Samantha Miller, 55, from Columbia County, Oregon, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and payment of restitution on January 16, 2205, for her role in illegally dispensing prescription animal drugs without a lawful order of a veterinarian and defrauding customers seeking to adopt pets. The amount of the restitution has not yet been decided.

“Today’s sentence should make it clear to others engaged in unconscionable conduct that it will not be tolerated and they will be held responsible for their crimes,” Hannah Horsley, chief of the economic crimes unit for the District of Oregon, said in an organizational release.

Between November 2019 and January 2021, Miller conspired with others, through their Woofin Palooza animal rescue business, to obtain animals with behavioral and health problems from shelters outside Oregon at no cost to offer for adoption to paying customers in Portland, Oregon. Once in Portland, Miller did not provide the necessary care the animals needed through a licensed veterinarian, instead she either ignored them or tried to administer prescription animal drugs herself without the supervision of a veterinarian.

According to the release, Miller used the alias "Mandy Myers" and advertised animals for adoption on the Woofin Palooza and Petfinder websites with misleading or false statements about the known behavioral and medical histories of the animals.

 Once the pets were adopted, Miler then misrepresented the extent of the issues of the pets in contracts and communication with each of the new owners. Miller also dispensed to victims prescription animal drugs that she repacked with false or misleading labels, and without the order of licensed veterinarian. 

Victims were unknowingly adopting pets that were unhealthy and aggressive, forcing pet owners to seek training and veterinarian care, and in some cases euthanasia. These pet owners had incurred significant expenses in some cases as well.

“The [Food and Drug Administration] regulates animal drugs as part of its mission to protect the public health, which includes ensuring that prescription animal drugs are lawfully obtained, distributed, and dispensed,” Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki, FDA Ofﬁce of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Ofﬁce, said. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who criminally attempt to evade the law.”

A federal grand jury in Portland returned a 4-count superseding indictment on February 7, 2024, charging Miller with conspiring to commit wire fraud, conspiring to misbrand drugs, and misbranding animal drugs by dispensing them without a lawful order of a veterinarian, and by repackaging and relabeling the medications. Miller pleaded guilty on October 24, 2024, to conspiring to commit wire fraud and misbranding drugs by dispensing prescription animal drugs without a lawful order of a veterinarian.

The FDA investigated this case with the assistance of the FBI, and the case was prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto and Meredith D.M. Bateman, assistant US attorneys for the District of Oregon.

Columbia County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Illegally Dispensing Animal Drugs. News release. US Attorney's Office, District of Oregon. January 17, 2025. Accessed January 21, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/usao-or/pr/columbia-county-woman-sentenced-federal-prison-role-wire-fraud-conspiracy-and-illegally?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Articles

The defendant co-conspirators defrauded potential pet owners through a animal rescue operation.

Oregon woman sentenced for wire fraud and illegal animal drug distribution

Patrick Dempsey will begin the VMX conference with his keynote address, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. During the address, Dempsey will discuss his commitment to the Dempsey Center, which provides personalized care and counseling to those with cancer and their families, his esteemed acting career, and his love for animals. Dempsey will take the main stage within the Expo Hall beginning at 11:15 AM. 

To close out the first day of the conference, Dan + Shay, best known for their Songs Tequila, Speechless, 10,000 Hours, and more, will perform for VMX attendees. Dan + Shay are 2 time CMA Duo of the Year winners, 3 time ACM Awards Duo of the Year winners, and were named Top Country Duo/Group at the Billboard Music Award. The concert is sponsored by Merck Animal Health and will begin at 8 PM Saturday, January 25, 2025, and will conclude at 10:30 PM.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition is sponsoring the VMX Sunday Spectacular so join them in the Expo Hall at the VMX Main Stage from 7:30 to 9:30 PM Sunday, January 26, 2025, to see Acrobatic Art with HeART, a performance that was customized just for the veterinary profession.

Jörg Mayer DVM, DABVP(ECM), DECZM, DACZM, a VMX 2024 Speaker of the Year, will lead this educational track that highlights the precision of livestock farming in beekeeping as well as discuss how these practices are crucial for improving bee health and supporting conservation efforts. Along with this, Mayer will also explore with attendees the therapeutic potential of bee products, like bee venom for inflammation reduction, and their modern-day and historic applications in medicine.

Empowering Recovery: The Vital Role of Veterinary Technicians in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

On Saturday January 25, 2025, Wendy Davies, VTS (Physical Rehabilitation) will share the role of the trained rehabilitation veterinary technician in caring for rehabilitation patients, such as performing treatments that the veterinarian prescribed as a way to free more time for the veterinarian to perform rechecks, evaluations, and procedures for their patients. Davies will also explain how veterinary technicians can communicate with clients about programs to help increase the success of the rehabilitation.

Jason Pieper, DVM, MS, DACVD, will discuss with attendees during his Saturday morning lecture environmental allergies in both canine and feline patients, including pathogenesis, diagnosis and clinical signs. The majority of the session will also delve into the multiple treatment options available for these patients.

Patient safety is a growing focus in veterinary medicine, paralleling its established importance in human healthcare. Errors not only impact patients but can also affect healthcare teams. During her lecture, Kara M Burns, CVT, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), will explore safety culture principles and provide attendees strategies to integrate them into daily hospital operations.

HPAI in Texas Dairy Cows: A Practitioner’s Experience

Last spring, an outbreak of undiagnosed symptoms spread throughout dairies located in the Texas Panhandle, with clinical signs varying and initial diagnostics inconclusive. Benjamin Newcomer, DVM,PhD, DACVPM, will outline his experience managing highly pathogenic avian influenza in these affected herds before and after diagnosis.

Managing the Diet of Patients With Multiple Comorbidities

Angie Rollins, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition) will outline the systematic approach to selecting the best diet for pets with multiple diseases, which can be a process that feels overwhelming. Rollins will help attendees break down the decision-making process into 4 steps for the veterinary team to simplify complex cases and provide optimal care.

Problems With Parts: Heart Disease in ECM

Sarah Ozawa, DVM, DACZM, will share the multiple differences in cardiovascular anatomy in small mammals compared to cats and dogs. She will educate attendees on how to detect common clinical diseases as well as treat cardiovascular diseases in exotic mammal species.

What We Can Learn From Willy Wonka’s Recruitment System

Recruitment in veterinary medicine requires a careful balance of skills, ethics, and cultural fit to ensure quality care. Drawing inspiration from Willy Wonka’s innovative and selective hiring in 

Dave Nicol, BVMS, Cert Mgmt, MRCVS, will use 5 key moments in his process to educate attendees on lessons to help them in modern day veterinary recruitment,

Vicky Ograin, RVT, VTS (Nutrition), will review the basics of the microbiome with attendees and its power to transform gut health in patients. Each attendee will learn the tools that are out there to manipulate microbiome health as well as explore the evidence that exists to support its use in patients through the roles of prebiotics, probiotics, and post biotics.

The Clot Thickens: Overview of Common and Uncommon Equine Bleeding Disorders

Bleeding disorders in horses occur relatively less frequently when compared to small animal. However, hemostatic abnormalities in equine patients can sometimes manifest acutely and severely, which requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. In this lecture, Austin Viall, DVM, MS, DACVP, will use interactive cases of hemostatic disorders with intertwining, integrated review of diagnostic testing, plus abnormalities associated with bleeding disorders in equine patients.

Danielle DeCormier, LVT, VTS (Oncology), will explore the dual effects of chemotherapy in its efficacy in targeting cancer cells and the resulting adverse effects it has on the gastrointestinal system. The lecture will highlight the mechanism by which chemotherapy drugs affect the cell cycle and emphasize the significance of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and diarrhea. The lecture will also examine specific drugs known for their varying degrees of gastrointestinal effects.

A New Look At Old Labs: Understanding Familiar Lab Values in a New Way as Indicators of Unhealthy Aging

As dogs age, subtle changes in clinical lab values, often dismissed as “normal aging,” may signal early underlying processes leading to disease. In this lecture Brennen McKenzie, VMD, will share more about how new research suggests that recognizing these changes, even within reference ranges, can support preventive care strategies to mitigate health impacts and promote healthier aging.

What to do and where to go for the first 2 days of VMX

VMX 2025: Saturday and Sunday

A supplement that targets mRNA expression in skeletal muscle has been developed through a collaboration between Virbac and biotechnology company Emmyon, for use in treating muscle atrophy. According to Virbac, Ursolyx Soft Chews is a first-in-its-class product that uses ursolic acid— a natural compound—to provide muscle support. The product is expected to be launched at the 

presented by the North American Veterinary Community, January 25-29, 2025, in Orlando, Florida.

Skeletal muscle atrophy affects a dog’s quality of life by impairing activity, strength, endurance, and overall health. A highly prevalent canine condition, skeletal muscle atrophy can be caused by a variety of factors that include advanced age, malnutrition, chronic kidney disease, cancer, congestive heart failure, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, osteoarthritis, critical illness, and joint injuries.

The supplement is designed to enhance muscle function and strength for dogs that are aging, active or undergoing muscle recovery, according to a news release. It also offers a new treatment solution for veterinarians, and allows pet owners the possibility of more active years with their dogs.

Giovanni Abruzzini, president and CEO of Virbac US, noted that although many older dogs are experiencing muscle atrophy, joints have traditionally received the veterinary industry’s focus when it comes to mobility. “Of course, the joint is a critical part. But if you also think about the aging process, the muscles are probably even more important than the joints, because the skeletal muscles bring everything together,” Abruzzini said in an interview with 

Studies have shown that ursolic inhibits mRNA expression changes associated with muscle atrophy, which helps improve exercise performance and functional muscle health in dogs. These studies include a placebo-controlled investigation on senior dogs with sarcopenia. Additional study results have found significant improvement in skeletal muscle mRNA biomarkers, which signal improved muscle health; enhanced exercise performance including agility and with participation; safety, and high palatability, which helps ensure adherence.

According to Virbac, the soft chews are bacon flavored and administered once daily. They are available in dosages that accommodate small, medium and large canines.

"Ursolyx Soft Chews redefine what's possible for canine mobility, empowering veterinarians to address muscle health proactively to help their patients' health span keep pace with their lifespan," Abruzzini said in the release.

Veterinary professionals attending VMX can learn more about the science behind Ursolyx Soft Chews in a continuing education session sponsored by Virbac. The session—“Muscle Matters: Revolutionizing Canine Mobility with Ursolic Acid”—will be presented at 2:45 PM to 3:35 PM at the Orange County Convention Center by Christopher Adams, president and CEO of Emmyon Inc., and Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR. director of rehabilitation at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, New York.

“[Adams and Alvarez], together, are going to deliver a very interesting and engaging conversation. [It is an] opportunity for everyone to get to know, not only the science behind but also the results and the use of the product,” Abruzzini said in the interview.

Virbac introduces URSOLYX Soft Chews: innovation in canine muscle health. News release. Accessed January 9, 2025. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virbac-introduces-ursolyx-soft-chews-innovation-in-canine-muscle-health-302344758.html

Ebert SM, Nicolas CS, Schreiber P, et al. Ursolic acid induces beneficial changes in skeletal muscle mRNA expression and increases exercise participation and performance in dogs with age-related muscle atrophy. 

. 2024;14(2):186. doi:10.3390/ani14020186

Muscle Matters: Revolutionizing Canine Mobility with Ursolic Acid. North American Veterinary Community. Accessed January 20, 2025. https://connect.navc.com/widget/event/vmx-2025-2/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMjQ3MjI5MQ==

At VMX, Virbac is launching an oral product featuring ursolic acid, in collaboration with Emmyon Inc.

New canine supplement is designed to improve muscle health

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently updated it policy for pre-slaughter surveillance of turkeys in its efforts to control the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The announcement comes after a 

 from infected raw turkey pet food in late December 2024.

“Out of an abundance of caution, and to remove a potential avenue for ongoing disease spread as well as to bolster consumer and trading partner confidence, APHIS collaborated with state animal health officials and the poultry industry to update its guidance for existing pre-slaughter surveillance steps to further ensure that affected poultry does not enter the food system,” the agency wrote in a news release.

For turkey premises outside control zones in states affected by HPAI, the new updates involve the implementation of isolation protocols, clinical monitoring, and premovement testing 72 hours before transporting turkeys to slaughter. The initiative will be piloted by the APHIS and will begin with turkey premises with more than 500 birds in Minnesota and South Dakota. States were chosen based on current and historical HPAI cases in commercial turkey premises in these regions, as well as genetic links between HPAI H5N1 in infected cats and the high frequency of HPAI cases in turkeys, according to the APHIS.

The agency will keep assessing the outbreak's progression and may revise the policy again to add more states if necessary.

 “USDA consistently operates on a science-based, step-by-step approach, informed by what it learns about this virus through its everyday work and research and surveillance efforts,” wrote the APHIS.

 “APHIS will continue to update its guidance for pre-slaughter surveillance schemes as USDA continues to follow the science on HPAI.”

In the last 30 days, 89 flocks, including commercial and backyard, have tested positive for HPAI, totaling 12.97 million birds on infected premises.

 According to January 20, 2024 data, the virus was last detected on January 17, 2025 in Georgia, Indiana, New York, and Ohio, with 499,700 birds affected from this most recent HPAI detection.

 Confirmed HPAI findings will continue to be reported by APHIS to the World Organization for Animal Health and on the APHIS website.

In May 2024, the USDA announced the allocation of 

 from the Commodity Credit Corporation to the APHIS to better protect the health of the nation’s livestock and poultry, and to support initiatives to address H5N1. The fund supports anticipated diagnostics, field response activities, pre-movement testing, and surveillance and control efforts, including wildlife monitoring by APHIS.

 It also supports the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in developing HPAI vaccines for cattle, goats, pigs, and turkeys, as well as funding for food safety research conducted by ARS and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

According to the APHIS, multiple studies have been carried out by FSIS, APHIS, and ARS to confirm that properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to consume. To assess the safety of the meat supply, these agencies have conducted 3 separate beef safety studies on avian influenza in meat from dairy cattle, according to the APHIS.

“USDA remains confident in the safety of the food supply,” the agency wrote. “We also continue to encourage all bird owners to practice strong biosecurity—that means reducing opportunities for wildlife to spread the virus to their birds and preventing the spread of the virus from one premises to another.”

APHIS updates policy to enhance surveillance of turkey flocks in highly pathogenic avian influenza affected states. News release. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. January 17, 2025. Accessed January 20, 2025. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/aphis-updates-policy-enhance-surveillance-turkey-flocks-highly-pathogenic

Bautista-Alejandre A. Several cat deaths reported following bird flu exposure through raw pet food and milk. 

. January 16, 2025. Accessed January 20, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/several-cat-deaths-reported-following-bird-flu-exposure-through-raw-pet-food-and-milk

Confirmations of highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial and backyard flocks. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. January 20, 2025. Accessed January 20, 2025. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

Bautista-Alejandre A. USDA takes additional measures to contain the spread of avian influenza A. 

. June 27, 2024. Accessed January 20, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/usda-takes-additional-measures-to-contain-the-spread-of-avian-influenza-a

The revised policy includes isolation protocols, clinical monitoring, and premovement testing

USDA updates turkey flock H5N1 surveillance policies following raw turkey pet food contamination

Grand Prize Winners will receive an award similar to these at the awards ceremony (Image courtesy of North American Veterinary Community) 

The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) announced the winners of the 2024 VETTY Awards. Each year, the NAVC recognizes marketing excellence in the animal health care industry in advertising, promotions, video, social design, education materials, and other ways that promote the contributions of animal health care industry members

"We are proud to recognize the amazing work that those in marketing and advertising are accomplishing across the animal health care industry. They really bring out the heart and science of veterinary medicine with animals at the center of it all," expressed Gene O’Neil, chief executive officer, NAVC, in an organizational release.

"This year's VETTY Awards winners showcased many of the advancements in animal medicine, a deep understanding of the animal health care audience, technological developments and memorable creative campaigns. We also saw a lot of advancement in how marketing messages were delivered, including gamification and the incorporation of [artificial intelligence] technology. Through their creative and strategic work, they are really making a difference."

: For the category of New Product/Program or Service Launch, "Zoetis Diagnostics Look Deeper Campaign to Launch the Virtual Laboratory" which was launched by Zoetis and FWD People

: For the category of In-Clinic Merchandise, Promotional/Advertising, "Doc's Little Free Library" by Old Ridge Veterinary Hospital.

: For the category Large Animal Digital, "Equine Lifetime of Care Lookbook" by Synchrony and Stephens & Associates.

: For the category new Product/Program or Service Launch, "Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging" by Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging and BrandTall Communications.

According to the release, veterinary industry for-profit and nonprofit agencies and organizations around the world were invited to submit projects for consideration during the 2024 awards program.

 Veterinary clinics, pet pharmaceutical companies, foods, diagnostic equipment, professionals associations, advocacy groups, and more entered the program and then were reviewed by a panel of leaders in the creative marketing field.

: Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice and VETEOS “Love Forever Home Commercial.

Animal Health Corridor and JNA Advertising “Animal Health Corridor Spirit of Service”

 The Equine Practice Company and Brown Fox Creative House “The Equine practice Company’s Lameness Program”

Merck Animal Health and Sparks “Merck Animal Health @ VMX 2024”

Zoetis & FWD People “Zoetis Test for Success in Clinic Activation"

S&A “Pet Parent Journey: A Guide for Brand Managers”

Hill’s Pet Nutrition and VML “Hill’s Prescription Diet – Silent Sufferers”

The 2024 VETTY Award submissions were between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024, and the winners will be recognized during and after the Veterinary & Meeting Expo (VMX) conference. Each winning company and their entry will be featured on the VETTY Awards exhibit booth inside the VMX Expo Hall, recognition on the VETTY’s website, and badge/artwork for the company’s website, email signature, or other print or digital marketing. The winners will also receiver a Winner Announcement Kit that includes social media post templates, graphics, a press release template, and other resources to announce their award. 

A full list of winners is available on The VETTY Awards website.

2024 VETTY Awards® Recognizes Marketing Excellence in Animal Health Care Worldwide. News release. North American Veterinary Community. January 20, 2025, Accessed January 20, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2024-vetty-awards-recognizes-marketing-excellence-in-animal-health-care-worldwide-302355416.html

McCafferty C. VMX honors 2023 Vetty Award recipients. DVM 360. Published January 16, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/vmx-honors-2023-vetty-award-recipients

The VETTY Awards has honored marketing excellence in the animal health care industry for the past 7 years 

NAVC announces 2024 VETTY Award winners 

DVM Elite Products360

 Hey everyone, I’m Dr. Adam Christman, chief veterinary officer here at DVM360. Thank you so much for joining us. Today we are talking with the CEO of DVM Elite, Amy Breuer. Thanks so much for being here.

Thanks so much for having me. This is great.

This is a great conversation, my friends. We’re going to tune in and chat about practice ownership. Because listen, owning, managing, and working within the veterinary practice is no easy feat. With large workloads and an understaffed industry, it is going to be hard to match up career and ownership expectations with reality. So, this sense of dissatisfaction is often hard to reckon with when practice owners put so much time and compassion into their practice. They love what they do. The Elite family of brands understands the heart of practice ownership and can offer guidance and support along the journey of practice ownership. Amy, it can be very overwhelming.

 Absolutely, it can. The struggle is real.

Yes, absolutely. So, let’s take a step back and walk us through the inception and mission of DVM Elite.

Sure, you bet. DVM Elite was founded many years ago by Dr. Michael Warren and Melani Seymour to really level the playing field of independent practices, to help them grow and scale their practice by providing resources and a powerhouse community. Through that, they’ve been able to help thousands of practice owners really build an incredible practice, and countless owners sell and make that transition to the next phase. Another really important chapter in their life.

A huge chapter of their life. And my understanding is there are brands under DVM Elite?

Yeah, it’s so cool. Very special because every single brand targets a piece of the practice. DVM Elite is there to help practices grow. Transitions Elite ultimately helps them sell and make that transition. But we also have other supporting brands within the family of brands. UPbook is going to be your technology as well as Concierge Elite to help with recruiting aspects and the team, people, and culture on the dream team side. There’s lots of opportunities to lift up an independent practice to get them where they need to be. The flywheel takes flight with all of those elements and all of those families of brands work together. However, they do stand independent of each other or collective as a family of brands.

 Having the foundation of what DVM Elite can do, let’s talk about what a practice owner is thinking about or should be thinking about when it comes to selling their practice. There are so many considerations so what are those key considerations when selling a practice?

 They key considerations can be things such as how many doctors do you have? Ideally, you’re going to have two doctors. You’re going to be somewhere between the $1.4 – $1.5 million marker. Of course, your profitability is there. Now, just because those are the key considerations and benchmarks doesn’t mean that if you’re a single doctor practice, you’re out of the loop. This is where we come in to be able to help practices grow and meet those benchmarks so they can get excited about the future ahead. So, whether you’re building to scale or building to sell, we got something for everyone.

 To your point about building towards the future what if I’m not ready just yet? What are some considerations I need to start planning if I’m looking to sell three or five years down the road?

Well, you want to consider your revenue. We also want to make sure we’re focused on bringing in new clients into the door. I think a lot of times folks are so focused on their profit and raising prices, that they’re not necessarily looking at what they need to do to be able to set themselves up for success. That’s one of the very first things.

The other piece of that is making sure there is a plan in place where you know your numbers. You know what the story says and you’re really working towards that goal of making your practice as profitable as possible.

 As practices are looking into a new year or fresh start, what should they be considerate of when they want to clean up their practice a little bit?

Definitely, visibility and looking at your practice inside to make sure things are clean and tidy. Beyond that, strategic planning is important for any practice owner. That way you understand the goals you have in place, where you are now, and where you are headed in the future. These are all things we help practice owners with. We look towards the future and reverse engineer that backward into one thing they can do today to really make a difference for tomorrow.

 Excellent. Okay, Amy, let’s take this one step further. Say I’m a practice owner, what are some metrics I should be considering when I’m looking to sell my practice?

 There are key metrics that you should be looking at all the time. The first is you want to make sure you understand what the story of the numbers are saying. Then, taking a deeper dive into the numbers. I love the 20s. For your staff and personnel ratio, 20 percent. Your production, your doctors, 20 percent. Never over 23 percent. Say your credit card processing sits between 3.5% of 4%, somewhere in between there. So really making sure you understand what the numbers are and again, if you’re unsure, these are things we work with for the practice owner. To do a P&L analysis, to understand where you can make a difference in those numbers and key metrics.

 Absolutely. On the flip side, we have so many practice owners who are thinking of taking the leap, but they have some fears. What would you say to those that are questioning or a little bit scared to do that?

Number one: don’t go at it alone. Have a trusted advisor. Two: making sure your numbers are in place and understanding the story of your numbers. Three: also looking at the fact that it is not going to be a quick transition. It does take time so preparing now is going to make for a better way forward in the future.

 You touched on this before about having a trusted advisor. How important is it to have one?

 It’s so important because it will be the biggest transaction in a practice owner’s life. You want to make sure you get it right and have someone who is seasoned who walks alongside you in the process. These folks are here to guide you, to hold your hand, to make sure you’re doing everything you can to be in the best position to sell your practice and make that transition.

 Because they are going to be your biggest advocate, right?

 Absolutely, one hundred percent. And this is something we can do and help our practices with. We take you through, do a free evaluation of the practice, and make sure you have everything you need to put your best foot forward.

I love that. In your expertise, what makes a successful practice?

 This is the thing. At the end of the day, your team and your people are going to be key to your practice. That is going to be true too if you’re looking to sell. One thing folks look for as they are acquiring a practice is your team and culture. So, having had a chance to really dive in and concentrate on your team by making sure you have the right people. They have an owner’s mindset, a growth mindset. That is what they want to focus on.

Absolutely. I’ve had friends that have been through this multiple times. All for the better. They said it was the best decision they ever made, but it was the hardest decision at the time. And all of them had a trusted advisor. I think getting all of their finances in check, I had a friend who wanted to hit that $1.5 million mark for her practice. It took her a while to get there, but she got there. Is that what you see in your neck of the woods with your expertise?

 It is, and it does take some time. Again, knowing where you’re at and your numbers and your practice health is the key to finding your way forward. Looking back at the practices we’ve helped, it has been amazing because so many of them are tired and frustrated. They got into veterinary medicine because they love the science. They love animals. This is hard. The people stuff is tough. When you’re able to concentrate on some of those things, lift up, and be able to work on your practice instead of getting sucked directly down into your practice, it makes a difference.

I look back at practices that we helped. They all had this starting point of maybe despair, frustrated in some way shape or form. That is because they’ve gotten away from what they do best. We all have our strengths and our values, but sometimes we just need a little help. This is what we’re here for. We look at your practice and we’re able to say, “This is their timeline to sell. Maybe it’s 18 months. Maybe it’s three years. Maybe it’s 10 years.” We help you begin to grow, not just professionally, but personally as well. Some folks have never taken time off and it’s so important to be able to do that.

Going back to the practices we’ve helped, they’ve started not necessarily at the benchmarks they need. They worked really hard. They rolled up their sleeves. We’ve given them the guidance. They’ve taken the prescription, so to speak, and been able to execute. Sometimes, those people are coming in with 20 new clients a month and they find over time, they’re able to grow their practice. They’re able to sell along the way. It is an amazing journey to watch these practice owners who started at one point, are able to make this transition, and are still giving back to the veterinary community in one shape or form.

We bleed DNA of vet med. We really do. It’s in us. It’s what we do. I think the reason we have a hard time doing it is we’re always going to be a veterinarian all the way through, and we want to leave that wonderful legacy, culture, and community we worked so hard to build.

Yes! We want to leave that for you. That is the amazing thing as we’re all here to build a legacy. What is that? What does it look like for you? Sometimes we haven’t had the chance to think about it. But, we’ve built something great and we want someone to carry on. At the end of the day, who you partner with for your trusted advisor, who you partner with and sell your practice to, is going to make a difference in the legacy you left.

I love that. It’s so meaningful. This has been fantastic, Amy. Where can we learn more about DVM Elite?

 to learn more about us. We would love to help the practices listening in today. We’ll peel the layers back in the practice, do a free evaluation. We’ll take a peek at your P&L to say what you can do to move forward. Again, don’t go at it alone. That’s the most important thing. If it’s not us, someone needs to be there to help guide you and your practice to growth success so thanks so much for having us.

Absolutely. Great job! Thanks so much for being here and all the great work you do. She’s wonderful. I hope that practice owners watching this, or prospective owners are able to feel more empowered about practice ownership. It sounds like there are great partnership tuning in for you. On behalf of our friends here at DVM Elite and DVM360, thanks so much for tuning in. We’ll see you next time. Take care everybody.

Videos

How DVM Elite and its brands are guiding veterinary practice owners along the journey of growing and selling their practice.