Krista Schultz

National Report –– The wave of lawsuits filed over the pet-food recall leaves officials uncertain if the precedent for disallowing emotional distress damages will be followed or overturned - a move that could create new liability for DVMs facing malpractice claims.

Denver, Colo. - One vote defeated Colorado HB 1296 and decided the fate of lay practitioners who, at least for now, must continue to seek veterinary referral and supervision before treating animals.

Denver, Colo. –– Veterinary medicine in Colorado is facing giant changes in regulation and oversight.

Blacksburg, Va. - While almost 400 Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM) students attended classes and labs the morning of April 16, the start of a massacre was underway just 500 yards across campus.

National Report - When used with caution, the modern capabilities of e-mail and text messaging, now available on almost any cell phone or Blackberry, can improve and speed communication in a veterinary practice. But without appropriate limits, that practice can be damaged swiftly, experts say.

Las Vegas - Explain care benefits, cater communication to client personalities and show genuine interest in a pet owner's concerns. These techniques, according to a recent study, ensure pet owners are willing to pay for the highest quality of veterinary care.

Denver, Colo. - Veterinary organizations lost the first round in a fight to quash a controversial bill that would allow unlicensed professionals to perform certain health services without veterinary referral or supervision.

Springhill, La. –– Two men and a teenager were sentenced for holding a mixed-animal veterinarian at gunpoint while his house was ransacked. The veterinarian was at home with his daughter during the incident.

National Report –– Implementing simple review processes and business procedures can safeguard veterinary practices from embezzlement and the risks that come with it - fraud, theft and financial downfall.

Costa Mesa, Calif. - Improved communication, partnership and innovation are top priorities for Dr. Thomas Carpenter, new president of the American Animal Hospital Association.

Las Vegas –– Explaining care benefits, catering your communication style to each client's personality and showing genuine interest in a pet-owner's concerns and questions are, according to a recent study, the best ways to ensure that owners are willing to pay for the highest quality of care for their animals.

National Report -When used with caution, the modern capabilities of e-mail and text messaging, now available on almost any cell phone or Blackberry, can improve and speed communication in a veterinary practice. But without appropriate limits, that practice can be damaged swiftly, experts say.

Naperville, Ill.–– Illinois joins nine other states in passing a law requiring emergency measures to accommodate the needs of pet and service-animal owners during major disasters.

Las Vegas - Continuing education and laboratory programs at the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) were a slam-dunk success despite National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star weekend crowds.

Columbia, Mo. - A University of Missouri (MU) veterinary ophthalmologist hopes continued research and advancement in eye-implantation technology will one day end retinal blindness for companion animals and humans.

New York-The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is partnering with animal-welfare and community organizations in a nationwide effort to improve the quality of animal treatment and care.

Denver - The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) released draft guidelines regulating communication between veterinarians referring and those receiving patients and seeks industry response and collaboration to develop a final version for implementation.

Las Vegas - More than 850 wild horses and burros were gathered from southern Nevada's Spring Mountains, thinning the densely populated herds, improving group balance in sex, age and condition and allowing nature to support the remaining animals.

National Report - One-third of 2006 veterinary graduates pursued specialty studies via internships, residencies or formal education programs, almost doubling participation from 10 years ago, according to a recent American Veterinary Medical Association poll.

National Report - An avian influenza outbreak in Great Britain resulted in the deaths of more than 150,000 birds and prompted import restrictions in the United States, which continues to remain clear of the disease and focused on prevention.

Grand Island, Neb. - A state veterinary leader and trusted doctor challenges critics to "get both sides of the story" before drawing conclusions on charges that he injected vodka in horses before races - a practice rumored to soothe animal anxiety.

National Report - One-third of 2006 veterinary graduates pursued specialty studies via internships, residencies or formal education programs, almost doubling participation from 10 years ago, according to a recent American Veterinary Medical Association poll.

Denver - Respected veterinarian and researcher Dr. Mark Morris Jr., who dedicated his life to improving those of companion animals through the Denver-based Morris Animal Foundation (MAF), died Jan. 14 at his home in Topeka, Kan. He was 72.

National Report - Ice storms pummeled parts of the country for six days last month, leaving in their wake several deaths, extensive power outages, highway closings, citrus crop damage and record-setting cold temperatures.

Nashville, Tenn. - Despite a reported debt of more than $130,000 for the 2006 fiscal year, the Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners will not be raising fees.

National Report - A horse imported from Germany and treated for fever at a USDA facility has been connected to an outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus – type 1 (EHV-1) affecting 14 horses, half of which have died.

Orlando, Fla. –– Veterinarians are falling short of their original mandate to be guardians of the nation's food supply, and that could pose a security risk in the event of a major food-animal emergency, a recent study shows.

New Orleans –– A federal appeals court ruled that horse slaughter is illegal in Texas, home to two of the country's three processing plants.

Colorado - Not yet able to fully assess the level of damage inflicted to southeastern Colorado's cattle population, officials hope for the best but fear the worst after back-to-back blizzards dumped enough snow and ice to bury pastures and trap livestock among snowdrifts more than 10 feet high.

Auburn, Ala. - Auburn University ordered an internal investigation after allegations of animal abuse and fund misappropriation stemmed from a nine-month undercover PETA operation in the veterinary college.