Relief work in veterinary medicine is on the rise. Due to high rates of burnout, associates are starting to transition into relief work to provide a better work-life balance. Relief work can be a nervous transition, but it provides you with so much time to get back to doing the things you love. Types of relief work range from being your own Entrepeneur ( Freelance) or working with a staffing agency to manage your everyday schedule. I have been working with VetIQ Staffing for almost a year and love working for them. They handle my schedule, taxes and payroll. The time I would spend doing these things is utilized doing the things I enjoy. If you are considering transitioning to relief and interested working with a staffing agency, please read the attached document with frequently asked questions I receive working with VetIQ Staffing. They may be the right fit for your next transition! 

Getting your dog comfortable with nail trims start when they are young. Waiting until they get older or having a nail issue is not the time to get them comfortable with having their feet touched. It is also something you do not need to rush. Start slow and gradual. Get them comfortable with you messing with their feet first. Then gradually take the nail trimmers and just touch their toes. Don't even cut the nails. Once they get comfortable then you can start nail trimming but with some form of distraction. I love the Kong cheese, peanut butter on the little rubber mats. This keeps this distracted but also understanding nothing bad is happening and they are being rewarded. I also recommend going slow and not rushing to avoid trimming too short. This is the stage in their life where they do remember a lot of things. So, if they take this as a bad experience, it could set you back with training. Try to go with them and keep their limbs in a normal anatomical direction. The more you pull, or the more they resist can set back the training process. The purpose is to make it an enjoyable positive experience for your puppy.  The video below just shows a simple method using the Kong cheese for a puppy nail trim. 

I will admit, I was worried how things would go. I am a person who loves consistency and repetition.  Transitioning from working in the same clinic to working at a variety of different clinics was a scary feeling.  

Does your dog keep you up all night scratching? Does it seem like he is unable to get comfortable due to being so itchy?  Let's get them a QUICK easy fix, right?  WRONG!  Pets suffering from chronic itching can be due to a variety of circumstances. This can result from parasites (fleas, tick, mites), environmental allergies (pollens, grasses),  skin infections ( bacteria, fungal, autoimmune) , contact allergies ( household cleaners, yard treatments, topicals , shampoos) and food allergies ( protein sources- most common).