Research aims to unlock secrets of bat longevity Researcher Linfa Wang is assembling a team to dig into the bat genome in an effort to understand the resilience and longevity of the animals, which serve as an important reservoir of zoonotic disease. Researchers have traced the origins of bats to more than 50 million years ago, and today, bats number more than 1,100 species. "The most outstanding difference we've seen between bats and other mammals has to do with DNA repair," Wang said. "If the science is as true as we think it is, we can unlock the mechanisms and it can have a huge, huge impact." Bloomberg (8/20)  | Veterinary Medicinal Products Play a Key Role in Promoting Animal Health. DIA and IFAH are hosting the Global Animal Health Conference: Developing Global Animal Health Products to Support Food Security and Sustainability, October 17-18 in Arlington, VA. This two day conference will provide a platform to discuss methods of maximizing the development and use of animal health products to support food security and sustainability.
View Program Agenda here. | | Spate of bear attacks highlights rare occurrence Bears have attacked seven people in five states in less than a week, including a 12-year-old Michigan jogger who got the bear to back off by playing dead. Some experts blame urban sprawl and say summer brings more attacks as outdoor activities place humans and bears in closer proximity. Although a 2011 study documented an increase in attacks over time, experts note that attacks overall are low relative to the number of bears, people and encounters between the two. "Black bears are generally fearful of humans and will usually leave if they become aware that people are present," according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. CNN (8/20) Unraveling the mysteries of cat behavior Cats purr when they're apparently content, but they may also do so to calm themselves amid stress, according to blogger Steve Dale, who explores cat behavior in this post. Excitement could explain furniture clawing, and cats who roll onto their backs are probably not seeking a belly rub. Cats licking their lips are not doing so to indicate hunger; rather, they may be displaying a sign of nausea. Unlike that of their canine counterparts, cat behavior can be difficult to understand and easy to misinterpret, Dale writes. ChicagoNow.com/Steve Dale's Pet World blog (8/19) Other News | Why Lepto Threatens All Dogs & How to Help Explore new research on the often-overlooked threat of leptospirosis (lepto for short). Plus, learn about ULTRA™ Duramune® 4L. It's a new vaccination option offering 50% less volume for a comfortable injection while helping protect patients with proven efficacy and safety. Read more now | | | | | SHOP exchanges offer more health coverage options for small businesses Some states will open health insurance exchanges this year under the Affordable Care Act's Small Business Health Options Program, intended to give more choices to employees at businesses with fewer than 50 workers. Employers will define a set contribution for worker coverage, and the exchange will take care of transactions with the insurer. Employees who purchase insurance through a SHOP exchange will not be eligible for tax credits, and employee choice via SHOP exchanges will be delayed a year in the 33 states that chose to let the federal government run their insurance exchanges. Kaiser Health News (8/20)  | Work IN your business, not ON your business Try Managed Marketing with Mediastead. Finding balance between serving clients and promoting your business can be tricky. Too busy with customers, your marketing suffers. Slow your marketing, your cash flow suffers. Marketing is what we do best. Working with animals and their owners is what you do best. Let us help you get back to work. Learn more about Managed Marketing. | | Humans caring for feral populations at risk of rabies exposure, researchers argue The AVMA estimates there are 74 million pet cats in the U.S., but the number of feral felines is believed to reach as high as 150 million. Increased efforts to provide food and care to feral cats are putting humans at risk of exposure to rabies, according to CDC researchers. Veterinarian Jane Brunt says cats must be vaccinated against rabies as kittens, then one year later and at three-year intervals after that. Capturing and vaccinating feral animals frequently enough would be hard, according to veterinarian Charles Rupprecht of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control. USA Today (8/18)  |
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 | What federal legislation impacts veterinary medicine? AVMA's Governmental Relations Division closely monitors federal legislation that could bear an impact on animal and human health and the veterinary medical profession. The current session of Congress has introduced many key bills that will promote animal welfare, boost funding for agricultural research and food safety programs, address pharmaceutical issues, create opportunities for students and small business owners, and address myriad other issues. View AVMA's 113th Congress Legislative Agenda (pdf) for a list of key federal legislation, organized by issue area, which the AVMA is currently monitoring. |  | Some people grumble because roses have thorns; I am thankful that the thorns have roses." -- Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, French critic | | | The news summaries appearing in Animal Health SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The AVMA is not responsible for the content of sites that are external to the AVMA. Linking to a website does not constitute an endorsement by the AVMA of the site or the information presented on the site. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at avma@smartbrief.com. | Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions.
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