Tom Kelley discusses stress, where it comes from and how it works. Stress is frequently a negative emotion, which functions from our motivational system. He describes two motivational system subcomponents that lead to distinct sets of emotions. Source: HBR Ascend, February 23, 2019. Link. Once you understand how stress works, you can begin to take steps to deal with it, so … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2019
Six tips for the hiring process (Video)
Marian Rowland, BS, CVPM, discusses six tips in an informative video that have improved her hiring practices. Source: VHMA, February 22, 2019. Link. Rowland shares the following six main tips: Create a hiring process and follow itDon’t rushUse your core valuesUse a training program from the ground upLook over staff benefit percentageBe open to changing your hiring process … [Read more...]
Signs of cancer in dogs vary greatly
Veterinary oncologist Dr. Stacy Binstock’s estimate of 25%-33% of dogs developing cancer at some point in their lives is sobering. Cancer is the number one cause of death in older dogs. Catherine Ashe, DVM, reminds us that annual or semi-annual exams are more than vaccine appointments. The physical exam is the most important function and helps identify any symptoms that might … [Read more...]
Pig’s faces get mapped on some Chinese pig farms
Facial and voice recognition may become standard on Chinese hog farms. As African swine fever threatens China’s supply of pork, worried owners are turning to high-tech to try and control the problem. While some experts and farmers are skeptical, agricultural officials have praised “raising pigs in a smart way” using the A-B-C-Ds: artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud … [Read more...]
Rushing heifers to calve diminishes lifetime value
Cargill dairy consultant Shane Holt scrutinized records and found a correlation between calving age and lower lifetime output. The “sweet spot” for age at first calving was 23 or 24 months. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, February 25, 2019. Link. I have convinced myself after five years of looking at this that there is nothing that will give you more milk than your age at … [Read more...]
Ranch level biosecurity goes beyond vaccination
Keeping diseases at bay requires a lot more than a good vaccination program, writes Caitlin Hebbert. She presents biosecurity beyond BQA requirements and engages Stephen Collett to describe a hierarchy of three levels of biosecurity: Conceptual StructuralProcedural Source: BEEF, February 19, 2019, page 48. Link. Be proactive. A little caution and awareness when it … [Read more...]
Encouraging horses to drink
We’ve all heard the adage, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” While possibly true, the authors suggest the following to help a horse drink water: Make sure the horse can access clean water at all timesGive him some spaceTry electrolytes Source: EQUUS, February 15, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: Horses need water in winter, too. Be sure to keep water … [Read more...]
March brings more risk of rabies to horses
With winter soon ending, primary small mammal vectors of rabies, including raccoons, foxes, skunks and bats, will emerge from under buildings, leave hay bale nests and hunt assertively to regain body condition and feed newborns. Rabies is not frequently seen in equids, but the disease is invariably fatal and has considerable public health significance. Rabies vaccine is … [Read more...]
Mood-stabilizing medications can improve cats’ quality of life.
Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, discusses behavior challenges with cats, when drugs can help and the classes of drugs used with feline behavior problems. The anxiety- or fear-induced feline behavioral problems that most frequently call for the use of these medications are aggression toward other animals or toward a cat’s ownersurine spraying, the method that a cat uses to … [Read more...]
Plague risks in cats and dogs plus public health concerns
In a recent episode of Dr. K's Exotic Animal ER on Nat Geo Wild, a client brought in a pet prairie dog. As I watched, I wondered if the audience knew that prairie dogs are amplifying hosts for plague. Radford G. Davis, DVM, explains the disease and the eminent risk to dogs and cats from interactions or ingesting infected rodents. Clinicians living in enzootic areas may be … [Read more...]
A forward look at pet grooming
Jennifer Higgins review trends, products and companies involved with changing the pet grooming industry. According to Transparency Market Research (TMR), “The pet grooming market has been segmented by product type into conditioners and shampoos, scissors and clippers, and combs and brushes.” We also noted the references to occupational safety. The grooming industry … [Read more...]
More pets than ever now travelling with owners who spend lots of money
For pet owners who travel, there are two choices regarding their pets: take them along or board them. Michael Goldstein shares information about advancing services from airlines and the impacts on the grooming and boarding business estimated at $6 billion in 2017. Source: Forbes, February 22, 2019. Link. Both the airline “carry or ship” pet transport business, and that … [Read more...]
Scottish terrier placed on at watch list
The Kennel Club has officially marked Scottish terriers at risk of disappearing. Last year an all-time low of 438 Scottish terrier pups were registered with the dog breeds organization, a decline of 38 per cent over the last five years. Source: iNEws, February 24, 2019. Link. There are now a record-breaking 29 native vulnerable breeds and nine that are at watch, which … [Read more...]
Do dogs get headaches?
Giz Asks reached out to experts in canine medicine and behavior to find out. There was not general agreement on the answer, but it appears that a majority of the five DVMs interviewed believe dogs can get headaches. Source: GIZMODO, February 25, 2019. Link. Dogs with brain tumors tend to push their head against walls and furniture as though their head hurts, and anti- … [Read more...]
Trends important to B2B marketers in 2019
Discover the trends marketers are most likely to watch and adopt for their business this year in this unique report. Formats continue to be a huge topic of discussion and experimentation, with video, direct mail and experience-driven interactive content as a means to engagement. Meanwhile, chatbots and influencer marketing are really just a way to reach more people. Source: … [Read more...]
Use color to build your legacy
This new productivity technique can help you reverse engineer your day based on where you want to be many years down the line. Research has shown to be 91 percent effective. Source: Forbes, February 20, 2019. Link. He breaks down the groups into three colors: Red, Green and Gold. . . . he has come to understand that people are largely looking for function and meaning in … [Read more...]
Work on yourself first, to improve your team
Jennifer Porter writes about working with dysfunctional teams and developing the skills to improve team dynamics. Teams are complex systems of individuals with different preferences, skills, experiences, perspectives and habits. The odds of improving that complex system in a meaningful and sustainable way are higher if every team member (including the leader) learns to … [Read more...]
Petco versus PetSmart: no clear winner in big box dog fight
The pet business is one of retail’s long-term bright spots. But the dynamics of alternate sourcing, internet sales and aggressive competition challenge two of the large big box retailers. Private-equity firms bought America’s two biggest pet-store owners within months of each other. One spent billions to boost its online business by acquiring the top internet pet … [Read more...]
Pet King Brands turns 20
Pet King Brands, Inc., celebrates 20 years in business this year. The company makes Zymox skin care and Oratene brushless oral care products. In addition, Debra Decker joins the company as marketing chief and Michaela Kosmis becomes veterinary channel manager. Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, February 2019. Link. Zymox and Oratene are sold through veterinarian practices, … [Read more...]
Avoiding cost does not create value in calving date plans
As the cattle market approaches some expansion slowdown <link>, consider options for where and when calves are born. Despite the greatest total cost, June calving provided the lowest unit cost of production and greatest net profit per calf, thanks to greater weaning and carcass weights. Source: BEEF, January 23, 2019. Link. Calving dates and management systems are … [Read more...]
Observe manure to monitor nutritional status
Texas cow-calf consultant Dan Gary recommends using cow-pie-ology, the visual observation of manure, to determine the nutritional status of cattle. (research) shows . . . as manure piles stack up, more protein is needed. That’s because passage rate through the digestive system slows down and instead of a cow pie, there’s a cow stack. Conversely, excess protein results in … [Read more...]
Methane potent but not long-lived (audio interview)
Methane produced by livestock is the most potent of the gases in question, BUT it simply does not stick around all that long of time compared to gases created by the use of fossil fuels. . . . the three greenhouse gases are not created equal. CO2 and nitrous oxide, have a lifetime of 1000 years. Methane however has a lifespan of only 10 years Source: Radio Oklahoma … [Read more...]
CattleFax predicts slower and more measured pace in 2019
David Cooper shares a summary of the 2019 CattleFax outlook he heard during the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. The cattle business cycle will enter a typical slowdown as this year progresses. Kevin Good, CattleFax analyst, explained that weather and profitability drive expansion in the beef industry. Prices for the U.S. will remain relatively … [Read more...]
Goodbye dead wagon, hello composting
Transporting carcasses of livestock mortalities is challenging to biosecurity, air quality and groundwater safety. This calls for new alternatives. Jennifer Shike shares her experience visiting a farm using an aeration composter and shares her thoughts on the science and the importance of the topic. Source: PORK, February 15, 2019. Link. Forced aeration composting is a win … [Read more...]
Avoid poisonous plants for goats
Goats eat everything, right? Apparently not. Knowing what to feed goats involves education. Katherine Drovdahl reviews toxic plants and acknowledges there is not a comprehensive list of toxic or poisonous plants for goats. Even good plants can develop into a dangerous toxic condition called enterotoxemia if goats overeat on any plant they are not used to Source: … [Read more...]
Managing feline constipation
Charting diagnostic steps, Glenn A. Olah, DVM, provides a helpful flow chart to help veterinary teams address feline constipation. Constipation can lead to complications including obstipation and megacolon. Source: Clinician’s Brief, September 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Flow charts like this one are tremendous tools for reviewing diagnostic steps and for discussing the … [Read more...]
Acute feline urethral obstruction – a quiz
Test your blocked cat management skills with this interactive quiz. After reviewing the case information see how you score on which drugs are appropriate for the patient. Source: Clinician’s Brief, October 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Quizzes like this are popular with animal health pros. They make great team meeting or lunch topics to reinforce knowledge and discuss choices … [Read more...]
Vaccinating mice may slow Lyme disease
Former veterinarian turned immunologist Mario Gomes-Solecki focused beyond animals susceptible to Lyme. She studied the large population of Borrelia burgdorferi infected white-footed mice and on reducing the number of ticks that become carrier after biting a mouse. Roughly half of ticks carrying Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, pick it up by … [Read more...]
DVMs called to action to reduce breeding of brachycephalic dogs
Paul McGreevy, PhD, and Anne Fawcett issue a challenge to the veterinary community’s role in reducing or preventing any negative health impacts of disorders in animals. They utilize brachycephalic or short-skulled dogs as their examples which include French bulldogs, pugs, British bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Cavalier King Charles spaniels. . . . given what we know, we’re … [Read more...]
Opinion – Chewing on topics for AHD
We often rely upon categories that represent frequent visits to veterinarians <link> to choose articles for you. We also review material about animals’ behavorial challenges. Here we share a selection of articles that come from media that target dog owners. These initially may not seem important to animal health pros. However, they are consistent with the top reasons for … [Read more...]