Is more debt good for your financial future?July 28, 2020If you're hoping to buy or expand a practice, you may think your educational debt means you won't be able to get a business loan. Even if you could get funded, the very idea of adding a few hundred thousand dollars in debt may give you what is commonly, if not medically, described as the heebie-jeebies. It's time to change your thinking. Not only are you likely to be overwhelmed with lenders happy to do business with you, but owning a profitable practice is also one of the best ways to pay down your student loans in less time. That will leave you able to do things you'd like better than servicing personal debt. Think buying a home, saving for retirement or your kids' college fund, or going on real vacations. "Being in business for yourself and growing that business makes sense," says Greg O'Brien. He and his wife, Emily, own O'Brien Veterinary Group in the greater Chicago area. "Getting your mind set to do that can be challenging, even for a group of people as intelligent as veterinarians. Often, the first thing so many veterinarians need to do is examine and reprogram their relationship with money." Understanding the number …
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Is glucosamine effective for treating osteoarthritis?July 27, 2020As trained members of a scientific profession, it is best to understand why anecdotal evidence supporting the use of glucosamine is not a sufficient justification for recommending or selling it to client.
Test your knowledge with the August Brain Teaser!July 27, 2020Can you solve this puzzle? Test your veterinary knowledge with the August Brain Teaser!
Injectable sedative pulled due to lidocaine contaminationJuly 27, 2020Fresenius Kabi USA, in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), issued a voluntary recall of two lots of dexmedetomidine HCl in 0.9 percent sodium chloride (NaCl) injection.
Increased diversity, inclusivity at center of industry-wide challengeJuly 27, 2020The Pet Sustainability Coalition has teamed up with technology platform WeSpire to create a 30-day challenge aimed at inspiring 1,000 small actions to lay the groundwork for long-term DEI improvement.
Easing anxiety top-ranking task for PTSD service dogsJuly 23, 2020Disrupting episodes of anxiety might be the most incredible gift a service dog can give to a handler diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveBright ideas in veterinary ophthalmologyJuly 23, 2020The field of veterinary ophthalmology is always evolving, uncovering new theories, diagnostics, treatments, and surgeries. The Vision for Animals Foundation (VAF) is funding various ophthalmology studies, including one led by University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center resident Kayla Banks, DVM, that is comparing cleaning and sterilization protocols for diamond burr tips used in diamond burr debridement for canine superficial chronic corneal epithelial defects. Another study, led by Maggie Jinks, DVM, a resident at the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, is looking at the role of extrinsic forces on lens cell mitosis. Lionel Sebbag, DVM, DACVO, assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, says there are continued efforts in the veterinary ophthalmology community to find new diagnostic tools and therapies to improve patient comfort and vision. "For instance, there are task forces working on glaucoma and sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS), two devastating diseases resulting in vision loss," he says. "Further, the recent advances in genetics are exciting, and it is only a matter of time before they fully benefit veterinary patients. "A better understanding of genetics will help reduce the prevalence of serious inherited ocular diseases, such as progressive retinal …
New resource keeps COVID out of the workplaceJuly 21, 2020As part of an ongoing effort to ensure the health and safety of veterinary teams amidst the pandemic, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has shared a new resource for veterinarians and practice managers.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveImproving the outlook for brain tumor patientsJuly 21, 2020The path to discover and perfect new cancer treatments is long and expensive. It can take more than a decade and cost over $2 billion to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a new therapeutic before it reaches the marketplace. To expedite the process, researchers are thinking outside the box—or rather, outside their own species. The concept of comparative medicine (i.e. One Medicine) has great potential to accelerate the development of new cancer treatments. By examining the similarities and differences in biology among different species (e.g. dogs and humans), we gain increased understanding of the mechanisms of disease in each. This comparative medicine model, as demonstrated in the field of neuro-oncology by the Comparative Brain Tumor Consortium (CBTC), has already shown promising results. Launched by the Comparative Oncology Program (COP) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 2015, CBTC comprises veterinarians, physicians, and basic researchers who have joined forces to improve outcomes for dogs and humans affected by brain cancer by using more predictive and accurate preclinical models. Laboratory animal models don't always adequately mimic the complex genetic, biologic, and environmental conditions of the human experience. Dogs get many of the same spontaneous cancers as humans, and their genome is …
"Golden oldies" could unlock secrets of canine cancerJuly 20, 2020Pinpointing why some dogs get cancer and others do not is the focus of Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.
