Jonathan Nyce, 73, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 97 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and $500 special assessment for carrying out a years-long scheme after defrauding pet owners of money by claiming to sell drugs that would cure canine cancer.

“In shopping these worthless ‘drugs’ to desperate pet owners, Jonathan Nyce’s actions were both criminal and cruel,” said Jacqueline C. Romero, US Attorney, in an organizational release.

 “He deliberately exploited people’s emotions, their love for their ailing dogs, purely for his own financial gain. Many people consider dogs members of their families, so they’re especially vulnerable to such schemes. For defrauding his victims and thumbing his nose at the FDA, justice demanded that Mr. Nyce be held accountable.”

Nyce created multiple companies such as “Canine Care,” “ACGT,” and “CAGT” and he then purported to develop drugs that were intended to treat cancer in dogs. The scheme began in 2012 by using various websites for these companies and Nyce marketed these medications to pet owners under the drug names “Tumexal” and “Naturason.” The websites for these “cancer-curing” medications contained multiple false and fraudulent claims about the efficacy and safety of these drugs including “Tumexal is effective against a wide variety of cancers,” and, “[i]n fact, Tumexal will almost always restore a cancer-stricken dog’s appetite, spirit and energy!"

 The investigation found that the drugs Nyce was marketing were a collection of bulk ingredients coming from various sources that the defendant blended himself at a facility on Arcola Road in Collegeville.

Further investigation found that Nyce used telephone and email conversations to entice owners of dogs with terminally ill dogs into giving him hundreds or thousands of dollars for these drugs. Nyce is also reported to have told prospective customers that he could get their pets into clinical trials, but they would need to give him large amounts of money to secure them a spot. The evidence at his trial showed he sold nearly $1 million worth of drugs to 900 different victims.

 Nyce marketing, sale, and shipment of the drugs violated the FDA’s Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because the drugs were not approved by the FDA and the defendant falsely claimed in promotional materials that the research of the fraudulent companies was “funded in part by the US Food and Drug Administration.”

“The FDA’s animal drug approval process ensures that our pets receive safe and effective products. Ignoring the FDA’s requirements and selling unapproved drugs to vulnerable US consumers will not be tolerated,” said George A. Scavdis, special agent in charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will aggressively pursue and bring to justice those criminals who place profits above the health and safety of animal patients.”

The case was investigated by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Consumer Protection Branch of the Department of Justice and will be prosecuted by Christopher E. Parisi, an assistant US Attorney.

Before these charges, Nyce was found guilty in 2005 and served 5 years for the 2004 murder of Michelle Nyce. In December 2022, a federal judge convicted him of interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs as well as wire fraud.

Collegeville Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Scheme to Sell Fraudulent Canine Cancer Drugs to Pet Owners. News release. US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. February 16, 2024. Accessed February 20, 2024. https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/collegeville-man-sentenced-97-months-prison-scheme-sell-fraudulent-canine-cancer-drugs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Atmonavage J. Man convicted of killing wife sold fake drugs to owners of dying dogs, feds say. NJ.com. Published February 5, 2020. Accessed February 20, 2024. https://www.nj.com/news/2020/02/man-convicted-of-killing-wife-sold-fake-drugs-to-owners-of-dying-dogs-feds-say.html

Articles

The defendant defrauded 900 pet owners out of almost $1 million 

Man selling fraudulent canine cancer drugs sentenced to 97 months in prison 

Trini the snow leopard. (Photo credit: Micke Grove Zoo)

Fun facts about Trini and other snow leopards:

Trini was born in May 2013 at the Albuquerque Zoo.

An estimated 4,500-7,500 snow leopards remain in the wild, mostly in central Asia.

An additional 600-700 snow leopards live in zoos around the world.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently classifies the snow leopard as "vulnerable" for threatened species. 

Extinction is at high risk for snow leopards in the wild, but not yet endangered.

Snow leopards are known to be solitary animals.

Dawn and dusk are their most active times.

Trini, a 10-year-old female snow leopard at the Micke Grove Zoo in Lodi, California had her annual examination upcoming, but zoo caretakers noticed a fractured canine tooth in Trini’s mouth. This dental issue was taken care of with help from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine team. This university's Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service hospital regularly provides other veterinary needs for the Micke Grove Zoo animals.

The UC Davis exotics team worked alongside the hospital’s dentistry and oral surgery and anesthesia teams to give Trini a thorough treatment. The Micke Grove Zoo has an onsite clinic, which offers a safe space for surgery. The UC Davis team opted to travel to Lodi instead of transporting the leopard to the university. Trini, weighing in at 75 pounds, was able to be sedated with hand injection for the first time thanks to successful behavioral training for caretakers at the zoo worked with her on.

 The leopard was promptly transferred to the operating room, where anesthesiologists quickly readied her for oral surgery.

“While Trini is a fluffy and beautiful animal, she is also a dangerous predator, and her annual examination and dental procedure could only be performed safely while she was under general anesthesia,” said Krista Keller, DVM, DACZM, associate clinical professor of exotic animal medicine, in the university release. “Our anesthesiologists did a tremendous job of keeping Trini and everyone else safe during the surgery.”

The large, left mandibular canine tooth needed to be removed, as Trini was not able to get a root canal treatment for this specific case. However, a dental evaluation and x-rays showed that Trini also had 3 fractured incisor teeth. The UC Davis teams determined that all 3 of these additional fractured teeth should be extracted as well, to reduce pain and to prevent future infection.

The UC Davis team, led by Krista Keller, DVM, DACZM (center). (Photo credit: UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)

Trini was monitored for the next 4 weeks, to observe how she was recovering from her oral surgery. She was switched to an altered diet with soft foods, designed for large cats. She had to temporarily stop her ration of bones that she usually got twice a week, just until she was fully healed.

Trini’s caretakers made sure that her new diet maintained all the essential dietary components she needed and was supplemented with any nutrients she was missing during this time.

The zoo has since reported that Trini currently shows no discomfort in her mouth after returning to her normal diet, and she has made a full recovery. Trini was also reported as being in excellent health in all other areas.

Warren R. Exotics and dentistry and oral surgery teams collaborate to treat snow leopard’s fractured tooth. The Univesity of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. February 16, 2024. Accessed February 20, 2024. https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/exotics-and-dentistry-and-oral-surgery-teams-collaborate-treat-snow-leopards-fractured-tooth

Key snow leopard facts. Accessed February 20, 2024. https://snowleopard.org/snow-leopard-facts/

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine teams collaborate to help treat 10-year-old Trini

Snow leopard gets treated for fractured tooth

When pet parents come into the clinic with a pet presenting with dilated pupils or blindness, it can be scary for the patient, client, and even the veterinary team. In an emergency, or if there is no ophthalmologist readily available to refer the patient to, is the team at your clinic up to date on how to move forward with a patient who cannot see?

During her lecture, “In the Dark: Why Is My Pet Blind,” at the 2023 New York Vet Show on November 8-9 in New York, New York, Becky Telle, DVM, DACVO, from Veterinary Eye Center of NYC reviewed with attendees the common causes of ophthalmic blindness and mydriasis in canine and feline patients, the urgency of and prognoses for these conditions, and how veterinary teams can help during such stressful moments.

As with any veterinary team trying to diagnose a patient, getting the full history is crucial to understanding what is going on. Asking the pet’s parents whether the blindness came on suddenly or gradually can help determine the cause. The veterinary team can ask clients whether they noticed the blindness when the pet’s environment changed. This question can lead teams to understand that the pet has become blind gradually because it was unable to learn its new environment, causing it to bump into objects and leading owners to believe the blindness was acute.

Once the history is noted, if the veterinary team were to call an ophthalmologist, Telle says the first thing they would ask is whether the pet has visual. To do this, Telle will utilize a maze test depending on the patient, but said just watching the animal enter the examination room can provide insights

“So, let’s go through tests of functional vision, which are the maze tests, tracking, and the menace response,” Telle said. “So, the maze test: [Sometimes] we don’t always even set up…a full maze for our patients in every situation. But you can…do this by just watching them walk into the room. How is the owner leading them? Are they on a leash? Are they carrying them—just notice their behavior before you even put your hands on the patient. Also, talk to your technicians and assistants to see how [the patient] was behaving outside in the waiting room. Those things can be really…important. And then also doing a maze test in lit rooms vs a dim room,” Telle said.

“Tracking is one that we all know: to have the tossing of balls in front of their face or dangling a string toy for the cat,” she continued. “Then the menace response that we all know and love, where you kind of move your hand toward their eye and [they’re] going to blink, that tests the cranial nerve[s] 2 and 7. Owners love to do this one, too, but they usually don't assess it correctly."

Telle explained that for the menace test, pet parents will most likely hit their pet's face unintentionally as they are moving their hand toward their eyes, causing them to blink. Instructing them how to do this properly can help you and your team get a better assessment of patients. After physical tests, if an illness or infection is suspected because of the pet’s blindness, veterinary teams can perform other tests such as blood work, x-rays, and infectious disease testing.

According to Telle, retinal degeneration is a progressive neurological disorder that is more common than most professionals think. For Telle and her team, the most common form of this is progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). PRA is an inherited disease that causes blindness in dogs, and it slowly progresses, beginning with a decreased ability to see well at night. Although it is not painful, there is no cure, and most dogs have adapted to their vision loss.

“So, we typically see night vision blindness to start out, and then the loss of the day vision over time... as it progresses along. And then we’ll see those retinal changes [to] the tapetal hyperreflectivity, the retinal vessel attenuation, and some optic nerve atrophy. This is that…poodle, who they bring in, [and say] she’s just not seeing as well. And then [an] important question you want to ask them? Do you think there’s a difference when you turn the lights off? And almost always they’ll say, yes, she needs a night light or whatever. That’s really going to help you determine, ‘OK, we’re probably dealing with a PRA here,’” Telle said.

Pets diagnosed with PRA will commonly present with dilated pupils, abnormal reflective eyes when a light is shining on them, hesitance going downstairs, bumping into things or having clumsiness in new surroundings, not wanting to go outside or into a room if it is dark, and cataracts forming in both eyes. When it comes to PRA, genetics can play a role in whether a pet will have this disease. There is testing available for all known variants, but it is not known how many variants there are. However, some forms do not have any known genetic variants, which means a dog can develop the disease even if they were negative for known variants.

Telle also informed attendees that the loss of vision tends to be slow, which means some patients suffering from PRA may never fully go blind. From experience, she noted that smaller dogs tend to adapt better to PRA than bigger dogs, but it is still seen in bigger dogs such as Labradors.

Because there is no cure for PRA, management and compliance from owners is key for quality of life. Once a pet has received these diagnoses,

 teams can advise the family to add supplemental lighting inside and outside the home, try to limit moving furniture, block steps with safety gates, guide pets when they are in unfamiliar areas, and train the pet with verbal commands.

Telle B. In the Dark: Why Is My Pet Blind. Presented at: New York Vet Show; November 8-9, 2023; New York, NY.

Ofri R. Doc, will my pet see again? Assessing acute blindness. 

. January 6, 2020. Accessed February 15, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/doc-will-my-pet-see-again-assessing-acute-blindness

Beal A. Blindness in dogs. PetMD.com. December 8, 2023. Accessed February 15, 2024. https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/eyes/blindness-dogs

Progressive retinal atrophy. Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center. Published September 9, 2022. Accessed February 15, 2024. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-information/progressive-retinal-atrophy

When a pet arrives at the clinic with eyesight trouble, where do you start? 

Does the patient have vision? 

Oncology treatment area with a chemotherapy administration room and a separated animal housing area in the background. (Image courtesy of Tim Murphy | Photo Imagery)

Veterinary medical professionals working in oncology or reproductive-related services are likely aware of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) General Chapter <800> Hazardous Drugs – Handling in Healthcare Settings. But, with the official acceptance of chapters <795> and <797> as of November 1, 2023, everyone within the veterinary industry should now be aware of these recent, important updates from the USP and how they will affect your team in compounding drugs for sterile and nonsterile preparations.

USP is a compendium of drug information that publishes standards for both humans and animals. In March 2020, the USP appeals panel remanded chapters 795 and 797 to the Compounding Expert Committee (CMP EC). These chapters deal directly with nonsterile and sterile pharmaceutical compounding and are designed to help protect the health and safety of both veterinary staff and animals. Some of the themes of the review included:

A risk-based approach to assigning beyond-use dates (BUDs).

Physical and chemical stability considerations.

Sterility assurance for these pharmaceuticals.

Balancing patient access to cost-effective compounded nonsterile preparations (CNSPs) with rigorous quality standards.

Implications for regulatory oversight and enforcement of these USP standards.

The purpose of the revisions to 795 and 797 was to align with each other and with chapter 800, clarify common misconceptions, respond to input from public comments, and review the most up-to-date science and best practices.

 As of November 1, 2023, veterinary facilities are expected to meet the requirements of these standards. With the acceptance of chapters 795 and 797, General Chapter 800 will be enforceable. Chapter 800’s intent is to minimize risk to patients and the veterinary team when handling hazardous drugs.

It should be noted that the USP has no role in enforcing these standards. Enforcement is the responsibility of the FDA and other government bodies. For the veterinary industry, the task of enforcement falls on boards of pharmacy and/or state veterinary boards. The following is an overview of the most relevant changes to 795 and 797 because of the revisions.

General Chapter <795> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Nonsterile Preparations

A requirement was added for a designated area for nonsterile compounding.

Other activities must not occur in the compounding area at the same time as compounding.

This area must be well lit and must be maintained in a clean, orderly, sanitary condition and in a good state of repair.

There was a flooring finish revision related to carpeting that changed the wording from 

 to accommodate those facilities that carry out infrequent nonsterile compounding.

This is where a lot of time was spent on revisions and responses to public comments.

The major points of this chapter have remained consistent.

Section 10.1 – Terminology now differentiates BUDs from expiration dates.

Expiration dates now apply only to conventionally manufactured drug products.

BUDs apply to CNSPs and are calculated in terms of hours, days, or months.

A new table was added to clarify BUD limits by type of preparation in the absence of a USP-NF compounded preparation monograph or CNSP-specific stability information.

 (aw) was introduced to assess the susceptibility of a nonsterile preparation to microbial contamination and the potential for degradation from hydrolysis.

General Chapter <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Sterile Preparations

Removes provisions for the handling of hazardous drugs that are now only located in chapter 800.

Provides the first reference to a designated person or persons to be responsible for ensuring the compounding operations within this chapter are performed per its rules.

This also establishes the required qualifications for the identified personnel.

Section 1.2 states that administration is out of the scope of the chapter.

The categorization of CSPs changed from microbial contamination risk levels (i.e., low-, medium-, and high-risk) to Category 1 and 2 CSPs. Additionally, Category 3 CSPs were added related to establishing BUDs.

Category 1 and 2 CSPs are assigned a BUD based on certain risk factors including, the compounding method, whether sterility testing is performed, the starting ingredients used for the compounding, and the conditions under with the compound will be stored.

Category 3 CSPs are assigned a BUD based on the compounding method and the storage conditions. 

Sections 1 and 15 provide information on single-dose containers.

Per this section, a single-dose container cannot be used to prepare doses for more than 1 patient when compounding an immediate-use CSP. 

The definition of immediate use allows for up to 4 hours before administration begins. 

This section also includes clarification with updated CSP categories and how they relate to the hospital’s Primary Engineering Controls (PEC), as well as requirements for the location of clean and dirty sides of the facility’s anteroom.

So now that these chapters are official, how do they apply to you?

When working with our clients to renovate or design a safe space for handling compounded drugs, one of the first questions we get asked is, “What is the definition of compounding?”

USP has issued some great resources to help answer this question. In their FAQ Documents,

 they define compounding as the following, “combining, admixing, diluting, pooling, reconstituting other than as provided in the manufacturer’s labeling, or otherwise altering a drug product or bulk drug substance to create a sterile or nonsterile preparation.” Frequently people assume that what they are doing with certain drugs doesn’t fall under the definition of compounding and that these USP chapters don’t apply to them. This is often not the case. To limit, or possibly eliminate the amount of compounding done within your facility, in some situations, it is possible to change how drugs are received, or how they are handled.

A sterile compounding room in the Oncology department of a veterinary hospital designed to meet USP standards. 

The next question we hear most frequently is “How do you differentiate between sterile and nonsterile?” In general, preparations designed to be administered to a body space with no contact with the environment outside of the body, such as the bladder cavity or peritoneal cavity, are typically required to be sterile. “Medications that are required to be sterile include those administered through injection, intravenous infusion (IV), intraocular (injection in the eye) or intrathecal (injection into the spine).

' Additionally, pharmaceuticals meant for the eye and aqueous inhalation solutions and suspensions must be sterile.

Otic preparations are not required to be sterile unless they are administered to a patient at the site of a perforated eardrum. Examples of nonsterile preparations would be irrigations for the mouth or sinus cavity. Withdrawing a dose from a container of a conventionally manufactured sterile drug or spiking an IV bag, without any additional manipulation, for immediate administration to a patient is NOT considered to be compounding. This is simply administration. If, however, the dose is mixed with another product, it would then be considered compounded and subject to 795 or 797.

Hospital design for treating patients with cancer: USP Regulations

BUDs are defined as the date, or date and hour, after which a CSP or CNSP cannot be used, stored, or transported. This is determined by the date and time the preparation is compounded. By adhering to BUDs, the risk posed to patients through physical or chemical degradation, microbial contamination, proliferation, and any effect on the integrity of the container closure system is decreased.

So where do you start in understanding all of this? The first step is to read the official USP chapters. While not a quick read, this is the best starting place. In addition, take notes and read the FAQs and other informational pieces that you can readily access on the USP’s website.

The USP compounding chapters require that a designated person or persons be assigned responsibility and accountability for oversight at each facility. This person or persons needs to be trained and qualified as an expert in the subject matter. There is specific information about these requirements in the various USP compounding chapters. This person should be the one to begin reviewing the chapters and putting together your risk assessment.

I recommend starting with a detailed drug questionnaire, or drug risk assessment to help understand your drug usage and how you are handling these drugs within your facility. This will help you assess your risk and determine the operational and facility needs to enable you to meet the standards. This questionnaire should include types of drugs used, frequency of use, administration type (IV, IM, etc.), as well as the BUDs. You will want to use the most up-to-date list of hazardous drugs when compiling this assessment. NIOSH, the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health current list.

Once you assess your risk, you can then focus on making decisions with your team on modifying how you receive, compound, and administer these drugs. The higher the risk, the more rules your team will need to follow to carry out operations in a safe manner for both your patients and staff. The Assessment of Risk (AoR) is also laid out in USP <800> as a systematic way for organizations to ensure safe practices.

Open Forum Session - Revisions to USP General Chapter (795) Pharmaceutical Compounding - Nonsterile Preparations. United States Pharmacopeia. Presented: Virtually, November 8, 2022. 

https://uspevents.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/uspevents/recording/d83d929b419e103badb18e1b4c569c84/playback

<795>FAQS. United States Pharmacopeia. Accessed January 30, 2024. https://go.usp.org/USP_GC_795_FAQs

<797>FAQS. United States Pharmacopeia. Accessed January 30, 2024. https://go.usp.org/USP_GC_795_FAQs

Pharmaceutical compounding – sterile preparations. United States Pharmacopeia. Accessed January 30, 2024. https://www.usp.org/compounding/general-chapter-797

NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, 2016. (Supersedes 2014-138)

. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; 2016.



Updates to safety measures for handling hazardous drugs

The effect of USP Regulations 795, 797, and 800 on veterinary hospitals

Tulips are just one example of toxic flowers for pets. (sunday_morning / stock.adobe.com)

Plant or flower poisonings can be difficult to prevent because it is often challenging to remember which species are toxic and which ones are harmless. However, ingesting toxic plants can lead to a range of health issues in animals, alternating from mild discomfort to severe complications. Client education on the plants most toxic to pets can help prevent any emergency cases, but if a pet has ingested a toxic plant is crucial to seek immediate medical attention for effective treatment.

Lilies are one of the most common toxic flowers for pets. For dogs, lilies can irritate the gastrointestinal (GI) system, but for cats, they can be potentially fatal.

 Renee D. Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline, said that lilies are “certainly the most common plant call that [veterinarians] receive,” with regards to a client calling into the Pet Poison Helpline. “All parts of the plants are toxic, including the pollen, including the water if it's a cut bouquet—the water that that plant has been sitting in—the leaves, and stems,” she continued.

Amanda Takiguchi, DVM, explained in a release from TrustedHousesitters that, “Even eating a small amount of this flower can cause deadly kidney failure in cats. Multiple species of lilies are toxic to cats, so it’s best to avoid lilies altogether.”

The most dangerous, potentially fatal lilies are true lilies, and these include tiger, day, Asiatic, Easter, and roselilies.

Daffodils can be harmful to pets because of the alkaloid, lycorine, it contains which has strong emetic properties. According to Pet Poison Helpline, ingestion of daffodil bulbs, plants, or flowers can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and even possible cardiac arrhythmias or respiratory depression.

 Daffodils can also potentially cause a skin rash if pets come in contact with the plant, according to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.

Tulips can also cause contact allergic dermatitis for pets and the most toxic part of the plant is concentrated in the bulb, rather than the leaves or petals.

 Toxicity poisoning from this flower can cause symptoms such as excessive drooling, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, central nervous system depression, and even cardiac abnormalities.

Overall, it is important to keep any household flowers out of reach for pets while indoors and to closely monitor outside time wherever these flowers, and other toxic plants, grow naturally. If clients suspect their pet has ingested any of these items or any other questionable substance, they can call the Pet Poison Helpline and should see a veterinary professional for help sooner rather than later. 

“Make sure that anything you leave in reach of your pets is safe, should they get their paws on it, keeping an eye out to spot any abnormal signs that your pet has become unwell, in which case a vet should be consulted immediately,” said Angela Laws, head of community at TrustedHousesitters, travel solution for pet owners.

Yankowicz S. Treating cats poisoned by lilies. 

. August 3, 2022. Accessed February 19, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/treating-cats-poisoned-by-lilies

Bad Romance: Experts warn of 5 deadly Valentine’s Day flowers for pets. News release. TrustedHousesitters. February 12, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2024.

Top 10 plant poisonous to pets. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed February 19, 2024. 

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/basics/top-10-plants-poisonous-to-pets/

Budd A. These 25+ plants are toxic to pets. University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. August 5, 2022. Accessed February 19, 2024. 

https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story/9031/toxic-plants.html

A quick reminder of some flowers that can be dangerous for pets

Toxic flowers to sniff out

Photo courtesy of CVM Marketing and Communications

Stephen J. Ettinger, DVM, (right) and Julio López, DVM, are the namesake and facilitator, respectively, of a new scholarship for students at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

A scholarship at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in Ithaca, New York, was launched in recognition of a longtime mentor to many students. The Stephen J. Ettinger 1962, D.V.M. 1964 Scholarship was created by former students in honor of a veterinarian who had a positive impact on them and became a specialty medicine pioneer.

The scholarship creation was led by Julio López, DVM, a Class of 2008 alumnus at CVM, who was guided by Ettinger through the process of opening a practice. ‘He’s been such a huge part of my life, as a mentor and like a second father as well,” said López, in a news release.

 “I don’t know where I’d be in my professional career without him.”

Ettinger is a 1962 graduate of Cornell University and earned his doctorate through CVM 2 years later. He is considered a founder of specialization in veterinary medicine, having helped establish the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and serving as president of cardiology in that organization during the 1970s. In 2021, he received the association’s first ACVIM Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award.

In a recent interview with ACVIM, Ettinger said members focused on lecturing and awareness for specialties in veterinary medicine during the organization’s early years. The growth of ACVIM came with an increase in veterinary specialists and specialty medicine, which created marked change in the industry.

Ettinger’s impact at Cornell is also considerable, according to the release. He has served on the Cornell University Board of Trustees, the Dean’s Leadership Council and the Advisory Council. His efforts were recognized in 2010 as recipient of the Daniel Elmer Salmon Award for Distinguished Alumni Service.

Additionally, Ettinger cofounded the Berkely Veterinary Medical Group in California, which brought together specialists in surgery, radiology, internal medicine, dermatology, ophthalmology and cardiology; and served on the faculty at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

 He has also authored hundreds of journal papers and wrote foundational textbooks.1 Ettinger’s written work includes the first veterinary small animal specialty textbook, 

, which was published in 1970, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Ettinger has been a mentor to many veterinary students including CVM alumni Fred Brewer, DVM, Class of 2009; and Etienne Côté, DVM, Class of 1993, who both assisted López in creating the scholarship program. “He’s played such a role in all our lives,” said López, in the release.

 “It’s the perfect opportunity to come together and make this gift that honors his background of giving back.”

The scholarship in Ettinger’s name has already helped students in need of financial assistance. With this goal in mind, he has helped direct former clients to make scholarship gifts to Cornell with funds also supporting the Barbara Benz Memorial Scholarship.

“There are kids out there that are more than worthy of joining the profession, but need that financial help,” Ettinger said, in the release.

 “I really appreciate that Cornell works hard to seek out and support those students.”

Cornell Veterinary Medicine scholarship honors veterinary legend Dr. Steve Ettinger. News release. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. February 16, 2024.

Langer K. Leader spotlight: Stephen Ettinger, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Cardiology). August 7, 2023. Accessed February 19, 2024. 

https://www.acvim.org/news/current-news/2023/08/07/leader-spotlight-dr.-stephen-ettinger

Larkin M. Legends: the trailblazer of veterinary specialty medicine. American Veterinary Medical Association. September 18, 2013. Accessed February 19, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2013-10-01/legends-trailblazer-veterinary-specialty-medicine

Alumni of the College of Veterinary Medicine created the program in honor of Stephen J. Ettinger, DVM, a 1964 graduate and specialty medicine pioneer.