Churn can approach one-fourth of active clients annually. Normal reasons for churn include moving, pets dying, divorce, owner illnesses and others. An industry funded program, used by more than 1,000 veterinary practices can help bring your inactive clients back. Source: AAHA NEWStat, July 18, 2017. The program, Partners for Healthy Pets (PHP) is an alliance of 100+ … [Read more...]
Human noise pollution is disrupting parks and wild places
Human-caused noise has consequences for wildlife, entire ecosystems and people. It reduces the ability to hear natural sounds, which can mean the difference between life and death for many animals, and degrade the calming effect that we feel when we spend time in wild places. Source: The Conversation, July 17, 2017. Strategies to reduce noise include establishing quiet … [Read more...]
A not-so-quiet problem: noise!
When you remodel your existing location or build a new one, noise management often gets overlooked. Researchers have documented ways that noise and distractions create stress for workers in open offices. One analysis of survey results found nearly 80 percent of workers in open offices cited noise or lack of speech privacy as a reason for being dissatisfied with their work … [Read more...]
7 strange sleeping habits of horses
Horses’ sleeping habits are nothing like our own. We recently posted about dog sleeping habits, so here is some information on horses. Source: Horse Network, July 7, 2017. Horses only sleep for short periods throughout the day or night and their sleep patterns change as they age. … [Read more...]
What these sleeping positions tell owners about their dogs
Fun and thought provoking. There are many attributes in dogs’ sleeping behavior that can indicate their overall mood, health and state of mind. Some of these include the duration of their sleep, movement, frequency and location. One such attribute is the position in which they are sleeping. Source: Pet Pace, July 3, 2017. Sleeping positions and attributes can bring you … [Read more...]
Opinion – Veterinary distribution measured, supply chains challenged
Almost concurrently, I read about AVDA’s survey of veterinary distributors and a supply chain report on Amazon as a competitor, yet partner. The move to online is apparent in both articles and signals how much distributors are at the front line of a changing economy. Direct-to-consumer sales threaten their business models, which previously relied on shipping large amounts of … [Read more...]
All of us need to be in sales (video)
Sales is that five-letter word no one wants to mention. But, John Baldoni makes a case for everyone to consider sales as a reflection of you, your work and your commitment to customers. Source: SmartBrief, July 14, 2017. Re-framing sales then means re-thinking what you do. Very basically, consider sales as everything you do for a client -- service, execution, follow up and … [Read more...]
10 myths about farming to remember when you buy groceries
For those of us not actively engaged in farming and ranching, Jenna Gallegos, a plant biologist, offers important clarifications for pervasive myths about agriculture. Source: Washington Post, July 2, 2017 (paywall). Most farms are corporate-owned. This myth is probably the most pervasive on the list. It is also the furthest off-base. Nearly 99 percent of U.S. farms are … [Read more...]
Poultry Health Today, editors’ picks
The editors of the Zoetis-sponsored publication picked the following topics as news you may have missed: IB called ‘eye of the storm’ for chicken health Medication shortage top issue for US turkey industry 'Old bug' with new name easily mistaken for E. coli peritonitis Source: Poultry Health Today, July 18, 2017. … [Read more...]
Start a meeting right
Too many meetings drag on without participants discussing the real problems that need to be addressed. People talk around the important issues during the meeting and then address them before or after it. This renders the meeting a waste of time and makes you, the meeting organizer, look bad. Combat this risk by explicitly asking that issues be discussed during the meeting, not … [Read more...]
Opinion – Bank ATMs turn 50
The authors have created an innovation-centric overview of the ATM. It is a fun read. I am old enough to remember when ATM transactions were free and ATM networks allowed for free transactions from a machine branded with a bank you did not use. Today, ATM fees range from $2.00 to $5.00, no matter how much cash you receive. The average is about $3.00 per transaction where I … [Read more...]
Rare heartworm surgery saves cat
Vets at UC Davis are claiming a medical first after successfully removing a 13 cm heartworm from a cat’s femoral artery. Source: NAVTA Animal Health Bi-weekly, July 18, 2017. NAVTA’s first post links to the story in Vet Times. … [Read more...]
Gratitude improves response to electronic communication
The speed of today’s communication has been blamed for poor spelling, bad grammar, little to no punctuation and a variety of other communication breakdowns. The sheer volume of emails needing attention can be overwhelming. So, anything that helps get your emails noticed and better responded to is very helpful. Source: Power Social Media, June 2017. Emails that ended in … [Read more...]
Dog writers contest underway
The Dog Writers Association of America announced that sponsors have added 11 new special awards to this year's writing contest and an additional $7,900 in cash prizes that brings the prize tally to $14,000. If you’ve been holding a story, now is the time to put pen to paper. Source: Germinder and Associates, July 10, 2017. The Dog Writers Association of America is the most … [Read more...]
Travel costs to increase next year
As you compile budgets for next year, be aware that travel costs are projected to increase across the board, according to a study by Carlson Wagonlit Travel and the GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Travel Association. Source: Los Angeles Times, July 19, 2017 (paywall). In North America, the increases will be more modest, with airfares expected … [Read more...]
Livestock protect children from asthma
It is a known fact that microbes on farms protect children from asthma and allergies. But, even non-microbial molecules can have a protective effect. New research from the University of Zurich opens up opportunities for transferring the protective effect of farms to all children. Source: Pork, July 17, 2017. Early childhood contact with animals and the consumption of food … [Read more...]
Opinion – Tufts studies patient-therapy animal risk
This topic has taken a long time to surface. Personally, I’ve often wondered about zoonotic risks from taking therapy animals into hospitals and nursing homes. While human patients receive many benefits from animal visits, the reality is that facilities are not monitoring or managing the risks. Guidelines for safety, health and monitoring do exist, with one set from the AVMA … [Read more...]
Microchip comparison matrix
Microchipping remains a controversial subject with pet owners. To help, comparing microchips is easy with the chart in this infographic. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, “A study of more than 7,700 stray animals at animal shelters showed that dogs without microchips were returned to their owners 21.9 percent of the time, whereas microchipped dogs were … [Read more...]
This is nuts: It takes 30 minutes to refocus after getting distracted
And we wonder why we can’t seem to get enough work done. If you thought that the amount of time you spend on email — 1/3 of your office hours — was bad, this isn’t going to make you feel better. Source: The Muse, July 18, 2017. Taking much-needed and deserved breaks (intentional) are one thing—getting distracted (involuntarily) is another. There’s a reason that distractions … [Read more...]
Pink Slime case over after 5 years
A lawsuit has been settled between ABC News, one of its reporters and Beef Products Inc. (BPI), the largest producer of beef trimmings. Source: Progressive Cattleman, June 29, 2017. The lawsuit was spurred by a series of reports in March and April 2012, in which ABC and its anchor and reporters used the “pink slime” moniker to describe lean finely textured beef. “Pink … [Read more...]
Anesthetic monitoring: interpret the readings correctly
Monitors have improved veterinary medicine. But, a monitor cannot save a life unless the team member monitoring the patient understands the readings and can determine when the monitor is wrong. Any values differing from normal parameters should be investigated to determine whether they are life-threatening or merely glitches in the equipment. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, … [Read more...]
Anesthesia, quiz yourself
From adverse effects to age-related considerations, how much do you know about the many aspects of anesthesia? Veterinary teams and brave sales representatives can have fun with this quiz during a lunch and learn. Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 18, 2017. This self-quiz reviews 5 different aspects of anesthesiology in the small animal patient. For a complete discussion, … [Read more...]
Improve horse health with good fly control
House flies and stable flies have three prerequisites for successful completion of their life cycles: appropriate breeding materials, moisture and warmth, according to the Horse Industry Handbook. Eliminating any of these factors will minimize fly breeding. Source: AQHA Journal, July 13, 2018. Follow these simple tips for improving fly control Practice good … [Read more...]
The truth about tick control
Why clients don't buy tick control and other information is presented in this infographic. My pet never goes outside and other excuses. Source: Firstline, June 20, 2017. What veterinary clients don't know about tick control can hurt them. Here's a look at who's buying tick control, why clients resist and more. INSIGHTS: July and August are the heaviest summer vacation … [Read more...]
Active listening requires training
Listening is a skill that is essential. The importance of learning how to actively listen is critical to true communication and understanding. This article explores the dynamics of listening starting with the core components of active listening: Comprehending Retaining Responding Source: Farnam Street, July 3, 2017. Listening is difficult because it involves … [Read more...]
Ditch email for a full day
Our dependence on digital communications uses up much of our attention. LaSalle Network declared a “no email day” for a weekday. Here’s what its staff learned: We move faster It builds relationships We’re more creative We learn faster It encourages call-before-email We’re more energized and productive Source: Fast Company, July 5, 2017. Sometimes we need … [Read more...]
New wolf pups captured on trail camera
Just for fun! Northern California has three new wolf pups. They were caught playing in front of a trail camera. Source: Atlas Obscura, July 7, 2017. Wolves are listed as endangered at the federal level and in California, but have been delisted in Oregon. About 110 wolves live in the state, while California’s population remains small—but growing. … [Read more...]
5 nonverbal ways to get someone to quit talking (includes video)
If you get trapped in a conversation, try one of these nonverbal tips to get out of the situation from author Vanessa Van Edwards’ article and excerpts from her book. The fish The bookmark The pupil The touch The teacher Source: Science of People, July 5, 2017. If you’re going to have a conversation with someone who you know is likely to interrupt you, you … [Read more...]
Cesar shares good topics of interest
Cesar Milan’s team does a nice job of covering several topics in a recent newsletter. They include: Coyotes, an urban threat to dogs Choosing pet insurance Protecting pets from wild animals Camping with Canines Source: Cesar’s Way, June 21, 2017. While it’s good to be in touch with nature, sometimes nature can intrude in unwanted ways. Just because you live in … [Read more...]
Functional foods’ effect on dog, cat health summarized
The journal Research in Veterinary Science recently published a meta-analysis of functional foods research in which it summarized 17 peer-reviewed studies on dog and cat food ingredients. While there may be some benefits to pets from the ingredients, reviewers urge caution. Source: Petfood Industry, July 2017. The ultimate success of functional pet foods will depend on … [Read more...]