Wellness Newsletter
AzVMA Wellness Works ~ Cultivating Resilience & Happiness
May 2020 | Issue 3
AzVMA Cares
AzVMA is committed to the well-being of all members in our veterinary community. While caring for patients and clients, it is vital to remember to care for yourself. This newsletter will provide ideas and resources to help and inspire.

Remember, we're all in this together!
Stay Informed & Maintain Your Wellbeing
Coronavirus updates and resources are available on AzVMA's COVID-19 page .
Monthly Holidays & Themes
National Pet Week - May 2-9, 2020
  • We know that pets enrich our lives and this week gives us an opportunity to share our love of animals with our clients.
  • Consider promoting responsible pet ownership with clients by providing a list of essential veterinary care services available through your practice.
  • Post cute photos of your team's pets on your practice's social media accounts. Maybe even hold a photo contest for clients.
National Dog Mom's Day - May 9, 2020
Mother's Day - May 10, 2020
  • May this Mother’s Day be filled with happiness and love.
  • Did you know in 2018, the second Saturday in May was declared "National Dog Mom's Day"?
  • Dog Mom Ideas: When celebrating, make sure to get some extra cuddles. Bake up some yummy homemade puppy treats. Plan for some double pampering – a pedicure for you and paws for the pup. Then take an extra special selfie with your fur baby to mark the occasion.
Be Well
Healthy Snacks
Eat Your Veggies

We are all feeling the overwhelming sense of change recently. From changes in grocery shopping procedures, to what foods are available, to take-out dining systems.

While constantly surrounded by change, there are some things left in our control, one of which is how we nourish ourselves. While many things are currently out of our control, we can change up what we are snacking on. Since vegetables are packed in vitamins and minerals, t his month work to incorporating more veggies as snacks and sides to your meals.

Did you know? Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol. Learn about 14 powerful vegetables in this month's wellness newsletter.
Healthy Teams
Pets on Display in May

In celebration of National Pet Week, showcase your beloved pets. Find your favorite photos and post them on your social media accounts, or start a share your pet posting challenge. Up for a challenge? Get crafty by downloading a free digital collage maker to organize your favorite snapshots before posting.

TIP : At your clinic, collaborate to create a designated location such as a pet picture board in the breakroom or place extra magnets on a refrigerator to display photos of your team's furry, scaly and feathered friends.

Did you know? Research has found that looking at “cute” pictures of baby animals, including puppies and kittens, can have powerful effects on attention and concentration, according to psychological scientists at Hiroshima University in Japan.
On the Home Front
Grow Something
These easy ideas give you something to look forward to and feel a sense of accomplishment. This is something families can have fun with together. You can Google tips for exactly how to do all of these projects.

  1. Regrow vegetables. Cut off the end of a head of romaine lettuce or celery base and place it in a dish of water on the kitchen counter. Leaves will grow.
  2. Grow an avocado. Place toothpicks in an avocado seed or a sweet potato and place in a jar in the kitchen. Leaves and roots will grow.
  3. Grow microgreens. Visit www.trueleafmarket.com for many kits and seeds including broccoli, arugula, spicy salad mix, and more. You do this on your kitchen counter, can be ready to eat within a week, and these are good for you!
  4. Make a no work patio vegetable garden. Go to www.agardenpatch.com and learn about their EASY amazing patio containers. You can grow tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, corn, beans, watermelon and more. You can order the boxes and “nutrient patches” at this website. You can then order compressed potting mix and seeds online at Walmart, or get them at Home Depot. This takes a little effort to set up and plant, but it is very easy and very rewarding. Corn and zucchini sprout in 1 week.
Play Backyard Games
You can go out the back door and do something fun.

  1. Play catch. Any ball will do, but check out the US Games Tail Balls on Amazon. (Consider Smile.Amazon.com for a contribution to a charity, such as the Humane Society of the United States.)
  2. Play Frisbee.
  3. Play Cornhole Toss. Lots of sets available online.
Work on Jigsaw Puzzles or Color &
Listen to Audio Books
While doing these soothing tasks, try combining activities to make them much more satisfying. These are good for adults, and also to do with children (can be educational).

  1. Visit www.springbok-puzzles.com. Many themes and degrees of difficulty- for doing solo, with other household adults, or with children. Try listening to podcasts, TED talks, or audio books while completing puzzles.
  2. Many adult coloring books are available on Amazon and other websites. There are various themes (beautiful, calming, motivational, etc.). Also, children’s coloring books are available for various ages. Color away using felt tip pens, colored pencils, and crayons.
Travel From the Comfort of Your Home
Branch out from your regular shows. Try watching a new program, series or channel.

  1. Watch movies and documentaries about places you would never otherwise visit.
  2. Tune into the History Channel, Comedy Central or the Cooking Channel.
  3. Sign up for Curiosity Stream - “Award winning science, technology, history and nature documentaries”. You can subscribe directly, or as an add-on to Amazon Prime. It’s very inexpensive with high quality content. 
  4. Discover Quibi. This phone app contains news, comedy, drama and more in segments that last 10 minutes or less. Great for a short mental break. 


Contributed by: Marilyn Millman, DVM
How To Keep Your Pets Happy While Social Distancing
Spending more time at home during COVID-19 social distancing can disrupt your pets’ lives, but there are things you can do to make things easier on them.

Humans aren’t the only species that finds routine comforting—our pets benefit from it as well. So making the transition to working from home can affect the entire family, pets included.

Margaret Gruen, assistant professor of behavioral medicine at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says that for dogs accustomed to staying home alone, the change is most likely welcome.

“Overall, dogs are happy to see you, particularly if they are crated or alone during the day. However, the same recommendations we’ve all been given for helping people adapt to the change—maintaining a schedule, eating at normal times, etc.—are important for pets as well. The more animals can predict what may happen, the more comfortable they are.

“For instance, you may be able to take your dog for an extra walk at midday now, which is great, but you should try to keep basically the same morning and evening routines in place that you had while working or going to school.”
If cats don’t act outwardly enthused, it doesn’t mean that they’re not pleased to have you around—it could just mean you’re interrupting their beauty sleep.

“Cats do sleep a good chunk of the day,” Gruen says. “So if the household is busier, they may be trying to find somewhere quiet to nap. You can watch them for signs of irritation, although you may find that they do become more interactive while you’re around.”

Keeping routines in place won’t just help your household run smoothly now—it will ease the eventual transition back to work and school.

“If you have a pet that spends time crated or in a particular space during the day when you’re gone, you can ease them back into that routine slowly by having them spend some time there while you’re home and gradually building that time up as you prepare to go back to your former schedule,” Gruen says.

“The more you can do to set them up for success now, the better it will be for everyone in the future.”

An Activity for You & Your Dog
Quotes to Inspire
Source: Good Housekeeping
14 Powerful Veggies
Eating plenty of vegetables is one of the easiest ways for people to improve their health and well-being. It is recommended by the American Heart Association for adults to eat 5 serving of vegetables a day. How will you add more vegetables into your diet?
  • Spinach - a great source of calcium, vitamins, iron, and antioxidants.
  • Kale - only 7 calories per cup of raw leaves and good amounts of vitamins A, C, and K.
  • Broccoli - a cruciferous vegetable which may reduce the risk of cancer & contains vitamins C and K.
  • Peas - are high in fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, and K & contain certain B vitamins.
  • Sweet Potatoes - exceed adult’s daily requirement of vitamin A & contain beta-carotene which may improve eye health and fight cancer.
  • Beets - and beetroot juice are great for improving heart health as it is high in heart-healthy nitrates. 
  • Carrots - each cup contains 4 times an adult's daily recommended intake of vitamin A which is vital for healthy eyesight.
  • Tomatoes - technically a fruit, but treated as a vegetable - contain lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant that may play a role in cancer prevention. 
  • Garlic - low in calories & a natural antibiotic, garlic contains the compound diallyl sulfide.
  • Onions - contain vitamins C, B-6, and manganese.
  • Alfalfa Sprouts - a cup contains only 8 calories and a good amount of vitamin K.
  • Bell Peppers - have antioxidants which include capsanthin, quercetin, and lutein (in the green variety), which protects vision.
  • Cauliflower - it contains dietary fiber which boosts a person’s heart and gut health, prevents digestive issues & reduces obesity.
  • Seaweed - is one of the few plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Author Introduction
Meet James Rollins
James Rollins is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of international thrillers. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than twenty million books. The New York Times says “Rollins is what you might wind up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together.”

James Rollins is also Dr. James Czajkowski, who received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree from University of Missouri in 1985. He practiced full time for twenty years, owned and managed his own practice in Sacramento, California, for ten years, while trying to write a few pages during the lunch hour every day. When he published his first book the publisher said his Polish last name was too difficult and he needed a pen name. He chose Rollins after a street near the University of Missouri’s veterinary school, which in turn was named after a university founder.

James Rollins- aka “Jim”- writes “scientific thrillers”. His works combine adventure, science and history to create “pure escape and entertainment”. He also writes fantasy under the pen name of James Clemens (after Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain- again linked to his roots in Missouri). James Rollin’s latest thriller is The Last Odyssey, available in hardcover, kindle and audio formats on Amazon. James Clemens has a fantasy series, “The Banned and the Banished”, also available on Amazon.

Book Overview: "The Last Odyssey"
“To save the world and our future, Sigma Force must embark on a dangerous odyssey into an ancient past whose horrors are all too present in this page-turning thriller from #1 New York times bestselling author James Rollins that combines cutting edge science, historical mystery, mythology, and pulse-pounding action.”

So, when looking for a good book while staying home during the pandemic, (or any time!) check out the work of one of our own - Dr. James Czajkowski!


Summary by: Marilyn Millman, DVM
Wellness Resources
Build Your Toolkit
AzVMA has compiled resources to help you build your wellness toolkit in an effort to provide you with a pathway to nurture your well-being.
Wellness Facebook Group
You're invited to join the private Facebook group Live Well, Vet Well. This online community is for veterinarians and staff to support one another, with tips on living a balanced life and self-care ideas.
Assistance Hotlines
Online there is list of crisis hotlines and health service networks available for those in need. Included is a listing of health professionals who have indicated that they work with veterinarians and veterinary-related issues.