StemCell Therapy

Posted Aug. 30, 2017

The AVMA Board of Directors elected Drs. Michael Whitehair and Gary Brown as chair and vice chair, respectively, while meeting July 25 in Indianapolis.

Dr. Whitehair is a mixed animal practitioner from Abilene, Kansas, who has served on the AVMA Board since 2012 when AVMA members in the District IX states of Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah elected him as their representative on the board. Dr. Whitehair joined the Board after spending some 13 years in the House of Delegates, where he was a member of the House Advisory Committee as well as its chair.

In 2008, Dr. Whitehair was part of the selection committee that chose Dr. Ron DeHaven as the new AVMA executive vice president and CEO. Dr. Whitehair chaired the committee that selected Dr. Janet Donlin to succeed Dr. DeHaven when he retired in 2016.

A 1974 graduate of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Whitehair is a partner in the Abilene Animal Hospital. His clinical interests include beef cattle, feedlot, and equine medicine. The practice also includes three veterinarians who are health and production consultants in swine medicine and three veterinarians who focus on companion animal medicine, surgery, and equine practice.

Dr. Brown is a 1984 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine and owns a small animal practice in Princeton, West Virginia. He is a former president of the West Virginia VMA and for seven years was a member of the HOD. In 2008, Dr. Brown was elected to the first of his two terms as AVMA vice president. He joined the AVMA Board in 2013 as the District V representative for Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.

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Whitehair and Brown win top seats on AVMA Board - American Veterinary Medical Association

Posted Aug. 30, 2017

The AVMA presented its Meritorious Service Award to Dr. Bruce Kaplan, a staunch advocate of the one-health concept, July 22 at AVMA Convention 2017.

The Meritorious Service Award is conferred on a veterinarian who has brought honor and distinction to the veterinary profession through personal, professional, or community service activities outside organized veterinary medicine and research.

Dr. Kaplan (Auburn '63), a retired veterinarian, formerly worked as a writer, editor, and consultant on public affairs. He resides in Florida and devotes his time to promoting the one-health movement with Laura H. Kahn, MD; Thomas P. Monath, MD; Jack Woodall, PhD; and Dr. Lisa A. Conti, a veterinarian.

The one-health concept is that human, animal, and environmental health are inextricably interconnected. Dr. Kaplan is the primary content manager for the One Health Initiative website, and serves as contributing editor on the editorial board of the One Health Newsletter. He also serves on the scientific advisory board of Veterinaria Italiana; the editorial advisory board of Infection, Ecology & Epidemiology; and the board of the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society.

Dr. Kaplan practiced small animal medicine for 23 years. He held positions in public health with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an epidemiologist and with the Department of Agriculture's Office of Public Health and Science. He also served as the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service public affairs specialist in California for 14 Western states, and he wrote a JAVMA News column on food safety.

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Meritorious Service Award goes to Kaplan - American Veterinary Medical Association

Story and photos by R. Scott Nolen

Posted Aug. 30, 2017

Three veterinarians launched their campaigns for the AVMA presidency and vice presidency during the Candidates' Introductory Breakfast July 21 in Indianapolis. Drs. John Howe and Angela Demaree are vying for the office of 2018-19 president-elect, while Dr. Grace Bransford is running for 2018-20 vice president.

Elections will be held next July during the AVMA House of Delegates' regular annual session in Denver.

First to speak was Dr. Howe, a mixed animal practitioner and former practice owner from Grand Rapids, Minnesota. He likened the AVMA to a bridge that not only links the veterinary profession to the veterinarian but also bypasses obstacles to their success. "My vision for AVMA consists of strengthening this bridge," Dr. Howe said.

"AVMA must continue to be the bridge that holds us together with shared goals and objectives, and AVMA must continue to strive for diversity and inclusiveness because that makes us stronger," he explained. "Listening to the concerns of membership is part of maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the AVMA."

Since 2012, Dr. Howe has represented Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota on the AVMA Board of Directors. He has also served on several AVMA committees and currently chairs the State Advocacy Committee.

A 1977 graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Howe spent seven years on the governor-appointed Minnesota Board of Animal Health and was president of the Minnesota VMA, which has endorsed his candidacy for AVMA president-elect.

"I can personally relate to many of your concerns and challenges because I have experienced them," Dr. Howe said. "I am familiar with AVMA operations, and I am an advocate for unity in our profession as we cross our bridge and confront our challenges together."

Next to speak was Dr. Demaree, whose candidacy is endorsed by the Indiana VMA. The sixth-generation Hoosier and Indianapolis native credited determination and commitment to servicecore values instilled in her at an early agefor her career in veterinary medicine and the U.S. Army Reserve Veterinary Corps.

Advocacy remains the top concern of AVMA members, according to Dr. Demaree, a former associate director of the AVMA Governmental Relations Division. "(E)nsuring we are effective advocates for the profession and small business owners will remain a top priority as your 2018 president-elect," she said.

"By using the skill sets that we know veterinarians are best trained forworking together, embracing our diversity, and thinking outside of the boxwe can ensure that we will have a sustainable and thriving veterinary profession for generations to come," Dr. Demaree said.

After receiving her veterinary degree from Purdue University in 2002, Dr. Demaree practiced companion animal and equine medicine before joining the AVMA staff in 2007. Three years later, she joined the Indiana Horse Racing Commission as its equine medical director.

In 2009, Dr. Demaree was commissioned as an officer in the Army Reserve Veterinary Corps, and in 2012, she was deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She is currently a major in the Army Reserve.

"Our members want the AVMA to continue to provide resources on how to make health and wellness a priority, not just for our patients but also for us, the busy professionals who often put the needs of others above our own," Dr. Demaree said. "As your 2018 president-elect, health and wellness will remain a top priority."

The final speaker, Dr. Bransford, is so far the only candidate for the office of AVMA vice president, currently held by Dr. Stacy Pritt, who is in the final year of her term. The vice president is the Association's official liaison to the Student AVMA and its chapters and is a voting member on the AVMA Board.

Veterinary student debt and wellness are the key issues Dr. Bransford would focus on as vice president. She is a 1998 graduate of the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and owns a small animal practice in San Anselmo, California.

Dr. Bransford has served on several AVMA entities, including the 20/20 Vision Commission and the Task Force on Governance and Membership Participation, and is currently a member of the Council on Veterinary Service. Prior to becoming a veterinarian, she worked in advertising for some of the top advertising agencies in the country.

"What do I have to offer?" Dr. Bransford asked. "I have the skills and knowledge from a decade in marketing and advertising working on leading brands. I have nearly 20 years of AVMA volunteer experience working with many different AVMA volunteer staff entities. I've worked in the profession for nearly two decades as an associate and practice owner. And I have the ability to integrate and leverage the unique combination of skills to help drive AVMA's efforts for students and schools forward."

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Candidates introduce themselves in Indy - American Veterinary Medical Association

The South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association held its 126th annual meeting in Sioux Falls Aug. 13 16.

At that meeting, Dr. Larry Carpenter of Sturgis was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.

The Distinguished Service Award is awarded to honor an individual who has brought distinction to the veterinary profession through his/her devotion to the care and well-being of animals, support for the profession, and contributions to the community. This individual exemplifies the profession, both personally and professionally, through support of veterinary medicine, research, colleagues, and/or students and through civic participation. This individuals contributions have advanced the profession and serve as an inspiration to veterinarians and the clients he serves.

Dr. Carpenter graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine DVM in 1982 (with honor). He received a Masters Degree in Veterinary Surgery in 1991 from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He had a Residency in Small Animal Surgery at the University of Colorado from 1988-1991. He attained Diplomate Status with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1992. In 1998, he graduated from the US Army War College.

Dr. Carpenter served in the US Army 25 years, starting as a private (E1) in October 1972 at Ft Leonard Wood, MO. He retired as Director of the Military Working Dog Hospital, Lackland AFB, San Antonio TX at the rank of Colonel (O-6) in August 2003. He served as Consultant to the US Army Surgeon General on Military Working Dogs from 2000 2003.

While deployed to Haiti in 1995, his soldier team conducted Operation Mad Dog in coordination with the Haitian Ministry of Health, the UN Mission to Haiti, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Christian Veterinary Mission. Together, they set up street corner vaccination stations and vaccinated nearly 10,000 dogs and cats against rabies in Port Au Prince Haiti.

After retirement from the military, Dr. Carpenter had a small animal surgical practice, Veterinary Surgical Service PC, from September 2003 to December 2015.

Dr. Carpenter has been married to his wife, Nancy, for 46 years. They have two daughters.

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In addition to his veterinary work, he serves as Secretary of the Sturgis Alliance of Churches and is a member of Christian Veterinary Mission.

The meeting also included continuing education opportunities for over 200 veterinarians and veterinary technicians, recognized outstanding accomplishments by professionals in the veterinary fields, and included the annual membership meeting.

The meeting featured Dr. Jason Sweitzer, DVM, a nationally known speaker on mental health and suicide prevention in the veterinary profession. Companion animal topics included anesthesia and soft tissue surgery.

Large animal topics included calf scours treatment and management, sheep and goat parasitology and medicine, and equine emergency and field procedures, as well as updates from SDSUs Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab.

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Carpenter receives distinguished service award - Rapid City Journal

Heart disease affects about 10 percent of dogs. Insufficiency of the mitral valve is the most common cause, accounting for 75-80 percent of heart disease cases. Mitral valve disease is more common in small dogs such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Toy Poodles and Pomeranians.

A degenerative process affecting the mitral valve is thought to be genetic. The first sign of mitral valve disease is a murmur that begins between 6-10 years of age. When the murmur is low grade, there may not be any other signs. However, as the murmur (insufficiency) progresses, signs can include coughing, increased breathing rates or effort, exercise intolerance and even fainting.

The mitral valve is located in the left side of the heart between the left ventricle and left atrium. It provides a vital function by preventing blood from moving backward during heart contraction. Insufficiency means that the valve is not functioning properly allowing blood to leak backward past the valve when the heart contracts.

Understanding how mitral insufficiency affects the body requires further discussion about heart anatomy and function.

The heart is divided into two sides. Each side has two chambers the atrium and the ventricle. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs so that carbon dioxide (CO2) can be released and oxygen (O2) picked up for delivery to the body. Blood with oxygen returning from the lungs to the left side of the heart is pumped to the rest of the body.

When degeneration affects the mitral valve, the edges of the valves become rough and no longer completely close. This allows blood to move backward with each heart contraction. This leaked blood must be pumped again by the heart, resulting in increasing work and inefficiency.

The increased volume of blood in the heart chamber, also results in increased stretching of the heart muscle. This stretching can reduce the efficiency of the heart muscle contractions. When enough blood has leaked backward, it can start backing up into the blood veins leading from the lungs to the heart, causing problems with blood circulation in the lungs.

Mitral insufficiency can be detected by hearing a murmur over the mitral valve. However, it is important to have a full work-up completed to determine how severe the problem is. Tests often include chest X-rays to determine the heart size and changes in lung blood vessels, ECG to determine the presence of abnormal heart rhythms, blood pressure, and liver and kidney test values. Echocardiogram (ultrasound) of the heart provides an assessment of heart structure and function; however, it is not generally needed for mild mitral insufficiency.

Treatment and supportive care depend on the severity of the heart condition. Generally, medications that improve heart contraction, reduce blood pressure and remove excess fluid are used to manage the effects of mitral insufficiency. Reduced sodium diets are considered to be important. Fish oil, vitamins E, C, and B complex, L-carnitine and trace minerals may be of benefit. Herbs such as hawthorn berry (Crataegus oxyacantha) have a wide range of benefits, including safety, improved blood flow to the heart muscle, enhanced strength of the heart contraction,and removal of excess fluid.

When considering supportive care for dogs with mitral insufficiency, it is important to recognize that other parts of the body are indirectly affected. For example, many dogs with heart problems are in a chronic stress mode as the body tries to cope. This ongoing stress can lead to reduced adrenal function. The kidneys can also be affected and may need supportive care.

If you have questions about mitral insufficiency in your dog, contact your veterinarian.

Ron Carsten was one of the first veterinarians in Colorado to use the integrative approach, has lectured widely to veterinarians and has been a pioneer in the therapeutic use of food concentrates to manage clinical problems. In addition to his doctor of veterinary medicine, he holds a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology and is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. He practices integrative veterinary medicine in Glenwood Springs.

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Vet column: Valve disease common cause of canine heart murmurs - Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Perhaps the title sounds misleading. A large-animal vet develops a veterinary practice caring for the needs of livestock such as cattle (dairy or beef), sheep, goats and pigs. A small animal veterinarian like me is usually slotted into the care of companion pets such as dogs and cats. So when I examine a 200 pound dog, it is still a small animal and likewise there is often confusion about whom to call when the patient is a pot-belly/miniature pig. Not me.

The life of a small animal vet and that of a large animal practitioner are markedly different. One works almost exclusively indoors, dressed neatly, white coat in place. The other weathers life outdoors, facing extremes of blazing heat to icy cold, rain and snow. One always has a sink handy to tidy up. The other uses outdoor hoses more than theyd like. A dairy vet may check over 100 head of cattle in a morning and four farm calls make a full day. A small animal vet may follow the medical strands of more than 25 patients a day, winding through exams, blood results, x-rays and working in a surgery or two. All juggle the demands of unexpected emergency work.

Being in an office most of the day, I rarely interact with my brother and sister large animal veterinarians. So when the pygmy goat from the petting zoo fell over dead I was unhappy, but proceeded to perform a postmortem examination and sent tissue samples off to our regular lab. I had overseen the care of these goats for many years, but they were on the back burner when it came to my interest in the truly exotic Zoo collection. My concerns centered on whether or not the public might have fed something odd to the goat? (Ill jump ahead here: No. The public did not harm the goat). I mulled over the problem but prepared to wait until the pathology report was finished sometime in the next week. And then another goat died.

I was unnerved. The goats were being closely watched and none had shown any outward signs of sickness. They had all lived for more than eight years at the zoo and had never, collectively, suffered a single injury amongst themselves. I immediately sought the expertise of a large-animal veterinarian. The goat expert was on a dairy farm. The return call came in as I was finishing one surgery and about to start another. Gloves still on, I was staring at some x-rays in-between these surgeries when they told me they had Dr. B on the line. Multitasking at its best.

I hurried over, snapping gloves into the waste receptacle and grabbing pen and paper. I introduced myself and launched into a recital of my goat woes. I verified that he had goat experience. I gave him dates, genders, date of deaths, lack of lab results, still pending. I drew breath to spew forth another list of details and heard him gently respond, Yes. I think. I might be able. to help. His measured tones were from a man used to the gentle rhythms of milking machines, contented cows swishing their tails, chewing their cuds. Da-dum da-dum to my staccato dop-dop-dop-dop-dop! I managed to squeeze in a few more hurried sentences (surgery! Waiting!) before he responded calmly, I think I drive past your practice on my way up from this dairy.. I opened my mouth. Closed my mouth. I could hear the clouds, feel the sunshine, almost see the shining black and white hides of the gentle Holsteins he surveyed as we spoke. It was all there in the rhythm of his speech. I told myself to stop yapping before he decided my goat problem would be too stressful for him to bother with.

An hour later Dr. Thomas Bauman drove up in a large truck outfitted for all manner of veterinary ministrations. He spent an hour and a half doing a postmortem on one goat. He had a wicked knife and mulled over the cause of sand in the stomach. He felt it was too much. Did we feed on the ground? No. But little kids feed the zoo goats oat hay pellets and they often dropped to the sand, with all the goats scrambling to get their share. Hmmm. He gave the problem his full attention and we submitted a gazillion samples to the state lab, including an intact eyeball because it would be useful for trace metal analysis. The final answer was a copper deficiency in the feed, to which Pygmy goats are especially susceptible. Hay grown in the San Joaquin Valley is often deficient in copper. The salt lick fed at the zoo did not have added copper because Alpacas are in with the goats and they are susceptible to copper toxicity (too much) if supplemented. So we now feed our goats little capsules of copper wire every six months and all is good.

But sometimes I find myself wishing that I was a large animal veterinarian. Just so I could slow down and smell the ..never mind.

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Goat experts and other large animal veterinarians - Merced Sun-Star

Veterinary Conference

Conference Series world leader of scientific events organizing 8th International Conference on Animal Health and Veterinary Medicine during October 20-21, 2017 which is going to be held in beautiful city Toronto, Canada. It successfully completed its first animal and veterinary conference Animal and dairy science conference in the year 2013 in the USA, the second one in India Animal Science 2014 which is a huge success. With the tremendous response from veterinary and animal sciences fields in 2015, it organized two conferences one in India and another one in the UK which also became a huge success. Previous year i.e., in 2016 it had organized animal health, veterinary summit, and veterinary congress in Spain, USA, and UK. With the continuous success and support of our wonderful stakeholders this year we are organizing world class Animal Health 2017 event in the best travel destination Canada.

Save the Dates of Future Veterinary Conference, Animal Health 2018: With the valuable support of Organizing Committee Members, Veterinary Journal Editorial Members11th International Conference on Animal Health & Veterinary Medicine (Animal Health 2018) is planned to be held in the beautiful City Chicago, Illinois, USA during September 24-25, 2018.

With this good reputation and five years of authenticity in the veterinary academic conferences, we are welcoming all those interested people to attend this esteemed conference, to learn from, to network with great leaders in veterinary and animal sciences area. Animal Health 2017 program offers wonderful and thought provoking sessions, continuing education, veterinary CE, for the continuous development and better scientific expansion in veterinary fields.

8th International Conference on Animal Health and Veterinary Medicine focused on learning about Animal Health/ Veterinary Medicine and its advances; this is your best opportunity to reach best veterinarians, veterinary technicians and the largest assemblage of participants from the Veterinary Community. Our Veterinary Conference planned keeping in mind with best scientific sessions, exhibitions, poster presentations, oral presentations, workshops, symposiums, luncheons, and great keynotes.

World renowned speakers, the most recent techniques, developments and the newest updates in Animal Health, and Veterinary are hallmarks of our conference.

For our 8th International Veterinary Conference with One Health, One Society theme we are inviting professionals, enthusiasts from the fields of Medical, Environmental along with Veterinary and Animal Health fields to contribute towards the better society.

Who Can Attend the Conference?

Reasons to Attend Animal Health 2017:

Previous Year Veterinary Conference Statistics:

What People are Saying About our Annual Veterinary Meeting:

This is the best event and highly useful for Veterinary Anatomy people.

-Imre Olh, Semmelweis University

Great event with best speeches combined.

-Secretary, Vetmasi

Veterinary Congress shed light on all the fields of Veterinary Sciences and useful for the

professional development.

-Stewart Daniel, WHO

Animal Health 2016 - Well organized and Well moderated Event.

-Veterinary Policy Officer, FVE

Best event on Animal Health, Animal Welfare and Veterinary.

-President, EAEVE

This year we are anticipating 400+ participants from across various fields of veterinary related subjects like Agriculture, Aquaculture, Food Science, Business, Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, Health Care, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine. Academicians, Business speakers and delegates from Veterinary Clinics, Hospitals, Universities, Colleges, Schools, Institutions, Companies, Research Laboratories, Societies, Associations, Government and Private Organizations.

With a readership of 3 million and 30 million visitors to our world class Animal Health 2017 Conference website, we assure the highest reachability to your products and profile. Majority of our visitors coming from United States of America (USA), Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Australia, China, India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Austria, Turkey, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, UK, Russia and Ukraine.

At this wonderful event we welcome you to conduct presentations, present posters, exhibit your products, Lean new things, distribute information, meet with potential scientists, influencers and renowned persons, make networking, attract a great deal of attention with sharing your new research and developments, receive name recognition, travel to world's best tourist locations in Toronto, Canada, and have fun.

We hope you will be interested and take this opportunity to join us in Toronto, Canada during October 20-21, 2017 at our pinnacle event.

The global animal healthcare market is estimated to value around USD 34.5 billion in 2015, was around and expected to reach USD 43.1 billion by 2020 with 5.1 percent compound annual growth rate. It is expected to grow more than USD 58 billion by 2025.Animal Health industry is providing big investment opportunities. Europe and North America together composed more than 63% of the market share. The main growth in animal health market is expected to come from Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa and some East European countries.

Asia-Pacific is one of the highest meat producers in the world, is expected to consume the highest amount of feed additive followed by North America. Western Europe and North America is a potential market for companion animal products both in pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Leadinganimal health companiesare relying largely on companion animals for growth.

As the worlds population is expected to grow to 9.6 billion, food production would have to increase by 70% in order to feed the extra mouths (based on current consumption patterns). Due to the rising demand for meat, milk and egg worldwide, there will be an increasing demand in feed additives segments. The companion animals or pet adoption is increasing and it is the main driving force of the futureanimal health industry. Cats and dogs are adopted mostly by the people for therapeutic and psychological benefits.

The close relationship between people and companion animals not only provides positive health benefitsbut also facilitates the transmission and spread of certain diseases from animals to humans. The increasing prevalence of foodborne andzoonotic diseaseshas raised the care ofanimal farmersand pet owners about thehealth of animals. As the prevention drugs are not available in the market, the recently diagnosed diseases act as the threat for the owners of the animal farm.

The evolution of new diseases offers great opportunities for the animalhealthcareindustry. To find enhanced solutions for the new and prevailing diseases, the animal health companies are increasing their research and development activities.

Best Global Animal Health Companies:

Best Veterinary Medicine Colleges:

Mark dates (October 20, 2017 - October 21, 2017) of our international veterinary conference in your Veterinary Calendar.

Veterinary Conference | Animal Health Conference | Veterinary Medicine Conference | Animal Science Conference | Veterinary Conference 2017

Animals play a vital role in the society.Animal Healthis the inter-link between humans,animals and the surrounding environment. They play the main role in transportation, clothing and Food. Animalsprovide many benefits to humans. While the company, sport or work satisfy important needs in today's society, we should not overlook that the production of food of animal origin has been historically, and remains one of the fundamental pillars on which is based the Food. A Noteworthy economic importance of farming in our society, not to mention the environmental role of some species like honey bees. It is important for pets, zoo animals andfarm animalsto stay healthy. The health of animals defines the healthy and wealthy society.Healthy animalscontribute to the elimination of hunger, to healthy people and to sustainablefood production.

Veterinary medicineis the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals. The scope ofveterinarymedicine is wide, covering all animal species, both domesticated and wild, with a wide range of conditions which can affect different species.Veterinariansprevent the transmission ofanimal diseasesto people and advise the proper care of animals. They ensurefood safetyby maintaining the health of agricultural animals and by inspecting food industries. They also involved in the preservation of wildlife.

One Healthis the integrative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals, and the environment. Together, the three make up the One Health triad, and the health of each is inextricably connected to the others in the triad. Understanding and addressing the health issues created at this intersection is the foundation for the concept of One Health.

Animal welfaremeans how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress. Good animal welfare requires disease prevention andveterinarytreatment, appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. Animal welfare refers to the state of the animal; the treatment that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care,animal husbandry, andhumane treatment.

Animal testing, also known asanimal experimentation,animal research, andin vivotesting, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. The focus of animal testing varies on a continuum from pure research, done with little regard to the uses to which understanding may be put, to applied research, which may focus on answering some question of great practical importance, such as finding a cure for a disease. Examples of applied research include testing, breeding, defense research, andtoxicology, includingcosmetics testing.

Aveterinary specialistis a veterinarian who has completed additional training in a specific area ofveterinary medicineand has passed an examination that evaluates their knowledge and skills in that specialty area. A veterinary specialist may be consulted when an animals condition requires specialized care above and beyond that which a regularveterinariancan offer. Many veterinary specialists require a referral in order to be seen. After treatment, aveterinaryspecialist may stay in close contact with the referring veterinarian to provide ongoing treatment suggestions and advice.

Veterinary Internal Medicine deals with the diseases of the internal organs of animals. In this session we will discuss the latest developments in the fields including,epidemiology,oncology, cardiology, neurology, nutrition, theriogenology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, pharmacology, hematology, immunology, hepatology, infectious diseases, nephrology, urology and respiratory diseases.

Animal diseasemeans diseases to which animals are liable and whereby the normal functions of any organ or the body of an animal is impaired or disturbed by any protozoon, bacterium, virus, fungus, parasite, other organism or agent.

Animal Biotechnology plays an important role in human and animal health and development. Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products, or any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. Animal Biotechnology dates back to domestication of animals, selective breeding (hybridizing) to produce desirable offspring.

Animal Biotechnologyis the use of molecular biology andgenetic engineeringforindustrial, pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. It is used to produce therapeutic proteins, diseases resistant offspring, transgenic animals, clones and organs byxenotransplantation. Applications and benefits include producing antibodies, to understand the relationship between genes and disease, to find and produce disease resistant animals, to increase production of animal products, produced new food and pharmaceutical products, use of animal organs as human transplants - xenotransplantation (ex: human-pig chimeras) and to enhance the ability to detect, treat diseases.

Animal Biotechnology industry values at around USD 6 Billion with the annual growth rate of 1.8%. Major players in Animal Biotechnology are Elanco, Merck Co. Inc. Merial Limited and Zoetis.

Veterinary oncologyis a subspecialty ofveterinary medicinethat deals with cancer diagnosis and treatment in animals.Veterinary canceris a major cause of death in pet animals.

Related Veterinary Conferences:

InternationalVeterinary Emergency&Critical Care SymposiumSeptember 13-17, 2017, Tennessee, USA; PurdueVeterinary ConferenceSeptember 19-23, 2017, Indiana, USA; 42nd WorldSmall Animal Veterinary CongressSeptember 25-28, 2017, Copenhagen, Denmark; American Association ofFeline Practitioners ConferenceOctober 19-22, 2017, Denver, USA; OhioDairy Veterinarians MeetingJanuary 4-6, 2018, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The ExeterVeterinary CongressFebruary 8-9, 2017, Exeter, UK; OregonVeterinary ConferenceMarch 2 - 4, 2018 Corvallis, Oregon, USA;10thInternational Veterinary Congress, August 29-31, 2018 Rome, Italy;North AmericanVeterinary Dermatology ConferenceMay 1-5, 2018, Maui, Hawaii, USA; American College ofVeterinary Internal Medicine ForumJune 13-16, 2018, Seattle, Washington, USA; 9thInternationalSheepVeterinary Congress, May 22-26, 2017, Harrogate, UK;VetHealth GlobalCongressJune, 2017 Charlottetown, PEI, Canada; CVMAAnnualVeterinary ConventionJuly 05-08, 2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada;CFHSAnimal Welfare ConferenceApril 21-24, 2018, Calgary, Canada; NAVCConference2018 - VMX 2018 February 3-7, 2018, Orlando, Florida, USA; MidwestVeterinary Conference, February 22-25, 2018 Columbus,Ohio, USA; PacificVeterinary ConferenceJune 28- July 01, 2018, San Francisco California, USA; 90thWesternVeterinaryConferenceMarch 4-8, 2018 | Mandalay Bay Convention Center | Las Vegas, NV,USA; Wild WestVeterinary ConferenceOctober 11-15, 2017, Nevada, USA; 26thInternationalConference on Veterinary ParasitologySeptember 04-08, 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 33rdWorldVeterinary CongressAugust 27-31, 2017, Incheon, South Korea.

Veterinary ConferenceAbstracts Deadline: August31, 2017

Veterinary Conference Registration Deadline: August 25, 2017

On spot registration: October 20, 2017

Animal Health 2016

Conference Series LLCsuccessfully hosted the5thAnimal Health and Veterinary Medicine CongressduringSeptember 26-27, 2016, atHotel Melia Valencia, Valencia, Spain. The conference focused on the theme Healthy Animals, Healthy Society. The conference was successful in gathering eminent speakers from various reputed organizations and their paramount talks enlightened the gathering.

Animal Health 2016 focused on recent approaches in veterinary medicine and animal welfare and the meeting engrossed in knowledgeable discussions on novel subjects like Animal Health and Veterinary Science, Animal Ethology, Animal Biotechnology, Animal Diseases, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Surgery, Veterinary Public Health, Animal Welfare, Animal Husbandry and Livestock Extension, Entrepreneurs Investment Meet.

The proceedings of the conference were embarked with an opening ceremony followed by the Honorable presence of the Keynote forum.

The adepts who promulgated the theme with their exquisite talks were:

Dr. M T Musa, Ministry of Animal Resources, Sudan

Dr. Despoina Iatridou, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, Belgium

Dr. Mara Jaureguzar Redondo, Vet+i Foundation- Spanish Technology Platform for Animal Health, Spain

Dr. Ahmed G Hegazi, National Research Center, Egypt

Dr. Enric Marco Granell, Marco Vetgrup SL, Spain

Dr. Imre Olh, Semmelweis University, Hungary

Dr. Peter Timms, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia

Dr. Stewart Daniel, World Health Organization (WHO), South Africa

Dr. Giorgio Marchesini, University of Padova, Italy

Dr. Lenita Moura Stefani, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Brazil

Dr. ngela Martins, Lusfona University, Portugal

Dr. Yong Heo, Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea

The Keynote sessions and all the other sessions highlighted the current challenges, issues, opportunities, innovations and ideas in all the fields of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.

For more details, please visit:http://www.conferenceseries.com/Past_Reports/animal-health-2016-past

With the success of Animal Health 2016, next year we have been organizing the best veterinary conference: 8thInternational Conference on Animal Health and Veterinary Medicineduring October 20-21, 2017 in Toronto, Canada.

Conference Series LLCsuccessfully hosted the3rdInternational Veterinary CongressduringAugust 18-20, 2016, atCrowne Plaza London Heathrow,London,UK. The conference focused on the theme Novel Techniques and Advancements in Veterinary Science and its Relevant Aspects. The conference was successful in bringing together renowned speakers from various reputed organizations and their paramount talks enlightened the gathering.

The conference focused on recent developments in the veterinary sector and the meeting engrossed in knowledgeable discussions on novel subjects like: Veterinary, Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Veterinary, Veterinary Economics, Veterinary Research, Food Animal, Animal Reproduction and Genetics, Animal Welfare, Veterinary Forensics, Avian and Exotics, Animal Models and Testing and Veterinary Care and Management.

Veterinary 2016comprised ofSpecial Sessionon Poultry parasites: Emerging issues byOlivier A E Sparagano,Coventry University, UK and aSymposiumon Recent developments in toxicity and treatment of organophosphates and carbamates byRamesh C Gupta,Murray State University, USA.

For more details, please visit:http://www.conferenceseries.com/Past_Reports/veterinary-2016-past

Conference Series LLCsuccessfully hosted the2ndInternational Conference on Livestock Nutrition during July 21-22, 2016, at Brisbane, Australia. The conference focused on the theme Leading Innovation and Sustainability in Livestock Nutrition and Health Worldwide. The conference was successful in bringing together eminent speakers from various reputed organizations and their paramount talks enlightened the gathering.

The meeting engrossed a vicinity of cognizant discussions on novel subjects like Livestock and Health, Livestock Nutrition, Livestock Disease and Management, Poultry, Cattle, Sheep, Organic Livestock, Livestock Feed Ingredients, Feed Prices and Agribusiness, Feed Supplies and Feed Technology and Equipment.

Livestock Nutrition 2016comprised ofInternational Preconference workshop onTrace Elements in Animal Nutritionduring April 8-9, 2016 at Firat University, Turkey and aSymposiumon Replacement value of raw soybean meal for commercial soybean meal in diets for broiler chickensduring July 21-22, 2016 at Conference venue by Dr. Paul A. Iji, University of New England, Australia.

For more details, please visit:http://www.conferenceseries.com/Past_Reports/livestock-nutrition-2016-past

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Animal Health - Veterinary Conference: Veterinary Medicine ...

The South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association held its 126th annual meeting at the Ramkota Convention Center in Sioux Falls Aug. 13 16. The meeting included continuing education opportunities for over 200 veterinarians and veterinary technicians, recognized outstanding accomplishments by professionals in the veterinary fields and included the annual membership meeting.

The meeting featured Dr. Jason Sweitzer, DVM, a nationally known speaker on mental health and suicide prevention in the veterinary profession. Companion animal topics included anesthesia and soft tissue surgery. Large animal topics included calf scours treatment and management, sheep and goat parasitology and medicine and equine emergency and field procedures, as well as updates from SDSUs Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab.

Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Larry Carpenter of Sturgis was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Carpenter graduated with honors from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine DVM in 1982 and received a Masters Degree in Veterinary Surgery in 1991 from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Carpenter attained Diplomate Status with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1992. In 1998, he graduated from the US Army War College and served 25 years in the US Army. While deployed to Haiti in 1995, he set up street corner vaccination stations and vaccinated nearly 10,000 dogs and cats against rabies in Port Au Prince with the help of the Haitian Ministry of Health, the UN Mission to Haiti, the Pan American Health Organization and the Christian Veterinary Mission. He served as Consultant to the US Army Surgeon General on Military Working Dogs from 20002003 and retired as the Director of the Military Working Dog Hospital in San Antonio, Texas in Aug. 2003.

The Distinguished Service Award is awarded to honor an individual who has brought distinction to the veterinary profession through his/her devotion to the care and well-being of animals, support for the profession and contributions to the community. This individuals contributions have advanced the profession and serve as an inspiration to veterinarians and the clients he serves.

Veterinarians of the Year

Dr. William Headlee and Dr. Norma Headlee are co-recipients of the Veterinarian of the Year award. The Headlees both graduated from Kadoka High school in 1971 and completed their undergraduate courses at South Dakota State University in 1974. They went on to graduate from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978.

The Headlees have been operating a successful practice in their home town of Kadoka for 39 years. They were among the first veterinarians in SD to use ultrasound for reproductive exams in horses and cattle, and have built an equine hospital to serve the needs of their clients.

There are probably a million stories their clients could tell about all of the amazing things they have done over the years, said one nominator. The thing that was truly amazing is how they did it day in and day out in such a manner that all of us watching thought this is what all parents do for their kids.

The Veterinarian of the Year award is made annually to an SDVMA member who has contributed significantly to the veterinary profession and to the animals and clients he serves. The award recognizes a member for service and accomplishments benefitting the profession of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Eric Knock, Miller, received the 2017 SDVMA Emerging Leader Award. Dr. Knock graduated with a bachelor of science in animal sciences from SDSU in 2003. He received his DVM from Iowa State University in 2007 and was a recipient of the AABP Amstutz Scholarship.

Knock owns the Prairie View Veterinary Clinic and went from being sole practitioner to having four additional veterinarians along with a number of veterinary assistants and employees. He also developed a number of services for cow-calf clients in the area including ultrasound for carcass traits and pregnancy staging along with embryo flushing and transfer. Knock has served on the SDVMA Continuing Education committee.

The Emerging Leader award is made to an SDVMA member who graduated from veterinary school in the last 10 years and has displayed outstanding accomplishments in veterinary research, private practice, regulatory services, civic activities and organized veterinary medicine.

Outstanding Veterinary Technician

Nicole Wrage was named the 2017 Outstanding Veterinary Technician. She graduated from Dell Rapids High School and obtained her veterinary technician degree from Globe University. She is currently enrolled in University of Tennessee Canine Rehabilitation course to continue improving her skills. She is BQA certified and trained in bovine ultrasound for reproduction and Dairy Comp 305 data entry.

The Outstanding Veterinary Technician award is made to a registered veterinary technician who has provided outstanding support to veterinary medicine through dedication to the care and well-being of animals and professional knowledge and execution in service to the profession.

Drs. Randy Beumer, Browns Valley, Minn.; Susan Jones, Rapid City; James Pajl, Yankton; James Rokusek, Watertown, and Steve Tornberg, Harrisburg, attained life membership status in the SDVMA for their years of practice. Life members have attained the age of 65 and have been members of SDVMA for at least 20 years.

Jim Feller, Blunt, received the Bill Davis award. He graduated from SDSU in 1986 with a degree in animal science and has worked with MWI for five years. Feller has served on the South Dakota Veterinary Medical Examiners Board and the Nation Resources Conservation District. He currently serves on the Board of Oahe Electric Cooperative.

The Bill Davis Award is given annually to a sales representative of a veterinary supply company who has demonstrated an unusual degree of service and assistance to veterinarians and the veterinary profession in South Dakota.

The SDVMA Alliance raised over $8,000 in a benefit auction as part of the event. The money is used for scholarships for veterinary and veterinary technician students.

The following board members were elected for the coming year: Dr. Michelle Jensen, Harrisburg, president; Dr. Mark Braunschmidt, Brandon, president-elect; Dr. Ethan Andress, Hettinger, ND, vice president; Dr. Chanda Nilsson, Groton, secretary-treasurer; Dr. Angela Anderson, Sioux Falls, District 1 representative; Dr. Heidi Sorensen, Watertown, District 2 representative; Dr. Chris Chase, Brookings, AVMA delegate, and Dr. Cindy Franklin, Yankton, AVMA alternate delegate. Other board members are Dr. Sandra Wahlert, Hot Springs, District 3 representative, and Dr. Travis White, Sioux Center, Iowa, past president.

The 2018 SDVMA annual meeting will be held August 1215 in Sioux Falls.

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South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association gives awards at annual meeting - Watertown Public Opinion

Women make up 55 percent of active veterinarians and nearly 80 percent of the students in veterinary medicine. Despite this, women only make up 25 percent of leadership roles, and average salaries in the profession have dropped.

The book Leaders of the Pack: Women and the Future of Veterinary Medicine, published by Purdue University Press, was written by Julie Kumble M.Ed. and the late Dr. Donald Smith, dean emeritus of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, to address the gender gap between men and women in leadership.

Kumble, a researcher and writer whose career focused on empowering women, said that the gender gap isnt unique to veterinary medicine but can be found in every other field.

I just want to stress that every profession has a gender gap at the top of every single profession, Kumble said. The people at the top echelons of nursing, the CEOs and CFOs, those tend to be more men. Look at our Congress, its 20 percent women. If you look at who the partners are in law firms, only 20 percent are women, so its across the board. Veterinary medicine isnt unique.

According to Kumble, the gender gap is the result of many factors and there isnt one gleaming answer. One factor is that men were traditionally in the profession longer than women and own specialty practices like orthopedics or dentistry; these specialty practices pay higher salaries. Kumble encourages women to own their own practices.

Another factor is the linear trajectory of a career that doesnt accommodate women with children.

Women are the ones bearing children and raising children so how are we going to build into our system ways for them to get back to work when theyre ready and not miss out on salary and not miss out on promotions, Kumble said.

Kumble cited the Scandinavian countries as a source for solutions, which include policies on family leave or requiring minimum percentages of women on directory boards.

In the book, she gives advice on how women can close the gender gap. One thing she would say to a new student studying veterinary medicine is to be open-minded to the vast opportunities in the profession, from research to the government.

The second is to find mentors during all stages of your career who can offer advice and shine light on your path, (and) then to do the same for others, Kumble said.

Willie Reed, the Purdue dean of veterinary medicine, acknowledges the gender gap and hopes to be a mentor for his students.

Encouraging women to consider leadership positions and providing training for them is something we have fostered here in the college, Reed said.

Reed nominates women for a training program through the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, and the senior administration in Purdues college has more women than men, unlike most colleges.

One of the women who went through the program is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Ann Weil, a clinical professor of anesthesiology.

I think my dean has done a lot to help me personally in terms of improving my leadership skills, Weil said. The AAVMC sponsors leadership training, and I had the privilege of being asked to participate in the program. You learn media training, conflict resolution, team building, and listening skills. Its a pretty intense program.

Reed believes leadership development is important not just for the faculty but also the students in his college, who are predominately women.

Leadership is something that is needed and is expected, Reed said. Its like many things, you have to study leadership and be trained and thats part of what were doing here in the curriculum of veterinary medicine.

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Authors believe gender gap in veterinary medicine is fixable - Purdue Exponent

A procedure combining surgery with stem cell treatment has aided two bulldog puppies with spina bifida and a team of UC Davis researchers hopes to test the therapy in human clinical trials.

The puppies were treated with a therapy developed at UC Davis to help preserve lower-limb function in children with spina bifida, according to a university news release.

Spina bifida occurs when spinal tissue improperly fuses in utero causing cognitive, mobility, urinary and bowel disabilities. Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 children in the United States are born with the condition each year.

Because dogs with the birth defect have little control of their hind quarters, they typically are euthanized as puppies.

After their post-surgery checkup at 4 months old, the sibling pups, Darla and Spanky, showed off their ability to walk, run and play.

The initial results of the surgery are promising, as far as hind limb control, veterinary neurosurgeon Beverly Sturges said in a written statement. Both dogs seemed to have improved range of motion and control of their limbs.

The dogs have since been adopted and continue to do well at home in New Mexico.

The dogs procedure involved surgical techniques developed by fetal surgeon Diana Farmer of UC Davis Health together with a cellullar treatment developed by stem cell scientists Aijun Wang and Dori Borjesson, director of the universitys Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures.

Farmer pioneered the use of surgery prior to birth to improve brain development in children with spina bifida. She later showed that prenatal surgery combined with cells derived from the human placenta held in place with a cellular scaffold helped research lambs born with the disorder walk without noticeable disability, the news release said.

Sturges wanted to find out whether the surgery-plus-stem-cell approach could give dogs more normal lives, as well as better chances of survival and adoption.

Darla and Spanky were transported from Southern California Bulldog Rescue to the UC Davis Veterinary hospital when they were 10 weeks old. They were the first dogs to receive the treatment, this time using canine instead of human placenta-derived cells.

The dogs treatment also occurred after birth, because the prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida is not performed on dogs, Sturges said. The disorder becomes apparent between 1 and 2 weeks of ages, when puppies show hind-end weakness, poor muscle tone, and abnormal use of their tails.

The research team wants dog breeders to send more puppies with spina bifida to UC Davis for treatment and refinements that will help researchers correct another hallmark of spina bifida, incontinence. Although Darla and Spanky are mobile and doing well, they still require diapers, the news release said.

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Puppies receive stem cell treatment developed to help children with spina bifida - Sacramento Bee

Dr. Phillip Nelson of Western University of Health Sciences is the incoming president, while Dr. Calvin M. Johnson is the new president-elect.

From left: Past-President Dr. Douglas Freeman, dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan; President Dr. Phillip Nelson, dean of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine; and President-Elect Dr Calvin M. Johnson, dean of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. | Photo courtesy of the AAVMC.

New leadership was installed at the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) summer meeting. Phillip Nelson, DVM, PhD, dean of Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, assumed the role of AAVMC president, while Calvin M. Johnson, DVM, PhD, DACVP, dean of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, became the president-elect, according to an association release.

Douglas A. Freeman, DVM, PhD, dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, transitioned to the immediate past-president position. Mark Markel, DVM, PhD, DACVS, dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, will remain treasurer, and Paul Lunn, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, DACVIM, dean of the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, was named secretary, the release states.

Dr. Nelson earned his DVM from the Tuskegee Institute in 1979 and his PhD in immunology and biotechnology from North Carolina State University in 1993. He earned his bachelor's degree from Jackson State University. Before he became dean at Western Universitys veterinary school, he served as executive associate dean for the preclinical program. Prior to that Dr. Nelson was the head of the department of small animal medicine and surgery at Tuskegee University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and he also served as associate dean at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine for 11 years.

New at-large board members include Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Susan Tornquist, DVM, PhD, DACVP, who represents Region 1 (U.S.); Ted Whittem, BVSc, PhD, FANZCVS, DACVCP, head of the University of Melbourne School of Veterinary Medicine, who represents Region 3 (Australia, New Zealand and Asia); and Tiffany Whitcomb, DVM, DACLAM, Pennsylvania State University assistant professor of comparative medicine, who represents departments of comparative medicine, the release states.

New board liaisons (nonvoting) include Bryan Slinker, DVM, PhD, dean of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, representing the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, and Aaron Colwell, representing the Student American Veterinary Medical Association.

These appointments will be slightly truncated during this transition year as the AAVMC formally moves its annual assembly from the former summer meeting to the annual meeting, which is typically held in early March, the release states.

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Veterinary school deans take on new leadership roles with AAVMC - dvm360

ByStephen Asante, GNA

Kumasi, Aug. 21, GNA - The Veterinary Councilof Ghana has appealed to the government to resource the Kwame NkrumahUniversity of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Veterinary Medicine, toimprove its infrastructure and faculty to advance veterinary training, researchand healthcare delivery.

Dr. Jonathan Amakye-Anim, Chairman of theCouncil, said this was urgent since the country currently had only 32 certifiedpracticing veterinary doctors.

He said at least 200 of such practitionerswere needed to enhance effective veterinary care for the benefit of the nation.

Dr. Amakye-Anim, who was addressing an oath-swearingand induction ceremony for the School of Medical Sciences, Dental School andthe School of Veterinary Medicine of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Scienceand Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, called for a change in attitude towardsveterinary education.

About 70 per cent of all human diseasesemanates from animals, he noted, stressing that given the current shortage ofveterinary doctors, it would be difficult for the country to effectively dealwith the emerging challenges such as the outbreak of more sophisticatedanimal-related diseases.

The ceremony was held under the jointsupervision of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council and Veterinary Council ofGhana, and had a total of 241 newly-qualified doctors taking the HippocraticOath.

This included 29 dentists and seven veterinarydoctors.

Dr. Andrew Bremang of the School of VeterinaryMedicine swept a total of ten awards, including the Dr. William BlanksonAmanfu Prize for the Best Student in Infectious Diseases, Dr. Andrew QuarcoopomePrize for the Overall Best Student in the DVM programme, and Deans Prize forthe Overall Best Student in the DVM Programme.

Other award-winners were Dr. Obed OwusuYeboah, also a veterinary doctor, who received a total of nine awards, as wellas Dr. Abigail Omani and Dr. Boniface Mensah, both of the School of MedicalSciences, who claimed four prizes each.

The School of Veterinary Medicine, since itsestablishment in 2009, had so far trained 25 veterinary doctors.

This brings to about 1, 500, the number ofmedical, dental and veterinary doctors trained by the KNUST in the last threedecades.

Hitherto, the majority of veterinarypractitioners received their training abroad which came with its own cost tothe nation.

Dr. Amakye-Anim proposed a One District, OneVeterinary Doctor concept for the nation, explaining that, this was the onlyway we could ensure the safety and health of the citizenry.

Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Vice-Chancellorof the University, charged the graduating doctors to avoid practices thatcompromised on their professional ethics.

Professor Tsiri Agbenyega, Provost of theCollege of Health Sciences, affirmed their resolve to work assiduously toaddress the health manpower needs of the nation.

GNA

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KNUST achieves landmark in veterinary medicine | Ghana News ... - Ghana News Agency

Posted: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 12:00 am

See the future of veterinary medicine

Midwestern University, home of Arizonas only veterinary school, is offering a free behind-the-scenes look at how the University is caring for Arizonas animals and training tomorrows veterinarians.

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Midwesterns Glendale Campus at 59th Avenue and Utopia Road will host an open house 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 16. Everyone from pet owners to ranchers to aspiring veterinarians are welcome to attend with their families to see the future of animal healthcare in Arizona. Expert faculty and veterinary students will be on hand to answer questions and showcase the Colleges veterinary clinics and facilities. Over 25 informative booths and exhibits will be available for the public.

Attendees will be treated to facility tours of the state-of-the-art Companion Animal Clinic, Equine and Bovine Center, and Diagnostic Pathology Center. Families will be able to interact with animals, see a simulated cow birth, discover how pathology and forensics can help deter animal abuse and treat disease, and much more. Interested attendees can also learn about a career in veterinary medicine and opportunities available to Midwestern University graduates, such as maintaining a healthy food supply, researching and controlling infectious diseases, and advancing the science of animal health in connection with other healthcare disciplines.

For more information about the College of Veterinary Medicine open house, call 623-537-6360, or visit http://www.midwestern.edu/vetopenhouse.

Posted in News, Headlines on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 12:00 am.

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See the future of veterinary medicine - Glendale Star

Rudi Keller @CDTCivilWar

The University of Missouris College of Veterinary Medicine reversed a planned budget cut after pressure from agriculture interests and veterinarians made it unlikely the move would save any money.

Under President Mun Chois spring directive to find savings and do so without using an across-the-board approach, the college needed to find $2.4 million in savings, former Dean Neil Olson wrote in a memo distributed June 6 to the colleges faculty. To meet that goal, Olson wrote that the college would cut back on its animal reproductive services by eliminating the Theriogenology Service and curtailing companion animal, small ruminant and embryo transfer reproductive services in 2019.

The Missouri Cattlemens Association and the Missouri Veterinary Medicine Association objected strongly to the decision. While training in theriogenology would continue, students would have less hands-on experience if the cut stood, said Mike Deering, executive vice president of the cattlemens association.

They would no longer train veterinarians to specialize in reproduction of our livestock, when that is the bread and butter in our state, Deering said.

Olson left his job on Tuesday. The cattlemens association reported that the cut had been reversed by interim Dean Carolyn Henry in its Friday newsletter. Henry was traveling Friday afternoon and could not be reached.

The industry advocates asking for the cut to be reconsidered made good points, said Tracey Berry, spokeswoman for the college. The cut threatened to disrupt giving to the school, she said.

Her review of the budget situation and the impact of cutting these program led her to believe the net income loss from stakeholders was not going to save us any money in 2019 or beyond, Berry said. That is why she put the brakes on that decision.

The reversal brought praise for Henry in the newsletter.

With only one day on the job as the interim dean, Carolyn Henry recognized the need to keep the program intact and quickly solved a problem, association President Butch Meier said in the newsletter. This is the kind of leadership our future veterinarians deserve.

Missouri is the nations sixth-largest producer of cattle and calves and the seventh largest producer of hogs and pigs, Olsons memo states.

Theriogenology helps animal producers improve strains and maintain genetic purity, Deering said. Embryo transfer is an especially important skill because it allows producers of seed stocks to expand production by placing an embryo from one breed into a female of another. The female becomes a living incubator and the supply of high-quality animals is increased, Deering said.

There are specialists but every single large animal veterinarian has to have some reproduction training, especially on the cow-calf side, Deering said.

Other groups that joined in the effort to reverse the cut included the American Kennel Club and hog producers, Deering said.

Henry was concerned about the industry objections as she reconsidered the cut, Berry said.

It is fair to say our interim dean is supportive of theriogenology, she said. It is an area where we can expand and grow.

The cuts werent intended to save money until 2019, Berry said. By committing to keep the services, Henry can look for ways to collaborate with animal science and biological science research, she said.

It is an area of potential revenue growth, she said.

rkeller@columbiatribune.com

573-815-1709

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University of Missouri reverses cut to veterinary services - Columbia Daily Tribune

PEMBROKE UNC Pembroke is partnering with Tuskegee University to launch a pathway for UNCP graduates to study veterinary medicine.

The Pre-Veterinary Medicine Scholars Program will serve as a pipeline and inspire UNC Pembroke graduates to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

The two universities signed a memorandum of understanding during a ceremony at UNCP last month.

At UNCP, we are guided by a set of six core values among them service, collaboration and innovation, said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings. Those are the values that drive this partnership and all of our efforts to create new Pathways to Success for UNCP students.

Ruby Perry, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, and Brandon Morgan, director of admissions and recruitment at Tuskegee, made the 450-mile trip to attend the signing ceremony.

You could have signed this agreement from your desk in Alabama, Cummings said. But by making this trip you are demonstrating your commitment to this partnership, to this community and to this region of North Carolina.

And we are grateful.

The program is open to all students. However, the two institutions understand the need to increase racial diversity in the veterinary workforce.

Students participating in the program must meet specific criteria to be eligible for the early assurance of admission at Tuskegee. Students must be majoring in Animal Science, Veterinary Science or Science.

The requirements include completing an early assurance application, interview, and maintaining a specific grade-point average and GRE scores.

Beginning in 2017, students must demonstrate 100 hours of animal experience with a licensed veterinarian and, in 2018, students must demonstrate 200 hours of animal experience with a licensed veterinarian.

This partnership between two great universities, which share a similar history, provides a pathway for UNC Pembroke students with a dream to serve their communities through veterinary medicine, said Jeff Frederick, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UNCP. At UNCP, we are committed to providing comprehensive academic opportunities on campus as well as looking for partnership pathways with great sister institutions when that is a better strategy.

In January, UNCP signed a similar agreement with the College of Veterinary Medicine at N.C. State University.

Cummings called the collaboration a natural partnership, alluding to significant number of local Tuskegee-educated veterinarians, including Drs. David Brooks, Curt Locklear Jr., Terry Clark, Michael Deese, Melissa Chavis, and Isaac Martinez. Several attended the signing ceremony.

Brooks and Locklear, both UNCP alumni, were the first to carve academic paths from UNCP to Alabama in the early 1970s when they were recruited by Tuskegee alum and professor Ellis Hall. He was the first African American to achieve board certification in the American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Its amazing, the circle this has taken from something that started from a recruiting trip in 1973, said Brooks, owner of Pembroke Veterinary Hospital. I dont think it was coincidental. It was Gods will.

A partnership between UNCP and Tuskegee had been discussed for some time, but, according to Dr. Brooks, Chancellor Cummings served as the catalyst to inking the deal.

This is going to be a symbiotic relationship, Brooks said. Each institution will enhance the other with the ultimate benefit being the students and Gods creatures.

Curt Locklear Jr., owner of Southeastern Veterinary Hospital, said the signing agreement was a proud moment in his life. During the event, he took a trip down memory lane.

I was reminiscing back when Dr. Hall came to Pembroke and recruited us to come to Tuskegee, Locklear said. In my mind, this agreement between UNCP and Tuskegee began in the 1970s.

The finalizing of this agreement is the culmination of that recruitment trip 43 years ago. It made me proud to be American Indian, a UNCP graduate and a graduate of Tuskegee University.

Ruby Perry, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University, left, and UNCP Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings are all smiles after announcing a partnership between in the two institutions in veterinary medicine.

Mark Locklear is a Public Relations specialist for The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

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UNCP, Tuskegee partner to produce veterinarians - The Robesonian

(INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana)The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has named Dr. L. Garry Adams recipient of its 2017 AVMA Award. Adams, who received the award during AVMA Convention 2017 in Indianapolis, is recognized for his leadership and significant contributions to the advancement of organized veterinary medicine.

"Throughout his career, Dr. Adams has played a significant role in supporting and strengthening many veterinary and medical organizations," said Dr. Tom Meyer, AVMA president. "His consistent participation and outstanding leadership have been instrumental in building stronger state and national organizations. I congratulate Dr. Adams on receiving this well-deserved award and I thank him for his tireless efforts and invaluable influence in the advancement of organized veterinary medicine."

For more than 30 years, Dr. Adams has lent his leadership to a wide array of medical associations and professional societies, including among others, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Academy of Pathology, and serving as a Lifetime Member of the AVMA. He has also contributed expertise to a variety of committees and boards, including the AVMA's Council on Research, Council on Education, Committee on International Veterinary Affairs, and the Global Food Security Summit organizing committee. He has been the recipient of many industry awards, including the AVMF/AVMA Lifetime Excellence in Research Award in 2012 and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) 2015 Senator John Melcher, DVM Leadership in Public Policy Award. Dr. Adams received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and Ph.D., in Veterinary Pathology from Texas A&M University. He also holds Diplomate status from the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. He currently serves as Senior Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology at Texas A&M University.

Visit avma.org/Awards for more details on the AVMA's Veterinary Excellence Awards program.

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Dr. L. Garry Adams awarded 2017 AVMA Award for Contributions to Advancement of Organized Veterinary Medicine - American Veterinary Medical Association

Quality of life and end of life should go hand-in-hand when it comes to caring for older horses, yet a balanced assessment and a final decision can be subjective and highly emotive, making a veterinarians job even more challenging.

The British Equine Veterinary Associations (BEVA) 2017 Congress will devote an afternoon of discussion to this sensitive topic on Friday, Sept. 15, at Liverpool Arena Convention Centre.

Making the decision to end a horses life is probably the most difficult aspect of owning or caring for one, and the process is undoubtedly hard for the attending veterinarian, as well. Nicky Jarvis, BVetMed, Cert AVP (Equine Medicine), Cert AVP (Equine Surgery Soft Tissue), MRCVS, head veterinarian at Redwings Horse Sanctuary, will moderate the end-of-life session at Congress, which aims to explore the major aspects of euthanasia and the implications for owners, veterinarians, and insurance.

Georgina Crossman, MBA, PhD, who coordinated Advancing Equine Scientific Excellences collaborative project considering equine end of life and euthanasia, will commence with a look at owners attitudes to euthanasia. Lesley Barwise-Munro, BSc, BVM&S, CertEP, MRCVS, of Alnorthumbria Vets, a Fdration Equestre Internationale veterinary official, senior racecourse vet, and honorary vice president of the National Equine Welfare Council, will follow with the practicalities of euthanasiahow to perform it well and pitfalls to avoid.

Monica Aleman, MVZ Cert., PhD, Dipl. ACVIM (internal medicine and neurology), associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, will share her knowledge on electrophysical studies of euthanasia. And Karen Cook, a teaching fellow at the University of Surrey School of Health Sciences and a registered adult nursewhos career has been dominated by palliative and end-of-life carewill then draw any relevant comparisons with end-of-life care in humans.

Andrew Harrison, BVSc, CertEP, CertVA, MRCVS, a partner at Three Counties Equine Hospital, will close the session with a pertinent look at BEVA Guidelines and insurance implications of euthanasia.

As vets, we must balance the privilege and responsibility that comes from access to euthanasia when maintaining animal welfare, said Mark Bowen, BVetMed, PhD, CertEM (IntMed), MRCVS, senior vice-president of BEVA. Decisions are currently based upon personal views and experience as well as an awareness of our clients emotional needs and a considerable amount of anthropomorphism when deciding on 'the right time'. In the absence of an evidence-based method for assessing quality of life, this session will review what we do know and how to make this final act as stress-free as possible for all involved.

Organized by horse vets for horse vets BEVA Congress Europes largest equine veterinary conference. This year it will be held at Liverpool Arena Convention Centre, in England, September 13-16. The program will include a line-up of practitioner friendly big cheese speakers, extensive continuing professional development, quality science, and novel demonstrations. Learn more at beva.org.uk/home/education/congress.

Excerpt from:
Equine End-of-Life Session Scheduled for BEVA Congress - TheHorse.com

August 02, 2017

Contact: Anissa L. Riley, Director of External AffairsTuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, 334-724-4509

Students from across the U.S. recently completed a seven-week program, hosted by Tuskegee Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, designed to prepare them to apply to and succeed in a collegiate veterinary program.

The colleges Summer Enrichment and Reinforcement Program is a long-standing enhancement program that has benefitted students for more than 30 years. This years cohort included 18 students nearing the completion of their bachelors degrees, nearing application for admittance to the veterinary program, and currently enrolled and desiring additional academic enrichment.

SERP has proven to be a very useful program to help motivated students who may need an extra edge to succeed in a demanding veterinary curriculum, said Dr. Roslyn Casimir-Whittington, the colleges interim associate dean for academic and student affairs, and an assistant professor in the Department of Pathobiology.

The program seeks to improve students ability to process scientific concepts, as well as their critical thinking and academic survival skills, which include effective communication, note-taking, time management, and test-taking. During the seven-week, on-campus program, students were introduced to all areas of the veterinary medical curriculum, such as veterinary anatomy, pathology, parasitology, pharmacology, necropsy, large and small animal surgery, and public health. At the end of the program, SERP participants present a clinical case to college faculty, who provide the students with constructive feedback.

During SERP, I learned how to handle a large workload without becoming too stressed. I also acquired techniques to minimize my test anxiety, which will help me as I move forward in my education, said program participant Danielle Bass, a doctoral veterinary medicine candidate from Frankfort, Kentucky.

In addition, the college expanded SERP programming to address a rising epidemic of suicide within the veterinary medical profession. This year, wellness activities reinforced the importance of achieving work-life balance and included mindfulness-focused walking, coloring and meditation; playing golf; and participating in Zumba and tai chi classes.

Health and wellness have become a major focus in veterinary medical education and the veterinary profession, and we are finding innovative ways to promote better well-being among our students, said Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

To learn more about Tuskegee Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine and its summer programs, visit http://www.tuskegee.edu/vetmed.

2017 Tuskegee University

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Summer enrichment program prepares students for Tuskegee veterinary curriculum - Tuskegee University

If you take emotional responsibility for everyone else's problems, putting their monkeys on your back and on your mind, you find yourself home at the end of every day in veterinary practice with no room for your own needs.

(Shutterstock.com)I filmed a video for Firstline a few months ago titled "Not my circus, not my monkeys. (Watch it here.) In it, a veterinarian (played by yours truly) is so buried under psychological "monkeys" from her job that at the end of the day, she doesnt have any room left for her personal "monkeys."

When I made the video, my original purpose was to take a light-hearted approach and raise awareness of a few of the underlying causes of veterinarian compassion fatigue and burn-out in private practice. What I didnt anticipate (my badsorry!) is that the video touched a raw nerve with a lot of our readers, and people were left asking, Yeah. I see that problem, and I have it! Now what? Give me some solutions already!

Over the past 15 years, there has been several things I've learned that have helped my emotional well-being and resilience. While I'm not a perfect monkey manager (who is?), the four activities on the following pages have saved my life. Try them.

Like me, over time you may experience greater practice satisfaction, be able to hand emotional monkeys back to your clients and co-workers and manage your own personal-life monkeys better. In the words of veterinary wellness thinker Kimberly Pope-Robinson, DVM, CCFP, "Nobody wants a monkey farm," so lets tame these little suckers ...

1. Practice self-awareness

The first step of monkey management is awareness of your thoughts and feelings in situations where clients or coworkers try to give you their monkeys. What do you feel when your client is asking you for a discount, trying to project their beliefs about money onto you? How do you feel when you read sad stories from other vets on Facebook? How do you respond when a coworker bullies you, either out-right or by being passive aggressive?

In the moment, you probably feel angry, sad, scared or guilty. You might feel a lump in your throat, or your heart might race, or your face might flush. In this moment, your lizard brain, the amygdala (Editor's note: A veterinary neurologist has a funny anecdote about it, actually), takes over and you've been emotionally hijacked by something that isn't your problem. When you're emotionally hijacked by somebody elses monkey, you let other people project their problems onto you. Fortunately, you also have the ability to deflect monkeys thrown your way.

When your emotions take over, the logical, thinking part of our brain has been overrided, and you're triggered into a fight-flight-or-freeze response. Recognizing the symptoms of an emotional hijacking in the moment can give you the power to stay centered and in control, and less likely to take somebody elses emotional monkey on as your own. Once you've recognized the signs of emotional hijacking, you can take steps to halt it, such as breathing, meditation or just stepping away for a moment before the monkey gets stuck to you and puts you in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

2. Recognize the monkey

When people feel ashamed about something, such as not being able to afford a car payment or to pay for veterinary services, it feels bad. Icky. Embarrassing. Uncomfortable. If they have a low level of emotional intelligence or they themselves have been emotionally hijacked in that moment, they'll look frantically for a target to off-load that bad feeling.

Unfortunately, without good monkey management skills, you're a perfect target for a client in the exam room. If you've practice self-awareness, checking in with yourself and noticing how you're feeling, you may be able to keep your own emotions under control and be in a better position to recognize when people are trying to hand off yucky emotional monkeys to you. Psychologist Dan Siegel from UCLA advises that we "Name it it tame it." For example, in the scene in my video where the pet owner with a puppy with parvo is manipulating the veterinarian with shame, the vet could head the monkey off at the pass by naming the monkey "shame" in her head. This prevents the veterinarian from accepting the monkey and being emotionally hijacked by the clients financial problems.

Monkey management becomes harder when we voluntarily take other peoples monkeys on as our own. In my own practice, I noticed that veterinarians who spent a lot of time reading the posts on the Not One More Vet Facebook page, a support group for struggling veterinarians, started to talk more negatively about the state of our profession. Dont get me wrongthat Facebook group and others like it are a wonderful resource for veterinarians on the brink of suicide or clinical depression, but if your life is going pretty good and you're pretty happy with your career, why on earth would you sabotage your own happiness by voluntarily saddling yourself with the monkeys of other people you've never met?

Positive monkey management starts with being willing to guard our own emotional and mental health. If people you talk to or things you read or places you go bring you down, stop, and take care of yourself right now.

3. Turn down the empathy (just a little!)

The third step of monkey management is cognitive attunement, or perspective taking. If you've been to any of my recent lectures, then you know Im crazy into perspective taking. I believe it transforms your ability to connect with clients and persuade them to follow your recommendations. Perspective taking is also critical in monkey management. Lemme explain.

Veterinarians are some of the most compassionate, hard-working, empathetic people I know. I want to take all of you, tuck you into bed and serve you tea because you take care of everybody before you take care of yourselves. The problem with too much empathy is that it actually inhibits you from doing your best work. When it comes to working with clients and coworkers, veterinarians need to understand the difference between perspective taking and empathy. Empathy is a feeling skill, and when you feel everything your client or coworker is feeling, you're grabbing that monkey off of them and sticking it onto yourself.

Perspective taking is a cognitive skill (and veterinarians are good at those!). You intellectually understand and respect your client's or coworkers perspective (monkey), but you dont take it on yourself. Understanding the monkey gives you clues on how best to interact with your client or coworker. Make sense?

Once you understand that, you can turn down the empathy meter (not a lot, just a little!) and turn up the perspective taking meter.

If you want to learn more about perspective taking and how to be better at it, come see me at a CVC near you.

4. Manage your relationships

The fourth part of monkey management is relationship management. Dan Siegels fascinating work in neurobiology often covers the "social brain." Humans are highly social mammals who've needed a tribe to survive throughout most of human history. In the past, expulsion from the tribe would have been life-threatening. Consequently, to best facilitate the tribe, our brain evolved to allow subconscious connections with other human brains.

One of those connections is found in mirror neurons. Basically, mirror neurons fire in our brain in response to the behavior of others and produce something called "emotional contagion." In emotional contagion, the most powerful person is the person sending emotionsor, in our case, monkeys. One way clients or coworkers unconsciously manipulate is through projecting contagious emotions that our mirror neurons pick up. In the past, picking up these signals was crucial to survival, as the sender was likely communicating that a saber-toothed tiger was about to eat the receivers baby. These days, however, toxic monkeys sent from clients or coworkers may hurt us more than help us. We have to decide what monkeys we let in and from whom.

In my video, the veterinarian had let in so many monkeys during the day she didnt have any space for monkeys from her husband. How many of you can relate to that? I know I can! If you want a quick primer on dealing with a negative coworker in situations like these, check out this Wharton School of Management tip I found helpful.)

Becoming skilled in monkey management provides us with invaluable perspective on ourselves and others. By increasing the awareness and management of our own feelings, we can better understand other people. That mindset sets a trajectory for us to skillfully handle all the monkeys that others throw our way and to stop being zookeepers for other people's emotional monkeys.

Dr. Sarah Wooten graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. A member of the American Society of Veterinary Journalists, Dr. Wooten divides her professional time between small animal practice in Greeley, Colorado, public speaking on associate issues, leadership, and client communication, and writing. She enjoys camping with her family, skiing, SCUBA, and participating in triathlons.

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4 steps to get those monkeys off your back - dvm360

By R. Scott Nolen

Posted July 12, 2017

World Veterinary Association President Ren Carlson addresses the AVMA House of Delegates in 2015. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

For the past three years, Dr. Ren Carlson has been president of the World Veterinary Association, the internationally recognized voice of global veterinary medicine. A federation of roughly 90 veterinary organizations representing 500,000 veterinarians on six continents, the WVA focuses on all species and aspects of the veterinary profession.

Yet, despite its credentials, the WVA is arguably one of the least understood veterinary organizations among U.S. veterinarians. Dr. Carlson understands; for 34 years, most of her time and attention were spent in private clinical practice, with the last 15 years devoted to running her own small animal practice in Chetek, Wisconsin.

"Veterinarians are busy with so many other things that it's a real challenge to look beyond their own communities," she said.

Dr. Carlson admittedly knew little about the WVA prior to 2011 when, as AVMA president, she represented the AVMA at the general assembly of the World Veterinary Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. She came away from the meeting excited about the AVMA's potential to influence global veterinary medicine through the WVA. So excited, in fact, that in 2014, Dr. Carlson successfully ran a global campaign as a candidate for the WVA presidency.

"It's amazing," she remarked. "I'm this person from a town of 2,000 people in Wisconsin, and I'm president of an international organization representing fellow veterinarians around the world." Dr. Carlson's three-year term ends in late August when the WVC convenes in Incheon, South Korea. She will carry on as the AVMA director of international affairs for another two years, a position she was first appointed to in 2013.

Headquartered in Brussels, the WVA promotes veterinary medicine globally by working with various international entities, including the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. From 2014-17, the four strategic priorities for WVA have been animal welfare improvement, pharmaceutical stewardship, veterinary education, and zoonotic disease prevention. For example, the WVA Animal Welfare Committee and Advisory Group developed fact sheets for veterinarians and associations on such topics as working equids, transportation of food animals, and owned and unowned free-roaming dogs.

In March 2015, Dr. Carlson appeared before a WHO advisory committee to testify against curbing ketamine abuse by scheduling the anesthetic as a controlled substance under the 1971 U.N. Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

"The WVA is fully aware of the potential public health problems caused by illicit use of ketamine and agrees with the need for narcotic and psychotropic drugs to be controlled and strictly regulated. However, these measures must be science-based and proportional, and should not unnecessarily hamper the use by veterinary surgeons that would risk the health and welfare of the animals under their care," Dr. Carlson told the committee.

"Such international scheduling of ketamine," she concluded, "may lead to ketamine shortages to veterinary and medical clinicians, especially in remote areas."

Another way the WVA supports veterinary medicine is by helping member organizations advocate for the veterinary profession in their country or region. "If veterinarians aren't there, making policy and being vocal, then someone else makes those decisions," Dr. Carlson noted.

The WVA supports and promotes the harmonization of basic core competencies in all veterinary education programs that offer a veterinary degree. Additionally, the WVA has partnered with the World Continuing Education Alliance to offer free and discounted CE to any veterinarian in the world through the Continuing Education Portal on the WVA website. A customized portal for veterinary associations to offer their members is available for a fee.

This May, the WVA and Health for Animals, an international association representing the global animal medicine industry, together launched a website designed to educate the public on the importance of animal health.

The enthusiasm that swept Dr. Carlson into the WVA presidency has not waned, even though it's one of the most demanding jobs she's ever had. In addition to being the public face of the world association, she chairs the WVA Council of 17 members that meets every six weeks via teleconference and in person once a year during the World Veterinary Congress. The council chair, Dr. Carlson explained, has "enormous influence" because that person sets the agenda and manages the meeting.

One of the greatest obstacles facing the WVA, according to Dr. Carlson, is proving its value to grass-roots members. "Quite honestly, I don't think a lot of AVMA's members know or even understand why the AVMA is a member of the WVA," she said.

"It's a difficult sell, but we need to belong because the WVA needs representatives from strong associations like AVMA to lead," Dr. Carlson continued. "The United States is looked to as a leader. Once there's buy-in from us, that brings credibility and visibility, whatever the issue or organization, and other countries want to follow.

"Animal health and welfare are directly related to human health and welfare. A strong general membership across the world allows the WVA to have greater influence and impact to improve animal and public health around the world."

AVMA weighs stepped-up role in global food security (April 15, 2017)

Former AVMA officer elected WVA president (Dec. 1, 2014)

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AVMA's champion for global veterinary medicine - American Veterinary Medical Association