Category: Government

Quarantine to Contain Herpes Virus at Arizona Training Facility

Arizona Department of Agriculture Animal Services Division 1688 W. Adams Street, Phoenix AZ 85007 (602) 542 4293 March 5, 2018, Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) Director Mark Killian ordered the quarantine of a cutting horse training facility in northern Maricopa County after a nasal swab on a gelding tested positive for Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV·1) “wild strain.• On Friday March 2, 2018, Dr. Peter Mundschenk, the Arizona State Veterinarian , received notification confirming the diagnoses of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in a Quarter Horse gelding with a positive nasal swab of EHV·1. This horse has been at Southpoint

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South Carolina suspends some livestock evacuation requirements ahead of Hurricane Irma

Clemson Livestock-Poultry Health which oversees animal health issues in the state has issued an order suspending some requirements for interstate transport of animals as South Carolina braces for possible impacts from Hurricane Irma.

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Animal Response Operations Coordination Center
Bob Gould

Hurricane Harvey Animal Response Efforts Underway

AUSTIN – When Governor Abbott declared a preemptive state of disaster for 30 counties in advance of Tropical Depression Harvey; the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) took the cue and accelerated preparations for what was predicted to be a major storm event. Under the State Emergency Management Plan, TAHC is the state’s coordinating agency for all disaster response issues related to animals, both large and small, including livestock, pets, and zoo animals. By the time Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday, August 25, the agency and its response partners were prepared for action. The storm proved to

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17 Tenn. horses infected with piroplasmosis

The release said equine piroplasmosis is a blood parasite that affects horses. It can be transmitted through infected ticks but is more commonly spread by blood and blood products through shared needles or syringes, or improperly cleaned and disinfected dental, tattoo, surgical or blood product equipment.

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USDA holds hearings on proposed walking-horse training restrictions

The new rules are designed to strengthen existing requirements to “protect horses from the unnecessary and cruel practice of soring and eliminate unfair competition,” according to the USDA.

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Farmers must plan ahead for the Veterinary Feed Directive

Local veterinarians, feed suppliers and livestock producers gathered in Lehi on Thursday to learn how the federal feed directive, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, will affect their operations.

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Prescription writing mandate is unnecessary for veterinarians

Congress is working to pass a federal mandate that would require veterinarians to provide a written copy of every prescription for a companion animal, whether or not the client needs or even wants it. This will place undue regulatory and administrative burdens on veterinarians and small businesses.

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AVMA advocates against prescription mandate bill

AVMA Board of Directors Chair John de Jong in April told a House subcommittee that requiring veterinarians to provide portable prescriptions for all prescribed pet medications, regardless of whether clients request them, is unnecessary and unduly burdensome on veterinarians and small businesses

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$2.4 million available to relieve veterinarian shortage

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture today announced $2.4 million in available funding to relieve veterinarian shortage situations through education, extension and training as well as support for veterinary practices in designated shortage areas. “These funds support activities for veterinarians and veterinary technicians, helping them gain the specialized skills to address shortages in parts of the country,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “Funds are also available for establishing or expanding veterinary practices in underserved rural areas.” To read the rest of the article click here

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Therapeutic Vet Diet Compliance Policy Guide Finalized

In reality, therapeutic pet food products have been marketed for years without official drug approvals in accordance with FDA’s longstanding enforcement discretion policy in this space

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Congress votes to make bison the US national mammal

Legislation approved by Congress would elevate the bison to a stature approaching that of the bald eagle, long the national emblem.

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FDA issues guidance on feed safety

As with other FDA guidance documents, GFI 203 does not create any new regulations regarding feed safety, but provides recommendations based on FDA’s current thinking on how to avoid unacceptable levels of feed contaminants on the farm

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Make plans for veterinary feed directive changes now

The new ruling will demand some veterinarian and client interactions that weren’t required before regarding the use of medically important antibiotics in feed and water, said Apley, a veterinarian who specializes in beef production medicine.

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Veterinary Feed Directive Final Rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its animal drug regulations regarding veterinary feed directive (VFD) drugs.

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WHO Opposes Global Control of Ketamine

Faced with the possibility of losing ketamine access, U.S. veterinary professional organizations advised their memberships to submit comments about the Chinese request to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ketamine is probably the most widely used veterinary anesthetic in the world, primarily because of its safety, says René Carlson, DVM, president of the World Veterinary Association and 2015 president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

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