Do you consider yourself a designer when writing an email? Dan Pallotta thinks so. He says a design approach is necessary to get emails read. He shares ways to achieve this. Source: HBR Ascend, September 2019. Link. A good design gives you an edge. It’s the difference between getting read or getting ignored. . . . develop an eye for the difference between visual order and … [Read more...]
We ARE living the new normal – Part 3, biosecurity strategies ensure progress
COMMENTS Biosecurity is not new to animal health pros. It is central to successfully providing safe care for animals and their owners. Diseases such as rabies, distemper, parvovirus, hog cholera, bird flu, leptospirosis, PEDV, PRRS, salmonella and BVD have pushed us to focus on optimizing infection controls, using quarantine areas and hospital pens in concert with … [Read more...]
We ARE living the new normal – Part 2, communication strategies for moving forward
Comments Strategies are the how of moving forward. They are meaningless unless we know the why. Getting to why requires focus. The words of the veterinarian’s oath clearly identify the why. . . . I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal … [Read more...]
We ARE living the new normal – Part 1, situation analysis
Comments Change management experts are returning to their themes of adaptability, including life and business always accepting change as a constant. In some ways it is refreshing. Yet the day-to-day strategy changes, coupled with statistical analysis have most people running in place awaiting what comes next. From what has been published in recent weeks related to … [Read more...]
Lead employees during a crisis
In times of crisis, there are two directions human nature can take us: fear, helplessness and victimization or, self-actualization and engagement. On the latter, if leaders have a clear way forward, human beings are amazingly resilient. There is a documented “rally effect.” Source: Gallup, March 23, 2020. Link. Research has found four universal needs that followers have of … [Read more...]
It is fly season again!
EQUUS Extra sponsored content Nothing can ruin a nice ride or antagonize a horse quite like the multitude of flying pests that emerge this time of year. More than an annoyance, they can also cause a host of health issues, including allergic reactions, skin infections and viral diseases. This article reviews the insects most likely to pester horses and how to stop … [Read more...]
Debunking 4 common horse-feeding misconceptions
Clair Thunes, PhD, acknowledges that knowing what and how to feed a horse can be confusing with the options available these days. She says to read and follow the manufacturers’ labels. . . . be sure to measure feeds by weight, not volume.” – Clari Thunes, PhD Source: Horse and Rider, April 8, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Thunes offers concise counsel that horse owners will … [Read more...]
Dog personality strongly linked to human personality
The human-animal bond works both ways. People and dogs have shared a relationship for at least 15,000 years, so it is no surprise that dog personality has been affected, say researchers. Conversely, the benefits of the human-animal bond are frequently expressed as dogs helping people. Paula Fitzsimmons shares how dogs and humans benefit. Source: PetMD, Link. Dogs and people … [Read more...]
Blastomycosis. There are fungi among us.
Scott Weese, DVM, reviews study results on the dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis, its prevalence and how dogs may speed up the process of diagnosis in humans. Source: WormsandGerms Blog. April 20, 2020. Link. Blasto lives in two forms, therefore dimorphic, says Weese. In the environment it lives in the form of a mold, and its exposure to this form that can result in … [Read more...]
Early or delayed dog neutering? What to tell clients.
Neutering is an elective procedure for which there is still no definitive, universally accepted yes or no answer. While frustrating, it is more productive to use this subject as an opportunity to shape our expectations, and those of our clients, regarding medical decision-making writes Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMA. Source: Veterinary Practice News, March 27, 2020. … [Read more...]
They bought Easter baby chicks. Now what?
Chicks and bunnies are a great project for youngsters. The key word is project. Many families have added pets during this 2020 pandemic. Some of them are baby chicks. With the newness now gone, the questions start. We chose some resources that can be shared on social media, in newsletters or directly with individuals having chick questions. Sources: How to tell the … [Read more...]
Identify and recapture missed charges
Like a poorly tuned automobile, veterinary clinics lose revenue because services and items never get billed. There is no change in costs, rather a reduction in revenue and margin. 17 percent of lab tests do not get billed (AAHA) 5 to 10 percent of all charges are not billed (source unknown) Missed billings have consequences A hospital grossing $2 million could … [Read more...]
Better inventory management is worth the effort
The current pandemic adjustments put inventory in motion in new ways. Alan Newport reviews inventory shrink in the context of a busy dairy practice. Shrink in this review has little to do with theft, rather it is caused by not recording inventory transferred to mobile units or not invoiced. . . . it's important the veterinarians form a habit of creating an invoice for the … [Read more...]
Earth Day turns 50
Happy 50th birthday Earth Day The 50th anniversary of Earth Day was yesterday. The first Earth Day in 1970 launched a wave of action, including the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States. The Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts were created in response to the first Earth Day, as was the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency … [Read more...]
Avian egg size trivia quiz
This click-bait quiz is fun. Check out the answer. Which bird lays the largest egg relative to its body size? Eagle? Kiwi? Ostrich? Emu? The ostrich is the largest bird in the world and it lays the largest egg of any bird species. If you look at egg size relative to the size of the bird that lays it, however, a different feathered, flightless creature comes … [Read more...]
Pet insurance, wellness plans are win, win, win
Research findings led to AVMA changing its policy on pet insurance from neutral to advocacy. Metrics from studies support a more assertive position in practices, economic benefits for clients and of course improved health care for pets: Insured dog owners spent $216 per year more than uninsured owners (MSU findings) Insured dog owners spent 29 percent more, insured cat … [Read more...]
Strategies that get pet owners in the door
Eighty percent of pet owners choose their veterinarian based on two primary factors: their perception of the DVM as caring, honest and trustworthy recommendations from other pet owners Research reinforces the power of word-of-mouth referrals for veterinary practices.” – Kimberly Ness, Diggo Source: DVM 360, April 6, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Diggo is a subscription … [Read more...]
Deciding who should stay and who should go
Michell Evans shares ideas with groomers for culling a client list. She addresses groomer safety, pet owner dependability and using waiting lists. Source: Groomer to Groomer, April 2020, page 48. Link. Consider implementing a weight limit. Large dogs take a toll on equipment, utilities and supplies. A waiting list is a useful method of telling people no without really … [Read more...]
Never miss the office when you WFH
For fun! If you’re cross-eyed from video calls and ear buds are now natural extension, take a break and go back to the office. The folks at Kids Creative Agency created a virtual office with sights and sounds of office machines, quiet and noisy coworkers. No elevator needed. Source: I Miss the Office. Link. The copier. The hummer. The smacker. The whistler. They’re all here. … [Read more...]
How to age a goat and more
Although goats all have the same basic needs, details vary due to age, sex, breed and individual requirements. Nutritional, activity and comfort needs are among them writes Tamsin Cooper. Pop quiz: Do goats have top teeth? Pick the right answer. Yes, they have top teeth in front and back No, goats only have lower teeth, the incisors Both, goats have bottom and top … [Read more...]
Part 2 – Inventory adjustments needed during disruptions
Feedback from our original post on inventory management is strong. AHD founder, Kirk Augustine offers an update to his original paper. He identifies supplier issues and resets to reorder points during a prolonged disruption period like we’re currently experiencing. Source: Animal Health Digest, April 16, 2020. < Link > At the four- to six-week point in a disruption … [Read more...]
Where’s the beef? The pork? The chicken?
Our meat supply channels face some bottlenecks as packing plants close to protect workers, deeply disinfect and determine potential fomite risks in their throughput. Our meat industry is built to have inventories moving all the time. There are challenges facing producers who now have limited options for moving animals ready for slaughter on their terminal schedules. It is … [Read more...]
Tips and tricks for managing feline allergies
Amelia White, DVM, MS, DACVD, offered VMX attendees insight about managing several types of allergies in cats. Developing a successful treatment plan for common allergies in them first requires an accurate diagnosis. She shared information in these areas: Feline allergies: causes and imposters Cats and their eosinophils Creepy crawlies When food’s the culprit … [Read more...]
Yes, dogs really watch TV
Newer TV technologies are more likely to make couch potatoes out of dogs. They react to light and sound with older technologies but truly watch given the speed of the newer digital screens. Dog owners will appreciate this information. Share it on social media and in newsletters. Source: Animal Wellness, April 13, 2020. Link. Three things that effect television watching for … [Read more...]
AI shares pets’ secrets for their benefit
Most dog owners understand what pets tell them and know the differences between a “hungry” bark and a “hurt” bark. Home devices will soon understand them, too. Furbo, a streaming camera that sends owners notifications if their dogs bark, will introduce a feature that allows it to alert owners if a dog’s behavior seems abnormal. Petcube, another interactive pet camera, is … [Read more...]
Ticks bite, suck, drink and spit
Ticks are waking up across most of the U.S. They require blood meals to survive, to develop to the next stage in their life cycle and to reproduce, shares Edward M. Wakem, DVM. It is primarily, though not exclusively, through blood feeding that a tick can harm its host by acquiring disease-causing organisms from one infected host and transmitting them to another host. Ticks … [Read more...]
Coaching pet owners through unrelenting flea infestations
Joan Capuzzi, VMD, discusses how a comprehensive approach to stubborn flea infestations is needed to help clients gain control over their pet and the pet’s environment. The pet is the easy part. She shares ways to coach pet owners to treat the pet, treat the other pets and treat the environment. Source: DVM 360, April 7, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Attention sales … [Read more...]
Look out for misuse of ivermectin
What happens in a petri dish does not indicate efficacy or safety when used off label in humans warns, the FDA in reference to an Antiviral Research article. Animal health professionals should be on the lookout for the potential misuse of a human- and animal-prescribed antiparasitic drug thought to be a possible treatment for COVID-19. Source: Veterinary Practice News, April … [Read more...]
American Heartworm Society issues guidance for pandemic
Conditions under which a veterinarian can delay annual heartworm tests during the Covid-19 crisis is just one of the topics covered in new recommendations released by the American Heartworm Society. Source: Veterinary Practice News, April 7, 2020. Link. The recommendations explore: scenarios when a veterinarian can delay annual heartworm tests, but can still prescribe … [Read more...]
New habits, new normal? Halfway there? What will you keep?
Commentary In the midst of managing COVID-19’s impact, it is time to discuss the changes we’ve made in the context of what we wish to keep in a new normal. It takes days 21 days to make or break a habit and 90 days for it to become permanent” During a recent Zoom meet-up, I was taken by comments shared about positive experiences in the last weeks. The context was as if … [Read more...]