• Remove items from their property that could collect stagnant water such as old tires, tin cans, plastic containers.
• Keep rain gutters clean and draining properly.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs, and drain water from pool covers.
• Turn wading pools and wheelbarrows upside down when not in use.
• Empty and replace water in birdbaths at least once a week.

http://www.avma.org/disaster/default.asp

Volunteering is also a great way to prepare.  The Wisconsin Animal Response Corps is looking for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and others with animal handling experience.  WARC is a statewide unit of the Medical Reserve Corps and offers training in animal disease awareness and animals in disasters.    For more information contact Darlene Konkle at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection at  darlene.konkle@wisconsin.gov

August 31, 2010

Proctor & Gamble has voluntarily recalled one lot of Iams Indoor Weight Control with Hairball Care dry cat food due to potential contamination with Salmonella. The company estimates that fewer than 60 bags were purchased in total from one retailer in the states of Illinois, New Mexico, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. No illnesses have been reported.

The following product is affected by this recall:

Consumers who have purchased product with the specific code date listed above should discard it. For a product replacement or refund, please call P&G toll-free at 800-862-3332 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).

Read the press release from the FDA.

Dr. René Carlson obtained her DVM from the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978.  Dr. Carlson has been involved in exclusive private small animal practice in both urban and mixed animal practices (primarily dairy and equine). In 1996 she built the Animal Hospital of Chetek, which was certified by the American Animal Hospital Association in 1997, and received the Veterinary Economics “Practice of Excellence” Award in 2000.

Dr. Carlson is the past president of the WVMA, served in the AVMA House of Delegates for eight years representing Wisconsin and on the American Veterinary Medical Foundation Board of Directors, including as its secretary. In October 2001, she received the Wisconsin Veterinarian of the Year Award.

During her acceptance speech, Dr. Carlson focused on the future – a growing population, increased demand for safe food and the continuous spread and risk of infectious diseases, many beginning in the animal kingdom.

“Veterinarians have been the quiet, compassionate, silent heroes for decades.  Now is the time we must become more visible and vocal,” she said. “We must awaken the giant within us or veterinary medicine will be left behind in areas in which we need to be engaged, such as food safety and security, surveillance and containment of zoonotic disease, service in rural communities, all while maintaining our special niche of healing and health care for the variety of animals with which we share our lives on this earth.”

Dr. Carlson is looking forward to working with and leading her fellow veterinarians.

“I have an amazing opportunity to help mold our profession, to represent AVMA, what I consider to be the most prestigious veterinary medical organization in the world, to my colleagues, here and abroad, and to the public.  I am extremely proud to be a veterinarian and I can’t contain that pride whenever someone asks me what I do for a living. There is no place I would rather be than in the exam room with animals and their owners as a general practitioner, except of course, on the road for AVMA these next few years.”

Dr. Carlson added “The future is what you make it, and our future at AVMA and for veterinary medicine begins today.”

Often, children don’t view livestock as “dangerous”. The size differences between children and livestock, animals’ and children’s unpredictability, and children’s lack of knowledge about these farm creatures can put them in harm’s way.

Animals and humans view their surroundings very differently. Humans see in color, while livestock in shades of grey and livestock generally have poor depth perception. Most animals can see wide angles around them, but have a blind spot (area they cannot see) near the hindquarters. Horses also have a blind spot directly in front of them. When approaching or around livestock, be aware of these blind spots – movement in these areas should be avoided as it makes animals uneasy and nervous.

Animals also have extremely sensitive hearing – loud and high-frequency sounds can hurt their ears.

“Sharp loud sounds can surprise and provoke the tamest of animals,” says Dr. Rebecca Mentink, large animal veterinarian at Waterloo Veterinary Clinic.

Livestock with young generally exhibit strong maternal instincts and will protect and defend their young. Be alert around livestock.

Cattle exhibited at fairs can weigh over 1,500 pounds and some large, equine breeds up to a ton (2,000 pounds). Make sure you keep yourself and your family at a safe distance – including strollers.

"Keep small children from walking under tall cattle or horses, and be careful to mind where your child's stroller is when around livestock." explains Dr. Mentink. Even though an animal looks friendly, they need to be approached and treated with respect. Ask the owner for permission to approach or touch an animal.

"Livestock exhibitors enjoy the opportunity to show their animals and talk with fairgoers. With just a few simple precautions, you and your family can be sure to have a lot of fun at the fair!" she says.

When around animals:

·       Ask for permission to approach or touch an animal

·       Be calm, move slowly

·       Avoid loud noises

·       Avoid hind legs

·       Approach large animals at the shoulder

·       Avoid animals with newborns

·       Avoid stallions, bulls, rams and boars

Keeping clean and healthy during your animal adventure

It is important to remember that animals sometimes carry germs that are harmful to humans, making them sick. To significantly reduce the transmission of these germs and zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be transferred from animals to humans), the Centers for Disease Control advise the following:

Hand-washing

·        Find out where hand-washing stations are located.

·        Always wash your hands after petting animals or touching the animal enclosure, especially before eating and drinking.

·        Running water and soap are best. Use hand gels if running water and soap are not available

Food and drinks

·        Keep food and drinks out of animal areas.

·        Do not share your food with animals.

·        Do not eat or drink raw (unpasteurized) dairy products.

Children

·        Children younger than 5 years old need supervision

·        Never allow children to put their hands or objects (for example: pacifiers) in their mouth while interacting with animals.

·        Hand washing should be supervised.

Now that you’ve covered safety on the way to the fair, you can enjoy this family friendly, annual animal adventure!

Special Wisconsin and football themed events will be found in all aspects of convention, making it a fun, must attend event for everyone!  

Friday will be “Red and White” day as attendees are encouraged to wear their red and white in support of the Badger State! New for this year is a social event on Friday night hosted by the WVMA, Wisconsin Practice Managers Association and the Wisconsin Veterinary Technician Association.

The night includes a tailgate buffet, cash bar and live, half-time entertainment provided by Crazy Keys Dueling Pianos! Mingle with colleagues, meet new friends and enjoy the entertainment!

A fundraising raffle to benefit Wisconsin VEST-A-DOG, which supplies police service dogs with bulletproof vests, will be held during the tailgate! More information on the VEST-A-DOG project can be found online at www.wivestadog.org.

Compounding questions answered

Another can’t miss at the 2010 Annual Convention – Game On! is Saturday’s keynote lunch speaker Neal Bataller, ME, DVM. Flying in from Maryland, Bataller is the Director of the Division of Compliance for the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine and WVMA has asked him to address drug compounding.

Topics to be covered include: rules and regulations surrounding compounding; when and how compounded drugs can be used; compounding individually or through a pharmacy; and price structures of compounded medications.

Prepare your questions now and get the answers you need to comply with compounding.
Watch for more convention speakers, topics and information in upcoming newsletters, in your mailbox and inbox!

Joe Bartges, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVN attended the University of Georgia, graduating in 1987. He completed an internship, dual residency in internal medicine and nutrition and a PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1993. He is currently a professor of medicine and nutrition and holds the Acree Endowed Chair of Small Animal Research at the University of Tennessee.

Rusty Plumbing – Chronic Renal Failure
The session will offer a review of the pathophsiology and management of dogs and cats with chronic renal failure including nutritional and pharmacological management.  

Protein in P – Glomerular Disease
This session features a review on ACVIM Consensus on Proteinuria. Attendees will review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of glomerular proteinuria in dogs and cats based on the ACVIM Consensus on Proteinuria.

Pebbles in the Stream – Urolithaisis
Attend this session to review the management of struvite and calcium oxalate urolithiasis including nephroureterolithiasis in dogs and cats highlighting medical and minimally invasive methods of management.

Leaky Plumbing – Micturition Disorders
Learn about the management of pathophysiology and management of mictruition disorders including urine retention and urinary incontinence with emphasis on pharmacological management and minimally invasive techniques of management.

Bad Bugs and Badder Drugs – Urinary Tract Infections
Stop in for an update of management of simple and complicated urinary tract infections including complicated infections and prophylactic measures.

Uro-Logic – Case Discussions in Urological Diesease
Join in on this interactive discussion of management of presented nephrological and urological cases.

Small Animal Lunch Bunch – Thursday, Oct. 7

Dr. Heidi Kellihan – Common Problems Encountered When performing Thoracocentesis
Dr. Katrina Vivano – A Practical Solution to Immunosuppressive Thearapies
Dr. Jason Soukup – Current Recommendations for the Use of Systemic Antimicrobials in the Management of Periodontal Disease

Bowman – Saturday Oct. 9

Dwight D. Bowman received his MS in 1974 and PhD in 1976 in parasitology from Tulane University in New Orleans. He completed his post doctorate in immunoparasitology at UW-Madison from 1983-1987.

Heartworm Year-round
This session will focus on the importance of year-round heartworm control in the “frigid north” including Wisconsin.

Year-round Internal Parasite Transmission
Join this session if you are interested in parasite transmission, even in winter! Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms, parasites of cats and dogs, are designed for efficient winter transmission. \

Giardia
Recent work has shown the Giardia found in most domestic animals is not zoonotic.  

Cryptosporidium
This session will discuss where Wisconsin stands with cryptosporidium including where the outbreak occurred, what caused the outbreak and what we have learned.

More coaches

Small Animal Track

Dr. Mike Willard – GI Issues
Dr. Rick Wall – Pain
Dr. Deb Zoran – Feline
Imaging – Led by a team from University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine
Dentistry Lab – DVM/CVT teams will engage in a hands-on dentistry lab led by Chris Synder, DVM; Jill Jecevicus, CVT; Jason Soukup, DVM, DAVDC; Brenda Mulherin, DVM; and Chanda Miles, DVM all from University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine

Large Animal Track
Lunch Bunch – Practice Tips for Large Animal Veterinarians
Pat Hoffman – Raising Heifers – Weaning to First Calving
Dr. Eric Moore – Bovine Respiratory Disease – The Feedlot Perspective
Dr. Shelia McGuirk and Dr. Simon Peek – Respiratory Disease in Adult Cattle
Dr. Paul Fricke – Reproduction in Dairy Cattle
Dr. Michael Overton – Economics of Dairy Cattle Reproduction
Dr. Kathy Kurth – BVD Testing
Panel Discussion – Dairy producers from the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW).
Saturday Wet Labs- Lameness and Transition Cow

Meet these coaches and learn about other opportunities in the next issue of WVMA News and online at www.wvma.org