Debunking pet insurance myths, smartphone apps for dog owners, when it is time to secure funding, recession proofing strategies, $500 billion global pet industry could be possible by 2030 and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, May 1, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Search Results for: phone
Protecting your wrists while providing animal care services
Veterinary medicine and other pet services are “hands on” businesses. Even those who don’t actively interact with animals need to protect their hands and wrists from overuse on computers, holding phones and so on. Saleema Lookman, RVT, CPT, shares the importance of strengthening opposing muscles in this edition of the “Movement is Medicine” series. Source: Today’s Veterinary … [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...]
Don’t leave home without the right amount of cards, cash and ID
Are wallets still necessary? As wallets get thinner, people are rethinking how much they still need to carry in cash, cards and identification. F. Martin Ramin queried financial advisers to get recommendations for what to carry. Carry at least two but no more than three credit cards, a small amount of cash, a government ID and a card with your phone number in case the wallet … [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...]
Uterine prolapses, a review
No prolapse is exactly like the next one and there’s likely not a worse thing that can happen to a cow. Most prolapses occur following birth and within 24 hours. Rhonda Brooks shares feedback from veterinarians about handling uterine prolapses, clients and being prepared when arriving at the farm. When I was in practice, we actually had a chart taped to the wall by every … [Read more...]
LSU develops patent-pending wild pig bait
Commentary Feral hog control is an issue for ALL animal health pros. Wild pigs reproduce rapidly and cause damage to farms and suburban properties from the southern U.S. and into Canada <Link>. They also pose a growing threat to the environment, people and other animals. If an animal disease like African swine fever or hoof-and-mouth gets into these animals, it will be … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 16, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 9, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 9th AHD Bulletin – Pet owners feeling the sting of inflation. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. New York City rats can catch the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, study finds Source: CNN, March 9, … [Read more...]
Vet Watch Insight Report. 8.5 percent YTD practice revenue growth, other improvements
Commentary Growth in core vaccines, kennel cough vaccine and surgery at this point in the new year is good news. While invoices, patient and client numbers are still negative, these results are much improved over what was seen mid-November <Link>. Prevention medicine requires proactive communication.” Consider sharing this market information as part of employee … [Read more...]
Could emailing your doctor cost you?
Commentary While a change in the medical practice culture, medical doctors are beginning to charge for time spent on direct-to-patient communications. It’s no surprise. The changes expressed in this NBC report help establish comfortable precedents for veterinary professionals in the future. Attorneys have long charged for their time, often charging a minimum of five to … [Read more...]
Habits that annoy coworkers and ways to mitigate them
Foibles is a great word to describe our personality idiosyncrasies. We are unique humans after all. Vicky Oliver shares 10 of the more common annoying behaviors and ways to address them, including the always late arriver, those who interrupt, the one prioritizing their phone and ones who need a bath and clean laundry. Source: Fast Company, December 10, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Pet wearable market to grow to $6.88 B by 2030
Pet owners’ concern for their pets’ welfare is boosting pet wearables market growth opportunities, according to Grand View Research. Despite being in its infancy, the pet wearable industry growth is evolving with the spread of artificial intelligence, rising internet usage and the creation of low-cost sensors, smartphone applications, GPS and other technologies. Source: Pet … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 19, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 12, 2023. Link. Most read posts from January 12th AHD Bulletin – Social media users more inclined to browse than post content. Link. Place keeper:2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. ====================================== New strain of bird flu kills hundreds of snow … [Read more...]
BuddyID™ announces a Partnership with FirstVet & the launch of BuddyID™ collar tag
Complimentary Commercial Content Microchip ID Systems, a leader in the animal microchip and companion pet registry industry, is announcing its partnership with FirstVet. FirstVet will provide telehealth services to Microchip ID Systems customers that register their companion animals to the BuddyID™ registry and sign up with FirstVet. The company is launching a … [Read more...]
VetWatch® Commentary for Week 48 thru December 7th
Opinion The numerical trends in the VetWatch updates can appear to be minimal. However, considering the average annual value of a cat at about $400 and the average annual value of a dog is at least $900, retaining and engaging clients is critical to long-term practice revenue, healthier pets and happier clients. Simple math shows a veterinarian with 4000 active clients of … [Read more...]
Micro-thin “smart bandage” monitors wound healing while repairing tissue
Commentary Our curation sometimes uncovers advances on the human side that we may see or hope come to animal health. The smart bandage developed by researchers at Stanford University, now in proof-of-concept, represents a promising possibility for medical communities and managing chronic wounds. When administered to a patient, the bandage monitors temperature as well as … [Read more...]
Is customer service bad by design?
Animal health customer service pros and their executives will want to invest the time to listen to this episode of On Point. It takes on customer service frustration and success from customers’ and employees’ points of view. The discussion among the host and two customer experience experts features relevant examples of poorly designed customer journeys and ways to improve … [Read more...]
Prep dairy farms for winter now
It’s never too soon to prepare a dairy for winter. This task list from Penn State University Extension is a handy reminder for producers and a good conversation starter in person or via phone. Source: The Cattle Site, October 31, 2022. Link. Below are a few reminders when prepping the farm for the winter season. Make a checklist Barn maintenance Water Maternity … [Read more...]
988 – September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Suicidal thoughts or actions can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background. September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Be aware of these resources. Call 988 immediately if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis. If you don’t want to talk on the phone, chat at 988lifeline.org Text NAMI to 741-741 to connect with a free, trained … [Read more...]
Prussic acid toxicity risk, a problem in drought areas, after rains
Clark Roberts shares the importance of keeping an eye on cattle that graze where Johnsongrass is present, due to the risk of prussic acid toxicity. Anything that physically stresses Johnsongrass, such as drought in summer or freezing in the fall, can increase the amount of prussic acid in this invasive forage plant. Secondly, with rain after drought, or warm temperatures after … [Read more...]
3G sunset may affect sensors and alarms in animal production, systems, safety
Complimentary Commercial Content Many have already upgraded smartphones as the FCC opened more bandwidth to service 4G and 5G devices. However, there still may be 3G devices used daily that are greatly affected, such as various alarms on water systems, feed flows, ventilation systems and overflow alarms. An educational packet from BarnTools™ caught our attention. Animal … [Read more...]
Veterinary app to provide education, real-time disease surveillance for rural practitioners
Real-time information, smart phone technology and artificial intelligence converge to support rural practitioners. The Veterinary Syndromic Surveillance System website and app are now live. The platform will provide veterinarians a tool to access and input disease information into a central database and more readily see local disease risks and trends. The new app is … [Read more...]
Planned obsolescence in technology
Opinion Technology is responsible for driving more of the U.S. economy than any other profession than healthcare <Link>. The article revealing iPhone obsolescence prompted some juxtaposed thoughts about how often healthcare sustains dependence on fax machines in many situations. “All things must come to an end,” writes Cecily Mauran. Really? What’s the point for … [Read more...]
Distracted driving skyrocketing by more than 30 percent
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Some believe distraction cannot be solved by more regulation or enforcement. Some suggest we redesign roads. Over the past two years, distracted driving has been like a pandemic within a pandemic, increasing at alarming rates and changing drivers’ behaviors as the pandemic wears on.” - Ryan McMahon Source: Treehugger, April 8, … [Read more...]
Scheduling castration for bull calves
For bull calves, there’s no good time for castration. In today’s market however, producers use castration as a key component to any preconditioning program. Neutering can greatly influence market price premiums or discounts. Despite common perceptions, numerous studies have shown weaning weights are similar for bulls and steers. 62 percent of commercial cow-calf herds used … [Read more...]
Beware of nursing calf BRD
Complimentary Sponsored Content* Outbreaks of nursing calf BRD, also called summer pneumonia, do occur, writes Brent Meyer DVM, MS. He shares a list of factors that can lead to BRD in nursing calves. Most all are well known and routinely covered in the media. Yet, producers still have deaf ears and often maintain elevated expectations of dams’ natural abilities. Note the … [Read more...]
3 Ways telemedicine improves veterinary care for livestock
Opinion It is no secret livestock owners, farmers and ranchers have challenges accessing qualified veterinary care. The Veterinary Feed Directive put added requirements on available food animal veterinarians. Many equine and livestock veterinarians have used the telephone effectively for years. Now, new digital tools offer potentially more efficiency and effectiveness for … [Read more...]
How to interrupt someone’s workday without annoying them
As organizations shift to long-term hybrid models, it’s more important than ever to think proactively about how we communicate with one another at work. This increasingly complex landscape dictates we pay close attention to what it means to be a good interrupter. Research suggests that interruptions don’t have to be unpleasant. Elana Feldman offers six strategies to become … [Read more...]
It’s not just you.
Learn how your focus is more scattered now and ways to get it back. Your attention didn’t collapse; it was stolen by big and powerful forces. You haven’t become weak. You’ve been hacked.” - Johann Hari Brain fog is a common theme in discussions with animal health pros as they envision an end to pandemic interruptions and adjust their 2022 behaviors. Hari shares five key … [Read more...]
Turn away from the screen and tech habits to start for a happier 2022
Realizing she needed to make changes that reoriented her brain from distraction-based impulses and toward periods of deep, sustained focus, Rebecca Ruiz shares her story and five tech habits to help us feel more in control and energized. Spend chunks of the day, even three-minute bursts, without your phone or device. To truly reorient the brain toward quiet and stillness, you … [Read more...]