Penn Foster College Joins NAVTA on Changing term 'Veterinary Technician' to 'Veterinary Nurse'March 9, 2016James Hurrell, DVM and Director of the Veterinary Academy at Penn Foster College, today endorsed the National Association of Veterinary Technicians' (NAVTA) initiative to elevate the status of the profession of “veterinary technician” to “veterinary nurse.” Dr. Hurrell declared that the new term will “bring more understanding and respect to the people that assist veterinarians with the healthcare of animals.” Dr. Hurrell announced his endorsement at the 2016 Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in Las Vegas. “This proposed change to ‘veterinary nurse’ has been gaining momentum for a while, both for practical reasons within the field of veterinary medicine, and also for reasons of professional standing and recognition for individual practitioners,” Dr. Hurrell said in a press release. Penn Foster’s Veterinary Academy director explained that the name change would bring more respect for a profession whose current title is hard to explain to the public, and forge greater understanding of the educational and professional achievements by those who will be called “veterinary nurse.” Penn Foster College Dr. James Hurrell, DVM, Director of the Veterinary Academy at Penn Foster College. In the field of veterinary medicine, depending on the state …
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Lone Star College-Tomball Veterinary Technology Program Receives Recognition for Volunteer WorkMarch 8, 2016Lone Star College-Tomball Veterinary Technology and Boys and Girls Country have had ties for two decades. Students from the veterinary program have been volunteering their time to provide deworming products and vaccines to the herds of livestock that the nonprofit organization maintains through its at-risk urban youths that it houses. “The students who are enrolled in the Food Animal Management course, first-year students, are doing the work,” Kathleen Diamond, LVT and Veterinary Technology program director, told Cypress Creek Mirror. Boys and Girls Country not only recognized Lone Star College-Tomball Veterinary Technology students’ service, but the length of service at an awards luncheon on Feb. 10 at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston. The service started 20 years ago when Dr. George W. Younger of the Lone Star College-Tomball, organized a field trip to the nonprofit for his veterinary students. The trip was sporadic until around 2008, when it became an annual visit. “They tend to a herd no matter the weather conditions,” Joyce Brod, LVT and Director of the LSC-Tomball Veterinary Technology program, told Cypress Creek Mirror. “We have been there when it was cold, wet and hot. The students in our program …
Got Allergies? No Problem, Say These VeterinariansMarch 8, 2016There are veterinarians who help cats and veterinarians who hate cats. Some comfort dogs and others have to put their own dogs to sleep. But a veterinarian who’s allergic to animals? There can’t be such a thing, could there? According to a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article, yes there absolutely could. Dominic Dallago, VMD, and Becky Ehrlich, VMD, are two such veterinarians. Feline patients can easily trigger the asthma of Dr. Dallago, who works at World of Animals Veterinary Hospital at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. “I usually sniffle, snort,” Dallago told Philadelphia Inquirer. “Cats will do it to me. But animal allergies and asthma are the norm for me. And it's pretty common in the profession. An allergist said I'd be in misery all my life as a vet. But it's ingrained in me to do this.” For Dr. Ehrlich, who works at Radnor Veterinary Hospital in Wayne, Pa., the allergy resulted in her eyes swelling shut, her throat closing up and passing out — all thanks to a guinea pig. Even though she still can’t occupy the …
Smithsonian’s National Zoo Veterinarians Check Elephant’s ArthritisMarch 8, 2016Shanthi is a 9,000-pound Asian elephant that lives at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Now in her 40s, Shanthi is suffering from arthritis and needs regular checkups by the zoo’s veterinarians. A recent checkup was filmed and involves the zoo’s veterinary team evaluating Shanthi to check the progression of her arthritis as well as to look for infection. Take a look: </center> Shanthi’s foot was X-rayed and the veterinary team found that her infection had not spread, but was localized to one area. Even though they were relieved, the veterinarians will continue to monitor her health. At this time they are treating her infection with topical disinfectants and microbials. The team is also helping her exercise to reduce the impact of the arthritis, The Telegraph reports. Born in Sri Lanka around 1975, Asian elephant Shanthi developed arthritis in her front-left leg more than a decade ago.... Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 Have you ever had to do a checkup on a such a large animal? Share your story in the comments.
Iowa Vet College Upgrades AquariumMarch 8, 2016Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine has upgraded and doubled the size of its aquarium, making it home to 175 freshwater fish. Eighteen schooling fish species are represented in the 350-gallon tank, according to the college. The new fish are all native U.S. species, with a majority being Mississippi River fish. The largest fish should grow to between six and eight inches when it reaches adulthood, the college reported. The fish, which were shipped from an East Coast company, became acclimated in the college’s new 200-gallon sump tank before being transferred to the aquarium. “We have worked hard to make sure that we have not only fish that will get along, but by putting them into the aquarium at the same time they won’t develop territories,” said Samantha Ford, president of the Aquatic Animal Medicine Club, which promotes aquatic animal education while ensuring the proper care of the new aquarium. Christopher Gannon, Iowa State University News Service Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine's new 350-gallon aquarium is home to 175 freshwater fish. The new fish are all native U.S. species, with a majority …
Veterinarian Creates Way to Make Senior Dogs’ Lives a Little EasierMarch 7, 2016Clients with senior dogs may come in to your veterinary office with a host of complaints. Their senior dog has trouble eating or getting up and down stairs. Maybe their senior dog needs help standing up or isn’t as active as he once was. Perhaps their senior dog can’t grip the floor as easily as he could when he was younger and is now prone to slipping. That was the complaint Julie Buzby, DVM found in her practice. She has been a practicing veterinarian for 19 years, but earlier in her career, she became certified in veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic. Due to that, she started seeing more geriatric dogs than she normally might have. “Most of the senior dogs I treated were improving with medications, herbs, supplements, and alternative therapies,” Buzby said on Dogster.com, “but my clients worried about their dogs slipping on the floors at home. I understood their frustration.” After opening her own clinic and then selling it in 2008, she moved with her family to South Carolina where she works in a veterinary clinic part-time. It was there, at an annual open house in 2011, that the idea for a product that would …
Purdue Veterinarians Now Using Underwater Treadmill to Rehabilitate Dogs and CatsMarch 7, 2016After suffering a back injury, a 2-year-old Dachshund named Bond had movement in his front legs, but not his back legs. His owner, Robin Ream, told WLFI, “We were afraid that he might be on wheels for the rest of his life.” Instead, Bond underwent surgery and is currently in a rehabilitation program at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. Bond’s therapy involves a newly installed underwater treadmill. Stephanie Thomovsky, DVM and Clinical Assistant Professor of Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery, runs the teaching hospital's physical rehabilitation service. She told WLFI, “When you’re in water, you’re lighter and you’re easier to lift, so their hips are easier to lift, if they have a neurologic injury. Even if they have something orthopedically, the warming effects of the water help with that. Also, them being lifted and the buoyancy of the water helps make it easier for them to move.” She added that “it helps to rebuild kind of the mind and body connection.” The underwater treadmill therapy so far has proven beneficial. After just five weeks, Bond …
2016 Western Veterinary Conference: Day 1March 7, 2016One of the largest veterinary continuing education events is held every year in Las Vegas: The Western Veterinary Conference (WVC). The annual event attracts thousands of veterinary professionals to Sin City for a week of hands-on labs, seminars, workshops, lectures, networking and much more in six topic areas: small animal, equine, veterinary technician, practice management, food animal, and avian and exotics. Once you're done for the day, you can head out and check out all Las Vegas has to offer, from casinos to live shows. The WVC, as they write on their website, is "dedicated to providing quality continuing education to the veterinary community through an array of learning styles and environments. Our courses provide comprehensive, progressive and practical knowledge that can be applied immediately to the veterinary practice." More than 1,000 CEs are available to participants. Have you never been to a WVC event? Here are a few highlights on what to look forward to below. (Click on each photo for explanation.) Next year’s conference will take place March 5 through 9, 2017.
2016 Western Veterinary Conference Starts TodayMarch 6, 2016One of the world’s largest veterinary continuing education (CE) events is starting today in Las Vegas. The annual Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) is expected to attract nearly 15,000 veterinary professionals to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from March 6 to 10, 2016. The conference is five days of seminars, wokshops, new product announcements, networking functions, entertainment and an opportunity to connect with colleagues. This year’s conference has been dedicated to Dr. Randall G. Ezell, who served as the WVC president, Secretary-Treasurer and board member. Participants can choose from a variety of learning environments including: meal-time seminars, workshops, symposia, lectures and hands-on labs across six topic areas: small animal, equine, veterinary technician, practice management, food animal, and avian and exotics. Hands-on labs with expert instructors will be held at WVC’s Oquendo Center, a clinical educational facility located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. “We are constantly striving to make each conference better than the year before,” said WVC CEO David Little in a press release. “More than 1,000 hours of CE will be available for participants to create their own learning experience. And the new date in March has allowed WVC to have a dedicated space at Mandalay Bay, which will make …
Pet Owner's Video About Dangers of Xylitol Goes ViralMarch 4, 2016It’s no question dogs will eat strange things — we have a yearly X-ray contest showcasing the odd things found in their stomachs. Dancer, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever, is no exception, but what she ate nearly killed her. She devoured roughly 25 pieces of sugar-free gum that contained xylitol. Dancer’s owner Jeni Connor rushed her to Seville Veterinary Hospital in Gilbert, Ariz. She suffered a seizure on the way there, and the veterinarians at the hospital gave her a shot of glucose. Then she was transferred to the Emergency Animal Clinic, which is affiliated with BluePearl Veterinary Partners. Dr. Raegan Wells, a board-certified in emergency and critical care, took over Dancer’s care. According to Blue Pearl, “Dancer’s blood glucose levels were monitored around the clock and that the dog received medicine for possible liver damage. Xylitol prompts dogs’ bodies to secrete too much insulin, which can cause their blood sugar levels drop dangerously.” In 2015, there were more than 2,800 xylitol-related calls to the Pet Poison Helpline, compared to 300 calls in 2009, Blue Pearl reported. While Dancer was recovering, Connor, with the help of her daughters Whitney, 9, and Haley, 11, posted a Facebook video warning …
