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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

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

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

(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

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

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

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

By Malinda Larkin

Posted July 12, 2017

Many veterinary colleges have long been promoting diversity and inclusion, but now the AVMA Council on Education has codified these practices, approving revisions to six of its 11 Standards of Accreditation during its spring meeting, March 25-28.

The desire to have the concepts of diversity and inclusion better integrated into accreditation standards is nothing new. In fact, it was a prominent point of discussion during the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium. This series of three national meetings in 2010 brought together hundreds of stakeholders to discuss core competencies needed by graduates, and to review and explore progress in developing new educational models for delivery of the veterinary curriculum.

One of the core competencies for graduating veterinarians that came from NAVMEC was diversity and multicultural awareness, specifically: "Veterinarians demonstrate an understanding of the manner in which culture and belief systems impact delivery of veterinary medical care while recognizing and appropriately addressing biases in themselves, in others, and in the process of veterinary medical care delivery."

An example of the revisions is Standard 11 (Outcomes Assessment), which now says that institutions must be able to observe, assess, and document that students demonstrate "ethical and professional conduct; communication skills including those that demonstrate an understanding and sensitivity to how clients' diversity and individual circumstance can impact health care."

In Standard 9 (Curriculum), newly adopted wording states that veterinary schools must provide opportunities throughout the curriculum for students to gain and integrate an understanding of the important influences of diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine. This includes the impact of implicit biases related to an individual's personal circumstances on the delivery of veterinary services.

Veterinary colleges also are now required to cultivate a diverse faculty through their hiring policies and retention practices, consistent with applicable law. These institutions must also demonstrate ongoing efforts to achieve parity in advancement opportunities and compensation, according to changes to Standard 8 (Faculty). Student recruitment and admission practices, too, must be nondiscriminatory, as per changes to Standard 7 (Admissions).

Further, a veterinary college must be able to show a commitment to diversity that extends to the overall academic environment. This is interpreted as the college being an institution "that does not discriminate and seeks to enhance diversity, consistent with applicable law. Diversity may include, but is not limited to, race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, cultural and socioeconomic background, national origin, and disability."

The COE had received a number of public comments on the proposed changes; most were in support of the revisions. On the basis of the public comments, the council also revisedand ultimately approvedlanguage that clarified the COE's intent and was less prescriptive, according to the council's newsletter.

"The intent of the council is not to require colleges to meet specific numeric goals; rather, to have appropriate policies, processes, and practices in place that, in keeping with the mission of the college, are designed to promote the recruitment and retention of a diverse academic community and to promote, from qualified applicants, the recruitment and admittance of a diverse student body, consistent with applicable law. In addition, the council believes that, within the framework of the law that each college must function, diversity may be utilized as part of a holistic admission process," the COE wrote in the newsletter.

In addition to language incorporating diversity and inclusion in the standards, the council also modified the following language:

The revised COE standards are posted on the AVMA website.

AAVMC continues to move the needle on diversity (May 1,2015)

Certificate programs promote diversity in veterinary medicine (Nov. 1, 2014)

Dialogue about diversity reveals tensions (May 1, 2013)

We're all in this together (May 15, 2011)

Speakers share strategies to increase diversity (Oct. 1, 2010)

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Diversity, inclusion added to accreditation standards - American Veterinary Medical Association

Posted July 12, 2017

Dr. Anthony Pease

Dr. Anthony Pease became chief medical officer for the Western Veterinary Conference on May 15, succeeding Dr. Don Waldron, who held the office for five years.

Since 2008 Dr. Pease has been a faculty member of the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he is currently an associate professor in the Small Animal and Large Animal clinical sciences departments.

"(Dr. Pease's) dedication to lifelong learning will complement WVC's ongoing mission to provide quality continuing education to veterinary professionals," said WVC CEO David Little. "Dr. Pease will lead WVC's educational program, ensuring relevancy and innovation within our curriculum across the Annual Conference, Hands-on Labs at WVC's Oquendo Center, On the Road, and career-building courses as well as new initiatives."

Over the past five years, Dr. Pease has taught ultrasound courses at the Oquendo Center in Las Vegas.

Dr. Pease is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and served as president of the specialty college in 2014. He has chaired the Clinical Programs Committee for Michigan State's veterinary college since 2013.

"I am thrilled to join the WVC team and lead the veterinary curriculum for its world-renowned clinical facility, the Oquendo Center. This appointment is in lockstep to further educate, challenge, and train global veterinary professionals as I've done throughout my career," said Dr. Pease, a 1999 graduate of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

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Western names Pease chief medical officer - American Veterinary Medical Association

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Kent McClure has joined our team as Chief of Governmental Relations. In this newly created position, hell lead the AVMAs federal and state advocacy efforts to further elevate the success of our advocacy work.

Dr. McClure brings tremendous experience in advocacy at the federal and state level, said AVMA CEO Dr. Janet Donlin. The AVMA is already home to the leading advocacy staff for veterinary medicine in the nation, and the addition of Dr. McClure in this new position is going to take our advocacy work to the next level.

Dr. McClure previously served as General Counsel for the Animal Health Institute, where he worked on the development of policy that impacts the veterinary profession, animal health product research and commerce. Dr. McClure has served as a member of the AVMA Judicial Council, a trustee on the AVMA-Professional Liability Insurance Trust, a liaison to the AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, and a member of the board of directors of the National Association for Biomedical Research. He also worked as an attorney at Cowles & Thompson and practiced veterinary medicine in Texas. He holds a DVM from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and a J.D. from University of Texas School of Law.

Im excited to join the AVMA and use my experience to advocate for the veterinary profession and sound public policy, said Dr. McClure. We have a lot of exciting opportunities in front of us, and Im looking forward to working with our talented team to protect, promote and advance veterinary medicine.

The AVMA has also promoted Dr. Ashley Morgan to Director of State Advocacy. Dr. Morgan has served as an assistant director in the AVMAs governmental relations division since 2008, during which time she honed her expertise on pharmaceutical issues and built relationships with state veterinary medical associations across the country. In her new role, Dr. Morgan will be responsible for providing vision and leadership for the AVMAs state advocacy efforts. Dr. Morgan holds a DVM from Cornells College of Veterinary Medicine and is a Certified Association Executive.

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Dr. Kent McClure joins the AVMA to lead advocacy efforts - American Veterinary Medical Association

Do you pull the strings in your life and career? Or do you think luck, fate and other people are the deciding factor in your happiness and success?

Some people, even in bad circumstances, feel they have control over their lives. Psychologist Julian Rotter calls that an "internal" locus of control. Compare that to people who feel they don't have power over their lives, their actions, their families or their jobspeople with an "external locus of control."

Some researchers say happier people have an internal locus of control.

So, what about you?

Take this quiz, then come back here to learn more.

Are you convinced you're doomedGroundhog Day styleto face clients day after day who won't take your recommendations? External locus of controlthe pet owners govern your fate! Or do you work to soothe your frustration about that or adjust the way you communicate with pet owners? Internal locus of controlthere's something you can do, even if it's to let go of bad feelings from the workday.

Do you feel trapped in your job with coworkers you hate with no way out? That's external locus of controlyou have no power over your job, your bosses, your coworkers or your daily responsibilities. Or are you considering that you're choosing to stay because of the location or the clients or the money, or even better, maybe you're brushing up that resume and learning new skills? That's internal locus of controlyou're recognizing that you have a choice, even if you choose not to leave.

Choosing change isn't always easy (Dr. Dean Scott gives the "Negative Ned" side to this here), but the more you tell yourself you're fated to misery and unhappiness and the world is conspiring against you, maybejust maybethe more miserable and unhappy you feel.

But don't take our word for it. Let's dive in ...

Quiz: Are you getting squeezed by life?

When life in veterinary medicine gives you lemons, do you make lemonade ... or get squished? Find out more about how you see the world with this quick quiz.

Go inward: How locus of control can save you

Believing you have some control over the events in your life is crucial to happiness and could make a huge difference in your personal life and veterinary career.

Veterinary confessionals: In control ... or out?

We selected confessions from the Vet Confessionals Project that reflect the feelings of control (or lack thereof) that plague the profession.

The positive power of negativity

People with an internal "locus of control"who believe that they have control over their destinies and that their actions mattermay be happier and healthier. But making changes in your life isn't as easy for everybody, and we need to acknowledge that more than we do.

Game of Thrones: Are veterinary leaders born or made?

Deb Stone, PhD, studied "locus of control" and its potential impact on veterinary leadership. Dr. Hilal Dogan went one step further with the ideas: What does the hit HBO show have to teach us about leading in veterinary medicine? Are you Stark, Lannister, a Direwolf or one or those misfit leaders?

Like Ted Talks? Us too ...

Here are a few on the topic of choice, decision-making and locus of control. Are they inspired, aggravating or eye-rollingly cringy? Let us know at [emailprotected].

Are we in control of our own decisions?

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, PhD, uses classic visual illusions and his own seemingly counterintuitive research to prove that we're not as rational as we think when making decisions.

The art of choosing

Sheena Iyengar, PhD, a psycho-economist, studies how we make choices and shares her research full of surprises about our attitudes toward decisions.

Getting stuck in the negatives (and how to get unstuck)

Social psychologist Alison Ledgerwood, PhD, wants to understand how people think and how they can think better. Her research investigates how certain ways of thinking about an issue tend to stick in people's heads.

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That 'out of control' feeling in veterinary medicine - dvm360

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KNOXVILLE (WATE) A young horse from Texas, going by the name of Barbara, managed to capture the hearts of many and has made the journey to East Tennessee for a rare surgery at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

Barbara was born in January with a wry nose deformity that pulls her nose to one side, making it increasingly difficult to breathe and even eat sometimes.

Many owners would put the animal down simply for the cost of corrective surgery. Barbaras owner, Martha Carroll-Talley, learned there could be a second option, but that meant coming to Tennessee and leaving with a nearly $30,000 hospital bill.

Previous story: Texas horse with rare defect readies for trip to Knoxville for needed surgery

What lesson does it teach our children if we just dispose of things because theyre a little different? says Carroll-Talley.

It was a pretty complex surgery and it was composed of a lot of smaller surgeries so we had to cut the hole in her neck to allow for air, says UTCVM surgery resident Tanner Snowden.

Thankfully the surgery was a success with no complications and Barbara is now on the road to recovery with her second chance at life.

Its great to see her stand up. I saw her before surgery with the nose but it wasnt until she stood up that we saw the finished product, said Snowden.

Breathing is temporarily a bit different post-op because of a tracheotomy tube in Barbaras throat but that is expected to come out soon. The surgeons had to take out one of Barbaras ribs on her right side for a bone graft on her jaw. If all goes well, Barbara will be back home to Texas in six weeks.

If you would like to donate to Barbaras GoFundMe page, click here.

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Surgeon going over her case during rounds (source: UTCVM)

Barbara being prepped for surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara during surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara in surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara before surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara before surgery - close up (source: UTCVM)

Surgeon going over her case during rounds (source: UTCVM)

Barbara being taken to surgical suite (source: UTCVM)

Barbara being prepped for surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara during surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara in surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara walking to ICU after surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

Barbara post-surgery (source: UTCVM)

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Texas horse gets Southern hospitality at UT College of Veterinary Medicine - WATE 6 On Your Side

Letty Towles Dog Park, 2299 SE 32nd Ave., Ocala, is expected to remain closed for the next four to six weeks.

The Letty Towles Dog Park in Southeast Ocala is temporarily closed due to concerns about H3N2 Canine Influenza Virus cases in north and central Florida.

The popular park at 2299 SE 32nd Ave. closed Monday and is expected to remain closed for the next four to six weeks, according a news release issued Friday by the city of Ocala. Dr. Kevin Stoothoff, president of the Marion County Veterinary Medical Association, advised the city to close the park temporarily.

I have been advised that the H3N2 virus is very contagious, and any type of exposure will likely cause infection, noted Julie Johnson, an assistant director with the city's Recreation and Parks Department. Dogs at risk to being infected are those with a social, active lifestyle that often participate in group settings. Humans cannot contract the virus, but can transmit the virus on their clothing or hands for up to 24 hours after contact with an infected dog.

Veterinarians with the University of Florida have confirmed that "21 dogs in its care have tested positive for the dog flu," according to a June 16 statement on the College of Veterinary Medicine's website. "These cases have originated in north and central Florida. As many independent veterinarians across the state also are able to provide diagnostic testing for H3N2 CIV, college officials are unable to confirm outside cases."

County-by-county breakdowns were not available "because canine influenza is not among the reportable diseases per state law," according the website.

UF's College of Veterinary Medicine also reported that Merck Animal Health and Zoetis, makers of the canine influenza vaccine, are increasing vaccine supplies. There have not been any dog flu deaths at the UF Veterinary Hospitals, according to the site.

Canine influenza viruses cause respiratory infections in dogs.

"CIV H3N2 just recently emerged in the Chicago outbreak of 2015," according to http://www.doginfluenza.com. "Most dogs that develop CIV infection have a mild illness, but some dogs become very sick and require treatment."

The virus, which had a presence in about 30 other states before making its way to Florida, was introduced to the United States in 2015, said Dr. Cynda Crawford, an assistant professor of shelter medicine at UF's College of Veterinary Medicine.

This is a highly contagious virus to dogs, just like influenza virus is to people, Crawford said last month during apress conference at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville. There is an eminent threat for dogs to be exposed to this virus in this state now.

It is very important for both veterinarians and dog owners in the state of Florida to have a very heightened awareness of the presence of this virus.

For UF College of Veterinary Medicine updates on the cases in north and central Florida, go to http://hospitals.vetmed.ufl.edu/canine-influenza. The city also advises talking to your veterinarian about vaccinations for this virus.

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Dog park closes temporarily due to dog flu concerns - Ocala

Your Town: Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine one of top schools in the world

An adorable little baby Baltimore Oriole simply left its nest far too soon. A screech owl has a problem with its eye and a fisher is undergoing a physical exam to see where and if she's injured after being hit by a car.

All of these wild animals are taken care of at the Wildlife Health Center at Cornell University. It's the only academic wildlife center place in all of Upstate New York and takes care of one thousand wild animals every year, with the constant goal of releasing all of them back to the wild. It also regularly reminds people how they can also help before animals come here in the first place.

"We see a lot of severe trauma, mostly from cars. A lot of predator attacks, which are mostly domestic pets," says Dr. Sara Childs-Sanford.

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University is consistently ranked as one of the best vet schools in the world.

In addition to its wildlife center, there are three top notch hospitals that you could easily assume are for humans, but are instead dedicated solely to animals.

One is the Companion Animal Hospital where people can bring there four legged friends. It offers rare services such dermatology, oncology and dentistry.

"If an animal needs a route canal or even braces, they can offer those sort of services," says Dr. James Flanders.

Lillie Goodrich was recently the companion animal hospital's most regular patient for an entire year.

"I'd rather come where the best care can be with the most up to date thinking so we can get the good results that we need," says Goodrich.

She runs the Glen Highland border collie rescue and comes all the way to Ithaca from out near Cooperstown to get her dogs looked at so they can get ready to go up for adoption.

"This is also our emergency care for completaced cases so we're driving two hours as fast as we can sometimes to have the best care at our fingertips with really really difficult situations. You just can't get that ind of care locally, you just can't."

Cornell is widely known for its work with horses. These horses are owned by the university and allow students to work on medical issues and even help deliver newborn colts and fillys, before working on privately owned animals. Cornell is so respected for it's work with horses, not only will it treat professional race horses on site, but experts with the school will also travel to races like the Belmont Stakes to perform tests for illegal drugs.

This is just one of the many areas the veterinary school shines in to provide the next generation of physicians.

"We have more specialists then any practice, certainly in New York," says Dr. Flanders.

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Your Town: Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine one of top schools in the world - CNYcentral.com

A statewide college recently was recognized for its affordable, high-quality programs that support career development skills in production agriculture, agribusiness and technical trades, a high priority throughout Nebraska.

The national business magazine Forbes recently placed the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis, one of the jewels in the University of Nebraska system, on its list of Top 30 Trade Schools in the United States.

NCTA Dean Ron Rosati said the colleges performance was based on academic quality, affordability and graduate earnings.

NCTA is gaining notice for its expanded programs in welding, irrigation technology, precision agriculture, veterinary science, animal science and experiential learning.

I have enjoyed serving on the NCTA Deans Advisory Council for 16 years, and witnessing tremendous expansion in programs and opportunities. I also have a vested interest as a tuition-providing parent of two children who attended NCTA.

Traditionally, the college provides a two-year associate degree program. More recently, it added two-semester certificates for welding and irrigation technicians.

Meanwhile, transfer options to four-year institutions have never been better, including with UNLs College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Animal Science and Agricultural Education Division Chairman Doug Smith reports a record number (16) of NCTAs May graduates plan to complete four-year degrees, including 13 who will start fall classes at CASNR. Two are UNL-bound in veterinary medicine or technology, and there are three each in agronomy, animal science, ag business and ag education.

The two-year NCTA Agricultural Education Program helps to fill a void for FFA-agricultural education programs. Smith says three of his NCTA graduates will be teaching in Nebraska high schools this fall.

Additionally, NCTA and CASNR recently announced a bachelor of applied science program that allows NCTA graduates to take online classes through CASNR with oversight by NCTA on campus or by commuting to Curtis.

This initiative allows students to work at farms, ranches or in other agricultural careers in central or western Nebraska without setting foot in Lincoln. What an outstanding opportunity!

Certified technicians are graduating from NCTA with majors in veterinary technology, irrigation technology and welding. Nebraska has the greatest number of center pivot irrigation manufacturers and largest number of irrigated acres, so its industries have strong demand for a trained workforce in electricity, welding, and ag equipment maintenance and repairs.

NCTA launched irrigation technician training in 2013. By 2016, the college had partnered with several ag cooperatives and industries to develop an ag career track in Nebraska high schools to include classes in diversified agriculture and agricultural chemical applications.

The first two graduates of the dual-credit program at York High School this May earned NCTA certificates in agricultural chemical applications. One will enter NCTA in August with one year of college credits.

Agronomy professor Brad Ramsdale has been teaching students in agronomy and crop sciences for eight years, and established an award-winning crops judging team that repeated as national champion in 2017.

Ramsdale recently completed a two-week crops-agronomy summer program for honor students. Partnering with Educational Service Unit 11, he guided students at classes in Holdrege and a two-day camp at NCTA featuring its on-campus agronomy resources.

The day camps and dual-credit programs are among many NCTA developments in the past five years. Expanded programs include precision agriculture courses taught by Ramsdale and practical crop management courses in which students form teams to manage crops at the NCTA farm laboratory just north of the Curtis campus.

The teams decide on seeding rates, irrigation management, fertilizer applications, weed control measures, harvest management and equipment maintenance.

NCTAs ag equipment program was reinvigorated in 2013 and now includes an irrigation technology partnership with Reinke Manufacturing and a welding program that has produced its first student to be certified by the American Welding Society.

Instructor Dan Stehlik graduated from what was the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture. The alum taught in Kansas ag education programs for 19 years before returning to the Curtis campus to teach ag equipment, welding and irrigation technician programs.

College alumni say they are pleased to see the welding program expand because of the high demand for welding technicians. Production enterprises also are seeking well-rounded employees with skills in crops, livestock, machinery or equipment maintenance and business.

Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District has partnered with NCTA on several annual forums, including regular tours of the Central project through the Nebraska Water Balance Alliance.

NWBA members have had opportunities to mentor and interact with NCTA students at forums that bring irrigators, farm managers, educators, vendors and the public to the campus Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service recently conducted internal training sessions and the Unicamerals Natural Resources Committee, chaired by District 44 state Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, will have a public hearing at NCTA in the fall.

My involvement with NCTA and its predecessor go back to when the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce advocated for keeping the school open on behalf of Nebraska agriculture. SPUCC has continually voiced strong support for the college.

NCTA has been re-accredited regionally by the Higher Learning Commission. The veterinary technology program is re-accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

As for affordability, fall tuition at NCTA is $127.50 per credit hour for all students, regardless of residency.

I look forward to seeing whats in store next for the hidden gem of a college in Curtis.

Tim Anderson is a public relations adviser to Holdrege-based Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District.

Editors note: Mary Crawford, external relations coordinator for NCTA, provided some information for this column.

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NCTA is 'gem' for higher learning in state - Kearney Hub

This is by no means an easy topic to write a newspaper article about. In fact, I thought for many months about writing a column on this subject. It is receiving increasing media coverage, and with the request from fellow veterinarians in town, I think it is an appropriate time to address it.

It involves the veterinary professions increased risk for compassion fatigue, burnout and suicide.

A study of 10,000 veterinarians by the Centers for Disease Control in 2014 found one in six veterinarians have contemplated suicide.

In fact, veterinary professionals are four times more likely to commit suicide than the average citizen.

The veterinary profession also has the highest risk of suicide out of all of the medical professions.

This statistic is not reserved solely for general practitioners.

In the last few years the profession has lost notable behaviorists, surgeons, specialists, technicians and general practitioners to this mental illness.

What makes veterinary professionals more likely to experience compassion fatigue and then commit suicide?

The answer is complex and specific to each individual person (as is all mental illness), yet I believe there are certain key elements across the profession that make us more at risk than the general population.

The veterinary profession attracts professionals who are ambitious, driven, intelligent, compassionate, empathetic and hardworking, with an unwavering commitment to veterinary medicine.

These traits that help us become great doctors and practitioners can also be to our detriment.

It is all too common for veterinarians to take it personally if a case cannot be easily solved, a surgery does not go as planned or a patient cannot be saved.

After all, we are not used to getting Bs in school, let alone thinking we are failing a life!

It is very common to take work home, to dwell on it and retreat from loved ones who seem to not be able to relate. A vicious cycle can start when doubt, depression and isolation set in.

As well, the veterinary profession experiences more incidents of trauma than the general population, but also when compared to the other medical professions.

Our goal as a profession is to be a voice for the voiceless. However, that does not mean everything can be saved and for many of us, that is a very difficult pill to swallow.

While I personally believe euthanasia is one of the most humane acts we can perform as veterinarians, it does not mean we do not feel every time we push the syringe. It often means the exact opposite: We often feel, and perhaps too deeply.

Another form of trauma experienced by veterinary professionals that is unique to the profession is that decisions affecting diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of a patient are dependent upon an owners financial capabilities. Often compounding this trauma is an owner upset that we cannot perform services at no cost.

Using this against us is a form of emotional bullying.

If we could save everything for free we would; but if we took financial responsibility for every pet that needed it, we would burn out even faster.

We have to balance patient care for ALL patients, care for ourselves, care for our staff and care for the clinic as a business.

Our commitment to the profession also means younger professionals are incurring more debt than previous generations.

Our average starting salary is $65,000, whereas in 2016, more than 20 percent of veterinary graduates finished school with more than $200,000 in debt.

Financial advisers recommend a debt-to-income ratio of 1.5-2 to 1. Our ratio is often two to four times higher!

Imagine the deep love we must feel for our profession when we knowingly choose to devote our lives to the voiceless, despite the financial burden it puts on us.

It is then understandable the rebuff we feel when clients state we are in this for the money, or that we dont love their pet enough.

It is often this statement that furthers many veterinary professionals isolation and depression.

So how can we help this crisis? First, I strongly believe in self-care emotionally, physically and spiritually.

There should never be shame associated with seeking assistance from a professional.

Second, I think the veterinary profession and owners need to re-establish a mutual compassion for each other.

Communication from all parties should be done with grace and kindness.

It is imperative we understand we are all humans seeking to create a healthy, long-lasting relationship with our pets and the world around us.

Danielle Carey, DVM, is an associate veterinarian who practices mixed-animal veterinary medicine at the Animal Clinic of Walla Walla. Contact her at 509-525-6111.

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Veterinarians also susceptible to workplace, financial stressors - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

By Charlie Powell, WSU College of Veterinary Medicine

PULLMAN, Wash. Temperatures nearing or surpassing the century mark in the Inland Northwest this week prompts the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine to issue a hot pavement advisory for pets.

Rarely do dog owners in the Inland Northwest need to be concerned about walking their pets on hot asphalt, explains Dr. Raelynn Farnsworth, head of the WSU veterinary teaching hospitals Community Practice Service. But even in relatively mild temperatures, burns to a pets pads can result if forced to walk on the hot surface.

86 degrees becomes 135 on asphalt

In the absence of any wind and in direct sunlight, asphalt surfaces can reach 125 degrees, when the air temperature is only 77 degrees, according to Dr. James Berens work on thermal contact burns published in 1970 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. At 86 degrees, the asphalt temperature jumps to 135 degrees and at 87 degrees, only one degree more, the asphalt temperature rises to 143 degrees.

Hot enough to fry an egg? Weve all heard the old adage but what temperature does it take to actually fry an egg in say 5 minutes? The answer is, an egg will fry on a 131 degree surface in only five minutes. And human skin destruction can occur in only 60 seconds on black pavement at a mere 125 degrees.

One thing pet owners can do is to press the back of their hand against pavement, explained Farnsworth. If you cant hold it there for a full seven seconds its too hot for a pets paws.

Burns in 35 seconds

First responders in human medicine can see thermal burns resulting from contact with hot pavement and they are trained to protect patients from the hazard. Work published in 1995 by physicians and first responders in Maricopa County, Ariz., noted that pavement there in the summer months typically was hot enough 9 a.m.-7 p.m. to burn flesh. The study also noted that second-degree burns could result on most days, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., within 35 seconds of pavement contact.

The good news is, unless incapacitated or restrained in some way so they cannot escape high surface temperatures, most pets pain response will not let them stay on a hot surface, said Farnsworth. So the key to not getting a pets paws burned is application of good common sense and situational awareness.

Avoid tethering and truck beds

In addition, pets should never be tethered on hot pavement or in the back of a pickup truck where the metal surface can burn. Let the pet find shade and walk on grassy surfaces; follow their lead.

If its not convenient to walk a pet on grass or soil, consider changing the walking time to early morning or late in the evening. And never walk a pet on any surface where hot tar may cling to their paws.

Pets with pad burns will typically limp or flat out refuse to walk and it takes time after the burn for the lesions to develop, said Farnsworth. The top layer of the skin will look like it is blistering and wanting to peel off, or it might already be absent entirely. And pets with burned pads will often lick their paws incessantly which can make the problem worse.

Farnsworth suggests that pets with suspected burns should always be seen by your family veterinarian as soon as possible. Care will usually involve supportive care including pain medication and cleaning and dressing wounds, plus an Elizabethan collar to suppress any licking.

Media Contact:

Charlie Powell, WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, public information officer, call or text 509-595-2017, or cpowell@vetmed.wsu.edu

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Protect your pet's feet from heat, burns - WSU News

PHOENIX, July 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Nextmune group ("Nextmune"), headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of the assets of Spectrum group ("Spectrum") and formed Spectrum Veterinary, LLC. Founded by Mervyn Levin in 1989, Spectrum, headquartered in Phoenix (Arizona), USA, is dedicated to helping veterinarians and pet parents provide a better quality of life for pets with allergies. By combining differentiated testing, treatment, technical support and customer service, Spectrum has become one of the leaders in the U.S. allergy market. Spectrum enjoys a proprietary portfolio of tests and treatments offering both subcutaneous and sublingual personalized medicine from its USDA-certified laboratory. In addition to its successful North American business reaching every state in the USA and province in Canada, Spectrum has a strong export business reaching 5 continents across the globe. The business employs 34 staff. Following closing, Mervyn Levin will gradually transition out of the business over the next 12 months and be succeeded by Jonathan Levin (currently serving as Executive Vice President) supported by the management team of Spectrum and the global resources in Nextmune.

"The acquisition of Spectrum represents another key building block on our journey to create a champion in specialty companion animal health company," says Magnus Kjellberg, CEO of Nextmune group. "The transaction is a perfect match. Nextmune goes from a European #1 to a global leader in allergy with sales in almost 80 countries worldwide. Spectrum represents a compelling platform for entry into the US market and we are committed to taking the business to the next level for the benefit of our patients, pet parents, partners and employees."

"I am very impressed by what Nextmune has built and its vision in specialty veterinary medicine. Through the resources and capabilities across the Nextmune group, there is significant potential to take the business I founded 28 years ago into the future. I am delighted to find a new home in Nextmune," says Mervyn Levin.

The transactions are not subject to any further approvals or clearances.

Nextmune is dedicated to improving quality of life for companion animals. The company's ambition is to be the partner of choice for pet owners and veterinarians in specialized indications. With innovation being at the core of Nextmune, the company will invest in product improvement, supply and sales & marketing initiatives to offer premier treatment for the pet's condition. The company is committed to an entrepreneurial management approach to ensure veterinarians and pet owners are catered to in the best possible way. Key shareholders of Nextmune are Fidelio Capital (www.fideliocapital.se) and Premune (www.premune.com).

If you are a veterinarian and want to know more about how we can help you treat your allergic patients through allergy diagnostics and treatment, please contact us on info@vetallergy.com or tel: (800) 553-1391, info@artuvet.com or tel: +31 320-783100 and info@alergovet.com or tel: +34 914-134472.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Jon Levin Executive Vice President, Spectrum Veterinary LLC 480.464.8971

Magnus Kjellberg CEO of Nextmune +46 768 837 884, magnus.kjellberg@nextmune.com

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Nextmune creates a leading global player in allergy for companion animals 5 July 2017.pdf

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Nextmune Creates Spectrum Veterinary LLC, a Leading Global Player in Allergy for Companion Animals - PR Newswire (press release)

Politics The school's state funding was slated to be cut under the state budget released in February this year By Haley Suh 18 hours ago Photo: Yolanda Chen / The Daily Pennsylvanian

The School of Veterinary Medicine, which for months appeared to be on the verge of losing millions in state funding, will almost certainly have its funding from Harrisburg remain in place, according to the latest updates from the state budget negotiations.

In the Pennsylvania state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, funding for Penn close to 90 percent of which goes to the Vet School was slated to be cut. The Vet School stood to lose almost $30 million, which constitutes 20 percent of their total budget.

This funding now looks like it might be restored by a bill that allocates $30.1 million from the state budget to the Vet School and over $281 thousand to the Division of Infectious Diseases at Penn Medicine.

The state Senate has already voted unanimously for the bill to pass and the House of Representatives will vote on the bill later this week, University spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy said in a statement.

We are grateful to the Senate for unanimously voting to restore funding for the School of Veterinary Medicine and look forward to continuing to advocate for the House of Representatives to support restoration, MacCarthy said.

The bill comes after advocates urged the government to reconsider the restoration of funding that Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf proposed eliminating in his budget address in February. Wolfs cut came as a surprise to the Vet School, which has received funding from the state for the past 133 years.

Vet School Dean Joan Hendricks wrote a letter earlier this month to the editor of The Pike County Courier, a newspaper in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, urging people to recognize the vital role that veterinarians play in not just providing care for companion animals, but also in protecting the food supply and public health.

Hendricks cited the Vet Schools ability to fight re-emerging threats such as rabies, [help] farmers and truckers see where [swine virus] is present to prevent its spread, and ensure that 99.99 percent of Pennsylvania eggs [make] it to market without salmonella.

She also noted that Penn Vet was the only school of veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania.

Richard Ebert, president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, which provides legislative support and services to farmers in the state, also spoke out against the cut in funding. Ebert wrote to the Centre Daily Times, a periodical based out of State College, Pa., urging state lawmakers to support the restoration of state funding to Penn Vet. He cited the organizations role in studying diseases that could influence human health.

As a dairy farmer, I couldnt imagine losing access to Penn Vets world-class research, food protection programs, and veterinarian care, Ebert wrote. Thats why were calling on the state general assembly to fund this critical support system of agriculture.

Mark ONeill, director of communications at the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said in an email that the organization was concerned that a loss of funding would diminish the Vet Schools strong focus on Pennsylvania agriculture, as well as its partnership with the State Department of Agriculture and Penn State University to monitor animal diseases.

ONeill also wrote that farmers were concerned the loss would hurt Penns ability to attract, train, and produce large animal veterinarians, who are decreasing in numbers in Pennsylvania and across the U.S.

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Penn Vet may keep its $30 million in state funding after all - The Daily Pennsylvanian

TheHorse.com

Building Your Horse's Health Care Dream Team TheHorse.com Some equine veterinarians only serve the horse's medical needs, while others fill multiple roles if they've trained to also practice chiropractic, acupuncture, dentistry, physical or massage therapy, or other types of body work. And the best ...

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Building Your Horse's Health Care Dream Team - TheHorse.com