Covering a broad range of topics, this special issue’s content is a must-review. We note articles on commonly missed drug interactions, feline atopic skin syndrome and using a continuous glucose monitor. Enjoy. Source: Clinician’s Brief, Link. … [Read more...]
New research identifies direct cause of porcine ear necrosis
By focusing on managing bacterial exposure and preventing ear trauma, swine farms may finally be able to reduce the incidence and severity of porcine ear necrosis, a global welfare‑related condition. A new controlled study provides evidence that Fusobacterium necrophorum can directly induce PEN‑like lesions in pigs. Source: National Hog Farmer, January/February 2026. … [Read more...]
HBR editors share their favorite management tips of 2025
Here’s a good article for animal health pros traveling to VMX. HBR editors list 10 of their favorites from 2025’s Management Tip of the Day newsletters. They cover topics like how to manage overwhelm before it spirals into burnout, how to set up your own AI assistant, how to boil your strategy down to one slide, how to be an inspiring leader and more. Source: Harvard … [Read more...]
AAHA issues NEW guidelines for treating pets with cancer
Understanding the common types of cancer in dogs and cats is essential for early detection, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The American Animal Hospital Association’s new 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats for general practice veterinarians treating dogs and cats with cancer cover diagnosing, staging, treating and providing supportive care for pets with … [Read more...]
Avian influenza outbreaks confirmed in 5 states
Confirmed avian flu outbreaks have hit another five U.S. states, affecting more than 128,000 birds, according to APHIS. The recent outbreaks occurred at commercial poultry farms and in backyard flocks in Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska and New York. The virus is also suspected in the deaths of wild birds in Florida and Iowa. Source: CIDRAP, December 30, 2025. … [Read more...]
LifeLearn’s updated 2026 Pet Owner Communications Inspiration Guide
Complimentary Commercial Content To simplify things, LifeLearn’s freshly groomed 2026 Pet Owner Communications Inspiration Guide is filled with timely, engaging and fun ideas (with examples) to use through 2026. It shares ideas each month to engage and attract clients through social media, email and other channels, making communications feel less challenging or … [Read more...]
Review: Trazodone for dogs and cats
As Rx drugs are more frequently prescribed, it is important to review articles like this. Trazodone can reliably and safely induce sedation and anxiolysis in dogs and cats for treatment of acute fear, stress and anxiety. More research has been conducted in dogs and it is most often administered for situational use during exposure to acute stressors or to achieve … [Read more...]
Living with dogs includes benefits from sharing microbiomes
Steve Dale shares a new study published in the journal iScience, showing that raising dogs has beneficial effects, especially for adolescents, and these effects may be mediated through symbiosis with microorganisms. Researchers found that a person’s dog-owning status at age 13 could predict their future mental health and behavioral scores. Adolescents from homes with a dog had … [Read more...]
Potential dangers of hot shoeing
While studies on hot‑shoe smoke are scarce, farriers often report symptoms reminiscent of chronic smoke exposure, including persistent coughs, sinus irritation and breathlessness. The absence of published data on hoof‑smoke composition forces a look toward surgical‑smoke research, says Lisa Nealen. She breaks down the risks to farrier health from hot shoeing in this … [Read more...]
What you should know about the 3 stages of calving
Parturition, or the birthing process, has three stages. Understanding the stages is critical to know when to provide help, writes Angie Stump Denton. Complete with videos, the article is a good reference for novice producers, animal health pros serving cow-calf producers and for new hires on established farms. Source: Drovers, January 6, 2026. Link. Offering assistance to a … [Read more...]
Late gestation cows. Get them the groceries
Livestock nutritionists will tell you that those last few weeks before calving are the most critical time for the nutrition for your cowherd, writes Clint Peck. Diets for gestating heifers and cows must support lactation, fetal growth and replenishment of body condition at varying times during pregnancy. Grazing alone will often not meet the requirements of pregnant cows for … [Read more...]
No one knows how to illuminate anymore
Sharing her frustration with person-to-person interactions, Mika Brzezinski discusses connection and communication with David Brooks, author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. Brzezinski says, “No one looks at anyone anymore.” Brooks shares why genuine warmth, curiosity and ‘loud listening’ matter more than ever and why respect is … [Read more...]
5 livestock diseases that could impact U.S. food security and economic stability
Stephanie Mercier identifies five diseases with the potential to disrupt U.S. livestock production, trade and response infrastructure at scale from a new report from The Farm Journal Foundation, The Mean Sixteen: Biosecurity Threats Facing U.S. Agriculture. Three of them already challenge U.S. production: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) African swine fever (ASF) New … [Read more...]
When your teams resist change, it’s time to “painstorm”
When teams are slow to adopt changes, instead of calling it resistance, Jeffrey Yip recommends using "painstorming" to identify the underlying emotional and structural pain points associated with change. More than another 2x2 matrix, Yip explains painstorming as a practice of identifying the emotional and structural pain points associated with change. It reframes discomfort as … [Read more...]
Polyworking trend growing as workers face financial pressures, economic uncertainty
Monster’s 2025 Polyworking Survey found that 47 percent of U.S. workers now hold more than one job, suggesting the polyworking trend is growing. Polyworking is far from a side hustle for many, writes Tom Starner. Juggling different roles has become a financial necessity with more than half of survey respondents saying their added income is “absolutely essential” to cover basic … [Read more...]
Holiday stress, a potential medical and behavioral inflection point for pets
Holiday stress reveals behavior concerns in pets that often go unnoticed during normal activities. Family gatherings, schedule changes, fireworks and travel create environments where fear, aggression and separation-related behaviors surface or worsen. Proactive veterinary teams can elevate care during holidays by engaging clients to plan for disruptions and track their pets’ … [Read more...]
No needles needed
Promising research at the Roslin Institute has demonstrated a needle-free, solid-dose vaccine can protect pigs against PRRS; the first time that needle-free, solid-dose vaccine technology has been shown to work in any species. Source: PORK, December 11, 2025. Link. The development of needle-free vaccination could lower the risk of spreading diseases via reused needles, … [Read more...]
Leading when employees are concerned about job security
In uncertain times, leadership is less about having all the answers and more about helping people feel anchored and supported, writes Dina Denham Smith. She shares perspectives on shrinking the fears and anxieties common when job insecurity increases. Source: Harvard Business Review, December 5, 2025. Link. Acknowledge what’s present, offer clarity, involve people in the … [Read more...]
The 10-Minute Rule: Use small windows to create movement, big wins
Most growth occurs in the small time windows we choose, not the big blocks of time we perceive are required to accomplish a task or project. The paradigms behind the 10-Minute Rule establish simple ways to bypass procrastination, build momentum and create real consistency. Ten minutes a day isn’t about the clock; it’s about building trust with yourself. Source: Balanced … [Read more...]
5 common ways to address nighttime anxiety in geriatric patients
Some pet owners are not prepared for the changes in nighttime behaviors as their dogs age. Julia Albright, DVM, MA, DACVB, and Kevin Pflaum, DVM, address where veterinarians can help in this article. Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 2022. Link. Sleep/wake cycle disturbances or nighttime anxiety in geriatric dogs can be suggestive of disease, affect pet owner quality of life, … [Read more...]
How to support pet food pantries; it is increasingly important
Jen Reeder shares a situational overview of the need for increased support for pet food pantries, rewarding ways to help and a resource to share with clients and local media contacts, PetHelpFinder.org. Source: AAHA Trends, December 8, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Don’t let winter’s cold open the door to BRD
Good animal husbandry is a crucial component of cold stress management, says Nathan Meyer, DVM, PhD. When cattle are putting a lot of energy toward staying warm, they become more susceptible to disease challenges so managing their environment is important to reduce disease risk. Meyer asserts the importance of quality water and matching nutrition to help keep cattle … [Read more...]
Managing water efficiently, sharing how it’s done is increasingly important to consumers
Water is central to dairy’s future, but how dairies use and conserve it is no longer just an operational concern; it’s a story the public is watching. There are several ways dairies can reuse water throughout their operations, and many farms already rely on these practices to stretch every gallon. Improving sustainability begins with understanding exactly how much water a dairy … [Read more...]
Unused PTO: a red flag
Even if employees are allowed to roll unused PTO into the next calendar year, widespread resistance to taking time off regularly isn’t a policy problem. Instead, it’s a cultural signal that people believe rest comes with a penalty. Source: HR Executive, November 20, 2025. Link. There are personal and organizational risks from avoiding personal time off and strong predictive … [Read more...]
Stay informed without doomscrolling
Art Markman acknowledges the communication and information-gathering challenges of our digital world. He calls continuous informational feeds vortexes of doom, and suggests we think about the information we consume as a diet similar to how we eat. He offers suggestions to help stay informed without overindulging on social media feeds, blogs and news sites. Source: Fast … [Read more...]
Beat seasonal depression before it arrives
The shortest day of this year will be Sunday, December 21st, marking the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. An estimated 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a season-specific modulation of major depressive disorder, which generally starts in late fall and doesn’t ease up until the sun returns for good in mid-spring. A mild case of wintry … [Read more...]
How to go from quiet to commanding
Many high-performing introverts struggle to be heard, not because they lack confidence or ability, but because they rely on their work to speak for itself. In today’s fast-paced, visibility-driven workplace, that’s no longer enough, writes Joel Garfinkle. He shares five strategies designed specifically for quiet professionals who want to be heard and add value, not … [Read more...]
Year-long chronicle update: 1 Horse, 1 Farrier, 1 Year
Sponsored Content In this second installment, Esco Buff, CF, APF, PhD, updates the hoof-care journey of Jackson, a 15-year-old Clydesdale cross gelding. Subtle lameness observations, shifts in hoof quality and environmental stressors are already influencing farriery decisions, owner management and our shared preparation for what lies ahead. Jackson is experiencing arthritic … [Read more...]
Fewer cull cows are driving dairy herd growth
The milk cow population has been trending upward since December 2024, largely due to dairy cow retention, writes Abbi Prins. Instead of cull cows showing up in cattle slaughter reports, these cows are still being milked in barns across the country and are making calves destined for beef feedlots. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, December 1, 2025. Link. Beef-on-dairy revenues are … [Read more...]
Variable hay quality a concern during cold snaps
Cattle feed intake can surge higher than 20 percent to make up for energy expended to keep them warm. Amber Friedrichsen reminds us that a large spread in hay quality across the Midwest exists, making it that much more important to test forage and budget for additional bales or supplemental feed. In short, a bale ≠ a bale ≠ a bale. Source: Hay and Forage Grower, December … [Read more...]