News

Sacramento, Calif. -- This is the last week veterinarians in California will be able to mail or fax Controlled Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) reports to the state.

Lexington, Ky. -- The down economy already has increased the number of unwanted horses around the country. Now it's hitting Thoroughbreds where it hurts -- at race venues.

Davis, Calif. -- No one knows when and where the next global human pandemic will occur, but a government foreign-aid agency expects it to start as an animal disease and is paying the UC-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to help find it.

San Antonio, Texas -- PurinaCare® Pet Health Insurance is now available in 46 states after insurance regulators approved five new states and the District of Columbia.

Cats represent only 10 percent of insured pets in America.

Welcome to The dvm360 Five. Give us five minutes and we'll give you updates on the future of primary veterinary practice, changing laws about technicians offering vaccinations, and more.

Buellton, Calif. -- Equine veterinarians will meet March 5 to 6, 2010, to discuss stem cell and regenerative therapies at the first UC Davis North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference.

Daytona, Fla. -- What are horse owners thinking? The nonprofit group American Horse Publications (AHP) is hoping to find out with a new online survey sponsored by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health.

Ingelheim, Germany, and St. Joseph, Mo. -- Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) completed its deal with Pfizer to acquire a significant portion of the Fort Dodge Animal Health business, the company reports.

New York -- Pfizer finalized its acquisition of Wyeth's Fort Dodge Animal Health, making it the biggest player in the animal-health market. And today a second piece of the deal was unveiled.

Wetherby, England -- The British Horseracing Authority is investigating Wetherby Racecourse after four horses died on the opening day of jumps season.

Denver -- The American Animal Hospital Association plans to kick off a $1 million, eight-month consumer advertising campaign on Animal Planet in January.

Newport, N.J. -- Winn Feline Foundation, a nonprofit funding group aimed at improving cat health and welfare, is accepting 2010 grant proposals.

Washington -- Dale E. Bjorling, DVM, MS, is the new president-elect of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). He and two new regents were elected, and a new treasurer appointed, during the annual ACVS Veterinary Symposium in Washington, D.C.

Oklahoma City -- City council members voted unanimously to skip the landfill and give animals euthanized at the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter to Oklahoma State University?s (OSU) veterinary college for use in teaching students and technicians.

New survey highlights veterinarians' top concerns.

Veterinary Voices: What part of your work do you enjoy most?

Sacramento, Calif. -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill making cattle and horse tail docking illegal in California.

Schaumburg, Ill. -- The American Veterinary Medical Association will reintroduce its enhanced online continuing-education Web site next month.

Market data shows consumer spending on pet products holds steady compared to other key categories.

Pet owners switched brands to save money in categories other than pet products at a much higher than anticipated rate.

Topeka, Kan. -- Suzan Harrison is the new president of Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. North America, succeeding Neil Thompson, who was promoted to president and CEO of Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. in April.

National Report -- Tests confirm that pigs at the recent Minnesota State Fair were infected with H1N1 influenza virus. They are the first swine in the country to be found with the 2009 pandemic virus.

Do foster pet parents derive the same health benefits as pet owners?

The House approved a $32 million conditional start to a facility in Manhattan, Kan., to study animal diseases.

New York -- Pfizer Animal Health is expected to release details of its acquisition of Fort Dodge Animal Health today.

Smithtown, N.Y. -- America's VetDogs and the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind announced a partnership with Novartis Animal Health US, which is providing a one-year supply of its Sentinel Flavor Tabs, a broad-spectrum preventive against five major parasites, for 1,100 canine graduates, dogs in training and puppies of both organizations.

Baton Rouge, La. -- The Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine is the recipient of eight new grants, totaling $1.48 million, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Find out why the claws are out in California, how new government funding could help veterinarians, and what you could do to make clients feel more bonded to your practice -- all in five minutes.

Arkansas -- Following a request from the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association, the state Department of Finance and Administrations has issued written guidelines on sales and other tax regulations for veterinary practices.