Pet food has become a controversial - and even contentious - topic for many pet parents and veterinary professionals. This week we’re joined by a pet nutritionist who transitioned to plant-based diets for dogs - Diana Laverdure-Dunetz, MS, aka “The Pet Food Diva.” (PetFoodDiva.com)

Diana shares her story of why she chose to pursue a career in pet nutrition, why she shifted to plant-based diets for dogs, insight into what pet parents are talking about on the internet, and her journey as a female entrepreneur.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss with Diana the importance of veterinary professionals being open-minded about nutrition, how to talk to clients about nutrition, and why pet parents desperately want our help with pet food decisions.

Viewfinders, we think you’ll find this conversation enlightening and educational. It’s not often that veterinary professionals are able to learn about alternative pet diets and what is ion the minds of millions of pet parents. We think you’ll also appreciate this topic during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Hopefully this will give you something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT to think about!

As always, Viewfinders, we thank you for your loyal listening for over 3.5 years! As Dr. Ward says, “Stay safe and give your pets a hug from me!”

How does it feel to be working in a veterinary clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic? That’s the question hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT address during this podcast.

Dr. Ward shares messages and comments from veterinary professionals dealing with everything from “staycation pet parents” looking for something to do, “quarantined from work” folks looking for a nail trim for their pet, to the seemingly overwhelming demands of bosses and managers seeking to maximize revenue during these times.

The duo also express hope that the human-animal bond will be amplified after this crisis resolves, and share why they think humans need companion animals more than ever.

This is a frank, honest, and perhaps painful look at the current state of veterinary practice in the US during the coronavirus pandemic.

Viewfinders, what are you feeling during this time? Are you stressed? Overworked? Worried about your health or your co-workers’? What steps are you taking to continue serving your pet patients? Are you experiencing any PPE or supply shortages?

Please share with us what's happening in your clinic on social media @VetViewfinder and /VeterinaryViewfinder.

Dr. Ward adds, “Stay safe and give your pets a hug from me!” Until next week, Viewfinders, stay positive! We got this!

If you’ve been in veterinary practice for any length of time, you know how difficult it is to diagnose, manage, and monitor diabetic cats and dog patients.

This week we share the mic with Baycom Diagnostics CEO Gus Ray to discuss A1C testing in pets, why A1C is undoubtedly the best biomarker for diabetes, and why every veterinary clinic should incorporate A1C testing in their practice.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT take a deep dive into the world of veterinary A1C, the role pre-diabetes may play play in the future of veterinary disease detection (especially with pets with obesity! You knew Dr. Ward would go there!) and what inflammatory biomarkers you’ll be seeing soon.

Professional respect - or disrespect - can define a workplace. This week we're joined by Heather Prendergast, RVT, CVPM, SPHR to discuss real-world examples of disrespect toward veterinary technicians and support staff. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT share their own experiences and the trio offer several simple steps any veterinary team can take to encourage a more harmonious team culture.

The sad truth is that many veterinary professionals have faced disrespect from bosses, managers, or coworkers, leading to frustration and burnout. This special episode tackles this tough topic and is something we think any veterinary team member can learn from or be inspired to take charge and make positive changes in their life. Whether you're an owner, practice manager, technician, or receptionist, this is a discussion we think you'll enjoy.

Thank you, Viewfinders, for listening and sharing with your colleagues!

It’s hard to hire a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT, CVT, LVT) these days! This week we’re joined by the 2020 National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) President, Kenichiro (Ken) Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM).

Ken gives us the latest update on the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI) and engages in an important discussion with hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT on the need for veterinary technician title protection (and what this means), how to get the most out of your RVT staff, what procedures RVTs can - and should - be doing, and a free online tool to help any veterinary clinic determine how well they’re utilizing support staff.

This is a timely conversation on a wide variety of topics affecting the veterinary profession in 2020 and beyond. Please share with your colleagues!

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common - and challenging - medical conditions veterinary professional confront in general practice. This week we’re joined by Board-certified veterinary surgeon and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Kristin Kirkby Shaw. Dr. Shaw joins hosts veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward and registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor, RVT to discuss her new CARE (Canine Arthritis Resources and Education) program, her thoughts on the importance of early arthritis recognition in dogs and cats, how the entire veterinary practice team can help improve OA patient care, and her amazing story (she grew up in Panama with pet monkeys! Who knew?).

Viewfinders, do us a humongous favor and go give us a review on Apple Podcasts if you haven’t already. The super secret Apple algorithm uses your input to help us reach more of our veterinary colleagues. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for loyally listening the last 3 years!

The veterinary and pet worlds were rocked once again by recent allegations that counterfeit heartworm preventives and fake cancer cures were being sold online as well as a high-profile animal abuse case involving a doggie daycare facility in North Carolina.

This week, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT reveal the latest counterfeit heartworm scare, this time involving purchases made at Amazon.com. A Minnesota (!!!) dog was diagnosed with heartworm disease after it was discovered the preventive she purchased was fake. Our hosts also discuss the online company recently found guilty of selling phony cancer cures disguised as legitimate medications. Finally, what about sketchy pet care service providers? A breaking news story from North Carolina reveals the importance of veterinary professionals working with lay pet care providers to ensure the safety and wellbeing of pets.

Viewfinders, how are you handling these issues? What are you telling your clients about online medication purchases? How do you recommend pet care services you don’t provide to the pet parents in your community? What should our profession be doing?

Working in a veterinary clinic can be stressful! Burnout, compassion fatigue, imposter syndrome, depression, and more are a few of the consequences of an unhealthy work environment and lack of emotional support for veterinary professionals.

This week, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor RVT are joined by a licensed clinical professional counselor who also happens to be a Certified Veterinary Technician! Becky Murray, CVT, MA, LCPC discusses her role as grief counselor for clients, how she helps her staff of over 300 (!!!) successfully (and healthily) deal with daily stress, and tips for handling online criticisms and negativity.

The trio also cover the practical value of glitter jars (that's not a typo, and Dr. Ward is apparently a glitter-fan), why you shouldn't throw pizza or doughnuts at problems (again, not a typo), and how to avoid judging and shaming clients for their treatment choices.

Pet parents can order a variety of DNA tests for their pets off the internet or even in select retailers these days. This week we’ve got a special guest to help veterinary professionals decipher fact from fiction,  advice from speculation, and C from G (DNA joke) when it comes to pet DNA and genetic tests. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by their friend and colleague, Dr. Chris Menges from Basepaws. Chris shares his story of how he went from private veterinary practice to DNA-biotech startup, why he specialized in epidemiology and genomics, and how he thinks the future of veterinary genetic testing will advance over the next ten years. This is an important conversation that every veterinary professionals needs to have with their teams. More pet parents are having (or considering) these tests for their pets and we need to know how to answer their questions an address their concerns. Viewfinders, this is a good one!

On January 22, 2020, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) released its latest “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) ‘Traveling by Air with Service Animals.’” This proposal could significantly change the definitions - and mandatory allowances - of service animals and how they are allowed to travel by air in the US. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT dissect the new proposals, how to navigate the often-confusing definitions and terminology used, potential impacts (and unintended consequences) of this update. If you haven’t read the NPRM, you can check it out below. Our hosts also advise concerned veterinary professionals to comment during the 60-day comment period (link in show notes). This is a potentially big change that could directly impact veterinary professionals.

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.