For animal health pros who need to find a post for any reason, the AHD website has several tools to help find it: BULLETIN Archive, keeps the last 20 BULLETINs easy to find and reference “Search the site” on the upper right, uses familiar key word search methods to find a topic Sponsor and Founder’s Circle logos all link to the respective company’s … [Read more...]
2000 posts in 2 years: AHD celebrates anniversary
The Animal Health Digest teams offers a sincere “thank you” for your readership and support the past two years. Our mission to “read for the animal health industry” remains in place. Each week, we scour more than 200 print and digital media sources for information relevant to animal health professionals at all levels. Our selections are delivered Thursday mornings via email … [Read more...]
6 things you need to recover from every day
Being busy and being productive are far from being the same thing. Most people try to do too much. The desire to keep up us doing more, living less and deceiving themselves into believing we’ve made progress. True growth and success is always sustainable. Unless you adequately recover, your life is a mess. You must properly recover from the following things daily: Work … [Read more...]
Study finds dairy has anti-inflammatory effect (includes video)
“Dairy products, particularly fermented dairy products, have anti-inflammatory properties in humans not suffering from allergies to milk,” said Bradley Bolling, citing research from University of Wisconsin during the World Dairy Expo. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 5, 2017. A UW study involving 132 women over nine weeks, yogurt provided some anti-inflammatory … [Read more...]
While uncommon, owners may have Leptospirosis risk
We hear a lot about zoonotic risks where disease in animals can infect animal owners. George E. Moore, DVM, and Michael R. Lappin, DVM, have written clear instructions for animal owners and team members to help prevent zoonotic infection from Leptospirosis sp. Source: Clinician’s Brief, September 2017. Infection appears to be uncommon for owners of dogs with leptospirosis … [Read more...]
AAHA NEWStat introduces guide to veterinary team wellness
NEWStat contains AAHA-generated content, sponsored content and articles of interest. This issue announces the launch of the Healthy Workplace Culture Initiative. The initiative will address wellbeing from an alternative perspective that utilizes a positive, proactive approach to help prevent or mitigate mental health issues in veterinary practice teams. Source: AAHA NEWStat, … [Read more...]
Preparing for Generation D
Julie Cook Ramirez writes on the career development needs millennials expect. Eighty-seven percent of them rate professional or career growth and development opportunities as important in a job, with 59 percent saying opportunities to learn and grow are extremely important when applying for a position. The employee-manager relationship is key to millennial development, … [Read more...]
Value-added calves are the result of good pre-conditioning
According to survey numbers, the value of pre-conditioning or back-grounding calves post-weaning is growing rapidly. Since its inception, the Beef Quality Assurance program has given beef producers a template on how to do things right. More than one-third of producers are BQA certified according to the survey results. Source: Beef, October 2017, page 22. Dan Thompson, DVM, … [Read more...]
Opinion – Anti-vaccine movement gaining traction
Animal health pros focus on issues of One Health, zoonosis and disease control. It is not unusual to find material that portrays animal owners spending more on their pets’ care than their own health. We are going through a continuum of vaccination rationalization discussions. Then we find articles like this about the anti-vaccine movement in human health. Be assured, AHD has … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Lifestyle vaccine podcast series
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health has produced a series of podcasts with VetFolio® featuring three thought leaders presenting about key infectious diseases. They discuss facts that help determine a vaccination protocol that is right for individual animals, along with practical tips to optimize client education and compliance. The podcast topics are: Episode 1: Feline … [Read more...]
FDA video outlines drug resistance in parasites (includes video)
Dr. Aimee Phillippi-Taylor hosts this video and stresses the value of using fecal egg count reduction tests and recordkeeping to detect resistance in parasite populations. In addition to basic management, she encourages producers to work with their veterinarians to monitor the efficacy of deworming programs and adjust as needed. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, October 5, … [Read more...]
Oral flea control: DVM vs. OTC
Nancy Kerns with Whole Dog Journal discusses oral flea control in a two-article series. The first describes five oral medications that veterinarians may prescribe to stop or prevent a dog’s flea infestation. The second describes the four oral medications that kill fleas on dogs and are available to owners as over-the-counter (OTC) products – no prescription … [Read more...]
Pinkeye often flares in fall
“Pinkeye, or keratoconjunctivitis, is an infectious disease of cattle that costs producers money in several ways,” says Gerald Stokka, North Dakota State University Extension veterinarian. He and Neil Dyer, an NDSU pathologist, notes that the bacteria Moraxella bovis is one of the primary agents in pinkeye, although Moraxella ovus and Moraxella bovoculi have also been isolated. … [Read more...]
10 reasons veterinary clients are afraid to say, “yes”
Phil Zeltzman, DVM, reminds readers that veterinary medicine can be provided only when exchanging services for money. Since clients are sometimes afraid of being sold or potentially afraid of the veterinary profession, he discusses the need to allay those fears by confidently providing recommendations as an expert advisor. To get a firm yes, make something emotional happen … [Read more...]
Puppy poop infects 55 with Campylobacter bacteria
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have tracked Campylobacter infections in humans. The agency says infections that were linked to puppies from Petland have been reported between September 2016 and October 2017 in Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Source: HealthDay, October … [Read more...]
You’re gonna’ get the beep
Whether you are in sales, customer service or doing follow-up calls from a veterinary clinic, Steve Keating’s discussion of voice mail preparation is important. Every time you call someone prepare to leave a clear, compelling and concise message. Source: Lead Today, October 1, 2017. Leaving only your name and phone number by the way is NOT a message, it’s just some … [Read more...]
Stop dogs from pulling on their leashes
There are never enough tips to help with common canine behavior problems. Pulling on leashes when using a neck collar can be damaging to the dog. Annie Phenix, CPDT-K, offers some force-free advice to the issues. Source: Dogster, September 21, 2017. I see walking the dog as an excellent way to get your dog (and you) moving, but a dog cares more about “pee-mails” and other … [Read more...]
Opinion – Adjust ROPs and EOQs for the holidays
The rise of e-commerce and the growing instant gratification consumer mentality has exacerbated the need for early and thoughtful peak season preparation. This article is a reminder to adjust inventory on-hand settings and replenishment timelines for critical items in animal health inventories. Halloween will not create much disruption, but it does signals the upcoming holiday … [Read more...]
Feline asthma updates
Feline asthma is a common cause of cough and intermittent respiratory distress in cats that can be challenging to diagnose and treat. However, prognosis is generally good with the appropriate treatment. Feline asthma management can be separated into acute and chronic treatment strategies. Treating with bronchodilators can sometimes cause more harm than good. Source: … [Read more...]
Vasopressin and oxytocin affect canine aggression
Many hormones influence canine aggression, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Arizona titled, “Endogenous Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Aggression in Domestic Dogs”. Karen London, PhD, discusses study findings and future treatment potential. Source: The Bark, September 30, 2017. The study findings are no surprise given that the hormones testosterone … [Read more...]
Don’t avoid giving praise
Given how unpleasant giving critical feedback can be, it is no wonder providing feedback is one of the more difficult parts of a manager’s job. Yet, surprising findings show that people admitted that they avoided giving positive feedback. Apparently, leaders or managers vastly underestimate the power and necessity of positive reinforcement. Source: Harvard Business Review, … [Read more...]
Opinion – Itemized or lump sum fees? Is one superior?
I have supported itemizing veterinary services. This also includes billing some items at no charge and adding a professional courtesy comment when zero dollars is invoiced. Brenda Tassava, CVPM, offers good perspectives on the value of itemization instead of lump sum charges. Regardless of waht approach is used, Tassava is spot-on about strategically pricing services and … [Read more...]
Retail price index benchmarks OTC pricing
Regardless of where you are in the supply chain, alternate sources confound pricing decisions daily. Animal owners are often full of low-price information without understanding whether it was on a different size, pharmaceutical equivalent or a targeted promotion as part of a bundle. The Retail Price Index is designed to help animal health pros understand market pricing and not … [Read more...]
Time to fix the labor market
Who to hire, what to pay them, and how to screen them from myriad sources are perplexing for hiring managers looking to hire qualified candidates. Andrew McIlvaine reviews an initiative from the Rework America Task Force. Source: HRE Daily, September 27, 2017. Rework America’s stated goal is to “fix America’s broken labor market” by transforming it to a “21st century, … [Read more...]
Prevent prescription errors
We all need to do the best we can to improve communication between human pharmacies and veterinarians. During a session this year at the AVMA Convention 2017, Jennifer Buur, DVM, and Maureen Schanck, PharmD, shared common challenges and ways to better communicate prescriptive information to match the pharmacists’ training or lack thereof. Source: JAVMA News, October 1, … [Read more...]
McKinsey and Company; 3-Q-17 top ten
Animal health pros read at all levels. McKinsey shared its top 10 articles for third quarter for easily reviewing key subjects. You will find some of these worth considering. What’s missing in leadership development? Competing in a world of sectors without borders Untangling your organization’s decision making Source: McKinsey and Company, September 29, 2017. … [Read more...]
October is National Pork Month (slide gallery)
The designation of October as pork month marks a time of year when hogs were traditionally marketed. The United States is the third-largest pork-producing country, following China and the European Union. Pork is safe, efficient, environmentally friendly and a superior source of protein. Source: National Hog Farmer, October 1, 2017. According to an analysis by the USDA, pork … [Read more...]
X-ray contest 2017 – winners and runners-up
Animal health pros across all segments of the market enjoy seeing the images and frequent absurdity of what animals eat. Bones, necklaces, hair bands, charms, drain plugs and foam bullets are few of the items found in this year’s contest photos and images. Source: Veterinary Practice News, September 29, 2017. The 2017 annual X-ray contest didn’t fail to deliver on the most … [Read more...]
Lack of sleep is killing us
A catastrophic sleep-loss epidemic is causing a host of potentially fatal diseases, according to professor Matthew Walker, director of the Centre for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. In a recent interview, he warns that sleep deprivation is not being taken seriously enough by employers and everyday people alike. According to his research, there is … [Read more...]
DMSO: a therapy in search of a condition?
David Ramsey, DVM, tackles the century long questions about Dimethyl sulfoxide. DMSO is an organic compound that also contains sulfur. It’s colorless, but not odorless. It is a by-product of papermaking and mixes well with many hence its popularity. Source: Horse Network, September 21, 2017. DMSO seems to be something of a therapy in search of a condition to treat: and … [Read more...]