Ohio Veterinary Medical Association

07/01/2025

According to AVMA, companion animal practices have an average of 0.5 or 0.6 FTE veterinary technicians per veterinarian, while equine and food animal exclusive practices have only 0.1. Understanding staff ratios in your own practice—and how these compare to research and industry benchmarks—can allow for data-driven decision making that aligns staffing levels to your practice’s needs.

Finding the right balance between veterinarians and other team members can be a strategic lever for boosting productivity, enhancing patient care, and preventing burnout.

06/30/2025

OVMA Members: The summer issue of the Observer is now available! Check your email or log in to the Members Only Center at www.ohiovma.org/members to download a PDF.

If you receive a hard copy, keep an eye on your mailbox this week for yours!

06/25/2025

New research reveals that red and black imported fire ants can carry and replicate deformed wing virus (DWV), a major threat to honey bees — raising important questions about cross-species transmission.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are helping to protect honey bee populations while developing new strategies for managing fire ant populations. Honey bees are a vital part of pollinating our crops, while fire ants—an invasive species—pose a major threat to humans, animals, and U.S...

06/23/2025

Did you know: The Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board offers a safe haven program through Ohio PHP wherein licensees can access confidential support for burnout, mental health issues, substance abuse, and more! Join OVMA and OPHP on June 24 at noon to learn more about this program—and earn 1 hour of CE! Sign up for this free training online at: https://postly.click/95r

06/16/2025

Stressed out to the point of burnout? If you're not, chances are, you know someone who is! Ohio PHP has a program that can help. Join us on June 24 to learn about confidential assistance for veterinarians and technicians experiencing burnout, as well as other mental health disorders.

(Psst.... you'll also get one hour of free CE!)

Learn more and sign up online at https://www.ohiophp.org/veterinarysafehaven

06/12/2025

Newly introduced legislation in Wisconsin would prohibit a person from “intentionally misrepresenting that he or she is in possession of a service animal” in public places. Fines for violators would run $200 for the first time and $500 for subsequent offenses.

A Republican-authored bill hopes to crack down on Wisconsinites who misrepresent their pets as service animals.

06/11/2025

Did you know: The Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board offers a safe haven program through the Ohio Professionals Health Program - Ohio PHP wherein licensees can access confidential support for burnout, mental health issues, substance abuse, and more? If not, join OVMA and OPHP on June 24 at noon to learn more about this program—and earn 1 hour of free CE! Sign up online at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KXri_-pORKKuV3nLItjMPA #/registration

06/10/2025

Dolphins use whistles to communicate in what scientists believe is specialized language. To test the whistles’ roles, researchers conducted playback experiments and recorded behavioral responses such as turning, movement, or vocal mimicry.

Researchers found bottlenose dolphins use shared non-signature whistles to signal alarm or curiosity. These whistles might work like words.

06/09/2025

Groups representing veterinary acupuncturists and embryo technologists have petitioned the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) to be recognized veterinary specialty organizations. In compliance with ABVS procedures, AVMA is seeking comments on the proposals through August 12.

The American Board of Veterinary Acupuncture (ABVA) and the American Embryo Transfer Association (AETA) have asked to be recognized veterinary specialty organizations by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties, which is seeking comments on the proposals through August 12.

06/06/2025

Scientists have spotted surprising evidence of what they describe as "monkey kidnappings" while reviewing video from a small island of Panama: Capuchin monkeys were seen carrying at least 11 howler babies between 2022 and 2023. The monkeys' motivations are still under investigation, but researchers have suggested the abductions were sparked by male capuchins' desire to take over a new group or simply boredom. The behavior could be bad news for the island's howlers, which are an endangered subspecies.

Young male capuchins have developed a strange trend of acquiring baby howler monkeys. It doesn't end well for the babies.

06/05/2025

After a two-month-old black bear cub was found alone in the Los Padres National Forest in April, and attempts to reunite it with its mother were unsuccessful, wildlife officials dropped the weak, underweight animal off at the San Diego Humane Society. Since then, employees have been caring for the cub around the clock, dressed in bear costumes to prevent the animal from bonding with humans. The cub is now thriving, and if all goes well, the group will release him back into the wild once he's old enough.

The group took the two-month-old black bear cub into its care on April 14 after campers found it alone in the Los Padres National Forest.

06/04/2025

In an effort to address the increase in tick-borne disease in Ohio, OSU has just opened the Buckeye Tick Test Laboratory, which offers fast, cost-effective tick-borne pathogen testing for the general public.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — It seems in Ohio it is never too early to start scouting animals for ticks. While we commonly think of summer as...