Increased pet adoption, livestock ownership plus milk and meat consumption fuel the growth of the animal healthcare market, according to an abstract from Open PR. In the U.S., the AVMA’s November 2018 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook spotlights shifting patterns of pet ownership and points to unmet healthcare needs among America’s pets. There are near-unlimited … [Read more...]
15 practices achieve AAHA accreditation
AAHA announced another group of practices that went above and beyond to meet the highest standards in veterinary medicine. This list includes practices evaluated from October 15–November 14, 2018. Escanaba Veterinary Clinic, Escanaba, MISheridan Animal Hospital - Referral (two specialties), Buffalo, NYAMC of Garner Veterinary Hospital, Garner, NCDanville Family Vet, … [Read more...]
List defines when to take dogs to vets ASAP
Jackie Brown shares a few situations that require a vet’s immediate attention. She also gives general guidelines outlining how fast to respond and to ease transport of the injured pet. BleedingBloatBreathing issuesDifficulty walking or standing PoisoningSevere vomiting and/or diarrheaTrauma: broken bones, bite wounds, falls, hit by car Source: Dogster, December 27, 2018. … [Read more...]
Pet obesity on the rise for the 8th consecutive year
Excessive body fat in pets increases the risk of preventable health issues and may shorten the life expectancy of dogs and cats as it does in humans. Retrospective research shows the obesity trend is continuing. Nationwide Insurance searched its database to determine the top 10 conditions where obesity is a factor. (see the table in the article). Source: Feedstuffs, January … [Read more...]
Start yesterday to promote dental month
There’s no question that dental services extend life quality for pets and increase revenue potential for animal health businesses. With the inclusion of home care in the WASAVA Global Dental Guidelines, the dental message has more potential for 2019 National Pet Dental Health Month communications in February. Social media is especially helpful in educating clients because it … [Read more...]
Still no pet insurance?
The editorial team at Catnip challenges rationales for avoiding pet insurance. Pet health insurance should be a no-brainer Source: Tufts Catnip, January 2019. Link. 100 percent of cats get sick at one point or another, just like people. That’s why we firmly believe that cat owners should seriously consider buying a health insurance policy for their pets. Also see: … [Read more...]
Pet industry spending trends in 2019
Chris Rowland writes about key trends influencing our industry’s annual growth, including increases in pet ownership, the humanization of pets and pet parents demanding premium products and better, quality food. Source: International Business Times, December 28, 2018. Link. The trends indicate growth in the following areas: Innovation to spark new products and … [Read more...]
Resources promote importance of preventive pet health care
Animal health pros know the cost of prevention is a fraction of the cost of treating a disease or problem once it becomes advanced. Proactive protection products, early diagnosis and treatment of known risks, developing problems and diseases increases the life quality of pets. As you implement strategies for improving the customer experience, consider the resources … [Read more...]
Welcoming 2019 and adjusting to changes
For some animal health pros, early 2019 will bring a period of adjustment to some of the fast-paced onslaught of changes that started last year. Whether in practice ownership, cannabis laws or almost everything else, the past year brought upheaval to the profession, making it a microcosm of the world at large. Edie Lau Source: VIN News Service, December 31, 2018. Link. … [Read more...]
Kick start selling skills with marketing tactics
Whether you carry a bag, handle the phone, receive animal owners at the front desk or meet them in the aisles, selling skills are important. They differentiate you from competitors. Jacob Dillon shares marketing tactics and tips that you can use to kick start your sales skills and improve the outcomes of your actions: Sell benefits instead of featuresKnow your customer … [Read more...]
CRM is not dead
Succeeding today means developing and nurturing relationships more than it references efficiency, writes Denis Pombriant. He shares perspectives on why CRM is still important. If you haven't rethought your CRM deployment in a while, or if you thought you had everything done; think again. Source: CRM Buyer, December 1, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: There’s little doubt large … [Read more...]
Great students don’t necessarily make great employees
School and work environments are quite different, and the strategies that help students excel throughout their academic life aren’t necessarily the same ones that lead to success in a working life. Stav Ziv shares some perspectives on the challenges of transitioning to the workforce: Not being used to hearing ‘not good enough’ and not knowing what to do when it happens Being … [Read more...]
Can veterinary insurance could save the veterinary technician?
Tiffany Bartlett, LVT, BAS, reviews research on the value of veterinary insurance to determine if it could help make the sustainable career choice for veterinary technicians. She discusses potential confusion between hospital wellness plans and pet insurance and exposes educational needs for veterinary technicians and hospital staff members. Source: NAVTA Journal, … [Read more...]
How clean is that stethoscope?
A new study in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology underscores the importance of adhering to rigorous infection control procedures beyond handwashing. The study was conducted in a human hospital intensive care unit. Itcompared single-use stethoscopes to traditional reusable stethoscopes carried by medical personnel. All stethoscopes were significantly … [Read more...]
Must-have chew toys
Animal health pros are frequently asked about the best toys for pets. Keep this article handy as a guide for helping dog owners ‘chews’ a toy or four for their dog(s). Consider posting it on social media or including it in an e-newsletter ahead of the Christmas holiday. Source: Whole Dog Journal, December 10, 2018. Link. Here are some tips on selecting the best chew toys … [Read more...]
Choosing the right Christmas wishes
Merry Christmas to our 20,000-plus readers. We’ve enjoyed curating content for our animal health pro followers in 2018. We’ll return to our regular weekly schedule on January 3, 2019. Finding inspiration for holiday greetings can be perplexing. Hallmark writers provide a guide for greetings and share ideas about what to write in your holiday cards. Source: Hallmark, … [Read more...]
Music that helps you be more productive
Jared Lindzon writes about music in the workplace and its influence on productivity. The choices must address human and animal needs in animal health facilities. We’ve added sources for your consideration that address productivity, personnel and animals. ¯ . . . music is preferred over any other background noise in the workplace. . . A continually changing music stream is … [Read more...]
Opinion – Healthcare disruption trends may impact animal health
The article referenced sheds insight on how human medicine development might play out in animal health. . . . technology and cost pressures are causing a“shift left” in health care... Technology is transforming how we do business at a remarkable pace and breadth of innovation, from vertical integration to virtual reality. A POLITICO working group brought together a group … [Read more...]
Equine surgeon survey: injuries are to be expected
Injuries rob us of time, add medical costs and diminish the joys of life. While accidents happen, some injuries are easily avoided. Rose Kennedy describes the most common injuries from the most important areas of your life: home, work and sports <link>. The five most common work injuries are: OverexertionSlipping/trippingFalling from heightsReaction injuriesFalling object … [Read more...]
USDA, beef industry dispute Consumer Reports article
Before your second cousin condemns you for serving prime rib at a holiday dinner, be aware of the controversy Consumer Reports stirred up <link>. The article was recently updated, as well <see below>. I am confident that it is important for animal health pros to be informed of this information, especially considering the reputation of Consumer Reports. Source: Capitol … [Read more...]
Veterinary groups unite to fight antimicrobial resistance
Veterinary groups across North American and Europe have released a Joint Statement on Continuous Monitoring of Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance. The statement describes broad steps and strategies veterinarians around the world can take to preserve the effectiveness and availability of antimicrobial drugs while safeguarding animal, public and environmental health. … [Read more...]
Ways to improve access to veterinary care
In a perfect world, all animals would have equal access to veterinary care. But this is not reality. Multiple factors keep pet owners from seeking the veterinary care their animals need. There ARE solutions writes Amanda Landis-Hanna, DVM. Access barriers can include language,transportation, education, culture, socioeconomics, medical or mental illness,and rural or urban … [Read more...]
Add margin verification to year-end inventory activities
As 2018 closes, many teams are getting ready for a full, year-end inventory count. Some have already completed cycle counts of key items. They’ve discovered duplications, hidden outdates and found things they forgot they had. Once the counts are done, computer records will require adjustment. As computer counts are reset, it is a good time to review the margin settings for … [Read more...]
Being a vet and a drug dealer
With all the news about who will be selling what to whom these days, Mark Hardesty, DVM, writes about selling drugs, ethics and competitive trends from the perspective of a rural veterinarian and father. The article is historically timeless, as livestock practitioners have been adjusting to OTC and direct pressures for 30 or more years. What’s valuable is Hardesty’s account of … [Read more...]
Tufts, the future of feline health
More than 90 percent of cats seen in clinics are the result of random breeding. Jerold S. Bell, DVM, reviews common feline diseases and notes that many of them are the result of genetic predispositions and will most likely appear in other cats unless we take long-term measures. Pressure needs to be put on the cat breeding community so that it recognizes that the consumer is … [Read more...]
Clean hands save lives
A crucial element of preventive health for all species is hand washing. In fact, the World Health Organization considers hand hygiene as the pillar of infection control. While this abstract targets equine health, the information is a good reminder for all animal health pros. Although the principles and benefits of proper hand hygiene have been recognized in the healthcare … [Read more...]
Proper onboarding pays off
Onboarding is the series of processes for transitioning a new hire into a productive employee. Without a strategy and defined processes, new hires can flounder and not reach their potential. Source: Agri Marketing, October 2016, page 16. Link. Erika Osmundson provides guidance in 6 milestones for developing an effective on-boarding program. Pre-arrivalFirst impressions … [Read more...]
How often should I wash my office water bottle?
Susan Whittier, director of Columbia University’s Clinical Microbiology Lab said, “Water bottles and coffee mugs should be cleaned with soap and water at the end of each day. . .” She also recommends cleaning the mugs and bottles during the day, too. Source: Science of Us, November 27, 2018. Link. Keep the lid on as much as possible, to protect against the crumbling, moldy … [Read more...]
Telemedicine surging in U.S. Yet, it is still uncommon.
Monitoring the development and use of telemedicine between human doctors and patients is important to animal health pros who seek to implement telemedicine approaches to animal care. Once animal owners begin using telemedicine with their doctors it will become easier to engage them regarding their animals’ health. Although telemedicine visits have increased sharply in the U.S. … [Read more...]
Declaw free practice reviews results
Four things impressed me about this article: Going declaw-free was done more than four years ago before negative press about declaw issues was prevalent Amy Zellweger made the decision after engaging the practice team to gather evidence about declaw issues The practices have continued to grow financially Because of the educational focus, the practice now has … [Read more...]