AAHA Update Fall 2022

AAHA Members,

It’s officially the start of the fall season in the northern hemisphere! Time to enjoy those pumpkin spice lattes as you prepare for a busy day seeing patients and clients at your practice. Or, if you’re like some of the AAHA team, doing everything in your power to avoid the ubiquitous PSL and sticking to a good ole cuppa Joe – or chai.

Fall is a great time to recognize your hard-working veterinary technicians! Read on to learn about our new Veterinary Technician of the Year award, open to credentialed veterinary technicians, and made possible through the generous support of Zoetis. Fall is also a great time to check out the recently-published 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines and implement a personalized vaccination plan for each dog walking through your practice doors. Read about both of these topics and more in your Fall edition of AAHA Update!

Rocking a soldout Connexity®

Hundreds in the veterinary world flocked to Nashville last month, selling out AAHA’s annual conference, Connexity®, for four days of education, hands on experience and CE. The event was held from September 14-17 at the Omni Hotel. Everyone from veterinary technicians to veterinarians, practice managers to medical directors, to industry suppliers and corporate partners gathered to learn how they could be inspired to create a better world – for their practice, the profession, clients and the AAHA community. We want to build your excitement for 2023’s conference, now called AAHA Con, so please check out the fun, short recap videos at aaha.org/education/allveterinary-professionals/aaha-con. Registration will open in early 2023 for this Fall event.

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Lynum, Photo by Kerry Woo Photography

2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines

When in doubt, vaccinate.

However, we know that sometimes this is easier said than done. Some clients feel anxious about giving vaccines to their dogs. This is why it is important to train your team about how to talk to clients about vaccines and why they are a vital part of their dog’s health plan. When the whole veterinary team is on-board with vaccine protocols, clients receive consistent messaging. This may put those on-the-fence clients at ease or change the mind of those who would typically not vaccinate.

The 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines empower you to make the best possible personalized vaccine recommendations for your patients based on their lifestyle and exposure risks.

You want to show the clients that vaccines are an important step in to protecting their dogs from disease. Vaccines also protect against diseases that can be passed from dogs to humans and are crucial for public health. Vaccination plans start with the required

vaccines for all dogs, but you determine what additional vaccines are necessary for each of your patients.

All dogs should have the following core vaccines (unless there’s a medical reason not to vaccinate):

• Distemper

• Adenovirus

• Parvovirus

• +/- Parainfluenza

• Rabies

In addition to these, other vaccines are just as essential for some dogs based on their lifestyle and risk. These include:

• Leptospira (should be considered for all dogs based on increasing prevalence)

• Lyme disease

• Bordetella

• Canine influenza

• Rattlesnake toxoid

For every dog, ask: What’s “core” for this patient? Core vaccines are required for all dogs, but other vaccines should also be considered “required” for certain dogs. Vaccine plans should be personalized and based on risk levels and good clinical judgment. When vaccines are overdue or unknown, consider that the benefits of vaccinating outweigh the risks in most cases.

Learn more about the guidelines at aaha.org/canine-vaccinations.

Recognize and Celebrate Veterinary Technicians

The success of a veterinary practice depends upon the entire team – but we all know that the role of the veterinary technician is sometimes undervalued. These hard-working professionals help keep our practices running well and, especially in an AAHA-accredited hospital, provide our patients and clients with the highest level of care.

It’s October – and October is a special month in the veterinary profession. It’s when we celebrate National Veterinary Technician Week. Well, one week of celebration is not enough! We’re adding some excitement and a muchneeded boost to the morale of veterinary technicians.

It’s time to show your credentialed technicians that you value them – and AAHA is going to help you! We took this special month to introduce the inaugural AAHA Veterinary Technician of the Year Award recognizing the outstanding achievements of credentialed, experienced veterinary technicians.

Top row: Photo courtesy of Nicholas Lynum, Photo by Debe Jorgensen, Photo by Sarah Spurgeon. Middle row: Photo by Ronin Elliott, Photo by Peter Gerlach, Photo by Page Magee. Bottom row: Photo by William Vargas, Photo courtesy of Kasia Lloyd, Photo by Liz Bird, Photo by Kasia Lloyd

Winner

Finalists

The winner receives cash prizes, a commemorative award, lapel pin, and much more. This award was made possible by the generous support of Zoetis.

The skills and education veterinary technicians bring to the table are unsurpassed. Not only are they on the frontlines working in the exam rooms, but also behind the scenes, ensuring proper care of animals every step of the way.

Hundreds of stellar nominees whose stories showed their dedication to the field came forward. They demonstrated exemplary knowledge in their field of study, and their communication skills to not only help out coworkers, but clients as well.

Congratulations to the winner and finalists of the inaugural Veterinary Technician of the Year Award!

View the full nomination requirements, the finalists and winner, as well as their prizes by visiting the Veterinary Technician of the Year Award web page.

Nicole Jameson-Fritz, RVT Canada West Veterinary Specialists

Michelle Frank, CVT Caring Pathways

Andrea Lombardi, CVT MSPCA Angell at Nashoba

Lisa Shoebridge, RVT Burnhamthorpe Animal Hospital

How to energize your team

Challenges the veterinary team are faced with extend beyond the exam room. This free RACE-approved workshop provides hands-on skills for the nonmedical part of the job, such as client communications, overcoming professional challenges, and caring for your own wellbeing.

Join learning facilitator Josh Vaisman, MAPPCP, for this free AAHA Beyond Medicine Workshop,as he demonstrates how to be a positive leader in your organization no matter your role. Pick the date that works for you! Workshops are held from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. on November 19, December 10, January 21, and February 11. Open to all veterinary professionals.

Learn more and enroll at aaha.org/beyond.

Working technicians: Earn your credential online

Are you working full time in a practice but dreaming of earning your veterinary technician associate’s degree and sitting for the Veterinary Technician National Exam? While this may seem like a daunting challenge, it is possible. AAHA makes it easier with the Distance Education Veterinary Technology Program (DEVTP), created in partnership with Dallas College. This flexible online model allows for both work and schooling. Upon completion, you are eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam.

Enroll now at aaha.org/devtp

searches completed during the months of July, August, and September.

The 2022 AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year

At a sold-out Connexity®, the spotlight shined bright for all of the AAHAAccredited Practice of the Year Award finalists:

• Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists (Loveland, CO)

• Stack Veterinary Hospital (Syracuse, NY)

• MedVet New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)

• Lafayette Veterinary Care Center (Lafayette, LA)

This year, the light shined brightest on Lafayette Veterinary Care Center in Lafayette, Louisiana, the winner of the 2022 AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year Award.

“They were the most AAHA-forward practice demonstrating their commitment to AAHA standards,” said Mark Thompson DVM, CCRP, and vice president of the AAHA Board of Directors. “What I mean by AAHA-forward is that they presented their practice, to staff and the public, with AAHA as their standard of excellence. They demonstrated a rare level of community service, and have a practice culture that should be admired.”

Lafayette Veterinary Care Center (LVCC) offers emergency services 24 hours a day, as well as wellness appointments and a resort with boarding, grooming, and daycare. LVCC has upheld its AAHA accreditation for 50 years, passing its first

evaluation in 1972. Now it’s the largest veterinary practice in six parishes, with 13 doctors and 140 team members overall.

A few of the accomplishments noted in LVCC’s award application include the following:

To make sure the staff at LVCC felt heard, the practice implemented a suggestion box to keep the lines of communication open. Suggestions get routed through HR to the right department, and every suggestion receives some form of reply in the practice’s Slack channel. Employees can check the progress of their idea there, and if something isn’t possible, the leadership can explain the limitations.

Lafayette Veterinary Care Center also stood out when it came to creating a healthy workplace culture. They implemented strategies to turn the tide of burnout, such as promoting several team members to assistant manager positions, overlapping doctor schedules, and increased pay for working nontraditional hours.

See their story and that of each finalist at aaha.org/awards