 in the veterinary profession plays a key role in improving pet care standards and supporting the development of veterinary professionals. By promoting a culture of innovation and growth, leaders in this sector can influence the direction of pet healthcare.

The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York, New York announced the addition of 13 new senior veterinarians earlier this season.

 The following individuals are among those accomplished 13:

Whitney Phipps, DVM, DACVS-SA. (Photos courtesy of Schwarzman Animal Medical Center)

Board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Phipps’ specialty consists of soft tissue, orthopedic, and minimally invasive surgery. Following her undergraduate degree from Washington University in St Louis and her veterinary degree from the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine, Phipps went on to complete a small animal and surgery rotating internship at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Thereafter, she completed a specialty surgical internship at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists as well as a small animal surgery residency at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Watko has a passion for various aspects of radiology, particularly neuroimaging and oncologic imaging, and is developing a growing interest in musculoskeletal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). She is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR).

Watko earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont and her DVM from the University of Glasglow in Glasglow, Scotland. She completed her rotating internship at VCA South Shore-Weymouth, in Weymouth, Massachusetts, and a specialty diagnostic imaging internship at MedVet Indianapolis. Watko also completed diagnostic imaging residency training at the University of Florida.

Paws and profits: Recent veterinary appointments

A graduate of Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, Wild is interested in special species/exotics and abdominal ultrasonography. She completed internships at Georgia Veterinary Specialists and Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists before undertaking an academic diagnostic imaging residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Wild is board-certified by ACVR.

Specializing in integrative and rehabilitative medicine, Tsai obtained his veterinary degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He completed a rotating small animal internship at Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles.

Tsai spent many years working in general medicine. Later on, he found his interest in integrative medicine and physical rehabilitation for all pets and completed a specialty internship and residency in rehabilitation and sports medicine at AMC. Tsai was raised in Taiwan and serves in the United States Army Reserve as a Veterinary Corps Officer.

Paws and profits: Promotions and appointments in the veterinary industry

Winkel earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University in 2009 and completed a Master’s in Public Health at the University of Minnesota in 2010. From 2009 to 2014, she served as an active-duty captain in the US Army Veterinary Corps.

Following her military service, Andrea completed her residency at Texas A&M University. With experience in caring for exotic pet species, like big cats and hummingbirds, Winkel’s specialty is avian and exotic pets.

Schwarzman Animal Medical Center Welcomes Over a Dozen New Senior Veterinarians in New York City, Adding to a World-Class Medical Team Working Across 20+ Specialties. News release. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. November 1, 2024. Accessed January 10, 2025. [email]

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Paws and profits: Veterinary appointments in the profession

Keeping pets and livestock safe during a wildfire is critical for any animal owner. As wildfires continue to burn in California and Arizona, emergency experts and care specialists are providing advice to other veterinary professionals, which can be communicated to pet owners to help ensure the safety and survival of patients and other animals. They also share insights about patients affected by wildfires. 

An evacuation should be planned in advance. According to Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York, New York, veterinary teams and clients should already know the nearest pet-friendly shelters, hotels, and boarding facilities when a disaster unfolds. A clear evacuation route should also be created and shared with the entire household.

Pet collars should be checked for proper identification (ID) and microchip information kept updated. A current address, phone number or other contact information should be attainable be a rescuer in the event a pet is separated from the owner during a disaster like a wildfire.

, Karen Roach, RVT, VTS (ECC), a team trainer at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in New Jersey, said microchipping is not limited to companion animals. “I know we don't often like to microchip our horses and goats, but that might not be a bad idea to have some kind of ID on our pets [and] livestock,” she added.

Pet owners should know where to look for their animals, as they may retreat to a familiar hiding place if stressed. Additionally, carriers and leashes must be readily available for a quick evacuation. The AMC team and Roach were aligned in the recommendation that pets should be practiced in getting into carriers to reduce stress and transport time during an emergency.

“Have your pet used to being able to be scooped up and shoved in the car really fast,” Roach said. “For cats, especially, that can be hard to do.”

Roach suggested having the pet’s crate or carrier frequently in view so that the animal gets familiar with it. “Put bedding in there, put treats in there. So they know it's kind of a safe space, [and] if you have to put them in there, it's not going to be a big shock,” she added.

Assembling an emergency kit that can be grabbed quickly in the event of an evacuation is recommended by Roach, as well as the veterinary team at AMC. Roach noted that lists of what to include in a pet emergency kit vary and examples can be found online. As one example, she and the AMC team collectively suggested including the following items in an emergency kit1:

Pet first aid kit for treating minor injuries

Important documents including vaccination history and a recent photo in a waterproof bag

Image courtesy of Schwarzman Animal Medical Center

“What's going on in California right now, there's high winds, so that fire is going so fast, and that's terrifying,” Roach noted. “So being prepared ahead of time and being able to get your animals scooped into the car [is critical].”

However, in some instances, Roach said owners may need to simply provide opportunity for animals to run from danger themselves, by eliminating barriers such as gates. “Sometimes that's what you have to do, especially if you have animals that you can't just throw in your car. You might need to just let them loose, let them get out of the way on their own, and find them later,” Roach said.

Mary Anne Evans, BS, CVT, VTS (ECC), an intensive care unit nursing supervisor at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital, said smoke inhalation often occurs with house fires and wildfires, in 

. With this type of respiratory distress, she said, “you see them physically having struggles with breathing.” Supplying oxygen and allowing time to heal are key to treating smoke inhalation.

“Respiratory cases are some of the tougher cases for us to see, because that is something that we can outwardly see our patients struggle with. Oxygen support is the main and most important part of that treatment,” Evans said.

In the event of a local disaster event, a large influx of affected animals may arrive at a veterinary care facility, Roach advised. Improvisation may be needed to manage the caseload. As an example, Roach shared was an experience she had working at an emergency hospital in Nova Scotia, Canada, where she was part of a team that treated felines coming from an apartment fire. 

“We only had very limited oxygen cages, and the firemen just kept bringing us cats all day long, because they kept going back in the building and finding more. At one point, we had cat carriers on the counter with clear plastic garbage bags around them and an oxygen tube running in, because we had to ‘MacGyver’ up some oxygen cages. These animals needed it,” Roach said.

In the field, Deb Zoran, DVM, PhD, MS, director of the Veterinary Emergency Team at Texas A&M University, has seen her share of wildfire-related injuries in animals. In 2024, she led a team of veterinary volunteers to the Smokehouse Creek wildfire in Texas, and treated patients there that mostly required care for burns.

“Animals that escaped the fire were found in canyons or were found running loose. We had horses, we had donkeys, we had a lot of cattle… We had some burned horses that managed to escape enough of the fire that they just needed a little bit of burn care,” 

. “We had some fire cats that escaped. Ranchers would go back to their burned-out barns and would find the cats…Fire cats are amazing. They're very resilient survivors. If you can give them some burn care, they do really, really well.”

Veterinary teams can help keep patients safe by educating clients on disaster preparedness and evacuation recommendations. These professionals can also prepare the clinic with supplies and resources to treat animals affected by wildfire for cases that include smoke inhalation and burns.

Pet emergency tips from the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. January 10, 2025.

Emergency care experts weigh in on wildfire safety for pets with advice for evacuation planning and treatment needs

Tips to help prepare clients and the veterinary team for a disaster situation

Pet Poison Helpline, a toxicology resource offering pet health advice, has released its annual “Top 10 Pet Poisons” for 2024. The list, according to the organization, is based on actual caller data.

Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline explained that the 2024 list is similar to that of 

, with small changes in the order of the toxins. “Although there are thousands of potential toxins, some items rise to the top of the list every year,” said Schmid in an organizational release.

 Differences between cats and dogs, however, are still stark.

For cats, the Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024 were as follows

The top 10 toxins to dogs in 2024 were as follows

“As you can see, the list of Top 10 Pet Poisons for cats is significantly different than it is for dogs,” said Schmid in the release.

 “The biggest difference is that specific lilies are extremely dangerous to cats, while chocolate is the biggest temptation for dogs, based on the calls received to our call center.”

According to Schmid, bromethalin, a neurotoxic rodenticide used for killing rodents, moved up the Top 10 list for dogs, with the poison moving from fifth place in 2023 to third place in 2024. “Carprofen also moved up one place from tenth to ninth. Carprofen calls are predominantly due to the wrong pet ingesting the medication or an overdose occurring, not from normal therapeutic use,” said Schmid.

Marijuana (cannabis) continues to be in the top 10 poisons for dogs. Exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) substantially increased as the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana expanded across states. From 2019 to 2023, Pet Poison Helpline saw a 430% increase in marijuana-related calls.

However, for the first time in 6 years, pet exposure to marijuana dropped, with Pet Poison Helpline observing a 24.7% decrease in marijuana-related calls in 2024 compared to the previous year. “We’ve done a significant amount of educational outreach around the dangers of THC exposure, so I’d like to think our efforts helped move the needle in the right direction,” said Schmid in the release.

“Even if you don’t use marijuana, your pet can still be exposed,” Schmid continued. “We’ve seen cases where dogs have gotten into a neighbor’s pot brownies, or a visitor brings a THC-infused treat into a pet’s environment without the owner’s knowledge. Based on our call data, dogs are far more likely to be attracted to marijuana than cats.”

According to a survey of veterinarians in North America, common clinical signs of THC toxicity include urinary incontinence, disorientation, drunken gait, lethargy, hyperesthesia, and low heart rate.

 Pets may also exhibit tremors and seizures with cases of synthetic marijuana exposure.

More serious symptoms of THC toxicity include a coma with a low respiratory rate, seizures, or an absent gag reflex.

 Patients generally exhibit clinical signs of marijuana poisoning within 30 minutes to several hours following exposure. Symptoms can persist for up to 72 hours.

The #1 toxin in cats, lilies have a severe toxicity level, according to Pet Poison Helpline.

 Common signs of lily ingestion include vomiting, anorexia, and kidney failure. Lilies belonging to the genera 

 pose the highest mortality risk if ingested. Even consuming small amounts, such as fewer than 1 to 2 petals or leaves, or ingesting pollen or water from the vase can cause severe, acute kidney failure.

Ninety-five percent of the calls Pet Poison Helpline receives for chocolate toxicity come from canine patients.

 According to the organization, cats who ingest chocolate typically do not consume enough amounts to cause a serious concern. The toxicity of chocolate increases the darker and less sweet the chocolate is. Baker's chocolate and dark chocolate have the highest toxicity risk. Meanwhile, white chocolate poses the least risk.

Methylxanthines chemicals, which include theobromine and caffeine, are found in chocolate, which is what makes the product toxic to pets. In severe cases, toxicity can lead to death, although it is rare if pets receive quick treatment.

Top 10 pet poisons of 2024. News release. Pet Poison Helpline. January 8, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. [email]

Kline S. Marijuana toxicosis in pets. Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. January 17, 2023. Accessed January 10, 2025. 

https://vet.tufts.edu/news-events/news/marijuana-toxicosis-pets#:~:text=A%20recent%20survey%20of%20veterinarians,seizures%20may%20also%20be%20reported

Amissah RQ, Vogt NA, Chen C, Urban K, Khokhar J. Prevalence and characteristics of cannabis-induced toxicoses in pets: Results from a survey of veterinarians in North America. 

Lilies. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed January 10, 2025. 

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/lilies/

Chocolate. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed January 10, 2025. 

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/chocolate/

Marijuana ingestion in dogs fell for the first time in 6 years

Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024 are announced

A recent study from the Dog Aging Project (DAP) at Texas A&M University and investigators at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine showed that when it comes to owners choosing diets for the dog, owner age makes a bigger difference than education or income of the owner.

Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association,

collected information from more than 40,000 dog owners regarding their age, education, income, and if they live in a rural, suburban, or urban environment. The data collected from owners was in addition to dog demographic information that was collected, where researchers asked about the pet's age, breed, diet, size, and whether or not the dog attended annual wellness visits with their veterinarian.

The findings showed that 82% of participating owners fed their dog a commercially prepared extruded dry diet as the primary component with 89% stating they fed their dog a consistent diet over time. When it came to demographic factors, income and education level were not as correlated with difference in diet choices, but owner age correlated with choice of food. When it came to younger owners, they tended to feed their dog more kibble compared to older owners.

“Sometimes we do studies related to dog demographic factors — like breed, size and age — that we think influence the diets that owners feed their dogs. But if we don’t consider the owner’s demographic factors, we might not be looking at a complete picture,” explained Katie Tolbert, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM, Nutrition), an associate professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, in the release.

“For example, we found that older pets are more likely than younger animals to be fed a canned or home-cooked diet,” she said. “Without considering the owner, we might assume that this choice is a result of dog age. But now we have data suggesting that it might be that older dogs are more likely to have older owners, and they are making decisions based on what they believe are healthier choices for their dog that have nothing to do with the dog’s age,” she continued.

The findings also showed that highly active dogs, working dogs, or those living in rural environments were more likely to be fed home-prepared raw or cooked diets when fed something besides kibble. On the opposite side, dogs that live in urban areas were more likely to be fed canned, commercial raw or home cooked diets when given something other than kibble.

“The point of this study was to show that we need to consider information about both the dog and their owner when assessing why a dog is fed a particular diet,” Tolbert concluded.

 “This will make sure that we continue to support canine health with the most accurate information possible.”

DAP is a collaborative community that enrolls companion dogs from all different backgrounds throughout the United States for scientist driven research projects to study the effects of aging as well as to get a better understanding of what can help canine patients live a long and healthy life. According to the organizational release, the research projects conducted by DAP have led to studies that have improved both canine and human health, thanks to the 50,000 dogs that have been enrolled in the program.

DAP is still enrolling pet dogs of all ages, breed types, and healthy or sick, from all 50 states. Anyone interested in enrolling their pet can visit the DAP website.

Price C. New Study Reveals Link Between Owner Demographics And Canine Nutrition. Texas A&M Today. Published December 6, 2024. Accessed January 10, 2025. 

https://today.tamu.edu/2024/12/06/study-links-owner-demographics-canine-nutrition/

O’Brien JS, M. Katherine Tolbert, Dog Aging Project Consortium, Ruple A. Dog and owner demographics impact dietary choices in Dog Aging Project cohort. 

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

. 2024;262(12):1-10. doi:https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.05.0358

The Dog Aging Project recently discovered owner age has a bigger influencer over their pet’s diet than education or income 

Study links owner demographics and canine nutrition

Mary Ann Evans, BS, CVT, VTS (ECC), discusses treatment for smoke inhalation in pets

Respiratory distress with smoke

Mary Anne Evans, BS, CVT, VTS (ECC), intensive care unit nursing supervisor at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in New Jersey, has experience with cases of smoke inhalation in animals. In an interview with 

, she discussed how these patients are treated when they present with this type of emergency respiratory distress, including those escaping house fire or wildfire.

The following is a transcript of the video:

: Respiratory cases are one of the tougher cases for us to see, because that is something that we can outwardly see our patients struggle with, but we do see them often, and oxygen support is the main and most important part of that treatment.

It's tough to watch them go through that, because it's really just kind of time and supplying the oxygen and any other support they might need through the respiratory emergency. We do have large and small oxygen cages, and we have other ways to deliver oxygen. So we have the little prongs like you often see humans have in the hospitals.

Videos

Mary Anne Evans, BS, CVT, VTS (ECC), discusses how veterinary care teams manage smoke inhalation in pets

Treating emergency respiratory distress

As an early career veterinarian, the vivid memories of stress and fear while beginning clinical practice are still on my mind. After a few years of practice and guidance from my own mentors, my comfort managing challenging cases has increased significantly. I have been able to start passing some of that experience I gained along to our externship students and new graduates. As I have begun moving into a position of teaching and mentoring, there are a few principles that I have upheld to create a safe space to facilitate clinical case-based teaching, professional development, and confidence building.

Setting clear expectations for the mentor-mentee relationship

Like many other aspects of medicine, mentorship strategies and goals are not one-size-fits-all and must be made on a case-by-case basis. Starting an open conversation with your mentee to determine areas of strength and where they wish to grow to help you guide them in the right direction. Similarly, it is crucial to be honest about what your limitations are. If you are still struggling with certain parts of medicine, let your mentee know and work with them to find the proper resources to answer their questions or gain experience.

Determining what level of mentorship your mentee wants is important to establishing a successful relationship. Do they want to just shadow you until they feel more confident, do they want to round with you on every case but handle the cases independently, or do they want you to be more hands off and be there for support when needed? As the relationship matures, it is important to commit to a regular bi-weekly or monthly check in with them to ensure they feel supported and evolve the level of mentorship with their needs.

In my opinion, we are very fortunate to be in a demanding field that reminds us every day that we do not know everything and are always learning. From our patients to clients, there is always a new obstacle to overcome. I use these opportunities to be vulnerable and open with the mentee to demonstrate to them that not only is it okay to not know everything, but it is normal! Once you become the clinician answering the questions rather than asking them, it is very easy to get a false sense of confidence. It is imperative to continue reading journals, textbooks, and attending continuing education opportunities to continue your own professional growth. As you continue to grow your own library of resources and information, you will be able to share them with your mentee.

Be supportive, and remind them to trust themselves

Recently being in their shoes, it is very easy for me to empathize with my mentees as they navigate their first stressful cases. Whether it is your first dog in a diabetic crisis, cat in heart failure, or bleeding pedicle, all these difficult situations add grey hairs to your head.

So much of providing mentorship to early career veterinarians is not just telling them what to do but supporting their thinking process and guiding them to the right resources to work through their cases. Having a calm, supportive mentor can really help them get through these situations. By reminding them to rely on their training and to trust but verify themselves they can think through the problem, and you can help them build their self-confidence. It is crucial to maintain close communication with them during these situations to ensure they don't feel abandoned and to be able to immediately step in or provide oversight if they become overwhelmed. In cases when the outcome is less than ideal, take time to debrief the case with your mentee. Discuss with them what went wrong, and how to potentially change case management strategies in the future to obtain better outcomes.

Good mentorship is vital to practice health and development of novice and veteran practitioners alike. We all share the responsibility of guiding the new classes of veterinarians into practice.

 is a 2021 graduate of The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. He is currently a general practitioner of small animal medicine and surgery in Knoxville TN. He takes special interest in: mentorship and training, professional communication, internal medicine, and soft tissue surgery. 

By following these principles, I have been able to cultivate many mentor-mentee relationships