Use this infographic to correctly identify which plants are poisonous to dogs so you know which ones to keep dogs away from. This information will make good content for websites, social media, newsletters and in puppy kits. Source: The Bark, July 20, 2017. A study found that one in 12 pets has eaten poisonous plants, with smaller dogs and puppies being particularly at risk … [Read more...]
Office hugs require etiquette
Workplaces are seeing a rise in hugging culture. Hugging is a social minefield, says Kara Deringer. Context is all-important. Source: BBC News, July 20, 2017. Not everyone's so keen on the idea of hugging. Deborah Wallsmith, an assistant professor of anthropology says that the graduations of hug discomfort depend upon nuances, relationships, and personal … [Read more...]
Pig’s personalities may play role in welfare
Professor Kristina Horback is an animal-cognition expert with the Department of Animal Science at the University of California-Davis. She is building on her pioneering research that examines the role personality plays in the welfare and sustainable production of farm animals, like cattle, sheep and swine. Her work is driven by new legislative and marketplace demands to raise … [Read more...]
Social media policy guidelines help businesses
People often talk online about how they do business to demonstrate their expertise, often in the spirit of sharing and transparency that customers value. However, if sharing this information isn’t appropriate for your business, a social media policy will help outline what can and cannot be shared. Larry Alton shares three tips for creating a social media policy. Source: … [Read more...]
Rare heartworm surgery saves cat
Vets at UC Davis are claiming a medical first after successfully removing a 13 cm heartworm from a cat’s femoral artery. Source: NAVTA Animal Health Bi-weekly, July 18, 2017. NAVTA’s first post links to the story in Vet Times. … [Read more...]
Opinion – Tufts studies patient-therapy animal risk
This topic has taken a long time to surface. Personally, I’ve often wondered about zoonotic risks from taking therapy animals into hospitals and nursing homes. While human patients receive many benefits from animal visits, the reality is that facilities are not monitoring or managing the risks. Guidelines for safety, health and monitoring do exist, with one set from the AVMA … [Read more...]
Anesthetic monitoring: interpret the readings correctly
Monitors have improved veterinary medicine. But, a monitor cannot save a life unless the team member monitoring the patient understands the readings and can determine when the monitor is wrong. Any values differing from normal parameters should be investigated to determine whether they are life-threatening or merely glitches in the equipment. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, … [Read more...]
Anesthesia, quiz yourself
From adverse effects to age-related considerations, how much do you know about the many aspects of anesthesia? Veterinary teams and brave sales representatives can have fun with this quiz during a lunch and learn. Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 18, 2017. This self-quiz reviews 5 different aspects of anesthesiology in the small animal patient. For a complete discussion, … [Read more...]
Functional foods’ effect on dog, cat health summarized
The journal Research in Veterinary Science recently published a meta-analysis of functional foods research in which it summarized 17 peer-reviewed studies on dog and cat food ingredients. While there may be some benefits to pets from the ingredients, reviewers urge caution. Source: Petfood Industry, July 2017. The ultimate success of functional pet foods will depend on … [Read more...]
Petfood e-commerce IS changing the industry
STOP. LOOK. LISTEN. As the internet age matures, online pet food purchasing options are spurring growth as a legitimate retail channel. “The channel making the biggest strides is the internet channel, which now ranks as the fifth largest for pet products and as the third largest for pet supplies,” said Packaged Facts in its U.S. Pet Market Outlook report, published in May … [Read more...]
Work at feeling successful
Lauren Siegfried shares some insights about the first 10 years of starting a career. She notes the restlessness often felt throughout careers which is not exclusive to the first decade. She suggests these things to set yourself up for success: Document your wins Contribute to team achievements Pursue a personal project Source: The Muse, July 11, 2017. According … [Read more...]
Seven sins of decision-making (infographic)
Alaina Love says that decision-making sins can be grouped into seven categories, each of which has a distinct set of symptoms that play out in the culture of the organization. How well your organization makes decisions directly affects the quality of the people you are able to hire and retain, she says. Love shares an experience to support her perspective. It’s worth … [Read more...]
Empathy trumps cuteness in viral videos
Animal health marketers frequently find that and images of pets “sell.” Autumn Sullivan suggests otherwise. Her position is cuteness helps, especially with viral videos, while the real secret ingredient to creating viral content is empathy. The post referenced here is promotional but the message applies to marketers stretching their companies in the social media and video … [Read more...]
Seniors catching up on social media
A recent Nielsen report showed that the percentage of total media time spent on social media in the oldest demographic (50-plus) increased by a whopping 64 percent, to 20 percent. Grandparents and their peers are becoming social media converts as they use channels such as Facebook to keep in touch with their increasingly scattered families. Source: Adweek, June 26, … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Canine cardiology today podcast
Cardiology is discussed in a series of podcasts available free from VetFolio. The series includes: Episode 1: Canine Cardiology and Heart Disease – The Basics Episode 2: Risk Factors and Signs of Canine CHF Episode 3: Making Dog Owners Part of the CHF Care Team Episode 4: The Involved Pet Owner- The Key to Compliance in Long-Term CHF Therapy Source: VetFolio, … [Read more...]
Harness the cat and go for a walk
Sandy Robins shares ways to train a cat to walk on a leash. Doing so enriches the cat’s lifestyle by safely allowing her to enjoy the sights and sounds of the great outdoors. It’s also an excellent way of revving up her exercise routine. But, not all cats take to the harness and leash easily. Robins says kittens are easier to train than adults. Source: Catster, June 20, … [Read more...]
Research to help determine horse-to-rider weight guidelines
The Animal Health Trust (AHT) is launching a study this year that will help equestrian organizations create science-based guidelines for rider weight. According to AHT, an excessive weight burden can lead to horses with back problems, lameness, chronic pain and resistance to being ridden. The research promises to answer longstanding questions about rider-to-horse weight … [Read more...]
Compliance to payment card standards matter
This article sounds the alarm to awaken veterinary practice owners to a hidden liability that threatens the very livelihood of a practice—its ability to collect revenue. As much as 90 percent of revenue comes through credit and debit card transactions. Losing this service could devastate practices and businesses. The ability to scan a card does not make the business … [Read more...]
Couple saves baby kangaroos orphaned on Australian highway
This piece will elicit innumerable “awes,” especially from those interested in animal rescue. Josephine and Terry Brenna-Kuss have run an orphanage for joeys on the lonely South Australian section of the long Stuart Highway since 2008. Most come from females that were struck by cars or trucks. The video clips will bring smiles, too. Source: New York Times, June 26, 2017 … [Read more...]
Why cats lick
Jane A. Kelly offers reasons cats lick their owners. She shares when your cats lick you, it can be a compliment, a sign of stress, or more. Consider using this information in social media posts, websites and newsletters. Cat owners will appreciate the perspective. Source: Catster, June 13, 2017. Kelly shares these reasons: Cats lick as a means of social When your … [Read more...]
Heat stress brings lasting impacts in dairy cows for years
Heat stress in dairy cows is a timely topic. Recent research coupled with dairy producer experiences show impacts on the milking cows’ milk production, as well as a developing calf inside a heat-stressed dry cow. Source: Dairy Herd Management, June 21, 2017. A phenomenon called fetal programming means the DNA of the calf born from a dam who was heat stressed is permanently … [Read more...]
Distinguish fact from fiction; call BS, BS
We decided to post this since there seems to be so much hype to sift through. We hope you’re not offended by the BS references. It can be hard to know what to do with the onslaught of fresh BS and when you can no longer distinguish fact from fiction. Source: Science of US, June 26, 2017. Inspired by two professors at the University of Washington, Science of Us talked to a … [Read more...]
Choose to thrive, not survive
I am consistently amused by the number articles focused on executive level leadership or women in leadership that have application throughout the ranks in an organization. This article is a good example. While written for executive women, it applies to both genders and across the entire spectrum of the organization. Source: Forbes, June 19, 2017. We have introduced … [Read more...]
Partnering with a trainer is a no-brainer (audio recording)
Though many studies have shown a link between pet behavior and health, most veterinary professionals don’t jump for joy at the thought of behavior consultations. Educator Mikkel Becke explains the Humane Hierarchy developed by Utah State University psychology professor Susan Friedman, PhD. This model incorporates the expertise of trainers and veterinary … [Read more...]
Ruthlessly evaluate your performance
The most effective leaders I know have their own set of key performance indicators and ruthlessly evaluate their performance so that they don’t fall into the trap of believing their own press clippings. Sometimes it can be as simple as asking yourself the right questions and then being brutally honest with your answers. Source: Marta Wilson, June 7, 2017. Great leaders … [Read more...]
Use your local megaphone
Representatives often hear their customers express, “I just wish my customers understood...” Nate Birt explains why letters to the editor can effectively educate consumers. Although you won’t reach everyone in print, newspaper editors often upload those letters to the internet, where you can share content you’ve written on your website or social media. Source: Top Producer, … [Read more...]
Take steps to prevent workplace violence
Workplace violence can erupt unexpectedly. While we don’t believe it will happen in our workplace, as of June 13th, 2017, there have been eight workplace killings. Lynne Curry offers five things every employer should be doing: Don’t hire danger Uncover surprises Investigate Assess potential threats Source: Alaska Dispatch News, June 13, 2017. The many … [Read more...]
Opinion – Dogster: Heat stroke and other summer hazards
One reason we curate content from publications for pet owners is to be sure that animal health pros are aware of what is being pushed to their clients. Often, content like this article is complementary to veterinary recommendations. However, some information can be misleading from an animal health or population control perspective. We offer this article for your … [Read more...]
Communicate clearly during organizational change
For many animal health pros, this article represents something they wish their leadership would do. Still, we lead our organizations from many positions and many layers, so this information is valuable well beyond the C-suite. Source: Harvard Business Review, June 13, 2017. There are four questions that senior teams often skate through too quickly: Why do we need to … [Read more...]
Ditch postcard reminders, embrace digital
Wendy Myers asserts that it's time to ditch postcard reminders and look into texting and emails to communicate with patients. She references the dental business trends and suggests we abandon the status quo of “We’ve always sent postcards” and dip into the digital revolution. Source: Veterinary Practice News, June 14, 2017. Texts have a 99 percent open rate, and 95 percent … [Read more...]