Category: From the President

Aloha fellow veterinarians!

We are coming up to one of my favorite times of the year: the annual HVMA Conference!

Apart from the great CE sessions that have been organized, the conference also represents a time where we can see old friends and meet new members of our veterinary community. If you haven’t yet registered, please do so! And if you have already registered, please encourage other veterinarians that you work with to register as well. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary staff are all welcome!

As our organization and the profession continue to evolve, please let us know what directions you’d like to see us take, or feel free to discuss issues that are important to you with us. Your island representatives and board members are here to listen. There are many opportunities for participation on our committees if you’d like to increase your level of involvement as well.

One thing that the recent wildfire tragedies on Maui have shown us was how quickly veterinarians are willing to stand up to help animals in need and each other. So many of you have volunteered your time and donated supplies and funds to help efforts on the ground; I struggle to find the words to adequately describe the collective greatness you have shown. Going forward, however, we need evaluate what we have learned and find ways to improve our statewide emergency readiness. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months!

Hope to see you all soon!

Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP
HVMA President

I hope this message finds you well in these final days of summer. Your HVMA’s executive board has been busy planning for the upcoming annual meeting, staying on top of animal health issues, and coordinating the veterinary emergency response to the recent wildfire disaster on Maui.

We are heartbroken by the devastation of Lahaina and fire impact elsewhere on Maui and the Big Island. Please check our website or join our FaceBook group to learn how you can help our local veterinary disaster response.

In the last issue of the newsletter, I wrote about needing to be vigilant in the face of emerging disease threats. Earlier this month, thanks to vigilance exhibited by colleagues on the frontline, we have also seen the first detections of canine influenza virus in Hawaii, a disease we had managed to evade despite its presence in the mainland US since 2015.

I am grateful for how our veterinary community is able to come together in times like these to share information and help each other best serve the animals that we are responsible for. I believe we will learn from these experiences and improve our ability to communicate with each other and respond to emerging threats and emergencies. 

In the rest of this newsletter, you will find information about these topics, our upcoming conference, annual business meeting, and other activities. If you would like to get involved with any of the committees, please reach out to us!

Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP
HVMA President

Happy Spring everyone!

We are thrilled to be able to bring the HVMA’s Hawaii Pet Expo back this year, May 6-7th at the Blaisdell Center. Thank you to everyone who showed up and volunteered your time.  This public event is a valuable opportunity for us (as Hawaii veterinarians) to provide quality animal care & health information and promote the good work that all of us do.

With the Covid-19 pandemic receding, and we adjust to the “new normal” we must remain vigilant as there are continual threats from other emerging diseases, such as African Swine Fever and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Hawaii remains free from the H5N1 avian influenza virus, but we must remain vigilant in reporting cases of unusual mortalities in wild or domestic birds. Spillover of the virus into mammalian species is concerning and something to continue to monitor.

As always, please reach out to contact@hawaiivetmed.org with any feedback, questions, or suggestions.

With much aloha,
Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP
HVMA President

Aloha Everyone! Hau‵oli Makahiki Hou!

Firstly, let me start by saying how excited and honored I am to be serving as your HVMA president. Together with the amazing individuals comprising our hard-working board, I hope to help guide our organization through the next two years as we adapt to the “new normal” after nearly three years.

Our 69th annual conference was held in-person this year, and it was a wonderful time for our veterinary community to come together in the spirit of learning and growing.

As a veterinary medical organization, HVMA strives to continue to grow and adapt to the needs of our members. Over the next few months, we will monitor the state legislative session, review applications for the HVMA scholarship, and grow our mentorship program for recent graduates. If you are interested in participating, please let us know! New volunteers are always welcomed!

Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP
HVMA President

Happy Easter Everyone!

Hope everyone is doing well and adjusting to the new COVID-19 Pandemic lifting of the mask mandate. Do what is best for your situation to keep you and your staff safe.

The HVMA board is continually preparing for the upcoming in-person HVMA Annual meeting scheduled for November 2022. We are planning on having great speakers from different disciplines to share their knowledge with all of us.

It seems like we’re still facing professional staffing shortages in the islands. Many of us have been affected by the pandemic, causing staff shortage and supply chain issues. Hopefully, the rest of 2022 gets better as we continue to stay healthy, vigilantly safe, and happy.

Thank you to those who continue to support HVMA. A lot of this is done through membership dues. If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, please feel free to renew here.

Please don’t forget to check in on our online CE provided by HVMA. Let us know if there’s any specific topics that we can investigate for future presentations. Please continue to stay safe and hope to see you all soon!

Aloha from Big Island,
Alfred J. Mina, DVM
HVMA President