Helping two college kids move into their new apartment last week, I caught myself labeling them as Zs. One expressed disgust at being labeled. After all, she had planned and orchestrated the lease, packing, move and transition beyond admirably. She was correct. She didn’t belong in a bucket with a label. I apologized and acknowledged her initiative and strategic skills. For … [Read more...]
At 10 years old, he knew he would be a vet
Sometimes we need to be reminded of how much potential we encounter on a daily basis. The challenge is to emulate stories like this in the midst of our own situations and chaos. Victor Lopez’s lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian came true after a chance meeting, two decades of struggle, rejection and unrelenting determination.” Source: Innovetive Pet Care, June 8, … [Read more...]
March 2020 – Top post review (3 of 3)
March 2020 – the month when the coronavirus feces hit the fan. Animal health pros faced the challenges and worked hard to mitigate risks while learning what changes the next day would bring. Defining essential versus non-essential was necessary to facilitate prevention of coronavirus transfer. Work-from-home mandates literally ground some businesses to a halt, forcing high … [Read more...]
April 2020 – Top post review (2 of 3)
The Animal Health Digest curation model delivers published information in the context of how animal health professionals work and interact with each other, with customers or clients and within their affiliated networks. Our industry spends millions annually supporting media. A portion of this supported content falls into the category of one and done. By physically reviewing … [Read more...]
Pet separation anxiety likely after pandemic pause
The pandemic WFH pause has some silver linings. For pet-owning families, pets and people became much more attuned to each other’s behaviors and idiosyncrasies. Animal health pros have been proactive in assessing the potential for pet separation anxiety issues as family members return to work and summer activities leaving pets alone at home. Nicole Ellis, CPDT-KA, shares ways … [Read more...]
Raising Gallons video part of dairy month effort (video)
Dairy Management Inc. and state and regional checkoff teams around the country are showcasing dairy’s resilience and community impact during the Covid-19 pandemic in celebration of National Dairy Month. The efforts began on World Milk Day, June 1, with a Raising Gallons video < link > DMI created in partnership with state and regional checkoff organizations. The video … [Read more...]
Here’s the beef. . . well maybe
Darrell Peel, Oklahoma State University ag economist, says beef markets are moving past the worst of the disruptions that caused upheaval recently. Beef markets were thrown into turmoil in March as food service markets, such as restaurants, were sharply curtailed and beef demand suddenly rose in the retail grocery sector. He discusses the supply chain, price fluctuations and … [Read more...]
Renewal and recovery after Covid-19 (podcast)
Industry consultants Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, and Karen Felstad, DVM, CPA, MS, CVPM, CVA, discuss the tectonic shifts the veterinary profession is going through. They explore what the profession is learning, what habits should remain broken and which replacements should become entrenched in the daily routines of veterinary practices. They cover nine areas : … [Read more...]
Pooled global research confirms distancing and masks reduce Covid-19 risks
There has been plenty of confusion on Covid-19 prevention. Researcher have completed a massive review of 172 studies in 16 countries on coronavirus disease transmission. They concluded that keeping at least one meter apart plus wearing face masks and eye protection are the best ways to cut the risk of COVID-19 infection. They shared frequent handwashing and good hygiene are … [Read more...]
Time management or emotional management?
According to traditional thinking – still espoused by university counselling centers around the world, such as the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and the University of Rochester in the U.S. – procrastinators have a time management problem. Source: BBC, May 14, 2020. Link. When someone finally recognizes that procrastination isn’t a time management problem but … [Read more...]
Millennials do want to work
Millennials have been tagged as socially responsible and more focused on experiences than acquisition. The Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2019 takes our understanding of generalized millennial behavior further. Source: The Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2019, May 20, 2020. Link. This year, we saw a palpable deterioration of optimism and a wide variety of both … [Read more...]
They’re back and it’s gonna’ be loud!
In parts of southwestern Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia, it's nearly time for a once-in-17-year emergence and mating season. As many as 1.5 million Brood IX cicadas could emerge per acre. Source: NPR, May 23, 2020. Link. Also see: Cicada Mania. Link. Also see: House Beautiful, May 21, 2020. Link. These periodic broods typically last four to six weeks before … [Read more...]
Equine herpesviruses, we’re still learning
EHV-1 and EHV-4 are alphaherpesviruses that generally bring to mind respiratory disease, abortion and neurologic disease. Horses are also hosts of EHV-3, an alphaherpesvirus that causes equine coital exanthema. Kate L. Hepworth-Warren, DVM, DACVIM, reminds us of the often forgotten EHV-2 and EHV-5, gammaherpesviruses are quite prevalent in the equine population, as well. … [Read more...]
Feeding pets: dos, don’ts and dealing with poo
Dogs especially want to share what we’re eating. Not all human food is safe. But all food travels through at some level. Several resources what’s okay to share, what’s not and then what to do with the poo. This information may help first time pet owners make better decisions and avoid issues from deposits left unattended in the grass. The Environmental Protection Agency … [Read more...]
Cooperative care in cats (podcast)
Host Beckie Mossor, RVT, visits with Monique Feyrecilde, LVT, VTS, to discuss how—and why—to provide cooperative veterinary care. Podcasts are sometimes grueling. This one is not. In fact, I found myself replaying segments to review the thoughts and approaches being shared. It presents a lesson in leadership so important to veterinary engagement with animal owners. What is … [Read more...]
Expectations and cat behavior (video)
Catvocate Liz Bales, DVM, talks on WJLA’s The Pet Show with Dr. Katy about adjusting owner expectations to meet cat needs in homes. Cat owner dissatisfaction remains one of the primary reasons cats are relinquished for adoption. Being aware of Bales and her recommendations may make answering cat owner questions easier. The cat living outside is genetically identical to cats … [Read more...]
Backyard chickens? Wash your hands. Don’t kiss chicks.
Scott Weese, DVM, like many of us, is anti-Salmonella and anti-Campylobacter. He references CDC’s investigation notice about Salmonella Hadar infections being linked to backyard chickens. It also notes the likelihood of underreporting. The CDC provides a good list of preventive measures < link >. kids less than 5 years of age (and elderly people, pregnant women and … [Read more...]
Beef topics: anaplasmosis, water and pandemic processing
Anaplasmosis, availability of water and its quality, and keeping processing teams aligned to limit coronavirus transmission concerns were among recent beef production discussions. Producers may have skimmed this information and need help with answers. It is also important to support the National Cattlemen’s Association’s Beef Quality Assurance trainings to help raise the … [Read more...]
True or False? Ticks can jump.
Stephanie Lantry, DVM, shares how ticks get around and how they find and attach to their hosts. They are pretty handy at getting onto a new host but they do not jump and without wings, they cannot fly. Source: PetMd, May 8, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: This is a good reminder for animal health pros to monitor the parasite prevalence maps available at PetDiseaseAlerts.org … [Read more...]
Pet telehealth making news
Beyond the recent announcement and buzz surrounding the Veterinary Virtual Care Association (VVCA) platforms and methods, connecting veterinary teams and animal owners is fast becoming a positive outcome from pandemic limitations. Whether pet or human, telehealth is quickly moving from obscurity to mainstream. Elaine K. Howley shares perspective from three veterinarians … [Read more...]
How to talk to clients about CBD (video)
Offering clients advice about the use of CBD as a treatment can be like walking a tightrope. Molly McAllister, DVM, offers practical examples and tips on how to navigate this tricky topic with clients. In addition to McAllister’s suggestions, the topics of second-hand smoke and various edibles beg for attention during the discussion. Source: NAVC Spark. Link. We don’t … [Read more...]
Help cat owners take care of their cats
There’s little doubt one of the big lessons of this pandemic has been the need to communicate more frequently with animal owners. Research has indicated this for some time. The rapid development of virtual care offerings underscores the importance of routine communication and interaction with pet owners. We collected articles below to share with cat owners on social media … [Read more...]
Understanding the power of the gut
An organization at the forefront of microbiome research, The Morris Animal Foundation provides general information about the microbiome in this article. It is good background information for animal health pros. Source: Morris Animal Foundation, May 6, 2020. Link. Scientists are just learning how these organisms interact with each other, how they work together to promote the … [Read more...]
Dogs’ noses do more than sniff
Recent research at Lund University in Sweden suggests dogs live in an even richer sensory world than we expected. They can directly detect the warmth of a body from several feet away, and they do it with their cold, wet black noses that contain a set of nerves researchers believe to be responsible. It seems that the cool, black skin on a dog’s nose can absorb the tiny amount … [Read more...]
Burnout and what to do about it
Burnout is real. It is difficult to reckon with because it is hard to know where the dividing line is between normal stress and a larger problem. Kat Boogaard shares signs of burnout and ways to deal with it. Burnout tends to be when you just don’t have any good days, and it goes on for a long period of time” - Alice Domar, PhD, director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body … [Read more...]
Controlling others means you’ve lost control
Overfunctioning is a common reaction to distress, writes Kathleen Smith, PhD. Some people call it controlling; therapists call it overfunctioning. She relates how it: keeps people from growing hurts relationships leads to self-neglect An article from Smith was featured in a recent post < link >. Because of the number who read the post, we are sharing this … [Read more...]
Video conference success tips
You can shine during video conferences, despite common issues. Author and videographer Larry Becker shares proper camera positioning, lighting and angles to help you make solid eye contact with participants. We think we're making eye contact in a video meeting, because we're looking at the faces on our screens and responding accordingly. But the camera isn't on the screen, … [Read more...]
How to keep a remote audience engaged
What works for an in-person meeting won’t necessarily work on Zoom or other platforms, says Tim Calkins. He shares four tips for better remote presentations. They also equally apply to remote meetings. Set the stage Be brief Keep the meeting small Remember the best practices still work Source: HBR Ascend, May 8, 2020. Link. While remote presentations are … [Read more...]
Why video calls mess with your mind
Natasha Hinde shares how video meetings change the way we communicate. There’s a lot going on, psychologically, from the moment we click the button to enter an online hangout. She breaks down why it can be such a mental minefield and shares some tips to make it easier. Consider reviewing this information first for yourself and then from your customers’ perspective. Hinde’s … [Read more...]
McKinsey: Beyond contactless operations: Human-centered customer experience
COMMENTARY Before you roll your eyes at the MBA speak or consider this item to be only for big companies, remember that every business serves people. Whether in B2B, B2C or S2S (stakeholder to stakeholder), servicing people and their priorities are common denominators and always have been. While Covid-19 risks have exacerbated customer service optimization efforts, the … [Read more...]