Most years, an average of 14 percent of your hospital clients will move. One percent will die and one percent will get seriously ill. Job loss will hit another 1.25 percent and 1.5 percent will divorce. Combined with a natural, annual attrition rate of almost 20 percent, it is important to prioritize how you will attract new customers. Unfortunately, that attention to new … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2016
Raccoons pose roundworm threat
The roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis,) can be found anywhere raccoons live in the U.S. People, especially children, can be infected by it. Infection with Baylisascaris procyonis can have severe outcomes such as, blindness and death if not treated promptly. Source: Medical Research, September 12, 2016. Humans become infected with Baylisascaris procyonis by ingesting … [Read more...]
Editorial – Manage product deliveries efficiently
Amazon will soon deliver to businesses and homes. If we accept that a 2 full-time DVM equivalent veterinary hospital places 10 orders weekly to replenish its inventory, then it is likely that those orders will arrive in 20 to 25 different boxes. Some of these boxes come via UPS, FedEx, U.S. Postal Service and some from distributors or manufacturers. This can add up to three … [Read more...]
Be visible and contribute to your community
Ed Blach, DVM, MS, MBA, believes relationships matter and community visibility is important for veterinarians. He discusses trust, millennials and relationships based on his experiences. Source: Is My Practice Healthy?, September 26, 2016. Building trust with your clients is crucial to developing loyalty, word-of-mouth promotion, and return visits to your clinic. … [Read more...]
Remember names with practice
Remembering names can be a challenge. Some remember faces, but struggle to put names with them. Still others seem to always know the person and name. Nicolas Cole shares his name recall strategy which is basically conscious repetition to affect short term memory. Source: Inc., September 27, 2016. What makes remembering someone's name so hard? Well, it's usually because … [Read more...]
East meets West with cancer care acupuncture
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment modalities such as, acupuncture, massage techniques, nutritional counseling and dietary supplements are used in human medicine to complement conventional cancer care. They are commonly integrated into treatment plans to decrease pain, anxiety and fatigue and to combat side effects of chemoradiation therapy. As research … [Read more...]
Quiz: What horse breed are you?
Just for fun! We often hear of anthropomorphism, the assignment of human qualities to animals. But in this quiz you can apply animal qualities to your human self. It’s known as zoomorphism. Source: Firstline, August 16, 2016. Are you the strong, athletic type? Or are you more of a versatile, hardworking person? Take this quiz to discover which breed of horse your … [Read more...]
Adventures in equine texting
Bo Brock, DVM, shares an experience with a misdirected text and pictures taken during an equine surgery. It is a comical reminder of what happens when texting goes wrong. Source: Equine 360, April 1, 2016. It turned out she was a really funny old lady. When she finally believed that I was a veterinarian sending pictures to a client, and looked close enough at the pictures … [Read more...]
Dr. Leah Dorman talks about antibiotics
Dr. Dorman shared a few insights on how producers can effectively talk with consumers about antibiotics ahead of the 6th Annual NIAA Antibiotics symposium. Her comments provide reasoning for handling antibiotic discussions. Source: NIAA, September 29, 2016. Dorman is the Director of Food Integrity and Consumer Engagement of Phibro Animal Health. In this role she provides … [Read more...]
International travel for horses planned far in advance
If you think international travel is hard on you, ask your horses how it affects them. Last week, 43 of the world’s most athletic horses competing in the Longines Masters of Los Angeles, landed at LAX in a cargo plane after an 11-hour flight from Liege, Belgium. Source: Horse Network, September 28, 2016. The horses traveled on board the aircraft in custom designed horse … [Read more...]
Dogs not a reservoir for Zika virus – so far
There is no indication that dogs harbor the Zika virus which might allow a mosquito to pick it up when it bites a dog and then inject the virus into a person. To date,, there are no reported cases of Zika virus in dogs or other animals in the U.S. This may change as continued research and testing is completed. Zika virus is related to the West Nile virus. Source: Capital … [Read more...]
AVMA Blood test video helps pet owners understand
Help pet owners understand the importance of blood work and dispel anxiety that can be associated with it. Dr. Joyce Ashamalla covers the basics of why blood tests are needed and what they help find in this AVMA TV video. Source: AVMA, September 12, 2016. Blood tests for pets. Even though the thought of your pet being stuck by a needle can be scary, blood work is an … [Read more...]
Satisfy 2 clinic customers
Ed Blach, DVM, MS, MBA, reminds us of the dichotomy of servicing both humans and animals as veterinary clinic customers. The same is true of retail associates who deal with the public. He says veterinary teams must love to service humans as much as they love dealing with animals to be successful. Source: Vet Advantage, September 2016, page 20. The client experience is … [Read more...]
Payne talks about Compassion-First Pet Hospitals
John Payne, founder and CEO of Compassion-First Pet Hospitals, discusses the Mayo Clinic-like approach to veterinary care he envisions. This vision includes exceptional care for animals and the need for a positive experience for both the client and referring veterinarian. Source: Vet Advantage, September 2016, page 24. We have to be good listeners. Rather than thinking we … [Read more...]
Microchip conundrum
Microchips are great for helping lost pets find their way home. But microchipping and ownership ethics present dilemmas to veterinary teams. Honoring the veterinarian-client confidential relationship trumps the chip record. This article discusses ethics, current laws or the lack thereof, and possible court cases. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, September 2016. No matter the … [Read more...]
Latest research from AJVR
We have linked to the table of contents in the latest issue of the American Journal of Veterinary Research. A broad spectrum of animal health research is presented. Source: American Journal of Veterinary Research, October 2016 (Vol 77; No. 10: pp. 1048-1174) … [Read more...]
California dairies going nuts
Many California dairies have joined the burgeoning almond industry. The diversification helps with farm economics and even a by-product to feed to the cows. Source: Dairy Herd Management, September 26, 2016. Dairymen are also reaping an added bonus; A complimentary crop that will continue to be viable into the future. That's a by-product to feed their livestock. ‘This is … [Read more...]
Saving parvo puppies
Medora Pashmakova, DVM, DACVEC, presented tips about managing Parvoviral enteritis at the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium in Grapevine, Texas. Her underlying message was when you help puppies survive the first three to four days of a parvo infection, they usually make a rapid recovery. Source: DVM 360, September 28, 2016. Dr. Pashmakova … [Read more...]
Common VFD form format part of FDA final guidelines
FDA has issued final guidelines for veterinary feed directive (VFD) forms veterinarians will issue when authorizing the use of a medicated feed additive containing an antibiotic deemed medically important. The document provides examples that illustrate how a common VFD format might appear and how some of the information on the VFD may be pre-populated by an animal health … [Read more...]
Take control of year-round calving in two years
Tightening calving seasons creates management and economic benefits. Done wrong, the benefits turn into costs. Les Anderson, University of Kentucky Extension beef specialist, says takes at least two years for producers to tighten a year-round calving season into a 75-day controlled calving season. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, September 2016. Anderson offers eight steps to … [Read more...]
Debate sparks help for interruptions
Trying to have a conversation these days is a challenge. Interruptions seem constant. The recent presidential debate is a prime example. Interruptions are familiar behavior on sports and news panels, in the workplace and at home. The question is, how do you even talk to someone who won’t let you get a word in or finish a pair of sentences? Source: Science of US, September … [Read more...]
BVD war turns 70
After 70 years, BVD still wages war on cattle health and producers’ wallets, writes Wyatt Bechtel. He presents economic losses for dairy, beef, stocker/feedlot and all cattle and calves as documented by studies in the U.S and summarized by Derrell Peel, livestock marketing specialist with Oklahoma State University. Source: Dairy Herd Management, September 2016, page … [Read more...]
Help pets adapt to fall
Fall may be more work than fun for dogs says Cesar Milan, noted TV dog whisperer. He offers tips that will help make the transition into the new season enjoyable for owners and their dogs. He covers allergies, Halloween candy, arthritis concerns, nutrient needs, exercise needs and protective wear. Source: Cesar’s Way, September 28, 2016. The change in the season can mean a … [Read more...]
Welcome Addison Biological Laboratory, Inc.
Animal Health Digest welcomes Addison Biological Laboratory, Inc., as a Supporting Sponsor. Headquartered in Fayette, Missouri, the company has manufactured and marketed exclusive veterinary technologies for more than 30 years. Founder J. Bruce Addison is recognized as a leader in veterinary diagnostics and herd-specific bacterin production. In addition, Addison companion … [Read more...]
Journal of Swine Health and Production
For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents from the latest issue of the Journal of Swine Health and Production. The story The Winds of Change, by Brian Schantz, DVM, is a revealing account of the dynamics of practice in a rural area and the importance of community. Source: Journal of Swine Health and Production, September/October 2016. … [Read more...]
It’s dog food revolution
A series of three articles addresses the abundance of new dog foods and claims that now proliferate the diets marketplace. Why human food trends are changing how your dog eats – it’s a revolution. Should you really feed it to your dog? – demystifying life stage dog food. We demystify the lingo on dog food packaging and labels – no this, not that! Source: Dogster, … [Read more...]
You’re not free to move about the country
Stress-free flying sounds like an oxymoron. Consumer Reports’ Mandy Walker addresses the frustrations of high prices, endless fees, cramped seats, long lines and crazy connections. She shares strategies to fly saner, safer and cheaper. Source: Consumer Reports, October 2016. See: Secrets to Stress-Free Flying: Fed up with endless fees, cramped seats, long lines, and … [Read more...]
Gun-shyness
Next to having a dog killed by a passing car, there is probably no worse feeling for a bird dog owner than having the hunting dog he paid dearly for, trained, raised carefully and conditioned to loud noises, come crawling into your vest at the first gun shot on opening morning. If this sounds like a personal story, it is. It was devastating and never resolved. Craig Doherty … [Read more...]
AAHA, State of Industry 2016
Michael Cavanaugh, DVM. CABVP and CEO, presented the 2016 State of the Industry Report that kicked off the March AAHA annual conference in Austin, Texas. The report contains a snapshot of the overall economy, research about the success factors of practices and features a new study from DU on culture and its impact in the veterinary practice. Ben Williams writes about key … [Read more...]
Medical nurses weigh in on veterinary technicians
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) recently announced they have initiated the process of having a nationally standardized title of Registered Veterinary Nurse. However, the title change met opposition from medical nurses in Pennsylvania. Therefore, NAVTA initiated a study of medical nurse perceptions of veterinary technicians. Our team … [Read more...]