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...]
The 4 parasites horses hate
Sponsored Content from Bimeda U.S.A. Take a look at how modern deworming approaches are preventing the evolution of super parasites and the techniques to employ to keep horses healthy. This special edition covers: The four worst parasites for a horse What’s the future of parasite control? Know the most effective deworming techniques The most effective deworming … [Read more...]
Rabbits, RHDV and what you need to know
The most recent report indicates that RHDV has spread over 1,000 miles in the last six weeks with no end in sight. Since people, insects, birds, and other animals, including pets, can spread the virus to a healthy rabbit, there are many safety precautions rabbit guardians should take to help protect their rabbit, including vaccination. Even if a rabbit is indoors-only, they … [Read more...]
3 keys to post pandemic retailing
Mark Kalaygian shares three factors for pet specialty retailers to consider when devising a strategy for doing business in a post-pandemic environment: Recession realities New weapons for brick and mortar locations Craving contact Source: Pet Business, May 26, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Stop, look and listen to Kalaygian’s assertions. Veterinary clinics that have … [Read more...]
What MAP means for veterinary clinics
Minimum advertised pricing is one of the positive outcomes of a more aggressive OTC retail environment. While veterinarians may dislike having to change their focus from cost-based margin, MAP offers a much improved and level playing field at the customer’s pocketbook. Source: Veterinary Advantage, March 2020. Link. In today’s world, vendors need to have their products … [Read more...]
Subscription wellness plans: a long-term answer?
Bob Lester, DVM, shares his experiences and perspectives on subscription wellness plans. Subscription preventive care plans are not discount or loyalty programs. They are not pet insurance. Instead, they are a fundamental way of approaching veterinary practice. They empower clients and the veterinary team with a laser focus on delivering preventive care so that pets can live … [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...]
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...]
Pandemic puppies can be pricey
Those impulse decisions to get a puppy during this Covid-19 pandemic can be costly if budgets aren’t set and stuck to. Adoption fees are just the beginning. From annual exams to insurance to spaying and neutering, costs add up. Wall Street Journal’s Amanda Burton offers realistic ownership costs to consider. Source: Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2020. Link. When all is said … [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...]
Horses: skin care, socialization and going swimming
Horse owners are inquisitive. They work hard to own and nurture horses for what may be relatively few days of riding enjoyment. The articles below help clear up some issues with aggression and ensure horses and riders enjoy time together. Sources: Why horses need social bonds, Horse Network, May 20, 2020. Link. Domestic horses spend more time in aggressive behavior and … [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...]
Properly prepare pets for travel
Whether cross-country, by air or locally, it is critical to ensure pets are prepared for a trip for their health and to prevent potential zoonoses. This brings an increased need for animal health certificates, especially certificates of veterinary inspection that show pets are healthy and free of transmissible diseases. Digital health certificates make it easy to keep patients … [Read more...]
Dairy topics: cow lying time, evaluating colostrum and virtual dairy tours
Keeping cows resting, improving measurements for failure of passive transfer and preparations for June Dairy Month are all actionable topics for animal health pros working with dairy producers. The Undeniably Dairy educational resources may interest people in your networks who plan to extend home education during summer. Take a few minutes to watch this virtual tour. < … [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...]
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...]
50 questions you never ask yourself. Do it anyway.
The next normal we’re experiencing has some questioning if we’re making progress toward our personal and career goals. Whether you question your direction because of the pandemic or for other reasons, now is a good time to assess where you are. Working through these 50 questions will help you focus on what you can control – what’s inside. Source: Inc. December 13, 2017. … [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...]
We won the sprint. Now comes the marathon
Using foot races as hyperbole, Erin Greilick, PhD, describes the last pandemic-influenced weeks. Sharing results from a recent survey of industry supervisors, she exposes success and concerns. The longer we maintain a “sprint” like pace, the faster employees will burn out. . . social distancing only further fans the burnout flame. Our best leaders will remember the sprint we … [Read more...]
Lead with compassion
Life, work and school are all suddenly happening – imperfectly – within the same four walls. We are there for each other, but it is virtual. Zoom screens ensure we are not absent, yet cannot make us fully present. Time warps. One moment feels impossible slow and another is head-jangling in its rate of change. Source: LinkedIn Pulse, May 7, 2020. Link. So, what does good … [Read more...]
Malone: Customers buy BENEFITS
This article is pure Malone. For those who cringe at the topic of selling, please remember that if any of your work activities support the generation of an invoice . . . you do sell! I recall courses Patrick led and the challenge of learning to stay out of my own way. The importance of focusing on benefits to get and keep your customer’s attention is critical to today’s … [Read more...]
CAPC’s Christopher Carpenter, DVM, talks mapping on The Bridge Club
Chris Carpenter, DVM, shared how the Companion Animal Parasite Council is using big data to help track and map parasite incidence. He emphasized the need for practices to report their findings and urged them to accept parasite migration is now multifactorial, specifically citing pet travel. Additionally, he urged practice teams to become more vocal in helping pet owners and … [Read more...]
What’s next from Veterinary Innovation Podcasts
AHD is collaborating with VIP to inform you of upcoming podcasts about animal health industry innovations and strategies. You can find recent podcasts on the VIP website < link >, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify Podcasts. Here’s a schedule of what’s coming up soon. Source: Veterinary Innovation Podcasts. Link. May 21, 2020. Reducing canine anxiety … [Read more...]
Some of the best advice, boiled down into one-liners
Condensing truths into pithy aphorisms, Jessica Wildfire quips, “Why quote other people, when you can quote yourself?” Three we like are: Emotions are criminals you have to interrogate for the truth. You should have a sense of how you matter to someone besides yourself. Brooding over what you deserve but didn’t get is the most effective and most lethal form of … [Read more...]