Commentary Inflation in the pet consumables markets has been in the news recently. The January Consumer Price Index shows the price of pet food is up 15 percent from last year with pet and pet product prices up 12 percent. We’re sharing these article that reference the inflation trends so animal health pros can help pet owners focus on their pets’ essential and urgent … [Read more...]
Digital upskilling is no longer optional
Citing results from a PwC Pulse survey, Diane Youden discusses the need for upskilling among current employees. Only 28 percent of domestic workers reported upskilling initiatives as something their business was pursuing, compared to 40 percent of global respondents. Thirty nine percent of respondents are concerned their employers aren’t providing enough digital and … [Read more...]
Vet techs contribute to shared decision making during companion animal vet appointments
Commentary While it should come as no surprise, this study in four practices shows the value of clients engaging with veterinary technicians and veterinarians. We rarely see this in human medicine and one might estimate that vet techs and vets rarely interact together with clients following an exam. In my experience, it is common to never see the veterinarian and vet tech … [Read more...]
Study finds small acts of kindness can have big impacts on recipients
Research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology shows that small kind gestures can have a significant impact on recipients, even if givers don’t typically realize it. Performing random acts of kindness increases happiness in both givers and receivers, but we find that givers systematically undervalue their positive impact on recipients. … those performing a random … [Read more...]
Reminder – 101 days to get producers GFI 263 compliant
Livestock producers must establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship if they expect to treat livestock after June 11, 2023, when commonly used over-the-counter antimicrobials will require a prescription from a veterinarian as part of a valid VCPR. GFI #263 is slated for final implementation on June 11, 2023. Labels of the remaining over-the-counter antibiotics for … [Read more...]
Researchers discover overlooked antimicrobial resistance gene is involved in antimicrobial resistance in livestock disease treatments
Veterinarians rely on macrolides to treat livestock diseases such as bovine respiratory disease. University of Sakatechewan researchers discovered the gene can break the ring structure of the antibiotic through hydrolysis which destroys the antibiotic's structure. Inactivation is concerning because it reduces the effective amount of antibiotics that are being delivered during … [Read more...]
Identifying American foulbrood in honeybee colonies
American foulbrood is considered the most devastating honeybee disease, asserted Britteny R. Kyle, DVM, MSc, during her WVC session. She shared multiple factors that lead to colony collapse and a simple matchstick method of diagnosing AFB and what to do if it is discovered in a colony. She noted many states have regulations in place for exactly how to deal with AFB. Source: … [Read more...]
Got spiders? An overview of potential invertebrate patients
Among the most common invertebrates available in the pet trade are the arthropods which include large spiders such as the tarantulas and wolf spiders, scorpions, and land hermit crabs. All are relatively inexpensive and readily available writes Douglas R. Mader, MS, DVM, DABVP (C/F, R/A), DECZM (herpetology). His article offers a primer for the most common invertebrates … [Read more...]
RHDV update for practitioners
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease is endemic in eleven states. Cases appeared in two non-endemic states during 2022. The first case in Iowa was reported in August 2022. Ingrid Taylor, DVM shares what practitioners need to know as well as updates the status of the Medgene Labs emergency use RHDV2 vaccine. Source: AAHA Trends, December 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
A perspective on equine neglect cases
It’s always someone’s fault. . . still there are a few different root causes in neglect scenarios, and they're not always simple. Natalie Voss shares a neglect case story reminding us of a broader responsibility to be aware of possible risks to animals when humans age, become disabled or relocate. Source: Paulick Report, February 23, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
10 common cat sounds and what they mean
A cats’ vocabulary is just as rich and subtle as cat body language, writes JaneA Kelly. She shares her favorite cat sounds and what they mean. Source: Catster, August 12, 2019. Link. Also see: Caterwauling, what and why, AHD, September 18, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider using this content for social media or a feline newsletter. Since regular cat visits are … [Read more...]
Toxocara cati infection in cats
Toxocara cati infection is a common, non–life-threatening condition of kittens and adult cats. Recognizing and treating toxocariases is important because they represent a human health hazard, as well, and because infective eggs are difficult to eradicate after an environment has been contaminated. Many drugs are available for treatment and some prevent vertical transmission of … [Read more...]
Virtual visits may lower stress for pets
Telemedicine for pets gained ground during the Covid-19 pandemic. The American Veterinary Medicine Association estimated about 40 percent of practices offered telemedicine at the height of the pandemic. This percentage has since dropped. Telemedicine can help assess whether a pet needs to be seen in person and to monitor chronic conditions. It can also help pets avoid the … [Read more...]
Health data of short-muzzled breeds aims to inform personalized care
Complimentary Content Data from more than 50,000 brachycephalic dogs in the Nationwide canine database has been published as a pair of white papers. The results reveal how brachycephalic and “extreme” brachycephalic dog breeds are at severely increased risk for comorbidities, including respiratory, gastrointestinal and spinal diseases. Our results highlight the need for … [Read more...]
Virox® Technologies, NAVTA launch Infection Prevention Leader program
To advance infection prevention best practices, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America in partnership with Virox Technologies, have launched an online program designed to provide animal care professionals with the knowledge needed to reduce the risk of spreading infection and create a safer workplace for their team, patients and clients to help animal … [Read more...]
Ingredients to look for in dog food and treats
What do I feed my dog? This is one of the more routinely asked questions in veterinary clinics and retail. A well-balanced diet is vital to a dog’s health and well-being. Well balanced means matching nutrition and calories. Sydney Yankowicz shares perspective on helping clients make food decisions. . . . in general, pet owners can be advised to choose recognizable, whole-food … [Read more...]
Feedback as a gift
Annual performance reviews are controversial. Some people praise them in public, but most hate them in private. Source: Fearless Culture, April 25, 2018. Link. Regardless of how much training they receive, some managers don’t like telling people the truth.” INSIGHT: When people get used to ongoing feedback, it feels more human, less threatening, and dialogue becomes part … [Read more...]
Beware the busyness culture
An industry colleague shared this article by Adam Waytz who challenges busyness versus productivity. It also offers ways to break away from this fixation. Activity is not achievement, and the sooner companies recognize that, the better off they and their employees will be.” Source: Harvard Business Review, March-April 2023. Link. Five approaches are offered to help overcome … [Read more...]
PAW Program provides aid to cancer patients with pets
The C-word diagnosis often devastates people and their families. Many face changes that tap their finances, energy and make it difficult to pay for pet food, veterinary care or pet services to support their pets’ health. CancerCare provides assistance for cancer patients. For pet owners in cancer crisis its Pet Assistance & Wellness Program offers a variety of resources … [Read more...]
Millennial and Gen Z professionals have high expectations for B2B ecommerce
Millennials and Gen Z zoomers constitute 64 percent of business buyers, according to a report from Forrester Research Inc. In the next two years, more than a third of millennial and Gen Z business buyers will purchase through self-guided digital channels.” Source: Digital Commerce 360, February 15, 2023. Link. Younger buyers are more demanding, engaging in more buying … [Read more...]
Addressing veterinary attrition through storytelling
Veterinary Visionaries 2023 Spring Solving Event is asking veterinary professionals to record short video testimonials that puts human experiences into the profession’s statistics. Using crowdsourced videos, 60 or more industry organizations support this effort to help the veterinary industry reverse the declining employee satisfaction and retention trend. How do we get people … [Read more...]
Vet Watch Insight Report. 8.5 percent YTD practice revenue growth, other improvements
Commentary Growth in core vaccines, kennel cough vaccine and surgery at this point in the new year is good news. While invoices, patient and client numbers are still negative, these results are much improved over what was seen mid-November <Link>. Prevention medicine requires proactive communication.” Consider sharing this market information as part of employee … [Read more...]
National Employee Appreciation Day is Friday March 3rd
Employee Appreciation Day provides an opportunity to acknowledge the work, efforts and dedication of team members. It is also a time for co-workers to share some gratitude for their colleagues. Share a kind word with a co-worker who is dependable, supportive as well as those who go above and beyond.” Appreciation days are also a good time to review employee assistance … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 23, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 16, 2023. Link. Most read posts from February 9th AHD Bulletin – Cost of Care Wheel is now 24/7 digital resource. Link. Work is NOT your family. Link. New test strip quickly detects periodontal disease before it is visible. Link. Dos and don’ts of recognition. Link. Place keeper: … [Read more...]
5 key issues for the U.S. pork industry
The National Pork Producers Council latest pork industry economic update summarizes five key pork industry market indicators through January 2023: Consumer pork demand Projected growth Labor shortages Production costs Ripple effect Source: National Hog Farmer, February 14, 2023. Link. . . . data on hog farm employment specifically shows that average wages … [Read more...]
AAEP Commission on Veterinary Sustainability: Compensation Matters
1,378 respondents completed a survey from the compensation subcommittee of the AAEP's Commission on Equine Veterinary Sustainability. This article shares some of the survey results and opportunities. The average salaries for those in the graduation years 2016–2019 was $88,973 for example. The charge of the committee is “To ensure that members understand what current … [Read more...]
How old is too old for dentals?
It is important to recognize that oral and dental disease often increases in incidence in older pets. Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, asserts since resolving these issues can improve the patients’ overall quality of life, managing the anesthetic risks of these patients, and concerns of their owners is critical. Seldom will a pet be too old to benefit from optimal care.” Source: … [Read more...]
A cup is a terrible way to measure how much we feed a dog
There are too many variables to effectively use volume as an accurate measurement of how much a dog gets to eat. Reminding us that dog food labels are challenging for pet owners to interpret, if not misleading, Nancy Kerns addresses feeding enough or too much. Kerns’ frequent articles about pet food make good posts for animal health pros to share with pet owners … [Read more...]
Chewy expands private label mix with new wellness line
Commercial Content Vibeful is Chewy’s first pet wellness brand. It features 20 supplements and vitamins crafted to complement a wide range of daily wellness needs to meet the growing consumer demand. These supplements boast no artificial ingredients and come in a variety of soft chews, liquids and powders, and in flavors like chicken, salmon and peanut butter. Source: … [Read more...]
National Justice for Animals Week is February 19 – 25
National Justice for Animals Week runs through Friday. The annual event raises public awareness around crimes committed against animals <Link>. Animal justice is not new. In an 1869 Supreme Court case, attorney George Vest*, later a U.S. Congressman from Missouri, represented an owner who sued a man for shooting his dog. Vest's "a man's best friend" closing argument … [Read more...]