Breaking News

Washington - 7/31/07 - The 144th American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Conference had another record-breaking year, attracting about 300 more attendees than last year's unprecedented number.

Schaumburg, Ill. - 7/30/2007 - The "Being a Pet is Risky Business" campaign, a national pet wellness education effort, aims to raise consumer awareness about and prevention to disease risks to pets. The program is sponsored by the AVMA and Fort Dodge Animal Health.

National Report - 7/27/07 - A progressive new equine respiratory ailment identified by researchers has limited treatment options and a poor prognosis for affected horses. With clinical signs similar to heaves, Equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF) is possibly linked to equine herpesvirus-5 -- a common disease thought to be non-pathogenic.

Columbia, Mo. - 7/25/2007 - Dr. Neil Olson was named dean of the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) College of Veterinary Medicine and is slated to begin Sept. 1.

Mississippi State - 7/21/2007 - Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine was awarded a $100,000 grant by the American Kennel Club to assist with emergency response in times of civil or natural disaster.

Fort Collins, Colo. - 7/19/2007 - There may be a link between an increase in emergency room visits for dogs and cats and lunar cycle days when the moon is near or at its fullest, according to a study by colleagues at Colorado State University's (CSU) College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Washington - 7/17/2007 - A new initiative will help physicians and veterinarians better respond to outbreaks of zoonotic diseases, officials report. Dubbed the One Health Initiative, its goal is to bring veterinary medicine, human medicine and environmental sciences together to build a national strategy.

Ithaca, N.Y. - 7/13/2007 - Cornell University has launched the Center for Reproductive Genomics, a research hub to determine how genetics affect human and animal infertility.

Portland - 07/05/2007 - John Payne was named president, chief operating officer and acting CEO of Banfield, The Pet Hospital, succeeding Scott Campbell, DVM, who is retiring as CEO after 22 years. Campbell will remain in his role as Banfield's Chairman of the Board.

Washington, D.C. - 7/3/07 - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed the first U.S./European agreement for assessing food safety risk. This is the first formal international cooperative agreement EFSA has signed and the first formal step in cooperation between the two bodies.

Springfield, Mo. - 6/21/07 - Almost 200 cats were euthanized, and the remainder quarantined at the Southwest Missouri Humane Society (SMHS) after a suspected outbreak of the fast-spreading calicivirus.

Mississippi State, Miss. - 6/19/07 - A $10,000 pledge - offered as a gift from the class of 2010 - sets a new precedent of generous giving to a Mississippi State University fund supporting the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), officials say.

Denver, Colo. - 6/12/07 - The Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) released a Canine Cancer Campaign (CCC) poster to help veterinarians educate their clients about cancer risks in dogs.

Seattle, Wash. - 6/11/07 - The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) 25th Annual Forum set an attendance record even before the hosting of the featured pet food recall panel, scheduled for Saturday, June 9.

New York - 6/7/07 - Trends in pet travel, home assistance and convenience will catapult the pet supplies market to $11 billion by 2009.

Iowa City, Iowa - 06/01/2007 - DVMs who work with birds have significantly higher levels of antibodies fighting avian influenza strains compared to control groups, according to a University of Iowa study. The take-home message? Veterinarians are at greater risk of contracting more virulent forms of avian influenza if they hatch in the United States.

Raleigh, N.C. - 5/21/07 - The Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine has added a nutrition service to its list of 16 clinical specialties that are available to referring veterinarians and their patients.

Washington, D.C. - 5/18/07 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the selection of Craig A. Morris as the deputy administrator of AMS' Livestock and Seed Program.

Los Angeles, Calif. - 5/15/07 - VCA Antech, Inc., a leading animal healthcare company, announced they will acquire Healthy Pet, which operates 44 animal hospitals, for $152.9 million. On completion of the merger, the combined companies will operate more than 430 animal hospitals in 38 states.

Denver - 5/9/07 - The fight against canine cancer received $500,000 of funding for the next five years from the Golden Retriever Foundation (GRF).

Westlake Village and Palo Alto, Calif - 5/2/07 - National Veterinary Associates, the largest U.S. private owner of companion animal hospitals, received a $128-million investment from Summit Partners, a private equity and venture capital firm.

Ithaca, NY - 4/25/07 - Feline expert and veterinary leader James R. Richards died yesterday from injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident.

The expanding pet-food recall that started with Ontario-based Menu Foods Inc. has prompted the government to consider whether pet foods should be regulated in Canada.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced approval of the nation?s first human vaccine for H5N1 influenza, commonly known as avian or bird flu.

National Report - A national survey to gauge the impact of the contaminated pet food following the massive recall was launched late yesterday.

National Report - 4/9/07 - In response to pet-owner concerns after the large-scale recall of some pet foods, the American Veterinary Medical Association issued guidelines on making home-cooked meals for pets while reiterating that non-recalled pet foods remain the best option.

National Report - 4/4/07 - Members of Congress are joining a rapidly expanding hue and cry over last month's recall of tainted pet foods, with at least three lawmakers demanding answers from the Food and Drug Administration and Menu Foods.

National Report - 4/1/07 - Worried pet owners nationwide flooded veterinary practices with calls last month, after nearly 1 percent of the pet food sold in the United States was recalled and later reported to have been contaminated with a rodent-killing toxin.

Ames, Iowa - 3/29/07 - Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine has been granted accreditation status by the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Education for the college's academic program, including a new partnership program with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Schaumburg, Ill. - 3/30/07 - Dr. Ron DeHaven, administrator of the USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has been named the new executive vice president at the American Veterinary Medical Association. With more than 25 years of public health experience, DeHaven will succeed Dr. Bruce Little, retiring this year after service as executive vice president since 1996.