Dr Griffin explains the uses of topical therapy for veterinary dermatology cases 

interview with Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD,

 at the Fetch Nashville conference, Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, star of television's "Pop Goes the Vet with Dr. Joya" on Nat Geo Wild, explained the dermatology cases that topical therapies can treat, and how this treatment can help prevent further exacerbation of the skin disease.

The following is a partial transcript of the video:

: Topical therapy can be utilized in really any allergic dermatitis and immune-mediated skin diseases. So autoimmune cases, you can use it to treat dogs that have endocrine disorders where it starts to affect their skin to the point where they're getting secondary bacterial or yeast infection. So it's pretty wide spread the types of diseases that we can treat with topical therapy.

Videos

Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, explains the versatility of topical therapy in treating various skin diseases in this interview with dvm360

The power of topical therapy 

How can veterinary professionals navigate the emotions and conflict that may arise in the day-to-day basis of a workday? Shawn McVey, MA, MSW, and chief cultural officer at Veterinary Growth Partners, offers a solution: developing emotional intelligence (EQ).

In his lecture at the 2024 Fetch dvm360 conference in Nashville, Tennessee, McVey emphasized the importance of being able to recognize and label the emotions veterinary professionals experience as they are happening, before the emotion takes over and affects professionalism. “My job as an emotionally intelligent person is [to] know when I'm irritated, even at level one, and [to] have a conversation about that, because something magical happens when you take your feelings, give words to them, express them, and let them out of your body: …the energy [connected to] that feeling goes away. That's the magic — expressing your feelings is more cathartic and better for you than dumping and displaying your feelings,” McVey explained.

According to McVey, the mean score on emotional intelligence testing for nonanimal health professionals is 77, whereas for people in veterinary medicine the score 51.1 “[Veterinary professionals] are quantifiably stumped when it comes to emotional development,” McVey said.

In his Fetch session, McVey encouraged attendees to work on and develop each pillar of psychologist, author, and science journalist Daniel Goleman’s notion of emotional intelligence

Self-awareness: presently recognizing and labeling emotions

Self-management: utilizing emotional awareness to actively choose what to say and do

Social awareness: comprehending and aptly responding to others’ emotions

Relationship management: building rapport with team members.

McVey explained how people, such as coworkers, are constantly providing feedback during everyday interactions. “You [need to] reflect on that feedback,” McVey said, “and…say, does what they’re experiencing with me line up with my own value system, line up with the values of my hospital, line up on my own morality? And if the answer is ‘no,’ you want to change that….” McVey also discussed the need for addressing the root cause of “overreaction[s] or expulsion[s] of feelings” that may occur in moments of stress or conflict, stating how personal change will not occur until the fundamental cause is addressed.

During the lecture, McVey also discussed the outcome of effective self-awareness practices, highlighting the significance of discussion and expression. “Discussing and expressing what I feel is often not laden with emotions at all. It's a statement of fact. It's for clarity. It promotes discussion and helps understanding,” he explained.

As leaders or managers in veterinary clinics, veterinarians often experience what McVey calls simply “fatigue.”

 According to McVey, this fatigue comes from helping people [exercise] teamwork and managing conflict, or “putting out emotional fires,” when there are upsets in the practice. To reduce this fatigue, McVey recommends having a self-managing team that can not only give and receive feedback but can practice the 4 pillars of emotional intelligence. Even if individuals are unfamiliar with EQ, McVey stated during his session, “EQ can grow.”

McVey S. Emotional intelligence at work. Presented at: Fetch dvm360 conference; Nashville, TN. May 17-18, 2024.

Articles

A practice management session at Fetch Nashville offers insight on how to navigate conflict and emotions, and reduce occupational fatigue. 

Building emotional intelligence to improve workplace professionalism

dvm360 staff on site at Fetch Nashville (Image couresy of Steve Huff Media)

 readers! We are absolutely blown away by the amazing faculty and attendees we had this weekend at our very first Fetch Nashville conference. Throughout the week, we are going to continue publishing and sharing content and photos from the conference so check in throughout the whole week. If you missed all the fun in Nashville, don’t worry, Fetch is heading to Kansas City August 23-25! There is still room so check out the website and secure your spot today.

As we continue to roll out conference coverage, here is what was popular this week on dvm360.com:

Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, explained what kind of dermatoses can be treated with a topical solution, plus what makes this kind of treatment an important tool for immune-mediated diseases.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) shared it is awarding over $22.2 million in Farm Bill Funding to enhance prevention, preparedness, early detection, and rapid response to the most damaging diseases that threaten US livestock.

, Mike Natale, LVT, returns to the show to discuss the best practices for placing a catheter with host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA.

Boehringer Ingelheim announced the launch of BULTAVO 3, the first bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccine that prevents clinic signs and mortality in cattle and sheep.

During his lecture at Fetch Nashville, Shawn McVey, MA, MSW, explains more about emotional intelligence in the workplace can create a better culture for veterinary teams and clients.

Here is a sneak peek at this week’s headlines 

Sneak peek: dvm360 continues to roll out Fetch Nashville conference coverage, and other veterinary news 

Leaders in the veterinary and pet industry are instrumental in guaranteeing the efficient operation of their practice or company. Their strategic foresight propels growth, advances innovation, and promotes sustainability in the sector, thereby impacting the health and welfare of numerous animals and their owners.

Various veterinary businesses recently announced new promotions. The following individuals are among those making career advancements:

Temple Grandin, PhD, MS, director of animal wellbeing, Fear Free

Temple Grandin, PhD, MS, director of animal welfare, Fear Free (left) and Marty Becker, DVM, founder of Fear Free (right). (Photo courtesy of Fear Free)

Fear Free is a global initiative that offers online and in-person education aimed at empowering veterinary professionals, the pet professional community, animal shelter staff and volunteers, and pet owners to create low-stress environments for pets. The company was founded by Marty Becker, DVM, and developed by several experts in behavior, medicine, and handling. Veterinary professionals can also now receive Fear Free accreditation.

Temple Grandin has dedicated her life to advocating for animals and has pioneered animal welfare initiatives, particularly in livestock handling. She officially joined Fear Free as the director of animal welfare. According to a news release,

 Grandin’s new role will focus on developing innovative strategies to improve the wellbeing of animals to ensure a life worth living and allow Fear Free to extend its reach to farm animals.

"We are honored to welcome Dr Temple Grandin to the Fear Free family," said Becker in the release.

 "Her expertise and passion will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to provide exceptional care for animals, especially large animals.”

Grandin stated, “I appreciate that Fear Free is a science-based company and look forward to doing more research with them." Grandin continues, "I'm especially excited about plans to give animals used for food and fiber what's being called 'a life worth living', where animals get to experience positive, rewarding things."

Todd Lavender, DVM, chief transformation officer, Mars Veterinary Health

Todd Lavender, DVM, chief transformation officer of Mars Veterinary Health. (Photo courtesy of VCA Animal Hospital)

After 20 years serving as the president of VCA Animal Hospitals, Todd Lavender, DVM, has stepped down from his role and is now the chief transformation officer of Mars Veterinary Health. Given that VCA Animal Hospitals are part of the Mars Veterinary Health division, the transition is expected to be seamless.

"I've had the pleasure of working alongside Dr Lavender for many years, and throughout this time, he's encouraged our teams to lead in medical quality, spread the joy of our profession and innovate for our clients," said Doug Drew, president, Mars Veterinary Health, in a company release.

 "As chief transformation officer, Todd will sharpen our future focus across our network, continuing to do more today to improve the experience of pet ownership and the experience of those caring for pets tomorrow."

In his new role, Lavender will lead programs designed to increase access to care and inspire the next generation of veterinary professionals. He stated, “We are serious about our obligation of taking care of the future of veterinary medicine. We have expanded access to care across the US, and to Canada and Brazil, strengthened the associate experience and continued to scale the highest-quality medicine for our patients.”

Patty Wu, president of VCA Animal Hospitals

Patty Wu, president of VCA Animal Hospital. (Photo courtesy of VCA Animal Hospital)

Following in Lavender’s footsteps, Patty Wu will take over the role of president for VCA Animal Hospitals. Wu has held executive positions at companies such as Bed, Bath & Beyond, where she acted as executive vice president and brand president for the buybuy BABY division.

"Over the past few years, VCA has expanded access to care, experienced amazing growth and stayed true to an Associate-first, pet-centric culture. I am excited and honored to join an organization with such clarity of mission and purpose,” Wu expressed in the release.

"I'm thrilled to welcome Patty to VCA and the Mars Veterinary Health family. As an accomplished senior executive with more than 20 years of experience leading and growing CPG, omni retail, and direct-to-consumer businesses in the US, Canada, China and Asia Pacific, Patty believes exceptional client and patient outcomes grow from a strong Associate and client experience,” stated Drew.

Cade Culver, chief growth and transformation officer, Alphia; Jack Reid, chief people officer, Alphia

Cade Culver, chief growth and transformation officer, Alphia; Jack Reid, chief people officer, Alphia. (Photo courtesy of Alphia and Business Wire)

Alphia, a United States pet food manufacturer, has appointed 2 new C-suite executives: Cade Culver as chief growth and transformation officer and Jack Reid as chief people officer. According to the company release,

 Culver’s role will drive business growth and he will be tasked with implementing transformative strategies within the company. Reid will be responsible for fostering a positive workplace culture and shaping the Alphia team.

“As we continue to expand the leadership team, we are excited to welcome both Cade and Jack to Alphia, marking an exciting step forward for the company,” said David McLain, CEO and president of Alphia, in the release.

 “With their extensive experience and dedication to driving growth and innovation within the pet food industry, I am confident these new team members will help advance the company forward.”

Culver has more than 16 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods industry, while Reid brings more than 25 years of experience in human resources.

“I look forward to contributing to Alphia's mission to produce safe, quality pet food as we continue to lead the pet industry and create a positive impact with our partners,” said Culver.

“I’m looking forward to stepping into this new role at Alphia and hope to make a positive impact on the team’s culture,” said Reid.

Temple Grandin, PhD, joins Fear Free as director of animal wellbeing. News release. Fear Free. May 7, 2024. Accessed May 15, 2024. 

https://www.prweb.com/releases/temple-grandin-phd-joins-fear-free-as-director-of-animal-wellbeing-302138288.html

VCA Animal Hospital's Todd Lavender, DVM, transitions to role as chief transformation officer for Mars Veterinary Health as Patty Wu joins as new VCA president. News release. May 2, 2024. Accessed May 15, 2024. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vca-animal-hospitals-todd-lavender-dvm-transitions-to-role-as-chief-transformation-officer-for-mars-veterinary-health-as-patty-wu-joins-as-new-vca-president-302134023.html

Alphia names new C-suite executives to strengthen its leadership team. News release. Alphia. April 30, 2024. Accessed May 15, 2024. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240430534624/en

Check out the latest news in the veterinary industry with these 5 recent position promotions

Paws and profits: Veterinary business appointments across the industry

Day 2 Fetch Nashville photos

Day 2 of the first Fetch dvm360 Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, is completed and the event has ended. View the photos above to see a small portion of the educational sessions, exhibitor booths, and networking opportunities that were available to our event attendees —including the evening Sip and Learn hospital design tour on Day 1—as well as the fun! 

Also, catch up with Fetch Nashville through our news coverage. Some articles and videos from our live coverage are listed below with additional content and more to come available for viewing at 

In the Day 2 keynote address, Natalie Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V, shared her journey through life in veterinary medicine and outside of the profession to help inspire others to find the good in the bad.

https://www.dvm360.com/view/music-intertwining-with-medicine

Getting to the bottom of anal sac diseases

Presenter Julia E. Miller, DVM, DACVD, discusses diagnosis and management of conditions that include anal sacculitis, impactions and abscesses, which all cause discomfort for patients.

https://www.dvm360.com/view/getting-to-the-bottom-of-anal-sac-diseases

Michael Shirley, BS, FFCP-Elite; and Stephen Shirley, BA, FFCP-Elite, AIC, discuss ways to better communicate with pet owners and how to best address negative reviews and feedback.

https://www.dvm360.com/view/tools-for-tackling-client-complaints

Fetch Nashville 2024: Day 1 photos and highlights

See what’s happening at the first Fetch dvm360 Fetch Conference in the Music City in this image slide show and read more of our educational session coverage.

https://www.dvm360.com/view/fetch-nashville-2024-day-1-photos-and-highlights

Events

More news and images from the dvm360 team on site in Tennessee for our 2-day conference.

Fetch Nashville 2024: Day 2 photos and highlights

Clement Coetzee/peopleimages.com/stock.adobe.com

When it comes to a successful relationship in any sense of the term, communication is a key component to that. For clients bringing their pets into a clinic for care, some may come in with certain expectations or hopes of how things will go once they walk in the doors as well as a certain level of understanding and support from the veterinary team. Because of this, if expectations are not met in the eyes of the client, this can lead to misunderstandings, dissatisfactions, and complaints against the clinic.

During their lecture “Clinic Communications to Curtail Clinic Complaints,” Michael Shirley, BS, Elite FFCP-V, and Stephen Shirley, BA, Elite FFCP-V, AIC, from Family Pet Health in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, explained to attendees how effective communication from the clinic to its clients can help combat complaints in the clinic while improving the experience for everyone.

According to the lecturers, many complaints about a clinic can stem from misunderstandings or unrealistic expectations of treatment, costs, or the outcome of the visit in general. Pre-visit communication can help the client understand the appointment goals, and the responsibilities of each party, and gives the client a chance to communicate their concerns before stepping into the clinic. On the other side, pre-visit communication gives the veterinary team a chance to tailor the approach for the pets individually and build trust and rapport with the clients because they already have a handle on what is going on with their pet, a crucial part of making this experience positive for the clients.

“When a client will call, they've got an expectation, and they don't understand the swirl that's around us. They just know that this is what I expect. And if it's not met, we get client complaints. They complain when their expectations aren't met,” Stephen Shirley said.

Once the client enters the clinic, it is time for the clinic to make a good and memorable first impression. One way to do so is to have client service representatives greet those coming into the clinic warmly, help them fill out paperwork by giving clear and easy-to-follow instructions, and attend to needs, as time allows and based on the needs, to help set the stage for them to have a great experience at your clinic.

The presentation of the clinic can also help improve the experience for clients. The lecturer explained that having clear signage and organized spaces could make all the difference. Providing these small gestures for clients can help minimize frustration and confusion for owners as they need to move about the clinic to go to exam rooms, waiting rooms, and restrooms. Practices can also utilize posters, flyers, and displays in the clinic to help give information to clients as they wait for their appointments and to help move conversations during a consultation.

At the Family Pet Health, the professional team decided to share a QR code instead of posters and other types of messaging. The team at the clinic has identified key topics they noticed their clients asking them about, such as feline medicine, Fear Free practices, and osteoarthritis, and put them all together. Once clients scan the code, they are brought to the clinic’s website, which has compiled a list of resources, podcast episodes, and YouTube videos explaining the procedures they are interested in learning more on.

The Shirley brothers and the team at Family Pet Health utilize pre-visit communication and post-visit communication to get a better understanding of their patients, clients, and what is needed from the clinic to help the pet. For example, they have patients complete a form before the visit where they ask questions such as what kind of food their pet eats and what their bathroom schedule looks like. This can help the team know what they are walking into when they enter the exam room, and cutting down on time spent asking gathering information in person. This method also gives the team a better insight into who they treating and helps build that connection with the family. This can also help the veterinary team manage cost expectations with clients.

“If you know a pet coming in for [a vaccination], and you're able to send that estimate beforehand, before they ever come to your clinic, and say, ’hey, you're coming in, this is the estimate. This is what we expect. We can talk about it when you get here. But you already know how important heartworm prevention is. So you're going to do this. You already know how important the vaccinations are, so you're going to do that,” said Stephen Shirley.

“This helps you prepare. Again, eliminate the possibilities or curtail the possibilities of unmet expectations, they expect one price, and you present them with something different. If you don't set that up, that's an object that has the potential to be an ugly conversation,” he continued.

Once a client has left the clinic, the team will then follow up with the details of the visit and a survey for the pet owner to fill out. This way, if for some reason they have a complaint, you are providing them with the space to do so that is not Google or Yelp reviews. For any negative feedback they get, the clinic calls the pet owner to talk about it more and to address the situation internally, if warranted. The brothers shared an example of one time they received a negative review from a repeat client. They reviewed the complaint, spoke to the team about what happened and how they could improve, and then called the client to address it.

For the complaints that do make it onto Google or Yelp reviews, Michael Shirley said that they always respond to negative reviews. They address what happened and follow the same format as they do with the internal reviews. This way, it shows anyone looking at their reviews that they had addressed the issue, showing any potential clients they take these complaints seriously and will address and change as needed.

Every clinic runs different and every client is different. There is no end all be all to client complaints. However, by helping to manage their expectations on timing, costs, needs for the appointment, and more, it can help you set them up for success with their visit. In return, they will come back to your clinic for care and maybe even leave a good review or tell their friends with pets to check out your clinic.

Shirley S, Shirley M. Clinic communications to curtail clinic complaints. Presented at: Fetch dvm360 conference; Nashville, TN. May 18, 2024.

Cutting down on complaints can start with your clinic's communication skills 