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woman and dog reading book
“Choose Your Own Story”
Jade Velasquez, LVT
June 7, 2021
Maybe this will age me. That’s OK. As an aging Gen X’er, I am reminded often of the “Choose Your Own Story” books. For those who don’t remember, with these stories, every choice the reader made, they were instructed to skip to a section in the book that either gave you another choice or you had to read what fate your choices had sealed.
dog with heart
A Love Letter to the Front Desk Superstars
Cherie Buisson, DVM, CHPV
May 10, 2021
Dear Brave Guardians of the Front Door, Telephone, and Email. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart thank you for keeping my introverted phone-hating self from having to answer calls. Thank you for preventing my stomach from tying into knots with every ring.
woman working with dog
The Swiss Army Knives of Vet Med
Ryan Llera, DVM
May 10, 2021
You’re awesome. You probably don’t get to hear it enough but thank you for doing what you do. It’s not easy, I know; I’ve been there.
french bulldog
Thank You to the Superheroes
Jennifer Shepherd, DVM
May 10, 2021
Behind every great superhero is an even better supporting character. Someone hiding in the shadows, never in the spotlight, an unsung hero who doesn’t gets the credit they deserve. Iron Man has Pepper Potts. Superman has Lois Lane. Batman has Alfred. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians have our front office workers – the client service representatives (CSRs), receptionists, and managers.
kitten gifts
What Do Veterinary Receptionists REALLY Want for Veterinary Receptionist Week?
Kelsey Carpenter
May 10, 2021
It’s Veterinary Receptionist Week! A time to celebrate the Front Desk Rockstars, the Chaos Coordinators, the Lobby Guardians, the Multitasking Magicians, the Unsung Healthcare Heroes we know and love as Veterinary Receptionists.
learn from bamboo shrimp
Everything You Need to Know About Bravery Can be Learned from a Bamboo Shrimp
Cherie Buisson, DVM, CHPV
May 3, 2021
My latest aquarium obsession? Bamboo Shrimp. I stumbled upon them one day while Googling aquarium stuff when I was supposed to be working. I was delighted to find that my local fish store had them. I got one, hoping that I wouldn’t kill it. They often die within the first 2 weeks of introducing them to an aquarium, and I haven’t had the best luck with shrimp.
Kermit the Frog Message
Kermit the Frog’s Annual Message of Hope
Ryan Llera, DVM
May 3, 2021
“I don’t know if you believe in Christmas” is the opening line of one of my top two favorite holiday songs (“The Christmas Wish” from the album with John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together). Kermit the Frog is about to drop some major wisdom, hope and optimism.
Mother Husky and Puppy Husky
The Secret to my Success: Mentors and Motivation
Tasha McNerney BS, CVT, CVPP, VTS
March 5, 2021
Did you know that the average veterinary technician stays in the field for 7 years according to an AVMA study?
nurses and welsh corgi
A Simple Way to Improve Morale
Jennifer Shepherd, DVM
December 8, 2020
I looked at the schedule and saw it was going to be a very busy day. Our surgery schedule was overbooked, meaning procedures would probably go into lunchtime. In addition, the appointment schedule was double booked for most of the morning.
How to Have Nice Holidays With a Naughty Dog
Andy Roark DVM MS
November 18, 2020
I have a naughty dog. His name is Skipper and no, he is not a puppy. He is also not “going through a phase” as I told myself (and my family) for way too long. He is simply naughty by nature and living his truth.
The Right Place for You Is Out There
Anonymous
November 13, 2020
We hear so often about how toxic our work environment can be. Yes, we all know about the clients who can tear us down, but a larger and harder part of our field is when our own bosses or peers do it.
No Matter the Path, You Will End Up Where You Are Meant to Be
Laura Niestat
November 9, 2020
No one can argue that 2020 hasn’t been challenging. If you are like me, you may have found yourself reflecting on your life while hiding in the closet from your children. Sorry, I mean reflecting on your life while taking some “me-time” in the closet. I hit a major milestone this year. Twenty years in practice. Where did the time go? I miss the days of study group, anatomy lab, and brisk fall days spent outside doing rectal exams on cows.
Not Just Bad Dogs
Jamie Holms, RVT, CPT1
October 20, 2020
I know, I know, a radical concept. The truth is, after fighting with my cat, who’s too smart, too fast, and far too beautiful for her own good over a peanut butter sandwich I reached my endpoint. Once I’d wrestled it away from her, I didn’t have the joy that normally comes with winning – after all, she’s seven pounds and sixteen months old – it’s not really the greatest of victories. I’d not been my best self in the moment and I won’t share what I said to her because, frankly, I’m embarrassed to repeat it. I felt like a terrible pet parent, maybe even a terrible person. I am so tired of feeling this way every time I have a snack.
For Techs Every Day is Game Day
Tyler Grogan
October 17, 2020
If you take a moment and think about it, I’ll bet you could start a long list of things you have learned about being a veterinary technician because of working through a global pandemic. Did you learn something about technology? Did you learn to communicate in new ways? It took me until now to see it, but I am a better veterinary technician because of the challenges of this year. There’s no way I can describe our universal experience, but I want to share my story because I have something important to remind you of – it’s okay to not know everything about vet med!
Resilience In a Time of Uncertainty
Suzanne Thomas, BA, BS, LVT
September 3, 2020
There is no doubt that the last few months have been incredibly difficult for all of us. From having to pivot not only in our personal lives but for many of us, also our professional lives, the last few months have tried and tested most of us!
What Do COVID and Palm Trees Have in Common?
Keri Elliott, DVM
August 28, 2020
Are you a person who thrives on routine? Someone who enjoys the comfort of a day to day regiment that is predictable and somewhat comforting? I am! I have worked in the same location for almost 20 years, I drive the same way to work every day, I eat the same thing for lunch daily (I do change it up about every 2 years). I know I am plain vanilla, predictable, robotic me. This predictability annoys some, amuses others, and makes the closet control addict secretly happy knowing they are not alone.
With Shelters Clearing Out, We Need to Talk About Pet Insurance
William Hodges, DVM
August 13, 2020
There’s an ongoing trend in the pet adoption space that started when Hurricane Katrina occurred and so many pets were left homeless: the southern states continually have a large surplus of shelter animals — often pit bulls and pit bull-type breeds — and the northern states have high adoption rates.
Ode to the Retractable Leash
Jessica Stroupe, DVM
August 7, 2020
As a puppy bounded into the office, their owner several yards away. The pup walked up to another dog then began to play. The other dog was scared and growled as the pup would flip and skip. And like many other scared animals, the dog gave the pup a nip.
there I said it
There I Said It: What Happened to Common Courtesy?
Nicole Palumbo, DVM
July 27, 2020
Looking for the Vet On-Off Switch
Jessica Taylor, DVM
July 14, 2020
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