Carly Fox, DVM, offers good advice on the importance of collars and collar identification. Pet parents might believe that with the prevalence of microchips, their animals don’t need a collar but animals that wear them are typically perceived as being owned. Information on the collar makes contacting the owner easier than finding someone to read a chip. Source: Inverse, via … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – December 4, 2023
Rover purchased by Blackstone, pet brain surgery may be an area of development, mind mapping, Veterinarians without Borders expands brand to include North America, actress Linda Blair’s efforts to save dogs, customer lifecycle automation, separation anxiety in pets and people, Purina’s grants for more human-animal bond research and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, … [Read more...]
Responding to upsetting emails
How you respond to unsettling emails speaks volumes about your maturity, emotional intelligence and business savvy, writes Elizabeth Danziger. She shares a five-step process to follow to plan a reply beginning with avoiding taking it personally and delaying an immediate response. Source: HBR Ascend, November 29, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Danzinger’s process would make a good … [Read more...]
Pay attention to others. They’re not thinking of you.
We all spend way too much time stewing about what other people are thinking about us — when they're not thinking about us at all. Source: AXIOS, November 16, 2023. Link. …paying attention to others is very different from worrying about what others think about you.” INSIGHT: You are not as bad as some say nor are you as good as others say. … [Read more...]
Lapsing client numbers increasing
ICYMI. Lapsing patients, defined as patients who haven’t been to a veterinary practice in 14 to 18 months, increased significantly per practice between January 2020 and July 2023. Rising overall prices, housing costs and interest rates have resulted in lower consumer confidence which may be reasons pet owners are delaying veterinary health care. Findings from the forthcoming … [Read more...]
Stop assuming introverts aren’t passionate about work
Introverts are equally capable of experiencing passion as extroverts, they just express it differently. The authors of new research found that regardless of their actual level of passion, extroverted employees are perceived as more passionate than introverts which often drives substantial inequities in the workplace. Society often assumes that the only way to be passionate is … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 30, 2023
Recent posts from AHD’s weekly Bulletins – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, November 2023 archives. Link. Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 2023 archives. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. ============================================ Merriam-Webster's word of the year . . . Authentic Source: BBC, November 27, … [Read more...]
KPI alphabet soup: Defining acronyms of high-performance dairies
Chad Jenkins and Mark Hodge share key performance indicators as a quick gauge and to provide clarity to a plethora of dairy data. Acronyms often add to the confusion along with some of the mathematics when talking with dairy producers. Four KPIs that have considerable impact on dairy productivity and profitability are income over feed cost, dollars per pound of dry matter, … [Read more...]
An overview of cannabis for pets
Includes Commercial Content* Ruth Fisher, PhD, covers topics that include the history of cannabis use in veterinary medicine, current laws on cannabis for pets, market size and segment, reported experiences from pet owners and veterinarians, and pet toxicology. The biggest threat cannabis poses for pets appears to be the same as that for children: unwitting consumption of … [Read more...]
Mystery canine respiratory virus has growing footprint
Eleven states have now reported a mystery respiratory illness in dogs <Link>. The mysterious illness was described as an atypical canine infectious respiratory disease that presents similar to kennel cough, but doesn’t respond to normal medication. Plus, the cough lasts longer than the normal seven to 10 days. Source: CNN, November 28, 2023. Link. At least two-hundred … [Read more...]
Holiday gift ideas for pets and professionals
Julia Burke shares ideas and favored items in the pet industry to add to your holiday shopping list from several categories, including health and wellness items. Source: DVM 360, November 24, 2023. Link. Also see: Choosing safe dog toys, AHD, December 21, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
A deep dive into holiday spending trends
While millennials lead in pet ownership, they allocate less money to their pets compared to their counterparts in Generation X and baby boomers, according to BLS data. On average, pet owners plan to allocate $122 for their pets during the 2023 holiday season. The intricacies of the millennial trends, particularly in the context of holiday spending, unveil a nuanced narrative … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – November 27, 2023
The importance of updating business listings, petflation declining, a bit more on the mystery K-9 respiratory illness, groomer helps shelter dogs, small business finance tips and more. . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, November 27, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Be curious
One of the simplest and more effective ways to brighten someone’s day is by asking them a question. Being asked about ourselves and our lives makes us feel listened to, understood, cared for and validated. Source: Axios, November 7, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Be interested and others will find you interesting. … [Read more...]
Build relationships with local pharmacies
Using community pharmacies may offer cost and convenience benefits to animal owners, writes Kate Boatwright, VMD. However, many veterinarians resist using external sources for pet medications. The two major factors contributing to this concern include frustrations in communicating with pharmacies and concern for prescription errors. Alternate sources of pet prescriptions are … [Read more...]
Study: More Americans seeking preventive care. Can animal health capitalize on the trend?
Commentary Animal health pros are familiar with the transitions from treatment to prevention that occurred in dentistry <Link>. Driven in part by advancements in technology, a modern general practice dentist is heavily focused on healthy oral care and preventing dental decay. A Health Affairs study indicates human patients are seeking similar care from their primary … [Read more...]
Looking back: most read posts from the November 2022 AHD Bulletins
Most read posts give us a sense of the priorities, problems and pain points animal health pros are experiencing when serving animal owners, their animals and each other. Despite what seems like a heightened sense of urgency, the most read posts from a year ago are grounding and remind us little changes. Animal health remains a repetitive business which benefits from educating … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 16, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, November 9, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the November 9th AHD Bulletin – Age-specific products for senior companion animals. Link. Better cat visits. Carriers and caregivers are the key. Link. The value of teamwork. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
Treating digital dermatitis
Acknowledging that digital dermatitis is likely to become endemic once it gets into a dairy, Doerte Doepfer, DVM, MSc, PhD, shares the importance of good detection, prompt treatment, strategic use of disinfecting foot baths and including hoof trimmers as part of the health management team. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, November 9, 2023. Link. Also see: Search results for: … [Read more...]
USDA, only 6 strains of African swine fever virus
Accurate classification of viruses is paramount for epidemiological investigations and the development of cost-effective countermeasures, including designing vaccines for unique strains of ASFV. Researchers have reclassified the number of African swine fever virus strains from 25 to only six unique genotypes. Reclassifying ASFV from 25 to 6 genotypes is important . . . it may … [Read more...]
The evolution of poultry farming in America
Large-scale and backyard poultry farming oscillate every couple of generations. Kenny Coogan provides a short history of poultry farming in the U.S. as backyard birds are gaining popularity once again. Source: Backyard Poultry, October 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
AAHA publishes guidelines for the management of allergic skin diseases in dogs and cats
Managing allergic skin diseases in dogs and cats can be challenging. It requires a multimodal therapeutic approach and frequent, ongoing communication with the pet’s family members and caregivers. AAHA’s first-of-a-kind guidelines offer detailed diagnosis and treatment plans to help guide veterinary teams creating better patient outcomes and client satisfaction. Treating the … [Read more...]
35 dog, cat foods now in Mid America recall; 7 infections
ICYMI. Mid America Pet Food of Mount Pleasant, Texas, expanded its October 30 voluntary recall to include additional pet food products with Best By Dates before 10/31/24, made at its Mount Pleasant facility, due to the products’ potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We noted some Member’s Mark products marketed by … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – November 13, 2023
Fast Bites is the weekly communication tool dedicated to the members and supporters of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association. Approximately 7,000 businesses are members and represent the pet care professionals who support dog and cat owners when they are not able to do so at home. These animal health pros often see pets four or more times each week. Source: … [Read more...]
How 15 minutes make or break your day (podcast)
Charlie Gilkey discusses small daily habits or practices that have an outsized impact on our productivity and well-being and how to identify the 15 to 20 minutes each day that make or break how we feel and function. It is a great topic as we head into the holiday season. Source: Sparked, November 7, 2023. Link. (30:10) … [Read more...]
The critical skill for success
Communication is critical for success. Yet it is multifaceted and beyond simply the expression of words. If you cannot communicate, it is like winking at a date in the dark . . . nothing happens.” Source: Inc., November 7, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Words and “music” make the song complete. … [Read more...]
Time to face the music
Too much sound can be harmful to our health as we shared recently <Link>. The wrong sounds piped into the clinic’s sound system may be annoying and bad for business, writes Marc Rosenberg, VMD. He shares a realistic situation where staff and clients were negatively affected by the choice of clinic music. Source: DVM 360, November 7, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Unconscious fear leads to productivity losses in the billions
Most managers aren’t aware they’re leading with fear, writes Hailey Mensik. Sharing the results from a leadership survey that indicates a third of corporate leaders are primarily motivated by fear. This creates less efficient and less psychologically safe work environments that cost nearly $36 billion annually in lost productivity. Source: DIGIDAY, November 8, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Did you hear what I said? How to listen better.
“Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?” is a comical scene from the 1998 movie, Rush Hour, <Link> when Carter (Chris Tucker) picks up Lee (Jackie Chan) at the airport. Many times during our everyday communications that phrase is applicable. Michael Blanding reports on research that reveals how prone the mind is to wandering and sheds light on … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 9, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, November 2, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the November 2nd AHD Bulletin – Heartworm prevention nonadherence prevalent in U.S., study finds. Link. Want to move up? Link. Roundtable discussion: The performance impacts of cow gut health. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences … [Read more...]