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Excerpts from Karyn Gavzer’s DVM NewsMagazine article of the same
title. To reference the complete article, click HERE.
In January 2011, a new and disturbing marketing study, the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study, was released. It confirmed a multi-year, nationwide decline in the number of companion-animal visits to veterinary practices. The study identified six factors that contributed to the decline: 1. Recession 2. Fragmentation 3. Internet 4. Pet owners lack of understanding of the need for
veterinary care 5. Sticker shock 6. Feline decline To understand the implications and the opportunities the study identified, it‘s important to look at how consumers‘
perceptions of veterinary medicine and spending patterns have changed in the six areas. 1. The Recession It did not cause the decline in visits, but it did accelerate it and painfully brought it to the attention of veterinarians. However, the pet economic sector overall performed well. In other words, pet owners continued to spend increasing amounts of money on their pets, but they were spending it in retail, not in veterinary practices. The growth in pet expenditures proves that pet owners were willing and able to spend money on their pets - even in a recession - and that marketing works, even in a slow economy. So, improve the marketing of your practice to attract new clients. Don‘t rely on word-of-mouth marketing.
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6 Lessons Learned about the Decline of Veterinary Care
Bulletin An Information Service of The Chicago Veterinary Medical Association
October / November 2011
Table of Contents
Decline of Veterinary Care and
Continuing Education ...............1
President’s Thoughts .................2
Member Updates .......................3
Relief Veterinarians ...................4
CVMA Classifieds........................6
University of Illinois ...................8
Halloween Tips for Clients.........9
Oct / Nov Calendar ................ 11
This discussion will include state of the art Diagnostic and Treatment Options to care for small animal patients with Respiratory Disorders and Disease. The approach will be exclusively practical, the kinds of things you can use in your own practice the next day. Dr. Philip Padrid completed a residency in small animal medicine at UC Davis in 1988 and a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the medical school at UC Davis in ‗90. From 1990-2000, he was an associate professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. From 2003-2008, he was a partner at Family Pet Animal Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Padrid is currently the regional medical director for VCA for the Southwestern United
States. He is the author of greater than 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters in the fields of human and
veterinary pulmonary medicine, and is acknowledged to be the first person in our profession to actively promote and research the use of inhaled medications to treat veterinary patients with respiratory disease. This course offers 6 hours of CE credit and lecture notes will be provided. Registration begins at 7:30AM and the session runs 8AM-3:30PM. Pre-registration is $135 for CVMA members, $225 for non-members. A $30 fee applies to all on-site registration. To pre-register for this lecture, please call, email, or log-on no later than Friday, September 30. No refunds after 9/30/11.
October 5th: Respiratory Medicine with Dr. Phil Padrid
Philip Padrid DVM
Chicago Veterinary Medical Association is an AAVSB-RACE approved Provider of Continuing Education. Provider number 559. These programs have been submitted (but
not yet approved) for hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education.
Call Richard Susralski, CVMA Executive Director, at (630) 325-1231 for further information.
2
Bulletin
2011 Executive Officers
President David Saidel, DVM
President-Elect Alexis Newman, DVM
Secretary Natalie Marks, DVM
Treasurer Bala Rengarajan, DVM
Past President Ajaz Alvi, DVM
2011 Committee Chairs
Animal Welfare Tracey Hlede, DVM
Bylaws Elizabeth Cutright, DVM
Communications CVMA Office
Glen Romney, DVM
Janel Zuranski, DVM
Continuing Education
Robert Badertscher, DVM
Donald Sedlacek, DVM
Historian Raymond Wise, DVM
Human Animal Bond
Lori Coughlin, DVM
Judith Rae Swanson, DVM
Legislative Shannon Greeley, DVM
Marketing Raminder Natt, DVM
Danielle Rothe
Membership/Fellowship
Christie Comm, DVM
Elizabeth Cutright, DVM
Nominations Ajaz Ahmad Alvi, DVM
Public Education Kathleen Heneghan, DVM
Glenn Mayer, DVM
Scholarship Lori Civello, DVM
Veterinary Technician
OPEN
Executive Director Richard Susralski
Administrative Assistants
Roseanna Biehn
Danielle Rothe
Barb Yena
Legal Council Norm Bloch
The Bulletin, a publication of the Chicago Veterinary
Medical Association, is published bi-monthly to
members free of charge. Information and advice
presented in this publication does not necessarily
represent the views of the Chicago Veterinary
Medical Association.
President’s Thoughts Dr. David Saidel, 2011 CVMA President
Sometimes, late at night, I have the time to surf the internet. I even check out our CVMA Website. While browsing through the site one evening, I found the links to our older Bulletins. It is interesting to read what the prior presidents had to say. Seven years ago, the August Budget Meeting was a ―tough time‖ for the CVMA Board Members. In 2004, the ―belt had to be pulled tighter‖ because the CVMA had been using some of its emergency reserves. Today, I am happy to say that the CVMA is financially sound. We have reserves that would take us through approximately two years of operation – even if our income would totally dry up. Where does our income come from? Our number one source of income is our very successful continuing education program and associated activities. Our number two income source is our dues. It is a fact that all states require continuing education for licensure. By providing our outstanding CE program, we are fulfilling a definite need. Our CE Committee brings to us an array of very informative courses presented by experts in their fields. As a bonus, our CE courses are conveniently located for our membership. Kudos to the Continuing Education Committee, especially the chairs, Drs. Badertscher and Sedlacek, for doing such a top-notch job. On August 14th, Carolyn and I went on the CVMA‘s annual Chicago Skyline Dog Cruise. There were lots of dogs, but hardly any CVMA members. The cruise was a real ‖hoot‖ – or should I say, ―howl‖. Let‘s have a better turn-out for our next nautical adventure next summer. I am writing these thoughts on the eve of our General Membership Meeting held in conjunction with the Infectious Disease Course on September 14th. By the time that you receive this Bulletin, the Membership Meeting will have come and gone. These days, we only have two general membership meetings a year. This is a far cry from the days when we met once each month at the Swedish Club on the near north side of Chicago. Be sure to be at our next General Meeting on December 14th. At the December meeting there will be reports, awards and the installation of new officers for 2012. I hope to see you at Hamburger University in December! Sincerely,
David A. Saidel, DVM David A. Saidel, DVM Email: [email protected], Phone: (847) 394-1128
Have you Recently
Moved or Relocated?
Be sure to update the CVMA with your
updated info, no later than 10/19/11,
in order to be sure to receive
your 2012 Dues Packet!
3
Bulletin
The 5th World Rabies Day was held on September 28, 2011. Considering reports from the CDC that 3 humans have died of rabies in the U.S. over the past year, it's a great time to discuss with your clients the importance of rabies vaccine compliance. Two of those cases originated outside of the
U.S., but rabies is still a significant public health problem in many countries of Asia and Africa. In the U.S., most cases of rabies in humans result from infection with bat rabies variants. http://www.worldrabiesday.org Here's a link showing Illinois counties with Positive Cases of Animal Rabies in 2010: www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/reportdis/rabiesmap10.htm You'll see that last year, 117 animals tested positive for rabies, including 70 animals (all bats) in Cook & the collar counties (Lake, Kane, DuPage, McHenry, and Will). Compare those statistics to 2005, where only 51 animals tested positive, including 14 animals (bats/skunks) in Cook & the collar counties, and you see a frightening trend. In this era of declining veterinary visits, let‘s make sure this trend does not continue.
Rabies: Educate your Clients Kathleen Heneghan, Public Education Committee
University of Illinois Open House - October 2 CVMA will be at the College of Veterinary Medicine‘s Open House on Sunday, October 2, from 10am - 4pm. We will sponsor a pizza lunch for the DVM students. We will be talking with them about the benefits of student and new graduate membership with the CVMA while inviting them to considered practicing in our great city/suburbs! 2012 Dues and CE Mailing - November 1 It‘s that time of year again! Your dues notices will be mailed within the first few days of November. Please be sure that you have updated your contact information with the office before October 19th, to ensure that your packet is mailed to the correct location. Your dues can be paid online as well as through the CVMA office. However, if you are also registering for CE or dues are paid in bulk by your employer, you will likely still prefer to mail in those payments. We hope your Fall Season is beautiful and productive!
New Members We would like to welcome the following new members to our strong and growing association. These members joined the CVMA between May 18 - September 20, 2011.
Dr. Rachhpal Singh Bajwa Dr. Ken Goldrick
Dr. David Carser Dr. Jacob Levin
Dr. Marika Constantaras Dr. Nicholas Marion
Mr. Alex Duran (student) Dr. Kristine Preiser
Dr. M-Shalini Emmanuel Dr. Shay Redfield
Dr. Cynthia Endebak Dr. Laura Schnoor
Dr. Megan Fitzgerald Dr. Brittany Seiler
Ms. M-Courtney Gibbs (student) Dr. Christine Wilmes
Dr. Amanda Young
And, be sure to spread the word about our group.
The larger we are, the greater impact we can make on those around us!
Membership Activities & New Members Christie Comm, Membership Committee Co-Chair
Our last CE Dinner of 2011 is right around the corner!
This course is best suited for those who have already achieved a degree of success in their career or, at the very least, those who have intentions of achieving success in the near future! The presentation is on Understanding Le-gal Tools: Keys to Lawsuit Prevention and Tax Reduction. You‘ve worked hard to create your career, let Legally Mine teach you how to keep control of that career and all you have worked for. The event is being held at Wildfire Restaurant in Oak Brook on Tuesday, October 4th from 6:45-8:45pm. Attendees will earn 1.5 hours of CE credit for attending.
Anyone interested in attending this event must register with the CVMA, as seating is limited.
Complimentary CE Dinner Legally Mine, Inc. and Daniel J. McNeff
4
Dr. Shahid Amin (IL ‘01) Small Animal Medicine / Surgery
Chicago / Suburbs (217) 377-8823
~
Dr. Nancy Arden (IL ’92) Small Animal Medicine
West Suburbs (773) 802-2181
~
Dr. Lyndon Conrad (OH ’68) Dogs and Cats / Management
West & SW Suburbs (630) 229-0953
~
Dr. James Cornelius (MO ’75) Small Animal / Surgery / Emergency
NW/ W / SW Suburbs / City Loop (630) 835-8810
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Dr. Irena Gaber (YUG ’98) Small Animal / Surgery
Chicago / Suburbs (708) 257-4909
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Dr. Karen Gadberry (IL ’02) Small Animal Medicine
NW Suburbs (224) 520-1254
~
Dr. Tracy Garza (MSU ’04) Small Animal
Chicago / Suburbs (517) 881-6487
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Dr. Marie Goulden (IL ‘67) Small Animal
South Cook/SW Suburbs/Joliet/Will (708) 301-2710
~
Dr. Vivian Grant (Tenn ‘93) Small Animal / Exotics
West / NW / SW Suburbs (630) 561-9528
Dr. Marsha Guzik (IL ‘91) Small Animal Medicine / Surgery
Chicago / NW Suburbs (847) 678-3378
~
Dr. Tejinder Khehra (Miss ’99) Small Animal
Chicago / West Suburbs (815) 451-1898
~
Dr. Christine Kilpatrick (TSU '02) Small Animal / Housecalls Plainfield + 15mi. Radius
(630) 301-4475 [email protected]
~
Dr. Larry W. Klaaren (IA ‘78) Small Animal Medicine
Counties: Will/Cook/Kankakee/ DuPage/Kendall/Grundy; Chicago & NW Indiana
(815) 541-4100 [email protected]
~
Dr. Angela Kovalick (IL ’83) Small Animal
South / West / SW Suburbs (630) 337-1331
~
Dr. Melanie Laasch (IL ’88) Small Animal
Chicago / Suburbs (815) 545-2475
~
Dr. Stacy Lempka (KSU ‘94) Chicago / North / NW Suburbs
(773) 960-1700 [email protected]
~
Dr. Guy Manning (IL ’73) Small Animal
South / SW Suburbs (708) 460-3794
~
Dr. Andra McKamey (PUR ’94) Small Animal Medicine
Chicago & Near Suburbs (773) 576-2271
Dr. Margaret Minett (IL ’96) Small Animal Medicine
South / SW / West Suburbs (815) 546-0931
~
Dr. Adam Morsi (Cal ’64) Chicago South/SW & West Suburbs
(708) 663-6721 [email protected]
~
Dr. Lisa Murray (IA ‘86) Small Animal Medicine / Emergency
Chicagoland (847) 436-6292
~
Dr. Raminder K. Natt (IN ’89) Small Animal
Chicago / Suburbs (708) 856-5330
~
Dr. Rosemarie A. Niznik (GA ‘90) Small Animal Medicine/Surgery/ER DuPage/ Cook / and Surrounding
(630) 915-0156 [email protected]
~
Dr. Linda Olson (IL ‘88) Small Animal / Acupuncture
Kane & Surrounding/ Avail. Saturdays (224) 805-8771
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Dr. Mary Papacek (MN ‘83) Canine/Feline Medicine /
Surgery / Dentistry N/NW Cook / DuPage / Kane /
McHenry / Lake (847) 301-7104
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Dr. Mohammed Rahman (IND ‘58) Small Animal Medicine / Surgery
Chicago / SW Suburbs (630) 605-3390
~
Dr. Tamara Schmitt (AU ‘96) Small Animal Medicine /
Surgery / Dentistry Chicago / Suburbs
(773) 301-7695 [email protected]
Dr. Bruce Silverman (PENN ‘96) Small Animal Medicine / Surgery
Chicago / Suburbs Short Notice is OK
(773) 551-5703
~
Dr. Ariel Valyo (IL ’84) Canine/Feline Medicine & Surgery
Chicago / Near North / W & SW Suburbs Short Notice is OK
(773) 582-1320 or (708) 345-7640 [email protected]
~
Dr. Ivan Veljic (YUG ’81) Small Animal
Chicago / Suburbs (773) 273-1973
~
Dr. Jessica Von Waldau (IL ‘97) Surgery / Dentistry /
Exotics / Laser / Ultrasound Chicago / Suburbs
(773) 680-0276 [email protected]
~
Dr. Megan Wellbourne (IL ’01) Small Animal Medicine
West / SW Suburbs (630) 207-6966
~
Dr. Tiffany Whisler (KSU ’90) Small Animal
Chicago / Suburbs (847) 427-1921
~
Dr. Steve Zimmerman (IL ’88) Small Animal
Chicago / Suburbs (847) 244-2452
For Relief veterinarian listing information contact the CVMA Office at (630) 325-1231. The CVMA does not endorse any veterinarian listed
in the Relief Veterinarians section. The Association does not attest to the veterinarians’ ability to practice veterinary med icine or to the
conduct of the individual.
2011 Relief Veterinarians
5
Bulletin
Find new ways to reach pet owners. 2. Fragmentation This is another name for competition. The competition the study describes isn‘t other veterinary practices—it describes competitors who make themselves appear as equal but less-expensive choices for pet care. Well-intentioned pet owners sometimes don‘t know the differ-ence in the quality of medical care and advice that veteri-narians provide, and they end up making poor choices. Pet stores, online pharmacies and supermarkets want vet-erinary clients to spend money with them. They‘re the competition. Pay better attention to clients when they are in your office so you can offer customized solutions to their pet care problems. Let pet owners know you can solve their problems before they seek solutions elsewhere. There is nothing stopping veterinarians from making them-selves more competitive. Offer convenient evening and weekend hours and online product options for clients. Give them reasons behind your recommendations so they see the value in choosing them. 3. The Internet Pet owners are going online to seek information on pet health care and to decide if they need to make veterinary appointments. A website is no longer enough to help you reach pet owners outside the walls of your veterinary prac-tice. The real action today is happening on social media sites such as Facebook.
79% of all adults are online and use the internet ~33 hours/week, 1/3 of that time is spent on Facebook.
55% of pet owners who infrequently visit veterinarians use the internet to address pet health issues.
38% of all pet owners go online for pet-specific info. Clearly, pet owners are online and using social media to educate themselves. Veterinarians need to be part of the online conversation to learn what pet owners are talking about and provide reliable, helpful information about their pets. 4. Clients Misunderstand the Need for Veterinary Care Pet owners appreciate the benefits of pet emergency care. The problem is they have a blind spot for pet preventative care. They don‘t believe their pets are at risk for preventa-ble diseases, and many are skimping on wellness care with disastrous results. 5. Sticker Shock Reducing prices is usually not the answer to sticker shock, though if your fees have gotten wildly out of line, it might be the answer for some practices. The antidote to sticker shock is to make the value proposition and explain the
benefits of recommended veterinary services in relevant terms that make sense to clients. Tell clients what you‘re doing as you examine the pet, and tell clients what you are finding, including the normal findings. Once clients see and understand the value, they appreci-ate it more and say yes to recommendations. If they say yes and have a money problem, help them solve the mon-ey problem so it doesn‘t stand in the way of their pets get-ting the treatments they need. There are several options for making veterinary care more affordable without com-promising care.
Frequent buyer club incentives. Use this for flea, tick and heartworm preventatives to counter online sales. Most manufacturers would be happy to support something like this, because they would rather see sales go through practices where they can be confi-dent the pet owners are getting the real thing.
Twice-a-Year visits. This breaks the cost of preventa-tive care into two affordable bite-sized pieces rather than trying to do everything on one visit. This also gives you twice the chance to educate clients and ex-amine their pets.
Staged care. Do this for expensive procedures and treatment plans when possible—the way human den-tists do. This gives clients the option to pay as they go.
Third-Party Financing. Give this option to clients who face expensive procedures or treatments for their pets as an affordable way to help their pets without giving services away.
Annual Wellness Plans. Break down annual fees and charge clients‘ credit cards over a 12-month period.
6. Feline Decline According to the Bayer study, cats represent less than 40% of the patients most veterinary practices see, in spite of the fact that cats represent 55% of the combined dog and cat pet population in homes today. Since a large per-centage of cat owners are not currently working with veter-inarians, it‘s critical to find ways to reach them where they are. And, they are online in numbers well above the na-tional average. Post helpful facts and information o n the new helath and behavior guidelines for cats. You can also share the signs of disease and pain that cats show when they are not feel-ing well to let cat owners know when and why they should bring their kitties to you for care. Despite all this, the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study is actually good news, because it gives veterinarians a roadmap for reaching pet owners. It also shows the areas that need to be addressed to help clients see the im-portance of regular veterinary care. Use the ideas the study identified to take action in your own practice.
(Continued from page 1)
6
CVMA Classifieds
Classified Ad Charges
Bulletin: Members, $50/issue; Non-members, $100/issue. Website: Members, $25/month; Non-members $50/month.
Payment must accompany ad. Bulletin ads are limited to 60 words; those exceeding 60 words will be edited by the
CVMA. “To be given away” and “Job Wanted” ads from students and technicians are free, 40 -word limit. Submit ad in
writing, on or before the 15th of the month prior to month of publication.
Banfield Pet Hospital of Metro Chicago offers the opportunity to practice quality medicine with the right tools, knowledgeable teams, and nationwide support. Apply online at www.banfield.com/careers or for additional questions, email: [email protected]. CARE Animal Emergency Services: Experienced Veterinarian needed for Emergency Hospital serving West and Southwest Chicago Suburbs. Part-time, full-time and relief positions available. Must be able to work nights, weekends and holidays. State of the art facility, excellent salary and benefits available. Email resume to: [email protected] or call: (815) 405-1300. PAWS Chicago: Join the PAWS Chicago Clinic team as a Part-Time/Relief Spay/Neuter surgeon (dog & cat) from 8:30am to ~3pm. Hours available Tu/We/Th/Sa/Su. Must be able to perform 35 S/N per day. No customer exams or surgery prep. No min # of shifts. Paid hourly. Email Shannon Gillen at: [email protected], fax: (773) 521-1082 or call: (773) 475-9430. HVHQSN.
Practice for Sale: Well-established one-doctor small animal practice in Chicago. Located next to suburbs. Excellent location, great clientele and good neighborhood with good net income. Real estate includes a completely renovated building of about 2000 SF in brand new condition. Call Dr. Manyam at (773) 788-9000.
Animal Behavior Partners: Do you have a patient with training or behavior-related issues? Dr. John Ciribassi, certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, and Laura Monaco Torelli, an award-winning trainer certified by Karen Pryor Academy and APDT, can address ALL your behavior needs with one call. (312) 685-ABP1 (2271) or go to www.animalbehaviorpartners.com for further information or brochures. Mobile Veterinary Ultrasound Inc. is on the road in the Chicago area. Cardiac and abdominal scans done in your office for your patients. For an appointment, call (847) 302-9382 or email [email protected]. www.mobileveterinaryultrasound.org. Rothschild Insurance Group: Fred Rothschild CLU, RHU and David Rothschild have advised more than 400 veterinarians. For AVMA Group Life and Health information, underwritten by New York Life Insurance Company in New York, NY, as well as your investment needs, contact us at (847) 673-5040 or send your email to: [email protected] for analysis.
Veterinarians Wanted
Practice For Sale
Services Available
Place Your Classified Ad
~ HERE ~ See below for details
7
Chicago Veterinary Medical Foundation (CVMF)Chicago Veterinary Medical Foundation (CVMF)Chicago Veterinary Medical Foundation (CVMF)
Provides: Charitable Medical Care for Pets,Provides: Charitable Medical Care for Pets,Provides: Charitable Medical Care for Pets,
Education to the Public on Animal Care Education to the Public on Animal Care Education to the Public on Animal Care
& the Human Animal Bond,& the Human Animal Bond,& the Human Animal Bond,
Scholarships for University of Illinois Veterinary Students,Scholarships for University of Illinois Veterinary Students,Scholarships for University of Illinois Veterinary Students,
and Supports Disaster Relief Efforts for Animals.and Supports Disaster Relief Efforts for Animals.and Supports Disaster Relief Efforts for Animals.
Making a difference in the lives of petsMaking a difference in the lives of petsMaking a difference in the lives of pets
Please help support our efforts by donating:
MAIL · CALL · CLICK today!MAIL · CALL · CLICK today!
100 Tower Drive, Suite 234 · Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone: (630) 568-9760 · Fax: (630) 325-4043
www.chicagovmf.orgwww.chicagovmf.orgwww.chicagovmf.org
The CVMF is a 501(c)3 recognized charity. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
PET LOSS SUPPORT HELPLINE 630-325-1600
WINGS The Wings Pet Loss Support Group meets
the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30PM.
There is no cost to attend and no reservations are needed.
WINGS meeting location: 100 Tower Drive, Suite 234
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Pet Loss Brochures: 50 for $10.00 or 100 for $15.00
Packets of 10 sympathy cards, including helpline brochures and grief articles are available to veterinarians
in recognition of a client’s loss for $60.00
Call the CVMA Office with any questions or to place an order: (630) 325-1231
Pet Loss Services
Hospital Planning, Design, Construction Management
Building Value Through:
Site selection, cost, and financing consulting
Veterinary architectural design
Comfort, sound, and sanitation engineering
Construction management
Facility management consulting
Chicago’s only Certified Project and
Facility Management Professional
Ph 708-547-5096 www.jfmccarthyconstruction.com
Optimized Value Minimizes Effort, Risk and Cost
8
Bulletin
What skill is most important to you when you look for a new associate? Diagnostic know-how? Surgical finesse? Or is it the same skill that clients of veterinary practices cite as their primary reason for choosing a particular veterinarian? The skill that has been
shown to improve diagnostic accuracy, patient health status, client adherence, and client and clinician satisfaction, while decreasing liability claims? Communication as a skill that can be taught and evaluated was long overlooked in veterinary education, but today the AVMA Council on Education includes ―opportunities for students to learn … to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues‖ among the standards of accreditation. Our new Illinois Integrated Veterinary Professional Curriculum emphasizes clinical skills throughout the four-year program. To augment the new curriculum, our Clinical Skills Learning Center has grown over the past two years to become the nation‘s most comprehensive veterinary facility of its kind. (If you haven‘t had a chance to see this facility in person, I urge you to make the trip to Urbana. We will be happy to give you a tour.) With financial support from alumni and other sources, we are planning to create a ―communications center‖ in our skills lab, so students can practice key communication skills along with the dozens of large and small animal
medical and surgical procedures for which we have training stations. The communications area will have four mock examination rooms, each equipped with digital video cameras and in-ceiling microphones as well as furnishings that can be rearranged to evoke a variety of typical clinical settings. Students will be coached and evaluated on communication skills used in client interactions such as taking the patient‘s history, making treatment recommendations, and discussing euthanasia. They will practice reflective listening, learn the value of open-ended questions, learn to recognize non-verbal cues, and gain empathy for other perspectives as they role play clients, practitioners, and other veterinary staff members. We hope you will assist us in enhancing our facilities so that our students—your future colleagues—will enter practice well prepared in this important skill. If you‘d like to find out how you can help, please call Brenda Betts, associate dean for advancement, at (217) 333-5545 or contact me at [email protected].
Investing for Practice Success: Help Us Teach Students a Must-Have Skill Herb Whiteley, Dean, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
Herb Whiteley, U of I-CVM Dean
First-year veterinary students
currently receive lectures on
communication during colloquium,
which meets three times a week
during the clinical rotation course,
VM601. With the addition of the
new communications facility in the
Clinical Skills Learning Center,
students will also have
opportunities to role play clients,
practitioners, and other veterinary
staff members in order to practice
the communication skills used in
client interactions.
Photo by Nick Mann, courtesy of
the College of Veterinary Medicine.
9
Halloween can be fun and festive for people, but for pets it can also be dangerous.
There are many Halloween pet safety hazards that are well-known (such as chocolatechocolatechocolate
toxicity) and some that are not (like xylitolxylitolxylitol toxicity). Here are some tips to help you
ensure that your pet has a happy and safe Halloween.
Things to Watch For on HalloweenThings to Watch For on HalloweenThings to Watch For on Halloween Halloween is fun for kids and adults, but it can be scary and stressful for pets.
A constantly ringing doorbell and strangely dressed people at the doorconstantly ringing doorbell and strangely dressed people at the doorconstantly ringing doorbell and strangely dressed people at the door can be
stressful for a pet. Some pets may experience diarrhea or even injure themselves if
crated/contained. Consider keeping your pet in a separate quiet room, away from
the door, when trick-or-treaters arrive. Strange people in even stranger clothes can frighten some pets.
Strangers in CostumeStrangers in CostumeStrangers in Costume may provoke an otherwise friendly pet into unexpectedly aggressive or fearful behavior.
Pumpkins or candles Pumpkins or candles Pumpkins or candles within a pet’s range are a fire hazard. Wagging tails and frightened cats zipping through the
house can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and cause a fire.
Keep your pets indoorsKeep your pets indoorsKeep your pets indoors. Halloween pranks committed against pets can be vicious, and black cats are particularly at
risk. Also, make sure that your pet doesn't run out of your home when you answer the door. In case your pet does
escape, make sure it is wearing proper identification. Pets with identification are much more likely to be returned.
Halloween treats are for people, not petsHalloween treats are for people, not petsHalloween treats are for people, not pets. Be sure to warn children not to share their treats with pets. Candy
wrappers and lollipop sticks can be hazardous if swallowed and chocolate is poisonous for some types of pets.
Candy ConcernsCandy ConcernsCandy Concerns Candies, gum, mints, baked goods and chocolate containing the “sugar-free” sweetener
XylitolXylitolXylitol are highly toxic, causing rapid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and liver failure in
dogs and possibly other species (ferrets).
ChocolateChocolateChocolate is also toxic to pets. A 50-pound dog would have to eat about 50 ounces of milk
chocolate (but only 5 ounces of baking chocolate) for a toxic dose, but much smaller
amounts can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Signs of chocolate toxicity: tremors, nervous-
ness, vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures and death. If
you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate, contact your veterinarian.
Lollipop sticks and other plastic parts Lollipop sticks and other plastic parts Lollipop sticks and other plastic parts can cause intestinal obstruction and potentially
rupture the intestines, which is a life-threatening emergency.
Pet Costumes vs. SafetyPet Costumes vs. SafetyPet Costumes vs. Safety If you dress your pet in a costume, be sure that it doesn't interfere with the pet's ability to breathebreathebreathe, seeseesee, hearhearhear, movemovemove, or
barkbarkbark. Also, consider reflective collars/gear reflective collars/gear reflective collars/gear for pets (and people).
For more information and tips about holiday safety for pets, call or visit your family veterinarian.
Remember, your veterinarian is your very best source for advice on keeping your pet safe, healthy, and happy!
Halloween Safety Tips for PetsHalloween Safety Tips for Pets
Provided by Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, for it’s members’ clients. Some content sourced from “Halloween Safety Tips for Pets” article on www.about.com.
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October
November
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
25 26 27 28 29 30 1
2
University of Illinois
Open House
10am-4pm
3 4 Legally Mine, Inc.
CE Dinner Meeting
7:00pm at Wildfire in
Oak Brook
5 CE: Respiratory
Medicine at HU224
8AM-3:30PM
6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 Executive Board
Meeting
Phone Call - 8PM
19 20 21 22
23 .
30
24 .
31
25 26 27 28 29
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
30 31 1 2 Wings Meeting
CVMA Office
7:30PM
3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 Executive Board
Meeting
CVMA Office - 8PM
16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 Happy Thanksgiving
25 26
27 28 29 30 1 2 3
Wings Meeting - 7:30PM
HOLIDAY HOLIDAY -- CVMA Office ClosedCVMA Office Closed
Yom Kippur begins at Sunset Yom Kippur
Daylight Savings Time Ends Veterans’ Day
12
Bulletin
Chicago Veterinary Medical Association 100 Tower Drive, Suite 234, Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Bulletin Highlights: Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study · October Continuing Education
Membership Update · Halloween Tips for Pet Owners · Calendar of Events
Shaping the Future of Veterinary Medicine
Chicago Veterinary Medical Association
100 Tower Drive, Suite 234 · Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone: (630) 325-1231 · Fax: (630) 325-4043
Email: [email protected]
www.chicagovma.org
Our Mission: The purpose of the Chicago Veterinary
Medical Association is to provide its members
opportunities for:
Professional enrichment and communication
Quality continuing education
Dissemination of information to the public
Promoting the health and well-being of animals
Our Vision: The membership of the CVMA is dedicated to the
health and well-being of animals through its
nurturing of the human animal bond. The CVMA
will strive to fulfill the diversified needs of its
members by providing nationally recognized CE
programs, cultivating membership involvement,
and offering innovative member services and
public awareness.
