What’s in your pay package? This question may be a cheap play on the commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” but it is applicable. How much are you paying your team members, ie, how much money is in their wallets on payday? It is hard enough listening to your team question their pay rates, but with the added pressure of following your state’s requirement to raise the minimum wage, the process of hiring a new team member at a rate close to your current rates becomes a nightmare.

With the increase in the minimum wage comes the obvious query from your team: “When are we getting a raise, since the minimum wage is now higher?” For example, for a receptionist in New York, New York, getting paid $17 per hour

 may have been a reasonable pay rate in 2023. Then along comes this year’s increase in the hourly minimum wage for New York/Long Island, New York, from $15 to $16.2 Does that receptionist look for a wage increase beyond the typical cost of living adjustment? Add in the rising inflation rate, and is it any wonder why there seems to be a constant battle between what you can afford to pay and what your team wants?

How to know whether you have a good pay package

Pay is much more than dollars per hour. Benefits also play into this puzzle. For example, that New York receptionist earning $17 per hour may receive a benefits package including health care; continuing education (CE) allowances; and transportation, child care, cell phone, and tuition assistance. Compared with another receptionist making the same hourly rate and receiving health insurance and pet care discounts, your compensation and benefits package can be a game changer in attracting and retaining team members.

Therefore, the first step is to assess your compensation and benefits package, not just the hourly rate. Once you add up everything, compare your total revenue data with industry benchmarks. For example, the American Animal Hospital Association’s Financial and Productivity Pulsepoints, 10th Edition, reports salary/wages, employees’ portion of payroll taxes, and bonuses in the range of 15.9% to 21.9% of total revenue. Benefit costs fall between 1.3% and 3.6% of total revenue, including medical insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement programs, uniforms, dues, and CE.

 Take the time to assess your current compensation and benefits package before making any changes.

How to determine whether your financials can support a higher wage

Can you afford to pay more? The most common response is to increase fees and decrease costs to improve your business’ financials. The caveat is that there is only so much clients are willing to pay for services and only so much cost-cutting that can be done before it impacts patient care. That does not mean you should skip this step. Many practices find errors in data entries, mistakes in buy-to-sell ratios, and vendors with better deals that improve the numbers.

One of the best metrics for identifying problem areas is revenue-to-expense ratios for laboratory work, diagnostic imaging, prescription food, pharmacy services, parasite preventives, and over-the-counter products. Work with your accountant to ascertain clean financial data before revising compensation and benefits. Lastly, look for opportunities for improvement.

We have all heard about low-hanging fruit. One such example would be lapsed patients. Paying a few team members to search your patient data and contact clients can produce great results: patients scheduling appointments for services. Additionally, strengthening client bonds and forward-booking appointments will help improve revenue numbers. Take a moment to survey your client list to find out what other services they desire and explore any opportunities. A new service that is right for your business and in demand by your clients is another way to improve revenue numbers.

Keep in mind that money isn’t everything. Practices that define career advancement, develop leaders through stretch assignments, and incorporate other benefits can enhance their compensation and benefits packages. A survey by Forbes Advisor found that 1 in 10 employees would take a pay cut to have access to better benefits.

What else can help your practice if a large wage hike is not in the cards? Consider offering voluntary benefits (ie, supplemental coverage at a low cost to employees), mandatory paid time off, retirement plans, remote work and/ or flexible hours, mental health benefits, professional development, job advancement, sabbaticals, and recognition and rewards. The opportunities are seemingly endless.

One benefits option to consider is a cafeteria plan, also known as a flexible benefits plan or a Section 125 plan. This type of employee benefits program allows employees to choose from a menu of benefits options. The business sets an annual dollar amount per employee and provides a list of benefits. During an annual open enrollment period, employees select their benefits from the list. Because there are 4 generations of employees in the workforce, they will value different benefits, and a cafeteria plan provides flexibility and customization.

Using a cafeteria plan, your business can provide a competitive and flexible benefits package without necessarily increasing overall costs, and employees can customize their benefits to better align with their individual needs and preferences. However, the business needs to comply with Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code and communicate effectively with employees to facilitate the successful implementation and utilization of the cafeteria plan.

At this point, you need to determine your compensation and benefits strategy, which is a comprehensive plan to attract, retain, and motivate employees through a combination of financial and nonfinancial rewards. It creates a competitive and appealing offering that aligns with the organization’s overall business objectives while meeting the needs and expectations of its team members.

Designing your compensation and benefits strategy requires you to perform all the previously mentioned assessments, integrate performance management, seek employee feedback about benefits, and understand legal and regulatory compliance. Start by listing the items your business wants to offer in its compensation and benefits package and calculating the related anticipated growth in revenue.

Table 1. Wage increases and percent of revenue

Next, set up 2 Excel sheets. One calculates changes to hourly wages and determines the percent of revenue that the new wages comprise. For example, Table 1.

The other Excel sheet lists the total cost of compensation and benefits for each team member. (Table 2).

Table 2. Total cost of compensation and benefits per employee

This statement serves 2 purposes. On the one hand, it gives each employee clarity on the total value of their compensation and benefits package; on the other hand, it can show what sets the business apart from its competition.

Once you go through the process and design your compensation and benefits plan, you must regularly review and adjust it to stay responsive to workforce demographics, business goals, and market trends. Avoid conflict over wages by having a compensation and benefits strategy and discussing the total package with your team members.

Veterinary Hospital Managers Association. VHMA 2023 Compensation & Benefits Report. 2023.

Governor Hochul reminds New Yorkers of upcoming minimum wage increase. News release. Governor Kathy Hochul. December 27, 2023. Accessed June 5, 2024. https://www.governor.ny.gov/ news/governor-hochul-reminds-new-yorkers-upcoming-minimum-wage-increase

Vital Statistics. Financial and Productivity Pulsepoints, Tenth Edition. AAHA Press; 2019.

Miranda D. Best Employee Benefits in2024. Forbes Advisor. Updated February 6, 2023. Accessed June 5, 2024. https://www. forbes.com/advisor/business/best-employee-benefits/

Articles

A compensation and benefits strategy can help keep staff invested and retained

How to support higher pay raises

The University of New England (UNE) Online College of Professional Studies announced its upcoming 6-week virtual Animal Behavior Professional Certificate course. The course will start in September and educate pet owners, aspiring veterinary professionals, animal enthusiast, and anyone else in the public interested in learning more about animal behavior.

“This course will unlock the secrets of animal communication and behavior with our six-week Introduction to Animal Behavior course,” said Christine Calder, DVM, DACVB, instructor and developer of the program, in an organizational release.

 “We will dive into the captivating world of pet body language and beyond, transforming your interactions with animals into deeper, more rewarding experiences.”

Calder has practiced medicine in both Maine and New Jersey for years, spent time at San Francisco SPCA as part of its behavior service, and taught at several veterinary teaching hospitals. In 2016, she completed her residency with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and officially became a diplomate in 2017. Along with practicing, Calder is the chief behavior officer for Sophia Yin’s, DVM, Cattle Dog Publishing and a Vets at Vin consultant.

According to the release, the course will educate attendees on foundational concepts, developmental influencers, behavioral abnormalities, learning theories, species-specific considerations, and career opportunities for those interested in entering the field of animal behavior.

As the course progresses, the attendees will leave with a better understanding of interpreting body language of animals, recognizing any abnormal behaviors, and applying the learning theory principles to promote welfare across multiple animal populations. 

The certification program is an extension of the college’s existing Bachelor of Science in Animal Behavior degree program. The program serves as an intersection of wildlife ecology, neuroscience, and psychology to educate and prepare students to enter a career in animal behavior. This program is one of only about a dozen in the United States.

The course will officially begin on September 15, 2024, and will cost $550. Anyone interested in learning more or enrolling should visit the UNE website.

University of New England online offering animal behavior certification course. News release. July 17, 2024. Accessed July 24, 2024.

The virtual course is a 6-week deep dive into the world of animal behavior 

University of New England offering animal behavior certification course 

Sable Island horses on the island's beach. (Photo courtesy of Mason Stothart and the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine)

A recent observational study has revealed a link between methanogenic patterns in the gut microbiome of Sable Island horses and their survival.

 These horses have been monitored every summer since 2007 and have no natural predators, making their main challenge competition for food.

 The study is the first of its kind to offer substantial evidence on the remarkable role microbiomes play in the survival of animals in the wild, with its findings having broad implications for the health of animals and the environment, according to a news release.

“While microbiomes are widely hypothesized to influence the fitness of wild animals, evidence for this remains extremely scarce” Jocelyn Poissant, PhD, associate professor at University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM), planner and initiator of the study more than a decade ago, said in the release.

The study, a genetic analysis of gut microbiome diversity, represents the largest ever conducted for a population of wild animals, according to the release.

 "Mounting evidence suggests that gut microbiomes can influence animal health, but much of this research has been conducted under highly controlled laboratory conditions or in humans,” Mason Stothart, BSc, MSc, PhD, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and lead of the study, said in the release.

Conducted by UCVM in Calgary, Alberta, the study aimed to quantify the connections between variations in the gut microbiome and survival rates within a feral horse population experiencing natural food limitations on Sable Island, Canada. To do this, researchers used long-term, individual-based life history and shallow shotgun metagenomic sequencing data of 2,394 fecal samples from 794 Sable Island horses collected between 2013 and 2019. They tested their predictions using data on short-chain fatty acids derived from the metagenomic data.

Poissant conducting field work at Sable Island. (Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Poissant and the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine)

The study provided evidence that variation in the gut microbiome is linked with horses’ ability to survive in the wild, finding an association between the survival of these horses and certain types of bacteria in the gut that produce, increase, or support the production of methane. The researchers postulated that pathogenesis and methanogenesis could be fundamental causal mechanisms underlying these patterns in feral horses, and potentially in wild herbivores more broadly.

“What we've discovered is that variation in microbial communities in the gut can be consequential for host health, even in the wild,” expressed Stothart in the release.

According to the study, methanogenesis helps prevent the buildup of hydrogen gas (H2) in the gut, which is important given high levels of hydrogen can block important metabolic processes. However, the production of methane through methanogenesis requires a lot of energy. For herbivorous mammals, like horses, methane emissions can result in an energy loss ranging from 2% to 15% of the total energy they consume.

 The research showed that while methanogenesis helps prevent harmful hydrogen buildup in the gut, it comes at the cost of significant energy loss, which can affect the survival of wild horses like those on Sable Island, especially during times of low food availability in winter.

According to UCVM, the study found that wild herbivores could potentially live longer if they have efficient digestion aided by gut microbes who not only help in digestion, but also reduce the energy loss associated with methane emissions, making the study’s findings significant not just for Sable Island horses but potentially for other large-bodied, at-risk, wild species like elephants, rhinoceroses, tapirs, and Przewalski's horses.

The discovery might also offer insight into mitigating methane emissions in animal agriculture. “We know from research on livestock that methane emissions are both an environmental and economic problem. Environmental, because methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Economic, because methane emissions from animals cause a loss of energy that could otherwise be used by the host, and therefore a reduction in animal feed efficiency,” explained Stothart in the release.

“It appears that the same patterns of energetic loss to methane emissions that we observe in animal agriculture could be important for free-living wildlife. Our results lead us to suggest that the key to surprisingly low methane emissions among horses may derive from unique features in their gut microbiome, which could potentially serve as the basis for microbiological tools to reduce methane emissions in animal agriculture,” he continued.

UCVM’s research also holds relevance to human health: certain gut bacteria traits associated with methane emissions and mortality prediction in horses have been identified as being indicators of a lean body mass index (BMI) in humans, according to the release.

Stothart MR, McLoughlin PD, Medill SA, Greuel RJ, et al. Methanogenic patterns in the gut microbiome are associated with survival in a population of feral horses. 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49963-x

Knopp N. What the wild horse microbiome can teach us about health and longevity. News release. July 22, 2024. Accessed July 23, 2024. 

https://www.ucalgary.ca/news/what-wild-horse-microbiome-can-teach-us-about-health-and-longevity

A recent study uncovered a connection between the gut microbiome and longevity, with implications for the environment, human health, and more 

Wild horse survival rate linked to methane-producing gut bacteria 

According to a study conducted by researchers at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, veterinary diagnostic labs across the United States had a substantial positive effect on the health of humans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper was recently published in PLOS on June 25, 2024, and demonstrated the benefits of mobilizing these facilities for population-level testing as well as timely informed public health interventions.

“Many veterinary diagnostic laboratories continuously evaluate domestic and wild animal populations for evidence of disease, including diseases that affect humans. They were key in supporting the robust testing capacity necessary for public health agencies to respond to the pandemic,” said Lorin D. Warnick, DVM, PhD, the Austin O. Hooey dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and senior author on the paper, in an organizational release.

“We experienced this firsthand through the Cornell COVID-19 Testing Laboratory, established by our Animal Health Diagnostic Center in collaboration with Cayuga Health Systems, a human health care provider based in Ithaca, New York. This paper describes the work and impact of our laboratory and many others across the country,” he continued.

According to the release, as the need for severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARs-CoV-2) testing increased within the United States, veterinary diagnostic labs filled the gaps. Some of these laboratories faced administrative obstacles when applying for the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) certification that is needed for conducting human diagnostic testing. The huddles however showed the need to reduce these setbacks before the next public health emergency surfaces to enhance access to testing resources and improve population health.

The authors of the study sent survey invitations to 76 veterinary diagnostic laboratories that were conducting SARS-CoV-2 testing on animals and/or human samples. Out of the 76 surveys the team sent out, 50% responded with most of them operating within a university. Among the 24 laboratories conducting human SARS-CoV-2 testing, 58% did so for a university population, 29% for the general public, and 13% did testing for both. The researchers found through the survey cited that the most common reason for sample testing was to increase university testing capacity, followed by an increasing testing capacity for the local community, and then testing around time. Through the survey, researchers found that almost 8,250,000 human samples were tested by the laboratories that participated in the study.

“More than 60% of human infectious diseases have a zoonotic origin, which underscores the urgent need to promote animal and human diagnostic collaboration under the One Health umbrella in preparation for future pandemics," explained Nia Clements, first author and public health graduate student.

Some of the university testing programs offering testing services to nearby satellite campuses and institutions performed a massive portion of their state’s total tests. According to the release, 1 laboratory’s daily testing capacity of 18,000 samples corresponded to 20% of all daily testing completed in that state, and to an estimated 1.5–2.5% of all SARS-CoV-2 daily samples tested nationwide.

 A separate laboratory conducted a quarter of its state's total testing and tested 4 times as many SARS-CoV-2 samples as its state’s public health laboratory, and more than any other in the state.

Through its help during the COVID-19 pandemic, these contributions of veterinary diagnostic laboratories are a crucial example of One Health's importance. The authors of the study explained that the contributions and readily collaboration with the expertise of the veterinary community and diagnostic centers need to be recognized by human health agencies and federal regulators in the case of a new public health threat emerging.

“Ensuring we have swift, efficient mechanisms to respond to the next pandemic doesn’t necessarily mean creating those processes from scratch,” Warnick said. “A One Health perspective helps identify intersections between areas of expertise. It can help save lives, as the work of veterinary laboratory contributions to the COVID-19 response shows.”

Study: Veterinary diagnostic labs played key role in COVID-19 response. News release. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. July 17, 2024. Accessed July 23, 2024. 

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/about-us/news/study-veterinary-diagnostic-labs-played-key-role-covid-19-response

Clements N, Diel DG, François Elvinger, Koretzky G, Siler J, Warnick LD. The role of veterinary diagnostic laboratories during COVID-19 response in the United States. PloS one. 2024;19(6):e0303019-e0303019. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0303019

The research showed the positive effects these facilities had on human health during the COVID-19 pandemic 


Study finds veterinary diagnostic laboratories played crucial roles in COVID-19 response 

It is no secret that dogs become an extension of the family when they enter our lives, so keeping them happy and healthy is important. One of the most common causes of sickness in dogs is parasite infestation, but thankfully there is a way to prevent these pests. Healthcare workers need to know how to keep our companions safe and healthy.

The 3 most common parasites affecting dogs are fleas, ticks, and heartworms. If left untreated, all 3 can severely impact the quality of life or even lead to the loss of the dog’s life.

Studies have shown an uptick in the prevalence of heartworm infections. Some reasons include:

A decrease in use of preventive medications and a lack of adherence to the medications

Climate change (increase in precipitation, temperature, and humidity)

Spread of disease via stray dogs in animal shelters and feral dogs

An emergence of resistance to macrocyclic-lactone (ML) treatment

As of now, the most effective way of preventing heartworm disease in dogs is the use of MLs like abamectin, ivermectin, eprinomectin, doramectin, and selamectin as well as milbemycins like moxidectin and nemadectin. These classes of drugs cause direct death of the parasite by binding to chloride channel receptors. Another class of medications that is used less often is the isoxazolines, which does not prevent heartworm but instead controls the vectors that are responsible for transmission of the parasite.

 is a 2025 PharmD candidate at the University of Connecticut.

Riepl M. Heartworm-, Flea-, and Tick-associated Diseases in Dogs: A Review of Common Parasites and Drug Classes Prophylactic Against Them. 

A study overview on preventing parasites in dogs

Preventing pesky parasites

The Babinski Foundation and Houston PetSet team with animal supplies. (Photo courtesy of Houston PetSet)

On the evening of Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 2 nonprofit organizations came together to deliver supplies to local animal shelters in Houston, Texas facing urgent essential needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. Additionally, The Babinski Foundation, a shelter and nonprofit based in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, transported 54 rescue dogs and puppies back to its shelter in Minnesota in an effort to provide relief to rescue groups on the front lines of Houston's animal homelessness crisis.

Among the animal welfare nonprofit organizations and municipal groups that participated in transporting dogs were Berg Foster Life, S.A.V.E. Rescue, Texas Animal Rescue Rehab, Tootsie Dog Rescue, Lola's Lucky Day, Harris County Pets, and Houston Humane Society.

"The shelters in Houston have been significantly impacted by Hurricane Beryl, due to increased demand and restricted resources," Donna Sutton, executive director at The Babinski Foundation, said in a Houston PetSet release.

 "We are thrilled to team up with Houston PetSet to bring much needed relief to the everyday heroes who are taking care of the abandoned and stray animals who need it most."

The Babinski Foundation transported 54 rescue dogs to its shelter in Minnesota. 

At its peak on July 8, the Category 1 hurricane caused power outages to nearly 3 million homes, schools, and businesses along the Texas Gulf Coast. For more than a week after the storm, hundreds of thousands of residents remained without power, during which heat index levels soared to triple digits in certain areas. According to local officials, at least 23 people have lost their lives as of Sunday, July 21, from storm-related causes including drowning and injuries sustained during the storm and its aftermath, with a large portion of deaths resulting from heat illness, or hyperthermia.

Having also been affected, local animal shelters are facing significant challenges in accommodating the needs of thousands of additional pets in their care. Moreover, many facilities suffered extensive damage and lost crucial supplies during the storm. With thousands of pet owners and foster families still without power, they have had no choice but to return their pets to shelters and rescue groups. These organizations have been operating at capacity for months without additional kennel space available.

One of the rescue dogs getting ready for transportation.

Together, Houston PetSet, a local nonprofit dedicated to addressing Houston's homeless animal crisis, and The Babinski Foundation, worked to provide 10,000 lbs of dog and cat food, 2,000 lbs of cat litter, supplies, and bedding to local groups in need. The rescue team from Minnesota drove through the night to deliver these essentials to organizations local to Houston, including Interfaith Ministries; aniMeals on Wheels; Jacinto City Dog Pound Rescue; Wolly Kitten Club; and various local street feeders, with Houston PetSet coordinating the distribution.

"We are so grateful for partners like The Babinski Foundation who not only replenished much-needed supplies, but also returned to Minnesota with 54 dogs that come from Houston-area groups," said Tena Lundquist Faust, co-president of Houston PetSet, in the release.

 "This is what collaboration looks like, and we need to continue to build relationships in order to help our city and county solve Houston's homeless animal crisis."

Houston PetSet and The Babinski Foundation have established a consistent partnership over the past several years, working together to relocate Houston dogs to find new homes up north. Through these collaborative efforts, thousands of dogs and cats have been successfully transported to safety and placed in adoptive homes, according to Houston PetSet.

Houston PetSet and The Babinski Foundation mobilize rescue unit and resources to assist the animals of Houston devasted by hurricane Beryl. News release. Houston PetSet. July 18, 2024. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/houston-petset-and-the-babinski-foundation-mobilize-rescue-unit-and-resources-to-assist-the-animals-of-houston-devastated-by-hurricane-beryl-302201210.html 

Nguyen T. Heat-related Texas deaths climb after Beryl knocked out power to millions. 

. July 21, 2024. Accessed July 22, 2024. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/07/21/hurricane-beryl-heat-power-outages-victims-officials/74492331007/

Houston PetSet and The Babinski Foundation brought 10,000 lbs of cat and dog food to affected shelters in Houston, Texas