The American Kennel Club (AKC), a non-profit organization that holds the world’s largest purebred dog registry, has partnered with pet pharmacy, Allivet, to create a new online pet pharmacy: AKCRx. This new online pharmacy can fill prescription medications requested by the pet’s veterinarian and over-the-counter options.

According to a company release, AKCRx’s prescription and over-the-counter selections are approved by the FDA and EPA for pets including dogs, cats, horses, livestock, and birds.

 Orders placed on AKCRx.com are processed and filled by Allivet. Allivet has been a fully licensed pharmacy since 1990 and is legally authorized to dispense prescription pet medications in all 50 states of the United States.

 For medications ordered through AKCRx that need a prescription, once added to the cart, the checkout process will ask for information about the pet and veterinarian and therefore, AKCRx will have it on file and may contact the veterinarian on the owner’s behalf.

Pet owners can also mail the prescription information to:

Prescriptions coming directly from the veterinary clinic to AKCRx can be sent via fax. As stated on the AKCRx website, typical process times for Rx medication approvals take 24-48 hours and will be scheduled for shipment shortly after.

“The health and wellness of our pets and responsible pet ownership go hand-in-hand,” said Dennis B. Sprung, president and CEO of the AKC, in the release. “We are thrilled about our new relationship with Allivet, a leader in the pet pharmacy industry. AKCRx provides pet owners easy and cost-effective access to the medications their pets need. We are happy to be able to provide this service to our community of dog owners and breed enthusiasts across the country for many years to come.”

The online pharmacy also offers “Autoship” in which pet owners can sign up to receive automatic recurring deliveries for their pet’s medications that need continuous refills. Autoship can be set up on a set schedule at the owner’s preference and will receive a 5% discount by selecting this delivery option versus a one-time purchase.

“We are so pleased with the opportunity to work with AKC and look forward to working together to create a long, successful relationship,” said Ujjwal Dhoot, CEO of Allivet. “Our decades of experience as a leading pet pharmacy and our innovative platform will allow the AKC to offer their community of responsible dog breeders and owners access to affordable pet medications with the convenience of an effortless subscription offering. Expanding our reach into communities already devoted to providing their pets with quality care aligns with and helps advance our mission of improving long-term pet health outcomes.”

This company partnership is also offering a discount for new members registering for the AKC in which registrants will receive an AKCRx.com promotional code to claim a one-month supply of Simparica Trio, valued at up to $32.1 More information on the terms and conditions of this promotion can be found on the AKCRx website.

American Kennel Club joins forces with Allivet to launch AKCRx. News release. American Kennel Club. January 10, 2024. Accessed February 2, 2024. 

https://www.akc.org/press-releases/american-kennel-club-joins-forces-allivet-launch-akcrx/#:~:text=AKC%20is%20working%20with%20Allivet,horses%2C%20livestock%2C%20and%20birds

AKC Pet Rx customer help center. AKCRx. Accessed February 2, 2024. 

https://www.akcpetrx.com/article/faq-pet-medications

Articles

A collaboration between the American Kennel Club and Allivet brings forth the opening of AKCRx

Filling pet prescription needs: New online veterinary pharmacy opens for the US

Specialty care

Dr. Clary, we know in vet med, it's very nice to have a consultation with a pathologist on our lab work and cytologies, and on case management with the specialists. So, what does that mean for you and your patients?

You know, in this day and age, it's so hard to keep up with all the information that veterinarians are supposed we're supposed to be, you know, orthopedic, we're supposed to be chemo, everything, it really gives me an opportunity to talk to somebody who's a lot more knowledgeable in that specific field. They know that field, and they can help me as a general practitioner be directed to what more to go to. And like I said, they look for...they'll tell me about different diagnostics that maybe I didn't think of. I had a case where I was missing a fungal disease, and it was a weird case. And she said, "Well, you might think about a fungal." And then she told me how to test for it, even which lab to use. And sure enough, it was a weird fungal disease that I probably would have continued missing. It had already been to several other veterinarians too. And that really helped me a lot in getting you back to where the thing I like about Zoetis too on the back of that CBC, it has the trend. If you've done five CBCs on that dog, it shows you the trend, which with a lot of diagnostics, that little pinpoint light, you might have missed it. But if you see that trend changing, it really helps you instead of me having to go back and look through all the lab work, flip it over there, it's on the back of the page. And that that really helps.

You have that virtual lab tie in, too, that really helps with efficiency and having that somebody that can kind of coach you along as well, right?

And that's another thing I love about Zoetis, this isn't happening next week. If I said that it might happen this afternoon, it'll happen by closing time tomorrow. And if it's eight o'clock, I was talking to a veterinarian in Tel Aviv the other night and she was incredible. And like Dr. Wolfe said, it's real personable. It's not cut and dried like you're bothering me, you know, because people are busy. I've loved it. And as you know I'm getting long in the tooth. I don't remember everything there is about veterinary medicine. And it really helps to keep up with new things like you know, COP protocols and things that I wouldn't be able to keep up with.

Videos

See how access to Zoetis’ pathology and specialty services can help diagnose and treat all of your cases and keep up with the latest information

Specialty care is just one call away

Minimum database

Hey everyone, welcome back. In this episode, we're gonna talk about the tried and true proactive approach to veterinary health care. So, we know how important preventative care is in veterinary medicine friends, especially with vaccination, unhealthy diets, parasite control, the list goes on. I would like to focus on a different area diagnostic health screening. So, this includes a CBC, chem profile, urinalysis, fecal testing. So, Dr. Wolfe, how do you define preventive care in your hospital? And how important is this to both you and your clients?

Preventative health care in our practice is defined as a minimum database. As you said, it's going to include a CBC, a chemistry A urinalysis with a SediVue, fecal flotation. And then for dogs, a vector borne testing. And then for cats retrovirals testing. We're going to try to start that young and consistently do that yearly. And it's going to help us establish a baseline. But also, it's going to help us try to catch illness and disease early, which is then going to help us institute treatment early and overall going to improve the both the length and the quality of our patients lives.

Yeah, absolutely. catch it early. Dr. Penn, we know it's so important to understand what normal parameters are in our patients. So how important is it for our clients to understand these results for their pets?

Yeah, I think it's really important, right? And to Dr. Wolfe's point, we want to really follow those life guidelines set forth by AHAA, and that really gives us a baseline for each individual pet moving forward. So, when we say, "Hey, we're going to be doing this diagnostic workup," ideally, on these recommended timelines, whether that's a yearly or every six months, depending on the age of the pet, we can really know what is normal for that pet. We know that there's reference intervals for all of these different tasks, whether that's hematology or chemistry or urinalysis. I love that you don't end that sentence with CBC, chemistry. It's always a urinalysis too right, to be able to interpret that chemistry, but that allows us to trend those results and know, hey, this liver enzyme is slightly out of the normal reference range, but it's not that different from where it was six months ago or a year ago. So that's actually pretty normal for this pet. Or on the other side of that this kidney value has risen dramatically. And we know that creatinine was, it's not quite out of the reference range, right, but this is a dramatic change for this particular patient we can really dig into to why that is and interpret that and then come up with that plan moving forward, Dr. Christman.

Discover how diagnostic health screening can help you detect and treat diseases early and educate your clients on their pets’ health

Establishing a minimum database as part of preventive care 

National Pet Dental Health Month is February, so to raise awareness of this important part of a pet’s health and well-being, we’ve put together a spotlight on 4 pet dental products that are available on the market. From toothbrushes to toothpaste, check out these dental products and consider making product recommendations to your clients all month long.

Client adherence with at-home dental care can help maintain a pet’s oral health and prevent oral diseases from getting worse. “When I have done dental [care], I always like to provide a dental home kit because…just in a matter of a few weeks…plaque and tartar can build up, and pet parents want to be proactive,” said Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, chief veterinary officer for 

RYERCAT has introduced a dual-sided toothbrush, designed specifically for cats. One side has a round micro head for everyday brushing. The bristles are soft so they won't hurt the cat’s gums. The pick on the opposite end allows owners to remove any excess food that gets stuck in the back molars. This side is also charcoal-infused, which prevents bacteria from spreading. The company was recently one of the finalists for Purina's 8th annual 

Vetradent dental wipes. (Photo credit: Dechra)

Successfully brushing a pet’s teeth is a struggle for many clients and Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP, FAVD, recognizes this struggle. “Tooth brushing is a great idea. It's the gold standard, but virtually no one can pull it off,” he said. Bellows also mentions that most of the time tooth brushing is not a Fear Free experience for the pet. Dental wipes offer a gentler experience and Vetradent wipes are one of his product recommendations. The Vetradent wipes are designed to help owners remove tartar and build-up from their pet’s teeth and remove any bacterial growth.

CET Enzymatic Toothpaste. (Photo credit: Virbac)

If your pet does take well to using regular toothbrushes and toothpaste, Virbac’s CET Enzymatic Toothpaste has been a 

 Top Recommended Veterinary Product (TRVP) for 2022 and 2023 in our “Canine & Feline Toothpaste” category. The enzymatic toothpaste comes in 5 appealing flavors: Poultry, malt, vanilla-mint, beef, and seafood. This pet-safe toothpaste contains no foaming agents and therefore is OK for pets to swallow.

CET AQUADENT FR3SH Dental Solution water additive. (Photo credit: Virbac)

Pet water additives are not a replacement for regular toothbrushing, but rather serve as supplementary care analogous to the use of mouthwash in humans. Many water additive products that are available today are designed to freshen breath and reduce plaque-causing bacteria in the oral cavity. Owners simply add the typically liquid solution (although a few brands offer powder or gel) to their pet’s water dish. Most water additives are colorless and flavorless to ensure pets will not refuse the treated water. However, some brands offer flavors, such as peanut butter, that may add an additional incentive for pets who enjoy it. The goal is that through regular intake of water enhanced with antimicrobials, pets ultimately accumulate less bacteria, slowing the progression periodontal disease. Virbac CET AQUADENT FR3SH Dental Solution water additive is another 

 TRVP for 2022 and 2023. The Virbac water additive has 3 ingredients: erythritol, a natural sweetener, has a freshening effect in mouth; inulin, a natural prebiotic to help control bad breath; and pomegranate extract, a natural antioxidant.

Kick off Pet Dental Health Month today by educating your clients on these 4 dental products available on the veterinary market

Pet dental products

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) and Veterinary Pharmacology Research Foundation (VPRF) shared the recipients of the 2023-24 pharmacology research grants. The research grants, being given to veterinary professionals for the first time, awarded 3 researchers funding to help support their research projects that are working to advance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatments of diseases in animals.

Danielle Mzyk, DVM, PhD, a field service clinical veterinarian in the department of population health and pathobiology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. According to the release,

 Myzk’s project received $29,686 to identify drug absorption and distribution differences in wool versus hair sheep through flunixin, a recently approved, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Because of the variability of sheep breeds across the United States, the need to evaluate the efficiency of transdermal flunixin across different coat times is critical.

“We are thrilled to have the support of the AVMF/VPRF to gain further understanding of treatment options for relieving pain in sheep. Our research group will be able to investigate key factors in the treatment of pain across different breeds of sheep that are clinically affected by foot rot, a painful infection of the hoof,” said Mzyk, in the release.

 “Ultimately, we hope that our study will help improve the understanding of pain mitigation in sheep and encourage the development of effective pain management protocols with veterinarians and producers.”

Along with their research, the group will use the information from pressure sensor mat gait analysis and algometry to create ways to ease the pain clinical patients experience.

Stephen J. Divers, BVetMed, DZooMed, DECZM (Herp, ZHM), DACZM, FRCVS, a professor of zoological medicine at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine was a recipient of one of these grants. His project received $8,900 and focuses on finding a safer option for sedating birds in clinical practice.

 Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists are commonly used for sedation, but they can have negative side effects that can impair breathing and heart function during sedation.

“We are so grateful for this grant awarded by AVMF and VPRF to fund our research to study a new sedation medication (Zenalpha) in pigeons. Our hope is that this research will advance the options for safe sedation in birds and open the door to evaluation of this medication in common pet birds for use in daily clinical practice,” expressed Divers.

The study will work to determine if Zenalpha has fewer heart and respiratory side effects when compared to alpha-2 adrenergic agonists in pigeons. The researchers will compare the heart rate and character, breathing patterns, and sedation depth between pigeons receiving a Zenalpha injection versus pigeons receiving a dexmedetomidine injection.

The third grant was awarded to Melanie Peel, DVM, a zoological medicine resident at the University of California-Davis in collaboration with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

 She has received a $3,000 grant and will use the funding to assess sedative effects and evaluate blood levels and metabolism in African cheetahs once they have received a dose of gabapentin.

“The gracious support of the AVMF/VPRF is vital to the success of our research and their contribution will allow us to finish the final steps necessary to complete our study. The results of this research will provide the zoological medicine community with much-needed pharmacokinetic knowledge that will help improve the quality of veterinary medicine provided to large exotic cats, like cheetahs,” said Peel.

According to the release, African cheetahs within multiple zoological institutions will receive an oral dose of gabapentin in 2 different dosages. The study will hopefully give researchers a better understanding of appropriate dosages and the level of sedation that occurs when using gabapentin for sedating African cheetahs.

AVMF, VPRF pharmacology grant recipients undertake research projects. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. January 30, 2024. Accessed February 1, 2024. https://www.avma.org/news/avmf-vprf-pharmacology-grant-recipients-undertake-research-projects

The awarded researchers are researching projects that will improve the health and welfare of cheetahs, pigeons, and sheep

Inaugural pharmacology grant recipients announced 

US Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02), a Democrat, and Republican Vern Buchanan (FL-16) have introduced a bipartisan bill—dubbed the 

—with the purpose of increasing transparency in the pet adoption process. If passed into law, the bill would require that a “Petfax” report detailing conditions in which the animal was bred and raised be provided to individuals who are purchasing pets.

There are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills operating in the United States, of which the majority are unlicensed by the USDA, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

 These commercial dog breeding facilities may sell animals in pet stores or online without disclosing information about a dog’s history or health problems to potential adopters. By requiring disclosure of the history and health of animals to buyers, the Petfax Act will enforce transparency and accountability among breeders and sellers to promote better treatment and breeding practices, according to Ross and Buchanan.

“Whenever you buy a car, it usually comes with a detailed Carfax report detailing the vehicle history, such as owner maintenance, accidents, and overall condition. Adopting a pet should be no different,” said Buchanan, in a news release.

 “That is why I am pleased to introduce the Petfax Act with Congresswoman Ross to require those who sell pets to provide a “Petfax” report outlining the animal’s health history. Cracking down on these unsanitary and inhumane puppy mills is an essential step in ensuring a safe and healthy future in the animal buying process.”

The Petfax Act would also establish stricter criteria for obtaining and maintaining licenses to sell pets, helping to ensure that only legitimate and responsible sellers are allowed to operate in the industry.

 This legislation would apply only to those with 5 or more female breeding animals.

“Dog lovers across the country are unknowingly subsidizing bad breeders who mistreat animals because they don’t have access to the basic facts. They need to make informed decisions,” said Ross, in a news release.

 “Congress needs to step in to ensure that adopters aren’t kept in the dark about the history and breeding of their animals. That’s why we introduced this bipartisan bill. The Petfax Act will require that prospective pet owners are provided essential information about their new family member, a step that will help to promote transparency and responsible practices in the industry."

A similar bipartisan bill sponsored by Representatives Charlie Crist (FL-13), a Democrat, and Republican Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) was introduced in Congress in 2020. The Petfax Bill of 2020 had aimed to improve honesty in pet sales and proposed penalties for breeders and sellers who have engaged in animal abuse or deceptive sales practices.

In her prepared statement, Ross, a dog owner, said she was committed to helping pets find loving homes through ethical and informed choices of their owners. “I’m grateful for the partnership of Congressman Buchanan on this important issue,” she added.

Representatives Ross, Buchanan introduce “petfax” bill to promote informed puppy purchases, help to combat unregulated, inhumane puppy mills. News release. Deborah Ross (NC-02). February 1, 2024. Accessed February 1, 2024. 

https://ross.house.gov/2024/2/representatives-ross-buchanan-introduce-petfax-bill-to-promote-informed-pet-purchases-help-to-combat-unregulated-inhumane-puppy-mills

Buchanan, Ross introduce legislation to crack down on puppy mills. News release. Vern Buchanan (FL-16). February 1, 2024. Accessed February 1, 2024. 

https://buchanan.house.gov/2024/2/buchanan-ross-introduce-legislation-to-crack-down-on-puppy-mills

Puppy mills: facts and figures. Humane Society of the United States. January 2024. Accessed February 1, 2024. 

https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/HSUS_puppy-mill-facts-figures.pdf

Reschenthaler introduces a bill creating “petfax” report for buying a pet. News release. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14). January 30, 2020. Accessed February 1, 2024. 

https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-introduces-bill-creating-petfax-report-buying-pet

The legislation promotes informed pet purchases, and helps to combat unregulated, puppy mills 