Idexx Rolls Out New Web ServicesJuly 17, 2012 Idexx Laboratories of Westbrook, Maine, launched a new cloud-based, diagnostic results reporting service called VetConnect Plus and a web-based client communication and education service called Pet Health Network Pro, the company reported today. The VetConnect Plus service assimilates a patient’s blood work history generated by Idexx point-of-care equipment and reference laboratories and displays the results on a single screen. The amalgamated data allows users to compare current results to historic trends and access interactive graphs. Users can also request additional reference laboratory tests through the service. The service is accessible via a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, Idexx reported. It is also built into Idexx’s Cornerstone Practice Management System’s electronic medical record. The service is free for all Idexx customers in the U.S., and Idexx VetConnect online users can upgrade to VetConnect PLUS using their current user name and password. The Pet Health Network Pro service allows users to send personalized client communications, including reminders, by email postcard and text message. It also includes tools to create online pet health pages, customizable materials including automated newsletters and surveys, pet health campaigns and practice websites, and social media support for Facebook. The service also integrates with …
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The Laws Of Likability And How They Affect Your CareerJuly 16, 2012 It’s a simple declarative sentence containing only seven words, but it reveals one of the most critically important secrets of business success: People like to do business with people they like. Obvious perhaps, but ignored too often in today’s high-pressure business environment. When it comes to a highly personal and sensitive service such as that provided by a veterinarian, likability can spell the difference between failure and success. So how does a veterinarian build up the kind of likability score that will help to build a successful career? In her book “The 11 Laws of Likability,” Michele Tillis Lederman, an adjunct professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business, provides step-by-step guidance for improving your likability quotient. Here’s a capsule review of her advice: The Law of Authenticity To be likable, you must learn to be your true self. “The real you is the best you,” says Lederman. Lederman is not alone when she suggests that trying to be someone other than who you really are is a major hurdle on the road to likability. “Authenticity is who you are-–your honest reactions, your natural energy,” she says. “Sharing what is real about you is the …
Land O’Lakes Issues Sweeping Feed RecallJuly 16, 2012 Three Land O’Lakes subsidiaries recalled feed products, including an expansion of the recent PMI Nutrition International recall, due to the potential for elevated vitamin D levels, the companies reported on Friday. Elevated vitamin D levels may cause death or otherwise be harmful to animals and fish if fed for extended periods, potentially resulting in lack of interest in eating, weight loss and possible joint stiffness, Land O’Lakes reported. PMI initially recalled some lots of its Mazuri and LabDiet feed products earlier this month after receiving customer complaints of animal illness and small bird and guinea pig deaths. PMI expanded the recall three days later, and has now expanded it again to include some AquaMax feed products and additional Mazuri and LabDiet products. Land O’Lakes has isolated the issue that led to the elevated vitamin D levels, but due to the regulatory process, is unable to release details about the problem, the company reported. All of the products involved in the recalls were manufactured at a feed plant in Richmond, Ind., between April 2, 2012, and May 8, 2012. The recalled PMI …
New Company Unveils Charitable Dog FoodJuly 13, 2012 A new Los Angeles-based company called FreeHand launched a line of dog foods, and for each bag of food purchased the company will donate an equivalent amount of food to a rescue organization or shelter, FreeHand reported today. The company’s line of foods are currently available in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Southern California and Indianapolis markets through independent retail stores, veterinarians and ancillary services such as dog groomers, daycare, sitters and walkers. The company’s products, Engage, Enrich, Empower and Energize dog foods, are produced by Texas Farm Products of Nacogdoches, Texas. Similar to how Toms Shoes donates a pair of shoes to a needy child for each pair purchased at retail, FreeHand donates a pound of dog food to a local rescue group or shelter of the reseller’s choice for each pound of FreeHand dog food purchased at retail. FreeHand screens the rescue groups and shelters before approving them, and consumers purchasing the products online can select from a list of pre-approved rescue groups and shelters for their donations. The company does not plan to spend excessively on traditional marketing, according to managing director Tom Bagamane, but instead is generating buzz through social media and a membership …
Nature’s Variety Recalls Dog Food Due To OdorJuly 12, 2012 Nature’s Variety recalled several bags of Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs due to an off-odor smell that may develop over time, the Lincoln, Neb.-based company reported today. The dog food is not contaminated, but some products are not remaining fresh over the course of their shelf life. The company detected the defect through its internal quality control process, but has not yet determined the source of the odor, the company said. The recalled products include: • UPC# 7 69949 60420 4 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs, 5-pound bag • UPC# 7 66949 60425 9 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs, 15-pound bag • UPC# 7 69949 60430 3 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs, 30-pound bag • UPC# 7 66949 60432 7 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley medley Kibble for Dogs, 3-ounce sample Nature’s Variety has contacted retailers and distributors and notified consumers through its website and social media outlets, the company said. Consumer who purchased one of the recalled products can obtain a full refund or exchange it for a different variety by either returning the …
Teva Dog Supplement Targets New SegmentJuly 10, 2012Teva Dog Supplement Targets New SegmentTeva Animal Health, Teva supplement, Alenza dog supplement, dog supplementTeva Animal Health of St. Joseph, Mo., launched a chewable tablet supplement called Alenza, designed to address a new segment the company referred to as "whole body comfort," Teva reported yesterday.Teva Animal Health of St. Joseph, Mo., launched a chewable tablet supplement called Alenza, designed to address a new segment the company referred to as "whole body comfort." newslineTeva Dog Supplement Targets New SegmentPosted: July 10, 2012, 7:00 p.m. EDT Teva Animal Health of St. Joseph, Mo., launched a chewable tablet supplement called Alenza, designed to address a new segment the company referred to as "whole body comfort," Teva reported yesterday. Teva's new supplement, Alenza, is designed to address moderate discomfort in dogs. The supplement contains a bioflavonoid formulation derived from antioxidants and the plants Scutellaria baicalensis and Acacia catechu. It is designed to support normal metabolic processes in a dog's body for ongoing comfort, peak condition and quality of life and can be used for supplemental support for normal daily activities, in aging pets, for supporting immune function and joint flexibility …
Rover.com Unveils Expansion PlansJuly 10, 2012Rover.com Unveils Expansion PlansRover.com, dog sitters, pet sitters, RedRover, animal welfareSeattle-based Rover.com, an online dog sitter marketplace, today unveiled its plans to enter the Los Angeles, Cleveland and Washington, D.C., markets by the end of May and "dozens" more markets by the end of 2012.Seattle-based Rover.com, an online dog sitter marketplace, today unveiled its plans to enter the Los Angeles, Cleveland and Washington, D.C., markets by the end of May and "dozens" more by the end of the year.newsline, staffRover.com Unveils Expansion PlansPosted: May 24, 2012, 7:05 p.m. EDT Seattle-based Rover.com, an online dog sitter marketplace, today unveiled its plans to enter the Los Angeles, Cleveland and Washington, D.C., markets by the end of May and "dozens" more markets by the end of 2012. Much like L.A.-based rival Dog Vacay, which raised $1 million in March to expand, Rover.com is a venture capital-based start-up that is positioning its services as an "affordable" alternative to traditional kennels. In April, Rover.com closed a $3.4 million financing round led by Madrona Venture Group and CrunchFund and promptly entered the New York market. The funding is intended to support Rover.com's expansion. Rover.com plans to enter the Los Angeles, Cleveland …
PMI Expands Mazuri RecallJuly 10, 2012PMI Expands Mazuri RecallMazuri recall, recall, PMI recallPMI Nutrition International expanded its recent recall to include three additional varieties of Mazuri feed products, the company reported Friday.PMI Nutrition International expanded its recent recall to include three additional varieties of Mazuri feed products.newsline, recallPMI Expands Mazuri RecallPosted: July 10, 2012, 12:25 p.m. EDT PMI Nutrition International expanded its recent recall to include three additional varieties of Mazuri feed products, the company reported Friday. The company recalled the products due to the potential for elevated vitamin D levels, which can be harmful to animals if fed for extended periods, PMI reported. The recalled products, in addition to those recalled on July 3, include: Formula No. Item No. Description Lot No. 5MA2 0040996 Mazuri Primate Maintenance Biscuit 25# APR11123 5M68 0006758 Mazuri Mouse Breeder 9F 50# APR20122 5NAA 0062089 Mazuri Primate Basix 25# APR20123 Lot numbers are laser printed on the back of each paper bag, the company said. The products were manufactured at the Richmond, Ind., feed plant and were distributed starting Apr. 12, 2012, through July 6, 2012. PMI contacted dealers and asked them to hold the products and …
Feds Propose Protecting Four Macaw Species As EndangeredJuly 6, 2012 In a proposal that could curtail interstate trade of four species of macaws, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service today proposed listing the great green macaw, hyacinth macaw and military macaw as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as certain subspecies and distinct populations of the scarlet macaw. To assist law enforcement efforts, the agency is further proposing to extend ESA protection to all scarlet macaws. “Endangered” status means that the species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Since 1987, all of the species have been listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which means they require both an export permit from the country of origin and an import permit from the country of destination to be traded internationally. This listing generally precludes commercial trade. In addition, imports of CITES-listed exotic birds, including all these macaws, into the U.S. was essentially eliminated by the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992. That act does allow for permits to be issued for scientific research, zoological breeding or as a personal pet when certain criteria are …
PMI Nutrition Recalls Some Mazuri, LabDiet FeedsJuly 5, 2012After receiving some customer complaints about animal illness and small bird deaths, PMI Nutrition International LLC, a unit of St. Paul, Minn.-based Land O'Lakes Inc., has recalled four varieties of LabDiet and Mazuri feed products for small birds, guinea pigs, maned wolves and primates. The recalled products have the potential for elevated vitamin D levels, which can be harmful to animals if fed for extended periods, PMI reported. The recalled products are: Formula No. Item No. Description Lot No. 5025 0001330 Guinea Pig Diet 50# APR17122 56A6 0001452 Mazuri Small Bird Maintenance 25# APR15123 5MA2 0040996 Mazuri Primate Maintenance Biscuit 25# APR22122 5MD9 0011482 Mazuri Maned Wolf Diet 33# APR21122 The lot numbers are laser printed on the back of each bag, near the top, the company reported. The exotic animal feeds were manufactured at PMI's plant in Richmond, Ind., and distributed throughout the U.S. and to some international customers. PMI reports it has contacted dealers and has asked dealers to notify customers and retrieve the animal feed. The diets should not be fed, the company reported. Customers who purchased the recalled animal feed will receive a full refund and are urged to contact their local …
