The world will look radically different in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our survival and success in the new world will depend on understanding the difference between change and transformation. Source: Purpose Unlimited. Link. Most businesses fail because they are merely reacting to change that has already taken place. Futurist Daniel Burrus describes it like … [Read more...]
Interactive Covid-19 maps to help with practice decisions
FASCINATING! The AVMA is providing interactive maps to present different lenses to view the Covid-19 outbreak and its impact on veterinary medicine and veterinary professionals. The maps allow users to zoom in and out and hide or show specific data layers when more than one variable is shown. It is especially important to communicate proactively with clients about various … [Read more...]
Veterinarian: my career prepared me for the Covid-19 pandemic
Kimberly Pope-Robinson, DVM, speaker, author and coach, recently shared how learning resiliency to cope with her professional life helped her navigate through emotional roller coaster challenges, including the current pandemic. Source: 1 Life Connected, April 27, 2020. Link. Pope-Robinson shared four key areas that are helping her now and that can apply to anyone, not just … [Read more...]
VCPR limits vet care during pandemic
The Veterinary Innovation Podcast hosted a frank discussion May 5th about difficulties vets face when navigating unclear, inconsistent, and rapidly changing VCPR regulations in the face of a global pandemic. Covid-19 has been the impetus for a temporary relaxation of current VCPR laws in some states. Those changes have been the catalyst for some heated conversations about … [Read more...]
From surviving to thriving: Reimagining the post-COVID-19 return
The authors suggest that to come back stronger than they were before, companies should reimagine their business model as they return to full speed. There are four strategic areas on which to focus: recovering revenue, rebuilding operations, rethinking the organization and accelerating the adoption of digital solutions. Source: McKinsey and Company, May 2020. Link. The … [Read more...]
Stop the imposter syndrome
Rhonda Brooks shares perspective about and solutions to offset impostor syndrome experiences. Seventy percent of people are affected at some point in their lives, notes Amy Ruple, DVM. The percentage may be higher among high-achieving veterinarians. The article includes 10 steps to help learn to think like a non-impostor from Valerie Young, EdD. Source: Bovine … [Read more...]
Move forward and live
Disney’s popular movie, The Rookie (2002), starred Dennis Quaid who plays Jim Morris, the oldest player in professional baseball. Morris shared the experience of getting there with AgriTalk in the context of the current pandemic recovery. He talks about meeting challenges head-on, perseverance and the value of surrounding yourself with the best people to be the best you can … [Read more...]
Robert Hummel, DVM, receives Industry Leadership Award
The Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame has honored veterinarian and entrepreneur Robert Hummel with its 2020 Industry Leadership Award. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1961 and worked as an veterinarian for the American Cyanamid Company until he bought a small distribution company in 1967 that became Great Plains Chemical. Today, Hummel is most known for leading and … [Read more...]
“I already know that” kills communication
In a conversation, whenever the listener responds with, "I already know that," it is highly likely that the speaker will feel dismissed, diminished, dissed, interrupted, unheard, misinterpreted or judged. These kinds of reactions don't bode well for any one-on-one communication, writes Mitch Ditkoff. He shares five of the most common reasons this happens between two … [Read more...]
17 video meeting mistakes to avoid
Like it or not, video meetings are part of work and personal life for the foreseeable future. These meetings come with their own set of rules. Here are 17 things to avoid to keep your professional image intact. Source: Ladders, April 22, 2020. Link. Your video is turned off. You think Zoom is always a necessity. You don’t turn on mute, ever. INSIGHTS: This is a … [Read more...]
The pandemic beard quest explained
Growing a beard while homebound and avoiding coronavirus may seem like a silly choice, but it is an act that has powerful psychological and social effects. In both history and Hollywood, beards stand for toughness, strength, adventurousness and even aggression writes Jacqueline Detwiler. Source: Forge, March 31, 2020. Link. Men grow quest beards as a way to mark a period of … [Read more...]
Equations for a happy life, even during a pandemic
The involuntary new pace of Covid-19’s social distancing has slowed lives and allows us an opportunity to think a little more deeply about life, writes Arthur C. Brooks, Ph.D. In our go-go-go world, we rarely get the chance to stop and consider the big drivers of our happiness and our sense of purpose. Brooks shares three equations for well-being to start managing your … [Read more...]
Herd immunity in pigs: A case study for getting America back to work
Swine vets are working with medical doctors to apply the principles of her immunity practiced on farm to populations of workers in packing plants. Herd immunity is everyday language for swine veterinarians and managers. The synergies with the current Covid-19 pandemic are evident and algorithms from swine production provide strong skeletons for building human herd immunity … [Read more...]
Reasons pets may act weirdly during quarantine
Pet owners worldwide are reporting some of their pets are acting weird while under quarantine. They’re getting clingy, running on countertops and shooting evil stares at humans. It’s not known if the quarantine is causing pet anxieties, but displacement behaviors, the tics pets develop to cope with new stressors, may be the result. Source: Vox, April 24, 2020. Link. In dogs … [Read more...]
The perfect place
The news is filled with stories of the suffering and death caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. We want things to be normal again. In a perfect world, no one would suffer or struggle — but that’s not normal. Source: Purpose Unlimited: Link. Perfect can be defined as being entirely without fault or defect. When used as a verb, perfect (emphasis on the second syllable) means … [Read more...]
Reframing fears during the Covid-19 uncertainties
Brian Pennie reprises the circle tool from Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for us. Here are a few of his statements from the article. Every situation can be divided into two circles: the circle of concern, which consists of factors we have little or no influence over, and the circle of influence, which is made up of things we can control. Covey’s idea … [Read more...]
Disease detection technology developing in the toilet
Say what? Tests for number 1 and number 2 are being developed and tested to use in smart toilet technology for humans. A paper describing the bathroom device research was recently published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. The smart toilet automatically sends data extracted from any sample to a secure, cloud-based system for safekeeping. The flush lever uses a … [Read more...]
Biosecurity for horse farms, stables and horse people
Biosecurity strategies are part of waging a war on equine infectious disease, not just on farm, but also around the country. While these efforts might seem labor-intensive, herd health is critical. Simple biosecurity steps can save horses and horse people great difficulty, expense and intensive labor. Source: US Rider, April 23, 2020. Link. The objective of good biosecurity … [Read more...]
Good guidance on equine supplements
Supplements are designed to help support the normal structure and function of a horse’s body rather than correct an abnormal condition or disease. Today’s horse owners find they benefit from taking supplements personally and want their equine companions to experience these benefits, too. But, they need a careful eye to identify supplements from suppliers that disregard … [Read more...]
New program to train vet animal disease detectives
Explaining the objectives for a new program to be launched in 11 Southeast Asia countries Navneet Dhand BVSc&AH, MVSc, MANZCVSc, said, "If you want to prevent these diseases from happening in the future, you have to look beyond humans. You would have to look for these viruses in domestic animals, in wildlife populations; and to achieve that you need a trained animal health … [Read more...]
10 things to never do to a dog
Pet adoptions are at an all-time high. Some new owners need training on pet care. Dog owners sometimes put their pet in harm's way without realizing it. Sophia Mitrokostas shares a few things veterinarians say to never do to a dog, including: No running with sticks Don’t use retractable leashes Check with vet before using a human product on a dog Avoid ice … [Read more...]
Recognize and treat early dog arthritis symptoms early
Regardless of pet life stage, familiarity with common signs of arthritis in dogs can result in faster intervention. This, in turn, can lead to improved quality of life for everyone involved, writes Marybeth Bittel. Bittel collaborates with a veterinarian to share common signs of arthritis and what to do if a pet shows changes in behavior. Source: Dogster, April 8, 2020. … [Read more...]
Watery eyes may signal medical conditions in dogs
An overflow of tears, called Epiphora may indicate minor to major medical conditions. Christina Korb, DVM, and DJ Haeussler Jr, DVM, MS, DACVO, provide a diagnostic chart to help explain what all those tears might represent. Source: Clinician’s Brief, April 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Pollen or cat allergy?
Watery eyes, runny noses and scratchy throats are symptoms of environmental allergies, as well as pet allergies. About twice as many people are allergic to cats as dogs. A truly hypoallergenic cat does not exist, even though some breeds are thought to be. Cat allergies are caused by a reaction to a protein in cat dander, urine and saliva. The author shares steps to lessen … [Read more...]
82 percent of feline friendly practices reported visit increases in 2019
The 2019 Cat Friendly Practice (CFP) survey showed improving the veterinary experience for the cat and caregiver increases visits. The techniques for CFP practices are applicable during this pandemic once a cat is transferred to the veterinary team. Cat owners with cats seen for the first time in 2019 are a high priority for communication efforts during 2020. A simple call … [Read more...]
Make your problem your business
It is difficult to imagine how big an opportunity can be when it’s a problem or market that is very specific. You may dismiss it as a problem you identified that is uniquely yours and assume it is a small opportunity. Or, you can’t fathom how you would possibly create a business model around the concept. Source: Forbes, April 21, 2020. Link. We were spending our time … [Read more...]
Veterinary Virtual Care Association formed
To help the profession navigate how to implement virtual care into practices, Veterinary Virtual Care Association, a new nonprofit organization has been formed. This global association is dedicated to developing best practices for delivering virtual care for animals, defining quality standards and protocols for practicing virtual care, sharing experiences among practice teams, … [Read more...]
This one made me laugh
While we are dealing with a global pandemic, nomenclature fanatics are working to name all the colors. Yes, all 16.7 million of them. To date, about 1.1 million have been named. For those working from home with children, this is a fun activity to share as a family. Or, invent a new Zoom game to replace geocaching. . . color caching. Why laugh? We once painted a farmhouse … [Read more...]
Car noises you should never ignore
“Did you check the tires?” was a frequently asked question when we jumped into the car to go somewhere. Jill Trotta shares five car noises we should never ignore and what to do about them. Source: BottomLine Inc. Link. INSIGHTS: Newer automobiles warn you when things are not working correctly. But our ears, eyes, nose and touch sensations remain very important to keep our … [Read more...]
Postcards are still effective
Commentary What’s old is new. What’s tried is true. After two decades of everything digital – postcards? Yes, postcards are returning as a way to stand out. This is what MailChimp promotes in a recent LinkedIn campaign. The primary benefit of postcards is for our customers to have something tangible delivered right to their mailbox.” – MailChimp customer Source: Linked In. … [Read more...]