The VHMA’s tracking surveys are often revealing. June 2020 versus June 2019 numbers look strong, even in the shadow of a possible recession. Practices are reeling from the cumulative disruption from the pandemic but gaining ground against previous shortfalls. About 53 percent of practices never changed their hours of operation and another 25 percent did, but have returned to … [Read more...]
Search Results for: pandemic
Parvovirus cases spike
BluePearl, which operates 90 specialty and emergency pet hospitals in 21 states, has experienced a 70 percent increase in parvovirus cases. They relate the spike to the pandemic. AAHA’s Tony McReynolds dug into the situation and offers ways for practices to prepare. Source: AAHA NEWStat, July 23, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
How vet professionals juggle kids and work
More questions than answers remain for parents as we look to the upcoming school year. Companies and parents are bracing for more childcare conflicts. With schools not fully reopening and day-care centers struggling to survive the pandemic they just don’t know what the future holds” – WSJ, July 19, 2020. Link. Understanding how peers are handling the issues may be helpful as … [Read more...]
Improve your mental strength step by step
The current pandemic greatly demonstrates there is a real scarcity of mentally strong people. Spend more than a few minutes on social media and you will be exposed to meltdowns over trivial concerns. I wondered why, so I searched for advice on improving one’s mental strength. Source: Forbes, January 7, 2019. Link. Most of the articles on mental strength focused on what not … [Read more...]
Noisy children get WFH parent fired
Whizy Kid’s article sparks memories of a 15th century saying, “Children should be seen not heard.” Fueled by the story of a California woman whose employer fired her because her children were allegedly too noisy, Kid discusses employment at will, just cause, gender discrimination and wrongful termination. Source: Refinery 29, July 10. Link. The pandemic has burst the dam on … [Read more...]
15 items that need wiped down every day
Cleaning as usual is not enough during this pandemic. We all know we need to be extra careful and take the necessary measures to keep us, our families and colleagues safe. Noah Holland shares 15 things you might forget to wipe down on a daily basis. Here are five of them: Smartphones Eyeglasses Doorknobs, light switches Toilet handles Communal … [Read more...]
DVMs, MDs collaborate to address zoonoses
The prevalence of zoonoses points to the need for veterinarians and their human counterparts to connect and work together today in ways most haven’t historically.” - Audrey Ruple, DVM. The progressive nature of the coronavirus pandemic has underscored the need for medical professionals from all disciplines to interact, share knowledge and activate their collective … [Read more...]
Family dogs likely encourage toddler’s social and emotional development
Animal health pros likely have a good grasp on the value of dogs in homes. A newly published study focuses on children too young for school. Toddlers from dog-owning families who participated in the study published in Pediatric Research were 30 percent less likely to have conduct and peer problems compared to preschoolers from families who didn't own dogs. Source: CNN, July … [Read more...]
Pet owner views during social distancing
Fewer than 40 percent of veterinarians are confident about how well they understand what pet owners think, according to Diggo research. There is a definite gap between what pet owners think and what veterinarians think they think. This gap is getting wider. The infographic in this article summarizes pet owner responses and includes their current intentions, thoughts about … [Read more...]
We need sellers who sell, not take orders
Commentary David Brock shares he remains stunned by how few people who are in sales roles, truly sell. His article is clouded with somewhat of a rant BUT, he makes good points that are relevant in this current pandemic, WFH and changed contact methods environment. Customers need help, they want help. . . particularly in these times. They need to learn, to see new … [Read more...]
Email and chat etiquette for 2020 and beyond
Defining etiquette as a customary code of polite behavior, Myka Meier shares six guidelines for communicating via email and chat. It is a primer for virtual communications that is applicable now and in post-pandemic work habits. Know your audience Don’t leave colleagues hanging Minimize your multi-messaging Keep most communications concise Sign on and off with … [Read more...]
Keeping eyes on African Swine Fever
Although it seemed like diseases like African swine fever (ASF) took a backseat during the pandemic, the Covid-19 crisis taught the industry an important lesson about disease outbreaks: more work is needed, writes Jennifer Shrike. She shares four lessons shared during a June webinar. We need: more research and funding at the federal level effective … [Read more...]
Elanco CEO shares crucible moment perspectives (video)
Jeffrey Simmons, president and CEO at Elanco speaks about the collision of a pandemic with a societal awakening as a crucible moment. He asserts this period as a once in a lifetime event. Simmons shares his observations via video and in these written sections: The innovative will separate themselves The basics matter, but done with excellence The human-animal bond … [Read more...]
For hospital managers, numbers speak louder than words!
Veterinary practice managers generally track and report on a number of Key Performance Indicators. These critical figures provide valuable insights into how the practice is performing and specific factors that influence performance over time. This group of highly motivated animal health pros have received considerable support from their association in recent months. The VMHA … [Read more...]
How discomfort enables growth
Let’s be honest: There’s comfort in routines and predictable workflows, writes Michelle Eggleston Schwartz. But, navigating life on cruise control lacks the richness and reward gained from accomplishing difficult goals. Schwartz is correct. The pandemic has enmeshed home and work. Many have discovered the pleasure of applying creativity, new levels of resilience and … [Read more...]
Autoship sales projected to help Chewy retain 1.6 million new customers
Commentary: includes complementary commercial content from VetSource® Chewy’s success is getting noticed by our industry. For veterinary hospitals, it is a definitive call to action to embrace, implement and optimize home delivery” - Kirk Augustine Like Amazon and other e-commerce retailers, Chewy has seen the kind of growth that was expected to take years to achieve, get … [Read more...]
Behavior problems are too common in dogs
Confirming what we already know, a Finnish study of 13,000 pet dogs found that nearly three-quarters of them have behavioral issues. The study focused on seven issues: noise sensitivity fearfulness compulsion fear of surfaces or heights inattention/impulsivity separation related behavior and aggression. Over a quarter of the dogs were fearful of fireworks … [Read more...]
34 hard truths to know before becoming successful
In a recent post < link > Benjamin Hardy, PhD, reminded us that “every choice is costly; saying Yes isn’t free.” In this article, he shares truths about the path to success. Many of these will make sense for animal health pros as we work to define the next normal. Source: Benjaminhardy.com. March 16, 2020. Link. This message accompanied the list from Hardy. Here's an … [Read more...]
Dairy topics: Milk fever, dry cows, inbreeding, heat stress, sperm dose
Here are worthwhile topics to discuss with dairy producers during National Dairy Month. Veterinarians and direct-to-dairy representatives often find a third-party article opens the door to discussions beyond normal dialogues and details. The pandemic has taught us the importance of educational communications. Share these in person, on social media or in … [Read more...]
Dog life after WFH. Prepare for separation anxiety (video).
Once stay-at-home mandates end, pet owners won't be home as much. Prepare dogs for separation anxiety before it starts. Steve Dale shares concerns about upcoming separation stress. He shares proactive tools and ideas. Source: Good Morning America, May 2, 2020.Link. Also see: Separation anxiety training, The Bark, April 2020. Link. Also see: Pet separation anxiety … [Read more...]
Myths that stop people for asking for help at work
Comfortably and confidently asking for help requires refuting misperceptions that have been uncovered in research. These are myths likely to have been heightened as a result of the ongoing pandemic adjustments. Asking for help makes you look bad If I do ask for help, I’ll be rejected Even if someone agrees to help, they won’t enjoy doing so Source: Harvard … [Read more...]
Burnout recovery: 11 strategies to help you reset
People in our networks are feeling the deepening fatigue of adjusting to the rigors of the initial pandemic period. Whether working from home or working with PPE restrictions, ongoing high stress takes a toll on the brain and body. Burnout happens gradually. You might not notice symptoms immediately. However, once it takes hold, it can affect your ability to function across … [Read more...]
March 2020 – Top post review (3 of 3)
March 2020 – the month when the coronavirus feces hit the fan. Animal health pros faced the challenges and worked hard to mitigate risks while learning what changes the next day would bring. Defining essential versus non-essential was necessary to facilitate prevention of coronavirus transfer. Work-from-home mandates literally ground some businesses to a halt, forcing high … [Read more...]
April 2020 – Top post review (2 of 3)
The Animal Health Digest curation model delivers published information in the context of how animal health professionals work and interact with each other, with customers or clients and within their affiliated networks. Our industry spends millions annually supporting media. A portion of this supported content falls into the category of one and done. By physically reviewing … [Read more...]
May 2020 – Top post review (1 of 3)
The end of meteorological spring < link > has yielded to summer. Weather and the coronavirus pandemic have made it a memorable one. Animal health pros have quickly adopted digital communications, learned new methods of balancing home with work and found myriad ways to adapt to pandemic threats, tornadoes and flooding. Our Animal Health Digest weekly readership remains … [Read more...]
Raising Gallons video part of dairy month effort (video)
Dairy Management Inc. and state and regional checkoff teams around the country are showcasing dairy’s resilience and community impact during the Covid-19 pandemic in celebration of National Dairy Month. The efforts began on World Milk Day, June 1, with a Raising Gallons video < link > DMI created in partnership with state and regional checkoff organizations. The video … [Read more...]
Doing the right thing, colorblind
As if the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t enough, the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has thrown gas on societal fires. Today’s commentaries and media coverage of riots are too reminiscent of days past. Source: Purpose Unlimited: Link. In the days of segregation, my mother, my father, and a young baseball player named Billy, provided me with a lesson in race relations that … [Read more...]
Dairy topics: cow lying time, evaluating colostrum and virtual dairy tours
Keeping cows resting, improving measurements for failure of passive transfer and preparations for June Dairy Month are all actionable topics for animal health pros working with dairy producers. The Undeniably Dairy educational resources may interest people in your networks who plan to extend home education during summer. Take a few minutes to watch this virtual tour. < … [Read more...]
Pet telehealth making news
Beyond the recent announcement and buzz surrounding the Veterinary Virtual Care Association (VVCA) platforms and methods, connecting veterinary teams and animal owners is fast becoming a positive outcome from pandemic limitations. Whether pet or human, telehealth is quickly moving from obscurity to mainstream. Elaine K. Howley shares perspective from three veterinarians … [Read more...]
Help cat owners take care of their cats
There’s little doubt one of the big lessons of this pandemic has been the need to communicate more frequently with animal owners. Research has indicated this for some time. The rapid development of virtual care offerings underscores the importance of routine communication and interaction with pet owners. We collected articles below to share with cat owners on social media … [Read more...]