Research about BVDV and management practices continues. Although we have good working knowledge of BVDV, losses remain substantial across the production channels. Julia Ridpath, PhD, studies BVDV and related pestiviruses at the USDA’s National Animal Disease Center (NADC) in Ames, Iowa. Webinars presented by her are available through the American Association of Extension … [Read more...]
Harness depicts canine moods
A harness called Inupathy ("inu" means dog in Japanese), has been invented by biologist Joji Yamaguchi. It measures the dog's heart rate and uses an algorithm to indicate different moods through a colored LED light. Red means excited or anxious, blue for relaxed, white for focused and rainbow for happy. Source: The Bark, November 10, 2016. Inupathy is expected to be … [Read more...]
Drs. Blach and Clark, tips for healthier practices
Is My Practice Healthy? is a practice development commitment from Edward L. Blach, DVM, MS, MBA, and Andrew R. Clark, DVM, MBA. Each week, they write tips and commentary in a platform designed to provide an educational venue and community where stakeholders in the veterinary industry can go to learn about veterinary practice management and industry economics. Our team at AHD … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – CEVA tackles feline fleas and ticks
Ceva announced the introduction of Catego™, the first fast-acting flea and tick topical parasiticide made specifically for cats on November 2, 2016. It contains the active ingredients Dinotefuran, Fipronil and Pyriproxyfen. Catego kills fleas within six hours, and on the day of application achieves 97% efficacy within three hours, according to company references. Source: … [Read more...]
New End-of-Life Care Guidelines
AAHA teamed up with the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) to create the 2016 AAHA/IAAHPC End-of-Life Care Guidelines. A first for the veterinary profession, these groundbreaking guidelines provide practice teams with the framework and tools to develop a comprehensive, collaborative, end-of-life plan and better recognize the needs of … [Read more...]
Get Smart About Antibiotics Week
Four educational programs are available on VetFolio during the November 14-20, 2016 antibiotics week. An annual one-week observance promoted by the Centers for Disease Control, the objective is to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use. Source: VetFolio, November 12, 2016. Learn more about the … [Read more...]
Stop the leash pulling, PLEASE!
Following chronic barking and house soiling, stopping leash pulling is a top dog owner wish. This behavior adjustment is also a safety measure for owners. The video resources and the training approaches presented here are good tools to share with clients and customers. Source: Petcha.com, November 8, 2016. Here are a few reasons dogs pull on the leash: They have four … [Read more...]
Golden retriever’s favorite toy comes to life
Just for fun! See what happens when a dog’s favorite toy comes to life. Source: Petcha.com, November 8, 2016. Watch how a dog reacted when her favorite toy, a Gumby doll, seemingly sprang to life. … [Read more...]
Editorial – Assemble a top-notch crash cart
Maybe I spent too long in marketing, sales and sales leadership. For any distributor representative, this article provides an awesome opportunity to have a targeted discussion about being prepared with veterinary hospital team members. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, August 2016. Preparation is key to performing well in any emergency situation, and nowhere is preparation … [Read more...]
Rising shipping costs coming
FTR, a transportation forecasting firm, believes that shipping rates will increase soon as available capacity will be negatively impacted by economic conditions while a new regulatory drag will affect the trucking industry in 2017. The firm predicts that current wave of new regulations will last at least through 2019, which could see the Shippers Conditions Index drop to new … [Read more...]
Vetted looks at tomorrow’s vet med
See the futurist views of veterinary industry specialists in these areas: The topic of cancer Critical care on another level A retrospective on the fantastic fate of feline medicine Dentistry The prominence of public health A vital future, with one caveat – student debt vs. salary potential Destiny of dermatology Source: Vetted, October 14, 2016. Stop … [Read more...]
Vendor discounts can reduce profit
Andrew Clark offers some spot-on perspective discussing vendor discounts. We would add: Markup is a cost-based calculation while margin is a price-based formula Pricing and invoicing of dispensed items is a market-conditions discipline to remain competitive Free goods should be received at their unit value, not $0.00 Source: Is My Practice Healthy?, November 5, … [Read more...]
Help ensure cats play with safe toys
Marilyn Krieger, a certified cat behavior consultant, offers points to consider when choosing hazard-free toys for feline pets. These tips can be used by animal health pros in kitten kits, on websites, in newsletters and blogs. Source: Catster, October 21, 2016. Encourage cats to play! It enriches their lives and is a fun source of physical, mental, and emotional … [Read more...]
Hemp-derived CBD eases dogs’ anxiety
Amidst controversy about legalized marijuana, enter hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol). You have likely heard heard of the benefits of hemp-derived CBD products for pain management, but may be surprised to learn they also help address behavioral problems. Dr. Robert Silver, a licensed, nationally recognized holistic veterinarian, explains the potential. Source: Modern Dog, … [Read more...]
R E S P E C T retains clients
Steven Pearson, DVM, shares five ways to ensure your veterinary practice can meet clients' needs. He reminds us all that time is valuable, regardless on which side of the exam table you stand. He says practices must provide high-quality services in a relaxed and consistently respectful manner to reach their full potential. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 1, 2016. … [Read more...]
Unlearning, not learning, is a real challenge
Many of us have experienced unlearning after buying a different automobile. The new key works differently, the gearshift is now on the column or the windows are controlled by a button not a crank handle. Mark Bonchek suggests that learning organizations have focused incorrectly. The problem isn’t learning: it’s unlearning. In every aspect of business, we are operating with … [Read more...]
It’s OK to never wash your coffee mug
What? That was the first reaction to this headline. An interesting scientific take on those dirty, stained mugs that exist in nearly every office environment follows. Source: Science of US, November 3, 2016. It’s fine to never wash your mug, as long as you’re not sharing it with anybody else. Better than fine, in fact: It may actually be the most sanitary option. INSIGHTS: … [Read more...]
Engineers study how hummingbirds hover
Mechanical engineers at Stanford University are studying the biomechanics of hummingbird hovering flight. The combination of technology and biology shown here is fascinating. Animal health pros will appreciate the video and the direction of the research presented. Source: bioGraphic, October 18, 2016. Hummingbirds are true masters of flight. As the tiny birds move from … [Read more...]
Win the talent war with effective coaching
Developing talent in newly hired veterinary school graduates has long been a primary requirement in practice success. Mentoring a new graduate is challenging and often does not follow a defined plan. Magdalena Mook asserts that developing a strong coaching culture across all employee strata is an important element of retention and competitiveness. Source: Human Resource … [Read more...]
Mobile greatly influences searches, purchases
Price transparency is truly in-hand, according to a recent survey that investigates how U.S. consumers use their smartphones in stores. 47 percent plan to use their smartphone to search for competitors' prices 36 percent will look up product reviews 30 percent will sign up to receive in-store promotions 28 percent will take pictures for future reference 16 … [Read more...]
Elephant footprints create microhabitats
Just for fun! A recent study of footprint impressions of the African elephant revealed the water-filled imprints can host mayflies, leeches, tadpoles and more. Source: Scientific American, November 2016. Researchers at Germany's University of Koblenz-Landau and other institutions analyzed the contents of 30 footprint pools in Uganda. They found that at least 61 different … [Read more...]
Develop effective elevator pitches
Presenting yourself effectively is an important skill. Whether networking, interviewing for a job or meeting with clients, being able to concisely communicate what you do is a critical success skill. Source: Personal Branding Blog, November 3, 2016. Outplacement organizations tell clients that in order to be prepared for different kinds of circumstances; they must have both … [Read more...]
6 stinky dental recommendations
In a presentation at a recent convention, Karen Felsted, CPA, MS, DVM, CVPM, and Barden Greenfield, DVM, DAVDC, warned against serving up lame, lukewarm dental and wellness recommendations. She modeled better language by offering a do-this-not-that approach when talking about dental care and infections. Source: DVM 360, October 28, 2016. Don't say: "Looking at Linus’ … [Read more...]
My dog’s poop – your trash can
Just for fun! Should you use a neighbor’s trash can to dispose of bagged dog poop when out with your dog? Perhaps. This topic makes a good icebreaker or can lead to a more productive discussion. It is interesting to note that bagging dog poop is considered a standard practice in this article. Source: Dogster, October 21, 2016. There are two types of people in the world: … [Read more...]
The evolving role of practice manager
Christine Shupe, executive director of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, shares her organization’s predictions of how the top trends in veterinary medicine influence the evolving role of practice manager. Source: Firstline, October 28, 2016. The VMHA surveyed industry leaders to gain insight into industry trends that influence the roles managers will play. Three … [Read more...]
Elks shop at strip mall
Just for fun! Wildlife and human interactions are more common each day. With rut season approaching full swing, this bull elk followed his harem through a strip mall recently in Estes Park, Colorado. Source: United Press International, October 21, 2016. Shocked shoppers can be seen stopping to gawk and take photos as the animals calmly walk past the stores and pause to peek … [Read more...]
Sales increase when using real-time customer data
Forrester Research, Inc., reported findings from a new, summarized in a report titled How B2B Sellers Win in the Age of the Customer. Sellers using what the study calls an evolved selling model had better results, which the report attributed to four key factors. They are: the ability to assemble and present content from various online sources on the fly the seller’s … [Read more...]
Managing with the new overtime pay laws
A new federal requirement effective December 1, 2016 raises the minimum salary needed to exempt most employees to $47,476 per year. Beyond the doubling of the current level, there are specific job categories or exemptions where overtime rights are considerations. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 2016. Cover page, continued on page 28. It is important to review the … [Read more...]
Building a non-emergency clientele
Animal health pros have historically talked about large animal veterinarians who were in fire truck practices. To change from a proactive environment instead of reacting to emergencies takes effort. Dr. David Van Metre, Dr. James England, Dr. Dee Whittler and John Hall share ideas about how to make this transition and get paid for it. Source: Beef Vet, Winter 2016, page … [Read more...]
Workplace mood management starts early
Paying attention to the morning moods of your employees can pay dividends, according to Nancy Rothbard, Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. A recent research effort showed employees who started out each day happy or calm usually stayed that way throughout the day. Interacting with customers tended to further enhance their mood. Source: … [Read more...]