FRAPS or, frenetic random activity periods, are also known as zoomies. Karen B. London, PhD, shares reasons behind dog zoomies. They are not a reaction to Zoom meetings, however. London also shares some insights into dogs and smiling in a related article. Source: The Bark, March 2021. Link. Most of the time, a case of the zoomies lasts just a few minutes or even less. … [Read more...]
Do you want to be right or happy?
Michael Easter offers a psychology-based approach to conflict. He says psychologists theorize that our capacity to reason didn’t develop so we could find better beliefs and make better decisions. Reason likely evolved so we could win arguments. By inserting the question, “do you want to be right or happy?” Easter says we insert perspective into the equation. Source: Forge, … [Read more...]
What do when your anxiety sets in at a live networking event
Susan McPherson has thought about reconnecting live after so much time in a digital world. She’s found that people fail to maintain the right mindset about connecting and offers tips for getting back into the game. Source: Fast Company, April 2, 2021. Link. Being at the top of your game in terms of your well-being is not dependent on your role or the amount of stress you … [Read more...]
Deal with jargon problems
Jargon is a staple of the modern workplace. Sometimes jargon has a legitimate purpose, but overreliance on it and acronyms can make people feel excluded or lead them to disengage. If you’re concerned about possible negative effects of jargon on your teams, clients or organization, consider the following: Know your audience. There are times when using jargon can help you … [Read more...]
5 ways to master the art of bragging
Women have always faced unique challenges in the workplace, particularly when it comes to self-promotion, writes Charlene Walters, MBA, PhD, and career coach. She says modesty isn't always a good thing. Yet, according to a 2019 survey of working women, 84 percent said they feel uncomfortable talking about professional or academic accomplishments, and more than 69 percent said … [Read more...]
Who’s who: North American veterinary consolidators
Complimentary Content Our industry has seen rapidly expanding consolidation since 1987. It has changed the veterinary business landscape worldwide. More than 60 veterinary consolidators are involved today and there will likely be more, says Ivan Zak, DVM. Zak explains consolidators by type providing the list of active consolidators and their: Source of financing … [Read more...]
Review: Overhead costs and calculating them
We shared 3 ways to create an employee-owned culture last week. In a previous role, a savvy leader transparently shared overhead costs, how they were calculated and how they were attached to every element of servicing internal and external stakeholders. His objective was to educate the team on the economics of the business beyond looking at top-line sales and empower a greater … [Read more...]
Speed and resilience: 5 priorities for the next 5 months
Over the past year, adrenaline unlocked speed. In the near future, speed will need to arrive by design, say the authors. As businesses recover from COVID-19-related disruption and reimagine themselves for the next normal, they need to ask—and answer—five questions. Source: McKinsey and Company, March 29, 2021. Link. Businesses need to ask and answer the following five … [Read more...]
Changing feline eating habits can be good
Donna Raditic DVM, DACVN, CVA challenges traditional feeding habits and suggests encouraging diet variety for cats. She outlines rationales and benefits with catvocate Steve Dale. Source: Catster, March 31, 2021. Link. Think about what cats do in the wild. It makes sense to offer a cat two or three diets, each with different textures, tastes and smells (unless the cat is … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 1, 2021
Where veterinary medicine is (likely) headed over the next decade Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, February 2021. Link. Douglas G. Aspros, DVM, highlights four things he thinks are in the future. Some are driven by technology and others are systems-based. As always, changes in social perspectives and values will be key. Podcast: … [Read more...]
Deworming dairy heifers
Scott E. Poock, DVM, DABVP, discusses deworming with a focus on differences between confinement and pastures. He reviews worm life cycles and how infestation occurs. Source: American Dairymen, March 10, 2021. Link. If a heifer has been raised in confinement and hasn’t had exposure, you don’t need to waste money on deworming. By contrast, if heifers have been exposed to … [Read more...]
USDA hits pause on cattle tracking proposal
Reversing its position on phasing out metal and plastic identification ear tags, the USDA decided they can be used indefinitely on cattle that cross state borders, on cattle exhibited at fairs and on dairy cattle. all current APHIS-approved methods of identification may be used… until further notice” Source: Successful Farming, March 24, 2021. Link. “APHIS continues to … [Read more...]
Antibiotic-free production continues to evolve
Balancing human and animal health is the highest priority for antibiotic-free livestock and poultry production. Proactive measures have advanced rapidly in the poultry industry, including phytogenics, probiotics and prebiotics. Source: Feed Strategy, March/April 2021. Link. Lessons learned in the poultry industry can be applied to other species. I expect a steady pickup in … [Read more...]
Crack control: Cause and prevention of toe cracks in horses
In an excerpt from The Essential Hoof Book, writers Susan Kauffmann and Christina Cline share information on the toe crack, one of the most common types of hoof crack. . . . toe cracks are most often due to a combination of mechanical stresses in the toe region paired with compromised laminae that cause a lack of good connection between the wall and the coffin bone.” Source: … [Read more...]
Equine strangles. Identifying the chronic shedder
Strangles occurs when Streptococcus equi subsp equi, a gram-positive, aerobic coccal bacteria, enters the mouth or nose and attaches to the tonsillar crypts, writes Kate L. Hepworth-Warren, DVM, DACVIM. Chronic shedders are often the culprit in new outbreaks when horses suddenly develop signs of strangles with no known exposure. A chronic shedder also can make it difficult to … [Read more...]
Shoe removal. A skill for every horse enthusiast (video).
Certified journeyman farrier Lee Olsen demonstrates how to pull a horseshoe off of a hoof. It is a skill every horse owner should know. Source: Western Horseman. Link. … [Read more...]
Disease Du Jour podcast: New equine vet skill sets
Complimentary Sponsored Content The equine veterinary community is worried about two large problems when it comes to new veterinarians joining the industry. One is getting new vets who have sufficient skills to begin in practice. The second is keeping equine veterinarians to stay in practice within the first five years of graduation. Source: EquiManagement, March 25, … [Read more...]
Mother’s Day flowers that are BIG risks to pets
Marie Carter-Robb shares the 10 most common Mother’s Day flower varieties that are a risk to dogs and cats. Tulips, carnations, and lilies top the list. Consider sharing this warning on social media and in newsletters. Source: Pets Magazine, March 11, 2020. Link. Also see: 12 pet-safe flowers for Mother's Day, ASPCA, May 6, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Shoelaces smoked with bacon. Say what?
As if dogs needed more incentive to chew shoes, Oscar Mayer teamed up with Black Ops Productions to create 1,500 pairs of limited-edition shoelaces cold-smoked with Hardwood Smoked Bacon to capture their scent. Source: ADWEEK, March 26, 2021. Link. Fans have until April 1 to tweet with the hashtags #OscarCookMyKicks and #Sweepstakes. … [Read more...]
How to help a dog with separation anxiety
Complimentary Sponsored Content Claire Walther, DVM, shares three ways to address separation anxiety: environmental management, behavior modification and pharmaceutical options. Walther is a Zoetis Petcare medical lead. Source: Zoetis Petcare. Link. Changes in a dog’s life can also trigger separation anxiety even if they haven’t had problems with it before. Even changes … [Read more...]
Healthy Puppy Month effort seeks to raise $20,000 for parvovirus research
Complimentary Content Revival Animal Health and Good Dog are teaming up to celebrate Healthy Puppy Month and raise money for parvovirus research. All month long, puppy owners and caretakers are encouraged to sign the Healthy Puppy Pledge. For every signature, Revival and Good Dog will donate $1 to Morris Animal Foundation, up to $20,000, to help fund parvovirus … [Read more...]
Emergency clinic owner shares Talkatoo experiences
Sponsored Content Practice owner, Lindsay Ruland, DVM, shares her experiences with Talkatoo during an interview with William Forsey. Her clinic story, management decisions and where Talkatoo has proven valuable are woven through the discussion. Source: Talkatoo. Link. Talkatoo works with medical record entry but also with emails. After a day of surgery, my hands are … [Read more...]
Emails, legit or not? Here’s how to tell
Sponsored Content There are a lot of emails that look legitimate but are not. Here's how to verify the website that is sent to you is really your bank or vendor. You can also learn if the website contains malicious activity that will put you at risk. Source: Lucca Veterinary Data Security. Link. … [Read more...]
New grooming series, ‘Pooch Perfect’ coming to ABC
'Pooch Perfect' is the ulti-mutt dog grooming competition series, says ABC. The eight-episode reality series will showcase 10 of the best dog groomers in the country, and their assistants, competing in a series of paw-some themed challenges. The series, hosted by actress Rebel Wilson, premieres Tuesday, March 30, 2021 8:00 p.m. EDT|7:00 p.m. CDT on ABC! Source: ABC, … [Read more...]
Embracing the digital pet ecosystem
The digital pet ecosystem refers to anything digital that connects you to a client and their pet, writes Bruce Truman. The time is now for individuals and practice teams to embrace the opportunity to meet client expectations for services. The new age pet parent wants engagement. They are interested in online chat or text services, monthly payment plans, loyalty programs, … [Read more...]
Managing your manager begins with saying what you need
Susan Fowler shares three tips for managing up that are proven, simple and effective. She guarantees they will improve your productivity and relationship with your boss at the same time: Don’t ask a dumb question Under promise and over deliver Flip the feedback Source: SmartBrief, March 24, 2021. Link. Studies show that being proactive during the day reduces your … [Read more...]
Why it’s vital to say “please” and “thank you”
There are those who were never taught basic etiquette and are ignorant to proper manners. Others have adopted bad habits and don’t even realize how they come across to people. And yes, some folks are rude and ungrateful; all they think about is themselves. While you may think that saying “please” and “thank you” is a mere nicety, failing to do so is more significant than you … [Read more...]
Study: Brand activism sways buying behaviors, brand impressions
Piplsay's latest survey finds that most U.S. consumers view brand activism in a positive light, even if questions about the reasoning and impact of the movement remain. The survey also found differences of opinion across gender and generational lines. . . . differences suggest that brand activism is still an important strategy, but one that must be undertaken with care, … [Read more...]
Pet products landscape is continuously evolving
“The omnimarket experience has redefined the way pet owners search for, find and buy pet products. It transcends retail channels and product categories,” shared David Sprinkle, publisher and research direction for Packaged Facts. He said, “. . . the humanization of companion animals is increasingly evident with pet food, especially evident with fresh pet food, with pet food … [Read more...]
Synchronous versus asynchronous
An educated industry colleague shared constructive criticism about semantics recently. It was aimed at two terms frequently used as tele-everything is developing in animal health and remote capabilities continue to expand. Veterinary practices have long been hands-on providing support and treatment in real time. Therefore synchronous. The pandemic increased the adoption … [Read more...]