The success of the group housing movement in swine production will depend on training sows and gilts, according to researchers at Kansas State University. Monitoring feed efficiency by individual sow is but one of the factors that complicates the changes in sow and gilt management. In one study, gilts spent 10 weeks in pre-training, two weeks in training, then moved into … [Read more...]
Updates from Is My Practice Healthy
Drs. Blach and Clark developed IMPH to fulfill these objectives: To provide an interactive and educational venue to improve practice management for veterinary practices. To educate veterinary practice owners, associates, and managers regarding how to focus on a small number of key data points to improve practice profitability and value. To provide the necessary … [Read more...]
Diagnostic dental radiographs: A concise how-to
Mary Berg, RVT, RLATG, VTS (Dentistry), demonstrates her preferred method of obtaining these types of images. She has been teaching veterinary technicians how to take dental radiographs for more than 20 years. Her proven techniques are shared and discussed in this article and video. Source: Firstline, January 18, 2017. Berg’s simplified positioning methods eliminate the … [Read more...]
Be proactive about calving readiness
I saw the first new calves of the season in a field north of Kansas City this week. It was a reminder that 2017 calving is in full swing. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension specialist, writes about preparing a calving kit. It includes a video Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, January 16, 2017. Before calving season starts, do a “walk-through” of pens, chutes, and … [Read more...]
2017 NAVC breaks record. Changes name.
The 2017 NAVC set attendance records in the new venue at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida. As the 33rd annual event opened, it was announced it will be known as the Veterinary Meeting & Expo, or VMX, starting in 2018. The “Meeting” portion of the name encompasses all of the world-class educational offerings of the event, while “Expo” illustrates the … [Read more...]
Top 5 genetic diseases of cats
The most frequent conditions are complexly inherited and involve combinations of multiple genes and environmental factors. Jerold S. Bell, DVM, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, discusses: Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) Diabetes mellitus Lymphocytic or plasmacytic inflammatory disease Polycystic kidney disease Hypertrophic … [Read more...]
Global pet care sales hits $100 billion milestone
Sales for all pet products and services totaled US$103.5 billion globally in 2016, surpassing the US$100 billion mark for the first time, writes Debbie Phillips-Donaldson. This 4.7 percent growth rate stands out among other consumer packaged goods industries, according to analyst Jared Koerten. Source: Petfood Industry, February 7, 2017. Focusing on the US, by far the … [Read more...]
AHD welcomes the NAVTA membership
We are excited to announce that Animal Health Digest will now be made available to veterinary technicians/nurses each week by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). NAVTA executive board president Mary Berg and executive director Julie Legred will forward AHD’s weekly BULLETIN to its 15,000-plus members as a value-added service starting February … [Read more...]
Support for Leptospirosis vaccination increasing
Not every DVM is on board with the need for a leptospirosis vaccine, but the numbers are growing. The FIRSTLINE staff finds consensus among some DVMs that lepto vaccination should not be ignored. Source: Firstline, January 18, 2017. Some vets used to try to keep vaccine frequencies lower for small-breed dogs. But general-practice Dr. Jeff Rothstein says that's less of a … [Read more...]
Farriers, a necessary enigma
Nancy Rich-Gutierrez shares 5 Reasons You May Need a New Farrier with a tongue-in-cheek, experience-based overview of inappropriate farrier behavior. Source: Horse Network, January 24, 2017. Here are some examples that resulted in Nancy finding a new farrier: He compares his siring ability to that of a well-known stallion He shows up drunk He’s too rough He … [Read more...]
Plaque, tartar, gingivitis – oh my!
Pets need dentistry least three times in their lives. February is National Pet Dental Month Teeth scaling is a big part of the in-clinic dental cleaning. Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC and DABVP, offers tips for veterinary teams. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, January/February 2017. 5 guiding points can help ensure that every patient’s teeth are cleaned with similar expertise. … [Read more...]
Get over phone anxiety
For some, answering or making a phone call requires a big effort. They rehearse what to say 1,000 times, dial with shaky hands and often get a panicky feeling in their chest when the ring rings. Digital tools we have now may help phone shy people avoid calls. But calls are still necessary. Hating the phone doesn’t necessarily mean a social anxiety condition, although the two … [Read more...]
3 reasons why inside sales’ effectiveness is growing
This article may cause anxiety for some sales pros. However, it is good to learn what is happening to advance the effectiveness and importance of inside sales personnel. Even if you have a mom-and-pop vet clinic or store, some of these methods may be valuable in the near term. Source: CBS, December 5, 2016. Transaction processing is much easier and faster, and customer … [Read more...]
Influencer relationships can be tough to manage
It is hard to discount the value of advocacy and support from marketplace influencers. Marketers, however continue to find this segment difficult to manage. A recent report shows who are involved in making decisions about influencer, advocates or key opinion leaders. The report “Influence 2.0: The Future of Influencer Marketing digs into current influencer marketing … [Read more...]
Cut through the BS during interviews
Finding and hiring new team members is not easy. It is important to find candidates that mesh with your current team and that don’t spell team with an “I.” Betsy Mikel discusses givers and takers, plus how to determine if a candidate is one or the other. Source: Inc, January 4, 2017. Givers are often sacrificing themselves, but they make their organizations better," says … [Read more...]
Take a stand, compete
If Super Bowl LI taught us anything, it was to persevere and stay focused. Often, the best defense is a good offense, even when you don’t get rolling until the fourth quarter. The same principles are applicable when confronted with a low-cost or low-price competitor. Laura Patterson discusses five ways to have a fighting chance: Differentiate Be customer-centric … [Read more...]
Swine Health Information Center helps producers and veterinarians
The four main categories of the Swine Health Information Center mission are: Preparedness, Response, Monitoring, and Analysis. “Education is key to preparedness,” said Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of the SHIC. In 2016, SHIC produced nine additional swine disease fact sheets, bringing the total number of fact sheets to 33. Source: Pork Network, January 30, … [Read more...]
Hay, plastic bale netting is not roughage
According to Melissa Koesler, Extension director for Garvin County, Oklahoma, a large percentage of producers now use plastic wrapping for hay instead of biodegradable sisal twine. Some of them leave the material in their pastures when feeding, or they grind or shred bales with the bale net in place. Koesler encourages producers to remove plastic netting or twine from bales and … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – AAHA Resources for dental month
Improve dentistry at your practice and help clients understand the value of proper dental care with a variety of resources from AAHA Press. It is easy to let the month of February go by without acknowledging Nation Pet Dental Health Month. Fortunately, animal health pros understand the importance of promoting dental care for our animals. The resources available help enable … [Read more...]
Science, micro-bugs and dirt
Animal health pros will appreciate this AgProfessional’s Readers’ Choice 2016 product of the year even if they never use it directly. Consider the pressure on GMOs and traditional methods of antibiotic use. Now look at what science can do to dirt to make it more nutrient rich for crops. Source: Ag Pro, January 30, 2017. Focusing on microbials for soil health is still a … [Read more...]
Assess senior horses’ quality of life frequently
Geriatric horses should be seen at least yearly, and more frequently if they have metabolic issues, such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, hoof or dental disorders or some other chronic illness. During annual health checks, Joanne L. Ireland, BVMS, PhD, Cert AVP(EM), MRCVS, recommends that veterinarians include an assessment of activities and functional tasks similar to … [Read more...]
New perspective helps cull dairy heifers
Elanco’s John Lee offers catchy insight about replacement dairy heifer management from beef industry practices. “After three to four unsuccessful services and a maximum of six, 21-day cycles, stop breeding those heifers. In most herds, 95 percent of heifers will be pregnant by the third or fourth service and only 5 percent of heifers will be culled. However, these infertile … [Read more...]
You and your dog’s personalities influence how you both walk
The general conclusions of a recent study showed the personalities of human and dog influence the walk, and that the walk is a part of life which involves power negotiations between the dog and the human. It also reports that according to those interviewed for the study, people want their dogs to enjoy getting to “be a dog” by running free on walks. Source: The Bark, January … [Read more...]
Vet-Advantage acquired by NAVC
Congratulations to Chris Kelly and the team at Veterinary Advantage as they become part of the mix at NAVC. Our team at AHD wishes them and the NAVC the best. Source: NAVC, January 27, 2016. Veterinary Advantage joins the NAVC alongside clinical, peer reviewed journals, Today's Veterinary Practice and Today’s Veterinary Technician, as well as a new business journal, Today’s … [Read more...]
Editorial – It may be time for vendor-managed inventory
Dr. Blach presses the thinking envelope again. He asserts that vendor-managed and potentially vendor-owned inventory may be closer than we think. It is hard to imagine how this could happen since most practices and retailers cannot replenish inventory today based on a running forecast. Vendor-managed inventory would theoretically eliminate stock-outs, but integrating … [Read more...]
Thinking offensively or defensively matters
Kevin Eikenberry offers several contrasting statements that you can use to determine if you're attacking opportunities or reacting to situations. If you don’t challenge yourself with it, you will operate from your habits now and in the long-term. This may not give you the results you want most. Source: Leadership and Learning, January 2, 2017. If you choose to focus on … [Read more...]
3 hard words. “I don’t know.”
The best leaders use these three hard words, “I don’t know!” Lisa Kohn suggests we expect our leaders and ourselves to be infallible. It’s a huge – and impossible – mantle to carry. Instead we need to: Admit when we don’t have the answer Surround ourselves with smart people Be open to other perspectives Find people who’ve walked this road before But remember … [Read more...]
4 customer service plan essentials
As trends for increased self-service and detached decision making grow, the importance of building superior customer service teams can get lost. Andrew Medal brings the perspectives of a serial entrepreneur to this topic. The insights apply to animal health pros in traditional businesses, too. Source: Entrepreneur, January 20, 2017. Customer service is one of the most … [Read more...]
Editorial – They say we don’t care
Critics and non-agricultural lobbyists often criticize animal health pros for not caring about the environment, odors or greenhouse gases. This article flies in the faces of such critics. Source: WATTAgNet, January 20, 2017. Perdue Farms has expanded its $68 million investment in nutrient recycling on the Delmarva Peninsula with the addition of a $12 million capital … [Read more...]
11 pet food trends forecast for 2017
Experts believe pet owners will increasingly demand the same qualities in pet food they want in their own meals, such as familiar ingredients, sustainability and nutrition. Our AHD team believes some of these trends will greatly affect veterinary teams and retail associates. Review this list and consider how you may address these trends as they appear in your … [Read more...]