Alabama VeterinarianA Biannual Publication for ALVMA Members, Veterinary Students and Friends of the ALVMA Fall 2020 | Volume 31 | Number 2 ECVC Wrap Up & Awards Page 19 Veterinarians Stand Tall During Meet Your the Coronavirus President Pandemic Page 5 Page 13 Practice Sales & Acquisitions Valuations Financing Business Education Advice & Consultation Our business and financial expertise distinguishes us from our competitors. There has never been a better time to sell or buy a Veterinary Practice. Call today for a no-charge initial consultation. Jeni L. Knizley DVM Katie Krothapalli DVM Ray Baas Jr., VP Ray C. Baas, Principal [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 251.605.4287 334.220.1272 504.782.2203 504.957.5506 Serving clients in: AL, AR, LA, MS, TN, CO DVMconsultants.com alabama.indd 1 7/14/20 10:12 AM IN EVERY ISSUE Get your spay/ Letter from the president....................4 neuter license AVMA board of director’s..................... 7 Welcome new members................. ...16 tag today! From your state veterinarian............... 18 University update: Auburn & Tuskegee... 34-38 9 SAVMA report: Auburn & Tuskegee....... 39-41 SPECIAL FEATURES Meet your president......................... 5 Support the efforts of the Alabama Early career member profile: Veterinary Medical Foundation. Dr. Caroline Barnes................. 10 Funding for this program comes from license plate sales. If you or your staff 2020 ECVC wrap up and awards .........19 -20 don’t have a tag, please consider ALVMA 2021 awards nomination form. .... 23 purchasing one when you renew. Veteran member profile: Encouraging your clients to purchase Dr. Arvle Marshall................. 28 also provides support and visibility for the Foundation. 10 NEED TO KNOW After state fees, 85% of your tag fee provides funding for surgeries to aid ALVMF executive director’s report............ 8 Medicaid recipients with the cost of Relief veterinarians..........................12 spay/neuter surgeries provided by ALVMA Public Health Committee Article.....13 ALVMA veterinarians participating in the program. You may also check off Power of 10................................. 14 the box on your income tax return and Special Announcements..................... 17 support this program. ALVMA’s 30th Annual Food Conference for Food Animal Veterinarians...... 24-25 FAC registration forms & agenda........ 26-27 18 In the Alabama Legislature................. 30 SAVE THE Board, constituents, DATE! committee information............42 ASSOCIATION STAFF: 2021 ECVC Executive Director Heather Vaughn Director of Meetings & Events Adele Reed CONFERENCE Director of Membership Darlene Clendenon Director of Communitcations Staci Corder June 2-6 DIRECT ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO: Alabama Veterinary Medical Association 24 PO Box 803 Fayetteville, TN 37334 Email: [email protected] ALVMA and the Alabama Veterinarian assume no responsibility for material contained in articles and advertisements published. ON THE COVER: Dr. Davis, and his wife Cathy Davis, DVM with their children and dog; son Will Davis and wife Ashley, son Chris Davis and wife Savannah, daughter Katie Davis and their dog, Chesapeake Retriever, Maggie. 28 ALVMA FALL 2020 | 3 2020–2021 Alabama Veterinary Medical Association President Dr. Randy Davis A LETTER FROM the PRESIDENT Dear ALVMA Members, It has not been long since my last writing to you in our News- bites and 2020 continues to seemingly devolve. Our latest chal- lenge to Alabama was Hurricane Sally which struck the Gulf coast, specifically, Gulf Shores and South Alabama. Fortunately, loss of life was minimal, but the financial and emotional impact will be felt for years to come. Our thoughts and prayers are cer- tainly with all those affected by the storm. The Alabama Veterinary Medical Foundation had a CAMET (Companion Animal Medical Equipment Trailer) pre-deployed for Sally and it was ready for use as determined by the assessment of the Alabama Department of Agriculture. Currently, the ALVMF is working with the Birmingham Animal Shelter to deploy assets to the area as needed. Disaster preparedness is something we all take seriously. I think it is important for you, our members, to know what resources are available for both those who want to help and to those who are directly impacted by the disaster. The ALVMA and the ALVMF work in conjunction with each other and communication is key. The ALVMF has CAMET trailers and teams available for immediate assistance during a disaster as coordinated with the Department of Agriculture. There are available financial resources for veterinarians treating pets directly impacted by di- sasters and to veterinarians whose practices are directly affected by a disaster. All of this infor- mation is given in detail on the ALVMF website, ALVMF.org. For future disasters we would like to update our rosters of Disaster Animal Care Providers and house our CAMET trailers in more strategic locations. This will allow for a faster response and to quickly disseminate information before, during, and after a disaster. Thank you to Dr. Brad Fields for his work with the ALVMF and their coordination with the Department of Agriculture. His background in Emergency Management is an invaluable asset to us. As we move forward, we realize there will always be another need. Look for more infor- mation on how we may better manage those needs and how you may be able to help. Take Care, Randy Davis ALVMA President 4 | ALVMA FALL 2020 Q&A Meet Your President Dr. Randy Davis • Tuscumbia, AL Q. What is the hardest Q. Where do you see part of your job? yourself in five years? Business management. Doing what I am doing now in practice, but, maybe better and Q. What advice more efficiently. And traveling can you offer someone a little more. coming into this profession? Q. What accomplishment Keep an open mind. are you most proud of? Don’t pigeon hole Being able to say my wife and I yourself into one type have raised 3 beautiful children of practice. I started and they have grown up to be as small animal only wonderful adults. then worked 5 years in a mixed animal practice Q. What do you think has with a lot of stockyard been the most significant work to now predomi- change/advancement in nantly small animal. Be veterinary medicine? prepared to take on new Everything related to diag- challenges. nostic and communication technology. Q. What inspired you to pursue Q. What is the most memorable a career in veterinary medicine? experience of your career? Q. Professionally, if you My first visit to a veterinarian as There are many, especially from could change something, a child. The doctor expressed our the large animal work I did. I have what would it be dachshund’s anal sacs and they been blessed to be able to serve as For me personally, it would be sprayed the wall. It was great. a veterinarian in other countries. to stop stressing over mistakes All of those experiences are memo- and things I can’t control and Q. Where did you study? rable because of the satisfaction remember the successes which Undergraduate at the Auburn in helping others. But, the last trip are always more numerous. University School of Agriculture of treating farm animals in remote and then the Auburn College of villages in the Himalayas of Nepal Veterinary Medicine. was a highlight. Q. What type of veterinary medicine do you practice and why did you choose it? Currently practice small animal medicine and surgery along with some exotics, pocket pets, and still a few horses. My practice chose me. Q. What do you enjoy most about your job? Helping clients through difficult situations and discussions. ALVMA FALL 2020 | 5 Q. What is the last book you read? The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson Q. What five adjectives best describe you? Quiet, reserved, loyal, and deter- mined. My neighbor says I am an introvert. He’s an extrovert, so I let him think that. Q. I still want to learn how to… Fix things. I would love to be more mechanically inclined. Q. What motivates you to Q. If you were stranded on an work hard? island, what three things would Q. How did you get involved Fortunately, my parents instilled you want to have? with the ALVMA? a good work ethic in me. Also, Flint and steel fire starter, Sawyer I would not be where I am now a little debt is a good motivator. water filter, and a Machete if Dr. John Hammons had not called me. I had been involved Q. Who is your role Q. What is the last movie you in our local association as a model/mentor? watched? member and officer for years. I don’t think there is a single one. I have a hard time watching a John called to encourage me to It is a long list of veterinarians and movie in its entirety, but, Guardians become more involved at the people that have molded me and of the Galaxy was fun. State level, after a few calls I gave inspired me. A few would be the in, not really thinking this is what first doctor I worked for in high Q. What is your favorite quote? I would ultimately be doing. school Dr. Harry Brown in Mont- C.S. Lewis “Integrity is doing the gomery. The first veterinarian I right thing, even when no one is Q. Why would you worked for out of vet school Dr. watching.” recommend that someone McKee in Orange Park FL, and Dr. join ALVMA? Lynn Hagood a former partner Q. What is your simplest Because the ALVMA needs more and an inspiration. pleasure? voices. Besides the tangible ben- Coffee in the morning efits of membership like CE etc. Q. When I’m not working, The ALVMA provides members a you’ll find me… Q. What makes you laugh voice and our association needs Hopefully, getting a work out in at out loud? all of the diverse voices of our my Crossfit box or throwing bum- Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy.