While fall tends to reduce mosquito populations, days above 50oF will prompt activity by those genera that hibernate. Emily Singler, VMD, says the uptick of heartworm-positive cases in unusual locations makes educating and encouraging clients about year-round heartworm prevention more important than ever. Source: AAHA NEWStat, April 9, 2024. Link. Related: 10 cases of … [Read more...]
Infection control, prevention and biosecurity. Is your plan current?
AAHA’s Infection Control, Prevention, and Biosecurity Guidelines have been available since 2018. Having an ICPB plan is critical to ensure the safety of pets, pet owners and clinic staff. A lot has happened in the six years since the guidelines were published, making updating any current plans important. Emily Singler, VMD, reviews the steps to create an effective ICPB and its … [Read more...]
AAHA Trends magazine is going ALL digital
After 40 years in print as one of the top veterinary practice management magazines in the industry, Trends is going fully digital, starting Jan. 1, 2025. The new platform will combine the existing newsletter, NEWStat and Trends articles and features. Source: AAHA NEWStat, August 06, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Feline foster care guidelines and cat care
The Feline Foster Care Guide from ASPCAPro is a robust reference for people wanting to foster, fostering organizations, shelters and pet services teams, as well. Source: ASPCAPro, via AAHA NEWStat, August 24, 2024. Link. Related: Human benefits of fostering shelter animals, DVM360, August 21, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
AAFP’s Intercat Tension Guidelines and what to know
The 2024 American Association of Feline Practitioners Intercat Tension Guidelines dispel 10 popular myths about cat behavior, share five pillars of a healthy multi-cat environment and provide helpful graphics, tools and resources to support practitioners and cat owners. Kristen Green Seymour shares Q and A perspectives from two members of the Intercat Tension Guidelines … [Read more...]
Veterinary Visionaries release Psychological Health and Safety Guidelines
There is a role for everyone in the Psychological Health and Safety Guidelines. It champions work-life balance, physical health, mental health support and professional growth opportunities when leaders intentionally work to build a positive workplace culture. Connor Dunwoodie interviewed members of the task force to learn why implementing these guidelines in practice culture … [Read more...]
Updated fluid therapy guidelines from AAHA
The new 2024 AAHA Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, provides a detailed refresher on the basic principles of fluid therapy while also guiding veterinary professionals through common fluid therapy scenarios and empowers an animal-specific, individualized approach. . . . if a practice doesn’t approach fluids as a drug prescription that necessitates accurate … [Read more...]
Enter the AAHA Trends Teams@Work annual photo contest
Our industry celebrates technicians with National Veterinary Technician Week in October. Now named the Teams@Work photo contest, AAHA seeks photos to reflect and feature veterinary assistants. Share your best photos of technicians and assistants working in the practice. Enter here <Link>. Source: AAHA NEWStat, June 17, 2024. Link. Also see: Winners from the 2023 … [Read more...]
Compounded, DVM Rx treatment for FIP now available in United States and Canada AHD Staff
Stokes Pharmacy, a compounding pharmacy, started selling a compounded prescription treatment for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) on June 1. This allows veterinarians to prescribe medication for their patients and hopefully carry small amounts of the compounded drug on their shelves so that their sick patients can start treatment immediately. Source: AAHA NEWStat, June 5, … [Read more...]
Diagnosing benzimidazole-resistant hookworms
Includes Commercial Content Multi-anthelmintic, drug-resistant hookworms is now recognized as more far-reaching in terms of geography locations and breeds of dogs, shares Emily Singler, VMD. MADR hookworms are a concern because they can wreak havoc on companion animals and farm animals, as well as humans. Singler shares Keyscreen, a test created and offered by Antech … [Read more...]
Fair compensation is crucial for veterinary team retention (video)
Referencing the Stay, Please study findings, AAHA looks at what fair compensation means for retention and attrition with veterinary teams. The video presents three key takeaways including the significance of fair compensation with non-DVM roles which was nearly two times as important compared to DVMs in the study. Source: AAHA NEWStat, April 29, 2024. Link. (2:18) … [Read more...]
USDA grant to help fund KSU scholarships to develop rural vets
The KSU CVM recently received a $250,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to create the Rural and Underrepresented Scholarship for Hopeful Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Students program. Source: AAHA NEWStat, April 16, 2024. Link. Students from underrepresented groups and applicants from rural backgrounds … [Read more...]
AAHA NEWStat shares data on the state of women in vet med
Providing a history of gender shifts, pay gaps and advancement challenges, Cara Hopkins shares an up-to-date situation analysis of gender equality issues for women in veterinary professions. She notes 87.3 percent of current veterinary school applicants identify as female, as well as 88 percent of veterinary technicians, but finds dissimilar ratios in academia and practice … [Read more...]
Reducing turnover: Which approach is right for you?
The proper path to improved retention depends on your practice and it may vary by employee role. Kristen Green Seymour applies the findings from AAHA’s “Stay, Please” study to three fictional practice examples. Her analyses are informative and worth studying regardless of your role in animal health. Attrition rates greater than 30 percent reduce veterinary services availability … [Read more...]
Canine and feline dental home care tips for pet owners
Sponsored Content Even with all the options for pet oral care, animal health pros need to keep the topic front and center year-round. February is National Pet Dental Month which parallels Children’s Dental Health Month and Gum Disease Awareness Month promotions. This article provides content worth sharing with animal owners. Comprehensive oral care for pets starts at home . … [Read more...]
The path to retention in veterinary medicine
AAHA’s recent retention study reveals challenges that must be met to keep educated veterinarians and vet techs by proxy practicing. Veterinary medicine has a problem: attrition. The study’s introduction includes these factors: 30 percent of those in clinical practice plan to change practices or leave within the next year. Once they leave clinical practice, only 10 … [Read more...]
Respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases in dogs are linked (video)
ICYMI. The link between respiratory and gastrointestinal illness in dogs has been well documented, writes Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM. She says treating respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases at the same time works. Long-term studies of dogs undergoing airway surgery and medical treatment of gastrointestinal disease show improvement with interventions.” Source: The … [Read more...]
Medical waste can be risky business
Managing medical waste is the entire team’s responsibility. Team members should be aware of and follow specific guidelines when dealing with infectious waste, biohazardous waste and anatomical or pathological waste, writes Sandy Walsh, RVT, CVPM. She shares what constitutes hazardous waste, how to handle, store and dispose of it, liabilities and various resources available on … [Read more...]
Reducing the stigma of substance use disorder in vet med
Should the veterinary community receive more training in substance use disorders? Phil Richmond, DVM, CAPP, CPHSA, CCFP, thinks it is important and reveals his own story, challenges the stigmatization of alcohol use and SUD, and the need for compassion along with resources that are readily available. We know that, at some point in their career, 10% to 15% of medical … [Read more...]
Livestock guard dogs growing in popularity
Livestock guard dogs are an increasingly popular tool in livestock management, writes Terri Queck-Matzie. Most weigh more than 100 pounds and are bred to live outside with livestock and not as a pet for people’s homes. Anatolian shepherds, Akbash, Great Pyrenees, Kuvasz, and Central Asian shepherds are breeds recognized by the AKC. Source: Successful Farming, July 11, 2023. … [Read more...]
What approval of Librela™ (bedinvetmab injection) for canine OA treatment means for dogs
Complimentary Commercial Content The availability of an effective, non-NSAID monthly treatment for canine osteoarthritis pain is an exciting advance for everyone who cares about improving quality of life for dogs, owners and veterinary professionals, writes Kristen Green Seymour. She provides perspective on the significance of the approval Zoetis received for Librela™ … [Read more...]
Room-by-room household pet poison checklist
This handy PDF tool covers potential toxins throughout homes and yards. Pet owners need to be consistently reminded of possible poisons that threaten their pets’ wellness. Here are some easy ways to share the information with clients: Share in your client newsletter Hand out at events Offer as a freebie to new clients Print and post in your clinic Share … [Read more...]
Social media management in 1 to 3 hours per week
Cheyanne Flerx took on the job of social media in addition to her duties as a veterinary assistant. She shares a few tips to help work within a limited time frame. Social media doesn't have to be a chore . . . but it does take planning ahead.” Source: AAHA NEWStat, February 23, 2023. Link. Flerx’s basic tips are: Plan ahead and be proactive Work in task batches … [Read more...]
Addressing veterinary attrition through storytelling
Veterinary Visionaries 2023 Spring Solving Event is asking veterinary professionals to record short video testimonials that puts human experiences into the profession’s statistics. Using crowdsourced videos, 60 or more industry organizations support this effort to help the veterinary industry reverse the declining employee satisfaction and retention trend. How do we get people … [Read more...]
Time to review the 2019 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
As National Pet Dental Month promotions end, animal health pros need to consider how pet oral care and dentistry will be presented during exams and in client communications. The AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats were updated in 2019 to outline a comprehensive approach in improving the oral health and often, the quality of life of their canine and feline … [Read more...]
Storytelling and the narrative in good patient care
Commentary Context can rarely be achieved in a 10-minute exam . . . period. The ability of a veterinary professional to understand a patient’s health status and determine treatment options requires the story of an event or life circumstances. Engaging the pet owner to share their observations and specifics is an important element in what is described as narrative … [Read more...]
Cost, convenience or optionality? Best fit or gold standard?
Kate Boatright, VMD, reviews new research that suggests that most pet owners do not want their options presented using a gold-standard first approach rather a judgement free spectrum of care set of options. Identifying whether the pet family’s primary concern is cost, convenience, or optionality is key to finding the “best fit." Source: AAHA NEWStat, February 6, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
2023 vet med hiring and retention trends
What does 2023 hold for the veterinary profession in terms of hiring and retention?” Stacy Purcell answers with five veterinarian hiring and retention trends. Source: AAHA Newstat, December 18, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
If it looks like, acts like, smells like parvo . . . it is parvovirus in Michigan
Tony McReynolds updates the parvo situation in Michigan. It wasn’t a mysterious disease after all. Source: AAHA NEWStat, August 29, 2022. Link. Initial negative test results were puzzling. Digging deeper veterinarians found while some of the affected dogs had been vaccinated for parvo NONE had a history of complete vaccination. … [Read more...]
What pet owners need to know about vital signs
Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Oncology), reviews recent research about vital signs and explains how pet owners can help their veterinarian obtain accurate vital sign measurements including home blood pressure, temperature and overcoming fears. Source: Schwarzman Animal Medical Center via AAHA NEWStat, August 17, 2022. Link. Tactile assessment of nose temperature is … [Read more...]