Category: Oahu

In Remembrance – Russell Shoji, DVM

Russell Shoji, DVM

Dr. Russell Shoji of Kaimuki passed away on June 9, 2022. He was a loving husband and father, former veterinarian, enthusiastic golfer, and avid fisherman. Russell is survived by his wife Laureen Shoji (née Katsuda); daughter Alyson Shoji; stepchildren, Daniel (Christina) Kong, Jenilee (Chris) Green, and Justin (Keiko)Kong; brother Dean (Renee) Shoji and sister Sandy (Paul) Hoshino; nephews Rane (Rie) Shoji and Lon Hoshino. Visitation from 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 23, 2022, at Borthwick Mortuary, Maunakea Chapel; service 11:00 a.m. No flowers. Casual attire.

Mentorship Opportunity with Assets High School

Looking to mentor a student in the community? Assets High School’s Mentorship Program extends learning beyond the curriculum. It enhances self-esteem through career related responsibility and provides access to community role models. The Mentorship Program matches students, based on their interests and personal qualifications, with various companies and organizations in the community. Students in grades 10 through 12 work for high school credit at their mentorship sites every Wednesday from September through April.

The program is similar to college internships, but for high school students. A prospective student will create a resume and cover letter and actually “interview” to get the job. We try to give students as much real world experience as possible. This is a non-paid position. Most of our students complete their required 5.5 hours per week on Wednesdays. However, the hours are flexible, based on your needs.

To inquire about being a mentor, or to learn more about the Assets program, download the brochure or contact Jason Wagner at 808-423-1356 or jwagner@assets-school.org.

Legislative Update 2022

The Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association (HVMA) seeks to amend Chapter 471, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to better define the practice and parameters of veterinary medicine and veterinary telemedicine to protect consumers and their pets from inadequate, improper, or unlicensed veterinary care.  Further, because there is a shortage of licensed veterinarians in Hawaii, HVMA is proposing to provide for the temporary permitting of out-of-state veterinarians and providing for international veterinary school graduates to qualify for licensure examination in Hawaii.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions brought about consumer demand for telehealth in the field of veterinary medicine. Telemedicine has allowed consumers more access to veterinary services for their pets, particularly in areas where access to veterinary care is limited.  However, HVMA is aware that the use of telemedicine may also be abused without an established veterinary-client-patient relationship.  Without actual physical examination of a pet, veterinary services rendered through telemedicine alone can be inadequate and below the standard of veterinary care. The addition of telehealth definitions and the telemedicine section will help to clarify the practice of veterinary telemedicine and assist the Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine in ensuring consumers in Hawaii receive proper and licensed veterinary telemedicine services.

Additionally, the pandemic highlighted the shortage of veterinarians available to provide specialty and routine veterinary care for Hawaii’s people and their pets. At times, veterinary emergency hospitals were unable to operate 24/7 and surgeon schedules were completely booked for months due to the inability to fill these staffing shortages by temporary permit. In one specific case, there was a veterinary surgeon within the state that could have assisted during this period, but due to her international veterinary school degree, was unable to sit for Hawaii’s state licensing exam due to a technicality in the administrative rules. These amendments are critically important to prevent such veterinary care shortages in the future, and ensure that all qualified veterinarians are allowed to sit for the Hawaii state licensing exam.

This bill has currently been introduced to the House (HB 1598) by Representatives Johanson, Hashem, and Nishimoto; and into the Senate (SB 2798) by Senators Lee, Gabbard, Keith-Agaran, Misalucha, Acasio, Ihara, and San Buenaventura . Please take the time to thank them for their support, and write your local representative to ask for theirs!

Meet a Local Vet – Anya Cotliarenko

Dr. Anya Cotliarenko

Anya Cotliarenko, BVetMed, MPVM, has been the Hawaii Liaison Veterinary Medical Officer for the USDA APHIS Vet Services since July 2021, filling the position vacated by Dr. Tim Falls when he retired at the end of 2020. She is originally from the Pacific Northwest and is a graduate of Royal Veterinary College/University of London. 

Following graduation, she completed an internship at the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center, an exclusive equine veterinary practice in central California. She then decided to pursue veterinary public health and completed a Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine degree at UC Davis before joining USDA/FSIS. 

She served in several roles during her seven years of service with FSIS: Enforcement Investigations and Analysis Officer; Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV), and Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer/Frontline Supervisor. She started as a VS field veterinarian in the Ontario District of California from September 2019. While there, she helped close out the 2018 vND outbreak and assisted in the development of CAHEN (California Avian Health Education Network) program: an education/outreach program for backyard poultry producers geared toward decreasing the risks associated with introducing Newcastle disease into the US.

She and her husband Guilherme have two children, Enzo (5) and Anita (2), one dog and two cats. Her other interests include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, running (has completed 3 marathons!), water sports, photography, painting, piano, and equestrian activities.

Pet Kokua Wellness Clinics

The Hawaiian Humane Society is seeking licensed veterinarians to assist with community outreach clinics in District 9 (Ewa Beach, Waipahu, Mililani).  Pet Kōkua Wellness Clinics are pop-up veterinary clinics that assist low-income and houseless pet owners with wellness checks, vaccinations, flea/tick preventatives, heartworm tests and preventatives, deworming, and treatments for minor illnesses and injury, at no cost to the owner.

Clinics are generally hosted one to two times a month, are 4 hours long and are generally appointment-based.  The Pet Kōkua Program is able to offer veterinarians a stipend of $250 per clinic due to a generous grant from the City & County of Honolulu.  If interested, please email outreach@hawaiianhumane.org with your general availability. You may also call Suzy Tam at 808-356-2225 with any questions.

Meet a Board Member – David Gans

David Gans, DVM
Vice President

David had an epiphany as a young child that he would become the world’s first ANIMAL DOCTOR, pioneering a new field and contributing a new found profession to the world. Much to his dismay, he was informed of the veterinary field and settled for that. He was born and raised in Hawaii, and after obtaining his DVM at Colorado State University in 2018, returned to the islands to work at Hawaii Kai Veterinary Clinic, where he has been ever since. 

Along with his girlfriend Jayeon, he has been slowly building up their home zoo of rescues and their COVID garden. They have two cats Amaru and Dotori, a red footed tortoise, and recently a couple ducklings. They also enjoy hiking, surfing, and other outdoor activities.

David looks forward to expanding his knowledge and experience in general practice. He is especially interested in gaining more training with exotics and expanding his abilities in rehabilitation work. 

In Remembrance – Eric Jayne

Eric Jayne, DVM, worked with Cat Friends, Molokai Humane Society, and the Hawaiian Humane Society, served as the Hawaii HSVMA representative, and was due back in the islands later this summer. He was with his partner Sally visiting their dear friend, Dr. Lori Gossard, in North Dakota when a semi truck hit their car from behind. Eric was killed instantly. He was a great man, an adoring husband, and doting father. He was tireless and committed to improving human and animal lives. His impact was felt by many, and will continue to be.

Sally plans to keep their non-profit, Sovereign Nations Veterinary, fully running and contributing back to the indigenous communities they serve. A celebration of life service for Eric was held in Des Moines, and a prayer vigil in his memory at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe reservation. His family started a go-fund-me page to help continue his work at https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-honor-of-dr-eric-jayne.

Panleukopenia Cases

Submitted by Kasey Carter, DVM

The Hawaii Cat Café (a Hawaiian Humane Society offsite adoption partner) closed to the public for two weeks starting Tuesday, July 27 due to a confirmed case of panleukopenia.  The Hawaii Cat Café has dedicated their space for the next two weeks to quarantine & monitor cats who were potentially exposed.  They are working closely with the Hawaiian Humane Society veterinary team to deliver diagnostics and care as needed.  Over thirty cats have been adopted from Hawaii Cat Café over the last two weeks – these adopters have been contacted to inform them of the panleukopenia exposure and have been offered a physical exam and vaccination through our Veterinary Services department.
 
To date, we have no additional confirmed cases in our cat population, which includes our other partners.  Our vaccine protocols include vaccination of all animals on intake, vaccination of kittens/puppies between 4-18 weeks every two weeks while in our care, and to vaccinate dogs and cats >18 weeks twice (if they are in our care at least 2 weeks).

If you have any questions or concerns or see any suspect/positive panleukopenia cases, please reach out directly to Dr. Carter at kcarter@hawaiianhumane.org

Thank you!

Specialty/ER Service Interruption

The Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine has recently reinterpreted Hawaii’s veterinary practice law and begun rejecting the practice of veterinary sponsorship. This practice previously allowed many out-of-state specialists to share their services with our clients on a short-term or intermittent basis. All of us have benefited from referring our clients to visiting dermatologists, radiologists, surgeons, as well as our few emergency care centers that operate 24/7. This interruption in veterinary sponsorship has limited service hours at emergency clinics and worsened the backlog of surgery cases in Hawaii.

If your clients are being affected, please encourage them to file a complaint with the DCCA and Board of Veterinary Medicine to insist that they must immediately return to honoring the practice of veterinary sponsorship in Hawaii as clearly allowed by HRS 471(2)-5.