Of Note...
2012 CVMA Dues Renewal
Renew your CVMA membership today!
In addition to the individual membership, we are now offering a new high-value option, the CVMA Practice Package. Benefits of the Practice Package include a complimentary Practice Diagnostic Report, a complimentary Personalized Fee Guide, and discounts on new pratice analytics and practice tools. Not only is this the best value for the practice, it's also the best way to assure that every doctor is receiving CVMA's print and electronic communications to stay connected to Colorado's veterinary community!
Online renewal is available for Individual memberships only and not for the Practice Package. If you are interested in the Practice Package membership, click on the links above or call 303.318.0447 for more information.
Sample Reports and Surveys are also available for your review, including sample Practice Diagnostic Reports and Surveys, Personalized Fee Guide Reports and Surveys, and Client Satisfaction Surveys and Reports.
CVMA Service Awards ~ It's Time to Nominate!
It’s time to say thank you to those in the veterinary profession who have given so much – nominate a colleague for a CVMA Service Award. Do you know someone in your office staff, a veterinary technician, a colleague, an industry representative, or anyone who has given unselfishly to the veterinary profession? Please take a moment to nominate a deserving person for one of CVMA’s annual awards, which will be presented at CVMA Convention 2012. It will mean so much to a person who is working for the benefit of everyone involved in veterinary medicine.
The nominations deadline is May 15, but please do it today. For your reference, a list of the previous winners is available at www.colovma.org/serviceawards.
Nominate a Colleague by May 15, 2012! Click here for more information and a nomination form!
9PetCheck 2012 — Save the Date and Participate: April 14-15
 It's a new year and CVMA is once again teaming up with 9News for the 2012 9PetCheck on Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15.
Last year, members from 58 veterinary clinics donated more than 700 free wellness exams and rabies vaccinations to pet owners in need. Through 9News, the CVMA not only provided this great community service, but was able to educate the public on the importance of annual veterinary exams and potential human health risks when a pet is not vaccinated for rabies.
The overwhelming public response to this state-wide initiative showed how great the need is and the clients the 9PetCheck helped were profusely grateful to everyone who participated.
So please consider volunteering your time this year and help us make a difference in our communities through the 9PetCheck!
Click here for the 2011 photos, videos of clients the 9PetCheck helped, and a list of media clips. Thank you to ALL veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and support staff that made the 2011 event possible.
Go Mobile!
Busy veterinarians need all the convenience they can get!
If you have a smartphone or tablet, click here to check out some great mobile apps for not only you and your practice, but for clients as well.
The Colorado Rabies Resource Guide
The Colorado Rabies Resource Guide is now available. This document is a resource for the surveillance, prevention, and control of rabies in Colorado. The target audience is “first responders” to rabies: local public health officials, animal control agencies, veterinarians and veterinary clinic staff, animal health officials, wildlife officials, wildlife control operators, and wildlife rehabilitators.
Click here for more information and how to access the Resource Guide.
Colorado Alliance for Cruelty Prevention
 The Colorado Alliance for Cruelty Prevention (CACP) is an alliance of professionals in the state of Colorado educating themselves and other professionals about the Link between animal abuse and family violence. Visit www.coacp.info for more information and click here for their January 2011 newsletter, which highlights veterinary issues, treatment guidelines, 2010 legislations, Pets in Family Study, and the National LINK Coalition.
"Adopt a Shelter Pet" license plates now available!
Help spread the word about the importance of pet adoption by purchasing this license plate from your local DMV. Not only will you help spread the word about this cause, but $30 will go support spay/neuter programs in underserved areas. For more information, go to http://coloradopetfund.org/.
iPhone App Helps Find Lost Pets
 The HomeAgain PetRescuer iPhone App has been approved by Apple and is available for downloadin (for free) from the iTunes store for your iPhone, iTouch, or iPad.
Rapidly expanding the network of PetRescuers with technology such as this can help to substantially improve a pet's ability to be found before ever reaching a shelter. A related and equally important goal of the app is to raise consumer awareness about the benefits of microchipping.
Please help us to get the word out about this important development in proactive pet recovery. And thank you, as always, for supporting microchipping as an important preventative procedure for our beloved family pets.
CVMA News...
CVMA On Facebook!
 CVMA now has a closed group page on Facebook for CVMA members. Join us today to interact and dialog with your fellow CVMA members. Getting started is easy... Just click on the Facebook icon to find us! Want more information? Click here for some useful guidelines.
In Practice...
State Changes Radiation Rules for Veterinarians
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has revised their rules and regulations related to radiation safety, and these revisions went into effect July 1, 2010.
Because these rules affect veterinary professionals, you will find information on the “Radiation Safety” page under the Issues section of the website, including a copy of the article "State Changes Radiation Rules for Veterinarians" that appears in the latest issue of the CVMA Voice and a template “Radiation Safety Policy” document for your use/adaptation in your clinic.
AAFP and AAHA Release Feline Life Stage Guidelines
The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association released the new AAFP/AAHA Feline Life Stage Guidelines in January.
The new guidelines provide healthcare recommendations specific to the various life stages of feline patients and emphasize the idea of educating cat owners about behavioral and environmental factors in a healthy feline lifestyle.
One deterrent to veterinary visits for cats can be concerns about the stresses on cats and their owners. The guidelines offer practical strategies that veterinary practices can integrate into daily routines to help alleviate common stressors and work more successfully with anxious cats.
The Feline Life State Guidelines are available through the AAFP website at www.catvets.com and the AAHA website at www.aahanet.org.
AAHA Offers Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool
 Combined with a collar and current name tag, a microchip increases the likelihood of a lost pet being safely reunited with its owner. However, even with a microchip scanner, identifying the correct pet recovery registry to contact can be challenging.
To alleviate the guesswork for veterinary hospitals, animal control facilities, and shelter staff members, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has created the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool, a free, internet-based resource that assists with microchip identification, helping reunite pets and owners by checking participating pet recovery services’ registries to determine which registry should be contacted. The AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool can be accessed online at www.petmicrochiplookup.org. For more information, click here.
Science Update
CDPHE Offers Disease Update Website
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provides updates on select zoonotic and vector-borne diseases in Colorado on its website at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/zoonosis/index.html. Diseases of interest include rabies, West Nile virus, plague, tularemia, hantavirus, and tick-borne diseases. A map of year-to-date rabies, including skunk rabies in 10 counties (Arapahoe, Elbert, El Paso, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Morgan, Otero, Prowers, and Yuma), showing skunk rabies rapidly approaching the Front Range, is posted weekly.
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