Recent reports of canine parvovirus (CPV) infections in areas around the country remind us of how prevalent and challenging this virus is in dogs. CPV itself is small and nonenveloped, making it one of the more robust viruses affecting animals. While our industry has been fighting CPV for nearly 50 years, the only way to stop its spread is to vaccinate dogs. Because of its … [Read more...]
Top 50 pet food companies in the world
This is a compelling look at economic mass in the pet food industry based on 2018 results. The companies listed also have links associated with them. Source: Petfood Industry, May 2019. Link. Also see: Pet market trends, signals from other services, Petfood Industry, May 2019. Link. The increasing use of non-medical pet services extends even to daily dog care needs . . … [Read more...]
Transparent negotiations, a counterintuitive approach
Author Todd Caponi shares how playing your cards face up on your pricing model can result in: Elevated mutual trust right through to the finish line Higher deal values where clients are giving you something for everything they take More predictable deals Source: Sales and Marketing Management, May 12, 2019. Link. Negotiation doesn’t need to be difficult. . . … [Read more...]
Coping with disagreements
From time to time, team members get into disagreements. Conflicts and disagreements are a difficult aspect of working life. Unfortunatelly, a disagreement between two team members often spreads to others. Jonathon Hancock sought top tips from his network for dealing with the disagreements that arise. Source: Mind Tools, May 9, 2019. Link. The financial costs of … [Read more...]
Common skin problems in cats
From allergic dermatitis to rodent ulcers, a variety of skin problems can afflict cats. Janice Huntingford, DVM, reviews the most common ones, along with their causes and treatments. Source: Animal Wellness, July 6, 2018. Link. Regardless of cause, allergic dermatitis frequently manifests as “miliary dermatitis,” which is not a specific disease but rather a disease … [Read more...]
Behaviorist tells how to stop cats from scratching furniture
Marilyn Krieger discusses scratching behaviors of cats and how cat owners can train them to scratch in acceptable places. She reminds us that scratching is natural and instinctive to all felines. They scratch because: Scratching objects is one of the ways cats communicate. Scratching is a displacement behavior After napping, there is nothing as fulfilling as a slow … [Read more...]
Expand your social reach with Facebook stories
It seems like Facebook changes every day. At least it gives us the courtesy of telling us the direction in which it’s moving. Its recent focus has been expanding Facebook Stories. How can you make best use of Stories to grow your business? Facebook offers these suggestions: Create ads that leverage speed to keep readers' attention. Stories with sound lead to better … [Read more...]
Promote pet chipping this month
May is National Chip Your Pet Month and an excellent time to turn up attention to the benefits of placing microchips in pets. Once pets are chipped and registered in a national pet recovery database, services like the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool < link > can reference the chip against hundreds of registries’ databases. Pets with microchips are up to 20 times … [Read more...]
3 questions to ask before having a meeting
Aaron De Smet, Gregor Jost and Leigh Weiss write about the challenge of productive meetings. Their topic is leader focused. In determining if a meeting is necessary, much of their guidance applies to ALL staff. Meetings should not be held unless leaders can affirm that they are necessary, define their purpose and ascertain the role of all participants. Source: McKinsey and … [Read more...]
Be aware of accounts that eat your lunch
Randy MacLean explains distributors’ challenges of big accounts and the financial consequences of servicing them. It is a familiar story of top-line revenue versus cost-to-serve, fixed-cost conundrums that have long-been prevalent in animal health markets. It is also a situation common to livestock veterinary clinics and retailers that is exacerbated by ongoing consolidation … [Read more...]
Antibody versus antigen tests; let’s review
Mississippi State DVMs Claire L. Fellman and Todd Archer provide a brief introduction to immunodiagnostic tests, including immunofluorescence assays, ELISAs, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. The underlying principle of immunologic testing is antigen:antibody specificity. Source: Clinician’s Brief, May 2017. Link. Although antibodies can be used to detect antigens, … [Read more...]
Jan Pol, DVM on ‘What I Know Now’
At a young 76 years old, Jan Pol is the star of The Incredible Dr. Pol on Nat Geo Wild. The reality show is the channel’s number-one series and is now in its 14th season. Pol shares what he feels all creatures, even humans, need most. Source: AARP The Magazine, April/May 2019. Link. Nat Geo Wild has always been 100 percent dedicated to animals and the people who love them, … [Read more...]
Turn recruits into employees with instant communication
In this age of intense competition for recruits and recruits ghosting want-to-be employers, any way to keep the process moving forward to capture your best recruits is worth your effort. Darren Bounds, CEO of Breezy HR, suggests using text messaging to gain these recruiting advantages: speed scheduling ease appointment reminders to limit no shows Source: Human … [Read more...]
May is National Arthritis Month; remember pets, too
May is recognized annually as National Arthritis Awareness Month. Arthritis affects more than 50 million Americans, making it the number-one cause of disability in the country. Osteoarthritis is a very common problem in small animals, as well. It has been estimated that around 20 percent of dogs and 40 percent of cats will be affected by osteoarthritis at some point in their … [Read more...]
The power of thank you
A Portland State University study shows that being thanked more often at work predicted better sleep, fewer headaches and healthier eating, because it improved employees’ work satisfaction. Source: Science Daily, March, 13, 2019. Link. Many people inherently connect their identity to their job and feelings of appreciation within their roles. Employers who understand and … [Read more...]
It’s National Small Business Week
For over 50 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. Many independent veterinary clinics and animal supply companies are included in this designation. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small … [Read more...]
Walmart opens news vet clinics, launches online pet pharmacy
Walmart is opening enough new, in-store vet clinics this year to grow its current 21 clinics to 100. The retail behemoth will also launch the online pharmacy, WalmartPetRx.com to rival Chewy.com. The company is also expanding online offerings for pet food, pet vitamins and supplements, including Walmart-branded products. Source: CNBC, May 7, 2019. Link. Walmart has seen a … [Read more...]
It’s National Pet Week
Since 1981, National Pet Week® has celebrated the human-animal bond. It encourages pet owners to be certain they provide their best friends with all they need for a happy, healthy life every week of the year. Everyone loves their pets, but not everyone is aware of what their pet needs to be happy and healthy long into their senior years, says the AVMA. It provides tools and … [Read more...]
Veterinary Hospital Managers Association partners with Animal Health Digest
Our AHD team welcomes the VHMA membership and looks forward to collaborating with this growing group of animal health professionals. The VHMA is a nationally recognized thought leader and innovator in providing training, education, and resources to more than 3,600 members. It is a trusted resource that the veterinary sector relies on for industry insights, research and advocacy … [Read more...]
Depression among customers hurts us all
Production agriculture can be isolating. This tends to intensify feelings like grief, depression, anger, blame, resentment and a feeling of failure, writes Amanda Radke. She curated a series of articles on mental health issues with farmers and ranchers. Beyond our own issues with high veterinary suicide rates, some of our better customers are also hurting. Mental health issues … [Read more...]
Deal with canine noise phobias
Thunderstorm season is a challenging time for many dogs and their owners. Noise phobia describes the intense and irrational fear displayed to certain sounds by some dogs. Fear is a normal emotional response to a real or perceived threat or situation but they can escalate to a phobia that can emotionally cripple a dog. Nicholas Dodman, BVMS estimates close to 50 percent of dogs … [Read more...]
Stevie the pit bull was likely high
Megan Stadler, DVM, and Julien Guillaumin, DVM, DACVECC, DECVECC, present the case of Stevie, a pit bull presented for an emergency examination approximately three hours after the owner noticed an acute onset of lethargic behavior. The owner affirmed that Stevie had the potential for recent marijuana exposure, but there was no way to confirm it. Stevie’s experience is a … [Read more...]
Experts weigh in on pet-safe houseplants
“Even just the fertilizer that the plant sits in can be a problem,” says Stephanie Liff, DVM. Liza Corsillo sought her arborist and educator Ben Team about pet safety with houseplants. She includes specific species and links to resources for acquiring them. This is informative fit for social media and e-newsletters to help educate pet owners. Source: New York Magazine, April … [Read more...]
Opinion – Pets becoming part of long-term eldercare
A Google search produces dozens of visiting pet organizations that provide pet therapy visits to elder care facilities. The results are positive and the organizations require visiting pets to be trained for such activities. Ramona Marek reviews a growing trend of allowing seniors to bring their pet from home when they enter a care facility. I’m supportive of fur, feathers … [Read more...]
Items of interest from JAVMA News
These items from the recent JAVMA News provide perspective for animal health pros: AVMA launches Axon, a new online CE platform < link >. This online learning platform provides a place for the entire veterinary team to access the AVMA's full library of digital learning, earn CE, and acquire skills for personal and professional development. The veterinary student … [Read more...]
Opinion – Adjust clinic visits to appeal to millennials
Architect Paul Gladyz offers thought-provoking ideas about how to adjust the veterinary visit to meet the experience-desiring millennials. As a father of millennials, his perspective is personal, as well as professional. Millennials want their experiences to work toward an enjoyable life. Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, April 2019. Link. The fact remains millenials are … [Read more...]
Karen Parker, DVM, joins AHD as a contributor
Karen Parker, DVM, and owner of Park Marketing in Austin, Texas, joins the growing list of AHD expert contributors. We welcome her expertise in human resources management and marketing. Parker launched her firm earlier this year after serving as director of marketing and recruitment for Innovetive Petcare. While there, she led a project that helps the veterinary profession … [Read more...]
Keep those mosquitos away
Mosquitoes are a worldwide problem and the solutions are the same no matter where you live. The best way to avoid mosquito borne diseases, such as heartworm, is to keep the mosquitos away. Protecting animals from vector mosquitoes remains an animal health priority. Here are two references to consider as you deal with the pesky bugs. Source: How to keep mosquitoes away, … [Read more...]
Measure social brand equity to know what clients are saying
You have worked to establish a social media presence, but how do you count its value? An article in Social Media Today suggests you monitor your brand equity and your brand’s perception among consumers using the ADPR measurement framework: Awareness: How powerful is your brand? Is the brand seen and generating awareness on social media? Desirability: Is your brand … [Read more...]
Finish!
You have only a few days left in April writes Benjamin Hardy. It doesn't matter what has happened before. It matters what you'll do now, and until the finish. The better you get at finishing things, the more confidence you'll have. Finish <this month> better than you've ever finished a month. Allow yourself to sprint powerfully to a finish line. Here is some of his … [Read more...]