With lessons on leadership, sales and customer engagement, Patrick T. Malone has provided weekly content since Animal Health Digest began. Readership for his posts is consistently in the top 25 percent of all posts read. Here are his top five posts from June 1 through October 31, 2019. Source: Animal Health Digest. Link. Most read posts from Patrick T. Malone: Integrity … [Read more...]
Animal Health Digest enters year 5
Four years ago, we set out to provide a curation service to help animal health pros meet the challenges of staying current with information relevant to our industry, jobs and customers. Our objective remains; to provide actionable content in the context of how animal health pros do their jobs and as close to the original publishing date as possible. You can then put the … [Read more...]
Giving thanks
It is that time of year when we reconnect with images of the first Thanksgiving when pilgrims and native Americans gathered to celebrate a bountiful harvest. More important than the meal was the gathering of cultures and mutual learning, plus the attitude of inclusion and survival. With this spirit, our team extends a hearty Thank You to our readers. Your input and our … [Read more...]
Being a working parent changes as children grow
Much of the discussion around working parents focuses on the needs of new mothers. It is as if the challenges of integrating work and parenthood evaporate once a child enters school. NOT! Children need continuing care and parental support as they move from grade school to middle school and into high school. As their independence grows, they may need less supervision, but their … [Read more...]
The evolution of metaphylaxis
Tom Latta, DVM, outlined the history and current trends in metaphylaxis for feedyard cattle during the recent AABP Conference. Since its beginnings in the 1970s, procedures have evolved with the availability of more effective antibiotics, more regulation of veterinary medications, greater emphasis on food safety, antibiotic residues and prevention of antibiotic resistance. … [Read more...]
Horses’ gum color tells health status
The color of the gums can reveal clues about a horse’s health. Any variation from the normal salmon pink could signal something requiring immediate veterinary attention: Yellow to yellowish brown can indicate liver problems when the organ is unable to filter the pigment from the bloodstream. Very pale pink, almost white, gums may be the result of decreased circulation, … [Read more...]
CBD special report
Cannabidiol here, CBD there! Various manufacturers tout a variety of benefits from their products. The FDA is currently drafting regulations for hemp and hemp-derived substances. The USDA released the final interim hemp farming rules on October 31, 2019 < link >. The Pet Product News insider’s report sheds light on where this new category is headed and gives perspective … [Read more...]
Questions about hand asepsis
Hand asepsis is one of the most critical components of surgical asepsis to lower the risk of nosocomial diseases. Phil Zeltzman, DVM, tackles four critical questions related to hand asepsis: Could you lose your driver’s license by scrubbing in? Should women who perform surgery wear nail polish? Are you scrubbing in long enough? How should you handle perforated … [Read more...]
Age-related changes in canine brain structure and metabolism
Although cognitive decline and cognitive dysfunction may occur as pets age, neither should be accepted as simply a consequence of aging. This is the conclusion by the authors from a study at the Purina Institute. Nutritional interventions provide opportunities to slow cognitive decline, mitigate the behavioral signs of cognitive dysfunction and improve quality of life for … [Read more...]
Core travel safety tips
Holidays followed by veterinary conferences and national sales meetings will increase normal travel for animal health pros. Jessica Sager highlights the most important travel safety tips. Among them are: Keeping an emergency card accessible Making copies of important documents Ensuring you are <medically> insured Source: The Discoverer. November 18, 2019. … [Read more...]
Talk about it! Antibiotic Awareness Week
The U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is an annual observance that highlights steps everyone can take to improve antibiotic prescribing and use. The USAAW observance is November 18-24, 2019 and aligns with CDC’s educational effort, Be Antibiotics Aware: Smart Use, Best Care < link >, the year-round effort to improve antibiotic prescribing and use and combat … [Read more...]
Drive: Do you have it?
What gets you up in the morning? Do you need someone else to set expectations for you? Or do you flinch at being presented with a schedule and a set of expectations? Source: Forbes.com, November 11, 2019. Link. Beyond pluck, grit, perseverance, and luck, business success takes one trait above all: drive. Drive is what gets you up in the morning . . . It’s what makes you … [Read more...]
VIDEO: Defining a.m. and p.m.
The origins and reasoning for these oft-used and misused abbreviations are in this fun piece below. Source: dictionary.com, Link. In formal writing, it is best to lowercase both a.m. and p.m. and retain the periods . . . … [Read more...]
Why does tipping still exist? (podcast)
Stephen J. Dubner’s podcast features economists who discuss tipping. Tipping is something that some people say they dislike, and yet they do it all the time. Some consider ita tax and others see it as a form of altruism. It’s estimated that tipping in America adds up to at least $40 billion a year. Source: Freakonomics Radio, November 6, 2019. Link. Tipping is an unfair way … [Read more...]
3 communication tips to implement today
Diana Peterson-Moore shares decisions each of us consciously or unconsciously makes to project ourselves and communicate who we are in the world and in the workplace. She recommends we adopt these three tips to improve our communications: Be strategic and tactical Use "I" statements and banish "you" statements Show gratitude to individual team members -- thank … [Read more...]
Popular cat podcast goes into second season
Let’s Talk About Cats podcast < link > hosted by Mary Phillips-Sandy and produced by Lizzie Jacobs is entering its second season. Described as a fun educational program, it covers everything from kitty lifestyle issues to the enormous power of the human-feline bond. Veterinary and retail teams may wish to monitor the global discussion, topics and solutions. Source: … [Read more...]
Keeping dogs safe in cold weather (includes infographic)
Keeping dogs warm outside takes forethought. Pet owners need to make sure dogs maintain their body temperature to ward against hypothermia and have protection on their paws to help prevent frostbite. When temperatures drop below 20°F, all dogs are prone to developing hypothermia and frostbite.” Sally Jones Source: Canine Journal, October 23, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: Sally … [Read more...]
Equine stifle joint therapies frustrate equine practitioners
David W. Ramey, DVM, discusses a recent retrospective study on how horses affected with various conditions of the stifle fare after surgery. The research reveals that common post-operative therapies do not make any difference in whether the studied horses returned to their previous level of performance. Here is a list of the postoperative therapies used: intra-articular … [Read more...]
Mapping how food flows in the U.S.
Animal health pros will find this interesting. A team at the University of Illinois developed the first high-resolution map of the U.S. food supply chain. The map is a comprehensive snapshot of all food flows between counties in the U.S. Grains, fruits and vegetables, animal feed and processed food items compromise the foods represented. The results also show potential areas … [Read more...]
Why you need to slow down
John Weiss brings good points about making decisions in this post. His cartoon work comes with thoughtful wisdom, as well as unique imagery. Contrasting snap judgements to managed delays, he draws from authors Frank Partnoy (Wait- The Useful Art of Procrastination) and Malcolm Gladwell (Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking). Describing how we vacillate between fast and … [Read more...]
Use the time change to your advantage
Before you fully adjust to standard time, consider what Ben Hardy offers in this tip about going to bed earlier. It's no secret that at the end of the day, your willpower is exhausted, he says. The result? A lot of low-level consumption of junk media and junk food before going to bed that not only robs you of quality sleep, but also confidence and better decision making the … [Read more...]
Found in AAHA NEWStat
We found several articles worthy of sharing in recent AAHA NEWStat posts. Some selections are sponsored while others are original and collaborative content. Post-surgical rechecks made simple with virtual care, sponsored content by BabelVet. AAHA NEWStat, November 1, 2019. Link. A logical, comprehensive staging tool for canine osteoarthritis, sponsored content by Elanco … [Read more...]
Help for introverts to thrive in the age of acceleration
Introverts can’t be on 100 percent of the time, period. Self-care is as important as self-promotion; behaviors that are often a struggle for introverts. Jane Finkle offers keys to survival and outlasting the speed of change: Adapt to change Bring innovative approaches and new ideas to the workplace Take calculated risks Think globally to keep on top of a changing … [Read more...]
Survival items to keep in your glove compartment
There are dozens of situations where you might not be able to get to survival items in your trunk. For these reasons, you consider keeping these survival items in your car’s glove compartment: Flashlight First aid kit Gloves Seat belt cutter Multi-tool Poncho We would add a candle and matches to this list. Source: The Outdoor Wear, November 5, 2019. … [Read more...]
10 tips to protect your eyesight
Exercise, stress, technology and even mindfulness practices can impact eye health. Marc Grossman, OD, LAc, doctor of optometry, author and acupuncturist, shares a multidisciplinary approach using nutrition, lifestyle changes and traditional Chinese medicine to tackle eye problems. Many of his recommendations are worth consideration by animal health pros. Source: BottomLine … [Read more...]
Revisiting Frito feet
The causes of Frito feet are natural enough and don’t mean a dog has been sneaking corn chips. However endearing for some, canine paw odors disgust others. Like strong or acrid human foot odors*, the sources of paw smell are many. Like the fungi that cause humans feet to smell, one source of dog foot odor is an unchecked proliferation of yeast fungi in and around its feet. … [Read more...]
5 ways to bond with a rescue dog
James Woller shares five ways to welcome a rescue dog into the home so they can become a part of the family. It’s essential that you do everything you can to make her feel at ease and look for the ways to make a true and unbreakable bond, he says. Woller recommends five ways of connecting with a rescue to help them become a friend for life: Talk and touch is everything … [Read more...]
Leptospirosis continuing education
Most mammals are susceptible to infection, writes Ashley DiPrete, RVT, VTS, (SAIM). As humans expand their environmental footprint, encroachment on wildlife becomes a greater issue, and people, pets and wild animal reservoir hosts cross one another’s paths more frequently. The importance of leptospirosis sp. is underscored by its status as the most prevalent zoonotic disease … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club, November events start tonight
Tonight, Brenda and Catherine will join Animal Policy Group’s Mark Cushing, thought leader and animal care advocate Dr. David Haworth, and Idexx Laboratories’ Dr. Sherri Rigby to discuss data on the very real dog shortage in the U.S., its pet health and practice economics implications, and potential solutions. The conversation is live on-site at New York Vet. See other … [Read more...]
Opinion – Listening with the intent to reply
Do you hear or listen? One thing that frustrates me is how news anchors or sportscasters continuously speak over someone. It happens even when the person speaking over the other is getting an answer to the very question they just asked. Listening is NOT a competitive sport.” - Anonymous Source: Forbes, October 29, 2019. Link. Most people do not listen with the intent to … [Read more...]