Julia Burke shares ideas and favored items in the pet industry to add to your holiday shopping list from several categories, including health and wellness items. Source: DVM 360, November 24, 2023. Link. Also see: Choosing safe dog toys, AHD, December 21, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Be curious
One of the simplest and more effective ways to brighten someone’s day is by asking them a question. Being asked about ourselves and our lives makes us feel listened to, understood, cared for and validated. Source: Axios, November 7, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Be interested and others will find you interesting. … [Read more...]
Study: More Americans seeking preventive care. Can animal health capitalize on the trend?
Commentary Animal health pros are familiar with the transitions from treatment to prevention that occurred in dentistry <Link>. Driven in part by advancements in technology, a modern general practice dentist is heavily focused on healthy oral care and preventing dental decay. A Health Affairs study indicates human patients are seeking similar care from their primary … [Read more...]
Looking back: most read posts from the November 2022 AHD Bulletins
Most read posts give us a sense of the priorities, problems and pain points animal health pros are experiencing when serving animal owners, their animals and each other. Despite what seems like a heightened sense of urgency, the most read posts from a year ago are grounding and remind us little changes. Animal health remains a repetitive business which benefits from educating … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 16, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, November 9, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the November 9th AHD Bulletin – Age-specific products for senior companion animals. Link. Better cat visits. Carriers and caregivers are the key. Link. The value of teamwork. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
The evolution of poultry farming in America
Large-scale and backyard poultry farming oscillate every couple of generations. Kenny Coogan provides a short history of poultry farming in the U.S. as backyard birds are gaining popularity once again. Source: Backyard Poultry, October 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
The Nature Conservancy Announces 2023 Photo Contest Winners
They’re in! The Nature Conservancy announced its 2023 Photo Contest Winners. Take the time to look at a variety of photos of birds, mammals, aquatic creatures, landscapes and more. Source: The Nature Conservancy, Link. The following photos submitted to our 2030 photo contest captivated our judges the most. … [Read more...]
AAHA publishes guidelines for the management of allergic skin diseases in dogs and cats
Managing allergic skin diseases in dogs and cats can be challenging. It requires a multimodal therapeutic approach and frequent, ongoing communication with the pet’s family members and caregivers. AAHA’s first-of-a-kind guidelines offer detailed diagnosis and treatment plans to help guide veterinary teams creating better patient outcomes and client satisfaction. Treating the … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – November 13, 2023
Fast Bites is the weekly communication tool dedicated to the members and supporters of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association. Approximately 7,000 businesses are members and represent the pet care professionals who support dog and cat owners when they are not able to do so at home. These animal health pros often see pets four or more times each week. Source: … [Read more...]
How to ask for attention if you are an introvert
It is seldom we meet someone who doesn’t want attention in some way, at least sometimes. Some perceive introverts do not want attention, explains Hope Constance, but this is not true. She shares ways for introverts to get the acknowledgments they desire. Even though we introverts don’t crave the limelight, we still want people to acknowledge us and our hard work.” Source: … [Read more...]
How 15 minutes make or break your day (podcast)
Charlie Gilkey discusses small daily habits or practices that have an outsized impact on our productivity and well-being and how to identify the 15 to 20 minutes each day that make or break how we feel and function. It is a great topic as we head into the holiday season. Source: Sparked, November 7, 2023. Link. (30:10) … [Read more...]
The critical skill for success
Communication is critical for success. Yet it is multifaceted and beyond simply the expression of words. If you cannot communicate, it is like winking at a date in the dark . . . nothing happens.” Source: Inc., November 7, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Words and “music” make the song complete. … [Read more...]
Time to face the music
Too much sound can be harmful to our health as we shared recently <Link>. The wrong sounds piped into the clinic’s sound system may be annoying and bad for business, writes Marc Rosenberg, VMD. He shares a realistic situation where staff and clients were negatively affected by the choice of clinic music. Source: DVM 360, November 7, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Did you hear what I said? How to listen better.
“Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?” is a comical scene from the 1998 movie, Rush Hour, <Link> when Carter (Chris Tucker) picks up Lee (Jackie Chan) at the airport. Many times during our everyday communications that phrase is applicable. Michael Blanding reports on research that reveals how prone the mind is to wandering and sheds light on … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 9, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, November 2, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the November 2nd AHD Bulletin – Heartworm prevention nonadherence prevalent in U.S., study finds. Link. Want to move up? Link. Roundtable discussion: The performance impacts of cow gut health. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences … [Read more...]
U.S. birds affected by HPAI outbreak surpasses 60 million
The numbers are hard to ignore. If we estimate each bird lost weighed an average of three pounds, then 90,000 tons of poultry have been lost in our food chain. Put another way, it is over 2.2 million refrigerated truckloads of poultry that won’t be available for consumption. Source: Feedstuffs, November 1, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Despite grumblers, finger-pointers and naysayers, the beef industry is solid and growing
Nevil Speer offers a look at the fed cattle market over the past four decades to reveal that the trends over time are positive and clear. Beef IS winning in the marketplace. Consumers are voting in favor of beef and the result is the fed market is stronger than ever” – Nevil Speer Source: Drovers, November 1, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Rottweiller gives birth to huge litter. Surprise!
Jessie, a two-year-old Rottweiler, surprised her owners who expected her to have five or six puppies at best. She ended up giving birth to a litter three times bigger. Although not a litter-size record, Jessie delivered 15 healthy puppies on her own. Source: PUPvine, November 4, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Get better at thinking on your feet
A sudden request can give even the most confident person a jolt of panic. The challenge for most people in all communication, planned or spontaneous, is anxiety, says author Matt Abrahams. He offers six steps to become better at thinking on your feet. Source: Fast Company, October 4, 2023. Link. Many of us ramble when we speak spontaneously because we’re discovering what we … [Read more...]
Something strange happens to human brains during Zoom calls
New research at Yale University reveals our brains don’t process Zoom conversations the same way as face-to-face conversations, even though you are talking to real people. Brain scans of people having face-to-face conversations revealed higher levels of synchronized neural activity, which the researchers interpret as a sign of increased mutual exchange of social cues. Zoom … [Read more...]
The value of teamwork
We are talking about willing collaboration between professionals. Source: foundr, March 6, 2023. Link. Improved teamwork can better distribute work and share the load.” INSIGHT: Teamwork is more than a buzzword on a poster … [Read more...]
Where do the sharps go?
Regardless of why the animal received a shot, it is important to dispose of the needle in a safe way, writes Russ Daly. He reminds us that outside of our medical facility, protecting ourselves and others from needles, scalpel blades and more items used to perform medical procedures requires proper handling and disposal. This article focuses on livestock but applies equally to … [Read more...]
Tips for implementing a triage system
The old adage, “The hurrier we go, the behinder we get,” comes to mind when reviewing the triage tips shared by Virginie Wurlod, Dr. Vet. Med., DACVECC, DECVECC. Organizing the veterinary ER and shoring up procedures ensures the hospital staff is ready for any emergency. Consider using the tips here to review and update criteria, the physical area, supplies and refresh staff … [Read more...]
Heartworm Society: a million pets infected annually, many go undiagnosed (infographic)
Heartworm preventative compliance remains a significant issue as we shared last week <Link>. An informative infographic from the American Heartworm Society shares alarming metrics and depicts the failures of pet owners to protect their dogs and cats. Source: American Heartworm Society, X (Twitter), November 3, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: At this writing, there are ONLY … [Read more...]
Want to move up?
Power should rarely flow from title or tenure and five other tips to help you earn more influence in your organization. Source: AXIOS, October 20, 2023. Link. The cold, hard truth of power is that it's easier to lose than to win. You can avoid criticism by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing.” Aristotle … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 2, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 26, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the October 26th AHD Bulletin – The customer experience is the sales experience. Link. Body language. Link. How to know when it’s time to switch jobs. Link. Placekeeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
Roundtable discussion: The performance impacts of cow gut health
Sponsored Content Researchers in the dairy industry participated in a roundtable discussion on the impacts of gut health on overall cow performance. Key topics included how gut dysbiosis occurs, the negative ramifications of it and how feed additives can effectively restore gut health. It was noted that modes of action for feed additives vary depending on product type, dose, … [Read more...]
Ever persistent canine parvovirus. DVM 360 panel discussion.
Complimentary Commercial Content A panel of experts discusses the ongoing challenges when treating canine parvovirus including sharing how prevalent the disease remains and the emotional toil on staff members. The panel digs into parvo treatment options across the spectrum of veterinary medicine as well as their limitations. The discussion continues to introduce an … [Read more...]
Digging for secrets from the raccoon in your garbage
Commentary We have consistently urged animal health pros to consider the risks at the intersections of wildlife and our domestic animals. This post from October 2022 is one of many examples <Link>. In the article below, scientists are investigating what many of us have asserted for decades despite anthropomorphisms that diminish warnings about wildlife as … [Read more...]
Etiquette guide will improve your email communication
Speaking of email, here is help you can use. Since the pandemic, we now regularly video conference, use instant messaging and text. Still, email is the primary tool for connecting, often for the first time. Like it or not, it’s important. Three experts offer tips for getting the most from office email. Source: The Washington Post, November 1, 2023. Link. Take a few seconds … [Read more...]