dvm360 Leadership Challenge: Pet enrichment
It's more than toys and games, people. It's about helping our furry friends use their brains for a happier, healthier and more enriched existence.
With a sigh of relief, we can now say we all agree that pets feel pain and anxiety, and we're taking significant steps to prevent both. Some are now increasingly embracing the concept that pets can feel lonely or bored-that an engaged mind is just as important to overall health and wellbeing. Zoos, research laboratories and other places that house animals out of their natural habitats have been implementing environmental enrichment for years. In a way, if you think about it, pets are captive animals too.
dvm360 product review: Dognition testing
From Charmer to Stargazer, dvm360 staffers test their dogs' cognitive abilities to find out what their personality profiles can show.
More than just a pet in a cage-exotics need enrichment too
For exotic pets, enrichment can mean the difference between staying in the home and surrender to a shelter.
Pet enrichment: More than just distractions
Listen to these Fetch dvm360 conference speakers and help your clients help their pets.
Your patients are bored to death
Use these 10 quick and easy pet enrichment tips to help your clients put the “play” back in pets' “playtime.”
Signs your clients might be helicopter pet parents-dvm360 flowchart
Follow the path to uncover the type of pet owners you serve. (Hint: They all need enrichment advice.)
Cats have needs beyond food and shelter. And the better you and your veterinary clients understand these needs, the closer the kitties in your clinic will come to reaching their full potential.
Weapons for the war on boredom
Ain't nobody got time for pet enrichment when you're just trying to talk clients into crucial medical work. But our latest veterinary survey shows pet enrichment IS on your mind, so maybe it should also be in your exam room recommendations, your online pharmacy and in the reception area.
Batting around enrichment in the veterinary hospital
Exclusive data from the dvm360 Clinical Updates: Pet Enrichment Survey reveals how many practices are offering enrichment-and what they're doing to focus on the pet's experience.
Pets can benefit from training, boarding and day care owned by a veterinarian-the DVM is the expert, after all, not pet service and pet retail staff somewhere else. Just figure out if this chance for pet enrichment for your clients is the right fit for your veterinary hospital's philosophy, staff and location.
Create an enriching space for veterinary patients that puts healing top of mind.
4 tips for enriched hospital spaces
Consider these ideas to create enrichment areas for visiting pets in your veterinary practice.
Environmental enrichment: Why old dogs and cats need new tricks
Play and activity in pets may stave off cognitive decline and improve cognition in those already starting to slope downward.
Stimulating pet enrichment data
Results from the dvm360 Clinical Updates: Pet Enrichment Survey reveal a disconnect between the importance veterinary professionals place on enrichment in theory and in the exam room.
Data from the 2017 dvm360 Clinical Updates: Pet enrichment survey serves up these nuggets about treats in the veterinary practice.
Offer enrichment for veterinary patients with these easy-to-apply approaches.
Puzzling over veterinary retail?
If you're thinking of adding retail services to your veterinary clinic, perhaps looking at the pros and cons (and what other clinics are doing) will help you piece together a verdict.
Posts and tweets about pet enrichment
Today's veterinarians like you are helping loving pet owners create home environments of curiosity, challenge and socializing for cats, dogs and more. Share the wealth with your own clients with these sample Facebook posts and tweets.
Should you, would you, could you retail?
Retail in your veterinary practice: Is it worth it? Veterinary professionals' opinions often collide on this. But when it comes to promoting enrichment for patients, retail may be your best bet.
Enrichment for small mammals-what owners need to know
Laboratory animal veterinarians are greatly concerned with caring for small mammals away from their natural habitats-giving them the best life possible while they're under these researchers' care. Share their wisdom with your pocket-pet-owning clients.
Pet enrichment: A peek at the numbers
It's no secret: Many of our readers believe an engaged mind makes for a healthier pet. Here's what your peers are seeing in practice, based on the 2017 dvm360 Clinical Updates: Pet Enrichment Survey.
