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IDEXX: Contributing to something bigger

I looked up “what makes a human a hero” online, and here’s the definition I found: "A hero is selfess, a genuinely good person, and someone who gets the undivided attention of all of us and causes change. Someone willing to risk their own life to save another.” It got me thinking...that is every single one of us in this incredible profession. In some way, shape, or form, we provide consistent selfless care and even have risked our own lives at times, with some of the aggressive patients we have come across.

Think about a hero you encounter in your day-to-day work life. They are all around us. I remember seeing one of my technicians place an 18-ga cephalic catheter in a 17-year-old dehydrated cat with chronic kidney disease, provide me with 3 treatment plans for my hospitalized patients, call my postoperative surgical patients from the day before, and stabilize an animal that was hit by a car—all in under an hour. I was shocked, speechless, and proud to call her our hero.

As we celebrate and congratulate our incredible second inaugural class of 

, I consistently find 5 key characteristics in literature that make up a leading hero.

I’ve always said veterinary professionals are heroes without capes. We are courageous, audacious, and bold. It’s difficult to achieve anything truly heroic unless you’re up against daunting odds. Look what we have just went through with COVID-19 quarantine, as well as what we are continuing to overcome with the pandemic. It takes courage for us to have difficult conversations with our clients and to know when it’s time to help our patients cross over with dignity and respect.

As Nelson Mandela put it, “Courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it.” How many of us had to face a difficult situation, regardless of the fear we may have felt? I used to feel that when I heard there was an intact feral cat on the other side of my exam room door! Our Veterinary Hero for feline medicine, Jennifer Conrad, DVM, has incredible courage to lobby for the ethical treatment of all feline species in the United States.

Something our veterinary profession is full of: humility. We rarely give ourselves the credit we deserve for saving an animal’s life or helping a family grieve the loss of their pet’s life. Nothing makes a heroic leader seem a little less heroic than if they seem to want constant credit for their actions. True heroism can amaze us, but it also oftentimes contains a component of modesty. I’ve always told veterinary students to stay humble and embrace humility. When speaking to one of the recipients of this year’s Veterinary Heroes awards, she said, “It’s what our team does every day to thrive and survive in this world.” We rarely bask in the glory of our accomplishments, but it is nice to soak in the gratitude when it’s heading our way. When telling Teresa Crocker, DVM, CVA, VST, she was the Veterinary Heroes

 award recipient for equine medicine, she stated, “It’s what I signed up for.” The humility was incredible.

True leaders always put others first. How often do we check in on each other to see how we are doing? I’m glad to hear we are doing it more so now than before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Ironically, selflessness can frequently be strategic, because focusing on other’s needs often winds up helping you achieve your own goals. However, a heroic leader does so without any expectation of payback. I even classify effective mentorship as a strong trait of selflessness and ultimate heroism. Our Veterinary Hero in emergency medicine this year, Elizabeth Rozanski, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC, has used her own money to help her team and fellow colleagues obtain any necessary Continuing Education courses to enhance their skill set as a veterinary professional.

Although heroism often requires quick thinking and decisiveness, truly heroic leaders often also display an impressive amount of patience. There’s that saying, “have patience with your patients,” which is so true in our profession. As simply as we want to trim dog’s nails, this somewhat easy task can become an extremely fearful one, where we, as professionals, must provide a space for our patients to experience less fear, anxiety, and stress.

Even effective mentorship requires patience. How long did it take for you to do your first dog spay? We all must start somewhere. Providing patience and time to our mentees ensures a better tomorrow for our profession and team. Our Veterinary Hero for internal medicine this year, Tammy Anderson, DVM, DACVIM, provides time and education to her general practitioner referrals so they can learn and ask as many questions as possible regarding their referred patient. This provides a collaborative approach to the care of the referral patient.

Separate from selflessness, heroic leaders display a sense of concern and kindness for others, including our patients. This can often manifest itself in strong but gentle actions intended to improve the lives of others. These are small acts of heroism that rarely attract any notice. It goes without saying how caring veterinary professionals are both in and out of the exam room. 

This year’s Veterinary Hero award recipient for client service representative, Mary Beth LaBee, truly embodies the act of caring. She gives herself completely to her clients; she cries with them, laughs with them, and knows the strength of the human-animal bond. Our profession can wear on compassion and caring, but LaBee’s unconditional support and admirable outlook restores anyone with whom she comes into contact.

I invite you all to continue to be a hero to each other and to your patients. We need more heroes now than ever in our lives. Thank you for continuing to advocate for our profession and the animals we serve. Please join me in congratulating our 2022 Veterinary Heroes

. Who will you nominate next year? Remember, a hero lies in you.

Articles

A hero lies in you

Almost 600 veterinary students from across 3 dozen veterinary schools within the United States, France, Germany, and the Netherlands presented their summer research experience by presenting their findings at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium at the University of Minnesota. This program gives veterinary students hands-on research experience in laboratories and fields from public and private organizations and government and academic agencies.

 students were all participants of the Veterinary Scholars Program, where they were mentored by researchers from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institutes of Health, and across academia. Each participant conducted original research that affects human and animal health, looking at fields like emerging infectious diseases, oncology, toxicology, chronic diseases, and conservation and sustainable agriculture advancements.

This is the first year that the scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the USDA mentored students to research diseases affecting livestock and public health as well as advancing sustainable approaches for both food and agriculture production.

 Joined by Boehringer Ingelheim, this collaboration gave 12 students the chance to spend their summer at 1 of the 9 USDA sites working on research projects with an ARS scientist.

Boehringer Ingelheim and the USDA covered the costs of the event, including a monthly stipend and costs of traveling from their university and back to the USDA center. The program also gave students the chance to present their research at the National Veterinary Scholar Symposium.

"It's clear from the students' presentations that they have learned a great deal from their mentors and their research work this summer. We hope that this summer's experience has introduced them to the many ways that veterinarians are contributing to science, innovation, and the well-being of animals and humans, and that it will inspire them throughout their careers," said Caroline Belmont, head of U.S. Animal Health Innovation for Boehringer Ingelheim, in her welcome address to participants at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium.

During the symposium, veterinary students and 1 graduate veterinary researcher are recognized with the Boehringer Ingelheim awards, recognizing their early contributions to advancing animal and human health. This year's winners are:

Ashley M. Rasys, DVM, from the University of Georgia, received the 2022 Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Research Award for Graduate Veterinarians. Rasys research focused on genome editing in reptiles to develop a more efficient and cheaper method to edit chicken genomes. By editing the chicken genomes, she hopes to help mitigate pathogen spread and diseases among birds.

Sydney Womack from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary medicine was the recipient of the 2022 Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Research Award For Veterinary students. Her research focused on the exploration of proteomics across species to identify potential biomarkers for osteoarthritis in animals and humans.

Rosemary Bayless, DVM, MS, DACVIM (LAIM), from North Carolina State University Colle of Veterinary Medicine received the Veterinary Graduate honorable mention. Lauren Ellison from Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Myranda Gorman from the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine both received honorable mentions as Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Research Scholars.

Veterinary Students Conclude Summer Research Experience with Capstone Presentations at  2022 National Veterinary Scholars Symposium-  Boehringer Ingelheim. News release.Boehringer Ingelheim. August 8, 2022. Accessed August 10, 2022. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veterinary-students-conclude-summer-research-experience-with-capstone-presentations-at-2022-national-veterinary-scholars-symposium---boehringer-ingelheim-301601284.html

Students from around the world celebrated the end of their research experiments conducted this summer, including the Boehringer Ingelheim Research Award winners

Veterinary students present capstone presentations at the 2022 National Veterinary Scholars Symposium

This content is sponsored by National Veterinary Associates

Turpin Mott, CCO at National Veterinary Associates (NVA) joins this segment of 

 to share strategies for keeping tabs on one's emotional and spiritual energy throughout the work day and life beyond the clinic. He teaches hos Adam Christman, DVM, MBA about grounding objects, and the 2 go through an energy management assessment. 

Below is a partial transcript. Listen to the full podcast for more.

: So one of the things that we espouse [at] NVA—and it's with everybody in the organization, not just the people in our hospitals—is to think in the concept of [bringing] all of who you are to wherever it is that you go in life...So when we show up for work, we think about the aspects of the body and the mind a lot of times, because it really is about how [getting] stuff done and [thinking] about the process through the day. But the important part is to also be really clear about what are you emotionally feeling  as you go through the day, or even before you walk into the hospital...

Videos

Turpin Mott of National Veterinary Associates shares tips on getting in tune with your well-being on multiple levels

Grounding objects, wellness, and energy management

 to talk well-being and wellness in the veterinary profession. He shares his personal story and how NVA partners with veterinarians with a focus on promoting a positive culture of servant leadership and community connection.

: One of the things that I quote a lot is...we're on this earth for a finite period of time, but we don't know what that period of time is. And so thinking about your own life, to [say], "If I died tomorrow, would I say that I lived a good life?" And so what we espouse to is, how do we help set people up so that they can answer yes to that question—whether they're 60; whether they're just getting into the profession; whether they've been in the profession for a long time—but really being able to answer that "I have lived a good life." 

How National Veterinary Associates works to create a community that focuses on clinicians' well-being

The value of servant leadership, culture, and community connection

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, kicks off a fresh episode of 

 by breaking down 3 uplifting headlines that are trending in veterinary medicine. 

Here are the news items covered in the show. See the video below for more

Four big cats rescued with national collaboration of zoo and sanctuaries

: The Oakland Zoo, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, and Lions, Tigers and Bears worked together to save a lion and a trio of tigers from an abandoned roadside zoo in northeast Oklahoma

Lincoln Memorial University debuts Equine Veterinary Education Program

: Revolutionary program will welcome students in fall 2023

ASPCA treats 10,000th kitten in New York City kitten nursery

: The facility relies on the collaborative help of veterinarians and foster caregivers to provide lifesaving care to kittens in need

Plus, a revolutionary new equine veterinary education program

Big cats rescued, a kitten nursery milestone, and more

There’s been like this paradigm shift that we were just talking before we were filming that this is a small dog disease. And why do you think that is now?

Well, I think, you know, unfortunately, rodent rat populations are just increasing. And I think that, you know, people weren't aware in the cities of vaccinating against this, and there wasn't like that push to do it. And, you know, we think about puddles of water and things like that. But it doesn't have to be like some ginormous puddle of water, it could be, you know, a little bit of water on the street and a dog sniffs that. It's mucous membranes, right? So it's not just that they're drinking it. It can go in through the nose. So if they're sniffing it, if there's a little cut on the bottom of the pollen, they just happen to walk through a little bit of urine. And again, there are asymptomatic dogs that are shedding it, as well. And so I think, you know, and the populations of dogs in our urban environments has grown, which is amazing. And I think it's awesome. But, you know, just the density of dogs and rat population all together, living happily, you know.

So I mean, why wouldn't you vaccinate? I mean, that's my question. Why wouldn't you vaccinate for it?

And I think that, you know, people just weren't educating, you know, their clients of like, "Hey, your small dog is at risk." You know, I think people thought, like, "Well, I'm not around possums or raccoons, and you know, the country. Why do I need this?" And, you know, it turns out...And I think it's a pretty easy education piece for our clients. I mean, we just are pretty much like, "They're rats, and it's transmitted in urine, and you can get it," and that's kind of the end of the education piece. They're like, "Okay, great." It's just you need three pictures, right? Rats, urine, you, and then like that's it. So we're good.

Let's talk about the vaccine itself, too. So Dr Primm what does it mean, when you have a vaccine that has VacciPure filtration, when I ask both of you about this? What does that mean, and why is it important?

Well, I think it's important, and we've kind of talked a little bit, but in in the olden days, when I first graduated from veterinary school, lepto vaccines were not as good. And I remember seeing a lot of puffed up faces, and it sort of stood out to me as a baby vet. I'm doing something to these pets, and they're coming back. It makes me look bad, you know, and now the vaccines are just so much better. And I think it's because of things like VacciPure here, because it takes out, you know, filters out some of the proteins and some of the things that are stimulating bad things. And I, again, I want to knock on wood, but I haven't seen a vaccine reaction in a really long time from any of my vaccines, because I use all the really pure ones. And you know, the best that's available.

Yeah, so a little bit of trivia, I don't want to nerd out, but do you know what you feed lepto? For it to grow? Does anybody know? Like, if you were gonna have a canned filled lepto, and you wanted to feed it in for it to grow? Well, you feed it cow albumin, right? Cattle protein. So you can imagine that if you didn't get all of that out, and then you stuck it in a dog, the dog system might not appreciate it, right? I mean, especially my French bulldog. Her system didn't like it, if it wasn't her idea. They're almost like cats. So I think once that was determined, and technology was developed in order to further purify and get those giant protein hunks out, then I think we saw that adverse reaction rate drop off. And indeed we have, right, so the latest data...sorry, let me be cool. The latest metadata, looking at vaccine adverse reaction rates, you know, they had, I don't know, just at one and a half million dogs, over 3 million doses of vaccine that they analyzed. And having lepto in the vaccine was not considered a risk factor for an adverse reaction of any kind, not just the systemic ones that we're thinking about with the puffed up faces, you know, like you describe lots of swollen faces, and the vomiting and diarrhea with, you know, hemorrhagic hiarrhea. But just like a little swelling at the tissue side, or itching at the site, even those when they're included, there was just over 4000 of those at 3 million doses. And so, there were things that were found to be contributors or risk factors. And so having them separate the vaccines, the more vaccines you give on a single day, increases your risk slightly, just statistically. Which makes sense, right? Which is why when when pet owners want to separate the vaccines, I'm like, "Okay, it's your nickel, you know, if you want to come on back, we'll do it. I don't care. But be sure you come back." That's always our fear. And so I do it both ways. Sometimes I separate it. Sometimes I don't. And I don't worry. I can't help but take a deep breath for the 2-lb Pomeranian when I'm vaccinating for everything all at once.

You're like how far apart can I go? I can only go that far.

And like you, it's been a very long time since I've seen a vaccine reaction of any kind. So, yeah, so I get more comfortable with it.

Lack of vaccinations, awareness, and other factors causing the landscape of leptospirosis to continue to evolve

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