AAHA Reveals Secrets To Boosting Clinic BusinessApril 2, 2014 Veterinary hospitals that do very well financially share many traits, according to the American Animal Hospital Association's State of the Industry Report. The study, released last week in Nashville, Tenn., during AAHA's annual conference, found that "Consistent Outgrowers," or practices where revenue had grown by more than 10 percent two years in a row, focus on the human-animal bond and cultivate business before, during and after a client visit. "Our data showed that the bond between pets and owners, or what we usually call the human-animal bond, is particularly important for driving success for veterinary practices," said AAHA's CEO, Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP. "This research reveals that we collectively as a profession need to focus on treating the pet owner as a partner, and on engaging them as an integral part of the pet's health care team." The Web-based survey discovered that 27 percent of the practices responding reported a revenue decline from 2012 to 2013. Half of the respondents saw revenue grow by up to 10 percent, and 23 percent experienced growth of more than 10 percent. Of the last group, 44 percent?the Consistent Outgrowers?enjoyed at least two consecutive years of growth …
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Banfield Selects Aja As Next Chief Medical OfficerApril 2, 2014 Daniel Aja, DVM, will take over as chief medical officer of Banfield Pet Hospital upon the retirement of Jeffrey Klausner, the nationwide chain reported Thursday. Dr. Klausner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, is set to retire at year's end, clearing the way for Dr. Aja to put his stamp on how Banfield and its more than 2,900 practitioners perform veterinary medicine. Aja, most recently the director of U.S. professional and veterinary affairs at Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc., was named senior vice president of medical operations for Banfield as he awaits his promotion. "Banfield has been the driver of preventive care within the veterinary profession for the past two decades - its leadership in this important area is admirable," Aja said. "Having owned and operated a private practice for more than [21] years, I have experienced firsthand the importance of preventive care when it comes to lengthening the lifespan of companion animals." Before joining Hill's in 2009 as director of professional affairs, Aja owned and operated Cherry Bend Animal Hospital, an American Animal Hospital Association-accredited practice in Traverse City, Mich. He ran the hospital for more than two decades, a …
Dr. Gerhardt G. Schurig, Dean, Virginia-Maryland Regional College Of Veterinary MedicineMarch 19, 2014 Dr. Gehardt G. Shurig has traveled a long and winding road on his path to becoming dean of Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine--from his birth in Santiago, Chile, to a stint as a meat inspector in a slaughterhouse, to academic experience on opposite ends of the continent . It's due to his colorful background, and that long road he traveled, that VeterinaryPracticeNews.com chose to launch our Vet School Dean Q&A series with Schurig. Name: Dr. Gerhardt G. Schurig, Dean, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine Age: 65 Degrees and Schools: 1977 – PhD, Immunology, Cornell University 1974 – MS, Immunology, Cornell University 1970 – DVM, University of Chile 1970 – Licentiate in Animal Husbandry, University of Chile Family: Ginger (wife), Michelle (daughter), Pablo (son) Hometown: Blacksburg, Va., (current); Santiago, Chile (native) 1. Why did you enter veterinary medicine? At the time I joined veterinary medicine, there was much talk about the need to feed the world. I was interested in improving farm animal health and productivity and also had great interest in studying diseases that spread from animals to humans (zoonosis). I wanted to contribute to the discovery of new ways …
UC Davis Veterinarian Wins National Teaching AwardMarch 19, 2014 A UC Davis professor described as having a passion for teaching and a creative approach to instruction will receive the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges’ 2013 Distinguished Teacher Award, the organization reported Wednesday. Matthew Mellema, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVECC, an assistant professor of emergency and critical care at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, will be presented with the award March 14 during the AAVMC’s annual conference in Alexandria, Va. The award, sponsored by drug maker Zoetis Inc., recognizes excellence in professional veterinary medical education. The honor is more than 50 years old. "Dr. Mellema exemplifies the qualities we seek in an honoree,” said AAVMC President Kent Hoblet, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVPM, the dean at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. "Students and colleagues alike applaud his dedication and passion for education. Teaching is his priority, and his emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving and self-directed learning maximizes students’ chances for lifelong success.” Four of Mellema’s students added their voices to his nomination. "As a mentor, Dr. Mellema has been truly invaluable in shaping the careers of veterinary students,” they wrote. …
Buyers of Innovative Dog Product to Get LifeLearn AccessMarch 19, 2014 LifeLearn, a Canadian company that generates educational resources for veterinarians and other medical professionals, has attached its name to a new pet product that drew raves at the Consumer Electronics Show. The gadget, called Voyce, is a computerized collar designed to monitor a dog’s vital signs, such as heart and respiratory rates, and track activity, rest time and calories burned. The partnership between LifeLearn and Voyce’s manufacturer, i4C Innovations Inc. of Chantilly, Va., calls on the Canadian company to grant exclusive educational information to Voyce subscribers. Customers may access thousands of articles written by veterinarians, board-certified specialists and animal behaviorists on subjects such as dog nutrition, training, health and behavior. "We ... believe that the veterinary community will benefit greatly from Voyce, both due to better educated clients and additional business opportunities,” said Mark Stephenson, DVM, LifeLearn’s chief development officer. Voyce won worldwide attention this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas when PC World/TechHive and Yahoo Tech placed the device on the Best of CES 2014 list, joining such products as the 2015 Hyundai Genesis car and a 105-inch television from Samsung. Powered …
Douglas Freeman, Dean, Western College Of Veterinary Medicine—University Of SaskatchewanMarch 19, 2014 Dr. Douglas Freeman, dean, Western College of Veterinary Medicine—University of Saskatchewan, has had a varied career. After his first job at a small mixed-animal practice in Minnesota, he returned to his studies and took a residency in theriogenology and has since held several positions and been on a variety of boards, including service on the board of directors for the Associaton of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. He quips, "I am the ideal poster child for why our veterinary schools should continue to be comprehensive in their education." Later this year, his school will complete over $70 million worth of expansions and renovations. Name: Dr. Douglas A. Freeman, dean, Western College of Veterinary Medicine—University of Saskatchewan Age: 53 Degrees and Schools: • 1991 — PhD, reproductive physiology, Washington State University/University of Idaho • 1987 — MS, theriogenology, University of Minnesota • 1983 — DVM, University of Minnesota • 1981 — BS, University of Minnesota Family: Wife Mary; daughter Emma; sons Benjamin and Daniel Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask. (current); Minneapolis, Minn. (native). Western College of Veterinary Medicine—University of Saskatchewan. 1. Why did you enter veterinary medicine? Like many people, I grew …
AVMA Delegates Push Jerky InvestigationMarch 18, 2014 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s House of Delegates backed away last week from a proposal that would have discouraged the feeding of jerky treats to pets and instead recommended that veterinarians continue to work with federal investigators to determine whether jerky is to blame for the deaths of hundreds of animals since 2007. The House of Delegates, which enacts policies for the veterinary profession, returned a petition to the Executive Board with a recommendation that AVMA members "provide input to the Food and Drug Administration on incidents and conditions [that] could be associated with pet food and treats.” The FDA admitted in October that the agency could not conclusively link jerky treats and pet illnesses. Bernadette Dunham, DVM, Ph.D., the director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, at the time called the episode "one of the most elusive and mysterious outbreaks we’ve encountered.” The FDA also urged veterinarians to contribute to the ongoing investigation by reporting adverse events. The House of Delegates, which met during the Veterinary Leadership Conference in Chicago, endorsed the federal investigation and urged veterinarians "to work with FDA to enhance efforts in safeguarding a healthy pet population through quality control …
UC Davis Vets Hold Continuing Education Symposium in ChinaMarch 13, 2014 Veterinarians from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine leveled the international veterinary playing field somewhat as they traveled to China to showcase the latest small animal veterinary techniques. The inaugural International Small Animal Practice Symposium—produced and taught by UC Davis’ Andrew Burton, DVM, Gina Davis, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, Jonathan Dear, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, and Karl Jandrey, DVM, MAS, Dipl. ACVECC—was held over a four-day span at the Nanjing Agricultural University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Nanjing, China. The multiple daily sessions were attended by 50 Chinese veterinarians. The veterinary focus in China is on food animal medicine, according to UC Davis, and educational opportunities for veterinary students interested in small animal medicine are not as plentiful as they are at American and other Western veterinary schools. Drs. Burton, Davis, Dear and Jandrey discussed topics routinely encountered at the UC Davis’ William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. “Our colleagues at Nanjing Agricultural University were fantastic hosts and truly placed a large amount of energy and support into this event,” said Jandrey. “They are committed to continue this relationship and these training symposia,” he added. The daily symposium schedule consisted of:
No Vacation This Year From Lyme, Heartworm DiseaseMarch 13, 2014 Besides heat waves and thunderstorms, other serious conditions will threaten the United States this year as temperatures rise, the Companion Animal Parasite Council warned today. The nonprofit Salem, Ore.-based group is forecasting the spread of tick-borne Lyme disease beyond its traditional borders and a heightened risk of heartworm disease across much of the nation. The council used computer models similar to those employed to predict hurricanes to issue several advisories to veterinarians and pet owners: • Lyme disease, historically a Northeastern threat, is spreading into the Midwest and southward through the mid-Atlantic states. • New England and the Pacific Northwest will play host to Lyme disease hot spots. • The region from Virginia to Texas, and even into California, will be at high risk of ehrlichiosis. • The risk of heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, may be particularly bad in Texas, the Southeast and along the Pacific coast from Northern California to Washington state. To keep pets safe, CAPC recommends: • Using medications that offer year-round protection against ticks, heartworm and other parasites. • Scheduling regular veterinary checkups. • …
Activyl Manufacturer Knocks Effectiveness of Frontline PlusMarch 13, 2014A study comparing the efficacy of the spot-on topical flea treatments Activyl and Frontline Plus has left one pet pharmaceutical manufacturer declaring victory and a competitor challenging the research. Merck Animal Health on Feb. 26 released the results of an in-home study that found Activyl, in the company’s words, “was more effective than Frontline Plus in controlling flea populations on pets.” Frontline Plus is manufactured by Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga. “Activyl eliminated more than 99 percent of fleas on pets after two monthly applications versus a 54.8 percent reduction achieved by Frontline Plus,” Merck reported. “At the end of the two-month study, nearly five times more pets treated with Activyl were flea free, and Activyl users found significantly fewer fleas in their homes.” Merial countered that in-home product comparisons are unreliable because of multiple variables. “These variables include pre-existing flea biomass (eggs, larvae, pupae) in the home, differences in temperature and humidity between different homes, flea development ‘hot spots’ outdoors, and even flea-infested visitor pets,” the company noted in a prepared statement. “We know from many years of conducting our own flea and tick control research that studies such as this—conducted in pet owners’ homes—are not well suited for …
