Commentary Onboarding has been a regular topic in AHD posts <Link>. Whether a new employee or an employee in a new location, having and implementing onboarding strategies is more than orientation. It is a valuable process that supports the time, effort and costs of finding the right person for the job. Wendy Brenes shares ways to improve new employee experiences, … [Read more...]
When resentment is building on your team
Employee discontent is on the rise, shares Rebecca Knight. More workers are thinking about quitting their jobs now than during the Great Resignation in 2022, despite a less favorable job market. People are living more on the edge, making it easy for impatience, concern and discomfort to leak out as sarcasm or subtle verbal attacks that turn into resentment. Two experts share … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 19, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, September 12, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the September 12th AHD Bulletin – Likeability – How to find it in others and develop it in you. Link. Don’t forget. Manure can kill! Link. Use the Two-Minute Rule to stop procrastinating. Link. ===================================== The 5-3-1 Rule is … [Read more...]
Pet weight survey starts October 7th, includes horses
The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention will collaborate with veterinary practices and teaching hospitals to collect and report the weight and body condition scores of dogs, cats and, for the first time, horses. Veterinary clinics interested in recording the weights and scores of patients seen during routine examinations may register at bit.ly/APOPsignup. Source: Today’s … [Read more...]
Federal bill seeks to expand HSA, FSA eligibility to include veterinary care expenses
The People and Animal Well-being (PAW) Act aims to support pet owners by making veterinary care more affordable under Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Source: Veterinary Practice News, September 17, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Study estimates superbug crisis could get worse, killing nearly 40 million people by 2050
A recently published study <Link> projects the challenge of antimicrobial resistance into the future. AMR, one of the top global public health and development threats, is expected to get worse. It is driven by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobial medications in humans, animals and plants. Source: CNN, September 16, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
JBS to transform renewable gas to sustainable fuel at US beef and poultry plants
JBS and GreenGasUSA are collaborating to collect methane from wastewater streams at JBS facilities using GreenGasUSA’s on-site upgrading systems, which can purify biogas into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas. Source: AgricultureDive, September 18, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Injectable iron – New science on a routine practice
Complimentary Commercial Content To prevent iron deficiency in pigs and avoid the heavy losses this can cause, iron supplementation is necessary during the first three days of life. Since the 1950’s iron supplements have been common practice, albeit with some arguments about how much and whether one dose or two is best. In this article, Wesley Lyons and Chris Olsen, of … [Read more...]
Mosquitos bug pigs, too
Mosquitos! Animal health pros often associate the pesky biting bugs with dogs and horses, but they are a problem for swine producers too. Jennifer Shike’s two articles address issues with mosquitos and controlling them around swine production sites. Sources: 9 ways to fight mosquitos on the farm, PORK, September 9, 2024. Link. Mosquitos are on the rise: Why pork … [Read more...]
4 considerations for more efficient, productive farm calls
Veterinarians tell some of the most comical stories about making farm calls when producers have told them they’ll “have everything ready” . . . NOT! Laura Meier, DVM, shares the importance of preparation at the farm and veterinarian level in this reminder article. Communication, preparation and patience are key to helping farm calls run smoothly and quickly . . . there’s … [Read more...]
To preg-check or not . . . an economic decision
Dean Kreager relates the importance of checking beef cows for pregnancy to the potential costs of overwintering an open cow. He shares only 20 percent of cow-calf producers in the eastern U.S. preg-check beef cows. Noting drought conditions in some areas, Kreager estimates the overwintering feed costs, and compares that to preg-check costs and the relative value of a cull cow … [Read more...]
It’s not Old McDonald’s dairy farm anymore
Beef-on-dairy has become a cash cow for many dairy farmers, writes Fran O'Leary. But making it all work takes some experimentation, time and planning. She shares some producer experiences and the economics in this article. Source: Wisconsin Agriculturist, September 5, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: O’Leary’s article is good context for veterinary teams and sales representatives … [Read more...]
10 reasons to love sticky ichthammol ointment
Next to the jar of pine tar in my grandfather’s horse barn was a jar of drawing salve called ichthammol. I remember the stinky salve when it got slapped on a bumblebee sting while removing old hay and chaff from an idle stall bunk. A derivative of coal tar, it is used to reduce inflammation, draw out infection, kill germs and soothe pain. EQUUS editors share 10 uses for … [Read more...]
Parasitic ‘horror’ wasp bursts from a fly’s abdomen like an alien
Scientists accidentally discovered a new species of wasp, Syntretus perlmani, that lays eggs inside living, adult fruit flies, which then burst from the hosts' abdomens while they're still alive. Finding the wasp surprised the researchers because Drosophila flies are so common and well-studied. Source: Live Science, September 13, 2024. Link. Image credit: Matthew … [Read more...]
Are antibiotics necessary for oral surgery?
Bacteremia is a recognized sequela of dental scaling and oral surgery in patients with severe periodontal disease. A small study sought to assess whether transient bacteremia developed after dental scaling, root planing and dental extractions, as well as whether the amount of bacteremia warranted antibiotics. Perioperative use of systemic antibiotics for dental procedures in … [Read more...]
It’s better to forget the ice cubes for dogs
Depending on which Google search result you read, the vote on sharing ice cubes with dogs is 50/50, yes/no. Pam Nichols, DVM, CCRP, CFI, offers guidance on the topic in this article, ultimately saying not to offer dogs ice, including teething puppies. The main risk is tooth damage, she says. Giving a dog ice water, or just a handful of ice cubes, has no beneficial … [Read more...]
Vet care costs are skyrocketing. 8 people share their vet bill horror stories.
Commentary Deborah Vankin’s story relating pet owner experiences with veterinary care costs from survey results is not surprising. What is concerning is the bent toward negative experiences. Sadly, there is only one reference to pet insurance, especially when this month is National Pet Health Insurance Month which is promoted every year in September <Link>. Source: … [Read more...]
Explore different facets of empathy to improve client communication, earn CE
Jennifer Sperry, DVM, leads this online CE webinar and shares the different facets of empathy through storytelling, real-world examples and academic publications. She identifies some tools any clinic or practitioner can employ to activate and improve empathetic practice. Source: ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance. Link. Earn 1 Hour of RACE-Approved CE Credit. Related: Search … [Read more...]
Advocacy series popular with clinic teams
Feedback shared with ASPCA@ Pet Health Insurance field representatives reveals our advocacy series <Link> has sparked attention from clinic teams over the past several months. We’re sharing two resources available to help clinic teams engage pet owners and share the value of pet insurance with pet owners. Source: ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance. Pet insurance … [Read more...]
Top 3 retail trends driving industry transformation in 2024
Commentary Retailers are facing fundamental shifts in the rules and relationships that define the consumers’ purchase paths. At its core, retail is about delivering the right product at the right price to the right customer. The same goes for services businesses. Like it or not, digitalization empowers business models like marketplaces, direct-to-consumer and social … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – September 16, 2024
The People and Animals Well-being Act, rising costs threaten pet ownership, Pak Social seeks to redefine pet care, what works in marketing now and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, September 16, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Why we forget things we were just thinking about
The brain isn't capable of multitasking, states Earl K. Miller, PhD. He describes two types of memory, long-term and working memory, and explains why we sometimes forget what we were just thinking about or go to grab a specific item only to return without it. Working memory is like the sketchpad of conscious thought and has very limited capacity. It has to juggle different … [Read more...]
The best managers are like great coaches
Author Roy Williams asserts great coaches are great, not because they were superstars, but because they know how to awaken the star that sleeps in each of the team members around them and they're not afraid to hire people better than they are. Williams suggests that managers spend the next 21 days complimenting a team member for every correct action they make. "Then prepare … [Read more...]
Subtle leadership
Every member of the veterinary or pet services team has the opportunity and responsibility to lead when the situation presents itself. This article on charisma will help you be ready and able when that situation arises. Source: The Gentle Force, August 24, 2024. Link. It is refreshing when someone truly listens and asks thoughtful questions.” INSIGHT: It’s all about … [Read more...]
Antelligence launches enterprise practice location database
Complimentary Commercial Content Antelligence is offering the first-ever comprehensive database of over 8,800 corporate veterinary practice locations across the U.S. Available via annual subscription with quarterly updates, the database also includes advanced insights into the corporate veterinary landscape. Source: Antelligence, September 19, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Responding to climate change in the veterinary industry
Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and other veterinary colleges are working to educate future veterinarians to be better stewards of planetary health. A focus on environmental issues is closely aligned with elements of climate change and veterinarians can make a positive impact, writes Robin Ferruggia. We’re looking at how … [Read more...]
Are we really busy enough to hire? (podcast)
Eric Garcia and Andy Roarke, DVM, discuss management adjustments versus the need for hiring in veterinary practices in this podcast. They question if practices are truly understaffed or if the desire to hire is to offset by non-managed inefficiencies. They explore ways to increase operational efficiencies and where technology can improve practice management. Source: Cone of … [Read more...]
Nearly 50 percent of full-time workers don’t make a living wage
“Only 46 percent of those in health care make a living wage . . . generally defined as having enough cash flow to cover their monthly bills,” shares Kathryn Mayer in this article. She highlights pronounced disparities for women and people of color. Only 56 percent of full-time workers in the U.S. are making a living wage, while 44 percent are not earning enough to cover … [Read more...]
Use the Two-Minute Rule to stop procrastinating
David Allen’s two-minute rule is simple and dynamic. With it, there’s no complex workflow, it’s easy to follow and can be implemented immediately. Source: todoist. Link. If an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it’s defined.” – David Allen Also see: Do it NOW!, AHD Archives, January 30, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 12, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, September 5, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the September 5th AHD Bulletin – A priest, a drunk and a business leader meet and . . . Link. Wildlife decision tree helps clinic staff deal with wildlife properly. Link. New guidance for AMR gram-negative infections. Link. Swine producers, veterinarians … [Read more...]