Professional News

14 January

Veterinary Shortage Areas Designated in Washington state

wsvma   |   Professional News

Are you having trouble finding a veterinarian to work on your livestock?  Is your veterinarian getting older and unable to find another veterinarian to provide service in your area? Has your veterinarian retired and closed the doors?  In the last year, the Washington State Veterinarian’s Office has been hearing increasing concerns about a shortage of food animal and livestock veterinarians in our state. In response, the State Vet’s Office successfully nominated for inclusion four veterinary shortage areas in our state, opening...

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14 January

Medically important antibiotics to move from OTC to Rx

wsvma   |   Professional News

By June 2023, all medically important antibiotics will require veterinary oversight to be used in animals, even if the animals are not intended for food production. Last June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finalized guidance for industry #263 (GFI 263) to outline the process for animal drug sponsors to change the approved marketing status of certain antimicrobial drugs from over-the-counter (OTC) to prescription (Rx). Examples of affected products include injectable penicillin and oxytetracycline. Though the guidance provides for a two-year implementation period, some products may...

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15 October

VMLRP: Shortage Area Nominations Due Now!

wsvma   |   Professional News

If you believe you are in a veterinary shortage area situation, contact the State Veterinarian to establish a nomination as soon as possible. Completed applications are due November 8. A national panel of animal health experts will evaluate the nomination to determine if the area can be designated as a shortage area. Each year approximately 190 shortage situations are approved across the United States with about 150 veterinarians applying for 60-70 available awards. If you are having trouble recruiting or retaining veterinarians in...

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10 September

Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program and Veterinary Services Grant Program

wsvma   |   Professional News

Washington has had very few applications for either the VMLRP or the VSGP in the last decade.  If you are having trouble recruiting or retaining veterinarians in your food animal practice or you need specialized equipment or support to expand services in a shortage area, consider these two grant opportunities. The VMLRP will pay up to $25,000 each year towards qualified educational loans of eligible veterinarians who agree to serve in a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation for a period of three...

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03 September

WSVMA extends member benefit for coaching, career counseling and support

wsvma   |   Professional News

The WSVMA is extending the personal- and professional support member benefit originally established last year to support WSVMA members in navigating COVID-19-related stressors. Dr. Carrie La Jeunesse, DVM, CT, CFE is offering discounted 50-minute coaching, career counseling, and personal/professional support sessions tailored to individual WSVMA members. Sessions are first come, first served. Discounted fees are on a sliding scale of $65 to $95 per hour. Individuals may choose the fee that best fits their current personal financial circumstances; that fee will...

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27 August

WA pharmacists advised on filling prescriptions for ivermectin

wsvma   |   COVID-19, Professional News

The Washington Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) sent out a communication to pharmacists this week with a reminder that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved ivermectin for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans and it has not been proven safe or effective for this indication. PQAC advised pharmacists receiving prescriptions for ivermectin for the treatment of prevention of COVID-19 should use their professional judgment in determining whether to fill them and if they have...

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27 August

State veterinarian retires, assistant state vet takes interim reins

wsvma   |   Professional News

For the past five years, Dr. Brian Joseph has served as the Washington State Veterinarian, an office within the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). Last Friday, he hung up his stethoscope and said hello to retirement, or rather his version of retirement. The agency will not be immediately replacing Dr. Joseph. Assistant state veterinarian Dr. Amber Itle will serve as the interim state veterinarian while the agency works on determining the best path forward in filling the position permanently. In retirement,...

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20 August

AVMA Summer House of Delegates – Washington Report

wsvma   |   Professional News

Greetings from the summer meeting of the AVMA House of Delegates (HOD).  The meeting was held in a hybrid format the last weekend of July in conjunction with the virtual AVMA Convention. It was a busy meeting, with many agenda items and elections taking place. The House of Delegates met over two days to discuss a total of nine resolutions and elect new AVMA officers, House of Delegates leadership, and new AVMA committee members. Dr. Lori Teller from Texas was elected...

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13 August

WSU College of Veterinary Medicine hosts White Coat Ceremony

wsvma   |   Professional News, Veterinary Medical Education

Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is hosting its annual White Coat Ceremony with a hybrid platform this year to welcome the Class of 2025. The event will be held in-person at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19, in Beasley Coliseum on the Pullman campus. The ceremony will also be live-streamed on the college’s YouTube channel. Unlike other veterinary colleges that provide white coats to students in their fourth year, WSU’s first-year veterinary students have received their clinical white coats at...

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06 August

Veterinarians recruiting dogs to help develop life‑saving test

wsvma   |   Animal Health, Professional News, Veterinary Medical Education

Washington State University veterinarians are recruiting dogs to help develop a life-saving canine drug metabolism test. The test could provide veterinarians with a quick-and-easy way to determine if a dog will have a potentially life-threatening reaction to anesthesia drugs or other drugs commonly prescribed to dogs. Dogs of all breeds and sizes, age 1-12, are eligible to participate in the Drugs Optimized by Genomics (D.O.G.) Study. Life-threatening unanticipated reactions to drugs are a common concern for dog owners and veterinarians. Like humans, all dogs are unique in...

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