Banfield® and NAVC introduce veterinary emerging topics report

Banfield Pet Hospital^® joined forces with the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) to launch its first annual Veterinary Emerging Topics (VET) Report.

Banfield is uniquely positioned to capture and analyze millions of electronic pet medical records to garner insights on topics that can ultimately improve veterinary care for pets, given it cares for three million pets in its more than 975 hospitals nationwide each year. Together with the NAVC, which is dedicated to advancing veterinary healthcare through professional development and support services, Banfield aims to advance the profession by publishing key findings.

“As the world’s largest veterinary practice, Banfield is committed to working with our profession to advance pet health,” said Daniel Aja, DVM, Chief Medical Officer, Banfield Pet Hospital. “Joining forces with the NAVC on the first annual VET Report enabled us to draw on our combined strengths to bring this important issue to the forefront for the veterinary profession—so that together, we can work to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics and ultimately be better stewards of public health.”

The 2017 VET Report focuses on a critically important topic and growing threat: antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Research shows AMR’s reach and impact are an ever-increasing reality and concern in companion-animal medicine. Inappropriate prescription of antibiotics in animal and human patients can result in antibiotic-resistant “superbugs,” severely hampering the efficacy of antibiotics and increasing disease morbidity across the board.

As a worldwide problem, Banfield and the NAVC assert AMR awareness must become a priority for companion-animal practitioners and tackled in an ongoing and proactive manner. The VET Report details these findings and recommendations—and intends to encourage discussion among companion-animal practitioners on achieving better alignment with published guidelines. Key findings of the report include:

45 percent of companion-animal veterinarians are concerned about antimicrobial resistant infection;
62 percent of companion-animal veterinarians feel antimicrobials in small-animal practice impact AMR; and
88 percent of companion-animal veterinarians are unaware of the three existing sets of antimicrobial use guidelines

 “We are thrilled to team up with Banfield on the VET Report,” said Tom Bohn, MBA, CAE, CEO of the NAVC. “This year’s topic sheds light on an important issue that doesn’t receive a lot of attention. We hope this joint effort will help generate awareness among companion animal veterinarians that they can be part of the fight against AMR.”

For more information download the full report, Banfield.com/VETReport.

About Banfield Pet Hospital

Founded in Portland, Ore., in 1955, Banfield is the largest general-veterinary practice in the world. In 2007, Banfield joined the Mars, Inc. family of businesses, and today has more than 975 hospitals across the United States and Puerto Rico. More than 3,500 Banfield veterinarians are committed to providing high-quality veterinary care for three million pets annually. Banfield’s charitable arm, the Banfield Foundation, was established in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the well-being of pets and communities. Press seeking additional information are invited to visit Banfield.com or call the Media Hotline: (888) 355-0595.

About the North American Veterinary Community^®

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, with offices in Orlando, Florida, the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) is a non-profit organization providing world-class professional development to the global veterinary healthcare community. Its largest initiative, the annual NAVC Conference, hosts more than 17,000 attendees each year. Other offerings include VetFolio, an online CE platform in conjunction with AAHA; the NAVC Institute; the Veterinary Innovation Council; the newly launched Industry Services Division; its official journals, Today’s Veterinary Practice, Today’s Veterinary Technician, Today's Veterinary Business (launching summer 2017) and Veterinary Advantage Magazine; and the newest educational offerings: NAVC Live and NAVC Discovery. Visit NAVC.com for more details.