David Ramey, DVM, reviews the various causes of equine asthma syndrome, a new term to describe airway conditions characterized by inflammation and airway hyperreactivity. Among them: broken wind, heaves, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and IAD (inflammatory air disease). Source: Veterinary Practice News, February 27, 2017. Depending on the clinical signs and … [Read more...]
Joining an organization can help animal health pros
Multiple organizations advocate for the animal health profession and provide an array of services and benefits to members. Keith Loria sorts out the acronym alphabet soup and explains who is who and who does what. Source: Veterinary Practice News, January 31, 2017. Veterinary professionals, regardless of specialty or job path, can join an association—or multiple … [Read more...]
10 secrets to keep your veterinary nurses happy
Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, CVJ, went behind the scenes and has deep, confidential conversations with veterinary surgery and anesthesia nurses. From these discussions he developed a list of behaviors that will keep them smiling. Source: Veterinary Practice News, January 27, 2016. How to keep your surgery and anesthesia nurses happy during the new year and beyond: Get … [Read more...]
Kirby’s Rule of 20
The Kirby’s Rule of 20 is a classic checklist of 20 important patient parameters. Its creator, Rebecca Kirby, double board-certified in internal medicine and critical care, is the former owner of Animal Emergency Center in Glendale, Wisconsin. This checklist would help create good discussion at an upcoming practice team meeting. Don’t forget to discuss what it means to give … [Read more...]
Weird stuff clients say – vet tech edition
Just for fun! Here are some of the strangest things vet technicians have heard clients say. Source: Veterinary Practice News, January 2, 2017. The strangest things vet techs have heard clients say. … [Read more...]
AVMA report says veterinarian market still robust
The 2016 AVMA Report on the Market for Veterinarians, released in late October examined these categories: Employment, unemployment, and underemployment Income, present value of the veterinary degree Causes of negative well-being: debt, job/career satisfaction and income Expenditure patterns Burnout scores Health Source: Veterinary Practice News, November … [Read more...]
13 things the mentally strong DON’T do
Whether applying to your personal, volunteer or professional life, Amy Morin’s list of things not-to-do can help us unlock our full potential. She says, “…letting go of the bad habits helps you work smarter, not harder.” Source: Veterinary Practice News, December 2016, page 33. We all have the ability to build up our mental toughness. Here are 13 things mentally tough … [Read more...]
Behavior drugs, nothing to fear
Veterinary teams are slowly getting over their concerns about using behavior drugs. The debate about animal anxiety continues but, “it should have been dead decades ago,” says Nicholas H. Dodman, BVMS, Dipl. ACVA, Dipl. ACVB. Client acceptance is stronger now as more humans use anti-anxiety and depression medications. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 8, … [Read more...]
R E S P E C T retains clients
Steven Pearson, DVM, shares five ways to ensure your veterinary practice can meet clients' needs. He reminds us all that time is valuable, regardless on which side of the exam table you stand. He says practices must provide high-quality services in a relaxed and consistently respectful manner to reach their full potential. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 1, 2016. … [Read more...]
Managing with the new overtime pay laws
A new federal requirement effective December 1, 2016 raises the minimum salary needed to exempt most employees to $47,476 per year. Beyond the doubling of the current level, there are specific job categories or exemptions where overtime rights are considerations. Source: Veterinary Practice News, November 2016. Cover page, continued on page 28. It is important to review the … [Read more...]
Be cautious around horses
Equine veterinarians have higher rates of injury than other occupations, including those in construction, the prison service, and firefighters. Further, an Australian study data reported that while there have been significant decreases in injury and death in workplaces traditionally viewed as dangerous, such as mining and construction over the past several decades, there has … [Read more...]
Vet tech coming. Plan now.
Tony Bennett recorded “Who Can I Turn To” in 1964 when it hit the top five on the Adult Contemporary chart. Like Bennett’s recording, veterinary technicians are a hit practices worldwide. They are essential and the primary point of contact with clients. Without them, who would our industry turn to? National Veterinary Technician week is October 16th to 22nd. Plan time to … [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...]
Let’s talk discounts
This topic parallels our editorial - Toot your own horn. A growing number of veterinary practices and independent dealers or retailers are using practice or business managers to monitor the delivery of services and their residual profits. Discussing discounting behaviors is challenging. Tanja Mimica, of ConsultMates, believes there are four key things that make discounting … [Read more...]
X-rays tell the story
The headline says it all, “They ate what?” The honorable mention images from the 2016 x-ray contest give a view of the challenges created when animals ingest things not intended for their consumption. We think you’ll enjoy the cases shown and could use some of them in client education as well. Source: Veterinary Practice News, September 2016, page 30. … [Read more...]
First puppy cloned in U.S.
ViaGen Pets of Austin, Texas, announced the birth of a Jack Russell terrier named Nubia on July 22, 2016. Nubia was implanted as an embryo in a surrogate and was born nine weeks later. The article suggests cloning can be a win-win for veterinarians wanting to offer a solution to help soften the loss of a favored pet. Source: Veterinary Practice News, September 2016, page … [Read more...]
Reality TV comes to the Vet University
Life at Vet U, a new docu-series will soon air on Animal Planet. The program follows a group of fourth-year veterinary students as they complete their training while learning from pioneers of veterinary medicine at Penn Vet's Ryan Hospital and New Bolton Center. A premiere date has not been announced. Source: Veterinary Practice News, August 1, 2016. View a special trailer … [Read more...]
Canadian wood bison reproduced in vitro
Four wood bison calves were born at the University of Saskatchewan Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Native Hoofstock Center in July. Three of the calves were born using in vitro fertilization. The fourth calf was produced from a frozen embryo that was taken from a bison cow in 2012 and transferred to a surrogate mother in 2015. Both are reproductive firsts for the bison … [Read more...]
Scheduling secrets for veterinary receptionists
Wendy Myers shares tips about getting control of hospital scheduling. Effective scheduling techniques improve patient care, hospital revenue and client satisfaction. Reclaiming control of your appointments will also boost employee morale, she says. Source: Veterinary Practice News, July 12, 2016. Get your practice's schedule under control with these tips: Ask questions … [Read more...]
The truth about thyroid disorders and vaccines
W. Jean Dodds, DVM, felt compelled to write about two legends that persist about thyroid disorders and vaccines. She presents this as myth versus truth. Source: Veterinary Practice News, June 23, 2016. As the thyroid gland regulates metabolism of all body cellular functions, reduced thyroid function can produce a wide range of clinical manifestations, many mimicking those … [Read more...]
Create a veterinary office culture you’ll love
Steve Pearson, DVM, reminds us of the challenges of hiring new persons into the mix of current staff and cultures. While this information focuses on veterinary teams, the thinking can be applied to other teams, as well. He provides questions for the employer and candidate to consider during the hiring process. Source: Veterinary Practice News, July 7, 2016. It’s not enough … [Read more...]
Help horse owners deworm effectively
Because of anthelmintic resistance, horses are now once again at risk for parasite-related diseases, such as colic, diarrhea, poor hair coat, ill thrift and poor performance. The main reason that chemical dewormers are no longer as effective as they once were is the practice of rotation deworming. Stacey Oke, DVM, MSC, reviews the three classes of dewormers, where resistance is … [Read more...]
Front desk persons anchor the customer experiences
Whether in a veterinary hospital, retail store or dealer, the persons at the front desk set the tone for each visit. Their skills in customer acknowledgement and directing traffic make or break visits. Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR, provides a unique perspective for all animal health professionals to consider. Source: Veterinary Practice News, May 31, 2016. Front desk … [Read more...]
Here come the bugs!
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) gazed into the future and doesn’t like what’s coming. Its computer models for 2016, released April 19, predict growing threats to dogs and cats from multiple vector-borne diseases. Source: Veterinary Practice News, April 19, 2016. For the entire year, CAPC predicts: Growing risk of Lyme disease in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and … [Read more...]
DVMs share the best advice they received from a mentor
Steve Pearson, DVM, captures mentor advice received by a broad cross-section of 14 veterinarians. Much of the advice they received applies to any animal health professional’s role. Whether you read this casually or more thoughtfully, there is something here for nearly everyone. Source: Veterinary Practice News, April 6, 2016. Applying wisdom from mentors helps these … [Read more...]
Promote good canine behavior
Veterinary teams and retail associates will find this article helpful to help clients get the support they need for their animals. increases in pet adoptions are yielding a high probability of behavioral issues in rescue dogs. There are no quick fixes, so setting a plan is critical. Source: Veterinary Practice News, March 18, 2016. The number one issue in any study that’s … [Read more...]
Book forward to increase income
Setting future appointments has measurable revenue growth potential, according to Wendy S. Myers. Clients expect forward booking from their dentists and optometrists. Veterinary receptionists can set similar expectations in veterinary practices, resulting in as much as $40,000 in added revenue. Source: Veterinary Practice News, March 24, 2016. The 2013 AAHA State of the … [Read more...]
Equine dentistry tips for the mixed animal practice
Equine oral health can be challenging for veterinary teams whose time is dominated by dogs and cats. This article features useful information for practices and equine retailers about managing dental care in horses. Source: Veterinary Practice News, February 16, 2016. Not all horses need to be floated annually,” Erika Wierman, DVM said. “The other thing is that horses on … [Read more...]
Make slow times profitable with callbacks
Wendy Myers, DVM, presents a pragmatic use of the slower times in veterinary practice schedules. Beyond goodwill, prescription stewardship and compliance, calling clients is a convenient and inexpensive way to improve the overall customer experience. Source: Veterinary Practice News, March 15, 2016. Veterinary technicians, assistants, receptionists and doctors need to start … [Read more...]
Seven qualities of a good veterinary assistant
According to the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA): “While every position within the veterinary practice team is important, veterinary assistants play a pivotal role, literally ... In the course of a single day, an assistant provides help to veterinarians and veterinary technicians, which in turn allows those team members to perform the tasks and … [Read more...]