Tech disrespect and the rise of unionsDecember 26, 2023This month's column discusses the systematic ways in which our über-hierarchical profession too often relegates veterinary nurses-slash-technicians to roles several rungs below their veterinary-degreed colleagues.
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Protecting the future of veterinary medicineDecember 19, 2022Today, it is clear when team members leave, there are precious few who can fill open positions. Demand for veterinary talent soared to all-time, historic highs while consumer demand for veterinary services accelerated with the “pandemic puppy” boom.
MythBusters and a love of medicineAugust 12, 2022"We often don’t appreciate the merit of one way of thinking until it is held in counterpoint to another," writes Holly Sawyer, DVM. "I like science; I love medicine. I love that health professionals get to improve lives and treat disease. I love that veterinarians make a real difference in the world. I love that veterinary school taught me how to think in a unique and profound way."
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveJust how family-friendly is our profession?July 8, 2021By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBABuilding your entire culture around what’s best for families is how I’ve learned I can attract and retain employees. Because, while others might pay more, no one else offers the family-centric culture we’ve cultivated by offering some crucial benefits.
It's always sunny in veterinary medicineMay 4, 2021If David Bowie’s eponymous song says anything about changes, it’s that they’re good for you.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveStem cell therapies – leaping before looking?March 31, 2021By Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMAAs often happens, preliminary research in laboratory animals and in human medicine led to relatively rapid commercialization and clinical use of stem cell treatments in veterinary medicine well before robust clinical trial evidence in companion animals with natural disease had been developed. Fortunately, as better evidence has been slowly accumulated, it is looking more and more like we may have “guessed right” in this case: the risks to our patients are minimal (though not negligible) and there may well be meaningful benefits.
UW-Stout to host conference on animal health nutraceuticalsJune 10, 2019The University of Wisconsin (UW)-Stout is hosting a world conference on the use of nutraceuticals in companion animal health care. Sponsored by Vets Plus, the International Conference on Animal Health Nutraceuticals–2019 (ICAHN 2019) takes place from July 17 to 19. "Veterinarians already use probiotics to address digestive ailments and omega-3 fatty acids to improve issues with the skin, coat, and joints," says Vets Plus founder and chief executive office, Raj Lall. "And nutraceuticals are widely used in joint health programs and to address the needs of senior pets. But the number of compounds in current use is small compared to the number we know to have therapeutic benefits. This conference is intended to increase both the profile and practitioner knowledge about this branch of veterinary science." Discussions will feature experts in academia, veterinary practitioners, and internationally published nutritional scientists. Speakers and topics include: An overview of nutraceuticals in animal health and disease (presented by Ramesh Gupta, DVM, MVSc, PhD); Therapeutic uses of cannabinoids in companion animals (presented by Gary Richter, MS, DVM, CVC, CVA); and Future direction and trends in nutraceutical research (presented by W. Thomas Shier, PhD) "Nutraceuticals are being used in virtually every veterinary practice and their …
Dogs can alert human risk to Lyme diseaseMay 27, 2019Health-care providers can now use dogs as a way to measure human risk for Lyme disease, according to a study by Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). "This research shows how man's best friend continues to safeguard humans as a sentinel to alert humans where they are at greatest risk for Lyme disease," says CAPC executive director, Christopher Carpenter, DVM. "The model established in this research breaks new ground to give residents, travelers, and health-care providers a county-level map to help them identify areas of risk across the country." Through the study, researchers quantified the relationship between canine seroprevalence for the disease-causing bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Lyme disease in humans. Seroprevalence is used to calculate the number of dogs testing positive among all tested dogs within a county. The study showed a correlation between human incidence and dog seroprevalence. According to researchers, they were able to study more than seven years of nationwide canine diagnostic data as a result of dogs being tested annually for exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi. The collected data represented more than 400 million data points, which is usually difficult to obtain when looking directly at ticks and the environment. "By combining sophisticated statistical modeling with this …
Why give it away? Keep revenue in your clinicMay 24, 2019 The last 20 years have been the perfect storm for general practitioners in veterinary medicine. The combination of the loss of spay and neuter services, the migration of vaccinations to low-cost clinics, and the exit of in-clinic pharmacy and retail to online sellers has affected the businesses of general practitioners in a truly significant way. I have felt the strong impact of these changes in my own practice. Historically, my clinic's revenue from routine services constituted 80 to 90 percent of my income. Today, these services account for less than 20 percent of revenue. With these changes and these hard figures, how do we not only stay afloat during this tumultuous time, but also thrive as business owners and medical professionals? The key lies in understanding where our industry has been, the current state of the union, and where the strengths of our individual practices lie to differentiate and flourish. The internet takes a bite One of the hottest topics in veterinary medicine has been the rise of online pharmacy. 1 (800) PETMEDS was king, and the new prince is Chewy.com. Now Amazon is eyeing the throne and your clients' dollars. The online pharmacy race has left the general …
The business of veterinary rehabilitationMay 23, 2019 Rehabilitation is a rapidly growing field in veterinary medicine. This client-demanded service owes its success to an approach that combines a true preventative outlook, longer dedicated appointments with more frequent visits, intensive client participation, and the potential to offer alternatives to invasive procedures. But while the field is growing, turning it into a profitable business model is a challenge. While there are many possible models for a successful veterinary rehabilitation practice, these clinics excel when a rehabilitation veterinarian leads the program. In general, the various business models in veterinary rehabilitation do not simply mimic those of general or other specialty practices. This article addresses key differences and focuses on specifics, including cost structure, staff utilization and training, and marketing tips. Business costs Providing a quality rehabilitation service is a time- and labor-intensive endeavor. Due to more hands-on care and longer appointment times, staff wages represent a larger proportion of overhead costs than in general practice. Most veterinary practices strive to have a maximum of 25 to 30 percent of gross revenue allocated to payroll, while other service-based industries can expect up to 50 percent of gross revenue going to payroll. In the authors' experience, rehabilitation-exclusive practices fall closer to …
