Discussing media content about disease movement and prevalence directed toward consumers is critical for animal health professionals. We are frequently challenged to maintain consumer confidence in our pharmaceuticals, biologicals, even veterinarians, while we fight to do what’s right for animals and their owners. Thankfully, the AVMA is the information resource in this article … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2016
No bones about it
“With a knick-knack, paddy whack, give a dog a bone,” go the lyrics of This Old Man a nursery rhyme published in 1906. According to Erik Barchas, DVM, bones are a no-no. Veterinary teams might use this as a discussion item for a staff meeting so everyone is on the same page in the practice. Source: Dogster, January 12, 2016. Bones — and it doesn’t matter whether they’re … [Read more...]
Keep cats happy
Veterinary teams building feline practice will appreciate this article. Sharing some of this content via websites or newsletters may keep clients and their feline friends purring. Source: Catster, January 15, 2016. Interacting with the cats, observing behavior and making homes feline-friendly help keep cats mentally and physically healthy. See recommendations in these key … [Read more...]
Read labels right
Animal health pros, especially veterinary teams must be able to explain labels on pet foods, treats and related items. Labels are becoming more important to consumers. Source: Petfood Industry, January 14, 2016. Human food trends continue to heavily influence pet food trends, and not just when it comes to the food itself—package labeling has become an increasingly important … [Read more...]
Passive-aggressive behavior and team dynamics
We bring all of our life experiences into the workplace. Learning early to avoid conflict or swallow our opinions or feelings can lead to passive-aggressive behavior in workplace teams. Whether a team member, team leader or team supporter, this article brings perspective to dousing conflicts directly. Source: Harvard Business Review, January 25, 2016. The majority of teams … [Read more...]
Death-loss still a conundrum in feedlots
Veterinarians today have access to better vaccines, better treatments and generally better overall cattle management than in the past, and yet the prevalence of feedyard death loss continues to run higher than just a few years ago. And with pressure continuing to end the use of some antibiotics for disease prevention, the industry will need to employ alternatives, beginning … [Read more...]
Top 5 Indications for fluid therapy
Lisa M. Powell, DVM, offers a great review of fluid therapies and when they’re critical. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, January 26, 2016, weekly newsletter. Fluid therapy, a mainstay treatment, is indicated in a variety of disease states that may result in mild dehydration to severe hypovolemic shock. Depending on the disease and its severity, fluids administered either … [Read more...]
Horse longevity
Two articles cover equine aging in this issue. Manage Your Horse to Live Longer and The Science of Aging cover: Dental care Weight monitoring and diet/nutritional management Activity needs Hormonal imbalances Arthritis and chronic inflammation Vaccination efficacy Parasite control Stress Equine veterinary teams and equine sales representatives will benefit … [Read more...]
Cat parasite basics
Dr. Marty Becker gives cat owners a concise and pragmatic overview of parasite risks. This article will make a great addition to any veterinary hospital website, newsletter or blog post. Source: Catster, March/April 2016. (direct link unavailable) Talking about cat parasites is a little challenging for veterinarians. Even parasites we can see at some phases of their life … [Read more...]
AAHA’s Cavanaugh eyes 2016
Mike Cavanaugh, AAHA CEO, emphasizes using resources in the supply chain and communicating with clients in this Q and A piece. Source: Veterinary Advantage, January 2016 Digital Issue, page 12. The vehicles we use for communicating with clients offer incredible opportunities for us to stay in touch in between appointments and educate our clients on the importance of … [Read more...]
Lead in water is dangerous
Experts report that lead content in some municipal water systems is high. This article on human risk begs for a reference about pet risk. It’s not only a problem in cities. Lead also occurs in some rural systems where urban sprawl has created the need to tap old well water and rural water delivery systems. We offer two references for veterinary hospital teams to … [Read more...]
Use travel time productively
Animal health pros are on the move during the first quarter of each year attending conventions, national sales meetings, CE events and the like. Maintaining productivity while traveling is challenging. This article offers ideas on how to use wisely use travel time. Source: Harvard Business Review, November 5, 2015. Travel has become a standard part of many professionals’ … [Read more...]
Hire a cat sitter or not?
Veterinary hospital teams will find this article valuable for newsletters, websites or blogs. Team members will want to have this as a resource for owners looking to responsibly leave their cat at home. Source: Tufts Catnip, January 25, 2016 newsletter. Ideally, the visit to a cat’s home shouldn’t just be for feeding and emptying the litter box. The pet sitter should spend … [Read more...]
9 new pickups for 2016
If you are in animal health, trucks are part of discussions. Here’s a look at what’s available for 2016. Source: Beef, January 14, 2016. Today’s pickups give you jaw-dropping technology, stylish, comfortable interiors plus plenty of horsepower under the hood teamed with muscle in the powertrain to haul the livestock and get the job done. Whether it’s fixing fence, moving … [Read more...]
Beef herd rebuilding in 2016
We’ll have more cows to keep healthy this year, but producers will likely see profits decline. For animal health pros, this is sweet and sour. It means more doses but they have less value to producers. This signals the need for re-promoting comprehensive health plans at all levels of production visit by visit. When markets decline, animal health products are often overlooked. … [Read more...]
74,650 in 365 days – a new record
200-plus pounds of milk each day from a single cow? Astounding! It’s all the more reason I often see the dairy cow as a living manufacturing plant, or a milk-making machine. Stories like this underscore the continuous need to maintain preventive health protocols, in addition to optimizing nutrition. In a cow like Gigi, even the slightest health problem could negatively … [Read more...]
Editorial – Understand the customer’s perspective
People often like to discover their own solutions. Technologies, processes and practices have tactically improved the business of people doing business with people. This doesn’t mean folks don’t want help at times. Too often, companies look at customers as cash machines that can satisfy shareholders and offer solutions without the customer in mind. When we approach business … [Read more...]
Biosurveillance vital to swine industry
Technological advancements support increasing biosurveillance activities to react more rapidly to disease outbreaks. Understanding active and passive disease surveillance processes is critical for marketing and sales personnel working in the swine segment. Building the network of communication is well underway. This article indicates developments will strengthen the network, … [Read more...]
Celebrating seedstock icon Dave Nichols
Dave Nichols made his mark on the beef seedstock business over the last 60-plus years. His father’s coaching, “Your word is better than your bond,” remained as a guiding principle for this man and his operation. Known as a character, Nichols’ persistence, commitment to learning and undying support of family and employees make this article worth reading. Source: Drovers … [Read more...]
Three stages of calving (parturition)
This is a nice review of the stages of the calving process. A note in the third stage reminds some of what Grandpa always did may not be the best method for placental shedding. This article is a sound reference for veterinarians to review with their cow/calf clients, as well as clinic personnel. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, January 20, 2016. Animal scientists and … [Read more...]
Winter storms’ impact
The devastating effect of winter storms Goliath and Jonah will hurt livestock producers for months. The former killed more than 50,000 dairy and beef cattle. The latter’s effect on dairy, swine and poultry won’t be known for weeks. An untold number of veterinary hospital visits that were scheduled before the storms will likely never be rescheduled. Keeping those businesses … [Read more...]
ED hits horses, too
I was stopped in my tracks by this article. Stallions may lose interest in breeding or have trouble impregnating mares. Foaling season is underway so breeding season is about to start. David Ramey, DVM, walks readers through broad categories of stallion problems in this article. Source: Veterinary Practice News, January 2016, page 55. Things to think about if it appears … [Read more...]
Deer herd population declining
Deer seem to be everywhere. However, in some areas herd populations are in decline. Hemorrhagic disease tops the list of five reasons for this according to Quality Deer Management Association’s Kip Adams. Source: Whitetail Journal, February 2016, page 8. Top 5 reasons for deer herd decline. 10 year data comparisons note regional differences. INSIGHTS: Veterinarians and … [Read more...]
Help stop canine brucellosis
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is urging veterinarians to play a major role to help stop the spread of canine brucellosis, a contagious and incurable bacterial infection most often found in breeding kennels. The agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service released best practices for veterinarians and kennel operators who may encounter the disease, which causes … [Read more...]
Where do dogs really come from?
A new study may help us understand the origin of modern dogs as we know them. Scientists have some consensus but many hypothesis are still at odds. Source: The New York Times, January 18, 2016. One reason for the conflicting theories, according to Greger Larson, a biologist in the archaeology department at the University of Oxford, is that dog genetics are a mess. In an … [Read more...]
Zoobiquity at NAVC
Aratana Therapeutics hosted Dr. Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers, co-authors of Zoobiquity for a live presentation of their experiences linking connections between human and animal health. Natterson-Horowitz referenced pathologies shared by non-humans and people which are not explicitly infectious such as breast cancer, heart failure, obesity and self-injury. Source: … [Read more...]
NAVC notes
The 33rd annual NAVC Conference drew 17,328 attendees setting a new attendance record. The 2017 conference will take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, February 4 – 8. Source: Inside NAVC, January 19, 2016. INSIDE NAVC is the official newspaper of the NAVC Conference. This tabloid, published on-site and distributed on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday … [Read more...]
Prep now for Pet Dental Month
Progress slowly continues in realizing the potential of the dental market. Multiple barriers remain, yet the health benefits are widely accepted. February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Veterinary teams and sales personnel getting ready for the event will appreciate these two articles. Source: True Prophylaxis, JAVMA News, January 15, 2016, page 130. There is a long … [Read more...]
Solving equine skin problems
Equine skin problems are uncomfortable and perplexing. Anna O’Brien, DVM, reviews common skin problems and what to do about them in this article. Equine veterinary hospital teams and the reps who call on them will benefit from reviewing this article and discussing the various treatment options. Source: Horse Illustrated, February 2016, page 57. (direct link unavailable) The … [Read more...]
Toenail trim tips
Proper, routine nail care is emphasized in this well-illustrated article. Groomers, vet technicians and hospital team members will benefit from understanding the biomechanics of nail care in dogs. The information is also good for clinic websites and newsletters. Source: Dog Naturally Magazine, January/February 2016. Trimming nails does not have be a traumatic event … [Read more...]