News

Schaumburg, Ill. -- The AVMA has approved a five-city convention site rotation that should help bolster meeting attendance by appealing to veterinarians' desire to visit tourist destinations.

The prospect of building an all-new practice facility is a daunting one, especially for veterinarians who have not owned a practice before.

Thousand Oaks, Calif. - One might think life as a veterinarian to the animal stars would be filled with glamour and excitement.

There is one in every crowd. You know the type - someone who knows everything and has done it all.

Schaumburg, Ill. - The AVMA revised its policy on pet health insurance after the Council on Veterinary Service found GHLIT's white paper too prescriptive.

Washington - It took three veterinarians and a dozen other workers two hours to free a 10-year-old horse at the start of the inauguration parade Jan. 20.

Schaumburg, Ill. - The AVMA Political Action Committee broke records for the 2007-2008 campaign cycle - generating $580,000 to donate to 145 campaigns.

Lackland, AFB, Texas - The new 38,000-square-foot Military Working Dog Veterinary Hospital at Lackland Air Force Base is open.

I routinely place intravenous (IV) catheters when owners are present for a pet's euthanasia.

Manhattan, Kan. - Retired Brig. General Michael B. Cates was named director of Kansas State University's master of public health program.

National Report - As microchipping becomes more common, veterinarians are questioning their legal liability and ethical obligations in regard to sorting out ownership disputes.

Denver - Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would require cat owners in the state' largest cities to microchip or tag.

Chicago - Clients with pet health insurance spend and visit the veterinary more, according to a survey conducted by Brakke Veterinary Practice Management Group for the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Animal welfare ranks as one to the top strategic initiatives for AVMA, for good reason.

Denver - Canine cancer is the subject of an online presentation from Morris Animal Foundation.

To encourage clients to purchase heartworm tests and preventives, we placed posters throughout the clinic that list the price of a heartworm test, the price range of heartworm preventives, and the price of heartworm treatment if a pet becomes infected.

Please review management of difficult-to-regulate diabetic cats.

With the season for filing 2008 tax returns well under way, all veterinarians should be aware of changes to the laws.

Columbus, Ohio - One of the nation's largest veterinary colleges is without a permanent dean and squeezed for state funding.

We have always had trouble removing animal hair from Velcro® (Velcro Industries B.V.) brand fasteners on cat restraint bags and x-ray protective clothing, so I remove the hair using a slicker brush.

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Urocystoliths are commonly voided in the urethra of male dogs where they often become lodged adjacent to the caudal aspect of the os penis.

National Report - When Hurricane Ike hit Texas last fall, Texas Veterinary Medical Association Executive Director Elbert Hutchins likened the storm's impact to a bomb site. FEMA dropped $1.4 billion to clean it up.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Get ready to pick up those paintbrushes and dustpans at this summer's AVMA meeting in Seattle.

When I was a freshman veterinary student in 1952, two women were in my class of 60.

Denver - Newly introduced legislation in Colorado would limit the number of dogs owned by commercial breeders and mandate veterinary certification exams.

Madison, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine is recruiting for a clinical trial designed to evaluate pain relief in post-surgical patients.

Washington - As the Food Animal Reside Avoidance Databank continues to struggle, operating with bare-bones staff, Washington insiders hope for a reprieve.

Knoxville, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine has been moved from full to limited accreditation for the next two years.

I enjoyed reading "IMHA: Diagnosing and treating a complex disease" in the December 2008 issue of Veterinary Medicine. However, I did have some questions: What role do vaccinations play in the disease process, and should I discontinue vaccinating a patient after IMHA has been diagnosed?