News

Soldiers with the Fort Carson Veterinary Center put their suturing skills to good use as they patched up stuffed animals in need of a little tender loving care.

The Vaccination Against Canine Cancer Study will evaluate a vaccine strategy for the prevention of cancer in dogs. Much like an influenza vaccine bolsters the body’s readiness to fight the flu, this preventative vaccine follows the same principle, “to have the immune system primed such that if a cancer cell develops, it will attack,” says David Vail, a professor and board-certified oncologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

While fresh and homemade diets have become increasingly popular among pet owners, veterinarians warn that they could leave your pet lacking essential nutrients.

The AVECCTN has announced the sudden death of its president, Louise O’Dwyer. Louise was the first veterinary nurse from the UK to be elected president of AVECCTN.

Taking advantage of the NAVC’s Human-Animal Bond Certification program, Zoetis has become the first Human-Animal Bond Certified Company.

Researchers found that house cats that roam outdoors were more likely to pick up diseases than indoor cats.

The AmerisourceBergen Foundation has donated $150,000 to Southeastern Guide Dogs which will increase placements of guide and companion dogs with visually impaired teenagers, children, and families of fallen service members, as well as benefit child advocate professionals in courtrooms.

Alongside the 2020 U.S. Census, Wisdom Health will be conducting its own Pet Census in order to learn more about the nation’s dog and cat population.

Good news for cat lovers: The USDA is no longer using kittens in parasite research. The USDA had a research project where kittens were purposely infected with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. The organism causes toxoplasmosis, which officials call a leading cause of death from food-borne illness.

The American Heartworm Society has recently updated their heartworm prevention guidelines to include heartworm prevention, testing and treatment, and heartworm epidemiology and biology.

Dogs that receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements or have hypothyroidism may be less likely to develop T-zone lymphoma (TZL), according to researchers at Colorado State University, who studied associations of environment and health history of the disease among golden retrievers.

A growing, aging pet population and more advanced pet treatment care options are the major factors driving increased spending on pets. In turn, this increase in pet care spending is the primary source of employment growth of veterinary occupations, projected to nearly triple the average growth through 2026.

The CAPC’s monthly reports summarize the metro areas across the United States that experienced the greatest percentage increase in positive heartworm disease tests during the month. In February, Salt Lake City, Utah, was number one on the list.

This year’s recipients of the the Dr. Earl H. Rippie Veterinary Nurse Leadership Scholarship were presented at VMX 2019 in Orlando.

The Veterinary Internal Parasite Flash Card App is designed to help strengthen the veterinary team’s skills in the microscopic identification of fecal parasites in veterinary clinic settings.

The CAPC monthly report alerts veterinary professionals and pet owners about the top 10 U.S. cities with the highest percentage increase in positive heartworm tests.

Scientists find key genes for mucosal melanoma in humans, dogs and horses, which could help target new cancer therapies.

Veterinary professionals have higher exposure to chemotherapy drugs than counterparts in human medicine because they are not taking proper precautions, say researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC wants to change that.

University of Florida veterinarians performed a keratectomy to correct a rare eye abnormality in an endangered okapi calf.

When Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 485 into law, California became the first state to ban commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits. The law has stirred controversy.

A bill authored by Indiana state senator Jean Leising to change the job title for veterinary technicians passed the Senate Committee on Agriculture by a bipartisan vote of 8 to 1.

The Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health campaign, announced at the 2019 VMX conference in Orlando, Fla., aims to increase the number of dogs receiving heartworm prevention in 2019.

DENVER/January 24, 2019 – Worth more than a few happy barks and meows, Morris Animal Foundation announced it awarded nearly $1 million in grants for nine canine and feline research projects. The studies will help veterinary scientists improve the health and quality of life of cats and dogs suffering from deadly and debilitating diseases including …

Meet the three extraordinary veterinary nurses who were awarded Dr. Earl H. Rippie Veterinary Nurse Leadership Scholarships at VMX 2019.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 6th annual American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards, presented by Zoetis Petcare.

Could the results of a unique new study that looked at mast cell tumors — which cause a common skin cancer in dogs — lead to drugs that could someday cure the disease?

The Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI), which seeks to unite the veterinary technician profession under a single veterinary nurse title, standardize credentialing requirements and define scope of practice, continues to make progress despite some challenges, including resistance from the human health nursing profession, say those who are leading the call for change. In June 2017, the …

Hydrotherapy is beneficial for dogs suffering from arthritic pain or recovering from surgery. That’s because water therapy allows a dog to exercise comfortably while minimizing discomfort. One Los Angeles facility, Two Hands Four Paws, has just expanded its water therapy options for patients by adding a third water treadmill and installing a full-size pool. Two …

In September 2018, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) became aware that veterinarians that had relied on these products for pain control in their patients were no longer able to obtain them through their standard distribution channels, due to a recent shortage of injectable opioids and to Pfizer’s decision to restrict distribution of such …

Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers have developed a new treatment for dogs with a rare, but life-threatening, arrhythmia caused by atrioventricular accessory pathways (APs). The minimally invasive technique, which uses radio frequencies, is modified from a human cardiology procedure and has a more than 95 percent success rate in treating dogs with this type of arrhythmia. …

Veterinarians in the U.S. are at an increased risk of suicide, a trend that has spanned more than three decades, according to a new CDC study, highlighting the need for veterinary professionals to recognize signs that a colleague may be at risk for suicide and to learn how to help them. As Melanie Codi noted …

Press Release from Urban Resource Institute and Nestle Purina PetCare (This story was updated on Jan. 4, 2019) A group of nonprofit and for-profit organizations lauded the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the Farm Bill) after advocating for legislation to better protect domestic violence survivors by establishing the critical importance of protecting …

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) released its latest figures on pet spending, with overall spending in the pet industry at $69.51 billion in 2017, an all-time high, the association reported. This is up 4 percent from the $66.75 billion realized in 2016. About a quarter of the total spent—$17 billion—went to veterinary care. APPA’s …

How did veterinary surgeons manage to regrow a dog’s leg bones using bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)? It began with a jump off the couch for a 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier named Ethel. Ethel broke both the ulna and radius in her right leg, and two previous surgeries had failed to properly heal them. MaryAnn Lawson, Ethel’s owner, …

The veterinary nurse profession is a compassionate, ever evolving, and expanding one of hard-working, intelligent, and thoughtful individuals who care deeply for pets and the people who love them.

The Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Diagnostic Imaging was recognized by NAVTA as the 16th veterinary technician specialty. The new academy will now be on its path to certifying Veterinary Technician Specialists in Diagnostic Imaging as experts in their specialty field.

Earlier this month, Zoetis announced the winners of the 2018 American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Veterinary Nurse Awards. The awards, sponsored by Zoetis®, recognized Dr. David Chico, VMD, MPH of Albany, New York, and Tammy Boland of Oceanport, New Jersey, as the Hero Veterinarian and Veterinary Nurse, respectively. Commenting on the awards, J. Michael McFarland, …

Via Today’s Veterinary Business: The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has added animal welfare to its library of Global Guidelines. The document, released Sept. 25 at the organization’s World Congress in Singapore, aims to “bridge differing perceptions of welfare around the world” and help veterinarians “tackle the ethical questions and moral issues which impact welfare,” …

Via Boehringer Ingelheim Press Release DULUTH, Ga. (August 21, 2018) – Merial, now part of Boehringer Ingelheim, received approval from the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand the label claims for NexGard (afoxolaner). The flea and tick control product is now approved to prevent Borrelia burgdorferi infections as a direct result of NexGard …

Thanks to an effective three-fold partnership between the Pittsburgh Zoo and the Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center (PVSEC) and PetCure Oncology, a Sea Lion has a new lease on life. Zookeepers discovered a few months ago that Zoey, a a 23-year old California sea lion, had been afflicted with an aggressive type of cancer …

Via Today’s Veterinary Business: Four veterinary associations have issued a joint statement that calls for standardizing and improving the licensing of veterinarians and veterinary technicians. “Together, these efforts will help protect the public from individuals who may fail to follow veterinary regulations or ethics in a way that endangers public health or animal patients,” according …

Banfield Pet Hospital’s new veterinary program helps ensure anesthesia care is safe, effective, and efficient.

Via NAVTA Press Release: The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) announces the sixteenth veterinary technician specialty academy to the veterinary technology profession. The AVTDI is comprised of veterinary technicians dedicated to performing a higher level of veterinary Diagnostic Imaging modalities such as: digital radiographs, fluoroscopic special procedures, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, and …

26 states are looking for answers in the wake of a salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey. The CDC has reported that 90 people in total have been afflicted by the disease. According to USA Today, “The CDC said the strain is linked to raw turkey products from multiple sources, including dog food containing raw …

In early August, Compassion-First Pet Hospitals announced the launch of an educational development program called the Compassion-First Technician and Assistant Development Program. To bolster the effectiveness of the program, Compassion-First partnered with two AVMA Accredited Veterinary Technician programs, Penn Foster College and Cedar Valley College. These programs will provide educational options and tuition assistance for …

The nomination period for the fifth annual American Humane Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards officially closed earlier this month. The awards honor the heroes who dedicate their lives to making a difference in animals’ lives through delivery of outstanding veterinary care. More than 200 nominations were submitted by the public, and the panel of judges voted …

According to a survey conducted by Banfield Pet Hospital® in 2018, 91% of pet owners are not prepared for the next natural disaster. This alarming statistic served as the catalyst for Banfield’s creation of a disaster preparedness campaign to help pet owners prepare for “the unexpected, yet inevitable.” According to a company press release, beginning …

Earlier this month, Banfield Pet Hospital introduced the newest edition of its anesthetic and pain management guidelines and protocols: Anesthesia and Analgesia for the Veterinary Practitioner: Canine and Feline. This edition is a continuation of 15 years of work, during which time Banfield has made its Anesthesia for the Pet Practitioner publication available online to …

In a legislative report, Tennessee State Representative Pat Marsh shared his thoughts on a recent piece of legislation concerning the change of the veterinary technician title to veterinary nurse. His commentary is as follows: “We had a very interesting piece of legislation in our Ag Committee meeting that would change the name of the veterinary …

The NAVC and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) at VMX 2018 (Orlando, FL) announced the launch of an online certificate program in the human-animal bond, piquing the interest of practicing veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and practice managers. The new program will offer veterinary professionals the unique opportunity to learn more about “research backing the …

There are nearly 10 billion food and companion animals in the United States. The protection and improvement of these animals’ health makes up the job description of over 1 million individuals. Further, this industry generates billions of dollars in revenue and taxes. The benefits of the animal health industry extend beyond dollars and cents. Playing …

PTSD-afflicted veterans searching for a solution find solace through the human-animal bond. This inspirational video is a telling example of the many advantages attributed to the human-animal bond. Pet owners often go the extra mile to ensure their four-legged friends are given the means to experience the life they deserve. However, the relationship between pet …

Today’s Veterinary Business reports: Ohio is vying to become the first state to make “veterinary nurse” the official title of veterinary technicians. The House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee on April 11 voted 14-1 in favor of a bill that has the wide support of the U.S. veterinary profession. The legislation now goes to the …

During the NAVC and Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Innovation Summit, the company announced the launch of Pet Insight Project, which it describes as “A pioneering mission to collect and interpret the health stories of hundreds of thousands of dogs to improve the lives of pets everywhere.” The project will span three years, with researchers collecting …

Earlier this month, the NAVC announced the hiring of Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), VTS-H (Internal Medicine, Dentistry) as the Editor in Chief of Today’s Veterinary Nurse. Burns currently serves as President of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), an organization that is leading the charge on the Veterinary …

A letter from the editor, Lynne Johnson-Harris

The Veterinary Nurse Initiative is building momentum to create one title with set standards across the United States in 2018.

A letter from the editor, Lynne Johnson-Harris