Weekly News – 01/12/2010
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| Veterinary Advantage would like to thank its sponsors in promoting excellence in animal health sales including Abbott Animal Health, Bovie, IDEXX, Intervet/Schering Plough, Merial, Midmark, Novartis/Ethicon, Sempermed, UltiCare and VSSI. |
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Top Stories Reduced membership fee for some AVMA members in 2010 APPA survey lists top reasons for cat ownership Massive wild horse roundup clears legal hurdle IDEXX Laboratories to present at healthcare conference Most of Pfizer’s Overland Park employees won’t remain with the company Health o meter® 15 millionth scale shipped |
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Products to Watch Mars Veterinary releases Wisdom Panel genetics test New otitis externa treatment introduced |
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Events The Pet Industry Transformation inaugural conference slated for February |
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Worth Watching Antibiotic Use in food animals debated Survey lists top food chains |
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Top Stories |
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Reduced membership fee for some AVMA members in 2010 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Executive Board approved a new provision that will allow some AVMA members to qualify for reduced membership fees in 2010, according to a report. Beginning Jan, 1, 2010, members in good standing may apply for up to a 50 percent reduction in their dues if they are temporarily leaving the practice of veterinary medicine because of family obligations, are not engaged in regular employment in the veterinary profession or do not qualify for other AVMA dues waiver or reduction options. The reduction may not be granted for more than five years and is aimed at strengthening member retention. |
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APPA survey lists top reasons for cat ownership Companionship, company and love were the leading benefits of owning a cat, according to the 2009/2010 American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey. According to the survey, 89 percent of cat owners reported companionship, love and company as a benefit to ownership; 72 percent reported cats fun to watch and have in the household; 57 percent reported they were convenient and easy to maintain; and 65 percent reported they feel their cat is like a child and part of the family. There are 38.2 million cat-owning households in the United States, which is the second highest recorded level of cat ownership since the survey’s inception in 1988. |
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Massive wild horse roundup clears legal hurdle According to USAgNet, a federal judge denied a request to block a roundup of about 2,500 in Nevada, saying opponents had failed to demonstrate that removal of the horses would violate federal law. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said the agency is obligated under a 1971 law to carefully manage wild horse herds to prevent overpopulation. According to the Associated Press, a spokeswoman for Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said herds in the Calico Mountains Complex in northwestern Nevada are overpopulated and need to be reduced to protect the horses and the rangelands that support them. The roundup is part of the land management agency’s overall strategy to remove more than 10,000 mustangs from public lands across the West and ship them to greener pastures in the Midwest and East. The Bureau of Land Management estimates about half of the nearly 37,000 wild mustangs live in Nevada, with others concentrated in Arizona, California, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. |
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IDEXX Laboratories to present at healthcare conference IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. announced that it will participate in the J.P. Morgan 28th Annual Healthcare Conference. Jonathan W. Ayers, Chairman, President and CEO, was scheduled to make a presentation on Monday at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco, Calif. Individuals can access the audio webcast of the presentation through a link on the home page of the IDEXX Laboratories website, www.idexx.com. An archived edition of the presentation will be available for 14 days. |
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Most of Pfizer’s Overland Park employees won’t remain with the company Most of the 200 employees at an Overland Park facility recently bought by Pfizer will leave the company in the first half of the year, a company spokesman said. After acquiring Wyeth in October, Pfizer said it would close the local headquarters of Fort Dodge Animal Health, a former Wyeth subsidiary. Pfizer is moving most of the functions from Overland Park to its animal health headquarters in Madison, N.J. Some employees will receive offers from Pfizer to take a position elsewhere, and all affected workers will be eligible to bid on openings at other Pfizer sites, said company spokesman Rick Chambers. |
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Health o meter® 15 millionth scale shipped Pelstar LLC announced that it shipped its 15 millionth Health o meter® Professional medical scale to New Jersey. The 2595KL digital chair scale was one of many going out. Health o meter® Professional is a recognized brand in medical weighing and scale sales, with expertise gained from being in the business for nearly a century, designing and selling premiere weighing instruments to medical professionals throughout the world. The professional line started with the Physician/Primary Care line of weighing instruments over 50 years ago. CEO Dan Maeir commented, “I would bet there is at least one of our scales in every medical facility in the United States. Our focus now is to continue to expand our products in the global marketplace.” |
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Products to Watch |
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Mars Veterinary releases Wisdom Panel genetics test Mars Veterinary has launched the Wisdom Panel Professional, a state-of-the art canine genetics test. Wisdom Panel Professional is available exclusively through veterinary clinics and practices and with a small blood sample, it is capable of detecting more than 200 breeds, types and varieties that may be present in a mixed-breed dog with an unparalleled validated accuracy of 90 percent, the company said. In addition, this new test provides veterinarians a yellow-flag health risk pre-screening on over a dozen of the most common inherited health conditions; and it can predict a dog’s adult genetic weight range — important information for dog owners or perspective pet adopters. |
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New otitis externa treatment introduced Surolan, an effective treatment for common and recurring cases of otitis externa in canines, has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, according to Vetoquinol USA and Janssen Animal Health. The companies teamed up to offer Surolan as a unique treatment for the inflammation of the external ear canal or common aural infection. The condition impacts up to 20 percent of dogs in the United States. The most unique aspect of the Surolan formula, according to the companies, is its distinctive combination of antibiotic, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory agents, including polymyxin B, miconazole and prednisolone. Studies show there is a synergistic effect between polymyxin B and miconazole. There is a 100 percent decrease in the concentration of medication needed to treat certain bacteria when these are used together. This synergy gives Surolan broad effectiveness against the pathogens that cause otitis externa and make it less likely to develop resistance issues. |
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Events |
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The Pet Industry Transformation inaugural conference slated for February Pet Industry Advisory announced that the Pet Industry Transformation inaugural conference will be held Feb. 11-12, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nev. This two-day Executive Management Conference is designed specifically for the pet manufacturing industry, with insights on “The 8 Growth Trends that will dramatically change the way you do business in the United States.” The conference will have 20 speakers – including Key Note Speakers Bob Vetere, President of the APPA, and Paul Cooke, VP Trade and Industry Development, Nestle Purina Pet Care. This event crosses over traditional boundaries between pet food, accessories and OTC pharmaceutical products to give first-hand insights into other markets that could be synergistic with the veterinary industry. Visit attend.petindustryadvisory.com. |
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Worth Watching |
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Antibiotic Use in food animals debated Pork news source recently highlighted Associated Press reports focusing on the use of antibiotics in food animals. Among national and global agencies giving the subject attention, the World Health Organization claimed surging antibiotic resistance as one of the leading threats to human health; The White House considers the problem “urgent”; and the Food and Drug Administration and CDC declared drug-resistant diseases stemming from antibiotic use in animals a “serious emerging concern.” However, farm groups and some drug companies argue that antibiotics keep animals healthy and meat costs low, and have defeated a series of proposed limits on their use. According to a new USDA study, antibiotics also save as much as 30 percent in feed costs among young swine, although the savings decline as pigs get older. In Washington, a new law that would ban farmers from feeding antibiotics to their animals unless they are sick is being challenged by some lawmakers. |
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Survey lists top food chains Chik-fil-A was selected as No. 1 fast food restaurant with Five Guys coming in second place in a consumer survey conducted by Market Force Information, Inc. Since consumers are more likely to vote for familiar restaurants, when Market Force accounted for the number of restaurants each chain had, Five Guys emerged on top of the list. Market Force had more than 3,000 responses to their survey which found that Chik-fil-A ranked highest in friendliness, cleanliness and accommodating children while Five Guys tied with Chipotle for highest food quality and ranked second in friendliness and cleanliness. For a complete list of the ranked restaurants, visit www.marketforce.com On the record: Vet-Advantage’s Weekly News publisher agrees with both of the top choices! |
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