Duck, duck, goose is not just a kids’ game revitalized by end zone hijinks of the Minnesota Vikings. Geese make excellent guardians against predators common to backyard poultry flocks. They are naturally loud alarms and don’t require any training or behavior modification to protect. A threat, sign of trouble or intruder will cause them to call loudly, alerting their flockmates … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2018
The top 10 funnies of 2017
Just for fun, the DVM 360 crew reviewed its content to bring you the top cartoons and articles of this year. Source: DVM 360, January 2, 2017. We especially liked No. 3: The anatomy of a veterinary nurse. Also see: DVM360’s top 17 of 2017, January 2, 2017. See the articles that captured the attention of industry professionals across the country. INSIGHTS: Sales … [Read more...]
Cross-matching is important for first blood transfusion (includes video)
Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM), discusses cross-matching and blood transfusion perceptions and myths. If transfusion records are not appropriate, or if a new veterinary practice assumes a patient has never received a transfusion and they do another mismatch, that could result in very serious consequences or even death. Source: American Veterinarian, January 15, … [Read more...]
Wheek! Good info on guinea pig care
Wheeking is what excited guinea pig vocalization is called. They are the second-favorite rodent kept as pets in the U.S. Guinea pigs are docile, social animals that enjoy interaction with their caretakers. Their husbandry needs are relatively simple. However, they have specific dietary and housing needs. Improper at-home care can result in illness or injury. Source: … [Read more...]
Sales people: necessary or obsolete?
Salespersons who focus on selling as hard and fast as possible, with a goal of doing business now, may be obsolete, says Richard Libin. He asserts today’s salesperson job profile can be defined by three simple functions: helping customers find and select the right product or service assisting the customer to fall in love with his choice convert customers to … [Read more...]
New cannabis resource from AVMA
A new document for AVMA members provides comprehensive background information to help understand the legal aspects of cannabis use in animals; field questions and advise clients who are interested in marijuana therapies for their pets; and identify toxic exposures. Source: AVMA, January 10, 2018. Cannabis: What Veterinarians Need to Know addresses a broad range of important … [Read more...]
Donating a pet’s body is alternative to burial, cremation
The passing of a cherished pet is something every pet owner dreads. Yet, it is something most of eventually face. In addition to burial or cremation, educational memorial programs or willed body programs are offered at several veterinary universities in the United States. Modeled similar to human cadaver donation programs, pet owners can donate the body of their beloved dog … [Read more...]
Autopsies by general practitioners can help owners (photographic guide)
Many pet owners want to know why their pet passed away. A limited cosmetic necropsy may produce a reason, add closure and potentially alert the veterinary staff of local risks. Source: Clinician’s Brief, December 2017. The term “autopsy” is widely preferred in the pathology community, particularly to emphasize the primary goal of unifying human and veterinary medical … [Read more...]
Close, but not closed
One of the more common questions I am asked when conducting sales development classes is, “What do I do when a customer commits but doesn’t follow through?” It usually spurs a lengthy discussion about the difference between close and closed. Source: Veterinary Advantage Magazine, December 2017. At commit, your customer, or the Decider, co-owns the outcome with you and that … [Read more...]
Back to school on heartworm
The American Heartworm Society (AHS) is strengthening efforts to bring the latest heartworm information directly to veterinarians and veterinary nurses via scientific symposia and proceedings. Heartworm University, a traveling four- to six-hour symposium taught by AHS faculty, provides practical clinical information in an interactive format that enables presenters to address … [Read more...]
Alternatives to declawing becoming mandatory
The tide is turning against cat declawing, writes Steve Dale in a piece for Fear Free Happy Homes. Denver recently became the first city outside California to ban declawing surgery. When cats scratch (an innate behavior), they send an aromatic message via the pheromones delivered by glands in the paws, as well as a visual message: those long claw marks. The ability to offer … [Read more...]
Sponsored: Sample water supplies properly
Water quality affects animal health from the backyard to the largest confined operation. Jesse McCoy of Neogen Corporation writes about how to properly sample a water supply. Source: National Hog Farmer, November 30, 2017. Several considerations must be taken when sampling the site. The first is the sample must be the best representation of the water coming in to the … [Read more...]
Good stuff in OSU’s Equine News
The January issue of Oklahoma State University’s Equine News has some great information about getting horses in good shape, controlling environmental challenges and managing Equine influenza virus. Source: Oklahoma State University, January 2018. If your horse hasn’t had much activity in a while, it is a good idea to take a baseline assessment. First, does your horse need … [Read more...]
What you can’t do with a VFD
Some livestock producers are feeling pinched by what a VFD can’t do. However, these new rules can do one very valuable thing: give livestock producers an opportunity to interact with local veterinarians who can best guide them through health-related decisions about their animals. Source: Drovers, November 23, 2017. Since the VFD’s implementation, many of the … [Read more...]
High-functioning alcoholics are not long-term winners
Animal health pros can likely identify at least one individual whose “low alcohol” light comes on sometime late afternoon. These individuals function dependably at high levels all day long. However, their reality is a core biological and psychological issue that will never go away. In this rare, revealing story Ward Richmond shares his discoveries and story as a recovering … [Read more...]
Help bees get through winter
Angi Schneider shares it’s a good idea to give domestic bees extra help to survive the winter, especially if you are bee farming in areas that have severe winters. She discusses hive types and winterization protocols. Veterinary teams and retailers may want to keep information like this handy for new beekeepers. Source: Countryside Daily, January 8, 2018. Keeping the queen … [Read more...]
Opinion – The wisdom is in the questions
My paternal grandfather would occasionally profess, “Remember, the wisdom is in the questions, Kirk.” While this sometimes a kind way of saying I was talking too much, Ryan Holiday asserts a similar theme in his article, “12 questions that will change your life.” It is always a good time for questioning, resolutions and sound decisions. Source: Thrive Global, January 1, … [Read more...]
Study suggests more than half of lameness goes undetected
“Producers are aware of lameness as an issue in dairy herds and almost all monitor lameness as part of their daily routine. However, producers underestimate lameness prevalence, which highlights that lameness detection continues to be difficult in in all housing systems, especially in tie stall herds,” according to researchers who studied dairy farms. Source: Dairy Herd … [Read more...]
Insulin resistance and cold weather laminitis in horses
Eleanor Kellon, VMD, says cold-induced hoof pain strikes horses with insulin resistance (IR). IR is a well described risk factor for laminitis. Even when a horse is not glaringly lame it is causing damage to the laminae. We haven’t uncovered all the mechanisms behind laminar damage from high insulin levels but one known factor is elevated levels of endothelin-1. Source: … [Read more...]
These are horses, not teddy bears
Thomas Gumbrecht shares a story of horse care, animal temperament and a momentary lapse of judgement that resulted in getting kicked by an old friend. It is a good reminder to be present around horses or any animal. Source: Horse Network, January 3, 2018. As she passed, I noticed something on her underside and instinctively reached out to touch it. I forgot for a moment … [Read more...]
Make sure backyard chickens get proper nutrition
Janet Garman sorts through a variety of choices for feeding backyard chickens. Between types and stages of chickens and a multitude of brands, buying chicken feed is not a simple choice. Source: Countryside Daily, January 4, 2017. Chickens need protein, carbohydrates, and fats, along with the appropriate vitamins and minerals. Most starter and grower rations will have 18% … [Read more...]
Stockers, the shock absorbers for the beef industry
It is easy to argue the stocker sector serves as the fulcrum that makes current beef industry efficiency possible. Stocker operators warehouse cattle, spread seasonal surpluses and deficiencies into a balanced mix of volume. They assemble and sort cattle into more homogenous groups—weight, sex, type and such. Along the way, stocker producers straighten out the high-health-risk … [Read more...]
Prevent zoonoses on dairies
An outbreak of multi-drug resistant Salmonella has been associated with dairy calves across the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the outbreak affected 54 people in 15 states. One third of the affected required hospitalization. Situations like this remind us that we should always keep zoonotic diseases in mind. Source: Dairy Herd Management, … [Read more...]
Cat flehmen response or cat stinky face is highly scientific
The cat stinky face isn’t necessarily a snooty sneer. It’s way more scientific than that. “The flehmen response is a type of sniffing, but instead of using their nostrils, cats inhale the air through their open mouths,” Dr. Sasha Gibbons says. “Cats use the flehmen response to detect chemical stimuli, such as pheromones, that are present in urine and feces, or areas that cats … [Read more...]
Editor’s Choice Awards, Pet Product News
Each year, Pet Product News seeks to honor innovative products that strengthen the relationship between pets and people. If your role is in the non-OTC categories, knowing about these products may help you address concerns from a pet owner or even rationalize your own inventory choices in advance of mass merchandising pressures. Source: Pet Product News, January 2018, page … [Read more...]
Pet owners prefer to buy from brick-and-mortar stores
Pet Food in the U.S., 13th Edition states that about 88 percent of dog owners and 93 percent of cat owners admit to buying food for their pets from a store within the last 12 months. One demographic most comfortable with non-traditional purchasing options is millennials. This group was more likely than any other to buy items through a website or app for home delivery or … [Read more...]
The neuroscience of storytelling will make you rethink how you create
Storytelling makes for effective communication. Yet, it feels like the more evidence we have that our brains are hardwired for relational and analogical reasoning, the more instructors recite bulleted data points without context, despite the vast amount of resources and technology at our fingertips. Every animal health pro shares information or recommendations. While we are … [Read more...]
Human capital an issue for hog industry
Human capital has long been a challenge for the protein sector overall, but has recently become a real concern for the swine business within industry and academia, said Maynard Hogberg, Iowa State University. He noted the pressing issue for both is that of the increasing need for scientifically trained personnel. This comes at a time when there are fewer swine faculty within … [Read more...]
Products bring solutions to livestock handling (slideshow)
Livestock handling continues to evolve. Handling animals without stressing them is still one of the biggest challenges livestock producers face. Several new chute and animal-handling systems were among the products Farm Progress editors uncovered at recent farm shows. Source: Beef, November 28, 2017. The last decade has brought a move forward in understanding how animals … [Read more...]
Low stress handling yields benefits
Stockmanship practices are important to prevent physical defects such as bruising and stress-related injuries on beef tenderness and grade. These practices also influence public perceptions, as consumers increasingly expect producers adhere to animal-welfare standards as a necessary component in their perception of beef quality. Source: Drovers, November/December 2017, page … [Read more...]