Register for NYSVMS Controlled Substances webinar-Part 2 January 30th
The NYSVMS Controlled Substances webinar-Part 2 will be held on January 30th from 7-8 PM presented by Cass Timmons, PM, LVT. This is the part 2 of the Controlled Substances webinar that was held in November.
Dr. Shebl Salem named recipient of Center of Vertebrates Genomics Scholars Award
The Cornell University Center for Vertebrate Genomics (CVG) recently announced the recipients of its 2024-2025 Genomics Scholars Awards. Dr. Shebl Salem, a postdoctoral associate in the de Mestre Lab at the Baker Institute for Animal Health, was one of 11 honorees that included four postdocs and seven graduate students. The diverse group represented five different colleges, and nine different departments spread across the university. The CVG, which was launched in 2004 by John Schimenti, currently has approximately 100 faculty and associate members.
Cat declawing now banned in Massachusetts
WCVB
Gov. Maura Healey signed a new law that bans the declawing of cats in Massachusetts. Cat declawing is an invasive surgical operation that is akin to amputating the last knuckle of a human finger. Declawing can cause lifelong medical issues for cats, including permanent disability, nerve damage, chronic back pain and lameness, officials said.
Help for wildfire victims in California
AVMA
Wildfires like those tearing through the Los Angeles area put both animals and people at risk, and the hearts of AVMA members go out to all of those who are affected. The AVMA has many free resources to help animal owners protect pets and livestock, and to prepare veterinary practices and teams to respond quickly in an emergency.
FDA: Adverse events in dogs reported with monoclonal antibody drug
AVMA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a “Dear Veterinarian Letter” regarding reports of adverse events in dogs treated with Librela (bedinvetmab injection). The monoclonal antibody drug is used for the control of pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. Librela was approved by the FDA on May 5, 2023, and introduced to the market later that year. The drug is administered as a monthly subcutaneous injection and was deemed safe and effective for its intended use based on preapproval studies. However, since its release, veterinarians and pet owners have reported adverse events, prompting the FDA to conduct an evaluation.
AVMA is seeking your feedback on the draft MVPA
AVMA
The AVMA invites their members to comment on the DRAFT Model Veterinary Practice Act (MVPA). Please read through the DRAFT MVPA, then complete a short form to let us know what specific changes you would like to see and what your rationale is for those changes. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (CT) by February 14, 2025. The details are here: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/draft-model-veterinary-practice-act-mvpa?check_logged_in=1.
Veterinary Sector Spotlight: Veterinary pathology
AVMA
The multiple threads of an eclectic career path led Dr. Heidi Pecoraro to her position as director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo, North Dakota. Before starting the combined DVM-PhD program at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at age 33, Dr. Pecoraro served as a hospice worker, program manager for a National Institutes of Health–funded laboratory, and veterinary technician.
CVTEA announces policy changes, decisions
AVMA
The AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) had a busy year as it oversaw the accreditation of more than 200 veterinary technology programs, updated its standards of accreditation, and published survey results giving the latest statistics on these programs. In 2023, CVTEA-accredited programs had 5,162 veterinary technician graduates, 4,664 of which received their associate degree and 498 receiving their bachelor’s degree. For the 2023-24 academic year, these programs had 33,590 total students enrolled. In 2024, two new veterinary technology programs received CVTEA accreditation: Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The latter program offers a distance educational modality. An additional program, Mildred Elley College in Albany, New York, has applied for CVTEA accreditation.
FDA issues warning to multiple firms selling unapproved seizure medication
DVM360
The FDA posted warning letters to firms selling unapproved drugs, claiming that the drugs control and treat seizures in dogs and cats. Each of the products named in the warning letters are not FDA-approved or conditionally approved, therefore the safety of the products have not been verified by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing methods.
Benefits of extruded horse feeds
The Horse
Over the years, horse feeds that were once mixes of whole grains have evolved to textured, pelleted, and extruded forms to meet equine nutritional needs. Feed form impacts a horse’s overall health, with extruded feed designed to be more digestible.
Recent Comments