Define and Grow a Newly Trademarked “Senior Care” Brand

• Determine the best full-spectrum approach to implementing a fundamental, industry-wide change in the way veterinary practitioners view and treat aging pets was the challenge presented to Gloyd Group by SmithKline Beecham (now Pfizer Animal Health).
• At the same time, Gloyd Group was asked to consult and provide support for the launch of a new behavioral drug to treat cognitive dysfunction syndrome in older dogs.

The following strategies were proposed, developed, and implemented by Gloyd Group to introduce and spread the concept of veterinary “Senior Care,” working closely with sponsors—including, over time, SmithKline Beecham, Pfizer Animal Health, and Iams—to enable them to meet specific goals:

• Senior Care Council: Dr. Kathy Gloyd was instrumental in forming and facilitating the Senior Care Council composed of a gifted group of experts from a variety of disciplines charged with the mission to examine all aspects of this developing field—​from defining the “senior” pet and establishing the relevance of specific protocols for regular examination and treatment of older animals to the impact on practice revenues.
• Senior Care Symposia: Gloyd Group developed Senior Care Symposia using an innovative, case-based symposium format with integrated team teaching. From start to finish, Gloyd Group provided the complete array of services—​acquiring the most respected experts in the field as speakers; meeting planning; editing and publishing symposia proceedings in print and digital forms; moderating speaker panels; providing on-site support; and incorporating interactive audience response technology during the symposia.
• Senior Care Program Guide: Gloyd Group created a CD-ROM for Pfizer Animal Health entitled “A Guide to Setting Up a Successful Senior Care Program in Your Practice” to provide veterinarians and their staff with tools to implement Senior Care programs. The CD included hundreds of customizable digital files with program creation and staff training information, as well as client tracking and education materials.

• Product Launch: Gloyd Group’s prior work in behavioral medicine with Novartis Animal Health provided the necessary background and experience—​and contacts with leading veterinary behaviorists—​to guide the successful launch of the new behavioral drug.

Senior Care is One of the Great Success Stories of Veterinary Medicine

• The extremely popular and always diverse Senior Care Symposia have been held every year at the NAVC, WVC, and AVMA Conferences since their inception in 1998, providing positive visibility and increased market opportunities for their sponsors.
• The Senior Care Council and Senior Care Symposia have been instrumental in defining the “senior” pet and raising veterinary awareness of age-related conditions and their prevention and treatment.
• Veterinary clinics today follow specific protocols for care of their senior patients—​based on established guidelines—​and provide a level of care that was unheard of prior to establishment of the Senior Care Council and Symposia, increasingly allowing a longer, healthier life for beloved pets.