Proposal calls for changes in ANTIMICROBIAL USE
FDA calls for voluntary label changes, increased veterinarian oversight
Dr. Cheryl L. Eia
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
By Greg Cima
If drug companies agree to federal regulators' proposals, antimicrobials important for human medicine will no longer be used to aid livestock growth.
On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration published two guidance documents—one draft and one final—that outline plans to ensure that medicated feeds and water that contain antimicrobials deemed important for human medicine will be available only for uses necessary for animal health. In addition, such feeds would be available only through a prescription or veterinary feed directive, the latter of which have to be issued by a veterinarian in a manner similar to how prescriptions are issued. Medicated water containing such antimicrobials would be available only through prescriptions.
“FDA is concerned about the risk that antimicrobial resistance poses to public health from the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals for production purposes,” the finalized document states.
The agency also published that day a Federal Register notice that it intends to improve the efficiency of the process to issue veterinary feed directives. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine will, through July 12, accept comments on that proposal, which could revise provisions related to veterinary supervision and oversight, professional discretion over drug access, and administrative procedures.
Dr. William T. Flynn, deputy director for science policy in the FDA, said the guidance documents likely affect fewer than 10 drug classes but involve many single-ingredient products, generic equivalents, and combination drug products.
“When you consider all of those various products, there's on the order of 200 products affected,” Dr. Flynn said.
The Animal Health Institute, a trade organization for pharmaceutical, vaccine, and feed manufacturers, announced that it and member companies would collaborate with the FDA to “implement the policy goals” described in the FDA guides, including ensuring that medically important antimicrobials are used only under the supervision of medical professionals to address disease challenges.
Staci Gouveia, communications director for Bayer HealthCare's Animal Health Division, provided a statement that the company supports the collaborative process announced by the FDA, the responsible use of antimicrobials, and veterinarian involvement when such products are administered to food-producing animals.
“Bayer supports the idea that responsible use of antibiotics to keep food animals healthy by farmers and veterinarians—at the very beginning of the food safety chain—helps the entire chain produce a safer food product,” her statement said. “We believe this will lead to a more judicious use of antibiotics and along with increased veterinary oversight will improve antibiotic use practices.”
Draft directed at drug industry
The finalized document, Guidance for Industry #209, describes voluntary changes agricultural industries can make to ensure they appropriately use antimicrobials. A draft version was published in June 2010.
“Antimicrobial resistance, and the resulting failure of antimicrobial therapies in humans, is a mounting public health problem of global significance,” the document states. “This phenomenon is driven by many factors including the use of antimicrobial drugs in both humans and animals.”
The FDA wants to maintain availability of effective antimicrobials to combat infections in humans and animals, including availability for use in feed and water to manage diseases in animal agriculture, the guide states. It includes examples of judicious uses, such as treatment of stressed cattle that a veterinarian has determined are more likely to develop a particular bacterial infection.
“When determining the appropriateness of a prevention use, veterinarians consider several important factors such as determining the medical rationale for such use, and that such use is appropriately targeted at a specific etiologic agent and appropriately timed relative to the disease,” the document states.
The new draft guide, Guidance for Industry #213, provides more-specific plans for drug companies. It indicates the FDA will work with those companies to withdraw approvals that allow livestock production uses of those products that are important for human medicine.
The FDA is accepting comments on the draft guide through July 12. Once the final version is available, the agency wants affected pharmaceutical companies to say within three months whether they intend to voluntarily adopt the suggested changes. The FDA is “initially pursuing this voluntary approach,” the guide states, but will evaluate progress three years after the final guide's publication and “consider further actions as warranted.”
The three-year implementation period is intended to give the FDA time to amend its veterinary feed directive requirements, pharmaceutical companies time to efficiently and practically change their drug approvals, and affected parties in agriculture time to change their management and business practices.
Veterinary association involvement
The AVMA released a statement that commended the FDA for working with stakeholders, including the veterinary and public health communities, animal agriculture industry, drug sponsors, and the USDA, to address antimicrobial resistance concerns while protecting human and animal health. In April 2011, the AVMA created a five-member Steering Committee for FDA Policy on Veterinary Oversight of Antimicrobials to work with the agency on such matters.
Dr. Joni M. Scheftel, steering committee chair, thinks the committee's two meetings in Washington, DC, influenced development of the FDA's proposed veterinary feed directive process. She noted, for example, that the FDA proposal would require veterinarians to comply with “all applicable veterinary licensing and practice requirements.” The committee and FDA had discussed the issue and agreed that veterinarians should be licensed in each state where they issue directives, to ensure judicious antimicrobial use and protect clients.
Dr. Charles L. Hofacre, a committee member, said he had suggested to the FDA that antimicrobial use to prevent necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens was a judicious use, and that example is included in the draft guide for pharmaceutical companies. He said the FDA was responsive to concerns voiced by those affected by the proposals, and he personally approved of the agency's decision to allow uses for disease prevention.
But Dr. Tom Burkgren, executive director of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, warned that pigs could be harmed, particularly by enteric and respiratory infections, if the swine industry were to lose access to antimicrobials for growth promotion and feed efficiency. He cited health problems among Denmark's pigs after regulations there restricted antimicrobial use.
Previous risk assessments have shown that production uses of antibiotics posed negligible risk, Dr. Burkgren said, and the AASV would like to see the FDA perform additional risk assessments on the products that would be affected by the recent guidance.
The AASV supports implementing veterinarian oversight for antimicrobial uses, although it hasn't taken a position favoring regulations requiring such oversight.
“We've had a position for a number of years that veterinarians should be involved in the decision-making process when producers are going to use an antibiotic, and I think that is still a good idea,” Dr. Burkgren said.
Increasing the use of veterinary feed directives will require increased education and infrastructure to avoid unintended restrictions on antimicrobial access or inefficient delivery of the products, Dr. Burkgren said. But he thinks the FDA proposal to change the directive process indicates the agency has taken seriously the comments by the AASV and others.
Affected drugs marketed for decades
All antimicrobial approvals issued by the FDA since 1993 have required prescriptions or veterinary feed directives for uses in livestock. Prior approvals included over-the-counter uses to increase the rate at which the animals gained weight or the efficiency with which they converted feed to body mass.
“Most of the products we're talking about that are affected here are products that have been on the market for many, many years,” Dr. Flynn said.
Some of the affected products were subject to withdrawal proceedings decades earlier. In 1977, agency officials expressed concern about the development of antimicrobial resistance and proposed withdrawing some uses of penicillin, chlortetracycline, and oxytetracycline in animal feed.
The agency didn't proceed with the withdrawal process and canceled its proposals in December 2011, although a federal magistrate ruled in March 2012 that the agency had to restart the withdrawal proceedings. No new withdrawal proposals had been filed by early May.
If a pharmaceutical company agrees with the FDA to change the approved conditions for use of a drug, that change triggers changes for producers of generic equivalents who align their drug labels with those of the original product, Dr. Flynn said. The same is true for combination drugs containing the original product.
The FDA has worked closely with pharmaceutical companies since issuing the June 2010 draft version of Guidance for Industry #209, contacted agriculture and animal feed companies, and developed a strategy intended to minimize disruption and address concerns, Dr. Flynn said. He is optimistic, given feedback from industry, that the FDA and affected companies can reach the agency's goal through collaboration.
“We think this strategy will lead to some significant changes that are important for assuring the safety of these products and addressing a public health concern,” Dr. Flynn said. “And of course, we're trying to do it in a way that's as sensitive as possible to the potential impacts that this may have on the agriculture industry and want to make sure we minimize the negative impacts on animal health.”
Tests on distillers grains find antimicrobial residues
Regulators have reported finding antimicrobial residues in distillers grains, which are often used as animal feed.
The Food and Drug Administration reported in April 2012 that antimicrobial residues were found in four of 46 samples of distillers grains left over from ethanol production. Virginiamycin and penicillin were found in one sample, virginiamycin alone in two samples, and erythromycin in one sample. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reported that it would take the information into consideration in developing a policy on antimicrobial residues in distillers products.
A 2009 FDA document on the project indicated that, at the time, about 98 percent of distillers grains sold were produced as fuel industry byproducts, and most of the rest resulted from beverage production. Of 2.65 million metric tons available for domestic use in the U.S. and Canada, about 90 percent was used in animal feed, with more than 80 percent fed to ruminants. Antimicrobials are used to combat bacterial contamination in ethanol fermentation.
In a 1977 proposal to withdraw some production uses of penicillins and tetracyclines, the FDA indicated that livestock owners had discovered antimicrobials increased growth among their animals a quarter-century earlier, when animals were fed grains left over as byproducts of the fermentation process used to create chlortetracycline.
Eia is new preparedness, response coordinator for AVMA
Will oversee VMAT program, other disaster-related activities
Dr. Cheryl L. Eia
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Dr. Cheryl L. Eia joined the AVMA in April as an assistant director in the Scientific Activities Division to oversee the Association's emergency preparedness and response activities.
As the AVMA emergency preparedness and response coordinator, Dr. Eia supervises the AVMA Veterinary Medical Assistance Team program, provides staff support to the AVMA Committee on Disaster and Emergency Issues, and engages in policy coordination, outreach, and educational activities.
Dr. Eia comes to the AVMA from the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, where she worked since 2008. There, she developed an animal emergency management course for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to train personnel about their roles during a disaster. She also devised guidelines and other materials for the USDA to use during animal disease emergencies and worked with the National Alliance of State Animal and Agricultural Emergency Programs and its best practice working groups.
Dr. Eia was an attorney prior to joining the veterinary profession. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Law in 1989, she spent the next several years practicing law in St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Fargo, N.D.
Eventually, Dr. Eia enrolled at the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine and would graduate with a DVM degree in 2008. She also earned a master's in public health that year from the University of Minnesota.
During her studies, Dr. Eia served externships with the AVMA Governmental Relations Division in Washington, D.C., and the USDA Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health's National Animal Health Monitoring System in Fort Collins, Colo.
“I am honored to be selected to work for the AVMA and its members as coordinator of emergency preparedness and response,” Dr. Eia said. “I am excited by the opportunity to utilize my background and experience while representing the AVMA on issues of national importance related to animal emergency management.
“I look forward to working with the CDEI, VMAT teams, and other stakeholders to enhance our nation's emergency preparedness and response.”
Improving the safety of pet food
New efforts emphasize preventive measures in manufacturing
By Katie Burns
Five years ago, many dogs and cats died after eating pet food containing ingredients from China that were contaminated with melamine. The incident focused attention on development of measures to prevent problems with pet food.
Today, trade associations and the Food and Drug Administration are in the midst of new efforts to improve safety measures in the manufacturing of pet food.
The American Feed Industry Association recently rolled out voluntary programs to certify that facilities that manufacture pet food or pet food ingredients meet certain safety standards. The Pet Food Institute is expanding model manufacturing principles that it developed after the melamine contamination. The FDA has begun to implement provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act that will impact pet food manufacturers.
The AFIA, PFI, and FDA all participated in the Petfood Forum, April 2–4 in Schaumburg, Ill. During and after the conference, representatives of the groups spoke about their work to improve pet food safety.
American Feed Industry Association
On April 2 at AVMA headquarters, across the street from the conference, AFIA representatives gave a presentation to provide details about the new certification programs.
The AFIA had established the Safe Feed/Safe Food program in 2004 for voluntary certification of facilities that manufacture animal feed, including pet food. Leah Wilkinson, AFIA director of ingredients and state legislative affairs, said pet food manufacturers later requested a program of their own—partly in response to the melamine contamination and more recent incidents of Salmonella contamination of pet food.
As of late 2010, only 15 percent of veterinarians and about 25 percent of consumers believed pet food manufacturing and distribution processes were regulated effectively, according to a survey by Trone Inc.
“Their confidence level jumped greatly once you explained what a third-party certification program could do,” Wilkinson said.
Principles of risk management are the basis of the AFIA's Pet Food Manufacturing Facility Certification Program and Pet Food Ingredient Facility Certification Program, Wilkinson said. The programs will offer audits, for a fee, to U.S. and Canadian facilities. These audits will cover hazard analysis, preventive controls, corrective actions, record retention, supplier standards, and safety specifications for ingredients and final products.
“We're anticipating that we will meet or probably exceed what FDA is going to require the facilities to be doing here in the next two to five years,” Wilkinson said.
Microbial control is one focus of the new certification programs. They also address areas ranging from training and facility planning to recalls and consumer complaints.
Wilkinson said the AFIA developed the programs to meet benchmarks from the Global Food Safety Initiative for certification programs for human food—and in anticipation of forthcoming GFSI benchmarks for certification programs for animal feed.
Pet Food Institute
“Pet food has a strong record of safety,” said Kurt Gallagher, PFI director of communications and export development, after the Petfood Forum. He pointed to the relative rarity of pet food recalls.
Following the melamine contamination, PFI member companies compiled their best practices to create the Model Commercial Pet Food Manufacturing Principles. Last year, members started work on an expansion of the principles.
Gallagher said the PFI supports third-party certification programs, although it does not endorse individual programs.
“Pet food plants and other food manufacturing facilities already undergo numerous third-party certifications, often at the request of retail customers,” Gallagher said.
He said the PFI supports the goal of the GFSI to help establish equivalence across food certification programs and reduce the number of redundant inspections.
Food and Drug Administration
Michael R. Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods, spoke April 4 at the Petfood Forum on “The Role of the Food Safety Modernization Act in Ensuring the Safety of Pet Food.”
Pet food is weighed after processing at a manufacturing facility. (Courtesy of AFIA)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Prevention is the foundation of the FSMA, Taylor said. The FDA plans to propose new rules on preventive controls for manufacturers of pet food and other animal feed, preventive controls for manufacturers of human food, the safety of produce, and verification of foreign suppliers.
The rule on animal feed will address nutrition as well as safety.
“The proposed rule will require that pet food and animal feed are correctly labeled as to the species for which they are intended since nutritional requirements differ considerably among species,” Taylor said, according to a transcript. “In addition, nutrient content will need to be controlled for optimal health, which of course is extremely important considering animals may eat the same food their entire lives.”
The rule on foreign suppliers will call for importers of food not to rely on FDA inspectors to detect problems at the port of entry but to verify that foreign suppliers produce the food in accordance with U.S. standards. The FDA will propose another rule by which the agency will recognize accrediting bodies for third-party certification programs in the international arena.
In concluding remarks, Taylor said, “The pet food industry has customers with high expectations. We all know that by the calls we get when something goes wrong. The melamine contamination of pet food in 2007 is a good example; we received more than 14,000 reports in the first four weeks after the contamination was discovered.”
Taylor said implementation of the FSMA will improve animal health as well as consumer confidence in the global food supply.
Donate books, journals, and supplies
If the shelves and cabinets, back rooms, and offices at your veterinary clinic are crammed with unused textbooks, journals, instruments, equipment, and supplies, consider donating them to veterinarians and students in foreign countries where they are needed.
Visit www.avma.org and click on “My AVMA” and scroll down to “Donate books, journals, and supplies” to find groups and individuals who are collecting for various countries.
New collector listings are invited at news@avma.org or (800) 248-2862, Ext. 6754.
BSE found in dairy cow
Photo by Greg Cima
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
By Greg Cima
A dairy cow in California was found to be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced April 24 that the infection was identified following testing of samples taken from the carcass of a 10 1/2-year-old cow during surveillance, and the carcass was held pending destruction. Federal officials said the cow came from Tulare County in Central California and was euthanized after it developed lameness and became recumbent. Cattle are targeted for surveillance if they become nonambulatory, die for unknown reasons, or have signs consistent with BSE or with CNS abnormalities.
Dr. John R. Clifford, chief veterinary officer for the USDA, announced that animal tissues that could contain the BSE agent aren't allowed in human or animal foods, and he said the California cow didn't likely become infected through feed.
“It was an atypical form of BSE, which is a rare form of the disease, and it is not likely to be attributable to infected feed, which is the method in which, normally, BSE would be spread from cow to cow,” Dr. Clifford said.
Dr. Ron DeHaven, AVMA CEO, said in an announcement that the discovery of the BSE-positive cow was not surprising or cause for alarm.
“It is not surprising because we have known for several years that there is a very low prevalence of BSE in our nation's cattle population,” he said. “USDA has maintained a good, targeted surveillance program for the disease, and it is expected that we might find such cases periodically.”
Dr. DeHaven was the USDA's chief veterinary officer when the nation's first BSE case was discovered in 2003.
BSE is a degenerative and fatal disease that is typically spread through consumption of feed contaminated with pathogenic prion proteins, which come from the brains and spinal cords of infected cattle. Consumption of BSE-infected materials is also the presumed cause of infection in humans with a degenerative new variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The disease was diagnosed in about 225 people worldwide from fall 2006 through spring 2011, according to the World Health Organization.
Federal regulations have prohibited including mammal protein in ruminant feed since 1997, and cattle brains and spinal cords in any animal feed since 2009. USDA information indicates that the incubation period for BSE in cattle can range from three to six years.
Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a USDA Agricultural Research Service study indicate atypical BSE could develop spontaneously and could be transmitted genetically. The CDC information noted, however, that disease possibly can be spread through feed or the environment.
Three BSE infections were found in cattle in the U.S. from 2003–2006, and USDA officials have indicated the most recent two were likely atypical infections. In July 2006, the USDA estimated between four and seven of the nation's 42 million adult cattle were likely infected at that time.
Maccabe named AAVMC executive director
Believes association represents future of veterinary medicine
“The colleges are training the next generation of veterinarians who will lead our profession tomorrow.”
Dr. Andrew Maccabe
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Dr. Andrew Maccabe, executive director, Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges named Dr. Andrew Maccabe as its new executive director, effective May 15. He succeeds Dr. Bennie I. Osburn, who had served as interim executive director since 2011.
Previously, Dr. Maccabe was the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's liaison for food safety to the Food and Drug Administration. Prior to joining the CDC, Dr. Maccabe was the AAVMC associate executive director responsible for national programs in veterinary medical education.
In anticipation of his new position at the AAVMC, Dr. Maccabe said, “I'm energized by the challenges we face and excited by the opportunities we have to advance veterinary medical education.”
Dr. Maccabe believes the AAVMC represents the future of veterinary medicine. “The colleges are training the next generation of veterinarians who will lead our profession tomorrow. Thirty years from now, they will be practicing in ways that few of us can even imagine today,” he said.
To prepare the veterinary profession for the future, the AAVMC is working with the AVMA and others as part of a national campaign stressing the importance of preventive pet health care. The association also has spearheaded the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium, which released the “Roadmap for Veterinary Medical Education in the 21st Century: Responsive, Collaborative, Flexible.”
Among its many recommendations for improving veterinary medical education, the NAVMEC Roadmap emphasizes the importance of the one-health concept, an initiative Dr. Maccabe is qualified to champion. In addition, Dr. Maccabe has noted how “veterinary medical colleges conduct the biomedical research that provides the scientific foundation for the profession and improves our understanding of human and animal health.”
After receiving his DVM degree from The Ohio State University in 1985, Dr. Maccabe began his professional career in Jefferson, Ohio, at a mixed animal practice with primary emphasis on dairy herd health. In 1988, he was commissioned as a public health officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he managed the preventive medicine activities of several installations and directed programs in occupational health, communicable disease control, food safety, and health promotion.
Dr. Maccabe also earned a master's in public health from Harvard University in 1995 and a law degree from the University of Arizona in 2002.
Exhibition spotlights animals in art
Dede LaRue likes to sculpt animals with political messages. She chose to sculpt a life-size mountain goat for the mixed-media piece “Scapegoat” because of the species' vulnerability to climate change.
“Stumbling on one knee, downtrodden, it goes forth into the wastelands, symbols of the sins of the modern world dangling from the red cord tied around its horns,” LaRue said.
The Denver artist won the $1,000 Best of Show award for “Scapegoat” at the 25th International Exhibition on Animals in Art at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Seventy pieces of art depicting animals were on display during the show, March 24-April 29 in the veterinary school's library. A total of 217 artists from 40 states, Canada, and Mexico submitted 506 entries for the show.
The judge and juror was William A. Fagaly, curator of African art at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Fagaly selected the works that appeared during the exhibition and most of the award winners.
Dr. Kurt J. Matushek, AVMA editor-in-chief, chose the watercolor “Cattle Call” by Judie Betts of Baton Rouge, La., to appear on the cover of this issue of the JAVMA. The piece also received the SVM Bulletin Award and will appear on the cover of the veterinary school's next course catalog.
“The piece by Judie Betts really stood out as I toured this year's art fair,” Dr. Matushek said. “The play of colors across what, for so many veterinarians, is such a common scene added an extra dimension, and I thought it would be especially striking reproduced on the JAVMA cover.”
The People's Choice Award went to Kim Hamby of Blairsville, Ga., for “Ron,” a colored-pencil drawing of a sleeping cat.
The veterinary school's library benefits from a 20 percent commission on sales of art from the exhibition.
Dede LaRue's “Scapegoat” won the Best of Show award at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine's 25th International Exhibition on Animals in Art. (Courtesy of LSU)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Community Accolades
Practice
Dr. James O. Cook
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Dr. James G. Fox
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
The National Academies of Practice, an interdisciplinary organization of health care practitioners and scholars, held a March 23–24 forum on “Successful Interprofessional Practice in a New Health Care Environment.” Among other speakers, Dr. Alice E. Villalobos and social worker Carolyn Messner spoke about “Illness, Quality of Life, and the Human-Animal Bond.”
Dr. John R. Herbold, NAP president-elect, hosted the banquet and induction of new members. The NAP inducted the following two veterinarians.
Dr. James O. Cook (AUB ′76) has owned a mixed animal practice in Lebanon, Ky., since 1977. He was AVMA president for the 2008–2009 Association year. He was a member of the AVMA Executive Board from 2001–2007, serving as chair for the final year. While on the board, Dr. Cook was chair of the AVMA Task Force on the Legal Status of Animals and AVMA Task Force on Legal Remedies. From 1996–2001, he was Kentucky representative in the AVMA House of Delegates. Dr. Cook is a past president of the Kentucky VMA and was chair of the Kentucky Practice Act Revision Committee.
Dr. James G. Fox (COL ′68) directs the Division of Comparative Medicine in the Department of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is an adjunct professor at the veterinary schools at Tufts University and the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Fox is a past president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, and Massachusetts Society for Medical Research. He has authored or edited many publications about in vivo models of disease and comparative medicine, and he has trained many veterinary students and veterinarians in biomedical research. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine.
Academia
Dr. Kimberly Lewis Carney
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Dr. John R. Glisson
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Dr. Michael Zager
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Three University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine graduates were honored March 24 during the college's 49th annual Veterinary Conference and Alumni Weekend.
Dr. Kimberly Lewis Carney of Harrogate, Tenn., received a Young Achiever Award from the UGA-CVM Alumni Association. Since receiving her DVM degree in 2001, Dr. Carney has earned the reputation of a veterinary trendsetter, missionary, and educator. She spearheaded the effort to create a shared emergency service with other veterinary practices in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia.
For the past nine years, Dr. Carney has served as an adjunct professor in the veterinary technology program at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.
Later this year, Dr. Carney will move to Bolivia as part of a Christian Veterinary Mission project. There, she will spend three years teaching at the veterinary college in Santa Cruz and working with indigenous subsistence farmers.
The Alumni Association honored Dr. John R. Glisson of Watkinsville, Ga., with a Distinguished Alumnus Award. Internationally recognized for his knowledge of poultry medicine, Dr. Glisson retired as head of the University of Georgia Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center in 2011.
Dr. Glisson earned his DVM degree in 1980 and joined the UGA CVM faculty four years later. Within 12 years, he had advanced from instructor to professor and clinical service chief for the Department of Avian Medicine.
In 2003, Dr. Glisson was selected to lead the department and oversaw its transition into the Department of Population Health, which includes the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, the food animal health management program, and the laboratory animal program.
Dr. Glisson currently directs research for the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association's Harold E. Ford Foundation.
Dr. Michael Zager of Ellijay, Ga., also received a Distinguished Alumnus Award. A mixed animal practitioner known for his expertise in camelids, Dr. Zager in his practice provides veterinary care for companion and farm animals in the Georgia-Tennessee-North Carolina region.
Dr. Zager began working with lamas and alpacas about a decade after earning his DVM degree in 1979. Today, he is a much sought-after speaker in the treatment of camelids and is recognized throughout the Southeast as a knowledgeable veterinary resource for these animals.
Additionally, Dr. Zager provides mentoring and learning opportunities for UGA veterinary students and has been an active participant in bolstering legislative support for the college's proposed veterinary medical learning center, which will replace the current veterinary teaching hospital.
Organization
Dr. and Mrs. David J. Schwarz
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Roderick J. Fraser Jr.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Kelly M. Kemp
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
Leona J. Pease
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 240, 11; 10.2460/javma.240.11.1266
The Massachusetts VMA presented four awards during its annual fundraising gala, March 31 in Newton.
The Distinguished Service Award went to Dr. David J. Schwarz of Ashland, who has owned and operated Ashland Animal Hospital for 35 years. He was honored for his dedication and service to veterinary medicine in Massachusetts. A past president of the MVMA, Dr. Schwarz serves on the board of MVMA Charities and the New England VMA, and is president of the State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team.
For commitment to animals in public service, the Merit Award was presented to Roderick J. Fraser, Boston; Kelly M. Kemp, Berkshire County; and Leona J. Pease, Shrewsbury.
Together with MVMA Charities, Commissioner Fraser of the Boston Fire Department led an initiative that put a pet oxygen mask in every fire station in Boston.
Kemp is assistant district attorney in Berkshire County. Pease is animal control officer for the town of Shrewsbury.
American College of Veterinary Microbiologists
The American College of Veterinary Microbiologists certified nine new diplomates following the board certification examination it held Dec. 4, 2011, in Chicago.
The new diplomates are as follows:
Tamara Gull, Stillwater, Okla.
Immunology
Melissa Bourgeois, Atlanta
Yun Young Go, Lexington, Ky.
Baibaswata Nayak, College Park, Md.
Virology
Kris Clothier, Ames, Iowa
Abdul Lone, Lethbridge, Alberta
Jean Mukherjee, North Grafton, Mass.
Ashutosh Verma, Lexington, Ky.
Bacteriology/Mycology
Dr. Anurag Sharma, New York, received dual certification in immunology and virology.
Indiana VMA
Event: 128th annual meeting, Feb. 9–12, Indianapolis
Program: The meeting drew more than 400 veterinarians and 200 veterinary technicians and assistants, and offered in excess of 140 hours of continuing education.
Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Robert “Pete” Bill, West Lafayette, for cumulative service and accomplishments benefiting the profession, organized veterinary medicine, and the community. A 1980 graduate of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Bill is director of the veterinary technician program at Purdue. Dr. Bill is a past president of the Indiana VMA and chaired the IVMA Practice Act Task Force in 2008. Volunteer of the Year: Dr. John Johnston, Indianapolis, for leadership or service to a particular project or program of the association. A 1967 graduate of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Johnston worked for the Indiana Board of Animal Health until retirement. Earlier, he was with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry Inspection Program. Dr. Johnston has been a longtime member of the IVMA Annual Meeting Planning Committee. Achievement Award: Dr. Nathan Rich, New Castle, won this award, given to a member who has graduated within the past five years and made outstanding accomplishments in veterinary research, civic duties, academia, or organized veterinary medicine. A 2006 graduate of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Rich owns Country Acre Animal Clinic. Dr. Rich represents District X on the IVMA board of directors and chairs the IVMA Membership Committee. President's Award: Dr. Kristi Graham, Carmel. A 1995 graduate of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Graham works as an internist for Idexx Laboratories. Dr. Graham is chair of the IVMA Continuing Education Committee.
Officials: Drs. Paul Clemente, Fort Wayne, president; Philip Borst, Indianapolis, president-elect; John T. Feutz, Princeton, vice president; Aileen McDivitt, Kokomo, treasurer; and Lori Thompson, Kirklin, immediate past president
American Board of Veterinary Practitioners
Event: 17th annual symposium, April 12–15, San Antonio
Program: This year's symposium drew 332 diplomates, applicants, and candidates; other veterinarians; and veterinary technicians. Twenty-two hours of continuing education were offered. The symposium featured eight concurrent tracks, including a technician track and ones in avian, canine, equine, exotic companion mammal, feline, food animal, and reptile and amphibian medicine. A wet lab was held on “tricks and techniques” for exotic companion mammals and a dry lab on endoscopy in cats and dogs.
Awards: Companion Animal Student Case Report Award, sponsored by Merial: Christopher Bailey, Michigan State University, for “Chronic hydrothorax secondary to unilateral kidney disease.” Drs. Kim Buck, Birch Run, Mich., and Craig Datz, Columbia, Mo., were honored for their unwavering support and dedication to the ABVP. Drs. David Harling, Greensboro, N.C., and Henry Childers, Cranston, R.I., were each recognized for recertifying for a third time. Initially accredited in 1983, they are recertified through 2023.
Officials: Drs. Stephen Foulke, Lititz, Pa., president; Michael Erskine, Mount Airy, Md., president-elect; Amy Vogt, Richmond, Texas, vice president; Nicholas Nelson, Lynwood, Wash., treasurer; Craig Datz, Columbia, Mo., immediate past president; Kemba Marshall, Phoenix, avian regent; Robert Sager, Columbia, Mo., beef cattle regent; Norris McGehee, Memphis, Tenn., canine/feline regent; Scott Poock, Booneville, Mo., dairy regent; Bill Folger, Houston, feline regent; Billy Smith, Kennett Square, Pa., food animal regent; James Kober, West Olive, Mich., swine health management regent; Michael Dutton, Weare, N.H., exotic companion mammal regent; John Dascanio, Basseterre, St. Kitts, equine regent; Eric Klaphake, Colorado Springs, Colo., reptile and amphibian regent; and Tracey Jensen, Wellington, Colo., regent-at-large
Obituaries: AVMA member AVMA honor roll member Nonmember
Clarence C. Clark
Dr. Clark (COL ′42), 94, Lamoni, Iowa, died Dec. 31, 2011. He owned a mixed animal practice in Lamoni prior to retirement in 1992. Early in his career, Dr. Clark briefly worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a meat inspector in Kansas City, Mo. He was a Mason for more than 50 years. Dr. Clark is survived by three sons, a daughter, and three stepchildren.
Denise A. Conover
Dr. Conover (UP ′79), 58, Nazareth, Pa., died Dec. 10, 2011. A small animal veterinarian, she practiced at Easton Animal Hospital in Easton, Pa., for 12 years. Earlier in her career, Dr. Conover worked at Lewisburg Veterinary Hospital in Lewisburg, Pa. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Charles Rinehimer (UP ′79), a professor of biology and veterinary technology at Northampton Community College.
Tony D. David
Dr. David (KSU ′66), 70, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Jan. 7, 2012. A diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, he was director of laboratory animal resources at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., from 1988–2000. Earlier in his career, Dr. David served in the Air Force for 22 years, attaining the rank of colonel. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, and Navy Commendation Medal. His wife, Karen, and three sons survive him. Memorials may be made to Shands Cancer Hospital, P.O. Box 100386, Gainesville, FL 32610.
Theodore R. Eliason
Dr. Eliason (ONT ′35), 98, Lindstrom, Minn., died Nov. 26, 2011. Prior to retirement, he practiced in Renville, Minn., initially as a large animal veterinarian, and then focusing on small animals for the last 20 years of practice. Early in his career, Dr. Eliason worked for the state of Minnesota, testing cattle for tuberculosis. During that time, he worked in Kerkhoven, Hutchinson, Des Moines (where he was involved with federal poultry inspection), and Rush City. Dr. Eliason is survived by his son and daughter. Memorials may be made to Gideons, St. Croix Camp, 30630 Hornsby Drive N.E., North Branch, MN 55056.
Bryan L. Morrett
Dr. Morrett (CAL ′94), 51, Hughson, Calif., died Feb. 26, 2012. A dairy veterinarian, he worked for Mid Valley Large Animal Services in Turlock, Calif., since 1996, becoming a partner in 2001. Dr. Morrett also mentored new veterinarians and veterinary students. He was a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and was active with the 4-H Club and National FFA Organization. Dr. Morrett is survived by his wife, Carol; a daughter; and two sons. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123; or University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA 95616.
David J. Pearce
Dr. Pearce (AUB ′98), 39, Helena, Ala., died Jan. 20, 2012. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Patton Chapel Animal Clinic in Hoover, Ala. Dr. Pearce was a member of the Metro Sertoma Club. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and three daughters. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312; or UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, NP 2505, 1530 3rd Ave. S., Birmingham, AL 35294.
Richard H. Pinkston
Dr. Pinkston (OSU ′55), 85, Princeton, Ind., died Feb. 6, 2012. From 1970–1991, he worked for the Indiana State Board of Health in the meat inspection division. Earlier in his career, Dr. Pinkston owned a mixed animal practice in Princeton for 15 years. He served on the Gibson County Animal Services board of directors for more than 10 years. Dr. Pinkston was a life member of the Indiana VMA and a member of the Southwestern Indiana VMA and what is now known as the American Association of Senior Veterinarians. He served in the Army during the Korean War. Dr. Pinkston's wife, Lillian; a son; and a daughter survive him. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1701 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311; or Gibson County Animal Services, P.O. Box 474, Princeton, IN 47670.
Michael J. Pollack
Dr. Pollack (COR ′83), 54, Manorville, N.Y., died Feb. 19, 2012. A small animal veterinarian, for 26 years he was a partner/owner of Bellport Animal Hospital in Bellport, N.Y., and Animal Clinic at Sayville in Sayville, N.Y. Dr. Pollack was a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and a member of the Long Island VMA. In 2006, he received an LIVMA Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Pollack's three daughters survive him. Memorials may be made to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 1111 Stewart Ave., Bethpage, NY 11714; www.lustgarten.org.
Perry E. Schurr
Dr. Schurr (KSU ′56), 88, Dennis, Kan., died Nov. 12, 2011. Prior to retirement in 1986, he worked for the Department of Agriculture for 20 years. Earlier in his career, Dr. Schurr was in private practice. He served in the Navy during World War II. Dr. Schurr's wife, Mary Alice, and two sons survive him. Memorials may be made to Hospice Care, c/o Derfelt Funeral Home, 203 Illinois, Oswego, KS 67356.
Notify JAVMA within six months of a veterinarian's death at (800) 248-2862, Ext. 6754, or news@avma.org.
