The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted veterinary client satisfaction and loyalty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the temporal association of the COVID-19 pandemic with veterinary client loyalty and satisfaction. SAMPLE: 318,693 client satisfaction surveys, available from CalPro Research, between March 5, 2018, and May 30, 2022, from 4 veterinary practice types: colleges of veterinary medicine, emergency/critical care clinics, general practices, and specialty private practices. METHODS: Survey data on client loyalty score (CLS), which is the likelihood of a client to recommend a practice, and 5 clinic performance domains (professionalism, communication, convenience, perceived overall value, and personalized interaction) were compared between the pre-COVID-19 (2018 to 2020) and COVID-19 eras (2020 to 2022) and by practice type. Correlations among CLS performance domains were evaluated. RESULTS: CLS and all clinic performance domains decreased significantly during the COVID-19 era (P < .001), except professionalism. There was a significant correlation between each performance domain and overall CLS (P < .001). The most pronounced association with CLS during the COVID-19 era was for personalized interaction. Among clients who did not report a personalized interaction (ie, their dog or themselves being addressed by name), the CLS decreased from 9.47 to 4.88 (P < .001). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our study found that client loyalty scores for veterinary clinics dropped during the COVID-19 era, although veterinary professionalism was still considered high. These data suggest that improving communication, convenience, perceived overall value, and especially personalized interactions with clients could improve client loyalty. In particular, consistently addressing clients and pets by name provides a specific, measurable, and achievable intervention for clinics to potentially sustain client satisfaction and loyalty.

2023 AAHA Selected Endocrinopathies of Dogs and Cats Guidelines.

Canine and feline endocrinopathies reflect an endocrine gland disease or dysfunction with resulting hormonal abnormali ties that can variably affect the patient's wellbeing, quality of life, and life expectancy. These guidelines provide consensus recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of four canine and feline endocrinopathies commonly encountered in clini cal practice: canine hypothyroidism, canine hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome), canine hypoadrenocorticism (Addi son's disease), and feline hyperthyroidism. To aid the general practitioner in navigating these common diseases, a stepwise diagnosis and treatment algorithm and relevant background information is provided for managing each of these diseases. The guidelines also describe, in lesser detail, the diagnosis and treatment of three relatively less common endo crinopathies of cats: feline hyperaldosteronism, feline hypothyroidism, and feline hyperadrenocorticism. Additionally, the guidelines present tips on effective veterinary team utilization and client communication when discussing endocrine cases.

Comparison of Community Practitioner and Clinical Educator Expectations of Veterinary Graduates.

One goal of veterinary curricular development and revision is to ensure graduating veterinarians meet entry-level competencies to perform successfully in their community. Most curricula are developed by clinical educators in a university setting; therefore, we must determine whether clinical educators can predict community practitioner expectations. This article evaluates practitioners' expectations of new graduate independence in veterinary tasks and compares these expectations with those of clinical educators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (UW-SVM). A survey was designed to measure expectations of graduate-level independence within nine technical and three non-technical categories. Members of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association (WVMA) and UW-SVM clinicians were invited to participate. Expected levels of independence were compared between these two populations and between WVMA specialists and generalists. Results indicated significant differences in the expected levels of graduate independence between UW-SVM clinicians and WVMA members, with UW-SVM clinicians generally expecting higher levels of independence for both technical and non-technical tasks. Although most SVM clinicians are specialists, this difference does not appear to reflect a difference in expectations between specialists and generalists, as WVMA specialists had lower expectations of graduate independence for most technical and non-technical tasks than did WVMA generalists. These results suggest that academic clinicians are not able to predict practitioners' graduate expectations or that graduates in practice are not meeting the levels of independence expected by their clinical educators. Further investigation into the differences in expectations will enable fruitful partnerships between academic clinicians, practitioners, and students in curricular design and revision.

Virtual Clinics: A Student-Led, Problem-Based Learning Approach to Supplement Veterinary Clinical Experiences.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an abrupt need for effective remote clinical experiences for senior clinical veterinary students. Subsequently, the authors created virtual clinics. This activity was derived from a problem-based learning (PBL) model wherein students designed clinical cases and participated through virtual role play as clients and clinicians. The purpose of this article is to describe virtual clinics and to report data from focus groups of participating students and faculty facilitators from two institutions regarding the positive and negative aspects of the shift in practice. A few common emerging themes included that case rounds were fun and engaging, students could learn at their own pace, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities had perceived value. Themes are reflected against the pedagogical literature to draw out areas that resonated. Students felt this activity was more engaging than listening to a discussion of a case they had no ownership of, and facilitators agreed that the peer-to-peer interactions added to student engagement. Additionally, students developed deeper knowledge about the underlying disease process and clinical presentation of their case, which required independent and self-directed learning, enabling students to think about a case from a client's perspective. By participating in these activities, students developed skills of classroom-to-clinic transitional value. While virtual clinics should not replace in-person clinical experiences, this activity might be useful to facilitate students' transition from a structured classroom setting to a less-structured clinical experience.

Oil-based compounding flavors more accepted by feline patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the voluntary acceptance of 10 commercially available compounding flavors in cats. ANIMALS: 46 healthy cats between 1 and 12 years of age. PROCEDURES: Each cat underwent a 14-day study period consisting of a 4-day acclimation period followed by a 10-day trial period in which each cat was randomly offered 10 different compounding flavors. Owners completed a presurvey along with a daily observation logbook. Kits, including residual amounts of flavors, were returned and weighed to determine residual weight and calculate the amount ingested. RESULTS: Overall, cats did not voluntarily accept most of the compounding flavors; 58.8% (124/211) and 84.5% (267/311) of offered samples of oil-based and water-based compounding flavors, respectively, were rejected or minimally accepted. Cats were significantly (P < .001) more likely to accept oil-based flavors, compared to water-based flavors. The sweet water-based flavors were least accepted, compared to water-based control and water-based savory flavors (P = .040 and P < .001, respectively). Owner-perceived acceptance was moderately correlated with residual flavor weights (Kendall tau [τ] = -0.466; P < .001). Owners were not able to accurately predict which flavors their cats would accept. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cats should be offered oil-based compounding flavorings when available, whereas water-based sweet flavorings should be avoided. Owner perception of acceptance is a valid metric to assess flavor acceptance, which can be used in future studies evaluating flavor acceptance. Owners may not accurately predict their cats' flavor preferences, limiting their ability to guide optimal flavor selection.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with Sarcocystis neurona infections in opossums (Didelphis virginiana) from central California.

Sarcocystis neurona, a protozoal parasite shed by opossums (Didelphis virginiana), has been shown to cause significant morbidity and mortality in horses, sea otters, and other marine mammals. Over the course of 3 years (fall 2005-summer 2008), opossums from central California were tested for infection with S. neurona. Of 288 opossums sampled, 17 (5.9%) were infected with S. neurona based on the molecular characterization of sporocysts from intestinal scrapings or feces. Risk factors evaluated for association with S. neurona infection in opossums included: age, sex, location, season, presence of pouch young in females, concomitant infection, and sampling method (live-trapped or traffic-killed). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that opossums in the Central Valley were 9 times more likely to be infected than those near the coast (p=0.009). Similarly, opossum infection was 5 times more likely to be detected during the reproductive season (March-July; p=0.013). This first investigation of S. neurona infection prevalence and associated risk factors in opossums in the western United States can be used to develop management strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of S. neurona infections in susceptible hosts, including horses and threatened California sea otters (Enhydra lutris neries).

Evaluation of Cruzia americana, Turgida turgida, and Didelphostrongylus hayesi infection in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and risk factors along the California coast.

Three nematodes, Turgida turgida, Cruzia americana, and Didelphostrongylus hayesi, have been documented to cause morbidity and mortality in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). The present study was designed to determine the frequency of infection of these nematodes in opossums at 2 study sites in California and to determine if there are risk factors associated with shedding of eggs or larvae in the feces. Turgida turgida and C. americana adults were found in 84.4% (stomach; n = 45) and 62.5% (intestinal wash and feces; n = 16) of sampled opossums. Eggs were present in opossum feces (n = 105) less frequently (40% T. turgida and 35.2% C. americana). Didelphostrongylus hayesi larvae were found in 79.0% of opossum feces examined (n = 105). Adult age and wet season (December through April) were significant predictive factors for the presence of T. turgida eggs, whereas the dry season (May through November) was significantly associated with the presence of C. americana eggs in feces. Adult opossums were more likely to have eggs and larvae from all 3 nematodes in the feces.