The new influx of chicken flocks has put humans, as well as the poultry they care for, at risk of salmonella sickness. It is alarming that 28 percent of the reported salmonella infections are from children younger than 5 years of age. Seventy four percent of reported salmonella cases involved contact with poultry. Source: Hobby Farms, March 3, 2021. Link. The primary key to … [Read more...]
Search Results for: pandemic
Meeting inventory needs a year later
Opinion Looking ahead through July, can you trust purchase history and forecasts?” – Kirk Augustine ABSOLUTELY NOT! The pandemic shutdown began a year ago. Replenishment slowed to a near halt. Inventory items on hand were motionless until late May or June. Now a year later, our industry has adjusted through curbside services, tele-everything and animal owners have migrated … [Read more...]
Beyond burned out and beyond self-care
Today’s level of burnout is the result of an existing problem made exponentially worse, says Jennifer Moss. The pandemic was an accelerant. Combating burnout may feel like an impossible task, especially after months of emotional fatigue, but if you’re armed with the right tools, it can be easier than you might think. Despite how massive the burnout problem is, it’s never too … [Read more...]
More pets, fewer vets. Now what?
A staggering one in four employees plans to leave their employer after the Covid-19 pandemic subsides, according to a new survey. Already short of qualified workers, the veterinary practice industry faces big hurdles according to Bob Lester, DVM: Cost of care Cost of education Wellness in both people and pets AND The workforce shortage Source: Vet … [Read more...]
Preparing for future disruption
Whether we have another Covid-19 surge or not, veterinary practices can use the experiences of the last year to prepare for what is ahead. Many of the adjustments made are likely to become part of normal services. MWI Animal Health provides an outline of items to consider. Hybrid service models using digital tools are predicted to continue in animal health as in human … [Read more...]
Map shows what’s slowing the vaccine rollout where you live
In some areas Covid-19 vaccines are getting into arms slowly. Factors that include poor healthcare systems, low internet access and vaccine hesitancy are keeping people from getting the vaccine. This article shares a map showing where those issues need to be addressed to end the pandemic. Check your own area. Source: Fast Company, March 2, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Show your leadership in the storm
Leadership is easy in good times. Effective leaders tend to get out of the way and spend their time looking ahead. However, when the pandemic is celebrating its one-year anniversary, more is required. Source: peoplehum.com, January 2021. Link. This is when real leaders need to stand up, speak out, and lead. INSIGHTS: As the leader, you communicate whether or not you are … [Read more...]
Moving your practice services online important, especially now
Sponsored Content Many small- and medium-sized veterinary practices are still reeling from the impact of the lockdowns during this coronavirus pandemic. Getting practice services online often sounds like a daunting task for practice owners, says Clint Latham, JD. However, it is now more important than ever to have an online presence, where you can reach out to your clients … [Read more...]
Why pigs don’t wear masks
Opinion Relating the challenges of pandemic mask wearing may be a reach, but swine veterinarians and producers have been fighting Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) since the late 1980s. Most animal health pros realize the importance of pathogen reduction. Air filtering has become a primary method of reducing risks in swine units where herd density … [Read more...]
QR codes shaping Innovetive Pet Care services
Complimentary Commercial Content Adjusting pandemic-created constraints, Innovetive Petcare is using more touchless ways to position its veterinarians and animal practices for ongoing growth and success. They have introduced QR codes, online waitlist tools and the use of video in their recruiting, marketing and client-experience efforts. The approach resembles tactics used … [Read more...]
Engage millennials with good work experiences
Advancing from the least-engaged age group to the most-engaged age group, thanks to the pandemic and its baby, remote work; millennials are engaging like never before. Their engagement surge clearly relates to a particular employee experience – one that can be analyzed, categorized – and replicated. Source: Gallup, January 6, 2021. Link. Millennials are the majority and as … [Read more...]
CAPC urges clinics to reach out assertively
The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends proactive veterinary client outreach in 2021. Starting now will help adjust for pandemic scheduling delays created last spring and will ensure all pets are tested and protected. Our concern is that the delayed veterinary visits in 2020 may cause difficulties in pets getting access to healthcare in 2021.” – Chris Carpenter, … [Read more...]
Vilsack parallels Covid-19 and animal disease vigilance
USDA Secretary of Agriculture nominee Tom Vilsack said there are three lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic that can help the country better prepare for future human and animal infectious disease outbreaks: the sooner you can detect a problem, the better incredible coordination is required the country must be able to create, distribute and manufacture … [Read more...]
Rover’s expensive. Pandemonium pup costs are real.
Nearly half of all dog owners spend about $3,400 a year on their dogs, but dog ownership doesn’t have to be this expensive. Source: Wall Street Journal, January 22, 2021. Link. Here are ways real pet owners save on these items. Food Pet insurance Health care and meds Grooming Boarding … [Read more...]
Survey says, “barriers, not demographics,” affect willingness to seek veterinary care
Rachel Park’s curiosity gives new meaning to pet owners’ barriers when considering veterinary care. Her research group’s findings describe known and unknown factors. Here are a few of her study results. The overall likelihood of dog owners to seek care did not differ significantly across demographics, regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic status. There were … [Read more...]
Dr. Jen addresses behavior problems in pets
Reminding us that behavior issues are the number-1reason pets are relinquished, Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM, discusses some common behavior issues in dogs and offers tips to help with them. This episode includes videos from viewers. Dr. Jen’s videos are excellent resources to share with clients on social media or via newsletters. Source: Dr. Jen the Vet, … [Read more...]
VVCA seeking study participants; please help
Take 20 minutes to support a study that will provide data and insights needed to drive innovations and access to care in the veterinary profession. Debbie Sigesmund, BSc DVM, asked the VVCA to support data collection from small and mixed animal practicing veterinarians. The research team from the Ontario Veterinary College is studying veterinarian and pet owners’ perceptions … [Read more...]
To overcome vaccine hesitancy, we need a better patient experience
HBR’s summary led me to review this article first in the human context and again thinking about animal health vaccination experiences. By thinking of the vaccine as a consumer product, vaccination as a service, and a high NPS (net promoter score) as a goal, we can better design the end-to-end vaccination process and bring this pandemic to a close as quickly as … [Read more...]
Rescue animals, TIME’s 2020 pet of the year
Pets will return to the White House when president-elect Joe Biden takes office. One of them is the rescue dog, Major. Rescues, rehomes and adoptions peaked during the pandemic and it’s a trend likely to continue. TIME shares stories, trends and metrics. Source: TIME, December 9, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Rationales for a dry January (includes videos)
Dry January began in 2012 as an initiative by Alcohol Change UK, a British charity, to ditch the hangover, reduce the waistline and save some serious money by giving up alcohol for 31 days. Dry January is a useful tool in determining to what extent we have become dependent on alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic," Sharon Wilsnack, PhD. Source: Today, January 7, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
VetWatch’s week 52 report shows continued promise
Complimentary Content The final week for 2020 reporting for VetWatch shows the canine and feline core vaccine indices ended at a robust 9.0 percent YTD growth across the 32,000+ practices and shelter locations in the Animalytix Marketplace. Other key findings include: Revenue growth year to date for the week remained positive in all areas of the country, averaging … [Read more...]
Updated OVMA guidance document: Covid-19 and veterinary clinics
Here is the latest version of the OVMA’s document, “A guide to mitigating the risk of infection in veterinary practices during the COVID-19 pandemic” Source: , January 4, 2021. Link. January 2021 Practice Guide to Mitigating the Risk of Infection During the COVID-19 Pandemic … [Read more...]
Dairy farming; being cruel to animals is a perception and sometimes a reality
Multiple animal activists groups have argued for years that dairy farming is no less than animal cruelty. Despite their actions being denounced by dairy owners, industry groups and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, activists are making headway. Market forces and the coronavirus pandemic are helping their cause, too. Scientists are working to show ways the … [Read more...]
Resilience needed for ongoing success
For many of us, and in most businesses, change is constant. Whether a business is adapting for relevance, roles are expanding for progress or departments are realigning for efficiencies, something new is at the heart of the change initiatives. And, never has this been truer for all of us in a global pandemic. Source: Turknett Leadership Group, December 17, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Updating clinic materials yields a new book for pet owners
Complimentary Commercial Content Sometime last spring, Marty Greer, DVM, JD, shared she was working on updating her clinic materials for pet owners while her practice was closed during the early days of the pandemic. She offered the same Bridge Club networking group a welcome surprise in early December. Her materials updating work had expanded into a new book for puppy … [Read more...]
Covid’s holiday surge requires vigilence to disinfection protocols
Commentary with Commercial Sponsored content from Virox® Animal Health Veterinary clinic owners and managers frequently reference staff members who are worn down, tired and near exhaustion. Pandemic safety protocols have added much more diligence beyond 24/7 mask wear. Disinfecting protocols have been adjusted and remain a primary measure in curbing pathogen transfers. In … [Read more...]
Covid fatigue is winning at the worst possible moment
Covid-19 fatigue is manifesting in an alarming number of people shrugging off safety measures and consuming less news about the pandemic, according to a new Harris Poll conducted exclusively for Fast Company. 27 percent of Americans say they’re less likely to engage in certain safety precautions than they were six months ago, curtailing things like frequent handwashing, … [Read more...]
Another new virus is coming. So, scientists study bats.
The coronavirus outbreak is nowhere near over and researchers are already trying to discover what will hit us next. Their goal is to identify other viruses that may be highly contagious to humans and use that information to stop them. It may seem early to study this, but scientists say that its highly likely another novel virus will jump from animal to human host and spread as … [Read more...]
2020 e-commerce surge carried pet food along for the ride
“One of the driving factors behind the e-commerce growth trends for pet food was the growth of millennial pet owners who were preconditioned to online shopping. The pandemic has taken this storyline and put it on steroids,” according to Tom Elliott citing a new report from Capstone Headwaters. In a related discussion, Fritz Wood, CPA and Vertical Vet's Dr. Ernie Ward … [Read more...]
The future of work?
Upon examination, these months of operating in survival mode provide valuable insight into how organizations and people can move forward from this disruption and position themselves to navigate future disruptions that are bound to occur. In short, we see a path toward thriving, not merely surviving. Source: Forbes, November 18, 2020. Link. Going forward, leaders and teams … [Read more...]