X-ray of a dog with Osteoarthritis in the elbow

PetVivo Holdings, Inc—a biomedical company of therapeutic medical devices for equines and pets—announced a new partnership with Orthobiologic Innovations (OBI)—a research and development company for regenerative and sports medicine. The collaboration will help PetVivo pursue new clinical trials of its medical device for animals with osteoarthritis: Spryng with OsteoCushion Technology. The partnership will also allow the company to market and further develop its product, according to a news release.

Osteoarthritis is a condition characterized by the gradual breakdown of articular cartilage in diarthrodial joints, according to Merck Veterinary Manual.

 This breakdown leads to thinning of the hyaline cartilage, joint effusion, and periarticular osteophyte formation.

 This disease may result from trauma, infections, immune-related disorders, or developmental malformations. Moreover, symptoms of degenerative joint disease can include lameness, joint swelling, muscle wasting, fibrosis around the joint capsule, and crepitus.

Spryng with OsteoCushion Technology is an intra-articular injectable veterinary device that addresses the missing and damaged cartilage in joints associated with lameness issues. The injection works by forming a shock-absorbing matrix that works with synovial fluid to replicate the protective structure and function of healthy, natural joint cartilage, according to the product website.

This microparticulate is characterized by its lubricating and viscoelastic qualities. According to PetVivo Inc, microparticles in the injection are created from collagen and elastin, along with a carbohydrate. The combination of collagen, elastin, and the carbohydrate create a strong and hydrated material that closely resembles the properties of natural cartilage.

OBI will first help PetVivo organize several Spryng clinical trials focused on managing joint issues in the elbows and stifle of canine patients, according to the release.

These initial studies will evaluate the injection of collagen-elastin hydrogel microparticles into the elbows of dogs with osteoarthritis and into the stifles of dogs that have had a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) procedure. Moreover, OBI will support other studies planned for next year.

“As a double-boarded orthopedic and sports medicine small animal veterinarian, my primary focus is on returning patients to full function as quickly and safely as possible using innovative evidence-based approaches. I look forward to working with PetVivo and their Spyrng with Osteocushion Technology to deliver long-term relief from the pain associated with osteoarthritis, by addressing the underlying structural issues, so that we can restore mobility and improve patient joint function over a longer period,” Sherman O. Canapp Jr., DVM, MS, CCRT, DACVS (SA), DACVSMR, president and CEO of OBI, said in a news release.

Alongside Sherman O. Canapp, Debra Canapp, DVM, CCRT, CVA, DACVSMR, will form part of OBI’s collaboration with PetVivo, as she has experience in rehabilitation and diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound from Veterinary Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Group.

“We chose to team with OBI because they are consistently on the frontline of new medical technologies,” said John Lai, PetVivo president and CEO, in the release.

 “Sherman and Debra bring impressive knowledge and experience, particularly from their work in helping to develop new medical products that focus on the physical health of small animals and arthritis interventions.”

“This makes their team a great fit with furthering our clinical trials and expanding the market adoption of Spryng,” continued Lai, in the release.

“They will help us build product awareness and accelerate the growth and the expansion of our market reach across the US.”

PetVivo teams with Orthobiologic Innovations for clincial research and product commercialization. News release. PetVivo Holdings, Inc. August 27, 2024. Accessed September 13, 2024. [email]

Harari J. Degenerative arthritis in dogs and cats. Merck Veterinary Manual. November 2020. Accessed September 13, 2024. 

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/musculoskeletal-system/arthropathies-and-related-disorders-in-small-animals/degenerative-arthritis-in-dogs-and-cats

Spryng with OsteoCushion Technology. PetVivo , Inc. Accessed September 13, 2024. 

Articles

PetVivo Holdings, Inc is partnering with Orthobiologic Innovations to organize clinical trials for its Spryng with OsteoCushion Technology

Two organizations partner to develop research on veterinary device for osteoarthitis

Jennifer Wesler, DVM, DACVO, explains her role with the Veterinary Innovation Council from NAVC, and where she sees the Veterinary Innovation Summit going

Video interview with Dr Wesler

During an interview at the annual Veterinary Innovation Summit presented by the North American Veterinary Community and Veterinary Innovation Council (VIC) in Kansas City, Missouri last month, Jennifer Wesler, DVM, DACVO, chief strategy officer of CityVet and VIC member, explains her role with VIC and how she got involved, where she sees this boutique conference going within the next 5 years, and what she likes most about the Veterinary Innovation Summit. 

: VIC is Veterinary Innovation Council. It is a board of people. We're now about 20 people, but it started in particular, actually, it was January of 2016 and it was a group coming together saying, 'Okay, let's figure out how to go cut across the industry in the profession, and make sure that we are looking forward, looking to innovate in the profession and the industry.' And so it's a group of people just trying to make sure that we again, are moving the profession forward in a positive way, not afraid to have tough conversations, if, if people are sort of scared about topics, veterinarians sometimes are a little risk averse, and so it's trying to make sure that this industry is future and forward focused. 

Veterinary Innovation Summit is an awesome sort of boutique event and as much as obviously, we want to grow and make sure we're reaching more people, I do hope that in 5 years, we still have this kind of very fun boutique event feel, and that we are continuing to just always up the ante. I mean, it's amazing right now, but the speakers that we're bringing in, the kind of conversations that we're having. I hope that, to be honest, we don't lose what we've got right now, we just continue to amplify and grow on it.

Videos

Learning more about the Veterinary Innovation Summit and Veterinary Innovation Council from Jennifer Wesler, DVM, DACVO

Insights on the Veterinary Innovation Summit 

Diabetic patients need extra patience, care, and a personalized approach. To support you in delivering the best possible care, dvm360 is committed to keeping readers informed about the latest advancements or treatment options available to veterinary professionals. To help, dvm360 is highlighting 3 articles that showcase tools available, research being conducted, and acquisitions of products.

Free diabetes management tools are now available to veterinary clinics

Veterinary clinics can gain access to free downloadable diabetes education materials and complimentary starter diabetes management kits for clients with diabetic pets by joining the Diabetes PetCare Alliance program, which is possible in collaboration with Merck Animal Health, ProPlan Veterinary Diets, and Zoetis.

Human drug implant shows positive outcomes for feline obesity and diabetes management

: (OKV-119; Vivani Medical),a long-term drug delivery system commonly used for chronic weight management in obese or overweight humans with one or more risk factors. This drug has been recently evaluated for use in cats to aid in managing feline obesity and diabetes. 

Global veterinary pharmaceutical specialist acquires innovative insulin programs

: Dechra Limited acquired Akston Biosciences Corporation’s long-acting veterinary insulin programs. This acquisition provides Dechra—a global subsidiary of Dechra Pharmaceuticals Limited—with ownership of the intellectual property and rights to develop, manufacture, and commercially market the canine and feline insulin therapies globally.

Each article highlights different advancements in the world of veterinary diabetes treatment and management

3 must-reads on diabetes

Good afternoon dvm360 readers and happy Friday! Earlier this week, dvm360 announced that this will be our last year hosting our Fetch Coastal conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Instead of AC, Fetch Coastal will officially move into its new home of National Harbor, Maryland for 2025. You can learn more about the move 

 and be on the lookout for the registration page to go live so you can be amongst the first to attend the new location of Fetch Coastal!

Check out what was popular this week on dvm360.com:

The People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act is a bipartisan bill that was recently 

 and would expand the use of tax-advantaged health care spending to include veterinary care expenses.

Alfie, a 6-month-old Belgian cross colt, 

 at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg, Virginia, in dire need of treatment due to poor condition, and active signs of respiratory distress, nasal discharge of pus and mucus, fever, and other symptoms.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Greg Echols, DVM, and our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, discuss Echols' career to relief medicine, how he became so involved and successful in social media, and a glimpse inside what is life is like with body building and powerlifting.

Rowan University’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine and the Virtua Health College Research Center 

 the school’s construction halfway point by having Rowan University leaders, state and local officials, students, and more sign a beam that will be used in the building.

 with dvm360 at this year’s Fetch Kansas City conference, Kelley Detweiler and Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, explains common misconceptions they have come across in regard to DEA regulations, and what the truth really is.

 of dvm360 clinic center is now available! Check out recently opened or soon to be opened veterinary centers within the United States, celebrating their hard work and innovative ideas.

Wrap up: Fetch Coastal is officially moving to National Harbor, and other news 

The cutting-edge dairy barn (right) stands next to the Great Depression-era barn it replaces (middle) on the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine Campus.

Photos: John Joyner/NC State College of Veterinary Medicine

North Carolina State University has added a state-of-the-art dairy barn to its College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) campus.

 Perks of the new facility—equipped with misters and industrial fans for relief from the North Carolina heat—include a waste-disposal system, hydraulic gates, and new data-collecting technology, not to mention the barn’s significantly larger size. The building now stands next-door to the milking parlor and barn that it replaces, which were built after the Great Depression in the 1930s. The college has expressed interest in keeping the historic structures around, turning them into multifunctional teaching spaces.

“It’s a very stark contrast,” Allison West, DVM, clinical veterinarian at NC State’s Teaching Animal Unit (TAU), said in an 

 “It’s about 50 to 60 years of updated technology happening in this building. I mean, personally, I enjoy palpating cows in the fans so much more.” 

The barn opened as part of NC State’s TAU, the CVM’s working farm and hands-on teaching lab.

 The new space doubles the number of cows that can be milked simultaneously from 3 to 6, and more than triples observational space, from 2 students to at least 10.

After the most recent calving season, the barn houses more than 40 cows, which produce an average of 90 lb of milk each day. Milk is collected multiple times per week, pasteurized, and distributed to local grocers and coffee shops as part of the college’s collaboration with the Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association. Similarly, the new waste-disposal system washes waste from the floor of the barn into a waste shed, where the solids are separated, dried, and sold to a third-party company for composting.

The cows’ quality of life has also improved since moving to their new home. The misters and industrial fans, in addition to cooling them off in the summer heat, also help reduce the fly count in the barn. Cows can also dig out resting spots in free stalls filled with sand, that are both comfortable and help prevent mastitis, one of the most common medical challenges with dairy cows. Mastitis occurs when microbes enter the teat through the teat canal. According to Merck Veterinary Manual, inorganic bedding supports less bacteria growth than cellulose-based material, thus sand is ideal when compared to materials like sawdust and straw.

 West also applauded the ease of accessing the cows’ udders in the new facility, making it a simpler and cleaner process to check on the animals.

The accessible new barn makes milking and mastitis checks easier

“All I can say is that this project means happy cows,” Mike Veach, manager of the dairy farm, said. “They are clean, cool, and comfortable in this new barn.”

West compared the college’s new method for data-collection to “cow Fitbits,” as the animals now wear stat-tracking collars. The collars collect information about the cow’s food intake, daily mobility, and fertility. The idea is for this information to be used in future research projects and increase the efficiency of the operation.

“The collar automatically tracks their number and how much milk they’re producing,” West said. “It also tracks how much they’re eating, how much they’re ruminating, how much they’re lying down – so we can catch a problem 24 to 48 hours before our girls actually look sick.”

She commended the new facility for the positive role it’s played in keeping the cows healthy. “With the cooler space, we’ve had increased conception rates, decreased metabolic disease, decreased respiratory disease because they’re not hot. And it’s decreasing foot problems because they’re on concrete, so it’s helping all around.”

Fans in the new barn keep the cows 20 degrees cooler

NC State broke ground on the facility in late October 2021. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Paul Lunn, former dean of the NC State CVM, shared the critical role that the R.B. Terry Charitable Foundation played in the construction of the new dairy barn, providing the college with 80% of the funding.

 Nearly 3 years later, the dairy barn is ready for the Fall 2024 semester.

“I think the new space will really pique interest in where the dairy industry could go because our building is designed to maximize cow comfort and be responsible with our waste and efficient with our milking,” West said to NC State News. “Hopefully, it will inspire more students to go into large animal medicine, too.”

Wheeler B. State-of-the-Art Dairy Barn a Cool Addition to NC State Veterinary Campus. 

. August 20, 2024. Accessed August 21, 2024. 

https://news.cvm.ncsu.edu/state-of-the-art-dairy-barn-a-cool-addition-to-nc-state-veterinary-campus/

College of Veterinary Medicine. North Carolina State University. Accessed August 21, 2024. 

Wieland M. Mastitis in Cattle. Merck Veterinary Manual. May 2024. Accessed August 22, 2024. 

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/reproductive-system/mastitis-in-large-animals/mastitis-in-cattle

Volstad S. Progress Continues at NC State Vet Med with Dairy Barn Groundbreaking. North Carolina State News. November 8, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2024. 

https://news.cvm.ncsu.edu/progress-continues-at-nc-state-vet-med-with-dairy-barn-groundbreaking/#:~:text=Construction%20of%20the%20new%20dairy,for%20the%20equine%20hospital%20project

NC State’s state-of-the-art dairy facility replaces the previous barn built in the 1930s

NC State builds new dairy barn

Sponsored by Elanco. To view the full video and earn 0.5 CE credits, click 

Elanco VetXChange

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA: What are the biggest drivers for isolation in a shelter setting?

 In a shelter environment, you have a number of dogs living in close proximity, and so infectious diseases can spread like wildfire if you're not careful. Canine parvovirus is our biggest concern because it is highly contagious, may not always present symptoms right away, and can be fatal. So, when dogs show signs of certain illnesses, unfortunately, we do need to isolate them from the rest of the population. Quarantine housing is equally as stressful as the isolation because you must limit how much a dog is walking; they can’t go through certain hallways, or have playdates where socialization and training occur for a normal shelter dog.

Christman: What does that mean for puppies being isolated from parvovirus?

 The puppy socialization window is critical because they gain exposure to various stimuli that they can then not be afraid of later in life. This would also hopefully prevent phobias or fear aggression toward people or other dogs. Isolation, by design, must be sterile and boring, so there won’t be much contact or stimulation. Exposure to early illness creates a likely chance of major behavioral issues, which are absolutely devastating for puppies.

Christman: What does isolation protocol look like for you?

 If a dog tests positive for parvo, we move them to our treatment center. We are one of the few shelters in the country to have an ICU to treat parvo in-house. Sadly, a lot of shelters resort to euthanasia for puppies that test positive for parvo because they don't have the resources to treat them and protect the rest of the population. I don’t blame or judge them for protecting the rest of their dogs as best as they can.

Christman: Is there anything you can do to help puppies being treated for parvo?

 It is important to recognize behaviors and body language that indicate a dog is stressed or afraid. Some signs may be avoiding people, shaking, ears back, a crouched tail, etc. This could be due to their discomfort while being sick, but an astute eye is able to see if those signs persist once they’re treated. Because then, it is about their mental well-being.

Put yourself in the puppy’s perspective of being behind bars and how busy a shelter is. If we’re treating multiple puppies at once, we may use partial visual barriers so another puppy may not be stressed from what is happening right next to them. We also have classical music or reggae playing overhead because those musical genres have proven to be calming. At night, you want to have as much sensory deprivation as possible by turning the lights down or off and turning the music off. If there are conversations or recurrent beeping, you can add sources of white noise as an additional buffer. When handling the puppies, we make sure our tables have a no slip mat, so they don’t flail or expose their sensitive paws to the cold table.

Christman: What are some ways we can have puppies out of isolation quicker?

 Gigi's was one of the first to get Elanco's canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody (CPMA) treatment, the only USDA conditionally approved targeted treatment for parvo.

This is a state-of-the-art intravenous treatment where mAbs seek out and attack parvovirus itself. They neutralize it before the virus has a chance to destroy the cell. Parvo can be fatal because the virus attacks quickly, dividing cells, causing the GI tract and bone marrow to be 2 commonly hit areas. If that happens, the GI tract is destroyed, leading to sepsis. With bone marrow suppression, dogs cannot have a proper immune response. 

The second a puppy is showing signs of parvo; CPMA is the first line of treatment, even before fluids. We have data since we started using CPMA—around 1 year ago—that shows the length of stay in our treatment center has shortened by 2 full days with this treatment. We are able to save money on ICU care, but most importantly, that is 2 more days a puppy is able to socialize in a normal way rather than being stuck in a kennel.

Mitigating fear, anxiety, and stress in isolated or quarantined canines