WVVMA Factline

I N S I D E T H IS

I S S U E :

President’s Message

2

Support the WVVMF

3

Renew Your WVVMA Membership

6

Letter from VMCVM Dean

8

Animal Health News from MSU

10

Executive Board and Annual Meeting Update

11

AVMA Report

11

Classifieds 14

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I will see you all soon,

Shawn D. Sette, DVM WVVMA President

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A Message from the President: The Big Picture

President’s Message

Shawn D. Sette, DVM

Dr. Shawn Sette WVVMA President

Hello everyone,

Over the last 30 years, I have watched the articles, studies and predictions about our

profession. I played close attention to the trials and tribulations that we endure as

veterinarians. In my teens, I was lucky enough to be blessed with a hard ass boss. He worked

me like a drill sergeant, made me very aware of the realities of life, and as most tough bosses,

he became one of my favorite mentors. I feel like I went into our profession with my eyes wide

open because of him. I expected school to be extremely tough, work to include long hours, low

pay, not the best of working conditions, and the need to work within a client’s budget. I think

the fact that he planted my roots in the soil of reality; I have been able to weather the storm.

Sadly, this has not been the case for some of our friends and colleagues. Our profession is

plagued by addiction and suicide. We have almost 4x the national average in these statistics.

This problem appears to be growing and we have very little scientific study based specifics on

why and what we can do, until recently. One of the factors includes the disappointment of

income for the amount of work and the expectations put upon ourselves. The AVMA continues

to monitor and report on the situation and many groups are there to help us become more

fiscally sound. In an effort to help, our association made a small donation to the Economic

Summit in April that is supposed to give all of us (vets, associations, vet schools, businesses,

etc.) some marching orders on how each of us, in our own controllable world, can change the

economic future for the veterinary profession. Stay tuned in to the reports and take it upon

yourself to do something to help out.

Another is the feeling of being isolated. I think we need to encourage more new veterinarians

to stay close to family, join local veterinary associations, consciously consider their religious

faith and deliberately form strong support groups for those rough days ahead. Take the time

to invite your aspiring students and new veterinarians to our events and any others that will

surround them with like-minded, strong, and caring people.

And finally, we need to help students manage their debt, which is at an all-time high. I believe

each of us have a responsibility to educate those that we mentor about the debt they are going

to take on and give them advice and resources to manage that debt. It is no longer good

enough to say “If I can do it, so can you”. That may be true and empowering, but I would love

for you to follow that up with a 15 minute discussion on interest rates, loan payments,

government and military repayment and assistance programs, and put them in touch with

agencies that will give those options. None of us got to where we are by ourselves. I love the

saying dating back to 98 AD; “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan”.

We should not bring drama into our discussions with the up and coming new

veterinarians. We do not want to scare them off from a wonderful career. But rather treat

them like our clients; be factual, sincere, honest, credible, and realistic. You all do this every

day, all day long. Share your knowledge, open their eyes, and be there for them.

Sincerely,

Officers Shawn Sette, DVM President Holly Kossuth, DVM Past President Scott Moore, DVM President-Elect April Munique, DVM Secretary Dan Montgomery, DVM Treasurer

Board Members James Radcliffe, DVM Region 1 Leslie Elliott, DVM Region 2 Kourtney Morrissette, DVM Region 3 Allan McNeel, DVM Region 4 Josh Hunter, DVM Region 5 Jim Taylor, DVM Region 6 Frank Cary, DVM Region 7 AVMA Delegate Holly Kossuth, DVM

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE:

1-800-273-6557

No matter what problems you are dealing with, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline wants to help you find a reason to keep living. By calling, you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime, 24/7.

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Dear friends and colleagues, The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is well into the annual admissions cycle and is waiting on responses to letters of offer sent to selected candidates. The college received 1,400 applications and invited 336 candidates for campus interviews last month. Considering that we only have 120 available slots in the incoming class, fewer than 10 percent of prospective students will join the Class of 2020. For the second year in a row, the college ranked second in the nation in the number of applications received. While our application numbers have continued an upward trend, the number of applicants nationwide has remained steady in recent years. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2015 Report on the Market for Veterinary Education, there are approximately 1.6 applicants for every available seat nationally. Even though the number of available seats has increased nationally in recent years, the quality of the admitted applicants has not gone down. In fact, the average GPA for admitted applicants has remained over 3.5 for more than a decade. The report also found that these students begin the application process with more course work and hours of experience than in years past. Nationally, would-be veterinary students in last year’s class reported an average of 2,200 veterinary hours and almost 500 research hours on their applica-tions. In recent years, the AVMA’s economics division has produced annual reports addressing not just the veterinary education market, but also the veterinary employment and services markets. Last year, these reports indicated that the market for near- and long-term employment is improving in the veterinary profession and that the unem-ployment and underemployment rates are well below the national averages. According to one of

these reports, the veterinary profession had room to grow by as many as 951 full-time veterinarians. In addition, nearly 20 percent of dogs and 40 percent of cats do not see a veterinarian every year, meaning that the supply of veterinary ser-vices still has room to expand to meet the healthcare needs of our companion animals. It is clear from admissions trends that our profession still enjoys strong interest as a career option and that our students and new graduates are extraordinarily accomplished and capable. We are pleased also that professional employment opportunities have improved since the recent economic recession and we look forward to further evolution of veterinary practice as we adapt to changes in animal healthcare needs and opportunities to expand our services to society, including those that go beyond private clinical practice. To address these needs and opportunities, our veterinary college is providing our students a world-class education so that they can enter the workforce and advance our profession in areas such as private practice, public and corporate veterinary medicine, biomedical research, and zoonotic disease prevention. Our recent admissions success speaks to our reputation among prospective students as well as outstanding recruitment efforts and the commitment of our faculty, staff, and students to a high-quality education. Sincerely, Dr. Cyril Clarke, Dean

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West Virginia Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian

Director Animal Health Division

The WV Department of Agriculture is seeking a licensed veterinarian to oversee the legislative requirements of animal health. Official epidemiologist for animal and poultry diseases; coordinates with multiple state and federal government agencies and livestock producers to control disease; oversees and guides the development and management of disease control programs; monitors livestock, poultry and horses for signs of infectious disease at fairs, auction markets, and whenever animals enter or leave the state. Responsible for issuing health certificates for livestock and poultry destined for export. WVDA offers a competitive salary and benefits package, and vehicle. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited college of veterinary medicine required. Licensed by the West Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine to practice veterinary medicine in West Virginia or the ability to become licensed. Accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Veterinary Services in West Virginia. Extensive in-state and occasional out-of-state travel required. Must have a valid driver’s license. Five (5) years of professional experience as a veterinarian working with food producing animals, poultry, and horses preferred. For a full description and to apply, go to http://www.agriculture.wv.gov

EEO Employer

State Veterinarian Position Open

West Virginia University's Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design is exploring the need for the development of a 4 year program in Veterinary Technology, to be housed in the Division of Animal & Nutritional Sciences. This program would provide an alternate pathway for the pre-vet students that are not accepted into a college of veterinary medicine. These credentialed technologists would provide staffing for veterinary hospitals, laboratories, government and regulatory agencies. A needs assessment questionnaire will be sent to licensed practitioners for your input.

Aspirin can knock out minor aches and pains, but what if it also could play a role in cancer prevention? That is the question a group of veterinarians at Mississippi State University are trying to answer. Drs. Kari Lunsford and Camilo Bulla are two members of the team who have spent about five years trying to understand the link between blood platelets and the spread of certain types of cancer. Their research focuses on canine cancer patients at the MSU Animal Health Center. “Doctors have prescribed low-dose aspirin for years as a blood thinner. The way it thins the blood is by stopping some of the actions of blood platelets,” said Lunsford, an associate professor of small animal internal medicine at the MSU College of Veteri-nary Medicine. “People who have been on this therapy for many years have a lower incidence of some types of cancers. “And veterinarians know that certain cancers can’t metastasize in animals that don’t have platelets, so we believe that platelets in some way control the behavior of cancer cells,” Lunsford said. By finding out how platelets alter cancer cells and help them me-tastasize, the researchers believe they can successfully intervene in the process to slow or even stop the progression of common cancers in dogs and humans through earlier diagnosis and treat-ment. In several overlapping studies, they focus on breast cancer, lym-phoma and bone cancer, which act similarly in dogs and humans, said Lunsford, who also is program coordinator for the college’s Translational Biomedical Research Center. Earlier research suggested that specific proteins in blood platelets do affect metastatic behavior in cancer cells in the lab. Now, one MSU investigation seeks to identify and monitor these proteins in dogs with cancer. “Lymphoma is a cancer that can be treated successfully in dogs, but after about one year it reoccurs,” Lunsford said. “By the time the animal’s lymph nodes are swollen, which is one of the first symptoms, billions of cancer cells have already formed. We are looking for ways to predict when metastasis will occur, so that we can make earlier diagnoses and begin treatment sooner.” Through their research, the MSU team has made some exciting discoveries. One development improved the process that helps pinpoint proteins in blood platelets that could provide earlier detection of metastasis in cancers such as lymphoma. “We have pioneered a process that requires only a small volume of blood -- the same amount a person or animal would give during an office visit -- that is 99.99 percent pure after the washing proc-ess and yields a high number of platelets,” Lunsford said.

Dogs are excellent models for research on these types of cancers, not only because these cancers behave very similarly in humans, but because the disease can be studied at an accelerated rate. “For example, the type of bone cancer we are studying is diag-nosed most often in teenagers and senior adults,” Lunsford said. “It is diagnosed in the same populations in dogs. But because of their naturally shorter life spans, dogs are teenagers at 1 to 2 years old and seniors at 10 to 12 years old. Interestingly, cancers seem to progress at proportionately accelerated rates. Cancers that tend to recur in 10 to 20 years in people may recur in 1 to 2 years in dogs, even with the best treatments.” Because cancer is one of the leading causes of death among dogs, researchers can study animals with naturally occurring disease, as opposed to using laboratory models, said Dr. Camilo Bulla, an associate professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Popu-lation Medicine. The canine participants are patients undergoing treatments to save or prolong their lives. “We have a high caseload of veterinary cancer patients,” Bulla said. “With dogs, we can study the disease in a similar situation as it would be found in a human patient. “This gives us the opportunity to look at the entire picture as compared to laboratory animals. The dog’s immune system has already tried to defeat the disease, and couldn’t -- just like in a human,” Bulla said. Although no solid evidence exists to prove that environmental factors influence most cancers in dogs, many researchers believe the fact that dogs share humans’ environments is important when studying diseases. “Dogs live in close proximity to us, and share our lifestyle,” Bulla said. “We don’t have the same epidemiological data on dogs that has been gathered for people, but dogs live in our houses and share our environment, including the food we eat, the air we breathe, and even the beds we sleep in. How these things are im-portant exactly, we don’t know for sure. But we do believe this proximity makes dogs better models than laboratory models.” In addition to helping detect cancers earlier, the group’s work could also help identify new drug therapies. “These research projects could allow us to engineer a new drug or to revisit some existing drugs that could potentially be used in a new way,” Bulla said.

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An Overview of the January Board Meeting Minutes The WVVMA has renewed our contract with the legislative

lobbyist, Rachel Coffman. Our current focus is to defeat House Bill 2449, the “Raw Milk Sales Bill,” House bill 2475 that would allow anyone with an “equivalent degree” to work as an RVT. We are also working in conjunction with the WV Board of Veterinary Medicine to keep RVT and licensed veterinarians on the board

The Winter Meeting, rescheduled due to winter storm Jonas, will take place August 27-28 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, WV. In addition to the Small Animal and Technician Tracks offered, we will be offering a one-day Large Animal Track

We have increased our PRVC scholarship from $500 to $535 to accommodate administrative costs

We are currently working on a student scholarship for those interested in attending The Ohio State University CVM

Dr. Leslie Elliott has agreed head-up Animal Welfare Committee

We have two new student liaisons: Julia France (VMCVM) and Rachel Cokeley (MSU)

The WVVMA will host the Heartland Conference in 2018

The WVVMA made a $200 donation to the Michigan State University’s Economic Summit

A 5-year strategic plan has begun

Annual Meeting Luncheon at the Greenbrier April 16, 2016 Eisenhower A

At the Annual Meeting Luncheon, the following will be voted upon by WVVMA Members: Executive Board Ballot, 2 year terms: President-Elect: Dr. George Seiler Treasurer: Dr. Dan Montgomery Secretary: Dr. April Munique Region 2: Dr. JD Cunningham Region 4: Dr. Kimberly Smith Region 6: Dr. Margaret Minch Proposed by-law addition: Article 3, Section 1 “Board of Directors shall determine membership classification and fee structure. Any motions regarding membership fees shall require two-thirds approval for Board Quorum.” Proposed by-law changes: Article 7, section 1 Clarify when and where the District Representatives are elected Article 9, sections 1 & 2 Decrease the requirements for quorum Throughout by-laws: Changing the list of members allowed to vote to "all eligible voters"

Ron Dehaven, DVM, MBA, is retiring as CEO and executive vice president of the AVMA. Dr. Dehaven's leadership began in 2007. A successor is expected to be named in August at the annual convention, held in San Antonio, Texas this summer.

As your AVMA Delegate and member of HOD Reference Committee 3, my emails are numerous in preparation for our annual meeting. Each Reference Committee has a list of upcoming policies to review and provide input from our state associations and allied groups. The plan to enable convenient communication between HOD Delegates and the AVMA members in their respective states is progressing. West Virginia AVMA members may communicate one-on-one with me through my AVMA-issued email address by June 2016.

Save the Date! Gather up your boots and hats for the AVMA Convention in San Antonio, Texas August 5-9, 2016. See you there! Holly Kossuth D.V.M.

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AAHA certified small animal hospital in

Huntington, West Virginia: looking for 2

veterinarians for full or part time em-

ployment. Well equipped: full in house

Abaxis lab, ultrasound, endoscope, new Fuji digital radiology equipment as well

as digital dental. Compensation based on

experience, with many benefits including

medical and liability insurance, generous

CE, and SEP retirement contributions

after required length of employment.

New grads considered, interest in exotics

a plus. Please send resume to

ayersvet@comcast.net

Come join our team!

Inwood Animal Center and Big Spring Animal Hospital in Inwood and Martins-

burg, WV is seeking an enthusiastic part-

time or full-time veterinarian to join our

growing team. We are known in our

community for providing progressive

veterinary services to our loyal clientele

in a friendly, team-oriented atmosphere.

We offer full in house lab, digital x-ray,

ultrasound, dental machines and more.

Our staff is friendly, well trained and

seamlessly supports our doctor team. We offer a great work/life balance including

no after-hour emergencies. Both recent

graduates and experienced veterinarians

are encouraged to apply.

Our practices are located in the Eastern

Panhandle of wild and wonderful West

Virginia, the fastest growing region of

the tri-state area (Virginia, Maryland,

and Pennsylvania). Located only an hour

from DC, the Eastern Panhandle offers a

small town atmosphere with easy access

to beaches, ski resorts, metropolitan ac-tivities and culture.

Benefits include a generous salary, flexi-

ble schedule, 401K, health insurance

(including dental and vision), paid vaca-

tion, CE allowance, licensure and dues.

Don’t let this incredible opportunity pass

you by! Email your resume to Dawn

Cassidy at

dcassidy@inwoodanimalcenter.com.

Avalon Animal Hospital, located in

South Charleston, WV, is looking for a

part time Veterinarian to work on Thurs-

days and half a day on Saturdays. We are

exclusively a dog and cat hospital. If interested please call Dr. Egnor at (304)

549-0991 or the office at (304)744-7421.

Well established, 3 doctor, small animal

practice seeking veterinarian for full or

part time position.

Great clientele and excellent staff pro-

vide the optimal environment for the

practice of high quality medicine and

surgery. Our hospital is well equipped

with digital radiology, in house labs, and

many other features that contribute to providing state of the art client and pa-

tient services. We are ideally located in

Teays Valley, midway between Charles-

ton and Huntington, WV. Our commu-

nity is safe, family friendly, with excel-

lent schools, 2 nice parks, and hospitals

and shopping near by. We are within

easy driving distance to 3 ski resorts,

white water rafting, kayaking, fishing

and beautiful state parks and national

forests. We greatly value family and personal time, and do not have Saturday

or Sunday hours. There are 2 full service

emergency animal hospitals within 30

minutes of us that take care of our after

hour emergencies.

Contact: ehr1764@aol.com

Looking for a change of pace?

Seeking confident, compassionate, com-

municative Associate Veterinarian who

is interested in emergency care in the

beautiful mountains of southwest Vir-ginia! A growing 3 doctor practice is

interested in providing overnight small

animal emergency care for its regional

clients. Major emergencies are able to be

referred. Looking for someone to de-

velop our program who is interested in

critical care and who is interested in shift

work. Will entertain someone who trav-

els in for part of the week. Excellent pay,

insurance, retirement and awesome staff

available. Well-equipped, newer prac-tice. Please send resumes to

ayearians@yahoo.com

Part time veterinarian needed for our 2 doc-

tor, mixed animal practice located in the

Greenbrier Valley of West Virginia. Position

can be mixed or small animal. We are a

growing practice with 2 locations, in house laboratory, and digital radiology. Please con-

tact us at 304-497-3409 or email

frankfordvet@frontiernet.net.

Relief veterinarian with over 10 years small

animal experience. I take pride in providing

quality patient care while using low-stress

handling techniques and maintaining client

satisfaction. I graduated from Purdue Univer-sity and am licensed and accredited in WV.

My contact info: Sarah R. Koressel, D.V.M.

sarahcuda@gmail.com 765-490-1611.

Experienced in emergency medicine and

available for relief in small animal prac-

tice. Comfortable with exotics. Great with

clients. I practice medicine with integrity,

sincerity, and I am detail oriented. Please

contact: David J. Henzler, D.V.M., Ph.D.

henzlerdvmphd@aol.com 717-341-4357 Please contact me if there is anything you

need me to fill for 2016.

Veterinary Technician needed for a growing

small animal practice located in Burgetts-

town, PA. Qualified candidates are person-

able, compassionate, hardworking, self-

motivated, and detail oriented. Must have

excellent customer service skills including

oral and written communication. Candidates must have experience in all aspects of veteri-

nary care. Position is full time and includes

some evening and weekend hours. Hourly

wage and benefits based on experience.

Please send resume and cover letter to

Melissa Rihel at melissa.hilltop@verizon.net

or mail to Hilltop Animal Hospital 40 Steu-

benville Pike, Burgettstown, PA 15021.

We are growing! Progressive practice in El-

kins with brand new 5000 sq ft hospital is hiring both large animal/equine and small

animal technicians. Services include HD

portable digital radiography, laser surgery, in

house abaxis lab, ultrasound. Practice in-

cludes ambulatory large animal service and

Classifieds

VETERINARIAN

WANTED

RELIEF VETERINARIAN

TECHNICIAN/STAFF

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FOR SALE

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hospital with small animal and equine/

small ruminant facilities. Emphasis conci-

erge and personalized service. Benefits

available, including paid vacation, con-

tinuing education allowance and retire-ment program. Please send resume to

practice manager, Katie at

info@alleghenyequine.com

PS Broker – Practices for Sale

Michigan: Bay County – 2,500sf, +/-.33

acres, 2-exam rooms.

Michigan: Northwest UP – Growing

practice, home, +/-40 acres.

New York: Elmira – 3,400sf w/RE. 2-exam rooms, apartment.

North Carolina: Northwest – Equine,

6,250sf w/2-exam rooms.

Ohio: Cuyahoga County – 2,700sf w/RE.

2-exam rooms.

Pennsylvania: Northwest – 2,100sf w/

RE. 3-exam rooms.

Other practice listings: 2-CA, CO, 6-FL,

2-MO, MT, OK, TX.

Contact:800.636.4740

info@psbroker.com psbroker.com

VA-about 1hr N of Roanoke, small ani-

mal practice with RE. Projected Gross in

2015 at 800K. Very profitable practice.

New Buyer makes 200K after debt ser-vice. Call George/John at TPSG: 419-945

-2408 or email: linda@tpsgsales.com

VA- Hampton area-Small Animal Prac-

tice in leased free-standing building.

Grossing 397K. Call George/John at

TPSG: 419-945-2408 or email:

linda@tpsgsales.com

VA-SE Roanoke area, Well established,

free standing practice with growth poten-

tial, Grossing 450K Pristine RE. Reloca-tion motivates sale. Call George/John at

TPSG: 419-945-2408 or email:

linda@tpsgsales.com

WV- Profits are waiting for you in this

spacious small animal practice with real

estate. Quality medical care near the

Kentucky border, this single doctor prac-

tice grosses $570K+ Call Bill at TPSG:

419-945-2408 or email:

bill@tpsgsales.com

FOR SALE: Well-established two-doctor

practice. Excellent equipment including

laboratory, digital radiology and dental

radiology. Sale includes real estate. In-quire at dmwilliams50@msn.com.

Need help Selling, Buying, or Appraising

your Veterinary practice? For a free con-

sultation call G.R. Sikora, DVM or J.P.

Bryk, DVM, B.R. Crank, DVM toll free

at 877-487-7765 or go to

www.TotalPracticeSolutionsGroup.com

PA - Eastern PA, Very Efficient Small

Animal Practice grossing $790K with

Real Estate. Call Bill at TPSG: 419-945-2408 or email: bill@tpsgsales.com

PA - Eastern PA, Well-equipped small

animal practice grossing over $840K with

Real Estate. Call Bill at TPSG: 419-945-

2408 or email: bill@tpsgsales.com

VA-Southeast Virginia. General practice

Grossing 850K with 1 Dr. working 4 ½

days per week, Pristine RE, Net 160K

after debt service. Owner may be willing

to stay 20 hr week. Call George/John at TPSG: 419-945-2408 or email:

linda@tpsgsales.com

3801 Westerre Parkway, Suite D Henrico, VA 23233

804-346-0170