Complimentary Commercial Content included Consumer demand for dairy products was up last year. Sending positive messages to consumers about U.S. milk production is key to maintaining this demand, says Linda Tikofsky, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. She stresses that being more thoughtful about antibiotic use is also necessary in preserving it as an important tool for the long … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 27, 2021
Last week’s most read post No, people aren’t giving up pandemic pets because they’re bored Source: Animal Health Digest, May 18, 2021. Link. Two words for an instant dose of empathy Source: Forge, May 3, 2021. Link. Try mirroring the other person’s struggle with the words “of course” to validate their challenges or … [Read more...]
Canine origin coronavirus causing a stir
Preliminary reports of a dog origin alpha canine coronavirus infecting people are alarming. Scientific diligence is needed to confirm the species jump and determine how much risk management is required, if any. We’re sharing three articles for your review and consideration. I think the more we look, the more we will find that these coronaviruses are crossing species … [Read more...]
What to expect at World Pork Expo
Joseph Kerns says hog markets, China, U.S. crop prospects, industry expansion, disease and how to navigate the business environment will be hot topics at the first live World Pork Expo since 2018. 2021 World Pork Expo is held at the Iowa State Fair Grounds, Des Moines, Iowa. June 9 – 11. Link. Source: National Hog Farmer, May 17, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: The topics of … [Read more...]
Equine Disease Communication Center review of diseases
Complimentary Sponsored Content The Equine Disease Communication Center is an industry-driven initiative that works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America. EDCC is designed to seek and report real-time information about diseases, similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerts the human population … [Read more...]
Dog accessories help owners with responsibilities
Opinion The author got my attention with these opening sentences: Bringing home a dog means an addition to your existing family and your responsibilities. Being the owner, you will be responsible for the dog’s actions, behavior and health. What followed was a nice overview of some accessories to help make a dog’s life easier and strengthen his bonds with family … [Read more...]
The 3 Rs of tick-borne diseases
Reports from colleagues around midwestern U.S. states indicate tick populations are thriving. Tick distributions are dynamic and ever-changing, and practice protocols often need to evolve to meet the growing threat ticks pose to pet health, writes Holly Morss, LVT. Morss discusses teaching staff members to address tick borne disease using the 3-R’s: Review the topic of … [Read more...]
Free webinar: How to find new growth levers in veterinary consolidation
Complimentary Content Animal health pros are invited to a live, free webinar: “Riding the Tide in Uncertain Times: How to find new growth levers in veterinary consolidation,” hosted by OpenRoom. Topics to be discussed include: Planning for success: Destination Pet’s rise to operating 75 veterinary practices in only 4 years Whether the pandemic has affected … [Read more...]
10 ways to have a better conversation
In this insightful TED talk, Celeste Hedley shares 10 useful rules for having better conversations. "Go out, talk to people, listen to people," she says. "And, most importantly, be prepared to be amazed." Headley has worked as a radio host for decades, and she knows the ingredients of a great conversation: Honesty, brevity, clarity and a healthy amount of … [Read more...]
Nutrition Coach Certification: Nutritional education for the pet, client and practice
Nutrition is one factor the veterinary healthcare team can affect, writes Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition). Burns advocates for involving veterinary nurses as nutrition counselors for pet owners and the practice team. She discusses the values of nutritional education, the challenges of misinformation and shares details on the NAVC Pet Nutrition Coach … [Read more...]
Redefining Team
Guest Contributor - Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT The word team conjures up many different images, positive for some and downright uncomfortable, for others. There are so many clichés surround it as well – we’ve all heard the overplayed “Teamwork makes the dream work.” “There’s no ‘I’ in team,” and so on – but what does being part of a team truly mean? Mages notes the negative … [Read more...]
What executives are saying about the future of hybrid work
The authors compiled hybrid work survey results from 100 executives from various industries and locations. While employees are feeling anxious, most organizations have only begun to think through and articulate the specifics of how to carry out a more permanent mix of remote and on-site working for all roles that aren’t essential to perform on site. Source: McKinsey and … [Read more...]
Customer service is not customer experience
Customer service is only one aspect of the entire customer experience. Customer service needs to be put into context — which means putting customer experience first. Most customer service starts when a customer calls with a problem. By contrast, customer experience starts with hope — with the reason the customer chooses you in the first place.” Source: Strategy + Business, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 20, 2021
Last week’s top post Why constant learners all embrace the 5-hour rule Source: Animal Health Digest, May 11, 2021. Link. University of Minnesota researchers develop novel, field-deployable test for CWD Source: University of Minnesota, April 19, 2021. Link. The team is striving for a test that could be set-up at individual stations … [Read more...]
Managing how long beef producers keep cows
Doug Ferguson challenges the conventional cow management paradigm that a cow has 10 years to pay her way. Instead of being in the business of making old cows, he suggests a high turnover process that increases inventory value and improves gross sales. Other principles from Wally Olson’s marketing school are referenced as more examples of how high turnover methods increase … [Read more...]
Why cats and dogs lick you
Getting licked is not always pleasant for owners. Two articles shed light on this common behavior which, for the most part, is an indication the owner is liked. Source: Catster, February 1, 2021. Link. When your cats lick you, it can be a compliment, a sign of stress or more says JaneA Kelly. She indicates anxiety, social bonding and trust are some of the reasons cats lick … [Read more...]
The history of dog adoption and rescue in the U.S.
Arden Moore and the Dogster team keep and update key moments in the history of dog adoption and rescue. Their timeline begins in 1866, when the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals began its mission. Source: Dogster, April 30, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
The neuroscience of busyness
Cal Newport shares perspectives on a recent study designed to assess how we solve problems. The study indicates we’re biased toward solutions that add components instead of those that subtract them. Newport says this new paper raises intriguing possibilities. The collision of knowledge work (a new thing) with the digital age (an even newer thing) disrupted the professional … [Read more...]
A H.I.G.H.E.R whole team approach
Guest Contributor – Caitlin Keat, MSm We’ve combined two contributions from Caitlin Keat. Leadership behaviors do not always come naturally. Recognizing and allowing the whole person is critical to improving team dynamics, successes, retention and continuity. Wholeness is a state of forming a complete and harmonious whole. It is ongoing, everchanging, and something we have … [Read more...]
A new solution: Relief veterinary technicians
Employing a relief DVM is a familiar practice. However, the concept of a Relief Credentialed Veterinary Technician/Nurse is new to managers and practice owners, writes Michelle D. Krasicki-Aune MBA, BS, CVT. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Spring 2020. Link. Enlisting rCVTs in an institution can positively impact and potentially reverse some of the negative financial, … [Read more...]
Research insights on telemedicine; changing pet owner expectations regarding accessing
Vet-AI and Joii Pet Care released new insights into the effectiveness and safety of remote prescribing. They are collected from tens of thousands of consults during the pandemic, as well as exclusive pet parent research which highlights owner expectations and needs. The insights were first shared in a live webinar called The Great British Data Show last week hosted by The … [Read more...]
She-cession. Pink collar recession. Getting women back in the workforce.
Pandemic-driven lockdowns forced many women to choose between work and family, setting women’s labor force participation back decades. Jen Colleta addresses what HR can do to stop this alarming trend. Colleta says the statistics are stark: More than 5 million payroll jobs held by women were lost in 2020. Of those women, nearly 2.5 million left the workforce entirely … [Read more...]
Pandemic pets taking toll on vets, staffs
Veterinarians and their teams across the country are seeing more new pets and more sick ones than in pre-pandemic times. The Associated Press reports despite extending hours, hiring more staff and refusing new patients, the load is heavy. Some practices have hire counselors to help staff members deal with burnout and fatigue. The numbers support the burden. Approximately … [Read more...]
No, people aren’t giving up pandemic pets because they’re bored
Opinion Finally! Award winning journalist S. E. Smith speaks up on pandemic puppy surrenders, better ways to approach animal welfare, ways to handle hardship surrenders and social media posturing. While pets adopted during the pandemic period are being surrendered, data from Shelter Animals Count appear to indicate current relinquishments are not back to pre-pandemic, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 13, 2021
NOTE: When it is time to catch up on your reading or recall something you scanned, try the AHD Archives on the right side of the AHD website. Such as: Archives for April 2021. Link. Last week’s top post Eating less meat won’t save the planet. Here’s why. Source: Animal Health Digest, May 4, 2021. Link. What my Mother’s death taught … [Read more...]
Could artificial insemination become illegal?
Artificial breeding might become illegal should a ballot initiative in Colorado be enacted by the state’s citizens says Corey Geiger. He reviews the legislation that would call an animal, “any living, nonhuman creature.” The revised definition would then state, “. . . not limited to, a dog, a cat, a horse, livestock . . ,” says Geiger. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, May 10, 2021. … [Read more...]
Medina Spirit’s treatment with canine antifungal could be behind doping findings
Opinion We’re sharing articles about the Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. The horse allegedly tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone according to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Medina Spirit’s dermatitis was treated with Merck OTOMAX® OTIC OINTMENT, consistent with a veterinarian's recommendation to apply this ointment daily to give the horse relief, … [Read more...]
Decoding the guaranteed analysis on cat food labels
No wonder cat food labels are confusing! When pet foods became common, the template just got moved over from livestock and never really got adjusted. It’s a lot different from what we are used to seeing on “Nutrition Facts” labels for human foods.” - Cailin R. Heinze, VMD, MS, DACVN To clear up some of the confusion, the authors provide a guaranteed analysis … [Read more...]
Why dogs bark at nothing
For dog owners it may seem like their dog can see ghosts, but there’s a logical reason for the commotion writes Stephanie Gibeault, MSc, CPDT. Dogs don’t experience the world the same way humans do, she says. Because you can’t hear or see anything in the environment to explain your dog’s barking, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something going on. New and experienced dog … [Read more...]
New AAD funding to expand rapid, rugged POC platform in livestock, humans
Complimentary Commercial Content Advanced Animal Diagnostics’ announcement that a $7 million investment will support commercial expansion of livestock tests and 510(k) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for human blood tests. “We’re uniquely positioned in animal and human testing to fight the rising threat of infectious disease,” said Joy … [Read more...]