The first drug conditionally approved by the FDA to treat acute canine pancreatitis (ACP) fuzapladib sodium for injection (Panoquell-CA1; Ceva) is now available in the US. Fuzapladib sodium is a leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) activation inhibitor that is reasonably expected to block the specific pathway of inflammation associated with acute canine pancreatitis.

ACP is a common, and potentially life-threatening, disease. Fuzapladib sodium for injection is indicated for the management of clinical signs associated with acute onset of canine pancreatitis. In the pilot field study for conditional FDA approval, the dogs receiving fuzapladib sodium were shown to have an improved clinical score over dogs receiving symptomatic care alone.

“[Fuzapladib sodium for injection] will address an important, unmet medical need for a common, unpredictable disease which has traditionally been managed only with supportive care,” said Susanne Heartsill, DVM, DABVP (canine and feline practice), director of veterinary services at Ceva, in an organizational release.

 “Panoquell-CA1 is a welcome and valuable product to support recovery and its unique mechanism of action is an incredibly exciting innovation in veterinary medicine.”

ACP is more common in certain breeds and may become a recurring or chronic condition, according to the FDA. "This is the first drug to address a serious and life-threatening disease that previously could only be managed through supportive care, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, anti-emetics, and dietary rest," said Steven M. Solomon, DVM, MPH, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, in an agency news release.

 "The conditional approval pathway allows medications like Panoquell-CA1 to reach the marketplace more quickly, and in this case gives dogs suffering from acute onset of pancreatitis earlier access to a drug to manage this disease."

Dosage administration of this fuzapladib sodium therapy is by intravenous injection at 0.4 mg/kg 1x daily for 3 days and may be given with other types of supportive care. This therapy should not be administered to dogs with a known hypersensitivity to fuzapladib sodium. Furthermore, the safe use of fuzapladib sodium by injection has not been evaluated in dogs with cardiac disease, hepatic failure, or renal impairment as well as those that are pregnant, lactating, or intended for breeding; and canines younger than age 6 months, according to Ceva.

The FDA advises veterinarians to explain the possible adverse effects to pet owners. These include loss of appetite, digestive tract disorders, respiratory tract disorders, liver disease, and jaundice.

Developed by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha LTD (ISK) and registered by ISK Animal Health, LLC in the US, the product will be marketed and distributed in the US by Ceva Animal Health, LLC. “Fuzapladib sodium has been approved for acute canine pancreatitis in Japan since 2018. Based on our experience in Japan, we believe Panoquell-CA1 will be an important addition to ACP management in the US,” said Yuya Noshiro, director of planning and administration division at ISK Animal Health, in the organizational release.

Panoquell-CA1, the first and only drug conditionally approved by the FDA for management of the symptoms associated with acute onset of canine pancreatitis is now available in the U.S. News release. May 16, 2023. Accessed May 23, 2023. 

https://www.ceva.us/News-Media/News-Releases-Articles-About-Ceva/PANOQUELL-R-CA1-fuzapladib-sodium-for-injection-is-now-available-in-the-U.S

FDA conditionally approves Panoquell-CA1 for acute onset of canine pancreatitis. 

. November 22, 2023. Accessed May 23, 2023. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/fda-conditionally-approves-panoquell-ca1-for-acute-onset-of-canine-pancreatitis

Articles

Conditionally approved by the FDA, fuzapladib sodium for injection is a leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 activation inhibitor. 

Drug for acute onset of canine pancreatitis is launched on the US market

Pet Marvel, a pet product designer, has released a product, the Automatic 2-in-1 Pet Feeder and Water Dispenser, on Kickstarter. It couples 3 essential functions for pet parents in 1 device: feeding, watering, and real-time monitoring with a built-in camera.

 the Automatic 2-in-1 Pet Feeder and Water Dispenser includes a multi-cat facial recognition system and a voice announcement feature, allowing pet owners to capture their cat's cute moments, comfort them, and decrease their separation anxiety when they are left alone.

The design uses a smart food bowl that prevents jamming and an intelligent water purification system. The exclusive flushing function eliminates the need for constant maintenance by flushing out dirty water and storing it in a separate sewage tank.

 It saves time while simplifying the process of replacing the water. What’s more, with a 3.5L stored-grains barrel, the device has a triple freshness preservation design so food stays fresh for various household pets.

Pet Marvel's 2-in-1 device also is paired with a smart app so pet owners can develop personalized feeding schedules. It sends real-time notifications so pet owners can keep tabs on their pets' eating habits.

Pet Marvel launches innovative Automatic 2-in-1 Pet Feeder and Water Dispenser on Kickstarter. News release. Pet Marvel Limited. May 25, 2023. Accessed May 26, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pet-marvel-launches-innovative-automatic-2-in-1-pet-feeder-and-water-dispenser-on-kickstarter-301834411.html

Pet Marvel unveiled this innovative device that combines feeding, watering, and real-time monitoring with a built-in camera

New Automatic 2-in-1 Pet Feeder and Water Dispenser launched  

PetHub, Inc connects pet owners with resources, tools, savings, and a place to store key pet data. The company launched a new wellness tool for pet owners, powered by VetInsight.

 The PetHub Wellness Tools include unlimited 24/7 veterinary telehealth services, a comprehensive AI symptom checker, and a virtual food and treat finder that provides custom recommendations for pets.

“Our goal is to ensure pet parents have unlimited access to everything they need to best provide for their beloved cats and dogs,” said Lorien Clemens, co-founder and CEO of PetHub, said in a company release. “We understand the important role of veterinary telehealth in this digital age. These new tools allow us to provide pet parents with 24/7 access to valuable health and nutritional guidance from trustworthy experts. We are excited to further enhance the exclusive benefits offered to our valued members.”

The unlimited 24/7 veterinary telehealth service includes the ability to communicate to a veterinary professional via online chat, phone, or email. Clients can discuss any new or ongoing concerns about pets. PetHub hopes this feature can be a good option for pets who experience travel anxiety and stress with in-person health visits.

The Symptom Checker feature is an on-demand, artificial intelligence (AI) virtual veterinarian that allows pet owners to search their pet’s symptoms receive recommendations for the next steps based on the information provided. The AI can suggest an in-person trip to the clinic or a telehealth conversation with a live veterinary professional based on the urgency of the issue.

The Food & Treat Finder Tool provides results tailored to each pet's physical and nutritional needs, including easily purchasing those recommended foods and treats.

According to the release, PetHub Wellness Tools is available to all new and existing subscribers and there is a free 7-day trial before the annual subscription begins for any new users.

PetHub launches wellness tools. News release. PetHub, Inc. Published May 1, 2023. Accessed May 26, 2023.

PetHub Wellness Tools is available to all new and existing subscribers

PetHub launches AI tools for pet owners

The Maryland Zoo announced its population of black-tailed prairie dogs has grown, as new pups have begun popping up from underground dens.

 the “small, spunky rodent spend much of their time burrowing complex tunnel systems underground.” Born blind and without hair, these animals are at first completely reliant on their parents. They can spend up to 7 weeks nursing in an underground nesting chamber, and then start to come up above ground, taking careful steps to examine their habitat.

Both parents care for the pups underground, but when they emerge from underground they can nurse from any other female prairie dog.

Black-tailed prairie dogs are native to the western United States.

 Female prairie dogs have litters of 3-to-4 pups every spring. In the 1970s, prairie dogs were critically endangered but with conservation efforts, they are now considered a “species of least concern.” They are faced, though, with increasing habitat loss because of urban development, and declining population numbers because of eradication efforts by ranchers, and disease.

Visitors can see these pups at the Prairie Dog Town habitat just inside the zoo’s front gate.

Prairie dog pups pop up at the Maryland Zoo. News release. Maryland Zoo. May 19, 2023. Accessed May 26, 2023. https://www.marylandzoo.org/news-and-updates/2023/05/prairie-dog-pups-pop-up-at-the-maryland-zoo

Pups born this spring expand community of prairie dogs at zoo 

Prairie dog pups emerge from underground at Maryland Zoo

Electroacupuncture, Chinese herbal therapy, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), photobiomodulation/photoceutical therapy, and targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (tPEMF) are multiple ways to treat pain but have historically been referred to as unconventional. These therapies, although some are relatively new to the veterinary industry, have proven to be effective on the human side, yet some professionals are choosing to believe anecdotal experience rather than objective evidence.

During his lecture at the Directions in Veterinary Medicine Symposium (DIVM) in Miami, Florida, Curtis W. Dewey, DVM, MS, CTCVMP, CCRP Diplomate ACVIM (Neurology), Diplomate ACVS, shared the alternative therapeutic options veterinary professionals can explore when treating their patients, plus the research behind them.

Phytochemicals, biologically active molecules in plants, have been identified from 

 From these plants, numerous anti-pain phytochemicals were identified, and their mechanisms of action were elucidated. Studies on rodents and clinical studies on humans have demonstrated these are effective ways to treat pain.

“So why use Chinese herbal medicine? This is often used in my hospitals and adjunct to medication it's not common that are just using Chinese herbal and I have found that I don't have to use as much in the way of drugs if I use the combination. This also, sometimes effective as a sole therapy, if it's very fairly mild, but remember, these are the not actually drugs. They're plant extracts, multiple different modes of action for each different plant. Some individual plants have multiple chemicals that have multiple modes of action, but they're not typically as strong as drugs but they also very rarely have any observable side effects,” said Dewey.

Unlike pain management medications, Chinese medicine targets multiple biochemical pathways identified as being responsible for a certain disease state. This is beneficial for patients because drugs target one specific pathway, so this gives patients a chance to feel more relief with a very low chance for adverse side effects.

Acupuncture for treating a multitude of conditions has grown in popularity in recent years, but electroacupuncture (EA) is proven to be more potent and longer-lasting clinical effects than “dry needling.” From an analgesic perspective, the effects of EA can be divided into the region of needle insertion (local), spinal cord (segmental), and brain (suprasegmental), with contributions from segmental and suprasegmental being more likely with EA.

“How do you do it, you can do [acupuncture], you can come up with your own protocol. My experience was when I was trained in acupuncture, I actually took courses with a chi and Ibis that this wasn’t a covered with a lot of well, but not much time was devoted to electroacupuncture, right? I had to do a lot of stuff, looking at stuff myself,” explained Dewey.

“So low frequency, 2-10hertz and some publications say 2-20 hertz, mainly endorphins and enkephalins, higher frequency, more like endorphins, and higher frequencies, closer or a little more than 200 serotonin… So, evidence of efficacy, lots of animal model studies, including dogs, some functional MRI studies. I won't really discuss point specificity, it's sort of a different topic, but a lot of human clinical trials and a few veterinary clinical studies,” he continued.

According to Dewey, veterinary professionals interested in treating patients with electroacupuncture would see results if they do EA every 3 weeks to effectively treat chronic pain. For acute pain scenarios, more frequent sessions are recommended by Dewey, who informed attendees he often complements EA with ESWT 1-2 times per week.

Dewey T. Alternate Therapies to Pain Management: Where’s the Evidence? Presented at: Directions in Veterinary Medicine; Miami, Florida. May 19-20, 2023.

When it comes to treating pain, some commonly referred to as unconventional methods may give the patients in your practice some relief 

Alternate therapies for pain management 

Photo courtesy of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association

A new Certificate in Professional Development and Personal Wellness is being launched by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) with support from Hill’s Pet Nutrition. It will be available later this year, free of charge to members of WSAVA member associations.

Announced during Mental Health Awareness Month, the certificate program is scheduled to be launched at the WSAVA Congress in September with the goal of helping to address an increasingly challenging working environment for companion animal veterinary professionals, according to the organization.

Through an online course, learners will receive help creating a career development roadmap and developing strategies to safeguard their wellbeing. Content for the WSAVA Certificate in Professional Development and Personal Wellness will be delivered via video lectures from experts in veterinary professional development, supported by case studies, a downloadable workbook, space for reflection, and links to further resources.

As they work through the modules, learners will explore different ways to learn new skills linked to personal goals, create new habits, and track their progress. Engagement with the course will be assessed by quizzes at the end of each module. The content has been designed to be accessible for those with neurodiversity and is underpinned by the principles of wellbeing and self-care as set out in the WSAVA’s first Global Guidelines on Professional Wellbeing, which is scheduled to be launched at 2023 WSAVA Congress, September 27-29, in Lisbon, Portugal.

The Certificate in Professional Development and Personal Wellbeing is the latest in a series of WSAVA qualifications, based on its Global Guidelines. Long-time industry partner, Hill’s Pet Nutrition has also supported the WSAVA Professional Wellness Group since it was founded.

Jolle Kirpensteijn, DVM, PhD, DACVS, ECVS, global chief veterinary officer for Hill's Pet Nutrition, thanked the WSAVA for the opportunity to collaborate on providing free resources and tools to veterinary professionals in support of mental wellbeing. “Since our inception, Hill’s has supported the veterinary profession. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year, we’re proud to be involved in a new way to support the profession as mental health is one of the most pressing issues facing the industry we love so much,” said Kirpensteijn, in the release.

In a statement, said WSAVA President Ellen van Nierop, a Dutch veterinarian who now practices in Ecuador, noted that demands of the veterinary profession are exacerbated by multiple factors such as staff shortages, barriers to accessing veterinary medicines, and the COVID-19 pandemic, that are adversely affecting the wellbeing and physical health of many veterinary professionals. Combined, she said, these factors are causing unacceptable levels of stress and burnout.

“In response, [the WSAVA is] providing evidence-based resources and tools for our member associations to help them counter the problems that so many of their members face. The new WSAVA Global Guidelines on Professional Wellbeing, created by our Professional Wellness Group for launch at WSAVA 2023 are the first step. However, in developing this new Certificate in Professional Development and Personal Wellness, we are going one step further by offering our members a practical, structured learning experience and an opportunity to build a roadmap for success, both at work and in their personal lives,” van Nierop said, in the release. “The launch of this WSAVA Certificate is an exciting moment for us and we thank Hill’s Pet Nutrition for its long-standing commitment to veterinary wellbeing,” she added.

The WSAVA Certificate in Professional Development and Personal Wellness course is being submitted for RACE accreditation. Interest in the Certificate can be registered through the 

Global First as WSAVA and Hill’s Pet Nutrition Launch Certificate in Professional Development and Personal Wellbeing. News release. World Small Animal Veterinary Association. May 24, 2023. Accessed May 25, 2023. 

https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Global-First-for-WSAVA-with-Launch-of-Certificate-in-Professional-Development-and-Personal-Wellbeing.pdf

The free WSAVA program helps address an increasingly challenging working environment for companion animal veterinary professionals.

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