Featured Product | Horse Tips | Did You Know? | Meet The Reps | Ron's Corner
MAGA ZINE
ISSUE NO. 3 | Fall 2017
Featured Product
RABIES IS OUT THERE
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art of the occupational hazard you signed up for in veterinary school was potential exposure to zoonotic threats like rabies. And every couple years you faithfully get a titer check and, as needed, booster vaccination. While pre-exposure vaccination doesn’t eliminate the need for additional treatment after a rabies exposure, it decreases the extent of painful post-exposure treatment. Our horses have it much easier. One dose. Once a year. Excellent protection. It’s a shame that we still encounter equine rabies cases when prevention is so easy. At least two horses have succumbed to this invariably fatal disease just since July.1 Hopefully, for most of you, your rabies prophylaxis has never been tested. For others, maybe you encountered rabies long before your veterinary career, as was the case for our very own Dr. Bryant Craig.
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As a young boy on Christmas, Dr. Craig’s beloved 10-year old pony, Dolly, began acting funny. Two days later she was diagnosed with rabies post euthanasia. Not only did Dr. Craig have to go through painful gamma globulin treatment – along with his grandfather, father, uncle and the farmhand, who had all been in contact with the pony – but as a late Christmas present, he lost his horse.
Not only did Dr. Craig have to go through painful gamma globulin treatment...but as a late Christmas present, he lost his horse. At the time, rabies vaccination in the horse was somewhat unheard of. To think, all of this could have been prevented with a single-dose vaccination. With fewer than 100 cases of rabies reported in horses, donkeys and burros every year, it’s easy to disregard the disease. But while the incidence of rabies in the United States is low, the fatality rate is high – 100 percent. Furthermore, there is always the significant and serious potential for any infected animal to transmit the disease to humans, as described in Dr. Craig’s example. That’s why rabies vaccination is considered a core vaccine recommended by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) – every horse should be vaccinated, every year.2
Merck Animal Health
HORSE TIPS Rabies and Your Horse Few diseases are more feared than rabies, and for good reason. Unvaccinated horses that get rabies will die. All horses should be vaccinated annually.2
- Rabies is a virus that causes a neurological disease and can affect all animals - While the incidence of equine rabies is low, the fatality rate is high – 100 percent. At least two horses have fallen victim this year, just since July¹
We see an increased incidence of rabies infections in horses and other livestock in the late summer and fall due to peaks in wildlife populations. A horse’s curiosity can get the best of him, with bites typically occurring on the horse’s face and muzzle or lower limbs. Most exposures aren’t noticed and most bite wounds aren’t found. Since wildlife may enter barns (especially at night), both stalled horses and horses on pasture have the potential to be exposed. Now is a good time to remind owners of the need to keep their horses current on rabies vaccination.
Reach for EquiRab® – the only vaccine designed specifically for the horse EquiRab is the only monovalent rabies vaccine developed and labeled specifically for horses. EquiRab is long-lasting, providing a 14-month duration of immunity. It requires only one low-volume dose and is proven safe – 97.7% reaction free.3 For more information, including a horse-owner friendly downloadable fact sheet on equine rabies, visit GetVaccinatingRight.com.
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Equine Disease Communication Center (www.equinediseasecc.org)
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AAEP Core Vaccination Guidelines (www.aaep.org)
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Data on file. Merck Animal Health
- Horses contract rabies through the bite of an infected (rabid) animal, such as a raccoon, fox, skunk or bat - Rabies is zoonotic – meaning it can be passed from horse to human - The symptoms of rabies can be nonspecific, varied and can look like anything, including colic, lameness, incoordination, paralysis, muscle tremors, fever, depression and abnormal behavior - Be extremely cautious and call your veterinarian immediately if your horse has any of these signs - Vaccination is the only way to prevent your horse from contracting rabies – it is considered a “core” vaccine by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) - EquiRab® is the only monovalent rabies vaccine developed and labeled specifically for horses - For more information on rabies, visit
GetVaccinatingRight.com Fall 2017 | PARTNERS IN PRACTICE
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Did You Know?
MERCK ANIMAL HEALTH LEADING THE WAY IN RABIES ERADICATION EFFORTS THROUGH AFYA SERENGETI PROGRAM AND OTHER CHARITABLE EFFORTS
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fya Serengeti, which means “Health for Serengeti” in Swahili, started as a research project in the Serengeti in 1997. Led by Sarah Cleaveland, D.V.M., Afya Serengeti is now a rabies control project that works with local people to ensure widespread vaccination of domestic dogs. In the Serengeti, domestic dogs account for 85 percent of human exposures.
The United States is the largest donor of rabies vaccines, and for every rabies vaccine administered, a rabies vaccine is donated. Merck Animal Health has donated more than 2 million canine rabies vaccines through the Afya project. To learn more about this important initiative, visit AFYA.org.
The animal to human transmission of rabies is a real threat. Children in particular are vulnerable to contracting rabies because of their close association with pet dogs. Because the villages of the Serengeti do not have sophisticated medical services or easy access to hospitals, treatment is often lacking and many children die. Prevention through vaccination is therefore the best way to halt the spread of rabies and save lives in these villages.
In addition, Merck Animal Health donates its EquiRab® equine rabies vaccine to qualifying equine rescue and retirement facilities through the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign (UHVRC.org) – a partnership with AAEP. More than 25,000 doses of lifesaving vaccine have been provided since the program began in 2008.
You can make a difference simply by vaccinating pets in your clinic. For all the Nobivac® vaccines that you administer Merck Animal Health donates free rabies vaccines to the Afya Serengeti project in Tanzania and to Mission Rabies, which aims to totally eliminate rabies by 2030.
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Each Sept. 28, Merck Animal Health supports the World Rabies Day initiative, which was established by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control to spread a lifesaving rabies prevention message across the globe.
For the first time this year, 1,000 doses of EquiRab were donated to the Honduran Veterinary Ministry. Horses in the region are commonly bitten by vampire bats that often carry rabies. Held annually, this year’s ministry trip was May 20-27. Approximately 5,000 animals were treated during the six-day visit, including cats, dogs, horses, cattle, chickens and pigs.
The Science of Protected From the breeding barn to the show ring and everything in between, we have the vaccines you need to help protect your horse. • Made with the exclusive Antigen Purification System (APS™) • Contains the Havlogen® adjuvant veterinarians know and trust • Delivers core vaccine coverage according to American Association of Equine Practitioners recommendations Now that’s protected.
Ask your veterinarian for Prestige®, Encevac®, Prodigy® and EquiRab® brand vaccines. Visit us at GetVaccinatingRight.com to learn more about Merck Animal Health and the equine products and programs that help keep horses healthy. Every vaccine purchased through Merck supports the plight of the unwanted horse through the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign.
The Science of Healthier Animals 2 Giralda Farms • Madison, NJ 07940 • merck-animal-health-usa.com • 800-521-5767 Copyright © 2017 Intervet Inc., d/b/a/ Merck Animal Health, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. 3662 EQ-FP AD Vaccine Line
Meet The Reps
ANDREW STETSON Territory Sales Manager
North Carolina, South Carolina, S. Virginia, S. West Virginia andrew.stetson@merck.com 919-448-7039
Q&A
If you were a horse, what type of horse would you be? A wild horse living on the North Carolina coast. Over the past 20 years living in North Carolina, I’ve really grown fond of the topography and diversity of mountains and beaches. I love the beach and combining two of my passions would be pretty amazing. Plus, strangers would bring carrots and then leave you alone. It’d be great. Best horse advice you’ve ever received? A trainer of mine once shared a favorite quote, “Life will change without our permission. It’s our attitude that will determine the ride.” This stuck with me, as you will always get out what you put in. While trying to remain humble with horses, our patience as humans really speaks to our outcome with horses. Outside of the equestrian world, what is your favorite hobby? I’m a big outdoorsy guy – I love to kayak, hike, cycle – but my favorite outdoor hobby is camping in the mountains and combining these awesome activities together. How long have you been working for Merck Animal Health? I celebrated my 13th anniversary with the Merck Animal Health equine sales team in July. What is your favorite part of being an equine sales representative? Without question, interacting with my customers! I thrive on being able to help equine veterinarians do their job better by trusting the products and services Merck Animal Health brings to the table. I love being able to interact, train and help educate veterinarians and technicians alike. It makes my job so much fun, and I find great satisfaction in helping my customers succeed.
Tell us a little bit about your horse background. I was raised through the United States Pony Club, riding dressage and three-day eventing horses and started competing in combined driving when I was 10. I’ve worked with horses of all sizes, from draft to miniature, and find tranquility and peace in the mere smell of a horse. I firmly believe that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man. In the past five years, I’ve enjoyed putting together a four-in-hand of Welsh Mountain Ponies for combined driving and traditional stagecoaching in my spare time.
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If there were one thing you would want your customers to know about you, what would it be? My commitment to the horse - their patient. Our sales team is a family of knowledgeable horse people. Unlike so many in the industry, our family of reps come from the horse. We’ve all been raised around them, own them and interact with them daily. This makes for a team that understands the long days, the struggles of losing the good souls, the frustrations of not knowing all the answers. I stand behind my customers 100% and ensure they can trust the products and services that Merck Animal Health brings to the equine industry.
Meet The Reps
BOOTH FARWELL Senior Territory Sales Manager Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, E. Pennsylvania, N. Virginia, N. West Virginia booth.farwell@merck.com 443-686-1014 Tell us a little bit about your horse background. I have a long history with horses, though most of my equine career was spent training Thoroughbreds. I have had the honor to work with hall of fame trainers, great owners and, of course, some very special horses along the way. If you were a horse, what type of horse would you be? Shetland pony. I'd like to think that ponies live a great life. They’re independent, hardy and pampered…most of the time.
How long have you been working for Merck Animal Health? I have been with Merck Animal Health since 2009. What is your favorite part of being an equine sales representative? My favorite part of being an equine sales representative is being a resource for my customers, and helping them find solutions for their practice and the horse. If there were one thing you would want your customers to know about you, what would it be? I don’t see myself as just a sales rep; I’d like to think that I am a resource who has your best interests in mind.
Contact your Merck Animal Health rep to find out about any special offers.
Best horse advice you’ve ever received? I've received great advice throughout my career, but I will always remember being told to stay patient. Having patience is the foundation of a great horseman. Outside of the equestrian world, what is your favorite hobby? Free time is mostly reserved for my family, but I enjoy playing golf whenever possible.
Q&A Fall 2017 | PARTNERS IN PRACTICE
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Ron's Corner
RON ’S C OR N E R Volume 3
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ecently, a veterinarian, and friend of mine, was called by an owner to relay that a bat had attached itself to the face of one of the owner’s horses. The bat was extracted from the horse and sent in for testing, which confirmed the bat was positive for rabies. What a relief that owner must have felt, knowing her veterinarian had vaccinated her horse for rabies. I imagine the respect that owner has for her veterinarian increased considerably! As you may already have gathered, the focus of this issue is rabies so I thought I’d share a few things with you that you might not know. Rabies is found on every continent except Antarctica, and is present in over 150 Countries and territories. And here’s the statistic that shocks and saddens me: 60,000 people die each year due to rabies; 95 percent of these deaths occur in Africa and India. Children between the ages of 5 and 14 are the most frequent victims. Post-exposure prophylaxis costs approximately $40 in Africa and $49 in India but, where the average daily income is $1-2, far too many people go untreated. Here in the United States, our annual death rate due to rabies is 0 to 3 deaths per year, and is primarily a result of transmission from a wildlife reservoir. In Africa and India, 99 percent of the rabies deaths are a result of transmission from domestic dogs. Depressing information but there is light at the end of the tunnel. As you read earlier in this issue, Merck has partnered with AFYA (AFYA Serengeti Project) and with Mission Rabies to combat the rabies threat in Africa and India. Vaccinating dogs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people. For years we’ve provided resources and donated over 2 million rabies vaccines. The evidence that proactive, sustained vaccination programs can control domestic dog rabies is overwhelming. There have been no reported rabies outbreaks in areas where
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70 percent of the domestic dog population has been vaccinated. In an area where a successful vaccination program was studied in 2010, human rabies deaths decreased by 86 percent. By supporting Merck, through the purchase of our vaccines, you are indirectly supporting our efforts with the AFYA Serengeti Project and Mission Rabies.
high enough to warrant vaccination. And yet we see cases every year in places where people felt the rabies risk was low. The consequences of rabies exposure from an infected horse can result in post-exposure prophylaxis expenses of $3,000 to $8,000, and the consequence for a horse that contracts rabies is always death. That should be reason enough to vaccinate.
And what about horses? Most of you reading this realize that the AAEP has included rabies as a core vaccine in their AAEP Vaccination Guidelines. That doesn’t mean all horse owners will accept that recommendation and that’s our challenge as we educate and market to horse owners the importance of vaccinating horses for rabies. Even though equine rabies vaccines are very effective and safe, many owners don’t believe the risk in their area is
Since creating the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign 10 years ago, Merck Animal Health has donated thousands of doses of EquiRab to horse rescue facilities here in the United States.
I look forward to seeing you in San Antonio at the AAEP Convention,
Ron McDaniel Director, Equine Sales
Please reach out to your Merck Animal Health equine rep if you’d like help promoting rabies vaccination in your clinic. Fall 2017 | PARTNERS IN PRACTICE
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The Science of Healthier Animals 2 Giralda Farms • Madison, NJ 07940 • merck-animal-health-equine.com • 800-521-5767 Copyright © 2017 Intervet Inc., d/b/a/ Merck Animal Health, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. 3768-EQUINE-PIP-NEWSLETTER.