When travelling with pets, there may be animal health requirements specific for a destination. Factors to consider may include meeting timeframes for obtaining a health certificate, updating vaccinations, diagnostic testing or administration of medications or treatments. USDA APHIS recently launched a handy tool for veterinary teams and animal health pros dealing with pet … [Read more...]
Dogs like TV
Dogs notice and understand pictures they see on the television screen, as well as the sounds that accompany them. Digital and HD technology has improved the TV experience for dogs, says Janet Miller. Dogs literally see a new picture, with more clarity than before. Studies show how they see and process images, why they are attracted in the first place, and whether or not they … [Read more...]
Editorial – Manage product deliveries efficiently
Amazon will soon deliver to businesses and homes. If we accept that a 2 full-time DVM equivalent veterinary hospital places 10 orders weekly to replenish its inventory, then it is likely that those orders will arrive in 20 to 25 different boxes. Some of these boxes come via UPS, FedEx, U.S. Postal Service and some from distributors or manufacturers. This can add up to three … [Read more...]
Adventures in equine texting
Bo Brock, DVM, shares an experience with a misdirected text and pictures taken during an equine surgery. It is a comical reminder of what happens when texting goes wrong. Source: Equine 360, April 1, 2016. It turned out she was a really funny old lady. When she finally believed that I was a veterinarian sending pictures to a client, and looked close enough at the pictures … [Read more...]
Microchip conundrum
Microchips are great for helping lost pets find their way home. But microchipping and ownership ethics present dilemmas to veterinary teams. Honoring the veterinarian-client confidential relationship trumps the chip record. This article discusses ethics, current laws or the lack thereof, and possible court cases. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, September 2016. No matter the … [Read more...]
Potential for ultrasound use with horses is almost unlimited
Ultrasound is commonly used to evaluate the female reproductive tract, as well as the, tendon and ligament a horse’s lower limb. The applications are not the limit, according to David Ramsey, DVM. Ultrasound is easily learned and can be used in less common situations, including colic. Ultrasound mechanics are straightforward. Ultrasonic waves are generated by a probe the … [Read more...]
Avoid email time traps
Email is not dead, according to Jocelyn K. Glei, but it does kill our productivity. Recent projections suggest that worldwide email usage will grow by 12 percent in the coming years. Let’s look at the numbers and then learn how to manage this invasive digital necessity productively. The average person checks their inbox 11 times per hour, processes 122 messages a day, and … [Read more...]
A wink is not just a wink
Not everyone can wink. Whether using an emoji or contorting your face to drop an eyelid, winks are one of the most wide-ranging, ambiguous behaviors there is. Bottom line, you can’t really control how your wink is interpreted. Source: Science of US, September 19, 2016. The most popular interpretations: The wink was meant as a way of communicating thanks, or it was a sign of … [Read more...]
Editorial – Keep the loop(s) closed
Multiple social media sources organize content for veterinary practices. The challenge is to keep the practice team up to date on what is being posted and the possible questions that could result from it. Knowing what practices are posting can also be a big help for sales representatives as they support their clinic customers. Similar dynamics exist for reps who service retail … [Read more...]
Dr. Little’s Exponential Vet
Dr. Adam Little tracks areas where technology and animal health intersect. This issue highlights some artificial intelligence, biotech news, profiles recent investments in pet care and shares his take on the KC Corridor Animal Health Investment Forum. Source: Exponential Vet, September 12, 2016. Here are the stories Little shares: Technology As lab-grown meat and … [Read more...]
How-to videos hack the way humans learn
According to Google, YouTube searches for the phrase “how to” grew 70 percent between 2014 and 2015. In the first half of last year alone, people in North America watched more than 100 million hours of how-to videos. In a recent issue of Nautilus, writer Tom Vanderbilt explained, “We are, in effect, simulating doing the task ourselves, warming up the same neurons that will be … [Read more...]
The social (media) sweet spot
A busy infographic from a 2015 study shows how veterinary team members use social media. 78% say they use Facebook for both personal and professional reasons. 60% believe they are using social media to educate and connect with veterinary clinics. Source: Firstline, August 2016, page 20. INSIGHTS: Information such as this is important to study and monitor. Facebook and … [Read more...]
Avoid problems smartphones cause
Smartphone technology can create problems for users of all ages. This article references four ways they could be harming you and what to do about it. The four problems are: Text neck Bum thumb Eyestrain Distractibility Source: The Kansas City Star, August 17, 2016. We spend five hours a day on our mobile phones. 'A whopping 90 percent of us text with our necks … [Read more...]
Tunes for dogs
Deezer, the on-demand digital music streaming service has assembled two playlists that dogs enjoy. Deezer worked with animal behaviorist Dr. David Sands to study how dogs hear and react to different kinds of music based on beats per minute. The results are these playlists that they claim are scientifically proven to help energize or calm your pup. Source: The Bark, August … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Procedure lighting quality critical
Lighting technology has evolved immensely in the past decade. There are new terms to understand and more options to consider. Lighting needs vary by practice, location and procedure. Source: Repertoire, August 2016. Consider this checklist before you invest in new or upgraded clinic lighting: Intensity Color Heat generation Shadow reduction Positioning … [Read more...]
Dr. Little’s students write for Exponential Vet
Summer participants in the Veterinary Student Innovation Program write about what might be coming. The veterinary students have been working alongside early stage animal health companies to help bridge the gap between technology and the veterinary practice. See their contributions on the following topics: Turning suture material into biological sensors Starving cancer … [Read more...]
Drones dispense M&Ms to help endangered ferrets
The U.S. government is set to unleash drones that fire vaccine-covered M&Ms in a bid to save the endangered black-footed ferret. It faces a plague epidemic across America’s great plains. Both black-footed ferrets and prairie dogs are susceptible to the sylvatic plague, a flea-borne disease spread from rats that were introduced from ships arriving in California in the … [Read more...]
Jump into the future with urinary biomarkers
Diagnostic urinary biomarkers are the wave of the future, according to Leigh Perry, VMD, DACVIM, BluePearl, Virginia Beach, VA. In a presentation at CVC Virginia Beach, Perry shared how urinary biomarkers are changing the game. Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) markers can be detected earlier than other indicators of chronic kidney disease, leading to faster management. Blood … [Read more...]
AVMA launches clinical studies database
The AVMA has launched an animal health studies database as a resource for researchers looking for animals animals to use in clinical studies and for veterinarians and owners exploring treatment options. Source: AVMA SmartBrief, July 8, 2016. Veterinarians and animal owners may search the site to find studies that might be relevant to their patient or pet, either for a … [Read more...]
Dr. Little on Dr. Google and the impact of technology on healthcare
Adam Little, DVM, tracks technology developments and their potential in animal health. This issue covers: 3D pill printing for personalized doses Google will help your self-diagnosis with new symptom search Genes might be to blame for retrievers’ obesity How telemedicine is transforming health care Domgy, an AI pet robot from a Beijing startup Tale of two … [Read more...]
Tech to help dogs talk
Special vests that enable dogs to send audible messages will help rescue-trained pups and service animals. Source: Petcha, June 8, 2016. A research team at the Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a new vest that allows dogs to respond to their owners, CNN reports. The vest comes equipped with sensors that the dog can use to send text notifications or audible … [Read more...]
Vet students help Dr. Little with innovation program
Students in the Exponential Vet summer Veterinary Student Innovation Program provide insight on: origami swallowable pills a synthetic dog model that mimics the canine body for use in teaching instead of live animals using drones to track stray dogs using artificial intelligence for X-ray diagnostics an app that compares photos and videos that may help with … [Read more...]
The secret life of pets campaign
PetSmart will soon air two 30-second animated TV spots to promote the upcoming film "The Secret Life of Pets," which hit theatres July 8. Animal characters from the movie will tell stories of what happens when pets are left on their own devices and without human interaction, visit to a PetSmart store. Source: Ad Age, June 9, 2016. The humanization of pets is a tremendous … [Read more...]
4 ways to protect against ransomware
Ransomware can strike anyone and any business. The experts at InfoGPS wrote about it in March and April for AHD. While backing up is the most important aspect of maintaining data, restoring it after an attack isn’t painless. It could take a week or more and an untold amount of staff time to get things back to normal. Here are four ways to keep it at bay. Source: Wired, May … [Read more...]
Petcube is Skype for Fido and Fluff
The stress of being stuck in traffic or working late while one’s dog or cat waits at home may be eased with Petcube, a new smart camera. Paired with a smartphone app, it lets users watch, talk and play with pets in real time time using a laser pointer. Source: Sacramento Bee, May 4, 2016. It’s basically like Skype for you and your pet, but your pet doesn’t have to pick up … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – 3 cybersecurity tips can help secure data
Securing clinic data is critical to general business practices and to ensure client, employee and third-party vendor data remain confidential. In our second installment about cybersecurity, Terrie Bonfiglio offers three, common-sense tips to keep data thieves out of your system. Source: Learn 3 cybersecurity tips in 10 minutes via InfoGPS Networks, April 2016. However, your … [Read more...]
Editorial – Re-examine your e-commerce strategy
"Digital channels have become the dominant medium for influencing decision-making and building a stronger relationship between the brand and the end user”, says a 2011 Oracle report. It is past time for veterinary hospitals to reassess and update their digital strategies to include product sales. While this article focuses on distribution, consider that for many consumer … [Read more...]
Veterinarians get bad online reviews
Dr. Andy Roark indicates an older article has resurfaced in online communities. He takes us through three reasons respected veterinarians get bad online reviews: Guilt and sadness mutate Pets are amazing and miracles happen Second opinions have advantages Source: Dr. Andy Roark, November 15, 2015. More and more veterinarians I know and respect are getting … [Read more...]
Back it up! Here’s how.
The spring storm season is here. Don’t let lightning strikes, power surges and power outages zap your data. “Clinics are more at risk of a lightning strike or power surge that can negatively affect computers than they are for all the data breaches you’re reading about. Data backup failure is going to get someone first,” says Nancy Dewitz, technical and marketing consultant … [Read more...]
Technology with Dr. Adam Little
Dr. Little reviews how biotech advances may shift demand for food animal veterinary services and the role that sensor technology plays in conservation activities. He also comments on the Mars Petcare acquisition of Whistle’s ‘Fitbit for dogs’ and human medicine developments that show promise for veterinary care. Source: Exponential Vet, Issue #12, April 12, 2016. … [Read more...]