The following is an excerpt from the January/February 2010 Vet-Advantage cover story on the recent merger of NLS Henry Schein and Butler Animal Health Supply. See the entire article in the new issue which hits the streets January 16th!

Two strong organizations, a bunch of years of experience, and the determination to get things right without undue delay should make the marriage of NLS Henry Schein and Butler Animal Health Supply a strong and vibrant one, according to newly named chairman and CEO of Butler Schein Animal Health, Kevin R. Vasquez. Speaking with Veterinary Advantage in mid-December, Vasquez predicted that the details of the merger - including consolidation of the sales force, distribution centers, product lines, etc. - should be worked out in the near future. “We’re all doing the deep dive now,” he said. “We will be responsible as we go forward in determining what is best for our customers, our employees and our business, as we lay out a plan in a competently aggressive fashion. We know we can’t linger in this process, but also that we have to make intelligent, substantive and caring decisions.”

Needless to say, some questions are lingering. For example, how will the new company, which is to be based in Dublin, Ohio (Butler’s home), bring together Butler’s 16 distribution centers and seven telecenters, and NLS Henry Schein’s seven distribution centers and four telecenters?

Also, questions remain about how Butler Schein will move forward with a combined private label program, and what will its relationship be with both Vedco and Clipper Distributing in the future. “Once we determine the right thing to do, we will move expeditiously to bring the companies together under one common culture,” says Vasquez.

Henry Schein, Inc. and Butler Animal Health Supply announced the closing of the transactions to form Butler Schein Animal Health, a new company that combines Butler Animal Health Supply and Henry Schein’s U.S. Animal Health businesses. Butler Schein Animal Health is 50.1%-owned by Henry Schein and 49.9%-owned by the owners of Butler Animal Health Supply (Oak Hill Capital Partners and The Ashkin Family Group).

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) announced the release of the AAFP/AAHA Feline Life Stage Guidelines. The guidelines were published in the January issue of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. The guidelines were developed in response to “alarming” statistics reported in the 2007 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) US Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, the organizations said, showing that cats kept as pets outnumbered dogs, yet received significantly less veterinary care. Further studies have indicated that an inability to recognize signs of illness or injury is a key factor as to why cat owners are unaware of their cat’s medical needs. The guidelines offer practical strategies that veterinary practices can integrate into their daily routines to help alleviate common stressors and work more successfully with an anxious cat. The guidelines address healthcare recommendations specific to the lifestage of the feline patient, and emphasize educating clients about behavior and environmental issues that promote a healthy life style. The guidelines are available online at www.catvets.com and www.aahanet.org.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has named Mike Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP, as its new executive director, replacing John Albers, DVM, after 23 years with the association. Cavanaugh was selected by the AAHA Board of Directors after a four-month search by an appointed executive search committee. A graduate of Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cavanaugh has practiced small animal medicine at various AAHA accredited practices, including West Ridge Animal Hospital in Topeka, Kan., a hospital he founded and owned from 1988-1996. Cavanaugh has also served on various AAHA volunteer committees throughout his professional career. Before joining AAHA, Cavanaugh served as Director of Veterinary Hospital Services at Pfizer Animal Health. Additionally, Cavanaugh has worked for veterinary industry companies, Heska Corporation and Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health and Pico Boulevard Pet Hospital in Los Angeles reported a cat in Southern California who tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 virus. The cat, an 8-year old female, developed clinical signs of respiratory disease after her owner was ill with confirmed 2009 H1N1 influenza infection. Laboratory testing revealed 2009 H1N1 influenza infection as well as Mycoplasma felis infection. Mycoplasma felis is a type of bacteria that can cause conjunctivitis, respiratory disease and polyarthritis (arthritis in more than one joint). The cat is reported to be recovering. Cats in five other states — Iowa, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, and Pennsylvania — have previously tested positive for the H1N1 virus, and a captive cheetah in California tested positive for H1N1 in early December, the report said. In addition, the virus has been identified in pigs, turkeys, ferrets, and a dog in New York.

In a recent Q&A, Dr. Patty Khuly, who has veterinary practice in South Miami and blogs at www.dolittler.com, recommended teeth cleaning as a healthy preventative step owners can take to avoid other help problems and the costs associated with them. She offered the following steps for pet owners looking to map out their finances when it comes to pet ownership, especially in a down economy: start a dedicated pet health saving’s account; get pet health insurance; never take on a pet whose basic care you can’t afford. She said to plan on spending $1,500 a year on a pet, plus the cost of insurance.

Ontario Veterinary College doctoral student Maureen Anderson is conducting a study focused on concerned hand-hygiene practices in vet clinics. “A lot of the time, people don’t realize that there are things that can be transmitted from animals to people (and vice versa). Whereas people who work in human medicine, obviously they’re dealing with patients and they’re very much aware,” Anderson said. Anderson intends to recruit 25 to 40 veterinary clinics to study in the Guelph area, as well as Ottawa. She’ll place cameras in clinic treatment areas to directly observe handwashing practices. She will get staff to fill out surveys and she will also evaluate the impact of clinic layouts and educational interventions on hygiene practices. Anderson co-ordinates with Weese the Worms and Germs blog: www.wormsandgermsblog.com. It advocates “safe pet ownership.”

Eriginate Corporation announced that the eTattoo tag has been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture for use in cattle management. The eTattoo is a panel-style tag that incorporates both visual and electronic identification, enabling management information to be printed on the tag, removing the need for separate visual and RFID tags. The tag enables users to collect data from individual animals housed in large pens or across groups of pens at high speeds, even while animals are moving. The read range is designed to allow producers to collect data from either the front or back of the animal at a distance of up to 25 feet using a fixed reader or up to 15 feet using a handheld device.

In Clover announced a February launch for a new treat for dogs, GRIN DAILY TREATS. The treats are all natural, according to the company, and contain premium ingredients - chlorophyll, anise, green tea and FOS - to support a dog’s health. “They contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives,” said In Clover President and Chief Scientist, Rebecca Rose. “In addition, they have no wheat, soy, corn, dairy or sugar.” GRIN DAILY TREATS will be packaged in a 4-ounce, eco-friendly, recyclable bag. This is keeping with the company’s green initiative. Since 2008, In Clover has been powered by 100 percent renewable energy, it said.

PRN Pharmacal’s CoproBan has been named one of the best Pet Products of the Year by Dr. Marty Becker. Becker, “America’s Veterinarian” and resident veterinarian on Good Morning America included CoproBan as one of his favorite pet products of the year.

CoproBan is an easy-to-feed roast beef flavored coprophagia deterrent for dogs. CoproBan contains MSG and cellulase; these two ingredients change the flavor and texture of the feces. Because CoproBan is a soft-chew, it means the end of messy powder and residue in the bowl. CoproBan can also be fed to cats to deter litter box feeding.

USA Today recently reported that national and global industries and major companies have made “great strides” in food safety, enough to possibly warrant that those practices become the rule for food bought for schools. The report said that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has embraced a different measure for food safety than the past, one that goes beyond the traditional pathogen tests and examines at how many people get sick. “Until we get the number of food-borne illnesses down to zero, and the number of hospitalizations down to zero, and the number of deaths down to zero, we still have work to do,” he was quoted in the article. There were more than 470 outbreaks of food-borne illnesses in schools from 1998 through 2007, sickening at least 23,000 children, according to a USA TODAY analysis of data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet the USDA’s National School Lunch Program, which provides food to nearly every school district in the country, lacks systems to ensure that students don’t get tainted products from poorly vetted suppliers, the newspaper found.