Gene O'Neill, CEO of the North American Veterinary Community discusses NAVC Gives, a program that honors community members who work to benefit animals.

NAVC Gives honors community members who benefit animals

Gene O’Neill, CEO of the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), discussed the new NAVC Gives program and its mission, in an interview with 

. The program was highlighted with an award presentation during the 

The following is a transcript of the interview:

: NAVC Gives is another way that NAVC gives back to the community. It's a recognition program that can more than just applauding things that happen around the country [and] around the world that benefit animals. Now we can help support that with a financial incentive. So, it's a nominating process. And at this [VMX] event, this year, we'll announce our inaugural winner for the NAVC Gives, and it's backed by a $1 million investment that NAVC puts up. So, we're going to shine the light on things that you would never hear about in your day-to-day activities or read about. These are things that we want to elevate and to inspire people who think that their jobs are going unnoticed or unrecognized. This is a way that we can give back to them a little bit and help fund their mission to continue on doing the work that they're doing.

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Gene O'Neill, CEO of the North American Veterinary Community discusses NAVC Gives, a program that recognizes community members and supports the work they're doing with a financial reward. 

The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) announced during its Awards Night at the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida, that Pet Peace of Mind won the NAVC Gives Marquee Award. Additionally, The Inner Pup was named the NAVC Gives Honoree.

Pet Peace of Mind is a national nonprofit based in Salem, Oregon, that helps those entering hospice care keep their pets throughout their end-of-life journey and then find the pets new homes after their owner has passed away. The services are at no cost to patients and in some cases, it will even cover the cost of veterinary care for the pet. The volunteers working with Pet Peace of Mind are trained to provide in-home pet care when the patient needs assistance caring for their pet and then find the pet a new loving home. As the winning company, Pet Peace of Mind will receive a $25,000 reward.

“Pet Peace of Mind is honored and humbled to be recognized as the first recipient of this prestigious award,” said Dianne McGill, Pet Peace of Mind, in an NAVC release. “This gift will fund the program launch for 10 new hospices which will continue to serve patients and their pets in perpetuity. I have the deepest gratitude for the caring hearts behind the formation of this compassionate initiative.”

NAVC also honored The Inner Pup as its NAVC Gives Honoree award recipient. The Inner Pup is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based nonprofit that is combating heartworm disease, which is prevalent in dogs that are owned by low-income families within the city's community.

 The nonprofit offers access to veterinary care for underserved groups to help make sure pet health is not dictated by the owner’s income.

“Collaboration in the veterinary community is essential to face some of our most pressing challenges,” said Gene O'Neill, CEO of NAVC, in the release. “The Inner Pup, a 2024 NAVC Gives award recipient, demonstrates that with its approach in the New Orleans community. The Inner Pup offers a model on how effective partnership can help address barriers to care for underrepresented groups, bolster education among pet owners, and promote animal welfare.”

NAVC Gives was founded in 2023 and is a board-directed award program that has been funded by a $1 million commitment from the NAVC. The program recognizes and supports individuals, groups, and organizations across the globe that are striving to make a difference in the lives of veterinary professionals and the pets they care for. NAVC Gives recognizes accomplishments and notable achievements from nominations year-round and selects winners based on merit and impact of the application. NAVC Gives plans to give out multiple awards each year and applications can be submitted throughout the year as well.

“NAVC Gives is another way that NAVC gives back to the community. It’s a recognition program that we can [do] more than just applauding things that happen around the country [or] around the world that benefit animals. Now we can help support that with a financial incentive,” O’Neil told 

 in an exclusive interview. “it is backed by a million-dollar investment that NAVC puts. We are shining the light on things that you would never hear about in your day to day activities or read about.”

“These [are] things that we want to elevate and inspire people who think that their jobs are going unnoticed or unrecognized. This is a way that we can give back to them a little bit and help fund their mission to continue on doing the work that they’re doing,” O’Neil concluded.

NAVC Announces Pet Peace of Mind as the 2024 NAVC Gives Marquee Award Recipient. News release. The North American Veterinary Community. January 16, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2023.

Articles

The national nonprofit was awarded $25,000 and honored during the 2024 Veterinary Meeting & Expo. 

Pet Peace of Mind wins inaugural NAVC Gives Marquee Award 

Learn about risk factors, client communication, and treatment options now available for pancreatitis

Quick tips on understanding and treating pancreatitis

Jörg M. Steiner, Med Vet, Dr Med Vet, PhD, DACVIM-SAIM, DECVIM-CA, AGAF sat down with 

 in a video interview and explained how most cases of pancreatitis are idiopathic, however some things could attribute to the development of this disease and it's important to speak to owners about certain feeding habits that can negatively affect their health. Steiner also discussed a new treatment option for acute pancreatitis in dogs that has been conditionally approved by the FDA.

The following is a partial transcript of the video.

Jörg M. Steiner, Med Vet, Dr Med Vet, PhD, DACVIM-SAIM, DECVIM-CA, AGAF:

 The truth of [the] matter is that over 90% of pancreatitis in dogs and cats is actually idiopathic. So we don't really know what the underlying causes [are]. There's a variety of things that are considered risk factors: hypertriglyceridemia, high-fat diets, hypercalcemia, car accidents, surgical trauma, hypovolemia, etc.

As an educational tool, make sure [owners] understand that feeding their dog a really high-fat treat, and a lot of it (like on Thanksgiving and Christmas), it has risks associated with it.

Emmitt Nantz presents Inventory Ally, an inventory management software program, to judges during the 2024 VMX Pet Pitch Competition in Orlando, Florida. 

An inventory management company has been named the winner of the 2024 VMX Pet Pitch Competition. Inventory Ally created a software program to optimize inventory costs, reduce shortages, and decrease time spent on managing inventory, and presented it to judges at the annual 

“It solves a major problem,” said Emmitt Nantz, MBA, cofounder and visionary of Inventory Ally. “A lot of [veterinary practice] professionals are tired. They’re getting a little bit burnt out because they don’t get to live that profession, and in part it’s because we have a lot of manual processes and systems that distract from delivering the excellent care and service they signed up for.”

A subscription-based service with an interface that’s easy to navigate, Inventory Ally can be used on a computer or mobile device as it helps practices streamline the ordering and inventory process. It also optimizes inventory and helps reduce costs by focusing on replenishment cycles. Users of the program have reported a 73% reduction in stockouts, 2 fewer days per week placing orders, and 1.7 hours less managing stock, according to Inventory Ally.

“Inventory management doesn’t have to be complicated,” Nantz said, in an interview with 

, “PIMs [product information management system] is not the answer because it uses transactional data that’s incomplete and inaccurate. We’ve got a better solution. It can be easy. Stop doing what you’re doing because it doesn’t solve the problem.”

In its 7th year, the VMX Pet Pitch Competition is a 

-style program that has 3 finalists presenting their pitches to judges at the annual VMX event. The competition aims to provide new companies with the opportunity to introduce their products, services and solutions to thousands of veterinary professionals and practice decision-makers, according to a news release from North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), which hosts VMX.

Cindy Trice, DVM, right, presents a award plaque to VMX Pet Pitch Competition winner Emmitt Nantz of Inventory Ally. 

Following a period of deliberation, the judges panel make a live announcement declaring the winner. Cindy Trice, DVM, a member of the NAVC board of directors, announced this year’s winner.

“All of the pitches were really strong. We loved them. The reason we ended up deciding on Inventory Ally is that there’s a strong market for it, and there is a great economic and time savings for the clinic,” she told the audience.

Addressing Nantz, Trice added, “Your team is strong. You have a unique solution for the problem. We really appreciate you pitching.”

According to Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC, past winners of the VMX Pet Pitch Competition have gone on to lead successful business that are impacting the veterinary industry. “The VMX Pet Pitch Competition is more than a friendly contest. It gives inspired minds and entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring their inventive ideas to life, network with global leaders in the animal health care industry and receive mentorship and critical feedback necessary to position them for success and help accelerate their ideas into a thriving business,” said Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC, in the release.

 “The NAVC is thrilled to support these startup companies and help raise visibility for their exciting new products and creative solutions that will help our veterinary professionals deliver even better health care to animals.”

Selected from a pool of 60 startup companies, the finalists also included Radimal, a veterinary radiology service that relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to provide quick and accurate assessments and specialist consultations for veterinary X-rays; and Scribenote, a digital documentation tool that allows veterinarians to dictate hours of appointment notes within minutes, thanks to AI.

 “We appreciate all the pitches,” said Trice.

In addition to their turns on the competition stage, the 3 finalists are exhibiting their innovations in the VMX Startup Circle, in the exhibition hall, along with products from other companies that entered the competition. As the winner, Inventory Ally is also receiving $5000, a membership to Purina’s Pet Care Innovation Network (PCIN), and an invitation to the PCIN annual Innovation Summit in St Louis, Missouri.

VMX Pet Pitch Competition. Presented at: Veterinary Meeting & Expo; January 13-17, 2024. Orlando, FL.

See how Inventory Ally works. Inventory Ally. Accessed January 15, 2024. 

NAVC announces VMX 2024 Pet Pitch Competition finalists. News release. North American Veterinary Community. January 3, 2024.

Inventory Ally was 1 of 3 finalists selected from the 60 startup companies competing in the annual Shark Tank-style program.

Inventory management program named winner of the 2024 Pet Pitch Competition

The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) honored the recipients for its 2023 Vetty Awards during the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida.

 The international awards honor marketing excellence within the animal health industry.

“We're thrilled to bits to be here. We're not a large company. We're from the UK. We really feel that we've made an impact now over this side of the pond against some really big hitters. So we're absolutely delighted,” expressed Annie Mankin, COO of Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging.

 this year’s award winners demonstrated the best in advertising, design, digital, educational materials, events, promotions, and more to promote the industry and keep pets healthy and happy. Agencies, nonprofits, and project organizations were invited to submit projects for consideration and the NAVC received submissions from pet pharmaceuticals, diagnostic equipment, goods, professional associations, advocacy groups, and more.

Once submissions closed, each of the entries was reviewed by a panel of judges made up of leaders within the creative marketing field.

"We are proud of the amazing work that those in marketing and advertising are accomplishing in the animal health care industry. This year's entries proved beyond excellent, showcasing many of the advancements in animal medicine, a deeper understanding of the animal health audience, developments in technology, and memorable creative campaigns," said 

, chief executive officer, NAVC. "The VETTY Awards® entrants play an important role in helping animals everywhere live longer, better quality lives."

: For the category of New Product/Program or Service Launch, "Zoetis Diagnostics Look Deeper Campaign to Launch the Virtual Laboratory" which was launched by Zoetis and FWD People

: For the category of In-Clinic Merchandise, Promotional/Advertising, "Doc's Little Free Library" by Old Ridge Veterinary Hospital.

: For the category Large Animal Digital, "Equine Lifetime of Care Lookbook" by Synchrony and Stephens & Associates.

: For the category new Product/Program or Service Launch, "Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging" by Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging and BrandTall Communications.

“We won the award [Best in Show (Nonprofit) Award] for our campaign on Docs Little Free Library, a campaign to engage the computer community and give books away to our neighbors and start a little free library and it's working. It's weird to call it a marketing campaign because I've always thought of it more as like a life's mission to give books away but it works,” said William Tancredi, DVM.

For the category In-Clinic Consumer Awareness Campaign, "2023 OraVet Dental Health Month Dispensing Kit" by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. and Shepherd Agency.

For the category Campaign – B2B/Trade, "Merck Animal Health BRAVECTO® & SENTINEL® Unlock Better Protection Integrated Campaign" by Merck Animal Health and Circa Healthcare.

For the category Campaign – Consumer, "The Galaxy's Best Pet Insurance" Campaign by Pumpkin & Marvel Studios Partnerships and Pumpkin, Marvel Studios Partnerships & The Hive.

The Vetty Awards were first introduced in 2017 to recognize and reward marketing that helps the rapidly growing animal health industry continue to grow. A full list of the winners for 2023 is available on The Vetty Awards website.

The grand prize winners were recognized on stage during Awards Nights prior to the end of the night entertainment featuring country singer Tyler Hubbard.

Awards Night. Presented at: VMX; Orlando, FL. January 13, 2024.

2023 VETTY Awards® Recognizes Marketing Excellence in Animal Health Care Worldwide. News release. North American Veterinary Community.January 11, 2024. Accessed January 15, 2024.

The awards honor animal health marketing companies for their industry contributions

VMX honors 2023 Vetty Award recipients 

Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, discusses the importance of keeping pets safe from human pharmaceuticals.

Keeping pets safe from harmful pharmaceuticals

Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, senior veterinary toxicologist and director, veterinary medicine for Pet Poison Helpline, spoke about the most common pet toxins, including human pharmaceuticals, during a talk at the Veterinary Meeting & Expo in Orlando, Florida, and in an interview with 

. She also advised veterinarians on educating their clients about how to keep pharmaceuticals being kept in the house out of harm's way for pets.

: Chocolate is typically the most common toxin that we see every year. And then we can see Xylitol, lilies in cats, ibuprofen, and then the main rodenticides, including bromethalin, cholecalciferol, and the anticoagulants.

Veterinarians can help educate the pet owners and their clients as to keeping medications out of reach. So, keeping them up high, well out of the way of an animal that could maybe be counter surfing. I always call them 

 that likes to get up onto the table or the countertop and drop medication onto the floor for the dogs to get into, but [safety is] also taking the medication to a different place that the animal can’t get into. And then keeping that medication separate. If they have human medication and pet medication, making sure they're not storing them in the same place, where they may mistakenly give the wrong medication to their pet.

Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, spoke about the most common pet toxins, including human pharmaceuticals, during a talk at the Veterinary Meeting & Expo in Orlando, Florida, and with dvm360.