50 Years Of Collegiality On And Off SlopesMay 5, 2010 Do you have a group of friends in the profession who mentor you and whom you enjoy being with? Ever since joining one special professional group, I have not missed one winter meeting. In fact, I have scheduled my life to spend time with this group as much as possible, with perfect attendance at the winter meetings for the past 38 years. Fifty years ago, Robert M. Miller, our profession’s famous veterinary cartoonist RMM and the author of “Mind Over Miller,” organized an association for veterinarians who love to ski and learn. The first four winter meetings were held at Mammoth Lakes, Calif. The founders were Dr. Miller and the late Drs. Mil Custer, John Puckett and Robert Stansbury. The group grew every year and evolved into the Sierra Veterinary Medical Association. The SVMA has forged a colorful history of collegiality, friendship, recreation, travel and professional enrichment. Dr. Miller retired more than 20 years ago from his Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Since then, Bob and his wife, Debby, have traveled the globe, working hard with the mission to liberate horses from slavery through “Natural Horsemanship.” Go to his website, RobertMMiller.com, for details. …
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We’ve Come A Long Way In 40 YearsMay 4, 2010 Back in the late 1960s, I applied for a job at three veterinary clinics, wanting to be a veterinarian. I got head shakes that said “no” and looks of pity. Once I was in veterinary school, it was obvious that women were not entirely welcome by some staff and classmates. I was the only student who was overtly upset when our pharmacology professor demonstrated seizure activity by administering a drug to a dog. After class, I approached our professor. “This is 1968,” I told him. “We have TV and film. I’d rather watch seizure activity on the screen so that only one dog would have to be subjected to this. Here we are in vet school to save animals and we feel horrible to see this type of unnecessary live demonstration.” The professor replied that he hated that particular class and that it was getting more difficult for him every year. He said he would film the next case so future classes would not feel so badly. Was I one of the first animal welfarists back then? Now, women are the majority in every U.S. veterinary school and ethical concern for animal welfare is standard procedure. …
Beyond Scalpels: Surgical SubstitutesMay 4, 2010 Veterinarians generally agree that the ability of laser surgery and electrosurgery to control hemorrhaging during surgery is among the benefits that make the technologies superior to the scalpel. Still, the price of the units, marketing and maintenance concerns delay some practitioners from becoming consumers. “Many veterinarians still use a scalpel instead of a laser or radiosurgery,” says Robert Slobody, DVM, of Meadowlands Veterinary Center in Willoughby, Ohio. “Scalpels are cheap and they work, but the veterinarians who stay with the scalpel exclusively don’t realize they can get their money back in little time using laser or electrosurgery and create practice revenue while enhancing the level of care for patients.” Any high-tech unit is a substantial financial investment, so there’s a lot to consider before making a purchase. Considering which procedures you’d use laser or radiosurgery for is a starting point. The type of animals operated on and your level of comfort with the technology are additional considerations. Veterinarians who have invested in these modalities suggest that a buyer learn how to use them before making the purchase and then create a marketing plan. “The success or failure of these technologies largely depends on technique,” says …
Staff Training Opportunities More Abundant And FlexibleApril 12, 2010 In the day-to-day bustle of veterinary clinics, staff training and education often get pushed aside because of a lack of time and resources. But myriad opportunities are available today for clinics to educate their staffs at a pace and price that suits everyone’s needs. Mark Stephenson, DVM, president of Lifelearn Inc. of Guelph, Ontario, notes that learning options “range from independent reading of journals and textbooks to attending local, regional and national veterinary conferences that include tracks for all types of paraprofessionals, including receptionists and animal health technicians.” Computer Learning E-learning has increased dramatically over the past five to 10 years as well, Dr. Stephenson says. Sources range from DVDs to websites. “Most people equate e-learning to online learning; however e-learning really encompasses any learning that is computer based,” Stephenson says. Over the years, this has evolved from CD-ROMs to Web-based learning and educational applications for PDAs and smart phones. David Grant, DVM, president of Animal Care Technologies in Denton, Texas, says standardized training programs—in which every staff member participates in a clearly defined learning path—have long been key to successful businesses. “One of the most profound changes to occur in veterinary staff …
Buy With ConfidenceApril 9, 2010 Veterinary trade shows are like shopping malls. Making a purchase based on desire alone is easy when every gadget and high-tech device seems to shout, “Buy me!” But those in the know advise making a list and checking it twice. A lot of planning needs to go into a major purchase long before a contract is signed or a credit card is run. Big Spender Robin Downing, DVM, estimates that she has spent about $1 million on equipment since 1992, shortly after buying her Windsor, Colo., practice. Among her purchases: • Two anesthesia machines with isoflurane vaporizers • Sevoflurane vaporizers to upgrade from isoflurane • Doppler blood pressure machines • Electric, stainless steel lift table on wheels (doubles as gurney) • Medium-capacity autoclave • Three single recessed X-ray viewboxes • Double recessed X-ray viewbox • CO2 surgical laser plus evacuation vacuum • Complete in-house lab (1994) •
Healed Hot Spot Turns Skeptic AroundMarch 4, 2010 Brandy Ellis, DVM, had heard laser therapy touted as a cure-all, which only fueled her skepticism that the technological advance might be all hype and no help with her day-to-day delivery of veterinary care. Then the clinic at which she works in Olive Branch, Miss., added a Companion Therapy Class IV laser, and she got a chance to test it. At first she and her colleague, Ruth Wilburn, DVM, used the laser to speed healing of incisions and to relieve post-operative pain. Then they found it was effective in treating back and muscle injuries. “We got a huge response in cases that had not previously responded to conventional methods,” Dr. Ellis says. So when client Pete Caldwell brought in Buddy, his German shepherd mix, because of an acute case of lick granuloma, she had laser therapy in the back of her mind. When the hot spot didn’t respond to oral and topical treatments, the laser moved front and center. The success enjoyed in this case has helped convert Ellis and her client into laser therapy believers. “I couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out,” says Caldwell, a Memphis, Tenn., resident. “For a …
Sometimes The Human-Animal Bond Transcends DeathMarch 2, 2010 Rescue, guide and other service and assistance dogs have a growing role in helping people. When these highly valued pets get sick or die, it is amazing how much their family and friends want to help. I’d like to introduce you to two special human-animal bonds that have transcended death. The participants in these bonds are as different as night and day. Former Constable James Symington was a strong young Canadian police officer with a big German shepherd search and rescue dog, Trakr. Disabled former truck driver Joe Martinez was always seen in the company his little Chihuahua-min pin mix assistance dog, Killer. Little Killer’s job was to dial 911 if Joe had trouble breathing through his tracheotomy tube or if he had another stroke or heart attack. Killer also picked up things for Joe and helped with daily routines as Joe made his way around town via the bus system and his motorized wheelchair. Everyone who saw Killer on Joe’s lap or behind his back on the wheelchair fell in love with him. Joe was happy to share his amazing service dog with friends and passers-by. Killer wore sunglasses and a little hat …
Banks Say They’re Still Lending, But ...February 7, 2010 Successful borrowing is still at the forefront of the minds of many practice owners. The banks are saying they are willing to lend, that all a practice owner needs to do is come on in and apply! But owners and vendors are complaining that getting a loan is not as easy as it used to be. An understanding of the true lending and borrowing climate is achieved only by gathering information and opinions from as many sources as possible. The major players, and the people practice owners need to listen to the most, are practice brokers, CPAs and transactional attorneys. Not everyone shares the same view, but all their opinions are important in evaluating the lending market. So, let’s see what some experts have to say. Divergent Views Ed Guiducci, a Colorado attorney with Guiducci and Guiducci, described the lending environment as “challenging.” He believes that veterinarians have had to become better managers of their practices. Trey Cutler, another Colorado attorney, feels that the lending environment has changed, “But I would not say that my clients are having significantly greater difficulty securing loans.” The results a given practice gets seem to heavily depend on …
Third-Party Financing Aids ProfitabilityFebruary 7, 2010 For 21 years, Bruce Little, DVM, cared for the animals of Bloomington, Ill., and he still looks back on that time with great pride and affection. But there’s one aspect of his practice he would just as soon consign to the dark crevices of history. “I’m sorry to say that I practiced in a time when euthanasia was one of the clinical options,” says Dr. Little, who now does veterinary practice consulting as principal at Las Vegas-based Bruce Little Associates after 23 years as an executive of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “It was a common part of the conversation,” he says. “ ‘We can pin the fibula, cast it, or euthanize the pet and you can go get another one.’ ” So perhaps no one is more pleased that these days veterinarians have clinical and financial tools that take economic euthanasia off the table. One tool is third-party financing, the value of which Little is working to help doctors and practice managers better understand. What It Is Third-party financing allows qualified clients to pay expenses over time, making it easier for them to say “yes” to more costly treatments when they don’t have …
For Some, CR Is Perfect Imaging FitFebruary 7, 2010 When John Endres, DVM, prepared to launch his small-animal practice in central New York state 18 months ago, he was determined to do his homework before investing in digital radiography. Speed, reliability, flexibility and cost all were at the front of his mind. His decision to go with CR—a computed radiography system—says a lot about how a systematic exploration of options can lead to a good imaging fit. Dr. Endres, owner and operator of Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital of Manlius, N.Y., chose Konica Minolta’s ImagePilot CR System. He decided on CR over DR after setting aside his wants and focusing on his practical needs. He knew he needed something other than a traditional film-and-wet-processing system because his hospital layout didn’t afford space for a darkroom. Plus he needed digital images so he could easily consult with and refer to specialists. He was impressed with the speed of the direct digital radiography systems he considered; some could deliver images in as little as six seconds, which would be a boon to large multidoctor hospitals, he noted. But Endres was opening a single-doctor practice, so he decided he didn’t need all that speed, considering that it …
