Where did all the vet techs go?September 30, 2016Here at Veterinary Practice News, we try to poke fun at the difficult aspects of the veterinary technician profession. (We call them #vettechproblems.) But joking aside, there are some serious issues in the vet tech profession.
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When to spay/neuter cats? Vet consensus says fix by five monthsSeptember 13, 2016It’s a simple client question without a simple answer. “When do I spay or neuter my kitten?” Organized veterinary medicine offers numerous answers to the question. Individual veterinarians are all over the map, too, and often their answers are vague, leaving cat owners dizzy.
Why catching CDS early in pets makes all the differenceAugust 31, 2016A 14-year-old Lhasa Apso cross showed no signs of cognitive dysfunction until stress began to creep into his home. First, his owner was hospitalized for a period, so a dog sitter showed up. Then the other dog in the household died. By that time the Lhasa Apso was becoming needier and was experiencing sensory issues and apparent deafness.
How the 'gig economy' affects the future of veterinary industryAugust 26, 2016In 2001, author Daniel H. Pink published Free Agent Nation: How Americans New Independent Workers Are Transforming the Way We Live. The term 'Free Agent Nation,' was one he coined back in 1997 to predict the trend in the workforce toward freelancing, temporary work, self-employment and the rise of independent contractors.
7 qualities of a good veterinary practice ownerJuly 11, 2016In our profession, most veterinary practices are owned by — wait for it — veterinarians! Yes, there are some states that allow non-DVM owners, but for our purposes, we are speaking to those practice owners out there with DVM behind their name — and a LOT on their plates!
11 times Tumblr summed up studying equine medicineJune 20, 2016"Horses sometimes seem almost single-mindedly bent on hurting themselves..." That's from Dr. David Ramey's article "What’s Good to Put on a Horse’s Wound?" and it perfectly sums up equine medicine in a nutshell. There's also these Tumblr posts that will leave you asking, "how are horses not extinct?"
All about zoo and aquarium vetsJune 17, 2016Veterinarians work hands-on with all types of animals every day. Some treat cats and dogs, while others care for exotic animals like camels and tigers, perform surgery on goldfish, or assist in programs to rebuild the populations of endangered species.
5 Things We Love and Sometimes Hate in the Veterinary PracticeFebruary 11, 2016Love is in the air. Lots of it. But you wouldn’t know it by following the news. Presidential primaries, Syrian refugees, Parisian atrocities, Putin’s posturing, domestic xenophobia. It’s enough to make you question whether there’s any room in our frigid human hearts for snow cones and bunny rabbits, much less Valentine’s Day. Thankfully, though, I’ve amassed plenty of evidence to the contrary. After a tumultuous first year in my own veterinay practice, I’ve learned a lot of tough lessons the hard way. I’ve also managed to be excited, uplifted and even awed by the many ways in which practice ownership, and veterinary practice in general, can inspire the best in us. Unfortunately, it also can awaken the worst. But just because we want to strangle the occasional human doesn’t mean we have to behave like serial killers. I’m finally beginning to understand that becoming a veterinary professional doesn’t automatically mean that the world will bend to my will. Nor does buying the practice increase my control of the world around me; ironically, quite the opposite in my case. We still have to deal with people who …
6 Exam Codes Every Veterinary Practice NeedsJanuary 18, 2016Originally published in the January 2016 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Did you enjoy this article? Then subscribe today! When clients check out after appointments, every type of consultation is coded under “office call” in your veterinary practice management software. Your first exam is with an 8-week-old puppy who will be due for care again in three weeks. Your second exam is a cat with renal disease who needs to return in three months. Your third exam is a dog with an ear infection who you want to see again in two weeks. How will you ensure that all three patients return at the appropriate intervals if the same exam code is used? Worse yet, charging a flat exam fee could result in lower practice income. Here are six exam codes that every practice needs. Update your practice management software so reminders are accurate, patients get needed follow-up care and future revenue is guaranteed. 1) Pediatric Preventive Care Exam This exam code is for puppies and kittens and issues reminders every three to four weeks based on your standards of care. For example, the pediatric …
