AVMA passes proposals on end-of-life care, SAVMA, allied groupsSeptember 5, 2017 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) House of Delegates (HOD) approved a policy on end-of-life care for companion animals and approved bylaws amendments regarding the Student AVMA and allied veterinary organizations. The AVMA board of directors had submitted a revised version of the existing "Policy on Veterinary Hospice Care" to the HOD; delegates renamed the policy as "Veterinary End-of-Life Care" and made corresponding changes in the text of the policy. On recommendation of the AVMA steering committee on human-animal interactions, the policy now states that the AVMA endorses the 2016 guidelines on end-of-life care from the American Animal Hospital Association and the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care. The revised policy outlines the concept of veterinary end-of-life care as "the provision of palliative care (including medications) for the remainder of a pet's life followed by humane euthanasia if an acceptable quality of life can no longer be maintained." The policy specifies that advice on veterinary care should be provided only by veterinary professionals, and that veterinarians should be empowered as animal advocates in end-of-life care facilities for animals. The HOD approved a bylaws amendment paving the way for transfer of the student chapters …
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Zoetis seeks to simplify genetic data management for Jersey, brown Swiss cattleSeptember 5, 2017 Zoetis' new SearchPoint data management tool aims to help U.S. dairy producers maximize genetic testing results for Jersey and brown Swiss cattle by sorting genetic results, evaluating genetic trends, and benchmarking genetic merit, according to the company. "It's critical for producers to get selection and breeding decisions right the first time," said Jason Osterstock, senior director, Global Genetics Strategic Marketing for Zoetis. "SearchPoint helps producers select the animals with the greatest genetic potential in their herds and breed them to produce even more valuable offspring." Similar to how U.S. dairy producers use Enlight to manage herd genetics for Holstein cattle, SearchPoint is designed for U.S. dairy customers who use the Zoetis portfolio of genetic tests for dairy cattle, including Clarifide for Jersey and brown Swiss breeders. Users can quickly access their genetic test results and easily convert them into custom reports, tables and graphs that are shareable with partners and herd advisers, the company stated. "This is a powerful, customizable online data management tool that takes analysis of genetic data to the next level," said Ben Vlug, director, Global Quality and Product Delivery at Zoetis. "SearchPoint helps producers visualize genetic variation information and identify outliers, enabling productivity and …
AAHA releases 2017 Canine Vaccination GuidelinesSeptember 5, 2017The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released its newly revised Canine Vaccination Guidelines. Experts and veterinary practitioners believe vaccination protocols should be individualized based on the patient's risk factors, life stage, and lifestyle, according to the Lakewood, Colo.-based organization. Published in the September/October edition of the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association—and for the first time as an online educational resource for the veterinary medical profession—these revised guidelines offer important updates to the 2011 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines that will help practicing veterinarians meet patient and client needs in a complex infectious disease environment, according to AAHA. The new guidelines include the Lifestyle-Based Vaccine Calculator, an interactive tool to support a veterinary team's vaccination recommendations based on risk factors and lifestyle, quick-reference tables for client-owned and shelter-housed dogs, antibody testing algorithms, recommendations for overdue patients, rabies law and exemption resources, vaccine storage and handling information, immunotherapeutic product summaries, and an expansion of the Frequently Asked Questions section. The guidelines also provide expert insight on several controversial issues, including frequency, dosing, scheduling, and duration of immunity for core and noncore vaccines; titer result interpretation; and adverse reaction identification and reporting, AAHA stated. The …
FTC orders Mars to divest 12 vet clinics before VCA buySeptember 4, 2017To avoid violating antitrust laws, Mars Inc., under a mandate from the Federal Trade Commission, will divest 12 veterinary clinics across the U.S. that provide specialty and emergency services no later than 10 business days after the company's $9.1 billion acquisition of VCA Inc. According to the FTC, Mars is required to divest each of the 12 clincis to one of three divestiture buyers: National Veterinary Associates, Pathway Partners Vet Management Co., and PetVet Care Centers. If the acquisition takes place as proposed, it may lessen competition for certain specialty and emergency veterinary services in 10 U.S. areas by eliminating direct competition between Mars specialists in the area and those of VCA, according to the FTC's complaint. Commission documents also claim that without a remedy, the acquisition would likely lead to higher prices for pet owners and lower quality in the specialty and emergency veterinary services they receive. One clinic in the Kansas City, New York, and Phoenix areas will be divested to National Veterinary Associates; one clinic in Chicago, Corpus Christi and San Antonio; and two clinics in Seattle will be divested to Pathway. Two clinics in the Portland area …
10 secrets of veterinary anesthesia machinesAugust 24, 2017Increase patient safety while under anesthesia and boost your machine’s efficiency with these 10 tips.
Boxer with a bleeding tongueAugust 24, 2017I’ve got another “dental zebra” for you. For those unacquainted with my dental zebra series, I am not referring to the striped horse but rather the rare diagnosis that is sometimes referred to as a “zebra” diagnosis.
Stay ahead of the tax-time curveAugust 24, 2017Thinking about April 15 often sends shivers down the spines of most, including owners of veterinary practices. With liability issues, increased regulatory burdens and an ever-changing tax code, many veterinarians don’t have the time to keep up with all the different financial aspects of the job, which is why most hire some sort of accountant or bookkeeper.
How veterinary teams can unleash their full potentialAugust 24, 2017Did you know you are supported in reaching your fullest potential in veterinary medicine? Veterinary team members are encouraged to design, create and find support for their careers so that each may reach new heights in job satisfaction, fulfillment and prosperity.
Iowa lawsuit shows danger of "standard" contract termsAugust 24, 2017Practice owners are routinely asked to sign commercial contracts on the spot. “This is our standard contract” or “That’s just boilerplate language” are oft-repeated lines from salespersons eager to close the deal.
Get clients off their phones and in the momentAugust 24, 2017How many times have you experienced this: While you explain your exam findings, a client’s fingers are pounding out text messages. Plenty? Well, prepare for more of the same.
