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Morris Animal Foundation announced it is currently accepting proposals for studies with a focus on domestic equid health topics. The Foundation also disclosed that it has a special interest in any proposals with a primary focus on pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also known as Cushing’s disease.

 PPID is the most prevalent endocrine disorder of equids and affects over 20% of donkeys, horses, and ponies. If you are considering submitting a proposal focusing on PPID, Morris Animal Foundation directs you to learn more about research questions of interest as identified during a priority setting partnership workshop on PPID.

All submitted proposals must seek to advance the health and overall well-being of domestic donkeys, horses, mules, and ponies. Each application is reviewed and rated by the foundation’s scientific advisory board, made up of experts within the veterinary industry, and based on impact and scientific rigor.

Applications will be accepted until December 16, 2022, and the foundation encourages interested researchers to download its proposal guidelines and template. For more information, visit the Morris Animal Foundation website.

Morris Animal Foundation accepting proposals for the study of domestic equid health. News release. Morris Animal Foundation. October 3, 2022. Accessed October 3, 2022.

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Proposals are being accepted now through December 16, 2022

Morris Animal Foundation accepting study of domestic equid health proposals 

A little over a decade ago, Wil Cole, DVM, was determined to build an award-winning veterinary hospital. At the time, he and his wife, Jennifer Cole, DVM, owned Cole Veterinary Hospital at Legends Ranch, an approximately 2000-sq ft facility in Spring, Texas, which was later expanded to 4000 sq ft. However, Wil and Jennifer wanted to take a leap of faith and debut a second new, larger hospital—Cole Veterinary Hospital at Harmony—just a mile from Legends Ranch to address the growing demand for veterinary services and own the space to make that goal come to fruition.

Cole Veterinary Hospital at Harmony in Spring, Texas, opened in 2020.

During that decade, Wil could be found reviewing floor plan designs with their designer/ contractor of their project, Jonathan Greene, president of J.A. Greene Construction Services, producing a chemistry between Wil and Greene that stands to this day. “Wil had an eye for design and a desire to help other vets start-up their practice. In addition to reviewing floor plans, Wil would often talk to my clients about pricing services, what software to use, how they can compete, and anything else that comes along with a start-up,” Greene said. After helping countless start-ups, the knowledge he gained and hard work paid off for his own practice as well. Cole Veterinary Hospital at Harmony—a 7654-sq ft, full-service veterinary hospital—opened in 2020. This facility has now been named the 

 2022 Hospital Design Competition grand prize winner for hospitals under 8000 square feet.

 interview, the Coles and Greene discussed the details of Cole Veterinary Hospital at Harmony and what makes it a stand-out facility.

The clinic features brown stacked stone and long windows for a clean, modern look without appearing ultramodern, according to the trio. The goal was to offer natural light throughout the entire practice while preventing visibility from the outside into treatment and exam rooms. “A lot of the windows around the practice are up high and skinny to avoid [individuals] being able to see in but still let in natural light. That turned into linear architecture, so we had to make sure we made the windows fit with the overall design,” Greene said. 

Another integral part of the exterior design, according to Wil, was significant curb appeal. “We put a tremendous amount [of expense] into landscaping and making sure we were adding value to the community,” he said. Greene noted the exterior finishes of the clinic were designed to be weather resilient and address the high traffic area, using material that blocks noise transmission from the outside to the inside.

The building is also ecofriendly, held up by insulated concrete form (ICF) blocks, a mix of Styrofoam and concrete. This combination of material better insulates the building so it stays cool during the warm months and vice versa. According to Greene, the ICF blocks are “foam blocks you fill with concrete once you get all the blocks up, and you seal it in. It’s a unique block because it is 2 ft tall, 4 ft wide. I can throw it in the air, and you could catch it. And that’s what holds up their building, which seems counterintuitive.”

Like the exterior, the interior has modern touches. However, it contains elements that make it cozy and comfortable. The hospital has luxury vinyl wood floors carried throughout the client and treatment areas, gray and white accents throughout, uniquely marvelous patterned tiles as accents on several surfaces, and a sophisticated chandelier to complete the lobby. There is even an iPad bar set aside for children complete with numerous downloaded games to keep them busy.

Each feature is intentional, according to the Coles. “What sets us apart from most hospitals, human and veterinary, is [that] most people concentrate on their lobby and making their lobby beautiful. But the rest of the space is very utilitarian, and we wanted to take the same look throughout the whole hospital,” Jennifer said. “Clients feel pampered in the lobby, and that continues in the exam rooms. And our staff feels the same all the way back to the hospital area and the treatment areas as well. Honestly, even in boarding. We tried to take that feel all the way throughout [the hospital]. 

”Wil added, “I think clients feel the value the moment they walk in....They feel comfortable. They feel like they are at an elegant hospital and that these people get it right and know what they’re doing. That’s a huge thing that clients...want to be at our hospital [and] and find a reason to come back.”

The mural in the lobby of Cole Veterinary Hospital at Harmony is another fan favorite. The Coles have a friend who is a local artist and asked her to portray something that embodied the animals they care for as well as community landmarks. If you look closely at the cheerful mural, pets’ names are hidden throughout, personalizing the artwork and making pet owners feel special.

“Anything that made it to our walls had meaning and value to us,” Wil said. “We put a lot of thought [and attention] into that: personalizing it [with] those finer touches. It gives us comfort knowing a local artist did that. But it’s [also] a talking point; it’s giving back to the community and letting people see we’re supporting community artists.”

Greene noted that, from a design standpoint, there should never be a disconnect between what is on the walls and the owner’s personality, because it makes clients subconsciously uncomfortable. “That connection is what you can’t ever design; all you can do is hope that [clients] get there. It’s something we tell our doctors all the time: make sure you provide a sense of community and your personality meets the design, because your clients are intuitive enough to understand [the disconnect], especially when they’re dealing with their [pets].”

Cole Veterinary Hospital already had a client base and a need for expanding boarding services. As part of the new hospital location, the Coles felt the need to incorporate more extensive boarding kennel areas for canine and feline patients which has been a major success as the COVID 19 pandemic has begun winding down and more pet owners are returning to travel. The canine kennel areas feature high-quality epoxy flooring, and large tiled runs with glass doors. The feline boarding areas are unique with 5 multilevel spacious condominiums with individual slim exterior windows. The feline doors areglass from top to bottom fora luxurious, spacious feel. The boarding areasarealso strategically situated. To avoid noise, it remains separate from treatment areas where clients bringin their pets but also in a place where the team can keep an eye on them. Additionally, the dog kennels and cat ward are kept separate from one another for a comfortable experiencefor all animals.

“We not only made [the practice] sound proof from the exterior but even [from the] interior. All our walls are insulated, floor to ceiling, everywhere,” Wil said. “We didn’t want to be in the center of [the boarding kennels] and listen to the noise all day long. We were able to create some unique space for [the pets] and keep them segregated yet close by. It’s a very efficient, quiet, and smell-controlled space. ”Reducing the amount of shared walls between the kennels and the treatment areas was one of thedesign challenges they tackled only having roughly 5 linear feet of actual shared walls.

Jennifer added, “One other thing that’s unique is our feline boarding. Jonathan did a good job of separating that completely from noise, so they’re not near [the] treatment [area]. They’re also not near any dogs in [the] hospital or boarding [areas]. There’s a big window where they can be seen by the staff when they’re eating lunch, and they can also look outside.”

Designed with clients and patients in mind, the Coles and Greene also made it an excellent space to work for staff. They continued the elegant appeal and backsplash tile in the staff restrooms and break areas to achieve this goal.

“Staff areas aren’t always the nicest. Sometimes you have to save some pennies and cut back on the staff restroom, for example. Or maybe the break area doesn’t have the nicest stuff....We all agreed, with a little pushing [from Greene], we make this an experience so that staff feel their value in the building as well,” Wil said. 

What’s another feature the staff loves? According to Wil, it is giving the staff the ability to control sound played throughout the hospital. The controls are centralized in the treatment area on 3 wall-mounted iPads that play songs from streaming services such as Pandora or Spotify. “The staff love that control because they love music. There are moments in the day where they want to switch the music up, or somebody’s feeling a little giddy and wants to have some uplifting music. I never thought having something so simple [as] that...was going to make a big difference, but the staff absolutely love it.”

Proud winners of the 2022 Hospital Design Competition The Coles and Greene were honored to be recoginzed as winners of this year’s 

 Hospital Design Competition. “It’s a tremendously proud moment. For all the effort we put into building something that didn’t make sense to a lot of people when we were doing it...We took a risk, but saw the potential to be a freestanding hospital 1 mile away from a busy practice," Wil said. “It’s validation [of] paying attention to your gut, knowing your clients, knowing the demographics, trusting people like Jonathan and my wife, and coming together; it’s validation [of a] job well done.” 

Greene also touched upon what winning the award means to him and described the significant effort that went into the project over many years. Building Cole Veterinary Hospital at Legends Ranch in 2008 was the first veterinary project Greene had been a part of, and he and the Coles have come a long way and learned plenty of lessons since then. “For me it’s [14] years of work that has come to [fruition] and [been] recognized for what it is, and that’s a realistic approach attainable to any veterinarian across the board,” Greene said.

Wil said he wants to inspire other veterinary professionals to be successful in their hospital design, think outside of the box, and take risks. “We’re an open book; we share everything with [other veterinary professionals]. I hope to use this platform to help others grow. That is exciting, because I like seeing others in this profession [succeed]; it’s a way of giving back.”

Married couple unites with designer and contractor to build award-winning facility in Texas

Dream team creates their ideal veterinary clinic

, Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, chief visionary officer, and cofounder of Empowering Veterinary Teams, offered a preview of what topics she will be spotlighting at the upcoming Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC), and which faculty will be joining her on the stage. 

The following is a partial transcript of the video.

: I am focusing in on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and I will be speaking with Dr. Valeria Marcano, who is the CEO and cofounder of Pawsibilities...we are going to be speaking about stereotypes and breaking those down. 

Are you interested in attending Mages' sessions? Join her and our 50 + faculty members at ACVC by registering 

Videos

Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, shares a preview of what she will present at the 2022 Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference

Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, previews her upcoming ACVC lectures

Petland, Inc. founder Ed Kunzelman has been recognized by the World Pet Association (WPA) for its Lifetime Multi-store Achievement Award. Kunzelman opened the first Petland store in downtown Chillicothe, Ohio on October 21, 1967. Since then, Petland has expanded to feature 301 retail pet store locations, in 8 countries worldwide.

Ed Kunzelman, Petland founder and chairman (Photo courtesy of Petland).  

"I am grateful and humbled by this recognition from the World Pet Association," expressed Kunzelman, in a company release.

 "The support Petland and I have received over the past 55 years from our loyal customers, suppliers, pet enthusiasts and so many others, has and continues to be what drives us in our mission to match pets with their lifelong families. For me personally, this has been a labor of love. I am grateful to WPA, our suppliers and my Petland family for their support and dedication to fulfilling a lifelong dream."

 Kunzelman's affinity for pets began as a child and he has been a lifelong tropical fish enthusiast. He frequented pet stores while his father made door-to-door sales calls in southern Ohio communities. At 15 years old, Kunzelman started his own business of breeding and selling tropical fish, before pursuing education in college. He worked as an english and history teacher until he switched gears to his pet care passion by debuting the first Petland store at 31 S. Paint Street, Chillicothe, Ohio.

"Ed and Petland have a simple message, 'Pets Make Life Better,' and Petland is always about pets. The Petland mission is to pair the right pet with the right customer; and if you've ever walked into a Petland store, you see hamsters, birds, ferrets, dogs, cats, and beautiful tropical fish – all accessible to the customer. You'll also encounter smiling and educated pet counselors ready to help engaged, prospective pet parents,” stated WPA board member and Hagen's director of marketing, Jeff SanSouci, in the release.

Kunzelman's experience as a teacher empowered him to require pet counselor training as a pillar of Petland's business model and its success. SanSouci, continued, "With a focus on top-notch customer service and trained pet counselors, Petland defines leadership in the pet store retail industry by remaining the largest retailer in the world that focuses specifically on pets."

Petland and its franchisee partners are dedicated to supporting the communities where the stores are located, including with

Assistance in the placement of 350,000 abandoned pets;

Grants awarded from Petland Charities for Pets in the Classroom to more than 800 classes;

Food and supplies to more than 200 police K-9 units;

Visits by Petland staff and pets to more than 3,000 nursing home facilities and schools;

More than $1 million raised by Petland and its customers to support St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital; and

Over 900 wishes granted through the Make a Wish Foundation.

Kunzelman receives National Honor for Lifetime Achievement. News release. Petland. October 3, 2022. Accessed October 3, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kunzelman-receives-national-honor-for-lifetime-achievement-301637904.html

Kunzelman's love for animals plus trained pet counselors at Petland have contributed to the store's success 

Ed Kunzelman bestowed Lifetime Multi-store Achievement Award

BioIVT, a provider of biospecimens, research models and services for drug and diagnostic development, has added Avian products supporting vaccine manufacturing and virus research to the BioIVT Digital Portal via a global collaboration with the Avian Vaccine Services division of Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL).

 the agreement will be advantageous to the research, diagnostic, and manufacturing groups by maximizing the BioIVT Digital Portal to simplify access to high-quality specific-pathogen-free (SPF) eggs and related laboratory products (eg, virus antigens and antisera, and cells).

"We added advanced biospecimen search and e-commerce capabilities to the BioIVT website about a year ago and the resulting Digital Portal has proven to be a great hit with our customers," said Cathie Miller, PhD, senior director of product marketing at BioIVT, in the release.

"The BioIVT Digital Portal is a very easy to use, intuitive system which allows customers to browse our inventory, view pricing, generate quotes and review orders. The addition of the CRL Avian products will enable vaccine focused researchers to quickly access these products,” she added.

"We constantly look for new and efficient ways for scientists to easily access our vast Avian portfolio. Considering the breadth of research products currently available through BioIVT on their Digital Portal, our high-quality products fit perfectly to create a streamlined customer experience for quoting and ordering,” added Debra Tosto, executive director, avian vaccine services, Charles River, in the release. “With the ease of interacting with the BioIVT Digital Portal, combined with our quality and expertise, we feel that this global collaboration will further support the research, diagnostic and vaccine manufacturing communities."

Charles River SPF eggs and associated laboratory products are created under rigid biosecurity and quality control for the best results. Charles River avian laboratory scientists also continue to produce novel products to support the evolving needs of vaccine manufacturing, diagnostics, and virology research.

BioIVT announces global eCommerce collaboration With Charles River Laboratories Avian Vaccine Services. News release. BioIVT. October 3, 2022. Accessed October 3, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bioivt-announces-global-ecommerce-collaboration-with-charles-river-laboratories-avian-vaccine-services-301638868.html

Utilized for virus research and to develop veterinary and human vaccines, Charles River Avian products are now offered through the BioIVT Digital Portal

BioIVT announces global eCommerce partnership With Charles River Laboratories Avian Vaccine Services

 team and the veterinary industry will take over Atlantic City, New Jersey for the Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC). Starting October 10, veterinary professionals from all different specialties will teach attendees about everything from behavior to one health. With 145 CE credits up for grabs, this is a conference you do not want to miss so secure your spot 

While we all prepare for ACVC, here is what you can find this week at dvm360.com:

Take an inside look at the thought and design process behind Cole Veterinary Hospital, the 

 2022 Hospital Design Competition grand prize winner for hospitals under 8000 square feet.

Morris Animal Foundation announced it is now accepting proposals for studies that focus on domestic equid health topics, with a special interest in proposals focusing on pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID).

, Alyssa Mages, CVT, cofounder, and chief visionary officer at Empowering Veterinary Teams, shares a sneak peek at some of her upcoming ACVC lectures.

This week on The Vet Blast Podcast, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, sits down with Patricia White, DVM, MS, DACVD, to discuss her career as a heart-centered veterinarian in dermatology and her transition to veterinary coaching. Then Pawsibilities cofounders Valerie Marcano, DVM, PhD, and Seth Andrews, PhD, to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion within the veterinary industry

Vetoquinol USA announced the release of Simplera (florfenicol, terbinafine, mometasone furoate) Otic Solution to help treat canine otitis externa that is associated with susceptible strains of years and bacteria.

Here is a sneak peek at this week’s headlines 

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