The Collaborative Vet Podcast - Michael Dr.T Tokiwa

Jacob Adams is the Chief Scientific Officer at Noxsano, a startup that created a product that heals wounds through producing Nitric Oxide.  Nitric Oxide has been shown throughout the last few decades as a powerful tool in healing wounds and fighting infection.  However, developing an affordable delivery system has proven difficult, until now.  Jacob and his colleagues have developed an affordable and easy to apply product that will help fight infection and heal wounds.  In this video we discuss how it works!  To learn more, visit www.noxsano.com or reach out to Jacob directly at Jacob@noxsano.com 

Ian Spiegel is a veterinary Dermatologist and Owner of Dermforpets.com  Here he discusses tips for general practitioners and new grads to realize that these cases are not always straightforward.  He gives pointers on making time for cases such as this, the utilization of the new allergy meds AFTER reducing the inflammation and infections that they present, as well as taking into account the compliance plays a key role in success.  

Dr. Spiegel is a Veterinary Dermatologist, and he has seen his fair share of ear infections.  In this video we get his take on medical treatment of Otitis external (ear infections), and his tips on how to clean the ears. 

Danielle Lambert is the founded of the Snout School of Marketing and Strategy which empowers veterinary professionals to create ethical and authentic veterinary branding.  You could say that Veterinary medicine is in her DNA.  This is her origin story.

A chance conversation with a veterinarian neighbor led Derrick to found and run Zoundz Music for Pets!   He took his talents as a record producer and entrepreneur and combined them with his love of animals to create unique music designed to help pets.  Here's his origin story.  

Krystina Stadler, clearly is a genius.  Who else did really well in Organic Chemistry?   She entered the Veterinary profession because she was told that it was very hard to get in.  An affinity toward black and white imagery and diagnostics led to a great Radiology mentorship and eventual specialty.  I especially lover her mantra “being a clinician first and radiologist second” and she explains why she follows this approach.  This is her origin story 

Alexandre Contreras is a family man, veterinary professional and entrepreneur.  He has spent years perfecting a new type of nail trimmer which he hopes to bring to market this year.  In this episode he discusses his entry into the veterinary profession and how his charity, The PetTrio charity is designed to give back to his community.  

Jacob Adams is not a veterinarian, nor affiliated with any veterinarians prior to co-founding the startup Noxsano.  The product they have developed came out of a need to help a friend with diabetes who suffered from infected foot blisters, common with the disease process.  An idea of a better delivery system of a compound that our bodies produce to fight infection and heal wounds was created in their garage, initially tested on their driveway, and derived from components purchased at Michael's and Kroger's.  This is the Noxsano wound healing product origin story.  To reach out to Jacob you can visit noxsano.com or email him at Jacob@noxsano.com 

Danielle Lambert is a Brand and Market Strategist, and founder of Snout School, a business that empowers veterinary professionals to build ethical and authentic veterinary branding.  In this short segment, she gives 3 fantastic strategies to build your brand.  

There are many benefits of pet ownership for seniors, including companionship, physical and mental health benefits, and the importance of choosing the right pet for a senior's lifestyle and abilities. I offer tips and advice on caring for a pet as a senior, such as hiring a pet sitter or seeking help from family and friends, and highlighted resources available for seniors who need assistance with pet care.  I emphasize the positive impact pets can have on the lives of seniors and encouraged listeners to consider how a pet could enhance their own lives or the life of a senior they know.

Imagine battling cancer, and you are literally having a dog by your side going through the same thing.  Newton, Renee's beloved Boxer suffered lymphoma.  As she had successful treatment in the end, Newton did not.  She believes that pet's are placed in our lives to fill a need, or show us something we didn't know.  Although the good bye is sad, she feels that pales in the comparison of what she got to experience with her dog(s).   Finally, I asked her what she hopes this book brings to the reader.  She hopes this book can help people.  She believe that her book shows us dogs can be our guides during times of struggle and the enormous power of the human animal bond makes us better because of it.  

Sit Stay Heal - How Dogs can teach us about Living Well.  The author Renee Alsarraf is veterinary oncologist and a wife and mother.   She is also a cancer survivor and wrote this book to discuss her journey through diagnosis, treatment and successful remission.  Throughout this she had two teams with her.  Her work team, whom she credits for so much with pet oncology treatment as well her own, and her “home team” of her husband (also a veterinary specialist) and her son....and of course her dog.

Renee Alsarraff is a veterinary oncologist, mother, wife and now cancer survivor and author.  In her book Sit Stay Heal - what dogs can teach us about living well, she talks about her patient's and her journey through cancer therapy.  During this time she was able to personally compare the human vs. veterinary approach toward cancer treatment.   In this episode we discuss concepts veterinarians implement that the human world of healthcare can benefit from:  like compassion, treating the whole family dynamic and being open about the odds, statistics and outcomes.  

On October 18th, you'll be able to experience Dr. Renee Alsarraf's book Sit Stay Heal.  Her journey through her battle with cancer, and how her patients taught her about living a better life.  Here she touches on the concepts that Pets live in the moment.   Her cancer patients never worried about the statistics, or potential outcomes that can mentally and emotionally exhaust their human counterparts.  Instead they happily enter and leave the treatment center. We also discuss some of the characters (who are real life people) she has met during her tenure as an oncologist.  These are what she calls the “back story” of the pet's family.  As she states, veterinarians need to treat the entire family dynamic.  Her advice for young veterinarians is simple.  “Do not sit across from the family, sit next to them.”  

Renee Alsarraf is a veterinary oncologist and cancer survivor.  Her book entitled, “Sit, Stay Heal.  What Dogs can teach us about living well,” will be out October 18 2022.  Like so many veterinarians I've interviewed, Dr. Renee Alsarraf's desire to become a veterinarian was in her DNA.  But beyond that, an externship at the AMC (Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in NYC) was a life changing experience that made her want to be a veterinary oncologist.  As you read her book, her warmth as a person will be evident.  She is a hugger.  This warmth and compassionate approach toward her craft is also a life lesson she learned as a veterinary student.  After a difficult euthanasia, a senior student told her that she will harden up as these experiences become more common.   Her viewpoint on that and any patient, doctor, family interaction is, “What will that family remember?  They will remember that we cared and we tried.”   

Having a pet is a privilege, not a right.  There, I said it!  In this episode I express my personal views and give you facts about the true costs of owning and operating a veterinary hospital (and how it differs from your Human Doctor's office).  I give real world examples about how I find some Pet Parents make choices that negatively impact best medical outcomes for their pets.  I hope this brings some enlightenment about what your Veterinarian Team faces when dealing with the financial aspects of pet care.  

First, shout out to Lap of Love's Dr. Mary Gardner and Dr. Dani McVety for their personal guidance for understanding your pet's quality of life.   Here I give my personal views on the concept of "end of life" decisions/discussions.  Your veterinarian's role in helping make this decision requires frank discussions.  

Anxiety in pets is real, and is more recognized now than ever before.  Understanding anxiety in your pets, and coming to terms with the proper use of medications can change your pet's life.  

I get told so often that, "my pet doesn't look like they're in pain...."  You pets share the same sensory pain systems, and motor neuron pathways as we do.  They definitely feel pain, as we do, but express it in different ways.  Here, I talk about how to recognize the, sometimes subtle, signs that your pet is in pain, and the various treatment modalities, and preventative measures your veterinary utilizes for pain in pets.  What I cannot fix is if we are a pain in their behinds!  Enjoy.  

Right now, there is a massive heat wave across the country, so it got me thinking about heat stroke in your pets.  Here I define Heat stroke, talk about the signs to look out for, how your veterinarian will treat these cases, and most importantly how you can prevent it.  

Brendan and Ryan Salvino, the co-founders, are huge Pet Lovers, and were looking for avenues to help veterinarians.Originally were looking at creating software for marketing for veterinarians, but it morphed into what it is today.During their research with veterinarians they were told that veterinarians had a need for automation for follow up communications, because the current, manual system  is incredibly time consuming .  Their answer, the Vet Talk Automated Post Appointment Software Platform.

Callbacks following appointments is incredibly time consuming for the Veteirnary team.  A majority of these callbacks go unanswered.  Ryan and Brendan Salvino, the co-founders of Vet  Talk Software have the solution.  

This video is about Vet Talk Automated Callback Software Origin and Advice for Young Entrepeneurs.    From a Desire to help people, brothers Ryan and Brendan Salvino incorporated their software, marketing and finance skills with their love of animals and created Vet Talk Software.  Ryan currently owns a Medical Distribution Business and Brendan works for private equity firm.  Here they also give advice for any young entrepeneurs thinking about or starting a business.

CJ and Tom are unique in the industry.  They are Financial Advisors, AND they are Certified Exit Strategists.  In this video they provide the best advice for  your exit from ownership.  Concepts like, for retirement, you need to concentrate on your person life, not your business, how some strategies of living off the interest of investments sometimes don't work out, and other gems.  It's advice well worth listening too!  To learn more about Tom and CJ visit www.flvetadvisors.com 

COVID affected all of us, and now team members are having some difficult client interactions.  How can we de-stress?  Marie Holowaychuk, a veterinary Criticalist and wellness expert gives us some great tips on how to unwind both in the clinic and at home.  

We are dealing with so much right now.  There's never been such a demand for vet care.  Add on the lack of staffing and people choosing to leave the profession.  Then add to that a Pandemic.  Everyone is at their Witt's end!Dr. Marie Holowaychuk, a board certified Emergency and Critical Care Specialist and Expert in Well Being gives great advice on how we can deal with this stress

I am always amazed at the capabilities, intelligence, drive and empathy of the veterinarians I meet in this wonderful community.  Kim Selting is the living embodiment of this.  Specializing, raising a family while doing this and then passing on her wisdom to a new generation of veterinarians through her faculty position.   She does it all.  This is her origin story, and while interviewing her for this, she passes on some incredible pearls of wisdom for the young veterinarians: like Prioritizing your approach to the medicine, and Thinking things through, and asking yourself, “How can you advocate for the pet and the person(s) who love them, while meeting any financial limitations to the case.”  

Veterinarians are dealing with so much right now.  There's never been such a demand for vet care.  Add on the lack of staffing and people choosing to leave the profession.  Then add to that a Pandemic.  Everyone is at their Witt's end!Dr. Marie Holowaychuk, a board certified Emergency and Critical Care Specialist and Expert in Well Being gives great advice on how we can deal with this stress.

Meeting these guys and recording for the show inspired me to seek their guidance on my financial future.  Tom Seeko and CJ Burnett are young, driven, and success financial advisors and exit strategy professionals.  Their experience in the human medical field and now veterinary industry helps them guide veterinarians and business owners on making the right decisions from on their financial futures to purchasing or selling a practice.   This is their origin story.   

COVID showed all of us the important role pets play in our lives.   As veterinary medicine continually improves and in my opinion is on par with human medicine, the costs rise.  Pet insurance helps many pet parents deal with these costs.  The difficult issue is, (a) should I get pet insurance? And (b) what insurance company should I choose.  That's where Getfursure can help you decide.  It's free and easy to use!  Later Catherine gives us her thoughts as an Asian in today's climate.  Her perspective comes from someone who grew up in Honk Kong and now resides in the US.

Catherine Dennig, co founder of FurSure pet insurance brokerage company discusses how their free system works.  It's free, simple, and matches you with the top choices for pet insurance, either via a phone call or a click to their website.  Her goal was to make navigating a difficult decision of deciding on the insurance easier.  Pet insurance operates on a completely different level than human insurance.   Many people are starting to understand and research the medical issues their pets may have due to breed, age, pet parent lifestyle and zip code.   They want the best value for coverage.  Catherine explains the concept of pre-existing conditions and how that can affect coverage.  For more information, visit getfursure.com. 

Catherine Dennig faced what many pet parents face, facing a decision between best medicine and finances, when she faced expensive options for her cat Simba's cancer treatments.  Driven by wanting to help people never have to make such decisions, she researched about pet insurance.  Which one is best?  How to decide?  That's how getfursure was created.  A simple, free system to help pet parents decide on the best pet insurance for their pet and their circumstances.  

Dr. Frieman was always fascinated about the relationship between the veterinarian, the client and the patient.  As technology advances, and because of a chance after hours call with a friend, he felt the need to embrace the change and help pet parents determine urgency to after hour pet medical incidents.  Let's face it, Dr. Google does not have a veterinary degree.  Here, Dr. Freiman gives a brief history of his journey into the profession and why he founded Petriage.  

The veterinary team face a number of phone call challenges.  In this series I break down some common hurdles that the CSR team faces.  My hope is to bring to light the reality of these situations....with humor....but also to start a conversation among team management about how to deal with these scenarios.  I also hope that pet parents listening can come to understand that these are difficult situations vet team members face.  Thanks for listening!  Dr. T. 

During this time of COVID and  Asian Hate Crimes, I was inspired to meet two young, Asian entrepreneurs.  Tara and Jessica's accomplishments prior to becoming business owners are inspiring enough, and their message to young people out there (regardless of age, race or anything else) is empowering.  #mentorship #entrepeneur #inspiration #diglabs 

Tara and Jessica were both working at J&J, sharing their desire to find something better for the health of their rescue and foster dogs.  The result, Dig Labs.  Their current project is an app that visually identifies gastrointestinal parasites from images of dog feces.  It was inspiring to talk to these two entrepreneurs.  #diglabs #entrepeneur #pethealth #originstory #petparasites #veterinary #veterinarian #pets #collaborativevet #progressivevetcare #yourpetmatters 

Recently, several veterinarians have taken their lives.  One was a graduate from my school, The Atlantic Veterinary College.  Veterinarians face huge struggles that many other professions do not.  It is why 40% or less of practicing veterinarians actually recommend it as a profession.  The financial, emotional and physical strains are much more different than those faced by our human medical peers.  I wanted to see what Jameson's views were on this, so I sat him down without any knowledge that this was the subject matter.  

Dr. CG Byers is a a double boarded veterinary specialist in both emergency and critical care and internal medicine.  He is also the Founder and Editor in Chief of CriticalCareDVM, an educational resource for both veterinary teams and the general public.  Here we discuss the triad of care, a collaboration between the pet parent, their regular veteran and the specialist.  Communication is one of Dr. Byer's passions and he discusses how this can benefit this collaboration leading to better medical outcomes for your pets.  

When COVID hit, many of us in the veterinary profession didn't know what to do.  We cut back our hours, became curbside and waited.  We looked inward and saw how we could improve our business.  In the end we made a few different choices.  We increased our team numbers, and improved how we communicate with clients.  While other hospitals reopened to regular hourse, and some even cut back on team numbers, we did not.   I feel this combination of changes helped make my business and team flourish while others are feeling burnout.

With today's advancements in quality of healthcare for your pets, it is important and necessary to have the involvement of veterinary specialists.  Collaborating with specialists enables your veterinarian to bring higher quality care and increased longevity for your pet.   Unfortunately access to specialty centers can be limited.  How can we as veterinarians get specialty input on our cases?  Kristen Welch, veterinary specialist and founder of DVMstat veterinary consultants created the solution.  Her business allows any veterinarian around the country to access and receive specialty consultation for their patients.   This is her origin story.  

I lost Holly almost a year ago to this date, and Neil more recently, both succumbing to cancer.  I think of both of them often and how each in their own way provided me with guidance on Life.   

We celebrate people doing good in this world.  Rene Agredano and Jim Nelson didn't know what to expect when their dog Jerry was diagnosed with cancer and faced leg amputation.  12 years ago, very little resources existed to help them through this.  It was a life changing experience for them.  Travel forward in time to today, they host the largest community of Pet Parents of 3 legged animals in the world; a community of over 15000!  Here is their story.  To learn more visit tripawds.org and tripawds.com.  

Even before COVID19, my practice faced some pretty difficult challenges.  It's through those challenges that key, dedicated team members shine.  This episode is dedicated to one such team member.  Thank you Emily!!

By now, I'm sure everyone has heard about the tiger that tested positive for COVID19 at the Bronx zoo.  This episode discusses (at the current time) how relevant that positive result is to you and your pets.  As always, this is a continually changing situation.  Stay healthy.  Stay Safe!

COVID19 has completely changed our lives, but it doesn't have to stop your veterinarian providing healthcare to your pets.  We are managing by providing what we call "curbside care", and virtual visits.  In this episode, I talk about the process of curbside care and how we can still give you our best medical approaches toward pet healthcare.   

Everything is changing, but veterinary hospitals are considered (for the time being) essential.  As a result, we are still open, but taking a "curbside" approach to pet care.  In this episode I talk what it involves, and what options, including telehealth that we have.  In the meantime, please be kind and enjoy your social distancing.  

By chance I decided to test myself for Lyme Disease.  At the last veterinary conference while getting a Rabies titer, I decided to get tested for Lyme (assuming it would be negative).  Results returned 2 weeks later and indicated that I had Lyme disease!  I've lived in NJ for 20 years,  have never had an engorged tick on me, well at least not knowingly.  I am "tick Paranoid" ie. I don't put myself in situations to get ticks on me.  I chalked up my typical aches and pains to getting old.  Having recently been treated for a dental root canal infection (which may have to do with Lyme disease btw), my aches and pains have gone away.  The moral of this story?  Get your pets tested.  Use the tick and flea prevention every month (all year in states like mine (NJ)).  Vaccinate your pets for Lyme disease (as well as other illnesses). And, treat Lyme symptoms with a good antibiotic for the recommended time frame!   Talk to you veterinarian about how you can prevent, test and treat your pets! 

I met The NAVC Retriever creator, Dr. Aubrey Kumm as I walked along the main hallway at VMX2020. It was one of those spontaneous interviews that turned out great! Aubrey created this app because he wanted to make it easier for employers, veterinarians, and vet team members to find jobs. Here he discusses the app, his previous app that helped diagnose children on the Autism spectrum, and his view about the profession. His passion shines through! To learn more about Aubrey and his app, visit www.navc.com/retriever