Weese and others have been forthcoming since January 2020 about the need to approach emerging diseases proactively by looking for potential problems and taking steps to control them early, rather than waiting for definitive evidence of a problem. Now with as many as five strains of Covid-19 virus identified in mink, the early warnings of viral mutation have become reality. How … [Read more...]
Emerging arboviruses manuscript collection
Collectively, the authors have assembled a manuscript collection to provide scientists up-to-date information on diverse pathogens and their respective insect vectors. It is estimated 60 to 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases in humans are of zoonotic origin. Up to one third of these emerging infectious diseases are caused by vector-borne pathogens, which cause more … [Read more...]
Up to scratch: Topical treatments for skin conditions
When the overnight temperatures drop below 600F, furnaces across the country get turned on. By day 3 of heated air, indoor humidity has often fallen by 20 or more percent signaling a change in skin care needs for ourselves and our pets. Conditions we’ve ignored or accepted during the humid summer months exacerbate. Approximately 10 percent of cats and dogs suffer from some … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club with Shawn Wilkie
Sponsored Content If you’re tired of entering medical records and notes, then this will be the discussion for you. Talkatoo’s Shawn Wilkie, we will discuss the evolution of transcription and current progress in veterinary medicine. He’ll review the average amount of time practices spend on transcriptions and how having the right system in place will save a practice time in … [Read more...]
Washing livestock trailers with infection control certainty
Sponsored Content Regardless of the pathogens, transporting increases risks for all livestock. Livestock trailers pose a significant risk for pigs, cattle, horses and poultry as they are moved from one location to another. Cleaning with scoops, forced air or pressure washers is as best a first step to controlling pathogen spread from remaining residues before the trailer is … [Read more...]
Creativity – nature or nurture?
Some people think creativity is static. You are either born creative, or not. Jesse Hemphill believes creativity is more of a muscle that you can strengthen. Sure, some people are born preternaturally fit, but we can all do a lot to get a lot stronger. Source: LinkedIn Pulse, November 2, 2020. Link. If you are looking to grow professionally as a writer or a hotel staffer or … [Read more...]
TIME puts veterinary diversity issues front and center
Melissa Chan’s article is a must-read for all animal health pros. The call to action is clear. Pet owners are diverse, but veterinarians are overwhelmingly white. Veterinarians are projected to be among the most in-demand workers in the next decade. Yet ,pet lovers are faced with a predominantly white world once it’s time to see a vet. Of the more than 104,000 veterinarians … [Read more...]
Podcasts. Who listens, who might pay?
Podcasts are communication options often considered in the face of pandemic restrictions. But, will a podcast reach its audience? Morning Consult surveyed adults who frequently listen to podcasts. Spotify and Apple are the favored platforms and demographics indicate white males and millennials are the largest audiences. The survey also considered the pros and cons of paid … [Read more...]
VVCA Mark Five series: VCPR Changes Since COVID-19
Complimentary Content In this second Mark Five video, Mark Cushing, J.D. covers the complex subject of how Covid affected telemedicine VCPR policies. Fortunately, veterinary medicine was declared essential across all of the United States. Three different types of took actions that affected they did something about telemedicine VCPR policy: 17 states suspended their … [Read more...]
Burnout Survey reveals high risk of veterinary technician burnout
A second portion of Dr. Ivan Zak’s dissertation reveals veterinary technicians have a dangerously low level of job satisfaction, which is substantially worse than doctors’ satisfaction rates. Source: Veterinary Integration Solutions, November 9, 2020. Link. Often, techs are the undervalued force in the clinic setting and are stretched thin with the heavy caseload, excessive … [Read more...]
VMX moves to June 2021
Citing the commitment to the promotion of public health clearly stated in the veterinarian’s oath, NAVC has moved the dates and format of the 2021 VMX. The new, fully integrated hybrid VMX Live and Virtual event VMX 2021 will now take place June 5th to 9th. Source: NAVC, November 9, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: We applaud NAVC’s decision. … [Read more...]
Covid exposure risks outside of work increasing for clinicians
Medscape reports non-work exposures were more likely to lead to Covid-19 infections in human health care. It’s worth consideration. Source: Medscape, November 2, 2020. Link. <firewall> One-third of Covid-19 exposures among health care providers in Minnesota are due to family or community exposure, not patient care, according to a study conducted by the Minnesota … [Read more...]
Pandemics: Beyond “women and children first”
Jenifer Chatfield DVM, DACZM, DACVPM, outlines the factors involved in determining who will receive a vaccine. She discusses common questions as we wait for a Covid-19 vaccine: Who gets the vaccine first when it becomes available? Who gets it if the supply is limited? Who decides who is at the front of the line? Source: DVM 360, October 21, 2020. Link. Like … [Read more...]
The science behind the masks
Despite all the evidence face masks help protect us and others from coronavirus exposure, we occasionally run into doubters. This short animation vividly shows how even a simple mask works to reduce the virus spread. Source: The New York Times, October 30, 2020. Link. The public health debate on masks is settled, said Joseph G. Allen, director of the Health Buildings program … [Read more...]
Researchers discover a second key that makes SARS-CoV-2 so infectious
Researchers believe they have found another way the coronavirus gains entry into our cells. They discovered a receptor called neuropilin-1 gives the novel coronavirus a leg up in infecting our tissues. This particular protein is relatively abundant on cells lining the nasal cavity, making it a piece of cake for the virus to establish a home inside our bodies, raise a virus … [Read more...]
New CDC guidance, 15 minutes of exposure and what it means for you
New guidance from the CDC updates our understanding of the transmission of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 and recognizes the ease with which this virus can spread. It suggests that there is more of a dose-response relationship between viral exposure and risk of disease. Which is to say, the more virus you are exposed to, the higher your risk, even if the exposure … [Read more...]
What to do when a teammate shares their grief
It is inevitable that someone in your workplace or network will share a difficult event they go through. Lara Hogan shares the importance of being prepared and setting boundaries to avoid: jumping into problem solving mode turning our response toward ourselves and our similar experiences responding to avoid hurting this person Hogan suggests asking open questions … [Read more...]
Oral care at home, COHAT in the clinic
Opinion, Sponsored Content from Addison Biological Laboratory, Inc. Last week I asked the question, “What ever happened to COHAT?” an acronym Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment. The logic made sense and leads to reasserting the need for in-home oral health to be presented as a priority. Dental exams are a component of COHAT often required more frequently … [Read more...]
Finding someone who will choose to work for you
Complimentary Commercial Content Our industry needs more animal health professionals, especially ones who can work as veterinarians and veterinary nurses and techs. But, what does your employee wanted ad represent? is your ad all about you? Or does it express why someone will enjoy working for you? It's a Job ad, not a Job description!” That’s the premise of the … [Read more...]
FBI and DHS issue warning about ransomware, cyberattacks on hospital systems
Sponsored Content Cyberattacks don’t recognize borders, says Clint Latham, JD. Anytime health care industries are put in the cross hairs of cyberattacks, it also encompasses veterinary practices. He shares perspectives, outlines risks and discusses how to reduce possible damage. Source: Lucca Veterinary Data Security, October 29, 2020. Link. Also see: FBI warns … [Read more...]
GPOs in veterinary medicine
VHMA’s September Insiders’ Insight survey asked managers about their participation in group purchasing organizations and associated benefits. About 43 percent of the practices that are members in a GPO just belong to one group while the others belong to two or more. More than half of those practices that belong to GPOs have done so for more than four years; the rest have joined … [Read more...]
Turn curbside customers into loyal clients
Commentary Tony McReynolds shares results from an appropriately robust discussion with industry consultant Josh Vaisman, CCFP, MAPPCP (PgD). Truly, curbside services are uncharted territory for veterinary teams. While no one really knows exactly what works and what doesn’t, I believe the secret sauce is as close as the treatment foo-foo coffee customers get at Starbucks. … [Read more...]
VVCA series addresses telemedicine questions, challenges
Responding to feedback from veterinarians, veterinary techs and nurses, the Veterinary Virtual Care Association created a series of short videos by Mark Cushing, founder and managing partner of the Animal Policy Group, and co-founder of the VVCA. In the first video he reviews the policies that govern veterinary telemedicine. His focus is on the basics of the veterinary client … [Read more...]
Rat bomb. . . eeekk!
Colder weather and the ongoing harvest are signals to button up buildings, businesses and residences to keep out rodents. Chris Bennett shares the destructive capacity of rats in detail from his interviews with a rodentologist known as the Rat Czar of New York City. It conjures images from the 13th century legacy of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Germany. . . . any hole where a … [Read more...]
What ever happened to COHAT?
Opinion In INSIGHTS a year ago I wrote this: Establishing COHAT language could help build veterinary dentistry. Mixed practices can take the lead by applying the acronym in a multi-species environment and including COHAT assessments as a line item on invoices and vet records. Moving away from labeling oral care as dentals made sense then and still does.” Source: COHAT is … [Read more...]
Clearing the air via filtration
Complimentary Commercial Content If we have learned nothing else in 2020, the risks from aerosolized infection agents should be near the top of the list. This article covers how Purafil, a Filtration Group company, adjusted its technology and focus to the pandemic along with a look at the importance of air filtration moving into 2021 and beyond. Source: Vet Advantage, … [Read more...]
Younger veterinary professionals are more vulnerable to burnout
Complimentary Content Dr. Ivan Zak released the first results of the Burnout Survey, conducted as part of his MBA dissertation. The survey reveals some predictable outcomes, proving that burnout is one of the more important issues negatively affecting the veterinary profession. Zak found a disturbing direct correlation between the age of the respondents and the burnout … [Read more...]
Help for communicating the cost of care
Complimentary Content Pet owners are frequently surprised at the cost of veterinary care. This is partly because veterinary teams are reluctant to proactively discuss the cost of a lifelong commitment to pet ownership. Further, there is a distinct difference between price of care versus cost of care over the life of the pet. Wendy Hauser, DVM, shares how being proactive … [Read more...]
Bricks and clicks; veterinary technology comes of age
Nearly a year before the onslaught of the Covid era, Bob Lester, DVM, wrote, “We are moving from bricks to clicks. Consumers are insisting, and we had better listen.” Quoting Abraham Lincoln, he advocated adopting emerging technologies sooner than later. Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, February 2019. Link. Bricks have and will continue to serve a purpose, but bricks … [Read more...]
2 powerful words to empower animal owners
We received overwhelming responses to Kirk Augustine’s opinion post last week. He reflected on what he heard during veterinary tech week and identified a primary impediment blocking the full use of certified veterinary technician skills < link >. He also shared a spoiler alert for the two powerful words referenced here. Source: Animal Health Digest. Link. Asking “WHAT … [Read more...]