Commentary Employee development is an underlying theme in our animal health industry. Collectively, we are challenged to find enough veterinarians and technicians ready to provide full veterinary services. Beyond the science, we face challenges to identify aspects of professional roles and improve the ongoing need to cultivate opportunities for personal development and … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2025
Bird flu enters a new phase, meanwhile, the environment cannot be sterilized
The latest data from the CDC and USDA shows the continued devastating effects of bird flu outbreaks across the United States. New York Times writer Apoorva Mandavilli provides a relevant and updated situation analysis in the second article shared here. Not yet a serious human threat, she shares the expanding discoveries in mammalian species, including cats both wild and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 30, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 23, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 23, 2025 AHD Bulletin Managing your stress. Link. Johne’s disease no longer just a dairy disease. Link. 200 weeks and counting . . . the bull run continues. Link. ================================= Wings, turf, pigskin, cheese and more . . . … [Read more...]
Feather in Her Cap Association names 2025 Winners
Laurie Hueneke Martens, Eve Hanks, and Chelsie Estey were honored for their leadership, innovation, and impact as mentors in the Animal Health industry. Source: The Feather in Her Cap Association, Inc., January 29, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Farm Bureau names its 2025 Farm Dog of the Year
Sirius, a 6-year old Maremma sheepdog, was recently named the annual award recipient of annual honor. He and his Florida owners were awarded $5,000, a trophy plate, a year’s supply of dog food and other Purina products. Source: American Farm Bureau, January 26, 2025. Link. Includes video. Photo credit: Big Foot Media, used with permission … [Read more...]
Senior Dog Veterinary Society announces strategic alliance with Elanco
The Senior Dog Veterinary Society, an organization dedicated to advancing the care of senior and geriatric dogs, has established a strategic alliance with Elanco Animal Health Incorporated. This collaboration aims to foster excellence in senior and geriatric dog care through education and awareness, research and innovation, and community support. Source: Senior Dog … [Read more...]
IDEXX launches Cancer Dx™ panel for early detection of lymphoma in dogs
IDEXX Cancer Dx™ is a first-of-its-kind diagnostic panel. It is an affordable and accessible blood test that can be added to panels for sick pets and integrated into annual wellness screenings for as low as $15, providing veterinarians in the U.S. with actionable results within two to three days. It will increase access to cancer diagnoses and care while allowing veterinarians … [Read more...]
AVMA CVTEA seeking comments on veterinary technician educational standards
Public comments on proposed changes to some of the educational standards for accredited veterinary technology education programs are due no later than March 15, 2025, via an online survey. Source: AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities®, January 6, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Beyond hooves: The human element in tackling lameness
Lameness remains a persistent challenge, with approximately one in four dairy cows lame at any given time. Laura Solano and Demetrio Bautista Ortiz discuss the importance of cultivating a supportive work environment within the on-farm hoof health team. Skilled on-farm hoof health teams need diverse skills to deploy, given hoof care cases are generally not … [Read more...]
Strategies for liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy cattle
The primary bacterium found in cattle liver abscesses is Fusobacterium necrophorum. Whether it colonizes and flourishes in the animal’s body is a different matter. The authors identify nine management strategies to help reduce the incidence and severity of liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy calves. They discuss husbandry and proper feeding practices, including feeding a … [Read more...]
Sugar solution found to fight metritis infection in dairy cows just as well as antibiotics
The research on alternatives to antibiotic therapies continues. Penn State researchers found a concentrated sugar solution could be just as effective as antibiotics at treating clinical metritis, a common uterine infection in dairy cows post-calving. Source: Feedstuffs, January 20, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Recognizing the value of how horses use smell
Mary Ann Simonds knows horses’ noses. In this Facebook reel, she shares how horses use smell and offers some ideas about using aromas to help with horse care and comfort. Source: Mary Ann Simonds, Facebook. Link. … [Read more...]
Q and A: Why broodmares are prone to colic
When discussing colic in the broodmare, the cause of the pain can be broadly divided into two categories: pain originating from the gastrointestinal tract and pain originating from the reproductive tract shares, Katy Dern, DVM, MS, DACVS. She discusses gastrointestinal conditions seen before foaling and those seen in the post-parturient time period. Source: Paulick Report, … [Read more...]
Cats before rats? What makes animals a pest?
While animals do nothing but be themselves, where we believe an animal belongs is what provides context to its existence. Bethany Brookshire shares the labels we apply freely to some problem animals but not others, even though in some cases, our solutions are to eradicate them. Brookshire’s article will prompt some thought about our existence with animals and how we judge … [Read more...]
Making the case for clinical obesity versus obesity in veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine has the opportunity to avoid many mistakes human obesity medicine has encountered over the past three decades, including those related to nomenclature and communication strategies, writes Ernie Ward, DVM. By adding the modifier "clinical," healthcare professionals can also distinguish "obesity" from "fatness" and other stigmatizing terms. Source: Ernie … [Read more...]
Does bacteremia always need to be addressed in dentistry?
This article from Samuel G. Babbitt, DVM, DAVDC, is timely as National Pet Dental Month starts next week. He shares the results of a small study aimed to assess whether transient bacteremia developed after dental scaling, root planing and dental extractions, as well as whether the amount of bacteremia warranted antibiotics. The study authors concluded perioperative use of … [Read more...]
Employee detachment threatens customer satisfaction
When employees disengage, customers feel it. Customer centricity is a competitive advantage and worth investing time and effort to ensure stronger alignments between employees and customers. Source: Gallup, January 28, 2005. Link. Employee pride in the quality of products and services is declining.” INSIGHTS: For small businesses, a simple phone call as follow-up may … [Read more...]
Should owning pets be considered a privilege?
Only 10 percent of dogs born in the U.S. will find a permanent home <Link>. Alyssa Watson, DVM, and Beth Molleson, DVM, discuss the nuances, challenges and inequities of pet ownership. The discussion is as relevant today as when they recorded the podcast. Source: Clinician’s Brief, December 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – January 27, 2025
OSHA 300A summary form reminder, pet gifts based on personality, teaching pets to clean up, managing obesity, what pets see on TV, raw pet food as bird flu risk and more . . . Source: IBPSA, January 27, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
People buy benefits. Does your website share them?
Commentary Patrick Malone consistently coaches, “No one ever paid a dollar for a feature or function . . . they buy the benefit and what it will give to them.” Another way this can be expressed is we need to provide a “what’s in it for them” explanation. The results of a study published in JAVMA recently suggest that opportunities exist to increase communication of the … [Read more...]
Leadership advice
Note: Mr. Malone’s post here provides good follow-up to his post from last week <Link> on managing stress. We also created a PDF of Jeff Zientz’s leadership tips from the article Malone shares here <Link>. It can be used as a bulletin board reminder for all staff. You may not be the Practice Leader, but the practice and its clients benefit when everyone is … [Read more...]
Delegates approve, update new polices on biosecurity, license by endorsement and more
The AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) approved seven resolutions on January 11 during its regular winter session. Association policies were updated including those on biosecurity, pet ownership, velveting, and integrative veterinary medicine. The delegates deferred action on cellular agriculture policies. Source: AVMA, January 28, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Gender and appearance bias exacerbates equine DVM shortage
A study published in Equine Veterinary Journal shared results of a focus group study of current and former equine veterinarians to learn what stressors led to, or could lead to, them leaving the profession. Beyond compensation, student loan debt and work-life balance, discrimination was an overall challenge. Seventy-six percent of participants reported experiencing some form of … [Read more...]
Storm clouds on the horizon evident in next generation of students
Commentary The slide show here was disturbing because it confirms discussions with educators. Industry colleagues have previously shared their challenges with integrating Gen Z early adults in the workplace, and it seems apparent the next generation will be even more challenging. While there are obvious human resource and selection criteria issues to plan for, the role … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 23, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January, 16, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 16, 2025 AHD Bulletin Managing your own expectations. Link. Reminder: Wood sugar, birch sugar, birch bark are the same as xylitol. Link. Cost of cow-calf production significantly influenced by operation size. … [Read more...]
200 weeks and counting . . . the bull run continues
When it comes to beef demand, consumers ARE the business and they’re the market makers, writes Nevil Speer, MBA, PhD. Most producers are feeling (very) positive about the business, he says in his market analysis. Source: BEEF, January 9, 2025. Link. INSIGHTS: When cattle producers have confidence in the market opportunities, they are often willing to advance their animal … [Read more...]
NAVC’s 2024 VETTY Awards® recognize marketing excellence in animal health care
The 2024 VETTY Awards® winners represent the best in animal health care marketing worldwide. The winners will be recognized at the 42nd annual Veterinary Meeting and Expo, which takes place January 25-29 in Orlando, Florida. Source: PR Newswire, NAVC, January 20, 2025. Link. To view a complete list of winners, visit TheVETTYs.com/winners/2024-winners. … [Read more...]
FDA asks for veterinarians’ comments on cannabis-derived products
The FDA released a request for information soliciting comments from practicing veterinarians on the use of CDPs in animals. The focus of the request for information is on cannabidiol products and other products derived from hemp. The Federal Register notice that shares the RFI includes specific questions for veterinarians <Link>. Source: AVMA, January 16, 2025. … [Read more...]
Johne’s disease no longer just a dairy disease
Johne’s is a disease that veterinarians, animal scientists and cow-calf producers should start discussing before consumer confidence in the food we produce decreases and the pressure from outside sources to instill more regulation on the beef industry intensifies, writes Gregg Hanzlicek, DVM, PhD. While veterinarians have discussed Johne’s with dairy farmers for decades, … [Read more...]
Deciphering farrier credentials
Steve Kraus, BS, CJF, reviews different types of certifications and accreditations horse owners encounter when shopping for a sport horse or pleasure horse farrier. In the United States, there is no legal framework governing farriery work and no unified system for certifying farriers. He explains differences between a farrier school diploma, a certificate and a full-fledged … [Read more...]