Commentary Observing a 20-something professional in a business suit meeting in a restaurant with a manager-type recently, it was apparent the young person needed help with restaurant etiquette. Notable at that table were open-mouth chewing, speaking with a mouthful, what to do with a cell phone and using a napkin. Source: Interesting Facts. Link. INSIGHTS: Reviewing … [Read more...]
2024’s top farmers are not your grandad’s farmers
Commitment, flexibility, risk-taking and tech-savvy are words that describe progressive farmers in the 21 century. Outstanding Farmers of America chose four farm couples as next-gen leaders in agriculture. Source: Missouri Ruralist, February 20, 2024. Link. Commentary: Animal health pros must remember the state of agriculture and what is going on outside citified … [Read more...]
Pathways to retention in veterinary medicine
We’re re-posting AAHA’s invitation to download a new whitepaper on retention in the veterinary industry. The days of more than 10 candidates for every job are gone. The veterinary profession cannot graduate its way out of this labor shortage: retention is a keystone. The Stay, Please survey and analyses, provide critical insight into what veterinary professionals … [Read more...]
Creating a Fear Free toothbrushing experience for pets (video)
Fear Free specialists explain how pet owners can make the often stressful task of brushing their pet’s teeth into something Fear Free. The video is good to repost on social media, link in newsletters or use in exam rooms. Source: Fear Free Pets, YouTube. Link. (3:25) Sponsored Content. Dental wipes make oral care easy and convenient. MAXI/GUARD® family of oral care … [Read more...]
Respecting the cow: What does it cost you?
Ensuring comfort and calmness in the parlor can only benefit your bottom line, writes Jason Reid who frequently sees cows being negatively affected by the drive for speed and efficiency in dairy operations. He shares economic pros and cons of working too quickly and focusing on efficiencies that ignore what can put cows in a state of stress. Source: AgProud, January 25, … [Read more...]
Improved winter grazing management
Commentary Livestock producers need animal health pros for more than medications and preventatives to be successful. Being aware of resources to share is one of the ways we can support the growth and development of healthy production. Consider this article when discussing ways to improve herd health. Winter is sometimes overlooked as a time to make improvements to range … [Read more...]
If we don’t keep reminding, educating – WHO will?
Commentary The American Heartworm Society routinely provides images like these on X, Instagram and Facebook. The amount of likes and forwards of the posts does not reflect the number of followers, nor how many animal health pros there are. It’s our job to keep the educational efforts of AHS in front of pet owners. The posts are easy to forward and can be copied for all … [Read more...]
Improve the narrative with diagnostic listening
When you experience a doctor who is skilled at narrative medicine, the differences are like night and day. In a past AHD post, a Tuft’s Catnip article referenced a piece from the Journal of the American Medical Association explaining the importance of engaging clients relationally. Some of the best veterinarians practice narrative medicine instinctively and it feels more like a … [Read more...]
Dechra launching monthly dentistry education for veterinary teams
With help from Jan Bellows, DVM, DIPL, AVDC, ABVP, Dechra Academy is launching the 12 Months of Dentistry educational series. Each month a new webinar, podcast episode, case study, or interactive educational tool will be made available to build more dentistry confidence. Because dental care goes beyond one month.” Source: Dechra Veterinary Products, February 7, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
CattleFax forecasts continued producer profitability
Profitable cattle production is always a pleasant thought. However, the downside for animal health pros will be the smallest beef cow inventory in the last 50 years. CattleFax says herd expansion will likely be delayed once again due to factors of uncertainty including drought. Source: Feedstuffs, February 2, 2024. Link. Also see: Drought’s heavy impact on decline of … [Read more...]
9 ways to resuscitate a newborn calf
Bovine veterinarians offer ways to help a calf at birth if needed. They assert the importance of improving their own resuscitation skills and teaching them to producers. Instead of drenching the calf with water . . . pour a small amount of cold tap water into one ear to activate neurons and stimulate the calf’s gasp reflex.” Source: Bovine Veterinarian, November 10, 2023. … [Read more...]
Comprehensive overview of Lyme disease in horses (audio recording)
The clinical signs of Lyme disease in horses are controversial. Toby Pinn-Woodcock, DVM, DACVIM, provides a comprehensive overview of the disease, including clinical signs, testing recommendations, treatments and vaccination protocols. Source: EquiManagement, Disease DuJour, January 29, 2024. Link. (26:35) Borrelia burgdorferi in horses should always be a diagnosis of … [Read more...]
Update on CWD and potential spillover risks
Chronic wasting disease is currently known to infect only members of the cervid family, such as elk, deer, reindeer, caribou and moose. Scientists are increasing research on CWD and say we are ill-prepared should a mutation allow a spillover into other species. CWD is a neurological disease caused by misfolded proteins called prions. Prions behave very differently than viruses … [Read more...]
The relationship between foxes and coyotes living in cities (video)
A colleague sent us this video featuring a University of Minnesota researcher documenting the relationship between foxes and coyotes in the Twin Cities seven-county metro area. Informative, it explains the challenges of fox-coyote relationships which push foxes closer to our backyards. The intersection of wildlife and our domestic animals is worth more attention and … [Read more...]
Canine and feline dental home care tips for pet owners
Sponsored Content Even with all the options for pet oral care, animal health pros need to keep the topic front and center year-round. February is National Pet Dental Month which parallels Children’s Dental Health Month and Gum Disease Awareness Month promotions. This article provides content worth sharing with animal owners. Comprehensive oral care for pets starts at home . … [Read more...]
For the acrimoniously challenged
We ran across this listing of data center acronyms. If you’ve ever wondered why your MTTD on the PUE is delayed and all you are getting is a JBOF . . . well, or something like that! Source: TradePub.com, Link. A listing for the digital age. … [Read more...]
Is Amazon a distributor?
Commentary This is a process worth watching closely. Animal health companies have historically wrestled with classification challenges, specifically with products sold under agency agreements whether shipped by the manufacturer or distributor. Liability for product quality is traditionally held by the manufacturer. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is preparing … [Read more...]
How to announce employee departures to your team
Departures can happen for a lot of reasons and should never be a surprise. It is not always a bad thing, or anyone's fault. Jason Evanish shares the importance of handling such changes for the departing team member and for the remaining employees. His article includes guidance for leaders on how to manage the transitions, including some templates for internal … [Read more...]
How we think and act to get results = Culture (video)
Culture is not about pizza, ping-pong or management retreats, asserts Jessica Kriegel, EdD. Instead, leaders must be intentional about the experiences they create for their employees. She shares common misconceptions regarding workplace culture and how to promote a healthy work environment. If culture is how we think and act to get results, then it's really based on the … [Read more...]
Instinct Science acquires VetMedux
ICYMI. Instinct Science, a leading software provider for veterinary hospitals, announced this week that it acquired VetMedux, a trusted education and point-of-care information company that owns Clinician's Brief and Plumb’s Veterinary Drugs. Instinct is on an ambitious path to provide game-changing software tools to the veterinary caretakers of today and tomorrow,” said Caleb … [Read more...]
Without the farrier, early laminitis infection may go undetected
When a farrier sees the symptoms of endocrinopathic laminitis, it’s essential that the owner immediately be informed and encouraged to seek veterinary assistance. The veterinarian needs to check the fasting level of insulin in the horse and plan an exercise, diet and/or medication program to reduce insulin levels. If the owner and vet both do their part, the foot should return … [Read more...]
Using standing equine CT in veterinary diagnostics
Equine standing CT is an accurate diagnostic imaging tool that could make CT safer and more accessible due to its ease of use, writes Haylie Kerstetter. Newer technology allows horses to remain standing, making it safer for animals and easier for veterinarians to use.” Source: The Horse, January 25, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Horse owners are known to read content voraciously. … [Read more...]
Episode 3, Zoetis’ Born of the Bond
Complimentary Sponsored Content The health of an operation depends on the health of its herd. This episode of The Born of the Bond Series documents the story of the Schuler Red Angus Operation. By being proactive in vaccinating their cattle, the Schulers have helped their operation avoid any serious health issues for more than two decades. The Born of the Bond series … [Read more...]
The path to retention in veterinary medicine
AAHA’s recent retention study reveals challenges that must be met to keep educated veterinarians and vet techs by proxy practicing. Veterinary medicine has a problem: attrition. The study’s introduction includes these factors: 30 percent of those in clinical practice plan to change practices or leave within the next year. Once they leave clinical practice, only 10 … [Read more...]
When bosses should slow things down
“Better slow down there, young fella . . . see, if you take your time . . . you get a more harmonious outcome,” says the character Joe Gill to J.T. in the movie Crossfire Trail. It parallels another colloquialism, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” Both quotes apply to the author’s assertion in the first article here. Two articles with two divergent perspectives are … [Read more...]
A plan is not a strategy
A comprehensive plan with goals, initiatives, and budgets is comforting, BUT starting with a plan is a terrible way to make strategy, says Roger Martin, MBA, author and Thinkers50 Number One Management Thinker in 2017. Martin’s YouTube video, A Plan Is Not a Strategy, was the most watched in 2023. What most strategic planning is in the world of business has nothing to do with … [Read more...]
Combatting lack of adherence to heartworm preventatives
Animal health pros need to share images like this one over and over. We recently featured disturbing data on noncompliance <Link> and called for more realistic imagery in that post. Kudos to AHS for this image of heartworm. What will you do with it? Source: American Heartworm Society, X, January 18, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 25, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 18, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the January 18th AHD Bulletin – Cell phone addiction, how it impacts our relationships. Link. Leadership or sales tactics. Link. Practices that push cow-calf profitability. Link. ============================================ Elanco’s multi-year … [Read more...]
Biosecurity methods update, learning across segments
Driven by African swine fever, avian influenza, PRRS, the realistic risk of hoof and mouth disease, more livestock producers are paying more attention to how to protect our domestic food production animals and in the process protect human populations from zoonoses. We’re sharing two articles as animal health pros interact and work with animal owners. The devil remains in … [Read more...]
Marketing might benefit from some cynicism
Commentary We put Hannah O’Rourke’s article calling for more realistic messaging in this section acknowledging veterinarians serving producers are providing services and products in B2B settings focused on optimizing revenue in addition to animal health. She lends a dose of realism given how frequently products are presented as the Holy Grail with no room for business owners … [Read more...]