Hack #1: The Power of Journaling 

You’ve all heard the cliché “you are what you eat,” and in some ways it’s true! Here is a short example…A farmer sprinkled paprika on his chickens’ feed, and the yolks came out red. This was not a problem for the farm-to-table chef; in fact, they did it on purpose. But it clearly demonstrates how frequently and grossly we overlook the impact our diets (often highly processed) have on our health since the effects may sometimes be less obvious. 

It is for this reason I have kept two types of food journals. One is a retrospective journal, meaning a record of adverse reactions or symptoms to something I ate. Usually the cause ended up being a poor food choice, but sometimes it was what I thought was a good choice at the time. Symptoms, such as increased fatigue or sluggishness, typically occurred up to 24 hours later, maybe a bit longer. Other times it could be a matter of months before an intolerance was noticed. 

Tip: This type of journaling I did by sending a quick email to myself that I could easily reference later. It helped me to make better decisions the next time about what to eat. 

The second type of journal is a proactive journal, inspired by The Wahl’s Protocol, which you can find in bookstores. Here I logged systematically what I ate every day and went in-depth on how I felt each day, quickly noticing higher levels of positive changes and more easily picking out the negative reactions to certain foods. This could include physical manifestations, mental clarity, or even moods and cravings. This was majorly helpful in reducing unwanted symptoms and the need for intervention. 

Over a lifetime, your body will require varying degrees of specific vitamins, minerals and so forth. And because of these changes, you can develop an intolerance to certain foods and even spices or ingredients in processed or boxed foods as an adult. The symptoms may be apparent right away, like GI issues, or you could experience an accumulation effect where the occurrence or worsening of symptoms of an existing physical or mental health condition present. So, it’s worth gaining clarity around what your current needs are and checking in with those needs regularly to better manage your quality of life.

Tip: Some notes are better than none, so don’t be discouraged if you forget to log. The more you do it, the more likely you are to see patterns and the easier it will become! 

Hack #2: The Whole-Person Approach

With a new sense of clarity, you can begin to customize a whole-person approach to your specific needs, both genetically and lifestyle based. Nutrition absolutely has to be semi-customized. Blanket recommendations are meant to be guidelines, but mainly are marketing tactics and, as you’ve probably recognized, a moving target. These are recommendations that the government and food or supplement companies can’t make for you because they don’t know you! 

This is very empowering because you get to own the trajectory of your health and how you feel each day! The more you practice this approach, the less you’ll fall victim to those marketing tactics designed to get you to buy a product. 

The foods you thought were healthy may disagree with you, like when I learned that I am mildly sensitive to the protein casein. Here I thought “protein is good,” but it goes deeper than that, as with most subjects in life. So, I encourage you to keep leveling-up your knowledge base as it relates to understanding how your body functions optimally when you put certain foods in it; kind of like your car requiring a certain type of fuel.

Tip: There are now at-home test kits where you can gain insight into your food sensitivities. Also consider consulting, even just annually, with a holistic nutritionist or an acupuncture specialist who is trained to take into account your whole person, major past and recent factors (that you may have overlooked), as well as lifestyle and goals. 

Hack #3: Awareness & Connections

Honing your awareness to the cues of your body is a practice and a process, and one that you will get better at over time. But I guarantee that you will unlock optimal living if you do this well. 

Recognizing bio feedback and changes in your body, mental state and emotional balance will require intentional focus, and the journaling can prompt you to tune in to these shifts. As you chart the patterns, you will make connections that you didn’t know where there. 

Inflammation is the source of many of the problems in the body, but it’s often hard to recognize. However, once you do, you can easily see how eating problematic foods can lead to discomfort or disease. You can also reverse discomfort and disease by overhauling your nutrition habits. 

I myself have been able to mitigate restless legs and neuropathy symptoms by tuning into my body and foods that aggravate my nerves. I also eat to support my nervous system and brain health since I am prone to symptoms like anxiety and depression. 

If you take away one thing, I want it to be this: Have the mindset to challenge the norm, the popular, the convenient or the easy. Pick just one of these and do it for seven days, and then 30, and so on. If you do, you’ll find your tribe and new habits that make it just as easy to eat and experience the extraordinary life you deserve! +

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What people may not realize is that there is another group of veterinary professionals (like myself) who suffer from the same pressures on and off the job…and those are veterinary technicians. 

The emotional connections vet techs make with clients, combined with our jobs’ stringent requirements, play a huge role in our personal and professional wellbeing. Because of the pressure and stress that are built into our profession, mental illness also takes a toll on vet techs. 

The good news is that there are simple things we can do to stay healthy and happy in our own jobs while helping other vet techs, veterinarians and hospital staff do the same in this challenging (and rewarding) field. After all, most of us knew what we were getting into in the first place!

The first step is to slow down and notice the signs of burnout and stress that you may be feeling, and may not even recognize. Some of these may come with the job, but the damage they can cause doesn’t have to. These markers include consistently low performance, exhaustion, a high level of frustration, impatience with co-workers and lack of motivation. It can also be feeling isolated, embarrassed about your mistakes and hopeless. If you recognize that a few of these have become a constant for you, in and out of work, it’s time to do something about it. 

In a profession like ours, it’s easy to get up, go to work, go to bed and then start over again. Because we put our clients’ needs first, it’s easy to forget our own. That’s a mistake! Take a few minutes (or hours) to remember what brings you joy. Maybe it’s listening to music and starting your day with that one song that makes you sing. Maybe it’s hitting the gym rather than berating yourself about the membership you’re wasting. When was the last time you gave yourself permission to binge watch a show or start a hobby? Whatever it is, just do it! 

Once you recognize your own emotional and physical state, look around. Start to notice troubling signs like isolation and depression among your colleagues and model breaking the stigma of talking about it. Listen to them. Be open about the little (and big) uplifting or calming things you’re doing to find satisfaction and joy. Encourage them to check out the array of in-person, virtual and online mental health resources available. 

Many employers offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides a confidential source for employees to use for support, including therapy. An additional resource is Not One More Vet Support Staff (NOMVSS), which is a private, peer-to-peer support group on Facebook that provides members unlimited mental health support resources. 

Vet techs are every bit as much on the front line as veterinarians, and the emotional connections and mental health distress they experience every day can be the same. Many of the issues these professionals face flow below the surface, and the only way to help is to speak openly about them, demonstrate healthy habits and foster supportive relationships. +

The post 3 Steps to Honoring Your Work & Supporting Your Needs appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

While I wasn’t quite sure how I would make everything work at the time, I made the move to part-time clinical practice and started my own LLC in early 2021, through which I provide freelance speaking and writing services to veterinary conferences, schools, magazines, blogs and more.

For me, entrepreneurship provided me with more time to invest in self-care and an opportunity to save my passion for clinical veterinary medicine by diversifying my career and utilizing my professional skills outside of the clinic. I am happier when I’m in the clinic because I have multiple professional goals to work toward, and I have more time for my family because I’ve created a career with flexibility. But the journey has not been without challenges. And through those challenges, I’ve learned just how important boundaries are to success and maintaining the mental health and self-care practices that I have worked hard to prioritize.

Identifying The Pressures

Entrepreneurship has presented many new pressures—both internal and external. In response, I have often found myself in situations where I am overcommitting or overworking to try to maximize success. Understanding what drives me to make those choices has helped me to determine ways to better protect my time and energy.

First, entrepreneurship comes with financial pressures. And particularly early on in the business, there is uncertainty when it comes to income. This, combined with initial investments and startup costs, can create significant financial pressure—especially for a young professional who still carries a large student loan debt. 

When starting a business, it’s best to have a plan that allows you a financial buffer. And it’s also important to realize that you might be a bit uncomfortable for a while. I’ve learned the hard way that working until I’m exhausted just to take on one more project and earn a few extra dollars isn’t worth the stress and exhaustion in the end.

Additionally, being my own boss has created new freedom in my schedule; no one tells me when to start work, but no one tells me when to stop either. If I want to sleep in on a writing day, that’s fine. If I want to stay up until 2 AM writing, the only person who suffers is me when the toddler wake-up call comes at 7 AM. It can be tempting to keep working past when I planned to if I’m having a productive day, or to put off a project until later when I’m just not motivated, but there are consequences relating to the time I have for myself and my family, or how mentally present I am during these times.

Finally, there is a deep internal pressure to succeed. I am proud of what I’ve built and the projects I produce, and I don’t want to see my business fail. When I am feeling particularly vulnerable about my success, I try to step back and consider the many things I have achieved so far; the number of articles I’ve written, the income I’ve generated and the conferences I’ve traveled to. While taking some time to be grateful for what I’ve done so far does help, I still must recognize when it is my fear of failure driving me to take on extra projects that overextend me.

Setting Boundaries

Setting firm boundaries is essential to maximizing productivity and maintaining the balance that drives so many to pursue entrepreneurship. It will take time to get it right; some boundaries may be too rigid and others too loose. Adjustments will need to come with time. My boundaries around the type and number of projects I take on have shifted as work has become more plentiful and my interests have narrowed.

The first step in successfully setting boundaries is identifying where they are needed. Consider your scheduled time to work, the number of clients or projects you will take on at a time, the type of clients you will accept, the type of businesses or people you will collaborate with and what your financial goals are. Good boundaries not only protect your individual time and energy, but also protect your brand, values and goals.

For me, setting financial boundaries has been the easiest to do. Using my personal and business financial goals, I have determined the amounts I am willing to spend and minimum fees for projects. Even though they were easy to set, they aren’t always easy to enforce. I’ve gotten more comfortable with the discomfort of naming a fee and waiting to see how the other party will respond—sometimes I negotiate, other times I decline.

I have found it harder to define clear boundaries around my time and energy, but these are the most important assets to protect if you want to find a healthy integration between your personal and professional life. When I teach personal boundaries during one of my lectures on wellness for veterinary professionals, I remind attendees that they are more than a veterinary professional…And I am more than a veterinarian and an entrepreneur. I have an identity outside of my work as a daughter, mother, wife and friend. I must remember that I am a human being. My time and energy are not unlimited so I must work hard to protect them, whether it is from the stress of being a veterinarian in the clinic or the stress of being a business owner. 

While entrepreneurship can be exciting and invigorating, any professional pursuit can lead to burnout if we are not careful. Use boundaries to maximize your productivity and create a client or project list that gives you energy instead of draining it. 

Here are some questions to consider when setting up your schedule and the number of projects you will take on:

• When do you find yourself being most productive during the day?
• When you are working, how long until you find your energy or interest waning?
• What are your priorities outside of work and when do you need to be available for them?
• Looking at your last week or month of work, how did you feel? 
• Do you find yourself feeling resentful about certain tasks or projects you are working on? 

Sticking to Your Boundaries

Utilizing tools and having a plan to help you stick to your boundaries is essential. I often use productivity apps on my phone to help keep me focused when I am working. These apps can also remind me when it is time to take a break. When creating my schedule, I enter family and social events in my calendar first. I schedule time for myself and the activities that help me recharge, then I see how much time is left for work.

Outsourcing some tasks can also help to uphold boundaries. A friend once told me, “You either have the time to do something yourself, or you have the money to pay someone else to do it for you.” I’ve fallen back on this advice many times. 

When it comes to my business, I regularly evaluate the tasks I need to do in order to continue to succeed and grow. I consider which tasks I enjoy, like writing content for my social media, and which I find tedious, like updating my website. Over time, I have taken the least desirable tasks and invested some money in hiring someone else to do them, or at least found software to make the tasks more efficient. 

Advice for Future Entrepreneurs

Setting boundaries is hard, but sticking to them and asking others to respect them can be even harder. As a young entrepreneur, it is scary to say “no” to an opportunity—especially if it comes with a paycheck. But if that opportunity requires you to defy your boundaries, it’s probably not worth the cost of your time, energy, integrity or mental health. Not every client, collaborator or project is the right fit. Saying “no” to something or someone now could mean you have time to say “yes” to something even better later.

Setting and upholding boundaries around your time and energy will be what keeps you in the game for the long term. As Brené Brown once said, “Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others.” +

The post Finding Balance & Setting Boundaries as a Successful Entrepreneur appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Going green is not all or nothing; it’s about taking small, manageable steps that will excite you, not overwhelm you. You get to choose the initiatives that work best for your organization and for your lifestyle.

Here are a few easy ways to contribute to a more sustainable future:

1 Rethink pet food and treats.

You probably read the labels on the food and treats you provide to the animals in your care—whether it’s for the patients in your practice or for your pets at home—but it’s important to educate your patients’ owners to do the same. Encourage your clients to purchase higher-quality pet food with humanely-raised and sustainably-sourced proteins. Also look for organic and real ingredients; ditch the preservatives. Create a list of your favorite brands and post it on your website or on your social media pages to encourage your clients to contribute to a greener future through the pet food choices they make.

2 Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Less really can be more, and a few simple changes can make a lasting impact!

Reduce: Look at going paperless. Email clients their invoices, care instructions and other important information rather than printing the documents. Switch to online marketing—social media can be your friend! Implement digital record-keeping that eliminates duplicate copies of files and documents.

Reuse: Use old newspaper for indoor potty pads. (You can utilize pee pads as a back-up underneath, but the layers of newspaper will reduce the amount of plastic-lined pads needed.) Think about how you can reuse other items in the office. For example, old toilet paper rolls make excellent toys for cats (see below).

Recycle/Compost: Implement recycling and composting. Whatever is recycled and composted is that much less waste. Make the switch to compostable pet waste bags and kitty litter bags. Take it one step further and use eco-friendly kitty litter with cleaner ingredients that are better for the pets. Use natural compounds for cat litter such as pelleted, shredded paper or litter made from grains to help maximize the use of recycled materials. 

3 Prioritize quality and / or repurpose pet bedding and toys.

More durable toys are less likely to end up in the trash after only a few hours of play, which is good for your wallet and the planet. Rather than purchasing new goods for your patients, look for everyday items that might make great toys. Toilet paper rolls are perfect for cats and socks stuffed with plastic water bottles make fun toys for dogs. 

When it comes to bedding for pets, buy beds with natural fill rather than polystyrene foam. Naturally-sourced, sustainable fill inside a sturdily-built bed can include dried beans, chopped hemp or cotton, or other natural fibers. 

4 Buy secondhand before purchasing new.

Whether it’s furniture, office supplies or pet supplies, there are tons of secondhand options for sale. Not only will you help the planet, but you will also save money. Facebook Marketplace is a great resource for quality items in like-new condition.

5 Create a green team.

Accountability is paramount when running a greenified business. Designate a group of individuals to oversee your green initiatives. Encourage brainstorming sessions to generate specific ideas on what to implement in your office, and to keep the staff motivated and excited about doing their part to be more eco-friendly.

Ultimately, it comes down to your mindset and determination to make our world a healthier, greener place. No matter which of the above actions you decide to incorporate into your business or your home, know that every little bit helps. Simply take it one step at a time and you will soon be living the green life! +

The post 5 Ways to “Green” Your Home and Practice appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

In the long run, none of these are good for your health. So, if you’re trying to stay healthy but also make sure your patients get the care they deserve, it’s important to develop a few healthy habits that can support the lifestyle of a busy professional.

Healthy, On-The-Go Lunches

Specialists recommend meal planning¹ as a way to avoid falling in the trap of unhealthy but easily-accessible meals when time is of the essence. It’s also a great way to build healthy eating habits since it’s easier to track and control the nutrients you consume.

Here are two healthy lunch ideas that are convenient on the go and can be included in your meal prep plan:

Grilled Chicken Veggie Bowls ²

This recipe is versatile and easy to make, but it’s also rich in protein and good fats. And, it’s only about 600 calories per serving!

The meal uses brown rice, quinoa and chicken as the base, and lets you add a variety of vegetables to make it your own. The full recipe² also includes a few tips that will help you turn this into a delicious, versatile lunch for the whole week.

Steak Fajita Salad ³

This recipe is low on carbs but rich in energy-boosting veggies and protein. Plus, it’s easy to include it into your meal prep routine! The salad starts with romaine lettuce topped with avocado, delicious fajita-style peppers, onion and steak, and finishes with a cilantro lime dressing.

The full recipe³ will instruct you how to make the dressing and how to prepare the veggies so they’ll stay fresh and tasty the longest. 

Quick tip: If you don’t know how to cook perfectly medium-rare steak, you can order it from your favorite restaurant. This will save you time and the frustration of having to eat subpar steak (even if it’s your own doing). 

Healthy Snacks

Vets often work long shifts so that one mid-day meal doesn’t always cut it, but this doesn’t mean you should resort to the donuts or leftover birthday cake in the breakroom. To keep your energy level up throughout the day, you should have a few healthy snacks at the ready. 

Here are a few ideas:

• Oranges, apples, raisins and other fresh or dried fruit without added sugars
• Fresh veggies such as cucumbers, carrots or red pepper
• Plain yogurt, low-fat cheese or whole-grain crackers
• A few slices of low-fat deli turkey or almonds (for a bit of protein)

Quick Daily Exercises

Veterinarians are usually on their feet all day or spend long hours hunched over a table while treating patients or filling in charts. In time, you’ll start feeling your legs swell and your shoulders and lower back get stiffer by the end of each work day.

To avoid turning into an old, creaky being while still young, it’s important to integrate a few easy exercises for the back, shoulders and legs into your routine. Luckily, these can be done in the office, while waiting for the next patient. 

Exercises for Tight Shoulders

For these exercises you can stand or be seated, with your back straight. Start with a few rounds of shoulder raises and shoulder rolls (alternate in between the two). Continue with a few ear to shoulder stretches (tilt your head to the left and right) and finish up with a few arm swings in an up and down movement.

Exercises for Achy Backs

Most of the time, back pains try to warn us about bad posture, weird work positions and long hours spent doing repetitive things. So when your back hurts and you feel your movements are getting stiffer, you can use a few yoga poses to improve flexibility and get rid of some of the pain.

One such great position is the forward fold.⁴ This position is easy to practice anywhere you can find a bit of space and it doesn’t require any equipment or preparedness. You simply stand with your feet about hip’s width apart and hinge at the waist, letting your arms reach to the floor. 

Overall, it’s important to find balance between work, nutrition and physical activity. Our bodies need proper care if we want them to support our efforts in today’s busy and demanding world! +

References:

1. Planning Meals. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/meals.html
2. Grilled Chicken Veggie Bowls. (2019, Oct., 3). Picky Palate. https://picky-palate.com/grilled-chicken-veggie-bowls-meal-prep/
3. Steak Fajita Salad. Dam Delicious. https://damndelicious.net/2015/03/06/steak-fajita-salad/
4. Forward Fold Yoga Pose. (2012, Oct., 3). Yoga With Adriene. https://youtu.be/g7Uhp5tphAs

The post Healthy Eating Ideas & Quick Exercise Tips for Busy Veterinarians appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

We LOVE our java! It is a well-rounded cup of alertness that can help us love ourselves in a million ways. It is warm and smooth on a cold day. It is a social experience or a solo soul search. It goes with cookies, ice cream, or by itself. Because we love our cup of Joe, we wanted to share with you an amazing way to make a truly smooth and delicious pot in a short time, every time, with BUNN coffee makers. 

People say I am a coffee snob because I am so picky about it (I believe that a good cup of coffee must be poured within 20 minutes of brewing…I know, coffee snob), and I happen to have a BUNN at work and one at home. The only time I have ever contacted their support, it was on a very old pot, but they overnighted me a part with the instructions for how to fix the issue at no charge. 

I do not work for BUNN, but when I reached out to them for this article, they generously shared a discount code just for us! 

Get the details at https://retail.bunn.com/VET10 and Happy Brewing!

A robot that cleans up pet hair while you are away? It sounds too good to be true—but it is true! Our polling groups love this product. The Shark learns your home, cleans while you are gone using HEPA filtration (perfect for pet dander) and then empties itself. We adore coming home to the neat rows in the rug—very Zen. It makes you feel fresh and relieved, and effortlessly takes one thing off your list. So far, my own Shark has been a good value. It seldom hangs up or needs assistance, and you can control it from an app on a smart phone!

Get $200 off the latest robot, the Shark^® AI Robot Vacuum with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base, Bagless, 60-Day Capacity, LIDAR Navigation, Home Mapping, and perfect for pet hair (Model RV2502AE) with code ROBOT200.

When asked about products that have made their work day better, several veterinary professionals specifically named OOFOS shoes. The company says that the reason why so many people find comfort and support from their shoes is because they are made with proprietary OOfoam® technology. The foam absorbs 37% more impact than traditional foam footwear materials and the OOFOS footbed cradles and supports arches. The two features together, they say, reduce energy exertion in the ankles by up to 47% compared to competitors’ footwear. So walking is easier and recovery is faster. Don’t you want to maximize your energy? I do! And this is one way to do it. Helping more pets feel better and feeling better your self sounds like a win-win. And, looking good while doing it is a bonus.

OOFOS Recovery Footwear has offered to give a free pair of clogs to a lucky reader! Visit https://www.oofos.com/pages/petvet to enter the contest now. 

Ever come home to withered house plants because you have been working so much you forgot to water them? This handy pot lets you water just one to two times a week and keeps your plants low-maintenance. They also feature a water level indicator to let you know how much to water the plant. They are elegantly simple and let you have the calm and healthy feeling that house plants can create without the guilt of repeated plant loss from lack of care!

Go to www.t4u.site/collections/new-plastic-planters and enter the single-use code PURRFECT to get 10% off your purchase!

When I asked my colleagues about products they love, this one popped up A LOT! FIGS was founded and is run by women who identified a need for healthcare professionals to love and feel comfortable and confident. They have pioneered shapes and fabrics that make your day in the animal care trenches better. According to Co-CEO Heather Hasson (who actually took time to call me herself to thank me for all my industry does to help pets), they have fabrics that resist staining and pet hair. They are comfortable and attractive, and they even have special FIGS gifts: Animal-printed socks, hoodies, mugs and so much more!

Another meow-valous part…they created a promo code for our readers only (named after my animal hospital) that gives you 25% off your order! Enter FIGSXApplebrook at www.wearfigs.com

The post Dr. Kat’s Products You Will Fall in Love With appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Veterinarians have recently been in the spotlight in United States Dog Agility Association® (USDAA®) news and social media as the organization thanks professionals for their service during particularly challenging pandemic times. And, veterinarians don’t just treat and care for the canines participating in the sport—many are competitors themselves! In addition, they attest to the value of dog agility as an outlet of stress relief from their daily practice.

What is Dog Agility?

Dog agility requires dynamic physical and mental engagement for dogs and humans alike. Guided only by voice and movement cues from their human partners, the canine athletes compete against the clock—flying over hurdles, weaving between poles, racing through tunnels and bounding onto the see-saw. Obstacles are set according to the dog’s height and experience level, allowing dogs of all breeds and sizes to compete.

The human partners are critical members of the team, as they train the dogs, learn and memorize courses, strategize to tackle each obstacle and race alongside, guiding the dogs to success. Whether at a local club event, at the Dog Agility World Championships or in their own backyard, the teams have to be prepared to do their best in any environment.

Agility benefits are not just for those who compete, however. Recreational agility can also improve one’s health and wellbeing. 

Benefits of Dog Agility

In a 2018 survey conducted by the United States Dog Agility Association, respondents cited numerous advantages to participating in the sport, including physical and mental exercise, socialization and building relationships, bonding with their dogs, satisfaction of meeting challenges and goals, and stress relief.

In addition, the benefits of ongoing interaction with dogs alone are well documented: decreased blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and feelings of loneliness; along with increased opportunities for exercise, outdoor activities and socialization.¹ 

There is no better way to understand how the sport has helped a number of veterinarians relieve job stress and enjoy their own dogs than to hear their stories. 

Meet Kathy Wells

Kathy Wells of Southfield, Michigan is one of the sport’s most accomplished competitors and veterinarians. She works at Wyandotte Animal Hospital in Wyandotte, Michigan and credits agility with helping her find a work-life balance that she said is a “huge challenge” in the veterinary profession.

Kathy graduated from Iowa State University in 1990 and as a student remembers reading an article in Dog Fancy about the new dog sport, agility. Several years later, a training facility posted an advertisement for an agility open house at the clinic where she was working in Toledo, Ohio. 

“I had never forgotten the article I had read and couldn’t wait to attend the open house. My dog, a Husky mix, was a natural, and we were hooked. My life path took a complete turn after that night,” Kathy shares.

“I never realized how much I relied on agility to maintain my sanity and help me to be able to handle the strain of this job, until it was absent from my life,” she adds.

Kathy currently competes with Fargo, an eight-year-old Border Collie, and together they have earned numerous championships: “He has earned LAA-Diamond and ADCH-Diamond, he’s been on the IFCS World Team since 2018, we won a silver medal in Italy in 2018, and competed in the Netherlands in 2019,” she says.

While she’s proud of the agility titles, Kathy keeps it in perspective and appreciates how the sport and her profession complement each other. 

“I have had the philosophy, when competing, that agility isn’t life or death, unlike many of the decisions I make daily being a vet,” Kathy continues, “so I guess being a veterinarian has helped me with my mental game. I do think that being involved in dog sports has made me a better veterinarian.”

Meet Jean Lavelly

Jean Lavelly attended Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1998, and is now a small animal general practitioner in Murfreesboro, Tennessee where she enjoys building relationships with her clients and their animals.

“I most enjoy long-term client relationships with families who’ve come to our practice for years and who trust me. The most stressful part for me in my early years was feeling I had to prove myself. With the long-term clients, they know I just want the best for their animals. I also love the variety of issues that I see, so no one day is the same,” Jean shares.

Like everyone, Jean’s business surged during the pandemic as more people got new puppies.

“Combined with the growing shortage of veterinarians, it has made our jobs much more demanding and stressful, which is also causing some veterinarians and support staff to leave the profession early,” she said. 

She then explained that her involvement in agility has been a coping mechanism: “I think the most important benefit of agility with my dogs is the unique bond we form through training and competing together,” continues Jean. “Agility is also my main motivation for staying fit which means it’s a driving force to help me stay healthy.”

Jean actually considered leaving the sport early in the pandemic after the sudden loss of her six-year-old agility partner, Sprint, to GME (Granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis). 

“Losing a dog so young is always traumatic, but the added loss of our working relationship was almost too much for me. I seriously considered quitting during this time, but my agility friends were such an important part of my recovery. I was able to regain my love of the sport. The friendships developed over the years really are an important part of agility for me,” she concludes.

Meet Heather Venkat

Heather Venkat of Surprise, Arizona completed her DVM at the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She has been Arizona’s State Public Health Veterinarian for four years, tracking and investigating diseases like rabies and plague, while still providing preventive veterinary care to dogs and cats with a mobile veterinary clinic called VIP Petcare. 

“I love the variety that I get from my job (each week is a new adventure) and being able to help both pets and people,” she shared.

Heather is a relative newcomer to dog agility who started taking classes in 2017 with a friend and their rescue dogs. 

“The bond with my dog, Luna, became even stronger and I saw how much she enjoyed agility, and that’s when I got hooked and worked towards starting to compete a year later. Luna is a Border Collie/Australian Cattle Dog mix who was found as a stray in the town of Douglas at the Arizona-Mexico border. She’s now almost eight years old so most of our training is for maintenance,” Heather says.

Like many of her clients, in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Heather got a new puppy; a Border Collie/Papillon cross named Lyla who is excelling in agility foundation classes. 

“I am participating in both live events and USDAA@Home. Arizona trials have been very safe and are organized outdoors while following mask and social distancing recommendations,” she says. 

Speaking to other pet care professionals, Heather added: “It is important for animal care professionals to create boundaries between work and home. We must advocate for ourselves to find time to do things we enjoy and prevent burnout. I like relaxing activities such as reading and writing, but agility relieves my stress by getting my blood flowing and heart pumping. The exercise that both me and my dogs get from doing agility is a win-win!”

If you are interested in learning more about dog agility or looking for a way to get involved, visit the United States Dog Agility Association at usdaa.com which includes a listing of local clubs and events. +

References:

1. How to Stay Healthy Around Pets. CDC. www.cdc.gov/healthypets/keeping-pets-and-people-healthy/how.html

The post Meet the Veterinarians Who Find Stress Relief through Dog Agility appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

Here are three stories related by veterinarians about lessons learned, joy experienced, and the guilt, regret and wisdom that come with approaching and living past the end of the animals we love so much.

Not the dog he grew up with, but the dog who made him grow. 

While Andy Rollo, DVM, says he wanted to help animals that didn’t have a voice, he also thought he knew his limits. Finley was the family dog who died of cancer in Rollo’s third year of veterinary school. At that time, most veterinarians want their own dogs, but Rollo says he’d seen enough trouble and didn’t want extra responsibility.

Then, out of school, a sick yellow Labrador puppy came in with megaesophagus and aspiration pneumonia, with a breeder intent on euthanasia. First, a team member took in the hard-luck medical case, but then her living arrangement changed and she couldn’t keep him.

“Beau was a really nice dog,” says Rollo. So, he adopted him.

Eating problems aside, the puppy grew up happy and strong. But soon after adopting him, Rollo went out for a run with the dog, and suddenly he just couldn’t walk and he had to carry him home.

A surgeon visiting the hospital soon after diagnosed the unlucky lab with muscular dystrophy. Then bouts of irritable bowel disorder and bad diarrhea followed, just when Rollo and his wife were dealing with their first child’s birth. Treatment through the years meant feeding tubes, trying everything and reaching out to veterinary specialists across the country with questions.

Still, the puppy who didn’t seem like he’d last six weeks lasted a long six years and taught Rollo a lot. The crucial question, as the dog struggled health-wise, was, how far do you go with medical treatment when a patient is failing?

“When I eventually euthanized him, he was as skinny as could be and couldn’t hold anything down,” he says. “When do you say enough’s enough?”

Rollo’s hard experience deciding when euthanasia was right has helped him become more understanding with clients struggling with the same decision.

The dog that disappeared on her.

Melissa Detweiler, DVM, and her husband bought a house…and a dog came with it. But they didn’t know it at the time.

“There was a big chocolate Labrador laid out in the garage,” Detweiler says. 

They checked out the neighborhood and figured out the last owner had left him behind (an ex-wife who didn’t want her former husband’s old dog.)

“We found the name Copper on the garage wall with a date and figured that was his birthday,” she says. 

He was a good dog, and good with the kids. Over time, he picked up a little arthritis, got a little hard of hearing and started struggling with his eyesight. Then Detweiler and her family moved from suburbia to a rural town, and Copper really started living his best life.

“He loved being out in the country,” she says. 

But he got older, and it looked like eventually the family would need to decide when it was time for euthanasia. It was a hard decision, but one that was ultimately taken away.

One night, her daughter went out to feed Copper, and he was nowhere around. It was December, foggy and getting dark, but they still searched everywhere.

“We never found him,” she says. 

Detweiler says she walked and drove every back country road around town, hoping to find him or his body.

“That still haunts me,” she says. She never said goodbye.

“Now when I have conversations about euthanasia with clients, I can relate to their difficult decision,” she says, remembering starting to consider the decision as Copper got closer to the end of his life.

“Euthanasia isn’t the easier option,” she says, “but it’s an option.”

The dog that bailed him out.

“We had this brown dog,” says Jeremy Campfield, DVM. “And she was far from perfect.”

The brown dog came into Campfield’s life with tetanus from the streets (before his wife adopted her), then fought through parvovirus, kennel cough and life-threatening bee-sting anaphylaxis. She loved eating poop, was aggressive toward men and overly-protective on a leash—yet always needed to stay on it because she was unpredictable. 

But this brown dog was a good dog, he says: “More than once I’ve had to remind myself that a dog lunging at me as I enter the exam room might also be a ‘good dog,’ just like her.”

Campfield’s daughter asks him regularly to tell the story of when his good brown dog saved him. The story goes, he and the dog were on a hike in Southern California when the wind picked up and clouds started rolling in fast. Fog obscured things, and after 90 minutes of backtracking, Campfield realized he’d lost the trail.

“It was a weekday, and we were the only ones up there at the time,” he says. “Without cellphone reception and late afternoon upon us, I began to ready myself for an impromptu camping trip on the mountain.”

Campfield says he would have survived overnight, but his family would have been panicked.

“As we made a few more blind passes around, hoping to stumble back onto the trail, that brown dog became increasingly vocal and restless on her leash,” he says. “Then finally, after more wandering, she got stubborn.”

“She sat and stared at me, refusing to go in one direction, and I could have sworn she was trying to communicate something to me,” he says.

So, he broke his own “strict rule” about always having the dog leashed around people and other dogs. 

“As soon as the leash clasp was off, that lazy house-dog was a sight to behold,” he says. “She started zig-zagging back in the direction we’d just come.”

She was searching. And within 15 or 20 minutes, after hours of his lost meandering, she found the trail.

“I don’t necessarily think she saved our lives that day,” he says. “But I sure did appreciate being home in a warm bed rather than spending a very chilly night in the mountains.”

Dirham, usually called “D” by the family, recently lost her battle with mast cell disease at eight years old.

“When I am faced with euthanizing a 15- or 16-year-old dog, I tell the owners how lucky they were to have had such a good run,” he says. “And I mean it from the bottom of my heart.” +

The post Stories of Our Own Pets appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

This experience can be deeply destabilizing to those who work in veterinary medicine. It can feel unfathomable to continue exposing ourselves to the grief that is inevitable in our field after the loss of a beloved animal family member has carried that grief into our home. In order to heal personally and professionally, we must accept and address the depth of grief that can accompany the illness or death of a personal pet.

Understanding Grief

Many of us are familiar with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. While these provide a valuable starting point for understanding grief, not all people will experience grief in this way. In fact, you may feel only one of these things, but feel it very strongly, or you may feel them all at once. These stages may occur out of order and will often repeat themselves. 

It is important to realize each time we experience grief it can feel very different, and your grief will likely look very different from another person’s. That does not mean there is anything wrong with the way you are feeling. If you are concerned your grief is abnormal or feel it is severely interfering with your daily functionality, speak to a mental health professional.

You may also experience a sense of loss before your pet has actually passed. It is very common to grieve upon receiving a bad diagnosis or while providing hospice care. This is known as anticipatory grief and is a powerful and valid form of loss. Anticipatory grief may include periods of caregiver fatigue and thoughts of wishing for your pet’s death. You should not feel guilty about these feelings and thoughts; they are a normal part of this process and do not mean you love your pet any less. 

Feelings are Not Forever

Feelings—especially those associated with grief—can be overwhelming. When you are swept away by an emotion it can seem like your whole world is consumed by it. You may even wonder if you will ever feel any better. It is important to remain grounded to the fact that all feelings are temporary. Without devaluing your current emotions, remind yourself that your feelings will shift and give you relief as time passes and circumstances change. 

It may be helpful to reframe the way you speak and think about feelings. If you are sad, tell yourself, “I feel sad,” instead of, “I am sad.” This small change identifies sadness as a temporary state rather than a personal trait. While the loss of your pet will certainly affect you, it does not change who you are or your ability to experience a complete range of emotions as you did before that loss.

Veterinary professionals are at risk of complicating their grief by feeling it is somehow unprofessional to be severely affected by a personal pet illness or death. We sometimes think we should be desensitized and do not give ourselves permission to grieve deeply. This kind of self-criticism is both untrue and unhelpful. Speaking with other veterinary professionals may help you realize no one is immune to the pain of personal loss. 

Face Fear

While not an emotion always associated with grief, fear can rear its ugly head when we are processing a loss, making recovery even more difficult. You may be afraid your performance at work will be affected by your grief. This fear can be reduced by speaking with a manager or human resource representative about your situation. Together you can arrange any time off or work accommodations (such as a break from assisting in/performing euthanasias) you may need. 

If you have a positive relationship with your coworkers, let them know what you are going through. Good communication will allow them to be responsive to your emotional needs, and you will hopefully find them to be a valuable source of support.

You may also be afraid of being judged or dismissed by friends or family when grieving pet illness or loss. Pet-related emotional pain falls into the category of disenfranchised grief, or grief unacknowledged or minimized by societal norms. You may find it difficult to discuss your loss with others—especially those who do not have pets—for fear of having your feelings dismissed because it was “just an animal.” 

Disenfranchised grief is more likely than shared grief to lead to anxiety, depression and shame. Find a community, in person or online, who validates your emotions and acknowledges the value of your relationship with your pet. 

Practice Self-Compassion

We have all heard of self-care: taking a bath, getting more sleep or taking time for a treasured hobby. While self-care is important, self-compassion serves a different purpose. It seeks to fundamentally reshape the way we think of and treat ourselves. At its core, self-compassion tells us to treat ourselves the way we would a friend. I personally know several veterinary professionals who, when their pets become sick or have died, have thought or said the following about themselves:

• “I should have recognized my pet was ill sooner.”
• “I should have been able to save my pet.”
• “I can’t believe I didn’t realize my pet’s illness was this severe.”

Practicing self-compassion means asking yourself, “Would I ever speak this way to a friend I love?” The answer is almost certainly “no.” You would not accuse a friend of neglecting a pet, especially when you know the depth of their grief. You would tell your friend they did their best and gave their pet a beautiful life. Remember to show yourself that same compassion when you feel the urge to blame yourself. Even if there is something you could have done differently, remember you are human, you make mistakes, and that does not mean you do not deserve gentleness, love and healing.

Get Support

Another tenant of self-compassion is remembering that suffering is a shared human experience. Everyone has experienced suffering to some degree; you are not alone in your grief. Emotional pain can feel very isolating, so it is important to reach out to those who can relate to your loss. This may be family, friends, coworkers or online forums. Some pet funeral homes and veterinary hospitals (maybe even your own) also sometimes offer pet loss support groups. Whoever you turn to, make sure you feel validated and visible in your grief. It may take a few tries to find the right fit for your healing process, but don’t be discouraged—no matter how you feel, someone can relate.

I encourage you to take your grief regarding pet loss or illness seriously. It is completely within reason to need professional help. Our pets are a part of our daily lives in a way very few people are. Our relationships with them are often some of the least complicated and most vulnerable in our lives. No matter how long you have shared your life with an animal, be it two weeks or 20 years, you are entitled to whatever degree of pain you are experiencing. Grief comes from love, and veterinary professionals love animals very, very much.⊂

Mental health disclaimer: The writer of this article is not a mental health professional. If you are in need of mental health assistance, please seek professional help. If you are having a mental health crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Resources:

1. Anticipatory Grief: Understanding Grief Before a Death. Hospice of the Red River Valley. https://www.hrrv.org/blog/anticipatory-grief-understanding-grief-before-a-death/. Published February 11, 2020. 
2. Definition and Three Elements of Self Compassion: Kristin Neff. Self. https://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2/. Published July 9, 2020. 
3. Feldman DB. Why the Five Stages of Grief Are Wrong. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201707/why-the-five-stages-grief-are-wrong. Published July 7, 2017. 
4. Gardiner J. Journey of Grief and Loss. School of Veterinary Medicine. https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/grief-counseling/journey-grief-and-loss. Published August 24, 2020. 
5. Raypole C. Disenfranchised Grief: 22 Examples, Signs, and Tips. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/disenfranchised-grief#symptoms. Published March 30, 2020. 

The post Close to Home: Dealing with Pet Loss as a Veterinary Professional appeared first on PetVet Magazine.

The ability of some veterinarians to blast through the day while maintaining a positive attitude and maintaining their health is a mystifying feat. The level of physiological stress from the grueling work week potentiates the risk of illness from pathogens outside and inside the practice, including zoonoses. 

So, how are so many veterinarians able to maintain such a rigorous schedule caring for the sick without getting sick themselves?

Well, the answer may lie in an ethos that undergirds the entire veterinary profession: Human health is closely connected to animal health and our shared environment. 

Not only do veterinarians strive to maintain animal health, but safeguarding human health is also supremely important—including protecting the health of the veterinary healthcare workforce. Keeping the veterinary medical team healthy not only allows more animals to be treated, but it is also an integral component of public health. A healthy veterinary team promotes wellness and a more sustainable professional life. 

Veterinarians already employ a myriad of methods to help keep our patients healthy; however, these techniques and practices are not just for our patients. These same techniques can be used for ourselves…albeit in a different form. Essentially, the preventative strategies that veterinarians espouse for our patients may also be the key to keeping ourselves healthy. 

Physical Fitness

For Us: Exercise has long been understood to be one of key tenets to maintain both physical and mental health. For busy veterinarians, finding the time and energy to exercise can be a struggle. How much exercise is enough and does it really help to protect us from physical illness? 

The science of exercise immunology concludes that there is a link between moderate exercise and a strong immune system for humans. However, the effects that vigorous exercise has on your immune system are less conclusive. Research indicates that the health benefits to exercise for humans mainly lie in the consistency. When moderate exercise is repeated on a near-daily basis, there is a cumulative effect that leads to long-term immune response. Research shows that individuals who walk 40 minutes per day at 70% to 75% of their VO₂ max experience half as many sick days due to sore throats or colds as people who don’t exercise.¹

If you’re having trouble staying consistent with your workouts, kick-start your exercise regimen by adding variety. Change your running route, try a new HIIT workout app, keep pace with and learn new workouts from your favorite YouTube fitness athlete, or you can even download a new fitness app that you can share with your coworkers so they can hold you accountable during your fitness journey. 

For Our Patients: Veterinarians evangelize about the benefits of exercise for our patients. Depending on their health status and activity level, veterinarians may go as far as to prescribe a physical fitness program as it is well known that being moderately overweight may decrease an animal’s lifespan and increase the risk of inflammatory conditions like arthritis and other conditions. Prior to starting an exercise program, a full orthopedic exam can be performed to uncover any musculoskeletal conditions so the exercise program can be tailored appropriately. 

Five components of a balanced exercise program for veterinary patients include flexibility, proprioception, strength, balance and stamina. No matter what the breed or the physical ability of the animal is, these components can be incorporated into any exercise program. 

One Health: Both veterinarians and their patients can stay healthy during exercise by incorporating a warm-up prior to any physical activity. A warm-up is important for both people and animals. During the warm-up period, blood flow to the muscles increases (which carries additional oxygen and nutrients) and muscle temperature increases. Warm muscles have a greater force of contraction and greater speed of relation. The power and speed by which the muscles contract is greater and it also mitigates the dangers of overstretching. Warm tissues help to avoid the perils of the “Weekend Warrior Syndrome” which can include muscle strains and sprains. When muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia are warm, they are more elastic and have a greater range of motion.

For us, a good warm-up could include a brisk walk, low-intensity movements and some stretching. For animals, it may include trotting for five to ten minutes, changing direction and moving in concentric circles. Sit-to-stand and stand-to-down exercises are also great low-impact warm-up exercises. A vigorous rub-down or massage at the end of the exercise is a great way to end the activity for us and animals as well. 

Alone Time

For Us: If you ask a veterinarian when the last time was that they spent time alone, they might be able to remember a few precious seconds of solitude in the middle of the day. Whether you’re surrounded by people or animals in need, the work day doesn’t allow you any time to be by yourself. However, alone time should be considered precious because it can be richly beneficial for a veterinarian’s peace of mind. In fact, the daily engagement of the staff can be so intense that everyone involved in the veterinary healthcare team is likely to benefit from some quiet time. 

Science also corroborates the truism that time by yourself is beneficial. After a busy work day surrounded by people and animals, your productivity may shift towards a personal project. Studies indicate that being surrounded by people reduces productivity.² So, with a little privacy, people will perform better, and also help veterinarians practice better medicine. Perhaps you’re stumped by a complex case, or you would like to spark the idea for a new innovative invention, practicing solitude may trigger creativity. Similar to how a novelist or an artist looks to escape the cacophony of a busy environment to maximize their creativity, the same spirit applies to veterinarians. When you’re alone with your thoughts, your mind may explore some weird and wonderful places. Being alone with your thoughts gives your brain a chance to wander, which can help you become more creative.

Veterinarians often don’t get much longer than ninety seconds to establish rapport with their patients. In that tiny window, they have a mandate to make clients feel comfortable and understood and to gain their trust. That interaction is vitally important because the veterinarian is entrusted to protect the life of one of their species-diverse family members. The pressure of that responsibility can mount throughout the day and solitude can help you relieve that pressure. Solitude can be cathartic because it allows you to connect with your thoughts, opinions and emotions free from other people’s judgement and expectations. 

For Our Patients: There are different manifestations of alone time for animals. One technique that has been popularized is mat training. Mat training for our patients is loosely analogous to our alone time. In addition to fostering a spirit of independence, teaching an animal to relax on a designated mat can help to settle them mentally—particularly during episodes of excitement, anxiety and fear. 

In a similar fashion, some animals need an escape from the raucousness of children or the unfamiliarity of strangers. Many animals begin to regard this mat as their “safe place” when the doorbell rings or if there is a rapidly-approaching thunderstorm. Eventually the mat becomes a place both inside and outside of the home for an animal to seek out on their own. As time progresses, the location of the mat can be changed (i.e., placed in a different room or the car) so that the mat is the centerpiece of relaxation regardless of the environment.

One Health: A picture of someone relaxing by a fireplace while reading a book with a pet nearby conjures images of peace and tranquility. The ability to simply enjoy a good book while your pet is in the room is an aspirational experience for many overworked veterinarians. Relaxation, peace and creative exploration can be enhanced by having animals around you. For some, alone time doesn’t mean free from all animals and people; it just means that you want to have the right animals and people in your space that promote calm. 

It has been shown that petting animals and being in their presence lowers stress and blood pressure for both parties. Closing the door on stress opens the window for imagination and inspiration. Alone time not only benefits us, but it can be a boon to animals as well. 

Prevention

For Us: In the midst of a pandemic, terminologies that may have existed before but were now thrust into the spotlight included “essential” and “frontline” workers. The definition of “essential workers’’ used by the CDC comprises nearly 70 percent of the American workforce, including grocery store clerks, emergency responders, medical professionals and veterinary healthcare personnel. Essential workers and frontline workers were among the first to be prioritized for the Covid vaccine to decrease the spread of infection among people. 

To prevent getting sick from other people (including pet parents), a similar syllogism applies when considering the flu vaccine. Many medical professionals consider getting the flu vaccine each year because although it doesn’t provide 100% immunity, it helps the fight against acquiring the infection from other people. 

The influenza (flu) vaccine can not only prevent illness that may cause a week or more of misery, it can reduce the likelihood of hospitalization in children and death in adults, according to two analyses of the CDC. Moreover, a meta-analysis—one of the most powerful methodological tools—supports current season vaccination regardless of prior vaccination history.³

Whether or not you plan on receiving the flu vaccine to protect yourself from other people, for veterinarians, the concern is greater than that. Veterinarians also have to protect themselves from animals. For dangerous zoonotic pathogens, hygiene remains the cornerstone of prevention. Some transmissible diseases and pathogens have no vaccine and therefore use signs to keep you faithful to washing your hands religiously. Common items that rarely get disinfected include the stethoscope, clipboards and keyboards. Many veterinarians are so busy that they eat lunch at their desk (for those who actually have an opportunity to eat lunch) and continue to touch surfaces including their phone and computer. To help protect yourself from dangerous pathogens, ensure that those surfaces are wiped down and sanitized at least once a day. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth; they are gateways that allow bacteria and viruses access to your body.

For our Patients: Preventing the spread of infectious disease is difficult and veterinarians need every tool in the preventive arsenal to keep animals healthy. Vaccination remains one of the bedrocks of preventive veterinary medicine. Viruses and bacteria are extremely crafty and constantly evolving. Despite rigorous efforts and novel design strategies aimed at eradicating disease, infectious agents still can be opportunistic invaders in the absence of diligent prevention strategies. 

Partly what makes fighting these organisms so challenging is the complexity of each infectious agent, their movement (transmission mode), their ability to jump from pet to pet (infectivity) and their ability to cause serious illness (pathogenicity and virulence). Individual-, population- and environmental-variability between pets makes the fight against these diseases more difficult. Importantly, some of these bacteria and viruses can cause illness in veterinarians or in their families which only further highlights the importance of vigilance and protection. 

One Health: Both veterinarians and their patients can benefit from a laser-like focus on parasite prevention, vaccination and diligent hygiene. 

Conclusion
Staying healthy is challenging regardless of the species. The main pillars of wellness in both veterinarians and their patients can be remarkably similar. The stress levels and sociability between veterinarians and animals are different in scope and detail, but the effect on the immune system can be profound. 

Veterinarians are remarkably selfless. The daily focus of the veterinary healthcare team is on patient care and public health, so sometimes our personal health can take a backseat. Instead of choosing between our health versus our patients’ health—or worse, neglecting our personal health for the sake of our patients’—we can learn from the recommendations we make as veterinarians to help keep both our patients and ourselves healthy. +

References

1. Sreenath S. Exercise and immune system. International Journal of Physical Education, Sports, and Health. 2017; 4(1): 200-202.
2. Workspace satisfaction: The privacy-communication trade-off in open-plan offices. Journal of Environmental Psychology, Volume 36, December 2013: 18-26
3. The impact of repeated vaccination on influenza vaccine effectiveness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medicine. LC Ramsay, SA Buchan, RG Stirling, et al. January 2019. 

The post How Do Veterinarians Stay Healthy? (Our Patients May Have the Answer!) appeared first on PetVet Magazine.