CityVet Breaks Into the Oklahoma Market
CityVet’s first Oklahoma veterinary practice is expected to open by year’s end in Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City. In other news, the Dallas-based network rebranded River City Companion Animal Hospital in San Antonio to CityVet — River City. CityVet partnered with the San Antonio practice owner, Dr. Chris Kohnen, more than 18 months ago.
NVA Endorses CareCredit
The CareCredit credit card was named the “premier financing solution” at National Veterinary Associates’ U.S. hospitals. The partnership between NVA and CareCredit’s parent company, Synchrony, gives veterinarians “the ability to offer comprehensive financial options,” the companies stated.
iVET360 Surveys Practice Managers
Practice management service provider iVET360 released the “2023 Practice Manager Report.” According to the survey, recruiting employees is the top challenge facing veterinary practice managers. In addition, “Over 35% of you ranked functional floor duties as where you spend the most time, filling in as receptionist or vet tech.” The complete report may be downloaded for free at ivet360.com/pmr.
VetFolio Offers Emergency Care Certificate Course
VetFolio launched its first clinical long-format certificate course, “Emergency & Critical Care 101: The First 30 Minutes.” The online, self-paced course, presented by Dr. Armi Pigott, reviews triage systems in veterinary practice, the primary survey and emergency examination, and circulatory shock in the critically ill veterinary patient. Learn more at bit.ly/3OAveNy.
AAFP Conference Heads to Memphis
The American Association of Feline Practitioners will hold its 2023 conference in Memphis, Tennessee, from Oct. 12 to 15. The event, available in person or virtually, doubles as the Seventh World Feline Veterinary Conference. Registration details are at bit.ly/3OyBA05.
Morris Breaks Down Canine Cancer Cases
Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study has reached a milestone with the accrual of 500 cumulative diagnoses of four major cancers in dogs. “We have recorded over 500 cases of hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, high-grade mast cell tumor and osteosarcoma in this group of golden retrievers,” said Kathy Tietje, the foundation’s chief program officer. Launched in 2012, the study started with 3,044 dogs and now has 1,653.
PetsApp Harnesses AI to Communicate With Clients
PetsApp CoPilot, a newly launched client-engagement tool for veterinary practices, uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to respond to pet owner inquiries. “With the power of AI at their fingertips, the team can breeze through their chat inbox effortlessly,” according to PetsApp. The Minneapolis-based company was co-founded by Dr. Thom Jenkins.
Pet Treats Didn’t Sell as Well in 2022
U.S. retail sales of pet treats reached $11 billion in 2022, according to “Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S., 5th Edition,” a new report from Packaged Facts. “Growth in the pet treats market has slowed since the large pandemic-era increases in 2020 and 2021, with much of the growth in 2022 fueled by inflation-related price increases rather than by growth in unit sales,” the market research company reported. The report is available for purchase at bit.ly/43M3sCb.