Weekly News – 03/02/2010
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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, Ethicon/Novartis, Sempermed, UltiCare and VSSI. |
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Top Stories Spending on pets increased in 2009 Scil partners with Aesculap Bayer announces “March Back In” consumer rebate program NAPHIA appoints Bennett chairman of its Board of Directors Nelson Laboratories adds Pippett as sales manager Advocate opposes state legislation that would cut spay-neuter funding Study focuses on perceptions of cat ownership IDEXX, Ventrex drivers of Maine’s animal-oriented biotech cluster Researchers: deadly bacteria in women could be transferred between cows and humans Parvo outbreak causes quarantine of two shelters |
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Products to Watch Studies confirm PKB’s ZYMOX® formulations effective against MRSA Statspin introduces OvaTube |
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Top Stories |
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Spending on pets increased in 2009 According to a report on AllAboutFeed.net, the American Pet Products Association’s annual survey found that overall spending in the pet industry – including food, supplies, veterinary care, live animal purchases and other services such as grooming, boarding and pet sitting – grew by 5.4 percent from $43.2 billion in 2008 to a little more than $45.5 billion in 2009. Some of the spending trends that APPA highlighted included: most of a consumer’s pet budget goes to health care; pet services is the next-fastest-growing category; and supplies and over-the-counter medications showed steady growth of about 4 percent for 2009. |
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Scil partners with Aesculap Scil animal care company, Inc., announced a partnership with Aesculap. Scil is now the exclusive distributor of Aesculap’s Power Systems surgical product line for the North American Veterinary market. Scil’s initial partnership with Aesculap was limited to the Acculan Mini Surgical Drill and the Electric and Pneumatic Power Systems. Scil marketed Aesculap’s product and brand to the U.S. vet market for three years. “I am pleased Aesculap has recognized the value of having scil animal care as a long-term partner in the North American veterinary market,” said Pablo Lopez, President of scil animal care company, USA. “This partnership validates all the hard work and time our team has invested. Scil animal care will continue to be committed to the veterinary surgical community.” |
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Bayer announces “March Back In” consumer rebate program Bayer HealthCare, LLC, Animal Health Division, announced the launch of its “March Back In” $20 pet owner rebate program designed to promote the importance of veterinary care for pets and to encourage return visits to veterinary clinics. To qualify, pet owners need to purchase any Advantage® family flea and tick treatment from a licensed veterinarian during the month of March 2010, and return to the same veterinary clinic for any preventive or treatment service by Dec. 31, 2010. To receive their $20 rebate from Bayer, pet owners simply need to complete the “March Back In” original rebate form by Jan. 31, 2011, and mail it to Bayer along with the original receipts for both veterinary visits. “Pet owners trust veterinarians to provide quality preventive and routine care for pets,” said Joerg Ohle, President and General Manager of Bayer Animal Health. “We hope that our rebate program will encourage pet owners to provide thorough health care for their pet – just as they would for any other valued family member.” Building on the success of Bayer’s 2009 “Help Your Pet, Get to the Vet” campaign, the “March Back In” pet owner rebate program is designed to drive return visits to veterinary clinics. For more information about the Advantage® family of products and Bayer Animal Health, visit http://petparents.com/. |
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NAPHIA appoints Bennett chairman of its Board of Directors The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) recently announced that Laura Bennett, CEO and co-founder of Embrace Pet Insurance, has been appointed chairman of its Board of Directors. Bennett has over 17 years of insurance industry experience. She worked for The Canada Life Assurance Company in Toronto, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland, with a number of different leadership roles in asset-liability management, strategic planning and business development. She holds an honors mathematics degree from the University of Western Ontario, is a qualified life and health actuary, and holds the chartered financial analyst designation. Bennett was the first pet health insurance actuary in North America. She received her MBA, with a concentration in Strategic and Entrepreneurship Management, from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where she graduated with several university and peer awards. She was part of the team that won first prize in the Wharton Business Plan Competition in 2003 with an entry for a pet insurance company. |
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Nelson Laboratories adds Pippett as sales manager Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Nelson Laboratories announced the addition of Clarence Pippett as Sales Manager for the company. Nelson Laboratories, founded in 1929, is a wholesale distributor of animal health products to the veterinary industry. “Clarence Pippett brings more than 35 years of successful distributor sales experience to our company,” said Roberta Bruget, President of Nelson Laboratories. “His proven record of increasing bottom line profitability will be a great asset for the Nelson Laboratories sales team.” |
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Advocate opposes state legislation that would cut spay-neuter funding Alley Cat Allies, the national advocate for stray and feral cats, asked supporters in Illinois to voice opposition to a pending bill in the state House of Representatives that would cut funding for some spay/neuter programs. The bill (HB 5689) would eliminate the Illinois Pet Population Fund, which provides funding for spay/neuter programs for low-income pet owners and for feral cats who are part of Trap-Neuter-Return programs, and would re-direct the funding to county animal control programs. “This legislation is entirely wrong-headed. Cats who are spayed or neutered live better and healthier lives,” said Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies. “But this bill would severely impact access to neuter programs for low-income pet owners and feral cat caregivers.” |
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Study focuses on perceptions of cat ownership A recent online survey sponsored by the Morris Animal Foundation revealed perceptions of cats and the “likelihood of cat ownership among non-cat owners,” according to a report in Veterinary Practice News. More than half of non-cat owners have an overall negative attitude toward cats, according to the survey. The top drivers for negative opinions were litter box smell, shedding, unprovoked biting and perceived inability for cats to get along with other pets. Top drivers for positive opinions included the match between a cat and a person’s lifestyle and a cat as being a potentially good pet for children. Thirty-one percent of respondents indicated that they did not own a cat because someone in their household was allergic to cats. However, 10 percent of the non-cat owners said they would definitely or probably consider having a cat, and an additional 12 percent would maybe consider having a cat. “Interestingly, the primary negative factors for not owning a cat can be readily addressed with appropriate behavioral training, scratching posts and specific diets,” said Patricia Olson, DVM, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Morris Animal Foundation, in the Veterinary Practice News report. “If people had a better understanding of feline health and behavior, they might be more willing to adopt a cat.” |
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IDEXX, Ventrex drivers of Maine’s animal-oriented biotech cluster Pet-oriented biotech has quietly found a home in the Portland area, according to a recent report. Driven largely by IDEXX Laboratories Inc., headquartered outside Portland in Westbrook, the cluster includes entrepreneurial companies supporting the dairy and cattle industry as well as the consumer pet, or “companion animal,” market. IDEXX, with 4,700 employees worldwide and annual sales just over $1 billion, serves the veterinary market with diagnostic and IT-based products and services. Catherine Renault, director of the Department of Economic and Community Development in Maine’s Office of Innovation, recognizes the importance of both IDEXX and Ventrex to the area’s growing biotech cluster. “Ventrex was part of the first wave of biotechnology in Maine, and while many biotech people come to Maine because of IDEXX, other companies have been started by Ventrex alumni as well.” Charles Colgan, professor of public policy and management at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service in Portland and an expert on Maine’s economic picture, said that there is more to the growth of the biotechnology cluster in general and the animal health subset in particular than just IDEXX. He points to the support structure. “There are a number of excellent resources in the area,” said Colgan, “Jackson Labs, the University of New England and the University of Southern Maine. Both the educational and research sectors have grown to support the veterinary industry around here.” |
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Researchers: deadly bacteria in women could be transferred between cows and humans A bacteria found in some healthy women that can be deadly when passed onto babies could be transferred between cows and humans, according to a study conducted by MSU researchers, a recent news report said. Group B streptococcus, or GBS, is a bacterium carried by up to 40 percent of women. Human GBS infection has been suspected to originate in cows, but very little research has been conducted to confirm the suspicion. The researchers looked for a potential link between exposure to cows and the presence of the bacteria by collecting stool samples from 68 Michigan families and their livestock. One couple was found to carry the same strain as their cow, indicating there is a possibility the bacteria is transferred between the two species. The researchers said it does not mean people should be fearful of exposure to cows. There is no risk factor for being in contact with cows, one researcher said. |
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Parvo outbreak causes quarantine of two shelters According to a report in DVM Newsmagazine, two Connecticut shelters have gone into an emergency quarantine in the last two weeks because of an outbreak of parvovirus — one in Stratford and one in Fairfield. Veterinarian Patricia Hart of Southport Veterinary Center told DVM Newsmagazine that parvo cases have found their way onto her exam table. Hart’s hospital successfully treated a puppy with parvovirus in the last week, but it can be a very expensive disease to treat. Veterinarians in the area, Hart says, renewed the calls for diligence and vaccination in preventing the disease. Area veterinarians are speculating that the outbreak may have been imported by a influx of puppies up for sale in the area. Animal-control officials believe the source animals were left at the shelter’s doorsteps after hours. |
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Products to Watch |
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Studies confirm PKB’s ZYMOX® formulations effective against MRSA PKB Animal Health announced published studies confirming the patented LP3 Lactoperoxidase Enzyme System in ZYMOX® Otic and ZYMOX® Topical Spray kills Methicilin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 30 seconds upon contact — adding to the list of scientifically proven effectiveness against resistant microbes of the ears and skin such as pseudomonas, staphylococcus, malassezia, candida albicans and pyoderma. Copies of these studies can be found in The International Journal of Applied Veterinary Research Vol 7, No 4 2009. 165-168. Or visit www.jarvm.com, key word search: Zymox |
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Statspin introduces OvaTube Statspin, Inc., announced the introduction of the new StatSpin Ovatube, Ova and Parasite Detection System. The StatSpin OvaTube is the first centrifugation method that is easy and fast without the mess. With a simple coring tool to obtain a sample, just add the sample to the tube and mix with standard floatation fluid. Centrifuge in either a fixed angle or horizontal centrifuge, remove the tube, add a coverslip, and twist. In just a few minutes results are ready to read. Among the other benefits: you can use with most centrifuges; it standardizes the process; it is cost effective to run; vets are able to diagnose patients while in the office and it eliminates send-outs. For more information, visit www.statspinvet.com. |
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