Author: wsvma

30 November

Inslee announces statewide COVID-19 exposure notification tool

wsvma   |   COVID-19

Gov. Jay Inslee, along with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), today announced the launch of WA Notify, a simple, anonymous exposure notification tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. By adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19. WA Notify uses privacy-preserving technology jointly developed by Google and Apple and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data. WA...

Read More
30 November

Alert! Gov. Inslee issues directive to again restrict non-urgent or elective procedures

wsvma   |   COVID-19

It’s not a déjà vu. Gov. Jay Inslee has updated Proclamation 20-24.2 (this is the most recent update of Proclamation 20-24) and is again prohibiting all medical facilities, practices and practitioners from providing non-urgent health care procedures and surgeries unless specific procedures and criteria are met. The Governor updated the proclamation as a result of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases around the state. The proclamation goes into effect Thursday, December 3, 2020 in all Washington counties and shall remain in effect...

Read More
20 November

New report highlights growth, opportunities in veterinary profession

wsvma   |   Practice Management, Professional News

The AVMA’s annual Economic State of the Veterinary Profession report highlights strong growth and continued demographic shifts in the veterinary profession in 2019, along with the impact of COVID-19 and the economic challenges and opportunities for veterinarians moving forward. The report provides an essential measurement of the state of veterinary medicine and gives valuable insight on trends that affect veterinary professionals in all fields of focus. Key findings in the 2020 Economic State of the Veterinary Profession include: Starting salaries for new...

Read More
20 November

Recent Upticks in Equine Influenza and Pigeon Fever

wsvma   |   Animal Health

Noticeable upticks in the number of cases of Equine Influenza Virus and Pigeon Fever have been reported by private veterinarians to the Washington State Veterinarian’s Office in the past two months. You can find the full list of diseases that veterinarians are required to report by visiting the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s website and searching for ‘reportable diseases.’ Here are overviews of both diseases and steps that can be taken for prevention. Equine Influenza Virus (EIV)  There have been 23 cases...

Read More
20 November

In memoriam

wsvma   |   WSVMA News

Dr. Joseph Bergevin (WSU, ’60) passed away from natural causes on October 12 at his home in Shoreline. After graduation, he started his own equine medicine practice and in the mid-70’s he co-founded Woodinville Equine Hospital with the late Dr. Frank Merritt. Dr. Bergevin was an early pioneer of equine knee and ankle arthroscopic surgery and in 2002 received the Excellence in Veterinary Practice Award by Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He served on the WSVMA Program Committee...

Read More
20 November

This Week’s Helpful Links

wsvma   |   Uncategorized

How the new COVID surge could affect veterinary hospitals – AAHA NewStat Thinking About a Holiday Gathering? Look at This Troubling Map First – Wired More economic worries mean less caution about COVID‑19 – WSU Insider C. veterinarians blame COVID-19 pandemic for rise in kennel cough cases in dogs – Global News Pigeon Fever in Stevens County, Washington – EDCC Bovine Facial Identification Will Soon Be Available – KMAland Radio ‘MeowTalk,’ an app that translates cat sounds, developed by Seattle tech...

Read More
16 November

WSVMA advocates for veterinary professionals to be included in early distribution of eventual coronavirus vaccine

wsvma   |   COVID-19

Although there’s no approved Covid-19 vaccine at this time, Washington state now has a draft plan for a fast and effective distribution of a vaccine once it’s available. The plan calls for the first, likely limited phase of distribution to go to high-risk healthcare workers, first responders, other essential workers, people with health issues that put them at higher risk, and adults in long-term care. The second phase would go out more broadly to pharmacies, doctors’ offices and clinics. The WSVMA...

Read More
13 November

One simple change can have profound results

wsvma   |   Uncategorized

In January 2016 a task force, the Veterinary Task Force on Feline Sterilization for Age of Spay and Neuter Surgery, was convened to review issues surrounding the standard recommendation that ovariohysterectomy and castration of cats be delayed until cats are 6 months old or older. Resulting from the work of that task force was a document that recommended cats be sterilized before 5 months of age.1 The principal basis for this simple change from 6 months of age or older...

Read More
13 November

WSVMA COVID-19 Webinar – Managing Stress and Anxiety During A Pandemic

wsvma   |   Uncategorized

Join us Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 12pm for an important COVID-19 webinar Managing Stress and Anxiety During A Pandemic. Julie Squires, CCFS, CFC will be our guest speaker. Did you know our brains don’t know the difference between actual and perceived threats? 2020 has certainly given us some of both. Pandemic veterinary practice has alone created so much stress and anxiety not to mention the current state of the world around us. It’s a lot to handle. Learning how to self-regulate...

Read More
13 November

Participants needed for Washington study to examine COVID-19 transmission between humans and their companion animals.

wsvma   |   State Regulatory

The COVID-19 and Pets Study (CAPS) is recruiting participants for a study to sample companion animals of positive COVID-19 patients to learn more about the role animals play in the coronavirus outbreak. The University of Washington Center for One Health Research and Washington State University is conducting the pilot study of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their pets, in collaboration with the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Washington State University. What does the study involve? A one-time...

Read More