‘We do one thing, and one thing only’
Word is spreading about the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' program where veterinarians learn to spay cats and dogs twice as fast as before, often in under 10 minutes. A program that helps fourth-year veterinary students feel confident they are practice-ready after graduation. A program that is many things to many people but is ultimately about solving the problem of animal overpopulation through a singular focus on high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter.
A participant in the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Spay/Neuter Alliance Veterinarian Training program practices efficient techniques to spay a shelter dog while her instructor watches. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 80, 6; 10.2460/ajvr.80.6.516
The ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance, located in Asheville, North Carolina, consists of three buildings housing a dozen surgical suites, kennels, cages, classrooms, and a dormitory. Each of the six training programs the alliance offers covers best practices for working in a mid- to high-volume spay-neuter environment. Topics range from low-stress handling and infectious-disease control to surgical techniques and operating a high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter clinic modeled after the alliance.
Roughly a thousand people have participated annually in training programs at the Asheville campus or off-site.
On average, 100 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens are sterilized at the alliance campus each day. The animals come from shelters throughout western North Carolina or from pet owners making use of the alliance's low-cost spay-neuter clinic. More than 25,000 animals were sterilized by the alliance in 2018.
“We do one thing, and one thing only,” said Dr. Chip Saxton, medical director of the alliance's student externship program. “When you do one thing over and over again, you're going to become pretty good at it.”
The ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance started in 1994 as the Humane Alliance. Humane Alliance's impact on the unwanted animal population in the region is evident. In 2000, Buncombe County shelters took in around 16,000 animals and euthanized about 15,000. By 2014, those numbers had dropped to 6,300 cats and dogs taken in and just over 1,100 euthanized. When the ASPCA acquired the Humane Alliance the following year, the organization was already regarded within animal shelter and welfare organizations as a model for high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter programs.
Quantifying the size of the nation's homeless animal population is practically impossible because of a lack of reliable data from government agencies and humane organizations. The ASPCA estimates approximately 6.5 million animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide annually, representing roughly 3.3 million dogs and 3.2 million cats. The ASPCA further estimates 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats are euthanized by U.S. shelters each year, for a total of 1.5 million animals.
In its veterinary guidelines for spay-neuter programs, the Association of Shelter Veterinarians describes high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter programs as the best approach for reducing shelter impoundment and euthanasia of cats and dogs. “By engaging in this rapidly developing practice area, veterinarians can play vital roles in alleviating overpopulation and decreasing untimely euthanasia of cats and dogs, while providing HQHVSN services to cats and dogs that would otherwise be unlikely to receive such care,” the guidelines state.
Dr. Cristie Kamiya is chief of shelter medicine for Humane Society Silicon Valley in Milpitas, California, and a member of the ASV board of directors. She says communities with access to spay-neuter services tend to have lower shelter intake and higher adoption rates, compared with rates for communities with little to no access to spay-neuter services. “It's these areas where you have higher shelter intakes,” Dr. Kamiya said.
More than 1,500 veterinarians from the U.S. and around the world have participated in the Veterinarian Training program at the Spay/Neuter Alliance since 2009. For four days, trainees work with a veterinary instructor on safe and efficient spay-neuter procedures and techniques that they can use in private practice or when working with rescue organizations or animal shelters.
Condensed from May 1, 2019, JAVMA News
United States braces for African swine fever
As a virus deadly to swine spreads in Asia and Europe, veterinarians in North America are trying to find flaws in their biosecurity procedures.
African swine fever kills about 90% of infected pigs. In the U.S., veterinarians are quarantining feed ingredients, leading classes on how to respond during a potential outbreak, and testing the cleaners and disinfectants that may help halt an outbreak, according to attendees and speakers at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians' annual meeting in March. The U.S., Canadian, and Mexican governments have increased scrutiny of passengers and cargo at ports. Swine farms across North America are further limiting what workers bring in their lunches and making them change clothes more often, meeting attendees said in interviews.
Dr. Scott Dee, research director for Pipestone Applied Research in Pipestone, Minnesota, was among the lecturers at the AASV meeting. He had traveled in February to China, where a swine producer showed him sampling results that found ASF virus in dust collected from feed dried on the ground, trucks, trailers, feed mills, feed bins, and people's hair and shoes.
Dr. Scott Dee (Photo by Greg Cima)
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 80, 6; 10.2460/ajvr.80.6.516
Pigs infected with ASF virus can die without warning, or they can have high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, skin lesions, red blotches, and breathing difficulties, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The virus spreads through bodily fluids, ticks, and uncooked meat scraps, and results of at least one study suggest it remains viable in feed ingredients shipped overseas.
Condensed from May 15, 2019, JAVMA News
SAVMA went down to Georgia
For half a century now, veterinary students have been coming together to better themselves professionally as well as personally. Over 1,300 Student AVMA members, veterinary college faculty, and leaders of the veterinary profession gathered in Athens, Georgia, for the 49th annual SAVMA Symposium, held March 9–11 at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.
The three-day event featured an exhibit hall, wet labs, and lectures on personal wellness and professional success.
Members of the Student AVMA House of Delegates and Executive Board (Photo by Abbey Sharp)
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 80, 6; 10.2460/ajvr.80.6.516
The symposium's keynote speaker was Dr. Ernie Ward, a 1992 UGA alumnus who has gained international recognition for his work in small animal practice and pet obesity. Dr. Ward has authored three books, including “Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter,” and was for several years the resident veterinarian of “The Rachael Ray Show.”
The My Veterinary Life educational track featured presentations from Dr. Kristin Wuellner, veterinary digital education specialist with Hill's Pet Nutrition, and Dr. Marci Kirk, assistant director for recent graduate initiatives for the AVMA, about life after graduation. They offered strategies for overcoming challenges and setbacks, both professionally and personally.
Jen Brandt, PhD, the AVMA's director of member well-being and diversity initiatives, explained how feedback affects personal well-being and demonstrated how to ask for, receive, and give feedback effectively. Bridgette Bain, PhD, associate director of analytics for the AVMA, spoke about veterinary student debt and starting salaries across various practice types.
The AVMA's legislative activities were covered in another track, with presentations on why and how to advocate for veterinary medicine and the importance of veterinarians in the policy-making process.
Condensed from May 1, 2019, JAVMA News
APVMA helps undergraduates realize their future
The American Preveterinary Medical Association is a national organization of undergraduate students whose goals are to promote and stimulate interest in the field of veterinary medicine, provide communication between preveterinary clubs and organizations nationally, provide resources to students interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine, and hold the annual National APVMA Symposium.
The APVMA recently wrapped up its 2019 National Symposium, held March 8–9 at Pennsylvania State University. It drew more than 600 attendees. Organizers said this was the first time since the symposium began in 1985 that the meeting was held on a campus without a veterinary college.
Respondents to post-symposium surveys say the meeting gives them a greater understanding of veterinary medicine and veterinary college prerequisites while promoting connections with fellow preveterinary students.
The APVMA continues to grow. Every year, it adds about two to three clubs, with each club having about 40 students, said Kayla Marie Radtke, a preveterinary student at Purdue University and APVMA treasurer. In all, the APVMA has 93 clubs and 140 individual members. Not all preveterinary clubs are affiliated with the APVMA.
Most preveterinary clubs have weekly meetings and invite veterinarians or individuals who have done internships or traveled abroad to talk about their experiences. They also may hold hands-on laboratories and events with high school students interested in preveterinary medicine as well as volunteer and social events.
The AVMA has been working more closely with the APVMA to build a stronger relationship between preveterinary students and organized veterinary medicine.
Condensed from May 1, 2019, JAVMA News
AAVMC keeps focused on inclusion
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, during its Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, held March 8–10 in Washington, D.C., continued its work to promote the benefits of—and offer blueprints on how to create—a more diverse and inclusive population within veterinary colleges.
Several sessions homed in on the best practices and strategies to build diverse teams and on how to identify unconscious bias, foster honest dialogue, and enhance the admissions process to consider diversity earlier in the process. The theme of the meeting was “The Science of Building Inclusive Teams.”
Attendees listen to Scott E. Page, PhD, author and professor of complex systems, political science, and economics at the University of Michigan, at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, held March 8–10 in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy of AAVMC)
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 80, 6; 10.2460/ajvr.80.6.516
Lisa Greenhill, EdD, senior director of institutional research and diversity at AAVMC, has seen the discussion shift during her 20 years working with veterinary academics, she said in an interview with JAVMA News.
“The conversation has changed dramatically. Years ago, issues around cultural competency, privilege, and microaggressions would be far more controversial. Now, if we have provocative speakers, people are more engaged, willing to listen, and they know there is a direct impact on the student, faculty, and staff experience.”
During the AAVMC session “Critical Dialogues about Espoused Values and Alignment of Artifacts to Build Inclusive Teams in Veterinary Medicine,” Dr. Greenhill said the conversation can always go further. She spoke about the idea of shared values to drive team development.
“Organizational values drive organizational behavior. Our policies, practices, and procedures make us believe organizational behavior is entirely rational, when really they are a reflection of our values. When your values are clear, your decisions become clear,” Dr. Greenhill said.
Condensed from May 15, 2019, JAVMA News
UK veterinary school to double its intake in response to workforce shortage
The University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, in Nottingham, England, announced a plan to change its admissions systems by nearly doubling its intake of students starting this year.
The new process is a dual-intake system that will bring in 150 undergraduate students in September this year and a second cohort of 150 students in April 2020. The increase, which will continue for the foreseeable future, is in response to a veterinary shortage in the United Kingdom and the fear that the shortage will worsen with the British exit from the European Union. The veterinary school currently accepts 165 students annually.
“There are a number of reasons that make this the right decision at this time, including the pull of the manpower shortage and the push of the number of applicants to veterinary medicine, coupled with a drive to further expand the outstanding student experience offered at Nottingham,” said Karen Braithwaite, PhD, director of operations at the veterinary school.
About 2,000 veterinarians are added to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' register in the U.K. every year, but the overall number of registrations has proved insufficient, at least with current rates of retention. The industry estimates there is an 11 percent shortage of veterinarians at present, Dr. Braithwaite said. Measures are underway to boost retention rates in the profession, particularly through the Vet Futures project.
Condensed from May 1, 2019, JAVMA News
Specialty board recognizes equine imaging, not botanical medicine
The AVMA American Board of Veterinary Specialties has granted provisional recognition of equine diagnostic imaging as a specialty within the American College of Veterinary Radiology. On the other hand, the ABVS declined granting recognition to the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine.
While meeting in late February, the ABVS also granted full recognition of parasitology as a specialty within the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists. During an April conference call, the ABVS granted full recognition of reptile and amphibian practice as a specialty under the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
Dr. Myra Barrett, an assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic imaging at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, performs a tendon ultrasound examination on a horse. (Courtesy of Dr. Barrett)
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 80, 6; 10.2460/ajvr.80.6.516
The organizing committee for the specialty in equine diagnostic imaging submitted a letter of intent to the ABVS in 2015 and a formal petition for recognition of the specialty in 2017.
Dr. Wm. Tod Drost, executive director of the American College of Veterinary Radiology, said the ACVR is excited to add equine diagnostic imaging as an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty. He added that residency programs are starting soon for the new specialty.
The organizing committee of the proposed American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine submitted a letter of intent to the ABVS in 2014 and a formal petition for recognition in 2016.
“ACVBM was advised that there is concern that there are too many overlapping areas with clinical pharmacology,” said Dr. Nancy Scanlan, an ACVBM representative.
Representatives of the ACVBM and the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology have been exploring the possibility of veterinary botanical medicine becoming recognized as a specialty under the ACVCP.
Condensed from May 15, 2019, JAVMA News
Dean of WSU veterinary college to step down
The dean of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Bryan Slinker (WSU ‘80), will step down at the end of 2019.
“I have dedicated my career to life sciences, receiving both my DVM and PhD degrees from WSU in this college, and I am a Coug through and through,” Dr. Slinker said in a press release. “This college has been a very important part of me for most of my adult life.”
Dr. Slinker has been the dean of the veterinary college for 11 years. During his tenure, he oversaw the building of the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health and an increase in the student population.
Dr. Slinker's leadership has led the veterinary college to be ranked first among U.S. veterinary colleges in attracting Department of Agriculture funding and third for overall federal research funding, according to the press release.
“It has been my great honor and pleasure to serve as dean of my alma mater, and I am grateful for the good fortune to work with so many incredible people across our college, throughout WSU, and among our many alumni and friends,” he said.
Dr. Bryan Slinker
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 80, 6; 10.2460/ajvr.80.6.516
Dr. Slinker previously served as an assistant professor at the University of Vermont and an associate professor at the WSU veterinary college. He also served as chair of the Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Physiology at WSU. He currently serves on the board of directors at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.
Condensed from May 15, 2019, JAVMA News
Veterinary association created to counter corporate influence
The ongoing corporate consolidation of veterinary practices has spurred the formation of a new organization representing the interests and needs of veterinary entrepreneurs.
The Independent Veterinary Practitioners Association was created with a mission of providing programs and services that promote the independent ownership of veterinary practices, promote the business success of veterinarian members, and preserve the professional independence of veterinarians, according to IVPA founder Dr. Don Woodman.
“Our vision is a world in which independent veterinary practitioners can acquire, own, and manage veterinary hospitals so that independent ownership of practices remains a viable and rewarding option and where veterinarians remain at the center of leadership throughout the veterinary profession,” explained Dr. Woodman, owner of a small animal practice in Safety Harbor, Florida.
Established in the spring of 2017, the IVPA is in the process of incorporating as a 501(c)(6) organization. The current membership consists of nearly 180 veterinarians plus 20 paraprofessionals and four veterinary students.
Association leadership is negotiating with potential partners to provide members with management services and employee benefits, negotiate cost savings on supplies, and develop exclusive e-commerce solutions to compete with online pharmacies, according to Dr. Woodman.
He said the IVPA is neither anti-corporate ownership nor anti-AVMA. In fact, Dr. Woodman envisions the association one day sitting alongside other veterinary organizations in the AVMA House of Delegates.
What Dr. Woodman worries about is corporate practices having an outsize influence within a historically entrepreneurial industry and putting privately owned practices at a competitive disadvantage within the veterinary marketplace.
Condensed from May 1, 2019, JAVMA News
Recent deaths charge up horse racing safety conversation
Twenty-three racehorses died between Dec. 26 and March 31 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
The deaths led to about three weeks of closure in March at the track, which has dirt and turf surfaces, and a policy change on race-day medication at Santa Anita. The recent deaths have also sparked conversations across the horse racing industry about racetrack surfaces, race-day medication, and overall horse safety.
“If you had a perfect horse out there, then the track issues won't matter, but if there is an issue with the horse and you get a variation on the track, then there is a risk. My focus is the track, but it is just one piece of the puzzle,” said Mick Peterson, PhD, director of Ag Equine Programs at the University of Kentucky and executive director of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory.
Tractors ready the main dirt track for testing at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. (Courtesy of Santa Anita Park)
Citation: American Journal of Veterinary Research 80, 6; 10.2460/ajvr.80.6.516
The laboratory uses its Maintenance Quality System to evaluate 12 tracks twice a year. Santa Anita was tested in October 2018 and then retested in March after the injuries on the track. The test results matched the baseline data. However, Dr. Peterson noted that California has been receiving a large amount of rainfall.
In early March, the United States Drought Monitor removed most of California from a drought labeling.
“Our concern when there has been unusual rain is that the fine material in the top layer is reduced, and the track will get sandier and deeper,” Dr. Peterson said. “If the industry wants to survive and grow, they have to get this under control.”
Condensed from May 15, 2019, JAVMA News
