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Nutritional compliance: It takes diligence, experts say
June 1st 2004Our society is losing the war on obesity. And bad eating habits have spilled into the pet population. No matter how hard you preach, many clients don't seem to heed the warnings. In fact, client compliance with nutritional recommendations for therapeutic foods ranks at a dismal 12 percent compliance rate out of the the 59 percent of all dogs and cats that have visited a veterinarian and would benefit from treatment with a therapeutic diet, according to last year's American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) study. It was the worst compliance category. The survey estimates lost revenue in excess of $110,000 per veterinarian per year for therapeutic pet foods alone.
Educating clients about their cats' healthcare
June 1st 2004Alex Martin was raised in a dog-friendly home. As a child, he shared a bedroom with his brother and a 60-lb Labrador retriever. Most of his family photos include various dogs the family owned over the years, but no cats are in the portraits. "Cats hung around the house, but were never considered part of the family," Martin says.
Case Study: Puppy Parties Bond Patients to Practice
May 13th 2004Dogs can't wait to get through the front door of Chanhassen Veterinary Clinic in Chanhassen, Minn. For 12 years, the clinic has been throwing free puppy parties in its reception area. And month after month the team finds that when you correct unwanted puppy behavior with a reward-based approach, you build long-lasting family bonds, and in the process, pets' bonds with the practice and with other pets. “Puppies literally come running into the clinic looking for their party pals,” says Dr. Deanne McCabe, one of three practice owners.
KSU researchers track antibiotics in river waters
May 1st 2004Manhattan, Kan. -Kansas State University (KSU) researchers say recent water samples they've taken in the Kansas River basin indicate that current treatment methods aren't good enough to eliminate common antibiotics in the state's surface waters.
Case Study: Employing a Manager Gives Practices a Raise
April 28th 2004Hiring a practice manager can boost productivity, staff satisfaction, and practice revenue. Just ask Dr. Gail Mason, MA, Dipl. ACVIM, co-owner of Bath-Brunswick Veterinary Associates in Brunswick, Maine. She and co-owner Dr. Mark Mason, MS, Dipl. ABVP, have saved 15 hours a week combined since they hired practice manager Perian Phillips seven years ago. Between the two specialists, the practice can schedule four additional 45-minute referral appointments per day.
Case Study: Sampler Packs Boost Dietary Compliance
April 14th 2004“Kidney disease is the No. 1 disease I diagnose,” says Dr. Arnold Plotnick, DABVP, DACVIM, owner of Manhattan Cat Specialists in New York. “And cats with kidney disease that eat appropriate diets live longer.” The key, he says, is for clients to try each of the available diets until he or she finds one the pet will accept.