Erchonia created the first green and violet laser (GVL) for the veterinary market. The GVL works to improve outcomes with non-healing wounds, chronic infections, pain and inflammation, postoperative healing, bone healing, anxiety, neurological trauma, and more. With 27 years of experience in the human medicine market, Erchonia designed this laser to have more power and energy.

“My clinical outcomes have improved significantly since adding the green and violet wavelengths to my protocols” Rachel Starr, DVM, a practicing veterinarian in Traverse City, Michigan told Erchonia. Starr will be speaking at our upcoming Fetch dvm360 conference in Nashville, Tennessee on decoding the physics and classification system in veterinary therapy to give veterinary professionals more clarity on these devices.

The GVL utilizes complexes I, II, & III of the electron transport chain, leading to enhanced clinical outcomes. This laser has a notable increase in energy output compared to infrared lasers, which can significantly elevate your clinical effectiveness and yield outstanding results for patients with various conditions.

“I have seen a significant difference in my veterinary patients since adding the VGL into my laser protocol. Their pain seems reduced, they relax more during treatment, and overall healing seems to be enhanced. It is certainly a game changer! I love the violet combined with the green, making it a truly versatile and extremely effective treatment tool,” Janet Varhus, DVM, MSTCVM, a practicing veterinarian in Salida, Colorado told Erchonia.

According to Erchonia, the GVL was put through rigorous clinical research and engineering and was shown to be the most effective wavelength combination for the increase of ROM and decrease in pain in a single session. This is currently the ﬁrst and only green wavelength laser FDA cleared for pain and inﬂammation.

Erchonia will be at Fetch Nashville and more information and details about the GVL will be available from the representatives of Erchonia at their booth in the exhibit hall. 

GVL laser new release. Erchonia. Accessed May 2, 2024. 

Articles

Erchonia introduces a new laser for the veterinary market

First ever green and violet laser

The FDA announced that it has made a risk-based decision based on reviews of safety and quality data and information for a canine leukoreduced allogeneic pooled freeze-dried platelet-rich plasma (PrecisePRP Canine; VetStem). The therapy is a prescription product because a professional is required to administer, provide post-treatment care, monitor the product's safe use, and treat any adverse effects.

 Based on the findings at this time, the FDA does not expect VetStem to submit an application for approval before marketing.

According to an FDA release, PrecisePRP Canine provides dogs with a species-specific source of concentrated platelets in plasma used for an intra-articular injection going directly into a dog’s joint.

 At this time, this is the first animal cell, tissue, and cell-and-tissue-based product (ACTP) intended for intra-articular use to undergo reviews from the FDA and receive this determination.

Before this review, the FDA had not reviewed animal platelet-rich plasma products to be available for veterinarians. All ACTPs are maintained by the FDA’s list located on its websites to show which have been evaluated for potential risks. For PrecisiePRP Canine, the FDA performed an evaluation of potential risks associated with ACTPs, including infection and reaction from contamination or other product quality deviation risks. The FDA concluded that the PrecisePRP Canine developer properly identified and appropriately mitigated potential risks associated with the product and has no additional safety concerns.

The FDA also investigated the potential risk of the environment from marketing PrecisePrP Canine, and no hazards to the environment were identified and the product is attained from tissues that are present in most animals naturally.

 The FDA disclosed that the product is not expected to be used in a large quantity of animals at one time in a singular geographic location and is intended for non-food-producing animals only.

The FDA's determination was provided to VetStem, Inc.

FDA announces decision for a tissue-based product for use in dogs. News release. US Food and Drug Administration. April 26, 2024. Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-announces-decision-tissue-based-product-use-dogs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The decision was made based on reviews from safety and quality data and information reviews

FDA makes decision for tissue-based canine product 

Wag!, a pet service, product, and wellness brand, launched Furscription as a new digital tool for veterinary clinics to streamline the prescription process. Through a partnership with veterinary pharmacies across the country, Furscription enables clinics to electronically prescribe medications, eliminating the necessity and associated risks of handwritten prescriptions and traditional manual prescription management methods like fax and phone calls. The digital advantage also reduces the amount of paperwork for the veterinarian to fill out, giving them more time back for patient care.

Furscription also makes the process easier for owners. When a veterinarian prescribes a pet medication, owners can receive status notifications directly on their phone.

“We’re leveraging state-of-the-art technology to create a seamless, secure, and robust prescription platform for veterinarians and clinic staff, which helps them minimize the manual burden of inbound prescription requests and protect their licenses from fraud and drug diversion,” said Georgia Jeremiah, DVM, the creator of Furscription, in a news release.

 “Furscription is a complement to the Wag! ecosystem by closing the loop between veterinarians and pet parents, furthering our dedication to providing pet parents with everything they need to keep their pets healthy and happy.”

Wag! designed Furscription to easily integrate with a clinic’s software systems and is aimed at streamlining the prescription process for both veterinarians and pet owners. The software also has two-factor authentication built into it, to reduce the risk of fraud.

Furscription is coming out this month in a select beta launch but is currently receiving signup requests via an online waitlist registration.

Wag! launches Furscription, a revolutionary software solution to solve the veterinary prescription headache. News release. Wag! April 22, 2024. Accessed May 1, 2024. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240422031626/en/Wag%21-Launches-Furscription-a-Revolutionary-Software-Solution-to-Solve-the-Veterinary-Prescription-Headache

Wag! introduces a new digital tool for veterinary clinics: Furscription

New digital prescription software

A newly published study documents the case of a bottlenose dolphin that was found with the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) in Florida. The discovery was made through a postmortem examination at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine (UF CVM) more than 2 years ago.

On March 29, 2022, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation’s Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory (FWC MMPL) notified the University of Florida’s Marine Animal Rescue Team about a distressed dolphin in Dixon County, Florida. The dolphin later died and was transported to UF CVM for a necropsy.

 The team identified the virus with brain and tissue samples collected from the dolphin.

 an initial analysis performed at the zoological medicine diagnostic laboratory at UF ruled out other potential agents and, with help from the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Kissimmee, Florida, the presence of HPAI in the lungs and brains of the dolphin was verified.

The results were also sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa to characterize the virus subtype and pathotype. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the first to be the HPAI A (H5N1) Virus of HA clad 2.3.4.4b.and subsequent tissue was then analyzed at the Biosafety Level 3 enhanced laboratory at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Allison Murawski, DVM, a former intern with UF’s aquatic animal medicine program, and fellow investigators authored a study based on these findings that was recently published in 

 and created a case report on the dolphin as part of her research project. Murawski traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to work with Richard Webby, PhD, director of the World Health Organization collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds, who also served as a corresponding author for the published paper.

“This investigation was an important step in understanding this virus and is a great example where happenstance joins with curiosity, having to answer the ‘why’ and then seeing how the multiple groups and expertise took this to a fantastic representation of collaborative excellence,” said Mike Walsh, DVM, an associate professor of aquatic animal health, and Murawski’s faculty advisor, in the release.

The Webby Lab team investigates cases of avian influenza in many species and plays a key part in determining where the virus could have originated from, as well as unique RNA characteristics or mutations to suggest its ability to infect other mammals, and how they can track the virus from this source. The investigators sequenced genomes from local birds and then looked at viruses isolated from Northeast seal populations at this time, Webby and the research teams do not know how the dolphin contracted the virus and more research needs to be done.

The investigators noted they believe that the detection of the H5N1 virus should emphasize the importance of following proper biosafety protocols when it comes to working with marine mammals who are stranded. The high viral loads that were detected within the brain of this dolphin demonstrated to researchers the value of routine postmortem marine mammal examinations.

 Because there is no end in sight for the outbreak, the authors said testing for the avian influenza viruses should be part of routine health monitoring when responding to a marina mammal stranded, especially if that animal is presenting with any neurological signs.

Murawski A, Fabrizio T, Ossiboff R, et al. Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Florida. Communications biology. 2024;7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06173-x

Carey S. Report recounts Florida dolphin found with highly pathogenic avian flu. The University of Florida Academic Health Center . Published April 26, 2024. Accessed May 1, 2024. https://ufhealth.org/news/2024/report-recounts-florida-dolphin-found-with-highly-pathogenic-avian-flu

Discovered in 2022, this bottlenose mammal was the first cetacean in North America to test positive for the H5N1 virus.

Researchers document Florida dolphin with avian influenza

Editors note: This content contains discussions related to suicide and mental illness, which may be distressing to some individuals. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please contact The National Suicide Hotline at (800) 273-8255 or 988.

For new graduates, finding a veterinary clinic or program that has a mentorship program can be a crucial decision maker. However, even if mentorship is there, having a structured program can help bring in new veterinary professionals while also improving the culture of the clinic for everyone. 

, Katie Fish, DVM, MBA, and our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, discuss the importance of workplace culture and a structured programs to give veterinary graduates entering the profession for the first time support and resources, plus what inspired Fish to be more invested in mentorship. 

I think there's so many things that we can do to help address positive culture, but it all comes down to being about meeting the needs and showing support for individuals. So all those individuals that make up the team and all contribute to the workplace culture, because it's all about fostering the right attitudes and the right behaviors in those individuals. So for me, obviously I'm a huge proponent of mentorship and [want to] see how that can promote those types of positive behaviors. Because really, at its core, I see mentorship as a means of ensuring that someone is doing the best work that they can in their role. If you're a doctor, we're focusing on how can you be providing the best care to your patients and clients? 

Similarly, if you're a technician, how can you be providing the best care to your patients and clients? And then also, the other side of mentorship is, how can you ensure that that person who's performing the role of a doctor or a technician or receptionist—whatever their role in the hospital is—how can we ensure that they're being seen and fully supported as a human, and that we're fostering their needs and happiness in the role?

Podcasts

Katie Fish, DVM, and Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, breakdown how she is advocating for a positive and supportive workplace, plus what shifted her focus from clinical practice to focusing on mentorship

Cultivating veterinary excellence – mentorship and culture

The FDA made some significant moves to improve how it oversees intentional genomic alterations (IGAs) in animals. The changes aim to make the FDA's process for evaluating and supporting innovative animal products more up-to-date and efficient. Additionally, the agency established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to clarify roles and responsibilities for regulation of IGAs in animals.

According to the FDA, IGAs in animals can be made using modern molecular technologies, which may include random or targeted DNA sequence changes. This can include nucleotide insertions, substitutions, or deletions, or other technologies that introduce specific changes to the genome of the animal.

 The purpose of IGAs can be beneficial for human health with medications and disease studies; improving the health and well-being of animals and making them resistant to certain diseases; and enhance production and food quality for food animals by adding nutritional benefits.

“We recognize that innovations in animal biotechnology offer tremendous opportunities for advancing human and animal health, and that we as an agency need to keep our regulatory approach current with the evolution of the science,” Tracey Forfa, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said in the release.

 “These updated guidance documents demonstrate our commitment to facilitating innovation while ensuring product safety. These technologies hold great promise for many uses and public and animal health benefits, such as animal disease resistance, control of zoonotic disease transmission, improved animal husbandry, and increased food production and quality.”

To clarify the existing statutory and regulatory requirements of IGAs, the FDA has released a final version of the Guidance for Industry (GFI) #187A, “Heritable Intentional Genomic Alterations in Animals: Risk-Based Approach,”

 document, and a revised draft version of GFI #187B, “Heritable Intentional Genomic Alterations in Animals: The Approval Process.” These documents help explain how the FDA determines when it is appropriate to exercise enforcement discretion over certain products.

GFI #187A focuses on the risk-based regulatory approach to the oversight of heritable IGAs in animals. This document separates the risks into 3 categories being:

Category 1: Products for which developers are not expected to consult with the FDA prior to marketing an animal containing an IGA.

Category 2: Products for which developers may not be expected to submit an application for approval of the IGA and, if after looking at data submitted about that product’s risk, the FDA finds that the product’s risks for the specified intended use are understood, any identified risks are appropriately mitigated, and the agency has no further questions that would require additional data to address.

Category 3: Products that the FDA will review and, where the data supports it, grant approval using data requirements that are proportionate to the risk associated with the particular product.

GFI #187B provides technical guidance for those IGAs in animals that go through the approval process. This document would be applicable to category 3 products or category 2 in which the FDA needs more data for approval.

 Because GFI #187B is still in a draft phase, the FDA is seeking public comments starting on May 2, 2024, until July 31, 2024.

Additionally, the FDA and USDA signed a MOU on April 18, 2024, regarding the FDA's activities related to IGAs, which also fall under USDA jurisdiction. The MOU sets out guidelines for better information sharing, defines each agency's regulatory roles, and encourages coordinated regulatory efforts for a smoother process. It does not introduce new regulations or requirements for developers.

The FDA encourages developers of IGAs in animals to approach the agency early in their research and development phase to discuss any risks and also recommends participation in the Veterinary Innovation Program to support developers with these processes.

FDA clarifies approach to genomic alterations in animals. News release. FDA. May 1, 2024. Accessed May 1, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-clarifies-approach-genomic-alterations-animals

CVM GFI #187A Heritable Intentional Genomic Alterations in Animals: Risk-Based Approach. FDA. May 2024. Accessed May 1, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/cvm-gfi-187a-heritable-intentional-genomic-alterations-animals-risk-based-approach

MOU 225-24-010. FDA. April 18, 2024. Accessed May 1, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/domestic-mous/mou-225-24-010

The FDA has also established an MOU with the USDA that clarifies roles and responsibilities for regulation of IGAs in animals 