It’s the little things that help the most. A phone call instead of a text. Looking someone in the eyes when speaking to them. Lending a helping hand without being asked. Remembering a birthday. And, saying thank you. Source: Our Life in Brief, October 29, 2018. Link. Sometimes only one small and simple act of kindness can bring much joy and happiness to those surrounding … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2018
10 things to do after checking into a hotel room
Holiday travel, Q4 industry events and national sales meetings will place animal health pros in hotels as the year closes. Arriving at the hotel is every traveler’s happiest moment as they know that they have finally made it to their destination and that they can get some rest! writes John Roper. BUT WAIT! Before you kick your shoes off, there are some important things that … [Read more...]
Put your phone down (includes video)
Emerging research shows that even the simple presence of a cell phone, much less its glowing screen and constant beeps, interrupts our ability to connect. Though it may seem awkward and uncomfortable, our collective response to these behaviors will establish new norms of modern courtesy. Source: Ascend. Link. Consider setting rules for phone use during meetings. Agree to … [Read more...]
Toe abscesses need more attention
Shane Terrell, DVM, believes there is a lot of opportunity to improve early detection and treatment of lameness in cattle. Although lameness falls significantly behind respiratory disease and digestive upset as a cause of morbidity and mortality, it is the third cause of health issues in feedlots. Education and early detection can reduce the overall impact of lameness on herd … [Read more...]
Winter hair growth in cattle signals time for lice control
Mark Hilton, DVM, discusses the two types of lice that live their entire life cycle on cattle. The growth of winter hair coats is a signal to cattle producers to consider lice control methods. He says injectable products that cover sucking lice need a pour-on to cover biting lice. He also cautions to be sure of dose requirements; one-dose or two-dose. Source: BEEF, October … [Read more...]
Ted Matthews is a crisis interventionist who helps farmers
Ted Matthews gets calls from farmers (and ranchers) all over the country who contemplate suicide. Holly Spangler, editor of Prairie Farmer, shares the amazing story of the work he does and the farmers who call him at their tipping point. He may be able to help one of your customers. Source: Prairie Farmer, September 20, 2018. Link. “First the vet called. Then I told the vet … [Read more...]
AQHA launches a new young-adult leadership development program
The American Quarter Horse Foundation announced a new program, AQHLead, designed for young adults, ages 19 to 34, to help support their development as young leaders in the equine industry. AQHLead grants of $5,000 will be awarded to 10 applicants for the inaugural class to offset participation costs. Participants will be partnered with a mentor from the American Quarter Horse … [Read more...]
What equine DVMs say about core vaccinations
Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA, helps support horse owner education with this Zoetis sponsored article. Consider it for social media posts, e-newletters and website content. The high mortality rate, human risk, and vaccine efficacy have led veterinarians to identify five vaccines they consider “core:” West Nile virus, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus, and … [Read more...]
Opinion – Determining how often sales reps should call on customers
J. Michael Marks tackles a frequently contemptuous topic about distribution sales representatives. . . . in my experience, most sales reps are market-servers, not market-makers. . . we’ve found that 95% of what customers buy from distributors they have bought before. The devil is in the details in this reference. How one defines sales really determines whether Marks’ … [Read more...]
AAHA expands accreditation to practice networks
Practice network accreditation refers to the accreditation of a single parent company that owns practices within a practice network. To achieve practice network accreditation, the company must have 90% of its practices accredited or pre-accredited by AAHA, with a goal of having 100% of its practices accredited. PetWell Partners was the first company to receive practice … [Read more...]
AAHA’s Newly Accredited Practices
Working to achieve the AAHA Accredited status is a significant milestone for veterinary clinic teams. The following veterinary hospitals met the accredited standards from September 14 to October 12. Congratulations to: VCA Battle Creek Veterinary Services, Salem, OR VCA Iris Animal Hospital, Keizer, OR Animal Hospital of Garland, Garland, TX Plaza Veterinary … [Read more...]
Be choosy about dog chews
Dog owners are constantly searching for safe chew items that satisfy their dogs’ instincts, keep their homes and possessions safe, and last longer than five minutes. That can be a tough order, especially with big dogs. The number of chew choices today are mind boggling—and not all of them are safe Source: Dogster, June 6, 2018. Link. There are no 100 percent totally safe dog … [Read more...]
Sponsored content from AAHA Red, AAHA NEWStat
We’re sharing sponsored content from recent AAHA Red and AAHA NEWStat issues, two media offerings available from AAHA Press, the publishing arm of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Stress less with the needle-less Bordetella protection, AAHA Red, October 22, 2018. Link. Forty percent of cat owners find veterinary visits personally stressful, AAHA Red, … [Read more...]
Muzzle is not a dirty word
Muzzles are one of the more effective safety tools veterinary teams use. Dr. Michael Miller shares his ideas about muzzling and dealing with clients whose dogs can benefit from muzzling. Source: DRANDYROARK, October 31, 2018. Link. . . . some people think when we muzzle a dog, it’s cruel. It’s not. It’s a matter of safety. We all love animals and love the patients we work … [Read more...]
Assertively address the issue of fat cats
Felines are faring worse than their canine counterparts, with more than a 169 percent increase in overweight cats over the past 10 years, writes Rachel Beck, referencing 2016 Banfield data. She provides a body score card, tips and tricks for talking with cat owners about their cat’s weight. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Spring 2018. Link. Prevention, demonstration, … [Read more...]
Know what to expect when a cat is expecting
Whether it’s a deliberate mating or an accidental encounter, a cat guardian needs to know what to expect when their cat’s expecting. Mother Nature dictates the kittens will put in an appearance once they’re ready and not before, usually in 63 to 68 days. Cat-owning clients will appreciate this week-by-week view of feline pregnancy. Consider it for social media posts, … [Read more...]
VetFolio – Feline vaccination certificate course
VetFolio and Boehringer Ingelheim have teamed up to provide a certificate course open now for free access from November 7 - 28, 2018. This course reviews past vaccination guidelines, their purpose and how to continue creating better care for felines. The speaker covers an analysis of scientific results from prior vaccinations studies and looks at progressive solutions for … [Read more...]
Winterize for pet safety
Falling leaves remind us that winter is coming. Krista Carothers shares tips from veterinarians to help keep pets safe as the temperature drops: Limit their time outside Know when winter gear is necessary Monitor working and older dogs Don’t assume your outdoor cat can cope in the cold Make sure indoor cats stay indoors Prepare your pooch for long hikes … [Read more...]
47,000 ticks on a moose and that’s an average
According to Dr. Peter J. Pekins’ research, warmer winter months increase the ability of ticks to acquire a moose host and survive winter months. While large numbers of ticks aren’t great for adult moose, they’re especially bad for moose calves, which can die from the onslaught. Source: New York Times, October 18, 2018. Link. The abundance of moose enables the ticks to … [Read more...]
Praise: the magic elixir
There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the experience of a compliment. Do we need to be able to receive praise well? Not in the same way that we need air to breathe or a roof over our heads, but it certainly makes for a better experience at work (or life in genera!) when you're able to receive and appreciate the value of a compliment. Source: forbes.com, October 23, … [Read more...]
VHMA blogs enlighten
For some animal health pros, the roles and responsibilities of veterinary hospital managers are not well known. Each month, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association posts on two blogs and researches a topic. We’re linking to the most recent editions of The Champion’s Corner and Practice Pulse which contains the VHMA’s Insiders’ Insight Report. Source: VHMA, October 2018. … [Read more...]
Technology trend: Teledentistry expands preventive care
This article is thought-provoking given the new efforts in veterinary telemedicine. Minnesota’s dental industry is returning to a high-tech solution known as teledentistry, which allows dental hygienists to provide preventive care at low cost while supervised electronically by dentists at a different location. The trend comes as dental hygienists are taking on a greater share … [Read more...]
Spending 5 hours a week learning can create amazing ROI
Why do the world’s smartest and busiest people find one hour a day for deliberate learning, while others make excuses about how busy they are? The answer is simple: Learning is the single best investment of our time that we can make. Or as Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who … [Read more...]
Employee safety, animal welfare drive invention of first robotic cattle driver
Cargill, with the help of renowned animal behavior specialist Temple Grandin and other experts, has created the industry’s first robotic cattle mover that improves animal welfare and employee safety. The robots move cattle from holding pens to harvest areas and reduce stress by limiting animal interaction with humans. Employees operate the robots from catwalks above the holding … [Read more...]
4 buzzwords we need to ban
Buzzwords – we all use them from time to time. They’re still meaningless, according to author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch. She recommends immediately getting rid of: Let’s take this offline. Empower Ownership Bandwidth Source: CNBC, October 16, 2018. Link. But according to bestselling management author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch, this indirect and … [Read more...]
Philosophy professor questions ethics of some pet spending
Sandra Woien, philosophy lecturer at Arizona State University, speaks out on elements of the millions of dollars spent on pets. Citing the philosophy of effective altruism, she suggests if the money spent of pets was instead donated to a good cause, more good or utility could be produced. According to one estimate, about $440 million of pet spending in the U.S. was on … [Read more...]
We’re terrible at planning our time. Here’s how to fix it.
The 40-hour work week is a myth, writes Jory MacKay. She describes our bias toward being overly optimistic when it comes to how much time is needed to complete a future task. In other words, we are notoriously bad at figuring out how long a task will take us. . . . most people typically have a window of about three hours where we’re really, really focused . . . we found that … [Read more...]
Coffee breaks don’t boost productivity after all
Citing the results of her own research on productivity at work, Charlotte Fritz says the findings on microbreaks is counterintuitive but real. Nearly across the board, microbreaks that were not job-related, such as getting a glass of water, calling a relative, or going to the bathroom, didn’t seem to have any significant relationship to people’s reported energy (what we called … [Read more...]
The top 10 risks your employees bring to your organization
Human resources leaders stand to benefit from seeing how their peers are overcoming challenges. HRE asked experts to weigh in on some of the biggest issues facing today’s HR leaders and consider solutions to these obstacles. We identified information from research done by Aon Risk Solutions that applies to businesses in our industry whether small or large. Your employees are … [Read more...]
Policing women’s anger
Gathering knowledge and experiences from a female star athlete, an NFL coach, a governor and conference speakers, Katie Sanders writes about defining a strong female lead. . . . speaking out . . . can be a challenge in the workplace, where women are disproportionately penalized for expressing emotions, especially when they are perceived as angry. Source: Fast Company, October … [Read more...]