May/June 2023

Features

CVMA Membership Matters

Member Profile: Erin Smythe-Morey, DVM

CVMA’s Advocacy Program: Insights from Our Lobbyist

Legislative Update

CVMA Certified Veterinary Assistant Program

Did You Take Your Lunch Break? An Overview of California Labor Laws

Safeguarding Your Veterinary Practice from Water Damage: Mitigation Strategies for Success

Perspectives from a Veterinary Oncologist on the Use of Cannabis in the Small Animal Oncologic Patient

2023 CVMA Award Recipients

CDFA News: California Animal Blood Banking Update

Make a Difference: Donate to the California Veterinary Medical Foundation

Veterinary Medical Board Update

Regulatory Compliance Products for Veterinary Practices

Welcome, New CVMA Members!

Something to Wag About

Departments

CE Calendar Director’s Corner

First-Year Veterinarian

News & Now

Compliance Corner: COVID-19 Prevention Plans Still Required of California Employers University News

Upcoming CE

Pacific Veterinary Conference in Long Beach

June 9–12, 2023 | 28.5 CEUs

For more information, see page 30.

Major Sponsors:

Working with Difficult Customer Behaviors

September 5, 2023 | 1 CEU

5:30 PM–6:45 PM

For more information, see page 27.

Cybersecurity Framework—Guarding Your Practice

From Cyber Threats

September 19, 2023 | 12:30 PM–1:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

September 27, 2023 | 5:30 PM–6:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

For more information, see page 27.

CVMA Fall Seminar in Tahoe

October 6–8, 2023 | 12 CEUs for veterinarians, technicians, and CVMA CVAs

For more information, see page 22.

Personality Traps

October 17, 2023 | 5:30 PM–6:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

October 25, 2023 | 12:30 PM–1:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

For more information, see page 27.

Registration for all CVMA events can be made online by logging onto cvma.net or by calling 800.655.2862.

CVMA-AFFILIATED PROGRAMS

California Veterinarian (ISSN 00081612) is published bi-monthly by the California Veterinary Medical Association, e-mail: staff@cvma.net. California Veterinarian is an official publication of the California Veterinary Medical Association. Annual subscription rates to non-members: $50 U.S., $60 Canada/Mexico, $70 overseas. Price per single copy: $10 current year, $12 back issues. Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, CA and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to California Veterinarian, 1400 River Park Dr., Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95815-4505. Phone: 800.655.2862

The CVMA and California Veterinarian assume no responsibility for material contained in articles and advertisements published, nor does publication necessarily constitute endorsement by them. ©2023 CVMA

The Publication of the California Veterinary Medical Association

Publisher Dan Baxter

Managing Editor Kristen Calderon

Editor Taryn DeOilers

Publication Designer Marissa Collier

Classified Advertising Laura Phillips

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

President Dr. Keith Rode

President-Elect Dr. Michael Karle

Member-at-Large Dr. Jennifer Hawkins

Members

Dr. Peter Bowie

Dr. Kelly Byam

Dr. Patrick Connolly

Dr. Misty Hirschbein

Dr. Adam Lauppe

Dr. Julia Lewis

Dr. Peter Mangold

Dr. Diane McClure

Dr. Teresa Morishita

Kristi Pawlowski, RVT

Dr. Kevin Terra

Dr. Peter Vogel

Dr. Jodi Woods

Treasurer Dr. George Bishop

Chair, House of Delegates Dr. Laura Weatherford

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES

University of California, Davis Mary “Molly” Hallsten

Western University Inez Rivero

CVMA STAFF

Executive Director Dan Baxter

Director of Communications Kristen Calderon

Director of Finance Kathy Van Booven

Director of Conferences and Events Sarah Erck

Director of Regulatory Affairs Dr. Grant Miller

Membership and Student Services Manager Laura Phillips

Publications Manager Taryn DeOilers

Accountant Shanna Allen

Communications and CE Coordinator Nicole Campos

Finance Coordinator Sharmele Browne

Graphic Designer Marissa Collier

Conference Speaker Coordinator Lily Briggs

Conference Expo Coordinator Erica Ferrier

Membership Coordinator Jennifer Smith

Receptionist Mary Young

DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Please contact Taryn DeOilers at 916.649.0599 ext. 16 or email tdeoilers@cvma.net.

This past February, the CVMA’s Director of Communications— Kristen Calderon—and I had the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas to attend the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC). Our specific purpose for attending was to staff a booth representing the CVMA’s own annual keynote event, the Pacific Veterinary Conference (PacVet), which this year will be held in Long Beach from June 9 through June 12. For me, this February trip was both my first time working a booth on the CVMA’s behalf and my first time attending a veterinary conference other than PacVet and other events hosted by the CVMA itself. The WVC is a truly audacious undertaking, impressive from both a numerical and logistical standpoint, and I commend its organizers for putting on a vibrant, successful conference.

During our 2 ½ days on site at WVC, Kristen and I were approached by a number of attendees, especially those from outside California, seeking information on PacVet and what we have to offer. While folks were too polite to ask, “Why should I spend my time and money to come to your conference?” many attendee inquiries essentially boiled down to just that question.

In case there are any readers of this publication who have ever wondered the same thing—particularly those who might be on the fence about whether to attend this year (advance registration closes on June 6, and on-site registration is always available!)—let me provide an answer. The first thing I would cite is the overall size of the conference. Our historical inperson figure of between 1,000 and 1,500 attendees seems to represent a good “sweet spot” between too few and too many people, allowing for a convivial experience without a sense of overwhelm.

Secondly, I would note the high quality of our CE offerings. Over the four days of our event this year, we will present 15 tracks featuring a total of 52 speakers. These tracks range from small animal to shelter medicine to avian/exotic to practice management, and we also have an entirely separate track dedicated to veterinary technicians, with RVT speakers providing the

instruction. The timing of these sessions is structured to allow attendees to conveniently move from room to room, get refreshments, and interface with their fellow attendees and conference vendors alike.

That, then, brings me to another hallmark of PacVet: our exhibit hall. We do our level best to provide a variety of vendors who truly bring something to the table relative to our attendees. We also make every effort to lay out our exhibit booths in a manageable way, giving attendees clear and convenient routes through the hall interspersed with easily accessible seating areas. In this manner, attendees can take full advantage of session breaks and lunches to get the most out of their time on the exhibit hall floor.

There are other noteworthy facets of PacVet, such as breakfasts and lunches (the latter Saturday through Monday) provided within the registration fee, our rabies titer testing and ultrasound labs, and our annual keynote presentation, which this year will be given by “The Street Vet,” Dr. S. Kwane Stewart. And, for those who want to earn CE but don’t have the time to travel to Long Beach, we are offering our Small Animal Medicine and Technician tracks in a hybrid format—live and interactive online and in person. All in all, we always try to put our attendees first in anything that we do relative to PacVet planning and execution.

For more information on what PacVet is all about, please see page 30 of this magazine, or go to pacvet.net/long-beach. We look forward to seeing you there!

Dan Baxter Executive Director

To the Soon-to-Be DVM, From One Year in the Future

By Anne Chiruvolu, DVM

One year ago, I received a text from my future colleague at the hospital I would be joining after graduation: “Your business cards are here!” Attached was a photo of stacks of crisp new cards with the company logo and the words “Anne Chiruvolu, DVM.” As I stood in the veterinary teaching hospital, exhausted and knee-deep in inpatients, those words seemed incredible—too good to be true. Was I really this close to everything I had been working so hard for?

And just like that, I’ve now been the doctor on those business cards for nearly a year. I’ve watched my confidence grow, my knowledge deepen, and my efficiency increase. I’ve had so many firsts and so many teachable moments—like a complicated case that hinged on a good rectal exam, proving every internist right that the only reason not to examine that end of the dog is if you don’t have a finger, or…you know the rest. I still have a long way to go, of course. There are plenty of firsts that haven’t come my way yet. But I’ve thought a lot about the advice I would offer to the earlier version of me, one year ago, staring incredulously at those business cards.

You don’t think you’re ready, but you are. Even though it doesn’t always feel like it, the skills you need on day one are already in place. The vet school faculty know what they’re doing, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how facts from lectures years before pop into your head when you need them most.

But remember, help is out there…and you’ll need it. Just because you’re ready to get started doesn’t mean you know everything. Every day I’m consulting textbooks, articles, Veterinary Information Network, and of course, my colleagues and technicians. Calling the IDEXX specialists has saved my bacon many times over, from deciding on next steps for my complicated 18-year-old nephrotic syndrome patient to putting together a treatment plan for an English bulldog with a highly antibiotic-resistant skin infection. And help isn’t limited to cases; you also need to lean on your family and friends for your own mental health. Whether seeking validation for a difficult decision or just sharing a funny photo, I can count on my vet school crew to be there for me, just a text message away. Keep them close, even if they’re physically far.

And lastly, there IS a place in veterinary medicine for you. Everyone in vet school has their own challenges and things that make them unique. Chronic illness, debt, lack of experience, physical limitations, family obligations, imposter syndrome… none of these mean you cannot become an outstanding doctor. Every person I know in my graduating class had their own struggles of one kind or another, and I’m consistently blown away by the amazing things they are accomplishing out there now. Find a practice that will set you up for success and nourish your growth, personally, and professionally—they are out there waiting for you. And they’ll print you some very nice business cards for when you arrive.

Calling all new grads!

Would you like to be featured as the next First Year Vet in the California Veterinarian? This is a great way to document your first year out of veterinary school, chart your professional and personal growth, and serve as an inspiration to current veterinary students. This opportunity involves writing six short articles (about 400 words each) on a bi-monthly basis about your experiences in the real-world of veterinary medicine. If interested, email Taryn DeOilers tdeoilers@cvma.net by June 15, 2023.

Dr. Anne Chiruvolu (far left) with veterinary school classmates at their 2022 graduation.

“You don’t think you’re ready, but you are. Even though it doesn’t always feel like it, the skills you need on day one are already in place.”

MAY 15, 2023

Inclusion & Diversity Committee Meeting

MAY 17, 2023

VISC Board Meeting

JUNE 9, 2023

Joint Board of Governors/ House of Delegates Meeting

JULY 18–20, 2023

Veterinary Medical Board Meetings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

CVMA Board of Governors

Action Planning Meeting

News Now & CVMA

Thank You for Paying Your CVMA Membership Dues!

Membership dues are available to pay online starting May 15. The CVMA would like to thank all of our members who have renewed their memberships. If you have not renewed yet, you still have time! Please visit cvma.net, click on Pay Bill Online under the Membership tab, and take full advantage of your member benefits. If you have any questions or wish to renew by phone, contact Sharmele Browne at 800.655.2862, ext. 10, or by email at sbrowne@cvma.net.

CVMA Successfully Kicks off First Two Mentor Moments

Mentor Moments, the CVMA’s new online mentoring series for veterinary students and new graduates, started off on a great foot with its first two presentations. On March 23, Drs. Willie Bidot and Teresa Morishita presented an insightful talk on “Obtaining and Maintaining Wealth,” while Drs. Larry Correia and Brent Wooden lectured on “Working for a Corporate vs. Private Ownership” on April 24. The CVMA thanks all who attended the lectures and our wonderful presenters! The series will continue on September 11, when Drs. Keith Rode and Georgina Marquez will speak on “Accentuate the Positive: Starting Your Veterinary Career on an Optimistic Note.” If you are a UC Davis or WesternU veterinary school student or recent grad and would like to attend, please visit cvma.net and click on Student Events under the Resources tab, and like and follow @cvma4students on Instagram.

UC Davis and WesternU Commencements

The commencement ceremony for WesternU’s College of Veterinary Medicine will take place on Friday, May 19. The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s commencement ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday, May 26. Congratulations to the graduating veterinary medicine students!

Happy Pride Month from the CVMA

The CVMA wishes the LGBTQIA+ community a Happy Pride Month this June! We encourage our members to learn about LGBTQIA+ history, celebrate those who have paved the way for equality, and raise awareness of discrimination and issues facing the community. The CVMA honors the diverse spectrum of sexual and romantic orientations, gender identities, and forms of gender expression in the veterinary profession.

“

[Being a CVMA member] is one of the main ways we can form a strong, effective, and impactful community of veterinarians to better serve the animals we care for, our clients/ owners, and our state and country.

Julian Castaneda, DVM, Ph.D., DACLAM Director of Comparative Medicine, Bay Area, AbbVie

CVMA Membership Matters

Don’t take our word for it. See why your colleagues are members!

» Benefiting

» Educating

» Advocating

» Supporting

» Leading

cvma.net

I like to be aware of legislation that may affect our profession. The CVMA keeps its members informed of these issues and helps protect the future of veterinary medicine.

Larry Correia, DVM Medical Director and Partner of VCA Asher Animal Hospital

[Being a CVMA member] is inherent to being a registered veterinary technician in California, allowing me to advocate for the veterinary profession as an RVTg.

Laressa Cruz Dimalanta, BASVT, RVTg, LATG, CVPM Hospital Manager at VCA Vets & Pets Animal Hospital and Part-Time Professor at Foothill College

Karryssa Fenderson, DVM Medical Director at Covina Animal Hospital

Inez Del Pino, DVM Associate/Relief Veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital

Equine Medical Center

I AM THE

Members are the heart of the CVMA

Erin Smythe-Morey, DVM

c Emergency Veterinarian and Medical Director at the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of Marin (by Veritas Veterinary Partners)

c UC Davis

c Small animal emergency and specialty hospital

Who is your role model? My mother. She’s a quiet but powerful woman of color who pioneered her way to an executive position while being a supportive and constant figure at home.

I keep my workplace fun by hand-making holiday presents for all 100+ hospital employees every year.

Something I do that my clients love is handing over my stethoscope to their children so they can listen to their pet’s heart.

What is your favorite quote? “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo...and it’s worth fighting for.”—Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

What is a movie or tv show that impacted your life? The Wild Thornberrys.

Where would you go if you could go anywhere? Why? New Zealand. I want to see the real Middle Earth.

The most adventurous thing I’ve done is raising two toddlers.

I am a CVMA member because I recognize the growing importance of organized veterinary medicine at the local, state, and national levels. The resources the CVMA provides and the natural network it fosters are invaluable.

• Source the highest quality ingredients

• Provide efficient and innovative dosage forms

• Boost patient compliance with palatable solutions.

• Perform frequent testing of potency & purity in products, beyond required amount.

• Fast turnaround times

• Dedicated veterinary team

• Reliable & easy-access care

• Personalized patient experience

• Finger cots, gloves, syringes, & instructions included as necessary, at no extra cost

Dosage

Meet the Lobbyist

CVMA’S ADVOCACY PROGRAM: Insights from Our Lobbyist

By Christina DiCaro, CVMA lobbyist

Every year at the State Capitol, the members of the California State Legislature introduce somewhere between 2,400 and 3,600 new bills on a wide range of subjects. In each legislative session there are approximately 30-40 pieces of legislation that affect the veterinary medical profession, such as animal research, prescription labeling, animal blood banking, cannabis and pets, and animal shelters. For the CVMA, the most concerning legislative efforts are those where laypeople or other health professions seek to encroach upon the well-established scope of practice of veterinary professionals. These seemingly annual threats to the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act are things that keep the CVMA’s leaders and your lobbyist up at night.

The CVMA has had a remarkably successful advocacy program for the last 50-plus years. The CVMA has always

invested a considerable amount of time and energy to safeguard veterinary professionals in their ability to work without undue interference.

In that regard, I have served as your lobbyist for 29 years. I entered the lobbying business alongside my father, Mike Dillon, who also served as your lobbyist for almost 50 years until his retirement on December 31, 2022. I am pleased that Camille Wagner, the former Secretary for Legislation under former Governor Jerry Brown, will be working with me on the CVMA’s behalf during this challenging 2023 legislative session.

From time to time, you may have wondered what your lobbyists do for you and your veterinary practice on a yearly basis at the State Capitol. Because of our advocacy efforts over the last few decades, the CVMA has a lot to be proud of: landmark legislation regarding the use of antibiotics in livestock, privacy protections for veterinary records, continuing education for veterinarians, ensuring

that cities and counties can’t pass local ordinances that affect your scope of practice, defeating “doggie teeth cleaning” bills, exempting veterinary drugs used in-house from sales tax, and authorizing veterinarians to discuss and recommend cannabis for pets, to name just a few.

At the outset of every legislative session, I personally screen all legislation, as well as thousands of subsequent amendments that accompany each bill throughout the year. I look for bill language that might positively or negatively affect the veterinary profession or bills that may have unintended consequences. For example, a legislator carrying a healing arts bill often doesn’t think that there will be an implication for veterinary professionals until we point out affected code sections to them.

I refer any flagged bills to the CVMA’s Legislative Team consisting of CVMA staff, the CVMA Legislative Committee Co-Chairs, and Executive Committee members for review. In March of each year, the CVMA Legislative Committee discusses and debates each referred bill and recommends a bill position, which is—after review—ratified or modified by the CVMA's Board of Governors. I then receive my marching orders from the CVMA.

Occasionally, the CVMA will sponsor legislation that benefits veterinarians. When that occurs, the CVMA and I are expected to help an author’s office draft the bill language and any amendments thereto, develop a fact sheet, complete background information documents, and write the remarks that our author can use when testifying in committee or speaking on the Floor. I may also write the remarks of the CVMA President or other CVMA representative who may

testify (if I don’t personally testify in committee). If a bill is being heard in the Assembly Agriculture Committee, for example, perhaps we might want a large animal veterinarian to testify. If a bill on shelter medicine is being heard in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee, the CVMA might invite one of our top shelter veterinarians to serve as the expert witness. The CVMA always develops a comprehensive letter stating our position on bills and I circulate that letter at the Capitol and meet with legislators who will be voting on the measure at each step of the way. With 120 elected legislators in the State Capitol, plus the Governor’s office, that can be a lot of ground to cover when it is a big issue or a controversial matter.

Often, a large part of a lobbyist’s job is to negotiate amendments alongside their client in order to make a troublesome bill more palatable. This can be a very time-consuming and often contentious process, particularly when the two opposing sides are deeply entrenched in their positions. Sometimes the philosophical divide between the two camps is so pronounced that there is not much of a path forward, and the CVMA’s only option is to oppose a bill without proposing amendments. Two bills this year are quite concerning to the CVMA: AB 1399-Friedman/ Lowenthal (veterinary telemedicine) and AB 814-Lowenthal (animal physical rehabilitation). As of this writing, the

CVMA will be opposing both measures, and in each case will be relying on the technical input of CVMA members to share professional stories that will help us craft messaging points that we will use in discussions with legislators.

The CVMA has an excellent reputation at the State Capitol and so much of that is due to the relationships that we have built, plus the decades of trust we have created with legislators and staff. These key decisionmakers know that the CVMA operates with a high level of integrity and will not compromise our principled standards to get a quick “win.” As such, legislators know they can trust both the CVMA and our clinical experts. Were it not for the hard-working CVMA staff and stellar veterinary medical professionals who volunteer to attend meetings with legislators or the Governor’s office, we would not have achieved the legislative victories of the past or those still to come.

I continue to be impressed every day by CVMA members. Your voices are so respected on issues of importance to California’s veterinary community. Together, we can continue to make a positive and lasting impact on the laws of the state.

“I look for bill language that might positively or negatively affect the veterinary profession or bills that may have unintended consequences.”

2023 California Legislative Update

This year, the CVMA is working to represent the veterinary profession on a number of critical bills that impact how veterinary medicine is practiced and the level of care that animals receive in California. The CVMA legislative team is participating in meetings frequently in order to ensure that the voice of the profession is heard among stakeholders and lawmakers.

Most bills have made or are currently making their way through their first policy committee. The CVMA’s top priority bills and their current status include:

AB 814 (Lowenthal) Veterinary medicine: animal physical rehabilitation.

CVMA Position: Oppose

This measure will permit physical therapists to open their own practices to provide animal physical rehabilitation services to all species of animals by veterinary referral. The bill is an attempt to override current state law by proposing that direct veterinarian supervision be removed in practices run by physical therapists and avoiding minimum standards required of veterinary practices by inclusion of a licensee manager and other consumer protection provisions.

The CVMA’s strong opposition on this bill is rooted in several areas. Among them include:

• Physical therapists have no training on animals as part of their formal and standardized licensing curriculum. If such a precedent were to be set by allowing them to practice veterinary medicine on animals, would veterinarians then be justified to practice on humans?

• Physical therapists want to open practices that provide services to all animals, despite their certification courses being focused on dogs, self-guided, and relatively short.

• Physical therapists are not formally trained in:

o The fundamental differences between quadruped animals and biped, upright humans;

o The signs of pain in animal species;

o Animal behavior as it relates to all species;

o Animal locomotion;

o Recognizing infectious diseases;

o First aid treatment;

o Emergency life-saving treatment;

o And much more.

Status: This bill passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and will be heard next in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1399 (Friedman/Lowenthal): Veterinary medicine: veterinarian-clientpatient relationship: telehealth.

CVMA Position: Oppose

This bill will change California’s current veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) law to permit a VCPR to be established solely via electronic means. It will circumvent the current requirement for a veterinarian to physically examine an animal patient or make medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animals are kept in order to prescribe medication and treat patients. Both the CVMA and the American Veterinary Medical Association believe that there is a place for telemedicine within veterinary practice, but oppose the sole use of telemedicine to initiate a VCPR in the first instance.

Status: This bill passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and will now head to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1232 (Connolly) Department of Food and Agriculture: resilient and higher welfare grant program.

CVMA Position: No Position—Write Letter of Concern

This bill tasks the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) with creating and implementing a grant program to support the implementation of higher standards of care and more climate-smart farming practices. As currently written, the bill creates new defined terms relating to the higher welfare grant program. Among those terms are “animal welfare certification” and “higher welfare”—both of which

specify when and how antibiotics may be administered to animals.

The CVMA reached out to the Author of this bill with a letter of concern requesting that language pertaining to antibiotic use be amended to align with current California law. The CVMA is pleased to report that the Author made a commitment to accept the requested amendments.

Status: This bill passed the Assembly Agriculture Committee and will now head to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 669 (Cortese) Veterinarians: veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

CVMA Position: Support with Proposed Amendments

This bill will permit veterinarians to utilize registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) as agents in establishing the veterinarian-clientpatient relationship (VCPR) for the specific purposes of administering prophylactic vaccinations and/or providing preventative procedures for parasite control.

The CVMA and the Veterinary Medical Board have extensively reviewed and discussed RVT licensing curriculum and recognize the expanded ability of RVTs to provide these services to assist veterinarians in establishing their VCPRs with clients to provide vaccinations and parasite control. This measure will help to improve access to veterinary care by giving veterinarians authority to more extensively utilize RVTs in practice.

Status: This bill passed the Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee and will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

More information about these bills, along with CVMA position letters and fact sheets, are available on cvma.net in the Advocacy section under “2023 Legislative Update.”

CVMA Legislative Action Center

For specific information on bills or to track CVMA-monitored bills through the legislative process, visit the CVMA’s online Legislative Action Center in the Advocacy section of cvma.net.

Priority Bills

Bill # Author Title

CVMA Position

AB 814 Lowenthal Veterinary medicine: animal physical rehabilitation. Oppose

AB 1232 Connolly CDFA: resilient and higher welfare grant program. Write Letter of Concern

AB 1399 Friedman/Lowenthal Veterinary medicine: veterinarian-client-patient relationship: telehealth. Oppose

SB 669 Cortese Veterinarians: veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Support

Referred Bills

Bill # Author Title

CVMA Position

AB 240 Kalra Dogs and cats: California Spay-Neuter Fund. Watch

AB 332 Lee Rabies control data. Watch, Letter of Concern

AB 357 Maienschein Animal test methods: alternatives. Watch Closely

AB 509 Fong Personal income taxes: gross income: exclusion: student loan assistance. Support

AB 554 Gabriel Corporations for the prevention of cruelty to animals: enforcement of laws. Watch

AB 595 Essayli Animal shelters: 72-hour public notice: euthanasia: study. Watch

AB 703 Hart

Residential property insurance: dog breeds. Watch

AB 781 Maienschein Information and services: emergency shelters: persons with pets. Support

AB 829 Waldron Crime: animal abuse. Watch

AB 996 Low

AB 1021 Wicks

Continuing education: conflict-of-interest policy. Watch

Controlled substances: rescheduling. Watch

AB 1237 Petrie-Norris Student financial aid: California Public Interest Veterinary Debt Relief Program. Support

AB 1619 Dixon

SB 485 Becker

Pharmacists: drug disclosures: cannabis or cannabidiol interactions. Watch Closely

Methane emissions: livestock: feed additives. Watch

SB 652 Umberg Evidence: expert testimony. Support

SB 373 Menjivar

DCA Select Boards: licensees’ and registrants’ addresses. Support If Amended

SB 780 Alvarado-Gil CDFA: oversight: commercial feed, feed additives, and drugs Watch

SB 887 Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development Consumer affairs. Watch

Watch-Consent (General Business) Bills

Bill # Author Title

Recommended Position

AB 1076 Bauer-Kahan Contracts in restraint of trade: noncompete agreements. Watch

SB 616 Gonzalez Sick days: paid sick days accrued and use: unpaid sick leave for railroad employees. Watch

SB 627 Smallwood-Cuevas Displaced workers: notice: retention and transfer. Watch

SB 848 Rubio

Watch-Consent Bills

Employment: leave for loss related to reproduction or adoption. Watch

Bill # Author Title

Recommended Position

AB 1215 Carrillo Homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets. Watch

AB 1298 Valencia Horse racing: unlicensed penalty. Watch

AB 1557 Flora Pharmacy: electronic prescriptions. Watch

SB 89 Ochoa Bogh Crimes: stalking. Watch

SB 802 Roth

Licensing boards: disqualification from licensure: criminal conviction. Watch

COVID-19 Prevention Plans Still Required of California Employers

By Grant Miller, DVM, CVMA Director of Regulatory Affairs

On February 28, 2023, California

Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation officially ceasing the three-year statewide emergency response to COVID-19 that began on March 4, 2020. Despite many emergency safety measures being decommissioned as a result of this announcement, the non-emergency COVID-19 workplace safety regulations posted by the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) remain. All California employers are mandated to comply with these regulations.

Cal/OSHA non-emergency COVID-19 prevention standards are found in California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 8, sections 3205-3205.3, as follows:

• 3205: General COVID-19 prevention measures required of employers

• 3205.1: COVID-19 workplace outbreaks, including definitions and mitigation/response requirements

• 3205.2: COVID-19 Prevention in Employer-Provided Housing

• 3205.3: COVID-19 Prevention in Employer-Provided Transportation

Employer Requirements Under the Non-Emergency Standards

Cal/OSHA regulations are legal requirements and are thus neither guidelines nor otherwise voluntary. Under these regulations, employers must do all of the following:

• Provide effective COVID-19 hazard prevention training to employees

• Provide face coverings when required by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and provide respirators upon request

• Identify COVID-19 health hazards and develop methods to prevent transmission in the workplace

ISTOCK PHOTO

• Investigate and respond to COVID-19 cases

• Notify affected employees of COVID-19 cases in the workplace

• Exclude people testing positive for COVID-19 from the workplace until they are no longer an infection risk and implement policies to prevent transmission after close contact

• Make testing available at no cost to employees, including to all employees in the exposed group during an outbreak or a major outbreak

• Review ventilation guidance provided by Cal/OSHA and CDPH and maintain effective methods to prevent COVID-19 transmission by improving ventilation

• Maintain records of COVID-19 cases and immediately report major outbreaks, employee deaths, serious injuries, and illnesses to Cal/OSHA

• Maintain a written COVID-19 Prevention Plan as a component of the workplace Injury and Illness Prevention Program

The current COVID-19 prevention regulations do not require employers to pay employees while they are excluded from work. Instead, the regulations require employers to provide employees with information regarding COVID-19related benefits they may be entitled to under federal, state, or local laws, their employer’s leave policies, or by contract.

The Cal/OSHA COVID-19 regulations are in effect now and will remain so for two years, unless Cal/OSHA undertakes efforts to alter this timeframe. The recordkeeping requirements set forth in these sections will remain in effect for three years. Veterinary employers should fulfill these legal requirements, including a written COVID-19 prevention plan, as soon as possible since the law does not provide a grace period for implementation.

Cal/OSHA offers a resource page to assist employers with COVID-19 workplace compliance: dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/ Non_Emergency_Regulations/

Solutions to Manage Dermatological Conditions

COMPREHENSIVE VET-CENTERED IMAGING FROM HEAD TO TAIL

Despite many emergency safety measures being decommissioned as a result of this announcement, the non-emergency COVID-19 workplace safety regulations posted by the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) remain.

In addition, CVMA members have access to the CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance at a low price. It includes a customizable template COVID-19 policy that complies with the most recent Cal/ OSHA regulatory changes. The CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance is designed specifically for California veterinary practices to assist them with all Cal/OSHA requirements. Visit https:// cvma-inline.net/regulatory-guide/ for more information.

This article is for informational and general educational purposes only. It is not intended to take the place of legal advice nor should it be considered as a legal interpretation. Although significant effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information at the time of publication, the CVMA shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions, or any agency’s interpretation, application, or enforcement of the information presented herein.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER BENEFIT!

Purchase your CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance subscription today!

The CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance is an online tool created specifically to help California veterinary practices with Cal/ OSHA compliance. It includes educational materials, required forms, training templates, implementation and recordkeeping resources, and a step-by-step wizard that simplifies the process of creating a customized written safety plan for your practice. Each section has clear instructions and a logical progression which results in a safety program catered to each individual subscriber.

The CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance is available only to CVMA members. The online subscription-only guide can be accessed and updated at anytime.

For more information or to renew your subscription visit cvma-inline.net/ regulatory-guide, call the CVMA at 800.655.2862, or email staff@cvma.net.

CVMA Certified Veterinary Assistant Program

The CVMA’s Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVMA CVA) Program is an opportunity for veterinary assistants to expand their knowledge and advance their careers in the veterinary profession.

Veterinary assistants learn through online education, in-practice practical experience, and skills assessments under the supervision of licensed veterinarians and RVTs before their final examination.

The CVMA CVA program now offers Level I (basic knowledge) and Level II (advanced knowledge)!

Benefits to Veterinary Assistants:

• Professional growth and increased value to the veterinary team

• Proficiency in medical terminology, nursing skills, surgical preparation, and much more

• The ability to learn while continuing to work

• One year of complimentary CVMA membership upon completing Level I certification

For full program information, visit the Resources tab at cvma.net.

Did You Take Your Lunch Break? An Overview of California Labor Laws

By Jason Eldred, Wilke Fleury LLP, 2023 Pacific Veterinary Conference Speaker

Most workers classified as independent contractors are actually employees. This is important because employees are protected by more California wage and hour laws than independent contractors.

Once a worker is properly classified, the employer is responsible for ensuring that the employee is paid all wages owed pursuant to law. There are strict rest periods that are codified in state and federal law. Employers are responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws.

for such employees must, insofar as it is practicable, be in the middle of each work period and must be at the minimum rate of ten consecutive minutes for each four hours or major fraction thereof. “On-duty rest periods” are unlawful in California. The employer must relieve employees of all workrelated duties and relinquish any control over how employees spend their time during required rest periods.

Does anyone understand all the nuances of federal and California wage and hour laws? Employers are responsible for understanding and following the law, while employees should be advised of their rights and obligations.

Worker Classification

The first issue to address is whether a worker is an employee at all. California recently changed its framework for how workers are classified. Most commonly, workers are classified as independent contractors or employees. With the codification of the ABC test in 2019 (typically from which veterinarians, but not veterinary support staff, are exempt), a worker is considered an employee, and not an independent contractor, unless:

• The worker is free from the control and direction of the hiring entity

• The worker performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business, and

• The worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as that involved in the work performed.

Meal Periods

One common area where employers expose themselves to liability is understanding what an employer must do to legally comply with the obligation to “provide” meal periods. Under California law, an employer has a duty to provide meal periods to employees that work more than 4 hours per workday. To qualify as a meal period, all of the following must be satisfied: (1) the meal period relieves the employee of all duties; (2) the employee relinquishes control over their activities; (3) the employer must permit the employee a reasonable opportunity to take an uninterrupted 30-minute break; and (4) the employer does not impede or discourage the employee from taking breaks. An employer is not responsible for policing meal periods.

Rest Breaks

Rest breaks are a bit trickier. California wage and hour laws require employers to “authorize and permit” rest periods for nonexempt employees whose total daily work time is at least 3 ½ hours. The mandatory rest periods

This is just a basic overview of issues pertaining to worker classification, meal periods, and rest breaks under California law. There are several important exceptions and nuances that employers and employees should consider. As more and more employers are offering remote work, mobile work, and modified work schedules, ensuring compliance with federal and California wage and hour laws is that much more difficult. We will cover these and related items in more detail on Sunday, June 11 at the Pacific Veterinary Conference.

Jason Eldred represents businesses and business owners in a wide array of civil litigation matters. He has experience representing clients spanning multiple fields, including construction companies, real estate companies, and medical professionals. Prior to joining Wilke Fleury, Jason worked at a general practice firm handling both litigation and transactional matters. Jason’s practice primarily consists of business litigation, employment law advising and litigation, and bankruptcy.

Now you can offer your clients the convenience of advanced imaging in your hospital. No travel is necessary, Mobile Animal CT comes to you. CT imaging can help you provide your clients with a diagnosis in the most challenging cases.

Mobile Animal CT brings state of the art CT imaging to your hospital using Neurologica’s CereTom or OmniTom; 8 and 16 slice FDA approved helical scanners.

Clinical indications for CT include: complicated fractures (especially pelvic and facial); chronic nasal discharge; soft tissue & bone tumors (including many brain tumors); chronic ear disease; trauma; elbow dysplasia; met checks, IVDD & many others. See our web page for additional Computed Tomography Applications.

CVMA FALL SEMINAR Adventure and CE Await at the Save the Date!

OCTOBER 6–8, 2023

Towering pine trees and blue skies make up the scenery for the breathtaking Everline Resort & Spa in Olympic Valley (formerly the Resort at Squaw Creek), the location of this year’s CVMA Fall Seminar. Mornings will be jam-packed with enlightening lectures and information that can immediately be applied to everyday practice, offering veterinarians, RVTs, and CVMA CVAs up to 12 CEUs.

The remainder of the afternoons will be free for attendees to explore all that the Tahoe area has to offer with their friends and family. Come find adventure in Olympic Valley’s arresting natural beauty, the rippling shores of Lake Tahoe, dozens of miles of hiking and biking trails, brimming wildlife, and much more. There is no better place to earn CE and spend your autumn vacation!

EVERLINE RESORT & SPA (FORMERLY RESORT AT SQUAW CREEK)

400 Squaw Creek Road, Olympic Valley, CA 96146

FRIDAY-SATURDAY • 6 CEUS

Topic: Pain Management

Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP (C/F) Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner

SATURDAY-SUNDAY • 6 CEUS

Topic: Emergency Critical Care

Elizabeth Rozanski, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM)

CVMA Member: m Yes m No

Fall Seminar Registration Form

October 6–8, 2023 • North Lake Tahoe

Do you want us to use this information to update your CVMA profile? m Yes m No

Please check one: m DVM m RVT m Veterinary Staff m Other _____________________________________________________

Attendee Name (Dr.):

Company/Practice:

Mailing Address: m Work m Home

City/State/ZIP:

Phone (Required):

E-mail (Required):

Registration includes: Twelve maximum CEUs for DVMs, RVTs, and CVMA CVAs, a syllabus, a certificate of attendance, and daily continental breakfast (in-person attendees only) for registered attendees.

by after CVMA Members Aug. 31 Aug. 31

DVM m In-person m Virtual

RVT/Veterinary Staff m In-person m Virtual

$315 $345

$205 $235

Guests Breakfast Tickets

m Guests Continental Breakfast # @ $45/day $

Guest Breakfast Tickets are not needed for registered attendees. Attendee breakfast is included in the registration fee.

Payment

Enclosed is a check for $

$445

A copy of this form must accompany your check in order for your registration to be processed.

If you would prefer to pay with a credit card, please register online at CVMA.net.

Registration for in-person and virtual attendees closes September 21, 2023. Onsite registration available for in-person attendees, space permitting.

Hotel Information

Everline Resort & Spa

400 Squaw Creek Road, Olympic Valley, CA 96146 Tel: 530.583.6300

The CVMA has secured special room rates of $209 per night for deluxe guestroom (single or double), plus applicable taxes. Reservations: Reserve your room by calling 800.404.5544 and reference the CVMA Fall Seminar or visit the Continuing Education tab at cvma.net. The conference room rates are available until September 6, 2023, or until the group block fills up, whichever comes first.

Hotel parking: The hotel offers self-parking for overnight guests at $10. Valet parking is $20 per night (parking rate subject to change without notice).

Attendees can enjoy a 10% spa, golf, and bike discount.

General Information

By registering for the CVMA Fall Seminar, I agree to the terms and conditons. The terms and conditions can be found at cvma.net.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

All cancellation requests must be made in writing and received either by fax, email, or regular mail no later than September 15, 2023, to receive a full refund, less 10 percent administration fee. No refunds for cancellations or registrations received after this date.

California Veterinary Medical Association 1400 River Park Drive, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95815

If you have any changes or additions to this form after submission, please email staff@cvma.net or call us at 800.655.2862.

Safeguarding Your Veterinary Practice from Water Damage: Mitigation Strategies for Success

By Bret Martin, PE, CSP, CFPS, CHFM, CHE, CLSS-HC, Assistant Vice President, Property Risk Control, CNA Insurance

Water can destroy medical equipment, computer/phone systems, records, and supplies and may cause significant damage to the walls and floors of your clinic. According to CNA Insurance claims data for veterinary clinics from 2017–2022, 21% of all claims have been related to water damage.

Here are basic steps to minimize the risk of water damage:

Assess your clinic’s water intrusion sources and potential impact

It is critical to understand how water might enter your clinic and the damages that could occur. There are three major sources of water damage for buildings:

1. Building infrastructure that supplies, removes, or uses water (such as HVAC equipment with condensate drains, humidifiers, hot water heaters, washers, and icemakers)

2. Exterior walls, doors, windows, and roof

3. Water from outside sources or an unintended inside source. Managing and responding to surface water, back up of sewers and drains, and flood hazards is a key risk control element for a property owner

Consider having an accredited professional assess your building for risks of an infrastructure failure where systems/equipment are beyond their useful life or have been damaged in some manner. This assessment should include plumbing, sewage, HVAC, roofs, and sprinkler protection systems.

Additionally, it is important to consider the potential impact from a water release in your clinic. Identify critical equipment (e.g. servers, computers, x-ray equipment) that may be impacted and understand the time and cost to repair/replace water-damaged items. This will enable you to develop equipment recovery plans with the information needed (e.g. vendor/ contractor information, cost, and lead time estimates) to quickly restart your clinic’s operations.

Prepare your clinic’s water risk mitigation solution Preparation is essential to any successful water damage mitigation plan. Key preparatory elements include:

• Maintaining current maps and drawings identifying all water sources and control valves

• Updated minimum construction standards for new facilities

• Frequent training for response personnel

• Established guidelines for minimum flood mitigation equipment/ inventories and site locations

• Established system agreements with environmental services

Preparation should also include steps to reduce water damage to the clinic using flow restriction and remote monitoring devices, including:

• Using water detection devices to alert the presence of water

• Implementing flow control or flow restriction devices on water supply lines

• Defined response processes for water alert events

• Considering use of automatic shutoff devices

An increasingly popular element of many water damage mitigation plans is the use of new Internet of Things (IoT) water sensing technologies, both passive and active. Passive systems send alerts to your phone/email when water intrusion occurs, and are typically for smaller appliances, sinks, water heaters, condensate overflow pans, and other water sources. Active systems are more effective at reducing the amount of water intrusion itself, incorporating devices that detect water and/or monitor water flow rates that automatically shut off valves during leak events. In addition, selfclosing “flow control” or “flow restriction” devices that automatically shut off the flow can be placed on supply lines for toilet connections, sinks, dishwashers, icemakers, coffee makers, etc. A wellcrafted water damage mitigation plan will

incorporate this new technology and allow for rapid detection, flow control, and response to water events.

Isolate and remove water impacting the clinic

Quickly detecting the presence of water and isolating its source can significantly reduce damage. Following water isolation and containment, it is important to begin the drying process using fans, dehumidifiers, and other methods to reduce moisture levels. It is also essential to remove any standing water as soon as possible to prevent mold growth, which can begin within 24 hours. Immediately following a water damage event, a thorough inspection—including checking for signs of structural damage, testing for mold and other contaminants, and assessing any potential health risks—

should be performed. Containing and drying out the water and thoroughly inspecting the affected areas can help save time and money, and minimize health risks for the occupants and animals.

CNA offers risk control solutions that can help businesses manage property-related exposures and minimize business interruptions. CNA has a website dedicated to Water Damage Mitigation (https://www.cna.com/web/guest/ cna/risk-control/prepwise/water-damage) that includes reference documents for Water Damage Preparation, Water Damage Incident Response, and Water Damage Technology Solutions. There are additional links for Business Resiliency Planning, Winter Weather Preparation, and Hurricane Preparation. All of these resources can help prepare your veterinary clinic for water damage events.

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$59 if you apply to enroll by 07/31/2023.

Learn more at carecredit.com/mycustomlink.

What could be friendlier than giving your clients a contactless, all-in-one digital way to learn about financing, see if they prequalify (no impact to their credit bureau score), apply and pay.* All on their own. That’s how simple payment can be when you accept the CareCredit credit card. ©2023

*Subject to credit approval.

©2023 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. US-PET-0064-2020-V2

Online Seminars

Working with Difficult Customer Behaviors

Ralf Schirg, MA

September 5, 2023 | 5:30 PM–6:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

This course focuses on individual skill development on effectively managing challenging behaviors. There are three things we drive home in this course: respond to behaviors and not people, read and respond with rational thinking, and learn new ways of reading and responding to behaviors we consider negative or challenging. This course gives you a toolbox of strategies to deal effectively with challenging behaviors.

Cybersecurity Framework—Guarding Your Practice from Cyber Threats

Ismael Vite, ARM, CC, NIST CSF LI

September 19, 2023 | 12:30 PM–1:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

September 27, 2023 | 5:30 PM–6:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

While many elements related to cybersecurity are technical, the goal of this presentation is to give you a plan of action to implement and maintain cybersecurity, ensuring your practice is protected and resilient in the face of non-stop threats from cyber-related harm, whether accidental, criminal, or malicious. You will learn cybersecurity basics, the role of risk management, a common cybersecurity framework to get you started, and free cyber security resources for business. This webinar is FREE to CVMA members!

Personality Traps: Perfectionism, People-Pleasing, and the Imposter Phenomenon

Taylor Miller, Not One More Vet

October 17, 2023 | 5:30 PM–6:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

October 25, 2023 | 12:30 PM–1:45 PM (1.5 CEUs)

Some of the attributes that contributed to our objective success in school—and perhaps continue to contribute to our effectiveness in practice—have a dark side. Perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies mean that someone else is receiving the best of us, with little left over to invest in mental health or wellness. The imposter phenomenon amplifies this imbalance by telling us we must perform at maximum capacity or risk being found out as incompetent or unworthy. In this webinar, we will unpack each of these personality traps, review how to recognize them, and understand their current role in our mental landscape. We will imagine a life without the pressure of each and outline a strategy to work towards that goal.

Register online by visiting the Learning tab at cvma.net or by phone at 800.655.2862.

LifeWorks, the CVMA’s Member Assistance Program, is offering free webinars each month of 2023 addressing various wellness topics. Please note: LifeWorks webinars do not offer CE credit.

SPONSORED BY:

Resilient Leadership

May 26, 2023 | 11:00 AM–11:30 AM

As we reflect on the impact of the past few years, now is the time to take steps to build your resiliency and move forward. In this session, we will help you re-focus on key components of leadership so that you can demonstrate resiliency and support your employees and colleagues in doing the same.

Disaster Preparedness

July 14, 2023 | 11:00 AM–11:30 AM

Disaster can strike at any point without warning. In all situations, basic knowledge and preparation is the key to survival and recovery. We will talk about people and pets, as well as how you can prepare everything from documents to home protection and what you need to have ready to go.

Getting Organized

July 28, 2023 | 11:00 AM–11:30 AM

If you need help getting organized, this program is for you! This webinar looks at the downside of being disorganized, helps you determine your own organizational quotient, and explores why we're disorganized. This session also examines the benefits of organization, identifies how to get started, addresses organization issues in both our homes and at work, and discusses storage issues and other resources.

For more information and to register for the LifeWorks webinars, visit https://go.lifeworks.com/en-us/wellbeing-calendar-2023#may.

LifeWorks Wellness Webinars

Perspectives from a Veterinary Oncologist on the Use of Cannabis in the Small Animal Oncologic Patient

[THC]) cannabis contains less than or equal to 0.3% THC and may be purchased legally over the counter from retail outlets and the online marketplace.

2. High THC Cannabis

High THC cannabis (also known by the more familiar name of marijuana) contains more than 0.3% THC and is found in cannabis dispensaries.

By Trina Hazzah, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), CVCH

Veterinarians are being inundated by questions from pet parents regarding the use of cannabis for many of their pets’ conditions, including cancer. Pet owners can purchase hemp products online and at local pet stores, and for those living in states with medical or recreational cannabis laws, high THC products are available in cannabis dispensaries. Widespread accessibility of cannabis products and the owner’s interest in utilizing cannabis for their pets provides veterinarians a unique opportunity to guide pet owners toward safe products.

It is imperative that clinicians understand that cannabis is divided into two varieties based solely on the plant’s legal classification:

1. Industrial Hemp

Industrial hemp (also known as hemp or low delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol

Cannabidiol (CBD) and THC are just two of over 150 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds/ligands that bind to specific receptors throughout the body. These receptors are involved in critical functions like mood, appetite, pain signaling, immune health, disease development, and more.

An important point for clinicians to remember is that cannabinoids are molecularly identical, regardless of the plant variety from which they are derived. Both hemp and marijuanaderived products are safe and effective for certain conditions, provided they are dosed appropriately.

Cannabis and Cancer Facts Supported by Current Scientific Evidence

1. Based on in vitro and preclinical studies as well as human clinical trials, complex cannabis products that contain multiple compounds have superior anti-cancer effects compared to pure isolate products.

2. To date, 100+ scientific studies are published on the anticancer effects of various cannabinoids in laboratory animals, with most involving CBD and THC. Results from these studies suggest cannabinoids elicit anticancer effects at several levels, such as inhibiting tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis, immune modulation, and induction of cancer cell death. Additional evidence suggests that cannabinoids may enhance the effect of conventional treatments like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation (Hinz 2019, Hermanson 2011, Tomko 2020).

3. Interestingly, the phytochemicals responsible for the aroma (terpenes) and the color (flavonoids) of the cannabis plant have demonstrated direct anticancer activity on their own and may also work additively or synergistically with cannabinoids.

4. Despite studies supporting the hypothesis that cannabinoids may enhance the immune response against progressive growth and spread of tumors, there are some older reports that found drastically different results. These studies found cannabinoids have immunosuppressive action via activation of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), as well as causing upregulation of the regulatory T cells (Tregs), both of which lead to the inhibition of normal (antitumor) immune response. This has not been confirmed in any clinical trials (Hinz 2022).

5. Researchers have not published any clinical trial data evaluating the use of cannabis in tumor-bearing dogs or cats.

6. There are less than a handful of published canine cell culture studies evaluating the antitumor effect of CBD. The results of those studies indicated that CBD had antitumor effects in all of the cell lines, including lymphoma, mammary carcinoma, osteosarcoma, glioma, and transitional cell carcinoma. The studies also noted that, when CBD was used in combination with certain chemotherapy agents, cancer cell death increased (Gross 2021, Henry 2021, and Inkol 2021).

7. There is mixed data regarding a drug-herb interaction between cannabis and immunotherapy. Some studies demonstrated reduced response rates and survival times with the combination, while a recent article showed no negative interaction exists (Taha 2019, BarSela 2020, Waissengrin 2023).

8. Despite cannabinoids demonstrating antitumor activity in multiple cell lines, rodent cancer models, and a small number of human clinical trials, insufficient data exists to determine which combination of compounds or doses is required to kill cancer in dogs or cats.

Cannabis and Palliative Care

Cannabinoid therapeutics have a role in end-of-life care that has been acknowledged through medical cannabis programs for adults globally. Based on my years of clinical experience, several anecdotal veterinary reports, and human published studies, cannabis can absolutely play a role in relieving side effects secondary to cancer or conventional therapy, such as nausea, pain, anxiety, and poor appetite. However, further studies are needed to determine optimal dosing in pets with cancer.

Conclusion

Cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids have all been shown to have antitumor activity in cancer cell lines as well as in animal xenograft models. Cannabinoids may play an integral role in treating pets with cancer. Incorporating cannabis products (both high and low THC varieties) may provide antitumor activity on its own or in combination with conventional therapy. It may also provide palliative support and improve the quality of life of our patients

Dr. Trina Hazzah is a board-certified veterinary oncologist with an additional certification in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Herbal Medicine. She developed an interest in cannabis medicine while searching for integrative approaches for veterinary cancer patients. Over the past eight years, she has treated hundreds of patients with cannabis. Dr. Hazzah is the president and co-founder of the Veterinary Cannabis Society, which is the first US-based non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization building awareness of cannabis as medicine for pets. After almost 15 years of practicing medical oncology, she switched her focus to predominantly cannabis medicine and founded a pet parent-focused cannabis consulting service, Green Nile, Inc.

Sources

Hinz B, Ramer R. Anti-tumour actions of cannabinoids. Br J Pharmacol. 2019; 176 (10): 13841394.

Hermanson DJ, Marnett LJ. Cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and cancer. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2011;30 (3-4): 599-612.

Tomko AM et al. Anti-Cancer Potential of Cannabinoids, Terpenes, and Flavonoids Present in Cannabis. Cancers (Basel). 2020; 12 (7): 1985.

Hinz, B., Ramer, R. Cannabinoids as anticancer drugs: current status of preclinical research. Br J Cancer 127, 1–13 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/ s41416-022-01727-4

Gross C, Ramirez DA, McGrath S, Gustafson DL. Cannabidiol Induces Apoptosis and Perturbs Mitochondrial Function in Human and Canine Glioma Cells. Front Pharmacol. 2021 Aug 11; 12: 725136.

Inkol JM, Hocker SE, Mutsaers AJ. Combination therapy with cannabidiol and chemotherapeutics in canine urothelial carcinoma cells. PLoS One. 2021; 16(8): e0255591.

Henry JG, Shoemaker G, Prieto JM, Hannon MB, Wakshlag JJ. The effect of cannabidiol on canine neoplastic cell proliferation and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation during autophagy and apoptosis. Vet Comp Oncol. 2021 Jun;19 (2): 253265.

Hazzah T., Andre C., Richter G. and McGrath S. Cannabis in Vet Med; A Critical Review, JAHVMA 2020.

Taha T, Meiri D, Talhamy S, Wollner M, Peer A, BarSela G. Cannabis Impacts Tumor Response Rate to Nivolumab in Patients with Advanced Malignancies. Oncologist. 2019 Apr; 24 (4): 549-554.

Bar-Sela G, Cohen I, Campisi-Pinto S, Lewitus GM, Oz-Ari L, Jehassi A, Peer A, Turgeman I, Vernicova O, Berman P, Wollner M, Moskovitz M, Meiri D.

Correction: Bar-Sela et al. Cannabis Consumption

Used by Cancer Patients during Immunotherapy

Correlates with Poor Clinical Outcome. Cancers 2020, 12, 2447. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Apr 13; 14 (8): 1957. doi: 10.3390/cancers14081957. Erratum for: Cancers (Basel). 2020 Aug 28; 12 (9): PMID: 35454955; PMCID: PMC9031888.

Waissengrin, Barliz et al. “The use of medical cannabis concomitantly with immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: A sigh of relief?” European Journal of Cancer (Oxford, England : 1990), vol. 180 52-61. 29 Nov. 2022.

YOUR PACVET CHECKLIST

Register to attend in-person or virtually (Small Animal Medicine or Technician tracks only) by May 22.

The Hyatt Regency Long Beach block is currently full. Please check PacVet.net for updates on overflow block options.

Plan your CE schedule. You can view the full conference schedule at PacVet.net.

Check out the sponsored symposia offerings.

Plan your visit to the two-day Vet Expo to view the hottest products and services.

Pack your good luck charm. PacVet features several raffles with valuable prizes!

Download the PacVet app to access conference information from the palm of your hand.

Sign up to get your rabies titer tested.

Be ready for fun, sun, and CE!

ThankYou

TO OUR 2023

2023 CVMA

Award Recipients

Each year, the CVMA honors individuals and organizations that have significantly contributed to organized veterinary medicine through their work on behalf of the veterinary profession and their furtherance of the human-animal bond. These individuals exemplify the very best that our profession has to offer.

Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s CVMA awards!

Help Celebrate the Award

Honorees at PacVet 2023 in Long Beach!

Saturday, June 10, 6:30 PM | Long Beach Convention Center

Join us as we recognize the achievements of these outstanding veterinary professionals.

Since the beginning of his career, Dr. Peter Weinstein has committed himself to improving veterinary medicine. He joined the CVMA immediately after graduation 35 years ago and has been an active, devoted member ever since.

Dr. Weinstein has held just about every position possible with the CVMA. He served as the CVMA's President (2003–2004), as a CVMA House of Delegates member (1993–1999), and as the CVMA's District II Governor (1999–2005). Additionally, Dr. Weinstein has offered his acumen to a variety of CVMA committees and task forces over the past three decades, notably serving as the Veterinary Medical Board Sunset Review Task Force Chair (2001–2004), as a longtime member (2004–2014) and President (2004–2005) of the Ways and Means Committee, and—most recently—as a member of the Access to Veterinary Care Task Force (2021–present).

Beyond the CVMA, Dr. Weinstein has made a profound difference in his local community. He loyally served as the executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association (SCVMA), the largest local veterinary medical association in the country, from 2007 to 2021. Under his leadership, the SCVMA expanded its continuing education chapter program to provide over 100 hours of free CE each year on topics tailored to the diverse interests of the SCVMA's membership. Dr. Weinstein also developed an array of community service programs, such as “SCVMA Gives Back” with the Downtown Dog Rescue, a monthly wellness and vaccine clinic aiding underserved areas of Los Angeles. Thanks in large part to Dr. Weinstein’s dedication and leadership, this event successfully provides medical assistance, including vaccines and spay/neutering, to 150–200 dogs and cats each month.

“The SCVMA is as large and as vibrant as it is today because of Dr. Weinstein's leadership and communication skills,” says Dr. Raymond de Villa, President of the SCVMA. “He has managed to bring together the different sectors of the veterinary industry in [Southern California] and have them all work hand-in-hand with the common goal of improving the practice, standards, and conditions of veterinary medicine.”

Dr. Weinstein graduated with a DVM degree from the University of Illinois Veterinary School in 1986. After graduation, he worked in private practice before opening his own clinic, and impressively earned a Master's in Business Administration while working full time and running his practice. Dr. Weinstein received the CVMA Distinguished Life Member award in 2015 and the CVMA RVT's Outstanding Veterinarian of the Year award in 1998, and is one of the few CVMA members to receive the CVMA President’s Award twice.

Lifetime Achievement Award | Peter Weinstein, DVM

The CVMA’s Highest Honor

Over the past 45 years, Dr. Chris Cowing has led the CVMA with an infectious enthusiasm for serving organized veterinary medicine. A born leader appreciated for his humility and humor, Dr. Cowing has earnestly thrown himself into a number of CVMA leadership roles throughout the years. His extensive history at the CVMA includes serving as the President from 2012–2013 and two consecutive six-year terms as the CVMA's District IX Governor. Dr. Cowing’s many accomplishments as CVMA President include playing an instrumental role in the defeat of AB 2304, a bill that would have allowed laypersons to clean animals’ teeth. This victory for the CVMA concluded a nearly decade-long fight to ensure that only licensed veterinary professionals are permitted to perform veterinary dentistry.

Dr. Cowing has also served in leadership roles for two of the CVMA’s crown jewels: the California Veterinary Medical Foundation (CVMF), the CVMA’s charity arm, and Veterinary Insurance Services Company (VISC), the CVMA’s insurance brokerage. Dr. Cowing served as the CVMF's Board President for two terms spanning some of the worst wildfires in California history, including the Carr Fire, Caldor Fire, Tubbs Fire, and Camp Fire. During this time, he ensured that charitable contributions from the CVMF were effectively transferred to veterinarians and practices affected by the fires. More recently, Dr. Cowing oversaw the growth of the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (CAVMRC) by securing the purchase of its mobile command center and trailer, which will significantly increase CAVMRC’s ability to provide veterinary care during disasters. As a long-time and current member of the VISC Board of Directors, Dr. Cowing has pored over countless complex insurance issues to make sure the program stays financially sound and relevant. In doing so, Dr. Cowing has played—and continues to play—a significant role in keeping one of the CVMA’s most utilized and important services not only operative but prosperous.

“I vividly recall meeting Chris during his first meeting on the [Board of Governors],” says Dr. Jay Kerr, CVMA past-president and 2022 Distinguished Life Membership recipient. “Fifteen years later, I think there are a limited few that can match [his] contributions to CVMA.”

Dr. Cowing retired from practicing veterinary medicine in 2021 after 47 years of service, but he continues to be deeply involved in the CVMA, including serving on the Finance Committee, Legislative Committee, Political Action Committee, Ways and Means Committee, VISC Board, and as an alternative delegate of the CVMA House of Delegates.

Many want to positively impact their communities, but few have done so as tangibly as Dr. Phillip Nelson, who has devoted his life to veterinary academia and community service. Over the years, Dr. Nelson has helped many thousands of veterinary students excel during their schooling, first serving as the department lead of Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine and then as the Associate Dean at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. All of this experience set the stage for his tenure as the Dean at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine (WesternU) from 2007 to 2022. There, Dr. Nelson transformed the veterinary program from its early beginnings into the esteemed and rigorous college it is today.

Even fewer leaders have been as ahead-of-the-curve as Dr. Nelson. Decades before diversity, equity, and inclusion and access to care were major topics of discussion in veterinary medicine—let alone in society atlarge—Dr. Nelson was publicly addressing these issues through his writing and advocacy. One of Dr. Nelson’s primary

Distinguished Life Membership | Chris Cowing, DVM

Outstanding Service Award | Phillip Nelson, DVM

missions at WesternU was to ensure that the veterinary classes reflected the diversity of the population that they would go on to serve, knocking down barriers for anyone interested in the profession, regardless of their background. On the access to care front, Dr. Nelson helped establish the Veterinary Ambulatory Community Service Program, which brings veterinary services from WesternU students and faculty to underserved areas. As generations of WesternU veterinary graduates move into their careers, they carry with them the spirit of community service that Dr. Nelson instilled within them.

In addition to his work in academia, Dr. Nelson has been a stalwart supporter of organized veterinary medicine, attending every American Veterinary Medical Association convention since he graduated veterinary school and serving on the Board of Directors and as the President of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. He has also been a steadfast contributor to the CVMA, regularly attending Board meetings and serving on multiple committees and task forces. Dr. Nelson now serves on the CVMA’s newest committee, the Inclusion and Diversity Committee, where he continues his long legacy of advocating for equity within the profession.

Robin Post found her calling when she started visiting her local SPCA as a ringworm ward volunteer. Robin realized she enjoyed spending her spare time cleaning the cat kennels and mopping floors more than her paralegal job, and knew she needed to switch careers. Shortly thereafter, the SPCA brought her on as a shelter medicine technician.

Robin was soon introduced to the work of Downtown Dog, a Los Angeles clinic that provides medical care to animals at risk of being surrendered to a shelter. She found that when asked, not a single owner would go through with surrendering their pet if they could afford their medical or surgical treatment. From then on, she devoted herself to helping people in similar situations stay united with their animal companions, even if they couldn’t afford the necessary medical care.

In 2017, Robin launched Animal Fix Clinic in Richmond, the first Fear Free® Certified spay/neuter clinic, where she serves as the technician supervisor. At the non-profit clinic, Robin and her team welcome all clients, regardless of their financial situation, for spay/neuter services and life-saving surgeries. “We have a wonderful team of RVTs, veterinary assistants, and administrative staff who all believe affordable care is not substandard care,” Robin says.

Robin embodies that principle in her daily work, going above and beyond to provide her patients the best care possible. Colleagues of Robin describe her as not only an intelligent, attentive, and highly skilled worker, but also a thoughtful and patient leader driven by a deep well of empathy and altruism. She treats each patient with love and kindness, ensuring that every animal in the clinic’s care is provided whatever they need to be comfortable and soothed. Colleagues note that when everyone else in the clinic has gone home for the night, Robin can be found visiting every patient one last time, double-checking that their analgesics have been administered, setting up a warm hiding spot for them, or simply providing a quick cuddle to help them feel less alone.

“The human-animal bond is not dependent on what one can pay,” Robin says. “Every human and every animal deserves the best care possible.”

Linda Markland Outstanding RVT of the Year (in Non-Private Practice) Award | Robin Post, RVT

RVT’s Outstanding DVM of the Year Award | Jill Muraoka Lim, DVM

Empowered by the belief that RVTs are the backbone of all veterinary practices, Dr. Jill Muraoka Lim has dedicated her career to building the RVTs in her community into a fortified, skillful, and fully utilized team of professionals. Disheartened that there were no veterinary technician schools in Ventura County, Dr. Lim endeavored to create the first. With the help of the school’s administration, Dr. Lim successfully set up the Veterinary Technology Program at Ventura College—writing the curriculum, serving as Program Director, and lecturing as an instructor. After years of perseverance by Dr. Lim and the college administration, the program formally launched in 2021 and a year later was granted the prestigious honor of accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Better yet, through her membership on the Ventura College Foundation Board, Dr. Lim made sure that the majority of first-year veterinary technician students were able to graduate from the program for free.

To provide a modernized and hybrid education that weaves together both lectures and hands-on experience, the Ventura College program is partnered with Ohana Pet Hospital, where Dr. Lim has served as a founding partner and HR director for over a decade. While Dr. Lim worked tirelessly to bring the veterinary technology program to fruition, her unflagging dedication to her team at Ohana never wavered. As HR director, Dr. Lim invests significant time, resources, and training into her staff members, offering structured goals and learning objectives and utilizing RVTs in every department in the hospital.

“Dr. Jill, as she is known to her team and the community, advocates for the advancement of the veterinary technician profession like no other DVM I have worked with in my 25 years in the industry,” says Michelle Anderson, RVT at Ohana Pet Hospital. “She truly understands that utilizing her team to their highest potential not only makes her more efficient, but also improves patient care and client satisfaction, and improves the job satisfaction and longevity of her team.”

California Animal Blood Banking Update

By Sean Brady, DVM, CDFA Animal Blood Banks Program Manager

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Animal Blood Banks Program implements and enforces laws related to animal blood banking in California. As a result of increased specialization in veterinary medicine, the demand for animal blood and blood component products for transfusion (such as whole blood, red blood cells, platelet-rich plasma, etc.) has risen dramatically.

Historically, California required commercial blood banks for animals to be closed-colony establishments. Closed-colony means donor animals are kept, housed, confined, or maintained for the purpose of blood collection. On January 1, 2022, Assembly Bill 1282, the California Pet Blood Bank Modernization Act, went into effect. This law aims to address the shortage of animal blood available for veterinary transfusion medicine in California and transition the State from closed-colony blood banks to community blood banks. Community blood banks are establishments that collect blood from pets whose owners voluntarily consent to have their animals donate blood. Community blood banks may be stand-alone businesses or implemented in existing veterinary practices.

Once it is determined that community blood banks have sold an amount of canine blood in California that equals or exceeds the amount commercial closed-colony blood banks sold in the previous four consecutive quarters, the CDFA will discontinue its licensing program for commercial blood banks. Additionally, the importation and sale of canine blood and blood

component products from out-of-state sources shall only be permitted from community blood banks.

Community blood banks for animals operating in California must register with the California Veterinary Medical Board to obtain a blood bank premises permit. In addition, all blood or blood component products sold in California must be registered with CDFA. Both registrations must be renewed annually. An application for registration of a blood or blood component product must include all the following:

• The name and address of the person who owns the property, establishment, institution, or business that sells the blood and blood component products

• The name and address of the person who oversees the production of animal blood and blood component products

• The type of animal blood and blood component products produced for sale

• A full description of the building,

including its address, facilities, equipment, and apparatus, to be used in production of animal blood and blood component products

• A protocol of the methods of production in detail that is followed in the production of the product

• A sample of the label to be placed on the blood or blood component product

• The registration application fee ($500)

California licensed veterinarians who collect blood or blood component products solely for use in their own practices are exempt from registration with CDFA but must follow current and best practices on animal blood banking.

Blood banks with products registered in California are required to submit quarterly reports to CDFA that include all the following:

• The number of donations from community-sourced animals

• Separate total amounts of whole blood, red blood cells, and fresh

UNSPLASH PHOTO

frozen plasma sold in California during that quarter, by species of animal, in estimated milliliters based on weight in grams

• The number and species of animal donors experiencing adverse events, the total number of adverse events, and the nature of adverse events experienced by animals that donate blood

• The number and species of animal donors that have donated blood

• The number and species of animal donors whose blood tested positive for known pathogens

Commercial blood banks for animals are not permitted to discriminate against veterinarians licensed in California in the sale of animal blood or blood component products. For instance, a commercial blood bank

that refuses to sell animal blood or blood component products to a veterinarian in circumstances in which that blood bank has available supply may be deemed to violate this aspect of the law.

To assist those interested in starting a blood bank for animals, the CDFA in conjunction with the Veterinary Medical Board, technical experts, and stakeholders have created an Animal Blood Banking Guidance Resource. This resource is designed to give veterinarians clear, accurate, and concise information regarding best management practices for operating animal blood banks and can be found at cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/cabb/docs/ animal_blood_banking_guidance_ resource.pdf.

This document includes information in the following areas:

• Animal donor qualification, selection, and screening

• Bloodborne pathogen testing

• Product handling, processing, labeling, and storage

• Important regulatory rules to follow

Those interested in selling animal blood or blood component products for transfusion should visit the CDFA Animal Blood Banks Program website at cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/CABB/ or email the program at CDFAbloodbanks@cdfa.ca.gov for more information.

Donate to the California Veterinary Medical Foundation

Disaster Preparedness and Response

Each year, critical weather and dry conditions result in intense fires across California, especially during the summer and early fall. Such wildfires over the past decade have burned millions of acres, throwing families, businesses, and wildlife into disarray. Between the flames, hazardous air quality, building damage, and potential lack of food and water, many animals require intensive medical attention.

To help address these adverse circumstances, the California Veterinary Medical Foundation (CVMF) supports the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (CAVMRC), which provides medical assistance to animals during declared emergencies. The CVMF also maintains a fund to reimburse private practitioners who provide subsidized or no-cost veterinary care to the public during a disaster.

Scholarships to UC Davis and WesternU Students

The CVMF annually presents monetary awards to third and fourthyear students at UC Davis and WesternU’s veterinary schools for their role in leadership, dedication to the human-animal bond, and outstanding service in veterinary medicine at a city or county animal shelter or during a recognized California disaster response.

Donations to the CVMA’s Animal Hall of Fame Winners

The CVMA Animal Hall of Fame celebrates the companion and working animals of California and the veterinarians who care for them. Past inductees have included working, service, and therapy animals as well as heroic animals who have exemplified the human-animal bond.

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Over the next 75 years, UC Davis would become the #1 ranked veterinary school in the country, with research and clinical breakthroughs that have shaped the face of animal health.

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine recently kicked off a year-long celebration of its 75th anniversary. In 1948, the school opened its doors to the Class of 1952—made up of 42 male students, almost all of whom were World War II veterans.

Within just one year of its opening, the school started to diversify its classes. Class of 1953 student Evelyn Loretta Dean became the first woman admitted to the school, and every class since 1957 has included women. By the Class of 1985, women began to outnumber men and now make up more than 80% of classes. In 1961, Amy Wilson Hosein became the first African American student admitted to the DVM program, graduating with the Class of 1965.

WesternU CVM Community Comes Together to Help Pets and Clients in Need

infectious disease screenings, and microchips, plus a few individual diagnostics. The team treated 23 dogs and 17 cats. In addition, clients were offered a variety of hygiene care products and free items for their pets, such as collars, toys, treats, and pet food.

The school has a rich history of educating veterinarians and veterinary scientists, making discoveries through a robust and progressive research enterprise, and setting the standards in animal health care. Innovation and collaboration are at the core of the school’s success and professional advancements. The faculty have developed new disciplines, new clinical treatments, and advanced the One Health approach to address complex health issues at the intersection of animals, people, and the environment.

Today, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is home to more than 600 DVM students and also offers MPVM, MS, and Ph.D. degrees. Its teaching hospital is one of the most comprehensive in the world with the largest advanced training program anywhere in veterinary medicine, training veterinarians in more than 35 specialty disciplines.

student and staff family members. Faculty members Gillian Angliss, DVM; Allison Marsh, DVM, MPH; Ana Alcaraz, DVM, Ph.D., DACVPA; Jose Peralta, DVM, MSc, Ph.D.; Street Dog Pomona Team Lead Rhea Hanselmann, DVM, MPVM, Ph.D.; and staff member Christiana Benoit helped oversee the activities.

Forty animals received free preventative treatment from the caring volunteers of the Street Dog Coalition/WesternU Team last fall. The event marked the organization’s second free clinic for the pets of unhoused and low-income community members, with another scheduled in the coming months.

Together, the team provided physical exams, vaccines, anthelmintics, flea/tick prevention,

Second-year student organizers Andrea Brkić, Savanah Vieira, and Caitlin Rolle pulled together and streamlined the successful clinic.

“As an undergrad, I also volunteered with the homeless,” Andrea said. “This program felt like a great continuation of something I’m already comfortable with.”

Twenty-seven students, representing all current WesternU DVM classes, were involved in the event, along with three

Dr. Peralta said the organizers initiated a new registration system utilizing a QR code, allowing clients to schedule a time for their pets to be seen by clinicians. “Allowing people to sign up ahead of time allows us to spread things out— more like appointments—instead of [people] just showing up and waiting in line,” Dr. Peralta said.

The latest clinic was co-sponsored by the Street Dog Coalition, Merck, and Student American Veterinary Medical Association. Learn more about the Street Dog Coalition and its critical work on the organization’s website at thestreetdogcoalition.org.

UC Davis Bandaging Lab Offers Fun, Insightful Instruction to Students

After being put on hiatus throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s CVMA Bandaging Lab returned as a resounding success. The annual event, which helps first- and secondyear veterinary students learn the art of bandaging, took place at the UC Davis campus on April 20, 2023. Canine instruction was provided by Dr. Chris Wong, while Dr. Marianne Brick educated on bandaging techniques for avian and exotic patients. Lori Hohman, RVT of JorVet (Jorgensen Laboratories) also assisted with canine instruction.

Food and beverages for the lab were provided by the CVMA, and the CVMA’s Membership and Student Services Manager Laura Phillips helped coordinate the event. Incoming UC Davis CVMA student representative Sarah Meil organized the sign-ups for the students, facility accommodations, and onsite assistance during the lab alongside classmates Katelyn Morita and Alexis Durant.

The CVMA thanks Drs. Wong and Brick for offering their time and expertise to help instruct the students. The event was also not possible without the generous support

of our sponsors, 3M and Jorgensen Laboratories, who donated the bandaging materials. Thank you to all involved for making this valuable learning experience possible again after three years!

Dr. Chris Wong (right) offers canine instruction.

PHOTOS BY LAURA PHILLIPS

Dr. Marianne Brick (left) provides avian instruction.

Lori Hohman, RVT (top right) from JorVet assists with canine instruction.

Proposed California Legislation Could Bring Change to RVT Practice

SB 669, introduced by Senator Dave Cortese, is a measure that would permit registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) to act as an agent of a veterinarian as the veterinarian establishes a VeterinarianClient-Patient Relationship (VCPR) for the specific purposes of administering vaccinations and providing preventative procedures for parasite control.

The CVMA has a “Support, If Amended” position on this bill.

A Brief History

In 2021 and 2022, the CVMA convened a task force of veterinarians and RVTs with specific expertise to address the issue of Access to Veterinary Care, which centers around a significant portion of pet owners facing financial barriers to even the most basic veterinary care for their animals. The task force’s work was approved by the CVMA’s Board of Governors in 2022 and culminated in a position statement and a list of action items for the CVMA to pursue in an effort to do its part to address the access issue. Both of those resources are available at cvma.net in the Resources section.

The list of action items includes “Expanding

the Role of RVTs.”

This topic was sent to the CVMA’s Registered Veterinary Technician Committee in 2022 for analysis and recommendation. The RVT Committee is composed of RVTs in multiple facets of the veterinary profession from across California. The RVT Committee did a deep dive into RVT education, core competencies, skills, and abilities and determined that RVTs possess adequate knowledge and skill to act as an agent of the veterinarian when

the veterinarian establishes a VCPR for the specific purposes of:

• Administering vaccines; and

• Performing preventative procedures for parasite control

In June of 2022, the RVT Committee’s determination was presented to the CVMA’s House of Delegates (approximately 75 veterinarians and RVTs from throughout California) and Board of Governors. After review and discussion, both bodies strongly supported the RVT Committee’s determination, and the Board directed CVMA staff to request rulemaking by the California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) that would allow

RVTs to operate in the above-described agency capacity. The CVMA staff compiled significant supporting data for the request and submitted both the request and the supporting data to the VMB in late 2022.

Upon receipt of the CVMA’s proposal, the VMB—which also has its own Access to Veterinary Care subcommittee working on improving consumer access to veterinary care—considered the CVMA’s request and the supporting data. Finding the proposal to be well-taken, the VMB then drafted regulatory language that would make such a concept possible within the California Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, and presented that

PHOTO: ISTOCK

language to its voting board on January 25, 2023. The VMB voting board, which is comprised of veterinarians, an RVT, and public members, unanimously voted to approve the introduction of the proposed regulations into the regulatory process.

From Regulations to Statute

The early progress of the proposed regulation caught the eye of the state legislature, and rather than wait for the rulemaking process to play out

(an average of three years to get a regulation instituted), Senator Cortese saw an opportunity to pick up the language and put it into statute. The statutory lawmaking process is much faster than the regulatory one, meaning that if this bill passes, it will be instituted on January 1, 2024.

Points of Clarification

This bill allows an RVT to act as an agent of a veterinarian as the veterinarian establishes a VCPR. The VCPR is still established by the supervising veterinarian, and any medication dispensed or prescribed is pursuant to the order of the supervising veterinarian. The bill lays out a clear process by which the supervising veterinarian establishes written protocols for the RVT to follow during an appointment. It also requires a signed agreement between the supervising veterinarian and RVT and medical record documentation

of the appointment, among other stipulations. The law is specific to vaccines and parasite procedures and does not extend to other areas of veterinary practice.

CVMA Action

The CVMA reached out to the author’s office early on to provide feedback on technical aspects of the bill language and optimal placement within the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act so as to preserve the intent of the original regulatory proposal. The CVMA will remain actively involved in this bill and is pleased to be working closely with the author to ensure that it reflects the extensive work and dialogue that went into creating the proposal.

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This bill allows an RVT to act as an agent of a veterinarian as the veterinarian establishes a VCPR.

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those remembered.

Dr. James Gordon, a CVMA Life Member, passed away on March 18, 2023. Dr. Gordon graduated from UC Davis with a DVM degree in 1960. He soon after moved to Lemoore, CA, where he built the Lemoore Animal Clinic and became a beloved fixture of his community.

Dr. Lane Johnson, a long-time CVMA Member, passed away on March 29, 2023. Dr. Johnson earned his DVM degree from UC Davis in 1980. He worked as a Health Science Assistant Clinical Professor in the Surgical & Radiological Sciences department at UC Davis. Dr. Johnson played an essential role in the veterinary students’ academic lives, teaching the vital third-year surgery course among other classes, holding after-hour workshops, and mentoring the students. He spent nearly every Saturday performing spay/neuters at the Sacramento SPCA.

Dr. John Shirley, a CVMA Life Member, passed away on December 22, 2021. Dr. Shirley graduated in 1952 from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine with the first class of DVM students. He built the first animal hospital in Livermore and was an accomplished orthopedic surgeon, with many of his peers referring their most difficult cases to him. He was the mayor of Livermore and served on the city council for almost a decade. Dr. Shirley served as the treasurer of the CVMA Political Action Committee from 1999–2004.

In memory of deceased members, the CVMA makes a donation to the California Veterinary Medical Foundation, whose mission is dedicated to nurturing kindness, education, and well-being for all animals, people, and the environment.

The CVMA extends our sympathy to the friends and family of

Veterinary Medical Board/Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee Update

The California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) and its Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee (MDC) convened on April 18–20, 2023. CVMA Executive Director Dan Baxter, Director of Regulatory Affairs Dr. Grant Miller, and RVT liaison Nicole Dickerson attended the meetings on behalf of the CVMA.

The following motions were passed during the meetings.

Veterinary Medical Board

The VMB approved a proposed rulemaking package that rewrites the minimum standards pertaining to veterinary premises to include large animal fixed premises and house/ranch call practices. Currently, California regulations only address fixed small animal premises, small animal mobile premises, and small animal vaccination clinics.

The VMB voted to approve the VMB Cannabis Recommendation guidelines mandated by the passage of AB 1885 (Kalra), which became effective January 1, 2023.

The VMB approved a statutory proposal to amend California laws regarding out-of-state RVT reciprocity. This proposal will remove the requirement for all RVT school and degree programs to be approved by the VMB and will instead codify existing regulations pertaining to outof-state RVT licensure in California.

The VMB appointed Dr. Allan Drusys, Dr. Andrew Dibbern, Justin Johnson, and Elle Anzalone to the VMB Wellness Evaluation Committee.

The VMB adopted positions on various California legislative bills, including:

• AB 814 (Lowenthal): Veterinary

medicine: animal physical rehabilitation—OPPOSE

• AB 1399 (Friedman/Lowenthal): Veterinary medicine: veterinarianclient-patient relationship: telehealth—OPPOSE

• SB 669 (Cortese): Veterinarians: veterinarian-client-patient relationship—OPPOSE, Unless Amended

• AB 1237 (Petrie-Norris): Student financial aid: California Public Interest Veterinary Debt Relief Program— SUPPORT

The next MDC and VMB meetings are scheduled to take place both online and in Sacramento on July 18–20, 2023.

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VETERINARY PRACTICES

Regulatory Compliance Products FOR

The CVMA can help you with all your regulatory compliance needs. Visit cvma.net/products.

REGULATORY PLAQUES

The CVMA offers a series of 8 ¾” x 11 ¾’’ laminated plaques, suitable for hanging in your practice and designed to meet a number of regulatory requirements!

Required Postings

• Proposition 65 Warning (for practices with more than 10 employees)

• Continuous Presence Not Provided (required if animals will be left on the premises for any period of time without someone present)

• California Abandoned Animal Act (if you hospitalize/board animals)

• Financial Interest Disclosure (if applicable)

• Written Prescriptions (gives clients written notification that they have the right to receive a written prescription)

Not Required but Recommended

• Prescription Drug Dispensing (helpful in explaining restrictions to clients)

RADIATION COMPLIANCE KIT

The Radiation Compliance Kit is custom-designed to fulfill all of the regulatory requirements for veterinary practices with radiationproducing machines. It includes required postings, the “Caution X-Ray” sign, radiation safety training materials, and detailed instructions on how to implement a radiation compliance program.

MANDATORY PAMPHLETS FOR EMPLOYEES

Various regulatory agencies require that every employee be given several pamphlets at the time of hire. Employers should provide the pamphlets to all current employees if they did not receive them at the time of hire.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER BENEFIT

Purchase or renew

Your CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance

Subscription Today!

The CVMA Guide to Cal/ OSHA Compliance is available only to CVMA members and is designed to help veterinary practices comply with the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/ OSHA) regulations. It includes educational materials, required forms, training templates, implementation and recordkeeping resources, and a step-by-step wizard that simplifies the process of creating a customized written health and safety plan for your practice that complies with Californiaspecific requirements.

Cal/OSHA Requires Employers to Provide COVID-19 Worker Protection

Cal/OSHA regulations include a requirement for a written COVID-19 Protection Program policy as part of the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). The CVMA Guide of Cal/ OSHA Compliance has recently been updated to include new non-emergency COVID-19 prevention regulations enacted February 3, 2023.

The online subscriptiononly guide can be accessed and updated at any time.

CVMA Regulatory Compliance Products Order Form

CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance — Everything you need to comply with Cal/OSHA requirements. Online subscription only.

Mandatory Pamphlets for Employees

Regulatory Plaques (please specify)

� Abandoned Animal Act (VMB requirement)

� Prop 65 warning for employees (Required for practices with more than 10 employees)

� Continuous Presence Not Provided (VMB requirement)

� Written Prescription Upon Request (VMB requirement)

� Written Prescription Drug Dispensing — Prescription Required (Satisfies requirement for written notification)

� Financial Interest Disclosure Plaque (VMB requirement, if applicable)

Full Name: Phone #:

Hospital Name: Shipping Address (no PO Box #s): City, State, Zip:

Check enclosed made payable to CVMA MasterCard VISA Discover AmEx Card Number: Exp. Date: CVV:

Signature: Date:

Please allow up to five business days for the CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance order to be processed. You will then be able to view the guide online by clicking on the CVMA Guide to Cal/OSHA Compliance link at the bottom of the CVMA-InLine website home page after you login. Please allow up to three weeks to receive the New Hire packets and the plaques. All returned items are subject to a 15% restocking fee; shipping charges on returns are the customer’s responsibility. Credits will be issued only for returned item in original condition within 30 days.

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THE CVMA CONGRATULATES…

Nicole Campos, the CVMA’s very own Communications and CE Coordinator, and her husband Mitchell as they prepare to welcome their first child, Brielle Emerson, this June. Nicole, the CVMA wishes you and Mitchell all the happiness in the world as you begin this next chapter of your lives!

Kelly Casey, for finishing the CVMA Certified Veterinary Assistant Level II program. Kelly decided to pursue the CVA certification after working two decades in the animal care field, first as an animal caretaker at a dog daycare and now as a veterinary assistant at a clinic. She attributes her success in the CVMA CVA program to the owner and veterinarian at her clinic, Dr. Candy Rapp, who has been a steadfast supporter of her veterinary assistant career. Congratulations on this hard-earned certification, Kelly!

Barry Kipperman, DVM, for receiving the Shomer Award for Veterinary Ethics by the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics. This award honors leaders in the field of veterinary medical ethics who have made significant contributions through mentorship, scholarship, and advocacy. Dr. Kipperman is a board-certified veterinary specialist in internal medicine and animal welfare. He teaches veterinary ethics at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and animal welfare and ethics for the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and is a member of the CVMA’s Animal Welfare Committee. Well done, Dr. Kipperman!

Keith Rode, DVM, for his performance in Young Frankenstein at the Woodland Opera House throughout April and May. Young Frankenstein was the first time Dr. Rode, the CVMA’s 2022-2023 President, officially auditioned and was selected for a full role as a member of an ensemble cast. Dr. Rode is carrying on his family’s tradition, as both of his children have performed on stage and his wife frequently helps backstage at this theater, including for the Young Frankenstein production. Congratulations on your performance, Dr. Rode!

Let’s Toast Your Achievements!

The CVMA likes to spotlight the many accomplishments of our members and their practices, whether a professional development or a personal milestone. Don’t be shy! Please send in your good news and a fun photo to Taryn DeOilers, the CVMA’s Publications Manager, at tdeoilers@cvma.net to be considered.

Photo credit: Joshua Wheeler

POSITIONS OFFERED

Northern California

Veterinarians

Animal Medical Services is looking to hire a full-time Veterinarian for our small animal practice, stone's throw away from Heavenly Valley Ski Resort and a short drive to South Lake Tahoe. Great opportunity to live in open spaces and enjoy all the mountain amenities. Great schools, reasonable real estate and close to shopping. The practice is located in Gardnerville, currently operating with 2 DVMs and a great staff who are looking forward to welcoming a compassionate, hard-working Veterinarian. Offering Health and Dental Insurance with a yearly salary of $100,000 with paid time off. Current hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8-5. Please reach out to Dr. Sharon Burns to discuss details of employment 775.782.2297 or email sharonburns05@gmail.com.

Small Animal Hospital in the Sierra Foothills seeks an associate. We are a privately owned one doctor practice looking to expand. A positive, supporting atmosphere where the whole team works to provide the best veterinary service to our patients while maintaining work life balance. In 2021 we purchased new computers, VOIP phones, upgraded internet, new inhouse lab and new practice management software. In 2022 we purchased a new Digital Radiology system and a new ultrasound machine. This year we plan to add PRP and a new Companion Photobiomodulation system. The owner practices Integrative Medicine, so a candidate open to or certified in Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Chinese Herbs, Food Therapy and Laser and Rehab is a plus. The owner also has experience in surgery and is interested and motivated to mentor a new graduate. We work closely with the local rescues so there is plenty of opportunity to hone spay neuter and soft tissue surgery skills with an experienced mentor. We work up cases, and enjoy the support of a nearby Cardiologist, Ultrasonographer, Orthopedic Surgeon

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and Emergency Hospital. We are open five days a week and do not hospitalize overnight. Veterinarians have a 4-day work week. We offer Health insurance, pet insurance, paid vacation and sick leave, paid CE, License fees and professional membership dues. The area offers a small town feel with urban area culture, arts, music and recreation. Miles of trails, one hour from Tahoe and Sacramento, and close enough to lakes and the Yuba river to go there after work. Email deardocabbie@icloud.com

Role: Area Clinical Director

Salary: $200,000-$225,000

Schedule: 5 days/week.

VetnCare is a clinically led group of AAHA-accredited hospitals within the San Francisco Bay Area that focuses on providing exceptional clinical care to patients throughout their lives. We were founded on the belief that the only way to uphold the integrity of veterinary medicine is to put leadership back into the hands of veterinarians. We are committed to a comprehensive approach to general practice that we call "Advanced General Practice.” Our goal is to bridge the gap between general practice and advanced care by providing our patients and clients with access to all aspects of clinical care, including general practice, wellness, advanced surgery, and ultrasound proficiency, as well as numerous advanced practices (including oncology, ophthalmology, dermatology, orthopedic surgery and exotics amongst others). The Area Clinical Director (ACD) is directly responsible for the support and training of the Veterinarians in their region. The ACD will spend the majority of their time onsite with Veterinarians in the hospital to observe, support, and train where needed. The ACD will support leadership initiatives that support the growth of the hospital by being a subject matter expert and creating and providing solutions that help the Veterinarians be more efficient and provide the highest standard of patient care. You will partner with the Field Operations and People Operations team to help guide conversations with Clinical Directors around the business operations and people management related to clinical workflows and performance concerns. The scope of work is predicated on the needs of the veterinarians in the VetnCare group. This role is five days a week, beginning with two days practicing veterinarian, two days onsite support of the DVMS in your region, and 1-day working from home. For additional information about this job, go to: https://jobs.cvma.net/job/area-clinical-director/67600536/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Role: New Graduate or Associate Veterinarian

Salary: $130,000-$175,000

Schedule: 4 days/week.

STUDENT DEBT MANAGEMENT and RELOCATION AVAILABLE

VetnCare’s San Francisco East Bay hospitals are seeking Veterinarians to join our teams! Our hospitals are AAHAaccredited, full-service veterinary hospitals located in the San Francisco East Bay, California. The hospital leadership teams are committed to providing New Graduate and Associate DVMs a work environment where they can advance their skills and clinical

comprehensiveness. Our hospitals are proud to boast Fear Free certified team members and are committed to providing advanced care to our patients. We immerse ourselves in the broader Bay Area community and are proud supporters of our local County Animal Shelters, We Care, and Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. Clinical Advancement Program- for New Grads and Experienced DVMs. Our San Francisco East Bay hospitals participate in the Clinical Advancement Program, which provides a structured learning program for New Graduate Veterinarians and Veterinarians looking to enhance their skills and knowledge beyond standard general practice. The program will cover foundational knowledge that helps to build confidence in your first year of practice up to advanced procedure and diagnostics training. The program consists of three approaches to learning

1) Dedicated training/mentorship from the Clinical Director

2) Structured practical skills training directly from your Clinical Director/Mentor 3) In-person shared learning experiences, including lectures and wet labs amongst your peers and senior clinicians. New graduate DVMs will work alongside their Clinical Directors for at least the first six months or until they feel confident to practice alongside their peers. For additional information about this job, go to: https://jobs.cvma.net/job/veterinariansnew-graduates/67600492/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Role: New Graduate or Experienced Associate Veterinarian

Salary: $130,000-$175,000

Schedule: 4 days/week.

STUDENT DEBT MANAGEMENT and RELOCATION AVAILABLE

VetnCare’s Monterey County hospitals are seeking Veterinarians to join our teams! Our hospitals are AAHA-accredited, fullservice veterinary hospitals located in Salinas and Soledad, California. The hospital leadership teams are committed to providing New Graduate and Associate DVMs a work environment where they can advance their skills and clinical comprehensiveness. Our hospitals are proud to boast Fear Free certified team members and are committed to providing advanced care to our patients. We immerse ourselves in the community and are proud supporters of our local County Animal Shelters and numerous rescue organizations. Clinical Advancement Program- for New Grads and Experienced DVMs. Our Monterey County hospitals participate in the Clinical Advancement Program which provides a structured learning program for New Graduate Veterinarians and Veterinarians looking to enhance their skills and knowledge beyond standard general practice. The program will cover foundational knowledge that helps to build confidence in your first year of practice up to advanced procedure and diagnostics training. The program consists of three approaches to learning

1) Dedicated training/mentorship from the Clinical Director

2) Structured practical skills training directly from your Clinical Director/Mentor

3) In-person shared learning experiences, including lectures and wet labs amongst your peers and senior clinicians. New graduate DVMs will work alongside their Clinical Directors for at least the first six months or until they feel confident to practice alongside

Ellie Wattles, DVM, President, Broker

Beka Herrera, Vice President, Broker

INLAND EMPIRE, PERRIS: Fast growing community with a high pet ownership & affordable housing. Unfortunately, DVM/Owner died in February 2023. Practice philosophy was high volume, affordable fees. 2022 Gross ~$928,000 was produced with very limited DVM hours. Priced at below a startup costs. Urgent situation, please call immediately. Any reasonable offer will be considered. NEW LISTING! PRACTICE PRICE: $350,000

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, SUBURB OF SAN JOSE: Extremely affluent city within easy driving distance to the Bay Area or Coast. Located about 1 hour south of San Francisco. Excellent demographics! Free-standing practice consists of 2,500 sq. ft.. Additional 4,500 sq .ft. kennel facility with approximately 100 runs and a grooming facility. Equipment includes digital X-Ray, dental X-Ray and full in-house lab. 2022 Gross ~ $1.2 Million produced with limited DVM services. Additional sources of income available to a new energetic owner. NEEW LISTING! PRACTICE PRICE: $958,000 Real Estate Available for Sale Call of Details

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, INLAND EMPIRE: Popular community with new residents because of its affordable and upscale housing. The community is only 45 minutes from Palm Springs & close to all the Southern CA’s attractions. PX is conveniently located in a high activity shopping center. Leased 2,100 sq. ft. facility includes 2 exam rooms as well as a large treatment area. Well-equipped practice includes digital X-Ray, digital dental X-Ray, ultrasound and IDEXX lab equipment. 2022 Gross ~$1.2 Million. NEW LISTING! PRACTICE PRICE: $960,000

NORTHERN CA: Pastoral, quaint community located away from the hustle & bustle. Just 30 minutes north of Chico & 2 hours from Sacramento or Davis. Beautiful 3,000 sq. ft. free-standing facility. Well maintained hospital built in 2005. 2022 Gross ~$1.4 Million produced with 1 DVM/day only 5 days/week. Exceptional profitability with growth. Owner open to remaining post sale if desired by new owner. PX PRICE: $999,000 RE PRICE ONLY: $625,000

KERN COUNTY: Situated in a growing community located ~1 hour North of LA with a strong agricultural, oil & general broad economic base including a new Amazon fulfillment center. There are many nearby amenities & affordable housing. This general Small Animal practice offers an ~3,000 sq. ft. facility with 3 exam rooms, 60+ cages and 10 runs. Equipment includes ultrasound & digital X-RAY. 2022 Gross ~$1,195,000. Potential to significantly increase hours of operation to grow productivity. PRACTICE PRICE: $667,000 REAL ESTATE PRICE: $425,000

MADERA COUNTY: Slip away from the hustle and bustle to this enchanted covenant area of nature and wildlife situated in the San Joaquin Valley. This community is centrally located between Fresno and Yosemite National Park. Full service practice is located within a free- standing ~1,680 sq. ft. facility with a favorable lease rate. The facility includes 2 exam rooms, 20 cages & IDEXX lab equipment. 2022 projected gross ~$536,000 produced with very limited DVM hours, which still provides exceptional cash flow of about 39%. Buyer’s after debt income expected to be approximately $225,000. Minimal competition and significant growth opportunities with a new energetic owner. NEW LISTING! PRACTICE PRICE ONLY: $451,000

VENTURA COUNTY: Nestled in a flourishing valley boasting spacious mountain views and a perpetual vacation climate. The community itself is just less than 1-hour drive to Los Angeles or Santa Barbara. Spacious, organized leased practice underwent recent upgrades. The practice consists of 2,700 sq. ft with 2 exam rooms. Equipment includes digital X-Ray, digital dental X-Ray & ultrasound. 2022 Projected Gross ~$806,000 produced with limited services and hours. Multiple opportunities for growth, including a facility redesign, with a new energetic owner operator. PRACTICE PRICE: $655,000

SAN DIIEGO, EAST COUNTY Suburban, affluent community with strong economic base offers an exceptional lifestyle.~3,500 sq. ft. leased facility w/ 3 exam rooms, in-house lab, ultrasound, digital dental X-Ray, digital X-Ray & class iv medical laser. 2022 Projected Gross ~$1.2 million. Current available income after all debt service is ~$417,000. Owner open to remaining post-sale, if desired. Excellent turn-key opportunity. PRACTICE PRICE: $950,000.

SUTTER COUNTY: Turn-key opportunity! Located within an hour’s drive from Sacramento. Spacious ~2,700 sq. ft. free-standing facility offers 3 exam rooms, 20+ cages & 20+ runs. Equipment includes newer digital X-Ray, ultrasound unit, dental X-Ray & CO2 Laser. 2022 Projected Gross ~$1.2 Million. Currently operated as a 1 DVM practice with great staff. Exceptional profitability. PRACTICE PRICE: $950,000. REAL ESTATE PRICE: $560,000.

CENTRAL VALLEY, SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY: Just 2 hours from major cities, the coast & the mountains. General, full-service small animal practice. The free-standing practice facility consists of ~6,900 sq. ft. offering multiple exam rooms & cages with room for future expansion, if desired. Equipment includes extensive IDEXX lab & 2 digital X-Rays. 2021 gross ~$1,750,000. PRACTICE PRICE: $750, 000. REAL ESTATE PRICE: $1,750,000.

their peers. For additional information about this job, go to: https://jobs.cvma.net/job/veterinariansnewgraduates/67600472/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Role: New Graduate or Experienced Associate Veterinarian

Salary: $130,000-$175,000

Schedule: 4 days/week.

STUDENT DEBT MANAGEMENT and RELOCATION AVAILABLE

VetnCare’ Napa hospitals are seeking Veterinarians to join our teams! Our hospitals are AAHA accredited, full-service veterinary hospitals located in Napa, California. The hospital leadership teams are committed to providing New Graduate and Associate DVMs a work environment where they can advance their skills and clinical comprehensiveness. Our hospitals are proud to boast Fear Free certified team members, and are committed to providing advanced care to our patients. We immerse ourselves in the broader Bay Area community and are proud supporters of our local Napa County Animal Shelter, We Care, and Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. Clinical Advancement Programfor New Grads and Experienced DVMs. Our Napa hospitals participate in the Clinical Advancement Program that provides a structured learning program for New Graduate Veterinarians and Veterinarians looking to enhance their skills and knowledge beyond standard general practice. The program will cover foundational knowledge that helps to build confidence in your first year of practice up to advanced procedure and diagnostics training. The program consists of three approaches to learning

1) Dedicated training/mentorship from the Clinical Director

2) Structured practical skills training directly from your Clinical Director/Mentor 3) In-person shared learning experiences, including lectures and wet labs amongst your peers and senior clinicians. New graduate DVMs will work alongside their Clinical Directors for at least the first six months or until they feel confident to practice alongside their peers. For additional information about this job, go to: https://jobs.cvma.net/job/ associate-veterinariannew-graduate/67600440/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Role: Clinical Director

Location: Ardenwood Veterinary Hospital, Fremont, California Comp Range: $200,000-$220,000 + production+ equity

Partnership Opportunity with Equity Option

Ardenwood Pet Hospital is seeking a Clinical Director Veterinarian to lead our team! This opportunity can include an equity partnership. Our pathway to partnership provides veterinarians the opportunity to have equity in practice, be the key decision-maker in the hospital, and create wealth, with no initial investment required. We partner with veterinary professionals to drive their career development and financial well-being. We believe in keeping the legacy of independent hospitals in the hands of veterinarians. Ardenwood Pet Hospital a full-service veterinary hospital located in Fremont, CA. We have been serving the Fremont community since the mid-1980s alongside our sister hospital Irvington Pet Hospital and joined the VetnCare group in 2020. This hospital is ready for a fresh

start in the next chapter of its legacy. Spacious four exam room hospital, ability to grow the practice to minimum four, maximum seven doctor practice; Two wet sinks; One dry sink; Surgical suite; X-ray suite; Iso; Treatment area; Boarding; Dedicated pharmacy space, and architectural design that allows for a cohesive patient/client/team experience.; Located in a busy shopping plaza name of plaza; High visibility from the street, located on the corner. We are committed to a comprehensive approach to general practice that we call "Advanced General Practice." Our clientele is used to a comprehensive and high standard of clinical care for their pets. For additional information about this job, go to: https://jobs.cvma.net/job/clinical-director/67600517/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Role: Clinical Director

Location: Groveway Veterinary Hospital, Castro Valley, California Comp Range: $200,000-$220,000 + production + equity Partnership Opportunity with Equity Option

Groveway Hospital is seeking a Clinical Director Veterinarian to lead our team. This opportunity can include an equity partnership. Our pathway to partnership provides veterinarians the opportunity to have equity in practice, be the key decisionmaker in the hospital, and create wealth, with no initial investment required. We partner with veterinary professionals to drive their career development and financial well-being.

We believe in keeping the legacy of independent hospitals in the hands of veterinarians. Groveway Veterinary Hospital is a full-service veterinary hospital located in Castro Valley, CA. We are looking for an experienced Clinical Director to lead our flagship clinic. Groveway Veterinary Hospital is on the cusp of growth. Our current team comprises one full-time doctor, one part-time doctor, and eight team members, and the hospital has five exam rooms. In 2023 we will remodel the hospital to be state-of-the-art, with nine exam rooms, two surgical suites, and a CT machine. We will grow this to a six-DVM practice in the next eighteen months. Caseload: This hospital sees a diverse caseload of small animals, mixed animals, and exotics. Veterinarians looking for variety in practice will love the caseload at Groveway! However, this opportunity is also perfect if the small animal is where you are most comfortable. We are committed to a comprehensive approach to general practice that we call "Advanced General Practice.” This is comprised of four key components: Emphasis on procedures/procedure training; Low referral; Comprehensive Patient Care; Ongoing Education for all Veterinary professionals; Our clientele is used to a comprehensive and high standard of clinical care for their pets. For additional information about this job, go to:

https://jobs.cvma.net/job/clinical-director/67600417/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Role: Clinical Director

Location: Hercules Pet Clinic, Hercules, California Comp Range: $200,000-$220,000 + production + equity Partnership Opportunity with Equity Option

Hercules Pet Clinic is seeking a Clinical Director Veterinarian to lead our team! This opportunity can include an equity partnership. Our pathway to partnership provides veterinarians the opportunity to have equity in practice, be the key decisionmaker in the hospital, and create wealth, with no initial investment required. We partner with veterinary professionals to drive their career development and financial success. We believe in keeping the legacy of independent hospitals in the hands of veterinarians. Hercules Pet Clinic is an AAHA accredited, full-service veterinary hospital located in Hercules, CA. We have been serving the Hercules community since the mid-1980s and joined the VetnCare group in 2018. This hospital is ready for a leader to take it to the next level! Newly remodeled, five exam rooms, open floor plan treatment area, two wet sinks, one dry sink, surgical suite, x-ray suite, dedicated pharmacy space, and architectural design that allows for a cohesive patient/client/ team experience. This is truly a state-of-the-art practice! We are committed to a comprehensive approach to general practice that we call "Advanced General Practice." Our clientele is used to a comprehensive and high standard of clinical care for their pets. We immerse ourselves in the broader Bay Area community and are proud supporters of our local Contra Costa Humane Society and Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. For additional information about this job, go to: https://jobs.cvma.net/job/clinical-director/67600268/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Role: Clinical Director

Location: Ardenwood Veterinary Hospital, Fremont, California Comp Range: $200,000-$220,000 + production + equity Partnership Opportunity with Equity Option

Montclair Veterinary Hospital is seeking a Clinical Director

Veterinarian to lead our team! This opportunity can include an equity partnership. Our pathway to partnership provides veterinarians the opportunity to have equity in practice, be the key decision-maker in the hospital, and create wealth, with no initial investment required. We partner with veterinary professionals to drive their career development and financial well-being. We believe in keeping the legacy of independent hospitals in the hands of veterinarians. Montclair Veterinary Hospital is a full-service veterinary hospital located in Oakland, CA, and has recently joined the VetnCare community of hospitals which offers partnerships to Veterinarians to keep veterinary hospitals in the hands of veterinarians. The DVM team and support team at this hospital are a tight-knit group that cares tremendously about their patients and the community they serve. The team is ready to welcome a leader to their team who can help them be advanced clinical and professional. For additional information about this job, go to: https://jobs.cvma.net/job/clinical-director/67600332/ Email recruitment@vetncare.com.

Central California Veterinarians

Are you usually a happy person, but not happy with your current job? Are you ready for your career to be more than just a job? Are you interested in ownership or mentorship? If this sounds like something you might like, please reach out to us for more information. We like our jobs, our schedules and each other in our small town, small animal hospital in central California. Full or part-time, veterinary license required. waterfordvet@gmail.com

HOSPITALS—SALES/LEASE/BUY

Establish a Practice in the Ozarks! Built as veterinary clinic, operated as boarding kennel for 21 years. Concrete block building 1800+ square feet - large reception, examining rooms, more - potential for expansion. Clientele from NW Arkansas/ SW Missouri, near Eureka Springs/Bentonville (Tyson/Walmart headquarters). Excellent financial outlook for veterinarian. Large/ small animal practice possibility, 4+ acres fenced. Grooming, training additional possibilities. 100+ repeat boarding clients, tourists a plus. Owner retiring. Contact Sue Simler, Beavertown Boarding, relmiss43@gmail.com, 479.253.9426.