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Morris Animal Foundation announced it has selected 10 new fellowship studies to receive funding, including 2 funded by Sally R. McIntosh, a longtime donor. The chosen studies will support young promising veterinary scientists as they focus on a multitude of topics, including deadly infections in dogs, amphibian conservation, and immune response disorders in horses.

“Our fellowship training program is one of the most impactful investments we can make for animal health research,” said Kathy Tietje, PhD, MBA, chief program officer at Morris Animal Foundation, in an organizational release.

 “We are delighted to be able to support these highly qualified candidates at this critical juncture in their careers."

The following studies will begin this year:

Amir Aliramezani from Jagiellonian University, Poland: This study will evaluate the 9 currently-available drugs for the treatment of deadly algae infections in dogs.

Nora Jean Nealon from The Ohio State University: This study will investigate antibiotic resistance in dogs with urinary tract infections caused by 

, as well as gut microbiota responses to antibiotics in dogs with and without multidrug-resistant 

 strains, to help inform antibiotic use.

Shun Kimura from University of Georgia: This study will help determine the feasibility of using a currently available veterinary drug as a treatment for systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Rebecca C. Bishop from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: This study will investigate proteins and the genetic makeup of the peritoneal fluid as a first step toward a diagnostic test to help predict which horses are at higher risk for colic surgery complications.

Danielle Scott from Colorado State University: The study will take a closer look at how air pollution affects horses training outside and use this information to help inform management and training recommendations.

Emily R. Whitmer from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: This study will aggregate health data of wild Humboldt penguins and create health and disease models to assist with conservation efforts.

Camila Benavides Espejo from Yale University: Espejo will study biomarkers in the blood of African buffalo that could provide a fast and accurate way to diagnose bovine tuberculosis and help control the spread of this common disease in animals.

David Daversa from University of California, Los Angeles: The study will assess the health and well-being of amphibian populations using epigenetics as a potential new tool for amphibian conservation.

Matheus Moreno Passos Barbosa from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: The study will determine how to block an immune protein associated with the accelerated spread of osteosarcoma in dogs.

Marcos Isidoro-Ayz from University of Wisconsin-Madison: Isidoro-Ayz will test a promising new drug to protect North American bats against white-nose syndrome, a serious and highly fatal fungal infection.

 the studies conducted by Moreno Passo Barbosa and Isidor-Ayza were chosen to be funded specifically by McIntosh, who wanted to provide fellowship funding to support applicants from historically marginalized groups. Within those groups, McIntosh selected applicants interested in studying dog and wildlife health. McIntosh has been a donor to Morris Animal Foundation since 2009, where her first gift was to help advance greyhound health research. She has since expanded his support into other areas, including wildlife health.

Morris Animal Foundation announces fellowships to support animal health research, veterinary scientists. News release. Morris Animal Foundation. May 30 ,2023. Accessed May 30, 2023.

Articles

The 10 fellowships selected will support animal health research and veterinary scientists

Morris Animal Foundation announces fellowships 

 interview, veterinary professional, Jennifer Evans, shared her advice for practice managers, hospital directors, and staff memebers to make their work environment more inclusive and accepting for team members who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. 

The following is a partial transcript of the video.

 Showing up with a kind heart, assuming people are doing their best is a big deal. Practicing curiosity, asking questions about the people who surround you and validate their experiences. Educating them about your experiences and ask their perception of that.

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Jennifer Evans discussed what the veterinary community can do to make its work environment more inclusive

How to create a safe work environment for LGBTQ+ team members

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of oclacitinib tablet (Apoquel; Zoetis), Zoetis announced it is launching an Apouquel grant program. Through the program, Zoetis will enable 10 shelters to provide allergic itch relief to dogs at local shelters as they wait for their forever home.

According to the release, Zoetis will announce the 10 selected shelters in August 2023 in honor of Itchy Pet Awareness Month. To qualify for the grant, interested shelters must meet the following requirements:

By June 23, 2023, shelters must be enrolled in Zoetis for Shelters

Shelters must have an annual intake of at least 100 dogs.

“Providing pet shelters with the ability to alleviate allergic itch for dogs in their care reinforces our commitment to enhancing the health of pets,” stated Andrew Hillier, BVSc, MANZCVS (Canine Medicine), Diplomate ACVD, Director, Specialty and Dermatology Strategy, Veterinary Professional Services, U.S. Petcare at Zoetis, in an organizational release.

 “Supporting healthy pet adoptions in communities where our colleagues and customers live and work further strengthens our mission to take care of pets, just like pets take care of us.”

The company recently hired Jennifer Schissler, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVD, to serve as 1 of 5 board-certified dermatologists in its US Petcare business division. Schissler will bring over 16 years of academia and private practice to bring clinical awareness to the team.

“It’s an honor to join the Zoetis team of innovators and enthusiastic educators who provide dedicated support to veterinarians,” said Schissler.

 “The company’s revolutionary contributions to the understanding and treatment of canine allergic dermatitis continue to improve the lives of so many patients, and the families who love them, worldwide. I am excited to be a part of an even brighter future for veterinary dermatology.”

Zoetis celebrates 10 years of Apoquel and innovation in dermatology. News release. Zoetis. May 18, 2023. May 30, 2023. https://www.zoetisus.com/news-and-media/zoetis-celebrates-10-years-of-apoquel-and-innovation-in-dermatology

In honor of Apoquel's 10th anniversary, Zoetis created the program to provide allergic itch relief for dogs in animal shelters

Zoetis announces Apoquel grant program 

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), has welcomed a new executive director, Danielle Johnson. According to a release from the AVMA,

 Johnson has more than 20 years of fundraising experience, serving 14 years in senior development positions with The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and 8 years in The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

José Arce, DVM, chair of the AVMF board of directors, said in the release, “I am delighted that Danielle Johnson has joined us as director of the Foundation. Her background and record of success will improve the effectiveness of AVMF’s programs and staff and will help our foundation reach new heights.”

Danielle Johnson, executive director of AVMF. (Photo courtesy of AVMA)

During her time at Ohio State, Johnson created a client giving campaign, assisted in the Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) Enhancement and Expansion Campaign as well as other college priorities. She also assisted in creating and implementing the Commitment to Care Campaign to raise awareness and funds for the veterinary college’s Veterinary Medical Center.

“I’m taking a hard look at our operations and (looking) to put processes and procedures in place that will make it easier for us to talk with members and with AVMA leadership about donating to the Foundation. I have a lot of experience building relationships with people and talking with them about legacy gifts and longer-term larger gifts, as well as donating on an annual basis,” Johnson said in the release.

“It was a big change, going from talking about a T-shirt for a $100 pledge to asking for major gifts of a $100,000 or more. I see this as a tremendous opportunity for the Foundation,” she continued, “and in my conversations I want to learn what is missing that is keeping the AVMF from being recognized in those areas where other national animal organizations are better known.”

According to the release, one of Johnson’s long-term goals is to raise the visibility of the AVMF, not only within the veterinary community but also among the public.

AVMF hires former Ohio State fundraiser as executive director. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. Published May 29, 2023. Accessed May 30, 2023. https://www.avma.org/news/avmf-hires-former-ohio-state-fundraiser-executive-director

Before filling this role, the foundation has been without an executive director for the last 3 years

American Veterinary Medical Foundation welcomes new executive director

CULT Food Science Corp, a company focusing on the investment, development, and commercialization of cellular agriculture technologies and products, has released the details of its Noochies! line of pet performance supplements, called Sprinkles.

 Noochies! Sprinkles are supplements made with ingredients that are each hand-selected to serve a nutritional function for pets. They are free from fillers, coloring agents, and artificial preservatives. What’s more, Noochies! is the only brand to include Bmmune, a high protein blend of nutritional yeast to aid digestion, immunity and more, and Bflora, an exclusive, research-proven, probiotic blend created specially for cats and dogs.

"The supplement industry has been a key driver of environmental destruction, with brands prioritizing marketing claims over any notion of sustainable or responsible ingredient sourcing practices," said Lejjy Gafour, CEO of CULT, in the release. These supplements display that pet nutrition does not need to be unsustainable.

"Supplements are a very efficient way to give dogs and cats immediate wellness improvements. But once again consumers are being asked to weigh their pets' health against the health of our earth and oceans," said Joshua Errett, VP of product development at CULT. "I'm very happy Noochies! is removing that agonizing choice from the shelves."

The brand is launching with 3 product lines: Wellness, Joint Boost, and Immunity supplements. Noochies! pre-order campaign is currently live through Noochies! website for both consumers and retail distributors.

CULT Food Science announces "Sprinkles" pet performance supplement details. News release. CULT Food Science Corp. May 25, 2023. Accessed May 30, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cult-food-science-announces-sprinkles-pet-performance-supplement-details-301834099.html

Noochies! Sprinkles use functional ingredients and specialized fermentation rather than animal slaughter

Details of new pet performance supplement line revealed

Having entered the veterinary profession in 2001 as Australia’s first profoundly deaf veterinarian, Alex Harrison, BSc, BVMS, has made use of innovations like captioned telephones, see-through surgical masks, and visual stethoscopes to overcome barriers to working in a profession he dearly loves. But he also quickly became aware that using this technology alone did not make his workplace inclusive, as there was still an array of frustrating barriers in place, including gaining others' support.

From left to right: Alex Harrison, Jodie Wilson, and John Baguley. 

Now 2 decades later, his thought leadership and advocacy of accepting the differences of those around us and being supportive of others, has driven him to become an integral member of The Veterinary Kaleidoscope (TVK), a community of veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and others who are committed to raising awareness of the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the veterinary profession in Australia.

“I have worked in academia, small animal practice, and have also been a practice owner. In 2018, I experienced burnout in part due to the cognitive load from compensating for my deafness and not having my needs fully met and nearly left the profession,” explained Harrison to 

. “A period of hard soul searching led me to realize that rather than walking away, I had a duty to help make the way better for any that followed. That led me to being passionate about mental health and disability advocacy within the profession. Joining The Veterinary Kaleidoscope community was a natural progression on this journey.”

TVK was first conceived as a podcast by Australia's first transgender veterinarian Kate Toyer, BVSc, and Cam Raw, BVSc, the assistant dean (indigenous), of the faculty of science at Melbourne University. Earlier this year, the inaugural TVK Summit was held in Sydney during World Pride and was attended by representatives from all over Australia. “The Summit was a powerful showcase of the diversity in the profession and many of the speakers and delegates' stories were profoundly moving and enlightening. We had multiple speakers and many appreciative inquiry sessions hosted by Jodie Wilson, BVSc, which helped shape a vision of what we wanted an inclusive veterinary community to look like,” said Harrison, who is now TVK’s treasurer.

From left to right: Tara Cashman, Cam Raw, Channy McGowan, and Kate Toyer.

Harrison added, “A key part of diversity, equity and inclusion is the concept of allyship, and what we see with TVK is quite disparate groups recognizing that they need to work together and are more able to achieve their objectives together. These objectives include a desire to build a more inclusive veterinary community that is driven by kindness and curiosity for others. We advocate for psychological safety in the profession, in the universities, in the regulatory bodies such as the veterinary boards, in the workplace, and at professional development events. When this happens, everyone can be their true, authentic selves.”

TVK is working to engender a greater awareness of inclusive design in workplaces and conferences, so that they are welcoming to all. The group believes strongly in the principle of “Solve For One, Solve For All,” a concept of resolving a problem for one group in a way that benefits demographics beyond the intended target group.

“What was very quickly apparent was that minority groups in the past have suffered from a silo mentality where they looked at, and advocated only for their niche, when in fact, they shared so many common themes in their journey. An evidence-based analysis shows that diversity, equity and inclusion has a strong business case,” explained Harrison.

“We want the profession to see that diversity, equity and inclusion drives innovation, reduces cognitive load and burnout - as people no longer have to hide their needs or their identities. It also reduces workforce attrition, widens the pool of prospective talent, and increases profitability. Productivity gains are substantial. It gives a competitive edge and is a positive disruptor. However, we also don't want to be reductionist by viewing diversity, equity and inclusion only though an economic lens as ultimately, The Veterinary Kaleidoscope is about visibility, protection and empowerment.”

After the success of the inaugural TVK Summit, an annual conference is planned, with the next one being mid-2024. TVK also has several initiatives currently in development, including increasing accessibility of veterinary professional development events, and a push for a survey of diversity in the veterinary profession to enable greater insights into the demographics of the profession.

“Listen to people with lived experience. Don't make decisions without them. Remember the saying, ‘Nothing about us, without us.’ Also remember to amplify those voices of lived experience and recognize that diversity and inclusivity results in a more flexible, responsive workforce. If you can be comfortable with the change required with diversity, equity and inclusion, you demonstrate the capacity to evolve and, in some ways, future-proof your business. It's a mindset - embrace it,” said Harrison.

Title protection for veterinary nurses and technicians

Western Australia is the only Australian state or territory to currently have registration of veterinary nurses and title protection of their role. This legislation prevents people using a title unless they are appropriately qualified and registered. However, at a recent workshop in Melbourne the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia (VNCA) reached an agreement to work together to progress nationally consistent regulation and title protection of veterinary nurses and veterinary technicians.

Representatives from the AVBC and VNCA at the recent joint workshop in Melbourne (Photo courtesy of AVBC). 

In a statement, AVBC advised that discussions from the workshop identified the need for a pathway of recognition of the roles while acknowledging the challenges of the existing differences in state and territory legislation across Australia. The discussion also recognized the need to develop a pathway to registration for those working long term in the industry with no formal skills or qualifications.

Western Australia practice board inspector Chris Lloyd and chairperson Tony Leeflang, BSc, BVMS MVSc, who is also an AVBC Council Member, attended the workshop and shared their experiences with veterinary nurse registration in that state.

Leeflang described the overwhelming support from veterinarians in Western Australia for the registration of veterinary nurses, noting improvements in veterinary practice efficiencies and animal welfare standards directly because of veterinary nurse registration and title protection.

“The Western Australia veterinary legislation has demonstrated that title protection of veterinary nurses has positive outcomes for all members of the veterinary team, and this model should serve as an example to other jurisdictions of what can be achieved,” said Leeflang.

Veterinary thought leader raising awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Australian veterinary profession; and progress on regulation and title protection for veterinary nurses and technicians 

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