Microchipping is becoming prevalent, if not required throughout the horse world. It is not for locating missing horses. Rather, competitive organizations and breed registries are now requiring it for ease of identifying individual horses. Source: The Horse, January 10, 2017. (tiered access). The entire process, including the price of the microchip, usually costs less than … [Read more...]
IT security still important in the office, farm and home
More than one AHD contributor has shared the importance of IT security. Whether in a practice, on the farm or at home, it is a necessity. Bryant Gill, assistant farm director at Wisconsin Farm Report Radio, recently interviewed Mark Eich with the accounting firm Clifton Larson Allen. they spoke about the increasing need for effective cyber protection. The nine-minute interview … [Read more...]
Dr. Scott Dee discusses antimicrobial resistance
A recent CDC report that listed the most worrisome threats associated with antibiotic resistance did not implicate livestock, veterinarian Scott Dee says. Veterinarians, producers and others in the food industry are nevertheless working to improve stewardship of antimicrobials. Source: Pork Network, January 9, 2017 via AVMA Animal Health SmartBrief. Research to better … [Read more...]
Social video viewing enhances purchasing
Animal health pros use social media routinely. Yet, the use of video to educate and influence customer buying decisions has not become mainstream during sales calls or follow-up communications. According to new research commissioned by Brightcove, Inc., 74 percent of consumers say there is a connection between watching a video on social media and their purchasing … [Read more...]
Social media transitions in 2017
Ryan Holmes writes about social media, its future, its transition and the opportunities in this article. He writes that for businesses, the decline of organic social media reach needn’t be a doomsday scenario. The new social media order that's taking shape in 2017 promises companies the kind of precision and measurable results long expected from traditional channels such as … [Read more...]
There’s a fix for weak Wi-Fi
A strong Wi-Fi signal is important at a time when the number of Wi-Fi–enabled devices that use the internet is growing, no matter what they’re used for. A new type of Wi-Fi system is now available—a mesh network that overcomes many drawbacks of the old-style routers that most of us have in our homes or small businesses. Source: Bottom Line, December 1, 2016. Because Wi-Fi … [Read more...]
Unplugged, the digital sabbatical
Two straight weeks without a phone or internet access? Whether this sounds like heaven or hell, possible or impossible, Eric Garcia wants you to join him. Unplugging isn’t one-size-fits all. “Begin by spending a day without your phone,” Garcia suggests. “Then, try a day without social media or stop answering emails after 5:00 p.m.” Source: DVM 360, November 16, 2016. Garcia … [Read more...]
Malware got his hospital data. He fought back.
Veterinarian Phillips Raclyn is a hospital owner and self-described computer geek. His crew had backup after backup after backup. Then the thinkable happened. His system was hacked with ransomware. From individual machines, all the way to backups, including the external hard drive, every file had been encrypted. Fortunately, Raclyn was allowed to pay a negotiated ransom and got … [Read more...]
14 new beef industry products to consider
Veterinarians, retail associates and sales representatives may find one of these new products worthy of sharing with producers rather than talking about the weather or election results. Source: Beef, October 27, 2016. Innovation drives the beef industry. Here are 14 new products to keep on your radar this fall. … [Read more...]
Harness depicts canine moods
A harness called Inupathy ("inu" means dog in Japanese), has been invented by biologist Joji Yamaguchi. It measures the dog's heart rate and uses an algorithm to indicate different moods through a colored LED light. Red means excited or anxious, blue for relaxed, white for focused and rainbow for happy. Source: The Bark, November 10, 2016. Inupathy is expected to be … [Read more...]
Mobile, tablets conquer desktops, laptops
And, that just happened. Last month was the first time more web pages were viewed on mobile and tablet devices than laptop and desktop machines. Source: Quartz, November 1, 2016. And, while the global smartphone market is slowing, manufacturers are still shipping about as many smartphones in a quarter as computer makers send out desktops and laptops in a year, and it’s … [Read more...]
Robotics make milking easier in Kansas dairy
A Palmer, Kansas, family dairy operation spent five years researching robotics and deployed a system a year ago. Duane Meier reflects on the positive results of the effort. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 21, 2016. Now, six people are taking care of 720 cows with more time to actually manage the cows and take care of 600 acres of crops. Milk production increases are … [Read more...]
Hispennials represent tremendous opportunity
Almost 60 percent of the 55 million Hispanics in the United States today are millennials or younger. Their shopping and buying habits are different than their non-Hispanic counterparts, according to the latest HispanicLink™ findings from IRI, a marketing research firm. Convenience and ease of shopping are important, as are online deals and in-store engagement associated with … [Read more...]
Young folks like to read their news, not watch it
Lest you think millennials only watch news, think again. New findings from Pew Research show that only 38 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 name video as their preferred way to get the news. In fact, 42 percent of that group prefer to get their news by reading it online in a text format. Folks older than 50 years prefer watching the news. Source: NeimanLab, October 6, … [Read more...]
APHIS pet travel tool
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...]