Doing veterinary dentistry rightAugust 17, 2018According to many veterinary professionals, the single greatest piece of advice for purchasing dental equipment is: don’t skimp.
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Veterinary practice trends webinar highlights further industry consolidationAugust 17, 2018In just five years, 25 percent of veterinary practices, accounting for half of all veterinary visits, will be corporately owned, according to Brakke Consulting. During a webinar presented at the end of June, "Hot Topics in Veterinary Practice," Brakke senior consultant John Volk said myriad variables were contributing to the trend: looming mass veterinarian retirement, fewer vets wanting to own practices, low interest rates and high interest for investors, and more. The webinar also discussed the largest veterinary consolidators; Banfield Pet Hospital and VCA lead the way with nearly 2,000 practices; National Veterinary Associates counts more than 400 clinics, and VetCor has more than 200. Something corporate outfits can offer that consumers want is the convenience of pet health plans, which allow pet owners to pay in regular installments, increase clinic visits and revenue, improve patient care, attract new clients, and build a bond between the practice and the client. To counteract corporate sales, Volk said associates should work with a current owner, partner with others, and focus on one- and two-doctor practices. Other sectors of the profession mimic the consolidation trend. The top five animal drug manufacturers, Bayer Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco Animal Health, …
Diabetes and dental diseaseAugust 16, 2018As veterinary practitioners, we see our fair share of diabetic patients who require extensive dental work. The goal with these patients is to improve their quality of life and, in some cases, improve glycemic control by removing a source of chronic infection in the form of periodontal disease. The challenge is to “do no harm” in the process. Invariably, oral surgery will set back the appetite of any patient. Lack of appetite becomes a bigger issue when a patient has diabetes and is supplemented with injectable insulin.
Uses, evidence, and safety of laser therapyAugust 16, 2018At its simplest, laser therapy is the application of light to living organisms to improve health. However, great detail exists behind this simple idea. The wavelength and power of the laser, the location and duration of exposure, the number of treatments, and many other variables are crucial to the effects achieved.
Make Facebook work for your clinicAugust 16, 2018Social media is an important tool for any business today, including veterinary medicine. According to Statista, more than 81 percent of the U.S. population has at least one social media account. Importantly, 68 percent of U.S. adults use Facebook, and of that group, 74 percent of them access Facebook daily. When Americans access their Facebook accounts, they spend nearly 20 minutes per session on the platform.
AAVMC establishes scholarship fundraising awardAugust 16, 2018The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) has created an annual award to inspire and recognize professional excellence and achievement in fundraising for student scholarships among member institutions. The AAVMC Award for Fundraising Excellence in Student Scholarships will consist of a $1,000 honorarium and a commemorative, and will be presented in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association of Veterinary Advancement Professionals. "Creating this award is part of our strategic interest in helping advance the Veterinary Debt Initiative," said Andrew T. Maccabe, DVM, MPH, JD, and AAVMC CEO, adding that the award is focused exclusively on scholarship resource development and is not intended to recognize comprehensive program excellence in fundraising. "Increasing the amount of scholarship resources available for students in our member institutions is a viable strategy for creating a more financially sustainable operating environment for our students and recent graduates." All resources considered within the award program must be nonpublic sector resources (private, corporate, and foundation gifts) specifically earmarked for student scholarships. Planned versus actual gifts will be officially recognized based upon established standards in professional fundraising. Development programs within any AAVMC member institutions are welcome to participate in this recognition program; the performance window evaluated …
PetSmart Charities earmarks $500K for 21 North American vet schoolsAugust 16, 2018PetSmart Charities announced it is donating more than half a million dollars in total to 21 of North America's veterinary colleges and universities to fund new scholarships, research grants, and student ambassadorships. Through this investment, the organization said it hopes to foster career interest in the field of shelter medicine and empower veterinary students to promote and preserve the human-animal bond in local communities. "Historically, there's been a bit of a stigma within the veterinary community about working in a shelter environment or low-cost clinic due to perceptions of poor work-life balance, limited advancement opportunities and inadequate compensation," says Amanda Landis-Hanna, DVM, senior manager of PetSmart Charities' veterinary outreach program. "These are all misconceptions as these experiences can be truly rewarding for a veterinarian. Through this investment, we hope to disprove this stigma and encourage veterinary students to consider jump-starting their career in a shelter or low-cost clinic." Since 2015, the nonprofit has granted more than $6 million to veterinary colleges and universities to fund programs in the U.S. and Canada that provide students with hands-on experience providing emergency relief or performing vital procedures such as spay/neuter surgeries in local communities. "At PetSmart Charities, we know …
Survey: Feline MCS assessments a missed opportunity for veterinarians?August 16, 2018A recent survey of 111 veterinarians conducted by Kindred Biosciences Inc. found that the majority were not performing feline muscle condition score (MCS) evaluations during physical exams. Body condition scores (BCS) and MCS evaluations are a key part of a complete nutritional assessment for cats, said Christina Fernandez, DVM, MRCVS, DACVECC, professional services veterinarian with Kindred Biosciences. In the survey, 59 percent of veterinarians said they captured BCS during physical exams, but only 14 percent said they perform MCS assessments. "MCS evaluations are a relatively new practice but are increasingly recognized as a best practice in feline care," Dr. Fernandez said. "BCS has been a standard practice for many practitioners, and there are multiple validated scoring systems. Most veterinarians perform a BCS during regular visits, but BCS only evaluates the animal's body fat. MCS evaluations are easy to incorporate into the physical exam and provide extremely valuable information for trending patient body composition status over time. It helps veterinarians watch for any muscle loss over time to ensure our feline patients maintain a healthy body composition — and maybe even offer early warning signs of disease." Muscle loss can be a result of age, illness, and/or injury; no matter …
Indiana animal shelter accused of freezing kittens to deathAugust 15, 2018The Spencer County Animal Shelter in Chrisney, Ind., is under investigation due to allegations of freezing kittens to death instead of practicing standard euthanasia methods. Bridget Woodson, a former employee of the shelter, quit and informed authorities of the alleged activity after the animal control officer at the shelter told her to put injured but alive kittens in a plastic bag and then into a freezer, according to the Courier & Press newspaper. "I had to do something," Woodson said. "If this is deemed as acceptable and no one is held accountable, what else will start to slip through the cracks?" During a text exchange with the animal control officer that Woodson shared with the newspaper, the individual told Woodson that "the freezer is no less humane" than euthanasia by a veterinarian. The "slow chilling or freezing of unanesthetized animals" is an unacceptable form of euthanasia, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. Spencer County Animal Control Board attorneys released a statement to WFIE-TV saying the "board acknowledges that actions have occurred that are fundamentally opposed" to its mission of proving humane care and treatment of animals. "In response, the …
Compassion-First launches program for noncredentialed vet techs, assistantsAugust 15, 2018Compassion-First Pet Hospitals has launched an educational development program for its noncredentialed veterinary technicians and assistants—the Compassion-First Technician and Assistant Development Program. The program involves a partnership with two American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited veterinary technician programs, Penn Foster College and Cedar Valley College, to provide educational options and tuition assistance for career growth. The new partnership provides noncredentialed veterinary technicians the opportunity to earn their AS degree in veterinary technology and become eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam to become credentialed in their state. The program also includes a veterinary assistant certificate program approved by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, in which employees become eligible to take the national exam and earn credentials as an approved veterinary assistant. "We are extremely pleased to offer a ground-breaking employer supported development program for our veterinary nursing teams that allows them to make a choice for their educational program and career path," said Janet McConnell, CVT, director of veterinary nursing development for Compassion-First Pet Hospitals. "Both Penn Foster and Cedar Valley College are outstanding programs that have completely different formats, allowing students to choose what fits them best from a financial, lifestyle, and program …
