2022 pet industry sales and trends, pet industry’s hottest small businesses, trends from the 2023 Global Pet Expo, Apple Pay support for small business, compliance to laws and regulations while bootstrapping, elevating small business appeal and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites – April 10, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Gatekeepers and the keys to the kingdom
Commentary Brian Sullivan’s article is written to help sales representatives work with the often imposing gatekeepers in veterinary clinics. Access challenges are the brunt of age old stories about Doc’s Aunt Sally or the new person who has been told to never interrupt the veterinarian unless it is a spouse, child or the police. Behind the access barriers is a message that … [Read more...]
The 5 most trusted pet retailers in 2023
Five pet retailers were recognized on Newsweek’s second annual Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2023 list. The list includes Amazon, Chewy, PetSmart and PetCo in the retail category top 10. Tractor Supply was not mentioned in the article but took 10th place. Walmart was ranked 25th. <Link> Source: Pet Product News, April 7, 2023. Link. Also see: Franchising is … [Read more...]
Chewy and Petco are increasingly reliant on pet health care for sales
Commentary With our recent post, “Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong” <Link> still resonating, we stepped back to the comments on quarterly reports from pet retailers Chewy and Petco. Gabrielle Fonrouge summarized key points from the respective earnings reports commenting, “Pet health care will be key to whether the companies can grow and … [Read more...]
The virtual vet will see you meow
A lot of us embraced virtual visits with our doctors during the pandemic. Some of us still prefer them. Pet owners’ adoption of veterinary telemedicine has not kept pace. A recent survey of more than 1,200 American cat owners showed that 72 percent of respondents used telemedicine for themselves, yet only three percent used it for their cats. Source: The New York Times, … [Read more...]
Stop giving s*!& away for free (video)
Commentary In what could be described as a rant, Amy N. Newfield, CVT, VTS (ECC), issues a call to action we’ve heard for decades. Stop giving away your valuable services for free! Stop telling clients that you agree that veterinary medicine is expensive and that your prices are too high! Stop apologizing for your prices! You are devaluing your time and your talent.” Amy N. … [Read more...]
Prioritize canine influenza vaccines based on animals at risk during shortages
Scott Weese, DVM, shares ways to determine which dogs need the canine influenza vaccines most since our industry continues to see shortages in flu vaccine supplies. Dogs considered to have increased risk of severe disease include seniors, pregnant, immune compromised, brachycephalic and those with significant cardiac or respiratory disease. Canine influenza is one potential … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – April 3, 2023
British Columbia doubling veterinarian numbers, Illinois legislature working to ban declaws, using AI to find employees to match a company, planning for retirement and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, April 3, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
414 short inspirational quotes when motivation is needed
Whether you want to find a new perspective on a challenging problem, stop procrastinating and do the important work in front of you, or light an inner spark to start something new and magical, this list may have the right words for yourself or the situation. Source: Four Minute Books, April 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
You don’t have to be the boss to be a leader
Matt Mayberry shares three actions that hone leadership skills to help become a highly respected and influential team member: Devote time to daily growth Discover and embrace your personal strengths Improve your ability to connect with people Source: Harvard Business Review, February 13, 2023. Link. Introverts, ambiverts, extroverts . . . anyone can learn how to … [Read more...]
Documentary highlights life and work of Temple Grandin
A documentary film about the world-renowned Dr. Temple Grandin recently completed shooting. The film, Open Door, features interviews with Grandin, her colleagues, industry professionals and those she has influenced throughout her career as a champion of human treatment of livestock, autism rights and inclusive neurodiversity. The production team includes eight current Colorado … [Read more...]
The gender pay gap in vet medicine is real
More women in veterinary medicine does not equal gender equality, writes Kristen Green Seymour in the latest issue of AAHA Trends. She covers gendered expectations, pay transparency, negotiating salary from day 1, abolishing the motherhood penalty, adjusting KPIs, practice ownership and more. Despite the field skewing strongly female, the average male income is significantly … [Read more...]
Finding the optimal pattern of a customer journey
Commentary Customer journey analysis is not new, although customer experience management is relatively new. The identification, optimization and management of touch points that lead to action by a prospect or customer challenges brands, budgets and companies in today’s internet world. Even so, earning a customer and retaining them is a journey animal health pros discuss and … [Read more...]
Hauser: Reverse the downward trend of pets missing vet care
There are many factors that cause pets to miss vital regular health care. Veterinary practices cannot afford to ignore trends showing fewer patient visits. Wendy Hauser, DVM, identifies three primary drivers for why patients don’t get needed veterinary care as: Client economic limitations The owner’s inability to access care A lack of communication Too many pet … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 6, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 30, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 30th AHD Bulletin – Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. Veterinarian helper wins digital ag hackathon Source: Cornell Chronicle, March … [Read more...]
7 tips for more effective vaccination programs in calves
Rhonda Brooks shares seven tips from bovine veterinarians that can help plan an effective vaccination program in calves. She reminds us that there is no effective one-size-fits-all strategy. Consider this article for communications with cow-calf, dairy or beef operators. It sets core considerations for what a vaccination program can and can’t deliver. Source: Dairy Herd … [Read more...]
Stimulating more milk fat production
Increasing milkfat and protein components of milk can raise the value of milk for producers. Milkfat comes from two sources. Preformed fat comes from fat present in the diet or body reserves. Other fat results from synthesis in the udder, and this is called de novo or “new” fat. Mike Hutjens, PhD, shared ways feeding and management can affect de novo fatty acid synthesis in … [Read more...]
Why pets do (fill in the blank)?
Addressing pet owner inquiries, the authors share answers to dog and cat owners’ most commonly searched questions. Source: Happy Puppy Tips. Link. INSIGHTS: Share this and discuss with your team to see if they have a consistent answer for these common questions. … [Read more...]
A proactive approach to feline stress
Contains Commercial Content Cat owner and Vet Advantage columnist Dawn Singleton-Olsen explains how helping veterinary teams educate cat owners about regular vet visits and some products that are helpful with the stresses of proactive feline care. Source: Veterinary Advantage, December 2022. Link. . . . attract more cat owners through client education and recommending … [Read more...]
Snoopy was a rescue (video)
We saw a post about Snoopy on the Texas Weimaraner Rescue Facebook page. A cultural icon for the human-animal bond, Snoopy was a rescued puppy having been returned to Daisy Hill Puppy Farm according to some accounts. Snoopy made his debut his debut in Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip in October 1950. The black and white beagle didn’t have a name until more than a … [Read more...]
Those dirty flies . . .
Warmer spring weather is also the start of fly season and no matter where you live, flies can be a problem. Our AHD archives offer many resources on fly control. Getting started now, can help keep fly populations from growing out of control. Source: Search results for fly control, AHD Archives. Link. … [Read more...]
Industry consolidation is concerning to independent pet specialty retailers
For independent pet specialty retailers, consolidation can be cause for concern. But consolidation remains an overarching pet industry trend. Big-name pet product manufacturers, retailers and service providers are making big deals while private equity and venture capital money streams in, writes David Lummis. Source: Pet Product News, March 2023. Link. . . . overall market … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – March 27, 2023
October PetCare Conference details, small business grants, risk management, Freshpet and Petco launch fresh food home delivery, women in the pet industry and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, March 27, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Gaps found in veterinary nutrition education
A recent online survey distributed by the American Animal Hospital Association received 403 responses from small animal veterinarians. The survey investigated whether formal veterinary school education and continuing education increased their confidence and the frequency of discussing nutrition with clients. Veterinarians with self-reported significant formal instruction and … [Read more...]
Accepting compliments, upgrade your relationships with praise
Christopher Littlefield addresses why compliments often make us uncomfortable. He says a majority of people cringe when given a complement instead of acknowledging it and feeling good about being recognized. Source: HBR Ascend, April 2021. Link. Littlefield shares three ways to help transform our relationship with praise: Know it’s about the giver, not you (the … [Read more...]
EPA seeks to hand off pet pesticide regulation to FDA
Citing controversy, lack of action and resources to respond to untoward incidents with a popular flea coller, the EPA wants to relinquish its oversight of pet pesticide products. Under the current setup, the EPA is responsible for regulating pet pesticide products that are “not systemic,” or aren’t supposed to enter the bloodstream, while the FDA regulates “systemic” pet … [Read more...]
Artie wins 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize at Global Pet Expo
Five pet care startups from across the U.S. and Canada pitched their businesses to pet industry influencers in a bid to win the 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize powered by Purina. Artie presented a unique countertop appliance system used to prepare artisan-inspired, home-cooked Artie Harvest Bowls meals for dogs at the touch of a button. The four other competing companies … [Read more...]
Millennials plan to stick with online shopping even as stores rebound
While brick and mortar popularity seems to be returning, 73 percent of millennial survey participants said they plan to spend the same or more online this year. Twenty seven percent of them plan to spend significantly more online and less in-store this year, according to a survey from ESW. Staying abreast of how people behave in retail is an indication of how animal owners … [Read more...]
Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong
Richard Kestenbaum shares he was shocked with numbers from the APPA summary of its annual report on pet ownership that shows a decline in pet households. The percentage of households with pets declined from 70 percent in 2021 to 66 percent in 2022. In contrast to the households decline, the dollars spent on pets in 2022 were up 10.8 percent over 2021. Recent reports from Chewy … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 30, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 23, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 2nd AHD Bulletin – 5 steps for using care to unlock employee happiness and health. Link. Key trends driving veterinary care’s future. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]