A new year brings excitement for a fresh start, new challenges and new opportunities. 2022 is no exception. But, we are dragging the chaos from Covid and related changes forward into the opportunity considerations. You may find some help to cope in this article from Phillip Morris International. Source: SmartBrief, January 4, 2022. Link. There is a growing acceptance that … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 6, 2022
Last week’s most read post Most read Animal Health Digest posts of 2021. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 30, 2021. Link. AHD posts one year ago Archives for December 2020, Animal Health Digest. Link. ================================= Steve Dale: Fear Free: Transforming veterinary medicine Source: Steve … [Read more...]
Fresh risk management approach is important for dairy farms in 2022
A heightened focus on technology and food safety will continue to provide opportunities and challenges for the dairy industry in 2022, says Josh Smart. A fresh risk management approach could provide the right security and resilience moving forward. For those serving dairies, these areas could provide new opportunities to improve dairy outcomes, as well as animal … [Read more...]
Plan ahead to feed problem newborn calves
Not every calf that drops in the coming months will have what it needs to thrive, according to Jason Smith. He discusses the importance of early preparation and colostrum. The importance and value of colostrum to a newborn calf cannot be overstated. Most calves that don’t receive adequate colostrum in a timely manner will not survive. It’s as simple as that.” – Jason Smith, … [Read more...]
Building an equine colic toolkit
Chris White, DVM, shares how horse owners can prepare for a colic episode, considerations to make, and things to keep in mind after surgery. In some horses and situations colic can be impossible to prevent. So, having a toolkit that includes an active VCPR will help owners best handle colic when it happens. White reminds horse owners to avoid handling colic episodes alone. … [Read more...]
Cat obesity up more than 100 percent in 10 years
Citing Banfield Pet Hospitals’ electronic veterinary health records, Jackie Brown shares some disturbing findings: 114 percent increase in cats diagnosed as overweight in the last 10 years Dog obesity also rose 108 percent in the same period A survey of 1,000 owners of overweight or obese pets discovered: 93 percent said they faced hurdles in maintaining a … [Read more...]
Land area twice the size of the UK needed to feed the world’s pets
With increasing demand for pets comes increasing demand for pet food. In fact, an area twice the size of the UK is used to produce dry cat and dog food each year, according to a recent study published in the journal Global Environmental Change. Researchers analyzed data on primary ingredients in more than 280 types of dry food in the U.S. and Europe, which account for two … [Read more...]
Considerations before switching a pet’s food
Questions about pet food are among the most frequent queries made by pet owners. One size fits all doesn’t work when it comes to pet food, says Anthony Bennie. He shares signs that could signal the need for a food source change and factors that could influence pets’ acceptance of their pet food. Source: Animal Wellness Report, December 2021. Link. While changes in your dog … [Read more...]
One person, many needs: How customer centricity has changed
Say goodbye to one-size-fits-all approaches. Realizing and reacting to the full range of needs within each customer is a big challenge. If businesses really want to build loyalty and lasting value, they must figure out the different needs within a single customer. While the Four Ps are still relevant, they aren’t the only way to capture customer value because they don’t … [Read more...]
The future of work is a 60-year career
Retirement as we know it didn’t exist in the 19th century, writes Joe Pinsker. The norm then was to work until you could no longer physically do the job. Now with age expectancy increasing to 100 years experts project the 20th century model of forty-year careers will need to be expanded to 60 years. He shares several concepts about how employment strategies will need to change … [Read more...]
To hug or not. Tools to solve the conundrum.
Gift article from The New York Times Convention season is upon us. For many, the challenge of reengagement includes whether to offer a hug, fist bump or just a of wave hello. Emma Goldberg shares how colored wristbands and buttons are being used to help people know each other’s sensitivities. Source: The New York Times, January 4, 2022. Link. Optional PDF. Link. Everyone … [Read more...]
Workplace bullying, a growing concern for HR departments
Workplace bullying can cause employees physical injuries and mental anguish, high absenteeism and turnover, low productivity and morale, and damage to a company’s reputation. Bullying can include verbal abuse, offensive conduct, intimidation or assault. As many as 75% of employees report that they have been a target of or have witnessed bullying at work, which has affected an … [Read more...]
Must-read 2021 social media stories from PR News
PR News is a source for communications intelligence. We’re sharing some stories its editors deemed important for 2021. Animal health pros using social media, conducting marketing or working with customer experience efforts will find good tips in this collection. Source: PR News. Link. AP Style Updates: Social Media PR NEWS looks at social media terminology to ensure … [Read more...]
Drs Chatfield share their top 5 animal stories
There’s always a laugh, something to learn and some sibling banter when Dr. Jen the Vet and twin brother, Jason Chatfield, DVM, get together for an episode of Chat’s with the Chatfields. The latest episode covers their top 5 animal stories and more. Source: Chat’s with the Chatfields, YouTube, December 16, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
2021’s top 10 VIP episodes
Shawn Wilkie and Dr. Ivan Zak have produced 84 podcasts in the last two years providing animal health pros a unique opportunity to learn about innovations in our marketplace. VIP provided a list of the most-listened to podcasts for us to share with you. Seven new podcasts are already planned for 2022. Source: Veterinary Innovation Podcast, December 24, 2021. … [Read more...]
Most read Animal Health Digest posts of 2021
As 2021 ends, our team celebrates six years of curating, selecting and then supplying actionable content for animal health professionals. To date, about 6,500 posts are stored in our AHD website. What you read helps determine where we seek content that can be applied to how you work and interact with customers and stakeholders. We’ve assembled the most read posts of 2021 in … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 23, 2021
Last week’s most read post The difference between disinfecting and sanitizing, according to the CDC. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 16, 2021. Link. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Working with a difficult direct report Source: Crucial Learning, September 8, 2021. Link. It only takes one difficult direct report to make … [Read more...]
3 keys to handling injectables when it is below freezing
Shannon Williams reminds us to keep injectables at the proper temperature. It is vitally important to maintain their effectiveness. She shares three key practices to keep your injectables from being too cold. Setting your injectables on the defroster or under the heater in the pickup is NOT the solution. . . you could end up “cooking” it and damaging the product. . . … [Read more...]
Beef cattle: the ultimate upcyclers
Complimentary Sponsored Content As consumers continue to push for more sustainable food production, the beef industry, by way of cattle's natural ability as upcyclers, is primed to deliver. If we think about upcycling in the context of cattle, what they're doing every single day is taking mostly human inedible plants and making a higher value product [beef] with regard to … [Read more...]
How DVMs choose stem cells or PRP for equine tendon and ligament injuries
Tremendous interest exists to understand how to use regenerative therapies (orthobiologics) such as platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stem cells to treat tendon and ligament injuries in horses. Some tendon and ligament injuries have a better chance of benefiting from orthobiologics than others. Roger Smith, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FHEA, LAAssocECVDI, Dipl. ECVSMR, ECVS, … [Read more...]
That latest scoop on feline vaccines, VETgirl
The most recent updates to the AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccine Guidelines have adjusted how veterinarians and cat owners approach vaccination and disease prevention. Now pet owner clients are included as essential members of their cats’ healthcare teams, cats have been defined into five populations and lifestyle has been taken into consideration. The result is a much more … [Read more...]
Legal ramifications of lay persons providing veterinary advice online
Animal owners frequently seek solutions for their horses and pets online. Some lay people are exposing themselves to liability by giving advice as if they are veterinarians. It happens all the time in chat rooms, Facebook groups and various internet venues. If a layperson is giving information about a specific condition, they’re diagnosing. That’s practicing without a license, … [Read more...]
STOP being nice at work. Kindness trumps nice.
Nice and kind are not the same thing, writes Kelly D. Parker. Though similar, kindness is the clear front runner, with the power to motivate teams, boost productivity and foster a culture that attracts and retains top talent. She shares three reasons to ditch nice in exchange for kind: Niceness breeds uncertainty Nice people want to be liked Niceness slows … [Read more...]
Getting stuff done when you’re feeling down
If you’re depressed, your number-1 job is to look after yourself. Productivity is secondary to your mental health, says Alice Boyes. However, learning how to be productive when you’re feeling down can help with depression recovery. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 20, 2021. Link. Summary. When people are depressed their energy, activity, and mood levels decrease … [Read more...]
5 retention strategies for combatting the Great Resignation
OPINION Retention has not been a common term in the employment marketplace and only occasionally considered in customer strategies in recent years. Peter Corless says, “It is imperative that we get creative with retention strategies and cater to the needs and wants of today’s workforce.” Organizations need to shift from a work-life mindset to a life-work mindset and place … [Read more...]
Characterization of overgrown toes in sow breeding herds
Overgrown toes, often called digital overgrowth, can be a challenge for commercial sow breeding herds. The condition can contribute to increased locomotion challenges and reduced sow performance in the herd. Breeding sow herd lameness is a major contributor to mortality challenges, feet and leg conformation and lameness. Feet and leg structure rank right behind … [Read more...]
Dry cow rest may equal more live calves
The old method of putting cows into a dry pen and forgetting them is being debunked by research. Getting cows started off right in the dry period, keeping them healthy and ending it fully rested means more calves, more milk and happier dairy persons. Research from Ohio State University shows improving the factors that encourage close-up cows and heifers to lie down and rest … [Read more...]
Keeping horses warm and healthy this winter
Christine Barakat’s article is focused on older horses, avoiding chills and checking blankets daily. Considering the U.S. weather to date, chilling from sweating under a blanket is as likely as chilling from the cold. Wide temperature swings are hard on all animals living outside. With all the wind likely to arrive with winter, keeping water fresh and free of debris is … [Read more...]
Top 10 tips for caring for senior dogs or cats
Complimentary Commercial Content November is when we celebrate National Senior Pet Month. . . . once a pet becomes a senior, every day is senior care day.” Keeping a senior pet happy is all about paying attention, shares Katherine Carbanaro. As dogs’ or cats’ needs change with age, owners need to learn about accommodating them and adjusting routines when needed. Among the … [Read more...]
Do cats get separation anxiety?
Little work has been done to assess potential separation-related problems in cats. Using canine questionnaire studies as a model, researchers investigated the topic with cat owners. The results suggest that pet cats are social and develop bonds with their owners and about 13 percent of cats may have signs of separation-related problems. Source: Vet Candy, November 27, 2021. … [Read more...]