Veterinary Medicine Update

 Veterinary Medicine Up

DECEMBER 22, 2010

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News for animal health professionals

Veterinary Medicine Update  Georgia dog with rare throat defect receives laser surgery Lucy, a 6-year-old dachshund in Georgia, recently underwent laser surgery to treat a rare defect on its throat called reflex achalasia. Lucy reportedly is recovering and is the second dog in the U.S. to receive the treatment, which involves less scarring. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (12/22)  Study: Raccoon outhouses can pose disease risk in humans A study published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal indicated that humans, particularly children, are at risk of contracting a fatal parasitic roundworm called Baylisascaris procyonis when they encounter raccoon latrines, or sites that the critters repeatedly use to defecate. Researchers said using medicated bait for the raccoons and sterilizing latrines can help control the spread of the parasite, which can lead to permanent neurological damage, blindness or even death. LiveScience.com (12/21)  Other News Florida county health department issues rabies alert WJXT-TV (Jacksonville, Fla.) (12/20)  Researchers develop genetic technique to fight honeybee pest BBC (12/22)  Do People Trust Your Brand? Business-to-Business companies increasingly recognize how critical building trusted online relationships has become to their financial success. Download this white paper to learn how companies can align trust, credibility, and privacy processes within their organizations to grow revenues and mitigate risk.   Animal News  Miss. shelter sees rise in surrendered pets amid tight economy A shelter in southern Mississippi has reported taking in 3,617 pets so far this year, driven by a rise in the number of in-state owners who have experienced loss of jobs or homes as a result of the recession. USA TODAY/The Associated Press (12/21)  Florida reports panther attacks on domestic animals The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Florida reported that a pig and several goats in the state have died this month after being attacked by endangered panthers. The agency is advising in-state residents to keep their livestock in enclosed facilities and domestic pets indoors, especially at night. ABC News/Reuters Life! (12/20)  Researchers use mice to help shed light on human language origins Earlier studies have shown that birds use various sound elements that they organize into chunks before turning them into "songs." Now, Japanese researchers said they have created bioengineered mice that tweet like birds and could offer better clues to the evolution of human languages. "Mice are better than birds to study because they are mammals and much closer to humans in their brain structures and other biological aspects," the lead researcher said. Google/Agence France-Presse (12/21)  Discover the keys to a vibrant corporate culture Creating & sustaining a vibrant corporate culture takes strong leadership and transparency. GM's Mark Reuss shares insights into rebuilding a company's culture. DeLisa Alexander offers best practices from Red Hat's opensource culture. SmartBrief readers receive executive training for just $75.   Around the Office  5 ways to breathe life into your business Has your business hit a plateau or have you run out of ideas to help it expand? Try taking a hard look at your financials to evaluate ways to improve, advises Connie Edwards. Also take the time to find the right employees and develop creative incentive programs to keep customers engaged. Savannah Morning News (Ga.) (free registration) (12/20) 2011 planning for social media made simpler 94.1% of businesses use social media to build brand awareness — does yours? Get insights into business trends and best practices for social media fromSmartBrief's State of Social Media for Business. Make your 2011 social-media strategy count with data from 6000+ business execs. Download the key takeaways now.   Policy Watch  House approves food safety bill The House passed a food safety bill 215-144, setting the stage for President Barack Obama to sign it into law. Food processors will be required to develop safety plans and government officials will have more enforcement power under the law, which aims to prevent outbreaks of food-borne illness. The Washington Post (12/22) , The New York Times (free registration)(12/21)  U.S. states increasingly adopt dog-breeding laws Laws that set restrictions on dog breeders have been adopted in recent years by several U.S. states, including Oklahoma and Missouri. Almost 5,000 breeders across the country are licensed by the Department of Agriculture, but thousands more are unregulated such as those that sell puppies online, according to this article. The Wall Street Journal (12/20) Ohio's first livestock-care standards are slated for review An Ohio panel is set to consider today euthanasia guidelines and civil penalties recently approved by the state's Livestock Care Standards Board. Groups such as the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation have aired concerns over some blurring of the distinction between the authority of county officials and the board in setting up livestock-care standards and determining civil penalties, among other issues. Farm and Dairy (Salem, Ohio) (12/21)  Other News Oklahoma bill seeks to overturn pet breeders law Feedstuffs (Minnetonka, Minn.) (12/22)  "Healthy Eating: A guide to the new nutrition" —A special report from the experts at Harvard Medical School helps you understand which foods help you prevent disease and which ones put you on a collision course. 30% off and free shipping for SmartBrief readers. Click here to order Healthy Eating. Now available in hard copy or electronic download.   AVMA in the News  Georgia veterinary program obtains AVMA accreditation Fort Valley State University in Georgia announced that its veterinary science program has earned full accreditation from AVMA, after a two-year process. The accreditation enables students enrolled in the program to take the licensing exam for veterinary technicians, according to this article. The Macon Telegraph (Ga.) (12/22)

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