VIN members are invited to join Paul and their fellow VINners for relaxation and refreshments in the VINner Lounge on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The lounge will be located in the room behind the Breakers Registration Desk in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, South Level 2.

The red arrow on this map will help you find the VINner Lounge, which is also one of the two VIN Cyber Cafe locations.

At the VINner Lounge, you can:

• Enjoy refreshments and snacks
• Relax
• Talk to other VINners
• Learn how to get more out of VIN
• Learn about the VIN Foundation
• Learn how VSPN can help your staff
• Get a sneak preview of what is coming to VIN soon
• Tell us what you want from VIN and the VIN community!

Throughout the conference, VIN Staff will be available at both of the Cyber Cafe locations -- one in the exhibit hall and one at the Breakers Registration Desk (Mandalay Bay Convention Center South Level 2).

See you in Las Vegas!

Select a case, formulate a diagnostic plan, and take the quiz to get feedback on your diagnostic choices. Each case is linked to the appropriate chapter of the online version of Small Animal Cardiovascular Medicine.

If your heart is aching for more, explore the Cardiology Specialty Center in the Specialty and Species Resource Center section of the VIN library and check out the Procedures and Techniques page.

Here are some additional useful Cardiology Resources in the VIN Library:

• The James Buchanan Cardiology Library
• Small Animal Cardiovascular Medicine
• Cardiac Auscultation and Phonocardiography
• Echocardiography in the Dog, Cat and Horse
• Cardiology Slide Shows & Videos
• Cardiology FAQs
• Canine and Comparative Mammalian Electrocardiography

Model Employment Contract
The VIN Foundation produced this contract template to help ease the tension of contract negotiations. The customizable template is an example of a fair and balanced veterinary contract.

Those who have used it say it helped them work through the details without creating feelings of adversity between employer and employee.

Find the Model Employment Contract in the Legal Specialty Center (under contracts) in the VIN Library. Read the rounds transcript explaining what the various clauses mean.

You'll find a link to the VIN Foundation Library in the Practice Management and Misc. sections of the VIN library.

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New Client Handout in French
This French handout, Maladie Valvulaire Dégénérative (Degenerative Valve Disease), was translated by Dr. Maude Imbeault from the original English version written by Dr. Robert Prosek. You'll find it in the VIN Forms collection, under Client Handouts; Client Information/Handouts under "Dogs." The English version is featured in VeterinaryPartner.com.

Sprechen sie deutsche? Se habla Español? Let us know if you'd like to contribute your translating skills!

Mobile-Friendly Message Boards on Beta.vin.com!
One of the most requested features in recent months has been to make VIN features more mobile-friendly. The VIN Wizards have given the Message Boards a tune up to make browsing on a smartphone or tablet device easier. This is just the first step so please help us work out the kinks! Send us your suggestions and feedback on any issues you see.

iPad users note: You will need to upgrade to the latest iOS version. Versions prior to version 4.3 do not support all that is needed for the VIN Message Boards to work well.

REMEMBER: This feature is currently available ONLY on Beta.vin.com.

Keep an eye on this section of VIN This Week to find out what new toys you can help us perfect on Beta.vin.com.

NEWS THAT'S FIT TO CLICK and discuss;
News reported for YOU...

• FDA probes illegal sale of handheld dental X-ray devices
  Public | VIN | Discussion
• Veterinarians serve family-health role in suspected zoonoses
  Public | VIN | Discussion
• Ohio strips 'pit bull' from state's dangerous dog definition
  Public | VIN | Discussion
• Novartis warns veterinarians of possible Clomicalm tablet mixups
  Public | VIN | Discussion

Evolving stories
* Lawmakers press FDA to act on chicken-jerky problem
* ‘Special student loan consolidation’ available for limited time
* Do you deworm yourself?

Be a VIN newshound:
VNS is here to give YOU a voice and report news that is important to YOU. Got an idea for a story? Have a story that needs covering? Post it on the boards or email News@vin.com.

The VIN News Service (without access to the community discussions) is available to the general public. Share news.vin.com with nonVINners.

You can follow VNS on Twitter! Send a Twitter request to receive VNS Tweets.

New and Revised
Share these with your clients!

• Ibuprofen Toxicity
• No-fly Zone
• To Neuter or Not to Neuter Rabbits… That is the Question! (revised)

Texas Farm Radio

• CPR in Newborn Foals (revised)

Adverse events in 50 cats with allergic dermatitis receiving ciclosporin
Information about the adverse effects of ciclosporin in cats has been limited to smaller studies and case reports. The aim of this retrospective case series study was to document the occurrence and clinical appearance of adverse events in cats receiving ciclosporin to treat allergic skin disease.

Terbinafine pharmacokinetics after single dose oral administration in the dog
Terbinafine is an allylamine antifungal prescribed for the treatment of mycoses in humans. It is increasingly being used in veterinary patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties of terbinafine in dogs after a single oral dose.

Treatment options for dog with proximal ureteroliths and bladder stones (radiographs)
The owner reports that she has accidents in the house all the time and has for a long time. This was the first time anyone had seen blood. She also has been a chronic vomiter. She has now been on RC Urinary SO for >1 week and repeat rads yesterday showed no improvement. The owner really doesn't want to do surgery, and brought up lithotripsy.

Horse with swollen pectoral area after vaccination: how long will it take for an abscess to mature?
The last few vaccinations he had a swollen pec post vaccination that responded to few days of bute. This time around I told her I wanted to do the f/r intranasal to lessen chances of reaction...I gave him bute at the time of vaccination. Well he swelled up pretty bad but she didn't tell me till 5 days later at which point the swelling had gone all down the leg.

Dog fight: any suggestions on collecting fees if owner of the attacking dog is supposed to pay for the injured dog's treatment?
I personally don't think the Golden's owner should be footing this bill. Do I say something in this case or should I stay out of it? The police are involved in the case, so if I'm asked I'll be honest and say that the infection may be due to owner negligence, but do I take a proactive position on this?

How to Use VIN: Part 3
Wednesday, February 15, 9:30 p.m. ET
(Thursday, February 16, 2:30 a.m. GMT/UTC)
Learn how to use VIN's Knowledgebase.
Email Nate@VIN.com for more information about this free, three-session course.

VIN/VSPN Rounds
Sunday, February 19, 10 p.m. ET
(Monday, February 20, 3 a.m. GMT/UTC)
Join David Liss, RVT and Noah Jones, RVT for Advanced ECC Rounds: Critical Illness-related Corticosteroid Insufficiency (CIRCI).
Invite your staff to attend via www.vspn.org.
*This session will feature audio. Are you ready?

Full Rounds Schedule and Countdown Clock
Use the Rounds link to join these discussions

Want to See What You've Been Missing?

• AP and MAC Isoflurane - AJC
• Veterinary Quiz Challenge
• Spontaneous Hemoperitoneum in Cats
• Drugs & Novel Therapies: 2012 & Beyond @
• Animals Seized from Meth Labs @
• Electroacupuncture & OHE

Download VINCasts
Too busy to read past Rounds sessions? Download VINCasts to your MP3 player and listen on the go. Rounds available as VINCasts are marked with an @.

If you've reserved time for some quiet reading, click the Rounds button on the VIN Main Navigation bar and read the transcripts of the last few Rounds. You can also browse the complete list of the last 300 Rounds transcripts or you can click on Rounds and Discussions in the VIN Library.

Rounds are also searchable via the search button. Just remember to choose Rounds (under the Clinical Resources tab) as the "Source" in your search parameters.

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!

Need Help?
Have questions about your membership? Can't find that reference you need for a tough case? Help is a click, email, or phone call away! (Hint: you can find this page anytime by clicking HELP on the main VIN Navigation Bar, and then clicking on "Member Support Team" in the left side column.)

Every VINner in practice is assigned a buddy from the VIN Representative team! Your buddy wants to help you learn the tips and tricks to get the most from your VIN membership.

You never need to feel lost or alone. Your buddy can help you navigate VIN like a pro, find the information you're looking for and personlize your VIN experience to fit your needs.

Don't remember who YOUR VIN buddy is? Email VINgram@vin.com and they'll be happy to remind you and let your buddy know you want to get re-introduced.

Not in practice? Don't have a buddy and need help? Email Feedback@vin.com and help will soon be on the way -- you might even find you suddenly have a new buddy. :)

Book Review of the Week
Saunders Solutions in Veterinary Practice: Small Animal Exotic Pet Medicine
Buy this book at the VIN Bookstore.
Catch up on previous Book Reviews!

Website of the Week
CDC's Suicide Prevention Center

eVetSites Tip of the Week
Improved Accuracy for Statistics

What's your Diagnosis?
Archives of the Challenging and Fun Cases
Pathology Case 89 - Opened 2/7
Ophthalmology Case 141 - Opened 1/20
Zoonosis Case 113 - Opened 1/30

Associate - Updated and New:
Pituitary dwarfism (canine)
Explore the rest of Associate!

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 websites! Links to information about upcoming conferences include: WVC, SAVMA, and Voorjaarsdagen.

That's one way to shop
I have a wonderful jewelry collection from clients who have just taken off whatever I had made a comment about and handed it over. Rings, earrings, necklaces, you name it. I make a killing during the holidays too. I wear pretty funky jewelry and apparently the clients notice and they totally hook me up! One of our very briefly employed receptionists had an AWESOME rhinestone studded lizard ring. By the time I got to work, she had heard so many people say, "Dr. Ellis would love that," she just walked up to me and handed it over!

NOW OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT!
Click on the links below to see the details, register, and find more upcoming CE.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Canine Hyperadrenocorticism
March 25 - April 18, 2012

This course will detail the diagnosis and medical management of canine hyperadrenocorticism. The instructors will have an overview of available options for medical management of hyperadrenocorticism, with a more detailed discussion on the use of trilostane.

Pharmaceutical Regulatory Review 2012
March 26 - April 12, 2012

This basic course will be open to veterinarians, veterinary technicians, support staff, veterinary teams, etc. who wish to learn how to evaluate their practice to reduce the risk of theft, diversion or prosecution for failure to maintain an adequate system of security and accountability for controlled substances.

OSHA & Practice Safety
April 9 - July 12, 2012

This course is designed for the practice owner, manager or administrator who desires to understand OSHA's Standards as well as practical ways to implement them in a veterinary practice. We attempt to avoid debating the merits of any particular requirement and focus on how to achieve compliance! This course will cover ALL aspects of a hospital safety program, not just the Hazard Communication Standard. The participants will be provided with many downloadable resources, including the actual text versions of applicable standards.

For more information on CE opportunities for veterinary technicians, receptionists or practice managers, visit the VSPN Course Catalog. VSPN offers courses tailored to veterinary support personnel, and certain VIN courses also are open to VSPN members.

You can follow VIN CE and VSPN on Twitter! Simply click the "Send request" button to prompt the (VIN / VSPN) crews to accept you as a follower.

Visit the CE Main Page and check out the Course Catalog to see what's on the schedule.