IN SHORT
FDA UPDATES GUIDE ON VETERINARY FEED DIRECTIVES
Veterinarians in agriculture have expanded use of veterinary feed directives, which are like prescriptions, since regulators started requiring more oversight of antimicrobial use.
In March, Food and Drug Administration officials published a draft update to guidance that is supposed to help answer questions from veterinarians, feed makers and sellers, farmers, and others about those orders from veterinarians. That document, Veterinary Feed Directive Regulation Questions and Answers, is available in PDF format at https://jav.ma/VFDQA.
Since January 2017, antimicrobials considered important for human medicine can be administered in livestock feed only on the orders of a veterinarian. FDA officials and drugmakers agreed to end over-the-counter access to those drugs, under a threat of regulatory proceedings against the drugmakers.
In 2015, agency officials revised the VFD process ahead of the added restrictions and issued the first version of the Q&A document. The new draft, pending approval, adds or edits 67 questions.
APPLICATIONS SOUGHT FOR AVMA EDUCATOR GRANTS
The AVMA is accepting applications until June 28 for the 2019 AVMA Veterinary Educator Professional Development Grant.
Each grant provides up to $1,000 for on-site professional development for veterinarians and veterinary staff teaching at veterinary colleges represented in the Student AVMA House of Delegates. Priority will be given to professional development in the following areas of interest:
Communication training.
Leadership development.
Well-being or mental health training.
Financial or business skills training.
Diversity and inclusion training.
Advances in educational pedagogy.
Applicants must be members of the AVMA and can be faculty, assistant faculty, adjunct faculty, residents, interns, or lecturers.
This grant program has a total of $14,000 in funding available for use during the 2019–20 academic year. To qualify, the professional development program offered must be an on-campus event; funding is for direct costs only. Grant recipients will be notified by Aug. 6.
Last year, the grant program had 26 applications from 17 schools and awarded 14 grants to faculty at 12 schools.
For additional information, contact Dr. Caroline Cantner at ccantner@avma.org or 224-213-4366.
AVMA PLANS TO OFFER HEALTH INSURANCE MAY BE DELAYED
A recent federal court ruling may delay the AVMA's plans to resume offering health insurance to members.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on March 28 struck down a number of provisions in a Department of Labor rule issued last June.
These regulations allow small businesses to join together on the basis of common geography and industry to offer health care insurance to their employees through what is known as an association health plan. Association-provided insurance was offered by the AVMA to members for nearly 60 years, until changes in the law forced an end to the coverage in 2013. Under this new rule, the AVMA has been working toward once again offering health coverage to members.
The federal judge found parts of the Department of Labor rule to be unlawful, including the interpretation of “employer” to include groups without a true commonality of interest. From here, the department could opt to rescind the rule altogether, try to revise it, or appeal the decision.
“Though the AVMA is disappointed with Thursday's court ruling, we're confident that it won't be the final word on the matter. AVMA remains committed to once again providing this crucial member benefit,” according to a March 29 post on the AVMA@Workblog.
Please send comments and story ideas to JAVMANews@avma.org.
New AVMA guidelines aim to limit animal suffering in emergencies
Document helps veterinarians balance aggressive response with animal welfare
R. Scott Nolen
The AVMA published its first-ever Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals in April to help veterinarians support animal welfare during drastic situations when large numbers of animals must be killed quickly.
The guidelines aim to ensure that as much consideration is given to animal welfare as is practicable within the constraints of a natural disaster, disease outbreak, or other emergency. The AVMA document encourages advance emergency planning to facilitate the best possible welfare for animals during crises.
“Humanely ending the lives of animals is one of the most difficult, but necessary, tasks for veterinarians to oversee,” said Dr. Steven Leary, chair of the AVMA Panel on Depopulation, in an AVMA press release. The panel developed the guidelines through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Agriculture. “During times of crisis or major catastrophe, depopulation of affected animals may sometimes be the most ethical and compassionate action.”
The AVMA Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals are the work of more than 70 volunteers, including experts in veterinary medicine, animal ethics, and animal science. They reflect the AVMA's concern for the ethical treatment of animals at all stages of life and in all situations.
The depopulation guidelines are the third prong of the AVMA's three-part Humane Endings guidance. The others are the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals (2013) and the AVMA Guidelines for the Humane Slaughter of Animals (2016).
The effort to develop guidance for depopulation began in 2011, when the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia saw the importance of evaluating the methods and agents that veterinarians may encounter when animals are killed under conditions in which meeting the panel's definition of euthanasia may not be possible.
The guidelines account for a broad range of animal species, including pet dogs and cats, marine mammals, aquatic invertebrates, free-range reptiles and amphibians, and captive wildlife.
The guidelines state: “When significant effort to save animals' lives has been exhausted, it is imperative that animals are destroyed and their carcasses be disposed consonant with high ethical standards. However, exigent circumstances may frustrate adherence to the Animal Welfare Principles or humane methods outlined in the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. For example, where the goal is to save as many animals as possible and protect significant public interests by rapidly curtailing the spread of disease, pain and suffering may be unavoidable.
“The circumstances surrounding depopulation are unusual and will involve extraordinary intervention measures. Given this context, the Animal Welfare Principles and humane handling and depopulation techniques should be employed as is practicable on the basis of the scientific evidence currently available in conjunction with judicious emergency planning, management, and response procedures.
“The (Panel on Depopulation) is committed to ensuring that no unnecessary pain or distress is inflicted on conscious animals during an emergency situation like depopulation.”
As JAVMA News was going to press in mid-April, an outbreak of Newcastle disease in Southern California had so far resulted in the euthanasia of more than 1 million chickens at commercial and industry operations as well as more than 100,000 backyard chickens. Arizona also had a confined case in a small flock of pet chickens.
A regulatory veterinarian for much of his career, Dr. Donald Hoenig has participated in several large-scale catastrophic disease outbreaks involving livestock and poultry. The serious and highly contagious nature of these diseases often requires the implementation of extreme control measures, Dr. Hoenig said, and approved euthanasia methods are not always possible or practical in emergency situations.
“The depopulation methods outlined in these guidelines offer regulatory officials a number of options as they make the difficult decisions to control a disease outbreak or handle a natural disaster affecting animals. These decisions are never easy and often gut-wrenching and emotionally draining for everyone,” explained Dr. Hoenig, head of the depopulation panel's Poultry Working Group. “The depopulation guidelines are a welcome new resource.”
The depopulation guidelines are available on the AVMA website, along with the Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals and the Guidelines for the Humane Slaughter of Animals, at https://jav.ma/Depop.
UNITED STATES HAS SHORT SUPPLY OF FMD VACCINE, REPORT SAYS
A limited vaccine supply could hurt the U.S. response to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, according to a federal report.
In March, the Government Accountability Office indicated the U.S. supply of FMD vaccine would be enough for only a minority of pigs and cattle in livestock-dense regions. Outbreaks in other countries have shown that depopulation alone was not enough to stop the FMD virus from spreading.
In response to a Senate request, the GAO examined the Department of Agriculture's plans to respond to an FMD outbreak, the likely challenges the department would face, and how the department would mitigate those challenges. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease of animals including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, bison, and deer.
Among the findings, the report authors wrote that USDA policy calls for maintaining 25 million vaccine doses against each of 10 subtypes of FMD. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has access to FMD vaccine through the North American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank, which the agency administers along with its counterparts in Mexico and Canada.
“However, the United States currently has access to only 1.75 million doses of each subtype available in the vaccine bank,” the GAO report states, citing USDA documents.
The report authors acknowledge that lawmakers recently told the USDA to bolster its FMD vaccine supply and defenses against animal disease in general.
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, signed into law in December, directs the USDA to establish a “national animal vaccine and veterinary countermeasures bank” and make stocking adequate foot-and-mouth disease vaccine a priority. The law also mandates creation of a National Animal Preparedness and Response Program for analysis, outreach, inspection, surveillance, training, data sharing, and research into disease treatment and prevention.
For now, the USDA may have trouble quickly obtaining, distributing, and administering vaccine, according to the GAO report, which also predicts problems associated with vaccine production.
“Supplies of FMD vaccine concentrate in the vaccine bank may be sufficient to help control and eradicate a small, localized outbreak, but it is unlikely that they would be sufficient to stop a larger outbreak,” the report states, citing USDA documents and interviews with department officials.
The report also notes results of a 2016 USDA-Iowa State University survey of 32 state animal health officials, which said states plan to request a mean of 4.2 million vaccine doses each in the first 14 weeks of an outbreak.
“Moreover, if an FMD outbreak occurred in Texas or Iowa, the states with the largest cattle and swine populations, respectively, the available vaccine supply would provide a single dose for about 14 percent of Texas's 12.3 million cattle or the required two doses for about 4 percent of Iowa's 22.8 million swine,” the report states. “Texas's and Iowa's cattle and swine populations together make up about 24 percent of the combined population of cattle and swine nationwide.”
In 2010, authorities in Japan and South Korea tried to stamp out FMD outbreaks through depopulation, killing 3 million swine and 150,000 cattle in South Korea and 300,000 cattle in Japan, according to the report. The FMD virus continued to spread until vaccination efforts were undertaken.
The GAO report included a response from Greg Ibach, USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, who wrote that the USDA agrees with a GAO recommendation to focus work on addressing shortcomings in FMD preparation. The agency planned to start work soon to improve planning for foreign animal diseases as well as track progress on FMD preparation.
PET OWNERSHIP, SPENDING GOING STRONG
The American Pet Products Association reports that about two-thirds of U.S. households own pets, and spending on pets is increasing—including spending on veterinary care.
The APPA biennial survey of pet owners found that 67% of U.S. households owned at least one pet in 2018, an estimated 84.9 million homes. The AVMA, using a different methodology, found that 56.8% of U.S. households owned pets as of year-end 2016.
According to the APPA, millennials represent the largest segment of pet owners for all pet types, especially birds, small exotic companion mammals, and saltwater fish. More than 80% of pet owners among millennials and Generation Z own dogs, while 50% or less own cats. The APPA defines millennials as being born from 1980–94 and surveyed members of Generation Z, the following generation, aged at least 18.
The annual APPA report on pet spending found that overall spending in the U.S. pet industry increased 4.4% from 2017–18 to $72.56 billion.
“Millennials continue to be the largest pet-owning demographic and this shows in the data,” said Bob Vetere, APPA president and CEO, in an announcement about the report. “We know this generation is willing to pay more for quality products and services to improve the health and well-being of their pets. Today more than ever, pet owners view their pets as irreplaceable members of their families and lives, and it's thanks to this that we continue to see such incredible growth within the pet care community.”
According to the APPA, spending on veterinary care increased 6.1% to $18.11 billion in 2018. The AVMA found that total annual spending on veterinary care for all types of pets was $27.8 billion as of 2016. The APPA predicts a 4.8% increase in spending on veterinary care for 2019.
Spending on pet food increased 4.3% between 2017 and 2018 to $30.32 billion, according to the APPA. In the category of pet supplies and over-the-counter medications, spending increased 6.0% to $16.01 billion. Spending on pet services such as grooming, boarding, walking, training, pet sitting, and yard services decreased 0.8% to $6.11 billion. Spending on purchases of pets decreased 4.3% to $2.01 billion.
States shift from travel health form with no one clear alternative
Lack of traceability is one concern regarding USDA Form 7001
Malinda Larkin
Fulfilling requests from clients for health forms for their pets when travelling domestically may not be as simple as it used to be, now that states are changing their guidelines.
The shift in the past year or so comes amid concerns about fraud along with expanding interest in electronic submission of certificates of veterinary inspection.
Dr. Valerie Ragan, director of the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, said, “With globalization occurring these days, with a resultant increase in potential spread of diseases like African swine fever, this is just driving the interest in moving toward more secure CVIs and those that can be moved faster than paper products.”
Dr. Ragan is a former assistant deputy administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. She presented the “Small Animal Requirements for Movement and Travel” webinar on March 29, sponsored by GVL, a company that offers electronic health forms.
STATE OF FLUX
The USDA APHIS certificate of veterinary inspection, known as Form 7001, has been available since the late 1980s, first as a multipage carbon-copy format but more recently as a PDF. The form essentially certifies that a USDA-accredited veterinarian has examined an animal and that the animal meets regulations pertaining to where it is traveling.
“You used to have to mail a copy to the state, give a copy to the owner, and you kept a copy. In reality, a number of forms didn't get sent in, and that created a problem when we were trying to trace exposed or affected animals,” Dr. Ragan said.
Now many states no longer accept USDA APHIS Form 7001 or are considering making the change.
Dr. Peter Mundschenk, Arizona state veterinarian, told JAVMA News that his office will accept “anything” right now for pets coming into Arizona, whether it's Form 7001 or another state's CVI, but he noted that the rules are currently being rewritten.
One problem with Form 7001 is that it is accessible online to anyone, not just veterinarians. Plus, the form does not have a unique identifying number, which prevents tracing the origin, Dr. Mundschenk said. These circumstances mean there is a higher likelihood that someone will forge a veterinarian's signature to create a fraudulent form.
“Someone could Photoshop a vet's name on it, and it could be reused over and over again,” he said.
When Arizona's new rules go into effect, the state's CVI will have a unique identifier, and the state likely will no longer accept Form 7001, joining nearly half of the other states.
A single alternative has not taken Form 7001′s place. Paper and electronic alternatives are widely available. In fact, nearly all states provide veterinarians with hard-copy CVIs for small animals, which are accepted by all the other states that require CVIs, but veterinarians must request the form by phone, by fax, or online. Further, many electronic options have a cost associated with them.
“We're in a transition time,” between Form 7001 and an alternative, Dr. Ragan said. “In a lot of places, you can use one or the other, but not in all cases.”
In addition, requirements vary among airlines. Dr. Ragan said: “They are right now in flux, shifting from printed to electronic. It's an active discussion now. If you send an animal by air, airlines have their own requirements that often have to do with acclimation. Check with the airline to see if they accept electronic or hard copy. Most are in the process of considering moving from one to the other. I would always print a hard copy anyway, just to have on hand.”
GOING ELECTRONIC
Usage of electronically submitted CVIs is growing fast because certificates can be sent directly to a state veterinarian's office, meaning less chance of fraud thanks to authentication and unique identifying numbers.
“We'd love to have everyone go to an eCVI,” Dr. Mundschenk said. “That way, we can transfer information more seamlessly into databases so they can track animal movements quicker.”
GVL's eCVI is accepted in all 50 states. The Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases' AgView CVI also offers an eCVI option and is now also accepted by all 50 states. Other companies may be coming on line with their own options, but veterinarians should check that these options are accepted by the state of destination before using them, Dr. Ragan said.
For help, veterinarians can call the relevant state veterinarian's office.
Overall, Dr. Ragan urges the following:
Make sure to be properly accredited by the USDA.
Know the requirements for the species and the location where the animal is going.
Ask for help if needed.
Start the process early.
Regarding the first point, Dr. Ragan noted that some states may allow nonaccredited veterinarians to write CVIs, but not all.
Finally, although clients often aren't asked for health forms for pets while traveling, veterinarians can't control whether a client will be asked for a CVI.
“Realistically, dogs and cats aren't that much of a disease threat compared to livestock,” Dr. Ragan said. “There's not much effort put into checking for health certificates for pets in a vehicle. But our job isn't to decide if they will check but to know the requirements and fulfill them and advise clients on how to meet them.”
FDA OPEN TO POSSIBILITY OF LEGALIZING SOME CANNABIS PRODUCTS
In the coming months, the Food and Drug Administration will weigh whether certain food and dietary supplements containing cannabis or cannabis derivatives can be sold without violating federal law. Cannabis's potential to compromise food safety or harm animals is just one of the many issues the agency will consider.
In April, the FDA laid out its plan to study the issue, which was prompted by growing interest in FDA-regulated products derived from Cannabis sativa L. and its components, including CBD.
“We've seen, or heard of interest in, products containing cannabis or cannabis derivatives that are marketed as human drugs, dietary supplements, conventional foods, animal foods and drugs, and cosmetics, among other things,” said Scott Gottlieb, MD, then FDA commissioner, in a press release.
“We also recognize that stakeholders are looking to the FDA for clarity on how our authorities apply to such products, what pathways are available to market such products lawfully under these authorities, and how the FDA is carrying out its responsibility to protect public health and safety with respect to such products,” added Dr. Gottlieb, who stepped down April 5.
The FDA plan features a public hearing set for May 31 to gather stakeholder input. The agency will convene an internal working group to study the issue, taking into account statutory or regulatory changes necessary to legally market the products. The working group will also look at potential public health impacts resulting from the availability of such products.
In addition, the FDA is updating its webpage to answer frequently asked questions and help the public understand how the agency's requirements apply to these cannabis and cannabis-based products. Moreover, the agency has issued several warning letters to companies marketing CBD products with unfounded claims of therapeutic benefits.
Although the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, “Congress explicitly preserved the FDA's current authority to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds,” Dr. Gottlieb said.
“The only path that the (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic) Act allows for such substances to be added to foods or marketed as dietary supplements is if the FDA first issues a regulation, through notice-and-comment rulemaking, allowing such use.”
As part of the public hearing and related public comment period, the FDA is interested in data and information about the safety of cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds. For instance, the FDA asks, “Are there special human populations (e.g., children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women) or animal populations (e.g. species, breed, or class) that should be considered when assessing the safety of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds?”
Also, “What data are available about residues of cannabis-derived compounds in human foods (e.g., meat, milk, or eggs) that come from animals that consume cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds? Are there residue levels that should be tolerated in these foods?”
Information about the FDA's public hearing on May 31 and how to submit comments ahead of the July 2 deadline is available at https://jav.ma/pubhear. The FDA's page on FAQs about cannabis and cannabis-based products is located at https://jav.ma/page.
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE CLARIFIES DEDUCTIONS RULES FOR VETERINARY PRACTICES
R. Scott Nolen
Earlier this year, the Internal Revenue Service issued final rules implementing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The tax reform law, enacted in 2017, left business owners and their accountants with several questions. The looming question for veterinarians was whether the law's “specified service trade or business” provisions apply to veterinary practices.
They do, says Camala Bailey, a financial planner and practice adviser who works exclusively with veterinarians. “There's no question the provisions apply to veterinarians,” Bailey said. “I see that as the key takeaway in the final rules.”
What that means is veterinary practice owners can deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income from pass-through entities on their individual tax returns. The IRS defines a pass-through entity as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, or S corporation.
There are limitations on qualified business income, however. For instance, the deduction cannot exceed 50% of the wages of the business. “I've found with veterinarians that that is not a problem because wages are typically around 40% of their gross revenue,” Bailey said.
The deduction also cannot exceed 25% of wages plus 2.5% of the original tax cost of certain depreciable assets. Bailey said she hasn't encountered this with her clients as the provision is directed more at real estate-related entities.
For single filers, the 20% deduction starts decreasing when income reaches $157,500 and is eliminated entirely at $207,500. For married couples filing jointly, the deduction decrease starts after $315,000 and is eliminated at $415,000.
“What I've found is that many of my small practice clients, like my one-, two-, and three-doctor practices, fall right into the income range, especially when they're married filing jointly, and they have been able to take full advantage of the 20% deduction,” Bailey said.
She said many of her clients have saved anywhere from $2,000 to $15,000 in taxes thanks to the deduction on qualified business income.
Uncertainty lingers over how the IRS views veterinary practices that offer services unrelated to veterinary medicine, such as boarding and grooming. While the former falls within the “health” category of the “specified service trade or business” provisions, the latter does not qualify under the provisions.
“Do these practices have to set up a separate business to be able to qualify for the QBI deduction for the non-SSTB activities, or can they just have a separate set of books?” Bailey asked.
It's a question Bailey and her colleagues have raised, and they are seeking clarification from the IRS.
RESEARCHERS TARGET CATTLE DISEASE WITH USDA GRANT
Kansas State University researchers are using a $1.2 million federal grant to improve treatments against a bacterial cattle disease.
The researchers will try to find the best uses of tetracycline antimicrobials—chlortetracycline in particular—against Anaplasma marginale, which causes bovine anaplasmosis, according to a university announcement published in April. Cattle producers need the research because the treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration have been inadequate to control the disease, which also lacks a Department of Agriculture-approved vaccine, the announcement states.
Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that ranges from subclinical in animals less than 1 year old to severe in animals older than 2, causing signs such as loss of appetite, loss of coordination, breathing trouble, rapid pulse, and death, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual.
CORRECTION
The article “Public health careers on display for veterinary students at CDC event” in the May 1, 2019, issue of JAVMA News, page 1027, misidentified a co-sponsor of the event. The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinary Services was a co-sponsor, not the Department of Homeland Security.
How to thrive in practice
AVMA holds roundtable of thought leaders to discuss what success in the clinic really means
Katie Burns
Athriving practice is like a thriving garden. A practitioner does not need to have five practices to be successful, just as a gardener does not need to have five gardens to be skilled. A single lush, green, healthy, and fruitful garden can be enough.
Dr. Rob Swinger, a veterinary ophthalmologist from Florida, made this analogy during an AVMA roundtable of thought leaders on “Thriving in Clinical Practice.” Dr. Bridget Heilsberg, an equine practitioner from Texas, added that a garden has to thrive in its environment. She said veterinarians can get bogged down with looking at what is working for the top 10% of practices, by business measures, but they have to be OK with doing things differently.
Participants in the AVMA roundtable on “Thriving in Clinical Practice” discuss problems facing the veterinary profession. (Photos by R. Scott Nolen)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 11; 10.2460/javma.254.11.1241
The AVMA held the roundtable March 27 at Association headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois. Participants discussed the definition of thriving in practice; potential solutions to problems in practice, such as the problem of the cost of care; the client-focused approach; innovation in practice; and what the AVMA might consider starting, stopping, or continuing to do. Throughout, participants considered the dynamics of practice teams—emphasizing a need for leadership and leadership training.
The 14 thought leaders were veterinarians in small animal, feline-only, mixed animal, and equine practice; a veterinary radiologist and a veterinary ophthalmologist; a consultant in practice management; the chair of the AVMA Veterinary Economics Strategy Committee; and representatives of the Ontario VMA, National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, and Veterinary Hospital Managers Association.
PERSPECTIVES ON PRACTICE
To define thriving in clinical practice, roundtable participants spoke in terms of satisfaction, adapting, passion, well-being, and achieving goals.
“I'd say a lot of people don't actually take the time to sit down and think about what thriving is from their own perspective,” said Dr. Link Welborn, owner of five small animal hospitals in Florida. “We're so busy doing what we do all day long.”
Dr. Corale Dorn, owner of a mixed animal practice in South Dakota, built on the garden analogy, saying: “The comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there. And so, when we think about thriving and being able to grow, we have to embrace that there are going to be challenges and growing pains.”
Dr. Peter Weinstein, chair of the AVMA Veterinary Economics Strategy Committee, said practices must move from survival mode to a model of thriving and success.
Among the participants in the roundtable were Drs. Stephanie Jones (left), a small animal practitioner from Florida, and Bridget Heilsberg, an equine practitioner from Texas.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 11; 10.2460/javma.254.11.1241
“Do veterinarians need to be taught to accept change?” asked Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, assistant medical director for telemedicine at Idexx Laboratories Inc. and a member of the AVMA Board of Directors. Drs. Weinstein and Heilsberg said yes.
Dr. David Granstrom, AVMA assistant executive vice president, said thriving also means being present in the moment. Dr. Dorn said her team shares positive outcomes during all-staff meetings. Kara Burns, immediate past president of NAVTA, said the small things are what really help teams with well-being.
Roundtable participants said members of practice teams should work together to set goals. Most practices have ownership, Dr. Weinstein said, but ownership doesn't equal leadership.
“In veterinary medicine, it was a doctor-centered business,” he said. “It still is, way too often, as opposed to a team-centered business, where the team builds the culture and the doctor lives with the team, instead of the team living at the behest of the doctor. So leadership training, to me, is foundational,” for the doctor and the team.
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
The roundtable participants agreed that lack of leadership is a top problem facing the profession, while the cost of care is another. They broke into two groups to come up with potential solutions.
Specifically, a lack of effective or appropriate leaders or leadership could lead to a loss of control of veterinary medicine by veterinarians, said Dr. Heilsberg, summarizing the discussion by the first group. The group suggested the following potential solutions:
Change admissions criteria for veterinary colleges to select for people who are leaders.
Encourage veterinary students in leadership rather than asking them to be conformist in how to practice medicine.
Provide practice teams with education on leadership.
Promote involvement in organized veterinary medicine.
The cost of veterinary care could lead to veterinary care becoming a luxury, said Dr. Bailey, summarizing the discussion by the second group. The group suggested the following potential solutions:
Conduct outcome-based analyses of veterinary care.
Deliver this information to clinicians to present to clients.
Expand pet health insurance, payment options, and prepaid wellness plans.
Emphasize the importance of preventive care in ways that don't make clients feel nickel-and-dimed to death.
Identify other opportunities for revenue streams, perhaps selling pet foods or offering grooming services.
Make sure everyone in veterinary medicine understands virtual care.
THE CLIENT-FOCUSED APPROACH
Roundtable participants again broke into two groups to discuss the client-focused approach.
According to the first group, organizations such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners and Ontario VMA and companies such as Banfield Pet Hospital and Idexx have worked on identifying client needs. Practices can identify their clients' needs by asking their client service representatives or just asking their clients.
For prospective clients, practice teams should build the practice for the clientele that the team wants to serve. What about a dog-only practice? Then the team can target advertising to that clientele.
How often to engage clients depends on factors ranging from the clients' age and income to the practice model. Some clients desire frequent contact via social media, and some don't.
To gather feedback from clients, practices can conduct surveys or focus groups. To gather feedback from prospective clients, practices can try tactics such as conducting surveys of the community, visiting the dog park, or going on social media.
According to the second group, practices can identify services at which they excel by trial and error, comparing themselves to industry benchmarks, and soliciting client feedback. Practices can identify service opportunities by sharing ideas with colleagues, looking at pain points and top client questions, and attending industry events and continuing education.
Marketing to prospective clients could involve digital advertising, providing informational resources, and building community relationships. Additional ideas for gathering feedback from clients include reading online reviews or using a mystery shopper.
Matthew J. Salois, PhD, director of the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division, leads a discussion of potential solutions to problems in practice.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 11; 10.2460/javma.254.11.1241
INNOVATION IN PRACTICE
Matthew J. Salois, PhD, director of the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division, asked roundtable participants, “What does innovation look like?”
Doug Raven, CEO of the Ontario VMA, said the AVMA could look into creating an app for virtual care in veterinary medicine similar to the app for virtual care in human medicine from Babylon Health, a company in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Gary Marshall, owner of a feline-only practice in Washington state, said the linchpin for telemedicine in the veterinary profession will be to define the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. The AVMA and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards have policies on the VCPR as it relates to telemedicine, Dr. Bailey noted. The AAVSB policy allows for the VCPR to be established remotely, while the AVMA policy does not.
Dr. Bailey said states are defining the physician-patient relationship in human telemedicine, which might impact veterinary telemedicine. The federal government also has its own definition for the VCPR. Dr. Bailey said, “Right now, I'd say most practices really do not know what telehealth is.”
Before the roundtable, many participants had indicated that unique practice models were an important topic for discussion. Dr. Weinstein envisioned a new practice model to improve retention, team building, delivery of what practice owners want, staff utilization, and finances. He said veterinarians could create a life-balance model, or they could create smaller moving parts instead of being jacks-of-all-trades and masters of none.
One roundtable participant identified profitability, leadership, and respect as the top three problems in practice.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 11; 10.2460/javma.254.11.1241
Burns advocated for better utilization of veterinary technicians. She said the AVMA and NAVTA are working together on the issue. In January, the AVMA House of Delegates recommended convening a working group to design a plan to improve utilization. In April, the AVMA Board of Directors formed the AVMA Task Force on Veterinary Technician Utilization.
Dr. Granstrom suggested that the AVMA and VHMA should work together to develop a cadre of professional practice managers.
AVMA START, STOP, CONTINUE
Roundtable participants concluded the day by breaking into three groups to consider what the AVMA should start, stop, or continue doing.
The first group suggested that the AVMA should start to be more aggressive in leading the veterinary profession, get stuff done faster, promote or show how the Association is answering member needs, disseminate information industrywide instead of just through AVMA channels, promote the profession to the public, offer resources to determine what pet owners want on a local basis, and provide mystery shoppers to evaluate practices.
The second group suggested that the AVMA stop any programs with little or no impact, stop limiting everything to members only, stop thinking it's only about veterinarians, and stop trying to be all things to all veterinarians. Follow-up suggestions from the entire roundtable included that the AVMA should start improving awareness of programs and consider stopping the paper version of JAVMA and the AVMA Convention, the last because other organizations offer conferences.
The third group suggested that the AVMA should continue the PLIT and insurance products other than professional liability insurance, potentially to include health insurance again through AVMA Life; political advocacy, such as through the Congressional Advocacy Network and the AVMA Political Action Committee; the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division and a focus on economics; serving as a home for the collection and distribution of professionwide metadata; and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
Dr. Scott Spaulding, a mixed animal practitioner from Wisconsin, said the veterinary profession has managed to change over time, with veterinarians focusing on horses before the advent of the automobile.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 11; 10.2460/javma.254.11.1241
Additional suggestions from the entire roundtable included that the AVMA should continue providing cyberbullying resources and the relationship with Bernstein Crisis Management, the focus on well-being, and the AVMA Convention and the AVMA Veterinary Leadership Conference, as being distinct from other conferences.
MORE ABOUT VIRTUAL CARE
Two weeks after the roundtable, the AVMA held the Veterinary Virtual Care Summit on April 11 at Association headquarters. The summit featured presentations on what's here and what's coming in the landscape of human and veterinary virtual care, what to be mindful of in veterinary virtual care, and an update from the AAVSB on virtual care. Participants broke into four groups to brainstorm. Coverage will follow in the June 15 issue of JAVMA News.
People: Debilitating accident doesn't deter veterinary student
Mary Beth Davis defies odds to graduate from Oklahoma State
R. Scott Nolen
Nearly a decade ago, Dr. Mary Beth Davis was told she would never walk again and that her dream of being a veterinarian was over.
Defying the odds and overcoming numerous challenges, Dr. Davis wheeled herself across the stage in Gallagher-Iba Arena on May 10 to receive her DVM degree from Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
“I'm a very stubborn and independent person,” said Davis, 28. “The moment someone tells me I can't do something, I'm like, ‘Watch me.’ I'm stubborn, but it's carried me far.”
Growing up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, just north of Oklahoma City, Dr. Davis never doubted her calling. “I wanted to be a veterinarian as soon as I could comprehend what that meant,” she said. “I hated seeing sick animals, and I was always that person who wanted to make them better.”
Dr. Davis educated herself about the veterinary profession by shadowing local veterinarians, ultimately confirming her instincts. In 2008, she enrolled at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City, where she spent her freshman and sophomore years, before transferring to the Stillwater campus in 2010 as a preveterinary sciences major.
THE ACCIDENT
After the first week of her junior year, Dr. Davis was homesick and wanted to see her parents. She was changing songs on her iPod when the Chevy Silverado veered off the road. She overcorrected, flipping the truck twice down a steep bank.
Dr. Mary Beth Davis (Photo by Genesee Photo)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 11; 10.2460/javma.254.11.1241
The truck's roof was crushed to the steering wheel, pinning Dr. Davis beneath. Fortunately for her, she was wearing a seat belt and the truck landed right-side up. A police officer, noticing the dust the Silverado had kicked up, stopped to investigate a few minutes later.
Firefighters spent an hour cutting out the truck floor to release Dr. Davis, who was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Oklahoma City.
“It's been nine years now, and I still have a pretty vivid image of what that was and my feelings at the time. I remember flipping in the air,” Dr. Davis said.
Lying in a bed in the hospital's intensive care unit, Dr. Davis learned the C6 and C7 vertebrae in her neck were fractured and that her spinal cord had been severely injured. Doctors said she would never walk again and that her plans of being a veterinarian were over.
“That was almost harder to take than hearing I couldn't walk again,” Dr. Davis said. “It crushed me to hear that something I'd dreamed of doing my entire life is now gone in a split second.”
She reluctantly came to terms with the situation during the eight weeks she was hospitalized. “Everyone goes through a period of denial, thinking it's temporary. Then it sets in how serious this is,” she said. “Nobody handles it well in the beginning. I don't know anybody who has a smile on their face when they hear that news, but it's something you go through.
“It's a grieving period, just like the loss of a family member.”
A supportive family, stubborn nature, and faith in Christ got her through the dark moments, she added.
THE COMEBACK
Dr. Davis had returned to school by the spring of 2011. It was one class, but it was enough. “Being a student is natural for me,” she said. “I remember being in the hospital thinking, ‘When can I get back to school?'”
Davis graduated in 2014 and was notified she'd been accepted by OSU's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. She waited a year before pursuing her veterinary degree because, as Miss Wheelchair Oklahoma 2014, she wanted time to advance her platform of promoting health and nutrition.
Being in a wheelchair allows Dr. Davis to connect with people in the veterinary clinic on a level that her able-bodied classmates might not experience. “Nothing compares to the joy of talking to, inspiring, and motivating a person and them doing the same to you,” she explained.
Dr. Jerry Ritchey, professor and head of the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, had no experience teaching a person with Dr. Davis' physical limitations. Initially, Dr. Ritchey saw her as “the student in the wheelchair,” but soon realized Dr. Davis was far more than that, that she was an ambassador and a teacher.
“I learned from her about her struggles and successes, the ingenuity required to accomplish simple daily tasks that I always took for granted,” Dr. Ritchey explained. “She was always open, honest, and sincere. Her journey speaks for itself. She provided me confidence to approach and interact openly with any wheelchair-bound person.
“In the end, I guess I no longer see a ‘student in the wheelchair,’ I just see a young lady that is about to be called doctor.”
That doesn't mean Dr. Davis isn't occasionally frustrated. She wants to keep up with her classmates, doing all the examinations and procedures they're doing despite a slight lack of motor function in her right hand and having to work from a seated position.
Dr. Mary Beth Davis, shown here conducting an ophthalmology examination on a patient at Oklahoma State University's Veterinary Medical Hospital, can see herself one day being a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. (Photo by Derinda Blakeney/OSU CVHS)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 11; 10.2460/javma.254.11.1241
“We're mostly able to adapt to those obstacles and overcome them, but some things just aren't doable, and that's just the way it is. I tell myself to get over it and move on to the next thing,” she said.
After graduation, Dr. Davis hopes to join a small animal practice in Oklahoma. She thinks she'll spend a year or two there before possibly starting down the road to becoming a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist.
Dr. Davis says she hasn't experienced any discrimination as a result of her disability. For a time she included the Miss Wheelchair Oklahoma title on her resume as a courtesy to potential employers; she thought it inconsiderate not to alert them to the fact that she was in a wheelchair. Now she no longer sees the need.
“I've come to a place in my life where I know I'm to be able to do the job, just like every other veterinarian,” Dr. Davis said.
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS
The American College of Veterinary Surgeons welcomed new diplomates following its board certification examinations that were held Feb. 4–5 in San Diego. The new diplomates are as follows:
SMALL ANIMAL
Philip Allen, St. Paul, Minnesota
Koji Aoki, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Andrew Armstrong, Harker Heights, Texas
Brenna Kelly Barger, Columbia, Missouri
Ryan Richard Birks, San Antonio
Adam H. Breiteneicher, Austin, Texas
Courtney Campbell, Santa Barbara, California
Jeffrey P. Christ, Philadelphia
Brittany Jane Ciepluch, Fort Collins, Colorado
Timothy Concannon, Ontario, California
Gwyneth Kathryn Culp, Guelph, Ontario
Anna Elizabeth Dunlap, Reston, Virginia
William Alexander Fox-Alvarez, Gainesville, Florida
Amber L. Gunstra, Winston Salem, North Carolina
Shannon Heidorn, Los Angeles
Katie Hoddinott, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
James Howard, Columbus, Ohio
Ciaran Jones, Chester, England
Graham Jeffrey Keys, Red Deer County, Alberta
Tiffany Lynn Kimbrell, Gainesville, Florida
Rickard Josef Kohler, St. Paul, Minnesota
Kathleen Anne Kraska, San Diego
Ariel Morgan Kravitz, Manhasset Hills, New York
Christian Robert Latimer, Knoxville, Tennessee
Fernando Leyva, Melville, New York
John Litterine-Kaufman, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Lynn Maki, Glendale, Arizona
Anna Marie Massie, Davis, California
Elizabeth A. Maxwell, Gainesville, Florida
Michelle Meyer, La Vista, Nebraska
Megan Mickelson, Fort Collins, Colorado
Jeffrey W. Mitchell, Davis, California
Matthew John Morgan, Plainview, New York
Liliana Mutascio, Phoenix
Jaron Naiman, Ames, Iowa
Jessica Anne Ogden, Columbus, Ohio
Deandra J. Owen, Phoenix
Lauren Retallack, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Lauren Sanders, Las Vegas
Kristina Marie Tarvin, Chicago
Giovanni Tremolada, Fort Collins, Colorado
Nicola Jane Volstad, Thousand Oaks, California
Robert E. Waddell, Massapequa Park, New York
Megan Lynn Wilson, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Joshua Storm Zuckerman, Philadelphia
LARGE ANIMAL
Fabio Augusto Aristizabal Mena, Phoenix
Karen Beste, College Station, Texas
Sara Biasutti, Camden, Australia
Christa Johanna Bodaan, Lummen, Belgium
Alecsya Broyles, Spur, Texas
Hannah-Sophie Chapman, West Sussex, England
Elaine Flory Claffey, Ithaca, New York
Julia Dubuc, Stamford, England
Russell Barton Freeland, Crowley, Louisiana
Eva Haltmayer, Vienna
Kirsty Husby, Corvallis, Oregon
Elsa Ludwig, Colchester, Vermont
Leah McGlinchey, Auburn, Alabama
Christine Therese Moyer, Cave Creek, Arizona
Lucas Jose Nolazco Sassot, Pullman, Washington
Etienne O'Brien, Hatfield, England
Marcos Perez Nogues, Davis, California
Lynn Marie Pezzanite, Fort Collins, Colorado
Cole Sandow, Lexington, Kentucky
Marcos Antonio Poddis dos Santos, Charlottesville, Virginia
Holly Lynn Stewart, Fort Collins, Colorado
Albert Torrent Crosa, Davis, California
Jarrod Raymond Troy, East Lansing, Michigan
Jesse Tyma, Athens, Georgia
Ashley R. Vanderbroek, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
INDIANA VMA
EVENT
135th annual meeting, Feb. 28-March 2, Indianapolis
PROGRAM
The meeting drew more than 385 veterinarians and 185 veterinary technicians and assistants. On offer were accreditation modules, a wellness track, and more than 190 hours of continuing education.
AWARDS
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Harley Robinson (Purdue ‘79), Dillsboro, for cumulative service and accomplishments benefiting the veterinary profession, organized veterinary medicine, and the community. Dr. Robinson owns Laughery Valley Veterinary Hospital, a mixed animal practice he established in Dillsboro in 1979.
President's Award
Rob Fulkerson, Brownsburg, for exceptional contributions to the association. Fulkerson works for Patterson Veterinary Supply, assisting veterinarians and veterinary practices with equipment, technology, and products. He previously worked for Schering-Plough.
Volunteer of the Year
Dr. Tracey Gillespie (Purdue ‘97), Indianapolis, for leadership or service to a project or program of the association. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Gillespie works at IndyVet Emergency and Specialty Hospital. She chairs the IVMA Continuing Education Task Force and serves on the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine's Admission Committee.
Achievement Award
Dr. Dimple Hall (Purdue ‘15), Columbus, won this award, given to an IVMA member who has graduated within the preceding five years and has made outstanding accomplishments in veterinary research, civic activities, academia, or organized veterinary medicine. A small animal veterinarian in Columbus, Dr. Hall is chair of the IVMA Power of You program, designed for midcareer IVMA members looking for a refresh, recharge, or renewal of their passion for veterinary medicine. She has also served on the IVMA Membership Committee and several task forces.
OFFICIALS
Dr. Matt Cantrell, Zionsville, president; Dr. Aaron Smiley, Anderson, president-elect; Dr. Kyle Shipman, Indianapolis, treasurer; Dr. Nathan Rich, New Castle, immediate past president; and Lisa A. Perius, Indianapolis, executive director
Obituaries: AVMA MEMBER | AVMA HONOR ROLL MEMBER | NONMEMBER
WILLIAM J. BURLINGAME
Dr. Burlingame (Ohio State ‘77), 67, Stanwood, Washington, died March 22, 2019. He was the founder of Quil Ceda Veterinary Hospital in Marysville, Washington, where he practiced small animal medicine, with a special interest in holistic and integrative veterinary medicine. Dr. Burlingame is survived by his partner, Jeanne Bartels; a daughter; and two grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Providence Hospice and Home Care of Snohomish County, 2731 Wetmore, Suite 500, Everett, WA 98201.
WILLIAM E. DEZEEUW
Dr. DeZeeuw (Iowa State ‘58), 86, Orion, Illinois, died Jan. 30, 2019. He practiced farm animal medicine in the Orion area. Dr. DeZeeuw is survived by his wife, Lila, and three children.
EDWARD H. FALLON
Dr. Fallon (Cornell ‘56), 87, Lexington, Kentucky, died Oct. 12, 2018. Following graduation, he joined his uncle, the late Dr. Charles. E. Hagyard (Guelph ‘24), at what is now known as the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, a practice founded by his great-grandfather, Dr. Edward T. Hagyard, in Lexington. Dr. Fallon was the fourth generation of veterinarians in the family, with three granduncles, including Dr. Edward W. Hagyard, in the same profession.
Known for his expertise in Thoroughbred reproduction, he advanced the technique of digital palpation and the use of lights to affect a mare's reproductive cycle. Dr. Fallon developed treatments for various equine conditions, including virus abortion, shaker foals, and neonatal interoculitus. He was a member of the Thoroughbred Club of America, American Association of Equine Practitioners, and Kentucky VMA. In 2014, the Thoroughbred Club of America recognized Dr. Fallon as an honored guest at its annual testimonial dinner.
He was active with the Knights of Columbus and held the rank of captain with the Army Reserve. Dr. Fallon is survived by his wife, Priscilla; three daughters and a son; seven grandchildren; and a sister. His son, Dr. Luke H. Fallon (Cornell ‘96), practices at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Memorials may be made to St. Paul Restoration Fund, 501 W. Short St., Lexington, KY 40507, or Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, c/o The Jockey Club, 821 Corporate Drive, Lexington, KY 40503, www.thoroughbredaftercare.org/donate.
W.B. “BRUCE” FARQUHARSON
Dr. Farquharson (Colorado State ‘54), 90, Phoenix, died March 29, 2019.
He practiced racetrack medicine in Arizona, Colorado, and Nebraska prior to retirement. Dr. Farquharson was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. His son and two daughters survive him.
ROBERT LEE HURD
Dr. Hurd (Kansas State ‘77), 91, Alamogordo, New Mexico, died April 3, 2019. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Alamogordo. Dr. Hurd was a veteran of the Army, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. During his military career, he served as head of the Army Aviation Unit at Holloman Air Force Base. Dr. Hurd's wife, Lindy; two daughters and a son; and seven grandchildren survive him. Memorials, toward the Gregory S. Hurd Memorial Scholarship, may be sent to the KSU Foundation, 1800 Kimball Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan, KS 66502.
BARBARA J. MAROON
Dr. Maroon (Ross ‘95), 51, Greenville, Illinois, died Nov. 4, 2018. A mixed animal veterinarian, she practiced in Missouri at Bridgeton and Creve Couer and later in Greenville. Dr. Maroon served as supervisor for the Bond County Humane Society in Greenville for several years. Her parents survive her. Memorials may be made to Bond County Humane Society, 2510 S. Elm St., Greenville, IL 62246.
DENNIS M. MEAGHER
Dr. Meagher (Guelph ‘59), 84, Davis, California, died Feb. 20, 2019. Following graduation, he established a mixed animal practice in Morden, Manitoba, subsequently expanding the practice to Carmen, Manitoba. In 1964, Dr. Meagher began study at Colorado State University, where he earned his master's and a doctorate in veterinary medicine. He then joined the veterinary faculty at the University of California-Davis and taught equine medicine and served as chief of equine surgery at the veterinary medical teaching hospital. Dr. Meagher retired as professor emeritus in 1994.
A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, he was a past medical director of the California Horse Racing Board. In 2010, the Ontario Veterinary College Alumni Association presented Dr. Meagher with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. His wife, Helen; four children; and eight grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Project R.I.D.E, a therapeutic horseback riding program for children, and sent to 8840 Southside Ave., Elk Grove, CA 95624.
ERNEST G. ONGERT
Dr. Ongert (Ohio State ‘53), 96, Sun City West, Arizona, died Oct.
23, 2018. He retired in 1982 from the Department of Agriculture after serving as regional director of the western region in Reno, Nevada.
Following graduation, Dr. Ongert practiced in Columbus, Ohio, for a few years. In 1955, he joined the USDA as an area veterinarian with the Animal Disease Eradication Division, later serving as a district veterinarian, a scabies specialist in Iowa and Ohio, and assistant veterinarian-in-charge in Iowa and Oklahoma.
In 1965, Dr. Ongert was named veterinarian-in-charge in Hawaii, also representing the Agricultural Research Service in the Pacific area. He then served as chief staff veterinarian for laboratory animals with the ARS in Hyattsville, Maryland, and was also responsible for establishing rules and regulations necessary to implement the requirements of the Horse Protection Act of 1970. Dr. Ongert went on to serve as assistant regional director of the southeast region and assistant regional director of the western region.
Active in organized veterinary medicine, he was a past president of the Hawaii VMA, a past secretary-treasurer of the Nevada VMA, and a member of the United States Animal Health Association, National Association of Federal Veterinarians, and Honolulu Veterinary Society. In 1976, Dr. Ongert was a recipient of the USDA Superior Service Award.
In 1981, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine honored him with a Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Dr. Ongert was an Army veteran of World War II and received several awards, including a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He served on the board of directors of Lending Hands, an organization lending medical equipment and other items to residents of Sun City West. Dr. Ongert is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and a daughter.
PRESTON PRAUSE
Dr. Prause (Texas A&M ‘59), 83, Columbus, Texas, died Oct. 16, 2018. He served as a supervisory veterinarian with the Department of Agriculture prior to retirement. Dr. Prause was a veteran of the Army Veterinary Corps. His two sons, a daughter, and a grandchild survive him. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church of Frelsburg, P.O. Box 245, New Ulm, TX 78950.
KENNETH J. TROUT
Dr. Trout (Guelph ‘52), 93, St. George, Utah, died Feb. 25, 2019. He began his career practicing in Illinois and Nebraska. In 1963, Dr. Trout joined Armour Pharmaceutical Co. in Omaha, Nebraska. During his career with the company, he served as director of research and development management and was director of laboratories in the animal health division. Dr. Trout retired in 1989. His wife, Jan; three sons and a daughter; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren survive him.
MARSHALL J. WAPLE JR.
Dr. Waple (Pennsylvania ‘43), 97, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, died March 7, 2019. He was in private practice for more than 40 years in Alexandria, Virginia, prior to retirement. Dr. Waple was a veteran of the Army and received a Bronze Star for his service. He is survived by three sons, a daughter, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598.
GEORGE E. WASHINGTON
Dr. Washington (Georgia ‘66), 78, Purcellville, Virginia, died Feb. 26, 2019. He began his career at Loudoun Animal Hospital, a mixed animal and dairy practice in Purcellville.
In 1975, Dr. Washington bought the large animal section of the practice and renamed it Loudoun Veterinary Service. He and a partner subsequently took co-ownership of the small animal section of Loudoun Animal Hospital, which became the Loudoun Veterinary Small Animal Clinic.
Dr. Washington was a past president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and Virginia VMA. In 1989, he was named Virginia Veterinarian of the Year. Active with the 4-H Club, Dr. Washington served on the board of directors of the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center in Front Royal. In 2002, the Loudoun County 4-H Fair was dedicated to him for his more than 30 years of service as fair veterinarian.
Dr. Washington's wife, Patti; a son and a daughter; three grandchildren; and a brother and three sisters survive him. His son, Dr. Phillip Washington (Virginia-Maryland ‘99) and daughter-in-law, Dr. Kristen Washington (Auburn ‘11), are veterinarians in Virginia. Memorials may be made to the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center, 600 4th Center Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630, or Round Hill Rescue, 4 Main St., Round Hill, VA 20141.
CHARLES R. WISEMAN
Dr. Wiseman (Texas A&M ‘59), 83, San Antonio, died Feb. 2, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Wiseman Animal Hospital in San Antonio for 37 years. Dr. Wiseman was a past president of the Bexar County VMA.
In 2007, the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences named him an Outstanding Alumnus. In 2014, The Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University honored him as a Distinguished Alumnus. Dr. Wiseman endowed several scholarships at Texas A&M University, including the Wiseman-Lewie-Worth Chair in Cardiology at the veterinary college in 1998.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia; a son; four grandchildren; and a sister. Memorials may be made to the 12th Man Foundation, 756 Houston St., College Station, TX 77843, or Alama Heights United Methodist Church, 825 E. Basse Road, San Antonio, TX 78209.
Please report the death of a veterinarian promptly to the JAVMA News staff via a toll-free phone call at 800-248-2862, ext. 6754; email at news@avma.org; or fax at 847-925-9329.
For an obituary to be published, JAVMA must be notified within six months of the date of death.
