Veterinary loan repayment bill introduced in House of RepresentativesMay 16, 2019Rural veterinarians are one step closer to seeing the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) Enhancement Act become law. The act, a companion bill to S.1163, has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and would remove a withholding tax to maximize funding for the veterinary medicine loan repayment program. The VMLRP offers loan repayment assistance to relocate veterinarians to areas deemed by the U.S. department of agriculture to have shortages. In a statement, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) president, John de Jong, DVM, said, "Too many rural communities today don't have access to adequate veterinary care, leaving livestock at risk for dangerous diseases, which could impact agricultural communities and threaten public health. Unfortunately, the reality is that food-animal veterinary careers typically pay less than small-animal careers, and high levels of student debt can make it financially difficult for veterinarians to follow these career paths. "The VMLRP is extremely effective in addressing this challenge because it provides veterinarians with loan repayment assistance so they don't have to choose between paying off their loans and pursuing food-animal or public health careers. These efforts are critical to our farming and ranching communities, and we're grateful to the members of Congress …
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ASU begins clinical study for cancer-preventing vaccineMay 10, 2019An Arizona State University (ASU) professor has begun a five-year clinical study examining the effectiveness of a cancer-preventing vaccine for dogs. Stephen Johnston, PhD, a scientist, professor at the School of Life Sciences, and director of the Biodesign Center for Innovations in Medicine, developed the vaccine over a span of 12 years. He says his goal is to change the way veterinarians treat cancer by preventing it before it can start. Over the course of the five-year study, 800 dogs will either be given the vaccine or a placebo and will be monitored. The University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University (CSU) and University of California (UC), Davis are also participating in the trial. "We're testing a totally novel way of creating an anticancer immune response," says David Vail, DVM, DACVIM (oncology), professor and board-certified oncologist at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. "The holy grail would be to prevent cancer as opposed to waiting for it to start and then treating it." The vaccine is designed to target common canine cancers, including lymphoma, osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, and mastocytomas. At the beginning, two sets of vaccines will be given every two weeks and then annually. The …
AVMA offering new well-being certificateMay 10, 2019Veterinarians and clinic staff are now able to improve their knowledge of and skills in well-being, thanks to a new certificate program offered by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The Workplace Wellbeing certificate program was created with the help of an educational grant from Merck Animal Health. The program will be taught by experts from the veterinary community. According to the AVMA, the purpose of the certificate is to provide resources for problem solving to create a work culture focused on well-being. Those who participate will be eligible to receive up to four continuing education (CE) credit hours. The courses can be taken individually and do not have to be done as part of the program. To receive the certificate there are five units one must complete: Creating a culture of wellbeing How to request, receive, and give feedback effectively Transforming conflict Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) assessment Diversity and inclusion
Cornell team develops horse anatomy app for studentsMay 9, 2019An app created by a team from Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is helping students learn and understand the anatomy of a horse. According to the Cornell Chronicle, the Equine X-Ray Positioning Simulator is an augmented reality app that overlays a digital image of a horse limb onto surroundings seen through an iPad. The app was first used in the spring during CVM's eight-week Anatomy of the Horse course. Allison Miller, DVM, lecturer in the department of biomedical sciences and the department of clinical sciences, helped create the app to allow students to study parts of the equine musculoskeletal system. "We try really hard not to teach anatomy as memorization," Dr. Miller told the news source. According to the same article, Miller had students complete exercises such as dragging and dropping bone labels onto parts of a horse's body. "Students can hear a lecture on how to take certain oblique radiographic views, but actually positioning yourself to take them might prove more challenging," Miller told the Cornell Chronicle. "While nothing can fully prepare you for an emergency where you have primary case responsibility and emotions are running high, I think we are doing our absolute best to prepare …
UF VETS unveils new $150,000 disaster response vehicleMay 9, 2019Pets now have additional support when a natural disaster strikes, thanks to a new $150,000 disaster response vehicle. Able to treat large and small animals, University of Florida (UF) Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service (UF VETS) offers technical rescues and logistical support to veterinary clinics and other response teams, as well as provides initial assessments of impacted areas. In the past, the team has responded to hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, and animal hoarding situations. "Disaster relief is a key component of the Banfield Foundation, and we are humbled to support the important work of first responders as they offer help and hope to communities in need," says Banfield Foundation executive director, Kim Van Syoc. "Veterinary professionals who respond during natural disasters are truly inspiring. We hope this new vehicle improves not only the response process, but also the lives of those doing the lifesaving work." Funded by a grant gifted by Banfield Foundation and PetSmart Charities, the truck will function as a communications hub to interact with local emergency operation centers, shelters, and state agencies. The vehicle comprises a 44-ft (13-m) mobile command and infrastructure support truck and trailer. "We're grateful for the support of the Banfield Foundation and PetSmart Charities, as …
