More people are raising goats. While the goat farming resources are many, too much information can be a detriment. There are different suggestions for manger design, theories about feeding kids and vague generalities about goat milk quality. Customers need guidance. A free guide from Countryside is now available for downloading. Source: Countryside Daily, December 16, … [Read more...]
NAVTA Animal Health Bi-Weekly
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America highlights positive trends, issues and topics of interest to its constituency. This issue includes the following: Treating incontinence in female dogs Vaccinations are key to fighting canine influenza Dog food recalled for salmonella Veterinary profession looks promising for 2018 AVMA supports … [Read more...]
UC-Davis veterinarians using facial recognition to identify animal pain
Veterinarians and computer scientists at University of California-Davis are teaming up to determine if they can use facial recognition to identify pain in animals. They’re making progress. Source: KXTV, December 15, 2017. The technology is still being developed. However, so far, computer scientists have trained the technology to recognize animal faces in photos (similar to … [Read more...]
Opinion – Cats, boxes and digital communication
A story of cats in boxes has been the rage this year. Beyond its novelty, is the reality that the story appears in a medium not affiliated with an animal health publication. This is another example of the realities of the human-animal bond, the digital evolution, continual scrutiny of animals in the food chain and zoonotic risks place animal health topics into non-traditional … [Read more...]
Why dogs chew everything
"Chewing, for a dog, is like a human opening a door and looking into a room," said Colin Tennant, the chairman of the U.K. Canine and Feline Behaviour Association. "People are nosy, and so are the dogs. But they investigate with their mouths, because they don't have hands." Source: Live Science, December 5, 2017. Dogs frequently chew things because they like the taste or … [Read more...]
3,000 Golden Retrievers contributing to long study
More than 3,000 purebred Golden Retrievers across the U.S. are enrolled in a $32 million research project that is hoped to bring insights to the causes of cancers and other diseases common to Goldens and other breeds. They became part of the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study before the turned 2 years old and will be tracked for life. Colorado State University and the Morris … [Read more...]
Humane Society helping pet, livestock owners during wildfires
As wildfires continue to rage in Southern California, pets, horses and livestock are part of the survivors and casualties. The Humane Society of Ventura County in Ojai has been working 24/7 for more than a week to rescue animals and help owners drop off their pets and horses. No animal is turned away. Source: CBSlocal.com, December 13, 2017. In many cases owners of horses … [Read more...]
Sexual harassment; HR needs help
Research indicates that one in three women experience sexual harassment, although a staggering 71 percent never report it. Human resources professionals are routinely conflicted by the balancing act of providing support to the victim while still serving the company. Empowering HR to be proactive about handling sexual harassment cases will improve company morale, and it will … [Read more...]
In celebration of lost words
Just for fun! At some point in their lexical histories, lost words’ original meanings died and have been revived into a mere semblance of their former selves. And we wonder why expatriates and newcomers have trouble assimilating. Source: JSTOR Daily, December 6, 2017. We tend to eagerly focus on the weird new expressions and linguistic innovations that enter the language … [Read more...]
Lead humbly for best results
Effective leadership requires that you have an ego – just not a very big one. Too often leaders begin to believe their press clippings and develop an overblown sense of self. Effective leadership requires a well- developed sense of humility as demonstrated by New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning during his one-game demotion as a starter. Source: Inc., November 30, … [Read more...]
3 simple words will set you free: a millennial confesses
Niklas Goeke is a millennial; a writer, book summarizer and habit coach. He exposes us to the shattered self as something all humans go through. Millennials, however, experience this traumatizing, but important event very early in their lives. The reason my generation stands out is not because of our age, but because of how we react to this event, says Goeke. “We … [Read more...]
Be more productive without burnout
I recently crossed paths with a colleague at a networking session. The discussion went like this. Me: “How have you been?” Colleague: “Busy and I hope it is productive.” Me: “I’m curious, could you share how you measure that?” Colleague: “Hah, I wish I knew!” Ten years ago, this conversation would have continued to award busy as a badge of achievement. Today, … [Read more...]
Your life is off course if you’re too busy for these 5 things
Benjamin P. Hardy uses an analogy of piloting and adjusting the course of an airplane to minimize the turbulence and other conditions distracting your path. The fastest way to move forward in life is not doing more. It starts with stopping the behaviors holding you back, says Hardy. You’ll make more progress by stopping your negative behaviors than starting good ones. Here are … [Read more...]
Reading with your children
With all we post about work-life balance, this information on book reading will be meaningful to those with infants at home. Lisa Scott shares new research about reading to infants. Shared book reading with young children is good for language and cognitive development, increasing vocabulary and pre-reading skills, and honing conceptual development. Source: The Conversation, … [Read more...]
Anticipating foal coat color
December is part of the last trimester for some mares. With gestation being 11 months long, owners anxiously await the prize of a new foal. Not much can be predicted overall, but coat color is one attribute where educated guesses are possible. For basic colors, such as sorrel or chestnut, bay, palomino or black, it’s fairly simple. Check the Color-Cross Chart to find the color … [Read more...]
Horse coughing may indicate trouble
Sometimes coughing in horses is harmless. It may be the first sign of serious trouble. Heather Smith Thomas reviews how to tell the difference. Notice the background information about the horse’s activities. These references will help veterinary staff members ask good questions when receiving a call from a horse owner. Source: Equus, October 5, 2017. Knowing when to call … [Read more...]
Colder weather makes horses stiff
Cold, damp weather causes increased stiffness in both muscle and connective tissue, including tendons and ligaments in horses. Older animals experience the effects more profoundly. Eleanor Kellon, VMD, offers some supportive measures to offset the effects of cold. Source: Horse Network, December 5, 2017. Research has proven that exposure to cold causes increased stiffness … [Read more...]
Tips to stop loose dogs from approaching you
Stephanie Colman discusses the challenge of meeting up with a loose dog while out and about with pets. Being approached by loose dogs, especially when their dogs are on leash, is a least-favorite experience for most dog owners. This information is good for social media posts, newsletters and to include in puppy class materials. Coleman offers five non-assertive strategy … [Read more...]
I almost listened in your meeting, but didn’t
If we all plan better meetings, we’ll dread them less, says Jenni Maier. She put together a list of all the reasons people don’t listen in meetings, as well as a few quick fixes. Animal health pros in management, sales and marketing, as well as those setting one-on-one meetings for reviews or issue resolution can apply these tips. Here’s why people don’t listen: You didn’t … [Read more...]
How to grab anyone’s attention in common work situations
Many business discussions are impromptu. Grabbers build an immediate bridge to your listener(s) and clears the way for your message, says Judith Humphreys. She shares seven common scenarios you’re likely to encounter at work, and the grabbers that are best suited to each. Source: Fast Company, December 11, 2017. Think of your grabber as a verbal handshake. It builds a … [Read more...]
Cat litter offers new benefits
Sandy Robins shares recent trends in cat litter. This information is commercial, but knowing what is trending in this category is important for animal health pros who deal with cat owners. Source: Pet Age, December 4, 2017. New cat litter options include these categories: lightweight litters au natural litters diagnostic litters vibrant litters … [Read more...]
It’s not always safe to rub cat bellies
Dog lovers who visit homes with cats often get fooled by cats offering their bellies. There are lots of places cats like to be petted, but if you try to pet a cat’s belly, you’ll likely be met with claws and teeth. Source: Catster, December 8, 2017. There are some cats who love belly rubs, but they’re few and far between. The cat belly is a very vulnerable place. Unlike … [Read more...]
Telemedicine and its impact of veterinary medicine
The AVMA House of Delegates recently voted to implement a new policy regarding telemedicine. When using telemedicine tools, the veterinarian must have an established veterinarian–client–patient relationship (VCPR). Clients should be aware of the advice giver’s identity, location, licensure status, and potential privacy and security issues with electronic … [Read more...]
Elevating the role of veterinary nurses
It is important for animal health pros to understand the Veterinary Nurse Initiative and its empowerment for this work force. It aims to standardize the profession’s educational requirements, scope of practice, requirements to maintain the credential, and title protection, and to rename the role from veterinary technician to veterinary nurse. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, … [Read more...]
BarkBox continues upward sales clip (includes video)
BarkBox is a phenomenon in the consumer pet market. It has 500,000 delivery service subscribers and more than 4 million fans on Facebook and Instagram. BarkBox’s social media team creates original video content and shares relatable memes with its followers to remind them of the emotional connection humans have with their furry friends. In other words, the content that gets … [Read more...]
Not all dogs need cute winter coats
Winter coats for dogs are cute, but they likely aren’t needed? Carol Bryant discusses which dog breeds should wear coats in the winter and how to choose one. This is good information for pet owners that can be deliver via social media, newsletters and have available in-house. Source: Dogster, December 5, 2017. Bryant shares the following on canine couture: Fiction: All … [Read more...]
Keep military friends in mind this season
All of us at AHD thank you for helping make 2017 an achievement-filled year. As we close in on the holidays, it’s important to remember how blessed the time can be for those of us fortunate enough to gather with family and friends. While preparing for the holidays, take time to remember our service members and their families who are separated on our behalf. This … [Read more...]
Best books for last minute-holiday gifts
Here are 11 gift possibilities for someone in your network. Professional development books can be easily personalized individuals based on their contribution to your career or how you may be mentoring them. Source: The Muse, December 5, 2017. Titles include: The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills by Daniel Coyle High Performance Habits: How … [Read more...]
5 tips for presenting to senior executives
In today’s world, however, there are more ways to stop somebody’s thought flow than ever before. Besides the casual popping by your desk or workspace, interrupters instant message, e-mail, text and call you, sometimes simultaneously. Petra Neiger shares facts about the impact of frequent workplace interruptions and some ideas to reclaim your power over interruptions. … [Read more...]
To get support for your CX vision, Just ASK!
Customer experience (CX) is a mainstay of business strategies. It is not a new concept, it is just that with the digital experiences added to it, CX can now occur much of the time without humans being directly involved. Krista Sheridan writes about changing the question from one of making people do things to letting people do things. In other words, asking for help. Source: … [Read more...]