TVMA Blog

19 Dec MCVC 2019 Speaker Spotlight

Join us at the Music City Veterinary Conference on February 22-24, 2019 to hear Dr. Andy Roark speak in the Practice Management Track. He will address: How to Drive Change in Your Practice How to be an Exam Room Rock Star The Jedi Mind Tricks Diffusing the Angry Client Working With the Cash-Strapped Client Dr. Andy Roark is a practicing veterinarian, international speaker, author, and media personality. He is an award-winning columnist for DVM360 and has a successful online training course for veterinarians and veterinary teams. Dr. Roark’s popular Facebook page has over 165,000 fans, he is the...

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30 Oct Meet Treasurer, Margaret Phillips, DVM

We would like to introduce the Treasurer, Margaret Phillips (Midge is her nickname), DVM, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Dermatology. Dr. Phillips is co-owner with her husband, Dr. Jim Phillips, of Clovercroft Veterinary Hospital in Franklin, Tennessee. She had a dermatology referral practice in south Nashville from October 1992 until May 2016 and has since retired from clinical practice. How long have you been a TVMA member?  Since 1993 (going from memory; hopefully TVMA records don’t contradict) Do you have a particular practice area of interest? Dermatology and Allergy & Dialysis for Pets. I...

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08 Aug Meet President-Elect, Danny Walker, DVM

We would like to introduce the President-Elect, Danny Walker, DVM. Dr. Walker is an Associate Professor at UT Martin Veterinary Technology Program. He was in private practice for 32 years at Jackson Animal Clinic, Jackson. How long have you been a TVMA member?  39 years Do you have a particular practice area of interest? Feline Medicine and Heartworm Disease in dogs What is one professional goal you have for yourself in the next 5 years?  Maintain proficiency in companion animal medicine. What are your hobbies outside of work? Tennis, hiking, grandchildren What is one personal goal you’ve set...

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23 Jul The Importance of a Pet Owner-Veterinarian Relationship

Your cat is off his food and obviously doesn’t feel well. Your dog pulls out of your hand, runs toward the road, and is sideswiped by a car, possibly sustaining several broken bones. Your horse doesn’t come up to the barn when you call and you find him in the pasture with several deep cuts that obviously need stitches. In each of these situations, animal owners typically react in one of two ways. One, they have their regular vet on speed dial or a magnet hanging on their refrigerator with easy-to-see...

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10 Jul Meet This Year’s President, Dr. Russell Reel

TVMA is kicking off a new feature in TidBits to introduce our members to one another. We started by introducing this year’s president, Dr. Russell Reel. Dr. Reel is co-owner of Southern Care Veterinary Hospital in Morristown, TN. Click here to learn more about Dr. Reel....

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29 Jun Gabapentin is a Schedule V Controlled Substance as of July 1, 2018

REMINDER:  AN INVENTORY OF GABAPENTIN MUST BE PERFORMED AFTER CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON JUNE 30, 2018 OR PRIOR TO OPENING ON JULY 1, 2018. GABAPENTIN IS A SCHEDULE V CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN TENNESSEE AS OF JULY 1, 2018 Effective July 1, 2018, all gabapentin products will be Schedule V controlled substances in the state of Tennessee. Gabapentin is often used to potentiate the effects of opioids and potentially increases the risk of overdose death when used in combination with them. The US has seen substantial increases in the rate of gabapentin prescribing and abuse, leading to this...

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30 Apr Getting to Know YOU!

TVMA is kicking off a new feature in Tidbits and social media – our Member Spotlight! If you would like to be highlighted, please email Elizabeth Howe at Varallo Public Relations (elizabeth@varallopr.com) or call 615.367.5200, ext. 10. We have a brief questionnaire for you to complete by email or ‘phone interview’ (and we’d love to use a photo of you, too!) In exchange for your time, you and your practice will be introduced to all of TVMA’s membership, in addition to all our followers on social media. A second way to...

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03 Apr Protect Your Pets From Heartworms

April is Heartworm Awareness Month. In most of the country, and 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 by mosquitoes, which pick up the immature stages from an infected dog, and then pass them on to a different dog when they move on for another blood meal. The parasite takes 6 months to mature in the dog, producing larvae which circulate in the bloodstream.  The adult parasites stay in...

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30 Jan 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. Some 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 refusal to eat, pain...

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13 Oct Pet Obesity: A Growing Problem

Special thanks to Dr. Kristal Turner, Animalia (http://www.animaliawellness.com/) Franklin, TN We’ve all seen them. The plump dog waddling toward the camera with his tail wagging; the Garfield-like ‘fat cat’ lounging in the sun. Our first instinct is usually, “oh, how cute,” but in reality, obesity in pets has become a major health concern. Pets at an unhealthy weight face the same problems as overweight people:  diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, and more. October 12 is Pet Obesity Awareness Day. Dr. Kristal Turner at Animalia in Franklin, Tennessee, works with pets and...

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