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History
William McEachran, an 1880 graduate of the Montreal Veterinary College, founded the Colorado State Veterinary Association on the campus of the Colorado Agricultural College in 1888, and served as the first president of the association. McEachran had been appointed to the position of professor of veterinary science and zoology in 1888. He taught veterinary science, zoology, entomology, and biology. The association consisted of members holding the doctor of veterinary science (DVM). In 1889 the college and the veterinary program were suspended and McEachran was out of a job. In his absence, the Colorado Veterinary Association withered on the vine. Not much is known about CVMA activities until 1907, when the association again began to function on the campus of the Colorado Agriculture College.
The College of Veterinary Medicine of the Colorado Agricultural College (now Colorado State University) has engaged in almost a century of mutual cooperation to advance the profession of veterinary medicine. For many years, CVMA has held its winter meeting on the campus of the college. In the early years, the faculty was the glue which held the association together. Dr. George H. Glover, the first dean of the veterinary school, was instrumental in beginning this cooperation and keeping it healthy.
In the early days, CVMA did not have a paid secretary and staff. An elected member served as secretary and treasurer for a limited time and many individuals handled this position. The organization also had professional help from individuals frequently providing pro bono services. One CVMA member, Dr. G.H. Gilbert of Arvada, served the longest stretch as secretary-treasurer, and was instrumental in helping create the first districts within CVMA. Finally, around the 1960s, CVMA was able to hire a part-time secretary and eventually a full-time administrator. To help finance office space and the staff, CVMA partnered with the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society (DAVMS).
In the 1960s, one of the major projects of CVMA was the publishing of a veterinary journal, the Rocky Mountain Veterinarian. This journal, funded by advertising dollars, included CVMA and AVMA activities and scientific articles, and was sent to all the veterinarians in the American Veterinay Medical Association (AVMA) District 9 free of charge. District 9 included Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Utah, and New Mexico. Dr. Robert K. Anderson was the editor of this journal, which was published for about 15 years into the 1970s. Eventually, advertising revenue became difficult to obtain and the publication was discontinued.
Today CVMA has more than 2,200 members from Colorado and across the United States and Canada, and the number of members has grown each of the last five years. A full-time staff of eight, and a dedicated group of members, have worked to create one of the most active and respected state veterinary medical associations in the U.S. CVMA is committed to creating a better life for veterinarians, and is working hard to make Colorado a better place for people and animals.
A Timeline of Veterinary Medicine
- 200 BC - Animal doctors were regulated in the Babylonian Code of Ethics of Humarrabi
- 1761 - First European Veterinary School opened in Lyons, France
- 1852 - The Veterinary College of Philadelphia opened, but only for a few years
- 1860 - There were only 392 veterinarians in the United States
- 1862 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture was created by Congress
- 1866 - The Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Surgeons was founded
- 1870 - The Colorado Agriculture College was founded
- 1879 - Some veterinary instruction begins at the Colorado Agriculture College
- 1879 - Iowa State Agriculture College became the first state supported college to offer a comprehensive course in veterinary science
- 1881 - The Practice Act of Medicine was written
- 1883 - Dr. George C. Faville appointed the first Professor of Veterinary Science at the Colorado Agriculture College
- 1885 - Colorado State Legislature appoints Dr. George C. Faville the State Veterinarian
- 1887 - The Practice Act of Dentistry was written
- 1887 - The Practice Act of Pharmacy was written
- 1888 - Dr. William McEachran is credited with organizing the Colorado State Veterinary Association and served as the first president
- 1889-1899 - No veterinary instruction took place at the Colorado Agriculture College
- 1893 - The Practice Act of Nursing was written
- 1900 - A veterinary department and course of study was offered at the Colo. Agri. College
- 1907 - The Practice Act of Veterinary Medicine was written
- 1907 - A full-fledged, 3 year course of study was offered at the Colo. Agriculture College
- 1907 - The Colorado Veterinary Medical Association resumed on the Agri. College campus
- 1913 - A 4 year course of veterinary study was instituted at the Colo. Agriculture College
- 1913 - The Practice Act of Optometry was written
- 1932 - A pre-veterinary year was added to the requirement to enter the professional course
- 1949 - A 6 year course of study was instituted at Colorado's Veterinary College
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