Weekly News – 11/09/2010
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| Veterinary Advantage would like to thank its sponsors in promoting excellence in animal health sales including Abbott Animal Health, Ansell, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Bovie Medical Corporation, Covidien, IDEXX, Intervet/Schering Plough, Merial, Midmark, Ethicon/Novartis, Sempermed, and UltiCare. |
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Top Stories New website focuses on Vet Tech resources Researchers seek help from veterinarians and owners for canine cancer study Midwest Veterinary Supply holds unique three-day training session for inside sales team Longtime industry veteran passes away Survey: Pets well-being comes first Missouri voters approve regulatory measures on dog breeders Veterinary practice gets surprise FAA inspection Ways to prevent dog flu New head of BHC named AAEP On Call Veterinarians assist Breeders’ Cup races BOMAC Vets Plus supports Bayer AG acquisition of BOMAC New Zealand Morris Animal Foundation pledges $3.5 million for feline health research SPCA International donates more than $500,000 to help Haiti’s animals Veterinary medicine sees shift in gender percentages, study offers reasons behind the change Large-animal vet numbers decreasing |
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Products to Watch Veterinary Diagnostics Institute announces Webster Veterinary Supply as exclusive distributor of VdxI-TK test for cancer detection FDA approves Intervet/Schering-Plough’s Nuflor Type B medicated feed for swine |
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Sales Pat Malone’s tip-of-the-week Secrets of a Great Sales Person |
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Stock Watch Stock Watch |
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Top Stories |
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New website focuses on Vet Tech resources A comprehensive list of veterinary technician schools has been compiled and posted on the Internet by Vet Tech, a non-profit website devoted exclusively to providing students with an understanding of how to become a veterinary technician. The listing includes information on schools from 43 states, as well as a brief description of each and a link to its website. www.vettech.org You will also be able to find this link in the Vet-Advantage website Industry Links section http://www.vet-advantage.com/links/ |
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Researchers seek help from veterinarians and owners for canine cancer study The American Animal Hospital Association estimates 50 percent of dogs in the United States will get some type of cancer in their lifetime and 26 percent will die from it. To further understand the causes and treatment of canine cancer, researchers are looking for genetic clues. The Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium is currently focusing on five types of canine cancer: hemangiosarcoma (a tumor composed of blood vessels, usually found in the spleen or upper right chamber of the heart), lymphoma (cancer of lymph tissue), malignant histiocytic sarcoma (an overproduction of immune cells, called histiocytes), melanoma (a tumor that begins in the pigmenting cells of the skin), and osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer). The researchers are asking veterinarians and owners from around the country to submit tumor samples of all dogs (purebreds and mixed breeds) with one of the five target cancers. Blood or saliva samples are requested only from purebred dogs with cancer. Mark Neff, Ph.D., Director of the Program for Canine Health and Performance at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, says the tissue and blood samples will be used to look for clues regarding inherited susceptibility to canine cancer. Ultimately, he hopes the information will lead to better diagnostics, medicines, treatments and, potentially predictive screening tests for dogs with cancer. The findings can then be used to test treatments in humans with cancer. Neff says the tissue samples are also being used to study genetic clues for other genetically-linked conditions that occur in both dogs and humans, like hearing loss, Alzheimer’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease. |
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Midwest Veterinary Supply holds unique three-day training session for inside sales team Midwest Veterinary Supply recently concluded its three-day training session in Rosemont, Ill., for its 55 inside sales representatives. The training, the first of its kind in the industry, brought together the entire Midwest inside sales team from six different branch locations for product, industry and sales training. “This was a well received event I know our reps will use and act on moving forward,” said Paula Brown, Inside Sales Manager. Six vendor partners presented at the meeting. “We are very grateful to the manufacturers who stepped up and supported the event and Midwest,” said Brown. Look for the full story which will be available in the January/February 2011 issue of Vet-Advantage Magazine. |
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Longtime industry veteran passes away Veterinary industry veteran Dick Prins , 74, passed away Nov. 4, 2010, after battling Parkinson’s disease and leukemia. Born May 10, 1936 in Passaic, N.J., Prins graduated from Delaware Valley College, then served in the U.S. Army. He later worked for A.J. Buck & Son as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. He is survived by his five children: Susan Migliore and husband John, Jeanne Prins, Debbie Mercier and husband Larry, Andrew Prins and Hillary Prins: five grandchildren; Rachel Mercier, John Mercier, Luke Mercier, Maria Migliore and John Migliore III. Also surviving is his sister Ellen Dempster and husband Jack. |
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Survey: Pets well-being comes first Pet owners in the United States and Europe (UK, France and Germany) agree they are willing to give up personal luxuries for their pets, according to a grey healthcare group study. Eighty-nine percent of owners in the United States and 91 percent in Europe would give up their vacation for a pet’s surgery, if it meant helping their pet. Nearly one in three (30 percent) of owners in both the United States and Europe view pets as children, while 3 in 5 owners consider pets very important for their overall happiness. Despite similar attitudes in the United States and Europe, pet owners in Europe are more likely than U.S. owners to spend money on their pet’s health before their own. Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates conducted online interviews, with 1,355 pet owners (dog and/or cat owners) in the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany. |
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Missouri voters approve regulatory measures on dog breeders According to Feedstuffs, the ballot initiative in Missouri that would increase regulation of dog breeders – the “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act,” or Proposition B (Prop B) – was adopted last week by a narrow vote, with 51 percent of voters approving the measure. The initiative, carried to the ballot by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), with assistance from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, limits commercial breeders to no more than 50 female breeding dogs and requires that those dogs be bred no more than twice every 18 months. It also increases living space for dogs, requires indoor housing with unfettered access to outdoor exercise yards, requires that dogs be fed daily and requires that dogs be examined annually by veterinarians. Violations will be misdemeanors that carry fines of $300 and jail sentences of 15 days. According to the report, Prop B becomes effective in one year. |
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Veterinary practice gets surprise FAA inspection According to a recent feature from the VIN News Service, veterinarians may be getting visits from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials regarding audits of whether practices sent samples in accordance with protocols required by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), which the FAA enforces. One veterinarian interviewed, Dr. Colleen Koch, says an FAA inspector stopped by unannounced and demanded an audit. According to the article, “the FAA security and hazardous materials specialist perused several months of Koch’s shipment records to IDEXX. The inspector also scrutinized how the practice ships laboratory specimens, paying special attention to the materials and means used for packaging potentially hazardous items.” Last March, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) alerted veterinarians to the potential of surprise FAA inspections, most linked to cases where lab specimens sent by air had leaked or appeared to be improperly packaged, creating the potential for human and environmental exposure to hazardous contaminants. While the VIN News Service was unable to reach the agent responsible for the inspection, FAA officials report that the crackdown isn’t new. Random audits of veterinary clinics and other distributors of potentially hazardous materials have been taking place for years. |
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Ways to prevent dog flu A report by Lexington, Ky.-based WTVQ’s Kristi Runyon offered advice on preventing dog flu. Among the suggestions: Dogs with canine influenza are usually treated with supportive care (such as good nutrition, fluids and, if there are signs of a bacterial infection, use of antibiotics); dogs that show signs of illness, or who may have been exposed to the virus, should be isolated from other dogs for two weeks; owners should wash their hands with soap and water after handling the dog, cleaning cages or coming into contact with any body fluids; and owners should thoroughly clean surfaces, clothing and equipment that the sick animal may have come into contact with. Runyon also mentioned the vaccine for canine influenza, Nobivac® Canine Flu H3N8. “Owners who board their pets, take them to dog shows or dog parks, or who have a dog that regularly interacts with other dogs should consider getting the vaccine for their pet,” she wrote. |
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New head of BHC named Bayer HealthCare (BHC) Animal Health announced that Dr. Jean-Luc Lowinski will take over its head position. The division is based in Monheim, Germany. Lowinski will also join the BHC Executive Committee on his appointment to this new position. In his new role, Lowinski will report to Dr. Jörg Reinhardt, Head of Bayer HealthCare. The trained veterinarian previously held the position as Bayer HealthCare Representative Japan and Country Head Bayer Schering Pharma Japan. His earlier positions included Head of BHC Region Asia-Pacific (from 2004-2006), where he was also responsible for the Animal Health business and various other assignments in Asia Pacific, such as BHC Head, China and Regional Head South East Asia for Bayer HealthCare, Consumer Care. Lowinski is of French nationality and graduated from the École nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort in 1986 and later earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Nantes. He was awarded an MBA degree by INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France in 1991. In his new position, he succeeds Lykele van der Broek who will be appointed COO of Bayer CropScience as of November 1st 2010. |
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AAEP On Call Veterinarians assist Breeders’ Cup races Equine veterinarians representing the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ On Call program assisted ESPN and ABC Sports with horse health information during the recent Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Churchill Downs. Funded in part by the prestigious Oak Tree Racing Association, the On Call program serves over 50 televised equine events annually, most recently the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. More than 25 media-trained AAEP-member veterinarians share their veterinary expertise as On Call spokespersons. |
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BOMAC Vets Plus supports Bayer AG acquisition of BOMAC New Zealand Knapp, Wis.-based BOMAC Vets Plus, Inc. (BVPI), a manufacturer and distributor of animal health and nutrition products, expressed “enthusiasm” regarding Bayer AG’s acquisition of BVPI partner BOMAC New Zealand. BVPI President and CEO Raj Lall said the expanded resources and opportunities for distribution by the acquisition will be beneficial to all parties involved – especially the end consumer. Lall confirmed that BVPI will remain as such until negotiations are finalized. The sale is expected to conclude in early 2011. No major changes for BVPI’s day-to-day business are expected, but Lall said the opportunity for continued growth is imminent. |
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Morris Animal Foundation pledges $3.5 million for feline health research Morris Animal Foundation reported that $3.5 million in funding will be used for feline health studies over the next three years. Almost 30 active studies are addressing behavior, cancer, gastrointestinal problems, heart disease, kidney disease, pain management and urinary problems. Five studies funded by the foundation’s Happy Healthy Cat Campaign (www.research4cats.org) will look at upper respiratory infection in shelter cats. The campaign is also supporting the development of a tool designed to help scientists identify genetic predispositions to diseases such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis, kidney disease and infectious diseases, among others. The genetic tool will be released in 2011, according to Morris Animal Foundation. Collectively, the foundation will manage about 300 animal health studies in 2011, with support of those studies totaling $17 million over the next three years. |
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SPCA International donates more than $500,000 to help Haiti’s animals The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) International announced that it has sent $507,000 in supplies to various regions in Haiti including veterinary medical supplies, medications and vaccinations that are in huge demand to this day. “Our team works hard to both monitor and support the care for stray or injured animals that have been left to fend for themselves just to survive another day,” said Stephanie Scott of SPCA International. “Unless animals in Haiti are used for transportation or food, sadly most animals are left to roam the streets or wilderness in search of food and water,” said Scott. “The few veterinarians at work in Haiti have extremely limited access to medications and vaccines these animals need. We are committed to help facilitate progress in educating the region and supporting Haiti’s forgotten animals. We urge people to donate to SPCA International’s Emergency Aid and Shelter Fund at www.spcai.org. The dire needs in Haiti continue today despite the months that have passed since this natural disaster last January.” |
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Veterinary medicine sees shift in gender percentages, study offers reasons behind the change A new study that found women dominating the field of veterinary medicine cited three factors that led to the change, according to a report and listed by sociologist Anne E. Lincoln: the 1972 federal amendment that outlaws discrimination against female students; male applicants to graduate schools who may be deterred by a growing number of women enrolling; and the increasing number of women earning Bachelor’s degrees in numbers that far exceed those of male graduates. As of 2010, the veterinary profession is about 50 percent men and 50 percent women, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, while enrollment in veterinary medical colleges is about 80 percent women. An assistant professor in the department of sociology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Lincoln is an expert on how occupations transition from being either male- or female-dominated. Her study is the first of its kind to analyze the feminization of veterinary medicine from the perspective of examining the pool of applicant data to U.S. veterinary medical colleges from 1975 to 1995. |
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Large-animal vet numbers decreasing According to an Associated Press report, the number of veterinarians who work with cows, pigs, chickens, and other farm animals is on the decline as many prepare to retire and fewer students opt for large-animal practices, a recent study suggests. Results of a study conducted by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that only 2 percent of veterinary school students in the 2010 graduating class said they planned to work mostly with large, non-pet animals. Another 7 percent studied a mixed curriculum that included all types of animals, but the majority of responses leaned toward practicing pet care. From 1998 to 2009, the number of small-animal veterinarians climbed to 47,118 from 30,255, while the number of farm animal veterinarians dropped to 5,040 from 5,553. And the association found that large-animal veterinarians often earn a lower salary: an average of $57,745 compared with $64,744 for small-animal veterinarians, according to a 2008 survey. |
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Products to Watch |
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Veterinary Diagnostics Institute announces Webster Veterinary Supply as exclusive distributor of VdxI-TK test for cancer detection Veterinary Diagnostics Institute (VDxI), Inc., announced that Webster Veterinary will be VDxI’s exclusive distributor for the VDxI-TK specialty diagnostic test, a highly specific blood test to detect canine lymphoma and hemagiosarcoma. Cancer affects more than a third of all dogs with nearly half dying from cancer over the age of 10. Studies conducted at major veterinary universities have shown VDxI-TK to be effective in the detection, prognosis, and monitoring of canine lymphoma, the most common type of cancer, and hemagiosarcoma, an aggressive cancer predisposed to certain popular breeds like Golden Retrievers and Labradors. |
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FDA approves Intervet/Schering-Plough’s Nuflor Type B medicated feed for swine According to AllAboutFeed.net, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nuflor (florfenicol), an antibiotic Type B medicated feed for swine. In the United States a Type B Medicated Feed for Swine is a premix that can be mixed in all feed mills, including those found on-farm to produce a Medicated Type C Feed. Previously, the only premix formulation of florfenicol available was the Type A Medicated Article which could only be blended at a licensed feed mill. The antibiotic Nuflor (florfenicol) is the only feed-grade antimicrobial labeled for control of Streptococcus suis, one of the most common and devastating diseases affecting nursery pigs. Nuflor also controls Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida and Bordetella bronchiseptica. The Type B Medicated Feed for Swine option allows producers to mix their own batches of Nuflor Medicated Type C Medicated Feed. |
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Pat Malone’s tip-of-the-week Nobody listens to me Customers complain about this all the time and they do not mean that they are not being heard. Most of the time they are actually saying, “You aren’t taking me seriously”. Sales leaders regularly prove that they respect their customer’s right to a different point of view at this moment in the conversation. So when the decision maker says “We don’t see many cats…” you need to acknowledge first by asking “Why is that?” The clinic’s answer to that question will then give you the opening to demonstrate how the Have we seen your cat lately campaign will help them attract more cats to their practice. Pat Malone is a senior partner at the Par Group and can be reached at (770) 493-7188 or patrick.malone@thepargroup.com
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Secrets of a Great Sales Person http://www.forbes.com/2010/11/02/sales-secrets-money-traits-integrity-swagger-sales-leadership.html
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2010-11-09 09:48
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