A revolution in chronic elbow OA pain management
• Long-lasting relief: Up to 1 full year of OA pain relief
• Consistent effectiveness: 92% (12/13) in mild to moderate elbow OA1, 71% (10/14) in severe2
• Non-systemic: No systemic adverse effects3
• Convenient: 1 simple, targeted procedure
1 simple treatment relieves OA pain up to 1 full year.
Find a treatment center to refer to:
1. Aulakh KS, Lopez MJ, Hudson C, et al. Prospective clinical evaluation of intra-articular injection of tin-117m (117mSn) radiosynoviorthesis agent for management of naturally occurring elbow osteoarthritis in dogs: A pilot study. Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports. 2021;12:1-12.
2. Donecker J, Fabiani M, Gaschen L, Aulakh KS. Treatment response in dogs with naturally occurring grade 3 elbow osteoarthritis following intra-articular injection of Sn (tin) colloid. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(7). e0254613. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254613.
3. Lattimer JC, Selting KA, Lunceford JM, et al. Intraarticular injection of a Tin-117m radiosynoviorthesis agent in normal canine elbows causes no adverse effects. Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2019:1-8. doi: 10.1111/vru.12757.
DIRECTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION
NAME: Synovetin OA®
Tin (117mSn) stannic colloid in ammonium salt. It is supplied as a 2–4 mCi (74–148 MBq)/mL suspension for intra-articular (IA) injection.
NET QUANTITY
Vials contain a prescribed dose up to 6.0 mCi (222 MBq) at the date and time to treat one dog.1 mL of suspension contains 2–4 mCi (74–148 MBq) of tin (117mSn) stannic colloid in ammonium salt at the date and time of end use.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Synovetin OA ® is a conversion electron therapeutic veterinary device comprising a colloidal, sterile suspension with a pH between 6.5 and 9.0 where at least 90% of the particles have a size between 1.5 μm and 20 μm (HORIBA light scatter instrument). The 117mSn emits monoenergetic conversion electrons (significant energies 127–158 keV; emission probability 113%) and imageable gamma radiation (159 keV, 86% abundant). Accompanying low-energy emissions are Auger electrons (<22 keV) and X-rays (<30 keV). The half-life of 117mSn is 14 days. 117mSn decays by isomeric transition to stable 117Sn. Excipients include ammonium carbonate ((NH 4) 2CO 3), ammonium chloride (NH 4Cl), ammonium iodide (NH 4I), iodine (I 2) and trace tin (Sn) salts.
MECHANISM OF ACTION
Synovetin OA® is a veterinary device consisting of a homogeneous tin colloid which emits discrete (<300 μm) low-energy conversion electrons confined to the joint space. The colloid is composed of microparticles (1.5 μm to 20 μm) that are retained in the joint space of the dog. The particles are absorbed and retained by synoviocytes and macrophages in the synovium, resulting in apoptosis and reduction of inflammatory cells. Elimination of the pro- inflammatory cells reduces inflammation of the joint synovium, thereby reducing pain associated with synovitis. The data, including radiographic evidence, supports use in Grade 1, 2, and 3 osteoarthritis (OA) of the elbow joint.
CAUTION
Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian trained in the use of radioactive veterinary medical products. Use of this product is restricted to facilities with a compatible Radioactive Materials (RAM) license.
INTENDED USE
Synovetin OA ® is intended to reduce synovitis and associated pain of canine elbow joints afflicted with osteoarthritis.
WARNINGS
Do not exceed 6.0 mCi (222 MBq) of radiation activity per dog per treatment. Not for use in humans. Keep this and all medications out of reach of children. Consult a physician in case of accidental injection or ingestion by humans.
PRECAUTIONS
Injection should be performed only by a licensed veterinarian skilled in the delivery of intra-articular (IA) injections who is located at a facility that has a RAM license.
Rigorous aseptic technique must be ensured during injection
ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION
Intra-articular injection. The product must NOT be administered by any other route. Confirmation of needle placement is recommended, whether by anatomical landmarks, fluoroscope, C-arm, ultrasound, or radiography.
Dogs should be appropriately anesthetized or deeply sedated prior to administration to prevent vocalization and resistance to dosing. A 22-ga. needle can be used to inject Synovetin OA® directly into the elbow joint. Pain during and after treatment may occur. Administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents at the labeled dose may help any post-treatment pain.
FREQUENCY OF ADMINISTRATION
If needed, Synovetin OA® can be readministered to a previously treated elbow at least 12 months after the last treatment.
DURATION OF EFFECT FROM ADMINISTRATION
Effectiveness has been shown to last up to 12 months following a single treatment of dogs with naturally occurring OA of the elbow.
MAXIMUM ANNUAL DOSE
Total radiation dose per joint should not exceed 3.0 mCi/joint, with the total body dose not exceeding 6.0 mCi (i.e., two elbow joints during a 12-month period).
ADVERSE REACTIONS
Dogs participating in clinical studies to evaluate safety and effectiveness (n=74 dogs, 97 elbow joints) exhibited no significant adverse reactions when administered Synovetin OA®. Discomfort in the treated elbow has been rarely reported in some dogs up to 72 hours after treatment. If adverse events are observed or suspected, please report them by calling Exubrion Therapeutics ® Customer Service at 1-833-942-1247.
POST-INJECTION CARE
Following administration of Synovetin OA®, the dog can recover with other post-operation animals in the general clinic population. Once the dog has fully recovered from anesthesia, it can be discharged to go home with the approval of the facility radiation safety officer or authorized user. All treatment site policies and license requirements should be observed.
OWNER INSTRUCTIONS FOR POST-TREATMENT CARE
When the level of radiation is determined to be below the established levels for release, the dog can be discharged. The dog will, however, retain a low level of radioactivity in the treated joint(s) for a short period of time. Specific written instructions based on the post-treatment radiation dosimetry for care and proximity to the treated dog will be provided by the radiation safety officer (RSO) or authorized user (AU) of a radioactive materials (RAM)-licensed veterinary hospital to the dog owner. These instructions include information on limiting proximity to the dog in the post-treatment period. If in the judgement of the veterinarian, the dog owners are not likely to comply with the release instructions, the product should not be administered. A RAM-licensed veterinary hospital RSO or AU should contact Exubrion Therapeutics ® if there are specific questions. Apart from the proximity requirements to protect people there is no requirement for restraint of the dog itself, and it can resume its normal level of activity subject to the distance requirements.
MANUFACTURED BY Theragenics Corporation for Exubrion Therapeutics®
Manufacturer’s contact information: Theragenics Corporation 5203 Bristol Industrial Way Buford, GA 30518
Customer Service Phone: 833-942-1247 info@exubrion.com
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Store in the shipping container at controlled room temperature (10°–30°C or 50°–86°F) until ready to use.
© 2022 Exubrion Therapeutics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA. June 2022
Subscriptions:
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Notice to Readers:
Neither this publication, Hoffmann Publishing, nor PVMA assumes responsibility for material contained in articles and advertisements published, nor does publication necessarily constitute endorsement or approval of the advertiser, product, service or author viewpoint by the Keystone Veterinarian, its editors and publishers or the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association. In addition, neither this publication nor PVMA guarantees the accuracy, reliability or completeness of any facts, views, opinions, recommendations, information or statements contained within this publication.
Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the permission of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association.
The Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association is dedicated to ensuring the vitality of the veterinary profession by promoting excellence in veterinary medicine, advancing animal health and welfare, and protecting and enhancing human health.
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
On the cover: Marcus Janyszek with Aslan, a Seizure Response
Dog from New Hope Assistance Dogs, Warren, PA. (Photo courtesy of Evie Janyszek)
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Western Region Trustee: Andrea Honigmann, DVM
North Central Region Co-Trustees: Jody Kull, DVM & Andrea Carr, DVM
South Central Region Trustee: Gary Brummel, DVM
Metro Philadelphia Region Trustee: Marisa Brunetti, VMD
Equine Veterinarian At-Large: James Holt, VMD
Production Animal Veterinarian At-Large: Robert Cloninger, VMD
Certified Veterinary Technician At-Large: Ashley Elliott, CVT
AVMA Alternate Delegate: Kate Boatright, VMD
MAGAZINE STAFF
Editor: Kate Boatright, VMD
Editorial Assistant: Julie Myers Design Assistant: Corinne Tolan
Message from the President
Dawn Fiedorczyk, VMD President, Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical AssociationDear PVMA Members,
We are in a profession that encompasses so many areas of life. From food safety to zoonotic disease to companion animal and the human animal bond to vaccine development and so much more. Our practitioners in the field deal with aspects of both human and animal health daily. The importance of a veterinary professional in the schematic of life is no less important than the whiskers on a cat, the tail to a mouse, the nose of a dog, the hoof of a horse, the stomachs of a cow, the scales of a snake, the feathers of a bird, the hands of a macaque….
The world events over the last few years have made this more evident. The obstacles that have been brought before us have added further strain to the already tenuous challenges that face our profession. These factors include student loan debt and debtto-income ratio, personal wellbeing of our clients and the influx of pets, mental health of veterinary professionals and correlation with suicide rates, biosecurity, and food safety.
We are a profession that is constantly in flux and adapting to the changes and requirements of the world around us. PVMA is no different in this stratagem and has been under strain to endure similar changes. We are committed to upholding the standards of veterinary practice the founders set out to achieve during establishment in 1883; however, we find the need to adapt our processes once again. We are taxed with keeping abreast of all the impediments that face each member of our profession. We are charged with keeping current with the fluctuating and growing needs of our members and constituents.
The more I speak with members and constituents recently, the more I realize that the need for change has been evident to many over the last few years. Unfortunately, the consequences of the global shifting combined with the recent loss of numerous PVMA staff members and a restructuring of leadership positions have led us to a position of embracing this change and moving forward. Those of the us that have committed to remain in the organization are dedicated to building a
stronger and more resilient PVMA for today’s veterinarians and veterinary team members.
PVMA is currently in an “all hands on deck” status with utilization of our remaining staff members, past available support staff, executive board, and board of trustees members. Together the team is doing their very best to balance the jobs of many while we interview association management companies. Please bear with us as we make this transition and maintain the organization. The short-term plan is to work on the structure of the PVMA with priority for the immediate needs of our profession and members. The long-term plan will be to rebuild the PVMA for our members, both current and future. Continued focus on legislative advocacy, providing quality continuing education, membership benefits, and support of Animal Care PA (ACPA)—the PVMA’s charitable arm—are ongoing priorities. Volunteer help is always needed. Please check the PVMA website to learn about available opportunities.
PVMA has maintained a unique organization that supports and promotes all levels of the profession. All individuals that make up the team contribute to the success of each task: caring for a critically ill patient, performing routine preventative care, vaccine development, inspections of animals for transport, and more. All members of the veterinary community—from veterinarian to CVT to veterinary assistant to CSR to kennel attendant to practice manager—are important for progress and success to occur. We need to promote and support our new veterinary students and veterinary support staff students. They are the future of this profession and will be the ones taking on leadership roles after our mentorship expires. We need to continue and always strive to work harder to support one another. Sometimes we can be our own worst adversaries. Together we will continue building on the foundation of legacies of success for today and tomorrow.
When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future. — Queen Elizabeth
Reignite Your Passion for Stewardship
By Joanna Webb, DVM, MS, Practice Limited to Zoological MedicineSPEAKER
Many in our profession would state that stewarding creation, in the form of husbandry recommendations, medicine, surgery, species conservation, or epidemiology, is their favorite part of veterinary medicine. There is minimal doubt that one of those categories grabbed your attention and provided the endurance to survive undergraduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral training, if applicable. However, what keeps you engaged and motivated to be in this field for decades? Treating hundreds of species? Learning a new surgical or endoscopic procedure? Teaching students? Perhaps you’ve reached a point where the monetary gain and desire to maintain a lifestyle for you and/or your family is why you open the door to your facility every morning.
As a residency-trained zoological medicine veterinarian, many of those statements are applicable. Our field is just that awesome. Every day is different. However, as I’ve reflected on the past decade of my life, it’s being in community and serving people that keeps me energized to collaborate with students, clients, animal care specialists, rehabilitators, coworkers, and referring veterinarians – in other words, I’m a people person. One of my favorite clients from residency was a sixth-grade teacher named Mary. Mary cares for a yellownaped x yellow-crowned Amazon parrot, Kiwi. For three years, I was in community with Mary to combat Kiwi’s obesity.
Now for all of you that don’t regularly work with parrots, the genus Amazona pack on the grams very easily in managed care. They are heavy-bodied and typically choose to hang out on their enclosure or play gym instead of flying about the room. These behavior choices combined with the lingering adage that parrots are fed a seed-based diet and table foods equals the perfect storm for obesity and developing atherosclerosis.
I met Kiwi in the fall of 2018 at the start of my residency; she weighed ~705g with a body condition score of 8/9. Her mom eagerly agreed to Kiwi’s weight loss journey. It became not only a household goal but also an opportunity for student engagement. For the next 1.5 years (then…COVID), there was ‘bring your Amazon to school day.’ The students in Mary’s sixth grade class would weigh Kiwi on a gram scale and track her weights on a bulletin board. Receiving the weekly weight log update, complete with an adorable picture of Kiwi on her scale, was like sun peeking through the clouds when it’s pouring rain. Over the next few months, Kiwi learned to love vegetables, especially green beans, and was transitioned to a more balanced diet (50% high quality pellet, 30% fresh vegetables, 10% high quality seed treats, 10% healthy nuts and fruit). Her weight slowly decreased to the mid-to-high 500s! Truly a monumental task.
Like any weight loss journey, Kiwi did have setbacks. The spring/ summer reproductive season combined with Mary (Kiwi’s ‘mate’) being at home during the pandemic lead to weight gain and egg production. By the end of my residency, Kiwi’s weight was back in the 600s, but I have faith that with encouragement and guidance, her mom can restart Kiwi’s weight loss regimen. After my relocation to Pennsylvania, Mary is one of the few clients that has my current email address, and I look forward to our intermittent check-ins.
Now, I know many of you are thinking, “My staff and I don’t have the bandwidth to walk alongside every client with an obese pet,” or, “I would never give out my email address to a client.” I get that. We as a profession are overextended and burned out. There are so many animals we want to treat, too many appointments, and not enough hours in the day to get our job done and our life done. While most clients are lovely respectable humans, that 10% that make the day ‘ugh’ really diminishes the desire to be in community with clients. So even if it isn’t people, I encourage you to identify that piece of vet med, that aspect within stewarding creation, you do still appreciate. Seek it out in your day to day or adjust your career path. Don’t forget you were called into this profession for a reason. Enjoy!
About the Author: Joanna Webb, DVM, MS, Practice Limited to Zoological Medicine, completed her ACZM-compliant zoological medicine residency with a focus in companion species at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Webb’s vision is to educate, empower, and elevate the community and referring veterinarians to gold-standard care for zoo and zoo companion species. She can be reached via email at joannawdvm@gmail.com or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/joannawebb-dvm-stewarding-creation.
Vet For A Day
AVMA, Critter Fixers Give Students an Up-Close Look at Veterinary Medicine
By Lisa Howard, Division Director of Public Relations for the AVMAHigh school students from Philadelphia and Newark interested in veterinary careers got hands-on experience – and a lot of great advice and encouragement – from leaders in the profession, thanks to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the stars of the National Geographic television show “Critter Fixers,” Banfield Pet Hospital, the Zoetis Foundation and the Pennsylvania VMA.
During the AVMA’s annual Convention – held this year in Philadelphia in a return to an in-person gathering for the first time since 2019 – the veterinary organizations teamed up to sponsor “Vet for a Day” at the Walter B. Saul High School, an agricultural public school in Philadelphia with an operating farm, as well as students from Newark.
“There are few things more rewarding than introducing students to the veterinary field and helping them prepare to become veterinarians and veterinary technicians,” said Dr. Jose Arce, Immediate Past President of the AVMA.
On Friday, July 29 at Saul High School, the students met with Dr. Vernard Hodges and Dr. Terrence Ferguson, the stars of “Critter Fixers: Country Vets,” the National Geographic program which follows them as they practice veterinary medicine. The two veterinarians walked the students through the case of a Maltese and discussed how they would go about treating a dog experiencing frequent urination, including diagnosis, treatment and after-care plans.
On Monday, August 1, students visited a working dairy barn at Saul High School, where Drs. Hodges and Ferguson taught the students about how to palpate a cow for pregnancy diagnosis and how to diagnose other health issues, highlighting the critical role that veterinarians play in our nation’s food safety. Students then paired up with veterinarians to learn how to properly suture, using practice suture kits and pads (not live animals). From there, they visited the exotic animals lab, where Drs. Hodges and Ferguson demonstrated how to examine a rabbit, guinea pig, and other small animals, including taking their heart rates, examining teeth for malocclusions and checking for other possible health issues.
There were 28 students and more than 25 volunteer veterinarians and veterinary technicians and other staff on hand, including AVMA board members, as well as other veterinarians and veterinary technicians who attended the AVMA’s annual convention. Staff from the Critter Fixers clinic also helped with the program. Veterinarians teamed up with students during the event to share their expertise and recount their veterinary journeys.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to learn so much about veterinary medicine,” Dr. Lori Teller, President of the AVMA and a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, told the students. “Take advantage of it, pick the brains of all the veterinarians who will be in the room with you. Look at what it takes to get into college and veterinary school. I want to see some of you in my classroom in about ten years!”
“Vet for a Day,” Dr. Hodges noted, “was first created to give back and help inspire kids in our market, and then we said let’s do this across the country. It speaks volumes about the veterinary profession seeing how it snowballed from a zoom call. So far, we’ve reached more than 500 kids.”
“The AVMA support has been fantastic,” said Dr. Ferguson. “The AVMA is the largest veterinary medical association and when they reached out and said they wanted to partner with us, we were ecstatic. That support is invaluable.”
Drs. Arce, Ferguson and Hodges all noted the importance of programs such as “Vet for a Day” in encouraging students from diverse backgrounds to consider careers in the profession, noting that only about two percent of veterinarians are Black. (Also at the Convention, the AVMA launched “Journey for Teams,” a major initiative to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in veterinary medicine.)
“This event will prompt kids to become vets because of all the support and them seeing all of us first-hand trying to help them,” said Dr. Kisha Roach, Area Chief of Staff for Banfield Pet Hospital in Clark County, NV.
“These students may already know they want to go to veterinary school, or they may be on the fence,” said Dr. Christine Jenkins, Zoetis’ chief medical officer and vice president of veterinary medical services and outcomes research of U.S. operations. “Based on this experience, it helps solidify where they want to go next.”
One student, Zachary Crawford, said the exposure to real-world veterinary practice definitely helped in mapping out his career path. “I’d like to be a vet because I’ve always had a strong interest in animals,” Mr. Crawford said. “I thought being a vet would be the best outcome but there are a lot of different fields in veterinary and animal science so now I just need to choose what kind of vet I want to be.”
Dr. Arce of the AVMA said: “We’re so grateful to Drs. Hodges and Ferguson and the Saul High School team, the Pennsylvania VMA, as well as all of our volunteers for sharing their experience and expertise with the students, and to our sponsors, Banfield Pet Hospital and the Zoetis Foundation.”
PVMA 2022-2023 LEADERSHIP
PRESIDENT –Dawn Fiedorczyk,
VMD:
Dr. Fiedorczyk was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in the small town of West Wyoming. She attended Wyoming Area School District before going off to major in biology at College Misericordia (now Misericordia University). She completed her masters in biology at East Stroudsburg University, and then attended veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Fiedorczyk started her career at a small ER in Northeastern PA while also doing small animal and exotics day practice relief work. She dedicated her spare time to helping out at a local shelter. She is the past president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (NEPVMA). She started her career with PVMA during veterinary school as student representative. She later continued as District III Board of Trustee and Education Committee Chair. Dawn realizes that service to the community (through Henry’s Helping Hands and the Last Chance Fund) and the entire veterinary team (through scholarships) is important and serves on the Board of Trustees for Animal Care PA, the charitable arm of the PVMA.
She has a strong interest in helping to maintain the personal well-being of those within the veterinary profession and has served as a moderator for Not One More Vet (NOMV), a support resource for veterinarians and support staff. Mental health is just as important as physical health and empathy, acceptance and education are very important to her.
Dr. Fiedorczyk has strong interests in many areas of veterinary medicine, including but not limited to: surgery, dentistry, pain management, shelter medicine, exotic animal medicine, and feline medicine. Promoting and fostering the human animal bond fuels her passions in her day to day through all aspects of medicine. Her goal is to work together more closely with our
human medical counterparts to bring a more comprehensive approach to healthcare for both animals and humans.
In her spare time she loves to cook and garden. While a 40-year resident of PA, she currently resides in West Milford, NJ with her husband, Christopher, and numerous feline family members. Her family is hoping to return to PA in the near future. She has two nieces – Izabella and Annalyse – with whom she dotes on and loves to pieces.
PRESIDENT-ELECT –
Tom Munkittrick, DVM:
Dr. Tom Munkittrick is from Dillsburg, PA, and has worked at VCA Willow Mill in Mechanicsburg since 1996. He has been an active PVMA Member for over 20 years. He enjoys golfing, boating, mountain biking, and attending PSU tailgates with his wife Ruth. Both Ruth and Dr. Munkittrick are devoted to their two Boykin Spaniels, Lady Balbriggan and Harper Dublin, in addition to being proud Grandparents to their grandchildren, Anna, Kolette, and Liam. Dr. Munkittrick received his BS degree in Animal BioScience in 1985. He furthered his education from there, received his Master ’s degree in reproduction physiology from Virginia Tech in 1989, and then obtained his doctorate from the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995.
VICE-PRESIDENT –
Rhett Proctor, DVM:
Dr. Rhett Proctor was a dairy farmer for 20 plus years before entering vet school at 42. He graduated from Ross University in 2016 and started working as a large animal vet (primarily dairy) at Gap Veterinary Associates in Gap, PA. In 2020 he
started working for Honeybrook Animal Hospital as a small animal veterinarian. Dr. Proctor has served the PVMA as the Production-Animal-at-Large Trustee. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter as well as his two dogs, Jersey (golden retriever) and Clover (yellow lab).
WESTERN REGION TRUSTEE –
Andrea Honigmann, VMD: Dr. Andrea Honigmann is the new Trustee for the Western Region of the PVMA. She is excited to be back on the board to serve the needs of the veterinary community after previously serving in the early 2010s for District 6. Originally from Ohio, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Findlay in 2001 and her veterinary degree at Iowa State University in 2006. She has practiced in both small animal general practice and emergency environments. Currently, she’s the partner doctor for Hannastown Veterinary Center (a Heart + Paw partner hospital) in Greensburg, PA. Outside of the clinic, Dr. Honigmann is married to Mark, and they share three children, Addison, Myles, and Amelia. The family has one chocolate Labrador (Oliver) and three cats (Bean, Fanta, and Iris).
NORTH CENTRAL REGION TRUSTEE CO-CHAIR –Andrea Carr, DVM:
As a lifelong resident of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Dr. Andrea Carr is very honored to represent the new North Central region on the PVMA Board of Trustees. She graduated in 2018 from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and is currently employed by Plains Animal Hospital as a small animal associate veterinarian. Her professional interests include surgery and organized veterinary medicine. She is entering her second term on the PVMA board and hopes to continue to serve and advocate the needs of the veterinary community across the Commonwealth.
NORTH CENTRAL REGION TRUSTREE CO-CHAIR –
Jody Kull, DVM:
Dr. Jody Kull graduated from Penn State University (PSU) in 2001 and in 2004 from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She has owned and operated Valley Mobile Veterinary Service, a mobile foodanimal veterinary service based out of Danville (Montour County) and serves the agricultural community
in 6 counties since 2008. She has also been adjunct professor of human anatomy at Bloomsburg University since 2021. She completed her Dairy Production Medicine Certificate from PSU in 2012.
Dr. Kull enjoys volunteering and is very active in the PSU College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society (CAAS) as a current elected board member, former president of the Ag Advocate Alumni Group, and former student engagement committee chair. She is a member of the PSU Alumni Society, Golden Lion Society, Floating Lions Club, Sustaining Life Member, was inducted into the Armsby Honor Society in 2012, and received the Joan McLane Recent Alumni Award from the PSU Alumni Association in 2011. Dr. Kull was nominated to serve on PA Center for Dairy Excellence Board of Directors and is serving her 2nd term. Dr. Kull is the former District II representative for the PVMA and currently co-serves as a regional director to complete the final year of her 2nd term.
Locally, Jody is on the Millville School District Ag Advisory Board OAC and previously served on the Danville School District Ag Advisory Board, helping with both FFA programs. She frequently visits local schools, 4-H clubs, scout packs, and other groups to talk food animal veterinary medicine. Dr. Kull loves mentoring students and routinely has senior veterinary students throughout the year for clinical rotations. She is a member of AABP, AVMA, PVMA, and the Society for Theriogenology. Jody lives in rural Danville, PA with her husband, Mike, and their son, Gunther. Jody and her son have completed their Masters of Beef Advocacy (“MBA”) through the Beef Checkoff and are members of “Team Beef PA” promoting the beef industry at competitive running races in PA. Dr. Kull enjoys promoting agriculture and food animal veterinary medicine at various speaking engagements and on her business social media pages. In their free time, they enjoy campfires in the backyard, gardening, hiking, biking, fishing, and relaxing at their cabin.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION TRUSTEE –Gary J. Brummel, DVM:
Dr. Gary Brummel was born and raised on a dairy farm in Elkhorn, WI (Go Packers!). He received his BS in 1989 from University of WisconsinMadison (Go Badgers!) and continued on at UW-Madison where he completed his DVM degree. After graduation, Gary moved to Maryland where he worked as an associate for 5 years before becoming the practice owner of a busy 4-vet mixed animal hospital in Central PA. Gary is passionate about the health and welfare of all animals and enjoys the variety and challenges that come with being both a small animal veterinarian and dairy practitioner. Gary and his wife, Roberta, live on a 40-acre gentleman’s farm near Hershey, PA, with their son, Roman. Gary’s hobbies include sports, gardening, fly fishing, and working on his antique Willy jeeps.
METRO PHILADELPHIA REGION TRUSTEE AND BOARD CHAIR –
Marisa Brunetti, VMD: Dr. Brunetti is a native Pennsylvanian (grew up in Phoenixville and Chadds Ford), and after graduating from Syracuse University in 2006 with a degree in Public Relations, she moved back to Philadelphia for veterinary school at Penn. After graduating in 2010, she went into private small animal practice, and spent a year as a regional medical director for a veterinary company in Texas before moving back to Pennsylvania in 2018, when she joined IndeVets. Dr. Brunetti also has experience in shelter medicine, high volume/high quality spay/neuter, and forensic veterinary medicine. She is a yearly Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVs) volunteer with the Humane Society of the US. In her current role as the chief veterinary officer at IndeVets, she recruits excellent veterinarians for their team, supports her doctors’ practice of medicine, nurtures client relations, and does her part to improve the quality of life of veterinarians everywhere! Dr. Brunetti also continues to practice medicine in their Partner Hospitals and sits on the Alumni Board at PennVet. When she is not working, she especially loves to travel and has two big goals: visit all 50 states and all Major League Baseball parks. She also enjoys spending a lot of time with family, friends, two cats—Teddy and Phoenix—and one dog, Lois Lane, a mutt from Houston.
EQUINE VETERINARIAN AT-LARGE –
James Holt, VMD: Dr. James (Jim) Holt’s love for animals began at an early age and he has been an avid horse rider since 9 years old. While riding Hunters and Jumpers, the highlight of his riding career was when he rode in a Grand Prix at age 16. Dr. Holt completed his undergrad in 1986 from the Gettysburg College and then attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1991. Upon completion of his education, he was hired at the Morgantown Veterinary Clinic, a mixed equine/bovine practice that serviced Northern Chester, Lancaster, and Berks Counties. In 1993, Dr. Holt decided to open his own mixed practice called Brandywine Veterinary Services, which he still runs today. The PMVA awarded Dr. Holt with the Animal Welfare Advocacy Award in 2015. Dr. Holt recently retired from the animal welfare committee with the Animal Welfare and Public Policy committee and is the chairman on the state’s One Health Task Force as
well as a commissioner for the Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission. Additionally, Dr. Holt is a former board member for The Parkesburg Point in Parkesburg, Pa. Currently, he works 3 days per week as the veterinarian for New Holland Sales Stables in New Holland, Pennsylvania, working predominantly with cows and horses. Dr. Holt is a current partner and chief veterinarian for Keystone Farm Futures. Dr. Holt is also the CEO of Compostech, LLC, a large composting business supplying compost to farmers and landscapers. The rest of Dr. Holt’s time is spent in a more typical mixed large animal practice including horses, dairy and beef cattle as well as other large animal species.
PRODUCTION ANIMAL
VETERINARIAN AT-LARGE –Robert Cloninger, VMD: Dr. Bob Cloninger grew up in State College as a son of a Dairy Science Professor and worked on a beef and sheep farm as a teenager. He attended Penn State in animal science, then went to University of Wisconsin-Madison for graduate work in nutrition before going to veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania. His first veterinary jobs were in mixed practice in Bloomsburg and Bellefonte, PA before starting Centre Herd Health Services, a four-person primarily dairy practice serving dairy producers in Central Pennsylvania. Dr. Cloninger has served as secretary of the Pennsylvania State Board of Veterinary Medicine and as a member of the AABP board of directors representing the Mid-Atlantic States. He currently lives in Centre Hall, PA with his wife, Ellen, and together they have 4 adult children and 9 grandchildren.
CERTIFIED VETERINARY
TECHNICIAN AT-LARGE –Ashley Elliott, CVT: Ashley obtained her A.S. in Veterinary Technology from Harcum College and passed the VTNE in 2008. She has worked in various hospital settings including emergency, specialty, and other general practices. She is currently a practice manager in Chester County, PA. Ashley was the 2021 PVMA Practice Manager of the Year and also writes for the PVMA’s Keystone Veterinarian quarterly magazine. Ashley lives in Berks County with her husband, her daughter, and their pit bull mix, Ivar. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and spending time with friends and family.
AVMA
DELEGATE
–Christina Dougherty, VMD: Dr. Christina (Tina) Dougherty has had a varied career in Veterinary Medicine. Over the last 30-plus years since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, she has practiced in mixed animal, small animal, and exotic animal hospitals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, completed a small animal surgery and internal medicine fellowship in Hungary, and spent time on the regulatory and pharmacovigilance side of the pharmaceutical industry with Pfizer Animal Health/Zoetis.
As of February 2019, Tina joined the faculty at Lincoln Memorial University’s School of Veterinary Medicine as a Clinical Relations Lead Veterinarian and Assistant Professor, and remains an adjunct professor at her alma mater, UPenn, where she had also been on staff teaching 4th year students in their Community Practice service.
Her passion is in teaching and coaching veterinary communications skills. While in industry, Dr. D developed a keen interest in Veterinary Communications, and became trained as a Veterinary Communications coach and master coach at Colorado State University under Dr. Jane Shaw. She is DiSC certified in behavioral analysis as well.
“Dr. D” has been involved in various roles within organized veterinary medicine for over a decade, having completed the Presidential cycle of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association’s Executive Committee and remains on the Board of Trustees. Tina still stays involved in the concerns of the profession as the delegate for Pennsylvania to the AVMA’s House of Delegates.
Tina lives with her husband and 3 four-legged children outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while her 3 two-legged children are either studying for a master’s degree, working in politics, or deployed overseas with the Army. She enjoys music, reading books, and learning languages.
AVMA ALTERNATE DELEGATE –
Kate Boatright, VMD: Dr. Kate Boatright has been in small animal practice since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. After nearly 8 years of full time practice in both general practice and emergency clinics in central and western Pennsylvania, she moved to part-time clinical work to pursue her passion for educating
veterinary professionals as a freelance speaker and author. Dr. Boatright enjoys discussing mentorship, the unique challenges facing recent graduates, wellness, and the spectrum of care. She believes deeply in the role of organized veterinary medicine in advocating for the profession. She has served as the AVMA Alternate Delegate for Pennsylvania since 2020. She previously served as the PVMA District 1 Trustee from 2016 to 2021 and was appointed Vice President for the 2021-2022 association year. She is an editor of the Keystone Veterinarian, member of the PVMA’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee (LRAC), and the secretary for the Northwest PVMA (NWPVMA). In her remaining time, she stays busy chasing her toddler, running, reading, and watching movies with her husband and cats.
PVMA Regions
Western Region previously Districts 1, 4, and 5
North Central Region previously Districts 2, 3, and 8
Western Region previously Districts 1, 4, and 5
Western Region: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties.
South Central Region previously District 6
Western Region previously Districts 1, 4, and 5
Metro Philadelphia Region previously District 7
North Central Region previously Districts 2, 3, and 8 South Central Region previously District 6
Western Region previously Districts 1, 4, and 5
North Central Region previously Districts 2, 3, and 8
North Central Region: Berks, Bradford, Cameron, Carbon, Clinton, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties.
Metro Philadelphia Region previously District 7
North Central Region previously Districts 2, 3, and 8
South Central Region previously District 6
South Central Region: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York Counties.
South Central Region previously District 6
Metro Philadelphia Region previously District 7
Metro Philadelphia Region previously District 7
Metro Philadelphia Region: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties.
Career Opportunities: Attending Veterinarian
Take
When Joining LAMPIRE, you become part of a company that has globally impacted the Life Science industry for over 45 years. We pride ourselves on providing quality products to our customers. This starts with excellent, diligent animal care. Our veterinary staff and animal care technicians are essential to meeting this objective.
Company Benefits: Competitive Salary, Medical Benefits, Dental Benefits, Disability Insurance, 401k, Life Insurance, Profit Sharing and PTO. Lampire Biological Labs, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
As part of our veterinary staff, you will be responsible for animal health and welfare, ensuring animals are handled and used in humane ways. Compliance with state and federal regulations and providing consistent, high-quality products and services to our clients is vital, and our veterinarians are essential for this objective.
Ph: (215) 795-2838
Fax: (215) 795-0237 Hr@lampire.com www.lampire.com
Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Emotional Support Animals
What’s the Difference?
By Nancy A. Dreschel, DVM, PhDService dogs, therapy dogs, emotional support animals –what’s the difference? More importantly, does it really matter? Pets are part of the family – they provide emotional support, comfort, and love. But for some individuals with disabilities, this role may go further. Since guide dogs were first trained to help the blind following World War I, assistance dogs of all types have become common. Dogs are trained to help those with physical and psychological disabilities, and are used in therapeutic settings. These tasks require special personalities and training on both the animal’s part as well as their handler or partner. Most veterinarians meet these animals in practice but may not recognize the differences in training and legal definitions.
Assistance Dogs (ADI)
According to Assistance Dogs International (ADI), “assistance dog” is a generic term for a guide, hearing, or service dog specifically trained to do three or more tasks to mitigate the effects of an individual’s disability.
Service Dogs (SD)
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2010), a service animal is defined as “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” Guide dogs, hearing dogs, physical assistance dogs, medical alert dogs, and psychological service dogs fall into this category. These dogs change their partners’ lives as they provide freedom, safety, and support. A medical alert dog may alert someone to low blood glucose, respond by retrieving medication or food, and wait until the episode is resolved. A mobility dog may open a door, retrieve objects, or help pay for groceries by placing a wallet on a high counter. A PTSD service dog may wake someone from a nightmare, turn on lights, or provide “space” in crowded areas. All these dogs are highly trained and socialized to maneuver through the world comfortably and attune to their partner’s needs. While many SD are trained through organizations, they can be trained by a private trainer or their owner. No certification or registration is required by law, and they don’t have to wear a vest or harness. However, most SD organizations require their dogs to pass public access tests and demonstrate tasks before placement with a partner and annually thereafter. According to federal law, partners of SD have the right to fair housing and can take their dog anywhere the public is allowed, including stores, restaurants, and other places of business. Under the Air Carrier Access Act, they can also fly on airlines.
Service Dogs in Training (SDiT)
Because service dogs must be comfortable in many settings, it is important that they are socialized and trained in public before being placed. Regulations governing public access for SDiT fall under state legislation and vary from state to state. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.43 grants trainers of SDiT the same access and housing rights as partners of trained SD. This includes SD raisers and trainers, as well as owners who train their own dogs.
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)
Emotional Support Animals mitigate their owner’s disability by their mere presence. They do not have to be trained to perform specific tasks. To be an ESA, their owner must provide reliable documentation from a medical doctor or therapist that establishes a need for the animal. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, owners of ESAs have the right to keep them in housing situations where they would not normally be
Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Emotional Support Animals – What’s the Difference?
For More Information:
2021 AAHA Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines by Cynthia M. Otto, et
al.
https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/2021-aaha-workingassistance-and-therapy-dog-guidelines/home/
Americans with Disabilities Act
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html?fbclid= IwAR1Ejq5Y0mcZTOwMLhPieG36bsgTmCYPaHeVlHVXKg7gIgZ8a 8dQVvx2gu4
permitted, such as college dormitories and “No Pets Allowed” apartments. However, they do not have public access rights, and, since December 2020 are not recognized as service animals by the Air Carrier Access Act. Limiting public access of ESAs helps protect the safety of working SD teams and the public, while ensuring the welfare of animals that may not be trained or comfortable in public settings.
Therapy Animals
Therapy animals differ from SD and ESAs in that they work with a handler to provide services to other people. This may include activities such as skilled nursing and hospital visits or more structured interventions such as counseling or physical therapy. They may help a psychologist connect with a young patient, or a veteran learn to walk again. It takes a special animal to interact with people in this way, and those participating in these activities must be comfortable meeting different types of people in varied settings. They do not have public access, but work in facilities where they have been invited. While there are no legal requirements for training or certification for therapy animals, most facilities require health checks, insurance, training, and certification from a therapy animal organization. An AKC Canine Good Citizen test is often a recommended first step.
The Veterinarian’s Role
Veterinarians are important partners in the working dog field. Because service dogs and therapy dogs interact with the public, zoonotic and parasitic disease prevention is important. Interested clients who want to train or certify their dog for one of these jobs may approach their veterinarian first. We often have more information and access to these topics than human health care providers. In 2021, The American Animal Hospital Association published guidelines on veterinary healthcare recommendations for working, assistance and therapy dogs which are available online. Knowing the differences between types of dogs and being supportive of clients with disabilities who depend on these dogs is good practice.
US Department of Housing and Urban Development – Assis tance Animals
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/ assistance_animals?_cldee=c3VnYXJjekB2ZXJpem9uLm5ldA==&r ecipientid=contact26d6558dd7eb47c4a69ac09de0d2fed2-21c07c2a2ef24206b8df 5ea01ebdc827&esid=0df160ea-ee53-ea11-9c2e-00155d080810
Assistance Dog International (ADI) https://assistancedogsinternational.org/
Pet Partners https://petpartners.org/
Therapy Dogs International https://www.tdi-dog.org/default.aspx
International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations https://iahaio.org/
About the Author: Nancy Dreschel, DVM, PhD, teaches animal science at Pennsylvania State University. After practicing mixed and small animal exclusive veterinary medicine for 13 years, she came to Penn State where she teaches undergraduate students about nutrition, behavior, and management of companion animals. Inspired by the volunteer raisers, partners, and staff of Susquehanna Service Dogs, she runs a puppy raising group on campus for Penn State students and community members.
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KEYNOTE PANELISTS
Antimicrobial resistance has been described as the “quintessential One Health issue”, with major implications for human, animal, and environmental health. Tackling One Health issues takes a multipronged approach and a broad understanding of practices across all sectors. This presentation will provide background on antimicrobial stewardship programs in veterinary medicine, steps taken to change veterinary antibiotic use, and the impact of antimicrobial use and stewardship in veterinary medicine on human health.
GENERAL SESSION SPEAKERS
PVMA in Action
Annual Membership Meeting
Summer is always busy but 2022 has been full of PVMA activity. In July, the PVMA Annual Membership Meeting and Reception was held in Philadelphia where leaders and members enjoyed catching up and meeting new colleagues. The graduates of the Power of 10 Class of 2020-2022 were recognized with certificates of achievement. PVMA was the hosting state for the AVMA 2022 Convention the first weekend of August. In September, PVMA and Penn Vet Leaders convened for the Friends of Veterinary Medicine reception, while PVMA Members from the North Central Region gathered for an evening of education and fun.
Power of 10
Friends of Veterinary Medicine
On September 19, 2022, a proclamation was made at the Pennsylvania State Capitol by Penn Vet and the PVMA recognizing Kerry Golden as a Friend of Veterinary Medicine. Golden is the executive director of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. She has worked in Harrisburg for nearly 30 years collaborating with lobbyists, legislators and other stakeholders on the issues and legislation that are reviewed by the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. This annual honor is presented by Penn Vet and PVMA to express appreciation to lawmakers and those in state government dedicated to promoting the causes important to us, including legislation that protects veterinary professionals, supports agriculture in the Commonwealth, and promotes animal welfare.
PVMA in Action
North Central Region Dinner Meeting
You Got Them to do What?!?!
Effective employee motivation is the holy grail of leadership. Yet, the notion that once we hold this legendary chalice, we will magically become an unstoppable agent of progress and growth, is most simply put…absurd. While motivated employees can yield increased production, optimized efficiency, and reduce burnout; it is important to recognize that motivation is an ongoing journey that requires intention and effort. Motivation is about the journey, not the destination.
Employee incentive plans are one method leaders turn to in order to motivate their team. However, to unlock real employee motivation, we must let go of the belief that we, as leaders, are able to personally motivate others. Motivation, unique as one’s fingerprint, grows from within the individual themselves. By understanding the factors and influences of motivation, leaders clear the way to provide the space and environment that allows individuals to flourish and grow. The process of creating effective incentive plans involves first understanding personal motivation, leveraging individual drivers and designing effective goal plans.
Frederick Herzberg, a social psychologist, focused his research on the topic of motivation and pioneered the Herzberg Two Factor Theory, which separates factors that cause dissatisfaction from those that cause satisfaction or inspiration. Herzberg contends that the factors which cause disengagement, termed hygiene factors, will prevent employees from developing a healthy state of fulfillment. These factors include job security and status, obstructive policies, ineffective supervision, poor working conditions and negative peer relations. Additionally, salary is not a motivator for employees; but will contribute to
employee dissatisfaction if not competitive with the current market. Any of these factors, much less a combination of them, will impede an individual’s intrinsic motivation and ability to grow. We need to focus on mitigating or eliminating these detractors before we can impact our team’s motivating factors.
David McClelland, a psychologist noted for his work in motivation, is credited with identifying the Human Motivation Theory. McClelland’s theory suggests that all human beings have one of three primary motivators; achievement, affiliation and power/influence. When you begin to consider the methodology behind individual motivation, be mindful of these primary drivers. Achievers excel with projects that have clear objectives and goals, crave regular feedback and recognition that signals to others that they have accomplished what they were assigned. Affiliators do not have the competitive edge typical of Achievers, instead they are social and value interaction above metrics; which requires clarity in their assigned tasks. If properly engaged, they will be your best client-facing ambassadors. Influencers are long-term thinkers who enjoy autonomy and flexibility. They want to feel connected to strategic change initiatives that simply make the practice, the industry and even the world a better place.
“Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.”
- General Dwight D. EisenhowerBy Jonathan Detweiler
SPEAKER
Understanding the psychology of motivation and the drivers that inspire (or disengage) individuals will help set the stage for creating effective incentive programs and practice goals. All incentive plans must start with a clear objective such as increasing revenue, decreasing waste, improving quality of medicine or streamlining processes. Every practice goal should be structured using the SMART acronym.
Employee Incentive programs are a powerful tool when used appropriately. Leaders must set the tone, provide clear guidance and encouragement; while removing obstacles on the path to success. Effective incentive programs can inspire higher performance through increased awareness and opportunities, provide focus and alignment with the practice mission and will help develop the next generation of visionaries for the entire practice team. Most importantly, they also serve to improve the employee experience by improving morale, reducing turnover and decreasing burnout. Effective incentive programs give leaders a strategic tool that sets the entire team up for success while accomplishing veterinary practice goals.
Once the goals are established it is time to focus on the proverbial “carrot.” Understanding the individual and what drives the team is key. Teams that are predominantly Achievers are driven toward financial compensation or bonuses as well as professional development. Affiliator-heavy teams are drawn toward socially focused events such as staff retreats, family picnics, or unique gifts. A team of power/influencers can be extremely effective, but they need more ceremonial and structured recognition with a formal awards banquet or a team trip to an exciting destination or one of sociopolitical influence. Additionally, the prize should fit the effort required. When the goal demands extra work, flexibility and grit, the reward should be greater than if the objectives required only small changes in individual or collective behavior. At a minimum, all incentive programs should keep the objective absolutely clear, inspire the team to focus on cooperation and effectively recognize achievement. Developing a culture of recognition will serve to keep the team focused on the practice objectives and goals.
About the Author: Jon Detweiler is a seasoned veterinary hospital administrator and leadership consultant in southeastern Pennsylvania. He is dynamic speaker who presents at national events and has authored a variety of management-oriented articles for veterinary journals and publications. Jon has focused on process building/efficiency, leadership development and employee performance across several industries including veterinary, public safety, emergency preparedness and mass event management. His undergraduate degree is in Emergency Management from Hahnemann University, and he has completed executive certificate work through Cornell University with a focus on Change Management. He is a proud “Terv” dad and he enjoys cooking, hunting and traveling with his wife. He can be reached at jdetweiler@vbb.vet.
Practice Pearls
By PVMA Partner, FocusHROThe Challenge of Managing Your Practice AND Being the HR Department
By PVMA Partner, FocusHROIt isn’t as if providing veterinary care is an easy job in the first place. Add on top of that the duties of practice management? Hiring employees, developing company culture and procedures, staying compliant, offering benefits and retaining employees are just the beginning of what you need to take care of. Sometimes it can be far too much to handle on your own!
You may ask other members of your staff to take on a few of those roles. In fact, 54% of small businesses handle HR in house. But owners usually assign HR duties to staff members with little experience managing employees, and according to one report, 31% of these employees felt unqualified for those duties. So where do you turn? Who do you go to for help?
Fortunately, for PVMA members, the answer is simple. Your PVMA Membership gives you access to some of the best experts for the areas in you seek assistance. Whether you need help redrafting that employee handbook, or help organizing the right benefits package to assist in attracting and retaining the best talent for your practice – the resources available to you at www.pavma.org are robust and plentiful. And within the HR category, preferred partner FocusHRO is ready to answer your questions and help you.
It’s why we developed our recent Webinar series for practice managers, and why we’re continuing to develop more for future learning opportunities. Our experts discussed insurance and HR topics that are both timely and applicable to your specific industry:
Our SHRM Certified Human Resource Manager, Beth Boger, discussed how employee feedback can be used through all stages of the employment cycle to keep employees engaged in their work and connected to the mission of the company. The most important thing is continual, open discussion with your employees. Learning what they need, what they want, and what areas the company can improve upon. Knowing how much employee turnover the veterinary industry has
seen in recent years, Beth applied this information directly to the industry to help give you tips on boosting employee retention.
Jeff Fawver, Business Consultant with FocusHRO, reviewed a new type of health plan that gives small to medium-sized businesses some of the same opportunities previously only available for large employers. Cost containment & employee engagement are at the core of how the plans function – some clients using this plan have been able to lower premiums by 20-40%, and employees have gained access to zero-dollar MRI’s and zero-dollar specialty prescription medications.
Finally, Business Development Director Tara Schlyfestone discussed EPLI coverage for your business. Employment Practice Claims can affect every business type, size, and location — and in some cases cause financial devastation and create low employee morale. She discussed how these cases arise and gave some examples of what financial damages can result. Her goal is your peace of mind – making sure you know the risks and can protect yourself with the correct coverages for your practice.
Not only were these Webinars created to offer valuable information to you as a practice owner, but also as an opportunity to earn CE Credits. Whether you were able to join us or not, these Webinars and CVPM Credits are available in the PVMA Education Center at www.pamva.org. Be sure to check them out!
Don’t hesitate to reach out to the FocusHRO team at www.FocusHRO.com/PVMA for more information on these topics – or to ask for help in other areas of practice management and human resources. Stay tuned for more Webinars and resources from PVMA and preferred partner FocusHRO. We’re here for you!
About FocusHRO: Your PVMA Membership gives you and your practice access to FocusHRO’s best programs and pricing. They’ve created “Business in a Box,” which takes the guess work out of running your veterinary practice and lets FocusHRO handle all your insurance, HR/compliance, accounting, and web/IT needs. These services help keep your veterinary practice running smoothly. Visit FocusHRO.com/PVMA or call 717.980.3330 to get more information.
Pandemic Puppy Behavior Survey
By Sally J. Foote, DVMOver the past year, veterinary practices have commented on forums about the increase in dogs under the age of two struggling during veterinary exams. Before the pandemic shut down of 2020, dogs under the age of two would most often be resistant to handling and veterinary exams if they missed puppy class or other socialization outlets. In general, a young dog who had social interactions and regular veterinary care did not show significant anxiety or aggression during handling at the veterinary clinic. Since the shutdown of 2020, many veterinary clinics have continued the curbside care approach of having the client wait outside, as the staff takes the animal inside for care. The purpose is to minimize contagion of the COVID-19 virus. Families have limited the number of people coming over to the house for picnics or gatherings, and retail stores have limited allowing pets inside for socialization. As the pandemic stay-at-home orders and social distancing continued, clinics were finding puppies raised during this time were developing into adult dogs who were resistant to handling or downright aggressive during routine veterinary care.
I created a survey to veterinary staff focused on the in-clinic exam behavior of dogs two years of age as of December 2021. Dogs at this age were 8–12-weekold puppies at the start of the stay-athome orders and switch to curbside care at the veterinary clinic. Puppies did not have outlets for petting, handling, or touch by unknown people during this time, except during veterinary care. The client was limited in communication with the veterinary staff during exams, due the separation of the animal from the client during exams and care.
THE SURVEY:
A ten-question survey with opportunity to comment was circulated to Facebook, association, and general veterinary groups from November 1, 2021 to January 5, 2022. Participants could take the survey one time. There was not sponsorship by any industry or group outside of the investigator, Sally J. Foote, DVM.
SURVEY RESULTS:
A total of 131 responses were received.
Question 1 – Check all the veterinary care settings that you work in on a regular basis.
Results – 96% work in a brick-and-mortar veterinary small animal practice; 8% mobile; 3% shelter clinic; 3% vaccine clinic.
Question 2 – What is your degree level?
Results – 60% DVM only; 23% certified veterinary technician/licensed veterinary nurse; 2% technician with specialty; 3% DVM with diplomate; 3% practice management/administration.
Question 3 – How would you describe your work interactions with young dogs and clients?
Results – 92% responded that they examine all dog patients for all care; 1% surgery only; the remaining responses were comments about specialty care or administration.
Question 4 – Have you noticed any difference in the level of anxiety/ aggression/rowdy behavior of dogs under two years of age as of December 2021 compared to dogs presented for exams pre-pandemic stay at home and under the age of two?
Results – 65% reported dogs pulling away, jumping on the staff, flipping the head when touched, and physically struggling more when handled for care; 46% reported dogs are quicker to snap, nip when feet, ears, mouth, or the body is handled; 37% reported growling, staring or barking more readily at stimuli at the clinic; 15% did not see a difference; 12% were not sure as they were not clear if the dog’s behavior was overly friendly or lacking manners rather than aggressive or anxious.
Question 5 – Has there been any change in bite and near bite incidents at your workplace when examining/handling dogs under two years of age as of December 2021?
Results – 31% yes; 47% no; 15% not sure due to non-reporting but witness an increase.
Question 6 – Did your facility use curbside care between March 2020 and December 2021?
Results – 70% yes; 7% no; 10% modified by limiting the clients to one at a time or taking care outdoors. Many comments about using curbside part of the time, then limited client entry or end curbside once vaccination available.
Question 7 – Was there a difference in your ability to educate clients about puppy care and behavior during the stay-athome orders?
Results – 31% no – they took the time to advise and send home resources; 32% could not talk directly but used resources; 30% yes, it was difficult to keep up with case load and time demands for puppy education; 3% do not do much puppy behavior education.
Question 8 – Have you seen any change in the number or type of puppy and young dog exams at your clinic since March 2020?
Results – 60% yes, more puppies; 32% yes, either more pet ownership or more people available to bring pets in for care; 7% not sure; 5% no, saw the same number of puppies as prepandemic.
Question 9 – What effects of the stay-athome orders do you feel have influenced puppies raised from March 2020 to Dec 2021?
Results – 84% lack of socialization to car rides, people visiting, petting, and missing puppy class increased poor manners and fear of new things; 75% over-bonding to the client due to work at home increased separation anxiety and other anxieties; 25% curbside and lack of time with clients lost our ability to help puppy parents.
Question 10 – Respondents name, phone and contact info.
SUMMARY:
The results show most general practices are experiencing an increase in young dog handling resistance. Lack of socialization to touch from non-family members and over-bonding to the owner are contributors. The lack of nonfamily members petting, these dogs decrease handling acceptance, resulting in increased handling aggression (1,2). Hyper-bonding to the owner can increase resource guarding, resulting in increased growling, staring, or body blocking of the veterinary staff when the dog is near the owner (3). This resource guarding will increase growling, barking and other
aggressive behaviors when the owner is present with the dog.
Low stress veterinary care techniques focused on adapting the approach and touch during handling to decrease stress are important for all patients. Young dogs raised during the pandemic shut down have missed an important development period in their lives to accept handling and will be higher risk patients for causing injury to staff during care. Reducing this staff injury risk will require more education in reading body language, clinic care environment management, behaviorbased handling techniques, and use of pre-exam medications to manage anxiety and aggression. Owners of young dogs will need to be compliant in preparation for a low stress veterinary visit. Clear recording of the handling plan and triggers to anxiety and aggression in the medical record is important for consistent safe veterinary care.
The pandemic of 2020 changed many things in our culture. Many industries and educators are continuing remote options. The hyper-bonding effect between young dogs and their owners will continue to be a challenge as people are more home-based. As homes and community gatherings open, puppies can now socialize to petting and handling, which will help to prevent handling anxiety. The young dogs called “pandemic puppies”
can improve. It will take time, repeated training, and increased staff skill levels for low stress veterinary care. Further studies are needed to monitor the effects of the pandemic shut down on young dog behavior.
References:
1. Yin.S Perfect puppy in 7 days pg. 131- 139 Copywrite 2011 Cattledog publishing
2. AVSAB Position statement on Puppy Socialization access 2 10 2022 https://avsab.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_ Socialization_Position_Statement_ Download_-_10-3-14.pdf
3. Resource guarding in dogs Preventive Vet access 2 10 2022
https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/ resource-guarding-in-dogs
RESOURCE LINKS:
Publications & Free Resources
- Foote & Friends - Dr. Sally J. Foote, DVM (drsallyjfoote.com)
Pandemic Puppies Stress in the Exam Room with Pet ParentsYouTube
About the Author: Dr. Sally J. Foote is a veterinary behavior consultant, writer and speaker. She has presented at national conferences including the AVMA, VMX and Midwest Veterinary Conference and is a guest lecturer at many of the Veterinary colleges in the United States. After 34 years in general practice, with 30 years as owner of Okaw Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Foote focuses her time creating content, speaking and on-line education publications building the discipline of Low Stress animal care.
Dr. Foote received her DVM in 1984 from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and Low Stress Handling Certified – Silver and Fear Free Certified.
As past president of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, Dr. Foote has served on multiple committees with the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Foote’s hobbies include hiking especially near her sister’s home in Switzerland, knitting, and enjoying the quiet life in rural east central Illinois with her family.
House of Delegates SUMMER 2022 Session report
The AVMA House of Delegates met on July 28-29 in Philadelphia. The House discussed two hot topics in veterinary medicine during the Veterinary Information Forum (VIF). The HOD discussed needed updates to the Model Veterinary Practice Act, including license portability, roles and supervision of veterinary technicians and assistants, and telemedicine. The HOD also discussed the Responsibility to Provide Emergency Care as it pertains to the principles of veterinary medical ethics, taking into account the challenges faced by many clinics in the current workforce climate.
Five resolutions were brought to the House of Delegates for consideration, and all were approved. These included:
• Resolution 6 - New Policy on Use of Prescription Drugs in Veterinary Medicine
• Resolution 7 - New Policy on Adverse Event Reporting
• Resolution 8 - Revised Policy on Genetic Modification of Animals in Agriculture
• Resolution 9 - Revised Policy on Approval and Availability of Antimicrobials for Use in Food-Producing Animals
• Resolution 10 - Revised Policy on Raw Milk
The full text of all resolutions is available on the AVMA website.
Officer Elections
For the 2022-2023 association year, Dr. Rena Carlson was elected as President-Elect and Dr. Jennifer Quamen was elected as Vice President. The House elected two new members and one incumbent to the House Advisory Committee. Dr. Libby Todd will serve a second term and Dr. Diana Thome and Dr. Stuart Brown were both elected for their first term. The results of other Council elections can be found on the AVMA website.
The Board of Directors welcomed new District 11 Director, Dr. Amanda Bisol. The new BOD Chair is Dr. Ronald Gil, and the new Vice Chair is Dr. Charles Lemme.
Three individuals announced their candidacy for AVMA President Elect: Dr. Sanda Faeh Butler, Dr. Arnie Goldman, and Dr. Bob Murtaugh. This is a historical election with the most candidates to date for AVMA president-elect. This election will be held during the 2023 annual convention in Denver, Colorado.
AVMA Updates
New AVMA Initiatives
Journey for Teams is an initiative to incorporate DEI actions and thinking into daily life that was launched on July 29, 2022 during the AVMA Convention. The program is designed to help veterinary teams with improving understanding of DEI in the workplace and profession through webinars and other training. All resources can be found at https://www.journeyforteams. org/.
On July 30, 2022, AVMA launched a Coalition for Connected Veterinary Care to collaborate across the veterinary and animal health industry to enhance and expand care by leveraging technology, while simultaneously respecting the integrity of the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. The founding members are the AVMA, Veterinary Study Groups, and Merck Animal Health along with more than 30 other veterinary organizations and companies.
Workforce Issues
AVMA is investigating the causes for workforce shortages, first to identify why there is a shortage so then a solution can be identified. Some key factors include underutilization of technicians, salary not keeping up with debt load, practices growing faster than DVM production, which puts pressure on labor market, and pet numbers growing slower than DVM growth which constrains DVM wages. AVMA will host roundtables to drill down on workforce needs and challenges. Boots on the ground expertise is needed here, so keep an eye out for opportunities to join the discussion.
FDA Compounding Guidance
FDA finalized and published Guidance for Industry (GFI) #256 which describes the agency’s approach to situations where veterinarians need access to unapproved drugs compounded from bulk drug substances (BDS) to provide appropriate care for the medical needs of the diverse species they treat when no FDA-approved (including conditionally approved) or indexed
drug can be used to treat the animal. This means FDA is granting use of drugs compounding from FDA approved animal and human bulk drug substances list. The good news is it places few restrictions on patient-specific prescriptions for nonfood producing species. There is a call for nominations to attempt to get bulk drug substances (BDS) on the FDA list for use. Consult the Appendix of GFI #256 for needed information and submit our request for AVMA assistance to compounding@avma.org.
AVMA Government Relations Division
While politics are polarized right now, AVMA remains nonpartisan. The AVMA works with those in Congress that want to work with AVMA on veterinary issues. AVMA will remain dedicated to veterinary issues only, because for the long term good for our profession, it is essential that we remain in the center aisle. Veterinarians need to be the cause of the good change, not at the effect of someone else’s change. We need to advocate for the protection of our profession. AVMA attempting to expand grasstops and grass roots capabilities, grow the PAC, and continue to improve the quality of interactions with state and allied VMAs.
AVMA Political Action Committee (PAC)
The AVMA Political Action Committee has grown 30% over this time last year. This is an incredible accomplishment, but the new goal is $400k by end of year. Membership support is so important. This money does not stay in PAC’s bank account; it does no good if it’s not contributed. All of this money goes out to Congressmen. The PAC website is updated regularly to show where money goes state to state. PAC funds are distributed on a non-partisan basis, focused on veterinary issues only. It’s this historical non-partisan stance that allows AVMA access to both sides of the aisle.
American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF)
The mission of the AVMF is to raise funds to improve animal health. The AVMF has raised over half a million dollars for Ukraine relief including supplies, veterinary care, food, and more. You can visit the website AVMF.org where you can find stories and heartbreaking images of what our colleagues are going through in this part of the world. New this year to the AVMF mission is education, and AVMF plans to award $300,000 in scholarships for veterinary technicians.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions. It is our honor to serve the veterinary professionals of Pennsylvania on the AVMA House of Delegates.
Managers: Empathize With Boundaries
By Ashley Elliott, CVTAccording to the Cambridge Dictionary, empathy is “the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation.” If that doesn’t encompass every day as a veterinary professional, I don’t know what does. In a matter of an hour, we might celebrate a new puppy that a long-term client recently adopted, provide condolences to a grieving family saying goodbye to their beloved geriatric cat, and read a post on your personal social media newsfeed about a high school classmate’s labrador retriever with a foreign body and how the owners are now crowdfunding to pay for the surgery. We feel all of this, but we have to learn how to empathize in our profession while still establishing boundaries. We work in an industry where we are told that if we don’t do x, y, and z, it’s because we don’t care enough. We care more than enough, sometimes too much, and need to become more aware of what situations we can manage on our own and when we should utilize our resources for quality resolution.
Managers and employees in leadership positions also empathize with the team. They are entrusted with confidential information that they can’t always outwardly react to, at the risk of alerting the staff to an issue. It is important for management to display empathy, to act like a genuine caring human being, but with established professional boundaries to avoid compassion fatigue and burnout. Leaders should turn to their resources and use them as aides. Human resources training, veterinary social workers, and/or employee assistance programs can be very useful for those situations. Managers need to be aware of their professional and personal limitations, and realize they are not trained or equipped to carry it all, nor should they be. It’s important to know that seeking additional support is not a sign of weakness or failure. This is more of a work smarter, not harder, moment.
Managers and leaders are the people the team turns to for help with difficult clients. Clients become difficult for various reasons, but it’s often where emotions and finances intersect.
Managers empathize with these clients because they feel how upset and sometimes ashamed the clients are when they love their pet so much but cannot afford the recommended care. This is also a situation where managers should consider their resources. It’s important for the client to feel like they have been heard and have been provided appropriate education to make informed decisions. Managers should consider alternative/extended payment options provided through outside sources (Care Credit, Scratchpay, etc). Veterinary social workers may also be helpful in these situations, as a non-biased third party. Clients can also be difficult when dealing with the loss of a pet. Managers should train their doctors and team members on appropriate resources for grief support, so the clients can receive the help they need from individuals who have had the proper training.
Veterinary medicine as a profession is full of opportunities to empathize – with each other and with our clients. It is important for leadership to triage these situations and know when it’s appropriate to seek external assistance from helpful resources. This is to ensure the individual, team member or client, receives the targeted help they need, without burning out the staff or managers. Sometimes the helpers need help too and that is more than ok.
About the Author: Ashley Elliott, CVT, is the practice manager at the Animal Hospital of Chester County, located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She was the 2021 PVMA Practice Manager of the Year and is a current member of the PVMA Board of Trustees, serving as the CVT At-Large. She has had a well-rounded career in numerous areas of veterinary medicine including academia, general practice, and specialty and emergency medicine. Her current focus is on building team relationships and growing as a leader.
Team Talk
By Julie Myers, Administration Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA)“Thank You”
As a child, did you ever see one of your elementary teachers in the grocery store and just stop and stare, amazed that they had a life outside of the classroom? I believe that mentality unfortunately follows most people into adulthood, and that some cannot separate “person A” from the associated identity, but only from a singular perspective which limits the observer’s ability to see “person A” as a PERSON!
I am not a veterinary professional; it is not my calling. But I have been the show-and-tell parent that brought in everything from gerbils to bearded dragons, from fire-bellied toads to dogs. And all these pets have been seen by a veterinary team. During those many, many visits, I have come to appreciate every part of the team. I got to know the client services representative who told me about her daughter’s difficult pregnancy and how excited they were when their granddaughter was delivered healthy with a full head of hair. The veterinary assistant who hummed a lullaby to my cat while she was being examined, and told me she sings with the church choir. The Practice Manager who looked me straight in the eye and said “I will take care of him” as he carried my bleeding dog from the car into the hospital. The Certified Veterinary Technician who showed me photos of her new house that she and her husband were renovating themselves, who weeks later cried with me while I held my sweet Tali as she took her final breath. My heroes, Dr. Susan and Dr. Gary, who are both now retired and I get to see at PVMA conferences where we chat about their cats and horses, respectively, their health and hobbies, and they chuckle as they remember my English Springer Spaniel, Chester, who absolutely hated going to see them. These PEOPLE have impacted my life in tremendous ways, and I appreciate them!
The theme of this issue of Keystone Veterinarian is Appreciation, which by definition is, “recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.” If you have not heard it today, this week, this month, this year, please know that you are appreciated! You give your education, experience, compassion, and time while balancing emotions of frustration, fear, anger, disbelief, and heartache. Then you go home and give more to those in your personal life. THANK YOU for your dedication to the veterinary profession, no matter what your concentration.
A special thank you to the PVMA Leaders who volunteer their time and talents to pursue and uphold our mission; to the authors whose contributions to this publication are valued; to the advertisers and industry partners who support our programs; to the speakers educating the profession; to the publisher for craftsmanship; and especially to my colleague, Corinne Tolan, who has demonstrated resilience and flexibility in the past 6 months to a level unparalleled. You are all amazing people.
I hope you take time each day to express thankfulness. Gratitude can change the world, one PERSON at a time!
Member News
Obituary
In memory of...
Dr. Don Roy Patton, VMD
(excerpt from www.ydr.com)
Dr. Don Roy Patton, VMD, 90, passed away on September 25, 2022 at Senior Commons at Powder Mill. He was the loving husband of Deanna M. Patton to whom he was married for 64 years. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 1:30 PM on Thursday, October 6, 2022 at Olewiler and Heffner Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc., 35 Gotham Place, Red Lion with Connie Milchling officiating. Prior to the service, there will be a visitation from 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM. Interment will follow at Red Lion Cemetery with the York County Veterans Honor Guard. The Celebration of Life Service will be live streamed under Dr. Patton’s obituary at HeffnerCare.com. Born January 5, 1932 in Hanover, Dr. Patton was the son of the late James Roy, and Clara G. (Stevens) Patton. Dr. Patton was a graduate of Red Lion High School, he attended Franklin & Marshall College for his undergraduate degree, and obtained his Veterinary Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Patton was the owner of Patton Veterinary Hospital, and had served his community for many years. He was a board member for the York County Parks and Recreation, and was very instrumental in the development of the Rail Trail. Many of the birdhouses that could be seen along the rail trail were also crafted by Dr. Patton. He loved making beautiful ornate birdhouses in his free time. Dr. Patton was an active member of York Wildcare, and was the first veterinarian in the region licensed to operate on Raptors and developed a surgical technique that allowed them to fly again. Dr. Patton was also an active member of York-Adams Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Patton was a member of Living Word Community Church for 24 plus years, and served in the church’s First Contact Ministry, which oversaw any guest services. Prior to his membership at Living Word Community Church, he attended Grace Lutheran Church in Red Lion. He was also a member of the Christian Motorcycle Association. He also served our country in the United States Air Force and was stationed in France, where he served as the lead Veterinarian for the Air Force K9 Units. In his free time Dr. Patton enjoyed collecting Susquehanna Valley duck decoys, golfing, bird watching, and being with his family. In addition to his wife, Dr. Patton leaves behind a daughter, Christina E. Koch; four grandchildren, Jessica Stone, Miles Koch, Quinn Koch, and Graham Koch; two great grandchildren, Logan Stone and Lovaeha Haley; and one great great grandson, Elliot Walton. Dr. Patton is preceded in death by a son, Douglas S. Patton. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Ravenridge Wildlife Center, P.O. Box 38, Washington Boro, PA 17538. Send Condolences at HeffnerCare.com.
Welcome
New Members
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Acquilano
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If you have something you want to share with Members, whether it’s a doodle, a drawing, a funny story, a puzzle or something else, we want to hear from you. Email your idea to Membership@PaVMA.org.
Classified Ads
VETERINARIANS
Cat Clinic and Hospital | Full Time / Scranton, Pennsylvania
The Cat Clinic and Hospital in Pittsburgh, established in 1979, is conducting a search for a full-time associate veterinarian with interest and expertise in feline medicine and surgery. We are a clientoriented, patient oriented practice with 20 minute appointments. Skilled and licensed veterinary technicians, excellent management, and mature, friendly staff. Dr. Robert Bebko is the veterinarian in charge, and has over 40 years’ experience in feline only practices. Please email catclinicemployment@yahoo.com.
Dr. PAWS Hospital | Full or Part Time / Scranton, Pennsylvania Are you tired of being overworked and overstressed? Come visit us at Dr. PAWS in Scranton, PA. We are ever so lucky to keep our practice moving at a calm steady rate with such an incredible well-seasoned staff they will make you look good and take the burden off of you. Our practice runs with 1/2-hour appointments focusing on spending time (as much time as it takes) to assure that our patients and clients are well taken care of. We are an AAHA Accredited hospital fully paperless/digital rads/2 therapeutic laser units/ultrasound etc. but most important is the staff: Dr. PAWS has 3 doctors with combined experience of 55 years, 2 receptionists with 20 years and 5 technicians with 60 years’ experience. So come enjoy your career again. Come see how content, capable and happy our staff is and how happy our clients are. We offer benefits including 401(k). Email resume to admin@drpaws.com.
Wellsboro Small Animal Hospital | Full or Part Time / Middlebury Center, Pennsylvania
The Wellsboro Small Animal Hospital is currently expanding capabilities by adding on a CT suite and is looking to hire a small animal general practitioner, internist, or emergency veterinarian. Benefits include
100% employer paid health/dental/vision insurance, 4% match 401(k), CE allowance, professional licensing dues, malpractice insurance, VIN & professional membership, competitive vacation time and more. Located in Middlebury Center, PA. The region offers a wonderful opportunity for those who enjoy the outdoors. Send resume to mgmtwsah@ptd.net. Call 570376-2800 or email with any questions. Please call Raina Gruver or Dr. Jonathan Salevsky at 570-376-2800 and/or email mgmtwsah@ptd.net.
Allegheny Veterinary Service | Full Time / Elkins, Pennsylvania
TEAM GROWTH POSITION AVAILABLE: SMALL ANIMAL VETERINARIAN – ELKINS, WV. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS (UP TO $150,000 PER YEAR), 4-day work week No evening or Saturday appointments, Generous PTO (Approx. 24 days per year for vacation, CE, holidays etc), Health Insurance 401K Match Dental & Vision Insurance, Education Repayment Plan, Continuing education expense Professional liability insurance, State license fees Professional memberships of your choice (AVMA, WVVMA, VIN) Uniform expense Moving Benefit: 1800 sq ft newly renovated home provided for first 1-2 years to help you get moved. Contact Dr. Tracy Walker at tracywalkerdvm@gmail.com.
Mountain View Veterinary Care | Full or Part Time / Greensburg, Pennsylvania Mountain View Veterinary Care is looking for a full or part time veterinarian that believes in providing exemplary medical care, information, and education to our clients so that they can make the best choices for their pets. Our hospital was established November 2020 and received AAHA accreditation 6 months later. We are a full-service hospital with state-ofthe-art equipment that offers veterinary services in the following areas: routine health care, diagnostics including exams, in-house lab machines, ultrasound, digital x-ray, therapeutic laser, routine surgery, dentals, reproductive services, OFA and German radiographic health certification.
We believe in 40-hour work weeks with no on-call. Email Debbie at dbacha@ mtnviewvetcare.com.
Elizabethtown Animal Hospital | Full or Part Time / Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania Veterinarian opening in Elizabethtown, PA. No emergency or on call hours (unless desired to make extra money). Experienced preferred but willing to mentor a new/ recent graduate. E-town Animal Hospital was founded in 1950 and has continued to serve our town with high quality and honest medicine. We are a privately owned hospital and allow you to practice medicine with no high pressure sale pitches and quotas to meet. We treat dogs, cats, chickens, pocket pets and small ruminants. Excellent compensation package. Contact Dr. Distler at 910-580-0680 and/or email at JEDDVM@gmail.com.
Lampire Biological Laboratories, Inc. | Full Time / Everett, Pennsylvania
Lampire Biological Labs is seeking a Staff Veterinarian in Everett, PA. Expertise in large domestic farm and/or laboratory animal medicine, and a working knowledge of regulatory requirements for the care and use of animals in research required. Major responsibilities include oversite of the Animal Care and Use Program, management of the Program of Vet Care and provision of clinical care. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree. ACLAM certified a plus. Lampire offers a competitive salary, 401K with matching contribution, profit sharing and major medical / dental coverage. Candidates should submit resume to gf1k@lampire.com. EOE.
Buckingham Animal Hospital | Full Time / Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Seeking full-time veterinarian in beautiful Central Bucks County for Buckingham Animal Hospital, a privately-owned five-doctor practice. Veterinarians are supported by our highly trained and friendly staff within our well-equipped, bright and spacious stand-alone building. We are seeking a kind team member with
excellent interpersonal and communication skills – sense of humor is a bonus! The owner is a 2003 Penn Vet graduate with experience mentoring new veterinarians. Generous salary and benefits. Schedule averages 35-40 hours/week, no after-hours emergencies. Close to the charming towns of Doylestown and New Hope and driving distance to Philadelphia and NYC. Please email Brad Kube, VMD at buckah1950@ gmail.com.
Banfield Pet Hospital | Full Time / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Banfield Pet Hospital is seeking Veterinarians in Pittsburgh! Sign-on bonus available at select locations! Are you looking for industry leading compensation and benefits, cooperative and collaborative teams, comprehensive coaching and mentorship, and tremendous growth opportunities?
Look no further, because Banfield Pet Hospital is hiring! Contact Gregory.Spunt@ banfield.com today to learn more.
Banfield Pet Hospital | Full Time / Mechanicsburg and Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania Banfield Pet Hospital is seeking Veterinarians in Mechanicsburg and Fairless Hills! Generous sign-on bonus and relocation packages available. Are you looking for industry leading compensation and benefits, cooperative and collaborative teams, comprehensive coaching and mentorship, and tremendous growth opportunities? Look no further, because Banfield Pet Hospital is hiring! Contact Jackie.Griffith@banfield.com today to learn more.
Banfield Pet Hospital | Full Time / West Chester, Pennsylvania New hospital opening in Spring 2023 in West Chester, PA! Banfield offers incredible mentorship, competitive salaries, flexible scheduling, work-life balance, development opportunities, diversity resource groups, excellent benefits packages that include health insurance, paid family leave,
student debt relief, CE and PTO. Sign-on bonuses and relocation packages available! Join Banfield and make a difference in your community today. Reach out to Jackie.Griffith@banfield.com for more information.
North Versailles Veterinary Care | Full Time / North Versailles, Pennsylvania North Versailles Veterinary Care located in North Versailles, Pennsylvania is a fullservice animal hospital that welcomes both emergency treatment cases as well as pet patients in need of routine medical, surgical, and dental care. We are looking for an enthusiastic and passionate Veterinarian to help us continue to grow. Relief, PT, FT, and Managing opportunities available.
North Versailles Veterinary Care stays on top of the latest advances in veterinarian technology and above all, remembers that all animals and pets need to be treated with loving care in every check-up, procedure, or surgery. All levels of experience welcome to apply! Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@ nva.com.
Holiday Park Animal Hospital | Full Time / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Holiday Park Animal Hospital located on the Golden Mile Highway, is a full-service animal hospital providing comprehensive healthcare services to pets in Plum and the surrounding areas such as Monroeville, Murrysville, Apollo, Vandergrift, Saltsburg, Greensburg, Delmont and other areas of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We provide a wide variety of medical, surgical and dental services. Our veterinary hospital is well equipped with advanced equipment and technologies to provide the highest standard of care. Our facility has the equipment to provide comprehensive inhouse testing for accurate diagnosis, digital x-ray, ultrasound, surgical suite, dental suite, pharmacy, and more. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Animal Medical Hospital of State College | Full Time / State College, Pennsylvania
Animal Medical Hospital of State College, Pennsylvania is seeking an Associate Veterinarian. Currently comprised of one full-time veterinarian and one part-time veterinarian, we are seeking another part or full-time veterinarian to join our amazing team. We are a primary veterinary care facility that delivers quality wellness and preventive care, progressive medical care, soft-tissue and orthopedic surgery, comprehensive dental procedures, and diagnostic ultrasound. Our patients include canines and felines with some exotic species care. Full-time employees (30 hours or more per week) enjoy a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including: Offering a generous signing bonus of $25,000. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@ nva.com.
Best Friends Animal Hospital | Full Time / Dover, Pennsylvania
Best Friends Animal Hospital is seeking a Veterinarian to join our progressive small animal practice. We are committed to supporting learning and growth as well as provide mentorship. Someone with an interest to learn alternative medicines or exotics on their own is encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate for this role would be able to perform surgery, evaluate emergent patients, perform annual examinations, order appropriate tests and provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. Enjoy a 3-4 flexible schedule. One rotating Saturday per month. Limited on call hours. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Dover Area Animal Hospital | Full Time / Dover, Pennsylvania
Dover Area Animal Hospital in South Central PA located Northwest of York is seeking an Associate Veterinarian. We are currently a 7-doctor practice with a recently expanded and upgraded hospital. We are a high-volume busy clinic with experienced veterinarians who are willing
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to teach and mentor new graduates. Our hospital includes surgical and cold laser, digital x-ray, ultrasound, paperless records, and boarding and grooming facilities. You can expect a diverse medical and surgical caseload in a laid-back atmosphere. We are offering competitive salaries and flexible work hours with a full benefits package and potential sign-on bonus (minimum $10,000). Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Best Friends Animal Hospital | Full Time / Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Managing Veterinarian opening in Chambersburg, PA, a modern city with a small-town feel. Best Friends Animal Hospital is a 2 doctor, well-established, fullservice, small animal veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical and dental care. We value cooperation and teamwork along with comradery and collaboration. As our Managing Veterinarian, you will be responsible for providing medical leadership for a team of collaborative veterinarians and crafting an environment that fosters teamwork and quality medicine. Offering a generous signing bonus, relocation assistance, and retention bonus. Joint Ownership is an option for those interested but not a requirement. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Camboro Veterinary Hospital | Full Time / Edinboro, Pennsylvania
Camboro Veterinary Hospital located near Erie, PA is seeking an Associate Veterinarian to join our practice. Part-time or Full-time hours available. Our 7,000 square foot modern hospital provides primary, referral and limited emergency services. There are 6 modern exam rooms, a large hospital waiting and reception area, retail and pet discharge areas all for the convenience of our clients, and much more! Formal Mentorship Program Available. Excellent benefits and incentives. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
The Animal Hospital on the Golden Strip | Full Time / Williamsport, Pennsylvania We are actively seeking an experienced Veterinarian who is interested in joint ownership at our NVA hospital, in Williamsport, PA. Our ownership opportunities are available for the right candidate who is looking for both longterm stability and financial rewards. As the Managing Veterinarian / Medical Director, you will be responsible for providing medical leadership for a team of collaborative veterinarians and crafting an environment that fosters teamwork and quality medicine. You will also partner with the Hospital Manager to ensure the success and growth of the hospital and work with Divisional Leadership to accomplish hospital goals. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Leader Heights Animal Hospital | Full Time / York, Pennsylvania
Leader Heights Animal Hospital located in York, the heart of South Central Pennsylvania, is hiring a passionate and self-motivated Associate Veterinarian to join our growing practice. You have the opportunity to enjoy a 4-day work week, with Sundays off and every other Saturday (until noon). Leader Heights is most proud of their commitment to a work-life balance, by allowing doctors to make their own schedules and respecting what areas of medicine the doctors are most interested in practicing. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us today! Excellent work/life balance. No on call or ER hours. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Holiday Park Animal Hospital | Full Time / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Holiday Park Animal Hospital located on the Golden Mile Highway, is a full-service animal hospital providing comprehensive healthcare services to pets in Plum and the surrounding areas such as Monroeville, Murrysville, Apollo, Vandergrift, Saltsburg, Greensburg, Delmont and other areas of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We provide a wide variety of medical, surgical and
dental services. Our veterinary hospital is well equipped with advanced equipment and technologies to provide the highest standard of care. Our facility has the equipment to provide comprehensive inhouse testing for accurate diagnosis, digital x-ray, ultrasound, surgical suite, dental suite, pharmacy, and more. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Confederate Woods Veterinary Hospital
| Full Time / Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Confederate Woods Veterinary Hospital in Gettysburg, PA, is an AAHA-accredited hospital seeking a Veterinarian. We focus on work, life, and family balance, with no on-call duties and after-hours emergencies are referred to a local ER. Your day-to-day will include; well and non-well case workups, spay/neuters, dentistry, appointments, and general practice. We are technician driven with a 3:1 tech to doctor ratio, leaving you free to practice and treat with the full support of our sophisticated in-house lab, digital dental radiography, ultrasound, laser therapy, and acupuncture. Our doctors are always looking for more ways in which to serve their community. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-3093709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva. com.
Butler Veterinary Associates and Emergency Center | Full Time / Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler Veterinary Associates is looking to hire an Associate DVM. We are a large group practice that provides general practice as well as emergency services in the Butler/North Pittsburgh area. We get many challenging cases to keep your diagnostic, medical and surgical skills sharp. All this in a strong team-based environment. We see ourselves as a step between most general practices and board-certified specialists in what we can offer clients diagnostically, medically and surgically. If you want to be a part of a dynamic team reach out today! Excellent mentorship for new grads. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Countryside Animal Clinic | Full Time / Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Countryside Animal Clinic in Mechanicsburg, PA is seeking a Full-Time veterinarian. Located on 11 beautiful acres, our work environment is upbeat and enjoyable. We are a busy, team-oriented, one doctor practice that’s rapidly growing into two doctors. My staff is great, and our team is a close knit, family-oriented group, highly reviewed by our clients. If you love people, have a great work ethic, and desire a good work-life balance, we may be a great fit! Our practice is progressive and flexible with digital x-ray, in-house Abaxis lab, ultrasound, and well-versed in dentistry and most surgeries. Mentoring is available or practice your own style. Most weekends and evenings off unless you want the opportunity to see emergencies. Check out our website (krusenvet.com) and Facebook page (Kurt Krusen DVM) to get to know us better! Email us at krusenvet@gmail.com to apply.
A-1 Vet Care | Full Time / Coshocton, Ohio
We are seeking an additional veterinarian to help carry on our tradition of client engagement and community involvement. For leaders that are interested in taking your career to the next level, you will have the opportunity to utilize your management skills and make an imprint on an already well-established practice. Our facility is updated, our clients are loyal and our community is a great place to raise a family! We encourage doctors of all experience levels to apply, as our current doctors are enthusiastic to share their knowledge and mentor a new graduate. To apply, please email Libby Wallace at lwallace@heartlandvetpartners.com.
communication skills and enjoy working with people and their pets. Our practice offers cold therapy laser, digital radiology, in-house blood work machines, and a large pharmacy. This is a small practice, so we have close relationships with our clients. Our staff members are well-trained and we utilize fear free techniques. There is also an opportunity for practice ownership. Please call Danielle Frost, VMD at 610348-0293 and/or email daniellevmd@ whitelandsanimalhospital.com.
Niles Vet Clinic | Full Time / Niles, OH
Always wanted to lead an AAHA accredited practice with an engaged & fun loving team where you are encouraged to prioritize your well-being? Now’s your chance! Niles Veterinary Clinic invites you to apply to be the new managing veterinarian that will support, first & foremost, their fun & energetic culture, collaborative teamwork, high quality full-service care for dogs, cats, & pocket pets. We are committed to providing exceptional patient care & client service, & believe that education of our doctors, staff, and clients is the key to creating individualized veterinary healthcare for our patients. Associate opportunity available as well! Please call/text Allison Huggins at 828-2730326 and/or email Allison.Huggins@nva. com.
Paw Prints Veterinary Center | Full or Part Time / Elizabethville, PA
Ivens-Bronstein Veterinary Hospital | Full or Part Time / Ardmore, PA
AAHA-certified, family-friendly, woman owned & managed private practice in the heart of Philly’s Main Line suburbs seeks small animal vet – full OR part time! If you can give great medical & surgical care in a warm, welcoming, collaborative environment, we will give you the work-life balance you yearn for with no on-call or late-night shifts! We use Intravet software, Idexx in-house and Antech reference lab, digital radiographs (standard and dental), and experienced techs. Salary commensurate with experience; benefits include fully discounted services for your pets, & CE allowance. Submit resume via email: hillary@ivensvet.org – we look forward to hearing from you!
Conneaut Lake Veterinary Hospital | Full or Part Time / Meadville, PA
Well-established companion animal practice. We pride ourselves on a flexible work/life balance and excellent support staff. Our hospital provides wellness, diagnostics, surgery, boarding, and limited day time emergency services. Practice hours are M-F with no on-call duties. Facility includes 3 exam rooms, a separate dental and surgery suite, complete pharmacy. Equipped with Co2 surgical laser, digital radiographs, ultrasound imaging, advanced in-house lab equipment, laser therapy, and boarding facilities. Benefits include a competitive salary, health benefits, Simple IRA with match, CE allowance and days, vacation allowance, and licensing/professional dues, paid major holidays, staff pet discount. Potential for eventual partnership a possibility. Please call Stephanie at 814-382-5446 and/or email clvet.admin@zoominternet.net.
Whitelands
Animal Hospital | Part Time / Malvern, Pennsylvania
Whitelands Animal Hospital is currently seeking a part-time veterinarian for our team. We are a privately owned, AAHA accredited, 1.5 doctor practice located in Malvern, PA. We would prefer at least 5 years of experience. The successful candidate should have excellent
Paw Prints Veterinary Center is seeking a full or part time veterinarian for our small animal practice located in Elizabethville, PA. A strong candidate will be compassionate and dedicated with strong communication skills and work ethic. We strive to create a welcoming and pleasant environment for our staff as well as our clients. Our team currently includes 1 doctor, 3 full time staff, and 1 part time staff. We offer competitive pay and benefits as well as potential partownership of the practice. Please contact us at 717-362-8578 or via email at kayswe@ aol.com to discuss becoming an addition to our team. Please call Sierra Bower, Office Manager at 717-362-8578 and/or email kayswe@aol.com.
Guardian Veterinary Specialists | Full Time / Brewster, NY
Guardian Veterinary Specialist is seeking ER and Specialty Veterinarians. GVS provides a unique culture that focuses on strong positive relationships within the workplace. GVS offers great benefits/perks such as generous salaries, signing bonuses, state of the art technology, assistance with
relocation, opportunity to earn CE credit’s monthly, exceptional benefits (health, vision and dental), sponsorship available for international professionals, several free meals provided to the staff each week and free mental health services for staff. Contact us today to find out about a career with Guardian Veterinary Specialists and to learn about The Guardian Way! Please call Holly Oths at 914-704-3465 and/or email hoths@guardianveterinaryspecialists. com.
Niles Veterinary Clinic | Full or Part Time / Niles, Ohio
Niles Veterinary Clinic is seeking a Veterinarian to join our growing team! We are an AAHA accredited, 2 veterinarian practice in Northeast Ohio providing high quality full-service care for dogs, cats, and pocket pets. We are committed to providing exceptional patient care and client service, and believe that education of our doctors, staff, and clients is the key to creating individualized veterinary healthcare for our patients. All experience levels are welcome to apply! We are HUGE on staff engagement and celebrate our team and clients on a regular basis. This is truly a work family! Contact: Please connect with Allison Huggins at 828.273.0326 and/or email Allison. Huggins@nva.com.
Buckingham Animal Hospital | Full Time / Doylestown, PA
Seeking full-time veterinarian in beautiful Central Bucks County for Buckingham Animal Hospital, a privately-owned five-doctor practice. Veterinarians are supported by our highly trained and friendly staff within our well-equipped, bright and spacious stand-alone building. We are seeking a kind team member with excellent interpersonal and communication skills – sense of humor is a bonus! The owner is a 2003 Penn Vet graduate with experience mentoring new veterinarians. Generous salary and benefits. Schedule averages 35-40 hours/week, no after-hours emergencies. Close to the charming towns of Doylestown and New Hope and driving distance to Philadelphia and NYC. Please email Brad Kube, VMD at buckah1950@ gmail.com.
Murrysville Veterinary Associates | Full Time / Monroeville, PA
At Covenant Veterinary Care we are truly “Partners for Health and Partners for Life.” In addition to home visits, we now offer expanded on-site care in our clinic featuring fully equipped surgical and dental suites, in-house diagnostics, and digital X-ray. Compensation commensurate with qualifications and experience. Respondents please email cvcmgt167@gmail.com.
Mercersburg Veterinary Clinic | Full OR Part Time / Mercersburg, PA Searching for an energetic, compassionate ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN to join our medical team. You will enjoy practicing high quality medicine with a team oriented support staff in a fully equipped custom built clinic, including: IDEXX Lab, GE Logiq V5 ultrasound, digital radiography, digital dental, CO2laser surgery, therapeutic laser, stem cell therapy, paperless records, efficient and organized clinic environment with heavy focus on good life/work balance.Enjoy flexible work schedule. No emergency duty. Flexible schedule. Salary commensurate on experience. Generous benefits package. Signing and relocation bonus. Please call Allyson Grove, DVM at 717.320.2696 and/or email agrove@ mercersburgvetclinic.com.
Paw Prints Veterinary Clinic | Full Time / Morgantown, West Virginia
PVSEC
BluePearl | Full Time / Pittsburg, PA
$50,000 sign-on bonus plus other incentives for full time experienced ER Clincians. Why should you choose Pittsburgh? They say a picture is worth 1,000 words and this video is worth even more: vimeo.com/677892292 BluePearl Pittsburgh (PVSEC) is seeking a full time ER doctor to a hospital supported by seven criticalists, + specialists in surgery, internal medicine, medical oncology, ophthalmology, neurology, radiology, and anesthesia. The 35,000-square-foot facility has a long standing reputation of providing excellent emergency and referral care to the Pittsburgh area. PVSEC is located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. Please contact Adam Lancaster: adam.lancaster@ bluepearlvet.com.
Murrysville Veterinary Associates, located in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs, is looking for a veterinarian. We are a recently expanded AAHA-accredited hospital that was designed by Animal Arts, the pioneers in the Fear Free hospital concept. Our four doctors practice small animal medicine in a friendly, collaborative environment that encourages professional development through peer mentorship. The clinic is equipped with digital radiology and ultrasound, a two-table surgery suite, electrocautery, therapeutic laser, isolation, in-house laboratory, and a fully equipped two-table digital dental suite. Our 4-day work weeks with rotating Saturdays reflect work/life balance and flexible schedules for our staff. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309.3709 and/or email Kelli. Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Covenant Veterinary Care | Full OR Part Time / Marietta, PA
Experience preferred. Established house call practice has expanded to include a freestanding clinic in historic Marietta, PA. Our two veterinarians and dedicated staff promote a professional and collegial culture dedicated to supporting and preserving the bond in covenant partnership with pets and their owners.
Join Our Expansion! We currently built a brand-new facility! And therefore, looking to add more doctors to our GP small animal hospital in Morgantown West Virginia. Paw Prints Veterinary Clinic’s new (additional building) opened in the Summer of 2022. We are currently a four-doctor practice. We have the capacity to do bone plating, TTA and TPLO surgeries. Our new facility will be equipped with a CT scanner. We have Storz laparoscopic and arthroscopic equipment. This is an excellent opportunity for a new grad or experienced Veterinarian. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/ or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
The Animal Hospital on the Golden Strip | Full Time / Williamsport, Pennsylvania
We are looking for an experienced doctor to be a part of our well-established small animal practice. We treat dogs, cats and some exotics. We feel we do many things
well but if we had to highlight a few it would be the ability of being very capable. Our technician team is out of this world and make our doctors lives very manageable throughout the day. We also handle end of life care impeccably and care deeply about our community. Enjoy 4-day work weeks with no on call, but are flexible. We serve the Lycoming and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
North Versailles Veterinary Care | Full Time / North Versailles, Pennsylvania
We are seeking a Medical Director / Managing Veterinarian with a vision to help grow our hospital, North Versailles Veterinary Care, while advancing our quality of care. We are located in the Pittsburgh area of PA and are a full-service animal hospital. We are in the process of a full hospital renovation and rebranding. Our new state of the art facility will include an updated surgical suite and dental suite. If you’re an experienced who’s flexible, open-minded, and passionate about creating a vibrate practice, we want to hear from you! Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Pittsburgh Premier Veterinary Care & Rehab | Full Time / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Premier Veterinary Care & Rehabilitation is located on Frankstown Road in Pittsburgh. We are a fullservice veterinary and rehabilitation hospital that welcomes dogs and cats but open to exotics as well. Holistic and alternative wellness options welcome. As a veterinarian at our hospital, you will be responsible for routine exams to sick visits to physical therapy. Flexible schedule. No weekends or on call. Limited ER. Equipment includes under water treadmill, digital x-ray, ultrasound and many therapeutic options including cold laser, PRP, Fitness, Electro, and Hirudotherapy. Excellent benefits and extra incentives. Please call Kelli Dowhaniuk at 818-309-3709 and/or email Kelli.Dowhaniuk@nva.com.
Affinity Veterinary Center of Malvern | Full Time / Malvern, Pennsylvania OK, I get it. Your chosen career is awesome but some days are the pits. So don’t settle, come practice where you can actually reap the rewards you’ve worked so hard to earn – personally, professionally and financially. Yes, we’ve got all the bells and whistles but what sets us apart from everyone else is our culture – we’re here for our patients’ wellbeing, for our own wellbeing, and for the long haul. So if you’re looking for a professional home where you have the support to grow as clinician and a human, give us a call. Call/Text Travis Meredith (484) 524-5846 or email at travis. meredith@affinityvetmalvern.com.
practices/equipment for sale
Pittsburgh, PA
Surgery table 2 lift tables digital X-ray machine, dental sink, cages, many sinks. Please call 724-263-4607.
Harrisburg, PA
Littman 3200 Electronic ambient noise reduction stethoscope. Navy blue, 27 “; never used. $250.00. Email pupdoc7@ cs.com
Audubon, NJ
Start-Up Opportunity in Audubon, NJ – 9 miles outside of Philadelphia. Turn-key 2800 square foot veterinary practice, 4 exam rooms, Large Surgery Suite, Treatment areas, kennel and breakroom. Located on major thoroughfare. 5 year lease is all that is required. Contact Dr. Chris Rocchio monarchbc@gmail.com 518-852-8973 www.monarchbc.com.
York County, PA
Two doctor small animal practice housed in a free-standing building, located on a main road with abundant parking. Practice and real estate for sale. $500,000-$600,000 per year take home to owner over the last 3 years with a 3/4 work schedule. Can easily become a three-doctor practice. Associate veterinarian and staff have been employed long-term. Many equipment and building
upgrades recently. Owner ready to retire and will help with the transition. Email pavetsale@gmail.com.
relief vETERINARIANS
David J. Henzler, DVM, PhD
Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks, Schuylkill, Lancaster, Lehigh, and York Counties
RELIEF VETERINARIAN with 15 years of clinical practice experience, including 3.5 years as a full-time 24-hour emergency doctor. PhD in Veterinary Science. Serving small animal and exotic practices in Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks, Schuylkill, Lancaster, Lehigh, and York counties. Available to cover vacations, illness, maternity, and other needs. Energetic with a professional appearance and excellent communication skills. Integrous, dependable, and detailed. “I treat your practice like my own!” Call 717.341.4357 or email henzlerdvmphd@aol.com.
Erin K Murphy, DVM
Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, and Schuylkill Counties
Outgoing, energetic and professional veterinarian in search of small animal practices where I can utilize my 24 years of clinical experience. I enjoy surgery, internal medicine, dermatology, wellness visits, and participating with the human-animal bond. Excellent communication skills, active listener, compassionate, and empathetic. Email ekhj07@gmail.com.