I must say I am skeptical about the statistics mentioned, if not frankly appalled. You say the majority of new vets are women, that they graduate with humongous debt, and that many leave the profession to start families. This does not compute. If they leave, who pays off the debt? Their husbands? Would many people really go through all of that hard work and study just to leave? And the same used to be said about female MD's, and was not true. It is not true about female attorneys, engineers, MBA's, college professors, clinical psychologists, etc. I am not even female and my hackles rise at this. Please supply verifiable stats about this to make me believe it, as I really do not want to.

As to what vets should learn: everything, whatever is interesting, as I believe no knowledge is ultimately wasted.

Very best wishes for the new year.

A few years ago, Colorado State University had an entering veterinary class that was 100% FEMALE. While the 2010 numbers from AVMA reflect that current females comprise 55.8% of companion animal (exclusive) as compared to 44.2% men, this number doesn't reflect the current classes which are >70% female.

Type of practice: # of vets Male Female
Companion animal exclusive 41381 44.2% 55.8%

The difference with female MDs is they make on average at least 2X more than veterinarians, so may be able to pay their debt off faster. I know veterinarians (that were classmates) that are still paying off their loans 15 years later. It's a labor of love.

Google it and you'll find this information elsewhere.

Sorry about the garbling from the computer but here is what I attempted to send a few days ago.

Exactly
br>
This is a labor of love, truly.  Perhaps this is why I have alm=
ost never met a vet I didn't like, though I have met more than a few MD's w=
ho are arrogant, smug, conservative buttholes.  As an animal lover I f=
eel an instinctive bond with those others who also love animals.   I t=
hink some alternative method of financing is imperative.  I am one of =
those who believe healthcare is a right.  I even dare to suggest that =
this right should be extended to animal care.  Within reason of course=
.  I am not suggesting publicly funded MRI scans for elderly cats with=
cancer, or shock therapy for depressed dogs or horses.  This could ev=
en be extended to farm animals.  After all, we subsidize the industry =
in so many ways already.  Given the economy this is not the best time,=
perhaps, to propose such things, but we can dream.  Not only do many =
people have to make tough decisions in care of their animals, they must do =
it for themselves, or insurance companies make the tough decisions for them=
.  A broken system.  The only statement of yours that I question =
is the number of female vets leaving to have families.  Thank you for =
all of your work.

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-cover-stories/women-in-veterinary-mehttp://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-cover-stories/women-in-veterinary-medicine.aspxdicine.aspx

I wish that everyone could take lessons from the clinic I use regarding - well - everything!

The clinic is always spotless. The staff is always in uniform including the front desk. Everyone is warm and friendly. The waiting area is large enough that cat people can sit on one side and dog people can sit on the other. The doctors, techs and assistants are knowledgeable and caring. Calls are always returned. Everyone goes the extra mile for the critters.

If clients aren't happy, they won't come back. And if clients don't come back, the business suffers.

I wish that veterinarians were more informed about feline diabetes: specifically that the use of a glargine insulin, combined with grain free canned/raw food and home-testing leads to remission in 80% of all cats.

Amen. I couldn't agree more. I do think the new movement of veterinarians is to feed a higher protein diet (especially canned) - this is highly touted by those who understand feline nutrition!

I also wish that ALL veterinarians vaccinated animals in the LOWER leg as the guidelines from the AVMA state. My cat suffered VAS in the scruff area because my careless ex-vet vaccinated her there. Had she been vaccinated in the lower leg, amputation would have been possible, thus giving her a better chance at survival.

Heartbreaking, and so sorry to hear this. That's honestly one of the reasons why I published "It's a Dog's Life... but It's Your Carpet" and "It's a Cat's World... You Just Live In It." I wanted pet owners to be more aggressive advocates for their own pets. Demand it of your veterinarian, and if they disagree with vaccinating according to current recommendations (AAFP, AAHA, AVMA), then find a new vet!

My Maggie was diagnosed in February with Addison's Disease. It has been quite a year and I will say she is doing spectacularly.
There are a few things that I wish a vet would know.
1 -Warning signs to diseases that aren't the "every day" Sometimes the hoof beats really are a Zebra.
2 - Read the dosage labels on drugs like Percorten (my girl was overdosed at the ER. He owned the mistake once my vet pointed it out but we lived with the consequences for weeks. I actually like the guy and would go back there because of the way he handled the error) And then read it again to know that only the first dose is administered by weight.
3 - Listen to the owner. We research diagnosis and we live with your patients.
I love our vet - but that is who she is. OUR vet. It has to be a partnership of sorts to reach the best outcome.
I am Maggie's voice. I hope and feel that younger vets respect that.
Thanks for asking what we think.
Cathy Donohoue
Cincinnati, Ohio

Again, I agree. Please always be your pet's voice and advocate! Don't worry if it offends said vet - if so, find a new one. :)

I'm struck by how many of the topics you list have to do with practice management. Now I'm not opposed to that - I run a consulting practice, and some of what I need to learn about is business/practice management. But I also need continuing education in content topic areas in my field, and I don't see anything of that listed. So some of my current issues are:

- Use of complementary medicine approaches as adjuncts to "traditional" Western veterinary care approaches.
- What's up with Canine Flu, which seems to be making a comeback.
- What's the latest on resistance to heartworm preventives? What does that mean for what advice should be given pet owners?
- Reproductive care advances and techniques - rarely covered much in vet school, and there is a real dearth of skilled and experienced repro care specialists to serve reputable breeders.
- Differential diagnosis for hard to diagnose/hard to confirm diseases, like leptospirosis.
- Updating vaccine protocols - how to help owners understand their choices, the consequences of those choices, and the more recent AAHA recommendations in their past two vaccine recommendation reports. My vet, as wonderful as they are, still have the recommendations from 2006 posted on their office walls. Planning on working with them on that in the new year ;)

Have a great conference. Hope everyone learns a lot.

Great points. I'd say in general, theriogenology is not a topic most vets know well (as we spay and neuter), and it's best to find a specialist or well-versed vet in this area! Will forward all these great points on as we create the next few years of CE!

I would like my veterinarian to learn more about dog behavior and nutrition. I am lucky that my vet listens to me when I tell her that my dog is not behaving normally - but it would help if she knew more about specific behavior issues so that she can be better prepared to advise me how to handle these situations.

The one area where I disagree with my vet is nutrition. She has the opinion that higher quality food is unnecessary and is against raw or home cooked diets. I think that high quality food is important (not to mention helpful with my gang's anal glad issues). I feed them a grain free kibble supplemented with occasional raw food - both of which have been scientifically substantiated through AAFCO feeding trials (I am not comfortable making my own raw/home cooked food). Unfortunately this means that any time I call or bring one of them in with occasional stomach issues like diarrhea it is usually blamed on their diet...

One other area that I would love for my vet to learn is how to make their exam room areas more comfortable for pets. My vet keeps their exam rooms spotlessly clean - but this time of year the room is usually cold. I have two dogs that are shy and the cold floor is uncomfortable. I usually try to bring a blanket for them but it would be nice if there was an area in the exam room that had padding that is easy to clean but more comfortable for pets to sit on. It would also be great if pets who are brough in for routine exams/vaccinations could be examined in a room that had more comfortable furniture - and without the cold steel table. I think it would make the pets more comfortable - and less nervous.

1. Don't start out with an array of syringes ready to vaccinate for God knows what.
2. Don't tout worthless kibble crap just because it's name is Science Diet.
3. If you must take my dog out of the examining room (like, to weigh the dog or to perform an ultrasound) and I say that I don't want the dog out of my sight, don't act like a tyrant and refuse to permit me to follow you and MY dog.
4. Be receptive to veterinary information I may have to offer you about my dog's breed's idiosyncrasies, like idiopathic asymptomatic thrombocytopenia in the cavalier King Charles spaniels, which maybe 5% of vets know anything about and the rest assume that a low platelet count means the dog is near death.
5. Recognize that the dog's owner just might know more about his breed's genetic health issues than you do, so don't make this visit a matter of ego-pride.

Word. Although I'd have to say most vets know about Cavs and platelets (I hope)...

And I couldn't agree more about kibble!

I want my vet and all new vets to learn more about Addison Disease and new trends in treatment. My dog was diagnosed with Addison Disease in 2010 and the meds went unchanged for 6 months because neither I nor my vet educated each other on the fact that only the initial treatment is based on the dogs weight and all subsequent treatment should be based on electrolytes. My excuse is that I am a lawyer and not a vet but my vet’s excuse is that he only has 3 other dogs in his practice with Addison’s. My vet is now learning more about Addison’s but I hope new vets and other seasoned vets do as much as they can to become educated on the diagnosis and treatment for Addison Disease.
In addition, I am not crazy about any vaccines but one thing that gets me nuts is a vet that wants to vaccinate dogs that have a disease. ANY DISEASE!!!! My dog’s Addison Disease is properly managed but last I checked, it is still a disease and thus the vaccine should not be administered. I want vets to become better educated on the issue of vaccines. Every vaccine label that I have ever read indicates that it is to be administered to healthy animals or uncompromised animals only.

I'm embarrassed that Addison's is a repeat theme here. This is one of my favorite diseases, as it's "fun" to diagnosis in the emergency room (they respond really well to therapy). Since I work in a specialty clinic, I get a warped view of what vets see in general day practice. I'll make sure a lecture on Addison's disease is emphasized at the conference!

1. Don't hit me with a sales pitch at every visit.
2. Don't get too comfortable depending on loyal customers and trading on good will.
3. Keep your practice manager in check.
4. Don't roll your eyes or sigh when I say : " I read" or "I think" because I do read and do think.
5. Don't talk to me like I sat next to you in class at vet school.
6. Don't think that you aren't appreciated even if I disagree with something you say, question something you say or attempt to sell, etc.
7. Recognize that what is an every day occurrence for you isn't for me.
8. Communicate ! Go against that introverted nature . Most clients don't bite.
9. Spruce up your waiting area.
10. Don't think you aren't appreciated because your salary doesn't measure up to salaries of medical doctors.

Wow. Spot on. Hopefully more veterinarians will read this! I totally agree with you here!

Stop pushing "annual" vaccines -- the public is becoming more educated to the dangers of over vaccination.
Stop pushing vaccines on sick dogs or giving 5 or 6 vaccines all at once! Push wellness which includes nutrition and weight control.

In our breed bladder stones are a problem. I would like the vets to become educated to the latest: struvites are a matter of infection not diet. Calcium oxalate producing dogs need a low oxalate diet not an expensive bag of corn, pork fat and chemicals!

Robin

I really beleive that with a larger amount of owners now choosing to treat their canine who has been diagnosed with Diabetes that more education needs to be given to veterinarians. The owners need to be shown and given direction on how to treat the dog. Not just be told to give x amount of insulin and here is the syringes you need. They need to be informed of the food and the routine and signs that the dog may be in a crisis. There is so much misinformation on the web and without the support of an educated veterinarian to work with the owner many dogs (cats also )are suffering needlessly. As a former owner of a diabetic canine and now on a support group for animal diabetes I see all too well the amount of stress an owner who knows nothing about how to treat their dog goes through.

How to manage heartworm positive dogs during the immiticide shortage--even the vets that work in our shelters spay/neuter clinic were not aware of the latest American Heartworm Society recommendations about doxycyline dosages, etc.

The fact that there is apparently a "latent period" during which a dog is infected with HW, and has active microfilarae, but will test negative, because the SNAP test shows adult female heartworms.

And as readily as we veterinarians give out doxycycline, this is a must know!

As a retired vet tech and professional pet sitter, I hear the complaint frequently that a clients` vet did not fully explain a proceedure, etc., or was (seemingly unsympathetic to the distress a client was feeling about the condition of their pet. This is a vital issue in the successful running of a clinic that I don`t feel is being address much at all.

Nutrition is another weak area. With all the recalls and new food products, its hard to keep on top of it. Most pet owners believe their vets are knowledgeable in this area and all too often do not recieve good advice.

I actually LOVED my vet.

I left the practice because of gossip. Yes, gossip. My mother is a show person and has a kennel. So she has 8+ dogs at any time. I have 1.

But the gossip between these 2 accounts forced me to leave my (very good)vet.

I am STILL twisting in the wind, looking and HOPING for a vet of her caliber to pick up my dog. Haven't found one yet. But the knowledge that I was gossiped about behind my back made me leave the practice.

You'e a vet. Here's what happens when you gossip about your clients. My mom and I have barely spoken in 8 months, due to the gossip. My dog is not going to ANY vet regularly at this point, as I haven't yet found a replacement that meets my requirements. Yeah, she gets her vaccs and whatnot. But I can think of 3 occasions over the last year where I would have made an appt and just didn't so that I didn't have to worry about the gossip mill my vet has created. I don't go to the vet as freely as I did in the past as it's no longer about my dog and her health--it's about having to deal with Dr. Gossip.

In the end, I think I know what happened here. My mom is a HUGE client with 6+ dogs at any point in time and litters annually. She is the priority financially. So when my mom started criticizing me, the vet went along as she gives 10X the $ to the practice that I ever will as a pet owner.

But I'm no longer a client.

And, as you ARE a vet, let me tell you how this has worked out for the vet. Um, not well. I, as a pet owner and dog walker, made REGULAR referrals to the vet. Because I LOVE my PET and bend over backwards for her. Breeders, well, they keep their secrets close to the vets as it is competitive. I can guarantee you that I made more referrals to this practice than my mother (the bigger client) EVER could or would. I don't any longer. In fact, I steer people away from the practice.

So sh*tting on me was a really, really bad mistake. Even if it was only gossip. And yes, I *unreferred* all those clients I had previously referred.

Loose lips sink practices...

I want my vet to learn (know and understand) that for many of us, our pets are the largest and most cherished part of our lives. I hope all vets will stop and consider this when relaying bad news or when you see us standing in front of you sobbing our hearts out.

I hope one of the docs chimes in on this one. I had a vet deliver my beloved's cancer diagnosis this way:
" I kinda have bad news" before launching into the diagnosis and then abruptly walking out of the room before I had a chance to ask questions.

I knew my dog was ill but the way it was delivered still stings. When he returned he suggested prednisone because he said it would help. I kick myself for not asking more and I wish he explained what was in store: I came home once to find my dogs head swollen beyond recognition ( a tech told me the tumor was draining), I burst into tears at the sight of him. I eventually left the vet ( many other reasons) but I wish there was some tact.

That being said, I do not know how vets can deliver that news without becoming overwhelmed. I do not expect my vet to sob with me, no more than I would expect a police officer or EMT to be in distress if I were.

I have read about compassion fatigue and wonder how those in the field deal. I would think over time it must wear on you.

JurisGal, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I think that delivering bad news has got to be the hardest part of any medical professional's life.

But this story just makes me wish that all the animal lovers would move to my town and use my vet. He's not only awesome medically, but has delivered bad news to me time and time again with compassion, caring and honest answers to all my questions.

Thanks, I love it when people are happy with their vets. I am always amazed when people have antagonistic relationships with vets or others with whom they do business. I am happy with my current vets however, they have yet to deliver any bad news but I get the feeling they will be tactful ,compassionate & professional.

I think my former vet was just too young ,as in he had not developed his skills yet or this was just his personality, this was not about his age.

His partner actually was the one who euthanized my dog when the time came and he was very sweet, focused and patient. I had children with me to say their good byes to the dog and he reminded me that the process might be rough on them so they waited outside with my husband. We just weren't together that day. The vet gave me a hug as I left and sent a sympathy card. I really did not want to leave the practice but the other vet ( the owner) and his practice manager and the mix ups...a story for another time.

We all have to have difficult conversations but I commend those who have conversations of this magnitude so often in their professional lives.

Oh where to start? First and foremost I would like my vets to learn that a raw diet is not a bad diet and will not give my dog salmonella anymore than I will get salmonella from my chicken dinner - especially when the proof is right in front of them. I moved two of my dogs to another vet because the first vet criticized me for feeding a raw diet when switching to a raw diet greatly increased the health of both of my special needs dogs.

I would also like my vet to stop treating me like a bad dog owner because I don't vaccinate my dogs every year. It's not necessary and yearly titers have proven again and again that my dogs are covered for all vaccinations including rabies. And when my dog has a seizure within hours of getting vaccinations and then my vet insists on vaccinating him again? Goodbye. Oh, and I told all my friends about it too. Maybe the vax didn't cause the seizure but we're talking a 2 hour window of time between vax and seizure. Seems connected to me.

I do want to commend my vets for researching my rare breed dog since they had never treated one before. I appreciate that they listened to me when I requested a specific needle size and brought pictures of burned dogs to back up my request to never use heat lamps or hot water bottles on him. And I thank them all the time for feeding him hotdog and taking the time to let him get to know them before swooping in to touch, manipulate and inject him. Finally, when medication didn't work for my Pit/Plott mix they said that they didn't know how else to help and referred me to a veterinary behaviorist. This was huge to me. So many vets refuse to acknowledge that they don't have all the answers.

I think the hard thing is the BARF diet can be unbalanced if not administered correctly (trace mineral deficiencies). Diligent pet owners won't have a problem with this, but I've seen a few horrible bone abnormalities (resulting in severe future arthritis) due to unbalanced calcium and phosphorous ratios. If not done well with the guidance of a veterinary nutritionalist, I'd have to agree that BARF is unbalanced. That said, I've had it work great for a few select clients - but they are clients I trust to make sure it's well balanced!

I agree but I think that when the client shows that they've done an enormous amount of research on a particular diet and the dogs are doing very well, the vet needs to be open minded. Two of my dogs are 100% raw with vegetables and fruit included. The other two get a combination of raw and high quality grain free kibble.

I wish that more vets realized that kibble is not good for cats. It does not have enough moisture and often the main ingredient is a by-product or meal. They often contain species-inappropriate ingredients such as rice and vegetables. I left a vet's practice who wanted me to buy a diabetic kibble that had a carb content that was incredibly too high for any cat, much less a diabetic one. It is obvious that vets push the food they sell in their office just to make a buck even when it isn't the best thing for kitties.

I'll be the first to admit that veterinarians are not always well versed in nutrition. Believe it or not, the movement is changing where vets aren't just "bought" by food industries - everyone has their individual preference (I hope). I hope with education we continue to improve our scientific awareness of what to feed cats - couldn't agree more!

I would like vets to be more informed about asthma, especially feline. My cat died at only 3 years old, this past October. He was taken to the vet several times in the months prior to his passing and I explained the symptoms, but apparently since he looked healthy at each visit, the vets (yes I saw more than one) seemed to ignore the clasic symptoms like the unusual cough ing like with a hairball but nothing is produced and fast or labored breathing. Not once was asthma mentioned to me....and his time ran out. Please learn more about this!

Asthma is a really well known disease in cats - particularly Siamese. Cats shouldn't be dying from this disease, as it's easily treated (if you noticed open mouth breathing or labored breathing in your cat - seek immediate emergency veterinary attention!). Every small animal veterinarian should know how to treat this, and if yours didn't, I'd find another vet stat!

Yes, I have already changed vets. I am sure that the ones I saw did not recognize the symptoms, but if most do, then maybe I should change what i want vets to learn is to "listen" to what the pet owner is telling you. Maybe my kitty's symptoms were overlooked because he appeared healthy to the vets when I brought him in. They didn't seemed concerned with the symptoms i was telling them because he looked healthy and was eating and urinating normally. Now, he is dead.

My dog's vet brings me into the back room for exams, vaccinations, and routine care. (I'm not there for x-rays, ultrasound, dental cleanings, or surgeries.) Why don't more vets allow this?

I learn alot about my dog's health and health care. I can more easily share my dog's idiosyncrasies with the vet, which makes the visit less stressful for my dog.

My dog loves going to the vet. He's typically not much of a tail wagger, but he sure does wag as soon as he hears the vet's voice. He is especially in love with one of the techs. Both the vet and the tech are great people, but I think a lot of my dog's comfort is that I am by his side during the entire visit.

This was supposed to be a response to comment #8 above

Due to liability, most of the time veterinarians do not allow clients to "go into the back."

There are things that I don't want to see so I am fine with vets taking my dogs to the back. They do xrays, give injections, take blood pressures, etc. I don't need to be in their way. I don't want my dogs to associate me with pain/discomfort so this is just fine with me. : )

This is not veterinary, but human, however it applies just as well. I witnessed this personally in an emergency room where I was working. A woman brought her young child in with a scalp laceration, not serious but bleeding profusely. She absolutely insisted that she be there while the kid was sutured. It went uneventfully, but at the end there was a loud noise. The mom had fainted, and hit her head, was unconscious. She was held for observation for several hours. A simple thing suddenly more complicated and more expensive. Just a cautionary tale. No one knows what might happen back there.

I want my vet to learn just how important customer service is-I've now left two practices because of poor customer service! It is critical to keeping clients for everyone in the practice to give good customer service: from the owner to the vet to the tech to the kennel help, the groomer, and the receptionist! Remember, I bring my animals to your clinic, they don't drive themselves!! Also, I want my vet to learn how important client confidentiality is-the receptionist at the clinic I just left talked about clients TO clients!

Another thing I want my vet to learn is to recognize different bite wounds-when possible-when treating local abscesses. I almost lost my cat last week to toxoplasma, caused by a squirrel bite! The cat had an abscess treated in mid November, but never really bounced back. Last week, I noticed the rear legs acting funny. So, after several different diagnostics, we figured out the problem and started treatment. Fortunately, my cat is slowly recovering.