Veterinary Hospital Manager Association (VHMA) announced that Joshua Blakemore, CVPM, RVT, FFCP, has been chosen as its 2024 Practice Manager of the Year (PMOY). Blakemore was selected as this year’s recipient for helping fellow technicians in Vermont overcome hurdles. According to an organizational release,

 the VHMA uses the PMOY to honor a practice manager who uses their experience, expertise, and knowledge to help make their practice a better place as well as improve business operations.

“[Blakemore’s] initiative in advocating for an apprenticeship program and licensure reciprocity in Vermont for technicians, assisting the local community during a natural disaster, and developing staff training programs for his hospital earned him this distinction above over 70 other nominations,” said Christine Shupe, CAE, VHMA executive director, in an organizational release.

Joshua Blakemore, CVPM, RVT, FFCP, Veterinary Hopsital Managers Association's 2024 Practice Manager of the Year (Image courtesy of Veterinary Hopsital Managers Association) 

Blakemore was studying business and animal science at Eastern Gateway Community College where he received a certification through the Professional Veterinary Technician School. Once receiving his certification, he worked his way up from kennel attendant, to lead technician when he lived in California. Blakemore then followed a clinical supervisor position to Vermont where he joined the team in Burlington, igniting his passion for management. While at the Onion River Animal Hospital (ORAH), he worked his way up the ladder from technician supervisor to practice manager. 

Creating opportunity for fellow technicians

In 2023, Vermont State University, home to the state’s only technician program, lost crucial funding that led to the veterinary technician education being in jeopardy. Despite being saved, the fear of losing the program inspired Blakemore to create a veterinary medicine apprenticeship program for Vermont.

“We want to provide training for technicians so that they can administer anesthesia and perform dental work. Once they complete the program, they will have an apprenticeship certificate, validating the skills and knowledge they have learned,” explained Blakemore.

Blakemore worked with the Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) during his free time to create the curriculum and talked to veterinary professionals across the state that expressed interested in teaching. The goal is to have the program completed and approved by the VDOL by late 2024, early 2025.

After moving to Vermont, Blakemore learned the state did not have a licensing agency, but the Vermont Veterinary Technician Association (VVTA) did. The move presented a new challenge to Blakemore because even though he was licensed nationally and in the state of California, the program he attended closed, so his transcripts were lost, making it impossible to present the paperwork needed for licensure through the VVTA. This inspired Blakemore to pursue a VVTA advisory position to try and change the bylaws. After fighting for 2 years to make licensure by reciprocity a reality in Vermont, it became official in 2023. He would then go on to become the first technician to be licensed through licensure by reciprocity.

“For me personally, I didn’t need to be licensed in Vermont because I was a practice manager, but it made me wonder how many other Vermont transplants were in the same boat,” Blakemore reflected. “Would they give up on being credentialed technicians in Vermont?” Blakemore’s stance was if you went to school and got licensed, you should be considered a licensed, credentialed technician in Vermont.

The same year the licensure by reciprocity became available in Vermont, the state experienced flooding that caused damage across the state. ORAH decided to keep its doors open during the flooding to help any displaced or impacted animals. As they remained open, Blakemore contacted the suppliers for the hospital and received hundreds of pet food boxes to donate to owners within his community. ORAH also created a charitable fund to help provide financial aid to those in need of veterinary care.

Along with helping pets in his community during the flooding, Blakemore began to also help members of the community. Once the flooding stopped, Blakemore volunteered to help residents deal with their property damages.

“I had survivor’s guilt. Every day after work, I helped with cleaning out people’s houses, mold mitigation and just doing anything I could with the local organizations to help people who were affected get back on their feet,” expressed Blakemore.

Within ORAH, Blakemore created a tier level training program for roles ranging from assistant to level 4 technician by placing them in their respective level and giving them training to support promotions to the next level. This helped foster staff growth in the practice and support employee retention.

Each year the VHMA asks practice owners, collages, or veterinary management professionals themselves to nominate a professional they feel has made their practice a better place. Nominators, both self and nominated, then must explain in detail why they think their choice is qualified for the award and what they did for their practice.

Each nomination must include an essay up to 750 words explaining why they should be selected for the award and the transformation they did at their practice. The range of the transformation can be anywhere between financial, cultural, marketing, practice organization, and more.

As the winner, Blakemore received complimentary admission to and will be recognized at the VHMA’s 2024 Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina and $1250 for travel related expenses. For the first time this year, Blakemore will receive complimentary VHMA/ACT Client service Certificate Program registration, thanks to the support from VHMA Platinum Sponsor CareCredit.

VHMA announces 2024 Practice Manager of the Year: Joshua Blakemore, CVPM, RVT, FFCP. News release. Veterinary Hospital Managers Association. July, 5 2024, Accessed July 9, 2024.

Articles

This year’s recipient is Joshua Blakemore, CVPM, RVT, FFCP 

VHMA announces 2024 Practice Manager of the Year 

ThaMa 312 syringe. (Photo courtesy of ThaMa-Vet)

Swine can contract diseases transmitted from humans, plants or manure, or from other pigs, even when thorough biosecurity and animal husbandry practices are followed.

 As such, vaccinating swine is an important measure for preparing their immune system for the potential contracting of diseases such as human influenza, circovirus, classical swine fever, pseudorabies, and many others.

 Facilitating the swine vaccination process, ThaMa-Vet, a provider of animal health veterinary syringes, has released 2 new additional automatic swine syringes. The syringes integrate fixed dosage accuracy with a transparent barrel, which ensures precise administration while remaining user-friendly.

The new syringes, ThaMa 312 and ThaMa 313, are fully metallic and come with default dosage pistons, including .5cc, 1cc, and 2cc, which guarantees dosage accuracy for every inoculation. The fixed dosage feature also eliminates the need for adjusting settings during the administration of mass injections. Moreover, the see-through barrel gives users full visibility of the liquid flow during the vaccination process.

"The addition of ThaMa 312 and ThaMa 313 to our family of swine syringes provides the ultimate combination of fixed dose pistons with a see-through barrel for optimal control over the exact dosages," said Udi Nechmad, CEO of ThaMa-Vet, in an organizational release.

 "We are committed to streamlining processes to achieve smooth mass vaccination by offering highly reliable syringes for the poultry, swine, cattle, aquaculture, and small animal sectors."

The ThaMa 312 syringe contains a cannula needle and a plastic hose that are connected to the bottle.

 It also comes with a maintenance kit and a set of pistons.

 Additionally, this syringe is designed to work with tough swine vaccines, according to the company.

 The ThaMa 313 includes a vial holder for convenient attachment of the vaccine bottle.

In addition to the newly released syringes, the company also offers a range of 2cc syringes for swine and livestock, including the ThaMa 263 and ThaMa 262 syringes, which are also all-metal. ThaMa-Vet also sells adjustable glass barrel syringes: ThaMa 240 and ThaMa 213.

Even with vaccination, swine may still get sick. According to Morris Veterinary Center, the level of protection and resistance a vaccine may offer against a disease is dependent on the case.

 Vaccination may comprise the major part of disease control in some cases, whereas in others, it may only constitute a small part of the protection procedure.

Due to this variability, it is crucial to not only follow appropriate vaccination regimens, but to ensure adherence to other management procedures.

Some of the diseases that affect swine include

Enteric diseases, such as colibacillosis, ileitis, salmonellosis, and 

Reproductive diseases, such as enteroviruses, leptospirosis, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), and porcine parvovirus

Respiratory diseases and rhinitis, such as 

Other diseases, including erysipelas and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2)

Thompson D, Benjamin M, Brown D. Vaccination strategies for pigs raised on small farms. Michigan State University. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://www.canr.msu.edu/pork/Final%20Vaccination%20Vaccination%20mangament%20document.pdf

Swine disease. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. June 27, 2024. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/swine

ThaMa-Vet introduces innovative fixed dosage swine syringes with see-through barrel. News release. ThaMa-Vet. July 2, 2024. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thama-vet-introduces-innovative-fixed-dosage-swine-syringes-with-see-through-barrel-302187847.html

ThaMa 312. ThaMa-Vet. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://www.thama-vet.com/en/products/syringes/swine/thama-312/

Swine Vaccinations. Morris Veterinary Center PSC. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://morrisvetcenter.com/livestock/swine/swine-vaccinations.html

The new syringes contain fixed dosages that provide ease of use

2 automatic swine syringes are introduced to the veterinary market

Image courtesy of Heart + Paw and Business Wire.

Established in 2018, Heart + Paw provides comprehensive veterinary services, offering routine wellness, dental care, radiology, surgeries, grooming, and daycare, all delivered with a low-stress approach for pets. With 28 locations across 10 states, Heart + Paw is introducing 2 new client services through partnerships: an online pharmacy through Wedgewood's Blue Rabbit platform, and an after-hours teletriage service via Pet Vet Connection.

Following the launch of their pet portal and mobile app in Fall 2023, Heart + Paw introduced the new addition to their services through the development of its partnership with Wedgewood’s Blue Rabbit platform. The Pharmacy provides a single point of contact for all pet health needs, including prescriptions, preventatives, and diets, while also simplifying the process of ordering pet prescriptions.

"Heart + Paw's partnership with Wedgewood’s Blue Rabbit platform to create an online, single-source pharmacy is a game-changer for pet parents and for the industry," said Dave Lasus, CEO of Heart + Paw, in a news release.

 "We understand the busy schedule of the modern pet parent, and we want to make continuity of care as simple and seamless as possible. Pharmacy allows for that, as well as providing a lower-stress experience for our veterinarians and center teams, who often spend a great deal of time each day sending prescriptions to third-party pharmacies. It's an embodiment of our commitment to delivering exceptional care in the most convenient and compassionate way possible."

The internal portal for veterinarians at Heart + Paw streamlines workflows, enabling quicker prescription turnaround for pets in need of their medications. Veterinary care teams can benefit from the easy and effective management, allowing them to monitor patients’ medications for better continuity of care and review medication history. Automated text messages and email communications keep pet parents updated on the status of their pets’ prescriptions and medications, from approval to refills. With all of a pet’s prescriptions and information in one place, it’s convenient for pet parents to log in and order what they need, with the option to set monthly medications like flea and tick preventatives to autoship with a discount. Heart + Paw’s custom-built app, already a convenient way for pet parents to access their pets’ records, now also facilitates seamless re-ordering of prescriptions.

In addition to now offering an online pharmacy, Heart + Paw will also offer teletriage services at select locations and will allow pet parents to determine if their ill or injured pet can safely wait for an appointment once their Heart + Paw center is open, or if emergency care is needed. Through the support of a partnership with Pet Vet Connection, Heart + Paw is also extending its hours at 14 locations with 24/7 access to licensed veterinarians.

"Our new teletriage service allows for the safe, appropriate, and timely assessment and management of animal patients via electronic consultation with their owners," said George Melillo, VMD, cofounder and chief veterinary officer of Heart + Paw. "Our goal is to make safe decisions regarding a patient’s health and disposition under conditions of uncertainty and urgency. This service not only expands access to care after hours, but also helps pet parents avoid unnecessary emergency visits and costs and ensures that pets are seen by their primary care partner in a familiar, low-stress setting."

Heart + Paw expands client services to include online pharmacy and teletriage. News release. Heart + Paw. July 9, 2024. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240709712565/en/Heart-Paw-Expands-Client-Services-to-Include-Online-Pharmacy-and-Teletriage

Heart + Paw has partnered with Wedgewood and Pet Vet Connection

Pet care company expands its offerings with online pharmacy and teletriage

Officials it the FDA have approved the first generic methimazole oral solution for the treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats (Felanorm; Norbrook Laboratories).

 Felanorm contains the same active ingredient as the brand name drug product (Felimazole; Dechra Limited

) that was first approved on May 27, 2009. Additionally, the FDA determined that Felanorm contains no inactive ingredients that may significantly affect the bioavailability of the active ingredient.

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disease in cats of middle-age and older. The disease occurs when the thyroid gland produces too many hormones, and may lead to weight loss despite eating more, vomiting, hyperactivity, increased urination and drinking, diarrhea, breathing problems, and changes in their coat. These signs and symptoms can affect a cat's quality of life in addition to creating more stress for the cat and the owner.

Although hyperthyroidism has been reported in cats as young as 6 years, Kelly A. St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP, noted there is an increased risk of the disease in older felines of senior or geriatric age. “It really falls in line that we should be giving our senior and geriatric cats in every 6 months for monitoring,” St. Denis said in a 2022 interview with 

Felanorm is only available by prescription from a licensed veterinarian because professional veterinary expertise is needed to diagnose feline hyperthyroidism and to determine whether the drug is an appropriate treatment, according to the FDA. Continued veterinary monitoring is also needed to ensure that the dose continues to be appropriate to control the patient’s hyperthyroidism, as this disease can progress over time.

According to Dechra, adverse effects most often reported with methimazole include anorexia, vomiting, head or facial pruritus or edema, depression or lethargy, weight loss, anemia, elevated liver enzymes, skin lesions, elevated blood urine nitrogen, diarrhea and thrombocytopenia. The drug may also induce bleeding diathesis without evidence of thrombocytopenia because methimazole has anti-vitamin K activity.

Humans administering methimazole oral solution should wear protective single use, impermeable (eg, latex or nitrile) gloves when administering the solution. Hands should also be washed with soap and water after administration of Felanorm to avoid exposure to the drug.

Felanorm is supplied in 30 mL or 100 mL bottles with 1 mL and 5 mL dosing syringes. The drug is dosed in 2.5 mg increments, every 12 hours, and dose adjustments should be made in 2.5 mg increments. The maximum total dosage is 20 mg per day divided, not to exceed 10 mg as a single administration.

FDA approves first generic methimazole for treating hyperthyroidism in cats. News release. FDA. July 9, 2024. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-approves-first-generic-methimazole-treating-hyperthyroidism-cats?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Our products: Felimazole Coated Tablets. Dechra. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://www.dechra-us.com/our-products/us/companion-animal/cat/prescription/felimazole-coated-tablets-methimazole-tablets#2-5mg

Yankowicz S. Health-related quality of life assessment tool for cats with hyperthyroidism. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/health-related-quality-of-life-assessment-tool-for-cats-with-hyperthyroidism

Marrapodi A. The challenges of diagnosing feline hyperthyroidism. 

. December 12, 2022. Accessed July 9, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/the-challenges-of-diagnosing-feline-hyperthyroidism

Felanorm is the first generic methimazole oral solution is the first generic indicated for the disease in felines, and contains the same active ingredient as Felimazole Coated Tablets. 

Generic treatment receives FDA approval for cats with hyperthyroidism

Researchers across various universities are developing a new vaccine and delivery system to prevent bovine tuberculosis (TB) in free-roaming white-tailed deer—a primary reservoir for the disease. The development is a mucosal, oral, probiotic-based vaccine that may contribute to the eradication of bovine TB in any wildlife species.

“Controlling bovine TB in animals with vaccination is a primary approach to preventing or mitigating the spread of a disease across animal populations and into human populations,” Srinand Sreevatsan, BVSc, MVSc, MPH, PhD, associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University (MSU) and lead of the research team, said in a news release by MSU.

 “Here in Michigan, the rise in bovine TB-infected deer and cattle herds has led to a state of urgency due to restrictions associated with animal trade and movement.”

The mucosal vaccine was designed to withstand the intestinal mucosal barrier, which works to prevent pathogens from entering the body. Prior to the new vaccine, the development of oral vaccines had been hindered due to the inhospitable environment of the gut, according to the release.

 Sreevatsan and his teammates, Srinivas Dhandayuthapani, PhD, at the Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and Gireesh Rajashekara, DVM, PhD, at the Ohio State University, Center for Food Animal Health, used 

 spores, a probiotic naturally found in fermented foods and soil, as well as in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and ruminants, such as deer.

is capable of withstanding the acidic environment of the gut and its protective mucosal barrier. It can also survive the conditions of the outdoors food bait it will be left in for deer to ingest, according to the news release.

“Using probiotic spores to deliver antigens is a very exciting development,” said Sreevatsan.

 “We clone the bovine TB antigen encoding genes in the genetic machinery of 

, and program it to express those antigens when they make spores.”

The current vaccine used to protect against TB—the 

 Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine—is not effective in its prevention of illness in ruminants, including cattle, white tail deer, and other animals.

 Moreover, according to MSU, the BCG vaccine does not protect against the spread of bovine TB.

“There’s a need for a vaccine that can be delivered to deer as well as cattle,” he continued.

 “We require a low-cost vaccine and delivery system that will work with animals in the wild, and one that will actually provide a robust immune response.”

The new bovine TB vaccine project, which received a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, has the potential of being engineered to protect other wildlife animals against any infectious disease, such as the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, due to the flexible nature of the vaccine’s delivery mechanism—which is similar to a nanoparticle delivery system.

“With this platform, we are producing a machinery of specialist suppliers that isn’t limited to bovine TB antigens. We’re very optimistic about its ability to deliver vaccines for any infectious disease,” said Sreevatsan.

MSU researchers vaccinating animals in the wild to combat TB, infectious diseases. Michigan State University. News release. June 28, 2024. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/msu-researchers-vaccinating-animals-in-the-wild-to-combat-tb-infectious-diseases

 – Uses, side effects, and more. WebMD. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1694/bacillus-subtilis

The vaccine is aimed at preventing the spread of bovine TB in white-tailed deer

New vaccine for bovine tuberculosis uses probiotics to survive the gut

During an interview with Nicola A. Lakeman, MSc, BSc, (Hons), RVN, CertVNECC, CertSAN, VTS (Nutrition), she explains how microbiomes change as pets get older

Changes in the microbiome

When it comes to the microbiome, there is still a lot that is unknown about what exists in it, what changes in it, and why things change in it. A study conducted in 2022 surveyed the fecal microbiome communities of domestic cats in North America to help get a better understanding of the range of variations that can be found in healthy cats. The team also investigated if age, diet, and living environment of the pet could change the microbiome.

 The study aimed to establish expected ranges for the structure of the communities within a healthy population of cats to give veterinarians, clients, and those within the industry valuable insights. 

The findings of the study concluded that the more influential factors that should be carefully considered when designing future studies were host diet and living environment, but some effects of age and FIV status were also detected.

 at the 2024 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Nicola A. Lakeman, MSc, BSc, (Hons), RVN, CertVNECC, CertSAN, VTS (Nutrition), explains that as pets and people age, their microbiomes change as well. 

Nicola A. Lakeman, MSc, BSc, (Hons), RVN, CertVNECC, CertSAN, VTS (Nutrition)

: So the diversity of the population from the microbiome decreases, and that can cause issues. And extrapolating across there are studies being done in cats. We know it changes in cats as well. We know that certain prebiotics put into a specific diet that is more easily digestible can actually help increase health and lifespan of cats. So it's really important.

Ganz HH, Jospin G, Rojas CA, et al. The Kitty Microbiome Project: Defining the Healthy Fecal "Core Microbiome" in Pet Domestic Cats. 

. 2022;9(11):635. Published 2022 Nov 16. doi:10.3390/vetsci9110635

As feline patients get older, their microbiomes could change as well. 