Business

Buying or selling a veterinary practice generally is a long and arduous process. Preparation and a good lawyer are key to smoothing the bumps along the way.

Humans and animals have the instinctive ability to energetically interact with everything around them. As positive or negative energies interact with our energy fields, we are physically and emotionally affected. When the surroundings are stressful, this energy can cause anxiety, weaken the immune system and literally create negative situations for the patient. Procedures can be more difficult, untoward reactions can occur, and healing can be interrupted because of the energy of the people and surroundings. It is imperative that we keep gossip, anger, and drama out of the practice.

The internal controls of a veterinary practice is often overlooked by owners, and the ramifications of this can be financially catastrophic.

Our profession has had its ups and downs over the years. We have seen periods of perceived shortages and excesses of practicing veterinarians. We have moved from a profession of mostly male, large animal practitioners to one of mostly female, companion animal practitioners. The human-animal bond has been better understood and developed so that our pets have moved from the barn in the 1950's into our bed by the 1990's.

When practicing from the perspective of compassionate care, veterinarians and their health care teams dedicate themselves to always advocating for what is best for the pet - advocating on behalf of a being that cannot advocate for itself. By advocating for what is best for the pet, we are actually advocating on behalf of the Family-Pet Bond. Veterinary health care providers make choices daily about the level of care they provide. Every day you have the opportunity to choose compassionate care.

The time for a practice sale depends on the following items: timing, personal health, interest in work, motivation for work, age, stress, funds, alternative investments and alternative activities. Some say you need 15-20 times your current earnings in investment funds for retirement.

Creating a compassionate care clinic culture means paying attention to the team dynamics. It means accepting responsibility to be as effective a team member as possible. Here are some ideas for making a difference on your practice team.

Co-ownership issues often arise when veterinary practitioners enter into a partnership with other owners, or when two or more associates jointly venture into practice acquisition. In most aspects co-ownership of a veterinary practice is akin to marriage, and it is vitally important to agree on the principal terms governing the relationship before getting hitched.

Like many small businesses, veterinary practices across the country are seeing a lot of the same issues.

Non-DVM practice ownership has long been the standard in most states. This is because the practice acts require it in slightly more than half the states. The remainder of the states may or may not allow non-veterinary ownership of a veterinary practice, but do not directly address the issue in their practice acts.

Capnographs are used to measure ETCO2. Most capnographs use infrared light absorption to measure CO2 levels. Capnographs allow for continuous monitoring of the patients CO2 levels. ETCO2 is reflective of the patients PaCO2 usually within a 5mmHg gradient, this gradient can be affected by pulmonary perfusion.

The old gray Mac, she ain't what she used to be.

How can we convert price shoppers into clients?

Idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is defined as gastrointestinal signs (vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea) greater than 3 weeks duration, with incomplete response to dietary trials and anthelmintics, biopsy findings of mucosal inflammation, and clinical response to immunomodulatory therapies.

Blood gas analysis provides information about respiratory function and acid/base status. This information is vital in determining and monitoring treatment of patients with primary or secondary respiratory disease and/or metabolic disturbances. Blood gas (BG) can be assessed on arterial (ABG) or venous (VBG) samples, although oxygenation assessment is made on arterial blood only.

Veterinarians are faced daily with the therapeutic challenge of treating species and conditions for which no approved drug exists. Other challenges include the differing needs of patients that have species-specific requirements, as well as individual needs for palatability and formulation.

Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is a family of viruses that cause vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, and leukopenia. The virus can infect dogs of any age but, because of effective client education and early, aggressive vaccination protocols, is commonly noted in dogs less than 1 year of age.

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This handy form helps team members review patient records before appointments.

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Overwhelmed by the thought of recommending pet insurance because of the administrative work involved? Don't fret. These tips can simplify the process and make pet insurance pay for your veterinary practice.

Uncover new tax provisions that could save your veterinary practice money -- and help you afford that new equipment you've been eyeing.

Take a personal approach when jogging clients' memories to boost practice visits.

The color-based profiling program isn't just for building more effective team relationships. You can also use it to improve your interactions with clients.

See how a little mentorship can make a big difference.

Try these tactics to turn your anxious shaking about the economy to jumps for joy.

How can we convert price shoppers into clients?

You need to modify your behavior to the situation and build power relationships that help, not hurt