From drug handbook to decision support powerhouse

From the first print edition of the Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook to the innovative point-of-care tool Plumb’s Pro, the Plumb’s brand has been defined by a commitment to the safety of animals and the well-being of those who care for them. A staple in veterinary practices and teaching hospitals for more than 30 years, this trusted veterinary drug reference has evolved into a continually updated, easy-to-use platform with everything practitioners need to work up cases—from diagnosis to discharge.

Practical monographs covering drugs, clinical conditions and signs, and more

Interactions covered by the drug interaction checker

Pet owner guides explaining medications, conditions, and more

Plumb’s has come a long way—and there’s more on the horizon
1991
Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook
1st edition
In 1991, Donald Plumb, PharmD, then director of pharmacy services at University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, published the first official edition of the Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook.
1995
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
2nd edition
Armed with a manual on self-publishing and family members willing to fulfill book orders from the basement, Dr. Plumb set his sights on creating a single veterinary drug reference with clinically relevant dose recommendations—an essential resource that didn’t yet exist in veterinary medicine.
1999
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
3rd edition
“From day one, there was a need for improved veterinary drug resources.”
Donald C. Plumb, PharmD
2002
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook for Palm OS with 4th edition content
Every few years, Dr. Plumb published a new, extensively revised and updated edition, with each edition growing in scope and relevance—and size. By the time the fourth edition (a 4-lb, 750-page behemoth) was published, it was clear that the book had grown too big for veterinarians' pockets. It was time for a digital solution.
2008
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
6th edition
Early efforts—like the Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook for PalmPilot—were plagued by the limitations of the technology. It was still easier to flip through the book than scroll through hundreds of drugs with a stylus.
2011
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
7th edition
2014
VetMedux™ (formerly Brief Media) partners with Dr. Plumb to build digital platform
So in 2014, Elizabeth Green, CEO and founder of VetMedux (publisher of Clinician’s Brief), pitched Dr. Plumb an idea: collaborate with VetMedux to bring this esteemed veterinary drug reference to a modern web and mobile app. He didn’t need much convincing.
2015
Plumb's Veterinary Drugs app and website
with 8th edition content
4,000 subscribers
Our devoted in-house team, a high-quality development firm out of Texas, and a network of practicing veterinarians spent a year poring over each decision with Dr. Plumb, from the way we formatted drug monographs down to the font color we used to highlight updates. We called it Plumb's Veterinary Drugs, and it officially launched in January 2015—with all the content of the yet-to-be-released eighth book edition.
2017
Veterinary Medication Guides
150 shareable pet owner guides
In the months that followed, as we enhanced the update process and launched the first set of pet owner guides, the team continued to grow. Veterinary pharmacist James Budde, PharmD, RPh, DICVP—then the pharmacy manager at UW Veterinary Care at University of Wisconsin–Madison—joined the team to assist with updates and quickly became Dr. Plumb’s protégé.
Donald C. Plumb, PharmD
Creator of the Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
Elizabeth Green
Founder and CEO of VetMedux, Publisher of Clinician’s Brief
James A. Budde, PharmD, RPh, DICVP
Senior Pharmacy Director
Dawn McCluskey, DVM
Veterinary Officer, Pharmacy
Meet the whole team
2018
VetMedux acquires rights to Plumb's content
In 2018, pleased with the product roadmap for Plumb's Veterinary Drugs—and ready spend more time working on his airplane—Dr. Plumb stepped back, passing the role of editor in chief to Dr. Budde and entrusting VetMedux with the ongoing development of the Plumb’s platform and content.
“I really feel good about the direction Brief is taking Plumb’s. I see the reference becoming not only bigger but better and more integrated into the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary pharmacy.”
Donald C. Plumb, PharmD
2018
9th edition content
released on the app and website ahead of 9th edition book release
With an extensive team of veterinary specialists, veterinarians, veterinary pharmacists, and content editors, Dr. Budde and Dawn McCluskey, DVM, took the lead and began refining and updating the drug information in Plumb's, mirroring the careful peer-review process that makes Clinician’s Brief the most essential publication in the veterinary industry.
“We are honored to be entrusted with Dr. Plumb’s legacy and look forward to pursuing new technology solutions for this crucial content with Dr. Plumb’s guidance as a member of VetMedux’s Board of Directors.”
Elizabeth Green
2019
Planning begins for the next generation of Plumb’s
Early in 2019, our senior medical team, Dr. Indu Mani, Dr. Dawn McCluskey, and Dr. Amy Mohl, began work on the next generation of Plumb's—the tool that would ultimately become Plumb's Pro: an easy-to-use digital resource that married the concise, peer-reviewed diagnostic and treatment information of Clinician’s Brief with the point-of-care practicality of Plumb’s.
Amy Mohl, DVM
Chief Medical Officer
Indu Mani, DVM, ScD, FNAP
Chief Scientific Officer
Dawn McCluskey, DVM
Veterinary Officer, Pharmacy
Like most veterinarians, they were all too familiar with the challenges of finding accurate information at the point of care: flipping through textbooks, reaching out to busy colleagues, spending precious minutes on hard-to-navigate websites... all while already pressed for time.
They had long envisioned a single platform that could eliminate these stressors. For good.
2019
First prototype of Plumb’s Pro
released for beta testing
When it became clear that this vision for Plumb’s would soon outgrow our existing technology, we began work on a reliable new platform that could support powerful tools like the industry’s first animal-specific drug interaction checker—as well as the full suite of clinical support that would ultimately make up Plumb’s Pro.
2020
Development begins on new website and app for Plumb's
Conversion calculator and pet owner guides print/email feature released
Our expert medical team developed the new platform for Plumb's Veterinary Drugs side-by-side with our internal product team and our technology partners at STX Next, a leading software company with more than 15 years of experience building web and mobile apps. Throughout the process, we gathered feedback from a beta testing group of more than 100 veterinarians who were using Plumb’s daily.
“The needs of the veterinary community are always top of mind for us at Plumb’s. As practicing clinicians, our medical team is keenly aware of what could help make the day go more smoothly. The new Plumb’s will do just that.”
Dawn McCluskey, DVM
2021
New website and app released
with improved user experience and first-of-its-kind veterinary drug interaction checker
32,000+ subscribers
In 2021, we launched the new Plumb’s Veterinary Drugs: A fast, reliable platform that pairs the continually updated drug information veterinarians trust with practical, time-saving features like the drug interaction checker, a speedy site-wide search, and sharing tools for the growing library of pet owner guides.
And we weren’t done.
2021
Plumb's Pro launched
A full suite of trusted resources for case workup and client education
The next generation of Plumb’s—Plumb’s Pro—had been in the making for years. And in 2021, having built the technology we needed to support it, we made it a reality.
A team of more than 200 veterinarians produced the all-new, original clinical content that makes up Plumb’s Pro. From algorithms and patient guides to the practical Clinical Briefs, Plumb’s Pro is expertly written to help practitioners answer those pressing questions at the point-of-care: Did I consider all the differentials? What does this test result mean? Where do I go next?
And those answers are just a quick search away on the platform thousands of veterinarians already depend on every day for trusted drug information.
With Plumb’s Pro, practitioners can easily access practical clinical information that’s written, peer reviewed, and verified by boarded veterinary specialists, practicing veterinarians, and the award-winning editorial team behind Clinician’s Brief and Plumb’s Veterinary Drugs. It’s designed to support veterinarians at every step of patient care—from diagnosis to discharge.
2022
Work continues on Plumb's Pro
New features, new content, an enhanced app experience, and a whole lot more
Still, we’re not finished. And as anyone building (good) software or creating original content knows, we never will be. This support tool is a living, breathing resource, designed to grow and change with veterinary medicine—always with the ultimate goal of supporting veterinary practitioners as they care for patients.
We’re already working on new tools for Plumb's Pro, and the library of content will continue to grow. If you have feedback or requests, we’re always listening. Tell us what you’d like to see in Plumb's.
Stay tuned. There's a whole lot more to come.

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