Professional News

14 December

Emotional support animal’s owner forges local veterinarian’s name on airline form

wsvma   |   Professional News

With airlines tightening up regulations for emotional support animals, owners are proving willing to break the law in order to bring their pets with them. A Federal Way veterinarian was recently contacted by Spirit Airlines to verify her signature on a Veterinary Health Form. Only it wasn’t the veterinarian who had signed it. The owner of a marmoset and a poodle had forged the veterinarian’s name so her pets could accompany her on flights. Not only was the veterinarian’s name...

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21 September

WSU’s new WADDL facility to support animal and human health

wsvma   |   Professional News

Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine broke ground Saturday on a new facility for the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL), creating a new wing of the Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health. It marks a new era in diagnostic testing and disease surveillance, supporting public health and food security, animal health, and the success of thriving livestock industries. WADDL serves as a first alert system for both animal and human health. The new facility will allow WADDL to continue to serve as a critical resource for the state, region, and nation, ensuring that WSU remains an...

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07 September

Veterinary profession releases statement of support to protect, strengthen licensure requirements

wsvma   |   Professional News

he American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) and National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) have released a joint statement of support for licensing requirements. Together, these groups are working to standardize and improve licensure standards for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Licensing of veterinarians and veterinary technicians is vital to protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of the public and animal patients. For instance, licensure ensures veterinary...

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07 September

September is Suicide Awareness Month – #BeThe1to

wsvma   |   Professional News

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. All month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness. #BeThe1To is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s message for National Suicide Prevention Month and beyond, which helps spread the word about actions we can all take to prevent suicide. The Lifeline network and its partners are working to change the conversation from suicide to suicide prevention, to actions that can promote healing, help and give hope. Be the...

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24 August

Washington delegates’ AVMA report

wsvma   |   Professional News

Drs. Diana Thomé and Sandy Willis were pleased to represent Washington State AVMA members and the WSVMA at the AVMA House of Delegates meeting held July 12 and 13 in Denver. Over the past several years, the House of Delegates (HOD) has been an exciting place to be. The discussion is vibrant and interactive, decisions are made, policy established, and informational pieces made available to members and the public. Our work often begins with you. We represent your wishes and concerns in...

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24 August

Veterinarians will qualify for new income tax deduction

wsvma   |   Professional News

Veterinary small business owners will be able to take advantage of the new “pass-through” income tax deduction for the salaries they pay themselves, U.S. Treasury Department officials have told the AVMA. The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) last week released proposed regulations detailing how they plan to apply the deduction, which is available to sole proprietorships, partnerships, trusts and S-corporations under Section 199A of the tax code. The deduction was part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed by the...

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15 June

AVMA ambassador program links local veterinarians with federal legislators

wsvma   |   Professional News

WSVMA president Dr. Paul DeMaris along with WSVMA members Drs. Mike Bellinghausen, Jim McCutchan and Annie Norling met with Congresswoman Suzan DelBene on behalf of the AVMA Political Action Committee as part of the Association's new Ambassador Program designed to foster relationships between local veterinary leaders and their members of Congress. DelBene is Congresswoman from the 1st congressional district. They met to discuss various issues including the Veterinary Loan Repayment Program, the impact of tax cuts and the Jobs Act...

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04 May

This Week’s Helpful Links

wsvma   |   Professional News

Know your rights with sexual harassment – Seattle Times CDC says bug-borne illnesses on the rise – The Hill United Airlines Will Ban Dozens Of Dog, Cat Breeds In New Pet Guidelines - NPR Does your pooch really need Prozac? – Washington Post Not Only Can Horses Read Your Facial Expressions, They'll Hold It Against You Later – Science Alert Wolf-dog puppies face dim future as adults – Colorado Public Radio   Published May 4, 2018...

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13 April

Take the survey on pain management protocols – and help a veterinary student

wsvma   |   Professional News

Geoffrey Kraabel is entering his fourth year as a veterinary student at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He’s writing his senior paper on pain management protocols in small animal practice and has developed a brief survey that covers specific procedure protocols, alternate pain modalities, and frequency of drug usage in order to determine what is most commonly used in general small animal practice. The survey is all checkbox, and multiple choice, and should take less than 10 minutes to complete. Kraabel’s...

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09 March

New app available to help identify hazardous drugs

wsvma   |   Professional News

A new mobile app is available that may help veterinarians and veterinary employers enhance worker safety in handling dangerous drugs. The app is offered by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), a scientific, nonprofit organization that sets standards for the identity, strength, quality, and purity of medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements manufactured, distributed and consumed worldwide. It is available for $3.99 for Apple and Android devices. The goal of the app is to help healthcare workers – including veterinarians – safely handle hazardous drugs...

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