Getting dogs adopted is the goal of the ASPCA on the Upper East Side in New York City. Some dogs are too traumatized to handle human contact. Volunteers reading to them for 20 minutes at a time helps create a connection. Source: New York Times, June 9, 2016. We need to get the dogs comfortable with what they’ll be seeing when they’re put up for adoption,” said Victoria … [Read more...]
The secret life of pets campaign
PetSmart will soon air two 30-second animated TV spots to promote the upcoming film "The Secret Life of Pets," which hit theatres July 8. Animal characters from the movie will tell stories of what happens when pets are left on their own devices and without human interaction, visit to a PetSmart store. Source: Ad Age, June 9, 2016. The humanization of pets is a tremendous … [Read more...]
Millennials to become primary demographic of pet owners
Ethnically diverse, tech savvy and splurge spenders, millennials have become a powerful force in the pet markets. All animal health pros will find value in this article. Source: Pet Product News, June 2016. About 74 percent of millennial pet owners own a dog, nearly half own a cat, and across all species of pets, owners of small animals, reptiles and fish are more often … [Read more...]
Do I really need to brush?
Nancy Kerns provides good information about the challenge of dental care in dogs. Veterinary teams and retail associates can use it in their discussions with dog owners or on blogs, websites or in newsletters. Source: Whole Dog Journal, April 2012, updated February 2016. It can be painfully expensive, but the value of having your dog’s calculus-encrusted teeth cleaned at … [Read more...]
AmerisourceBergen shapes health care delivery
AmerisourceBergen Corporation has redefined the role of the pharmaceutical wholesaler. The $2.5 billion acquisition of MWI Veterinary Supply is a good example of the company’s strategy. The reasoning for the MWI deal reflects AmerisourceBergen’s broader strategic vision, which puts a premium on new ideas, new expansion opportunities and new business alliances. Source: Chain … [Read more...]
Insect repellents in the age of Zika
Humans and animals get diseases from ticks and mosquitoes. The article provides the latest information about various vector-borne diseases and a rating of human insect repellents. Combining insect repellents for humans with repellents for animals will lower disease transfer risks for all. Source: Consumer Reports, July 2016. Three insect repellents qualified as Consumer … [Read more...]
AJVR contents
For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents in the latest issue of the American Journal of Veterinary Research. Source: AJVR, June 2016. … [Read more...]
Vetfolio® launches Communication Certificate Program
Vetfolio® recently launched the free, four-part, online Communications Certificate Program, with sponsorship by Merial. VetFolio is a joint program of NAVC and AAHA, non-profit organizations committed to the veterinary profession. They are partnering to provide continuing education online for veterinary professionals. Source: Vetfolio News, June 2, 2016. Registration is now … [Read more...]
JAVMA contents
For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents in the latest issues of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Source: JAVMA, June 15, 2016. … [Read more...]
Self-disclosure, leadership and trust
John C. Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Every animal health professional is a leader when it comes to communicating with an animal owner, client, customer or staff member. Jesse Lyn Stoner provides some perspective on self-disclosure. Source: AVMA SmartBrief, May 31, 2016. Self-disclosure is an important leadership trait … [Read more...]
Career paths for client service representatives
Team members who want to grow personally and professionally in any role can help a practice thrive. Consider these tips and examples to help yourself or a staff member explore opportunities for advancement. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, March 2016. Many exceptional veterinary assistants, veterinary nurses, office managers, practice managers, and practice administrators … [Read more...]
Front desk persons anchor the customer experiences
Whether in a veterinary hospital, retail store or dealer, the persons at the front desk set the tone for each visit. Their skills in customer acknowledgement and directing traffic make or break visits. Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR, provides a unique perspective for all animal health professionals to consider. Source: Veterinary Practice News, May 31, 2016. Front desk … [Read more...]
Bowser beer, just for dogs
A subscriber shared this website. You’ll likely enjoy learning about custom beer for dogs. Just when you think you have seen it all . . . Source: Bowser Beer. Busy Dogs™ was started by Jenny Brown, creating Bowser Beer™ and Bowser Bits™ in late 2007. From the beginning she was committed to using 100% US made, all natural ingredients. Her idea was called crazy and bizarre, … [Read more...]
Relieving canine separation anxiety
Fixing separation anxiety is hard. Pet owners seek help from many sources. This article provides good information about separation behaviors and some methods to diminish the effects on animals. Pat Miller, CPDT, is a published author and the training editor at Whole Dog Journal. Source: Whole Dog Journal, February 19, 2016. 'Distress' indicates a lower intensity of stress … [Read more...]
One Health focus on obesity
Recent data indicate worrying trends in the rising rates of obesity in people and their pets. This is a challenge that falls within the area of The World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s One Health committee. The One Health initiative proposes that veterinarians, physicians and other healthcare providers work together with scientists and social scientists to tackle shared … [Read more...]
AVMA advocates against prescription mandate bill
The wrestling match on veterinary prescriptions continues. An April 29 hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee addressed the pet medication industry, including the Fairness to Pet Owners Act (HR 3174/S 1200), legislation that would federally mandate prescription writing for veterinarians. The subcommittee is … [Read more...]
45% of practices increase fees annually
According to AAHA’s Financial and Productivity Pulsepoints: Vital Statistics for Your Veterinary Practice, nearly half of practices increase fees annually to stay profitable as the cost of goods, services and labor increases. Pulsepoints is a unique resource that enables practices and those who service them understand factors that influence practice successes. Source: AAHA … [Read more...]
Pet-friendly vacation guide
Pets don’t always have to stay behind when owners go on vacation. Folks at Purina have pet traveling tips for those on tight budgets and those who are well-heeled. There are some great ideas for pet owners here. Source: Petcentric Monthly Newsletter, June 2016. To help you get stated planning a great vacation with your pet, we’ve assembled all our best tips and tricks in … [Read more...]
Study suggests dogs were domesticated twice
Science long ago confirmed that humans originated on the African continent. It hasn’t been so kind to dogs. A group of scientists from the University of Oxford are saying evidence now shows that dogs were domesticated in Asia and Europe at different times. Nothing’s confirmed yet, but the study makes for fun discussion with dog owners. Source: New York Times, June 2, … [Read more...]
The cost of avoiding conflict
Managing conflict is not something most people look forward to dealing with in the workplace. Yet, conflict is a sign that your hospital is pushing boundaries and growing. Given that business is constantly changing means that if you are not growing, your business is dying. There is no status quo in our industry, so managing conflict correctly become a key performance indicator … [Read more...]
Animal Health Digest is for sharing
Animal health remains an industry dependent on solid relationships, built on honest communication. Feedback from some early subscribers shows Animal Health Digest saves them time and provides them with material to share in daily interactions. Clinic teams enjoy using an article to discuss at staff meetings to get the team aligned Reps use posts and articles to better … [Read more...]
It’s Adopt-a-Cat Month
Local animal shelters are full of cute, cuddly kittens and mellow older cats ready for new homes. June is Adopt-a-Cat Month. The folks at American Humane Association offer tips for bringing new cats home, posters that can be used in clinics and even computer wallpaper that’s free and ready to use. Source: American Humane Association. Shelter staff are ready to help you … [Read more...]
Overview: Equine Veterinary Education (EVE)
We received several positive responses to posts referencing the tables of contents from scientific journals. The May print issue of EVE arrived this week and the June issue is shown online. Review the table of contents for this journal to determine if any of the studies are relevant to your work. Source: Equine Veterinary Education (EVE), May 2016. (partial link only) … [Read more...]
Watch for heatstroke in rabbits
As weather warms up, be aware that heat can be dangerous to rabbits. They’re more sensitive to it than humans. Source: My House Rabbit. Here are symptoms of heat stroke in rabbits: Reddening of the ears Panting Lethargy Salivating Weakness/slow movement Acting confused Convulsing … [Read more...]
It’s just me and the horse
Something worthwhile is coming from the Bureau of Land Management’s capture of wild horses from Wyoming. After therapy and medication, including self-medication, fails U.S. veterans of post-traumatic stress disorder and severe brain trauma, wild Mustangs are helping them thrive again. BraveHearts works with BLM to bring horses to Illinois where veterans work to help train … [Read more...]
Marijuana risky for pets
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, veterinarian Dayton Williams shares experiences with pets and marijuana. This report references Bubba, a dog from California that has been a recent news items. Source: KDLT, May 25, 2016. (includes video) Since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, Williams says veterinarians there have seen a huge increase in animals eating the drug. He says vets … [Read more...]
Seven listening styles and how to approach them
The White Rabbit from Lewis Carrol’s, Alice in Wonderland, said, “The hurrier I go the behinder I get.” In many cases this quote describes the listening skills of animal health professionals who are quick to move without really hearing how a customer responds. Take time to pay attention to your communication process, and listen to your listener before you speak. Source: Ag … [Read more...]
Make a list of unethical things you’ll never do
Most people want to make a positive difference and remain ethical. But, it is easy to take shortcuts, cheat or stretch the truth. Like it or not, cellphone cameras make our behaviors more easily scrutinized today than ever before. We like this exercise of writing down what you won’t do. See what you think. Source: Harvard Business Review, May 30, 2016. Write a list of … [Read more...]
Position yourself for success
The internal messages you send yourself regarding your role in the hospital, the distribution company or the manufacturer largely determine your success with your clients, your practices or your customers and therefore within your respective organization. Consistent high performers in the veterinary industry have a very clear image of their role in every interaction. Source: … [Read more...]
Opossums – tick killers
We often associate backyard wildlife as potential carriers of leptospirosis, fleas and ticks. This article describes a role opossums play in tick reduction. "I had no suspicion they'd be such efficient tick-killing animals," said Richard Ostfeld, of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York. Source: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Several years … [Read more...]