With the current COVID-19 pandemic, the human-animal bond has arguably never been more important and essential for human well-being.

This week we’re delighted to be joined by the newly elected President of the Human Animal Bond Institute and longtime animal welfare advocate, veterinarian Dr. Laird Goodman.

Dr. Goodman joins hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT to share this story of animal advocacy, what the goals and aspirations of the Human Animal Bond Association (HABI https://www.humananimalbond.net/ are, and what Beckie has to do with all of this (hint: she’s taken on even MORE responsibilities!).

Also, Viewfinders, please do me, Dr. ERNIE (listen to this episode near the beginning and you’ll get the joke), a huge favor and leave Beckie a billboard-sized graduation congratulatory note on our Veterinary Viewfinder Facebook or Instagram page (this time, listen to the episode near the end and you’ll get it). So proud of you, Beckie!! FIERCE!!!

Viewfinders, this is another super-upbeat and impactful conversation. Dr. Goodman has been promoting the power of the human-animal bond for most of his career and is a delight to interview! Do us a favor, subscribe, share, and leave us an iTunes Podcast review to help us reach more of our colleagues. Thank you!!

Have you ever witnessed something in veterinary practice or animal handling that you felt uncomfortable about? Who do you turn to if you suspect animal abuse, negligence, and malpractice is occurring? What if your employer doesn’t provide adequate PPE or a safe working environment in the COVID-19 era?

This week we’re joined by veterinarian an attorney Lance Roasa to discuss these tough topics. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discuss the ethical, moral, and legal issues involved in a real-life declaw case.

The conversation turns to reporting unsafe working conditions, especially post-COVID-19, and how to file a coronavirus-related report.

The trio also offer advice on what to do if you’re confronted by a situation you consider immoral or even unethical, yet fails to fall into the category of illegal.

This is a powerful episode packed with practical advice. Please share with your veterinary colleagues as well as veterinary students and veterinary technician students. This is a raw, real-life conversation that will touch anyone involved in caring for animals.

This week we’re honored to bring the Viewfinders an exclusive interview with the new CEO of the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) Gene O’Neill.

Gene shares his story of going from CPA to CEO of the NAVC with hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT.

This episode reveals how Gene transitioned from serving as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the NAVC for the past 7 years into his new role as CEO. He shares the challenges of taking over during a global pandemic, how NAVC has helped the veterinary community both during the current coronavirus pandemic and Australian bushfires tragedy (for more on this, be sure to listen to our outstanding discussion on this with Australian veterinarian Dr. Anne Fawcett - episode 163).

Gene discusses how the NAVC is preparing to host VMX in January 2021 and what changes to veterinary continuing education (CE) he sees moving forward.

Ernie encourages Gene to continue expanding the NAVC’s role as a professional and industry advocate at both the state and federal regulatory levels. The trio discuss the importance of having an organized veterinary medicine group that reflects and represents the contemporary challenges faced by today’s veterinary professionals.

We’re so grateful that Gene took time out of his incredibly busy schedule to talk directly to the Viewfinders.

Many of our veterinary friends and colleagues are stuck in their hometowns (and homes) and missing continuing education (CE) conferences and veterinary organizational meetings. That’s no good.

So Beckie and a group of super-friends decided to bring a global conference to you!

This week, host veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by a Veterinary Viewfinder regular guest, Julie Legred, CVT to talk about their latest project, a virtual veterinary team conference they call Vet Team Global Stream!

Julie and Beckie discuss why they created the Vet Team Global Stream conference, why it was important for them to include all members of the veterinary healthcare team (no credentials required!), and who some of the guest speakers and entertainment will be!

This is fun conversation that touches on veterinary life during (and after) the pandemic, and stresses the importance of personal education and self-improvement. There’s a LOT to unpack in this episode!

To learn more about the conference, visit www.VTGSConference.com

Early bird discounts end May 1, 2020, so sign up soon!

Veterinary telemedicine is booming, like it or not, and Dr. Ward says you can blame it on the coronavirus pandemic.

This week hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT take a closer examination into what veterinary telemedicine looks like during the COVID-19 crisis.

The pair share best practices, observations, and state their case why they believe it’s time for veterinary telemedicine to be more widely adopted by US veterinary professionals and veterinary medical boards.

This is an important conversation based on one of Dr. Ward’s earlier columns, “The Coronavirus Catalyst for Telemedicine,” found at www.DrErnieWard.com and his participation on the AVMA Telemedicine Committee.

Thanks for listening and sharing our podcast, Viewfinders! Stay safe!

We didn’t want to talk about Covid-19 or coronavirus, but we had to! Here’s a lighter take on the realities of living and working as a veterinary professional human being during this pandemic. We hope you enjoy it!

This week we check in with hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT on how they’re coping with coronavirus shut-downs and what veterinary colleagues across the nation are telling them about their “new normal.”

Beckie shares the launch of her upcoming virtual veterinary team conference, Vet Team Global Stream 2020, to be held May 16-17, 2020. (@VirtualVetConference)

Dr. Ward talks about adjusting to his two daughters living at home again, the social media shade he’s seeing online as a result of stress, and why he believes this “is NOT the New Normal” and how he thinks life will be changed for the better after this pandemic is over.

Beckie shares her concerns for veterinary support staff working in clinics where they feel unsupported, underprepared, and under-equipped to safely work during Covid-19.

Viewfinders, how are you balancing life an Dwyer are you finding positive vibes when the world is overwhelmed with coronavirus?

Dr. Ward says, “Stay safe and give your pets a hug from me!”

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!