To make VIN even more helpful for you, the VIN team of consultants are creating these up-to-date summaries addressing topics commonly asked on the message boards. Save time, check out the Medical FAQs -- before you post.

Other recently added Medical FAQs:

• Buying a Practice
• Dead Space

To suggest a topic needing a Medical FAQ, email MRishniw@vin.com .

MyStuff Dressed in Drag (and Drop)...
If you use MyStuff, we need your help testing the new, easier to manage and organize interface with Drag and Drop.

Find the New MyStuff by going to your current MyStuff and clicking the button at the top left (below your name) that says: "Try the new MyStuff". Hint: to move links and folders, drag and drop them; to copy hold the control key while dragging if you use a PC -- Mac users hold the OPTION key while dragging to COPY).

Then tell your fellow VINers and VIN's programmers what you think about the new look and feel. Help us make it better -- for you!

Avian Anesthesia Survey put to sleep
Much like the Declaws Survey, results of the Avian Anesthesia Survey were not made available in a timely fashion. At long last, VINners can view a summary of the survey results.

If you participated in another survey and have yet to see the results, check the Survey Archive page.

In case you were unable to attend..
BSAVA 2007 Proceedings Online - Browse by speaker/category or search by topic.

New in VeterinaryPartner:

• Canine Celebration

Longitudinal study of veterinary students and veterinarians: family and gender issues after 20 years
By 15 years after graduation, the percentages of males and females doing some veterinary work are similar, although males are more likely than females to be working full time. Females and males in full time private practice are equally likely to be practice owners, but female owners and female employees earn less than comparable males. Males and females have similar attitudes to having done the veterinary course.

Longitudinal study of veterinary students and veterinarians: the first 20 years
After 15 years, 77% were still doing veterinary work, 85% in private practice, and 80% of their work was with dogs and cats. Almost all were either very glad or generally glad that they had done the veterinary course, though most (78%) felt that their income was too low.

Effects of palliative radiation therapy on nonsplenic hemangiosarcoma in dogs
The Kaplan-Meier median survival time of dogs that received palliative radiation therapy was 95 days (range 6 to 500 days).

Evaluation of serum L-phenylalanine concentration as indicator of liver disease in dogs: a pilot study
Dogs with liver diseases had significantly increased L-phenylalanine serum concentrations compared to healthy dogs and to those with nonhepatic diseases. The sensitivity and specificity of L-phenylalanine to fasting bile acids were comparable.

Relief work: hourly vs. daily rate
I have been doing this for one year and have always charged by the day. Recently discussed an hourly rate with one clinic because their days are somewhat unpredictable.
So, I would like to solicit opinions about charging by the hour vs by the day. What do other reliefs vets do, and why?

Using the Giardia Snap test
I have been using the Snap test for Giardia from Idexx for about a year with very mixed feelings.
It has been a blessing to have this test in-house. I feel it allows me to practice better medicine. At the same time time I see way too many cases of Giardia, especially from puppies coming from the pet store in town, and I see a lot of cases that do not respond very well to conventional therapy like Flagyl and Panacur or Flagyl and Drontal.
The pet store is telling my clients that they do not believe in this test and that I am practicing poor medicine by using this test.

Growth vs balance in a practice
The natural tendency of many folks is to want to grow, without really knowing how to manage growth and/or what the costs are. If you can grow without building new systems or infrastructure, then by all means do so. If you have to build new systems or infrastructure to grow, then be aware that this can be a complex business process (depending on size & scope) that often defeats those trying to go through the process.

Recommended computer hardware for exam rooms; use screensavers for client education
A really nice thing about having a computer permanently in the room is that you can find some fantastic wallpaper images of exotic animals (free) online and can set them up as screen savers. My clients LOVE these. Alternatively, you can make Powerpoint presentations and have them as a screensaver. Client education can be done this way very effectively if the programs are short.

EBM Journal Club
Tuesday, October 23, 10 pm EDT (October 24, 02:00 am GMT)
Join your colleagues for the next meeting of the Evidence Based Medicine Journal Club.
Review the transcript from the last session
Attend the EBM Journal Club

Sunday Rounds
Sunday, October 28, 10:00 pm EDT (October 29, 02:00 am GMT)
Join Kendal Harr, DVM, MS, DACVP, & Mads Kjelgaard-Hansen, DVM, PhD for Clinical Application Of Acute Phase Proteins In Small Animal Practice.
Use the Rounds link to join the discussion.
This Week's Rounds Schedule

Recent Rounds
@ = VINcast is available for this session

Member Benefit:
Got Staff?
The Veterinary Support Personnel Network was created specifically for your technicians, practice managers and other staff members to have access to their own message boards, chats, and CE. Have your staff go to www.vspn.org to register! It's free!

What's Your Diagnosis?
* Ophthalmology Fun 31
* Case Archives

Associate - Updated and New:
* Degeneration of the elbow joint
* Explore the rest of the Associate!

Website Of The Week:
Stolen ID Search and more...

Get More From VIN!
Search Tip:
With more information, the search is more likely to return the results you want: enter HEARTWORM ANTIGEN TESTS, not just HEARTWORM. General terms like KIDNEY can sometimes be useful, but a more specific descriptor such as RENAL FAILURE or KIDNEY FAILURE is often more helpful.
For more help and tips on searching see Steps To A More Effective Search.

eVetsites Tip of the Week:
Domain Name Transfers

Upcoming Conferences
Looking to attend -- or contribute a paper to -- a veterinary conference? Check out the On The Road With VIN folder, or the Press Releases folder, to see what conferences are coming up and to visit their web sites! Links to information about upcoming conferences include: CVC West, NCVC and VCS.

Book Review of the Week:
Pathologic Basis of Veterinary Disease, Fourth Edition

These courses are currently open for enrollment. Click on the links to see the details and enroll!
For More Information on VIN's Upcoming CE Courses, check out the CE Main Page.

October:

Equine Neonatology
October 14 - November 11, 2007

The Veterinarian's Role in Handling Animal Abuse Cases
October 30 - December 11

What Makes Cats Tick? Feline Internal Medicine Module 5
Therapeutics, Dental Dilemmas, Analgesia and Anesthesia
October 31 - December 12, 2007

November:

Basic Equine Reproductive Ultrasonography
November 4 - December 2, 2007

Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation
November 5 - November 19, 2007

Veterinary Dental Techniques Module 3
Advanced Periodontics and Exodontics
November 6 - December 4, 2007

Immobilization of Exotic Hoofstock
November 14 - December 5, 2007

December:

Advanced Equine Reproductive Ultrasonography
December 2, 2007 - January 27, 2008

Please visit the How-to's of Online CE for more information about how online CE courses work.

If you're looking for information on CE opportunities for veterinary technicians, receptionists or practice managers, please visit the VSPN CE page. VSPN offers courses specifically tailored to veterinary support personnel and certain VIN courses are also open to VPSN members.