The 2012 report shows that in the past five years, chronic diseases have continued to increase, some at an alarming rate. Overweight and obesity increased 37 percent in dogs and 90 percent in cats, whereas arthritis increased 38 percent in dogs and 67 percent in cats. While the rise in chronic diseases is alarming, equally concerning are pet owner perceptions surrounding the overall health of pets. Banfield, along with Kelton, a leading market research and strategy consultancy, recently surveyed 2,000 dog and cat owners for a deeper understanding of pet owner perceptions regarding chronic diseases and the steps they take to keep their pets healthy. Although the 2012 report shows an increase in chronic diseases, only 36 percent of dog owners and 28 percent of cat owners said they would take their pet to see a veterinarian to manage an existing disease or condition.

"At Banfield, we strongly believe in regular preventive care and early disease diagnosis. The key to successful early disease diagnosis involves a partnership between pet owners and their veterinarian to identify changes in a pet's overall health and behavior," said Jeffrey Klausner, DVM, senior vice president and chief medical officer for Banfield Pet Hospital. "New this year, we uncovered pet owners' perceptions to shine light on the common misconceptions surrounding pet health. This information is valuable as it raises awareness of pet owner knowledge gaps, identifies pet owner education opportunities and provides key learnings for the veterinary profession as a whole. In partnership with pet owners, we hope to reduce the number of pets living with undiagnosed or unmanaged chronic diseases."

While pets in the United States may be living with several chronic diseases, overweight and obesity are primary concerns due to their association with other chronic conditions—many of which can  impact the overall quality of a pet's life. According to the report, nearly half of arthritic dogs (40 percent) and more than 1 in 3 arthritic cats (37 percent) are also overweight; almost half of diabetic dogs (42 percent) and diabetic cats (40 percent) are overweight; 40 percent of dogs with high blood pressure and 60 percent of dogs with hypothyroidism are also overweight.

According to the 2012 report, overweight and obesity affect 1 in 5 dogs and cats. The rise in pet overweight and obesity mimics the increase in humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overweight and obesity in humans is also on the rise. The CDC reports that overweight/obesity in humans has increased to 1 in 3 (35.7 percent) of U.S. adults.[1] 

While the rise in chronic diseases is a concern, so is the gap in medical care of cats. Despite the fact that there are more cats than dogs in the United States, Banfield treated 1.5 million more dogs than cats in 2011. Cats, however, are just as susceptible to serious, chronic diseases as dogs. One of the most significant diseases highlighted in this report is chronic kidney disease, a common cause of death in cats. This disease increased by 15 percent since 2007 and is nearly seven times more common in cats than in dogs. In 2011, 1 in every 12 geriatric cats had a diagnosis of kidney disease. Most cats diagnosed in the early stages of chronic kidney disease live about two to three years, whereas most cats diagnosed in later stages live less than six months after diagnosis.

"As outlined in this year's State of Pet Health Report, chronic diseases are on the rise, and as a profession, we need to continually focus on regular preventive care and early disease detection," said Ron DeHaven, DVM, chairman, CEO, American Veterinary Medical Association and chairman, Partnership for Preventive Pet Healthcare (PPPH). "The primary reason we formed the Partnership for Preventive Pet Healthcare was to help veterinarians understand and communicate the importance of regular preventive care for pets. We are pleased that Banfield is both a founding partner and a primary supporter of the PPPH, and that they are committed to sharing this valuable information in an effort to help us achieve our mission."

To view and download the full State of Pet Health 2012 Report, visit www.stateofpethealth.com.

According to our friends over at www.dogworms.co.uk, on the topic of diagnosing our dogs with a worm infestation, they say:

All dogs will have worms at some point in their lives with younger dogs being be more at risk. Preventing and treating worms can be relatively easy especially when caught early. There are five main types of dog worms – whip worm, round worm, hook worm and the tape worm and parasitic flat worm.

In this article, it explains the various symptoms of different types of canine worms which include:

– Weight loss
- Loose stools
- Breath odour
- General lack of coat condition

As the article rightly explains, all dogs can have worms at some time or another. The key to preventing infestation or re-infestation is to worm your dog regularly (the veterinary recommended frequency is four times per year).

If you are concerned that your dog may have worms the best course of action is to have your dog examined by a vet.

"We understand pets are considered part of the family. With the launch of our new dog-friendly program, we hope our guests will have added peace of mind knowing they can now travel with their beloved pet," says Anthony Bender, vice president of marketing and advertising. 

Upon stepping "paw" at check-in, traveling pooches will receive a plastic mat, food and water dishes and dog treats. Dog owners will receive information on the property's dog-friendly areas and designated outdoor relief area. In addition, the hotel will provide a list of pet resources in the area including grooming, daycare, boarding, pet stores, local veterinarians and more.

Guests must notify the hotel of plans to bring their pet when they make a reservation. Dogs must weight 50 pounds or less and be present at check-in. Dogs must be supervised and on a leash while in public areas. For more information or to make a reservation please call (855) 468-6748 or visit www.RivieraHotel.com.

In his recent State of the Union speech and subsequently, President Obama warned colleges that schools can't just "jack up tuition every single year" and simply expect people to pay it, adding that, "If you can't stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers every year will go down." Obama is targeting Perkins loans, work-study jobs, and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.

In response, CVM deans say that they agree with the need to do something about escalating tuition in higher education, which burdens graduates across all professions with often-hefty payments at a time when they are trying to get their careers off the ground. Deans often have only limited, shared decision-making power over tuition rates. For example, in the public sphere, states approve the tuition increases that universities propose and governing boards implement. In simplest terms, students are paying more because the state is paying far less.

The AAVMC is working to publicize and increase loan forgiveness or loan restructuring payment options. Deans point out that they are working hard to reduce the overall cost to educate students through improved campus efficiencies and that, despite state cuts, their tuition increases are less than the national average. For example, according to the College Board, average undergraduate tuition at state colleges rose 8.3 percent this year, and, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, resident medical school tuition rose 7.7 percent, while the average tuition at state CVMs rose 6.6 percent.

According to a recent AAVMC survey, the belt tightening comes at a cost. Of the 28 deans, 71.4 percent reported that state cuts are reducing their schools' ability to hire and maintain faculty; 53.5 percent reported that the cuts are affecting their ability to maintain some academic course offerings for students; and 50 percent reported that cuts are interfering with efforts to provide extension and outreach services.

In 2011, the AAVMC released Roadmap for Veterinary Medical Education in the 21st Century: Responsive, Collaborative, Flexible, a report found at www.aavmc.org/roadmap that was compiled by the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium (NAVMEC).  As reported in that publication, many CVMs have laid off staff members, reduced the number of faculty members, and eliminated programs.

"What is most worrisome is that CVMs report that they have been unable to fill a significant number of faculty positions," said Dr. Gerhardt Schurig, AAVMC president and dean of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. "Some hopefully temporary cost-cutting measures that can help are to hire part-time or adjunct faculty or slightly increase the student-to-faculty ratio, but we don't want to do that to such a degree that we dilute the quality of the veterinary medical education experience, and we particularly need to manage the size of clinical medical rotations in order to provide a hands-on, individualized educational experience."

Many CVMs are part of schools established through passage of the 1862 Morrill Land-Grant Act, which stressed "agriculture and mechanic arts," with most financial support coming from state departments of agriculture. "With time, and the shift of the North American population to urban settings, [direct] financial support to land-grant universities has declined sharply, in stark contrast to what has been provided to schools of human medicine, dentistry, and nursing," says the NAVMEC report. The last major influx of federal funds to veterinary schools came in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Today, agriculture and farm animal care is just one of the multiple roles veterinarians play, and a shift toward companion animal practice, the human-animal bond, and a "one health" approach has occurred. "One health" focuses on the intersection of human, animal, and eco-system health. "Veterinarians are the only professionals educated in a comparative, cross-species approach to diagnostics, epidemiology, and preventive medicine, which is important for a comprehensive, global, 'one health' direction. As this new direction grows, the demand for veterinarians will grow. It will only take a major outbreak of a disease common to humans and animals, bioterrorism attack, or a compromise of the food system infrastructure to dramatically spike an immediate need for additional veterinarians," Schurig said.

From a financial perspective, "The focus of CVMs shifted and many traditional federal revenue streams dried up without any major new funding to support the important work that CVMs do," Schurig said. "Now, on top of that, we're coping with a drastic reduction in state financial support."

 "In light of recent trends, CVMs, the AAVMC, and the AVMA need to pursue the NAVMEC report's recommended approaches now more than ever," said Dr. Bennie Osburn, interim executive director of the AAVMC. The report recommends that colleges of veterinary medicine provide a cost-effective, quality education with a "one health" approach where CVMs share educational resources and partner with the AVMA and other stakeholders nationally, internationally, and locally, to develop economically viable approaches to veterinary medical education.

The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) is a nonprofit membership organization working to protect and improve the health and welfare of animals, people, and the environment by advancing academic veterinary medicine. Its members include all 33 veterinary medical colleges in the United States and Canada, nine departments of veterinary science, eight departments of comparative medicine, three veterinary medical education institutions, nine international colleges of veterinary medicine, and five affiliate international colleges of veterinary medicine.

Chief Veterinarian Nigel Gibbens said:

“Our animals need extra care during this cold weather.  I know many pet owners are already thinking about what else they need to do. But for those who aren’t – there are some really simple steps they can take to ensure their pets stay healthy and happy during the cold weather.”

Essential reading: Caring for dogs in cold weather.

Things people can do include:

·       Think about housing for your pets.  Where pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, are kept outside in hutches think about bringing them into garages/sheds where it is warmer;

·       Horses and ponies that are kept outside should have access to shelter;

·       It is important to ensure a good supply of drinking water, and ice should be cleared from it regularly;

·       There should be regular provision of food for the animals;

·       In an emergency you should contact an animal welfare group.

More information is available at www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/animals/welfare/weather/

A spoonful of medicine goes down a lot easier if there is a dog or cat around. Having pets is helpful for women living with HIV/AIDS and managing their chronic illness, according to a new study from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

“We think this finding about pets can apply to women managing other chronic illnesses,” said Allison R. Webel, instructor of nursing and lead author of the article, “The Relationship Between Social Roles and Self-Management Behavior in Women Living with HIV/AIDS,” which appears in the online journal Women’s Health Issues.

Webel set out to better understand how women manage their HIV/AIDS and stay on track to take their medications, follow doctors’ orders and live healthy lifestyles. She conducted 12 focus groups with 48 women to find out what they did to stay healthy. The women had an average age of 42, about 90 percent had children, and more than half were single.

During the focus groups, six predominant social roles emerged that helped and hindered these women in managing their illness: pet owner, mother/grandmother, faith believer, advocate, stigmatized patient, and employee. All roles had a positive impact except stigmatized patient, which prevented women from revealing their illness and seeking out appropriate supports.

“Much information is available about the impact of work and family roles, but little is known about other social roles that women assume,” Webel said.

Being a pet owner was an important surprise, added Webel, who collaborated with co-author Patricia Higgins, a professor of nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

“Pets—primarily dogs—gave these women a sense of support and pleasure,” Webel said.

When discussing the effect their pets have on their lives, the women weighed in. “She’s going to be right there when I’m hurting,” a cat owner said. Another said: “Dogs know when you’re in a bad mood…she knows that I’m sick, and everywhere I go, she goes. She wants to protect me.”

The human and animal bond in healing and therapy is being recognized, Webel said, as more animals are visiting nursing homes to connect to people with dementia or hospitals to visit children with long hospital stays.

Being a pet owner is just one social aspect of these women’s lives. “We found the social context in which this self-management happens is important,” Webel said.

Another strong role to emerge was advocate. Participants wanted to give back and help stop others from engaging in activities that might make them sick, the researchers report.

While roles as mothers and workers are well documented, “less-defined social roles also have a positive impact on self-management of their chronic illness,” Webel said.

Never give up on your dog, no matter how exhausted you are. Without reinforcement, your dog will revert to his old behaviors. The learning process for dogs is a constant one; with reminders and reinforcements needed along the way.

During inappropriate chewing training, set your dog up for success. Even more so, an inappropriately-chewing dog needs to be protected. Items like hairbrushes can cause a dog to choke or could block their airway.

If you have a puppy that likes to chew on everything when you are away from home, the easiest solution is to consider an indoor or outdoor kennel to use in your absence. If this is not an option for you, the simplest way keep him from chewing is to close the doors to rooms that have appealing items and put other tempting items out of his reach.

Interesting dog health tip: Read up on food intolerance in dogs your dog's behavior is directly influenced by their diet.

Accidents will happen sometimes when you house train your pet. Make sure to clean up accidents as soon as they happen. If the accident is left behind, the smell will make your pet think it's okay to eliminate in that spot. It will be difficult to discourage his eliminating in that spot once a habit is formed. Many cleaning products are made just to eliminate this order, you can find them at any pet store.

If you are looking to train your dog to not use the bathroom inside, housebreaking pads are counter productive. Wee-wee pads are prone to leaks, which make your dog think that it is okay to eliminate in that area due to the smell. Housebreaking pads encourage dogs that indoor bathroom use is okay; similar objects the shape and size of the pads may be used by a mistaken puppy. Always teach your pet that he must go outside to use the bathroom.

The most important part of dog training is to ensure that dog know its name. If you want to have control of your dog, you have to teach him to respond to you. Call them to you at least ten times a day. Never call your dog over to you in order to punish it, either.

Get your dog the proper nutrition required for canine health. An unhealthy diet can have several negative effects on your dog. If your dog isn't getting what it needs to stay healthy, it could really struggle to find the energy for training or may act out in other ways. By making small changes to your dog's diet, you can alter their receptiveness to the training.

If your dog has problems with destructive chewing, he may be suffering from anxiety or boredom. Enclosing him in a crate will prevent accidents from occurring and leaving him a chew toy will discourage destruction of your property.

People are often amazed about how easy it can be to train your dog and how quick they see changes. If you are having behavior problems with your dog, read on for some solutions.

Never give up on your dog, no matter how exhausted you are. Without reinforcement, your dog will revert to his old behaviors. The learning process for dogs is a constant one; with reminders and reinforcements needed along the way.

During inappropriate chewing training, set your dog up for success. Even more so, an inappropriately-chewing dog needs to be protected. Items like hairbrushes can cause a dog to choke or could block their airway.

If you have a puppy that likes to chew on everything when you are away from home, the easiest solution is to consider an indoor or outdoor kennel to use in your absence. If this is not an option for you, the simplest way keep him from chewing is to close the doors to rooms that have appealing items and put other tempting items out of his reach.

Interesting dog health tip: Read up on food intolerance in dogs your dog's behavior is directly influenced by their diet.

Accidents will happen sometimes when you house train your pet. Make sure to clean up accidents as soon as they happen. If the accident is left behind, the smell will make your pet think it's okay to eliminate in that spot. It will be difficult to discourage his eliminating in that spot once a habit is formed. Many cleaning products are made just to eliminate this order, you can find them at any pet store.

If you are looking to train your dog to not use the bathroom inside, housebreaking pads are counter productive. Wee-wee pads are prone to leaks, which make your dog think that it is okay to eliminate in that area due to the smell. Housebreaking pads encourage dogs that indoor bathroom use is okay; similar objects the shape and size of the pads may be used by a mistaken puppy. Always teach your pet that he must go outside to use the bathroom.

The most important part of dog training is to ensure that dog know its name. If you want to have control of your dog, you have to teach him to respond to you. Call them to you at least ten times a day. Never call your dog over to you in order to punish it, either.

Get your dog the proper nutrition required for canine health. An unhealthy diet can have several negative effects on your dog. If your dog isn't getting what it needs to stay healthy, it could really struggle to find the energy for training or may act out in other ways. By making small changes to your dog's diet, you can alter their receptiveness to the training.

If your dog has problems with destructive chewing, he may be suffering from anxiety or boredom. Enclosing him in a crate will prevent accidents from occurring and leaving him a chew toy will discourage destruction of your property.

People are often amazed about how easy it can be to train your dog and how quick they see changes. If you are having behavior problems with your dog, read on for some solutions.

“FURminator is an ideal fit with our stated strategy to seek synergistic, bolt-on acquisitions that expand our product line with strong, complementary brands in growing categories, increase and extend our market penetration, and provide for manufacturing and distribution synergies”

“FURminator is an outstanding addition to UPG and its broad companion animal product portfolio, giving us the global leadership position in the large and growing $200 million dog and cat grooming category,” said Dave Lumley, Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Brands Holdings. “This accretive acquisition, which will enhance our margins, offers major revenue growth opportunities as well as manufacturing, supply chain and distribution synergies which we expect to quickly realize over the next 12 to 18 months.”

Founded in 2002 and with annual revenues of nearly $40 million, FURminator markets professional quality dog and cat products for the worldwide grooming tools and accessories category using two brands: FURminator® in the North American pet channel and internationally and FurGOpet® in the North American mass merchandise channel.

“FURminator is an ideal fit with our stated strategy to seek synergistic, bolt-on acquisitions that expand our product line with strong, complementary brands in growing categories, increase and extend our market penetration, and provide for manufacturing and distribution synergies,” Mr. Lumley said.

“FURminator will help advance our dual strategy,” he continued, “of accretive, bolt-on acquisitions and a resulting faster rate of debt reduction and deleveraging in fiscal 2012 and 2013 from the growth these acquisitions provide.”

Based in Cincinnati, Ohio and with fiscal 2011 net sales of $579 million, United Pet Group, Inc. is a subsidiary of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc., and is the leading manufacturer of consumer products for the pet supply markets globally. United Pet Group provides its customers with innovative products of outstanding quality for pet owners, including dogs, cat, birds, small animals, fish and reptiles. Its brands –Tetra®, Marineland®, Nature’s Miracle®, Dingo® — are well recognized by consumers for delivering exceptional value and trusted results. United Pet Group’s passion and longstanding commitment to quality and value has earned the confidence of its global retail partners, who count on United Pet Group to deliver innovative and highly profitable products, customized solutions and merchandising excellence.

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The number of pet shops is increasing rapidly and driving growth of pet products in India. Veterinary clinics are also growing in number and more vets are becoming involved in retailing. Many grooming products have become available over the review period and are expected to do well, according to trade sources.

Typically imported, some examples of these include Isle of Dogs, Furminator, Karlie and Plush Puppy.

Indian pet owning consumers are also starting to become aware of pet dietary supplements.

India, often referred to as one of the leading global growth opportunities – part of the 'BRIC' group of countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) has a rapidly emerging pet consumer society.

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While home may be the ideal destination this time of year, many pet owners find that there is no place like the vet's office for the holidays. Unfortunately, the most wonderful time of the year is also one of the most dangerous for pets.

K9 Magazine has advised dog owners to be more vigilant and expands on this advice with a short guide entitled 5 Tips To Save Your Dog's Life which includes guidance on issues such as:

- Know the normal temperature for a dog
- Spot symptoms of illness in dogs
- Teach dogs to come back every time

Ryan O'Meara, K9 Magazine editor and publisher:

"Christmas brings with a lot of fun, food and excitement. Unfortunately this break in routine can lead to accidents involving dogs. It's always wise to try and keep your dog's normal routine as close as possible even throughout the seasonal festivities. Too much rich food or access to objects left lying around can be the cause of many vet trips each year."

Every year PDSA vets and nurses treat hundreds of pets that have swallowed 'foreign bodies' such as toys, string and stones. Around Christmas, there are always pets brought into PDSA PetAid hospitals needing emergency treatment after swallowing decorations or getting hurt by falling Christmas trees – such as Charlie the Yorkshire Terrier who swallowed a star shaped decoration last December.

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According to the agreement, Butler Schein is allowed to purchase the OncoPet Sample Collection Kit from OncoPet Diagnostics to resell to their vast network of veterinary professionals in the United States. The Company has sent Webster Veterinary notice of termination of its previous distribution agreement.

"We are extremely satisfied to have completed a definitive distribution agreement for sales of the OncoPet Sample Collection Kit with Butler Schein," stated Dr. Paul D. Slowey, President of BioCurex. "With the largest animal health distribution company in the U.S. now under agreement with OncoPet, we are confident that our products and services will be comprehensively represented to animal health professionals throughout the largest veterinary market in the world.

Dr. Ricardo Moro, OncoPet's President and BioCurex's CEO added, "It is important to stress the significance of this agreement because the largest distributor of veterinary products in the U.S. knows what sells well and how to make money with the products they carry. Their confidence in the OncoPet RECAF test is a huge endorsement and a clear indication of its commercial potential. The sales force of this company is in the hundreds and our facilities are ready to process any orders resulting from their efforts.

In a suit filed in May, Bayer objected to a letter Elanco sent to veterinarians regarding the flea and tick marketplace. This is a non-monetary resolution, and Elanco maintains its ability to communicate and advertise concerning the availability of flea and tick products outside the veterinary channel. In addition, Elanco can continue to communicate and advertise regarding the availability of Bayer's Advantage II and Advantix II products through retail channels and over-the-counter merchants.

Today's resolution also allows Elanco to continue promoting its Track and Trace product tracking system and its strict sales policy. Using unique identification numbers and bar coding on boxes and cartons, Elanco helps ensure product integrity and guard against theft, while helping to keep its products sold within the veterinary channel. If Elanco products are discovered outside that relationship, Elanco endeavors to identify the point of sale and cut off the offending diverter. Elanco's strict sales policy and Track and Trace technology is designed to help keep the sale of its parasiticide products within the scope of the veterinary-client-patient relationship. Since the implementation of the sales policy and the product tracking system, Elanco has revoked the ability of more than 300 veterinarians to purchase products because they failed to abide by Elanco's corporate sales policy.

"We believe our innovative product introductions and efforts to keep our products within the veterinary channel illustrate our support and commitment to veterinarians and their practices," Graves said. "This resolution allows us to continue to discuss issues that our valued veterinary partners find important. Our success is completely tied to their success," Graves said. "We have absolutely no second thoughts about that."

K9 Magazine is currently available to read on the iPad, the new tablet edition will also be compatible with Android and other digital reading devices.

Following the recent announcement that Adobe is phasing out its Flash support, K9 Magazine is investing in a HTML5 version of the magazine which will be available to all subscribers in 2012 and is currently in Beta testing mode.

K9 Magazine editor and publisher, Ryan O'Meara:

"Since we made our award-winning move to digital we've seen tremendous, unprecedented growth in terms of subscribers and commercial revenues. By going digital we have been able to take the magazine from a quarterly title to a monthly schedule and by combining the magazine product with an online membership model we've been able to serve our readers much better by way of personalising content and ensuring that readers get exactly what they want from their subscription to K9 Magazine."

O'Meara adds:

"We believe in the future of digital media. It's more agile and it's more personal. We have been delighted with the growth and scale we've been able to achieve since we made, what was at the time, a brave move to invest in a totally digital approach to publishing. Our view was and is informed by the simple fact that dog lovers are easier to reach via digital platforms than they are on the high street. We are excited by our new tablet edition, which looks amazing in the Beta tests."

About K9 Magazine

K9 Magazine was launched in 2001 and has featured an impressive list of celebrity dog owners who've been interviewed by the magazine over the past decade.

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