Stephen Covey said, “The first choice we make each and every day is, ‘Will we act upon life, or will we merely be acted upon?’” Most of us at struggle with acting confidently. Carol Tate, founder of Working Simply, discusses confidence and its relationship to productivity in this thought-filled read. She says, “Confident people are productive and it’s a self-catalyzing … [Read more...]
Top 5 maintenance insulins
This peer-reviewed article is great material for a veterinary hospital staff meeting. Ruth Gostelow, BVetMed(Hons), DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, MRCVS, Royal Veterinary College, provides perspective on treatments of diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats. Representatives can lead the discussion as a service to the veterinary team or use this information to become more aware of the variances … [Read more...]
Draft horse revival
I remember from childhood eight huge sets of harness, halters as big as I was tall and horseshoes as big around as five-gallon buckets hanging in the barn. These were my great-grandfather’s who raised and bred registered Percheron draft horses in Southwest Iowa. Family outings to the Iowa State Fair, Midwest Old Settlers and Threshers Days, a brewery tour at Budweiser, plus … [Read more...]
Editorial – Parasitologist with ties to AVMA wins Nobel Prize
Stories related to me about the discovery of the avermectin class of drugs have always been interesting. The anecdotal information including an out-of-bounds golf ball is not in this article celebrating the accomplishments of William Campbell, Ph.D., and Satoshi Omura, Ph.D. Nevertheless it is wonderful to see scientists aligned with our industry achieve the honor of the Nobel … [Read more...]
State of the Equine Union
Highlights from an American Horse Publications survey that is sponsored by Zoetis show the state of the equine union in this article. It’s clear that the equine industry has stabilized and is perhaps growing slightly in terms of the number of people competing and the number of horses people own,” C. Jill Stowe, Ph.D., director of the University of Kentucky Agriculture Equine … [Read more...]
Do cats present a big pet market opportunity for 2016?
Feline pet food and market trends are featured in this piece by Debbie Phillips-Donaldson, editor-in-chief of Petfood Industry. She also highlights: the latest developments in pet nutrition food safety hot topics Feline marketers and veterinary staff members will be interested to learn more about cat ownership. Source: Petfood Industry, December 9, 2015. Almost … [Read more...]
Pet Industry Roundtable
Ten of the pet retail industry’s top professionals discuss trends, challenges and share advice they would give every retailer. Many of their concerns parallel those of private veterinary hospitals. Source: Pet Product News International, December 2015, page 22 (direct link unavailable). “If you aren’t paying attention and your customer base is evolving, you will be left … [Read more...]
Pet travel accessories for keeping Fido safe on the road
My dogs had always been greater than 50 pounds until recently, so travel with them involved crates in the back of my pickup secured with tie-downs. However, an 11-pound Morkie now runs our household, hates crates and loves to go on rides. This story comes from a subscriber who thought veterinary hospital personnel and animal health pros who travel with pets would want to know … [Read more...]
How to figure out your most productive time of day based on your sleep habits
We’ve all heard and said things like, “There’ll be time to sleep when I die,” or “My mind decides to run when normal people sleep.” In Lessons Learned by Stephanie Vozza we learn from Teofilo Lee-Chiong, that “optimal sleep requires proper duration, quality, consolidation and timing. Disruption to any of these four essential elements of sleep causes a person to wake up feeling … [Read more...]
Ready to roast? Beef app helps.
Holiday events, traditions and gatherings frequently center on food. For this Midwesterner, this often meant special treats and recipes from grandmothers, aunts, uncles and other relatives. Certain foods never seemed to be prepared as well as elder relatives used to do. Often, those recipes disappeared with those relatives after they passed on. Beyond hamburgers and steaks, … [Read more...]
Improving and measuring compliance in your practice
It seems our industry has been beating the compliance drums for at least two decades. Still, with all this effort, it boils down to managing action. In this series installment, respected, well-known financial experts in the veterinary business share expertise and experiences focused on pharmacy, nutrition and data. Source: Animal Health Solutions, December 2015, page 11. Is … [Read more...]
Setting your prices
Price-based costing, activity-based costing, cost-based pricing, fixed costs and turnkey costs are all terms that perplex most practitioners and practice managers. It might be said that pricing is a major cause of follicle stress and pattern baldness in veterinary hospital managers. Jokes aside, forming a strategy is critical to pricing for competitiveness and reasonable … [Read more...]
In vitro fertilization goes to the dogs
Veterinary teams working with breeders of all sizes will find this story interesting. We’re sharing it because it represents the ever-advancing science in animal health. Also, the connection to species preservation and replication for human disease testing and discovery is significant. In livestock, embryo transfer has changed the face of progressive breeding and trait … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Manage acute founder and laminitis
Sled-runner hooves was how my grandfather drew attention to horses and ponies with founder. From an early age, it was common to see a foundered horse with severely overgrown hooves around where I grew up in Southwest Iowa. Most were backyard horses that ate grass in small lots. Occasionally, one would get into a grain bin, overeat and then founder. Seeing these animals struggle … [Read more...]
Editorial – Online shopping destroys customer engagement
Our industry works hard to build, improve and provide customer-initiated systems for ordering and replenishing products, as well as easy access to transaction records and history. As the number of Amazon-like services increase, I am increasingly concerned about how well animal health companies understand the dynamics of de-personalizing the day-to-day transactional business on … [Read more...]
Are you trying to solve the wrong problem?
We are all in the people business. That means we have challenges. Peter Bregman offers a refreshing look at problem management using an example from home. He says, “If you are caught in a problem that seems unsolvable, ask this simple question: If the problem you’re trying to solve weren’t the problem, what else might be?” Source: Harvard Business Review, December 7, … [Read more...]
What you need to know about Parvo
Canine parvo virus has been with us since the mid-1970s. Still considered a relatively new disease, it continues to be a risk for pets whose vaccinations were given too early or not finished. This article is a solid review of risk, treatment and prevention, including hygiene for owners, personnel and premises. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 2015. Because parvo … [Read more...]
Prevent holiday CATastrophies
Dr. Marty Becker contributes sound, referenced information to help keep cats more comfortable during the holiday season. Seven topics are covered, including risks and behavioral cautions. Veterinary hospital teams will find value in the information for websites and client inquiries. Source: Catster Special Holiday Issue 2015, page 20. (direct link unavailable) There is a … [Read more...]
10 ways to help horses with heaves
Equine veterinarians and dealers will appreciate this extensive article as a resource when servicing horses and owners experiencing RAO (recurrent airway obstruction). Reps calling on equine vets and dealers may wish to share this article with customers as a resource for websites and for specific customers with chronic problems. Source: Equus, December 2015, page 42. (direct … [Read more...]
Thinking about going mobile?
For equine and livestock practitioners, mobile practice is a reality. It is also an option for a segment of small animal veterinarians. David Ramey, DVM, discusses some of the nuances and challenges of ambulatory practice. Source: Veterinary Practice News, December 2015, page 1, continued on page 38. Mobile practices allow DVMs to practice high-quality medicine and surgery … [Read more...]
Ups and downs of DIY wellness plans
When considering adding wellness plans to expand practice products and services, do-it-yourself (DIY) plans are frequently discussed by veterinarians and practice managers. While a DIY plans feel like an extension of independent practices, Don Jergler exposes pros and cons in this read. Source: Veterinary Practice News, December 2015, page 28. The popularity and upside of … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Seven Reasons Why Direct Mail is Still King
Most of us enjoy receiving mail. It may not be treated as urgently as it once was, but it can still be effective and actionable. This quick read offers food for thought as 2016 strategies and plans take form. Source: MWI Messenger, December 2015, page 16. Even with all the buzz surrounding social media and website optimization, traditional direct mail marketing is still … [Read more...]
Customer experience is key to B2B success: Study
Customer experiences and the capacity to deliver are the focus of this blog post relating to select findings from Accenture’s new B2B Customer Experience Report. While focused on large companies, the report has meaning for anyone servicing customers and resellers. Source: Marketing Dive Daily Newsletter, December 2, 2015 One impediment to success is only 32 percent of … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – First-ever equine leptospirosis vaccine
Equine veterinarians, dealers and sales/marketing representatives who serve them will want to know about this e-blast delivered for Zoetis. Western Horseman has 160,000 subscribers, 20,000 web visits and 500,000 in total readership. Certainly, this large circulation will draw attention and create questions. The notice includes a link to a risk assessment tool, as … [Read more...]
Soothe those irritated ears
Craig Griffin, DVM, DACVD, shares fundamentals on how to achieve an optimal outcome in veterinary patients with ear infections or allergic conditions. Products and treatments are discussed in this article that could be used in a checklist fashion or as educational background for clinic staff and channel sales reps. Source: Veterinary Medicine, November 2015, page 288. It is … [Read more...]
The power of pet insurance
Numbers are the compelling story in this quick read highlighting data provided by Nationwide pet insurance. For example: 1.92 annual veterinary visits by clients with pet insurance, compared with 1.18 without. $542 annual spending on dogs by clients with pet insurance, compared with $376 without. Source: Veterinary Economics, November 2015, page 8. The real challenge … [Read more...]
Never-before-seen equipment lists from the 2015 Hospitals of the Year
Equipping veterinary practices whether new, remodeling or upgrading can be a challenge the hospital staff, as well as those supplying equipment. Hours of research can be involved. Equip your space like the pros brings a unique perspective on the equipment choices made by hospitals awarded Hospital of the Year status. Source: Veterinary Economics, November 15, page 12. Now … [Read more...]
Protect patients from pharmacists’ errors with these 10 tips
Congress may soon mandate that DVMs provide a prescription for veterinary drugs they have traditionally dispensed. In this hard-hitting piece, Alice M. Jeromin, RPh, DVM, DACVD, notes critical differences between human and veterinary practices. She urges DVMs to contact their congresspersons to object to the bill. Source: DVM 360, November 2015, page M1. The main problem as … [Read more...]
Understanding heart disease in cats
Suzanne Cunningham, DVM, assistant professor of cardiology at Tufts, does a nice job in this article of helping cat owners understand and identify potential feline heart disease. She reminds readers that heartworm disease is diagnosed in about 10 percent of cats these days. It should be considered as a threat to feline health, especially where hot, damp climates encourage … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Canine Bordetella vaccine: now easy to administer
Richard Meadows, DVM, DABVP, offers perspectives on Bordetella vaccination delivery options from the position of teaching veterinary students the practical aspects of vaccination. A sidebar reviews the four clinically important facts about Bordetella bronchiseptica. Source: Clinician's Brief, October 2015 print issue, page 26. As a veterinarian charged with teaching … [Read more...]