Last week’s most read post No, people aren’t giving up pandemic pets because they’re bored Source: Animal Health Digest, May 18, 2021. Link. Two words for an instant dose of empathy Source: Forge, May 3, 2021. Link. Try mirroring the other person’s struggle with the words “of course” to validate their challenges or … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2021
Canine origin coronavirus causing a stir
Preliminary reports of a dog origin alpha canine coronavirus infecting people are alarming. Scientific diligence is needed to confirm the species jump and determine how much risk management is required, if any. We’re sharing three articles for your review and consideration. I think the more we look, the more we will find that these coronaviruses are crossing species … [Read more...]
Dairy herds need to be vaccinated for leptospirosis
Agriculture Victoria and Dairy Australia are working together to inform dairy producers of the risks from leptospirosis. They developed a biosecurity tool to assist dairy farmers create a farm biosecurity plan tailored to their farm. An integrated approach to prevent leptospirosis should consider: vaccinating the whole herd (following directions on the vaccine label) … [Read more...]
Spring ahead of summer flies
Removing breeding material is the foundation of fly control, says Roger Moon, entomologist. And spring is the time to get ahead of the fly population. If flies gain a foothold on the dairy, animals and their caretakers will pay the price as the summer wears on. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 13, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Now is a great time to remind producers how to … [Read more...]
What to expect at World Pork Expo
Joseph Kerns says hog markets, China, U.S. crop prospects, industry expansion, disease and how to navigate the business environment will be hot topics at the first live World Pork Expo since 2018. 2021 World Pork Expo is held at the Iowa State Fair Grounds, Des Moines, Iowa. June 9 – 11. Link. Source: National Hog Farmer, May 17, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: The topics of … [Read more...]
New bacteria species found in snake poop resist 35 types of antibiotics, could spread to humans
Researchers in India say they have isolated two new species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the scat, or fecal matter, of a vine snake, a mildly venomous reptile found throughout South and Southeast Asia. The new species are resistant to at least 35 different antibiotics, according to India Today. Source: Newsweek, May 24, 2021. Link. The bacteria reported here comes … [Read more...]
Equine Disease Communication Center review of diseases
Complimentary Sponsored Content The Equine Disease Communication Center is an industry-driven initiative that works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America. EDCC is designed to seek and report real-time information about diseases, similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerts the human population … [Read more...]
10 common health mistakes horse caretakers make
Farm calls are excellent opportunities to observe not only horses, but things in their environment that can impact overall health, shares Laurie Gallatin, DVM. Sometimes our horse husbandry is based on “how we always did it,” or the advice of well-meaning friends, trainers, or even Dr. Google, she says. She shares 10 common mistakes caretakers make. Here’s a sample: Not … [Read more...]
Dog accessories help owners with responsibilities
Opinion The author got my attention with these opening sentences: Bringing home a dog means an addition to your existing family and your responsibilities. Being the owner, you will be responsible for the dog’s actions, behavior and health. What followed was a nice overview of some accessories to help make a dog’s life easier and strengthen his bonds with family … [Read more...]
AAFP releases new end-of-life toolkit
AAFP’s new End of Life Educational Toolkit provides information to help facilitate a peaceful and painless transition for a cat at the end of their life. This digital toolkit aids veterinary professionals in preparing a well-planned process to honor the life of the cat by offering guidance and valuable information. Source: American Association of Feline Practitioners. May … [Read more...]
The 3 Rs of tick-borne diseases
Reports from colleagues around midwestern U.S. states indicate tick populations are thriving. Tick distributions are dynamic and ever-changing, and practice protocols often need to evolve to meet the growing threat ticks pose to pet health, writes Holly Morss, LVT. Morss discusses teaching staff members to address tick borne disease using the 3-R’s: Review the topic of … [Read more...]
Free webinar: How to find new growth levers in veterinary consolidation
Complimentary Content Animal health pros are invited to a live, free webinar: “Riding the Tide in Uncertain Times: How to find new growth levers in veterinary consolidation,” hosted by OpenRoom. Topics to be discussed include: Planning for success: Destination Pet’s rise to operating 75 veterinary practices in only 4 years Whether the pandemic has affected … [Read more...]
Relief Rover supporting veterinary wellness with virtual run: “Clinic to 5K”
Acknowledging the pandemic challenges of veterinarians, along with maintaining mental health and wellbeing, Relief Rover is responding with healthy fun and a challenge. The Clinic to 5K running event will take place the last week of July. Ten dollars from every registration will be donated to NOMV that provides the necessary support to all members of veterinary … [Read more...]
These 8 expressions can make you sound insensitive at work
We need to abandon expressions that might demonstrate emotional insensitivity. Eliminate these if you want to show concern for the feelings of your coworkers: Whatever No problem No way Understood Totally I hear you Guys You’re being sensitive Source: Fast Company, May 24, 2021. Link. Whether working remotely or as team members in-person, managing … [Read more...]
10 ways to have a better conversation
In this insightful TED talk, Celeste Hedley shares 10 useful rules for having better conversations. "Go out, talk to people, listen to people," she says. "And, most importantly, be prepared to be amazed." Headley has worked as a radio host for decades, and she knows the ingredients of a great conversation: Honesty, brevity, clarity and a healthy amount of … [Read more...]
Nutrition Coach Certification: Nutritional education for the pet, client and practice
Nutrition is one factor the veterinary healthcare team can affect, writes Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition). Burns advocates for involving veterinary nurses as nutrition counselors for pet owners and the practice team. She discusses the values of nutritional education, the challenges of misinformation and shares details on the NAVC Pet Nutrition Coach … [Read more...]
Redefining Team
Guest Contributor - Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT The word team conjures up many different images, positive for some and downright uncomfortable, for others. There are so many clichés surround it as well – we’ve all heard the overplayed “Teamwork makes the dream work.” “There’s no ‘I’ in team,” and so on – but what does being part of a team truly mean? Mages notes the negative … [Read more...]
Why should I care?
In an ongoing crisis, clear communication is more important and more difficult than when things are normal. Employees and customers are hungry for information, so we are tempted to pull together presentations and communicate with urgency instead of with careful planning. Source: Harvard Business Review, May 6, 2021. Link. If they do not know why a new action is necessary, … [Read more...]
VVCA Lunch & Learn demonstrates importance of decision support
Opinion Kudos to Shadi Ireifej and Ali McIntyre for coordinating and producing the May 26 VVCA Lunch & Learn. The only disappointment was low attendance. Ireifej shared several video cases where clients needed support to decide if their animal warranted emergency care. It was impressive to see and hear how Ireifej: Engaged the clients comfortably and casually … [Read more...]
AMVC Cares purchases Audubon, Iowa, property
Audubon Manning Veterinary Clinic, LLC, is a multi-species, west-central Iowa veterinary practice with multiple locations and a well-known swine management division. Understanding the need for community improvement and to improve the quality of life for the community and its visitors, its principals created a non-profit entity, AMVC Cares. Source: AMVC Management Services … [Read more...]
Forget everything you know about telemedicine
One might picture Jessica Vogelsang, DVM, stomping her feet as she discusses telemedicine and virtual care. Her blog post is a rally call aimed to raise the view of colleagues who are likely to meet a 2021 barrage of client appointments in the months ahead. We’ve spent the last five years arguing over the value of veterinary telemedicine because the assumption has always been … [Read more...]
Flexible workforces in veterinary practices might include aging boomers
Opinion Two recent articles prompted aberrant thought connections. Maybe for certain veterinary practices, geographies or situations the synergy between flexibility and aging boomers might be workable. In the first, Theresa L. Entriken, DVM, discusses purposefully building a schedule-flexible, diversely talented segment of your team. She says, “Imagine a team consisting … [Read more...]
What executives are saying about the future of hybrid work
The authors compiled hybrid work survey results from 100 executives from various industries and locations. While employees are feeling anxious, most organizations have only begun to think through and articulate the specifics of how to carry out a more permanent mix of remote and on-site working for all roles that aren’t essential to perform on site. Source: McKinsey and … [Read more...]
Customer service is not customer experience
Customer service is only one aspect of the entire customer experience. Customer service needs to be put into context — which means putting customer experience first. Most customer service starts when a customer calls with a problem. By contrast, customer experience starts with hope — with the reason the customer chooses you in the first place.” Source: Strategy + Business, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 20, 2021
Last week’s top post Why constant learners all embrace the 5-hour rule Source: Animal Health Digest, May 11, 2021. Link. University of Minnesota researchers develop novel, field-deployable test for CWD Source: University of Minnesota, April 19, 2021. Link. The team is striving for a test that could be set-up at individual stations … [Read more...]
Target these goals for dairy steers
Dairy and crossbred steers are no longer thought of as subquality meat. However, there are some nuances to ensure quality. Daniel Schaefer, PhD, is quoted in this article from the May Hoard’s Dairyman webinar, “Capturing full value for Holstein and crossbred steers.” The ideal Holstein steer is the kind of steer that, in the right conditions, is both a dairy steer harvester … [Read more...]
Summer pneumonia is a concern in calves
Calves that struggled early and failed to get significant passive transfer of immunity through colostrum are eventually susceptible to pathogens that can cause respiratory disease. Mixing, sorting and some weather events create stressful conditions that may trigger an outbreak of summer pneumonia in nursing calves. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, May 12, 2021. Link. Vaccination … [Read more...]
4 Ss of pain management in cattle
In today’s cattle stewardship environment, pain management is an important consideration, especially for dehorning, injuries and surgeries. It is fundamentally important to address pain for the animal’s benefit, production efficiency, and for maintaining the confidence of the consumer.” - Johann F Coetzee BVSc, Cert CHP, PhD, DACVCP, DACAW, DipECAWBM Source: Bovine … [Read more...]
Know the signs of foot rot in livestock
Diagnosis of foot rot requires a thorough examination. Lesions usually infect both claws of the hoof, so if only one side is infected, the problem is likely not foot rot, says Barry Whitworth, DVM. His discussion is featured in SUNUP, an agricultural television program worthy of sharing with producers via social media or newsletters. SUNUP video Source: The Bullvine, May … [Read more...]
Managing how long beef producers keep cows
Doug Ferguson challenges the conventional cow management paradigm that a cow has 10 years to pay her way. Instead of being in the business of making old cows, he suggests a high turnover process that increases inventory value and improves gross sales. Other principles from Wally Olson’s marketing school are referenced as more examples of how high turnover methods increase … [Read more...]