Don't know VSCOT from a VetCOT? Reported your DVM and feel like you were interviewed by the MVD? Reading through the
site you'll probably run into quite a few acronyms, abbreviations, organizations and corporations that have more than
a passing interest in your pet. Consider this a cheat sheet until we come up with something better.
1st Pet
A chain of specialty and emergency hospitals in the metro Phoenix area (link). Originally an outgrowth of American Pet Center in Chandler that was purchased by veterinarian Randy Spencer, the entity eventually encompassed three facilities including the former First Regional Animal Hospital. Spencer subsequently spun 1st Pet off to his employees under an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to preserve corporate culture and obtain very lucrative tax advantages (according to an article in Today's Veterinary Business, "1st Pet Veterinary Centers Inc. will pay no federal or state taxes going forward"). Spencer and his employees used Brad Ham's Ownership Thinking: How to End Entitlement and Create a Culture of Accountability, Purpose and Profit and Jack Stack's The Great Game of Business to prepare. Spencer relates that the new employee-owners were trained in budgets and financial literacy, and he's sure that the employees will want to be even more involved in decision-making as they understand how company performance affects the value of their shares (link). The ESOP plan was first broached three years prior and finally put into effect in August 2021; 1st Pet's three locations were the target of 27 complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021.
AAHA
The American Animal Hospital Association (link), a self-organized group of veterinarians and veterinary stakeholders who design and administer voluntary accreditation standards for animal hospitals in the United States. They also develop guidelines for care and release position statements detailing their views on various aspects of animal care. Hospitals that pay dues to the AAHA and go through their accrediting process are allowed to describe themselves as AAHA Accredited.
AAVSB
The American Association of State Veterinary Boards (link) is a self-organized group of individuals on state veterinary boards that run a group representing state veterinary boards in the US and Canada. The organization's leaders are generally selected from those with current or previous state veterinary board experience and the organization offers a variety of services aimed at handling various veterinary board functions and assist them in their "ultimate mission of public protection." They also write model veterinary regulatory legislation for adoption by state governments and attempt to coordinate policy between veterinary boards. Unlike the state veterinary boards themselves, the AAVSB is not chartered by, nor has any legal affiliation with, any government. It's essentially the regulatory state's version of a supergroup.
AAWL
The Arizona Animal Welfare League (link), a nonprofit animal rescue organization started in 1971. The organization subsequently merged with the Arizona SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and later dropped the SPCA portion of its name to avoid confusion with the unrelated ASPCA. In addition to rescuing pets they offer a variety of veterinary and training services similar to the AHS and other organizations. The AAWL has also had strong ties with various veterinarians including those at Scottsdale's AMSC, which has historically assisted in fundraising for the group. The AAWL also hired veterinarian Matthew Goetz as their medical director during the 2018 timeframe; Goetz later went on to work as a Senior Professional Services Veterinarian at Merck Animal Health (link). Goetz's partner Nellie is also a shelter veterinarian affiliated with Altered Tails and Midwestern University. Both members of the Goetz family applied for and failed to receive appointments to the veterinary board's Investigative Committee.
ACVIM
The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (link), a self-organized group of veterinarians that set standards for obtaining board certifications in various veterinary specialties including cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, nutrition, and oncology. The group is a "college" in the traditional sense of the term, being a collection or group of colleagues; board certifications also have nothing to do with state veterinary boards as it's a different kind of board (analogous to a board-certified doctor). In addition to setting standards for obtaining specialty certifications the group liaises with and accepts money from industry stakeholders including CareCredit, Purina, and Royal Canin (link) to help your pets together. It is registered with the AVMA ABVS.
ACVECC
The American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (link), a self-organized group of veterinarians that set standards for board certifications in critical care and emergency veterinary medicine. In addition to handling board certifications, they also certify VetCOT veterinary emergency and critical care facilities based on VECCS standards; not surprisingly, ACVECC is behind both of those organizations as well.
ACVO
The American College of Veterinary Opthamologists (link), a self-organized group of veterinarians that set standards for obtaining board certifications in veterinary opthamology. It's essentially the same idea as the ACVIM, but for your pets' eyeballs. Like most similar organizations, it's registered with the AVMA ABVS. In addition to their main website, the ACVO runs a variety of partner websites, part educational and part marketing outreach (link). The organization manages a variety of projects including the Companion Animal Eye Registry, intended to identify and weed out dogs with vision problems from breeding programs.
ACVS
The American College of Veterinary Surgeons (link), a self-organized group of veterinary surgeons (in the American use of the term) that set standards for obtaining a board certification as a veterinary surgical specialist; it's similar in concept to the ACVIM but targeted at those who cure via cutting instead of drugging. It has a variety of premier industry sponsors, including medical device manufacturer Medtronic, major veterinary specialty chain MedVet, Johnson and Johnson, and Hill's Pet Food ("Science Did That"). It is registered with the AVMA ABVS.
AHS
The Arizona Humane Society (link) is an Arizona nonprofit whose stated mission is "[t]o save the most vulnerable animals and enrich the lives of pets and people." The organization has existed since the 1950s and operates a variety of shelter, veterinary, and other programs in Arizona. Operated by a collection of six-figure specialists, including veterinarian and CEO Stephen Hansen (reported as receiving $378,139 on their 2021 IRS Form 990), it also broadly constitutes a feeder program for the Arizona veterinary board, producing board members including veterinarians Nancy Bradley, Robyn Jaynes, and Melissa Thompson along with public members such as Jessica Creager and Jane Soloman. It also hands out awards to recognize Arizona politicians such as John Kavanagh for their voting records (link). They also operate an animal cruelty task force populated with emergency animal medical technicians who occasionally make interesting appearances in government records. Along with other industry ties, AHS provides post-adoption care up to $500 only when adopted pets are taken to participating VCA facilities (link).
Altered Tails
A discount spay and neuter service with clinics in the Phoenix metropolitan area (link). Altered Tails has affiliations with rescue veterinarians Nellie Goetz and Thomas Schaefer, both of whom applied for and failed to receive appointments to the state veterinary board's Investigative Committees.
AMSC
The Animal Medical and Surgical Center, a prominent veterinary clinic and specialty center based out of Scottsdale, Arizona (link). AMSC was previously operated by Pathway Vet Alliance, which later became Thrive Pet Healthcare. AMSC hosted one of the various ANIC locations in the US Southwest. Both AMSC and its former responsible veterinarian, Shantibhushan Jha, were heavily involved in providing veterinary support to the AAWL and eagerly participated in "An Evening to Paws," an upscale fundraiser that raised over $400,000 in just one night in 2020 (link), and eagerly used their continued involvement for public relations purposes (link). On its IRS Form 990 filing for 2020, AAWL listed the Animal Medical and Surgical Center as its primary independent contractor, receiving $169,995 from AAWL in that year alone. One of Jha's other premises, Prescott Area Pet Emergency Hospital, had ties to veterinary board member Nikki Frost and was investigated and absolved in five complaints between fiscal years 2019 to 2021.
ANIC
The Animal Neurology and Imaging Center (link), a former veterinary neurology and imaging chain founded by veterinarian Scott Schatzberg. At its peak it maintained facilities in Algodones, New Mexico, Round Rock, Texas, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a co-branded facility in Scottsdale, Arizona with AMSC. Schatzberg described himself as an internationally-recognized neurology expert conducting groundbreaking research (link); at least one of his papers, Idiopathic Granulomatous and Necrotizing Inflammatory Disorders of the Canine Central Nervous System, was retracted in Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice as the paper had already been published in another journal, the Journal of Small Animal Practice (link). ANIC was eventually merged with Pathway Vet Alliance, where Schatzberg was promoted to Group Vice President and National Director of Specialty Medicine. Pathway subsequently reinvented itself as Thrive Pet Healthcare and much of the existing branding appears to have been abandoned. Schatzberg's spouse, Katherine Cutter, is also a veterinarian and co-founder of her own BoosterPet veterinary chain (link).
Antech
A diagnostic and reference laboratory owned by Mars PetCare (link). In addition to their ties with the corporate sprawl of Mars PetCare, Antech has been considered controversial with respect to business practices that effectively lock veterinary practices into sole-source contracts for their laboratory services. At least one veterinarian attempted to sue Antech over alleged consistent inaccuracies in test results; federal judge Josephine Staton said that it was unreasonable for the veterinarian to have believed Antech's marketing statements claiming their tests were accurate, and Antech countersued her for breach of contract (link).
ASAVET
Not-for-profit veterinary organization focused on charity spay and neuter operations in Arizona and New Mexico(link). Founded by veterinarian Karter Neal and associated with Santa Cruz Vet Clinic, it operates a mobile surgical unit. It also received a PetSmart Charities grant.
ASVMEB
The Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board (link), one-stop shopping for all regulatory matters veterinary in the state of Arizona. This state agency is responsible for licensing veterinarians, licensing their veterinary facilities, handling complaints against licensees, and inspecting both animal hospitals and crematoriums. This organization is distinct from the AzVMA, which is a professional association representing veterinarians in the state, but there's a lot of overlap between the two. The agency consists of a board appointed by the governor and approved by the state senate, several civil servants, and investigative committees appointed by board members.
AVECCC
The Arizona Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Center (link), the facility is a remnant of the former EAC system that was spun out during the selloff to BluePearl. It has locations in Gilbert and Peoria, both of which are now owned and operated by NVA. It was the subject of five complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021. Not to be confused with the ACVECC organization.
AVMA
The American Veterinary Medical Association (link), a nationwide organization representing veterinarians. What the American Medical Association is for doctors, the AVMA is for veterinarians, only more so. The AVMA sets the national conversation on everything from dangerous jerky treats (link) to mass elimination of live animals by mass suffocation and heatstroke (link and link). The AVMA even controls the accreditation of veterinary schools in the United States (unlike the situation in human medicine where multiple professional organizations exist for doctors and a separate body handles accreditation).
AVMA ABVS
The American Veterinary Medical Association's American Board of Veterinary Specialties (link), an arm of the AVMA that goes around and gives its imprimatur to the various specialty organizations in veterinary medicine. For example, the ACVIM certifies individual veterinary medicine specialists, and then the AVMA AVBS vouches for the ACVIM as a whole, along with 21 other veterinary specialty organizations representing over 40 different specialties from poultry practitioners to lab-rat dissectors.
AVMA COE
The Americal Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (link), a trademarked part of the AVMA responsible for accrediting veterinary schools within the United States (and increasingly internationally as part of a franchise-like operation). The AVMA COE is not without controversy, criticized by veterinarians for accrediting too many schools (link) and having various internal conflicts of interest (link). The organization has also been criticized by the US government for lacking sufficient independence from its parent organization (link). At one point the AVMA COE even sued a VIN reporter covering them (link).
AVMA PLIT
The Americal Veterinary Medical Association Professional Liability Insurance Trust (link), an AVMA liability insurance system run by the American Veterinary Medical Association for its members. In addition to acting as malpractice insurance in the unlikely event of a payout, they also offer services to "vigorously defend" veterinarians that are targeted in a complaint or lawsuit; their assistance includes, but is not limited to, seeking out veterinary expert witnesses to support a veterinarian's defense (link).
AZPetVet
A chain of veterinary hospitals (link) based in Arizona and operated by former AzVMA President Wayne Anderson. (Anderson served as AzVMA President neatly sandwiched between the presidencies of Michael Lent and Brian Serbin, both of whom eventually ended up on the state veterinary board. AZPetVet also sponsors the "A Night of PAWSibilities" charity event (link). AZPetVet itself was subsequently sold off to The Aspen Group in 2022 (link). In total, AZPetVet facilities were listed in 25 complaints from fiscal years 2018 to 2021.
AzVMA
The Arizona Veterinary Medical Association (link), Arizona's state version of the AVMA. One of two veterinary medical associations in Arizona. The AzVMA is distinct from the ASVMEB, which is the Arizona state government agency responsible for regulating veterinarians.
AzVTA
The Arizona Veterinary Technician Association (link), a new organization set up to represent veterinary technicians in Arizona. Launched by Stefanie Perry, Jennifer Serling, and Katie Foust, the organization counts directors including veterinary board member, veterinary technician, and entrepreneur Nikki Frost. The organization's platinum corporate sponsor is none other than Yavapai Emergency Animal Hospital (co-owned by the same Nikki Frost), with other sponsors including IDEXX, BluePearl, AZPetVet, NVA, and Hill's. The organization put out a 2022 position statement on the creation of mid-level veterinary technician professional roles, noting that there was no incentive for them to pursue additional education because they wouldn't get paid enough for it to be worth their time (link).
Banfield
A major veterinary chain owned by Mars Petcare (link). Their corporate information professes their desire for a better world for pets, wanting to be a trusted partner for your pet through their Optimum Wellness plans; their pitch ends by imploring you to "Be with us. bhere." Banfield has historically operated many strip-mall and other convenient locations, many of which are located inside or adjacent to PetSmart store locations. Banfield locations were the subject of nine Arizona complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021.
Board
Without other context, typically used as a short form of the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board (ASVMEB). It can refer to either the board members as a group or the entire agency.
Boarded
Left at a boarding facility (in the case of a pet).
Holding a specialty or other certification from one of the various specialty organizations (in the case of a veterinarian). The same as board-certified. (Note that this has nothing to do with the licensure requirements for a state veterinary board.)
BluePearl
A chain of specialty veterinary hospitals (link) operated by the same corporate umbrella of Mars PetCare. The BluePearl locations in Arizona were obtained when the Emergency Animal Clinic facilities were split up and sold off. BluePearl facilities were listed in 23 Arizona complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021.
CVT
Certified Veterinary Technician.
CVM
The US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (link), responsible for regulating animal medications, feedstocks, and devices.
The Christian Veterinary Mission, a religious organization that uses veterinary medicine as an avenue for spreading the word of Jesus Christ (link), particularly large animal medicine in less-developed regions. The organization also operates fellowship groups and has an externship program placing veterinary students with like-minded clinics, along with their own job boards. A draft proposal for a CVM chapter at Midwestern University's vet school suggested that a significant subset of their founding faculty had an affiliation with the group, listing founding dean Brian Sidaway, anesthesiologist Jana Jones, and lawyer-veterinarian Carla Gartrell as proposed faculty advisors.
DVM
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The typical credential awarded to graduated veterinarians in the United States.
EAC
The now-defunct Emergency Animal Clinic (link), a company that operated several emergency animal clinics in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1974, the clinics were originally owned by over 200 local veterinarians who relied on them to provide after-hours services. The clinics were subsequently sold off. Most of these appear to have become part of the BluePearl system, while at least one of them somehow escaped to become the original member of the AVECCC system.
Eye Care for Animals
Eye Care for Animals, a nationwide group of animal hospitals specializing in veterinary opthalmology (link). Originally founded by Arizona veterinarian Reuben Merideth, he later partnered with veterinarian Paul Barrett and began a nationwide expansion program. Eye Care for Animals also pioneered the use of veterinary residencies in non-academic practices and currently has the largest number of opthalmology residents in a private setting. The entity was subsequently sold off to Thrive Pet Healthcare (link). Paul Barrett subsequently strangled a dog that bit him during a 2019 appointment at the Eye Care for Animals Tucson location, allegedly telling the dog he was going to meet Jesus (link).
HSUS
The Humane Society of the United States, an animal rights organization (link) that also participates in various animal rescue initiatives. HSUS broadly has a reputation of being further to the political left than some other humane organizations (which does not necessarily equate to being any more beneficial for animals). On their IRS Form 990 for 2021, CEO Cristobel Block brought in $453,464 (and an additional $32,692 in related compensation), while Senior Vice President Melissa Rubin pulled in $405,065 in compensation. In his Senate hearing, former Arizona veterinary board chair Jim Loughead named the HSUS as a terrorist group according to information he was allegedly provided by the FBI during the run-up to an animal cruelty referendum in Arizona. During his tenure on the Board he also suggested that HSUS membership would be disqualifying for Board or Investigative Committee positions (link).
IC
In the context of the Arizona state veterinary board, an Investigative Committee. The Board has two Investigative Committees (AM and PM) responsible for initial review and recommendations on complaints. All members of the Investigative Committees are selected by the Board.
IDEXX
A reference laboratory and diagnostics company (link) focused on small and large animal health diagnostics, veterinary practice software, and water supply monitoring.
MCACC
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (link), Maricopa County's animal shelter system. According to its website, MCACC boasts an average 94% save rate (link). Prominent PetSmart and Exceptional Pets veterinarian and veterinary board member Robyn Jaynes briefly worked for the organization as its director (link). Her apparent successor, Michael Mendel, was featured on an online website, Michael Mendel: Brutal Animal Abuser (link); Mendel was placed on administrative leave (link) and eventually replaced (link). In at least two recent instances, dogs slated for rescue were accidentally euthanized by the facility (link), and the death of at least one dog was attributed to the elimination of MCACC's behavioral care team (link). There have also been rumors of seriously botched surgeries performed by MCACC, including allegations of dogs bleeding out after failed operations (link).
Mars PetCare
A pet care company associated with the same corporate entity as the ubiquitous Mars candy (link). Mars PetCare has focused on a massive consolidation of veterinary-related businesses, owning the VCA, Banfield, and BluePearl pet hospital chains and the Antech diagnostic laboratories, various pet food brands, and others. The company continues to pursue major acquisitions, including a potential takeover of Heska and its point-of-care laboratory offerings (link).
MedVet
A chain of specialty hospitals (link) often confused with VetMed, occasionally even by practicing Arizona veterinarians. The original hospital was founded as a specialist veterinary hospital in Ohio by veterinarians William DeHoff and James Harrison after they left nonprofit and academic veterinary medicine. Enabled by an increasing number of veterinarian shareholders, the entity continued to expand and eventually acquired a network of specialty veterinary hospitals in several states (link).
Midwestern
Midwestern University, a private health care university maintaining campuses in both Illinois and Arizona (link). In the context of veterinary medicine, generally refers to either the veterinary degree program at Midwestern University's Glendale location (link) or its services at the related Animal Health Institute and Companion Animal Clinic (link). The launch of Midwestern University's veterinary program, Arizona's first, was not without controversy, and many of its initial faculty appear to have been sourced directly from the local veterinary clinics. Midwestern has ties to the state veterinary board, having had several of its faculty members serve as Investigative Committee veterinarians (including its founding dean, Brian Sidaway). Midwestern University's animal clinic was also the respondent in at least two major series of veterinary complaints that indirectly led to an abortive attempt at creating a veterinary malpractice law in Arizona.
NVA
National Veterinary Associates (link) is a private aggregator of veterinary and specialty veterinary facilities. It currently owns at least four specialty centers in Arizona: AVECCC in Gilbert, AVECCC in Peoria, VetMED, and PVIMS (Phoenix Veterinary Imaging and Mobile Services, formerly Phoenix Veterinary Internal Medicine Services). The company is currently undergoing a reorganization to have specialty hospitals owned and operated under the new Ethos brand.
Pathway
Pathway Vet Alliance, a corporate aggregator of veterinary practices (link). Owner of a variety of standard and specialty veterinary clinics, Pathway subsequently renamed itself to Thrive (link). Among other acquisitions, Pathway purchased the entirety of the ANIC neurology chain from veterinarian Scott Schatzberg, making him their Group Vice President and National Director of Specialty Medicine (link).
Petco
A major national pet store chain (link). Similar to PetSmart, the company provides a variety of services at its stores in addition to the sales of pets and pet-related items, as well as online shopping for pet health insurance coverage. Some in-store pet clinics were actually operated through a partnership with Thrive Pet Healthcare before the business relationship was terminated (link).
PetRays
A Texas-based remote veterinary radiology company (link) that appears to have been absorbed by Antech. It was founded by Melissa Fields Tugwell, a marketing and sales director for a (human) radiology company, who launched the company by organizing her own veterinary conferences (link). Many veterinary facilities, including 1st Pet, rely on outsourced radiology services, and at least one Arizona complaint resulted from an unnecessary surgery recommended by a PetRays consultant (link). At one point PetRays sued a competing remote radiology service for criticizing their abilities in a marketing campaign (see Petrays Veterinary Radiology Consultants v. DVM Insight, Inc.).
PetSmart
A major national pet store chain (link). Started in Arizona as PetFood Warehouse, reinvented as Pet Smart, and finally PetSmart, the company offers everything from pet toys to small pets, grooming services, day care, and PetsHotel services at some locations. It also operates a large charity operation through PetSmart Charities. PetSmart suppliers have been found participating in animal cruelty (link, link). A subsequent sting operation by PETA members uncovered animal cruelty at PetSmart locations in multiple states, leading to charges being brought against PetSmart employees in Tennessee; PetSmart subsequently sued the PETA member for misrepresenting herself and spying on the company (link). Investigative journalists in New Jersey also reported on a rash of grooming-related deaths at PetSmart locations after a private-equity takeover (link). PetSmart has historically had a relationship with Banfield to provide veterinary services in select stores, but plans to sell off the rights to run in-store clinics under the PetSmart Veterinary Services name (link).
PetSmart Charities
A pet charity affiliated with PetSmart (link). Promoting itself as the "leading funder of animal welfare," it prides itself that 90 cents of each dollar donated "helps pets in need." On their IRS Form 990 filing for 2021, PetSmart Charities reported $65,207,466 in incoming grants and donations for the filing period with $5,939,339 paid to PetSmart for management services. Former PetSmart employee, veterinary board member, and Arizona Humane Society veterinarian Robyn Jaynes ended up returning to the PetSmart world by working as Director of Veterinary Affairs here (link), citing her veterinary board experience as evidence of her love for pets.
PetVet Care Centers
A corporate aggregator of veterinary practices based in Connecticut (link). The entity is distinct from similarly-named AZPetVet. It does, however, own several veterinary clinics in Arizona: Both the Phoenix Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center and the Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson are theirs, as are a a variety of more standard clinics including Cerbat Cliffs Animal Hospital, Cortaro Farms Pet Hospital, Crossroads Veterinary Hospital, and the Pet Doctor of Tucson (link).
SAVMA
The Southern Arizona Veterinary Medical Association (link), a smaller organization similar to the AzVMA focused on downstate veterinarians and based out of Tucson.
SAVSEC
The Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center (link), a veterinary specialty and emergency center in Tucson. According to a 2020 complaint, the facility's responsible veterinarian was Reuben Merideth, better known as the founder for Eye Care for Animals. It was the subject of seven complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021.
TAG
The Aspen Group, a consumer health care company better known for its Aspen Dental and walk-in clinic chains (link). In 2022 the company branched into the pet care industry by acquiring AZPetVet (link).
Thrive Pet Healthcare
A veterinary hospital aggregator (link), formerly Pathway Vet Alliance. In addition to owning Eye Care for Animals, it also owns a variety of animal hospitals and specialty clinics in Arizona; these include the Arizona Veterinary Dental Specialists locations, Dermatology for Animals, PetCure Oncology at Arizona Veterinary Oncology, and more.
VCA
Veterinary Centers of America, a veterinary hospital chain founded by health care executives Neil Tauber, Robert Antin, and Arthur Antin in the 1980s (link). Along with acquiring many existing veterinary practices and bringing them under the VCA umbrella, they also expanded into pet-related fields including Antech Diagnostics and the Camp Bow Wow dog day care facilities. The company was subsequently purchased by Mars Petcare (link). VCA facilities were cited in at least 17 Arizona complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021.
VCA ARECA
The Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona (link), an emergency and specialty clinic operated by VCA. Previously an independent specialty hospital, it was subsequently purchased and brought into the VCA orbit. Currently led by veterinarian Chris Monarski (who completed his residency at the same clinic and went on to work as staff surgeon at the same facility), it was previously led by veterinarian Dennis Keith, who was later promoted to Regional Medical Director at VCA. It was the subject of six complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021.
VECCS
The Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (link) affiliated with the ACVECC. It offers a variety of training and conference opportunities to members as well as courses along with their own RECOVER CPR certification and certification of participating veterinary trauma centers. VECCS helpfully notes that the quality of medicine plays no role in certifying trauma centers: "VECCS and the Committee have no intention to judge the quality of medicine that is practiced within a facility, or to evaluate their business decisions, policies and procedures. To perform its evaluation, the Committee completes a checklist audit." (link).
VetCOT
Veterinary Committee on Trauma, an ACVECC initiative that recognizes veterinary clinics for adherence to their self-designed critical care standards (link). In addition to handling the certification of participating trauma centers, they also maintain a proprietary registry of 55000 trauma cases submitted by participating veterinarians about your pets. The information in the registry is only available to their own Diplomates or allied individuals, while the application to obtain access to their trauma records awards "10 points" if you also hail from an existing certified trauma center (link). Not exactly a fine moment in the history of the biomedical sciences, but that's how the criticalists roll.
VetMED
An emergency and specialty clinic (link). Originally founded by mobile ultrasound veterinarian T. Arch Robertson, VetMed was subsequently sold off to NVA. It was the subject of 20 complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021, the largest number for a single facility within the batch of records we've reviewed thus far.
VMD
Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris, the Latin term equivalent to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Some veterinary schools award their DVM degree as a VMD degree out of tradition or other factors, but the two are identical.
VSCOT
The Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson (link), an emergency, specialty, and referral veterinary center located in Tucson. In 2014 the facility was sold off in a leaseback agreement to STORE Master Funding for $7 million (link) and was at some point acquired by PetVet Care Centers (link). It was the subject of 11 complaints between fiscal years 2018 and 2021.
Western Veterinary Partners
A corporate aggregator of veterinary practices (link). The company operates many veterinary clinics including PetsVet in Arizona.
YEAH
Yavapai Emergency Animal Hospital (link), a business venture led by veterinary technician and board member Nikki Frost, AzVMA director Barbara Batke, veterinarian Amie Dow (spouse of former veterinary board investigator Cameron Dow) and veterinarian Katrina Tavasci. YEAH is the platinum sponsor of the AzVTA (Arizona Veterinary Technician Association) where Frost is also on their Board of Directors.