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News you need to know  Top
Breaking bacteria's stronghold
A new antimicrobial compound, developed in part by a veterinary researcher at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, may be the latest weapon in fighting some of the most drug-resistant bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Dr. Branson Ritchie and his colleagues have developed an innovative topical antimicrobial that increases the potency of currently available antibiotics, making the bacteria more vulnerable to drugs while also reducing wound pain and the time it takes a patient to heal. For more information, contact Tracy Giese at 706-583-5485 or tgiese@uga.edu.
Tiny — with a punch
It's true: Good things do come in small packages. Dr. Deryl Troyer and a team of researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University are working on fighting cancer by using tiny capsules – also known as nanogels – to deliver stem cells that contain disease-fighting drugs directly to breast cancer cells. When the stem cells zero in on the breast cancer target, they release the cancer-fighting drugs more efficiently and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. For more information, contact Joe Montgomery at 785-532-4193 or jmontgom@vet.k-state.edu.
Easing the effects of epilepsy
The discovery that a drug normally used to treat sleep disorders may also help control seizures in animals with epilepsy may lead to new hope for humans. Armed with a $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Doodipala Reddy and his research team at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine have found that the drug helps control seizures in animals with a form of epilepsy that is often resistant to drug therapy. Their findings surpassed expectations, and the researchers' goal is to develop a drug therapy for human epilepsy patients that will improve their quality of life without side effects. For more information, contact Dave Green at 919-513-6662 or david_green@ncsu.edu.
News you might not know Top
What to do about dog bites?
When dogs bite people, animal aggression becomes a public health issue. And with children making up nearly half of the 4.7 million dog bite victims in the U.S. each year, adults play a critical role when it comes to preventing such close encounters. The results of a survey published in the Nov. 1, 2008, issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association suggest that dog owners frequently had only limited knowledge of dog behavior and often were unaware of factors that increased the risk of dog bites to children. For more information, contact David Kirkpatrick at 847-285-6782.
News you can use Top
American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention, Dec. 6, 2008 – Dec. 10, 2008: More than 4,000 equine veterinarians will gather in San Diego, Calif., to share their insights and learn from experts on topics such as MRSA in horses and the veterinary personnel who care for them, farriery and emergency care for racing and performance horses. For more information, go to www.aaep.org.
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