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Happy Monday! We have a lot of engaging and informative content coming your way. Here's a quick at some of this week's headlines:

In this engaging Q&A, relief veterinary technician and president of the National Veterinary Professionals Union, Liz Hughston, MEd, RVT, CVT, LVT, VTS (SAIM) (ECC),

 discusses the pros, cons, and future of unions in veterinary medicine

commentary, dvm360®'s chief veterinary officer, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, encourages veterinary professionals to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Mont

During this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast (Sponsored by NEOGEN), market development manager for companion animal health at NEOGEN, Lindsey Kocks, DVM, shares the benefits of genomic sequencing technology for both pet parents and veterinarians. 

Stay tuned on dvm360.com for our most recent coverage of the veterinary industry.

Articles

Here is a sneak peek at this week’s headlines.

This week on dvm360: A closer look at veterinary unions, plus more industry news

May was first recognized as Mental Health Month in 1949 by the National Mental Health Association (now called Mental Health America [MHA]). Every May, MHA focuses its efforts on raising awareness about the importance of mental health through education and advocacy in hopes of shedding the stigma long associated with mental illness.

COVID-19 and our collective mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic has had disastrous effects on mental health on a global scale, a national scale, and within veterinary medicine. More than 500,000 Americans have succumbed to COVID-19, with many pets being shuffled from home to home following the death of their owner. Additionally, many of us know someone who has died from the virus or has recently lost a colleague to suicide. Our profession is battling serious mental health challenges, making collaboration crucial in providing necessary educational tools and resources for those who are suffering.

Part of coping with life’s many challenges is accepting what we cannot change or control. It’s equally important to know how best to adjust to life changes, manage anger and frustration, recognize when trauma is affecting your mental health, challenge negative thinking patterns and, most importantly, make time for self-care.

I recently saw a post on social media in which a veterinary professional talked about the many hours she worked that day with no breaks, no time to eat, and no time for herself. Unfortunately, the post was received as boastful post rather than self-reflective, and that, my friends, is not OK. I know we can do better to support our colleagues. We need to ensure that all of our team members are taking the necessary breaks during every shift to decompress, reset, and recharge.

We work in an often stressful environment, potentially impacting both our physical and mental health. Listening to your body and giving it what it needs—whether that’s meditation, yoga, exercise, watching funny videos, calling a friend, or something else—will help you heal and stay healthy both physically and mentally. Also, make sure you set boundaries with your clients (and your friends turned clients!). I can’t stress this enough. Your time off is your time off!

This past year has taken a toll on all of us. If it has negatively affected your mental health, know that you are not alone. According to MHA, the rate of moderate to severe anxiety peaked in September 2020, with more than 80% of people taking an MHA anxiety screen scoring with moderate to severe symptoms.

Of those who took a depression screen, 80% have scored with symptoms of moderate to severe depression consistently since March 2020.

 for screening and other useful resources. The American Veterinary Medical Association also offers mental health resources. And I am more than happy to chat with any of you! As colleagues, we should stick together through thick and thin. Reach me via email at 

2021 COVID-19 and Mental Health: A growing crisis. Mental Health America. Accessed April 16, 2021. 

It has never been more important to mind our mental health.

May is Mental Health Month: Let the healing begin

Corporation-owned veterinary practices have been around since 1987, when VCA Animal Hospitals acquired its first independently owned companion animal clinic.These giant companies now make up roughly 10% of general veterinary practices and 40% to 50% of referral practices in the United States (numbers vary depending on the source).

The downside to veterinary corporatization? According to Liz Hughston, MEd, RVT, CVT, LVT, VTS (SAIM) (ECC), a relief veterinary technician in San Jose, California, and president of the National Veterinary Professionals Union, it’s nearly impossible to voice your concerns owing to the multiple layers of management. She explained that this is extremely problematic for an industry in which many employees are underpaid and feel undervalued.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on the veterinary profession. At the start, many practices were forced to close until deemed essential. Some practices struggled to stay afloat financially, leading to a series of layoffs. According to Hughston, that’s where veterinary unions come in. Not only do they help educate employees about their rights, but they advocate for employees who feel they’ve been wrongfully let go or otherwise mistreated.

 sat down with Hughston to talk about the benefits and challenges of unions in the veterinary profession, and why she believes they’re so valuable.

The benefits of unions are threefold: solidarity, accountability, and wage transparency. Unions give you a voice at your workplace. It’s easy for management to discount 1 or 2 people, but when you’re in solidarity with your coworkers, they 

Union members are allowed to have a witness present when discussing matters with management. I think it’s huge to have someone with you to listen and advocate for your rights. So, when a manager calls you in for a performance review, you can have someone there to oversee the conversation to ensure fairness.

Another pro for me is wage transparency, meaning you can go into a practice and see the wage structure. Most veterinary team members are not making a living wage. Most of us have 2 or 3 jobs or rely on a spouse or partner, or live with a bunch of roommates. To me, a living wage means being able to pay your rent or mortgage, purchase food, equipment, or clothes, and still have enough money left over to save or enjoy. Few veterinary staff members can do that with 1 job, and that’s not right. I went to school, I pay a licensing fee for continuing education, and I deserve to be compensated appropriately for that.

Almost every union contract is going to have a “just cause” clause that prevents an employer from firing an employee without a viable reason. In fact, individuals have to go through a process to ensure that the firing is legal and aligns with the National Labor Relations Act. Many people in management see this as a negative because they claim that the union protects unmotivated or lazy employees. I don’t think that’s true. I think the main issue is bad management practices. You don’t have good managers who are putting people on appropriate performance enhancement plans to ensure they’re meeting company expectations. None of us want to work with someone who’s not carrying their weight.

I believe unionization will lead to increased retention and less turnover. Burnt-out veterinary professionals are continually leaving this profession and switching over to human medicine and other careers. If we can pay them appropriately, utilize them better, enhance their benefits, and promote work-life balance, it can change our industry indefinitely.

Unionization is a lengthy process, mainly because we have a very itinerant workplace. People are constantly entering and leaving the profession for various reasons, mainly because of low pay, lack of utilization, etc.

Union members must pay dues. Some people see this as a con, but these dues are more than offset by the benefits unions provide, such as better pay and job protections. Unions aren’t in the business of getting people less money or fewer benefits. Dues are typically set up as a percentage of your annual income that’s withdrawn from your paycheck.

Do you see unions gaining a real foothold in veterinary medicine?

I hope so. There are a lot of challenges and obstacles to unionization. Our itinerant workforce makes it difficult. These are long fights, so you have to find people who are passionate, engaged, and able to stick it out to the end. We’ve received a lot of pushback from corporations, which is not surprising. They wouldn’t be fighting so hard if they didn’t know that it would cost them money.

I am hopeful because there is a lot of interest in unionization in our field. A lot of people are feeling the pressures and are fed up with the lack of control and their voice not being heard and are coming to us for help.

:What role do corporate practices play in the future of unions?

My ultimate goal is to get more practices interested in organizing. That way, corporations like Mars will no longer need to negotiate with individual veterinary practices but instead can sit down with us and create a national contract for all of their practices.

Once we formulate a national contract, if you walk into any BluePearl, VCA, or Banfield facility, you'll know what you'll be paid and what your benefits and rights will be. If we can get to that point, these corporations will be models for how to treat employees in this industry. I think it will raise the bar for private practices because they will have to compete with these union practices.

I would like to see more corporations jump on this opportunity instead of fighting us every chance they get. I prefer to work collaboratively with them to improve the profession. And I think we can do it. These corporations can set the model for how we care for workers, patients, and clients.

Nolen RS. The corporatization of veterinary medicine. American Veterinary Medical Association. November 14, 2018. Accessed April 5, 2021. 

https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2018-12-01/corporatization-veterinary-medicine

National Veterinary Professionals Union President Liz Hughston, MEd, RVT, CVT, LVT, VTS (SAIM) (ECC), answers our questions about veterinary unionization.

A closer look at veterinary unions

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced earlier this week that the 2021 AVMA Convention will go virtual for the second year in a row amid ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions and concerns.

“After thoughtful deliberation regarding the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic and careful consideration of all factors involved, the AVMA has decided to transition the 2021 AVMA Annual Convention originally scheduled to take place in Minneapolis to a completely virtual event,” said Lori Teller, DVM, DABVP, AVMA board chair, and Jon Pennell, MS, DVM, AVMA house advisory committee chair, in an email to the AVMA House of Delegates.

, the board of directors said their decision to go virtual was based on prioritizing the safety and well-being of attendees, speakers, and partners.

“We are a science-based, one-health organization, and the science continues to tell us that COVID-19 remains a serious public health concern,” the Board wrote in an email to the AVMA House of Delegates. “We care deeply about everyone that joins us for Convention each year, and our decision is based on serving the best interests of all attendees.”

Registration for the convention, which will be held online-only from July 29 to August 1, 2021, opens up on April 19, 2021. For more information about this annual event, go 

AVMA board executives decide to make this convention an online-only event due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns and restrictions.

The 2021 AVMA Convention goes virtual for second year in a row

We know how hard you work to provide the highest quality of care to your furry, feathery, or scaly patients each week. That's why we are dedicated to keeping you up to date with the latest industry news and headlines.

Jumpstart your weekend with this week's highlights:

recalls an incident that involves a lame horse, his cowboy owner, 

and a mistake that paid off in a mysterious way. 

Digital Empathy's CEO Robert Sanchez offers invaluable advice for 

implementing successful social media strategies at your practice

Watch this video featuring Get MotiVETed cofounder and relief veterinarian Quincy Hawley, DVM, 

who explains why changing your perspective is one of the primary building blocks to improving your well-being.

brand-new episode of The Vet Blast Podcast

, second-year veterinary student Christian Capobianco reflects on the magical moment that sparked his passion for zoological and exotic veterinary medicine. 

help promote operational excellence at your practice.

News wrap up: This week's veterinary headlines, plus a magical journey to wildlife medicine

Disney World is considered one of the most magical places on earth, and rightfully so. For second-year veterinary student Christian Capobianco, this enchanted place ignited his passion for zoological medicine.

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Capobianco shares more about his magical path to zoological and wildlife medicine and offers words of wisdom to pre-veterinary students.

“I remember distinctly the first time I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian, and it actually happened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” he tells Adam Christman, DVM, MBA.

Years ago, during a family trip at Disney World, Copbianco watched veterinarians perform a procedure on a lion at Rafiki’s Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom. That’s when the lightbulb went off for him. “From then on out, I was like, I’m going to become an animal doctor, and I’m going to work with those wild and weird creatures that no one else wants to work with,” he says.

When Capobianco, a native of Long Island, New York, was a junior in high school, he decided to attend North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine due to its accredited exotics program. His family, in support of his pursuit, moved to North Carolina.

After receiving his undergraduate degree in Animal Science, Capobianco says he had a 6-month window before starting veterinary school and decided to apply for Disney’s veterinary and conservation education internships. He was convinced he would be selected for the veterinary scholarship but instead was selected for the conservation education one. At first, he was disappointed but soon realized it was the best thing that could have ever happened to him. The lesson learned? Not everything goes as planned, but in the end, your dreams can still come true.

Capobianco’s piece of advice to stressed pre-veterinary students uncertain about their future is to take it easy and trust that things will work out the way they’re supposed to. As far as applications go, he recommends highlighting what makes you stand out.

“I was one of those pre-veterinary students who—like many in the veterinary realm—was Type- A. I needed all my applications to be perfect and all my experiences documented,” he says. “You need to remember that they are seeing a lot of applications when you apply to school. So, you need to find that one thing that makes you special and different and make sure to hit on that in your application.”

Listen below for more on Capobianco’s magical path to zoological medicine, plus a fun fact about him.

Podcasts

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Dr Christman is joined by second-year veterinary student Christian Capobianco who reflects on the life-changing experience that inspired him to become a wildlife veterinarian and offers useful advice to pre-veterinary students.

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IDEXX: Contributing to something bigger

Nominations now open for dvm360®/VHMA Practice Manager of the Year award