TVMA Blog

17 May The Kirby Cart

We met Kirby, a sweet schnauzer, when he was in the decline of his life. It seemed there was no reasonably affordable nor promising treatment as he was losing control of his hind legs due to spinal cord disease.  He was not in pain, but could not walk without assistance.  His owners could not afford surgery, nor were they ready to discuss euthanasia. As a matter of fact, they insisted on boarding him at our clinic for a couple weeks while they travelled out of town to visit family at Christmas....

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25 Feb Congratulations to our 2021 TVMA Award Winners!

Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) announced recipients of its 2021 Awards during its virtual Music City Veterinary Conference on Saturday, February 20. Award winners are nominated and chosen by an awards committee of their peers. This year’s winners include: Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Rebecca Gompf, MS, DVM, DACVIM, UT College of Veterinary Medicine (retired September, 2020); Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Susan Moon, Brooks Road Animal Hospital, Memphis; Young Veterinarian Award – Dr. Joanna Walsh, Goose Creek Pet Hospital, Franklin; Outstanding Commercial Representative – Hannah Harris, DRE Veterinary, Louisville, KY; ...

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24 Nov #GivingTuesday 2020: Please support your foundation

This #GivingTuesday, we encourage you to give to the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Foundation. We know that 2020 has been hard on just about everyone. Veterinarians have had to completely shift their business routines to continue serving pets and their human counterparts. On the bright side, many who have been able to “work from home” this year have developed an even greater bond with their pet – or even added a furry family member. This #GivingTuesday, December 1, 2020, we are asking for donations to our Tennessee Veterinary Medical Foundation. What is TVMF? TVMF...

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17 Nov Holiday Safety Advice for Pet Owners

Whether you decide to have a “stay-cation,” host a small party in your home, or travel out of state this Holiday season, there are several considerations for any family who owns pets to ensure their safety this busy time of year. Holidays equal food! From Halloween to New Year’s Eve, there is increased danger of pets being accidentally poisoned. Chocolate and artificial sweeteners like Xylitol are toxic to dogs. Be sure that children and guests don’t feed your pets any human treats – and be sure to keep candy out...

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19 Jul 6 Reasons Why Your Pet Should See the Vet Every Year

It's no secret that this has been a strange year. Changed routines, working from home, curbside services, rescheduled or cancelled family vacations. One thing that should not change is your pet's annual check-up. Back in 2016, we listed reasons your dog should see the vet each year - and even in a time of changed plans and routines, every pet should have their regular annual exam. Reasons why have not changed: Annual vaccination boosters; Annual parasite checks, including bloodwork to ensure your pet is heartworm negative; fecal to check for...

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24 Jun New TVMA Member Benefit

TVMA now provides a valuable benefit to all employees and their immediate family members known as the Member Assistance Program (MAP).  We have partnered with McLaughlin Young Group, an independent provider of MAP/EAP services.  There is no enrollment required and members are eligible to use the program immediately. There is no cost for phone calls or face-to-face visits with the MAP; TVMA covers all expenses for this program. The MAP offers help for personal and/or professional concerns by providing free, confidential, short-term counseling and personal consultation. Additionally, the MAP provides work-life...

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10 Jun 7 Tips for Keeping Pets Healthy in the Summer Heat

With the heat and humidity of summer days, family vacations, and warm-weather pests, the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association offers some tips to keep your family’s pets happy and healthy. Be weather aware. If it is warmer than 90 degrees, it may be too hot to play with your dog in the yard. Veterinarians are seeing instances of heatstroke in dogs from too much exercise or play for the weather conditions. Use appropriate flea and tick control continuously throughout the season. Dogs and cats may still pick up a tick even...

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14 Apr Spring brings pests – reminders for pet owners!

With everything going on in the world, it can be easy to overlook the emergence of fleas, ticks and mosquitoes and the impact they can have on our pets. April is designated as Heartworm Awareness Month as a reminder to have dogs (and cats) tested and put on monthly preventives to protect them from this easily preventable, but potentially deadly threat. Especially the southeastern United States, heartworms are quite common due to our long mosquito season.  Dogs are the definitive host for heartworms, though infections in cats sometimes happen. Heartworms are spread...

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26 Mar COVID-19 Resources for Pet Owners & Veterinarians

The AVMA has compiled a wealth of information for pet owners, veterinarians and practice owners on its website. Rather than duplicate it, please visit their resources page. You will find updated articles, guidelines, tips for keeping teams healthy, tips for continuing to treat patients and serve clients, infographics, social media graphics and much more. ...

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27 Jan Annual dental check-ups are essential part of pet wellness

February is Pet Dental Health Month. Dental health is an important part of your animals’ overall health. In fact, periodontal disease is the most common clinical condition in cats and dogs even though it is completely preventable.  Whether your animal of choice is a cat, dog, rabbit, horse, or donkey, annual dental check-ups by your veterinarian are of utmost importance in your pet’s overall health. Signs of dental problems include bad breath, teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar, abnormal chewing, drooling or dropping food from the mouth, reduced appetite or...

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