Happy Monday! As we begin to transition from January to February, dvm360® remains dedicated to concluding the month by providing the latest trending news in veterinary medicine. 

Here is what to expect this week on dvm360.com:

Lap of Love returns to at-home veterinary hospice care after limiting these services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Mark Goldstein, DVM, will discuss the careers he has held throughout his lifetime and which of those brought him the most joy and success. 

A passionate epidemiologist joins the faculty at Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. 

Claire Fellman, PhD, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVCP, will explain the importance of managing feline diabetes to ensure the pet's quality of life. 

Tune back in here throughout the week for more coverage of the veterinary industry.

Articles

A sneak peek look at this week's highlights.

This week on dvm360: Lap of Love returns to at-home hospice care, plus more veterinary news

, Jason Wernli, president at ALLYDVM, shared some stress-free tips that make it easy for any practice to increase their forward bookings.  

View the video below for the entire discussion. The following is a partial transcript.

I've visited dozens and dozens of animal hospitals, and I've interviewed and talked with lots of receptionists and managers. The issue [with resistance to forward booking] is more that practices have learned the wrong lessons because they've asked the wrong questions....When the right recommendation is made the right way, most people actually say yes, and they see it as a favor. 

Videos

During an interview with dvm360®, Jason Wernli, president at ALLYDVM, explained how to overcome internal resistance to forward booking to increase appointments and revenue. 

Simple strategies to start forward booking today

®, Claire Fellman, PhD, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVCP, spoke about the different options available when it comes to which clinicians should restrict carbohydrates for diabetic cats. Each case needs to be considered individually, as lower carbs might not always be "better" for a particular patient.

Claire Fellman, PhD, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVCP:

 "We know that carbohydrate restriction is an important part of management of diabetic cats, but I think the evidence is less clear in how aggressive you need to be in that...I think it's just important to recognize that there's not one right answer. If the cat won't eat a diabetic prescription diet, we do have alternatives."

Claire Fellman, PhD, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVCP, shares the pros and cons of low-carb vs "ultra" low-carb diets in cats with diabetes.

Just how low-carb should you go with diabetic cats?

According to data collected by Vet Set Go, veterinary professionals often decided they want to pursue a career in animal care by the time they were 13 years of age. Therefore, VCA Animal Hospitals and Vet Set Go have partnered to help foster a new generation of veterinary professionals by providing improved access to programs and education. 

This collaboration is especially noteworthy as there is currently a high demand for veterinary professionals due to the shortage of available talent. 

“We are thrilled to work with VCA to continue to help develop tomorrow’s generation of veterinarians. Together we are providing aspiring veterinarians with resources and opportunities that otherwise are not easily available to young people who are interested in veterinary medicine,” said Chris Carpenter, DVM, founder and president of Vet Set Go, in an organizational release.

The program will launch this year and offer a combination of hands-on learning experiences, shadowing, and education-based resources, including:

A national shadowing program where select VCA hospitals will invite aspiring veterinarians to visit their clinic for a day and gain direct experience. 

Vet Set Go Academy Content will provide online shadowing courses to VCA shadowing students to prepare them for going into the clinic and having a safe educational experience.

Vet Set Go and VCA will offer 3 aspiring veterinarians scholarships to the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine’s Junior Vet Camp.

VCA and Vet Set Go are developing the first-ever volunteer app that will help aspiring veterinarians find mentors and volunteering opportunities near them.

Through the program's educational opportunities, Vet Set Go and VCA hope that younger people will consider a career in veterinary medicine early, plus they aim to help break down economic and social barriers that could inhibit students from pursuing the field. 

“We want veterinary medicine to be seen as a viable career option available to anyone interested, whether as a doctor, credentialed technician, or other support roles,​” said Timbrala Marshall, DVM, director of veterinary inclusion and diversity programs at VCA Animal Hospitals. 

“It’s our job to make our profession more inclusive and accessible to all," she added. 

VCA Animal Hospitals and Vet Set Go collaborate to build up the next generation of veterinary professionals. News release. VCA Animal Hospitals. January 18, 2022. Accessed January 21, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vca-animal-hospitals-and-vet-set-go-collaborate-to-build-up-the-next-generation-of-veterinary-professionals-301462936.html

This partnership will help grow and nurture the future of veterinary medicine by educating prospective students of all ages.

VCA and Vet Set Go collaborate to inspire next generation of veterinary professionals 

In an interview with dvm360®, Tasha McNerney, CVT, CVPP, VTS (Anesthesia and Analgesia), highlighted some of her ideas that came to fruition to advance veterinary medicine, plus she explained how others can do the same by finding the proper resources and like-minded colleagues. 

Tasha McNerney, CVT, CVPP, VTS (Anesthesia and Analgesia):

 Find your people, again, whether they be [clinical-path] people or behavior people or hospice people or practice management people. So find that group of people and get together with them and brainstorm ideas. If there's something that you think that [veterinary medicine] needs that we don't have yet again, whether it be a product [or] something [else]. [For example], look at the technicians that created the Doppler Band that we're using to make Doppler blood pressures easier. There's all kinds of things [and] technicians have these ideas and are capable of [creating].

During an interview with dvm360®, Tasha McNerney, CVT, CVPP, VTS (Anesthesia and Analgesia), encouraged veterinary technicians to be proactive and implement their ideas to accelerate the animal care field. 

How to make innovative change in veterinary medicine

As we enter the last full week of January, we remain committed to providing you the latest (and greatest) veterinary news and hot topics.

 with dvm360®, Chris Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, urged veterinary professionals to educate clients on redirecting pet problem behaviors.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast, Kathleen Cooney, DVM, MS, CHPV, CCFP, CAETA founder and director of education, and Stephanie Messick, CAETA academy director, discuss how the right approach to euthanasia can make a big difference. 

Due to the success of its inaugural scholarship, Aurora Pharmaceutical 

 the program's return for 2022 and increased the award to $75,000. 

Leigh Clayton, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice and Amphibian and Reptile Practice), eMBA, DVM, DABVP, 

 6 elements necessary for an optimal fish quarantine to reduce the risk of transmitting pathogens.

 a new molecular diagnostic test that may be veterinary medicine’s most sensitive for canine and feline intestinal parasites.

a Labrador retriever was diagnosed with serotonin syndrome after ingesting up to 600 dietary sleep supplement pills.

Stay tuned on social media and dvm360.com for more veterinary news.