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Pheromone Use in Veterinary Clinics: A Fear Free Approach

Pheromone Use in Veterinary Clinics: A Fear Free Approach
In the world of veterinary care, creating a stress-free environment is not just a goal; it’s a necessity for the health and wellbeing of our furry patients. The integration of pheromones into veterinary practices has revolutionized the way we approach animal stress, aligning perfectly with the Fear Free initiative’s mission to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. bSerene™ is at the forefront of this movement, offering science-based pheromone products specifically designed for dogs and cats.The Power of Pheromones in Creating Calm
Pheromones are chemical communicators that play a crucial role in animal behavior and emotional regulation. These odorless signals are key to social bonding, territorial marking, and many other aspects of animal life. bSerene™ harnesses the power of these natural communicators to create a sense of security and calm in stressful environments such as veterinary clinics.

How Calming Pheromones Enhance Veterinary Care

Immediate Detection and Response: Animals detect calming pheromones through the vomeronasal organ, leading to an immediate calming response processed by the brain. This natural mechanism is why pheromone-based products are so effective in reducing stress in clinical settings.
Evidence-Based Success: Research supports the efficacy of pheromone use in veterinary practices. Studies show that feline facial pheromones can increase comfort and wellbeing, evidenced by behaviors like increased food intake and grooming. Similarly, canine pheromones have been shown to reduce stress during examinations, making the veterinary visit smoother for both pets and practitioners.

The Power of Pheromones in Creating Calm
bSerene’s partnership with the Fear Free program underscores its commitment to improving the veterinary health care experience. Here’s how you can integrate bSerene™ pheromone products into your practice to support this mission:

Pheromone Diffusers in High-Stress Areas

Exam Rooms: Create a calming atmosphere that facilitates smoother assessments.
Waiting Rooms: Reduce the anticipation stress often experienced by pets.
Kennel Areas: Promote a sense of calm for pets staying for extended periods.

Pheromone Sprays for Direct Contact

On Scrubs: Help staff soothe pets through their touch.
In Travel Carriers: Ease the stress of transportation.
On Towels in Kennels: Provide a comforting chemical message for resting pets.

Pheromone Collars and Valerian Spot-On Treatments
Sending pets home with bSerene™ collars can extend the calming effect beyond the clinic visit. Additionally, advising pet owners to use bSerene™ Valerian spot-on treatments before visits can make a significant difference in managing veterinary visit stress.

A Comprehensive Approach to Stress Management
It’s crucial to remember that stress management in veterinary care requires a holistic approach. bSerene’s innovative use of pheromones, combined with their Fear Free partnership, offers a scientifically backed strategy to enhance the wellbeing of pets. By adopting these practices, veterinary clinics can foster a tranquil environment that benefits pets, pet owners, and clinic staff alike.

Implementing bSerene™ pheromone products in your practice is a step toward a more compassionate and effective approach to veterinary care, ensuring that every visit is as stress-free as possible.

The Dual Benefit: Calmer Pets, Happier Owners
When pets are calm, the entire veterinary experience is transformed. Less stress for pets means:

Quicker, More Efficient Visits: Calm pets are easier to examine and treat, leading to shorter and more productive appointments.
Reduced Owner Anxiety: Seeing their pets calm can significantly ease owners’ stress, making them more cooperative and receptive during visits.
Improved Safety: Stress can lead to aggression. By reducing stress with pheromones, the risk of bites or scratches is minimized, protecting staff, pets, and owners.
Enhanced Clinic Reputation: Satisfied clients are more likely to return and recommend your clinic to others, thanks to the positive experiences facilitated by pheromone use.

Clinic Checklist for Implementing Pheromone Solutions
Incorporating pheromone-based solutions into your veterinary practice is a strategic move toward a Fear Free environment. This checklist is designed to guide clinics through the process of integrating bSerene™ pheromone products effectively, ensuring a calm and stress-reduced setting for all pets.

Initial Setup

Evaluate Your Clinic Space: Identify areas where pets commonly show signs of stress, such as the waiting room, exam rooms, and kennel areas.
Choose Appropriate Pheromone Products: Select bSerene™ diffusers, sprays, and collars based on the specific needs of your clinic’s layout and the common stressors for pets in your care.

Pheromone Diffuser Placement

Install Diffusers in High-Stress Areas: Strategically place diffusers in the waiting area, exam rooms, and kennel or holding areas.
Check Diffuser Functionality Regularly: Schedule weekly checks to ensure that diffusers are working correctly and refill them as needed.

Pheromone Spray Usage

Integrate Sprays into Daily Routines: Use bSerene™ sprays on items that come into direct contact with pets, such as scrubs, towels, carriers, and examination tables.
Educate Staff on Proper Spray Application: Provide training on how and when to apply pheromone sprays to maximize their effectiveness. For instance, allow alcohol-based sprays to dry for a minimum of 15 minutes before a patient comes in contact with sprayed items.

Pheromone Collar and Valerian Spot-On Implementation

Stock Pheromone Collars for Post-Visit Stress Management: Offer bSerene™ collars to pet owners as a take-home solution to help pets recover from the stress after a procedure.
Recommend Valerian Spot-On Treatments: Advise pet owners to apply bSerene™ Valerian spot-on treatments before visits or in other stressful situations.

Staff Training and Education

Conduct Fear Free Training: Ensure that all staff members are familiar with Fear Free principles and how to use pheromone products as part of this approach.
Create a Protocol for Pheromone Product Use: Develop clear guidelines for when and how to use each pheromone product in your clinic.

Monitoring and Adjusting

Observe Pet Behavior: Pay close attention to how pets respond to the pheromone products and adjust their use as needed to achieve the best results.
Gather Feedback from Pet Owners: Regularly ask clients about their pets’ behavior and stress levels following visits to assess the effectiveness of Fear Free interventions, including pheromone use.

Maintenance and Restocking

Maintain an Adequate Inventory: Keep a regular inventory of all bSerene™ pheromone products to ensure you never run out.
Review Product Usage and Effectiveness: Every few months, evaluate the effectiveness of the pheromone products and consider any necessary adjustments or additions.

Community and Client Education

Inform Pet Owners About Pheromone Benefits: Use newsletters, social media, and in-clinic displays to educate pet owners about the benefits of calming pheromones and how they’re being used in your practice.
Offer Guidance for At-Home Pheromone Use: Provide instructions and recommendations for pet owners interested in using bSerene™ products at home to extend the stress-reducing benefits.

By following this checklist, your clinic can successfully implement bSerene™ pheromone solutions, creating a more peaceful environment for pets, improving their overall experience, and aligning with the Fear Free initiative’s goals.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

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Brought to you by our friends at bSerene.

Improve Wound Healing and Patient Recovery

By Dr. Natalie Marks, DVM, CVJ, Elite FFCPAs a practicing veterinarian and previous practice owner for more than two decades, I’ve witnessed quite a bit of evolution within our industry. There continue to be advances in diagnostic technologies, telemedicine, novel therapeutics for dermatology and osteoarthritis, and a dramatic shift from independent practice ownership to corporatization. However, one of the most important discoveries and initiatives has been the concept of Fear Free, the initiative dedicated to the physical and emotional health of our patients and clients through the reduction of fear, anxiety, and stress.

However, Fear Free is, and can be, more. It is a lifestyle and guide on how to practice and manage and educate. Client trust and compliance is key to a successful veterinary-client-patient relationship, and that’s difficult to achieve when fear, anxiety, and stress surround exam room interactions and associated communications. This is never more evident than when trying to manage wound care. The aftercare associated with an incision, a laceration repair, a skin lesion, or a superficial burn can be extensive and complicated, often with multiple medications, bandage care, an Elizabethan collar, and an incredibly stressed patient and pet parent. This negatively affects patient care and the veterinary team as frustrated pet parents call and email frequently, taking veterinary professionals away from patient care in hospital.

There’s now a single solution for improved wound healing for patients, reduction of the home care burden for pet parents, and preservation of emotional health for patient, pet parent, and the veterinary health care team. KeraVet® Gel is a first-of-its-kind wound care product. As a scientist, safety and efficacy of any new product is top of mind. I’ve been impressed with the initial studies with this product, which has a keratin-based patent-protected technology to promote a moist wound environment and barrier to the environment as well as a bitterant to deter licking behavior, enabling us to send a patient home without that collar that so often leads to increased stress for both the patient and our client. That said, it is important to note that there can be a risk to the human-animal bond when we frequently apply something to our pets that tastes unpleasant, and for some pets that can be more stressful than protective clothing, bandages, or an Elizabethan collar. Each animal is an individual and their needs should be taken into account when deciding on the best solution for wound healing.

In the right circumstances, though, this product can be a game changer. One of the tenets I lived by as a practice owner was “best medicine leads to best business.” Our clients want to see the value in the care they are investing in, that it’s convenient and safe, and that it addresses their family member’s physical and emotional health. When we choose to use KeraVet® gel, we give our clients a single effective solution addressing both of their needs, thus building trust and compliance, and strengthening the human-animal bond. These are the clients who return and refer and stay lifelong members of our hospitals.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Natalie Marks is a veterinarian, consultant, educator, media expert, an advisor for KeraVet Bio, on the Executive Committee of VANE (Veterinary Angel Network), and an Elite Fear Free Certified Professional. She is passionate about working with colleagues and mentees and moving the needle forward with innovation with companies like KeraVet Bio. Learn more about Dr. Marks at marksdvmconsulting.com and KeraVet Bio at https://keravetbio.com/

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Addressing High FAS About Switching to Cloud-Based Veterinary Software

By Shepherd Veterinary Software

Fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) are not exclusive to our veterinary patients. For some practice owners, the mere thought of switching to a cloud-based software triggers a similar negative spiral. Fear of change can prevent them from appreciating how a serverless system could optimize their workflow and support future practice growth.

Like any fear, apprehension about changing software is best conquered with knowledge. Let Shepherd Veterinary Software address the most common fears and stressors. Learn about the comfort and peace of mind that comes with being in the cloud.

Fear: Data migration will be an enormous hassle

This is perhaps the biggest concern among veterinary practice owners and managers—for good reason. In the past, transferring inventory and patient records was painstakingly inefficient, not only because of data loss during the transfer, but also due to the financial loss from closing the practice during the process.

Reality: Modern cloud-based veterinary practice management systems (PIMS) such as Shepherd Veterinary Software provide step-by-step assistance that streamlines the data migration process. Shepherd’s experienced team understands the implications of switching from server to cloud-based software and provides a wealth of resources and advice to ease the transition and help you anticipate and minimize potential challenges.

Anxiety: My team will struggle to learn the new system and be less productive

No matter how inefficient or frustrating your current PIMS, most team members will find switching to a new, entirely unfamiliar software daunting.

Reality: Modern software options have intuitive, user-friendly designs that reduce errors and increase productivity for all skill levels. With the help of self-paced training modules, ongoing software support, and skill-building resources, most veterinary staff can feel confident using a new PIMS like Shepherd in as little as a few hours. And, if the team hits a snag during the learning process, Shepherd’s support team is only a call or click away.

Stress: My practice data will not be secure stored in the cloud

When it comes to practice data, on-site servers can provide practice owners with false peace of mind. A physical unit in your clinic or hospital may feel well protected, but server-based PIMS are often more vulnerable to cyber attacks and malware, not to mention physical threats such as fire and water damage.

Reality: Remote cloud-based storage safeguards your practice’s data through expert monitoring that will identify and address any threat. Automatic security updates and patches keep the system one step ahead of hackers and cyber threats, and automatic syncing ensures access to the latest patient and practice information. There’s also no costly downtime waiting for IT or the release of a system-wide update.

Fear: The benefits won’t be worth the effort

Cloud-based veterinary software is a significant investment of a practice’s finances and resources. It’s only natural to question its proposed benefits and value.

Reality: As veterinary teams quickly discover, serverless software delivers powerful, game-changing advantages that extend beyond practice management to elevate patient care, enhance the client experience, and shape future growth.

Improved accuracy — Automated charge capture ensures consistency across all documents, including the patient chart, estimate, and invoice.
Increased revenue — Smooth workflows and quick-fill SOAPs mean you can fit in more appointments and care for more patients without staying late.
Easier oversight and case management — Remote access allows you to view the practice dashboard, inventory, and patient records from any location with an internet connection.
More time to spend with patients and clients — Automated features and powerful integrations eliminate the need for time-consuming repetitive tasks so you can focus on patient care.
Stronger client relationships — Enhanced communication tools, such as messaging and pet portals, help develop the veterinarian-client-patient bond.
Better job satisfaction — Increased efficiency and smooth workflow put the joy back in veterinary medicine, resulting in a healthier practice culture.

Anxiety: Team members fear that remote access will blur the work-home boundary

Many professionals have discovered that working remotely has an unexpected downside—an “always available” mentality that erodes the work-home life boundary. As a result, some practice owners and veterinary team members may hesitate to embrace remotely accessible cloud-based PIMS. They fear that because of the flexible software, they will be pressured to always be available.

Reality: Remote access can re-envision rather than add to the workload. It allows veterinarians and practice leaders to check in on daily operations, review the schedule, answer questions about a specific case, and take much-needed breaks without losing touch—or control—of the practice.

Stress: Clients won’t understand the change, especially if service is disrupted

Successful software transitions rely on careful planning. It’s important to notify clients as early as possible about anticipated schedule changes or closures. Instead of explaining that your practice is “changing software,” talk in terms of client benefits (e.g., better communication, reduced wait times, simplified check-in).

Reality: This change can build excitement! Upgrading your software demonstrates your practice’s commitment to exceptional client and patient service. With the right approach, you can help anxious clients understand that the temporary inconvenience will result in long-term gain.

Change is never easy, but the transition to cloud-based software is nothing to fear. Discover how veterinarian-designed Shepherd Veterinary Software can elevate your practice’s performance, increase efficiency, and help you rediscover the joy of veterinary medicine. Contact the Shepherd team to schedule a personalized demo and let your software-switching fears float away in the cloud.