BE WARNED! Lithium ion batteries are statistically quite safe, and fires are rare — but they store a large amount of energy in a very small space, so the danger is real. How you use and recharge devices that contain lithium ion batteries could have a significant impact on fire risks. Source: Bottomline Personal, May 1, 2017. Advice from the National Fire Protection … [Read more...]
Return from vacation without wanting to die
Steve Errey addresses the realities of returning from a vacation or time away from work. He offers some ideas to make the return easier: Clean Before You Go Remember Resistance is Futile Find the Fun Keep in Touch Change Things Up Chuck it Out Remember How You Were Source: The Muse, May 30, 2017. How you are on vacation is typically how you are when … [Read more...]
What is a product recall?
The regulatory affairs group at Henry Schein Animal Health explain product recalls, various recall levels and processes required to complete them. Veterinary clinic staff members with fewer than five years’ experience will appreciate this overview. Source: Animal Health Solution, 2Q2017, page 22. A product recall occurs when a manufacturer, or the FDA determines that an … [Read more...]
Increased client compliance rewards for patients and practices
Dr. Karen Felstad, Gary Glassman, Dr. Marsha Heinke and Fritz Wood are featured in this 12th article of a series generated from the Henry Schein Animal Health 2016 Solutions Workshop. They discuss the elements of customer compliance and the need for a team plan. Source: Animal Health Solution, 2Q2017, page 8. When you have a plan, a way to measure it, activities to support … [Read more...]
Digital boundaries benefit everyone
Technological advances have improved our access to information, speed to market, competitive intelligence, and enhanced our successes. On the darker side, technology has blurred the lines between our work lives and our personal lives. This often causes us to be busier, but less productive. So, setting digital boundaries can help everyone. Source: Forbes, May 15, 2017. While … [Read more...]
Arrogance or insecurity?
Are those flare-ups of smug self-righteousness your mind’s attempt to spare you from feeling vulnerable? Most of the time, arrogance is used to cover the fear that we’re not really worthy, that we don’t measure up, writes Ted Leonhardt. It’s fear turned upside down and masquerading as superiority. It isn’t too hard to see, but in practice, it can be tough to correct. Source: … [Read more...]
DECISION: write emails with military precision
By adopting military email etiquette, you will introduce a kernel of clarity to your correspondence and that of your colleagues and clients. Kabir Sehgal learned how to structure emails to maximize a mission’s chances for success while in military service. He now successfully applies the same techniques in a corporate setting. Source: Harvard Business Review, November 22, … [Read more...]
Periodontal therapy in dogs using products marketed for veterinary use
Several different bone augmentation products are available for veterinary use. While there is not one class of product ideal for every treatment option there are good options that must be supported by long-term commitment to oral health by the owner. Source: JAAHA, May/June 2017 (abstract only). Also see: Table of Contents, JAAHA, May/June 2017 … [Read more...]
Enterococcus sp.: 450 million years to become a super bug
It’s a tale of evolution. Scientists estimate that Enterococcus originated about 425 million to 500 million years ago, around the time when animals first moved from the ocean to land. The dangerous bacteria might have originated from an ancestor that lived in the guts of the first animals to walk on land, according to a new study. Source: Live Science, May 11, 2017. The … [Read more...]
49.6% of people enjoy their jobs
People who are satisfied with their jobs simply do a few things differently than everyone else. They don’t necessarily have the best managers or a to-do list full of very important items. Here’s what sets them apart: They don’t seek perfection They set career goals They play to their strengths They have friends at work Source: The Muse, May 12, 2017. If you’ve … [Read more...]
Current bird flu strain increases pandemic risks
With bird flu surging, people in the U.S. need to do more to prevent a possible pandemic. The U.S. Government Accountability Office says efforts to protect chickens and turkeys from bird flu rely on voluntary and often inadequate measures by poultry producers. Controlling the virus in poultry is the main way to reduce human infection and prevent a pandemic, the GAO … [Read more...]
Five lessons for all marketers from the departure of Coke’s CMO
In what has created yet another acrimonious title, Coke’s firing of its CMO is a warning to marketers at all levels. Source: Marketing Profs, May 12, 2017. Here's what all marketers can learn from this shakeup: Now is not the time to get comfortable Your investments are under greater scrutiny You're tasked with changing the perception of your role It's time to … [Read more...]
Pets on the go
This commercial post is thought provoking for any animal health pro challenged to service an increasingly mobile pet population. A recent study reveals some behaviors among pet owners that present new opportunities for reaching pets and their owners. Source: Trone Brand Energy, May 4, 2017. Pet parents are on the go, but still want to spend as much time as possible with … [Read more...]
The next crises in rural America may be mental health
Mental illness isn’t confined within city limits. One in five residents of nonmetropolitan counties in the U.S. had some form of mental illness in 2015, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Plus, 1.4 million non-metro residents had serious thoughts of suicide in the same year. Increased opioid addiction and prescription drug abuse are just two … [Read more...]
Scarce or abundant?
In today’s competitive society there are winners. If there are winners, there must be losers. Couple that mentality with the focus on “me” and you have the ingredients for the paucity of effective leadership in business, government and society. Effective leaders, while rare, exhibit a remarkable similarity in behavior. Source: LinkedIn Pulse, April 29, 2017. Collectively, … [Read more...]
Your customized news feed could make you dumber
Much of the information you consume on the internet is filtered. For example, Google and Facebook have algorithms that attempt to figure out what things you like and are most likely to click on. This affects the sorts of search results and newsfeed items you see. If we’re only served up stuff we like, could it mean that the internet increasingly massages our ideological and … [Read more...]
The top 10 sessions at CVC last year
Convention planners work hard to deliver great value from events that take you away from the clinic. This top 10 list from CVC sessions last year is interesting and informative. Source: Veterinary Medicine, April 28, 2017. The No. 1 CVC session was — Managing chronic otitis: Treating the difficult case and preventing recurrence (James Noxon, DVM, DACVIM) INSIGHTS: Sales … [Read more...]
Saturated fat does not clog the arteries
Unclogging pipes works wonders for a sink that doesn’t drain quickly. It’s next to useless in human medicine. So is the conventional wisdom that eating foods containing saturated fat and cholesterol inevitably lead to coronary heart disease. A meta-analysis of literature — such as the peer-reviewed journals Nature, the British Medical Journal and the American Journal of … [Read more...]
May is Mental Health Month
Animal health pros have seen a lot of information recently about mental health challenges, especially among veterinary practitioners. Throughout May, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and participants across the country are raising awareness of mental health. Each year, NAMI fights stigma, provides support, educates the public and advocates for equal care. Source: … [Read more...]
Stay positive. It helps!
Throughout history a litany of hucksters has been paid handsomely to deliver motivational messages that have half-lives measured in hours. Ups and downs are a natural part of life. But, when the downs start to dominate our lives, it negatively affects our performance and more importantly, our health. Here are some practical tips to keep you on an even keel. Best of all, they … [Read more...]
Rare red wolf pups born in North Carolina
Red wolf female #1858 gave birth to a litter of six pups April 28th. They are the first critically endangered red wolves born at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina, since 2002. While this is great news for an endangered species, the red wolf faces an existential threat far beyond the fact that its numbers have dwindled to around 300 individuals. Source: … [Read more...]
Back to the future; the case for slow-growth chickens
In a world that is changing at breakneck speed, chicken producers are being pushed to raise chickens that take longer to grow and will cost more at the meat counter. The paradoxical situation parallels the consumer-driven animal welfare platform that is pushing the transition toward free-range or cage-free eggs. Source: New York Times, May 1, 2017 (paywall). The Global … [Read more...]
Wisconsin sees shortage in large animal veterinarians (includes video)
A true veterinarian shortage in rural areas remains. Dr. Lisa Hansen shared perspectives in a video interview from her practice in Barron, Wisconsin. She hopes the Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment Program can help students afford a veterinary degree and serve an area in need of their services. Source: WKOW, April 26, 2017. The United States Department of Agriculture is … [Read more...]
Companies use multiple approaches to set strategy
Researchers found a wide variation in strategy making approaches, even within similar industries and across organizations of similar sizes. They found four approaches to strategic decision making and discuss the differences in this article: unilateral, ad hoc, administrative and collaborative. Source: Harvard Business Review, April 10, 2017. Many senior executives struggle … [Read more...]
Balance empathy and authority
Effective communication skills are essential to achieve effective leadership results. Sending mixed signals creates confusion and often creates paralysis within the organization. Remember, words make up 10 percent of our in-person communication. Thus, it is important to ensure our voice and body language are in concert with the words we choose and that all three are appropriate … [Read more...]
How to work with non-team players
Carolyn O'Hara shares perspectives on the dynamics of a team member who acts as if they are not on the team. This isn’t simply frustrating. It can affect your entire group’s performance. Source: Harvard Business Review, April 21, 2017. Ignoring the issue often ends up only making it more acute. When working with the person and team here are some principles to … [Read more...]
Remake your commute time
The average American worker has a commute of 25 minutes each way. Psychology researchers recently explained the key to a pleasant commute isn’t just finding ways to fill the time. A better strategy is to change the way you think about the time. A commute can be something you have to endure, or it can be what the researchers call a “pocket of freedom.” Source: Science of Us, … [Read more...]
Rabbits, ferrets, sugar-gliders, hamsters and ? – oh my!
I often wonder how veterinarians serve animals considered in exotic. The relatively few encounters has to be a limiting factor. But, my eyes were opened by this article about preparing a practice specifically for the exotic companion mammal sub-group. The numbers of alternative pet types is growing and with it a new specialty from the Association of Exotic Mammal … [Read more...]
Don’t wait to be asked: Lead
Leadership skills are needed at all levels of interactions inside companies as well as with customer engagement. It is easy to point a finger at what is wrong or needs improvement. The real solutions to problems come when the finger-pointers start offering solutions. Professor Harry Kramer says leadership doesn’t require direct reports or a long tenure at an organization. You … [Read more...]
Carprofen: fast facts
The history of carprofen dates back to January 1997 when Pfizer Pharmaceuticals first introduced Rimadyl® (Carprofen) to veterinarians. The generic for Rimadyl, Carprofen, was marketed much later. Consider the number of veterinarians, vet technicians and staff persons in your location that graduated after 2007. Then share this information and your experiences with them at a … [Read more...]