adam christman discusses the latest news and trends

world dermatology congress, nextmune acquires vetbiotek

On today's episode of dvm360 Live!™, host and dvm360's chief veterinary officer Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, discusses trending news in the veterinary dermatology world. He is joined by guest Andrew Rosenberg, DVM, DACVD, and the pair comment on the news stories and bring their insights to the forefront. 

The first story discussed is the upcoming World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology, coming to Boston, Massachusetts in July 2024. Learn more about this event here: 

. They also cover the acquisition of Vetbiotek by Nextmune, who aims to capitalize on the purchase to help broaden their dermatology product portfolio. Check out the full video above for more. 

Videos

Plus, meet this episodes guest, Andrew Rosenberg, DVM, DACVD

World dermatology congress, Nextmune acquires Vetbiotek, and more

Arkansas State University (A-State) announced this week that it has started advertising for nominees and applications for the next dean of A-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). The new dean will be the chief administrative officer for the CVM and will be responsible for its missions in teaching, research, and service.

“We will be looking closely at those candidates who can demonstrate a record of commitment to fostering collaborative activities that lead to productive relationships with alumni, professional veterinary organizations, practicing veterinarians, and other public and private stakeholders,” stated Len Frey, MBA, PhD, co-chair of the dean search committee, in an organizational release.

According to the organizational release, applicants must have earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or an equivalent degree.

 The applicants must also demonstrate a robust research agenda and have a record of visionary leadership and administration. Along with its search for a new dean, the college will also be looking for 40 new faculty and staff members.

The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB) officially approved the plans for the new veterinary school in July 2023. The plans also approved with the board decision was the inclusion of the program requirements and planned courses. The school's next steps are to secure approvals from the national accrediting agencies, including the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Higher Education.

 The council will make its initial consultative visit July 2024. The development of this new veterinary school will also make it possible for Arkansans to attend veterinary school in their home state, with the possibility of establishing a practice.

“Arkansas State is creating the CVM to serve the many needs for veterinary services in our state and the wider region,” expressed Chancellor Todd Shields.

 “A-State traces its origins to 1909 when it was established by the Arkansas General Assembly as the First District Agricultural School. Throughout our history, this institution has played a vital role in meeting society’s needs through the agricultural programs. The CVM will be the next major step in this mission for Arkansas State University.”

A search committee was put into place to find the college’s new dean, which is made up of leaders within the college. Anyone interested in learning more can visit the A-State website to learn more about the qualifications and how to apply.

Currently, A-State plans to open its doors 

 and is expecting to have 120 students in each cohort.

A-State begins search for dean of college of veterinary medicine. News release. Arkansas State University.January 30, 2024. Accessed January 31, 2024. 

https://www.astate.edu/news/a-state-begins-search-for-dean-of-college-of-veterinary-medicine

A proliferation of newly proposed veterinary colleges. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. September 13, 2023. Accessed January 31, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/news/proliferation-newly-proposed-veterinary-colleges#:~:text=The%20Arkansas%20Higher%20Education%20Coordinating,new%20faculty%20and%20staff%20positions

Articles

The future veterinary school is looking to fill faculty and staff position for its new veterinary school

A-State begins looking for veterinary school dean 

 at The Village in Pacific Highlands Ranch in San Diego, California in 2023. The veterinary hospital group provides full-service veterinary care and is now accepting walk-ins, urgent care services, and general wellness visits. The hospital is equipped with a cat specific exam room, a dental suite, and brand-new equipment.

Papaya Veterinary Care emergency hospital in Encinitas, California. (Photo courtesy of Papaya)

The company is now launching a new location in the Encinitas neighborhood of San Diego, which will serve as Papaya’s first emergency hospital.

 Opening mid-February 2024, the emergency hospital will be accepting both emergency and urgent care visits and drop-offs. According to the news release, the brand-new facility is roughly 3000 square feet with multiple treatment tables, exam rooms, a large surgical suite, isolation room, and break room for staff.

 The hospital will provide 24-hour care and surgical procedures on-site.

“At Papaya Veterinary Care our locations will now span across general practice, urgent care, and emergency services. This allows for both community of care for pet parents and a career path for veterinary professionals looking to expand their talent,” said Genevieve Borso, CEO of Papaya, in the release.

Papaya is hosting an open house for the new Encinitas location on Friday, February 9th from 4pm-6pm at their new facility located at 485 Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024. Papaya encourages industry partners to stop by and celebrate the new building with the whole Papaya team.

To attract and retain employees for the team, Papaya offers competitive salaries, benefits, and a supportive company culture. “I started my career at Papaya as a Veterinary Technician focusing on surgical nursing and I have since advanced into Hospital Manager. Being able to advance from technician to manager at the same company has been tremendous for my growth in veterinary medicine,” said Megan Lennox, hospital manager for the general practice / urgent care hospital in Carmel Valley, San Diego.

This Encinitas location now serves as Papaya’s second location with another in Carmel Valley, San Diego and another location coming soon in West Los Angeles.

Papaya Veterinary Care announces opening of first location in Carmel Valley, San Diego summer of 2023. News release. Papaya Veterinary Care. August 15, 2023. Accessed September 5, 2023.

Papaya Veterinary Care announces opening of first emergency hospital in Encinitas, San Diego ppring of 2023. News release. Papaya Veterinary Care. January 16, 2024. Accessed January 31, 2024.

Locations. Papaya Veterinary Care. Accessed January 31, 2024. 

This is the first emergency hospital for the California-based veterinary clinic network

Papaya Veterinary Care opens a new location in Encinitas, CA

Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) announced its selection of 10 new grants dedicated to enhancing equine health, and specifically, the well-being of domesticated horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. “We are excited to fund these research proposals that will advance equid health," said Kathy Tietje, PhD, MBA, chief program officer at MAF, in the release. "Through these grants, we aim to elevate the quality of life, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for horses, ponies, donkeys and mules."

According to an article from EquiManagement, it is estimated that the number of horses in the United States has decreased by 23% in the last 10 years.

 However, data from the American Horse Council’s 2017 equine impact study,

 reveals that 1.3% of the US population owns horses, 29.2% of American household members participate in equine-related activities but do not own a horse, and 13.2% spectate at horse events but do not own or participate. This demonstrates that almost a third of US households own horses or participate in some way in the equine world, which is positive news for the equine industry.

MAF’s call for more equine-focused research can help improve equine veterinary practice as a whole. The 10 recipients are:

Claire Ricci-Bonot, University of LincoIn, United Kingdom;

 "An Exploration of the Nature of Separation-Related Problems in the Horse." Researchers will use survey tools to learn more about separation anxiety in horses, including its different forms and situational triggers.

Angela Gaesser, University of Pennsylvania;

 "What Role Does Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Pathway Play in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Equine Osteoarthritis." Researchers will study if a signaling pathway contributes to the progression of osteoarthritis and if a novel treatment targeting this pathway can help affected horses.

Edward J. Knowles, Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom;

 "Insights into the Pathogenesis of Equine Metabolic Syndrome: Plasma Amino Acid and Acylcarnitine Profiles in Ponies with Insulin Dysregulation." Researchers will learn more about insulin resistance and laminitis in horses and develop cost-effective tools to monitor these patients better.

 "Effect of Omeprazole Treatment on the Pharmacokinetics of Orally Administered Flunixin Meglumine in Adult Horses: A Pilot Study." Researchers will study the anti-ulcer drug omeprazole, often prescribed with the NSAID flunixin meglumine and its impact on the latter drug's ability to reduce pain in horses effectively.

Izabela de Assis Rocha, University of Kentucky;

 "Investigation of the Immunopathogenesis of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis." Researchers will study why a small percentage of horses infected with the causative parasite Sarcocystis neurona are afflicted with a severe neurological disease called equine protozoal myeloencephalitis while other infected horses are unaffected.

Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam, Purdue University;

 "Determining the Role of Dense Granule Protein, SnGRA9, in Sarcocystis neurona Infection." Researchers will study how a protein helps the parasite Sarcocystis neurona grow and reproduce in infected horses.

Breanna Sheahan, North Carolina State University;

 "Identifying CFTR Inhibition as a Treatment for Equine Diarrhea Using an In Vitro Patient-Derived Organoid Platform." Researchers will use an organoid platform, a 3D cell culture, to study a potential new treatment for severe diarrhea in horses.

Kristen Conn, University of Saskatchewan, Canada;

 "Understanding the Chromatin Regulation of Lytic Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) Gene Expression." Researchers will work to understand better how EHV1 causes disease and use this information to inform the development of improved treatments.

Carrie J. Finno, University of California, Davis;

 "Unraveling the Genetic Etiology of Equine Neuroaxonal Dystrophy in Quarter Horses and Warmbloods." Researchers will search for causative genes associated with a common neurological disease in horses called equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy or eNAD/EDM.

Thilo Pfau, University of Calgary, Canada;

 "A Team-Based Approach to Monitoring Gait Symmetry: Hoof Care Providers, Horse Owners and Veterinarians Working Toward Prevention of Lameness." Researchers will partner with hoof care providers, veterinarians and owners to evaluate the feasibility of using video technology to monitor horse gait changes.

Morris Animal Foundation funds 10 equine-focused projects. News release. Morris Animal Foundation. January 18, 2024. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/foundation-announces-grant-recipients-equine-health-studies

Grice AL. The reality of equine practice in 2023. EquiManagament. April 25, 2023. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://equimanagement.com/business-development/financial/the-reality-of-equine-practice-in-2023/

Economic impact of the United States horse industry. American Horse Council. 2017. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://horsecouncil.org/resources/2017-economic-impact-study-facts/

Morris Animal Foundation gave 10 grants to find more ways of advancing equine health

Funding received for 10 new equine research projects

IGNITE Veterinary Solutions and PetPath announced a partnership the create more opportunities to encourage awareness, adoption, and growth through each company’s platform. The partnership will provide both pet owners and the veterinary team a way to ease fear, confusion, and uncertainty about a pet’s care before and after surgery.

According to an organizational release, the companies will focus on specialty services and emergency and critical care, to highlight the critical benefits of digital pet recovery pathways. The companies will offer chronic and preventative care market applications. Some highlights include:

The commercial agreement is expected to transform digital care management with the possibility of reaching millions.

A unique partnership, IGNITE Veterinary Solutions, and Pet Path will connect veterinarians and pet parents through a digital care management and customized recovery pathway meshed with content that is customizable and easy to comprehend.

Pet Path will enable insights to help patient outcomes and improve hospital efficiency while reducing staff burnout.

"This agreement will be instrumental in driving wide-scale adoption of PetPath," said Alex Ehrich, cofounder and director of partnerships of PetPath, in the release.

 "Building on success with the veterinary hospitals we partner with, PetPath will have even greater access to thousands of hospitals and key strategic partners through IGNITE's extensive network.”

“Leveraging its market-leading platform and learning content creation capabilities, we will combine efforts and capabilities to improve hospital productivity, more effectively guide recovery outcomes, and give time back to the veterinary teams," he continued.

Clients will also have access to an application that provides digital instructions, checklists, reminders, educational videos, and a chat feature to connect clients directly to veterinarians to help answer questions. This will also help improve efficiency at the clinic by cutting back on callbacks to the clinic from patients.

"We know pet owners and veterinary teams want to give pets the highest quality of care. Pet owners today are proactive, engaged, digitally connected, and want individualized care. Gone are the days of simply providing pet owners verbal instructions, handing over a stack of confusing documents and/or emailing pdf's of what to do and know," expressed Mark Shaw, chief executive officer, IGNITE Veterinary Solutions.

 "Pet owners want connection, information at their fingertips, and peace of mind. They want to know what is normal, how do I properly perform this, is everything ok, and they want access when they need to ask a question."

Veterinary teams will be able to deliver better client experiences and care through PetPath by personalizing a patient's recovery plan. PetPath can also help practitioners adapt a care pathway, and customized discharge and recovery guidance that matches the hospital's protocols as a way to provide patients better care and improve compliance with clients.

PetPath and IGNITE Veterinary Solutions announce industry-leading multimarket agreement commercializing digital care management. News release. IGNITE Veterinary Solutions. January 25, 2024. Accessed January 30, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/petpath-and-ignite-veterinary-solutions-announce-industry-leading-multimarket-agreement-commercializing-digital-care-management-302043947.html

IGNITE Veterinary Solutions and PetPath’s new partnership will help ease stress surrounding care before and after a patient surgery 


New partnership aims to improve outcomes for veterinarians and patients 

The use of chromium propionate (KemTRACE Chromium; Kemin Industries) has been approved by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine as a food ingredient for growing turkey diets, according to a news release. Chromium propionate is also indicated for swine, broiler chickens, cattle, and horses, and has been fed to animals around the world.

"We are thrilled that the use of chromium propionate in animal diets continues to expand in the US and beyond," said Kristi Krafka, vice president of regulatory affairs and quality assurance, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health–North America, in the release.

 "Kemin has spent decades advancing the nutrition and performance of livestock and poultry through novel feed ingredients and is now able to offer safe, effective KemTRACE Chromium to turkey producers, nutritionists, and veterinarians."

Animal cells rely on glucose to fuel their function and growth. Highly bioavailable and organic, chromium propionate helps stabilize insulin receptors in animals, improve glucose utilization and reduce the negative impacts of stress, according to an organizational release. Maximizing cells' utilization of glucose may result in improved immune response and overall health and performance.

Extensive research was conducted and shared with FDA officials, according to the release.

 Results of a recent study indicate that chromium propionate supplementation can improve turkey performance and is safe when supplemented in turkey diets at 5 times the minimal concentration, which enhanced insulin sensitivity. This study demonstrated the following

Over an 84-day feeding period, turkeys supplemented with chromium propionate had greater average daily gain and tended to gain more efficiently than controls.

Body weights of turkeys supplemented with chromium propionate were heavier than controls by day 84 in studies published in the Journal of Poultry Science.

With more than 25 years of research and countless peer-reviewed chromium research studies, Kemin has worked to establish chromium propionate as safe and efficacious, according to the company. Published research across many species has shown chromium has the ability to reduce cortisol, which is a hormone secreted in response to stress. The reduction in cortisol during times of stress may decrease negative impacts from stress events, such as extreme heat or cold, diet changes, disease challenges, and more.

Kemin research leads to FDA approval of chromium propionate for use in growing turkey diets. News release. Kemin Industries. January 30, 2024. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://news.kemin.com/2024-01-30-Kemin-Research-Leads-to-FDA-Approval-of-Chromium-Propionate-for-Use-in-Growing-Turkey-Diets?locale=en_us

Spears JW, Lloyd KE, Flores K, Krafka K, Hyda J, Grimes JL. Chromium propionate in turkeys; effect on performance and animal safety. 

. 2024;103(1). doi:10.1016/j.psj.2023.103195

The application by feed ingredient manufacturer Kemin Industries was supported by data gathered through extensive research 