Jennifer R. Henderson provides us with simple, vivid reminders of the importance of hand sanitation in Never Touch These Parts of Your Body. In the few minutes it took to read this, I did three of the things she cautions against. Add a critter or four and the considerations expand exponentially. Too basic? Monitor yourself for five minutes! Source: Healthgradepro.com, March … [Read more...]
What’s in the (pet food) bag?
Kristi Reimer Fender’s shares challenges veterinary teams face when advising clients on pet food for their pets. Her article focuses on clearing up a storm of pet food myths, misconceptions, guiding clients and how food is integrated as part of the human-animal bond. Kudos to the DVM team for assembling this valuable collection of resources. Here’s what it comes down to: A … [Read more...]
Intellectually curious
If you want to develop your business acumen (link), your situational knowledge and your ability to create value for your clients and your dream clients, you need to become intellectually curious. Source: The Sales Blog, July 17, 2019. Link. At some point, I realized that creating greater value for my clients meant learning more about their business. I started to ask a … [Read more...]
Putting an old friend down . . .
It was time. My old, trusted friend had suffered enough. Cut, bruised and now broken, a veteran of hundreds of trips, my trusty, go-to travel suitcase was beyond repair. That old black travel bag was at least 10 years old; a $60 spend for which real value was received. For many of us, we face a time when a zipper repair costs more than a new bag or a broken handle is not … [Read more...]
Go outside! not just a Mom’s dictate
“Okay, it is time for you to go outside and play,” might be a way for moms to get a break from child rearing during summer. She’s right. Researchers have studied outdoor time and found the benefits of spending two to three hours per week in nature were similar to the benefits of getting two to three hours of physical exercise a week. Nature enhances health by reducing people’s … [Read more...]
Diagnosing skin lesions: an image gallery
Fans of the various veterinary TV programs recognize how frequently clients visit clinics with pet that has an unknown skin thingy. Alexander Werner Resnick, VMD, DACVD, gives animal health pros a resource of an image gallery of primary skin lesions to help understand basic lesions and their patterns of presentation. Primary lesions result directly from the disease process; … [Read more...]
Opinion – Set the right expectations for puppy owners
In the last two decades, animal health pros have become increasingly aware of the number of puppies that get returned or surrendered. Most of these pets are returned because of normal behavior issues that new owners are not prepared to face. More than 1 million households give up their pets every year — and it’s not, by and large, because those animals aren’t loved or wanted.” … [Read more...]
USDA scientists, researchers reveal 320 new inventions in 2018
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue recently discussed the latest Technology Transfer Report <Link >. He reported 320 new inventions from USDA laboratories in fiscal 2018, along with 471 licenses, 120 patent applications and 67 actual patents. Feedstuffs’ Jacqui Fatka shares the new developments and the potential economic impact. Source: Feedstuffs, July 3, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
Don’t sweat the small talk
There are two kinds of people in this world, writes Dr. Pat Aitcheson. The first go by the Irish principle of strangers being friends they haven’t met yet. And the second live by Sartre’s principle that hell is other people. Unfortunately for the latter, they also have to socialise at least occasionally. Aitcheson offers tips for making conversation better: Assume … [Read more...]
Mess up . . . fess up. Avoid shifting blame.
In a recent SmartPulse poll, 32 percent of respondents admitted to blame shifting in the face of an error. The author offers advice about taking responsibility. None of us likes to make mistakes let alone claim responsibility for them. Source: SmartBrief, June 11, 2019. Link. Many mistakes have multiple parties contributing. No one wants to take the blame for someone else’s … [Read more...]
3 ways to deal with conflict more productively
“ . . . conflict is an inescapable part of life. You shouldn’t ask yourself, “Will I experience conflict,” but rather, “How will I manage conflict when it happens,” writes Roi Ben-Yehuda. “Few of us are naturally equipped with the tools to self-manage conflict,” he says. ‘So we end up telling ourselves problematic stories that make everything worse.” Source: Fast Company, … [Read more...]
Never say this to your team
Barbara Davidson tells us what good managers ask to coach their employees to greater productivity. She says businesses who use coaching techniques towards their employees have been able to boost worker engagement and productivity by around 12 percent and offers 11 specific things managers should say for success. Source: Headway Capital, May 13, 2019. Link. “Just switching … [Read more...]
Integrity is essential for leadership
Businessman, author and syndicated columnist Harvey McKay put it best when he said, “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.” Source: Vet-Advantage Companion edition, June 2019. Link. Wikipedia suggests integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and … [Read more...]
Set up new hires for success
Too often we hire a new employee and then satisfied, rush to catch up with what we left undone. But, research shows being systematic in onboarding brings new employees up to speed 50 percent faster. This means they can more quickly and efficiently contribute to achieving desired goals. Effective onboarding also dramatically reduces failure rates and increases employee … [Read more...]
Keep pets away to prevent foodborne illness
Animal waste tainting fresh produce is one of the major causes of foodborne ailments. So, farmers’ markets and pick-your-own growers are increasingly guarded about tolerating pets near their edibles. Home gardeners should be cautious, too, writes Dean Fosdick. Source: Associated Press, April 30, 2019. Link. Whether human, dog, cat, cow or deer — all animals can be the … [Read more...]
Your pet’s health likely tattles about yours
Physician Daphne Miller explores the growing evidence that the status of a pet’s health may very well reflect that of its owner. She also considers the One Health initiative, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention effort in which physicians and veterinarians find commonalities in their work. Source: Washington Post, July 1, 2019. Link. “I see [pet-owner] connections … [Read more...]
The importance of a good apology
New research reveals a formula for communicating an apology that increases customer satisfaction and loyalty after a service failure. . . . the inevitable customer crisis can become one of your best opportunities to deepen customer commitment—if you handle the failure properly. Source: Sales and Marketing Management, May/June 2019. Link. Tim Riesterer shares research results … [Read more...]
10 tips for improving your remote conversations
John R. Stoker discusses the challenges of remote workers. What he shares also applies to remote discussions with customers. Because we are not working with these people in a face-to-face environment, we are forced to communicate by text, email, phone, internet or teleconference. The most challenging types of communication occur without being able to either see the person … [Read more...]
Opinion – Human infection control. Progress worth watching and applying.
The need for increased infection control in animal clinics is equally as important as it is in human hospitals. In addition to protecting patients, managing infection possibilities also protects staff and doctors. Animal health pros can learn from the discussion about the results of infection control management in human hospitals to identify areas that need improvement in … [Read more...]
Biosecurity tips for livestock exhibitors
Livestock show season is still in full swing and biosecurity protocols should be in full swing, as well. Worthwhile biosecurity tips to follow before, during and after a stock show are featured in this blog post. Source: Neogen Blog, May 22, 2019. Link. Careful vigilance is essential while the event is ongoing. This is where risk are highest, so act accordingly. Monitor … [Read more...]
Vet colleges partner to improve vet education
A digital education platform to house educational resources and teaching tools for use by veterinary faculty around the world is in the planning stages. The educational resources and teaching tools will initially focus on herd health management and infectious disease epidemiology, emphasizing emerging diseases, disease management, outbreak investigation, biosecurity, veterinary … [Read more...]
Many common household cleaning products are NOT SAFE for dogs
Please take time to review this information! The articles reference popular cleaners that contain toxic ingredients. Studies show the dangerous effects of some common cleaning products on dogs. These include data on pets which showed that Fido and Fluffy are not immune to chemicals and that many cleaning products are not pet safe. There are many, many cleaning products on … [Read more...]
Avoid stings and bites
We live in world that is highly aware of the risks from mosquitoes and ticks. For pets and humans alike, preventing bites and stings is the best and safest approach. There are a lot of options in products for humans and their companion animals. Consumer Reports offers ratings on products for humans. While CAPC has provided a list of preventatives for dogs and cats along with … [Read more...]
DVM walks us through Fair Oaks Farms video (video)
Jan Shearer, DVM, breaks down a Fair Oaks Farm video shot at a milking parlor and barn. Shot by an activists, the video was intended to harm the dairy’s and agricultures images. Shearer discusses practices scene by scene. The Center For Food Integrity established an Animal Care Review Panel of top veterinarians to assess this undercover video and provide clarity of what’s … [Read more...]
Feline fundus disease (photo gallery)
The ocular fundus is the back of the eye opposite the pupil and includes the portion of the white of the eye (sclera) that is in the back of the eye, the retina, the membrane between the retina and the sclera (the choroid), and the optic disk. In cats, abnormalities can affect the fundus including inherited disease, acquired disease, infectious disease, manifestations of … [Read more...]
Purina research shows promise for those allergic to cats
By taking advantage of natural allergen-antibody interactions, Purina researchers discovered how to safely neutralize Fel d1, a major cat allergen, in hair and dander. This was done by incorporating an egg product containing anti-Fel d1 antibodies into a cat's diet. Their research, published in Immunity, Inflammation and Disease and featured at the Purina Institute website … [Read more...]
Horses helping seniors
Human-animal bond research continues to expose the power of animals interacting with humans and vice versa. The Connected Horse program in California is stretching the approach for seniors with dementia, including Alzheimer’s. The program also recognizes the needs of caregivers and uses older horses past their prime. The combination appears effective and is the focus of … [Read more...]
Dogs absorb our emotions
A new study shows owners who experience long-term stress and anxiety can pass it on to their dogs. Dogs are quite good at understanding humans. They’re definitely better at understanding us than we are at understanding them.” - Lina Roth, Zoologist Source: National Geographic, June 6, 2019. Link. Roth found no evidence that anxious dogs created nervous owners. INSIGHTS: … [Read more...]
Downward head tilt can make people seem more dominant
New research findings could have practical implications for our routine social interactions. People often display certain movements or expressions during their everyday interactions, such as a friendly smile or wave, as a way to communicate information. Research suggests that we may also want to consider how we hold our head during these interactions, as subtle head movements … [Read more...]
Good writing makes you more employable, no matter the role
It’s never too late to learn what makes great writing, says Jaleh Bisharat. If your writing needs work, he offers reasons to improve along with seven tips on being a better writer: Good writing correlates with crisp thinking Clear, persuasive communication is the underpinning of a successful professional If you’re a good writer, there will always be work for you to … [Read more...]