It’s that time of year when many of us have a bit of a “spending hangover” from the holidays! Credit card bills are piling up, and bank accounts are looking thin. This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss whether the cost of veterinary care is a barrier for pet parents seeking our help. Dr. Ward shares some breaking January 2020 pet parent survey results along with the latest reporting from Chewy, Guggenheim, and PetIQ on the current state of the veterinary market. The talk turns to the trend in “retail veterinary services” or the growing number of veterinary “wellness clinics” appearing in Walmart, Tractor Supply, and elsewhere. Dr. Ward and Beckie tackle the “talent attraction” dilemma and how generational shifts are causing significant change in both veterinary practice organization, professional culture, and the type of pet care services offered. This is a wide-ranging conversation that touches on many urgent and important challenges the veterinary profession is facing. 

Viewfinders, what do you think about these trends? Is the price of our services and products actually part of the problem? Are only 33-40% of pet parents visiting their veterinarian each year, as some of the shared data suggests? Would a large number of pet parents really prefer a "retail vet?" We want to hear from you!  

Most of you of heard - and seen - the massive bush fires engulfing Australia over the past four months. The environmental devastation on this scale is historically unprecedented. This week's guest is a veterinary professor, animal ethicist (and part-time philosopher) from the University of Sydney, Dr. Anne Fawcett. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss the latest on the Australian fires, the environmental impact she's witnessing, the damage to both animal life and ecosystems, and the role veterinarians should play in this tragedy. Dr. Fawcett shares her thoughts on why she believes veterinarians should take a more active role in discussing climate change and animal welfare, and offers advice for veterinary professionals who want to help. 

Viewfinders, this is an incredible story that impacts every living organism on our fragile planet. Please listen and share this podcast with other animal advocates.

Skin allergies season in dogs (and cats) never seems to end these days. This week we're thrilled to be joined again with Dr. Dana Liska, Dermatology Specialist at Zoetis to talk about the benefits of a dermatology work up and how veterinary teams should (and can) work together to ensure derm and itching appointments are as efficient - and effective - as possible.Hosts Beckie Mossor, RVT and Dr. Ernie Ward review who and how to take a thorough dermatological history, the basics of diagnosing seasonal skin allergies, and the latest the treatment options. We're so grateful for the support of Zoetis in bringing this special episode to the Viewfinders. We're also appreciative of the efforts of Dr. Liska and Zoetis at providing highly efficacious and safe treatments for these challenging clinical conditions. 

We'll be honest, we secretly dream of working with lions, tigers, bears, and all sorts of wildlife! If you share this dream of working as a veterinary professional in a zoo or exotic locale, you're going to love this week's podcast! This weeks hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by the Oklahoma City Zoo's Mark Romanoski, CVT. Mark shares how he got started in zoo medicine, offers advice for aspiring exotic animal professionals, and indulges us with some pretty amazing tales of treating wildlife. The trio discuss conservation and breeding programs, the dangers of improper "animal sanctuaries" and unlicensed individuals keeping exotic animals in their homes, and why feces is an important tool for research (you can blame Dr. Ward for that little tangent...). Mark reveals his "daily grind" and his favorite species to work with (all of them, of course!). 

There’s an old saying in medicine that, “Death and Illness Follow the Seasons.” In this week’s podcast, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss how veterinary professionals can cope with seasonal surges in pet euthanasia and loss. The pair share stories from their practice lives, offer advice on shifting from “Silly Sweater Mode” to “Terminal Illness Expert,” and how to help colleagues struggling with the strains and stress of euthanasia during the holidays. We believe the veterinary profession needs more authentic conversations like this on tough topics we all confront.

Once again, we tackle the tough topic of what, if any, holiday gifts we should give our veterinary coworkers. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT explore whether structured gift-giving within a business team is appropriate, establishing (and adhering to) gifting boundaries, and examples of some of their favorite veterinary team gifts. The pair also share what they’re giving their personal pets and some of their all-time favorite dog and cat toys and accessories. Beckie announces a special project celebrating her upcoming tenth wedding anniversary (congratulations!) and Dr. Ward reveals the special gift he and his wife are giving each other (hint: it involves surfing). 

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Whatever you celebrate this time of year! This week our hosts, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, tackle the topics of what we should say to clients and coworkers this holiday season, how should we celebrate, and what about spouses and significant others at work parties? Learn about Dr. Ward’s dreaded (and celebrated) annual team caroling, why having assigned tasks and an agenda for a party helps “keep it moving,” and what you should do about alcohol during office parties. The pair also debate whether or not holiday parties make sense for veterinary clinics these days. This week’s podcast is a raw and candid discussion about these potentially controversial seasonal topics that our profession needs to discuss more openly. Our words - and the spirit with which we deliver them - affect everyone around us, and our hosts offer some insight into what works, and doesn’t, in veterinary clinics. 

Recently Microsoft revealed that it found workers who worked a four-day work week were more productive and happier. This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mosser, RVT contemplate whether we’re working ourselves to poor patient outcomes and burnout. Dr. Ward explains why he’s concerned we’re creating a “Generation Burnout” of veterinary professionals and how to improve inefficiencies in the veterinary clinic. Beckie shares her stories from clinics who reduced the days worked and why she’s convinced it can work in any clinic. 

Pet food recalls, climate change, animal welfare, and longevity are all directly related to the foods we feed our pets. This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by one of Dr. Ward’s co-authors, Alice Oven, MA, to discuss their important new book, “The Clean Pet Food Revolution: How Better Pet Food Will Change the World” (2019 Lantern Books). The trio discuss why pet food is such a hot - and often controversial - topic for veterinary professionals and pet parents, what the plant-based diet shift means for dogs (and cats), the coming cellular agriculture meat revolution, and why they felt this book needed to be written now. Regardless of you own personal food philosophies, this conversation - and book - will help you better understand the rapidly changing pet food environment an dhow to answer your client’s toughest questions. The “Pet Food Revolution” is well underway, and this book (and, hopefully, this podcast) will help you stay informed. And Dr. Ward explains why “he can’t write a paragraph without a scientific citation” and why the authors CITED 27 PAGES OF REFERENCES. (That’s as many as Dr. Ward’s classic pet obesity book, “Chow Hounds” -2010 HCI Publishing. Yeah, he's like that...) We can't wait to bring you the final co-author, super biotech CEO, Ryan Bethencourt!

If you live in North America or the UK, chances are you’ve encountered political debates on the treatment floor of your veterinary clinic over the past couple of years. This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT share their experiences, Dr. Ward recounts his political campaign and how it impacted his veterinary staff and clients, and the two offer advice on how to successfully handle these potentially heated conversations in the clinic. This podcast isn’t about our political beliefs, but about how you can create best practices and boundaries to avoid hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and workplace tension. With the 2020 US political campaigns heating up, this is an excellent time to begin creating your plan for dealing with political debate within your veterinary practice. 

There’s drama and then there’s DRAMA!! This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss when, how, and why you should share your feelings with your veterinary work family. Dr. Ward reveals why he believes the legacy of Baby Boomers “Suck it up buttercup” attitude may have led to today’s burnout and mental stress. Beckie shares a recent personal tragedy and how she dealt with it. Both emphasize the importance of a supportive clinic culture and leader that staff members feel comfortable sharing their feelings (and how Dr. Ward and Laura Ward did this!). And the duo discuss how REAL Drama Kings and Queens make it more challenging for real nurturing to occur (and what to do if you find yourself in a similar situation). This is another good “real real” talk about the tough topics faced in everyday veterinary practice.

Do you struggle with money? Are you worried about your financial future? Is retirement a fictional concept? This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor are joined by Denise Tumblin, a certified public accountant with years of experience helping veterinary professionals pay themselves and secure their financial future. This is a practical conversation about why you should be paying attention to your savings, debt, and why Dr. Ward says, “Pay your future self!”