The beginning of a beautiful partnershipOctober 19, 2017 Working together to improve veterinary care for all animals is a cause that extends beyond borders and language barriers. That's what a team of veterinary specialists from BluePearl Veterinary Partners and Pet Partners discovered when they traveled to Costa Rica to share knowledge and help pets in need. "This was really a first step," said David Ruslander, DVM, DACVIM, DACVR, chief of oncology service at Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas, a Pet Partners hospital. "It was a great opportunity to share knowledge and network with other veterinarians from Costa Rica. This is just the beginning of what we hope will be a long-term partnership." The idea for the trip, which took place in August, began with Dr. Ruslander, who developed a relationship with Dr. Carlos Coto, a Costa Rican veterinarian interested in learning more about oncology and introducing board certified specialty medicine to his country. Dr. Coto has visited Ruslander in North Carolina, and together they proposed organizing a trip to Costa Rica to benefit local veterinarians. The trip was divided into two segments: a community service project at …
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Want to own a practice?October 18, 2017Veterinarians seeking practice ownership may be fueled with passion and excitement, feeling confident with their medical know-how in their back pocket, but this drive just isn’t enough.
BluePearl report challenge highlights vet techs, assistantsOctober 17, 2017Veterinary technicians and assistants have been invited to participate in BluePearl's first company-wide case report challenge, and five finalists will present their reports in a live webinar today. Afterward, a panel of veterinary technician specialists will select an overall winner. Anyone at the more than 50 BluePearl hospitals in 20 states can watch the webinar and see firsthand the depth of their colleagues' expertise, said Amy Newfield, BluePearl's national technician training manager. "We're giving technicians and assistants a voice to share their knowledge about a case they worked on," Newfield said. "We're also showing that we view them as an equal part of our patients' care." The competition can be viewed online today from 6:30 to 9 p.m. EST, and those outside of BluePearl hospitals can watch free of charge. Advance registration is required through this link. The five finalists were selected by a team of judges from 22 total entrants. In addition to reports on diseases and trauma in dogs and cats, the reports also included one on a rabbit and one on a wallaby. The titles of the reports by the five finalists are: "Vital Pulp Therapy with Crown Reduction Patient"; …
iVET360 launches Pulse operational data dashboardOctober 13, 2017Veterinary hospitals often underutilize operational and financial data, according to iVET360, a Portland, Ore.-based practice management services company. To help better leverage this information, the company has developed a digital dashboard, called Pulse. Pulse combines operational data from practice management software, financial programs, and other statistical sources, allowing for one-source conversations among veterinary hospital owners, practice managers, and their teams, the company states. The dashboard is accessible through smartphones, tablets, and computers, eliminating paper reports and saving time and resources. Veterinary offices can track such metrics as new client growth, revenue, transactions, and gross profits, 24/7. Pulse also features Benchmark Reporting, which hospitals can use to compare their metrics against their peers. Users get additional access to LearningVet.com, an informational hub that translates the data and presents it simply, and teach best practices on topics such as veterinary marketing and culture building, according to iVET360. "By having real-time data, you can adjust your strategies for hospital growth as soon as you want to," said Oliver Roller, managing director of analytics at iVET360. "Traditionally, hospitals look at key metrics monthly or quarterly, but by that time, the data is old. Pulse is automated so you don't have to think about …
AVMA opens nominations for annual Excellence AwardsOctober 13, 2017The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has opened the nomination period for its annual Excellence Awards, which recognize contributions by veterinarians and nonveterinarians to the veterinary profession as well as animal health and welfare. The AVMA award categories The AVMA Award: Recognizes a member who has contributed to the advancement of veterinary medicine in its organizational aspects. Meritorious Service Award: Recognizes a member who has brought honor and distinction to the veterinary profession through personal, professional, or community service activities outside organized veterinary medicine and research. Advocacy Award: Recognizes a member or nonveterinarian for advancing the AVMA legislative agenda and advocating on behalf of the veterinary profession. Animal Welfare Award: This award recognizes a member for accomplishments in the field of animal welfare in leadership, public service, education, research or product development, or advocacy. Career Achievement Award in Canine Research: Honors a member's long-term contribution to the field of canine research. Clinical Research Award: Recognizes a member's achievements in patient-oriented research. Humane Award: Recognizes a nonveterinarian for accomplishments in the field of animal welfare in leadership, public service, education, research or product development, or advocacy. Lifetime Excellence in Research Award: Recognizes a veterinarian for lifetime …
Petplan offers rewards for National Veterinary Technician WeekOctober 12, 2017Petplan pet insurance will kick off National Veterinary Technician Week on Oct. 16-22 with a series of prizes to reward hardworking veterinary staff. "We've been committed to supporting veterinary professionals since our founding, and we believe each member of the veterinary practice deserves their day in the sun," said Natasha Ashton, Petplan co-founder and co-CEO. This year's awards from Petplan Annual membership to the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) for 25 entrants All-expenses-paid scholarship to Dr. Andy Roark's 2018 Uncharted Veterinary Conference for one entrant Full conference registration scholarship to the 2018 Veterinary Meeting & Expo, with an exclusive invitation to Petplan's 2018 Veterinary Excellence Awards gala Petplan is announcing the contest via email to practice staff in the U.S. and Canada. Prizes will be randomly awarded to entrants who visit Petplan's sign-up page and register for a chance to win. "From managing anesthesia to assisting with diagnoses, veterinary technicians are among the most important members of our pets' professional health care team," said Ashton. "Unfortunately, they're not always recognized as such. We're proud to show everyone how much we value their contributions during National Veterinary Technician Week—and every week. We can't wait …
WPA names Jacinthe Moreau as new association presidentOctober 12, 2017The World Pet Association (WPA), which produces one of the largest annual pet industry trade shows, SuperZoo, has named Jacinthe Moreau as its new president. Moreau replaces longtime president Doug Poindexter, who will retire at the end of this year. She formally joins WPA at the end of this month. Her career includes previous roles with Merial, Merck, VetSource, VCA Animal Hospitals, and Vetoquinol. "[Moreau's] business acumen will be a tremendous asset to WPA," said Poindexter. "Her thoughtful eye and keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing multiple groups within the pet industry will help key stakeholders work together to ensure the continued success of our industry. I am confident that I am leaving WPA and the pet business community in capable, strategic and considerate hands." "The WPA board took great strides to ensure we were selecting a leader who would continue to advance our mission of creating a thriving industry and a healthy and happy world for the pets it serves," said Michael Twain, chairman of the WPA board. "Jacinthe is a natural leader, an open collaborator, an effective communicator, and a passionate advocate for the health and happiness of companion animals; we know this …
Petco officially enters the veterinary hospital ring with ThriveOctober 10, 2017Petco has an answer to PetSmart's Banfield Pet Hospitals: Thrive Affordable Vet Care clinics. The company's first Thrive opened inside a brand-new Petco in Aldine, Texas, last week. Thrive offers $10 exams and "a full suite of in-store veterinary care and wellness services," according to the company. Twelve more Thrive veterinary hospitals will open within newly remodeled Petco stores in Texas, California, and Colorado through the end of 2017. "While pet health and wellness are increasingly important to pet parents, navigating veterinary services in particular can be confusing and overwhelming," said Brad Weston, Petco CEO. "Understanding what pets need at each stage of life, what constitutes routine care, urgent or specialty care, and when to seek veterinary expertise are common challenges pet parents face. "By expanding our in-store veterinary services, Petco's veterinary professionals can help pet parents through every step of their pets' health and wellness needs, all in one convenient location," he added. "Our Aldine location is the first of our new in-store hospital design, and we are excited about bringing more of these locations to the Houston market in the next few months." In addition to new in-store veterinary hospitals operated by …
UK veterinarians regularly threatened by clients over pet care costsOctober 9, 2017A new survey from the British Veterinary Association (BVA) found that nearly 85 percent of veterinarians in the UK have experienced some form of intimidation and have felt threatened by a client's language or behavior. The survey queried more than 1,600 members of the BVA. Clients are likely to pressure their pet's veterinarian to waive fees and become angry and aggressive over the cost of care, according to the report. This behavior includes swearing, shouting, threats to damage property, disparage the clinic on social media, and even threats of death, according to survey participants. Support staff, women, and younger veterinarians seem to bear the brunt of client anger, according to the survey. Other survey findings: Vets who work with companion animals or in a mixed practice are particularly likely to have experienced difficult clients, with 89% reporting some form of intimidating experience 6 in 10 vets said they or a team member experienced intimidating language or behavior at least every couple of months, while almost a third at least monthly 1 in 8 vets said they suffered intimidating language or behavior on a weekly basis Cost of treatment was one of the most …
Trupanion angles to create the 'Cone of Joy'October 5, 2017Memes about the "Cone of Shame" abound on the internet, despite the fact that these devices often are medically necessary for companion animal recovery. Trupanion aims to take the "shame" out of the cone with its Cone of Joy design contest. The Cone of Joy design competition is simple: Design a fun and fashionable pet-friendly cone and submit a high-quality photo and a brief description of the creation to trupanion.com/coneofjoy. Pet lovers in the U.S. and Canada will vote for their favorite Cone of Joy submissions. The 25 finalists who receive the most votes will each win a $100 cash donation to an animal welfare organization of their choice. How to enter the Trupanion competition Create an original design using a cone for a cat or dog Submit a photo of your design and a brief description on trupanion.com/coneofjoy Vote for your favorite design through Oct. 20 Share your submission and encourage friends, family, colleagues, and followers to vote to increase your chances of winning "This is a fun way to celebrate the wonderful work shelters do throughout the U.S. and Canada," said Chloe Gill, shelter channel manager at …
