When they write the book on the long term impacts of COVID, the increase in pet ownership will be one of the chapters. As people were home, unable to socialize and unsure how the virus would impact them long term, they adopted pets that served as supportive companions. In fact, U.S. households took in almost 9 million dogs and 5 million cats during the COVID-19 pandemic. And now, those supportive companions are members of the family, who receive the same quality healthcare as a child or partner. Unfortunately, the increase in the number of pets coincides with a growing shortage of veterinarians which can make obtaining pet care difficult. So what happens next? When a practice isn’t taking new clients or the pet needs immediate care, consumers often turn to emergency veterinary care instead.

Digital processes dominate most businesses and that’s certainly true in veterinary practices. For example, software that manages patient records, tracks inventory, triggers invoices and more, can elevate patient care and save time. But, improving the patient experience and increasing productivity isn’t exclusive to digital solutions. Some manual processes are still essential to your operation. And to illustrate, here are 5 labels every veterinary practice needs to deliver effective patient care.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Feugiat nisl pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra. Eu turpis egestas pretium aenean pharetra magna ac placerat vestibulum. Etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus interdum posuere lorem. Feugiat sed lectus vestibulum mattis. Tempus quam pellentesque nec nam aliquam sem. Pulvinar pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus. Dignissim enim sit amet venenatis. Lectus proin nibh nisl condimentum id venenatis a condimentum vitae. In hendrerit gravida rutrum quisque non tellus orci ac auctor. Sit amet nisl purus in mollis nunc sed id. Enim ut sem viverra aliquet. Duis at consectetur lorem donec. Sed libero enim sed faucibus turpis in eu mi.

How many errors do you make each day? Research suggests that regardless of the activity or task being conducted, humans make between 3-6 errors per hour! And even though that number is likely lower in settings like a veterinary practice, where excellence is emphasized, mistakes happen. It’s impossible not to look back at certain actions, diagnoses or decisions and wish they were different. But within the group of total errors that do occur, while some are impossible to prevent, others are preventable. And medication errors often fall into the preventable category. It takes effective protocols and processes to approach medication safety perfection. This post details common errors, why they happen, what to do if one does occur and concludes with 6 ways to reduce veterinary medication errors in your practice.

For most of the 67% of U.S. households or nearly 85 million families that have pets, their health is a high priority. And beyond regular check-ups, vaccines and medications that treat the common ailments their pet may confront, pet care often includes managing chronic conditions like arthritis and gum disease, especially with life spans increasing. This combination of factors contribute to the amount of medications pet owners purchase each year. In fact, in a 2019 survey among dog and cat owners who had taken their pet to the veterinarian in the past 12 months, 78% of dog owners and 62% of cat owners purchased pet medications. In addition, over 60% spent more than $100. Unfortunately, as the amount of medications dispensed increases, so do medication errors. This makes effective communication, starting with the veterinary prescription labels, even more important.

Communication is at the heart of providing high-quality medical care for pets at any practice. Plus, with COVID-19 safety concerns changing office workflows, it is essential to protecting your staff and clients. And although verbal communications are typically the most effective, that’s not always possible. So when it isn’t, veterinary labels can enhance your guidance. Here’s how they improve your ability to communicate with clients, their pets and your staff.

It takes a variety of supplies to run your practice. And although drugs, medical supplies and animal food top the list of expenditures, they aren’t the only essential items. In fact, it’s impossible to execute vital tasks like medication dispensing and hazardous material identification without veterinary labels. They may not get the same scrutiny as the higher expenditure categories but when managed effectively there are steps you can take to impact costs and ensure effective patient care. Here are 10 facts about veterinary labels that may change your opinion about their importance.

It’s estimated that half of all dogs and cats that are patients of a veterinary practice today need some level of dental care. In fact, Banfield Pet Hospital’s “2016 State of Pet Health Report” estimated that periodontal disease could be found in 76 percent of dogs and 68 percent of cats. Further, fractured teeth in dogs and tooth resorption in cats are extremely common dental issues. With these canine and feline issues, it’s no wonder that veterinarians are choosing to add dental services to their practice portfolio.

Have you ever come home from a trip to the grocery store only to discover you purchased the wrong item? Adding insult to injury, it’s one of those staples that you rarely run out of and you purchased dozens of times before - from the same store. But, as you pull it out of your shopping bag you realize it’s not the product you wanted. Maybe the packaging or the name was similar to the item you normally buy and, after a quick glance, you grabbed it and threw it in the cart.

From scheduling appointments, greeting patients and assisting them after an exam, keeping the veterinary practice organized requires the front office to juggle many responsibilities. For example,