Whether you want to find a new perspective on a challenging problem, stop procrastinating and do the important work in front of you, or light an inner spark to start something new and magical, this list may have the right words for yourself or the situation. Source: Four Minute Books, April 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
You don’t have to be the boss to be a leader
Matt Mayberry shares three actions that hone leadership skills to help become a highly respected and influential team member: Devote time to daily growth Discover and embrace your personal strengths Improve your ability to connect with people Source: Harvard Business Review, February 13, 2023. Link. Introverts, ambiverts, extroverts . . . anyone can learn how to … [Read more...]
Documentary highlights life and work of Temple Grandin
A documentary film about the world-renowned Dr. Temple Grandin recently completed shooting. The film, Open Door, features interviews with Grandin, her colleagues, industry professionals and those she has influenced throughout her career as a champion of human treatment of livestock, autism rights and inclusive neurodiversity. The production team includes eight current Colorado … [Read more...]
Managing compassion fatigue
The reality for most people working in the animal healthcare industry is that you will get compassion fatigue. The only question is do you manage it or allow it to control you? Source: AVMA. Link. . . . build a self-care plan that charts the path you think is best designed to help bring your life back into balance.” INSIGHT: Be compassionate with yourself first. Then your … [Read more...]
Is climate change accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans? (video)
Scientists researching the aftermath of California wildfires say they are finding evidence that climate change is accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans. Historical evidence linking the climate to zoonotic disease is growing . . .” Miles O’Brien Source: PBS, March 1, 2023. Link. (7:37) INSIGHTS: Forward-thinking scientists are working to advance … [Read more...]
The gender pay gap in vet medicine is real
More women in veterinary medicine does not equal gender equality, writes Kristen Green Seymour in the latest issue of AAHA Trends. She covers gendered expectations, pay transparency, negotiating salary from day 1, abolishing the motherhood penalty, adjusting KPIs, practice ownership and more. Despite the field skewing strongly female, the average male income is significantly … [Read more...]
Finding the optimal pattern of a customer journey
Commentary Customer journey analysis is not new, although customer experience management is relatively new. The identification, optimization and management of touch points that lead to action by a prospect or customer challenges brands, budgets and companies in today’s internet world. Even so, earning a customer and retaining them is a journey animal health pros discuss and … [Read more...]
Hauser: Reverse the downward trend of pets missing vet care
There are many factors that cause pets to miss vital regular health care. Veterinary practices cannot afford to ignore trends showing fewer patient visits. Wendy Hauser, DVM, identifies three primary drivers for why patients don’t get needed veterinary care as: Client economic limitations The owner’s inability to access care A lack of communication Too many pet … [Read more...]
JVECC makes a case for quality improvement in vet med
To prevent medical errors, we have to understand how they occur and invest in programs to prevent them. Acknowledging health care delivery is a complex process, so the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care is establishing a Quality Improvement and Patient Safety feature. The objective is to contribute to building a collective knowledge base in patient safety and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 6, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 30, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 30th AHD Bulletin – Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. Veterinarian helper wins digital ag hackathon Source: Cornell Chronicle, March … [Read more...]
LSU develops patent-pending wild pig bait
Commentary Feral hog control is an issue for ALL animal health pros. Wild pigs reproduce rapidly and cause damage to farms and suburban properties from the southern U.S. and into Canada <Link>. They also pose a growing threat to the environment, people and other animals. If an animal disease like African swine fever or hoof-and-mouth gets into these animals, it will be … [Read more...]
7 tips for more effective vaccination programs in calves
Rhonda Brooks shares seven tips from bovine veterinarians that can help plan an effective vaccination program in calves. She reminds us that there is no effective one-size-fits-all strategy. Consider this article for communications with cow-calf, dairy or beef operators. It sets core considerations for what a vaccination program can and can’t deliver. Source: Dairy Herd … [Read more...]
Happy cow markings worth a smile
Bellbrook Holsteins in Ripplebrook, Australia, welcomed a new calf to the herd on March 10. The calf was born with a unique pattern. His spots resemble that of a smiley face. They named it Happy. 😊 Source: RFD-TV, March 23, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Stimulating more milk fat production
Increasing milkfat and protein components of milk can raise the value of milk for producers. Milkfat comes from two sources. Preformed fat comes from fat present in the diet or body reserves. Other fat results from synthesis in the udder, and this is called de novo or “new” fat. Mike Hutjens, PhD, shared ways feeding and management can affect de novo fatty acid synthesis in … [Read more...]
Getting familiar with hemorrhagic bowel syndrome
Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome, also known as sudden death disease, is an emerging, highly fatal intestinal disease of adult cows. The cow's immune system plays a role in whether a cow becomes an HBS cow. Cases are most common following stressful periods in a cow’s lactation cycle such as calving and early lactation, when cows are subject to several different stressors.” – Scott … [Read more...]
Essential safety rules to follow when around horses
Jack Benton shared the cowboy after OSHA inspection image in 2016 <Link>. While absurd, it makes a point. Injuries to riders and handlers often increase as the excitement to return to riding increases during spring. It is important to reinforce safety guidelines considering many horses were handled infrequently during the winter months. Jennifer Forsbery Meyers’ basic … [Read more...]
Review: Multiple reasons for equine deaths during foaling
Complications during foaling are a predominant cause of death and disease in foals and mares regardless of the difficulty of the birth. In a review of cases, researchers categorized deaths into five groups based on the primary organ system associated with the cause of death. Their results showed the most-common reasons for death were: fatal lesions in the gastrointestinal … [Read more...]
Photographer captures elk antler growth
In the category of something you don’t see every day, photographer, Craig Miller captured the growth an elk bull’s antlers from buds to maturity in 2021. It is a unique pictoral accompanied by an explanation of what is occurring. Source: Craig Miller, Facebook, March 22, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Why pets do (fill in the blank)?
Addressing pet owner inquiries, the authors share answers to dog and cat owners’ most commonly searched questions. Source: Happy Puppy Tips. Link. INSIGHTS: Share this and discuss with your team to see if they have a consistent answer for these common questions. … [Read more...]
Anal sacculitis and an ear ointment option
A retrospective review found that while obesity and poor stool quality have been implicated in development of anal sacculitis, definitive conclusions about the relationship between obesity and anal sacculitis could not be made. The data did show atopic dermatitis was the most common comorbidity. Infusing a steroid/antibiotic/antifungal otic solution following expressing and … [Read more...]
A proactive approach to feline stress
Contains Commercial Content Cat owner and Vet Advantage columnist Dawn Singleton-Olsen explains how helping veterinary teams educate cat owners about regular vet visits and some products that are helpful with the stresses of proactive feline care. Source: Veterinary Advantage, December 2022. Link. . . . attract more cat owners through client education and recommending … [Read more...]
Snoopy was a rescue (video)
We saw a post about Snoopy on the Texas Weimaraner Rescue Facebook page. A cultural icon for the human-animal bond, Snoopy was a rescued puppy having been returned to Daisy Hill Puppy Farm according to some accounts. Snoopy made his debut his debut in Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip in October 1950. The black and white beagle didn’t have a name until more than a … [Read more...]
Those dirty flies . . .
Warmer spring weather is also the start of fly season and no matter where you live, flies can be a problem. Our AHD archives offer many resources on fly control. Getting started now, can help keep fly populations from growing out of control. Source: Search results for fly control, AHD Archives. Link. … [Read more...]
Being positive all the time is impossible and toxic, how to deal with difficult emotions at work
Organizations that set the expectation that negative emotions are wrong and do not belong at work ultimately set themselves up for volatile toxic cultures. Although it’s no easy task, difficult emotions must not be ignored or avoided. By bringing emotions out into the open, there is an opportunity to work through them. Driving them underground allows them to do more damage to a … [Read more...]
Industry consolidation is concerning to independent pet specialty retailers
For independent pet specialty retailers, consolidation can be cause for concern. But consolidation remains an overarching pet industry trend. Big-name pet product manufacturers, retailers and service providers are making big deals while private equity and venture capital money streams in, writes David Lummis. Source: Pet Product News, March 2023. Link. . . . overall market … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – March 27, 2023
October PetCare Conference details, small business grants, risk management, Freshpet and Petco launch fresh food home delivery, women in the pet industry and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, March 27, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Gaps found in veterinary nutrition education
A recent online survey distributed by the American Animal Hospital Association received 403 responses from small animal veterinarians. The survey investigated whether formal veterinary school education and continuing education increased their confidence and the frequency of discussing nutrition with clients. Veterinarians with self-reported significant formal instruction and … [Read more...]
Accepting compliments, upgrade your relationships with praise
Christopher Littlefield addresses why compliments often make us uncomfortable. He says a majority of people cringe when given a complement instead of acknowledging it and feeling good about being recognized. Source: HBR Ascend, April 2021. Link. Littlefield shares three ways to help transform our relationship with praise: Know it’s about the giver, not you (the … [Read more...]
Different consequences, same skills
While consequences in business are decidedly less dire than in the military, we face similar challenges in trying to determine the best way to achieve our goals. Source: IndustryWeek, November 10, 2022. Link. There are too many variables in today’s world for a leader to have all the answers.” - Kathy Widmer INSIGHT: Shoulder the blame, share the credit. … [Read more...]
EPA seeks to hand off pet pesticide regulation to FDA
Citing controversy, lack of action and resources to respond to untoward incidents with a popular flea coller, the EPA wants to relinquish its oversight of pet pesticide products. Under the current setup, the EPA is responsible for regulating pet pesticide products that are “not systemic,” or aren’t supposed to enter the bloodstream, while the FDA regulates “systemic” pet … [Read more...]