The Newfoundland and Labrador Veterinary Medical Association

The weather may be warmer, finally, but it was not that long ago when, with one glance out of the window on a cold winter night, you realized why shovels don't come cheap in Newfoundland and Labrador. With old man winter left behind, the Newfoundland and Labrador Veterinary Medical Association (NALVMA) is ready to focus on a packed spring program. This year, the NALVMA will continue to build on its public education campaign. It is hoped that all areas of the province will be covered by summer's end. As well, a CD will be produced, focusing on responsible pet care, with the greatest hope of being introduced into all schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Also, an NALVMA Web site is planned to provide information on NALVMA clinics, its members, public education, veterinary specialists visiting the province, updates on animal and zoonotic diseases, and regulations for travel. In consultation with other concerned groups, the NALCMA is also trying to establish minimum standards of care for pets to be used as a guide for pet owners and the legal system. The purpose is to remove some of the subjectivity from pet care issues and to provide solid information that owners can follow regarding the essentials of owning and caring for pets. As distance barriers and veterinary shortages limit access to continuing education for some members, the NALVMA will continue to provide continuing education opportunities to its members. In addition, lecture programs with a practice management focus are presently in the developmental stages. The NALVMA's new veterinary act still sits in limbo. The Act, which will require a final reading before being passed as legislation, will provide an up-to-date perspective on the practice of veterinary medicine in the province. French heartworm, Angiostrongylus vasorum, remains a major parasitic disease of dogs on the Avalon Peninsula. The frequency of infection and resolution following treatment continue to be monitored by NALVMA and the provincial veterinary branch of government. Rabies has made its presence known on the Northern Peninsula of the island. Although it appears frequently in Labrador, the virus has not been observed in many years on the island. Educational seminars and pet immunization programs have begun in these semiremote areas through a combined NALVMA and Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods partnership. Both partners agree on the need for a greater veterinary presence, and public education promoting responsible pet care. Veterinary medicine and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador have blessed me with unique experiences. Practising my profession among the people of this province while constantly viewing breathtaking scenery makes even the task (or memory) of shoveling snow a little less difficult. (by Dr. Daniel Quinlan, President, The Newfoundland and Labrador Veterinary Medical Association, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland)