Do You Have Ideas on Policy Matters the AVMA Should Address?

Fellow NVMA and AVMA members,

The AVMA House of Delegates will be meeting in San Antonio, Texas on August 4th and 5th prior to the AVMA summer convention. Doctors Keith Schumacher and David Ylander will be representing the NVMA and all AVMA members in Nebraska at this meeting.

This year the House of Delegates (HOD) will be initiating the Veterinary Information Forum (VIF). During this two-hour forum, three pre-selected topics will be given 30 minutes each for discussion. The final 30 minutes will be an open forum that could be used for further discussion of the previous three topics or to introduce a new issue.

The House Advisory Committee (HAC) will be selecting the top three topics from all those submitted, during its teleconference on July 8th. The selected topics will then be submitted back to all members of the HOD to seek further information and comments from all state VMA, AVMA Allied group and AVMA members to be brought before the HOD during the VIF.

At the conclusion of the VIF, the three pre-selected topics and any possible new one from the open session, will be sent to the respective HOD Reference Committee for further discussion and debate. The HOD Reference Committee will have the opportunity to: 1) bring forth a Resolution about the topic; 2) refer the topic to an AVMA entity to gather more information; or 3) take no action on the topic.

The Veterinary Information Forum is a means for the HOD to take a more proactive role in forming AVMA policy. In the past, the HOD has been more reactive to an issue and may be several months to years behind in bringing forth a policy on a particular issue.

The Nebraska delegation is seeking your input on possible topics pertaining to veterinary medicine that can be brought to the HAC for consideration and hopefully inclusion in the VIF discussion. Please send your topic and a short summary concerning the issue to the Nebraska delegation no later than July 5th so that we can forward it to our HOD Reference Committees.

Dr. Keith Schumacher: kschuma@megavision.com
Dr. David Ylander: dmydvm@charter.net

Please email your suggestions to both delegation members.

Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration in furthering our profession and associations.

NVMA@Work Blog Moving to New Website Platform

New Multi-featured Site Launches Next Week

With next week's launch of the new Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) website, the NVMA@Work blog will appear exclusively on the platform that is embedded within the website.

This separate Blogger platform no longer will be used. It was initiated a year ago due to the limited capacity of the old website to auto-generate email notifications and employ social sharing. Blogger has both of those functions, but they will be included within the new website, which launches next week.

If your email address is in the NVMA database, you will continue to have access to email notifications of NVMA@Work blog posts. Next week, NVMA members for whom we have current email addresses will receive an email invitation to sign on to the new website. The email will include a link that takes you to the site. If you have never signed on to the new site before, when you click the link you will first be prompted to set your password.

If you are a first-time visitor, you will be invited to complete your profile and indicate whether you want your NVMA directory listing to be visible to others.

You will then set your communication preferences. You may opt to receive all, some or none of the email notifications sent by the NVMA, including notifications of new posts to NVMA@Work.

When you have completed the initial signup, you will be taken to a Welcome Page that summarizes the site and its functions. Use it as your guide for exploring the site.

NVMA Text Service

This section is for those who wish to receive messages from the NVMA's new text service.

At the end of this post is a link where you may sign up for the NVMA text messaging service. When you click the link, you will be offered these service-level choices:

NVMA ALL -- Receive all text messages generated by the NVMA.

NVMA@Work -- Receive only text notifications of new posts to the NVMA blog.

NVMA REGS -- Receive only text notifications of bulletins from the State Veterinarian, the Board of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, and others.

NVMA XGR -- Receive only text notifications of updates on legislative matters.

Click here to join the NVMA text service.

NVMA 2016 Summer Business Meeting Includes Prescription Drug Monitoring Update

As a service to those who were unable to attend the 2016 Summer Meeting, here is a video record of the NVMA Business Meeting held on Friday, June 10, in North Platte. The meeting included a legislative update with information about the Prescription Drug Monitoring Task Force.

Dr. Schumacher is Team Roping Champion

Dr. Keith Schumacher

Keith Schumacher, DVM, of Howells, Nebraska, is the NVMA 2016 Team Roping Champion. Dr. Schumacher took the title during competition on June 9, 2016, during the NVMA Summer Meeting in North Platte.

Dr. Schumacher is shown in the accompanying photo with the beautiful prize saddle he took home as Champion. The Team Roping competition was sponsored by MWI Animal Health, Merck Animal Health and Multimin USA.

Video highlights from the Team Roping are below (the first two clips are Dr. Schumacher).

Video may be viewed by clicking here.

Provide Your Input on HOD Resolutions, Proposed Bylaws Amendments and Discussion Topics

(Repost from the AVMA@Work blog)

The AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) will hold its Annual Session prior to the AVMA Convention in San Antonio. All resolutions and proposed bylaws amendments that the HOD will consider are posted on the AVMA website, and AVMA members are invited to provide their input on these items to their HOD delegates. 

You can look up and connect with your HOD delegates at  AVMA.org/MyLeaders. (Note: You might see an error message before signing in to view the full content of this page, but once you sign in using your AVMA member ID, the error disappears. We’re working to fix this intermittent error.)

• Resolution 3-2016 proposes revisions to the Free-Roaming, Owned Cats policy. The proposed revisions were developed by the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee with input from members and other groups (such as the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Association of Avian Veterinarians). The revisions consider the impacts on cat welfare as well as on the environment. The HOD approved revisions to the AVMA policy on Free-Roaming Abandoned and Feral Cats in January 2016.

• Proposed bylaws amendment 1-2016, submitted by the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, would remove the bylaws requirement for the AVMA Executive Vice President (EVP) to be a veterinarian. According to the proposed bylaws amendment, the NCVMA believes that “future search committees and Boards of Directors should not be limited in their capacity [by the veterinary requirement] to find the most qualified candidates and elect an AVMA Executive Vice President who is experienced, effective, and exceptional.” The change would not eliminate veterinarians from holding the position. Dr. W. Ron DeHaven, current AVMA EVP, has announced his impending retirement, and the position is currently open for applications through June 8.

If additional resolutions or proposed bylaws amendments are introduced, they will be added to the HOD Resolutions & Bylaws Amendments page on our website. AVMA members, please provide your input to your HOD delegates on these items to allow them to best represent you in the HOD. (Again, please note that you might see an error message on this page before signing in, but it will disappear once you have signed into the website.)

The HOD will also convene its first Veterinary Issues Forum during the Annual Session. The Forum provides HOD members with opportunity to discuss veterinary-related issues and topics beyond those of resolutions and bylaws amendments, including those that bubble up through environmental scanning. The House Advisory Committee (HAC) has put out a call for potential discussion issues, and will select three topics of those submitted for discussion in the forum. If you’d like to suggest an issue, contact your delegates  and your state veterinary medical association or allied group. Once the HAC has determined the three issues, we’ll post them on the HOD Resolutions & Bylaws Amendments page and you’ll have an opportunity to provide your input on the issues to your delegates.

Integrate Preventive Care into Your Practice: Partners for Healthy Pets Can Help

(Repost from AVMA@Work blog)

Preventive care is a cornerstone of your patients’ health, and can save your clients a lot of money in the long run. How can you focus your efforts to deliver the best preventive care possible and really educate clients about the value of wellness care?

The AVMA and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) collaborated to develop the AAHA-AVMA Canine and Feline Preventive Care Guidelines to provide a foundation for your practice’s wellness and preventive care focus. Partners for Healthy Pets builds on that work by offering veterinary clinics a toolkit to help implement the guidelines.

Implementing the guidelines is actually quite simple, using the free resources provided by Partners for Healthy Pets. These include a “10 steps to success” document that serves as a foundation; a team meeting guide to focus your practice team; and a workbook to help you develop a practice action plan to implement the guidelines and “level up” your preventive care. These tools – plus other materials – can be found on the Partners’ guidelines implementation page.

If you’re participating in the PHP’s free preventive healthcare certificate program, these materials make up one section of the program, and completing this step keeps you on track to earn your certificate. Partners for Healthy Pets also has additional resources to help your practice, such as the forward-booking tool and the Opportunity Survey.

Partners for Healthy Pets was created to ensure pets receive the preventive healthcare they deserve through regular veterinary visits. Led by the AVMA and AAHA, it is a collaborative alliance of more than 100 veterinary associations, colleges of veterinary medicine and animal health companies all committed to a vision of improved overall health for pets.

Veterinarians and Physicians Team Up to StopLyme in Children and Pets

(Repost from the AVMA@Work blog)

(IN PHOTO: Rolo has Lyme disease, but thanks to early diagnosis and regular veterinary care, she lives a happy, healthy life with her family.)

StopLyme is a new public awareness campaign joining veterinarians and pediatricians to stop a common enemy: Lyme disease. While this tick-borne disease can’t be spread directly between dogs and people, if your dog has been exposed to ticks that spread Lyme disease, you may have been too.

As part of StopLyme’s educational efforts, Dr. Natalie Marks, a Chicago veterinarian, along with pediatrician and infectious disease specialist Dr. Patricia DeLaMora, have embarked on a national media tour to spread the One Health message and provide parents with helpful tips to keep their children and dogs tick free. The doctors also remind parents that if their child is diagnosed with Lyme disease they should contact their veterinarian and let them know their dog also may have been exposed. Conversely, their pediatrician should be informed if their dog has been diagnosed with Lyme disease. This collaboration between physicians and veterinarians is an example of how disciplines can work together to obtain optimal health for people, animals and the environment.

Listen to AVMA CEO Dr. Ron DeHaven and radio personality Steve Dale discuss the launch of StopLyme and the importance of the veterinarian’s role in One Health and the need for greater awareness of diseases spread by ticks.

In addition to the StopLyme materials, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have tables, maps and graphs of reported human cases of Lyme disease. Veterinarians can also use AVMA’s Lyme Disease: A Pet Owner’s Guide for discussion and sharing with their clients.

National Public Radio on the 'Humane Economy'

Agree or disagree with animal rights proponents, there is no doubt that a robust public conversation is taking place around the topic. National Public Radio's On Point with Tom Ashbrook took a long look at the issue on Tuesday, May 31, 2016. The portion of the program devoted to the issue is available for listening below. Here is a link to the story on the NPR website.

 

Pet Travel 101 Infographic for Vacation Season

It is Memorial Day, traditional opening of the summer vacation travel season. Here is a handy Pet Travel 101 Infographic you can share with clients and anyone else who can use it.

by Lemonly.

From Visually.

New Regulation Requires Overtime Pay for More Employees

(Repost from the AVMA@Work blog)

A new rule finalized last week by the U.S. Department of Labor requires time-and-a-half overtime pay for far more salaried workers than previously have been covered. This rule applies to employees in the private sector as well as those in federal, state, and local governments. It also applies to nonprofit charities that provide veterinary services for a fee (see the nonprofit fact sheet for more information on nonprofits that may be affected by this rule).

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Overtime Final Rule, announced on May 18, requires employers to pay overtime to employees who earn $913 per week or less – up to $47,476 on an annual basis – and work more than 40 hours per week, even if they are salaried workers who are classified as managers or professionals. Previously, the overtime requirement applied only to hourly employees and salaried workers earning $455 a week or less – up to $23,660 per year.

There are some exemptions to the rule, but most of these exemptions won’t apply to veterinary practices. Employees that are not exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act must be paid the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 per hour) and at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for any hours they work beyond 40 in a workweek.

The AVMA is monitoring implementation of this rule and evaluating legislation related to this issue. We’ll continue to keep our members informed of any important developments.

How does the new rule affect veterinarians?

What does this mean for veterinary practices? It will affect overtime pay for salaried veterinary technicians, who are not considered exempt from the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act, if their salaries are $913/week ($47,476/year) or less and they work more than 40 hours per week. If staff members are paid hourly wages, they already must be paid time-and-a-half when working overtime and therefore won’t be affected.

Office administrators and managers could qualify for the administrative employee exemption from guaranteed overtime pay if the following qualifications are met: the employee must be compensated on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate of not less than the threshold salary of $913/week; the employee’s primary duty must be to perform office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer’s customers; and the employee’s primary duty must include exercising discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance. The qualifications of this exemption have not changed; only the salary threshold has been increased.

Will the changes affect veterinary salaries? Not likely, unless the veterinarian is being paid below the threshold salary listed above. Otherwise, veterinarians are generally considered exempt as learned professionals because they meet the following three criteria: their primary duty is to perform work requiring advanced knowledge (defined as work that is predominantly intellectual in character and that includes work requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment); their advanced knowledge is in a field of science or learning; and their advanced knowledge must be customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction. See the Labor Department’s fact sheet on the subject for more information. Veterinarians working as contractors or working on production may or may not be affected.

The rules are complex, and there are many additional nuances. If you have questions about your practice’s situation, or your own, it’s best to consult a labor attorney or the Department of Labor.

How will the changes affect higher education – including veterinary schools? Although the new salary thresholds will affect many employees, there are exemptions for teachers/professors and for undergraduate and graduate students engaged in research under faculty supervision. See the higher ed fact sheet for more information.

The final rule also:

• Raises to $134,004 the total annual compensation requirement for so-called highly compensated employees to be exempted from overtime protection if they satisfy what is known as a “minimal duties” test related to the work they perform. See the fact sheet for more information. This change seems unlikely to apply to veterinarians and practices.
• Provides for the Department of Labor to increase the salary and compensation levels every three years. Based on current projections, the standard salary level is expected to rise to more than $51,000 with the first update, scheduled for Jan. 1, 2020. This would mean that the current level of $23,660/year would rise to $47,476/year in December 2016 and then to more than $51,000 in January 2020.

The new rule is set to take effect December 1, 2016, although lawmakers are considering possible action to block it using the Congressional Review Act and riders to appropriations bills.

The Fair Labor Standards Act contains an exemption from the payment of both minimum wage and overtime pay to anyone employed as a bona fide professional employee. The professional exemption contains two main categories: learned and creative. The Labor Department’s Small Entity Compliance Guide to the FLSA “White Collar Exemptions” provides good guidance; you also can learn more about classification of employees on the Labor Department’s website. They also have a FAQ document available.

Webinars will offer more information

The Department of Labor is offering a series of 90-minute free webinars for employers who want to better understand what is happening and how to comply with the regulation:

• General Information on the Overtime Final Rule: Starting at Noon Central Time on May 26, June 2 and June 9
• For the Nonprofit Sector: Starting at Noon Central Time on June 7
• For State and Local Governments: Starting at Noon Central Time on June 8

You can register for these webinars on the Department of Labor’s website.

The AVMA will continue to monitor the implementation of this rule and is reviewing legislation that would require the Labor Department to perform an economic analysis of how changes to overtime regulations would impact small businesses, employers in other industry sectors, and nonprofits before issuing a new rule. The proposed legislation, known as the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act (S. 2707, H.R. 4773), also would prohibit automatic increases in any new rule, and ensure that any proposed changes to the duties test receive scrutiny through the formal notice and comment process. For more information, contact Gina Luke in the AVMA’s Governmental Relations Division.

Two Minutes with NVMA Board President Shane Pedersen, DVM

To open video in a new window, click here.

Buddhist Monk Blesses Ailing Pets

Lama Karma Namgyel Rinpoche, left, blesses a dog named Monkey Business, who is held by owner Clay Blatt, of Napa, California. (Napa Valley Register Photo).

"It doesn't matter if you believe or not, it works," said dog owner Cheryl Sagat of Vallejo, California.

Sagat was talking about the healing blessings offered for ailing pets by a Buddhist monk at a park in Napa, California. The monk, Lama Karma Namgyel Rinpoche, delivered the blessings as a part of the May 21 celebration of the birth of Buddha.

Pet owners gathered in the park and brought their animals to Rinpoche, who splashed them with water and draped blue prayer cords around their necks.

Sagat said her dog Sparkles had been sick for months with a severe skin infection, so they turned to natural healing. A combination of blessings from Rinpoche, skin baths, and organic food helped her heal, Sagat told the Napa Valley Register. Read the full story.

October Dates Set for 2016 AVMA Economic Summit

(Excerpted from the AVMA@Work blog)

If you’re interested in the economic future of the veterinary profession—and in gathering information and tools to help you operate your business more successfully—set aside the dates October 24-25 to attend this year’s AVMA Economic Summit.

Our economics team convenes the summit every year to help practice owners and other business-focused veterinarians understand the veterinary economic markets and get tools to operate in business successfully. This year’s meeting will be held Oct. 24-25 outside Chicago, in Schaumburg, Illinois. Learn more.

Register Now for the Summer Meeting

Join Us in North Platte!

Register now for the Summer Meeting in North Platte, June 9 - 11.

Links to information and registration materials will be found here.

A video featuring your friends and colleagues who attended the 2015 Summer Meeting is here.

Board of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Shares Responses to Questions

Nebraska Board of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery 

At the board’s last meeting we had two questions posed and we wanted to express our opinion to the Nebraska Veterinarians.

First question: Can an unlicensed tech read fecal exams? The board’s response is no, because the regulations only allow an assistant to collect fecal specimens. Reading a fecal exam requires professional judgment which only a licensed veterinarian is permitted to do under state statutes and regulations.

Second question: Can an unlicensed tech administer medication via a catheter that is already in place? The board's answer is no, the statutes and regulations permit an assistant to administer crystalloid fluid therapy through an established IV catheter under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. Other administration of medications through a catheter can only be performed by an assistant under emergency conditions for the purpose of life-saving aid and treatment. Such administration can only be performed after direct communication with a licensed veterinarian and if the veterinarian is either present or en route to the location of the animal.

Another topic the board would like to have the Nebraska Veterinarians be aware of is the use of consent documents, such as anesthetic releases, and procedure releases. Such documents must be signed by the client and are helpful when dealing with complaints from clients, as they should document what is happening or going to happen and in a round about way help clarify the diagnosis. 

Chairman 

James F. Unwin

Preventing Dog Bites: Educational Tools to Help Veterinarians

(Reposted from the AVMA@Work blog)

Did you know that nearly 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, and that 20 percent of the victims require medical attention?

Veterinarians realize that while even the gentlest dog can bite, most bites can be prevented.  This is National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, and the AVMA has resources to help you educate your clients and make your community a safer place to live.

As the founding sponsor of National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, the AVMA is committed to reducing the number of dog bites and helping dog owners maintain the loving bonds they have with their dogs. The AVMA offers resources to help you teach clients about socialization, responsible dog ownership, why dogs bite, and recognizing risky situations, among other topics. A client-ready brochure on dog bite prevention is available in the AVMA's online store in both English and Spanish. And the AVMA YouTube channel has a complete playlist of fun, kid-friendly videos about dog bite prevention; play them on a loop in your clinic or embed the playlist on your website.

The AVMA also can help you celebrate National Dog Bite Prevention Week® on social media. Download any of three National Dog Bite Prevention Week® cover photos, and use them as your own to customize your profile. (Yes, it’s really OK!) For AVMA members, there are pre-written social media posts that you can copy and paste, plus ideas for writing your own if you prefer. Follow the AVMA’s social media accounts – especially Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – where the AVMA will share dog bite prevention materials throughout the week.

While you educate clients locally about dog bite prevention, the AVMA represents veterinarians nationally as sponsor of the National Dog Bite Prevention Week® Coalition. AVMA Board of Directors member Dr. Lori Teller spoke at a news conference to kick off the week-long event, emphasizing the important role veterinarians can play in assessing, monitoring and improving dogs’ behavior.

“Pet owners should talk to their veterinarian regarding any behavioral concerns they may have,” said Dr. Teller, a veterinarian at the Meyerland Animal Clinic in Houston. “Their family veterinarian can assist in determining if there is a medical component; which medication, if any, would be most appropriate as part of an integrated treatment program; and whether or not a referral to a behavior specialist is warranted.”

For a more complete account of the news conference, read the press release.

Wrapping Up the Intro to the New Website

This is the last in our series of posts previewing the new NVMA website, tentatively scheduled for launch later this month.

The final three main navigation links will be CAREERS, FOUNDATION and NEWS.

The CAREERS section will be home to an NVMA-exclusive job board in addition to the affiliated Veterinary Career Network tools. Various online professional resources will be aggregated here as well.

The FOUNDATION section is essentially the current site's NVMA Foundation pages, including links to scholarship application forms. The new site, however, gives the Foundation an online fundraising app which can be used to create customized online resource development campaigns.

Finally, the NEWS section hosts links to the NVMA Vision YouTube Channel and to the NVMA Blog, which will be rebranded as the NVMA@Work Blog when the new site launches.

When the site launches, you will receive an email prompting you to log in and complete your membership profile.

Webinar: Transitioning From Vet School to Practice

(Reposted from the AVMA@Work blog)

Want to ensure a smooth transition from veterinary school to practice?

If so, you won’t want to miss the AVMA Veterinary Career Center’s upcoming webinar, “From Classroom to Exam Room: Surviving the Transition from Vet School to Practice.”

Dr. James Park, an associate at Care Animal Hospital in the Chicago suburbs, will discuss issues related to job search, contract considerations, and how to impress your new boss and clients during the webinar, which will take place Monday, June 27, from noon to 1 p.m. Central Time. Dr. Park is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine whose professional interests include surgery, cardiology and ultrasonography.

Be sure to register for the webinar in advance. Attendees of the June 27 live webinar will receive one hour of CE credit.

The AVMA Veterinary Career Center is the online career resource for veterinarians and veterinary professionals. The AVMA also provides a variety of other resources for recent veterinary graduates.

State Veterinarian Releases Quarantine at Fonner Park in Grand Island

LINCOLN – State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes has released the quarantine issued for Fonner Park in Grand Island after three confirmed cases of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) were detected there last month.
 
“The horses at Fonner Park were quarantined for 21 days where they were monitored closely.  During that time, no further cases were confirmed so the quarantine has been lifted,” said Dr. Hughes.  “We continue to ask horse owners and facility managers to take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease by remaining vigilant and following strict biosecurity measures.”
 
EHM is the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) and cases of the disease have been confirmed in several locations around the country this year. 
 
The disease is spread through direct or indirect contact with infected horses, so Dr. Hughes encourages operators of horse shows and exhibitions to review their biosecurity plans and minimize the opportunity for horses to have direct or indirect contact with each other. Indirect contact includes the use of shared water and feed sources, as well as the use of shared equipment. In addition, Dr. Hughes said he recommends horse owners planning to travel to shows and exhibitions contact the venue prior to transporting their horses to inquire about entrance requirements for the event.
 
Biosecurity measures horse owners should take at their own operations include requiring individuals to wash their hands before and after contact with each horse, disinfecting boots and changing clothes that come into contact with horses other than their own.
 
“If possible, horse owners should avoid contact with other people’s horses, and isolate horses returning from shows or exhibitions for 3 to 4 weeks,” said Dr. Hughes. “Owners who will be co-mingling their horses also should consider contacting their veterinarian to discuss their horses’ current vaccination status and weigh the benefits of vaccination.”
 
EHM symptoms include: fever, decreased coordination, nasal discharge, urine dribbling, loss of tail tone, hind limb weakness, leaning against a wall or fence to maintain balance, lethargy and the inability to rise. While there is no cure, the symptoms of the disease may be treatable. Additional information can be viewed here.

Practice Management: Four Critical Factors in Managing Inventory Turnover

Inventory costs consume more than 20 percent of the typical veterinary practice's revenue, according to the Inside Practice blog at Patterson Veterinary.

A recent Inside Practice blog post points out that inventory management should result in a practice having a financially sound revenue center in its pharmacy, one that should boost cash flow rather than hinder it.

A key to achieving this goal is proper management of inventory turnover. The blog post covers four critical factors:

• how to calculate turnover, 
• how to evaluate it, 
• how to leverage it and 
• the financial effects of unhealthy vs. healthy turnover.

Learn more.

New Salary Calculator Tool Helps Students and Recent Graduates

(Reposted from the AVMA@work blog)

Remember what it felt like when you were looking for your first job and had no idea what kind of salary was reasonable to expect?

The AVMA has released a new tool to help veterinary students and new graduates develop a starting point for salary negotiations as they enter the profession.

The New Graduate Salary Calculator worksheet allows users to calculate average starting salaries for different segments of the profession in various locations. It takes into consideration variables such as practice type (private/industry/government/etc.), specialty, plans for continued education, expected work hours, geographic location, debt load, and gender to provide a realistic snapshot of what the average salary would be for each specific situation.

The calculator uses the factors that have been shown to be statistically significant predictors of starting salaries for new veterinarians over the past 15 years. The information can help both new graduates and those approaching graduation to better understand the market for new veterinarians and how to prepare for salary negotiations. Those who are unsure about their early career path can create multiple scenarios and compare the results.

The calculator is currently offered as a PDF, but the AVMA plans to develop a digital version in the future. It is available exclusively to AVMA and SAVMA members, and can be found among the student financial resources at AVMA.org/SAVMA and the recent graduate resources offered on AVMA.org. The new calculator is one of numerous financial tools under development by the AVMA to help guide veterinarians through all stages of their careers.

Already available to both AVMA and SAVMA members is the personal financial planning tool at AVMA.org/MyBudget, which allows veterinarians to plan and track income and expenses in order to save for the future while also paying off debt.

Register Now for the Summer Meeting in North Platte

Register now to attend the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) Summer Meeting in spectacular North Platte, Nebraska. All of the information you need may be found at the links below.

Program
Registration Form
Golf Registration
Team Roping Info
5 Stand Shoot Info

HuffPost Looks at Pets-at-Work Trend

As a followup on a recent report about the health benefits of pet ownership, the Huffington Post is taking a look at a trend among employers -- employees are being allowed to bring their pets to work.

The HuffPost piece points out that the pet-friendly policy is popular with startups as a way to demonstrate to employees that they are valued.

Here's an excerpt:

It’s no surprise that Atlas Wearables, the developer of a digital trainer and heart rate band, praises the wellness benefits of pets at work. Based in Austin, Texas, CEO Peter Li notes one benefit of having a dog around is its need to be walked. Having Bluto the dog around created an opportunity to have walking meetings. “Standup meetings emphasize knowledge sharing. It helps keep the whole team on the same page running towards the same goal.”

Read the full story.

Pet Medication Hearing: AVMA Testimony Strives to Protect, Advance Veterinary Interests

Dr. de Jong

(Reposted from the AVMA@Work blog)

Dr. John de Jong, chair of the AVMA Board of Directors, addressed members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee Friday during a hearing about the pet medication industry. The hearing was live-streamed, and a recorded session is available. You can also read Dr. de Jong’s full testimony that was submitted to the subcommittee, as well as the AVMA’s press release.

Although the hearing was focused on the pet medication industry, the driving forces behind it are two federal bills (H.R.3174 and S.1200) that mandate prescription writing for pet medications. Although we agree with the bills’ stated intent to help consumers save money and provide freedom of choice, we oppose the legislation because veterinarians already do these things. The majority of veterinarians already provide prescriptions upon request – it’s included in our Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics, and 36 states have laws, regulations, or policies that require veterinarians to provide their clients with a written prescription upon request. This federal legislation is simply not necessary and would take time away from the veterinarian’s real task – providing the best care for their patients – to spend on burdensome paperwork. If you agree, please take a moment to contact your senators and representatives to tell them how you feel. To learn more about why we oppose this legislation, visit our “Just Ask” page.

This is but one example of the AVMA’s advocacy efforts to protect veterinarians and advance veterinary medicine. We’ve also advocated, and will continue to advocate, for continued access to medications such as ketamine and compounded drugs; legislation to reduce the student loan burden; animal health and welfare issues; and small business issues affecting veterinary practices. Our advocacy work also resulted in introduction and passage of the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act, which allows veterinarians to legally transport controlled substances across state lines in the course of practicing veterinary medicine.

As the collective voice of the veterinary profession, we will continue to advocate on our members’ behalf to protect, promote and advance the veterinary profession.

Volunteer Opportunities with the AVMA

Are you or a colleague interested in volunteering for an AVMA committee? If so, there are a number of opportunities still available for appointment this summer! The full list of committee positions available for appointment in August 2016 is available here at the AVMA website and includes positions on the following entities:

• Animal Welfare Committee 
• Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Committee 
• Clinical Practitioners Advisory Committee 
• Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates 
• Food Safety Advisory Committee 
• Legislative Advisory Committee 
• Political Action Committee Board

The deadline for receipt of nominations for these committee positions is June 19, 2016. All nominations should be submitted via email to OfficeEVP@avma.org, via fax to 847-925-0944, or via mail to AVMA Office of the Executive Vice President, 1931 N. Meacham Rd, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL, 60173. All nominations should include the nomination form and a 1-2 page resume.

If you or a colleague are not sure if you are ready to get involved with the AVMA, please take the opportunity to view the following AVMA video, where AVMA members describe the benefits of volunteering with the association, such as influencing key issues affecting veterinary medicine today, meeting new colleagues, and forging valuable and lasting relationships.

Please feel free to email OfficeEVP@avma.org or call 1-800-248-2862, ext. 6605 with any questions you may have. Thanks for your continued support and we look forward to receiving your nominations!

Gift Ideas for Pet Owners

With wedding season upon us and with Mother's Day (Sunday, May 8) just around the corner, The New York Times has published a list of gift ideas suitable for pet owners.

Prices range from a modest $39 for the SnoozePal cat hammock (shown at left) to as much as $695 for a hand-carved weather vane depicting nearly any breed of dog. The Times includes phone numbers and websites for you if you want to buy one of these thoughtful gifts. Read the full story.

Economics of Education: Summit Attendees Gather to Identify Ways to Alleviate Student Debt

Student debt is an increasingly critical issue for the entire veterinary profession, and how to reduce that debt and improve the overall economic picture for young veterinarians was the focus of a summit held at Michigan State University last week. Summit attendees put forth a number of recommendations, including streamlining curricula, increasing scholarship opportunities, boosting starting salaries, lobbying federal lawmakers for legislation to lower interest rates on student loans and creating a national plan for reducing the debt-to-income ratio.

The summit, organized jointly by the AVMA, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, brought together approximately 180 individuals from across the veterinary spectrum. The collective goal over the three-day summit was to agree on specific strategies to address the many facets of this complex challenge, with the goal of reducing the debt-to-income ratio. The debt-to-income ratio is an indicator of the financial health of the veterinarian entering the profession, and it currently stands at about 2:1, representing a level of educational debt approximately twice the level of starting income.

For more information on the summit and the next steps that will be taken to help reduce student debt, please read the press release posted in the AVMA online Press Room.

ADVOCACY Link on New NVMA Website Will Be Visible to Members Only

Another in our series of occasional posts previewing the new NVMA website:

The ADVOCACY navigation link on the new Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association website will be visible only to members of the NVMA who have signed in to their accounts on the site.

This section will be the nerve center for legislative and regulatory matters. Included will be a link to the Legislation Committee's Community/Group page, an archive of reports from the NVMA's lobbyist and a "Take Action" center through which we will facilitate NVMA members' communication with elected officials.

The portion of the ADVOCACY section devoted to regulatory matters will include space for the periodic updates received by the State Veterinarian. The site will link to the AVMA's regulatory issues pages. A means to segment issues specific to the various districts of the NVMA across the state also will be provided.

The new NVMA website is tentatively scheduled for launch in late May.

Veterinary Clinic Owners See Extension of Small Business Tax Breaks

Important tax legislation was recently passed by Congress and signed by President Obama to help small business owners, including those who own veterinary practices. Read more about the extension of small business tax breaks.

Oppose Mandatory Prescription Writing

Tell Congress to oppose mandatory prescription writing for veterinarians!	Take Action!
We need your help now! A congressional hearing has been scheduled for The Fairness to Pet Owners Act (H.R. 3174), which was reintroduced in July 2015. The bill, championed by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), would require veterinarians to provide clients with written prescriptions for their pets regardless of whether the clients wish to fill the prescription at the clinic on site. Proponents of the bill claim veterinarians withhold prescriptions to increase profits. A May 2015 Federal Trade Commission report makes clear that the claim is unsubstantiated. Nothing prevents clients from asking for prescriptions. The AVMA's Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics states that veterinarians shall honor a client's request for a prescription in lieu of dispensing. A majority of states already have similar laws or policies. AVMA contends that this bill is unnecessary and will result in veterinarians spending excess time on unnecessary paperwork, likely at the expense of patient care. Despite significant opposition to this bill, some in Congress have expressed an interest in moving it through the legislative process. Should H.R. 3174 pass out of committee, it would be very difficult to keep the bill from moving forward and potentially getting a vote by the full House of Representatives. This is where your help is needed! Please take a few minutes to send a message to register your strong opposition and urge your congressional representative to oppose this legislation. Take action today! Read about this bill here.

State Veterinarian Says Biosecurity a Priority With Three Cases of EHM Confirmed at Fonner Park in Grand Island

LINCOLN – Three cases of the Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) have been confirmed at Fonner Park in Grand Island resulting in State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes calling for horse owners to use best biosecurity practices.  Samples were collected and sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, where the disease was confirmed.  One of the affected horses was euthanized on site while the other two have been isolated on the premises.
 
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture in cooperation with Fonner Park management has quarantined the horses located at Fonner Park.  Horses located in the Red Barn (where the affected horses were stabled) will not be allowed to race at present time.  Racing will continue at Fonner Park with the horses located in the other barns on the premises.
 
EHM is the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1). Cases of the diseases have been confirmed at several locations around the country, many of them at horse race tracks or events where horses are co-mingled.
 
“It is of utmost importance that horse owners and facility managers take appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of this disease,” said Dr. Hughes. “Vigilance is especially important in situations where horses can come into contact with each other. There can be a high susceptibility to the disease where we have horses co-mingling from different regions or states.”
 
The disease is spread through direct or indirect contact with infected horses, so Dr. Hughes encourages operators of horse shows and exhibitions to review their biosecurity plans and minimize the opportunity for horses to have direct or indirect contact with each other. Indirect contact includes the use of shared water and feed sources, as well as the use of shared equipment. In addition, Dr. Hughes said he recommends horse owners planning to travel to shows and exhibitions contact the venue prior to transporting their horses to inquire about entrance requirements for the event.
 
Biosecurity measures horse owners should take at their own operations include requiring individuals to wash their hands before and after contact with each horse, disinfecting boots and changing clothes that come into contact with horses other than their own.
 
“If possible, horse owners should avoid contact with other people’s horses, and isolate horses returning from shows or exhibitions for 3 to 4 weeks,” said Dr. Hughes. “Owners who will be co-mingling their horses also should consider contacting their veterinarian to discuss their horses’ current vaccination status and weigh the benefits of vaccination.”
 
EHM symptoms include: fever, decreased coordination, nasal discharge, urine dribbling, loss of tail tone, hind limb weakness, leaning against a wall or fence to maintain balance, lethargy and the inability to rise. While there is no cure, the symptoms of the disease may be treatable. Additional information can be viewed by clicking here.