Sophie after she was rescued by FUR. (Photo courtesy of Florida Urgent Rescue) 

Florida Urgent Rescue (FUR) was notified about a 5-month-old puppy, Sophie, left outside in sub-freezing temperatures. A neighbor called in to the rescue after witnessing the puppy getting kicked down the stairs and left outside in the cold by a nearby house. FUR quickly went to help Sophie and she was promptly transported to a local veterinary clinic for a thorough examination. Sophie was infested with fleas, diagnosed with a hernia, likely resulting from being kicked, and is suffering from the effects of exposure to the cold. Despite the hardships she has faced, Sophie is now in a secure environment, currently recuperating in the comfort of a foster home.

FUR is using Sophie’s heartbreaking story to caution the public about the progressively cold temperatures seen this winter. FUR also recognizes that in the south, neither people nor animals are used to these bitter weather conditions. However, high wind speeds and cold temperatures can cause increased risks for animals going outdoors.

 Similar to humans, the cold tolerance of pets can differ among each species and factors such as their coat, body fat reserves, level of physical activity, and overall health can influence their tolerance.

"The problems are the same, whether it's a winter storm, a hurricane or another disaster," said Mike Merrill, founder and executive director of FUR, said in a news release. "Animals are in danger and they need our help."

FUR volunteer Jessica with rescue dog, Issac. before he went to SAFE Pet Rescue in St. Augustine. (Photo courtesy of Florida Urgent Rescue)

FUR has been collaborating with rescue organizations across the state to assist in relocating dogs from outdoor kennels at a rural Union County Shelter. The Mercy Full Project in Tampa took in 4 dogs, SAFE Pet Rescue in St. Augustine took in 2, and London Sanctuary in Macclenny provided shelter for 1 dog. Friends of Union County Animals also partnered with FUR to facilitate coordination with other rescue groups.

Pet Paradise, a chain of boarding resorts, has helped FUR by offering emergency housing for animals during various hurricanes and Kentucky tornados. As Winter Storm Heather approached, Pet Paradise supported FUR with temporary accommodations for the remaining dogs without a place to stay. Palm Valley Veterinary Center was able to take in 1 dog with injured paws.

In addition to helping animals in need like Sophie, FUR was able to take in several other dogs during the winter storm, including another stray dog who was found freezing on the streets, a senior dog with medical problems, and 2 dogs in a rural shelter dealing with extreme levels of anxiety.

Overall, pet owners should remain aware of their pet’s cold temperature tolerance and limit time outside in extreme weather conditions. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises owners to shorten walks outside in freezing temperatures and be cautious with senior pets walking outside with snow and ice to prevent injuries from slips and falls.

 The association also recommends checking paws frequently for signs of cold-weather injury or damage, such as cracked or bleeding paw pads. It is also important to wipe paws after walking outside to remove any toxic anti-freeze or chemical salts spread across pavement and sidewalks.

Whether it's winter storms or hurricanes, animal rescuers race to save dogs in danger. News release. Florida Urgent Rescue. January 24, 2024. Accessed February 12, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/whether-its-winter-storms-or-hurricanes-animal-rescuers-race-to-save-dogs-in-danger-302043441.html

Cold weather animal safety. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed February 12, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/cold-weather-animal-safety

Articles

A puppy left out in the cold prompts a local rescue to raise awareness about cold climate cautions

Winter weather warnings

Good morning and happy Monday dvm360 readers! Congratulations to all our Kansas City Chief’s fans out there on another Super Bowl win! We hope that everyone who watched the game was able to still get some rest and prepare for another full week ahead. With Valentine’s Day just a few days away, we hope veterinary teams are spreading the love at their clinics by educating clients on the not so lovely dangers that pets can face on Valentine’s Day.

Here is what you can find this week on dvm360.com:

Over the weekend, a ban went into effect in Quebec, Canada, that banned cosmetic surgeries on animals such as declawing, tail cutting, ear trimming, and devocalization. The 

Regulation respecting the well-being and safety of domestic companion animals and equines

 will also define the requirements to best meet both behavioral and physical needs for companion animals.

The Association of American feed Control Officials received a unanimous vote of from the heads of departments of agriculture for its revised 

Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food

 during the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Winter Policy Conference.

, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, and guest Michael Natale, LVT, to celebrate Valentine’s Day with an episode dedicated to the wellbeing of the entire veterinary team.

The United States Department of Agriculture is continuing to monitor the spread of African swine fever (ASF) as it affects swine herds across the world, with the disease entering 5 new European countries in 2023. Currently, ASF has not entered the United States.

During a video interview at the Veterinary Meeting & Expo, 

sat down with Casey Locklear, DVM, US medical led for feline strategy and parasiticides for Zoetis, talks more about the FDA label approval extension for Zoetis’ Revolution Plus, and what it means for feline patients.

Here is a sneak peek of this week’s headlines 

This week on dvm360.com: Quebec bans cosmetic pet surgeries, and other veterinary news 

I use OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4 every day. I use the chatbot to search the internet, as a copy editor for my writing, and to help me remember the name of a song when I can remember only a clip of the lyrics. It’s delightfully pluripotent, and the analysis, image generator, and internet browser are all combined right now. It’s wildly useful in writing professional communications, organization, ideation, and administrative tasks. And the new analysis feature computes math problems using a Python code for calculation.

As a daily user of something that augments almost everything I do on a computer, I forget that two-thirds of Americans haven’t tried it yet.

 It’s the naivete of the privileged to assume that everyone’s experience is similar to your own, and that’s the mistake I made. I happily go chasing the next interesting bit of knowledge and neglect to share the variety of ways that this technology has helped my practice.

But, recently, a conversation with a colleague reminded me of the value of this technology and the ways in which it can help alleviate burnout in the veterinary profession. Galyna Danylenko, a communications expert and the cofounder of Full Slice Agency, suggested I revisit the burnout issue through the lens of artificial intelligence (AI). She even graciously sent me some helpful resources on the topic for my edification and use, and reminded me that her work with Digitail, a practice information management software (PIMS) provider leading the way on AI integration in the veterinary industry, and folks like me, are not the norm. Many people haven’t tried AI, though they are often wary of its use and impact on our work. The software I employ in my practice is Digitail, but you don’t need that specific PIMS to use AI.

In the United States, we are often understaffed and overworked, and even the strongest among us have felt the effects of a relentless workload combined with a lack of support. Although burnout is certainly among the most prominent challenges we encounter, it’s also the one that I believe we will see the most improvement in by implementing AI into our workflows and processes.

We know the mental or physical collapse caused by overwork or stress as burnout. It’s hardly unique to veterinary medicine, but it’s of particular concern in an industry with an ongoing workforce shortage

There are a lot of reasons for these things, and some of them are up for debate. However, my purpose here is to discuss the ways that AI can be used to improve productivity, reduce workload, and allow veterinarians to focus on the most rewarding and valuable parts of their job.

A Galaxy Vets white paper on burnout cites a 1999 framework put forth by Leiter and Maslach.

 The burnout triggers are defined as reward (financial, social, or intrinsic), values, workload, community, fairness, and control.

These are broad concepts with complex dynamics that vary from hospital to hospital. How is an AI large language model (LLM) going to solve any of these issues? I’m so glad you asked. 

The easiest (and my favorite) burnout trigger to address with AI is workload. What automation has done best, dating back to waterwheels for energy and the flying shuttle for weaving, is to relieve humans of mundane tasks.

My favorite means of doing so in veterinary medicine is the use of LLMs to enhance and augment recordkeeping. It’s now possible for an ambient audio recording of the exchange between the veterinarian and the client during a physical examination to be automatically turned into a transcript of the conversation. No scribe required, just software. The transcription can then be run through an LLM to produce an appropriate SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, and plan) note and client summary for the doctor to review, approve, and then add to the patient’s file.

Don’t think this is a big enough deal? At the University of Colorado Boulder, taking the computer out of the exam room and supporting doctors with human medical assistants led to a reduction in physician burnout from 53% to 13%.

 They just had somebody else keep the electronic health record (EHR) and they reduced the burnout rate by 75%. If you don’t think that natural language processing of LLMs will have the same effect, I think all you need to do is try it. The technology is persuasive.

How much time do doctors spend on medical records? Reports in human medicine range from about 41% of total doctor time

 to the unanimous conclusion that time spent on medical records is excessive.

 Want to solve the productivity crisis or the workforce shortage? Giving veterinarians 41% of their day to do something besides recordkeeping would go a long way to do it.

At my hospital and others, we are actively employing AI-powered audio recording and transcription for medical recordkeeping. This isn’t a future possibility or some pipe dream; it’s an active functionality successfully implemented in hospitals. It’s dramatically decreased the veterinarian’s workload for recordkeeping. 

AI also helps with client and professional communications. Although there are theoretical arguments for maintaining human empathy

 in health care, the empirical reality is that we are more empathetic when aided by AI

 A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that we even get beat as diagnosticians.

 I’m a fan of these use cases and certainly employ ChatGPT in my professional communications, but the current impact and potential impact of dramatically reducing the time spent on medical recordkeeping could all but single-handedly solve the problem of workload as a source of burnout in veterinary medicine.

My experience in veterinary medicine has often been deficient in a sense of community. Throughout much of my professional journey, I’ve encountered a notable absence of robust mentorship or guidance. The environments in which I worked were seldom conducive to support or collaboration, and interactions with colleagues were frequently less than amicable. I hold some of the responsibility for that, but in an industry where my story is far from unique, it seems that I might not bear it alone. Additionally, I experienced a recurring trend among my superiors: a predominant focus on enhancing my productivity as a veterinarian, coupled with a paradoxical expectation of bare minimum compensation. Despite my profound affection for my profession, some of my experiences have tempered my love of my industry. 

In light of these experiences, it is not coincidental that I chose to establish a solo practice. My staffing approach has been deliberately atypical, favoring individuals with backgrounds outside the traditional veterinary sphere. 

The advent of AI solutions presents an intoxicating opportunity. Though it may seem unconventional, leveraging these technological tools to augment and analyze communication offers the potential to cultivate a stronger sense of community within veterinary practices, as well as across the industry at large. Such impartial, third-party intervention can serve as a catalyst for positive development in our professional environments. We’ve already reduced the workflow, and now we can enhance the connection between colleagues and coworkers. They’re freed up and less stressed, which should make community building and connection easier. So how do we use AI to do it?

AI can allow employees to focus on creative and collaborative work, and it can ease the burdens of communication. It’s great at reworking tone. It can also facilitate learning and knowledge sharing, generate organizational assistance, create team-building activities, and even augment brainstorming.

I think the easiest way to see how AI helps community is to let it make your written messages nicer. Maybe it doesn’t apply to everyone, but I grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia known for its “extraordinarily direct” style of communication. Running messages through ChatGPT to evaluate tone has helped me soften the edges a little bit. It’s more anecdote than use case, but it’s helped me communicate in a gentler, more effective way.

I love having the independence and autonomy of a practice owner. I don’t answer to boards or investors or anyone else about how to run my practice. If I want to block off a couple of hours and write an article, I can do just that.

How do we use AI to do that? ChatGPT can allow veterinarians and technicians to perform more productively and communicate at a higher level, which inherently lends itself to permitting more autonomy in workers at every level. Ethan Mollick, PhD, MBA, associate professor of management at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, pointed out in a blog post that you can now add intelligence of any sort to an organization by including AI.

With the help of AI, you can have greater trust in employees at every level with less need for micromanagement and more autonomy. If people have more autonomy, they have more control. If they have more control, they have less burnout.

Fairness and values are less concrete concepts, and I’m not sure there’s a defined use case for AI. I can invent some, but I’d be reaching. But reward? There are 2 ways that AI can augment reward in veterinary medicine.

The first way is simple: It can allow you to do more things, be more productive, and make more money. Your income reward increases in a traditional, causative, linear fashion. Do more, make more.

The second is a little less substantive but no less important. It can give you time. It can help you get records done so you can make it to your child’s soccer game, your book club, or your Pilates class. It can reduce the emotional lift required for communications, leaving more of you left for family, friends, or your spouse. By reducing the drudgery of the dreadful mundane, AI can give you more presence and focus to pay attention to the things to which you want to pay attention. It can do the easy stuff and give you the opportunity to be more of your best self. Time and presence are enticing rewards of the sort that not even money can buy.

How do we learn to use AI in these ways? Try it. Test it. Experiment with it. Learn its strengths and limitations.

The software is pluripotent and pliable. It’s rapidly evolving and adding new features all the time. There are few things in your day-to-day routine that it can’t enhance, augment, or improve. If your records are done in a fraction of the time, if your communications are done faster and better, if you have more control over your life, and you can have more of what you want, be it time, money, or attention, aren’t you better off for it?

The integration of AI into veterinary medicine is not just a step toward individual productivity and hospital efficiency; it is a leap toward redefining the industry’s future by dramatically relieving some of the burnout triggers. By embracing AI, veterinary practices can transform their work environments into spaces where burnout is not an inevitability but an exception. This technology paves the way for a new era in veterinary medicine, one in which veterinary professionals are empowered to provide the highest quality of care without sacrificing their mental health or work-life balance.

As we continue to explore and refine the use of AI, we are not only addressing the immediate challenges of workload and communication but also setting a precedent for innovative, humane, and sustainable veterinary practice. The journey with AI is just beginning, though it is decidedly underway, and its potential to fundamentally change our profession is boundless. This is a seismic shift. It is not merely a fundamental change of an organization but a change on a tectonic scale, where the ground we knew has shifted beneath our feet. By embracing this change, we are committing to a future where veterinary medicine is as rewarding for those who practice it as it is beneficial for the animals for whom we care.

, is a veterinarian and the owner of Old Ridge Veterinary Hospital in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He is an experienced small animal clinician and entrepreneur with an interest in generative artificial intelligence (AI). He has lectured on AI and its use in veterinary medicine to the Independent Veterinary Practitioners Association, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, and private veterinary organizations; he has also published a number of articles in various publications, including dvm360.

1. Kochhar R. Which U.S. workers are more exposed to AI on their jobs? Pew Research Center. July 26, 2023. Accessed December 13, 2023.
https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/07/26/which-u-s-workers-are-more-exposed-to-ai-on-their-jobs/

2. Straight talk about veterinary workforce issues. American Veterinary Medical Association. July 14, 2023. Accessed December 13, 2023.
https://www.avma.org/news/straight-talk-about-veterinary-workforce-issues

3. Morgan K. The acute suicide crisis among veterinarians: ‘You’re always going to be failing somebody.’ BBC. October 10, 2023. Accessed December 13, 2023.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231010-the-acute-suicide-crisis-among-veterinarians-youre-always-going-to-be-failing-somebody

4. Leiter MP, Maslach C. Six areas of worklife: a model of the organizational context of burnout. 

5. Wright AA, Katz IT. Beyond burnout—redesigning care to restore meaning and sanity for physicians. 

. 2018;378(4):309-311. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1716845

6. Finnegan J. For each patient visit, physicians spend about 16 minutes on EHRs, study finds. Fierce Healthcare. January 14, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2023.
https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/for-each-patient-visit-physicians-spend-about-16-minutes-ehrs-study-finds

7. Payerchin R. Physicians spend 4.5 hours a day on electronic health records. Medical Economics. April 21, 2022. Accessed December 13, 2023.
https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/physicians-spend-4-5-hours-a-day-on-electronic-health-records

8. Joukes E, Abu-Hanna A, Cornet R, de Keizer NF. Time spent on dedicated patient care and documentation tasks before and after the introduction of a structured and standardized electronic health record. 

. 2018;9(1):46-53. doi:10.1055/s-0037-1615747

9. Lorkowski J, Grzegorowska O. Assessment of time spent by doctors on medical records: initial analysis and preliminary study. 

. 2020;58(4):47-64. doi:10.33119/EEIM.2020.58.4

10. Montemayor C, Halpern J, Fairweather A. In principle obstacles for empathic AI: why we can’t replace human empathy in healthcare. 

. 2022;37(4):1353-1359. doi:10.1007/s00146-021-01230-z

11. Sharma A, Lin IW, Miner AS, Atkins DC, Althoff T. Human-AI collaboration enables more empathic conversations in text-based peer-to-peer mental health support. 

. 2023;5:46-57. doi:10.1038/s42256-022-00593-2

12. Ayers JW, Poliak A, Dredze M, et al. Comparing physician and artificial intelligence chatbot responses to patient questions posted to a public social media forum. 

. 2023;183(6):589-596. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.1838

13. McDuff D, Schaekermann M, Tu T, et al. Towards accurate differential diagnosis with large language models. 

. Preprint posted online November 30, 2023. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2312.00164

14. Mollick E. Reshaping the tree: rebuilding organizations for AI. One Useful Thing. November 27, 2023. Accessed December 13, 2023.
https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/reshaping-the-tree-rebuilding-organizations

15. Dell’Acqua F, McFowland E, Mollick ER, et al. Navigating the jagged technological frontier: field experimental evidence of the effects of AI on knowledge worker productivity and quality. 

Harvard Business School Technology & Operations Mgt. Unit Working Paper No. 24-013

. September 27, 2023. doi:10.2139/ssrn.4573321

16. Peart N. Making work less stressful and more engaging for your employees. Harvard Business Review. November 5, 2019. Accessed December 13, 2023.
https://hbr.org/2019/11/making-work-less-stressful-and-more-engaging-for-your-employees

Veterinary hospitals all over the country are understaffed, overworked, and burned out. How is a chatbot going to save us?

AI vs burnout

Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Reflecting our dedication to superior veterinary education and emphasizing our overarching mission to broaden educational avenues for professionals across the US, we are excited to announce that the Fetch conference will be coming to Nashville, Tennessee, on May 17 and 18, 2024. The conference will take place at the Music City Center where attendees will have the opportunity to earn continuing education (CE) credits while interacting and networking with peers, friends, and faculty.

Fetch Nashville will consist of 2 full days of CE opportunities and will feature 2 keynote presentations from Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, owner of Animal Behavior Clinic, Portland, Oregon; and Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, FFCP-Elite, president at Marks DVM Consulting. On the first day, Pachel will discuss separation anxiety cases and available treatment options. Marks will present on the second day and explain how country songs made her a better veterinarian, as well as share general insights she has learned in this profession.

“I am immensely proud to witness the expansion of Fetch conferences to new horizons,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences. “This strategic move signifies a significant stride in our commitment to fulfilling promises and advancing excellence in veterinary education.”

For decades, Fetch conferences have been a cornerstone of the veterinary community, offering unparalleled CE experiences. Our innovative approach to veterinary education is designed to address current industry challenges and propel the veterinary community toward a future of continual growth. The Nashville conference highlights our commitment to expand CE offerings to new locations across the country. Through a curated blend of educational sessions, networking opportunities, and industry showcases, attendees and exhibitors can expect nothing short of excellence.

As an innovator in veterinary education, dvm360 has tailored its events to serve today’s veterinary professionals. “These conferences are more than just events; they’re dynamic platforms that empower us with the latest advancements, innovative solutions, and the camaraderie of a thriving veterinary community,” said Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, and chief veterinary officer at dvm360. “The expansion to a new location in Nashville is incredibly exciting, as it not only brings world-class education closer to professionals, but also opens doors to networking and collaboration in a vibrant setting.”

Veterinary professionals attending this conference can expect a program featuring, in addition to the keynote speakers, more than 120 workshops, immersive training sessions, and the opportunity to learn and network with like-minded peers and prominent faculty.

“We are proud to usher in a new chapter of growth and collaboration within the veterinary community,” said John Hydrusko, vice president at dvm360 and Fetch. “Our vision is clear—to create transformative moments for every attendee—and the exciting journey to Nashville is a significant milestone in fulfilling that vision.”

To learn more about the conference and to register, please visit our 

Be sure to join us May 17 and 18 for some catchy continuing education

Noteworthy news: Fetch conference is headed to Nashville

The 58th Super Bowl game and 20th Puppy Bowl event are coming soon! To celebrate, we've put together 3 pieces of content that touch on safety tips and news relating to these football festivities. Check out toxicology tips from Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, senior toxicologist for the Pet Poison Helpline, on our recent episode of 

and news about the largest Puppy Bowl yet.

 Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, senior toxicologist for the Pet Poison Helpline, sat down with, host, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to go over top toxins from Xylitol to THC, and how veterinary teams can educate their clients on keeping pets safe and healthy.

 usually include various finger foods and alcoholic drinks. While some of these may be more obvious hazards for pets, others could fall through the cracks of pet owners’ minds (and maybe even end up on the floor). Being mindful of these hazards can allow everyone in the family to feel safe and secure this Super Bowl Sunday.

 will premiere Sunday, February 11, 2024. This year will include a new feature: the Puppy Bowl Hall of Fame, which will have 4 previous puppy players return to the game.

Highlighting some news and safety tips in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl

3 must-reads for Super Bowl 58

I visited Camp Leakey, on the island of Borneo in Indonesia, in 2012—21 years after 

 there. The camp is in the middle of Tanjung Puting National Park, one of the best places to see orangutans. It was established in 1971 by Birute Galdikas under the supervision of the famous anthropologist Dr Lewis Leakey. The research performed there over the decades has rewritten our understanding of primates.

There was still a welcoming committee upon arrival in our klotok.

When I returned in 2012, Camp Leakey was no longer the dynamic place where primatologists from all over the world came to do research. In the 21 years since my first visit, the rainforest had changed, and not for the better. Motoring down the Sekonyer River hid the depth of the changes a short distance inland from the river’s edge.

Our 1991 luxury accommodations were no longer in use.

The camp was no longer housing volunteers in the basic quarters we had stayed in during our first visit. Most people now stayed in klotoks at the entrance to Camp Leakey and took day trips to the feeding platforms.

On the platform into camp, you can learn some conversational Indonesian with a macaque as your teacher.

There is a nice museum on the property that illustrates the fascinating history of Camp Leakey. The pictures on the wall over the decades of camp activities are interesting to look at and make the camp come to life for the people that now visit.

is the first description that comes to mind when these primates pretend they are not looking.

One thing that has not changed is how stealthy the orangutans are. While my group was walking on the dock to go into the camp, I noticed a female primate across the river scoping out another klotok that was emptying its passengers. I decided to let the group go ahead and see what she was up to.

We learned on our first trip in 1991 that they are watching everything. When we left camp one day, and even though we thought everything in our quarters was locked securely, we came back to clothes strewn throughout our quarters that were covered in various liquids like Pepto Bismol from our toilet kits.

Sure enough, she snuck onto the klotok, and within a few seconds she was running on the far bank with her pilfered pineapple. Watching the pineapple thief, it was good to see that some things never change.

The main attraction now at Camp Leakey is the feeding station. Visitors come to these stations to watch as the park rangers bring pineapples and bananas with milk to feed the orangutans (and sneaky gibbons). I will go over the action at the feeding platforms in a future article.

A wildlife photographer shares more of his story about working with orangutans in Borneo. 