PetMed Express, Inc. announced its financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012. Net sales were $238 million, an increase of 3% compared to the year ended March 31, 2011. Net income was $16.7 million compared to net income of $20.9 million for the prior year

(Source – Brakke Consulting)

Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced the launch of new Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d Low Fat GI Restore Canine to support the care of dogs with gastrointestinal conditions like pancreatitis, hyperlipidemia and protein-losing enteropathy. The Prescription Diet i/d Low Fat formula contains omega-3 fatty acids to help break the cycle of inflammation; prebiotic fiber to restore the intestinal microbiota; and ginger to calm and soothe the GI tract.

(Source – Brakke Consulting)

Henry Schein, Inc. reported record financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. Global Animal Health sales of $526 million increased 15%. Internal growth in local currencies included 16% growth in North America and 14% International growth.

(Source – Brakke Consulting)

Animal Welfare Foundation’s (AWF) annual Discussion Forum to focus on the use of animals for human benefit

The AWF’s Discussion Forum will highlight the use of animals in horse racing, livestock shows, hobby farming and ‘super dairies’.

The event will take place in London on 14 May 10:30 – 17:00. View the full programme

For full information visit the BVA-AWF site.

NationWide Laboratories and Cambridge Specialist Laboratory Specialist merge met with success at BSAVA

The laboratories were officially merged with Dechra Specialist Laboratories at BSAVA where feedback from delegates, particularly delegates in Denmark, Sweden and Belgium, was overwhelmingly positive.

The merger comes as Dechra invests in new laboratory equipment to modernise its diagnostic facilities.

Vets call for faster, more accurate diagnostic tests

Currently results from diagnostic tests can take from one to six days with varying degrees of accuracy depending on the tests used.

334 individuals across Europe were surveyed by Life Technologies as to how best to improve veterinary diagnostics, 37% of whom asked for more reliable tests and 22% opted for increased speed.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a modern molecular diagnostic test, could offer a better solution than culture testing, and seems to be a technology not yet fully realised by the veterinary profession.

For more information visit Life Technologies

Last chance to win CPD vouchers worth £250! The lucky winner will be selected Friday May 11th.

Take part in our survey, which should take no more than 5 minutes, for your chance to win.

Feed originating from ethanol production waste contains antibiotics

Ethanol production requires the use of antibiotics to prevent bacteria outbreaks that lead to decreased yield. Pencillin and erythromycin are commonly used to ensure levels of bacteria are kept low.

However ‘distillers grains’ are a byproduct of ethanol production and are sold as livestock feed due to their high nutritional value despite the high amount of antibiotics they are exposed to. This leads to higher levels of antimicrobial resistance, especially in regard to one of the most widely used antibiotics: pencillin.

This is a critical issue as plans to cut antimicrobial resistance are brought to the forefront of the veterinary community through the One Health Iniatiative.

Visit Allaboutfeed for the full story.

How many patients can be realistically cared for in an average day?

Getting new clients and a steady flow of patients is a vital part of making a name for your practice and keeping yourself afloat financially. However is there a point when you have too many patients and can’t possibly provide adequate care for them all?

VIN.com looks at the case of a vet who sees 40-50 patients a day.

Diamond Pet Foods announced it is expanding a voluntary recall to include one production run and four production codes of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light formula dry dog food, as well as several lots of Puppy Formula dry dog food. One bag of the product has tested positive for Salmonella. No dog illnesses have been reported.

(Source – Brakke Consulting)