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February 2017

Pet Care

Benefits of Going Paperless With Your Veterinary Practice

As technology advances, more and more businesses are choosing to go paperless. Why? Well, there are many reasons that a business may choose to go paperless, most of which are the benefits of making the switch. In order to make the transition, companies will turn to using softwares that help them keep on top of things, without needing to fill out a single form with a pen and paper. Management software for businesses is constantly changing and evolving, as developers help to create software that will act as a better alternative to traditional business management methods.

If you’re not sure if you should become a paperless practice, read on to learn more about the benefits of switching over to veterinary clinic management software. It’s not only the greener option, but also the cleaner, more organised option as well.

Save Money

With all businesses, you’ll want to cut overhead costs and save your business money, while still bringing your clients the best possible services. Well, through management software, this can become a reality. Not only will you cut the costs of office supplies and paper, but you’ll also save money in other places too. You can budget better, using the software as well, so you can know exactly where your money is going.

Improve Readability

When you jot down notes on papers and on calendars, do you and your staff have a hard time reading it later on? This can cause confusion, and even missed or incorrect information, to understand, causing difficulty around the office. For example, a note that is written for a certain time could easily be mistaken for a different time, when the time is written messily. Instead of doing guesswork, just simply log all of your notes, reminders, and calendar appointments into a software organiser. This will help you keep your office better organised, and keep communications clearer.

Keep Organised

Just as you can keep more legible notes with the right management software, you can also keep everything more organised as well. You can set up timed reminders for staff and clients, interact in more regulated ways, abandon all of those old files, and upload animal patient information. There is so much you can benefit from with the use of management software.

Have More Space

In your practice, you want to be able to store as many notes as possible. They can help you to solve problems with patients quicker since you have access to the information you need. Also, more space means less cramming of papers into limited space, which can be difficult to read and access. Through management software, you can always have more storage space for patient files, notes, and more.

Save Time

In your practice, you need to have as much time as possible focused on your patient, not rummaging around trying to find prescription notes and patient files. Through management software, you can have better access to the information, more quickly. With the right software, you can even access all of your information whenever you need it on the go, across all devices, from smartphones and tablets, to desktop computers.

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Dog

Insights For Mastering Dog Obedience

There is no doubt that dogs are man’s best friend. They are certainly great companions as well as fun playmates. In many homes, they are regarded as a member of the family and an important part of the household. It definitely feels wonderful to walk around the neighborhood with your dog or take a stroll on the beach with your dog in tow.

However, if you happen to have a dog as bad as Marley in the film “Marley and Me,” you may eventually become stressed out with the naughtiness of your pooch. Nevertheless, it is not necessary to endure a dog with the manners of Marley if you can instead enjoy a properly trained pet. The solution is simple: you must master dog obedience. Below are some steps that will make it easier for you to achieve this goal:

Be Considerate

It is important to remember that dogs are animals, and unlike people, their attention spans are shorter. You may have your dog’s attention at the moment, but a few minutes later, your best friend will be wandering off to pursue something else that has his or her attention.

Therefore, you must try to put yourself in your dog’s situation and understand how frustrating it is to be placed in dog obedience class, rather than be able to run and play as usual. For this reason, you should prepare some great rewards and treats prior to enrolling your dog in obedience class. This typically always works, as most pets are easily trained when treats are involved in the process.

Be Consistent

Be consistent when training your pet. It is never wise to give your dog so many instructions and commands that he or she becomes confused or even worse, give up on a trick or command because your pooch does not immediately understand what he or she is supposed to do.

A good way to ensure consistency is to begin the training with easy commands, such as “sit,” before moving on to more complicated commands or tricks. You should always offer a treat or record when something new is learned by your dog, and always repeat the instructions until you are sure your pet knows what he or she must do to receive the reward.

Be the Boss

Finally, it is essential for your dog to realize that you are the leader of the team. Otherwise, you will end up with a dog who exhibits the dreaded behavior of Marley, which will only frustrate you as time goes on. It is much easier for you to make your pet follow commands if he or she knows you are the boss.

This does not necessarily mean being harsh with your pet. Rather, it merely means that your dog should understand who is in charge. Now you are probably thinking that mastering dog obedience is not as daunting a task as you initially thought. Simply keep the aforementioned steps in mind and follow them at all times: be considerate, consistent, and maintain your role as the undisputed boss.

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Animals

Should I File a Compensation Claim for an Animal Attack?

In the UK, dog attacks are fairly common. In fact, between May 2010 and 2011, 6120 individuals were admitted to hospitals for dog attack-related injuries. While many dog attacks are preventable, most attacks are due to negligence on the part of the dog owner. If you have sustained injuries from a dog attack, you may be entitled to compensation.

There are many reasons you should receive compensation. If you sustained an injury, you likely had medical bills, had to take time off work, and more. Even when a dog bite or injury is small, it’s important to visit a medical centre, because animals have many harmful bacteria that thrive in their mouths. If your loved one or child has sustained an attack, you’re not alone. One in six attacks involves a child under 10, which is concerning.

Dog bites are classified as a personal injury. While dogs like rottweiler and pit bulls are frequently the dog bite cases we hear about in the media, all breeds and sizes of dog can attack and cause serious physical injury. However, based on the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, pit bull terriers, Japanese tosas, dogo argentinos, and fila brazilieros are considered more dangerous than other breeds.

In order to receive compensation, you’ll need to prove that the owner of the dog that attacked you knew or should have known about how aggressive and dangerous their dog is, and how it was liable for the attack. Your case will be strengthened if you have knowledge about instances of past aggression exhibited by the dog in question.

If you are a victim of a dog attack and the owner cannot be found, you can still file for compensation. You’ll be able to file under Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), as the unknown owner should have kept the dog under proper control.

When you file with the right compensation solicitors, you won’t face any fees if you don’t win. So, moving ahead with a filing is a win-win situation for you. Below are a few of the reasons you should file for compensation. Dog-related attacks and injuries can be upsetting, painful, and costly, and you deserve compensation for what happened to you. It is also important to file in order to have the dog correctly assessed so it doesn’t harm other individuals in the future.

Medical Bills

Medical bills can be high, especially for emergency visits for situations and injuries, such as dog bites. You should receive compensation for any medical-related costs for dog bites from dogs that you do not own.

Time off Work

You may have had to miss or take time off work for your injury. The cost of your lost wages can also be offset with potential compensation.

Emotional Distress

Dog attacks can leave you with emotional scarring from the traumatic event, especially in the case of severe dog attacks. You can receive compensation for the emotional toll the attack may have caused you.

Responsibility

If you decide to file a case, the dog in question can be brought in to be assessed. If the dog is found to be aggressive, the correct measures can be put into place to ensure that the dog doesn’t attack any other individuals in your community.

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Pet

Modern Pet Ownership: The Best Apps to Help You Take Care of Your Pooch

Statistics estimate that up to a huge 47% of households in the US have a pet dog, with over 70 million dogs being pets. Commonly known as a ‘man’s best friend’ dogs are found in countless homes worldwide, with owners striving to give them the most loving care possible.

However, having a dog isn’t easy and requires lots of maintenance as well as money – especially if you have a puppy! The average first-year cost of owning a dog is $1,270 so, if you want an extra helping hand that won’t cost anything, below you’ll find some simple apps you can start using right away to help you take care of your beloved pooch!

Pet Coach

A great option for first-time dog owners who feel slightly overwhelmed by the new addition to the family, Pet Coach will become your no.1 resource for everything dog-related.

Offering advice on nutrition for a variety of dog breeds as well as behavioral patterns and what steps to take if your dog appears sick, Pet Coach will give you peace of mind that you’ll always have the important information on-hand without taking the time giving your local vet a call. Better still, this app is cat-friendly too! So, if you have dogs as well as cats in your home, Pet Coach has everything you’ll need to provide the right care.

Map My Walk

A major factor that makes dogs stand out against other pets is that they require daily walks – some breeds more than others. After researching how much walking your dog requires, Map My Walk is the perfect app for keeping tabs on your walks (and can even provide a useful workout resource too!).

Monitoring how far you walk with your dog, as well as the routes you choose to take, Map My Walk can also be a great resource for a hired dog walker if you don’t have time to walk your dog daily yourself. Better still, if you combine Map My Walk with Weather Live Free available now on Google Play, you’re able to keep track of the weather in real-time no matter where you are, making it much easier to choose the best time throughout the day to walk your dog.

Doggy BnB

Even if you have a dog, you shouldn’t feel restricted from going away on the occasional vacation or two. If you’re unable to take your dog with you, Doggy BnB is the next best thing. As its name would suggest, this app easily connects you with a network of like-minded, fully trusted dog sitters that you can contact at the simple click of a button.

Offering lovable care without the hassle and stress of taking your dog to the kennels, Doggy BnB is a worthwhile app to have if a vacation is on the cards.

Taking care of a dog can be stressful at times but, with the above apps, you have the power to make things much easier and happier for both yourself and your dog – at absolutely no cost!

Emma Bridge enjoys article writing and often jots down her thoughts and tips for an online audience as she writes about a range of lifestyle topics with a cup of tea close to hand!

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