The Reading Room Returns!

Plus: news round up from VIN

Hello đź‘‹ 

Welcome back to another edition of Weekend Rounds!

We took last week off for the long weekend and thought we would come back to earth shattering veterinary news. But the veterinary world has been… dare we jinx it and say quiet? Maybe everyone is getting ready for the first week of the NFL season, and baking apple pies as we head into the fall.

While nothing made our jaws hit the floor, there are always newsworthy stories when it comes to vet med. Plus, we’re re-launching our case-based radiology learning series this week - The Reading Room! 🥳 

Here’s what we’re covering:

🗞️ News round up from VIN News Service
đź©» The Case of the Week
🚀 Quick hits

🗞️
The Latest from VIN News Service


The team at VIN News Service is some of the best in the business. As new aggregators, we consistently rely on their tireless efforts to cover the veterinary community, and over the past two weeks the VIN team kept us up to date on a couple of key stories which we’ve brought forward for you here. Click the headlines to hear it right from the pros at VIN:

The American College of Exotic Pet Medicine (ACEPM), founded in 2022, aims to certify veterinarians in exotic pet medicine, sparked controversy by bypassing traditional credentialing processes. While founders argue that existing specialties don’t fully cover exotic pet medicine, critics worry about the potential impact on professional standards. Despite opposition, ACEPM plans to collaborate with established colleges and continue certifying diplomates.

The North American pet insurance industry faces challenges despite growing coverage. Only 3-4% of pets are insured, and rising premiums are a concern. Critics, including veterinarians and industry insiders, label the market a failure after 40 years. Recent actions, like Nationwide dropping 100,000 policies, have shaken trust. The industry struggles with profitability, high lapse rates, and increasing veterinary costs, while consolidation by private equity firms raises prices. In contrast, pet insurance is more successful in countries like Sweden and the UK.

The article discusses Mark Cushing’s initiatives to reshape veterinary care, including midlevel practitioners and relaxed telemedicine rules, which the author argues degrade veterinary care quality and the profession’s value. It calls for proactive measures from veterinary associations globally to counter these changes.

Colorado is set to vote on creating a Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA) role, akin to physician assistants in human medicine, to address veterinary workforce shortages. Proponents highlight increased access to care, while critics warn of potential risks to animal health due to inadequate training.

The U.S. ban on certain inefficient light bulbs, including UVB and basking bulbs, poses risks to captive reptiles and amphibians by hindering their calcium absorption and temperature regulation. Alternatives exist but are less effective, raising concerns among veterinarians and pet owners.

New Hampshire’s new law, effective Sept. 17, creates a conditional license for foreign-trained veterinarians who have completed three of four parts of the AVMA’s certification program, addressing the state’s veterinarian shortage by allowing them to practice under supervision while completing the final exam.

Mail-order drug deliveries risk exposure to extreme temperatures, potentially degrading medications for humans and animals. With limited FDA oversight, it’s crucial to purchase and handle these drugs carefully to mitigate risks.

PLUS - the incredible folks at VIN News Service are currently hiring! The Weekend Rounds team is forever grateful to their excellent reporting. If you know a journalist looking to write on our fantastic profession be sure to pass along the notice.

đź©» 
The Case of the Week


This week, The Reading Room returns! The Reading Room is a free case-based radiology learning series hosted on Obi Veterinary Education

Join Dr. Ryan Appleby, DVM DACVR as he discusses imaging findings in small animal practice to help you navigate the shades of grey in your imaging practice.

This week’s case is a 5-year-old male castrated Domestic Short Hair presenting for weight loss and anorexia. He was found to be 5% dehydrated and markedly azotemic.

The full lesson will be released in the new episode of The Reading Room this Wednesday. But Weekend Rounds subscribers get a head start with the images below:

5 yr DSH presenting for anorexia and weight loss and found to be markedly azotemic.

What is your primary differenital

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Be sure to catch up by checking out our back episodes and subscribe on YouTube to never miss another case.

🚀 
Quick Hits


Here are some of the other stories that caught our eye and we're following this week from around the veterinary world and animal kingdom:

How did we do today?

Tell us what you thought of this edition of Weekend Rounds so we can keep improving!

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.