One veterinarian professional who is dedicating his career to pet nutrition is Jonathan Stockman, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition). His experience includes stints as a senior researcher at the Waltham Center of Pet Nutrition in Walham, England and establishing a new clinical nutrition service at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University. 

Dr. Stockman is presently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences at Long Island University where his current projects include studying the effect of grain-free diets on cardiac function and health biomarkers in dogs; exploring the benefit of fish oil supplementation in dogs with cancer; and valuating the urine amino acid composition in ferrets to understand further why some ferrets develop urinary stones.

 In addition, he aims to dispel the myths and misinformation that surround pet nutrition: “I feel that many pet owners have a strong interest in nutrition but are led astray by misinformation that is so widely available on the internet and other media,” Dr. Stockman shares.

For example, one common misconception many pet owners have is that commercial pet food is less healthy than natural food. In response to this, he says, “The perceived benefits of natural/less-processed foods do not outweigh the importance of having nutritionally complete and balanced foods and providing all the needed essential nutrients in sufficient amounts.

“Furthermore,” he continues, “the desire to avoid processed foods may lead owners to choose foods that are less safe for their pets, such as raw foods that may be contaminated by harmful pathogens.” 

Dr. Stockman chose to specialize in pet nutrition because he saw the interaction of food and health in the animals he encountered in his training. “During my specialty training,” he says, “I worked with many exotic pets (birds, reptiles, small mammals), as well as dogs and cats, and found that often medical problems in these animals had much to do with husbandry, and specifically with nutrition. This connection inspired me to learn more about nutrition and physiology.” 

When asked what he wished pet parents knew about commercial pet food, his reply was, “I wish pet parents understood that that grains are not harmful to pets, nor are they indicators of low-quality foods or used as ‘fillers.’ Most pets tolerate grains well and don’t show any adverse effects from grain consumption. The desire to avoid grains and maximize animal protein intake is not based on scientific data and is not environmentally sustainable in the long run.” 

Dr. Stockman explains that there are parallels between the nutritional needs of different animals; some species rely on their gastrointestinal microbiota to produce several nutrients, whereas others require these nutrients in their diet. Dogs and cats need Vitamin D in their diet, but rabbits, horses, cows, sheep, etc. rely on both the diet and the gut microbiota for many nutrients. As a result, he says you can’t make assumptions about one species based on a different species. 

“For example, I would caution pet owners not to give dogs and cats human supplements without veterinary supervision as dogs have a narrower safety margin for Vitamin D than people,” Dr. Stockman advises.

Commercial pet food ingredients and marketing materials often mention that they contain needed vitamins and minerals, but Dr. Stockman has this say on that subject: “There are a few minerals presently being investigated for their potentially harmful effects on pet health if their intake is high. One example is copper; Labradors who eat a diet high in copper are highly susceptible to liver disease. 

“Unfortunately, pet owners have limited ability to evaluate products for the content of these minerals as these are not always declared on the label,” he continues. “And if they are, they may be listed as minimums. The change should be done on a regulatory level.”

As more studies are done to find connections between pet health and nutrition, the discoveries will better equip veterinarians and pet parents to feed their pets a diet that best supports them to endure a long, healthy life. 

“I see teaching veterinary nutrition as a huge contribution to the readiness of recently graduated veterinarians for clinical practice. Having meaningful and well-informed discussions with pet owners about nutrition is a vital skill for any veterinarian, and owners are looking to their vets for this important input. Where vets fail to provide helpful advice, owners opt to use other less reliable sources of information, and may ultimately make nutritional decisions that may not help, or even harm, the health of their pet,”  Dr. Stockman concludes. +

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Veterinarians go into the profession out of love for animals. Yet, they learn that the day-to-day reality is difficult. 

This combination creates a perfect storm for depression and even despair. According to a study from AVMA,¹ one in six veterinarians has considered suicide, and they’re three times more likely to die by suicide than the general public. 

For those in the veterinarian community, it’s personal. Elizabeth Chosa, DVM, knows of three classmates and numerous colleagues who have taken their lives since 2005. Then, a year into the pandemic, four veterinary professionals died by suicide within a few weeks. 

Following this devastation, Dr. Chosa and her friend and colleague Blair McConnel, VMD, MBA, put their heads together on ways to make a positive impact. 

“It’s no secret there’s a mental health crisis in the profession. Many veterinarians say, ‘I don’t know if I can stay in this profession. I’m miserable. This is all I ever wanted to do, and now I don’t know what to do.’ So we talked about what we could do about it,” Dr. Chosa shares. 

They learned more about programs offered by Not One More Vet (NOMV),² whose mission is to support the animal care community through education, peer-to-peer support and grants. NOMV focuses primarily on those in crisis, which led to Drs. Chosa and McConnel to consider a different approach based on early intervention. 

Dr. Chosa says, “We wanted to know how we could PREVENT crisis.”

The duo hit upon the idea of peer-to-peer support groups led by licensed mental health professionals. These would be a safe place for the veterinarian community to discuss concerns and build community before a crisis.

“We spoke to a mental health professional who shared data on support groups and how they help people feel safe and connected to others like themselves. They suggested we could offer support groups on relevant topics like building emotional resiliency and stamina, communicating with bewildered and upset pet parents, and much more,” Dr. Chosa shares. 

Upon their research, they found a program at the University of Tennessee that offers social work training geared toward animal care teams. 

“These Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) work specifically with veterinarians. Additionally, some veterinarians have gone through the training too,” adds Dr. Chosa. 

It was then that the idea for the Veterinary Hope Foundation (VHF) was born. Drs. Chosa and McConnel decided to pursue the idea of offering support groups, but they needed funding to cover the costs of market research. Fortunately, IDEXX Foundations offered to fund both qualitative and quantitative research. 

The qualitative research consisted of focus groups with 19 veterinarians and vet techs who either felt they have personally had their mental health impacted by their job or have witnessed their colleagues’ mental health be negatively impacted by their job.

The quantitative research included an online survey where 395 respondents had to qualify by agreeing to statements that indicated they have experienced issues related to mental wellbeing or are improving. Ninety-six percent of veterinarians who were screened qualified.

They then decided to test the waters with a few pilot groups to see if their time and effort was worthwhile.

The very first group proved the value of the concept: “The feedback has been really meaningful. Participants share statements like, ‘I feel seen for the first time.’ And, ‘I feel like the therapist understands me better than anyone.’ If we can help one person, that’s a win,” Dr. Chosa shares. 

The live group sessions are held virtually, so people can participate from anywhere and enjoy the benefits of connecting with others in their profession. 

“Most of our sessions are on weekends and evenings,” Dr. Chosa continues. “And people can register to participate in an upcoming support group. We ask for their role within the practice, year graduated from veterinary school, availability, and type of practice. When we start a new group, they receive an email offering them the chance to participate.” 

The six-week program features a weekly meeting for 60-75 minutes. The goal is to create a safe space for peers to share concerns and build a support network. To support this goal, they group participants by practice focus (Equine, Small Animal, etc.) and their role in the practice.

As part of that community-building, VHF includes chat groups for people to share thoughts and ideas in between sessions: “Chat groups build connections and relationships. One of the most rewarding parts is seeing the community being built,” Dr. Chosa adds. 

As of the time this article was written, nine participating mental health professionals led groups. 

“There have been 12 groups so far with almost 100 participating veterinarians. We plan on two to three sessions a month for now. We’re growing slowly so we don’t outpace our resources,” Dr. Chosa continues. “As we get more sponsorships, we’ll be able to offer more groups. We also want to support technicians, practice managers, and everyone on the animal care team.”  

If you’d like to participate in future VHF sessions or want to learn more about the program, visit veterinaryhope.org for details. +

References:

1. Tomasi, S., & Fechter-Legett, E. (2019). Suicide rate among veterinarians from 1979 through 2015. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 254(1), 104–112.
2. Not One More Vet (NOMV). https://www.nomv.org/

The post Veterinary Hope Foundation: Offering Support for the Animal Care Community appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

In 2009, shortly after completing veterinarian school at the University of Florida, Dr. Dani McVety-Leinen founded of Lap of Love, which, today, is a multi-practice pet hospice network with 60+ locations around the country. Lap of Love provides in-home, end-of-life veterinary care; aftercare; in-home euthanasia and pet loss support groups.

“I was initially going to do this as a side job, and I’d offer to come to clients’ homes for euthanasia. Then I got busier and busier—it’s been a wild ride!” Dr. McVety-Leinen shares about her success.

Once word started spreading about this dignified approach to a beloved pet’s last days, Dr. McVety-Leinen received calls and emails from all over the country. It was then that she realized this was needed and could expand beyond its origin location of Tampa, FL. 

She reached out to veterinary school classmate Dr. Mary Gardner who had a decade of software development experience. Dr. Gardner immediately connected with the Lap of Love model and they became business partners. 

“Dr. Gardner was the second location. We then started designing and developing our proprietary software for the practices, and we wrote the operational manual and researched a lot of legal implications,” Dr. McVety-Leinen shares.  

It soon became inevitable that pet parents appreciate reassurance and guidance from their veterinarian when it comes to end-of-life decisions for their pets. The third location was then opened in NC by a fellow veterinarian who expressed interest in offering the service, and Lap of Love continued to grow from there.  

“As veterinarians, we put the decision to euthanize on the pet parent’s shoulders. That’s a lot of weight. Instead, at Lap of Love, we give them permission to say ‘goodbye’ and assure them they gave the pet a wonderful life, and now it’s time,” Dr. McVety-Leinen shares empathetically.  

“I’m passionate about talking with our clients and knowing what they need to hear when it comes to end-of-life care for their pets. In veterinary school,” she continues, “we’re not taught anything about how to talk with families about euthanasia.”

Dr. McVety-Leinen has studied different communication styles to facilitate these difficult conversations over the years, and says the tone you use and body language are all important. 

“There’s a piece of being a doctor that’s looking in the eyes of the person and knowing what they need to hear. You can say, ‘Yes, this is the right time. Yes, you’ve done an amazing job.’ It’s the difference between saying ‘I feel for you’ and someone else grabbing your hand and saying, ‘I know what you need.’ 

“Or, sometimes, the pet parent knows the pet is dying, but another family member will be home in a few days, and they want to say goodbye,” Dr. McVety-Leinen continues. “We can help them make the pet comfortable until they say their goodbyes.

“I volunteered for human hospice while in college. I had an affinity for this kind of care from the beginning. I love helping people feel comfortable about the end of life, and I love telling them they’ve done an amazing job for their pet and assure them this is the right time,” she says. 

The veterinarian community recently recognized Dr. McVety-Leinen’s work by naming her the recipient of the “2022 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award.” The award is named after the late Dr. Leo K. Bustad. Dr. Bustad was a former president of the Delta Society and dean of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Bustad pioneered studies of the bond between humans and their pets. 

The award is one of the profession’s highest honors, presented annually by the AVMA and supported by Merck Animal Health. According to the AVMA, “The award recognizes the outstanding work of veterinarians in protecting and promoting the human-animal bond.”¹

Dr. McVety-Leinen says, “The bond between our species has not only brought me into this career that I cherish, but has also been the cornerstone of my work as a clinician, my inspiration as a businesswoman, and the driving force behind my work with veterinary students.” 

In her work with veterinary students, she teaches a communication class: “Part of that lecture is a divided slide that says, ‘don’t do this’ vs. ‘say this instead.’ For example, instead of saying, ‘There’s nothing more you can do.’ You can say, ‘You’ve done an incredible job of getting your pet here.’ It’s so much more supportive and positive,” she advises. 

In addition to educating veterinary students, Lap of Love added virtual support groups for grieving pet parents: “When COVID started, we added online pet loss support groups. They’re free every day of the week, and we offer one-on-one coaching for family members.” 

When not teaching, working with her patients or running her growing veterinary practice of nearly 500 employees, Dr. McVety-Leinen speaks and writes on topics such as veterinary hospice and body language for doctors. 

With her unmatchable empathy for grieving pet parents and pets reaching end of life, this one-of-a-kind veterinarian is certainly deserving of the coveted “Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award”—and so much more! +

References:

1. AVMA names Dr. Dani McVety-Leinen recipient of 2022 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award. (2022, May 4). AVMA. https://www.avma.org/news/press-releases/dr-dani-mcvety-leinen-recipient-2022-bustad-companion-animal

The post Dr. Dani McVety-Leinen: A Pioneer in End-of-Life Veterinary Care appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

When veterinarian Katherine Polak, DVM, MPH, MS, DACVPM, DABVP, went to Bangkok to help stray dogs after flooding, she didn’t think she’d still be there nearly a decade later. But once there, she saw a tremendous opportunity in animal welfare. 

“What keeps me in Asia is the exciting progress. The love people have for their pets is universal,” she shares. 

 Dr. Polak’s focus on shelter medicine came after a stint in an Iowan-based shelter.

“When in veterinary school, I did some work with a local shelter and was shocked at the euthanasia rate,” she continues. “That’s when I decided to go into shelter medicine.” 

Now, Dr. Polak is a pioneering force in ending the Southeast Asian dog and cat meat trade. 

“When I arrived, I didn’t know anything about the dog and cat meat trade. I kind of feel I went from double-boarded veterinarian specialist to ‘dog meat lady,’” she jokes.

Dr. Polak also teaches a course at The University of Florida on international shelter medicine, which is part of an online certificate program open to anyone in animal welfare, not only veterinarians. 

“I think a lot of veterinarians aren’t aware of the challenges facing animals abroad. Spay/neuter is often pursued as a knee-jerk reaction to stray animal overpopulation,” she continues, “but that’s only part of the solution. We have to also focus on changing human behavior.” 

In addition, Dr. Polak is currently the Head of Stray Animal Care, Southeast Asia of FOUR PAWS, an international animal welfare organization in 15 countries. In her role with FOUR PAWS, her team focuses on local partnerships to build knowledge and skills. For example, FOUR PAWS established a Southeast Asian Partnership Program with local charities throughout the region, providing funding and training. 

“In much of the region, local veterinary training is poor. Curriculums focus mostly on livestock, like cows, for example. Local vets may not have much experience with dogs and cats,” she says. 

As a result of recognizing this need, FOUR PAWS helps with veterinary training through their partner programs in countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. The FOUR PAWS team works with local organizations to help them develop their veterinary skills and animal welfare capabilities in order to build skills and have agency.

“Pre-pandemic, I frequently traveled across Southeast Asia, facilitating trainings and workshops. Whenever possible, I want to be on the ground supporting our teams and partners. It’s much different now with the pandemic,” Dr. Polak continues. “While we can’t travel much, our local teams are addressing animals in need. The animal welfare need has never been greater due to the pandemic. Some programs focus on feeding stray animals in places such as Bali. We just launched a mobile vet ambulance in India. And we have a ‘Cats Matter’ program in Vietnam that focuses on cat rescue.” 

When she discovered the cat meat trade in Vietnam, Dr. Polak started working to save those animals and end this practice. FOUR PAWS uncovered an entire economic system that ran deep… 

“A big part of the work I do is to try to end the dog and cat meat trade. Literally, millions of dogs and cats are stolen, trafficked, and killed every year for meat,” Dr. Polak continues. “Pet owners were calling, saying their animals were stolen or poisoned. We launched a campaign internationally to stop the trade and support governments. We asked, ‘How can we address these issues in a supportive way?’ And what we discovered was astounding. 

“We started investigating. We knew dogs were going missing. We knew there were some dog meat restaurants. But we had no idea of the scale. The restaurants would tell us about their suppliers. The suppliers told us about the slaughterhouses, and they told us about the holding pens. There were nationwide networks in Cambodia and Vietnam. Some of the trucks transporting animals to slaughter had up to 1,000 dogs. Five million dogs a year in Vietnam go missing. We were floored,” she shares. 

As the team started working out the sources and what to do next, they received another call… 

“Last June, we got a call from the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Agriculture. A year before, they had passed a ban on the dog meat trade after we presented our investigation findings to them,” Dr. Polak continues. “They were shocked and hadn’t realized the extent of the trade. On this Sunday morning, the local police intercepted a truck with 61 dogs going to a slaughterhouse. They called us for help, and we had to find a property and quickly create a temporary shelter for the dogs.”

 As they uncovered this vast network, it became clear that the underlying problem was an economic one. Only a tiny percentage of people in Southeast Asia support this trade, and of the people involved, very few wanted to participate. There’s a stigma associated with the dog and cat meat trade, and it’s not socially acceptable across the region.

“When we asked people if they wanted to do this, almost everyone would choose another opportunity. Yet, it’s a profitable business. These are rural communities. These people aren’t villains. They want to support their families,” she says. 

Working with local leaders, FOUR PAWS has been able to help some of these families find other means of income: “Each one is different, but we meet with the family and understand what they’d like to do instead. In one situation, we helped the family transition to operating a second-hand motorcycle shop. Another one we helped them get land to grow vegetables and rice. We also installed a deep water well so they could sell water.

“When we did the official dog slaughterhouse closure and rescued the dogs on-site, the father cried and wished these dogs good luck. It was touching,” Dr. Polak shares.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to being a solid partner and providing support on the ground,” she continues. “Since 2019, we’ve had a lot of wins. We always start with asking, ‘What is the local impact?’ It turns out, all these governmental meetings, political lobbying, and grassroots efforts have worked. That makes us unique. We don’t just talk about the issue. Instead, we have on-the-ground vet teams, and we’re lending support to the governments. We also try to raise public awareness. Now, if you go to Vietnam, you’ll see billboards against the dog and cat meat trade.” 

Dr. Polak says the dog and cat meat trade has other ramifications, too: “We also work closely with the tourism industry as the dog and cat meat trade is not good for either international reputation or tourism. In Vietnam, we are working with authorities in Hoi An, which is a famous UNESCO heritage site, to help make it the first dog and cat meat-free city in Vietnam.” 

It’s a huge win to close dog meat facilities. Yet, that creates a new problem… 

“What do you do with 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 dogs when you’ve rescued them? The existing shelters are at capacity. We could do more rescue if we knew we could get them to new homes,” she states.

At the time of this writing, the CDC’s dog entry suspension is still in effect, banning the importation of animals from what it deems countries where rabies is a risk. 

“There was no warning,” Dr. Polak says. “At the time, I was in L.A. to oversee the arrival of dogs rescued from the dog meat trade in Cambodia. We had 15 dogs and nine cats going to L.A. for adoption. It’s not that easy to import dogs into the U.S. You need permits and people to oversee the transportation. When animals make it through the import process but they’re sick or the paperwork isn’t right, the importer has to be responsible. Before the CDC ban, some rescue groups relied heavily on international adoptions for rehoming (up to 50%) of their dogs. The ban has had a major impact on their work abroad.” 

In addition, the ban has led to decreased adoptions and shelter overcrowding, which also impacts the ability to conduct other lifesaving efforts like spay/neuter. One way to reduce the number of stray animals is through free or low-cost sterilization clinics in communities that need it most. But what happens to that community when the veterinarians leave? When you work with local organizations and teach them, they can take ownership. 

Before her work at FOUR PAWS, Dr. Polak was the Medical Director of Soi Dog Foundation in Bangkok: “We launched a massive spay/neuter program. At the time, 600,000 dogs were roaming in Bangkok. We trained Thai vet teams on how to run a mobile spay/neuter clinic. Within a few months, we had four to six mobile teams sterilizing up to 5,000 dogs a month,” she shares. 

As you can see, Dr. Polak’s work has made a profound impact. She’s received multiple awards, including the 2021 Humanitarian Alumni of the Year from Iowa State University, 2020 American Humane Veterinarian of the Year and 2019 Association of Shelter Veterinarian’s Veterinarian of the Year. She also sits on numerous veterinary and animal welfare boards, and is the author and co-editor of Field Manual for Small Animal Medicine, a textbook to facilitate veterinary practices in rural and underserved communities. +

For more information on FOUR PAWS, visit www.four-paws.org

The post Award Winning Animal Welfare Advocate Dr. Katherine Polak Saving Lives Worldwide appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

The rewarding field of veterinary medicine has never been more in demand. As more people have pets and want to give them top care, the more veterinarians, nurses and technicians are needed. 

In an industry poised for continued growth,¹ attracting and retaining talent is essential. And part of that retention focus is to help people feel valued in the workplace. However, the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) 2020 research found that 34% of veterinarian nurses and technicians were considering leaving the field within five years. 

“We saw that as a real problem for our community because the veterinarian nurses and technicians are the backbones of the veterinarian community,” Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC, shared.  

While a certain amount of attrition is expected in any field, the NAVC board chose to consider this as an opportunity to lean into its mission of facilitating opportunities for learning, growth and wellbeing within the veterinarian community, and create a multi-pronged initiative. 

The Veterinary Nurse/Technician Empowerment Initiative launched last fall with a Veterinary Nurse/Technician Summit. Other programs include webinars, hands-on workshops, a mentorship program and a consumer awareness campaign.  And it has certainly struck a chord with the veterinarian nurses and technicians…

According to Robin Pence, Vice President of Public Relations at NAVC, “Any and every veterinary nurse/technician I spoke with about our Initiative was thrilled, and one, in particular, broke down in tears when I shared our press release with her in January announcing the Initiative. Through tears, she said, ‘I’ve been waiting 35 years for this.’” 

As stated in the accompanying press release for its first webinar, which was hosted on April 13th of this year, “The NAVC is committed to supporting the entire veterinary healthcare team, and that includes helping to elevate the role of veterinary nurses and technicians so they can reach their full potential,” said O’Neill. “The webinar series, a key part of the NAVC’s broader veterinary nurse/technician empowerment initiative, is designed to give these critical team members the tools and resources to take care of and advocate for themselves.”

The consumer awareness campaign is another vital element of this initiative, where VCA serves as a partner with support from NAVTA. The goal of this division is to help build the confidence that pet owners have in those caring for their pets.

“Pet owners are nervous when pets are outside of their sight. But once they’ve developed any level of rapport with the doctor or staff, people are much more likely to calm down,” Dr. Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, DACZM, DACVPM says.

The staff veterinarian at 4J Conservation Center, Inc. in Dade City, Florida agreed and had this to share: “The recent NAVC survey² showed that people have no idea who’s handling their pet care. If they recognize the people looking out for the pet are skilled, trained, and care for their pets, it’s an opportunity.”

The opportunity is one of improved pet healthcare and advocacy for support staff. As pet owners recognize the skills of veterinary nurses and technicians, they feel more confident in their pet care. This confidence spills over to the staff, who then feel more appreciated. 

Pet owners are largely unaware of these support staff members’ training and skill level. The NAVC-commissioned survey² found that 73% of pet owners thought veterinary technicians and nurses mostly cleaned cages and fed pets. According to that survey, “Sixty-three percent of pet owners do not know that credentialed veterinary nurses and technicians are the animal healthcare equivalent of registered nurses.” Yet, the survey found 84% of pet owners would trust support staff as much as the veterinarian if they knew their training and skill level. 

Dr. Chatfield has recently started using different terminology, such as veterinary assistant instead of veterinary technician, during her pet-owner interactions. She says it’s a way to explain to pet owners the level of training and care veterinarian staff bring to the practice. 

“These people have more education and awareness than just how to handle a dog, and they can handle catheters, draw blood, and some can read advanced diagnostics,” Dr. Chatfield shares. 

Not only does such advocacy help educate the public about the skill level and care of veterinarian support staff, but it also helps them find more job satisfaction. 

“Practice owners and employees fail to recognize that job satisfaction isn’t just about having a job,” Dr. Chatfield continues. “It’s about providing an opportunity for growth. When you offer staff additional training opportunities, instantly, that person feels valued.” 

She says at the practice level, that can mean offering to pay the registration fee and lodging for the state conference. Then, at the next staff meeting, each attendee is asked to share one thing they learned at the conference. 

“When people feel like valued team members, they’re more likely to stay longer in their employment,” she adds.

Not only does the practice retain a valued team member, but reduced staff turnover means your patients are more likely to develop relationships with staff which makes for calmer and better-informed pet owners. It may even help them obtain better pet care since there is a relationship of trust and confidence where the pet owner may feel comfortable asking additional questions or offering background information. 

Of course, this NAVC initiative offers additional continuing education opportunities in the form of webinars and more that can easily fit into any veterinary professional’s schedule. 

Gene O’Neill says, “We want to help the veterinarians as much as possible. If the veterinarian nurses and techs feel like they have the opportunity for continuous learning and to fully utilize their skills, they perform at their highest levels, and that translates into job satisfaction.” 

You can find out more about the initiative and dates for upcoming events at: navc.com/veterinary-nurses-and-technicians-empowerment-initaitive/ +

References:

1. Global Veterinary Services Industry (2020 to 2027) Market Trends and Drivers. (22, Dec, 2020). Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201222005520/en/Global-Veterinary-Services-Industry-2020-to-2027—Market-Trends-and-Drivers—ResearchAndMarkets.com

2. Who’s Involved In The Care Of Your Pet? (29, Mar, 2022). NAVC. https://navc.com/whos-involved-in-the-care-of-your-pet/

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There’s a crisis within the veterinary profession. And with 91% of veterinarians facing a moral/ethical dilemma every week,to say it is a stressful occupation is an understatement. Add to that the pressure of heavy student loan debt, cyberbullying and the demands of communicating with panicked pet parents, it’s not surprising that those in the profession face high rates of stress and burnout. 

NOMV offers veterinarians and vet techs support and resources to help them find comfort and connection. Heading up the organization is the current president, Dr. Carrie Jurney, who is also a California-based neurologist with her own company, Jurney Veterinary Neurology. Dr. Jurney continues to pursue education in mental health and suicide prevention so she can better understand and be a part of the solution for veterinary suicide.

She says, “We support over 35,000 veterinarians. We offer peer support through a Facebook support forum and Lifeboat, which is completely anonymous. It’s not a crisis model. It’s peer-to-peer support.” 

As a neurologist, Dr. Jurney spends her days in surgery. “When most people think about a veterinarian, they think about someone who gives vaccines to puppies and kittens and spays dogs. I don’t do any of that. My patients have pretty serious diseases, and one of the most common things we see is paralysis,” she shares. 

Remembering her early days as a veterinarian, Dr. Jurney says, “Vet school is great at teaching hard skills, but there’s less emphasis on the softer skills. Like many veterinarians, I struggled in my early career with those soft skills, and I struggled with burnout and depression. I think my experience was pretty common.” 

Fortunately, a friend invited her to join a Facebook support group for veterinarians. 

“Along the point where I was very near the worst burnout I’ve ever had, I was invited to join this Facebook group called ‘Not One More Vet.’ It seemed like a great group of people,” Dr. Jurney continues. “They really understood me, and we talked about stuff that really mattered to me. I hung out there quite a bit.” 

Skilled at administering online forums, Dr. Jurney offered to help the founder, Dr. Nicole MacArthur, manage the group. Around the same time, one of Dr. Jurney’s employees told her she was considering suicide. 

“One day, we were in surgery together, and she told me that she was seriously considering killing herself that night. And I didn’t know what to do. I have worked in emergency medicine for animals since I was 18 years old, but this was a person emergency. I did my best. I called her family. I’m happy to say she’s doing much better,” she shared. 

Dr. Jurney says that was when the veterinarian mental health crisis became personal for her. “That moment made it real. Before I never paid attention to all those articles about compassion fatigue and burnout, but that moment made it real. It also made me seriously look at my own life and wellness and prioritize it.” 

Seven years later, NOMV is the largest wellbeing charity for veterinary professionals in the world. It has touched veterinarians on every continent, even Antarctica. 

“A lot of veterinarians are pretty isolated. If you’re the only veterinarian for 300 miles, you can’t exactly go have a beer with somebody and talk about the realities of being a veterinarian. So the online space has made it really easy to be part of the global community,” Dr. Jurney remarks.

As people share experiences, stories, advice and commiseration, veterinarians and vet techs feel part of a larger community and find comfort in the support that it brings. It also helps that there’s less stigma around mental health. In addition, people can share and suggest different productive ways of managing stress. Dr. Jurney shared that she sculpts and forges metal as a blacksmith to destress. 

“People who work in medical fields are some of the most giving and kind souls that I’ve ever met. And often our stress response is to try to help someone else because that’s been very rewarding to us. But the very first person you need to help is yourself. You cannot pour from an empty cup,” she advises. 

A 2020 study conducted by the American Veterinary Medicine Association and Merck Animal Health shows veterinarians and vet techs have higher than average rates of suicide.2 In fact, a study of California veterinarians conducted from 1960-1992 found that this group was 2.6 times more likely to die by suicide than the general public. Those are shocking statistics. 

When world-renowned veterinarian Dr. Sophia Yin died of suicide, it rocked the veterinarian community. Dr. Yin was accomplished as a veterinarian and an animal behaviorist. Passionate about helping pet parents have the best relationship possible with their pets, she encouraged people to train their dogs with positive stimulation, and would sometimes sit on the floor with her patients. 

This tragedy inspired Dr. Nicole McArthur to do something to help. So in 2015, she created NOMV. As a 501(c) nonprofit organization, NOMV has three ways to help: 

1. Support.There’s peer support through the Facebook Group and an anonymous program called “Lifeboat.” The Facebook Group offers community and connection for veterinarians, but Lifeboat volunteers are trained in trauma support, so it goes a step beyond. 

2. Grants. In 2021, NOMV gave out $150,000 in grants. Dr. Jurney says, “Our average grant is about $800. These are not huge grants, but they are absolutely lifesavers. Suicide prevention isn’t just talking someone down through a crisis. If what’s impacting your wellbeing is that your transmission in your car just broke, and you can’t afford to get to work to afford the rest of your life, then fixing that transmission for that person is a huge leg up.”

3. Education. “We give a lot of lectures, we do a lot of seminars on self-care techniques. We talk about the origins of wellbeing problems in veterinary medicine. We also have a research division, we partner with several great learning institutions like the University of Tennessee. We believe knowledge is power,” Dr. Jurney shares.

There’s long been a stigma among doctors about getting mental health care. Yet, research shows as many as one in six veterinarians have considered suicide.¹ So it’s clear something needs to change, and getting people to acknowledge when they’re struggling is a big win. 

If you’d like to get involved with NOMV, you can join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/NOMVet to start connecting with over 28,000 veterinary professionals around the world. 

“We’re always looking for volunteers. We’ll train you in trauma support and get you talking with people who need a kind ear. Or, maybe you’d want to work with outreach to pet owners. We can find something for you to do,” Dr. Jurney concludes.

You can reach out to NOMV as a volunteer or get help by going to their website, www.nomv.org +

References:

1. Veterinary Wellbeing Study II. 2020. Merck Animal Health. https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/about-us/veterinary-wellbeing-study

The post Dr. Carrie Jurney: Heading up Veterinary Wellbeing Support with NOMV appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Here Dr. Bentley shares his realization that veterinarian specialty was possible and his insight into his current research that can change the course of both canine and human health. However, like many veterinarians, he came into the field thinking of vets as general practitioners. 

“In my mind, vets were GP’s. They did a few cats and dogs, ducks, cows, and a little bit of everything. My idea of what a veterinarian did was very different. I didn’t realize specialization was an option,” he shares.

Dr. Bentley said a course in veterinary school was his “aha” moment: “The lightbulb went off for me when I took a course on the functioning of the nervous system. It’s usually an unpopular course because it’s hard and very detailed. I was the one person in the class who loved it. Our class instructor mentioned that spinal surgeries and MRIs were becoming routine in veterinary medicine, and I thought that was interesting. It really suits my personality to try and do one thing well rather than try to do a lot of things.”

Fast forward 16 years, and that specialization has paid off. As the Director of the Canine Brain Tumor Research Program at Purdue University, he splits his time between the office and the teaching hospital, and always gets to explore new questions around canine health. 

A TYPICAL DAY 

“I have two jobs. In academia, I have ‘off-clinic’ days where I spend a lot of time in my office trying to get grants and funding. I also just finished writing a chapter in a textbook. Then, we have typical procedure days and typical appointment days where I’m often overseeing students,” shares Dr. Bentley. 

He also has appointment days where he’s in the hospital, seeing patients and working with the residents. In the hospital setting, every day is different. 

“Sometimes there are emergencies who’ve come in overnight and are waiting for us. Sometimes it’s all spinal problems with slipped discs. Sometimes all the cases are medical, and sometimes they’re all surgical,” he adds. 

“One of the difficult things about neurology is that paralyzed dogs will turn up in the middle of the day on what was planned to be an appointment day. It just comes with the territory,” Dr Bentley continues. “So we’re forever squeezing things in and staying late. Things like seizures happen when they happen, so it can be very unpredictable.”

WORKING WITH THE VETERINARY STUDENTS 

“Slipped discs are our bread and butter. The most rewarding disc surgery is when the residents do the surgery, and I just watch. It’s rewarding to watch them grow,” he shares enthusiastically. 

Dr. Bentley says the residents spend three years in the program training to be board-certified specialists.

“We usually have three residents, but right now, we have two residents and one intern. They’ve already done an extra year of training where they’ve done a little of everything. Then three years with us training to be a specialist. They’ve all passed their exams,” he adds.

CURRENT RESEARCH 

Research is constantly evolving. Currently, Dr. Bentley is working with the University of Alabama on cancer research. In the study, the researchers have GMO’d the herpes simplex virus to attack cancer cells. As viruses go, the herpes simplex virus is pretty harmless, only causing cold sores.

Dr. Bentley says, “At Alabama, they’ve removed part of the genetic code of the virus so it only interacts with cancer cells and it’s injected into the brain.” 

That work was met with success and has FDA approval, which led to the question of, “Can we use higher doses, and will that make the patient infectious?” 

“Now we’re in the closing stages of that study, and none of the patients have become contagious, and none of the dogs have developed any side effects from the virus,” he shares. 

Now the researchers are wondering “what’s next?” 

Dr. Bentley says, “What study can we do that would make this a better therapy for humans? That’s something that’s awesome about this type of research. When we use dogs as test subjects, they and their families can benefit from these studies for human subjects. 

“We’re frustrated when a new therapy comes out that’s only been tested on humans because no one has any idea if it’s safe in dogs or what the dosage is for dogs. But when it starts with dogs, we can benefit dogs and later adults and children with brain cancer,” he adds.

Another benefit is that when the researchers do work that also benefits humans, they’re eligible for money available for human research—and there’s a lot more money available for human research. 

Besides the herpes virus study, Dr. Bentley is also working with a biomedical engineer at Purdue, Dr. Hugh Lee, who has created a tiny device—less than a millimeter—for hydrocephalus patients. 

“Hydrocephalus is where spinal fluid builds up in the brain and causes neurological problems. The typical treatment is a shunt in the brain that drains this fluid to the abdomen to be easily handled. However, the shunt can get obstructed. This device is a tiny metal piece that connects to the shunt, and because there is no battery, it never runs out of juice.  It’s similar to recharging your phone on one of those magnet rechargers. We’re still in the pre-clinical phases of this, but we’ve tested it with pigs and have a publication with the reviewers right now,” Dr Bentley shares.

THE NEED FOR CANINE BRAIN SPECIALISTS 

Dr. Bentley said when he considered specializing in canine brain health, his options were few: “There were two programs in the U.K. and seven in North America. Those were my options for an English-speaking program.” 

He completed his residency training at Tufts and moved to Purdue in 2009. 

“Now, there are six canine neurosurgeons in Indiana. There are still too few of us. There are whole areas of the country with no neurological vets,” he says. 

Dr. Bentley recommends specializing if there is a certain area of veterinary medicine that you’re drawn to.

“I think everyone eventually gets bored doing the same thing over and over. I’ve been out of veterinarian school for 16 years. I like doing more and more complicated surgeries. I enjoy being that little bit more advanced,” he concludes. +

The post Dr. Timothy Bentley: Neurosurgeon, Researcher & Veterinarian Enjoys New Challenges appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Her upbeat personality seems a perfect match for her unusual career path. A blend of medicine, education and a bit of fun, the ER veterinarian turned nutrition educator at Purina recently added reality show judge on ABC’s Pooch Perfect to her resume.

But how does she manage all these roles? With humor and grace, judging from our recent conversation. 

When asked how she got into the veterinary field, she laughed and replied, “Unlike many kids who say they want to be a veterinarian when they grow up, I wanted to be a news anchor or a movie star, maybe a tap dancer.” 

Yet, she always loved animals. By the time she attended college at TSU in Nashville, TN, she had enrolled as a biology major to explore science. Her roommate was a long-time friend and recognized the future Dr. Harris’s love of animals. 

“She said, ‘You love animals, why don’t you become a veterinarian?’ That was when I was a sophomore,” Dr. Harris shared. 

She changed her major from Biology to Agricultural Sciences with a pre-vet concentration and continued her undergraduate studies, and then pursued veterinarian medicine at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama.

“I attended the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine—the only HBCU (historically black college and university) out there with a veterinary school. This was one of the only schools that would allow black/brown students to obtain their veterinary training for many years. Now, Tuskegee’s vet school is the most diverse program with students from all backgrounds. I have found that my time at TU helped prepare me for working with all different types of people and pet parents, and it’s something that I am very proud of,” she says.

Always up for trying new things, Dr. Harris briefly considered being a large animal veterinarian. She laughs as she says, “My first year in vet school, I fell in love with large animals. I thought, I’m going to be a horse vet. I found an externship in Kentucky with horses. That summer was so important because, by the end of that summer, I knew 100% that I didn’t want to be a horse vet.”

Instead, she became an emergency veterinarian. “In the vet world, we can go right into practice without the residency side. After realizing I had a special skillset as a problem-solver, I pursued a small animal rotating internship and fell in love with emergency medicine and critical care. As an ER vet, panicked pet parents come in in the middle of the night with their pet. They don’t know what’s wrong, and I get to connect with them and help their pet. I’m a people person too.”

After eight years as an emergency room veterinarian, Dr. Harris had the opportunity to focus more on pet nutrition and work with Purina Pet Care. “I’ve been with Purina five years. As a Purina Vet, I get to communicate and educate about the role of nutrition in our pets’ lives.” 

As a Veterinary Communication Manager, she leads workshops for other veterinary professionals and does media work for Purina, such as videos on YouTube, local news segments on pet safety tips and interacts on social media platforms.

She also stays sharp in the ER by serving as an independent contractor relief veterinarian for vet practices when she can. “I love still being in the ‘trenches.’ Maybe they have a shift open or have a veterinarian taking time off. I have more flexibility with my schedule and have the chance to work in different types of practices.” 

Dr. Harris says, “When I left my emergency practice, I shared I would love to come back as long as they would have me. So I’ve picked up most of my relief shifts at the hospital where I worked before. The vet world is a small one and now I found out about other shifts available through word of mouth. There are savvier approaches too with various platforms where vets can get on and see what’s available. There are even traveling vets who’ll go to another state to work for a week or so.” 

Fast forward to 2020, and Dr. Harris’s childhood interests met her adult pursuits. You could say they came full-circle. As a judge on ABC’s Pooch Perfect, a reality show about creative pet grooming, Dr. Harris was able to pair her love of animals with her enthusiasm for being on camera and interacting with people. 

“I love to share information, and I’m not shy. If given a platform, I’m going to share,” she adds.

The creative grooming competition showcased ten groomers and their assistants who demonstrated their skills, artistry and ability to connect with their four-legged subjects. The groomers styled, trimmed and dyed some of the dogs. There were even goats, which made for a fantastic challenge!

Dr. Harris moved to L.A. for a month to tape the show. “I loved walking around the set and visiting with the pets and the groomers. It was the easiest job I’ve had as a veterinarian. I’m used to working nights, weekends, holidays, dealing with trauma cases, tragedies. And here I’m working with healthy animals who were there to be a part of this really cool experience. Everyone was happy and healthy, and grooming is such a great way to encourage the human-animal bond.”

She also enjoyed getting to know the groomers. “I’ve always had a great relationship with my local groomers. It was even more exciting to work with groomers in such a setting. They’re literally creating artwork.”

When asked how she became a judge on the show, she shares, “My colleague saw a casting call for a judge for a veterinarian on the show, and she sent it to me on a whim. At first, we joked about it, but I thought it would be fun the more I thought about it. As a Purina vet, I’ve done quite a bit of media work, such as being in front of the camera, delivering messages to consumers. Not everyone wants to do it. I do informational interviews for them on YouTube. I’ve done a lifestyle series on Yahoo! where you make house calls in NY. I did a commercial for Purina that aired at Westminster Dog Show. I’ve also been a ballroom dance instructor. So I sent ABC a smorgasbord of clips. When I got the call that I had the job, I was so excited. Purina was so supportive. They were excited to have one of their own on the show. While on set, I had my own trailer, hair, and makeup every day for three weeks. It was fun.”

Dr. Harris wants to inspire others to go into the veterinary field—especially minorities. “African American veterinarians make up roughly 2% of veterinarians in the United States! This should change as it’s not reflective of pet owners, plus it’s inspiring for kids from minority or marginalized groups to see themselves in careers where they are not typically represented. Diversity of thought is powerful, and animals are the great equalizer for all of us.”

So, what’s next for Dr. Harris? 

She laughs and says, “That’s the million-dollar question. Now that I’ve had more exposure to a larger audience, I hope to continue doing what I consider media vet work. I still have important work to do with Purina, and overall I just love being a vet. Though you never know what’s around the bend. You have to keep your eyes open.” +

The post From ER Vet to Reality Show Judge: Dr. Callie Harris Does It All! appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Jason B. Coe DVM, Ph.D., is a professor and leading expert in veterinary clinical communication at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). Since 2003, he’s studied interpersonal communication among the veterinarian community. 

“It started with the relationships of the veterinarian in the examination room. How does the veterinarian communicate with clients, and how does that affect the pet’s health?” he says.

Over time, his work has expanded to also address the relationships and communication outside of the examination room, including the practice manager, the vet techs, the kennel assistant, and everyone else who makes up an effective and productive veterinary practice team.

“I look at the social side of veterinary medicine and how people within veterinary practices work, the relationships they have with each other, with their clients, and patients. Relationships are the basis of the veterinary profession, and they affect the outcomes for all involved,” Dr. Coe explains. 

The Ontario Veterinary College was one of the first veterinary colleges to make this study of veterinary clinical communication part of the curriculum. And by using the Calgary Cambridge Guide as a framework, Dr. Coe coaches veterinary students through simulated conversations. Using role-play, participants experience replicated, everyday client interactions and practice communication skills that improve relationships. 

Communications training was run virtually at the Ontario Veterinary College this year. The communication lab pictured is part of a course called the Art of Veterinary Medicine 2 at OVC.

In some cases, rephrasing a question can change the dynamic of a vet/client relationship. For example, it’s a common practice for a vet to ask clients what kind of food they feed their pet. Dr. Coe’s research team has shown that clients often respond with limited nutrition-related information and can sometimes become defensive to this common question. 

Rather, Dr. Coe discovered a better way to open up communication regarding pet nutrition by asking a broader question: “We found instead of asking what the pet eats, we got better information if we asked, ‘Tell me everything your pet eats throughout a day, starting from first thing in the morning right through to the end of the day.’ The client shared approximately three times more nutrition-related information.” 

Such a discussion can lead to a larger conversation around pet nutrition, including discovery of food items relevant to pet food allergies or obesity, while also creating an opportunity to discover common ground between the veterinarian and the client. 

Dr. Coe became interested in communication while participating as a clinical instructor of a wellness rotation at the OVC in the mid-2000s. At the time, he was coaching and mentoring veterinary students by observing them in the examination room via a two-way window. 

“There was a student interacting with a brother and sister that had brought in their sick cat. I was observing the interaction through the two-way window and could see the brother and sister were tense with worry. So, I stepped into the examination room to support the student, and at that time offered an empathetic response to the clients that acknowledged how scary it can be to have a sick pet. At that moment, I could see their body language relax right away,” he shares. 

It takes practice to develop communication skills that help people feel engaged, respected and positive. Dr. Coe’s goal with his study of veterinary clinical communication is to help veterinary practices develop greater sustainability in their business practices and improve mental health and general wellbeing. Aligning with that goal, he will hold a new chair at the University of Guelph’s OVC to further this work. 

Believed to be the first of its kind, a new one-million-dollar VCA Canada Chair in Relationship-Centred Veterinary Medicine acknowledges the importance of relationships and communication within the veterinary profession. Supporting this chair is Calgary-based VCA Canada. VCA Canada runs over 100 veterinary hospitals across Canada and is part of Mars Veterinary Health, a Mars Petcare division.   

“The chair is an extension of what I’m doing. It’s an opportunity to leverage some of the things we’ve been looking at to support veterinary teams. It also increases our capacity to pursue an evidence-based approach to veterinary relationships and outcomes. I see this as the start of a piece that will develop over the years and hopefully continue to build on the veterinary profession positively,” Dr. Coe says. 

The chair also provides other opportunities. “I’m excited about this new journey because it gives opportunities to contribute to the profession and for collaboration,” adds Dr. Coe.

Aside from studying mental wellbeing and developing interpersonal skills within veterinary practices, Dr. Coe keeps an eye on technology. He shares, “We’re in a period of change. With new technologies like AI, how does that impact the health and care of our patients?” 

Overall, his goal is to help people within the veterinary profession build resiliency and ensure they have the support they need to excel. 

In addition, Dr. Coe was recently awarded the 2021 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award. Named for the late Dr. Leo K. Bustad, former president of the Delta Society and dean of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, the award is one of veterinary medicine’s highest honors, recognizing the outstanding work of veterinarians in protecting and promoting the human-animal bond.

“It is an unexpected and genuine honor to be acknowledged with this award,” said Dr. Coe. “Dr. Bustad was a forward-thinking leader for our profession. I became aware of Dr. Bustad very early in my career because of my interest for the human-animal bond and I feel privileged to be associated with him through this award. It has been my own personal experiences and relationships with animals that have driven much of what I do and, as for many people, these relationships have been essential this past year.  

“Although many challenges have arisen this past year, veterinary practices and their teams have shown great resilience, rising above the challenges to provide enduring support for people and animals. I feel privileged to be a part of the veterinary profession and to be in a position to help the profession continue to make the world a better place for people and animals,” Dr. Coe concludes. +

The post Dr. Jason Coe: Relationships Are at the Heart of Veterinary Care appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

“After 9/11, people took solace with their pets. Then, COVID came along. If you have to stay home, why not stay home in the company of a loving pet? That’s the thrust of the song ‘21st Century Pet,’” Dr. Jeff shares. 

“21st Century Pet” is a boppy, sing-along song with a positive message about the love we share with our pets. Dr. Jeff says he wrote and performed this song to honor our treasured relationship with our pets in artistic form.

There are two versions of the song, both with videos. Dr. Jeff says, “One’s a sing-a-long version with my wife and daughter singing and me playing guitar. Then we did an animated version where I appear as a cartoon and go on my rounds. The animated pets are based on animals we know.” 

Dr. Jeff highlights the relationship between his music and medical work. “My first pet-themed song was called ‘It’s Raining Cats and Dogs.’ Then I came up with an album of songs called Just Sniffing Around. The songs are about our relationship with animals. The joy, and sometimes despair. And by going into people’s homes, I become part of the family.” 

Dr. Jeff experienced the power of in-home pet care during an apprenticeship in Northern Italy where he worked with a local horse doctor. “We’d go for long rides in the country and go to estates. The exams and the work we’d do would sometimes take a whole day. It was dusk. It was natural, there was food on the hearth and a glass of wine afterward.” 

 When he returned to NY, he brought that appreciation of in-home pet care with him. And he says people and pets are most relaxed at home. “In the waiting room in a NY vet practice, people are double-parked, and the dogs and cats are not friends.” 

As a house-call veterinarian, he gets to experience a more holistic view of the pet and family. “I don’t have a 15-minute deadline. I get to observe the environment. Where does the dog or cat lie? Is it a soft or hard surface? Does the animal sleep in shade or sun? I get to observe relationships between pets and people.”

Dr. Jeff gets called for all manner of pet behaviors and illnesses. He’s often referred by other veterinarians and is part of a care team that treats serious cases such as cancer and orthopedic cases. His primary focus is acupuncture. 

“I have a patient in Chelsea,” shares Dr. Jeff. “The chief complaint was the male dog wasn’t being cuddly and was being irritable with the other dog in the house. After one acupuncture treatment, the two dogs were lying together joyfully. Acupuncture can help the dog be more sociable.” 

As for music, Dr. Jeff says, “I’ve always played around with a guitar. Music is the soundtrack of our lives—or ‘hound track,’ as I call it. I worked in an animal hospital for many years, and while there, I met musicians who were pet owners.” 

In 2005, Dr. Jeff decided to put together a small group of musicians for a good cause: “I assembled a group of musicians from the animal welfare community, and we played for the Central Park Conservatory to raise money for doggie water fountains. The group included dog walkers, cat rescuers, animal nurses, a sea lion trainer, and a zookeeper. Since then, I’ve played for the ASPCA, the American Cancer Society’s ‘Bark for Life,’ and many others,” he says.

Providing home veterinarian services since the ’90s, Dr. Jeff travels all over NYC providing pet care and also drawing inspiration for his music. 

“Most of my composing happens via transit. Like when I’m on the A-train. It’s a long train that stretches from the north tip of Manhattan in Harlem to Greenwich Village. I hear the tickety-tack of the tracks, and the rhythms make their way into the music. I write a lot of my songs on the subway,” he shares.

Dr. Jeff grew up in Brooklyn with a small backyard. As a boy, he liked watching bugs, birds and slivers of nature. “The more creepy-crawly, the better. My dad bought me the Golden Guide to Insects. From there, I followed my natural curiosity in the world around us and was lucky enough to get into veterinary school. It’s really not a job. It’s all-consuming and a daily adventure,” Dr. Jeff expresses. 

With the “21st. Century Pet” song and videos, he hopes to share positive messages about finding comfort with our pets.

“These videos could serve organizations that need to share positive messages. Schools and public service agencies could use the animated version to explain the current events to children,” Dr. Jeff concludes. +

“21st Century Pet” can be viewed on YouTube:

An animated, character-driven version, which appeals more to children: https://youtu.be/LjiSBmXAPJQ

A catchy, feel-good, sing-a-long version, with his friends and family participating in the performance: https://youtu.be/G_QjREGMn9A

And introducing a Spanish version:
https://youtu.be/Xj_FbndwMIU

Dr. Jeff can be found on social media:

Facebook: facebook.com/HouseCallVetNYC 

Instagram: @housecallvetnyc

The post On the Go with “Dr. Jeff”: NYC House-Call Vet & Musician appeared first on PetVet Magazine.