We’ve shared posts at AHD about career, financial and personal challenges and the mental anguish they can cause. We’ve also shared information about veterinarian and farmer and rancher suicides. Crisis Text Line is a confidential place anyone can turn to for help simply by texting HOME to 741741. Any stressful situation is accepted. Source: CRISIS TEXT LINE, Link. Text HOME … [Read more...]
Virtual farm-to-table experience a must-see for animal health pros
The Maschhoffs is the fourth-largest hog production company in North America. Its new farm-to-table experience, an interactive digital tool that explains how pigs are raised, opens pork production to public. Less than 2 percent of the U.S. population works in agriculture and some animal health pros are unfamiliar with how pork is produced. Consumer education has been a priority … [Read more...]
The delicate art of being perfectly assertive
Whether you are the boss or the leader of conversations, striking the right balance between being too assertive and not assertive enough is immensely important. One area where self-awareness is particularly hard to gain has to do with one’s level of assertiveness. Source: HBR Ascend. Link. Being flexible and socially sensitive allows for motivating and engaging without being … [Read more...]
YOU are your sustainable competitive advantage
A competitive advantage is obtained by implementing value-creating strategies that are not simultaneously being implemented by any current competitor. These strategies need to be rare, valuable and non-substitutable. These competitive advantages become sustainable when they are not easily copied and, thus, can be maintained over a long time. Source: Vet-Advantage, June 2018. … [Read more...]
New antimicrobial stewardship efforts from FDA
“I told you so,” said an animal health colleague after reading this notice about extending the FDA’s antimicrobial stewardship reach, noting the companion animal mention as well. Some of the important issues to be addressed in this new plan include establishing appropriate durations of use of medically important antimicrobials and bringing all dosage forms of medically … [Read more...]
Get the most from manure
Farmers have started harvesting including cutting hay, wheat and oats and mowing field edges to allow for better air circulation. This is also time when manure can be broadcast on fields. Sara Brown previews an app that calculates a manure application rate, based on the choice of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) limits and the N, P, and potassium (K) that will be applied to the … [Read more...]
6 signs of a healthy chicken
Happy and healthy chickens are confident, strong and productive. They should also exhibit the six characteristics noted here. If they don’t, improper nutrition may be the culprit. Source: Rural Marketing News, July 30, 2018. Link. “As you get to know your birds, you’ll learn their personalities and habits. Strong hens are confident, alert and strut their stuff,” says … [Read more...]
AAHA welcomes new accredited practices
Congratulations to the latest group of veterinary hospitals to achieve AAHA accreditation from June 16 – July 13, 2018. This is a significant professional milestone for a veterinary team and strengthens the value of animal medicine they can deliver. Source: AAHA Red, July 19, 2018. Link. These teams have gone above and beyond to meet the highest standards in veterinary … [Read more...]
Stable management topics
The Equine Network Newsletter topic for August 2018 is stable management. Content is provided from four different publications. Source: The Equine Network, August 1, 2018. The risks of poor arena air quality, EQUUS. Link. Fencing for the dressage facility, Dressage Today. Link. What to know during tick season, Practical Horseman. Link. Piles of grass clippings … [Read more...]
Help keep dog stress to a minimum
Dogs, like people, get stressed by a variety of experiences in their world, writes Sassafras Lowrey. She discusses stressors and options to address stressed dogs. Common reasons for a stressed dog: Changes in the home, which may include moving or home renovations. Introducing new people, like a roommate or a partner moving in, the addition of children such as the birth … [Read more...]
Experts share what human foods dogs can eat
As making homemade dog food becomes more common, ensuring dogs get balanced diets is important. Jennifer Berg, owner of Tribeca veterinary Wellness clinic and Debra Zoran, veterinary professor at Texas A&M University shared some human foods that are okay for dogs and ones to avoid. Source: Today, July 19, 2018. Link. “Fruits and vegetables can be included in a dog’s … [Read more...]
Opinion – Train new hires to give location directions
A recent family reunion and the return trip across new geography exposed the weakness of cell phone coverage, internet connectivity and the stark reality that many younger persons cannot give directions to their work location without the help of digital technology. Imagine the end of a 600-plus-mile day, traveling with a gracious but tired octogenarian and not being able to … [Read more...]
Keeping pace with veterinary technology and services
Veterinary care providers have been slow to adapt to the rapid growth and industry advancements, writes Lidia Staron. She predicts some will be left behind. She reviews some of this year’s top trends that practice owners can consider to help stay ahead of the competition. Source: Veterinary Money Digest, July 28, 2018. Link. In addition to revenue growth, the veterinary … [Read more...]
Walmart enters veterinary care market
Targeting pets that don’t see veterinarians, Walmart is entering the veterinary care market. Veterinary clinics are opening in Walmart stores. By April 5, the pet products company PetIQ had opened its first three Walmart-based clinics in the Oklahoma cities of Bartlesville, Duncan, and Edmond. Company officials plan to have opened 20 by the end of last June. It will then push … [Read more...]
Comparison chart helps guide pet insurance decision making
There is consensus that pet insurance is good for the animal, the pet owner and for the veterinary care team. But, choosing a provider is confusing and likely a barrier for pet owners interested in buying pet insurance. Using this comparison chart along with individual hospital experiences could make a difference in getting pet insurance commitments from owners. Source: … [Read more...]
Can a lawn service replace flea and tick preventives?
It is well known that 80-plus percent of fleas are not seen. Tick infestations are similar. Lawn care companies heavily advertise their flea- and tick-repelling sprays this time of year. Michael Nappier, DVM, DABVP, asks, “Are your clients buying the hype?” Source: Veterinary Medicine, July 12, 2018. Link. Nappier shares client communication tips to use when clients refuse … [Read more...]
How mosquitoes use six needles to suck blood (includes video)
View the video for yourself and then decide how you might use this to help strengthen the heartworm and West Nile virus prevention positioning including the need to stop the mosquito before it seeks a blood meal. Seen up close, the anatomy of a mosquito bite is terrifying. The most dangerous animal in the world uses six needle-like mouthparts to saw into our skin, tap a blood … [Read more...]
A conversation can be positive or negative. It’s your choice.
Conversations are a critical part of conducting business, leading teams and interacting with others. Despite their obvious importance, how often do we think about them as a crucial skill? Imagine if everyone on your team became exceptional at having meaningful conversations. Source: skiprichard.com, June 2018. Link. Actually, conversation is powerful, period, whether it’s … [Read more...]
Selecting the ideal beef or dairy cattle breeds
The movement to growing your own food continues to grow. As new farmers make decisions, knowing about cattle breeds is helpful. Heather Smith Thomas reviews breed options with the smaller farmer in mind. Source: Countryside Daily, July 16, 2018. Link. Cattle farming for beginners requires researching dozens and dozens of beef cattle breeds and composites, and a half dozen … [Read more...]
Hot, humid days harder on cattle than winter
Heat and humidity are hard on cattle, especially when hauling them, says Sandy Stuttgen. She provides charts on loading capacity and the heat index as handy reference tools. Their well-being especially suffers during humid days followed by evenings that do not drop below 70°F, as under those conditions, cattle will not have a chance to recover before the next hot, humid day … [Read more...]
Understanding the cat
Ilona Rodan, DVM, offers animal health pros the opportunity to learn to recognize and prevent feline stressors surrounding veterinary visits. Regardless of practice type, these measures improve patient experiences, client acceptance of veterinary services and reduce injury rates. For some, this may be a review. For veterinary teams, the information is a valuable resource to … [Read more...]
Behaviorist advises against toilet training cats (includes video)
Beyond the obvious convenience of not having to deal with a litter box, Dr. Marci L. Koski is firmly opposed to training a cat to use the human toilet. She gives five reasons why this is not a good idea: Not natural You may miss indicators of changes in your cat’s health Physical stress It only takes ONE time to spook your cat off the toilet forever Your cat … [Read more...]
Let’s talk parasites
A consistent message about parasite prevention is important, and clear information is crucial, writes Kara Burns MS, MEd, LVT, VTS. She reminds us the importance of team skill training and a clear, consistent message on various parasite topics. To communicate effectively, veterinary team members must understand the connection between what they want to say and how they want to … [Read more...]
Insight into dog breed behavior helps to understand its personality
Genome sequencing has led researchers to try to understand behavioral traits in dogs. Humans have had 20,000 years to tinker with domesticated dogs, selecting for attributes that made good hunters, guards and herders as well as loyal companions. The author references Wisdom Panel as a way to learn more about individual dogs. Source: The Bark, July 2018. Link. knowing which … [Read more...]
Therapy dogs love their jobs
Nicole Audrey discusses a new study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science <link> that finds therapy dogs get as much joy from their jobs as they give. This is a win-win-win. The handler enjoys showing the dog off and volunteering, the [patient] enjoys the dog and the dog likes doing it. Source: Better, May 30, 2018. Link. Therapy dogs are happy because they are … [Read more...]
When, how and why to use a crate for dogs
Embrace the crate. It can be the best thing for a relationship with a dog, writes Laura Vorreyer. She reminds us that proper crating is not cruel and to avoid using the crate as punishment. This information is valuable to any dog owner. Source: Modern Dog. Link. The crate should be big enough for your dog to turn around in but NOT big enough for them to think the back … [Read more...]
Veterinarians are important to beekeeping
Gillian Kruskall, DVM, writes about the veterinarian’s role in beekeeping since te VFD regulations require site inspections to establish VCPRs. When a beekeeper contacts you, Kruskall’s article will help veterinary teams “bee” ready. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, July 2018. Link. Each state has a number of certified state apiary inspectors who are highly skilled at … [Read more...]
Tips for taking animal histories
Animal owners hold important clues to their pets’ problems. This article features tips to help make history taking more effective and comprehensive. The importance of the pet owner interview as a diagnostic tool should not be overlooked. Source: Clinician’s Brief, February 2018. Link. Good organizational skills are essential to ensuring the patient’s history is obtained … [Read more...]
Sponsored content; as seen in AAHA NEWStat
AAHA NEWStat is one of several publications available from AAHA Press, the publishing arm of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). <link> We’ve selected a sample of sponsored content as seen in recent weeks for your consideration: Source: AAHA NEWStat. Make sure clients hear what you’re trying to tell them with these free videos, Partners for Healthy … [Read more...]
Petco tests Pet Coach store concept
Petco feels competition from Amazon. In what appears to be an about face from self-service stores, Petco’s new concept stores are service-focused stores that aim to give shoppers something they can't buy online. "What we're doing [in San Marcos] today will look very different a year from now. If it doesn't, then I've failed," Weatherup told CNBC. "This is where people go to be … [Read more...]