Weekly Veterinary Industry Review #7

It’s Friday, September 11th, 2020. Welcome to round seven of the Weekly Veterinary Industry Review, brought to you by GeniusVets. This week we discuss a webinar that will update veterinarians on the effects of COVID-19 in the industry, we continue our series on cannabis use in the field, and we end with a dog adoption story that will have you reaching for the tissues (in the very best way!). So let's get to it…

 

Veterinary Business News

Keeping you at the forefront of veterinary news regarding products, personnel, and conferences...

 

The WSAVA To Host a Second (Free!) Webinar to Update Veterinary Professionals on COVID-19

  • The WSAVA is hosting a webinar for veterinarians globally on Tuesday, September 15 2020 to offer an update on COVID-19 in relation to companion animals and address many frequently asked questions.
  • In addition to the details on companion animals, the webinar will also include information the effects of the pandemic on preventive health programs and will provide recommendations on reducing the risk to veterinary staff members.
  • Commenting on the webinar, one of the speakers, Dr Lappin, said: “There are a number of significant changes in the management of SARS-CoV-2 that impact companion animal medicine and our staff members since our first webinar. I believe the information to be presented will be extremely valuable in helping your veterinary team continue to successfully navigate this pandemic."
  • The webinar will take place at 12 PM UTC and will also later be available on the WSAVA COVID-19 resource hub. If you're interested, register here.
  • Article published by Veterinary Practice News

 

Our Continuing Look at the Use of Cannabis in the Veterinary Industry

  • Although there is clearly still a great deal to learn about this complex plant and its interactions, this article notes extensive research that points to the fact that cannabis has apparent clinical applications in veterinary medicine.
  • From the article: “The intense interest of the medical community and public in medical uses of cannabis is unprecedented for a plant-based medicine. The combination of this degree of attention and the progression of state (and possibly federal) laws to allow physicians and veterinarians to integrate cannabis into their treatment plans will serve to further the drive for clinical research.”
  • Only osteoarthritis and epileptic seizures have been evaluated and shown to be positively affected by the administration of cannabis, but other clinicians have found cannabis effectiveness for reducing anxiety, signs of gastrointestinal disease, pain (beyond that of osteoarthritis), and palliative care for cancer patients.
  • As with nearly all articles on cannabis in veterinary medicine, this article advocates for more CE on the subject. 
  • Article published by TodaysVeterinaryPractice.com

 

Interview With a Vet Tech Shows Their Daunting Study Load

  • Local South Carolina paper The Newberry Observer captured just how challenging it is for vet tech student Tiffany Blackmon to keep up with a full-time veterinary job, attending school to become a vet tech, and being a mother to a four-year-old daughter.
  • While the article touts the many avenues vet techs can take, it also outlines the heavy-duty nature of their coursework.
  • From the article: “Within a very short two years, instructors must expose students to the basic skills and knowledge required to deal with various species of large and small animals (including lab animals) that graduates may be expected to perform. Students must learn everything, from safety and restraint of animal species, diseases, and anatomy to how to collect various types of samples, perform diagnostics, administer medications, and perform other general nursing skills."
  • The article points out that students have a large notebook with all of the required AVMA skills that must be mastered before students complete the program.
  • This is interesting in reference to what Dr. Heather Loenser said about many people in the veterinary profession being sadly underpaid during her her episode of Webinar Wednesdays With GeniusVets.
  • Article published by The Newberry Observer

     

 

Valuable Pet News For Your Clients

Topical stories your clients will want to hear...

 

A Crucial Reminder About the Importance of Regular Wellness Visits for Cats

  • This Daily Herald article notes that there are a number of reasons that owners don’t bring cats into the vet, including fear of the transport and appointments, cats hiding their pain, and the mistaken notion that indoor cats are always safe from parasites.
  • From the article: "According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners, a large majority (83%) of cats go to a veterinarian during their first year, but half of them never go back until they are sick or injured."
  • Article published by The Daily Herald

     

Understanding Dogs’ Fears Could Reduce Unnecessary Rehoming

  • Many dogs are rehomed or, worse, surrendered due to what is deemed poor behavior by the owners, so studies like the one mentioned in this article are key to getting to the bottom of some of these unwanted behaviors.
  • While the results are a bit more complicated than this, what they essentially found is that dogs that have been socialized more as puppies tend to experience fewer unwanted social fears and bad behaviors that result from these fears—a good thing for pet owners to understand.
  • Article published by TheBark.com

 

 

Veterinary Toys & Tech

The latest innovations to keep pets happy and healthy...

 

Cater to Your Canine With These Killer “Best Of” Products

  • We’ve all seen the lists of dog toys to get us through the pandemic and, while those are great, this list takes a deeper dive into all the best things you can buy for your pampered pooch.
  • The article features everything from activity/fitness monitors and GPSes to home grooming systems and smart toys. In other words, this isn’t your grandma’s list!
  • Of the PetSafe Smart Door featured in the article: “This door is so cool. It uses radio-frequency technology to reads the ‘SmartKey’ worn on your dog's collar to trigger the battery power-driven flap to unlock. The door is programmable for up to five pets and comes in small and large to suit different dogs. Plus, after your dog passes through the SmartDoor, it will automatically lock, stopping other fur creatures from escaping.”
  • Article published by ZDNet.com

 

 

Not-So-Human-Interest

Lighter pet stories to provide much-needed cheer in difficult times...

 

This Pooch and His Pal Share the Same Condition

  • We always like to end the weekly veterinary industry review with some feel-good news, and you might want to grab the tissues for the story of Bentley Boyers and his newly adopted pooch.
  • The two-year-old from Michigan was born with a cleft palate and has already had two correctional surgeries, so when his dad came across a pup with the same birth defect, he knew it was fate. Who’s cutting onions in here?!
  • From the story: "He Facetimed me. He goes, ‘I think this one has a cleft lip’ and I said ‘get her’! We need her," Bentley's mother, Ashley Boyers, told local station WILX.
  • Clicking on the story is a must just to see the ear-to-ear smile on Bentley’s face, which isn’t surprising considering the shelter employees said the two instantly loved one another.
  • Article published by PEOPLE

     

 

Have something newsworthy in the veterinary field? Reach out to us at [email protected]. Enjoy our weekly veterinary industry review, coming to you each Friday afternoon.