Maybe we’ve been asking the wrong question all along, writes Nancy Tucker, CPDT-KA. Rather than trying to figure out how to best stretch the amount of time we can leave our dogs alone, we should be trying to help our dogs get more out of every day. 10 to 12 hours is too long for a dog to be alone in a single stretch.” - Nancy Tucker, CPDT-KA Source: Whole Dog Journal, January … [Read more...]
Ticks suck. A guide to identify them and avoid bites.
Tick-borne diseases are at an all-time high. About 50,000 cases are reported each year and far more go unreported. Sheila Eldred shares information for humans to help prevent tick bites. Source: NPR, July 4, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Encourage good dog behavior at work or when working from home
Whether or not you work remotely, these tips from Pamela Reid, PhD, CAAB, can help make work more pleasurable when including dogs. Consider this article for social media posts and newsletters. Source: Animal Wellness, June 25, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Personalized medicine for cats with heart disease
Veterinarians at the University of California, Davis have found that a cat’s DNA alters how it responds to a lifesaving medication used to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart disease that affects one in seven cats. A simple genetic test led to an actionable discovery. This study was about figuring out why some cats weren’t responding as expected to clopidogrel therapy … [Read more...]
Correction to research referenced in May 18, 2021 post
It has come to our attention that Curtis W. Dewey, DVM, MS, CTCVMP, CCRP, of Elemental Pet Vets in Freeville, New York, along with Mark Rishniw of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, provided the research data for our May 18 post about canine cognitive dysfunction periodontal disease. The results suggest what is going on in a dog's mouth may be related to … [Read more...]
The trap of caring too much about what other people think
YOU DO YOU!” - Gregg Vanourek It’s not that expectations are bad, writes Vanourek. They’re needed and can be helpful in many ways. The problem is becoming addicted to approval or fenced in by others’ expectations, he says. Source: Gregg Vanourek, June 30, 2021. Link. Vanourek’s sense is that we tend to overweight the external factors of approval and status early in life, … [Read more...]
Mentorships help professional and personal advancement with mutual benefits
Mentorship is a two-way street and both parties find growth and value in the relationships that form. Wendy Hauser, DVM, and Heather Kvito-White, DVM, DACVIM, share highlights from their mentorship journey. The mentee gains invaluable insight, and the mentor gets joy from helping another person succeed.” Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, June 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Note … [Read more...]
Managing your energy
The science of stamina has advanced to the point where individuals, teams and whole organizations can, with some straightforward interventions, significantly increase their capacity to get things done. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 2007. Link. Improve your physical energy. Manage your emotions. Focus. Create meaning and purpose.” INSIGHTS: Stop multitasking. You … [Read more...]
Study reveals ag-related injuries more numerous than previously known
Fatality reporting has traditionally ranked farming as the eighth or ninth most dangerous job. New research looking at people treated in emergency departments for nonfatal, agricultural-related injuries suggests that the agriculture industry is even more dangerous than previously believed. Nearly a third of those injured were youths and vehicles were the primary source of … [Read more...]
How to measure the success of your veterinary marketing programs
Marketing efforts can be placed into three buckets: a) retaining current clients, b) gaining new clients and c) increasing average client spend. Each bucket has a different key performance indicator that can measure the effectiveness of your efforts. Tracking and measurement are keys to success. Source: MWI Animal Health, June 14, 2021. Link. A holistic look at your … [Read more...]
U.S. pet supplies spending update: mid-year 2020
Pet supplies and pet food spending has been on a roller-coaster ride, writes John Gibbons. However, the driving forces of each are different. Pet food is “need” spending and has been powered by a succession of “must-have” trends. Pet supplies spending is largely discretionary and has been affected by two primary factors, 1) spending in other major segments and 2) … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 1, 2021
Last week’s most read post: Manage or coach? Source: AHD, June 22, 2021. Link. The legal ramifications of a pet-friendly office Source: National Law Review, June 21, 2021. Link. Workforce and workplace considerations. Authorization requirements. Guidelines to establish. Why you should read old emails Source: Forge, August 2020. Link. “Emails are … [Read more...]
Senior horses need to play too
Regardless of a horse’s age, physical and mental status stimulation through horseplay provides benefits to health and longevity, writes Jason Fowler. This activity promotes well-being via the regular production of dopamine. Source: Equine Wellness, November 2019. Link. When it comes to horseplay, the main goal is dopamine production for a horse’s mental and physical … [Read more...]
Can house dust mites induce enteropathy in dogs?
Marie A. Chartier, DVM, DACVIM, shares an excerpt from a study that evaluated the role of the house dust mite, a common environmental allergen, in allergic inflammation in the GI tract in dogs. The results suggest that house dust mite allergens may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic enteropathy. Source: Clinician’s Brief, April/May 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider … [Read more...]
Relationship changes in multi-dog households
Karen B. London, PhD, explains how previously harmonious dog-to-dog relationships shift as dogs age. Her thoughts provide added considerations as our industry gears up for social anxiety issues. Younger dogs who’ve been deferential to older dogs often start to assert themselves as they mature and become more confident while the older dog weakens or declines.” Source: The … [Read more...]
Diets and dietary supplements for anxiety in dogs
Dietary treatments for anxiety in dogs vary. Jessey Scheip LVT, VTS (Behavior), KPA-CTP, presents therapies for anxiety that vary from appropriate diets with probiotics to those with supplements and how they work. Every animal is different; fortunately, multiple options are available to help each patient achieve the best quality of life possible.” - Jessey Scheip LVT, VTS … [Read more...]
AAHA on separation anxiety
Canine separation–related distress is one of the more studied canine behavior problems. But little data has come to light that really helps us to predict who may develop separation-related problems or how to prevent them, writes Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, DACVB, DACAW. We all love that our dogs love us and want them to be with us, but separation anxiety leads to an enormous amount … [Read more...]
Chatfields talk rabies with Mission Rabies CEO (podcast)
Drs. Jenifer and Jason Chatfield bring their energy to a revealing discussion about rabies with podcast guest Luke Gamble, BVSc DVM&S FRCVS. Gamble is CEO of Mission Rabies and Worldwide Vet Services. Gamble shares his experiences with providing veterinary services in countries without adequate veterinary care and prevention. He shares the alarming incidence of rabies … [Read more...]
Rabies; imported dog last week, now a bat in a zoo
A rabid bat was found alive at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. It is the second rabid bat found in San Diego County so far this year. Last week we shared a report on an imported dog infected with rabies. There are still a few states that do not require an owner to vaccinate their pet for rabies. These states may delegate the decision to the local governments. In addition, … [Read more...]
When the kitten becomes a cat
Client education is a challenge for veterinary teams and the pet services industry. Resources on the AAFP’s Cat Friendly Homes can help set expectations as that cute new kitten becomes a cat. Sources: First year of life, Cat Friendly Homes. Link. Lifetime of care, Cat Friendly Homes. Link. INSIGHTS: Today’s pet owners routinely seek information on the internet. … [Read more...]
AAFP releases updated Feline Senior Care Guidelines
This new release provides a comprehensive update from the heavily referenced 2009 AAFP Senior Care Guidelines. The Guidelines address the importance of veterinary visits a minimum of every six months for cats 10 to 15 years old. This allows veterinary teams to best track and manage health-related issues and detect disease early. Healthy senior cats over the age of 15 should be … [Read more...]
The immense power of a handwritten note
Gina Hamadey shares a non-traditional perspective on handwritten notes of gratitude. She shares the benefits to the writer where most past resources have focused on the receiver. Writing the notes not only offered me a short-term feeling of calm, it made it easier to channel positive emotions in general.” – Gina Hamadey Source: Elle, June 9, 2021. Link. Our collective … [Read more...]
Listen like you mean it
Self-awareness is so key to our listening practices. We all have personal blockers to staying present and empathetic in conversation. However, when we get to know ourselves, we can more easily be there for others, writes Ximena Vengoechea. No matter the question you ask, remember that silence is your friend.” - Ximena Vengoechea Source: Next Big Idea Club, June 11, 2021. … [Read more...]
Reacting versus responding. There is a difference.
Veterinary media sources are full of articles about stress, overwork and meeting those challenges. Brad Stulberg’s article on reentry stress is relatable to more situations. The only real constant in life is change. And when confronted with it, most people respond or react, says Stulberg. Responding tends to be advantageous. You rarely regret deliberately responding to a … [Read more...]
Assessing the value of service learning for veterinary students
Guest Contributor - John Weale, DVM MS Finding better ways to educate veterinary students is currently a hot topic in animal health. The Tufts at Tech Clinical Rotation at Cumming Veterinary School of Medicine was the site of a study to assess student confidence levels working in accessible care before and after participating in a service-learning-based community veterinary … [Read more...]
Forget the rookies, bring up the reserves
Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, advocates for the dependable and experienced veterinary team members. She suggests focusing first on retention and advancement, including training allowances to advance skills. Then the team will be stronger to bring on and train the rookies, she says. Find out each team member’s Why. Give them the materials, the resources & the means to go get the … [Read more...]
Talk frankly with clients about anesthesia
Some clients fear for their pets when anesthesia is required. Starting with preoperative blood work is a key step that allows for client education and gives them confidence the pet will be okay. Lynda Paul, LVT, VTS, CVPP, shares common concerns from pet owners and how to help them understand the processes involved in treating their pet. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, … [Read more...]
Using cross-species vaccination approaches to counter emerging infectious diseases
The last two decades have seen multiple animal health business units spun off from traditional pharma company ownership. In this paper, the authors highlight a ‘One Health vaccinology’ approach. They present key areas of synergy in human and veterinary vaccinology that could be exploited to accelerate the development of effective vaccines against shared health … [Read more...]
AHD welcomes IBPSA members
Members of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association will begin receiving the weekly Animal Health Digest Bulletin in July. Pet boarding and daycare is a multi-billion-dollar business segment. The IBPSA is the pet boarding and daycare industry’s only professional business association. More than 1,000 businesses are members, including 140 veterinary … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 24, 2021
Last week’s most read post(s) – two posts tied for most-read Confidence requires a PLAN, Source: AHD, June 15, 2021. Link. Udder conformation, increasing concerns for farmers, Source: AHD, June 15, 2021. Link. Vaccine workshop leads veterinarians in foot-and-mouth disease planning Source: Feedstuffs, June 17, 2021. Link. The vaccine exercise was part of … [Read more...]