Hiss, yowl, sphftt, thump, pow, schzip! In multi-cat households the sounds often remind owners of superhero TV. Owners now have a stress-reducing options. A recent study in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery looked at the effectiveness of using pheromone diffusers for aggression in multi-cat households. They discovered that cats exposed to feline-appeasing pheromones … [Read more...]
Declaw free practice reviews results
Four things impressed me about this article: Going declaw-free was done more than four years ago before negative press about declaw issues was prevalent Amy Zellweger made the decision after engaging the practice team to gather evidence about declaw issues The practices have continued to grow financially Because of the educational focus, the practice now has … [Read more...]
Tick, tick, tick-tick, TICK! . . . continued
Americans have unwelcome eight-legged visitors from the East, and they're here to stay. The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, is a indigenous to Asia. This tick species has already turned up in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, where it's been found on domestic animals and wildlife, … [Read more...]
Plan B when your presentation goes awry (includes video)
You’ve done the work, gotten the speaking gig or the appointment and zap – your technology fails. Whether it’s a bad internet connection, the streaming portion in the PowerPoint stops or your Windows slides don’t play on the old Mac, it is time to implement plan B. It happens to nearly all of us at some point. See how Steve Jobs handled a malfunctioning clicker in the video … [Read more...]
How to respond if you keep getting interrupted at meetings
Whether during a group meeting or during a one-on-one conversation, getting interrupted is frustrating and sometimes demoralizing. The impact of being interrupted tends to be most negative when it prevents you from finishing a thought. Preparation for interruptions is key, shares Tania Luna. She offers ways to navigate the various norms in different situations. Source: Fast … [Read more...]
Follow Animal Health Digest on LinkedIn
Our AHD team invites you to follow AHD on LinkedIn <link>. Each week we provide three posts featuring the current AHD Bulletin, the most-read current post and the most-read posts from the same week one and two years previously. It’s not our intent to overwhelm social media with myriad posts. Rather we strive to be judicious in providing current and historically relevant … [Read more...]
Would you treat your mother that way? (includes podcast)
As a customer service expert, Jeanne Bliss has spent her career helping major companies learn how to behave in the best interests of the consumer. She recently explained how increased competition makes customer service more important than ever for businesses that want to grow. “We’re finding that the more high-tech we get, the more humanity we need.” Source: Knowledge at … [Read more...]
FDA approves Pexion for canine noise aversion
Prescription help for dogs with noise aversion challenges is on the way. The FDA has announced approval of Pexion® (active ingredient: imepitoin) by Boehringer-Ingelheim to treat noise aversion in dogs. The drug was approved in 2013 in the EU for reducing the frequency of seizures associated with idiopathic epilepsy. Imepitoin is similar to Valium (diazepram) and other … [Read more...]
Join Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count
Wildlife vigilance is not new to animal health pros. Did you know that the Audubon Society has conducted a bird count for more than 100 years? Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations and to help guide conservation action. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an … [Read more...]
Late season rains increase risk for mycotoxins
The swine team at the University of Minnesota provides a review of mycotoxin risks in fed grains following late season rains and regional storage issues. Mycotoxins produced by fungi molds in grains are particularly problematic for swine, poultry and dairy cattle. Source: PORK, November 23, 2018. Link. Broken and damaged kernels are generally highest in mycotoxin … [Read more...]
Daisy is a leftie, Flower is a rightie
Laterality (sidedness) is commonly observed with dairy cows. Really? Apparently, cattle express laterality naturally when choosing which side to lie down on or which side of the milking parlor to enter, according to Rick Grant. He says behaviorists believe that expression of a side preference is related to the cow’s emotional state and what they perceive as stressful or even … [Read more...]
The driving force behind FarmHER
Marji Guyler-Alaniz’s photographic project turned into a voice for women in agriculture almost overnight. It now has grown to encompass events for women, FarmHer-branded merchandise, the 30-minute weekly RFD-TV show, the 60-minute Shining Bright by FarmHer SiriusXM radio show and podcast and ongoing social media to connect with her audience. These (ag) women work hard, for … [Read more...]
Educational debt is common for DVMs (infographic)
The 2018 dvm360 Student Debt Survey results showed that student debt loads are common through the years. The survey also sought to understand how DVMs are managing this debt and how they feel about it. Source: DVM 360, November 8, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Take a few minutes to understand the colors in legend. A significant number of DVMs are pinching pennies, not saving for … [Read more...]
How will you vote? Subclinical heart murmur case.
We believe these short case situations are good education for animal health pros in all positions. Consider the situation and see how you would proceed! The owner would like her female golden to produce one litter of puppies prior to being spayed. Source: Clinician’s Brief, November 2018. Link. A 12-month-old intact female golden retriever is presented for a wellness … [Read more...]
Job killing you? Do these things now.
Holiday schedules exacerbate issues with balancing work, family and personal commitments and needs. Stav Ziv offers advice from Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book, Dying for a Paycheck: How Modern Management Harms Employee Health and Company Performance—and What We Can Do About It. In the U.S., 120,000 deaths a year could be attributed to work environments. . . racking up about $180 … [Read more...]
Upgrading client reminders
Reminders remain a significant component for ensuring veterinary clients return to the practice. Brenda Tassava, CVPM, CVJ, VLCE, discusses mixing the old with the new methods and provides a refreshed reminder strategy complete with tactical elements and timelines. She also discusses the value of forward bookings in the context of reminders. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, … [Read more...]
AAHA updates its Standards of Accreditation
The standards are continually reviewed and updated by experts to ensure they promote cutting-edge best practices in practice management and veterinary medicine. AAHA Red provided some of the changes going into effect for accreditation evaluations scheduled January 1, 2019 and beyond. Source: AAHA Red, November 5, 2018. Link. Review the changes online … [Read more...]
The 9-Minute Rule for customer satisfaction (includes video)
Improving animal owner experiences is important to increasing customer satisfaction and retention. Jessica Molina, PHR, CVPM, CCFP, shares the 9-Minute Rule that aims to improve customer relations and increase positive performance reviews on social media. Customers look for instant gratification and often feel forgotten if they are waiting too long. Source: VHMA, Practice Tip … [Read more...]
An upside to a disturbing canine blood donor story
Beyond the negative press about a canine blood supply company is a significant community-based opportunity. The public exposure of housing conditions for donor dogs prompted Dr. Nicholas Dodman to ask dog lovers to consider the best practices for blood donation. Veterinarians can encourage their clients to volunteer large, healthy dogs occasionally to have their blood drawn … [Read more...]
Clearing up cancer treatments for cats
Dr. Kristine E. Burgess believes that some misconceptions about cats and cancer that need to be cleared up. While there are several treatment options available, it’s important to know that not all types of cancer respond well to treatment and some treatments are only available at specialty hospitals. Quality of life comes first. Source: Catnip, December 2018. Link. There … [Read more...]
Pet ownership continues to climb, AVMA findings
The 2017-2018 edition of the Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook found that nearly 57 percent of all U.S. households owned a pet at end of 2016. Of those, 38 percent owned one or more dogs, 25 percent owned one or more cats. More than 13 percent of U.S. households owned a specialty or exotic pet in 2016, a 25 percent increase from 2011. The incidence of poultry owned … [Read more...]
Non-verbal client cues you’re missing
Animal health pros are great at reading animals, but often struggle with human interactions. In this article, experts share messages sent through nonverbal displays that are volumes louder than what’s actually being said. Hearing people . . . assume the other person understood us because they heard us, despite language being inherently vague. Source: Fast Company, November … [Read more...]
3 things all emails should include
You probably don’t put much thought into crafting an email. This means it’s likely you are making some potentially embarrassing mistakes. Most of us have not been trained on crafting good emails making them ripe for misuse. As communication tools like instant messaging are added to the workplace, the purpose and strength of email has started to shift, says Nick Morgan. ““Text … [Read more...]
5 problems with inventory—and ways to solve them
Nicole Clausen, CSGGB, brings inventory management back to basics and shares five problems and how to address them. Is your problem “too much” or “not enough”? Is your problem “too many”? Is your problem “too price-y”? Is your problem “not enough info”? Is your problem “not enough money”? Source: VETTED, October 17, 2018. Link. Inventory is like a … [Read more...]
If it was your money, would you spend it like that?
Mike Figliuolo shares a summary of a survey about employee stewardship of resources. Twenty percent of respondents have issues with people being good stewards of their organization’s resources. A culture of waste can have a tremendous negative impact over time. Source: SmartBrief, October 9, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider making this a topic to discuss at the next staff … [Read more...]
Opinion: Not my problem: A moral philosophy
I’m including this as food for thought. At first, I thought maybe Jessica Wildfire was on to something that made sense. And it does, but only to a certain point. That point for me was when Wildfire wrote, “Sure, he might cause a major disaster. But that disaster isn’t your problem.” Constantly bailing out others might help your boss, or your company. But it doesn’t help … [Read more...]
Are you productive enough?
Elizabeth Grace Saunders discusses productivity, measurement and improvement and how to tell if you’re meeting expectations. She narrows the definition of “productive enough” to whether you are meeting the requirements of your job when operating at your personal peak performance. It’s a good perspective to consider as we begin holiday obligations. Source: Harvard Business … [Read more...]
Dog DNA tests, valuable or just more confusion
A growing number of veterinary clients bring DNA reports with them to appointments. These tests are not subject to standards or regulations to ensure they are accurate or reliable. Finding a veterinarian that can interpret the reports is yet another issue. Sarah Zhang has written a situation analysis that has value for animal health pros. Source: The Atlantic, November … [Read more...]
Navigate the gray areas of what constitutes sexual harassment
Much negative reaction to women’s voices being raised about sexual harassment stems from a lack of understanding about what exactly constitutes harassment. Because there is a lot of gray area in determining mild to serious forms of gender-based offenses, Kathleen Kelley Reardon developed the Spectrum of Sexual Misconduct at Work (SSMW). It helps people define and differentiate … [Read more...]
Working with people who lack self-awareness
Self-awareness, knowing who we are and how we’re seen is important for job performance, career success and leadership effectiveness. It is in remarkably short supply in today’s workplace, writes Tasha Eurich, PhD. She offers perspectives and ways to deal with challenges caused by self-awareness issues. . . . although 95% of people think they’re self-aware, only 10 to 15% … [Read more...]