Online shopping is the rule, not the exception in 2020. With the holidays ahead and a few black Friday promos already behind us, H. Colleen Sinclair offers 10 tips for how to shop smart and spot scams including: Is it too good to be true? Check the business reputation Social media presence: Do they have one? Source: The Conversation, October 6, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2020
Dealing with the pandemic 15#
The pandemic 15 pounds! It’s a discussion topic among friends and has been mentioned on talk shows. For some of us, it is a reality as food is comforting during times of stress or anxiety. Lisa Drayer shares how using a hunger meter can return food to being just food. When you feel a pull toward food, create space between you and the food to see where you are on the hunger … [Read more...]
What you wear while working matters
It’s true how you look affects how you work. Science backs it up. Researchers studying the links to what work clothes people wear, brain activity and productivity have found dressing up for work improves performance. They’re now paying attention to how this applies to Zoom-type meetings. Source: Wall Street Journal, September 20, 2020. Link. “Just putting on [formal] clothes … [Read more...]
Calves: Start them off right
How calves are fed and managed can affect their lifelong health and productivity. The Dairy Herd editors cover four early life areas to help calves now and throughout their lives: Tips to improve colostrum What to provide for calves so they can perform Keep scours down when feeding volumes go up Feeding transition milk; another tool in the toolbox Source: Dairy … [Read more...]
Resiliency trumps size on smaller dairies
Sometimes bigger is not better. That is one conclusion that can be drawn from a recent University of Minnesota study of small- to medium-sized dairies. The study data set combined animal health, production and farm financial data to help dairy farms create more financially sustainable operations. Financial resiliency was defined using the adjusted net farm income ratio. … [Read more...]
Cattle might be secret weapon in fight against wildfires
University of California Cooperative Extension researchers are evaluating how much fine fuel like grasses and other plants known to start fires cattle eat and how their feeding behavior may affect flame activity. There is more to learn, but it this preliminary study shows cattle may be valuable in reducing fire risk. . . . without cattle grazing, there would be hundreds to … [Read more...]
Equine asthma; don’t forget the fungi
The author presents the challenge of mold in bedding and forage and how it relates to equine allergies and respiratory challenges. Using his tracheal wash method, horses with fungal elements in their samples were two times more likely to have mild equine asthma when compared with horses without fungal elements in their samples. Source: Modern Equine Vet, Issue 9, 2020. page … [Read more...]
The 4 Cs of restraint-free grooming
Restraint-free grooming has allowed fearful and aggressive peta that hated to be groomed to feel calm and protected, writes Hannah Ziegler. Restraint-free means no extra people, no grooming loops, no muzzles or Elizabethan collars. She says that with dedicated time and repetitions, 98 percent of pets can be groomed without restraints using her approach. The 4 Cs to grooming … [Read more...]
SID feeding of indoor cats may improve health
Obesity is the most common nutritional problem affecting cats. In research likely to surprise veterinarians and cat owners*, cats that ate one meal a day were more satisfied, which could result in less food-begging behavior. The study results also suggest cutting back feeding frequency could help reduce the risk of obesity by controlling cats' appetite and potentially making … [Read more...]
The dilemma of pandemic pet pounds
The challenge of obesity in dogs has been exacerbated by the pandemic lockdown. The WFH messages promoted to date involve pets getting more exercise, but Kim Kavin’s Washington Post story indicates many dogs have packed on extra weight. On the other hand, dogs that have lost weight might have a few aches and pains from the increase in activity. Dog owners should work with … [Read more...]
Decoding vaccine titers in companion animal practice
Sara E. Gonzalez, DVM, MS, provides a literature-based review of the limitations and benefits of this type of testing and guidance for interpreting results. In the summary comments she shares: The gold standard laboratory techniques for detecting circulating blood antibody titers against the core canine vaccine antigens and FPV are VN and HI. Core vaccine titer testing … [Read more...]
Catching up with VIP’s Drs. Shawn and Ivan
It is easy to fall behind on things we want to do. Listening to podcasts remains an excellent opportunity to learn from animal health pros who are pushing forward and helping to invent the next generation of animal health. Drs. Shawn Wilkie and Ivan Zakharenkov invite and discuss current and future trends while applying their veterinary and entrepreneurial experiences to the … [Read more...]
7 steps to see if your webcam has been hacked
Things like snooping, webcam hacking and location tracking happen every day, but we are still not used to taking all the warnings seriously says Clint Latham, JD. He shares steps to ensure nothing phishy is going on. If you suspect someone is accessing your webcam without your consent, don’t ignore your sixth sense.” – Clint Latham, JD Source: Lucca Veterinary Data Security. … [Read more...]
Infection control. Back to basics.
Commentary What? Again? Yes, absolutely! The topic of infection control and disinfection products, protocols and methods dominated media and discussions starting in February 2020. Medical and veterinary hospitals hurried to update protocols, train staff and implement checks and balances to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Through all the confusion, animal health … [Read more...]
Immunity discrimination could become HR’s next legal nightmare
HR professionals are responsible for innumerable variables during these times. In addition to allowing for more flexibility as employees put family first, now comes considerations about immunity discrimination. Source: Human Resource Executive, September 22, 2020. Link. “It’s going to be hard for managers to not think about this when they’re making workplace decisions,” says … [Read more...]
7 ways BtoB content can change everything
Guest contributor Brendan Howard educated and entertained dvm360 business section readers for years where he built a loyal following. He now freelances and agreed to share some of his business-to-business (BtoB) content expertise with animal health pros. Here’s a sample. You’ll find the rest of the article at the link. Source: 7 ways BtoB can change everything, October 8, … [Read more...]
Poop runs downhill . . . Vet techs catch it!
Commentary The old saying, ”it ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” is appropriate for this time period. In recent conversations and reports, the stress levels on animal hospital teams is nearly a constant topic. Juggling heavier client loads, new staffing models, staff members balancing at-home schooling and work are some of the reasons. National Veterinary Technician Week is … [Read more...]
Zooming as the norm
With more people than ever working remotely, it feels like we’ve been in more meetings than normal in 2020. The desire to sync up with our teams more often when we are all working from our homes makes sense. Source: Giant Leap Consulting, September 9, 2020. Link. That is, start your meetings by making sure everyone on the call understands the Purpose, the Outcomes, and the … [Read more...]
The conversations continue at The Bridge Club and The Bridge Club Pets
The Bridge Club remains true to its origins to provide virtual opportunities to connect, engage, learn and grow. Now with a professional version and a pet owner version, the coming weeks provide opportunities for animal health pros and pet owners to meet. Click on the link below and then register by clicking on individual conversation topics. Source: The Bridge Club … [Read more...]
Pyrethrins vs. pyrethroids: what’s the difference?
Complimentary Commercial Content Cassie Krejci is right. There are a lot of py-words out there to break down: pyrethrum, pyrethrins, permethrin, pyrethroids. She shares the differences and helps clear up possible confusion. Source: MGK.com. Link. Pyrethrins are broad spectrum and kill a wide variety of insects, while pyrethroids tend to have longer residual effects and … [Read more...]
Improvements in overnight monitoring care
Complimentary Commercial Content from Kevin Maher, VetMeasure Overnight monitoring care is often necessary for a veterinary patient and can be difficult for the veterinary team, animal owner and the animal. Today, there are options for pet wearables that practices can use to monitor various vitals including: a patient’s axillary temperature, respiratory rate (range), and … [Read more...]