October is National Pet Wellness Month (and don’t forget October 11 is Pet Obesity Awareness Day - More on that in an upcoming podcast). This week, we discuss the importance of focusing on preventive veterinary care and how you can boost your wellness programs and plans.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT,  tackle the topic of creating and maintaining pet wellness plans and programs. The pair stresses the issue of pet care affordability and how inflation potentially risks making preventive pet care elective care for clients struggling to pay their bills. 

Viewfinders, we’ve got a lot to talk about!

Whether you’re a seasoned pet wellness plan expert or looking for ways to make pet care more affordable, this podcast covers a lot of ground!

And don’t forget to sign up your clinic (and yourself!) for Pet Obesity Awareness Day at www.petobesityprevention.org before October!

It’s time to start thinking about how we can help our veterinary colleagues in need! This week, we discuss the Veterinary Industry Giving Tree, how to nominate a coworker in need, and how to help!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, review Beckie’s amazing non-profit created to help our needy colleagues, the Veterinary Industry Giving Tree (www.veterinarygivingtree.com/). 

Beckie reviews the origin of the Veterinary Industry Giving Tree, how many veterinary professionals they’ve helped, and how you can either receive financial assistance or donate to the cause. 

Viewfinders, if you’re able, donate to this veterinary-specific program. If you or you know someone who needs help, nominate them at https://www.veterinarygivingtree.com/. 

Thank you, Beckie, for helping our coworkers in need!

The first North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) HiVE has arrived! This week, we’re joined by Paige Allen, MS, RVT, a familiar voice to the Viewfinders, to discuss her exciting new collaboration with NAVC to usher in a new era in veterinary technician/nurse conferences. And if you use the code VIEW, you can register for only $15!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, welcome back a dear friend and colleague, Paige Allen, to share news of the first NAVC HiVE to be held October 16-18, 2023, at the Palmer Events Center in “Keep Austin weird” Austin, Texas! 

Paige shares how HiVE came into existence (in such a short time, too!) and why position-specific CE and community building are essential to our profession.

Viewfinders, visit https://navc.com/hive/ and use the code VIEW to register your vet techs for only $15! 

We believe this is a FABULOUS GIFT for National Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week! How about you? 

Thank you, Paige and NAVC, for your continued support and innovation in our profession! 

The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) has proclaimed September as Animal Pain Awareness Month, and this coincides with human medicine’s Pain Awareness Month. This episode features one of the outstanding veterinary professionals behind this initiative, a familiar voice on the podcast, and our friend, Tasha McNerney, BS, CVT, CVPP, VTS (anesthesia and analgesia).

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, discuss the origins of Animal Pain Awareness Month and how Tom Hanks’ 1989 movie, “Turner and Hooch,” played a pivotal role in the life of Tasha McNerney. Don’t judge. Listen.  

Viewfinders, we’re thrilled to bring you another Veterinary Viewfinder voice making positive changes in our profession. Thank you, Tasha, for sharing your enthusiasm with the Viewfinders! 

Hypothetically speaking, have you ever encountered a veterinary staff member who added their parent’s pets to their personal account? Do those pets receive the same discounts, priorities, or privileges as other staff member’s own pets? What about calling for after-hours assistance on behalf of friends and family? Viewfinders, how far do pet care discounts and benefits extend? Do you have written policies governing these rules? Let’s get into it.

Host Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, share their experiences with veterinary team members skirting on the edge of extending their pet care benefits too far. Our hosts reveal real-life examples and tactics they used to avoid hurting feelings.

Dr. Ward also discusses the guilt he has felt when contacted after-hours by a well-meaning staff member seeking help for a neighbor or friend’s pet. He shares how he overcame these feelings of guilt and why he believes every clinic needs to discuss this issue and develop guidelines.

Beckie encourages all veterinary practices to “get ahead of this issue before it becomes a problem.” She also worries that this is a bigger problem than most clinics realize (or admit) and how it may negatively impact team morale.

SuperZoo 2023 recently wrapped in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year 1,111 vendors were on-site to share their products and offerings to the pet industry. This week we discuss the vital - and often overlooked - importance of including veterinary professionals in creating, developing, and promoting pet care products and how you can stay informed of emerging trends in our profession. There’s a whole lot to discuss!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, review the rise of massive pet product conferences and why more veterinary professionals should attend and know about them. Our hosts offer practical advice on how to handle a client who asks you about the “next great thing” in pet care and why we should be thankful when they present an unknown product or service (hint: it’s a learning opportunity). Our duo also dishes on why the latest pet food trend is often more important to most clients than learning about your new-fangled X-ray machine or fancy-pants blood analyzer. 

Viewfinders, let us know your thoughts and experiences on keeping up with so much new stuff! Share on Facebook or Instagram pages (@VeterinaryViewfinder) or email veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com. 

The controversies began before the official opening of the 2023 AVMA Convention in Denver. One debate that resurfaced this year was expanding the scope of practice, review of licensed veterinary technicians’ roles, and their permitted professional duties. Despite having no regulatory or enforcement abilities, the AVMA proclaimed it would pledge “to defend against expanding the scope of practice,” particularly in the role of a proposed midlevel practitioner. Unfortunately, the discussions quickly grew to include debates about preventing any establishment of a VCPR by a licensed veterinary technician, going against legislation passed in several states. Viewfinders, we’ve got a lot to talk about in this episode.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and President-elect of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), Beckie Mossor, RVT, discuss the recent controversies around expanding the scope of practice and the duties a licensed veterinary technician can perform and how this potentially impacts both the veterinary profession and access to pet care. 

Viewfinders, this is a critical issue that impacts veterinarians, vet techs, and all members of the veterinary profession. Please share your opinions on our Facebook or Instagram pages, or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com 

Who Chooses and Pays For Your Veterinary CE?

Most U.S. veterinary professionals are required to complete continuing education (CE) to maintain their professional licenses. But who chooses those CE opportunities, and who pays for them? How are you paid for time away from the clinic? Who decides when you can take CE? This week we discuss the perils and pitfalls of providing veterinary CE for employees - and the dangers of not. Viewfinders, there’s a lot to discuss!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, share stories from their own practices as well as recent awkward scenarios of associate veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians struggling to negotiate and navigate CE benefits. 

Our hosts also examine the risks of inequitable CE offerings, including non-licensed staff, and why educational opportunities for all staff can benefit your practice.

Viewfinders, this is a complicated issue with few easy answers. Please share your thoughts and ideas with us on Facebook and Instagram or at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com. 

Veterinary medicine has a diversity and inclusion problem. While an issue that large may not be something most veterinary professionals believe they can solve, Dr. Valerie Marcano is committed to trying. 

This week hosts, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, are thrilled to introduce you to one of the founders of Pawsilbilities Vet Med, Dr. Valerie Marcano. Pawsibilities Vet Med is an organization created to provide mentorship to minorities, LBGTQ+, and other marginalized communities in veterinary medicine. 

Dr. Marcano shares her journey from growing up in the Dominican Republic, to moving to the Bronx as a teenager to becoming a poultry veterinary specialist. She shares the realities of going to veterinary school and practicing as a minority. Dr. Marcano explains how these experiences inspired her to encourage diversity and inclusion in vet med by providing mentorship and training opportunities for all veterinary professionals. 

Who would guess that choosing a software subscription or medical equipment could cause division and disharmony within a veterinary practice team?  

Join Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, in The Veterinary Viewfinder's latest podcast episode: "Who Decides What To Buy? Veterinary Team Decision-Making For Software and Equipment Purchases." 

This week our hosts delve into the critical aspect of choosing software and equipment in the veterinary world and discover the thought process behind these crucial decisions. 

With expert insights from Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, this episode sheds light on the complex dynamics of veterinary team decision-making and empowers practices to make informed choices. 

Gain valuable tips on aligning technology with practice needs, optimizing workflow efficiency, and maximizing patient care. Stay ahead of the game and elevate your decision-making skills with this engaging and informative podcast episode!

Viewfinders, what do you think? Has this been an issue in your clinic? How did your team or leadership handle it? Please share your experiences on our Facebook and Instagram pages or message us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

Who gets to go when it’s slow at your veterinary clinic? This week we tackle a tough topic rarely talked about, yet it happens in a variety of ways. Who gets to leave early can be divisive among your team if you don’t set boundaries and guidelines. 

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, begin with an overview of this seemingly innocuous issue. They share their own personal experiences, and lessons learned the hard way! This conversation is full of practical advice, and we think it should be shared with your clinic leaders!

Viewfinders, what do you think? Has this been an issue in your clinic? How did you handle it? Please share your experiences on our Facebook and Instagram pages or message us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

What happens when an animal needs emergency care, and you can’t contact the owner? What if you don’t have adequate equipment or medications? Do you tell the owner? What if that animal is under your care or being boarded? What about giving a boarding pet an anti-diarrheal without explicit permission? Viewfinders, this week we’ve got a multitude of ethical dilemmas concerning veterinary medical consent. It’s a good one!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, share stories from the trenches regarding sticky situations concerning the consent of care. Our anchors cover many moral and ethical issues, from boarding to emergencies to neighborhood kennels. 

 Viewfinders, this is an excellent podcast to share with your friends and colleagues. It will catalyze conversations to help you stay ahead of problems. Please share your thoughts on our Instagram and Facebook pages, or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!