Recapping A Bit Of AVMA St. LouisSeptember 28, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association Convention in St. Louis provided a forum for numerous aspects of our profession. Philippe Cousteau presented a vital keynote address with awe-inspiring videos advocating global clean water and a sustainable earth. AVMA marked World Veterinary Year with a display created by Dr. Fred Born of the American Veterinary Medical History Society honoring the 250th anniversary of the first veterinary school in Lyon, France. Dr. J.F. Chary, the president of Vet2011, opened a full day symposium with Drs. Pappaioanou, Gorczyca, B.A. Miller, Vallat, Deem, Jessup, Vroegindewey, and Mazet, covering history, public health, wildlife and disaster response for improving global One Health. The Leo Bustad Companion Animal Award went to Dr. Nancy Kay, Dipl. ACVIM, for her book, “Speaking for Spot,” and her devotion to helping pet owners learn more about the health, care and well-being of their companion animals. The prestigious award is sponsored by The Delta Society, AVMA and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. At next year’s AVMA convention in San Diego, Dr. Kay will present the Bustad Memorial Keynote Lecture to kick off the human-animal bond sessions organized by Dr. Robin Downing, president of the American Association of …
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Purdue Vet School Launches Pet Aid Program For Low-Income ResidentsSeptember 28, 2011The Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine will launch a Good Samaritan Endowment Program to provide veterinary care to low-income residents in the Indianapolis area. The program is funded by a $100,000 anonymous donation made by an Indianapolis woman and a matching $100,000 donation given by Elanco Companion Animal Health of Greenfield, Ind. Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine dean Willie Reed. The program will provide basic wellness and routine treatment, such as vaccinations and heartworm prevention, for animals whose owners reside in and around Marion County, Ind., and who cannot afford veterinary care. Fourth-year veterinary and veterinary technician students will have an opportunity to learn through hands-on experience. “With the difficult economy, more and more families are being financially stressed, and there is great need for the Good Samaritan project,” Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine dean Willie Reed. “It also will be an opportunity to introduce young people from families involved in the program to careers in veterinary medicine. These children may not otherwise learn about the possibility of a veterinary medical career.” In addition to the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine and its Veterinary Teaching Hospital, three Marion County veterinarians will help administer the program. The veterinarians, …
VHMA Annual Conference Set For OctoberSeptember 27, 2011 The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association will host its 2011 Annual Conference Oct. 13-16 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio. The conference’s theme is “Reaching New Heights: Educating. Achieving. Connecting,” and the event will include 18 continuing education credit hours for attendees or 19 hours for Certified Veterinary Practice Managers. In honor of the VHMA’s 30th anniversary, the association will host a VHMA Jeopardy! competition on Oct. 14 as part of the conference. Contestants will be quizzed on their knowledge of well-known, obscure and fun facts about the association’s history and milestones. The event will take place in front of a live audience and prizes will be awarded. Sessions at this year’s conference will be on topics including: • Identifying skills that can be used to empower the team and better lead the practice; • Best practices in software usage; • Strengthening communication with clients; • Uncovering the components that distinguish a well-managed practice from others; and • Strategies for becoming more media savvy to better position your practice. Additional breakout sessions by track will address needs of managers ranging from new to seasoned. More information on the conference …
AVMA Calls For Support To Quash Vet Prescription ActSeptember 26, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association rebutted Walmart's recent message in support of H.R. 1406, the Fairness to Pet Owners Act, in a statement issued to AVMA members today. The bill was introduced on April 6, 2011, in the House of Representatives by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and Terry Lee, R-Neb., and was referred to the Subcommittee on Health, where it has remained. The act would require a veterinarian to do the following when prescribing a drug for animals: • Provide the pet owner a copy of the veterinary prescription; • Provide the pet owner with a written disclosure that the pet owner may fill the prescription through the prescriber (if available) or through another pharmacy determined by the pet owner; and • Provide or verify the prescription by electronic or other means consistent with applicable state law, if requested by any person designated to act on behalf of the pet owner. The act would prohibit veterinarians from setting the following conditions for providing a copy of the prescription or verifying a prescription: • Requiring the purchase of the drug from the prescriber or from another person; • Requiring payment in addition to, or as a part of, …
AAHA Updates Canine Vaccination GuidelinesSeptember 26, 2011The American Animal Hospital Association released its 2011 Canine Vaccination Guidelines on Friday. The guidelines were originally created in 2003 and had not been updated since 2006. They offer a review of canine vaccines licensed in the U.S. and Canada, updated recommendations for core versus non-core vaccines, and revised recommendations for shelter-housed dogs. The task force responsible for developing the guidelines included experts in immunology, infectious diseases, internal medicine, law and clinical practice. Among the improvements for 2011 is a new Frequently Asked Questions section to address common questions posed to the task force by practicing veterinarians. The section is divided into four categories, including administration of vaccines, vaccine products, vaccine adverse events, and legal issues pertaining to vaccinations. Many of the questions included were derived from FAQ’s developed by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Vaccine Guidelines Group. Other changes to the 2011 edition include updated recommendations on serologic testing, expanded discussion on vaccine adverse events, review of the legal implications associated with administering vaccines in clinical practice, and full consideration of both U.S. and Canadian canine vaccination regulations. “Having served on every AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines Task Force to date (2003, 2006, 2011), I am confident in saying …
Avoid Mental Taxation: Plan Ahead On Major PurchasesSeptember 26, 2011 While current tax law allows for healthy deductions on purchases and bonus depreciation, accountants say making a purchase solely for a tax writeoff is not a good idea. However, if a purchase is inevitable, this year is the time for it as ever-changing tax laws may mean fewer write-offs starting in 2012. “The benefit that awaits a veterinarian is not the tax savings on the purchase of capital equipment, although that is a great perk for consummating the transaction,” says Mark McGaunn, CPA/PFS, CFP, a managing member of McGaunn and Schwadron CPAs LLC, in Needham Heights, Mass. “The benefits to be gained are the potential additional revenues to be generated, the additional skills and responsibilities that doctors and other staff can learn, making each more valuable, and ultimately the increased level of care that can be rendered to a patient base wanting or needing the additional dynamic the purchase will bring to the veterinary practice. “I always like to be cognizant of the financial rewards that follow large capital investments in a practice, but it’s the intangible and hard-to-measure soft rewards that may yield greater dividends. Waiting to make the purchase may delay these potential dividends.” …
Fipronil Generics Launch Amid Legal BattleSeptember 26, 2011 Novartis Animal Health US Inc. has launched new EPA-approved flea and tick control products for dogs and cats to be available through U.S. veterinarians this summer. Parastar for dogs and EasySpot for cats are species-specific formulations of fipronil, a flea and tick adulticide. Parastar and EasySpot are registered in more than 40 states. Meanwhile, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia granted contempt motions filed by Merial Ltd. and Merial SAS against Velcera and FidoPharm and their contract manufacturer for PetArmor Plus, Cipla Limited. The court stayed its order for 60 days to allow for an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals. PetArmor Plus remains on the market at Walmarts and Sam’s Clubs. Velcera and FidoPharm say they intend to seek an expedited appeal and will defend their ability to continue selling PetArmor Plus, a generic fipronil formulation. Velcera and FidoPharm say they intend to pursue the action they filed in federal district court in Delaware in February, seeking a declaratory judgment that Merial’s patent on a particular composition containing fipronil and s-methoprene is invalid and not infringed by PetArmor Plus. The validity of Merial’s patent was not at issue …
Laaman To Host Free Revenue Boot CampSeptember 23, 2011 Laura Laaman and Associates of Wilton, Conn., will host a free Revenue Boot Camp for Veterinarians and Practice Managers on Oct. 17, 2011, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. CT at the Hilton Garden Inn in Houston. Laaman and Associates has hosted revenue boot camps for pet lodging facilities as part of its Outstanding Pet Care Consulting Program, but this is the first veterinary-specific program the company has offered. Speaker, author, sales trainer and consultant Laura Laaman will lead the boot camp. The program will provide techniques for veterinarians and practice managers to promote pet wellness by increasing compliance. Laaman and Associates said these strategies will contribute to healthier pets, happier pet parents and increased practice revenue. The presentation will cover a variety of topics, including turning a phone into a revenue-generating machine, converting inquiries into appointments instead of sending them to the competition and differentiating a practice. Registration for the boot camp can be found here or by calling 203-379-1271. <Home>
BVA To Launch CM-SM Screening SchemeSeptember 23, 2011 The British Veterinary Association’s Kennel Club Canine Health Schemes management committee will roll out a new scheme to screen dogs for chari-like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM) in January 2012, the BVA reported today. The program will focus on dogs for potential breeding stock, especially the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – the most common breed to be born with the congenital defect that leads to SM. The BVA said the aim of the screen is “to reduce, and hopefully eliminate, the incidence of inherited CM and SM in dogs.” Chari-like malformation, also known as caudal occipital malformation syndrome, is characterized by a congenital malformation of the occipital bone, resulting in a crowded caudal fossa and cerebellar herniation at the foramen magnum. The subsequent disruption of cerebral spinal fluid flow results in the formation of SM, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. The condition is also suspected to be inherited in a number of other toy breeds including Griffon Bruxellois, King Charles Spaniels, Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Affenpinschers and Maltese, according to the BVA. An owner wishing to take part in the scheme will first need to have an MRI …
Vet Students Have High Depression Rates, Study FindsSeptember 21, 2011 Veterinary students are more likely to struggle with depression than human medicine students, undergraduate students and the general population, according to several recent studies from Kansas State University researchers. Mac Hafen, therapist and clinical instructor in K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, and researchers from K-State, the University of Nebraska and East Carolina University examined depression and anxiety among veterinary medical students. “We are hoping to predict what contributes to depression levels so that we can intervene and make things run a little bit more smoothly for students,” Hafen said. Once a semester for the past five years, the researchers surveyed veterinary students in various stages of academic study. The survey helped uncover a rate of depression occurrence and understand how it related to the amount of stress veterinary students experience during their four years of study. During the first year of veterinary school, 32 percent of the veterinary medicine students surveyed showed symptoms of depression, compared with 23 percent of human medicine students who showed symptoms above the clinical cutoff, as evidenced by other studies. The researchers discovered that veterinary students experience higher depression rates as early as the first semester. Their depression rates …
