Pet food recall update
AHC/IS to conduct Aug. 2 information session
Conflict management training available
Dr. Christie Ward promotes Equine Center at agriculture open house
Clinical studies currently enrolling in the VMC
Doberman/golden retriever mix puppies and mom
Bailey, a blood donor cat
Pet food recall update
By Susan Detmer, D.V.M., Anatomic Pathology Resident
Background
As of May 25, investigations by the Food Safety and Inspection Service and Food and Drug Administration found four melamine compounds (melamine, cyanuric acid, ammeline and ammelide) in the contaminated pet foods, as well as swine feeds and poultry feeds (www.cfsan.fda.gov). The May 1 American Veterinary Medical Association press release listed the components of the urine crystals to be approximately 70 percent cyanuric acid and 30 percent melamine. They also stated that “tests mixing melamine and cyanuric acid in samples of cat urine resulted in almost immediate formation of crystals that were identical to crystals found in the kidneys of affected animals.”
VDL records contain cases of renal failure in animals exposed to recalled pet food
A retrospective examination of canine and feline necropsy records at the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory revealed 14 cases of renal failure with lesions compatible with toxic nephrosis between February 27 and May 7, 2007. Ten of the fourteen cases had known exposure to the recalled pet food. Of those ten, eight (two dogs and six cats) had kidney tissue submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System at the University of California-Davis for organic compound testing. The kidneys of one dog and four cats had melamine and cyanuric acid at or above the lowest concentration detectable by the lab (5 ppm), a positive test result.
For more information, go to www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html and www.avma.org/aa/petfoodrecall/default.asp
AHC/IS to conduct Aug. 2 information session
Information Systems staff will cover these topics and answer your questions in a brown bag lunch information session on Thursday, August 2, from noon to 1 p.m. in 125 Animal Science/Veterinary Medicine. Feel free to bring your lunch. No registration is necessary. Just show up!
Conflict management training available
University of Minnesota Training Services will be conducting conflict management courses on --
The training is required for Veterinary Medical Center employees, but open to other interested employees too. Sign up by contacting Nick Skaja at 4-4769 or skaja006@umn.edu.
Monday, July 23
New Employee Orientation
8:30 a.m.-noon
458 Veterinary Medical Center
Tuesday, July 24
Online Chemical Inventory Training
Noon-1 p.m.
125 Animal Science/Veterinary Medicine
Talk Isn't Cheap
Look at ways to improve work relationships by giving clear directions, using active
listening skills, and understanding hidden messages.
Sponsored by the University of Minnesota Office of Human Resources
Noon-1:30 p.m.
210 Donhowe
For more information and to register, go to www1.umn.edu/ohr/supervisors/lunchlearn.html
Friday, July 27
College-wide Personal and Professional Development Time
Noon-1 p.m.
What's ahead
Conflict Management Training: July 31, 2:00-4:30 p.m., 115 Pomeroy Center. Required for VMC employees, but open to other interested employees too. Sign up by contacting Nick Skaja at 4-4769 or skaja006@umn.edu.
AHC/IS Brown Bag Lunch Information Session: August 2, noon-1 p.m., 125 Animal Science Veterinary Medicine. Information Systems services, computer best practices, and more will be covered. No registration is necessary.
Hill's Pet Food Orders Due: August 3. Go to https://www.summationdata.com/hpn. For more information about the Hill's Pet Food Distribution program, contact Katie Cartledge, cart0333@umn.edu, Jaime Nett, nett0049@umn.edu, or Alisha Leonard, leona156@umn.edu.
Friday Professional Development Seminar: Burnout and Depression in the Workplace, presented by Jeannine Moga: August 3, noon-1 p.m., 280 Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Beverages and snacks provided.
Association of Avian Veterinarians Annual Conference: Aug. 4-9, Providence, Rhode Island. For details, go to www.conferenceoffice.com/aav/
Conflict Management Training: Aug. 7, 8:00-10:30 a.m., 115 Pomeroy Center. Required for VMC employees, but open to other interested employees too. Sign up by contacting Nick Skaja at 4-4769 or skaja006@umn.edu.
Ph.D. Thesis Defense Seminar-Detection and Characterization of Reassortant Swine Influenza Virsus, presented by Marie Gramer: Aug. 7, 10 a.m., 280 Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Advisors: Dr. Jim Collins and Dr. Sagar Goyal. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Pet First Aid: Aug. 7, 6-10 p.m., Veterinary Medical Center. $40 per person. Register with our cosponsor, the St. Paul Red Cross, by calling 651-291-6704 or online at www.stpaulredcross.org. Must be 16 or older to register.
Ribbon-Cutting Event for Linear Accelerator: Aug. 21, 7 p.m.
Hill's Pet Food Distribution: Aug. 23, 7:30-9:30 a.m. and noon-4 p.m., Gortner Avenue dock, Large Animal Hospital
Minnesota State Fair: August 23-September 3
Go to the Academic Health Center's calendar of events.
Go to the University of Minnesota campus events calendar.
Shaun Kennedy, director of the National Center for Food Protection and Defense and director of partnerships and external relations at the College, was quoted in "Food From China: Can You Trust It?" in the July 14 issue of the Star Tribune, online at www.startribune.com/535/story/1303235.html
Dr. Julia Ponder, executive director of The Raptor Center, Dr. Pat Redig, founder, Jan Williams, the College's communications director, Lori Arent, TRC clinic manager, and volunteer Shalini Latchman were quoted in "Raptor Center Revives National Symbol" in the July 11 issue of The Minnesota Daily, online at www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/07/11/72071The Raptor Center was mentioned in an article about peregrine falcons published in the July 14 issue of Toledo Blade, online at http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070714/NEWS06/707140381
Dr. Christie Ward promotes Equine Center at agriculture open house
Dr. Christie Ward of Large Animal Medicine Services promoted the Equine Center and answered questions from tour participants during the Agricultural Open House sponsored by the College of Food Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences on July 19.
Research news (top)
Clinical studies underway in the VMC
For a list of clinical studies currently enrolling in the Veterinary Medical Center, visit the Clinical Investigation Center Web site at http://www.cvm.umn.edu/cic/current.
Doberman/golden retriever mix puppies and mom
The mother dog and nine puppies (two dead) were found abandoned in a shed. Call Sabrina or Chris at 651-480-1923.
Bailey, a blood donor cat
Bailey, a blood donor cat in the Veterinary Medical Center, is ready to go to a foster home. She is a cute and cuddly grey-and-white domestic shorthair, healthy and up-to-date on vaccinations. If you are interested in adopting Bailey, please e-mail Dora at schro067@umn.edu or Beth at johns547@umn.edu
CVM This Week
Back issues of CVM This Week, from June 2004 to today's issue, are at http://www.cvm.umn.edu/newsandevents/publications/cvmthisweek/home.html.
Hills pet food distribution program
Food ordering is now done online through the Hills online ordering system at https://www.summationdata.com/hpn. For more information about the Hill's Pet Food Distribution program, contact Katie Cartledge, cart0333@umn.edu, Jaime Nett, nett0049@umn.edu, or Alisha Leonard, leona156@umn.edu.
Housing
For information about student and off-campus housing, including a housing and roommate search service, go to http://www.housing.umn.edu/.
Job openings
For information about positions available at the College, visit www.cvm.umn.edu/About/HumanResources/Employment /. For detailed information about current job openings, how to apply, and application materials, go to the University of Minnesota Office of Human Resources at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/employment/index.html.
The VMC Pulse
Issues are available online by logging in at http://www.cvm.umn.edu/vmc/staffresources/Pulse.html.
University of Minnesota Legislative Network News
http://ga4.org/u_of_m_leg_net/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=8620389&r=
Veterinary conferences
Dates, places, and links for national and international veterinary conferences are on the College Web site at http://www.cvm.umn.edu/newsandevents/conferences/home.html.
Veterinary Medical Library
For information about the Veterinary Medical Library, including new acquisitions, visit http://www.vetmed.lib.umn.edu/news.
Veterinary Practice News
Did you know that you can get a free subscription? Subscribe (or renew) online at www.vetpracticenews.com.
CVM This Week is a weekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Please submit news and calendar items for next week's issue to Sue Kirchoff, editor, at kirch004@umn.edu before noon Friday.
The University of Minnesota is an equal-opportunity educator and employer.