Work Life Balance

Healthcare professionals - medical as well as veterinary - are by nature intelligent, inquisitive, caring and sensitive. They also have other characteristics which are necessary to succeed in their chosen fields and are competitive, obsessive, perfectionist and compulsive.

As such, they often find it hard to achieve optimal work-life balance. Areas to consider include the following:

Work environment: The chances are good that you are discontented if you stay late at work almost every day. If you feel that your work is taking up more time than you want, your expectations are not being met and you will not be happy. Remember that you may have had a hand in creating the situation. Learn to say no at times. Do not fall into the trap of killing yourself by doing good. You have to either change your work situation or your expectations!

One needs to resist over caring. Over caring may be driven by self-doubt. Do not lose sleep over a treatment decision. Rather get a good night’s sleep and arrive at work refreshed and re-evaluate your patient the next day.  Over caring may lead to exhaustion and poor decision making.

Veterinarians have multiple roles to fulfill, such as that of a wife or husband and parent. People with families and multiple roles are often happier in their careers because thye do not have enough time to dwell on problems in their work situation. Vets with young children will more readily limit their obligations and say no to meaningless tasks.

Spirituality and Community: A sense of connection with community and a greater purpose can help to keep you motivated. You chose your career path to do good for others. However, do not try to be in charge of everything, rather just enjoy the sense of belonging without adding to your responsibility.

Remember that everything is not about you. A common fault of type A personalities is so-called central positioning - when you project your self-involvement onto another person. For instance, if someone in the express checkout lane at the supermarket has too many items, you may be upset that she does not appreciate that you are terribly busy and in a hurry. The truth is, the stress from such reactions can lead to your having a heart attack, while the person in front of you will be just fine.

Chronic lateness can result from extreme multitasking. For example, if you have 10 minutes before an appointment, do you take on another task, which ends up taking 20 minutes? It would be better for you to take advantage of the time to reflect. Not trying to cram every minute full of activity will be much better than the stress resulting from hurrying all the time!

Source: Lipsenthal.

Chasing dreams and racing father time - Born Free music by Kid Rock

E

Fast, on a rough road riding

E

High, through the mountains climbing

A                              E

twisting, turning further from my home.

E

Young, like a new moon rising

E

Fierce, through the rain and lightning

A                           E

Wandering out into this great unknown.

F#m                     

And I dont want know one to cry,

D

but tell em If I dont survive

Chorus

  E

I was Born Free!

I was borrrrrrn free

  A       E

I was born free, Born Free.

E

Free, like a river raging

E

Strong, is the wind Im facing.

A                               E

Chasing dreams and racing father time.

E

Deep like the grandest canyon,

E

Wild like an untamed stallion.

A                                  E

If you cant see my heart you must be blind.

F#m

You can knock me down and watch me bleed

D

But you cant keep no chains on me.

[Chorus]

?                                 ?

And Im not good at long goodbyes but look down

?

Deep into my eyes.

E

I was born free!

E

Heyy yayaaa yaayayaaa

A     E

Ohhh hoooo

E

Calm facing danger

E

Lost, like an unknown stranger

A                         E

Grateful for my time with no regrets.

E

Close to my destination

E

Tired, frail and aching

A                            E

Waitin patiently for the sun to set.

F#m                                ?                        ?

And when its done believe that I will yell it from that mountain highhh!

[chorus]

?                                   ?            ?

And I will vow to the shining seas and celebrate Gods Grace on me.

[Chorus]

South African Pet care market and some other statistics.

Mass Market Consumers Remain Elusive in South African Pet CareAnalyst Insight by Paula Flores, Head of Pet Care, Euromonitor International

South Africa may be by far the largest pet care market in the Middle East and Africa, but it remains undeveloped in comparison with many other emerging markets, particularly Latin American ones. While affluent consumers represent a lucrative niche segment for premium brands, the economy segment remains largely undeveloped, with less affluent owners still overwhelmingly feeding their pets table scraps/leftovers.

Is owning a dog un-African?

During December 2012, South African President Jacob Zuma courted controversy by arguing that South Africans should not have pet dogs. He maintained that spending money on buying a dog, taking it to the vet and walking it “belonged to white culture and was not the African way.”

Predictably, these comments were widely discussed on social media in South Africa. “Zuma comments cause canine chaos” one newspaper headline read. One user tweeted: “Zuma says owning dogs is un-African. Unlike those old African traditions of driving German cars, wearing Italian suits and drinking Irish whiskey.” Another wrote: “Zuma needs a history check, as the Africanis breed of dog has been the companion of Southern Africa’s San Bushmen since 800AD.”

A number of people tweeted an old photograph of former president Nelson Mandela with a canine companion. Commenting on the website www.iol.co.za, one dog lover said: “I'm black & I love my dog. He’s part of my family. We’ve always had dogs in my family. Can’t imagine life without them.”

In 2012, 20% of households owned a dog, a figure that has been fairly stable over recent years. 10% had a cat.

Most dogs are not fed prepared food, but this is gradually changing. The proportion of calories consumed by pet dogs accounted for by prepared products rose from 24% to 27% between 2007 and 2012. However, cats tend to be much more pampered (and are much more likely to be perceived as companion animals, or even ersatz family members) than dogs, many of which are still regarded in overwhelmingly functional terms (as guard dogs, for example) by their owners. The proportion of calories consumed by pet cats accounted for by prepared products rose from 65% to 67% between 2007 and 2012.

This has helped to drive steady growth in pet care sales over recent years: Having fallen sharply (by 4%) in 2008 due to a combination of rising prices and weak economic growth, constant value pet care sales stabilised in 2009 and have expanded by at least 3% per annum since then. By 2012, the market was worth US$668 million

Colgate-Palmolive and Mars are by far the most popular manufacturers of premium dog and cat food, accounting for 33% and 31% of value sales, respectively, in 2011.

Affluent consumers who purchase premium pet food are also the main buyers of pet products, with value sales outperforming the wider pet care market, recording a real CAGR increase of 3% between 2007 and 2012. Sales of pet products were worth US$44.2 million in 2012, having proved virtually recession proof during 2008 and 2009.

The South African pet care market is forecast to exhibit a real CAGR increase of 2% during the period 2012-2017 to US$744 million. This will mainly be driven by owners swapping table scraps/leftovers for economy and mid-priced prepared products and some affluent consumers trading up to super-premium brands, such as organic or all-natural products. The relatively small size of the country’s middle class will remain the main impediment to more rapid growth.

WSPA 2007 SA had 7 440 000 dogs and 2 000 000 cats

Australia 3 484 000 dogs and 2 450 000 cats

In a crude attempt to estimate global dog and cat figures, the average pet population as a percentage of the human

population was calculated. These figures varied greatly with the most obvious connecting factor being economic

status.

The World Bank Economic Status figures categorise each country into one of four categories:

1 = low economy

2 = low mid economy

3 = high mid economy

4 = high economy

Taking a random sample of countries from each economic status the following averages were obtained:

Crude pet pop as % human pop in EC 1/2/3 = 8%

Crude dog pop as % human pop in EC 1/2/3 = 4.8%

Crude pet pop as % of human pop in EC 4 = 25%

Crude dog pop as % of human pop in EC 4 = 15%

Total pets across globe using this estimation = 704 M

Total dogs across globe using this estimation = 432 M

Total cats across the globe using this estimation = 272 M

Population change over the last 5 years (based on information from 5

10% of SA dogs routinely vaccinated

Country No. of practicing SA/mixed vets Total pets  Pets per vet

Australia 6000 5935000 990

Cook Islands 1 5000 5000

New Zealand 1750 1745000 1000

Papua New Guinea 5 6000000 1200000

Samoa 10 1100000 110000

Phaeohyphomycosis

Phaeohyphomycosis

Phaeohyphomycosis is a general term used to describe infections caused by dematiaceous (dark-pigmented) fungi. These fungi are widespread saprophytes and the disease occurs worldwide.

It is a rare disease of horses and several dematiaceous species have been implicated, including Alternaria alternaria, Pseudallescheria boydii, Bipolaris spicifera and Curvularia geniculata.

The fungi enter via a wound or at the site of trauma and produce a granulomatous nodule or mass involving the dermis at or near the site of entry. Location is variable and can be nasal, paranasal, chest, head and limbs. The nodules enlarge, ulcerate and have fistulous tracts. It may spread peripherally and, on occasion, to the lymphatics and other tissues and organs. The disease is chronic and if not treated it may persist and progress.

Diagnosis

Laboratory examination is necessary to distinguish this disease from others with somewhat similar features.

• Material from granulomatous lesions and biopsies or portions of lesions, fixed: The characteristic brown/dark-pigmented, branching, hyphal elements can be seen in wet mounts. The same fungal structures are seen in stained sections. Finding the fungal elements in tissue sections is confirmatory.
• Definitive diagnosis is based on the isolation and identification of the fungus, which may take as long as 6 weeks to grow. The precise identification of the fungus may have to be carried out in a reference laboratory.

Treatment

• Surgical excision of the lesion in some cases. Amphotericin B, locally and systemically. The imidazole drugs may be effective.

Non Poisonous Mosquito Trap

MAKE A SIMPLE NON POISONOUS MOSQUITO TRAP.

Items needed:

200 ml water

50 grams of brown sugar,

1 gram of yeast

2-liter plastic bottle.

How to:

1. Cut the plastic bottle (PET type) in half. Keep the neck portion:

2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.

3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide.

4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle.

5. Wrap the bottle with something black, minus the top, and put in a corner of your house.

Wealthiest suburbs in Australia

Nation's wealthiest suburbs (state, suburb, mean taxable income)

NSW Darling Point, Edgecliff, HMAS Rushcutters, Point Piper $186,202

VIC Hawksburn, Toorak $165,714

VIC Portsea $160,592

NSW Mosman, Spit Junction $156,063

NSW Dover Heights, HMAS Watson, Rose Bay North, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay $146,996

NSW Bellevue Hill $142,858

NSW Northbridge $141,645

NSW Woollahra $139,573

WA Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove $130,057

NSW Hunters Hill, Woolwich $127,141

Nation's poorest suburbs (state, suburb, mean taxable income)

NSW Callaghan, Newcastle University $27,388

VIC Glenaire, Hordern Vale, Johanna, Lavers Hill $31,023

VIC Tresco 32,910

NSW Cunninyeuk, Dilpurra, Kyalite, Mellool, Moolpa, Stony Crossing, Tooranie, Wetuppa $33,726

VIC Nyah West $33,793

QLD Glen Aplin $33,806

WA Karlgarin $34,054

NSW Bland, Quandialla $34,211

VIC Barmah, Lower Moira, Picola, Picola West $34,247

VIC Lake Tyers, Nowa Nowa, Waiwera $34,359

- With The Daily Telegraph, The Australian

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/money-matters/australias-richest-and-poorest-suburbs-named/story-e6frfmd9-1225845061248#ixzz28HGQhb9w

Websites of use to Vets

http://www.atriajobs.com/ufiles/documento15-drug-calculation-practice-atriajobs.pdf

http://www.acac.org.au/

http://piaa.net.au/  Pet Industry Association of Australia

http://www.petsinaustralia.com.au/

JOBS:

www.adzuna.com.au

www.seek.com.au

www.ava.com.au

www.kookaburravets.com

www.vetlink.com.au

Pets in Australia

"In 2013 there are estimated to be more
than 25 million pets in Australia, with nearly
5 million of Australia’s 7.6 million households
home to pets. At 63%, Australia has one of the
highest rates of pet ownership in the world.
Dogs are the most common pet, with 39% of
households owning a dog. There are estimated
to be 4.2 million pet dogs in Australia; 19 dogs
for every 100 people.
Cats are the second most common pet, with
29% of households owning a cat. There are
estimated to be 3.3 million pet cats in Australia;
15 cats for every 100 people.
More than 1.1 million Australian households
(14.9%) are planning to get a pet in the next 12 months"
Ref: petsinaustralia.com.au 2013 figures.

Applying for your first job

It is great to be back at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Werribee as Practitioner in Residence for the second year!
I will attempt to record my tutorial material here as a source to students at Melbourne and elsewhere to use as a resource.
Many students are most concerned about finding jobs in the current apparently oversupplied veterinary market. However, there are jobs out there, and in some cases, employers prefer enthusiastic young vets with their up to date knowledge.

A good CV and cover letter is essential to the job application process. Although graduation is still almost a year away, I believe this information is relevant.
Cover letters matter a lot! This may be your only chance to impress your potential employer without a face to face meeting. After all you are competing with other people who have the exact same  level of education as yourself. This is your opportunity to show that you are passionate about the job. This letter serves as a selling tool and a short summary of your resume, stressing the highlights.
However, do not try to oversell yourself and risk coming across as arrogant. The person reading your cover letter must want to meet you and work with you every day!
Choose the positions you apply for. If a practice is advertising for a senior vet with management experience, obviously a new graduate will not be successful.
Reread your cover letter carefully and more than once to check for spelling mistakes and awkward sentence construction.  Justify the margins for a neat appearance.
Make sure that your cover letter matches the job that you are applying for, and never ever mix them up in the mail! Do not rush your cover letter!

Mistakes one should avoid before sending out a CV include the following:
Not following instructions
Job advertisements will usually indicate how they want to receive applications. Make sure you follow their guidelines.
Incorrect format
Ensure that the resume looks good and that the formatting opens on all computers. A prospective employer often will not go through the trouble to get the formatting to work, especially if he/she has several other applicants.
Professional email address
As a student you may call yourself anything you like, but on a job application to a vet clinic "catslayer@gmail.com" just won't cut it! It may be worth opening a second account  for job applications
Spelling mistakes
Do a spell check and ask someone else to read through your CV and cover letter for spelling as well as grammar mistakes.
Forgetting the interviewer's name. 
The name of the person receiving the applications is usually on the job advertisement. Pay attention that you use it correctly. If you get an interview, other people may be involved. Establish who they are in advance.
Sending applications to the wrong company
If you are applying for several jobs and have tailored your cover letter and CV to fit (as you should), it could happen that you inadvertently send the wrong application to a specific company. Keep the different copies clearly labelled and well organised on your computer and double check before you press send!
Not being specific
Be specific about your accomplishments. If you say I am a fast worker, give examples - e.g.  "when assisting at a spay clinic, managed to spay 15 dogs in a day."

When drawing up your resume, follow an accepted format :
Many websites have templates or examples. The website of the AVA has very useful information for members.

A resume should be short and concise. For an entry level position one page should suffice. If relevant, two pages are acceptable.

Brutal poaching of Kariega Game Reserve rhino's - Thandi and Themba

Poached: The story of Geza as told by Dr William Fowlds

The importance of communication!

Joan Kleynhans

So true: "Vets may not be describing the value of what goes on in an exam," says veterinarian Karen Felsted of Felsted Veterinary Consulting in Dallas.

Even as a dog walks into the exam room, most vets are observing gait, looking for undiagnosed arthritis or neurological issues. When they pet the pup or kitty, they are feeling for lumps and bumps, which may suggest thyroid disease or other conditions.

But about 30% of pet owners don't understand their pet is more likely to get sick without an annual exam, according to the 2011 Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study."

Like ·  · Share · Yesterday at 8:04am · . yup. I did a whole vaccination appointment recently, including full exam. At the end of it the client said "aren't you going to give him a check up?. Facepalm.

• Yesterday at 8:06am · Like · 2
• Joan Kleynhans They have said to me, so aren't you going to vaccinate him, as I am standing there pleased as punch that I can vaccinate a pet (sometimes), without them (the pet) even noticing. They say you should talk your way through it - as in " OK, so while I am pretending to pet you I am actually feeling for lumps and bumps on your skin. I have already noticed that you are walking normally as you came in, but let us feel your joints as well. I can see you are listening to me and following me with your bright eyes, so no obvious problems there but let us pull out the otoscope and opthalmoscope and have a better look anyway.Those too little goodies really impress them! Ah, great your temp is 38.5 which is perfectly normal, and your anal and tail pinch reflex work just fine! Or just run through a simple checklist - a cute card with pictures to both remind the vet and reassure the owner!
• Yesterday at 8:15am · Like · 3 I guess there are always some folk who will be über grateful and those that moan and winge and don't appreciate your skills.
• Yesterday at 8:21am · Unlike · 2 I swear I did it like you said today Joan Kleynhans, I think clients were wondering why I was babbling non-stop. I usually do tend to describe what I am doing but not in such detail - I think it worked though, and some of the comments etc sparked questions. Funny after so many years you can put s simple idea like this in action and see a change. Thanks!
• 22 minutes ago · Like