During PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week, thousands of local shelters and rescues will bring adoptable pets, including cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and often even small pets and reptiles, into nearly every PetSmart store across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Potential adopters can spend time with pets and ask staff and volunteers questions to feel confident in finding the … [Read more...]
Dog food is an investment. Here are tips to keep it fresh.
Includes commercial links Proper storage for dog food is an important factor in keeping pets healthy. It not only helps keep it fresh and tasty, but also helps avoid spoilage by protecting it from mold, bacteria, and potential pests or rodents. Store pet food in the pantry just as you would your own food Keep pet food in original packaging and properly seal it … [Read more...]
Healthy weight conversations for dogs still shaped by landmark Purina Life Span study
Commercial, Complimentary Pet Age authors share findings from the 14-year Purina Life Span Study that continue to shape how veterinary professionals think about healthy weight and longevity in dogs. The study found that Labrador Retrievers maintained in lean body condition from puppyhood throughout life, lived a median of 1.8 years longer than heavier matched littermates and … [Read more...]
Emerging concerns in canine and feline parasitology: A preview of the 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines
The 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines: Emerging Concerns in Canine and Feline Parasitology will launch on October 29th. In this article, members of the guidelines task force share what you can expect from these guidelines, what might surprise you,and what aspects of them they’re most anxious to see out in the world. The guidelines call for a One Health approach to monitoring, … [Read more...]
Winter welfare and management of livestock guardian, outdoor dogs
No single temperature fits all dogs, writes Bill Costanzo. While dogs with proper coats are usually suited for outdoor work, their cold tolerance varies with age, health, body condition, coat quality, acclimation, wind, and moisture. Much of the guidance in this article is focused on livestock guardian dogs. It is also applicable to dogs left outside. Costanzo’s key guidance … [Read more...]
Study: Four weeks of light training may offer similar benefits to a layoff
A new study published in Royal Society Open Science suggests that regularly backing off a racehorse’s training for four weeks at a time may offer some of the same bone-repair benefits as longer periods of complete rest, without sacrificing as much cardiovascular fitness. Source: Paulick Report, October 13, 2026. Link. What makes a horse cardiovascularly fit is not … [Read more...]
A Q&A with Dr. John Madigan, author of Awakening at Birth
Complimentary Best known as the inventor of the Madigan Squeeze, John Madigan, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACAW, has released a new book, Awakening at Birth: What the Newborn Foal Revealed About Birth, Consciousness, and Neurodevelopment. With a foreword by animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, PhD, Awakening at Birth tells a medical mystery story that extends well beyond veterinary … [Read more...]
No offseason: Managing stress in dairy’s metabolic athletes
Thirty percent or more of cows will experience at least one disease event in early lactation, writes Dan Shock. For producers who push their animals close to their biological limits, resilience becomes the key driver of both welfare and performance. Stress links directly to inflammation, immune function and disease risk, so the opportunity for veterinary teams and their dairy … [Read more...]
Calf pneumonia: Look beyond the lungs
When pneumonia recurs, examining feeding mechanics and the structures that protect the lungs can reveal problems that might otherwise go unnoticed. The lungs may not tell the whole story, says Jeremy Schefers, DVM, PhD. He provides a practical checklist for investigating calf pneumonia to identify potential management-related contributors such as: Observe feeding for any … [Read more...]
Recent H5N1 research identifies potential viral replication sites in swine
H5N1 infection in pigs has NOT suddenly become inevitable. However, understanding how the virus attaches and binds to specific porcine cells can help researchers better understand potential transmission dynamics. Research findings from the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan demonstrated that, in the laboratory, porcine cells can … [Read more...]
Swine health experts: tighten biosecurity and herd surveillance. Start NOW!
September diagnostic data showed the typical seasonal rise in viral respiratory and enteric diseases, including increased detections of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, active porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus variants, and seasonal influenza. Source: PORK, October 20, 2026. Link. Because fall pathogen circulation frequently forecasts the severity of winter … [Read more...]
Help pets and their owners adjust to the fall time change
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m., Sunday, November 1. While health effects of the semi-annual time change on humans are well-documented, it can also be troublesome for pets. To help them adjust, start now and slowly adjust feeding, medication and play times in the next two weeks. Sara B. Hansen’s article, while written for dog owners, offers good guidance for cat … [Read more...]
17 polite habits most people secretly dislike
Stop it! Not every email greeting or thank-you needs an exclamation point. These are but two examples of trying to be nice that are often unwelcome. Some of the things we do when trying to be polite bother people, including clients, friends and family. Plenty of etiquette rules have changed in the past decade, such as: Kissing or hugging hello. Just stop. Automatically … [Read more...]
Getting nothing done?
Nonsense may make no sense, until it does, writes David Allen. But being simply at ease is not so easy, for most of us, most of the time. How about just taking time to take time for nothing? Allen’s short memo here challenges the onerous lists we’ve made, or more likely accepted, to just being, hanging out, following the whim or a momentary inclination. Source: David … [Read more...]
1 in 15 household cats may carry ‘Beaver Fever’ which is zoonotic
Giardia duodenalis, commonly known as "beaver fever," is a parasite that can infect humans and animals. Where a cat lives and the time of year may also play a role. Researchers found that kittens were more likely to test positive than older cats, and male cats were more likely to be infected than female cats. Source: ABC News, October 7, 2026. Link. Giardia live in the … [Read more...]
Choanal swab technique essential for effective disease surveillance in birds
In this LinkedIn post by Sheikh Md. Fazlul Karim, a broiler farm manager, explains how gently inserting and rotating a sterile micro-swab into the choanal cleft, allows veterinary professionals to easily sample the upper respiratory tract. He says mastering the choanal swab technique is essential for effective disease surveillance. Source: Sheikh Md. Fazlul Karim, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 15, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 8, 2026. Link. Most read posts from October 8th AHD Bulletin – Diabetes care looks different in cats and dogs. Link. Rats identified as overlooked H5N1 link between birds, other animals. Link. Veterinary preventive care, a pricing paradox. Link. Malone: The seal of approval. Link. High … [Read more...]
Rats identified as overlooked H5N1 link between birds, other animals
An analysis of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a small farm in Illinois revealed that the virus also spread to a cat and wild rats. The virus was found in multiple types of tissue samples, as well as in infected rats' urine. “Because the mammalian-adaptation marker was already present in the bird virus, crossing into mammals may not require new mutations. … [Read more...]
Work stress is pushing employees into therapy and hurting the bottom line
New research from Modern Health found that employees are increasingly seeking therapy to address everyday work stresses. When they do this, employers are left financing a level of care some employees may not need. Rather, they could address workplace challenges directly with managers. Source: HR Executive, September 30, 2026. Link. When every kind of stress leads to the same … [Read more...]
People are really not ever fully baked
Birth order doesn’t predict your personality. Your rank in the birth lineup can shape your life. It just doesn’t define the unique combination of thoughts, feelings and behaviors that make you who you are. Michael J. Coren shares how scientists believe birth order, and everything else, affects how we act and what really matters when it comes to our personality. Source: … [Read more...]
Diabetes care looks different in cats and dogs
Diabetes management can look very different in cats and dogs. The new 2026 AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines highlight that feline diabetes more closely resembles type 2 diabetes, while canine diabetes is characterized by permanent insulin deficiency. Monitoring also differs, with continuous glucose monitors preferred for cats and glucose curves still appropriate for dogs. … [Read more...]
New research on dewormer resistance in horses, explained
The dewormer rotation most barns run was built on an idea that made sense at the time: vary the drug class, and no parasite population gets enough exposure to adapt. It turns out that treating every horse on a fixed calendar does roughly the reverse, because the low shedders take the drug exposure and contribute nothing in return, according to new three-year French … [Read more...]
High nitrates confirmed across Upper Plains; ruminants may be at risk
Drought conditions are almost always associated with the possibility of elevated nitrate levels in forages. According to information by Dairyland Laboratories, many tested feed samples from Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota in 2026 have confirmed nitrate levels of more than 1,000 parts per million nitrate-nitrogen. Drinking water also needs to be checked for … [Read more...]
Early lameness intervention changes everything
Complimentary commercial content By the time lameness becomes obvious, the biological and economic consequences are already underway. More than one in five U.S. dairy cows are estimated to be limping at any given time. The earliest stages of lameness represent the greatest opportunity for intervention. Transitioning from periodic human observation to a continuous AI … [Read more...]
Managing mud in the feedyard
Cattle feeders often focus on the cost of inputs from preventatives and nutrition, but poor pen conditions can quietly erode feed efficiency, increase maintenance requirements and drive up cost of gain throughout the feeding period. Source: BEEF, October 2, 2026. Link. Feedyards that prioritize drainage and maintain functional pen mounds are often better equipped to … [Read more...]
Cat shedding: what’s normal, when to call the vet
As daylight hours shrink and autumn temperatures drop, they signal seasonal shedding. Not all shedding is seasonal though, explains Emma Stenhouse, who wrote article worth sharing with clients, especially if your business offers grooming. Source: Catster, September 15, 2026. Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
Seasonal changes affect horse behavior
Seasonal changes are a normal part of life for horses. Fall provides an excellent opportunity to become more observant. Shorter days, changing temperatures, shifting forage and altered routines all provide information that the equine body and brain use to adjust to the environment. Pay attention to changes in appetite, energy, body language, activity and willingness to … [Read more...]
Dogs use a surprising method to understand human language, new study suggests
Humans have sophisticated language abilities that could be unique to our species — but dogs, it turns out, may have learned some of our tricks. In new research out of Hungary published this week in the journal Science, scientists found that dogs use the same strategy to pick out words in streams of speech that human infants do: They listen for consonants to figure out when one … [Read more...]
Plants toxic to dogs: 19 dangerous plants to avoid
Autumn activities often include cleaning flower beds and planting new perennials to bloom next spring. Many gardeners are surprised to discover how many of their favorites are potentially toxic to dogs. Jennifer Coates, DVM, shares toxicity information and a list of dangerous plants in this article. Source: PetMD, April 2, 2026. Link. INSIGHTS: Share this article with pet … [Read more...]
Oak toxicosis kills cow, bull
Veterinary researchers identified oak toxicosis as the cause of severe kidney failure in a cow and death in a bull from the same herd and examined at Auburn University. Cattle and sheep are vulnerable. Once ingested, oak tannins break down to gallic acid and pyrogallol in the rumen, damaging renal tubules and blood vessel linings. Signs of oak toxicosis include anorexia, … [Read more...]