News

This month I complete a two-part column discussing an expense that many of us put so far on the back burner it's probably on a hot plate in the shed behind your clinic.

Orlando, Fla - A new survey shows that tick populations are not only increasing in number but tick-borne diseases are showing up in every state in the country.

What would you think if you walked into a gun club and observed someone taking target practice with a pistol? Would you look for some sort of target? What if you did not see a target, but instead the individual seemed to be shooting at random?

Ames, Iowa - Scientists have discovered a new subtype of influenza virus in swine that has not previously been recovered from mammals.

Lexington, Ky. - Four American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) leaders want to visit Mexican horse-slaughter plants following widespread reports of equine abuse and inhumane euthanasia.

Two hundred climbers perished before him.

Kuna, Idaho - Estimates of how much revenue the state might receive from a proposed annual fee for veterinary pharmaceutical firms in Idaho could be inflated by as much as double, according to the Idaho Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA), which is taking a neutral stand on the measure.

Chino, Calif. - A California meat company recalled 143 million pounds of beef last month in response to animal-abuse allegations that center on purported efforts to sneak sick and injured cattle into the U.S. food system.

Why would any veterinarian ignore perfectly good, legitimate deductions at tax-filing time?

Anaplasmosis is endemic in many parts of the country, causing significant economic losses to beef and dairy industries.

Portland, Ore. - Karen M. Faunt, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, was appointed vice president/chief medical officer for Banfield, The Pet Hospital.

Washington- Eric M. McKeeby was named communications manager for the American Veterinary Medical Association's Governmental Relations Division.

Dr. H, a recent graduate, was attending the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) meeting in Orlando, Fla., this past December. While standing in the convention-center lobby waiting for a lecture to begin, he noticed three older veterinarians over in a nearby corner engaged in serious discussion. He recognized all three as leading lameness experts and well-respected practitioners.

Twin Cities, Minn. - The Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine (MBVM) wants Dr. Carl Seemann to pay nearly $40,000 in administrative penalties and fees and complete a list of directives in order to regain his license to practice.

Palm Springs, Calif. - The creation of cat-care guidelines for veterinarians and pet owners is the first in a series of steps aimed to reverse the trend of decreasing feline veterinary visits at a time of increasing cat ownership.

Tbensalem, pa. - Dr. John Rossi questions his decision to become a veterinarian.

I've been a veterinarian almost 18 years, but must admit I still haven't entirely figured out clients. I went to veterinary school to learn how to treat animals. Until I started practicing, I hadn't stopped to consider that every animal comes with an owner attached, and that these owners - not the animals - are the real challenge.

"We expanded two years ago and added 500 cows."

Colorado veterinary leaders plan to testify against H.B. 1308 that, if passed, would allow pet owners to recover loss of companionship damages.

Congenital portosystemic shunts usually are single vessels that develop inside or outside the liver (Photo 1). Because these vessels carry blood around the liver instead of through it, the normal hepatic processes of metabolism, storage and production are disrupted.

Seneca, Pa. - It's taken six years for Dr. James Nelson to win what he considers vindication against the regulatory board he claims marred his reputation.

Thoracic radiographs for metastatic disease are part of every day practice. A diagnosis of pulmonary nodules has an important effect on treatment decisions, and some radiographs are difficult to interpret.

College Station, Texas - Dr. Elizabeth Merriam Crouch is the new director of Texas A&M University's Biomedical Sciences program, the first woman to lead the program in its 30-year history.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Cats get significantly less attention and veterinary medical care from their owners than dogs, according to a new study that offers statistics proving the discrepancy and looks into the reasons for it.

Denver, Colo. - 2/29/08 - The American Veterinary Medical Foundation and the Morris Animal Foundation will, for the second year in a row, co-sponsor two studies to fight canine and avian influenza.

Schaumburg, Ill. - 2/28/08 - The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) plans to install two new members to the Executive Board in July during the group's New Orleans convention.

Washington, N.J. - 02/28/08 - Owners are spending more, but fewer clients are coming in, New Jersey practitioners say.

Austin, Texas - 2/26/08 - Televets.com, a first-of-its-kind free online advice service, gives owners the ability to submit questions about their pets and receive an answer from a licensed veterinary professional within 24 hours.

Something stirred me from sleep. A sound that was distant, but somehow close. Five minutes later, as my eyelids came unwillingly apart, my brain registered that I had fallen asleep on the couch after my husband left for work.

Baton Rouge, La. - 2/25/08 - The Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) will host its Small Animal Symposium in April that will focus on canine and feline infectious diseases.