Message from the President Vol 3, 2018

Aloha HVMA Members!

We are excited to announce registration is open for our 65th Annual HVMA Conference, which will be held from November 8-11, 2018 at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. This year we are offering RACE-approved CE (up to 30 credits for vets and 16 credits for vet techs) and bringing in world-renowned speakers covering a variety of topics including Fear Free experts Marty Becker and Gary Landsberg, emergency medicine specialist Tim Hackett, exotics specialist Joerg Mayer, and disaster medicine expert Debra Zoran.

Our wet lab offerings include four different orthopedic labs by Brian Beale and Don Hulse, advanced dental extraction labs by Kevin Stepaniuk, and a cat behavior lab by Karen Sueda. Please see our complete conference schedule at: https://hawaiivetmed.org/2018conference/schedule/.

During our conference we will hold our annual HVMA business meeting on Saturday November 10 at 12:15pm. You do not need to be a conference attendee to come to the business meeting. During the meeting, we will be voting on the 2018-2020 officer positions as well as a few proposed bylaw changes. If you are interested in putting your name on the ballot, please email us.

Also on Saturday November 10 from 6-8pm we will be hosting our annual social cocktail party and sharing some Hawaiian paniolo culture with our Japanese and international guests. Tickets to this event are $60 or complimentary with conference registration.

Register online for early bird pricing by September 15th. Remember to log in to your HVMA online account to register at the reduced member rates. If you have forgotten to renew your membership for 2018, it’s not too late!

Thank you to those who generously volunteered their time and energy toward making the 2018 Pet Expo another success. We are always looking for volunteers for the conference and other HVMA activities. Please send your ideas, feedback, and questions to contact@hawaiivetmed.org.

Aloha,
Jill Yoshicedo, DVM
President, Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association

AVMF Extends Disaster Relief to Hawaii Veterinarians

AVMF Disaster Relief and Reimbursement Grants

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) provides two grant programs to help veterinarians and the animals they care for during times of disaster. Grants are available to support victims of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, wildfires or oil spills.

Disaster Reimbursement Grants for Veterinary Medical Care

Purpose: The AVMF disaster reimbursement grants are for the purpose of ensuring the emergency veterinary medical care of animal victims of disaster.

Awards: Up to $5,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by veterinarians providing emergency veterinary medical care to animal victims of disasters. AVMF reimburses for the actual cost of medical supplies purchased directly from a vendor. Modest boarding costs may also be covered.

Disaster Relief Grant for Veterinarians

Purpose: The AVMF disaster relief grants are for the purpose of assisting veterinarians who have experienced an emergency need for basic necessities due to a disaster. The grants would cover items such as clothing, temporary housing, transportation and meals that were needed immediately following a disaster.

Awards: Up to $2,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred immediately following a disaster. AVMF reimburses for the actual cost of items purchased directly from a vendor. Modest housing costs may be covered for emergency temporary shelter.

Application Procedure

The applications are posted on the AVMF website. Applicants should follow the online directions for submitting the application and the expense chart. Limited funds are currently available and approved on a first come, first served basis.

Deadline: Applications must be received no later than 120 days following the disaster.

More Information: Please contact Cheri Kowal, Senior Manager, Programs and Operations, 847-285-6691 or CKowal@AVMA.org

Message from the President Vol 2, 2018

May 2018

Dear Colleagues,

Our annual Hawaii Pet Expo will be held this weekend on May 12-13th. Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to help put on this popular event. We expect over 10,000 attendees and can still use your help! If you have a couple free hours this weekend to stop by and support our public outreach at the Pet Expo, please sign up here.

The HVMA booth theme is “Year of the Dog”, and we are looking for more veterinarians and veterinary assistants to guide visitors through the booth and answer questions at the “Ask-a-Vet” section. Other volunteer posts include entrance greeters, Food Bank donation collectors, poop patrollers, and helpers at our Keiki Make ‘n Take craft booth.

We are also gearing up for HVMA’s 65th annual meeting to be held November 8-11th at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. Speakers include Fear Free advocates Marty Becker and Gary Landsberg, ECC specialist Tim Hackett, exotics specialist Joerg Mayer, and internal medicine specialist Debra Zoran. We will also have laboratory sections on orthopedics by Beale and Hulse, dentistry by Kevin Stepaniuk, and cat behavior by Karen Sueda. Information on our conference will be posted here, with registration opening up this summer. We hope you will join us.

Would you like to write an article or draw a comic for our quarterly newsletter? Can you write up a visitor’s guide suggesting activities and eateries for our out-of-state conference attendees? Are you interested in serving on the HVMA Board? Do you have any other ideas you would like to help the HVMA implement to better serve our members? These are just a few ways you can get more active with us! Please contact me at contact@hawaiivetmed.org if you want to get involved or have an idea to share. Open board positions are listed here, or you can directly contact Leilani Sim-Godbehere, head of the Nominations Committee, for more info.

Thank you for your membership renewal in 2018. Please remember to sign up for your online account at https://hawaiivetmed.org/newaccount. You will need an individual online account to register for the annual conference at the reduced membership rate. We are happy to help you with this process, so please contact us if you have any difficulties.

Aloha,

Jill Yoshicedo, DVM
President, Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association

Hawaii Pet Expo May 12-13, 2018

Volunteers Needed!

The Hawaii Pet Expo is sponsored and organized by the HVMA and will be held from May 12-13th this year. It has been an annual event for over 25 years and is FREE and well received by the public, with an average of 10,000 people attending each year. The purpose of the Expo is to promote responsible pet ownership and strengthen the bond between people and their pets through educational displays, live animal demonstrations, and the latest in pet services and products. The HVMA is looking for veterinarians who will promote our profession in a positive manner and educate the public on the need for professional veterinary care. If you are willing to volunteer your time to promote our profession and interact with the public, please sign up!

HVMA Booth: Veterinarians will be on site to guide visitors through our booth featuring The Year of the Dog, as well as answer questions from the public.
Make and Take (Kiddie Craft) Booth: Assist kids and their parents with making finger puppets and other paper crafts to take home. Keep booth clean and organized.
Greeters: Pass out programs and poop bags at the door. Help to direct traffic in and out of the Exhibition hall. Smile and welcome people.
Information Booth: Help direct people to exhibits, answer questions, make announcements, store lost and found items, collect food and monetary donations for the Hawaii Food Bank, prep poop bags, run errands, coordinate volunteers, and help clean up pet messes that are reported or seen.
Show Marshals: The “Poop Patrol”. Patrol Exhibition Hall and grounds outside, picking up pet messes. Empty overflowing trash and cigarette bins outside hall and transfer to dumpster in back. The good thing about show marshaling is that you get to walk around the hall and check out all the exhibits, although you are supposed to be working, not shopping during your shift! We always need a lot of show marshals.

Click here to sign up online.

Saturday and Sunday the shifts are as follows: 9:30-12:00 am, 11:30 to 2:00 pm, and 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Please indicate your t-shirt size (M, L, or XL) at sign up to receive a Pet Expo t-shirt. Name tags will be provided. Vets are encouraged to wear lab coats or smocks to identify themselves as veterinary professionals.

Volunteers should sign up online or by calling Ohana Vet Hospital at 845-1762. Paper sign up sheets may be faxed to 848-1632.

Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) Outbreak on Hawaii Island

Alert to veterinarians statewide regarding an ongoing Equine Influenza Virus (H3N8) outbreak observed on the Big Island of Hawaii. The disease appears to be limited to Hawaii Island at this time. The HDOA Animal Disease Control Branch is monitoring the situation and if you have diagnosed EIV in a horse, please contact the deputy state veterinarian in your county to assist us with tracking the disease event.

Hawaii County: Dr. Kim Kozuma (808) 974-6503 or (808) 365-4346
Maui County: Dr. Rick Willer (808) 873-3559
Kauai and Honolulu Counties: Dr. Travis Heskett (808) 483-7131

Quick Facts about Equine Influenza

Etiologic agent: Influenza type A, H3N8.
Species affected: Currently, only horses. The literature suggests that dogs and cats can become infected.
Transmission:
• via droplets and aerosols formed by coughing and sneezing
• direct or indirect contact with nasal discharge
• shedding of the virus often precedes clinical signs
• short incubation period, usually one to three days
• virus is typically excreted only 7-10 days after infection
Clinical signs: Acute respiratory disease, beginning with high fever (up to 106°), coughing, nasal discharge, and occasionally mild swelling of submandibular lymph nodes. Secondary bacterial infections may develop. Healthy adult horses will typically recover within one to three weeks,
although there may be a persistent cough.
Diagnosis: Can be presumed based on history, clinical presentation, and ruling out other causes of fever
• HDOA’s Veterinary Laboratory does not perform diagnostic testing for Equine Influenza.
• A number of mainland veterinary diagnostic laboratories can test for Equine Influenza and other infectious etiologies which can cause similar clinical signs. Contact the mainland laboratory of your preference for specific guidance regarding sample collection, preservation, and submission.
What has been observed in this event:
• Infection has been self-limiting, lasting approximately two to three weeks.
• Vaccinated horses were less likely to develop clinical signs than unvaccinated horses.
• Clusters of ill horses have been observed associated with equine events.
• Practicing good biosecurity reduces the likelihood of spread.

For more information, visit the website of the Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture, Animal Disease Control Branch at http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/main/eiv/ or contact the Animal Industry Division at (808) 483-7106.

Thanks to Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP and Dr. Travis Heskett, DVM, DACVP who contributed technical information for this article. [3/7/18]

2018 Legislative Update

HVMA Opposes SB2260

SB2260 requires veterinarians, upon request of the owner of an animal, to make available a copy of any prescription that the veterinarian has previously prescribed the animal free of charge. This bill will have a public hearing on Tuesday February 20, 2018 at 9:00AM at the Hawaii State Capitol conference room 229 by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health. Read the complete bill text (brief) here.

Please send in written testimony opposing this bill via the Hawaii State Legislature website (steps detailed below) by Monday Feb 19th 9am and consider testifying in person at Tuesday’s hearing.

HVMA opposes SB2260 because it places unnecessary legislative burden on veterinarians and is of questionable value to the public. According to Hawaii Revised Statutes 471-10, licensed veterinarians in Hawaii are required to practice by “the recognized principles of medical ethics of the veterinary profession as adopted by the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association”. According to the AVMA Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics Section V.b.iii., “Veterinarians are obligated to provide copies or summaries of medical records when requested by the client.” Prior prescription information is already contained within a patient’s medical record and available upon request by the client (owner of the animal). In regards to current prescriptions, Section VII.f.iii. states: “Veterinarians are entitled to charge fees for their professional services: A veterinarian shall honor a client’s request for a prescription or veterinary feed directive in lieu of dispensing, but may charge a fee for this service.” AVMA’s Policy on Client Requests for Prescriptions states: “Veterinarians shall honor client requests to prescribe rather than dispense a drug (AVMA Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics). The client has the option of filling a prescription at any pharmacy.”

Please make the voice of veterinarians heard and submit your testimony today:
1. Go to the Hawaii State Legislature website.
2. In the upper right hand corner, either “Sign In” to your account or “Register” if you do not have an account.
3. Once signed in, click on “Submit Testimony” (first orange button in the middle of the page).
4. Under “Enter Bill or Measure” enter SB2260 and click “Get Hearing”.
5. Complete your testimony submission (you may upload a document or enter your testimony directly on the webpage) and click “Submit”.
6. Feel good about participating in the legislative process and shaping the practice of veterinary medicine in Hawaii!

The Hawaii State Capitol is located at 415 South Beretania Street in downtown Honolulu. If you have never testified in person before and have questions about the process, please feel free to email us at contact@hawaiivetmed.org.

Other Current Pending Legislation

HB2498 – Establishes and appropriates funds for one full-time equivalent permanent veterinary medical officer position within the Department of Health. HVMA SUPPORTS.

HB1823 – Defines emotional support animals and makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly make a misrepresentation regarding a service dog or emotional support animal.

HB2060 – Removes the word “Examiners” from the names of the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Board of Dental Examiners, Board of Examiners in Optometry, and Board of Veterinary Examiners. Renames the boards with titles that more accurately reflect their scope and duties. HVMA defers to BVE stance.

HB2072 – Prohibits certain restraints and tethers that endanger or deny sustenance to a dog. Specifies penalties.

HB2081/SB2566 – Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to provide assistance and supplemental funding to the National Wildlife Research Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct pilot field studies to evaluate control tools and develop a management plan to reduce the rose-ringed parakeet population on Kauai.

HB2270/SB2501 – Requires the Department of Human Services to establish ohana zones where homeless persons may reside. Appropriates funds.

SB2014 – Requires persons convicted of animal cruelty to register with the attorney general. Requires animal shelters, animal breeders, and pet stores to check whether an individual has been convicted of animal abuse when the individual applies to work or volunteer, or purchases or adopts an animal. Establishes penalties. Prevents persons convicted of animal cruelty from possessing, owning, or working in close proximity to animals. Requires police officers to be trained in identifying and investigating animal abuse.

SB2289 – Establishes the offense of sexual assault of an animal. Provides for impoundment and forfeiture of a sexually assaulted animal.

SB2435 – Requires the Department of Health to contract with a nonprofit animal rescue group to oversee caretakers of feral cats. Exempts registered caretakers of feral cats from state laws and county ordinances relating to the feeding and confinement of cats. Establishes a trap-sterilize-return process.

SB2461 – Establishes the offense of “misrepresentation of a service animal”. Changes the term “service dog” to “service animal” and amends the definition of that term to conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

SB2929 – Establishes the Hawaii spay/neuter council to be administratively attached to the department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes the Hawaii spay/neuter special fund. Imposes a fee on pet food to support the Hawaii spay/neuter grant program to spay and neuter dogs and cats. Makes an appropriation.

Happy New Year 2018

Aloha HVMA Members,

Hau’oli makahiki hou! We are glad you are a part of our veterinary community here in Hawaii. Membership registration is open, so please renew your membership at https://hawaiivetmed.org/membership/

Your HVMA membership allows us to help support you in your professional life. We seek to keep you informed on current events and provide legislative advocacy on issues pertinent to veterinarians in Hawaii. We provide members-only online content including classified ads, job postings, relief vet listings, and an online directory of member clinics. At our annual local conference, we bring in top-notch speakers and offer discounted registration to all current members. Through our organization, you will find networking, volunteer, and leadership opportunities.

Please let any of your new colleagues know that 2017 DVM graduates qualify for reduced membership dues ($50) in 2018, and 2018 DVM graduates receive complimentary HVMA membership in 2018. You do not need to be an AVMA member to be apply for HVMA membership, and if anyone needs help finding sponsors, just contact us. Please also notify us if you have reached the golden age of 65 and have 20+ years paid dues to qualify for Life Member status (membership dues waived).

We enjoyed seeing so many of you at our conference this past October, and hope to see many more at our 65^th Annual Conference from November 8-11, 2018. Save the date!

As we continue to work to make the HVMA more accessible and relevant to its membership, please bear with us through the changes as we move to digital communications, and send us any feedback, suggestions, or interest in volunteering at contact@hawaiivetmed.org.

With warm aloha on behalf of your HVMA Board,

Jill Yoshicedo, DVM

Participate in Our Membership Survey

Help improve the HVMA to better serve you! We are surveying both current and non-HVMA members. Each survey participant may enter to win our drawing for free HVMA membership in 2018. We will hold the drawing during our Annual Conference Social on Saturday Oct 28th from 6-8:30pm at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. You will not need to be present to win. Take the survey here!

Volunteers Needed for 2017 Hawaii Pet Expo

May 13th-14th at Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, corner of Ward Ave and King Street, Honolulu

Pet Expo is sponsored and organized by the HVMA. It has been an annual event for over 25 years and is FREE, and well received by the public, with an average of 10,000 people attending each year. The purpose of the Expo is to promote responsible pet ownership and strengthen the bond between people and their pets through educational displays, live animal demonstrations, and the latest in pet services and products. The HVMA is looking for veterinarians who will promote our profession in a positive manner and educate the public on the need for professional veterinary care. They are there to promote the HVMA and what we stand for, but can pass out business cards and information if asked for. We would like vets who are willing to volunteer their time to promote our profession and who are willing to interact with the public, to sign up.
1) HVMA Booth: This year we are doing away with the “Ask A Vet” booth, although vets manning the booth will be there to answer any kind of question. The HVMA booth will be similar to last year’s theme: Common Household Dangers.
2) Make and Take (Kiddie Craft ) Booth: Assist kids and their parents with making finger puppets and other paper crafts, which they get to make and take home. Keep booth clean and organized.
3) Greeters: Pass out programs and poop bags at the door. Help to direct traffic in and out of the Exhibition hall. Smile and welcome people. Collect canned goods and monetary donations for the Hawaii Food Bank.
4) Information Booth: Help direct people to exhibits, answer questions, make announcements, box up food donations, make more poop bags, run errands, clean up pet messes that are reported or seen.
5) Show Marshalls: The “Poop Patrol”. Patrol Exhibition Hall and grounds outside, picking up pet messes. Empty overflowing trash and cigarette bins outside hall and transfer to dumpster in back. The good thing about show marshaling is that you get to walk around the hall and check out all the exhibits, although you are supposed to be working, not shopping during your shift! We always need a lot of show marshals.

If volunteers sign up by the deadline, a t-shirt will be ordered for them. Sizes are M, L, and XL; please indicate shirt size when signing up. If you sign up vets are encouraged to wear lab coats or smocks to identify themselves as vet professionals, name tags will be provided. They may also wear the Pet Expo tshirt.
Volunteers are needed for Friday night to help set up. (No AC on Friday night, wear shorts!)
Saturday and Sunday the shifts are as follows: 9:30-12:00 am, 11:30 to 2:00 pm, and 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Only the first shift will be provided a small lunch.
Volunteers should sign up by calling Dr. Kam or staff at Ohana Vet Hospital at 845-1762, or fax at 848-1632.