News Release - Dinner in honor of Carl Osborne

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contact: Jan Williams, College of Veterinary Medicine, 612-624-6228

What: Dinner honoring Carl Osborne, founder of the Minnesota Urolith Center

When: Thursday, June 10, 2004

Where: American Society of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum, Minneapolis Convention Center

Dinner to Honor Carl Osborne, Founder of the Minnesota Urolith Center

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (June 10, 2004) - The Society of Veterinary Nephrology/Urology will host a dinner in honor of Carl Osborne, D.V.M., on June 10 at the American Society of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

A professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Osborne was the founder of the Minnesota Urolith Center, which analyzes urinary stones from animals and develops noninvasive methods of preventing and treating urinary disorders. Osborne will be part of the ACVIM's "Cutting Edge of Animal Health" press briefing on Friday, June 11, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. in Room M101A of the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The Minnesota Urolith Center was established at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1981 to investigate the causes, treatment, and prevention of debilitating and often fatal urinary diseases in animals, including Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), stones, bacterial infections, high blood pressure, and kidney failure. Each year, millions of companion animals are treated for these conditions. Today, a significantly higher percentage survive, thanks to the efforts of Osborne and his colleagues at the Minnesota Urolith Center.

Using state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques, the center has analyzed more than 250,000 bladder and kidney stones from more than 70 species of companion, farm, and wild animals throughout the world - more than any other facility of its kind. The data collected from the stones are essential to developing new and non-invasive treatments and diagnostic tools for veterinarians.

"Carl Osborne's scientific contributions have made a significant impact on the lives of animals over the years and the Urolith Center is a testament to this extraordinary effort," says Jeffrey S. Klausner, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The dinner in Osborne's honor is being sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition, an innovative leader in the field of veterinary clinical nutrition. Hill's is a longtime, primary supporter of Dr. Osborne's work and the Minnesota Urolith Center. At the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Hill's has contributed more than $5 million toward furthering the field of veterinary medicine and provided graduate student salary support of approximately $1.25 million. In 1996, Hill's also donated $50,000 toward the Osborne Hill's Endowed Professorship in Nephrology/Urology, which the University of Minnesota established to recognize Osborne's contributions to veterinary science. More than $1,375,000 already has been raised, and another $625,000 is needed to meet the goal.

"Hill's Pet Nutrition is proud to pay tribute to Dr. Osborne's extraordinary contributions to the medical care of companion animals," said Dr. Mary Beth Leininger, director, professional affairs, Hill's Pet Nutrition.

Nearly 3,000 veterinarians and veterinary technicians from around the country are expected to attend the 22nd annualACVIM Forum at the Minneapolis Convention Center June 9-12.

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