Opinion Whether printed on paper or sent as a PDF, invoices are a way to market your services and products. Different than most collateral, invoices prompt a focused review from the recipient. Uwe Dreissigacker shares five ways to use invoices: Strengthen your branding Sell special offers, sales or promotions Encourage referrals Provide free resources Ask … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 10, 2021
Last week’s most read post Watch the quiet people. Source: Animal Health Digest, June 1, 2021. Link. Knowing when not to talk is an art.” – Patrick T. Malone Empowered women empowering others Source: DVM 360, May/June 2021. Link. Empowering Veterinary Teams’ founders Alyssa Mages, CVT and Caitlin Keat, BS, MS are filling their own career gaps by helping … [Read more...]
Pandemic misery index reveals far-reaching impact of COVID-19 on American lives, especially on Blacks and Latinos
Opinion Social media posts are sharing the excitement of live attendance at the 2021 VMX Convention. There’s a backdrop to these return to normal accounts to keep in mind. While progress is being made, racial and ethnic gaps persist, despite an overall decline in pandemic hardship. According to the U.S. Pandemic Misery Index, 80 percent of U.S. adults experienced at least … [Read more...]
Know how much water cattle need
Sometimes a picture puts things into perspective. This one does when it comes to how much water cows and calves need. Share and discuss water resources with producers to support health and prevention strategies. Drought and hot summer days are coming quickly. Source: BEEF, June 7, 2021. Link. All the grass in world means nothing without water. … [Read more...]
Scoring hair shedding traits in beef cow selection
Selecting for cows that shed effectively is crucial to dealing with summer heat stress. It is so important that the American Angus Association is interested in developing expected progeny difference (EPD) values. This may seem to be a silly thing to do, but hair shedding is a moderately heritable trait.” – Edon Cole, University of Missouri Extension livestock … [Read more...]
Hay! Got any?
Pasture and range conditions are historically poor for this time of year because of ongoing drought west of the Mississippi River. Nearly 70 percent of hay produced, and 76 percent of the nation’s beef cow herd is located in this region. Further, producers expect to harvest the smallest amount of hay in more than a century. Unless there is some drought relief soon . . . expect … [Read more...]
Oldest livestock genome reveals origin of today’s goats
Comparing the ancient goat DNA with that of modern wild goats, scientists found distinct genetic clusters indicating apparently managed goats were being bred with one another. This confirms the herders maintained a goat population largely separate from near wild goats in Iran’s Zagros Mountain region. The earliest of the goat remains date to about 8200 BCE, making the DNA in … [Read more...]
Oh, those dirty rats!
Rodents are one of the major taxa most likely to carry zoonotic diseases, harboring more than 85 unique zoonotic pathogens. The paper referenced here focuses on the unique opportunity zoo personnel have to be at the forefront of the early detection and identification of novel hosts and geographic ranges of rodent-borne pathogens with high impact on endangered species and … [Read more...]
Travel checklists for horse caretakers
Horse owners traveling will appreciate these lists to ensure horse health. Hannah Arington provides a checklist for traveling with horse(s) and one for a horse sitter. Consider sharing the article on social media, in newsletters, with local equine hobbyists and with 4-H and youth development groups. Doing it now will help prepare recipients for upcoming county and state … [Read more...]
Disease Du Jour: Tips about senior horse management
Complimentary Content sponsored by Merck Animal Health The two most common things we deal with in our old horse population is lamenesses and endocrine dysfunction, says Dianne McFarlane, DVM, PhD, MS, Dip ACVIM, referencing research results. The endocrine dysfunction is mostly about Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), as well as insulin … [Read more...]
Dogs get sunburn too!
People are surprised to learn dogs need protection from the sun. Hair offers a natural barrier between its skin and the sun’s rays, but it is not complete protection. Dogs can get sunburned, too. We’re including two references to help educate pet owners via social media or newsletters. Source: 5 ways to protect your dog from sunburn, Animal Wellness, May 2017. … [Read more...]
Help pet owners conduct home health checks
Opinion The need for pet owner education and training became more apparent during 2020. New pet owners, especially, seemed unprepared to manage the day to day with pets, let alone changes to their pets’ wellness. Sandra Murphy shares a home health checklist suitable for helping pet owners systematically monitor their pet. Pet owners will appreciate this list. Consider … [Read more...]
Upcoming Leading with Purpose webinar: Pushing beyond your current plateau
Consolidations and practice acquisitions continue. The following topics are on the webinar agenda and will interest practicing veterinarians: Status of veterinary practice consolidation: market share, acquisition pace, and future projections Reasons for the increase in consolidations and top challenges Key revenue drivers in veterinary services Six essential … [Read more...]
Fighting brain fog with food: Tips from a psychiatrist (with videos)
Brain fog has emerged as one of the most frustrating effects of long Covid-19. It can linger for months after the first symptoms of the coronavirus have passed. Uma Naidoo, MD, nutritionist, chef, author, prescribing psychiatrist, addresses the challenges of brain fog and how specific foods activate the gut-brain connection to help return to normal. The gut and the brain are … [Read more...]
FOMO – What is it and why it can be hazardous to your mental health
FOMO, the fear of missing out, is an addiction to novelty, writes Reneil. It may be about anything, but whatever it is, you’re not the only one who has experienced it, is experiencing it, nor would experience it. Reneil references social media as essentially turning us into a sensation receptacle. We stimulate our minds with more and more information about everything, yet … [Read more...]
Managing and bonding with teammates’ strengths
Opinion – Complimentary commercial content Last week we shared thoughts on bonding with associate veterinarians from Brian Conrad, DVM. He indicated he was quick to lead team building. We commented that sales representatives can often provide resources and help lead the activities. CliftonStrengths provides powerful team building opportunities. The possible individual and … [Read more...]
Female veterinarians say gender disparity remains an uphill battle
Meg Mueller, DVM, says one of the biggest challenges females face in large animal practices is the issue of working with strong and powerful patients who are much of the time in non-clinical, less than ideal settings. Clients’ perceptions that they can't handle the job doesn’t help Source: Wisconsin State Farmer, June 2, 2021. Link. This article is part of a series entitled … [Read more...]
The crystal ball: Veterinary medicine in 2031
Complimentary Content In a recent blog post, Bill Wagner, DVM, took a stab at what he thinks veterinary medicine will be 10 years from now. Much of what he projects is realistic, being created or in progress. The key will be to make the most of the customer experience and transition veterinary team members. Source: Associated Veterinary Partners, May 24, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Preventive care paradox
Recognizing and reinforcing behavior that results in the absence of disease is difficult, especially in a veterinary healthcare system built to respond to disease states versus reinforcing a state of health, according to Bob Lester, DVM. It is a challenge for a reacting-and-repairing versus preventing-and-preparing way of working Lester describes the future benefits as … [Read more...]
Wait. Boarding and grooming for pets are ESSENTIAL?!
Complimentary content includes an offer from RESCUE® disinfectants Carmen Rustenbeck, founder of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association (IBPSA), joins Drs. Jen and Jason Chatfield in this episode of the Chatfield Show. They discuss the involvement of pet services and how the IBPSA serves those businesses and people. In all actuality, groomers, boarders and … [Read more...]
Recalibrate your leadership style to match needs the pandemic created
The Covid-19 pandemic has radically altered the business landscape. Many companies experienced anywhere from a 20 to 60 percent loss in revenue in 2020, and more than 14 million Americans either temporarily or permanently lost their jobs. Source: Chieflearningofficer.com, March 11, 2021. Link. We know that effective leaders must be in tune with the emotions of those around … [Read more...]
The next pandemic is already happening. Targeted disease surveillance can help prevent it.
The next pandemic threat is likely already making its way through the population right now writes Maureen Miller, PhD. Her research as an infectious disease epidemiologist has found that there is a simple strategy to mitigate emerging outbreaks: proactive, real-time surveillance in settings where animal-to-human disease spillover is most likely to occur. Miller discusses the … [Read more...]
Stop kissing your chickens!
In what has become an annual and sometimes, more often, warning, the Centers for Disease Control last month warned people to stop cuddling and kissing backyard poultry because chickens may spread salmonella. Out of 163 reported cases of Salmonella, 34 people were hospitalized. Children under 5 years old make up a third of the cases. Source: NPR, May 22, 2021. Link. “Don’t … [Read more...]
Most-read companion animal posts of April and May 2021
What you read helps us prioritize topics most interesting to animal health pros. It is the most important feedback we receive. The links below share the most-read posts from April and May in ranked order. Source: Animal Health Digest. April, May 2021. The best dog names of 2021. 500 names by category. How Petco is increasingly a stealthy competitor to clinics … [Read more...]
Fireworks and noise phobias. It’s the season.
Complimentary Content The first fireworks of spring started a couple weeks ago here in Kansas City. Graduation celebrations may include some left over pyrogenic flashes and booms. While minor, these sonic disruptions are a reminder that July 4th celebrations are just around the corner. Fear Free Happy Homes offers pet owners a digital kit containing strategies for … [Read more...]
30 minutes’ exercise won’t counteract sitting all day, but adding light movement can help – new research
For decades, scientists have studied the health benefits of exercise. But this research has largely ignored the fact that how you spend the rest of the day also matters. It’s unclear if the health benefits of exercise and movement are the same if you don’t get enough sleep. A healthy lifestyle requires more than 30 minutes of exercise if you spend a lot of time … [Read more...]
Hugging requires consent, now more than ever. Here’s how to navigate that.
Live and in-person, finally! But now, post-pandemic with social distancing in place, do we need ways to easily ask people if it’s okay to hug them? Tracey Anne Duncan asked psychologists how to navigate requesting consent when you want to embrace someone with whom you are less familiar. We’re all navigating unfamiliar terrain with rusty social skills right now and there is … [Read more...]
Surefire strategies for navigating backorders
Complimentary Content Consistent with her pragmatic approach to inventory management, Nicole Clause shares her guide to navigating backorders. She includes tips and strategies for being proactive about and managing them. The guide deals specifically with longer-term backorders that are not the result of poor forecasting in an individual clinic. Source: Veterinary … [Read more...]
1 in 3 people believe that their pet will make them a better parent
Note: These survey results are worth reviewing. In a recent survey from OnePoll and AskVet, pet owners shared they experience anxieties and expenses found with child-rearing. More than 45 percent of pet parents worry their pets might get sick or hurt, while another 33 percent worry their pets may be unhappy. While pet parents trust veterinary professionals the most, they are … [Read more...]
Watch the quiet people
Meetings have taught me one valuable lesson: watch the quiet people. There are these hidden people that attend meetings. They say nothing. You can attend 10 meetings in a row and never hear them say a word. Source: Medium.com, July 28, 2020. Link. The loudest person in the room is not the most senior, or necessarily the brightest spark. Job titles make people do stupid … [Read more...]