TVMA News    

TVMA joins veterinary groups in call on Congress to support Internet sales tax fairness. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and 26 state veterinary medical associations, including TVMA, have joined hundreds of businesses and trade associations today in calling on Congress to support legislation that would protect small businesses while supporting Internet sales tax fairness. Read More...

2012 Music City Veterinary Conference - March 9-11.  

Early Registration (With Discount) Deadline - February 17

Hotel Reservation (With Group Rate) Deadline - February 15

Registration Deadline - February 29

Some of the speakers and topics are listed below:

Rebecca Kirby, DVM - Emergency and Critical Care 

Dave Van Metre, DVM - Food Animal Medicine
Greg Ogilvie, DVM - Oncology
Gary Norsworthy, DVM - Feline Medicine
Johnathon (Bert) Dodd, DVM - Dentistry
Dave Hustead, DVM - Vaccine Protocol
Todd Huspeni, DVM - Parasitology
Sherman Canapp, DVM - Orthopedic Surgery
Sharon Center, DVM - Liver Diseases
Nancy Loes, DVM - Nutritional Supplements
Teresa DeFrancesco, DVM - Cardiology

Wendy Myers, President of Comm Solutions for Veterinarians
Ben Nabors, DVM - Equine
Heath King, DVM - Equine
Cathleen Mochal King, DVM - Equine

Jennifer Allen, DVM - Technician
Kelly Baltzell, MA - Social Media & Marketing
Greg Brown, MS - Suture Science & Selection
Cheryl Cross, DVM - Alternative Medicine
Michael Murray, DVM
Kurt Grimm, DVM - Pain Management
Marc Bercovitch, DVM & Linda Holste, DVM - Endocrine Diseases
Richard Ford, DVM - Erhlichiosis
Meagan Frazier, Esq TVMA Lobbyist - Legislative Update
Kim Johnson, DVM - Veterinary Onocology Patient Care
Marian Little, DVM - Mgmnt. of PPID with Prascend
Sharon Patton, DVM
Cory Pinel, DVM - Stem Cell Therapy
Chris & Nicole Piscitelli, DVMs - Respiratory Diseases 

 
Speaker Highlight:

Wendy S. Myers - Ms. Myers owns Communication Solutions for Veterinarians Inc. in Denver. Her consulting firm helps teams improve compliance, client service and practice management. She has authored four books and five videos. For five years, Wendy served as editor in chief of Veterinary Economics.
  

Getting Clients to Come Back - Friday, March 9, 8-8:50 a.m.
Marketing Preventive Care - Friday, March 9, 9:20-10:10 a.m.
Protecting Your Pharmacy From Internet Pharmacies and Retailers - Friday, March 9, 10:20-11:10 a.m.
How Social Media Can Promote Your Practice, Part 1 - Friday, March 9, 11:25 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
How Social Media Can Promote Your Practice, Part 2 - Friday, March 9, 1:30-2:20 p.m.
Building Your Feline Business: Easier Than Herding Cats - Friday, March 9, 2:35-3:25 p.m.

Let us entertain you with the HOUNDS!
 

 
Come hear your favorite hound:
Dr. Allan Baker, Dr. John Collier, Dr. Jerry Flatt, Dr. Don Pearl, Dr. Danielle Mannis, Sheridan Davis, Stephen Flatt and Haley Mannis.

Governor Bill Haslam has introduced, SB2230/HB2368 "The Prescription Safety Act of 2012."  The bill proposes that all prescribers check the controlled substance database before writing a script for one, and it would make changes to the reporting requirements for the database.  TVMA is working diligently with the Commissioners of Health and Mental Health to determine how it will affect veterinarians and the treatment of animals.  To read more about the bill click here.

Legislative Update: Click Here.

Craig Prior, BVSc, CVJ has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Companion Animal Parasite Council (www.capcvet.org), an independent not-for-profit comprised of parasitologists, veterinarians, medical, public health and other professionals who provide information for the optimal control of internal and external parasites that threaten the health of pets and people. Formed in 2002, the CAPC works to help veterinary professionals and pet owners develop best practices in parasite management that protect pets from parasitic infections and reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. 

Stephen Galloway, DVM was recently appointed by Governor Haslam to serve as a member of the Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.  Other TVMA members who serve on the Board include Drs. Bryan Bondurant, Joseph Kendrick, Forrest Reynolds, and Chuck Halford.  State Veterinarian Charles Hatcher serves as Ex-Officio member.  Other members of the licensing board include Janet Jones, LVMT, licensed veterinary technician representative, and Valisa Thompson, consumer representative..

UTCVM Annual Conference
 February 3-5, 2012
Knoxville Marriott
For more information and online registration, contact Barbara Campbell at bcampbe4@utk.edu or 865-974-7264 or go online at www.vet.utk.edu.

UTCVM Open House
 Saturday - April 14, 2012 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For more information Click Here or call 865-974-7377.

Join Mabel the Dog on her Weight Loss Journey.

Meet Mabel. Just before Christmas 2011, her owners surrendered her to Young Williams Animal Center because she was too large for them to care for her. The beagle-mix weighed in at a whooping 67 pounds. Read More...

UTCVM Alumni Reception will be held at 4:00 P.M. on Friday, March 9, during the Music City Veterinary Conference. It will be in the Stirrup Cup Lounge of the Marriott Cool Springs. For more information, please email Megan McMurray at mmcmurr1@utk.edu.

State Veterinarian's Office News

Cases of Pigeon Fever in horses in Tennessee have surfaced in the past months in and around Shelby County. Pigeon Fever is considered to be endemic in western states, but has been reported in Kentucky and Florida. In the past few months, there have been more than twelve cases that have been verified by culture in Shelby County. 

Pigeon Fever is highly contagious. The bacterium that causes it (Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis) is very hardy and is difficult to eliminate once introduced to an environment. In horses, the bacterium causes abscesses in pectoral muscles and along the ventral midline into the groin area. Initial symptoms are vague and may include lameness or reluctance to move. The transmission route includes flies, or human hands and equipment transferring the bacterium from one horse to another by touching an open wound or draining abscess. 

The State Veterinarian's Office will be contacting all veterinary clinics with a survey that explores the possibility of veterinary contact and laboratory billing by e-mail. Other information about emergency preparedness will be discussed. If you have not yet been visited by the Department of Agriculture, you may download the survey here and email it back to us at animal.health@tn.gov or fax it to 615-837-5013. Your participation allows us to keep you informed of health alerts and emergency situations  

The Kord Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory is an AAVLD Accredited Laboratory and a member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). Kord offers extensive small and large animal services at an affordable rate. Tennessee veterinarians are encouraged to support Tennessee's state laboratory. Click here  for a price list.

Reminders to accredited veterinarians:  On all paperwork to Kord Lab accompanying  samples- use your 6 digit NEW accreditation number. Do not use your license number or old 4 digit accreditation number. (This includes Coggins papers.)
On health certificates- Send the white and pink copy to the TN State Veterinarian. Send the canary copy with the shipment. Keep the goldenrod copy for your office. 
****    FORWARD ALL COPIES WITHIN 7 DAYS.
Finally, if you do not know your accreditation number or wish to become accredited, please contact Dr. Sara Clariday at sara.clariday@tn.gov or 615-837-5120. 

The Labrador Retriever Foundation announces a specialty license plate.  The funds from the plate will be used to promote the goals of the Foundation which include  the promotion and improvement of the Labrador Retriever breed through important initiatives including support for research and health programs focused on identifying the diseases and heredity defects common to the breed.  The Foundation encourages responsible dog ownership and provides support to individuals and organizations who promote the breed by recognizing the Labrador Retriever as a working breed and its importance to sportsmen, the disabled community, military, law enforcement and others who rely on the breed's services.  For more information, visit the Foundation website at www.labradorretrieverfoundation.com.

Higher debt, lower salaries is a continuing concern for grads. Organizations and schools are looking at potential solutions. The Great Recession is now history, officially at least, after lasting from December 2007 through June 2009. It was the longest since the Great Depression, and although the economy is showing signs of recovery, the impact of the economic downturn can still be felt in the U.S. and around the world. The veterinary profession has not gone unscathed. The number of patient visits has dropped, and clients-particularly those who are unemployed or have lower incomes-were less likely than other pet owners to have taken their pet to a veterinary clinic in the past year. Arguably, however, those in the profession most affected by the downturn have been veterinary students and recent graduates. Read More...

Rabies in animals continues to be a concern in TN.  There were a total of 63 cases in animals diagnosed in 2011, down from 75 in 2010. Fewer than 10 of these each year are among domestic animals, though these represent by far the largest testing burden.  The biggest reduction was among skunks, only 43 this year vs. 55 in 2010 in skunks.  There was only 1 rabid raccoon in 2011, down from 4 in 2010.  These raccoon numbers, down from 28 in 2008, are a testament to the effectiveness of USDA Wildlife Services control and surveillance efforts in East Tennessee. There was 1 rabid horse in 2010, 2 in 2011, and we already have 1 positive miniature horse from Rutherford County in 2012.  As promoted by AAEP, rabies vaccination of horses seems prudent and timely.  Please see the attached map of 2011 cases.

Updated List of Reportable Diseases. The list of reportable diseases, which include zoonotic and vectorborne diseases and animal rabies, has been updated.  Click here to read the letter regarding the 2012 update. For more information and a complete list, visit the Tennessee Department of Health website.

Human painkiller recall reportedly linked to Novartis veterinary drug shortage A Novartis manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Neb. remains closed after Novartis voluntarily suspended operations at the site following a recall of consumer medications and an apparent shortage of key veterinary drugs.Veterinarians have been unable to order the heartworm preventatives Interceptor or Sentinel because of the facility shutdown. Read More...

• February - National Pet Dental Health Month
• February 3-5 - UTCVM Annual Conference - The Knoxville Marriott 
• March 9-11 - Music City Veterinary Conference
• April 14 - UTCVM Open House
• June 28-July 1 - Pacific Veterinary Conference - San Francisco, CA