Vetfolio - Veterinary Practice Management And Continuing Education Podcasts

Communication with clients is fundamental to the success of a veterinary practice and is an important skill for every member of the team. From sharing a treatment plan to providing patient care updates to scheduling appointments to comforting concerned pet owners, effective communication is essential. Yet “real world” client communication — learning to talk to, listen to and communicate with pet owners — differs from what veterinary professionals are taught and what they experience in school. In this VetFolio Voice podcast episode, Dr. Cassi chats with Taylor McCormick as they address the importance of ensuring pet owners feel heard and understood. They delve into ways to help make sure clients are listening and understanding, as well as discuss challenging communication situations and how to navigate them. Tune in and discover how to become more effective at client communication while having fun interacting with clients and pets.

The Client Service Representative, or CSR, is often the first contact clients (and their pets) have with the veterinary team, and they can make the difference between a thriving practice and one that struggles to be successful. In this VetFolio Voice podcast episode, Dr. Cassi hosts Robin Brogdon, president of VetPartners, who addresses the challenges facing team members in this critical role. They delve into how the CSR can nurture client relationships to make those interactions positive ones, which in turn will lead to increased job satisfaction and enjoyment.

Despite being routinely diagnosed, chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats can be challenging to manage, and CKD is a common cause of mortality in middle-aged and geriatric cats. In this VetFolio Voice podcast episode, Dr. Cassi chats with Dr. Mark Acierno about appropriate diets for these patients, including a discussion on some of the research that points to the importance of feeding the appropriate diet. They delve into uremic toxins and how changes within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in patients with CKD increase the production of uremic toxins, along with their opportunity to further damage the kidneys. You’ll get tips on how to reduce uremic toxins, including supporting the microbiome and moving ingesta through the gut faster. One product that veterinarians will want to add to their toolbox, Dr. Acierno says, is AST-120 (Porus One), an oral adsorbent, which reduces GI uptake of key uremic toxins. Want to earn CE from this episode? Be sure to log into VetFolio and take the quiz to qualify for your CE cr

When veterinary technicians achieve certification from an approved academy, they earn the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) or Veterinary Nurse Specialist (VNS) designation in a specific specialty area of certification. This certification gives them the tools to bring advanced expertise to their practices, clinics or hospitals. In this VetFolio Voice podcast episode, Dr. Cassi hosts Amanda Eick Schwarzwalder, who explains what it takes to earn a VTS designation in Veterinary Behavior. She also provides useful tips for keeping cats calm and comfortable, addresses common owner concerns, and offers insights for how general practitioners can talk to owners about inter-dog or human-directed aggression from dogs. Tune in for an overview of what's involved in becoming an expert in behavior and get practical tips you can use in your everyday practice.

Management of the diabetic patient can be a delicate balance of watching the numbers and considering the patient attached to the numbers. Evaluating factors like body weight, appetite and water consumption in conjunction with monitoring blood glucose is the key to effectively managing diabetic patients and avoiding overmanagement. In this episode of VetFolio Voice, Dr. Cassi chats with Dr. Nyssa Reine-Salz about the nuances of managing diabetic patients and considerations for patients who do not regulate as expected.

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious and devastating virus that can affect all dogs, but unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than 4 months old are the most at risk, resulting in a fatality rate greater than 90% if left untreated. In this episode of the VetFolio Voice podcast, Dr. Cassi and Dr. Fred Metzger discuss updates for the management of canine parvovirus. While vaccination can help prevent CPV, there have been no antiviral treatment options for dogs that become infected — until now. Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody (CPMA) is the first and only USDA-conditionally approved, one-dose parvovirus treatment. This exciting option could help to minimize the severity and course of the disease and decrease shedding of CPV. Dr. Metzger stresses the importance of client communication, especially when parvovirus is suspected in their pets. He explains how CPMA can be utilized as part of the treatment plan, and how it is administered, works, and positively impacts case outcomes, team morale and clie

Managing a patient's stress through nutrition can be challenging but rewarding. In this episode of the VetFolio Voice podcast, Dr. Cassi chats with Amy Pike, DVM, DACVB, IAABC-CDBC, about the key nutritional management strategies to keep in mind when you are faced with a patient showing signs of stress. Dr. Pike explores the social and environmental triggers that can lead to a pet's anxiety, addresses how to manage stress with nutrition, and gives invaluable tips on how to transition these patients to therapeutic nutrition.

Henry Ford built an affordable and reliable mass-produced car. Marie Curie discovered radium, which led to the development of using X-rays in medicine. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built a portable computer that everyone could use. What do these gifted innovators and inventors have in common? They found a way to make the world a better place with game-changing solutions to complex problems. In this VetFolio Voice podcast edition, Dr. Cassi chats with Dr. Aaron Massecar, executive director of the Veterinary Innovation Council (VIC), about the importance of assessing both challenges and trends in the veterinary industry, as well as the significant role that innovation and entrepreneurship have in improving the lives of veterinary professionals and animals. They delve into some of the significant issues and trends affecting the veterinary industry, including workforce shortage, artificial intelligence and telemedicine. You’ll also learn about the Veterinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate course — an

Many veterinary professionals report feeling severe psychological distress and burnout, but what does that have to do with the famous tagline for Star Trek, “to boldly go where no one has gone before”? In this episode of the VetFolio Voice podcast, Dr. Cassi probes Dr. Ivan Zak’s journey to explore and overcome burnout, earn an MBA, publish multiple studies examining burnout in veterinary medicine, and create systems to improve veterinary workflows. Dr. Zak’s mission led him to launch Galaxy Vets, a veterinary healthcare system co-owned by its employees. Listen in as Dr. Zak describes the organization’s approach to employee satisfaction, employee ownership and bottom-up management techniques.

Lymphoma is one of the most common forms of cancer and it can be tricky to diagnose and manage. Join Dr. Cassi and Dr. Jeffrey Bryan as they discuss when you should be suspicious of lymphoma, how to diagnose and stage it and what's coming down the pipeline for treatment and management of lymphoma.

Specialists have an essential role in veterinary medicine by ensuring the best possible health care for patients, in a variety of disciplines, including internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, preventive medicine, toxicology, dentistry, behavior and pathology. In this episode of VetFolio Voice, Dr. Cassi chats with Dr. Myles McKenna about the ability of the Zoetis Virtual Laboratory to deliver individualized care in a timely manner and how specialist support can elevate care through one centralized platform. Discover how “specialist support that elevates care” is not just a slogan at Zoetis.

Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult covers 845 specific disorders in dogs and cats. It is designed to be a comprehensive and timely reference on canine and feline medicine and provides fast access to key information on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions that veterinarians encounter in practice. In this edition of the VetFolio Voice podcast, Dr. Cassi hosts Larry Tilley, one of the editors of this invaluable reference. Listen in as they chat about how the book came to be an important support for thousands of veterinarians, and how it’s now available digitally for access wherever and whenever vets need it.

When Ben Franklin famously said that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” he could have been referring to preventive dental care in dogs and cats. In this episode of VetFolio Voice, Dr. Cassi chats with Dr. Jan Bellows, a multi-board certified veterinary dental specialist. They discuss preventive dental care, including how to obtain the VOHC seal of acceptance, different products for preventative home dental care, and Dr. Bellows’ “Elegant Extraction” technique. Earn CE while getting Dr. Bellows’ tips and tricks for the extraction technique, making dental blocks successful and navigating some common complications, all of which help ensure efficient extraction, decreased pain and surgical trauma for the patient, and decreased stress for the practitioner and patient. Want to earn CE from this episode? Be sure to log into VetFolio and take the quiz to qualify for your CE credit! https://www.vetfolio.com/courses/how-to-elegantly-extract-teeth-yes-even-those-teeth-podcast-quiz

Osteoarthritis (OA) in pets have reportedly been on the rise for years. How can veterinary professionals reverse the trend and achieve a better outcome for their patients? In this VetFolio Voice podcast episode, Dr. Cassi chats with Dr. Davis Dycus about the pathophysiology of OA, objective scoring measures for evaluating OA in a patient, important client communication points from predisposition and early diagnosis to progressive or severe OA, and effective strategies for maintaining joint health and managing flare-ups in affected patients.

VMX 2023 was the largest conference and expo in the NAVC’s history. Thousands of veterinary professionals from all over the world came to Orlando, Florida, to learn, network and have fun. It was the perfect opportunity for our staff veterinary technician, Sam Sacasa, to be on the Expo Hall floor and talk to her peers. In this edition of the VetFolio Voice podcast, join Sam as she gathers unique and thoughtful perspectives on important topics affecting veterinary technicians today.

Your days in the clinic can be chaotic, messy and just plain hard. On top of that, your professional identity has become intertwined with your personal one, affecting your well-being. Sometimes, nothing in the clinic goes according to plan, leaving you overwhelmed. But before you leap to the conclusion that this episode of the VetFolio Voice podcast is yet another gloomy and pessimistic look at the veterinary profession, we’d like to introduce you to our fun-loving and optimistic guest, Kelsey Beth Carpenter (her LinkedIn profile: “Registered Veterinary Technician with a side of music and humor!”). Kelsey totally gets the challenges, but she has found a way to embrace her career in VetMed, accept the unpredictable, become empowered through her creative side, and remain positive in the face of challenges and uncertainty. Kelsey’s dream for veterinary professionals is that they find happiness in their career. Don’t miss this fun, compassionate and inspiring episode! It might just be the “medicine” you need in y

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a cat can be difficult for the veterinary practitioner to treat, and for the pet owner, it is a disease that requires day-to-day management. One of CKD’s complications, nonregenerative anemia, often contributes to the death or euthanasia of an affected cat. In this VetFolio Voice podcast episode, Dr. Shelly Vaden joins host Dr. Cassi in a discussion about the first drug for the control of nonregenerative anemia associated with CKD in cats, Varenzin-CA1 (molidustat oral suspension). Learn about what this novel drug does, how it is used, and how to monitor the patient during its administration.

New Treatment for Canine OA In this VetFolio Voice podcast, Dr. Cassi chats with Dr. Tamara Grubb about a new species-specific monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA to control osteoarthritis pain in dogs.

Dry eye — keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) — is an ocular condition commonly diagnosed in dogs and can become a very uncomfortable and painful condition for the patient. Tune in to this episode of VetFolio Voice as Dr. Cassi hosts two board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists to chat about the different types of dry eye and how to identify them, as well as discuss the available treatment options. The good news: For the majority of affected patients, the prognosis for long-term comfort and maintenance of vision can be excellent. Want to earn CE from this episode? Be sure to log into VetFolio and take the quiz to qualify for your CE credit! https://www.vetfolio.com/courses/dry-eye-in-dogs-types-and-treatments-podcast-quiz

Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for pets with urinary tract infections (UTIs), but antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a real-life dilemma that presents a One Health challenge to veterinary clinicians. VetFolio Voice podcast host Dr. Cassi discusses the latest guidelines for treating UTIs in small animal patients and important pharmacological concepts for antibiotics with Dr. Natalie Young, who is board certified through the Board of Pharmacy Specialists in sterile compounding. They address the dangers posed by antimicrobial resistance and the “catch-22” circumstance veterinarians face as they balance their “gut checks” versus their desire to be good antimicrobial stewards.