Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, FFCP-Elite, gives listeners an insight into her upcoming keynote address

Interview with Dr Natalie Marks 

As veterinary professionals enter the field for the first time, or sit back and a look at their career up to a point in time, they may began to realize that the job they are entering or had for years may not be the best fit for them. However, if they are looking for a change, how do they know what else is out there for them, or how to pave the way to a career a they truly love and enjoy?

, Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, -Elite FFCP-V, gives an inside look at what attendees can learn from her upcoming keynote "'Man, I Feel Like a Woman!'" How Country Songs Made Me a Better Veterinarian" that she will deliver at the upcoming 

The following is a transcript of the video:

Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V: 

 I think, as a profession, if you aren't clinically practicing in a hospital, you're either looked at as sort of less than, in a way. And I think industry veterinarians felt this way for a long time, like, 'oh, you went industry.' Or you don't know what to do. Like, if I'm not practicing, what on earth am I going to do with a veterinary degree. And part of my keynote is to showcase there is so much out there that you can do and really challenge yourself, because many of us probably thought from day one, we are going to be veterinarians, but so many veterinarians are either second career veterinarians, or they're a veterinarian, but they also love to do all of these other things in life. 

And so I hope to show that if you're feeling stuck, or you're feeling like maybe clinical practice isn't for me anymore, or maybe I want to go part-time in clinical practice and I want to work on my writing skills or my public speaking or my regulatory or I want to be a lobbyist or I want to work for human health 

 do the veterinary side or I want to work in not-for-profits, I want to help with research, whatever it is, there's just so many roads out there. And they aren't, sadly, always paved. My road wasn't paved.

Articles

Dr Natalie Marks shares her tips on explore a career outside of a traditional veterinary role 

Unlocking paths beyond clinical practice

A new scribe tool for veterinary professionals utilizing artificial intelligence aims to save time and, therefore, improving a work-life balance. Newly launched VetSkribe can save up to 2 hours a day, giving veterinary professionals more time to care for patients or opening time for self-care. This tool uses a combination of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and human expertise for accurate notes and documentation.

“VetSkribe’s inception stemmed from a pivotal moment during a veterinary management group dinner, where passionate veterinarians discussing the burden of charting sparked our mission to help doctors reclaim their time,” Jacinthe Moreau, VetSkribe CEO and co-founder, said in a company release.

Veterinary professionals can capture their consultation notes in the VetSkribe app using “ambient listening” or “dictation.” The app's veterinary medical AI is trained to transcribe consultation recordings or dictated notes to the doctor’s subjective, objective, assessment, and plan template. Materials gathered can then be directly uploaded to patient medical records by the VetSkribe team after the veterinarian approves the content in the app or on the dashboard.

Veterinarians using VetSkribe Enhance can also collaborate with medical scribes supervised by veterinarians and oversee the AI technology to ensure precision and accuracy. To set it apart from other scribe tools, VetSkribe technology generates visit summaries for pet owners within minutes, simplifying client communication and improving the pet owner experience.

“VetSkribe has been a game-changer for me,” Andrea Schnuelle, DVM, a relief veterinarian with Lando Veterinary Relief based in Wisconsin, said in the release. “At a point of desperation after having my son, I had to make significant changes. Relying on technology for my charting turned out to be a lifesaver. Not only did the quality and content of my medical records vastly improve, but the time I spent on them decreased significantly. This resulted in a notable boost in my satisfaction with my records. I finally felt like I had the breathing room between patients that I desperately needed. The benefits of VetSkribe may vary from person to person, but for me, it's been about quality and speed—essential in urgent care settings. I now have the luxury of spending more time with clients, seeing a few more appointments per day, and—crucially for me—getting out on time. And perhaps most importantly, I finally have a lunch period, something I had almost forgotten was possible in this profession. VetSkribe has truly helped me achieve a better work-life balance.”

To celebrate its launch, VetSkribe is offering a 30-day free trial. “With VetSkribe, veterinarians can focus on quality care without the burden of administrative tasks and the stress of keeping up with their medical charting,” Moreaua added.

New AI scribe tool aims to improve veterinary mental health. News release. VetSkribe. May 9, 2024. Accessed May 10, 2024. 

https://www.vetskribe.com/press-release/new-ai-scribe-tool-aims-to-improve-veterinary-mental-health/

VetSkribe also aims to improve mental health for veterinary professionals

New AI scribe tool saves 2 hours a day

Covetrus North America LCC pleaded guilty to causing the introduction and delivery of veterinary prescription drugs that were misbranded into interstate commerce and has been sentenced to 1 year probation by a federal court in Abingdon, Virginia. As part of the agreement, Covetrus—based in Portland, Maine—must also pay more than $23 million in criminal forfeitures and fines.

“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia takes the distribution of misbranded prescription drugs seriously,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Virginia.

“Covetrus shipped over $20 million in prescription drugs to unauthorized end-users in violation of federal laws that are designed to ensure prescription drugs are kept within a controlled chain of distribution and to prevent diversion and inappropriate use.”

According to the release, the company shipped prescription drugs between March 2019 and December 2021 to multiple Covetrus nonpharmacy locations within the United States and to end-users who were not authorized to receive the drugs. Because these shipments were from nonpharmacy locations to nonauthorized end-users or locations, the shipments were deemed as misbranded.

The case was investigated by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations and the Virginia State Police, with help from the Virginia Department of Health Professions.

, a Covetrus spokesperson said the company cooperated with the investigation.

"Covetrus North America resolved a criminal investigation that was conducted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia regarding the distribution of misbranded prescription veterinary medication," a Covetrus spokesperson told 

"We fully cooperated with the US Attorney’s office, and we are committed to complying with federal and state laws related to prescription veterinary medication. Covetrus’ mission is to help veterinarians drive better financial and clinical outcomes, and doing so in a way that is compliant with all federal and state laws," they continued.

Covetrus must forfeit $25,534,091, pay $1 million to the Virginia Department of Health Professions, and a fine of $1 million. The company must also keep in place appropriate compliance measures as a way to prevent any future violations.

“The FDA recognizes the importance of controlling the prescription drug supply for animals. The careless or uncontrolled distribution of prescription animal drugs poses a danger not only to the medicated animals but to the US public health by increasing the risk that humans will become resistant to antibiotics that we unknowingly consume through our food supply,” George Scavdis, special agent in charge at the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations-Metro Washington Field Office, said.

Ohio-based Company Will Pay More Than $23 Million in Fines and Forfeiture. News release. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia. May 9, 2024. Accessed May 10, 2024. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/pr/covetrus-sentenced-criminal-misbranding-prescription-drugs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Covetrus Pleads Guilty to Criminal Misbranding of Veterinary Prescription Drugs. News release. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia. February 12, 2024. Accessed February 13, 2024. 

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/pr/covetrus-pleads-guilty-criminal-misbranding-veterinary-prescription-drugs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Covetrus pleaded guilty to the criminal charge and was sentenced to probation as well as fines and forfeitures.

Animal health company sentenced for drug misbranding

 readers! Did you know that there are only 5 days left to submit your application for our 2024 Hospital Design Competition™? This year, we will be selecting a winner for 3 main categories instead of 2 like previous years as well as up to 5 merit winners! To learn more about the contest and submit your nomination check out the official 2024 Hospital Design Competition™ 

Here are some of our top headlines of the week:

 staring Kate Walsh, best know for her role on Grey’s Anatomy and its’ spinoff 

, which shows the challenges of a veterinarians working at a 24 hour emergency clinic and the problems she faces such as personal demons and an ethical dilemma.

 a public vote to name the lates addition of their giraffe herd, a 13-month-old giraffe, and gave an update and insight into how the giraffe is adjusting to its new environment.

, Matthew Edson, DVM, CVPM, MRCVS, founding dean of the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at Rowan University, to 

 what New Jerseys first veterinary school means for the future of veterinary education.

 of "Clinic Center" is now available! This time around, 

 highlighted 3 recent clinic, distribution centers, and laboratories, that have opened their doors across the United States.

A poll conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of the Humane Society of the United Sates surveyed 2042 adults in the United States to help gather 

 into the financial struggles pet owners face when trying to seek care for their pet.

Dustin Kieschnick, Psyd, facilitator with Not One More Vet’s Veterinary Mental Health Support, shares a clinical look at 

 in veterinary medicine as well as ways to recognize when substance use can become problematic.

Wrap up: Upcoming short film shedding light on mental health struggles in veterinary medicine, and other news

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disease in middle-aged to older cats

 and occurs when the thyroid gland produces too many hormones. This leads to symptoms like weight loss despite eating more, vomiting, hyperactivity, increased urination and drinking, diarrhea, breathing problems, and changes in their coat.

 These symptoms can greatly affect a cat's quality of life (QoL) in addition to creating more stress for the cat and the owner. Researchers on a new study published in the 

 have seen a lack of tools to evaluate health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in cats suffering from hyperthyroidism. The study was aimed at measuring the HRQoL and the impact for owners.

The assessment being studied included 28 questions relating to the HRQoL of hyperthyroid cats and the influence their cat's disease might have on owners was created. Researchers initially showed their first set of questions to a group of 11 veterinarians who work with hyperthyroidism, some in general practice and others in specialty referral hospitals (3 diplomates of an EBVS accredited college, 2 primary care veterinarians, 6 internal medicine clinicians working at referral practices).

 This was structured to gain feedback from these veterinarians about the questions being included in the questionnaire. Each question consisted of 2 subquestions: (1) “how often does the item apply”; (2) “how strongly does the item affect HRQoL.”

The assessment was then made available online for owners of cats suffering from hyperthyroidism or other diseases as well as cats without any known diseases (there were no exclusion criteria regarding the eligible cats). Researchers later divided responses into 2 groups being the HT-group (cats with hyperthyroidism) and the NHT-group (cats without hyperthyroidism).

Owner-related questions ranged from how their cat’s health or diseases impact their daily life with emotional, physical, and financial burdens they take on as a result. Cat-related questions focused more on the potential symptoms the animals were experiencing and also the cat’s mood and behavior.

There were 551 valid questionnaire responses, of which 229 (41.6%) were by owners of cats in the HT-group and 322 (58.4%) by owners of cats in the NHT-group. Responses from the HT-group had a median cat age of 14 years. The final HRQoL tool produced a score between 0 and 382, zero being the best possible HRQoL and 382 the worst. The median HRQoL score for HT-group was 87.5 points and was significantly higher than in the NHT-group at 27 points. Researchers also concluded that owners of cats in the NHT-group generally rated their cat's QoL better than owners of cats in the HT-group.

After reviewing responses, the researchers decided to remove 3 questions that posed repetitive results as they were worded very similarly. This brought the final HRQoL assessment down to a 25-question tool.

 Researchers also concluded that hypothyroidism negatively affects a cat’s QoL and owner’s lives are impacted through vicarious distress.

Researchers are hoping this hyperthyroidismQoL-cat tool can be easily used by practitioners as an owner take home survey. It can be completed online as it was done in this study or printed on paper for an owner to fill out.

McLean JL, Lobetti RG, Schoeman JP. Worldwide prevalence and risk factors for feline hyperthyroidism: a review. 

Khare DS, Khare R, Gupta DK, et al. Feline hyperthyroidism: an overview. 

Blunschi F, Schofield I, Muthmann S, Bauer NB, Hazuchova K. Development and validation of a questionnaire to assess health-related quality-of-life in cats with hyperthyroidism. 

. Published online April 22, 2024. doi:10.1111/jvim.17083

This new questionnaire was tested for validation of effectiveness in determining quality-of-life measures for this endocrine disease

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

The male giraffe brings the population of giraffes at the Oakland Zoo from 5 to 6 (Image courtesy of the Oakland Zoo) 

After traveling from Audubon Nature Institute in Louisiana, a new male giraffe is now calling the Oakland Zoo in California his new home. The baby giraffe was transported to the zoo in a specially designed carrier for giraffes that accommodated the 10-foot-tall giraffe the room to move. 

the giraffe was brought to the Oakland Zoo based on a recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which helps ensure sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied AZA population.

"He is a brave and bold giraffe who's adjusting quite well. We're thrilled to get to know him and watch him develop a bond with his new herd at the Zoo," said Amy Phelps, Oakland Zoo's zoological manager, in the release.

The Animal Care Team at the zoo is working hard to ensure that it’s behind the scenes area is comfortable for the latest arrival and are keeping his overall wellbeing in mind. The team is achieving this by providing the baby with multiple enrichment options, bedding, and tree browse giving the keepers insights into his likes and dislikes because it gives him the chance to decide how he would like to interact with the new environment.

 The team also shared that he has recently discovered a bamboo wind chime made by the keepers and is enchanted by it.

The team is also working to familiarize him with his herd mates through sound, smell, and sight through a fenceline. Once the Animal and Veterinary Care teams determined that he is ready, he will be moved into the giraffe habitat located in the Zoo’s African Savanna area. Giraffes are social animals and foster relationships with many individuals in their natural habitats, so the addition of another giraffe will help create a more robust social structure within the herd. 

In celebration of its newest addition the Zoo is welcoming the public to help name the giraffe. There is polling on its social media pages on May 9, 2024. The public can pick form the following Swahili names:

According to the release, it is common for giraffes to live in groups that make up a wide variety of ages, for example the now 6 giraffes at the zoo make up ages from 1 to 12.

 Oakland Zoo welcomed a female giraffe Kendi last year which could create a different kind of dynamic of the herd now that it has welcomed a 13-month-male.

Oakland Zoo reaches new heights with addition of 6th giraffe. News release. Oakland Zoo. May 9, 2024. Accessed May 9, 2024.

The zoo is asking the public to participate in naming its latest addition 