Complimentary Commercial Content Sow mortality has nearly doubled in the past 15 years to approximately 13 percent. Ron Ketchum estimates a midpoint cost of $1,125 per dead sow. This amounts to an estimated $2.25 per pig weaned in incremental production cost. Source: The Pig Site, November 11, 2021. Link. Also see: Sow to sales: mortality breakdowns, National Hog … [Read more...]
Top 5 holiday dangers for pets
Holiday decorations are appearing worldwide. Pet owners will appreciate reminders about commonly found holiday dangers for pets as they gather or travel for celebrations. Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, and twin brother Jason Chatfield, DVM, share five top holiday dangers: Out-of-town guests; people and their pets Holiday decorations; tinsel, ornaments and seasonal plants … [Read more...]
Looking into 2022. Mark Cushing, The Bridge Club
Complimentary No one has a crystal ball, but industry insiders like Mark Cushing have perspectives worth consideration. Cushing will be the guest of The Bridge Club for a casual zoom discussion of what 2022 might present as hot topics or challenges for animal health professionals. Location: The Bridge Club Zoom Date/Time: November 17, 2021. 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM … [Read more...]
AAHA releases first veterinary guidelines for working, assistance and therapy dogs
The 2021 AAHA Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines are the first comprehensive consensus report to guide veterinary teams who care for: Protection dogs (police, military, security) Odor/scent detection dogs Service dogs for people with diagnosed disabilities or physical limitations Emotional support dogs Therapy dogs Source: AAHA NEWStat, November … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – November 1, 2021
Shelter dog makeovers, conservation dogs helping endangered species, digital marketing for small business, who spends the most on their pets, how to get paid as a small business owner and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, November 1, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
How to give difficult feedback to your boss (even when you’re scared)
To ensure your upward feedback is received well, start with connection and intention, write Karin Hurt and David Dye. It might feel safer to stay silent but the problematic behavior will only continue, or even get worse. They offer six steps to improve how you give upward feedback. Giving difficult feedback to your boss is rarely easy. But, practice builds confidence. And the … [Read more...]
The importance of tracking spending
Complimentary One of the more challenges to managing your finances is tracking spending. It helps give you the clarity to drive your plan and not let your plan drive you. In this edition of the Smarter Vet podcast ,techniques are shared to get the most control over your spending. Source: Smarter Vet Podcast, Florida Financial Advisors, January 2021. Link. 27 minutes. … [Read more...]
Chatfields and AVMA Trust launch recurring segment for veterinary students
Complimentary “Chats with the Chatfields” is partnering with the AVMA Trust to bring listeners “V’s View from Vet School.” This monthly recurring segment will follow Veronica, a veterinary student, as she takes the journey to become a veterinarian. Source: Chats with the Chatfields, October 26, 2021. Link. Veronica has a unique pre-vet school background: She is a … [Read more...]
New business formed to help independent veterinary practices
Complimentary Commercial Content A team of industry veterans began working as Veterinary Practice Performance with independent veterinary practices in August. Led by founder and president Rob Conn, people, resources and services have been assembled specifically for independent veterinary practices. A proprietary AI inventory system is among the services available. Conn … [Read more...]
Grain-free? Grain-ful? The Chatfields discuss pet food choices.
Complimentary* Dr. Jen the vet and Dr. Jason Chatfield discuss the confusing pet food ingredients marketplace with Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, a veterinarian board-certified in nutrition and sports and rehabilitation medicine. They pragmatically differentiate what is marketing and what is nutrition. They also effectively addresses the differences between what dogs need and what … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club to discuss online pharmacies
Complimentary Join the live discussion with a panel of experts who discusses the future of pharmacies. They’ll talk about the good, the bad and how to be competitive. Source: The Bridge Club. Link. Live event: The state of online pharmacies October 21, 2021: 6 pm CDT/7 pm EDT Register here: Link … [Read more...]
Hannah Lau, DVM next on VVCA Lunch and Learn
Complimentary The VVCA Lunch and Learn series continues Wednesday, October 27 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Hannah Lau, DVM, will share telehealth cases from her practice. She has been practicing veterinary telemedicine and telehealth fulltime since 2019, along with a small team of remote veterinary technicians and assistants. Although living in southwest Virginia, Lau practices … [Read more...]
Additional disaster preparedness resources
Our August disaster planning post prompted Leslie Brooks DVM, MPH to share disaster safety guidelines created by the team at betterpet.com with us. Their guidelines are worth sharing with you. The best way to prepare for an emergency is to have a disaster plan in place ahead of time. Some extra preparation (even if it seems a little excessive) can go a long way in protecting … [Read more...]
IBPSA’s Fast Bites – October 11th edition
What BarkBox teaches us about subscription services and personalization, survey shares pet care considerations when pet owners are hospitalized, a guide to airport pet boarding facilities and more. Source: IBPSA FastBites, October 11, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: IBPSA offers members an online education center for easy to access species-specific educational materials and … [Read more...]
Them’s the Rules: Bio containment? Viral escapes? What?
Complimentary* Bio-containment expert Lisa Kercher, PhD, discusses virus research, bio attacks and what type of regulations exist in the US to prevent catastrophes including viral mishaps! Source: Chats with the Chatfields, You Tube, September 16, 2021. Link. “How to work with animals in containment was the longest amount of training I had,” shared Kercher. The scariest … [Read more...]
VVCA member benefits worth the price of admission
Complimentary If only for the lunch and learn events, membership in the VVCA is worth the small fee. Plus, employees of sponsor organizations receive membership at no cost. Telemedicine is here to stay – for us personally in our own health, and for the health of our pets. Consumer demand won’t let us go backward at this point. Virtual care is … [Read more...]
The dos and don’ts of getting a job
Complimentary The Bridge Club discussed resumes, cover letters and wrinkled scrubs as well as the benefits of how to address emails with Andrea Gentry Apple, DVM. The topics are covered in a three-part series: Part 1: The dos and don'ts of engagement behavior. Link. Part 2: How to market yourself. Link. Part 3: Key watchouts for job etiquette. … [Read more...]
World Dairy Expo starts Sunday
Complimentary Content World Dairy Expo kicks off Sunday and runs through October 2 in Madison, Wisconsin. Animal health pros will be among the representatives of the 650 companies exhibiting this year. Educational sessions and one of the world’s best-known dairy cattle shows will also take place. Safe travels to those attending. Source: World Dairy Expo. Link. World Dairy … [Read more...]
Helping canine boredom
Complimentary Content The market for toys and puzzles to ward off boredom by pets is exploding as pet caregivers return to work outside the home. Hardly a day goes by without seeing another article about what to do now that the dog is home alone. While resources are plentiful, it is hard for owners to choose what works for their pet. Plus, finding the best choices may result … [Read more...]
Chats with the Chatfields. . . . Them’s the Rules: Can we join your PACCC?!
Complimentary Exploring little known rules, regulations, and guidelines for important aspects of animal care, Dr. Jen the vet and Dr. Jason are joined by Stephanie Shipley, the current chair of the Professional Animal Care Certification Council. The PACCC is the world's only certification program for animal care professionals and requires successful examination for … [Read more...]
GlobalVetLink introduces the Pet TravelPass™ for international pet travel
Complimentary A new tool from GlobalVetLink promises to save veterinarians time and worries when clients want to travel internationally with their pets. GVL Pet TravelPass is available now at http://www.globalvetlink.comand offers an easy sign-up and get-started process, with no subscription fee or monthly minimums. Source: GlobalVetLink, August 7, 2021. Link. The GVL … [Read more...]
Smart cat scat is now here
Complimentary Commercial Content Health monitoring technology is now available in cats’ litter boxes and by monthly subscription. It promises to provide cat owners a visible health monitoring opportunity which is important as cats instinctively hide any illnesses. The company has engaged Martha Stewart as a Pretty Litter brand ambassador. It has been featured in media such … [Read more...]
Petabyte to partner with NVA to transform pet care experience for doctors, patients and their families
Complimentary Commercial Content The newly formed Petabyte consortium and partnership with National Veterinary Associates’ veterinary community of 1,200 independently managed veterinary hospitals and more than 100 pet resorts allows for software development collaboration. Petabyte smooths patient management for veterinary hospitals through its software, … [Read more...]
Talkatoo raises new capital to support continued growth in veterinary segment
Complimentary Congratulations to AHD supporting sponsor Talkatoo! The easy-to-use, efficient dictation software for animal health professionals announced it closed a new, oversubscribed round of funding, led by Klick Ventures. Talkatoo is one of only 12 companies selected to the exclusive Google for Startups Accelerator program’s Voice AI cohort. Talkatoo's … [Read more...]
Nicole Clausen opens Inventory 911 Toolkit course
Complimentary Commercial Content Using her experiences and those of industry inventory managers, Nicole Clausen, CSSGB, CCFP, CVBL, has opened enrollment in the Inventory 911 Toolkit. The methods, tools and tips have helped countless inventory managers take the first step of getting their inventory under control. It is an inventory manager's go-to, step-by-step blueprint to … [Read more...]
Usage rates for non-medical pet care services show positive trends
Complimentary Content Dog grooming is the marquee non-medical pet care service. Its usage rates rose from 25 percent in 2012/2013 to 41 percent in 2018/2019, dipping only slightly in the wake of Covid. Among dog owners overall, usage rates for nonmedical services edged up from 44 percent in 2012/2013 to 50 percent in 2019/2020, before dipping slightly due to the … [Read more...]
Protecting chickens from pododermatitis, bumble foot
Complimentary Content Stephanie Lamb shares the whats, whys, where and hows of bumblefoot, an inflammatory condition affecting a bird’s foot and common with backyard poultry. Bumblefoot has various levels of severity in chickens, ranging from mild redness and thinning of the scales to ulcerations and damage to underlying muscle, tendons and bone. Source: Chickens, August … [Read more...]
Addressing the cost of care with clients
The Bridge Club will host Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA, Adam Hechko, DVM, and Wendy Hauser, DVM, AVP, vet relations with ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance* program to discuss helping clients prepare for and understand the cost of care over their pets’ lifetimes. Hechko brings his experiences from a pilot study lead by Hauser and featured in a 3-part sponsored content series* in Animal … [Read more...]
Ask a vet to help treat a dog with ear mites
Complimentary Content Ear mites can cause infection in a dog’s ear canals. If a dog is scratching, ear mites could be the cause. The folks at Tractor Supply Company compiled a well-written tip sheet about dealing with ear mites. It recommends veterinarians be the first stop. Source: Tractor Supply Company, August 27, 2021. Link. Always schedule a visit with your … [Read more...]
VetWatch shares remix of pet ownership
Complimentary The VetWatch Commentary thru August 14th remains positive while a bit softer. Beyond the economic measurements, the veterinarian and pet owner sentiments section draws attention to findings from an eighth wave of M/A/R/C research and information from Packaged Facts and MRI-Simmons National Consumer Study that may disrupt some generalized assumptions: … [Read more...]