Veterinary Outrage Over “SmartMoney” Article

Posted on September 3, 2009

The magazine “SmartMoney” published an article in August titled, “10 Things Veterinarians Won’t Tell You” which has prompted a response from the AVMA and has upset many veterinarians and vet students. The article was interpreted by many veterinarians to cast the profession in an unfairly negative light as it relates to several issues including billing, [...]

What’s in Your Supplement?

Posted on August 1, 2009

Millions of pet owners give dietary supplements with the expectation that they will improve their pet’s health or quality of life.  Many are unaware that nutraceuticals are not subjected to FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations and stringent quality control to verify their contents.  In July 2009, ConsumerLab released a report of its analysis of [...]

Animal Lovers and King of Pop

Posted on August 1, 2009

Despite being plagued by debt, child abuse accusations, and a constant “public eye”, Michael Jackson stunned the world by passing away and reminded us all how much we really appreciate all that he has done for the world. However, after the death of legendary Michael Jackson on June 25th many were left wondering about his [...]

Will Felimazole® Replace Methimazole?

Posted on August 1, 2009

You’ve heard about methimazole for the treatment of feline hyperthyroidism.  Well now its time you hear about Felimazole®.  Will Felimazole® cure feline hyperthyroidism and replace the use of methimazole? Our guess is you probably won’t see too many well informed veterinarians lining up to prescribe this recently approved (May 2009) drug for use in cats, [...]

New Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Recommendations

Posted on August 1, 2009

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted unanimously to change recommendations for human rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.  This committee makes recommendations to the CDC which, in turn, makes recommendations to physicians.  The new recommendation states that within 14 days of exposure, 4 injections (in the arm or thigh) over 28 days are sufficient to prevent development [...]

Merial Teams Up with ‘The Dog Whisperer’

Posted on August 1, 2009

This past June, Merial, a leading veterinary pharmaceutical company released news of a partnership with “The Dog Whisperer’s” Cesar Millan. As most already know, Millan is a celebrity dog trainer who recommends dominance based training techniques to promote dog owners to be the “leader of the pack”. Millan will be promoting Merial’s Frontline and Heartgard [...]

Propofol Recalled Due To Potential Endotoxin Contamination

Posted on August 1, 2009

The fast acting anesthetic, propofol was recently linked to 41 cases of human illness due to suspected endotoxin contamination according to the FDA.  Teva Pharmaceuticals has recalled the potentially contaminated product.  The symptoms seen were post-operative fever, chills and other flu-like symptoms. Apparently, all reactions were self-limiting and spontaneously resolved.  The recall involves only 100 [...]

What Does Swine Flu Mean To You?

Posted on July 5, 2009

Will the recent outbreak affect your board exam? The recent outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus is a pertinent reminder of the critical role that veterinarians play in understanding and management of zoonotic diseases. In many instances, veterinarians are expected to know more than their human physician counterparts when dealing with zoonoses. With this in [...]

New Minimally Invasive Technique for Prevention of Gastric Dilatation Volvulus

Posted on July 5, 2009

A Great Dane comes into the ER with gastric dilatation volvulus. It’s a critical situation. Until recently, the only option to prevent this common emergency for most veterinarians was a gastropexy by ventral midline laparotomy.

But researchers at Iowa State University have developed a new, less-invasive option that can be quickly performed.

Toceranib Phosphate (Palladia®) Approved for Canine Mast Cell Tumors

Posted on July 5, 2009

In early June, 2009 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved toceranib phosphate, the first drug specifically FDA licensed for treatment of canine neoplasia. To many in the field, the development and approval of this drug represents a major step forward in both animal and comparative oncology. A recently published randomized and blinded study (Clinical [...]