VETERINARY EDITION SPRING 2014 PROFITABLE PRACTICE Keys To A Successful Practice-Achieving Success By Creating Value Pot For Pets? When Should I Sell And/Or Have A Plan For Retirement? It All Started With Noah’s Ark Be A Dealmaker, Not A Dealbreaker AND MUCH MORE! PUBLICATION MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT #41073506 A HELPFUL RESOURCE FOR YOU AND YOUR PRACTICE ROI Corporation Brokerage EDITOR’S PAGE PUBLISHER ROI Corporation Brokerage is Licensed under Lionfish, A Dog’s Commandments, the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, PROFITABLE PRACTICE 2002 (REBBA). Robben Island, Service Dogs SPRING 2014 James Ruddy And Guide Dogs EDITOR-IN-CHIEF by James Ruddy Karen Henderson Lionfish-venomous not poisonous Our Managing Associate Editor, Karen MANAGING ASSOCIATE EDITOR Henderson’s dog (see below) has been the Invasive species are a problem everywhere. inspiration for many articles and book Natalia Decius This is especially true of the lionfish that 1 | EDITOR’S PAGE 14 | PRACTICE MANAGEMENT reviews including the Ten Commandments PROJECT MANAGER was mistakenly introduced (likely from FULLCONTACTMARKETING.CA from a dog’s perspective that follows. Lionfish, A Dog’s Commandments, Robben Hire The Buyer - someone’s aquarium) to the coastal waters Island, Service Dogs And Guide Dogs Yes Or No? of the eastern and southern American states. JAMES RUDDY TIMOTHY A. BROWN HOW TO REACH US A native of the Indo-Pacific, this voracious eater has found a new and fertile hunting 3 | PRACTICE MANAGEMENT 16 | FEATURE INTERVIEW LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ground in the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico Keys To A Successful Practice- With Dr. Bernhard Pukay [email protected] and the Caribbean. They have few natural Achieving Success By Creating Value EDITOR 1155 Indian Road, enemies and their venomous spines can DR. BERNHARD PUKAY Mississauga, ON L5H 1R8 cause considerable pain and swelling if they puncture a person’s skin. SUBSCRIBER SERVICES 6 NEWS ITEM 18 FEATURE INTERVIEW The bad news is that lionfish eat more than | | [email protected] their fair share of the native fish population. Pot for Pets? With Rick Mares 1-888-764-4145 KAREN HENDERSON EDITOR The good news is that lionfish provide a PERMISSIONS tasty meal for human consumption. Some states now promote lionfish contests [email protected] to reduce their growing numbers and are 8 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT 21 | BOOK REVIEW Profitable Practice: Veterinarian Edition is advertising that they are a very good eating | printed and distributed 3 times a year by When Should I Sell And/Or Have A A Dog’s Purpose: A Book For Humans Jamieson-Quinn Holdings Ltd. dba catch. Contestants are instructed on how to By W. Bruce Cameron Advertising In Print for ROI Corporation properly handle lionfish to avoid any injury Plan For Retirement? Brokerage. The contents of this publication AS REVIEWED BY KAREN HENDERSON and provide recipes like lionfish sashimi JON J. WALTON are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the written (sear the fish lightly in sesame oil with 10 | COMMENTARY 23 | PRACTICE MANAGEMENT permission of ROI Corporation Brokerage. garlic, salt and pepper) to their patrons. It All Started With Noah’s Ark Be A Dealmaker, Not A Dealbreaker Please return undeliverable addresses to: The universal issue that presents itself is DICK MOODY JACKIE RUDBERG 200 - 896 Cambie Street, the proper care of pets and their ultimate Vancouver, BC, V6B 2P6. end place whether they are cats, gerbils, Tel: 604-681-1811 Fax: 604-681-0456. snakes or aquarium fish. Pet owners have Karen’s dog Sammy Sosa Publication Mail Agreement No. 41073506. a responsibility to ‘think it through’ when 11 FEATURE INTERVIEW 25 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION | | it comes to their pet selections and what While the publisher has exercised every The Ten Commandments from a With Maureen Jennings happens if they become burdensome and effort to ensure that the information dog’s perspective MANAGING ASSOCIATE EDITOR presented is complete and accurate, it may unwanted. Improper disposal of pets can and contain errors, omissions or information have had serious consequences as is the case 1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years; any that has subsequently become outdated by industry changes or conditions, new laws of the lionfish. separation from you will be painful for or regulations, or other circumstances. me. Remember that before you adopt me. Neither author nor publisher accepts any liability or responsibility to any person or 2. Give me time to understand what you profitablepracticemagazine.com entity with respect to any loss or damage want from me; don’t be impatient, alleged to have been caused, directly or short-tempered, or irritable. indirectly, by the information, ideas, opin- ions or other content in this publication. 3. Place your trust in me and I will always trust you back. Respect is earned not This publication complies with the given as an inalienable right. Canadian Advertising-Editorial Guidelines and is printed by ROI Corporation 4. Don’t be angry with me for long and Brokerage for educational, marketing and informational purposes only. Our con- don’t lock me up as punishment; I am tributors are seasoned professionals who not capable of understanding why. I only have agreed to share their advice in know I have been rejected. You have your Profitable Practice and some of them work, entertainment, and friends, but I partially fund this publication designed to provide our readers with timely only have you. information about industry news, analysis and stories in support of the veterinary profession across Canada. 1 profitablepracticemagazine.com PRACTICE MANAGEMENT 5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, • Their medical history I do understand your voice and your tone. You only • How they react in an intensive 4-month have to look at my tail. training period Keys To A Successful Practice- 6. Be aware that however you treat me, • Whether or not they are super responsive I’ll never forget it, and if it’s cruel, it may affect me forever. The best breeds for guide dogs are German Shepherds, Achieving Success By Creating Value Golden Retrievers and short hair Black or by Bernhard Pukay, DVM 7. Please don’t hit me. I can’t hit back, but I can bite Yellow Labradors. and scratch, and I really don’t ever want to do that. Rick pointed out that guide dogs go through at least 8. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, five major emotional changes in the first 18 months of obstinate, or lazy, ask yourself if something might their lives. Between 6 to 8 weeks they are taken from be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right their mother and placed in a home to be family raised. foods or I’ve been out in the sun too long, or my Then if they are well suited they are removed from heart is getting old and weak. It may be I am just their home family and enter a training school where dog-tired. they spend about four months and develop a bond with 9. Take care of me when I get old. You too will grow their trainer. If they pass the training school tests, they old and may also need love, care, comfort, and are introduced to a sight-impaired person who usually attention. becomes the main focus of the rest of the dog’s life. 10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say, “I can’t For Rick’s interview see pages 16-18. bear to watch” or “Let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there. Content notes Remember, regardless of what you do, I will always This issue provides three in-depth interviews love you. with three fascinating people. Maureen Jennings Author Stan Rawlinson 1993. is the author of the Murdoch Mysteries and a long Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer. You can visit time pet owner and animal lover. Dr. Bernhard his website and articles at www.doglistener.co.uk Pukay is a well-known veterinarian with a resume of accomplishments that is second to none. As The passing of Nelson Mandela mentioned above, our third feature interview is with Rick Mares who is sight-impaired and has a guide We were saddened to learn of the death of Nelson dog. Jon J. Walton provides retirement advice that is Mandela. In our last issue we offered a feature story straightforward and meaningful. Timothy A. Brown about being on safari in South Africa and regret the outlines the pros and cons of of hiring an associate as incorrect spelling of Robben Island where Mandela a potential buyer of your veterinary practice. Dick had been imprisoned for many years. Moody provides an insightful, almost comedic look at pets and their treatment today. Jackie Rudberg Meeting your customers’ emotional needs not undetected medical problem. However, for pet owners, Service dogs explains the difference between deal-breakers and only provides unique opportunities for clear its value may be quite different. The last thing they may want to do is face the unpleasant reality that their In our last issue we provided some information about the dealmakers when it comes to selling a veterinary differentiation from your competitors, but healthy-appearing pet may in fact be unwell. The true increasing use of service dogs. In a recent Toronto Star practice. Karen Henderson, our Managing Associate value of Wellness Testing for them may lie not in the article, service dogs were featured as perfect companions Editor provides readers with an article on the use research has also shown time and time again possibility of uncovering an illness but rather in the for children with autism.