Nutrition is the number-1 topic cat owners want to talk about with their vet, according to a survey of 1,001 cat owners by Royal Canin. The survey also found that three in five cat owners do not take their cat to the vet regularly. Encouraging cat owners to take their pets to the vet can help address diet-related medical conditions. Source: Petfood Industry, August 22, … [Read more...]
Dogfight over pet prescriptions AND a Bridge Club discussion
OPINION Market share is determined by where and WHY customers spend their dollars. Chewy’s investment into telemedicine and compounding is yet another event in the ethical versus OTC dynamics of the animal health supply business. An extension of the historic catalog business, online pet supply options increase convenience, avoid visits to the veterinary clinic and are … [Read more...]
New business formed to help independent veterinary practices
Complimentary Commercial Content A team of industry veterans began working as Veterinary Practice Performance with independent veterinary practices in August. Led by founder and president Rob Conn, people, resources and services have been assembled specifically for independent veterinary practices. A proprietary AI inventory system is among the services available. Conn … [Read more...]
Loyalty programs: 8 levers to turn customers into fans
Loyalty programs are an often-overlooked area for performance improvement that can help offset the ongoing willingness among consumers to try new brands and retailers, writes José Carluccio. He shares three key takeaways along with eight drivers of loyalty program value. Source: McKinsey and Company, October 12, 2021. Link. Key takeaways: More than three-quarters of … [Read more...]
There’s no traffic jam on the extra mile
The Golden Rule is getting a makeover in some companies. Brian O’Connell says these company leaders say they instill their own golden rules at work and strive to make them stick. They're gratified when they see their employees follow those rules in the workplace. Source: SHRM, October 12, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Rethink just-in-time, at least for now
Supply chains at all levels are upended. Bridget McCrea shares five inventory management strategies organizations can use now to manage current volatility and optimize for the future. Businesses need accurate data to review historical activity, run projections and make good inventory management decisions. This is a time for great creativity and flexibility on the inventory … [Read more...]
Move forward by going back
The adage “two steps forward one step back” fits the theme of DVM Wendy Hauser’s article about creating and improving a culture of preventive care. The Covid-19 pandemic and new pet demands put some veterinary teams into a Dragnet-like “just the facts ma’am” triage mode. This created significant variability in how preventive care was discussed, if at all. Many veterinary … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 14, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post LED technology helps locate cows needing attention. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Oct 7, 2021. Link. 7 animals that can harm dogs Source: Outside Resource, July 28, 2021. Link. Good reminders for fall as food resources begin to diminish and young animals strike out on their … [Read more...]
Reinforcing the need for rabies vaccination
Rabies vaccination of dogs remains one of the more effective strategies for preventing rabies in humans. Arguments about titers and vaccination intervals aside, most U.S. states mandate revaccination for rabies regardless of medical history or antibody levels. Source: Today’s Veterinary Practice, January/February 2021. Link. Research is continuing to evaluate the duration of … [Read more...]
Advising pet owners on nutritional adequacy
Addressing questions from owners about whether a food is safe and meets their pet’s needs can be challenging and time-consuming, as there is a significant amount of misinformation available, writes Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVN. She shares examples of the criteria and questions from the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee’s nutrition toolkit to determine high-quality pet … [Read more...]
Grain-free? Grain-ful? The Chatfields discuss pet food choices.
Complimentary* Dr. Jen the vet and Dr. Jason Chatfield discuss the confusing pet food ingredients marketplace with Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, a veterinarian board-certified in nutrition and sports and rehabilitation medicine. They pragmatically differentiate what is marketing and what is nutrition. They also effectively addresses the differences between what dogs need and what … [Read more...]
New resources to discuss the cost of care from ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance now available
Sponsored Content Discussions with clients about the cost of veterinary care are often avoided until services are needed. This is a missed opportunity to help pet owners understand and prepare for their pets’ future health care needs, and how to pay for them. The ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance’s “Cost of Care Wheel” tool makes it quick and easy to have these conversations … [Read more...]
Additional disaster preparedness resources
Our August disaster planning post prompted Leslie Brooks DVM, MPH to share disaster safety guidelines created by the team at betterpet.com with us. Their guidelines are worth sharing with you. The best way to prepare for an emergency is to have a disaster plan in place ahead of time. Some extra preparation (even if it seems a little excessive) can go a long way in protecting … [Read more...]
IBPSA’s Fast Bites – October 11th edition
What BarkBox teaches us about subscription services and personalization, survey shares pet care considerations when pet owners are hospitalized, a guide to airport pet boarding facilities and more. Source: IBPSA FastBites, October 11, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: IBPSA offers members an online education center for easy to access species-specific educational materials and … [Read more...]
Much ado about nothing
Addicted to busyness and productivity, people are seeking ways to chill out and escape their running wheel lives. It is estimated that a $121 million industry has risen to address sleep, self-improvement and meditation. Leath Tonino, a self-proclaimed overachiever shares how doing nothing may be the newest antidote to doing too much. You can’t hurry your way to slowness or buy … [Read more...]
First, do good. Dr. Bellows on beneficence versus maleficence and oral care
The veterinary oath does not contain any language about doing no harm, shares Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP. It is a basic principle errantly drilled into veterinary students and practitioners, he says. Nowhere in the veterinary oath is the mention of doing no harm, otherwise known as nonmaleficence.” - Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP Bellows shares information about the … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 7, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post Highlights from the 31st Carthage Swine Conference. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Sept 30, 2021. Link. Goodbye Google: 7 privacy-first search engines everyone should try Source: Fast Company, September 29, 2021. Link. Jared Newman offers search engine options that remove the … [Read more...]
LED technology helps locate cows needing attention
Complimentary Commercial Content Allflex Livestock Intelligence, a livestock portfolio of digital products within Merck Animal Health, introduced new ear tag technology featuring a light-emitting diode last week. The AllFlex V2 monitoring ear tag allows for precision cow management in the pen. Different LED light patterns indicate individual cow needs based on critical data … [Read more...]
Beef up your momma cows
Feeding pregnant cows with a balanced ration will yield calves with more muscle mass. The nutrition part of gestation is critical! It matters the entire time due to fetal changes throughout gestation.” - Ruel "Buzz" Iliff, DVM Source: BEEF, October 5, 2021. Link. Cows can’t handle fetal development entirely on their own. They need a balanced ration for the entire gestation to … [Read more...]
Scratches, bacteria contribute to EPD
The search for the cause of equine pastern dermatitis continues adding new research results regarding bacteria. We really can’t conclude that any bacteria cause EPD. At this point we can only show that it’s associated with it.” - Sarah Kaiser-Thom, DVM, PhD Source: The Horse, October 5, 2021. Link. EPD is common, and people have this empirical knowledge about it, like it … [Read more...]
Halloween safety tips for cats
A new infographic from the AAFP will help cat owners take precautions for their feline friends during Halloween activities. The tip list appeared with the announcement of the newly redesigned Cat Friendly website which is now organized by categories like Behavior, Veterinary Care, and Being a Cat Friendly Caregiver. Source: Cat Friendly … [Read more...]
5 supplements dogs need or don’t
NOTE: The word SHOULD in this article is strong and potentially dangerous language for pet owners. There is also a link to “top” supplements to help with everything from anxiety, digestion and joint health to dental and immune support. Ugghh! Turmeric, coconut oil, probiotics, glucosamine and fish oil are supplements Jennifer Yau says dog owners SHOULD give their dogs. At … [Read more...]
Them’s the Rules: Bio containment? Viral escapes? What?
Complimentary* Bio-containment expert Lisa Kercher, PhD, discusses virus research, bio attacks and what type of regulations exist in the US to prevent catastrophes including viral mishaps! Source: Chats with the Chatfields, You Tube, September 16, 2021. Link. “How to work with animals in containment was the longest amount of training I had,” shared Kercher. The scariest … [Read more...]
IBPSA’s Fast Bites – October 4th edition
IBBY excellence award winners from the 9th 2021 IBPSA Business Conference, SNL’s Keenen Thompson’s effort to inspire students to become DVMs, Penn Vet’s new coalition for pet care, how pet lodging businesses are competing to provide “pet-cations” and more. Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, October 4, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Petco to expand PupBoxes, include private label products
Opinion PupBox, a monthly subscription service for dogs, will expand to offer boxes across four life stages: puppy, young pup, grown pup and senior pup. The boxes each contain five to seven hand-picked items items designed for a dog's specific needs at each stage of life. This expansion follows the one of Petco’s mental health pet programs, which also feature the … [Read more...]
Good consumer marketing is like dating
The goal of dating is to get someone to like you, to take a chance on you and to, hopefully, give you a second date. That’s exactly what we want when we’re trying to bring somebody into our brand, store (clinic) or service.” - Michael Johnson Source: Petfood Industry, September 29, 2021. Link. The things that most pet consumers have in common is that they are value-minded, … [Read more...]
Use time blocking for better time management
Time blocking is the practice of planning your schedule for the day in advance by blocking every hour of your day for specific tasks and responsibilities. Thomas Griffin explains how to start time blocking and its benefits. Source: Forbes, September 15, 2021. Link. The reason why time blocking works so well is that, unlike an open-ended to-do list, here, it helps you focus … [Read more...]
Spectrum of care: more than treatment options
From the paper: Offering and providing an spectrum of care can be difficult but can also provide substantial benefits for all stakeholders in the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. In providing a SoC, veterinarians have a responsibility to provide context for each option, discussing the advantages, disadvantages, and most likely outcomes for each option; the … [Read more...]
Public agritourism and cuddly animals have inherent disease risks
Greg Cima provides a call to action for veterinarians working with clients whose operations or activities include sharing live animals in public settings. Pathogens are an occupational hazard in animal agriculture. Zoonotic risks are inherent in public venues and interactions. Animal shedding of E coli O157:H7 and Salmonella organisms is highest in the summer and fall, when … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 30, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post More effective communications. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Sept 23, 2021. Link. But for a genetic parasite, humans might have tails Source: New Scientist, September 24, 2021. Link. Bo Xia’s tail bone injury led to a genetic investigation of why apes, and therefore humans, do not … [Read more...]