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> Articles by: Christpina

Author: Christpina

Journey to VTS: Arica Cayton, RVT, VTS (Clinical Practice, C/F)​

After graduating from school and obtaining my CVT (I started my career in Colorado), I worked in the anesthesia department of a specialty practice. To this day, I can distinctly remember all of us gathering for a huge celebration held in honor of a colleague who had just earned her VTS in emergency and critical care (ECC). While she was already an incredible leader, teacher, and mentor, the accomplishment of her earning her VTS seemed to solidify what we all already knew: she was, after all, revered for her breadth and wealth of knowledge. We all looked up to her, and she was my inspiration. I knew, even at that early stage in my career, that I wanted to become the type of teacher/leader/mentor that she was.

CVMA’s 2026 California Emerging Leader, Dr. Katelyn DeVore

Students from the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine and the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine will bring their research to the Vet Expo floor at the Pacific Veterinary Conference in Sacramento! Visit the students as they present their research and answer questions at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center during the lunch and afternoon breaks on June 19 and 20, 2026.

Why Emergency Response Planning Matters for Veterinary Practices

California veterinary practices operate amid an unusually wide range of natural and human caused hazards—including earthquakes, wildfires, floods, chemical exposures, and civil threats—while also managing clinical risks inherent to animal care. A strong Emergency Action Plan (EAP) that integrates Cal/OSHA requirements with veterinary specific best practices protects staff, clients, and patients while ensuring business continuity when disruption strikes. This article provides a comprehensive, California-specific framework you can use to strengthen your emergency preparedness and response systems.

Unique Insights from an RVT in Learning and Development

Veterinary nursing is a profession built on skill, resilience, and a deep commitment to patient care. Over the course of my career, I’ve learned that supporting those skills—helping others grow, gain confidence, and reach their potential—can be just as impactful as hands-on clinical work. My path into Learning and Development (L&D) has allowed me to continue contributing to veterinary medicine in a way that strengthens teams, improves patient outcomes, and creates sustainable career growth for veterinary professionals.

Is AI the New Specialist? What Veterinarians Should Know

Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than a buzzword. It is touching our lives in innumerable ways; it’s nearly impossible to navigate your daily life without interacting with some type of AI-enabled tool. These tools can help us be more productive, navigate from point A to point B, communicate more effectively, and touch up photographs.

CVMA Member Survey—We Want to Hear from You

On April 3, CVMA members will receive an email invitation to participate in our annual Member Survey. We encourage you to take 3-5 minutes to share feedback that directly shapes the benefits and services we provide. Participants who provide their contact information at the end of the survey will be eligible to win a $250 VISA gift card. The deadline to complete the survey is May 1, 2026. If you have unsubscribed to CVMA emails, but would like to participate in the survey, please email kcalderon@cvma.net.

Veterinarian Prescriber Obligations

As prescribers, California veterinarians have several obligations relating to issuing prescriptions to clients. In fact, California law essentially applies the same set of rules to all prescribers, so that consumers have the same rights whether they are seeking health care from physicians or from veterinarians for their pets. While direct dispensation of medications to patients from a physician’s office has essentially gone by the wayside, veterinary practices still commonly dispense medications to clients.

CVMA to Upgrade Legal Services Program, Transition to New Law Firm in July

For more than a decade, the CVMA’s Legal Services Program has been a valued member benefit, offering veterinarian members up to 30 minutes of free legal advice each month. The CVMA is excited to announce that we will be elevating that benefit even further this year! Beginning July 1, 2026, the CVMA’s Legal Services Program will be delivered in partnership with Klinedinst PC, a premier California-based law firm with offices across the state and beyond.

More Ketones, More Problems: Pregnancy Toxemia in Small Ruminants

Two things are inevitable in the springtime: tax season and kidding season. Veterinarians will be pulling kids and lambs, cutting c-sections, treating the onslaught of neonatal diarrhea, and mainlining caffeine. Although we all know the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” occasionally we treat cases of pregnancy toxemia, also known as ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic condition that occurs because of negative energy balance—feed intake cannot keep up with the energy demands of gestation and lactation.

CVMA Lobbies Legislature for HQHVSN Funding for UC Davis, WesternU Veterinary Schools

On March 17, 2026, the California Veterinary Medical Association (VMA) headed a coalition of stakeholders to lobby the California Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance to apportion $5 million to fund SB 1233, a bill written and sponsored by the CVMA that was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024. SB 1233 seeks stage budget funding to create High-Quality, High-Volume Spay/Neuter (HQHVSN) certification programs at Western University and UC Davis veterinary schools. Students who receive the certification will graduate school with skill and demonstrated competence in HQHVSN, which will in turn help California’s animal shelters and veterinary practices curb pet overpopulation.

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