rottweiler, rough-coated collie, golden retriever, Leonberger, and Airedale terrier. A few smaller breeds also seem prone, including Cavalier King Charles, miniature Schnauzers, and Irish terriers, but any intact female dog is at risk.

The exact reason these severe uterine infections occur is incompletely understood. There are likely multiple factors involved. Most cases present within eight to 12 weeks after the dog has been in heat. Heres why. When Sandys body gets ready for breeding, her cervix relaxes. This lets semen pass into her reproductive tract. It also can let bacteria in. Her body then suppresses white blood cell activity so as not to attack any incoming sperm, but this also reduces her resistance to infection. Finally, during this time, elevated progesterone levels lessen uterine contractions so as not to expel developing fetuses, but this also lessens her ability to expel other material. These changes are all designed to facilitate pregnancy, but when pregnancy does not occur, also create circumstances in which bacteria can invade the uterus and flourish. Eventually Sandys immune system recognizes that there is a problem and kicks in, sending legions of white blood cells (a.k.a. leukocytes) to try to fight off the infection. The uterus then fills with purulent material. In other words, pus.

So shouldnt we see discharge from Sandys nether regions? Not always. In an open cervix pyometra, pus may indeed drain out, creating visible external discharge. These dogs are often not as sick as dogs with closed cervix pyometra. In closed cervix pyometra, after the heat is over, the cervix closes down tightly, shutting off any exit route for the purulent material, which then just collects inside the uterus. Dogs have a bicornuate uterus, meaning there are two long horns, each of which may become distended with copious amounts of pus.

When Sandy walked in the door, I immediately saw her belly was distended. Many diseases can cause a swollen tummy in a dog her size and age. I checked her gums. Nice and pink. Probably not a bleeding tumor of the spleen. I gingerly palpated her abdomen. She was not tense or distended in the manner typical of bloat. Pushing very gently, I could feel a mass consistent with an enlarged uterus. I dared not squeeze too hard for fear of rupturing it. The treatment of choice in most cases of pyometra is immediate ovariohysterectomy, i.e. get her spayed. There are medical techniques one can use to try to relax the cervix and contract the uterus to expel all that junk, thus saving reproductive potential, but there was no valid reason to consider this for Sandy. There were no plans to breed her, and there is a high risk of recurrence in cases treated medically.

I explained a definitive diagnosis would require radiographs and blood tests, but that would take time. The longer we waited to get her to a surgeon, and the more we manipulated her, the greater the risk of that pus-filled uterus rupturing, which is likely fatal. Many years ago when the standard of care in veterinary medicine was different, I did pyometra surgery on a golden retriever, removing a uterus with each horn swollen as big as my forearm. It is a tense event, trying to remove such an organ without disaster, and a long list of possible complications that can occur before, during, and after surgery, including peritonitis, uterine rupture, aspiration pneumonia, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and kidney failure, to name a few. Nowadays it is really the best medicine to refer these cases to board-certified surgeons with 24-hour care facilities and all the state-of-the-art bells and whistles. I suggested Sandys owners head immediately to Cape Cod Veterinary Specialists.

It felt odd, transferring Sandy so quickly without hard evidence such as x-rays confirming my diagnosis. I spent the day hoping I hadnt sent them on a wild goose chase. But it walked like a duck and it quacked like a duck. Later that evening, the fax arrived confirming that, yup, it was a duck. She survived surgery to remove her infected uterus, and after a few days hospitalization, came home. A tough way for Sandy and her family to start the New Year, but a happy outcome.

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Visiting Vet: A rough start to the new year - Martha's Vineyard Times

Dr. Jan Pol can definitively say that the reality show based on the ins and outs of his veterinary service has been an overwhelming success. In fact, his animal clinic, Pol Veterinary Services, is his communitys dependable place to take any creature for any medical needs, seeing over 20,000 clients in his 40-plus-year career.

But, as the saying goes, behind every good man is a great woman. In this case, an incredible woman, Dr. Pols wife, Diane Pol.

Find out more about this extraordinary couples love story and how they met and came to build the little veterinary hospital that could.

Born in the Netherlands, Dr. Pol attended Utrecht University Veterinary College in the 1970s and studied hard to become an animal practitioner.

I was the youngest of six children on a dairy farm in the Netherlands during World War II. When I was 12 years old, the local veterinarian had me come along to my brothers farm to help with some small sows that were farrowing.

That was the beginning of my interest in veterinary practice and I subsequently worked toward pursuing a veterinary medicine degree.

In 1954, my youngest sister moved to Ontario, Canada, and I became an exchange student in Michigan during 1961 to 1962, which allowed my parents to visit my sister in Canada. When I began studies . . . , we were told that it would be impossible to practice in that country. As it turned out, of a dozen classmates, I am one of two that actually went into veterinary practice.

Diane is a 100% partner at the animal clinic and although she does not help to treat the animals, it is her administrative know-how and organization that keeps the busy clinic moving smoothly.

My first experience after graduating was working for a veterinarian in Harbor Beach, Michigan, Dr. Pol told Todays Veterinary Practice in 2012. However, my wife, Diane, and I were eager to start our own practice here in Weidman, Michigan. When the practice opened in 1981, 80% of our practice was dairy, with the remaining 20% equine and small animals.

We worked out of a room built in the corner of the garage until the practice outgrew that small space. Diane and I managed to buy more property next door and build a clinica double-wide trailer, which was all we could afford with interest rates close to 20%.

Before marrying his wife Diane, Dr. Pol considered moving to New Zealand to open up a veterinary practice. But his plans changed after meeting his life partner.

Diane and Jan Pol met when he was a foreign exchange student at MayvilleHigh School in 1961 during her senior year. They kept up a correspondence after he returned to the Netherlands. After a while, Dr. Pol asked Diane to come and meet his parents. At that point, they knew their relationship was beyond pen pals and that they wanted to marry.

Eventually, the couple married in 1967, continued living in the Netherlands for a few years more, and finally moved back to Michigan.

Diane earned a Special Reading masters degree wand was a reading teacher until 1981 when she left teaching to help Dr. Pol run his business and care for their children.

She really is an incredible partner!

Read more: The Incredible Dr. Pol: The Real Reason Dr. Emily Left

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'The Incredible Dr. Pol': The Romantic Way the Vet and His Wife Met and Fell In Love - Showbiz Cheat Sheet