Genetic diseases should be recognized in practice because they must be treated as chronic illnesses — not episodic diseases. Source: Clinician’s Brief, December 2016. Insurance claims and centralized hospital databases monitor the most frequent disease presentations, which helps veterinarians understand the most frequent genetic diseases. The most frequent conditions are … [Read more...]
Quick-hitting thoughts from Drs. Blach and Clark
Dr. Blach shares intriguing thoughts on veterinarian accessibility in Don’t hide from your clients and reminds practice owners to fund education for staff in Educate your heavy lifters. Dr. Clark warns against some of the risks of year-end inventory deals in Year End “distributor or manufacturer buying” unintended consequences reminder. Source: Is My Practice Healthy?, … [Read more...]
17 days left to become VFD compliant
Despite tremendous educational efforts, many producers and veterinarians remain unclear on the details about using medicated feeds for prevention, control and treatment of disease in their herds effective January 1, 2017. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, December 5, 2016. FDA officials have indicated their enforcement activities will focus on education during the initial months … [Read more...]
Strengths, Women vs. Men
All people have a unique combination of talents, knowledge and skills – strengths – that they use every day to do their work, achieve their goals and interact with others. Gallup has been studying the science of strengths for five decades. It has accumulated data from more than 14 million individuals worldwide who have completed the Clifton Strengths assessment. Source: … [Read more...]
AVMA report says veterinarian market still robust
The 2016 AVMA Report on the Market for Veterinarians, released in late October examined these categories: Employment, unemployment, and underemployment Income, present value of the veterinary degree Causes of negative well-being: debt, job/career satisfaction and income Expenditure patterns Burnout scores Health Source: Veterinary Practice News, November … [Read more...]
6 holiday horse care tips
The busy holiday season and winter’s short days directs much of our attention to families, friends and work. Remember the horses are not “out to pasture” and need winter care. Source: Ride with Equo, November 18, 2016. Equo shares various horse care tips to follow for this holiday season to successfully look out for horses in the busiest time of the year: Find time to … [Read more...]
Why wellness plans?
"Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words.” That’s all that’s needed to introduce how a wellness plan program transformed Dr. Brandy Fraser’s practice. DVM 360 staffers turned her experience into a flowchart. Source: Firstline, November 30, 2016. Premier Veterinary Alliance veterinarian Brandy Fraser shared a wellness plan program that has changed the way they practice. … [Read more...]
High-tech horseshoes are here
It’s a new world in horseshoes as new materials and methods address hoof and lameness problems. Nail-free, glue-on, shock-absorbing padding, synthetics and the newest nail materials are reviewed by Elaine Pascoe. Source: Practical Horseman, December 2016, page 46. … [Read more...]
3 reasons to adjust horses’ winter diets
The winter months are tough on horses, so make some changes to their feed to help them cope, recommends Alli Kelley. She discusses the conditions where diet changes are warranted for winter: Changes In workload The hard keeper New to the cold Source: HorseChannel.com, November 18, 2016. Kelley makes these statements about her 3 reasons: The type of work our … [Read more...]
10 things humans do that dogs don’t like
This list of don’ts caught our eyes. Consider using this on websites, blogs or in newsletters. A version of this would be good in new pet orientations as well. Source: About.com, January 2016. Jenna Stregowski, RVT, provides concise reasoning for each of the 10 don’ts to match descriptive photos: Hugging Dressing them up Getting in a dog's face and personal … [Read more...]
FFA launches celebrity and notable careers
Angela Bowman shares a fun look at famous persons who wore the FFA blue and gold. Presidents, singers and actors are on her list. Source: Pork Network, November 22, 2016. What do Taylor Swift, Jordy Nelson and Jimmy Carter have in common? The answer: They were each former FFA members and grew up learning to recite the FFA creed, pledging their belief in the future of … [Read more...]
One year already!
A year ago this week, the first Animal Health Digest Bulletin hit email inboxes of animal health professionals. Thanks to loyal subscribers and supportive sponsors, we now celebrate our first anniversary. Your feedback has been immensely helpful. It continues to guide the topics we cover and the media we monitor. Please keep it coming. Support from sponsors Ceva and Addison … [Read more...]
Being a millennial: I expect more
Jill Heggen, public relations counsel, millennial and animal health communicator, shares how veterinary practices can effectively reach her and her counterparts. Her personal perspective mirrors how successful firms are reaching this important audience. Source: Swanson Russell. I grew up before the internet and digital media and on-demand TV. I grew with digital media as it … [Read more...]
Stressful stalls?
Summary: Even though horses may appear more comfortable in a stall than in a group setting, one study indicates that physiological stress indicators may tell a different story. This article presents what the best housing option might be. Source: The Horse. Individual stabling systems have developed partially out of convenience and partially out of a mistaken understanding … [Read more...]
Should I vaccinate my horse in the fall?
Summary: Vaccinations are important to help prevent disease. While it is always best to listen to your veterinarian’s recommendations, there are certainly cases when it is ideal to vaccinate for certain diseases twice a year to ensure protection. Source: Horse Talk. Vaccinations protect your horse against a host of contagious diseases. The specific vaccinations necessary … [Read more...]
EPM-causing parasites more common that thought
Summary: The parasites causing equine protozoal myeloencephalitis are ubiquitous in U.S. horses, yet fewer than one percent of the horses that carry one or both of the parasites develop clinical symptoms of EPM. Find out more about these parasites and which horses may be more predisposed to EPM. Source: The Horse. Horses cannot catch EPM from each other; rather, they’re … [Read more...]
Prepurchase exams: What to expect.
Summary: Prepurchase exams are common when horses are sold. They help buyers feel confident that the horse they are considering will be up to the task(s) they intend to use them for. Just remember, these exams do not guarantee future soundness. They are snapshots of the horses’ condition at the current time. This article highlights what goes into proper prepurchase … [Read more...]
Over-supplementing horses can cause problems
Horses get all of the minerals they need from good quality forage and/or a balanced commercial ration. Over-supplementing them can cause a lack of absorption of necessary nutrients in the small intestine. It should be avoided. Source: The Horse Over-supplementation can lead to problems with proper absorption and nutrient balance. Good quality forage contains many essential … [Read more...]
Are corticosteroid injections ethical?
Corticosteroid joint injections have long been used to treat joint pain and inflammation in horses. Recently, there have been questions regarding their ethical usage, predominantly in the racing industry. While many professionals use the drugs in moderation and as a last resort, some still use them to keep potentially unsound horses racing. Several states have tightened … [Read more...]
Equine nutrition FAQs addressed
Whether it’s a large show barn, or single horse owner, feeding and nutrition questions seem to be the same. This article addresses common questions about how to properly feed our four-legged friends. From how to care for the senior horse, to if an easy keeper needs concentrate, you can find out how to provide proper nutrition and feeding for your horses. Source: Horse … [Read more...]
Horse eyes: know the basics
Equine eyes are fascinating structures. They have unique attributes and are highly complex. Most eye injuries require veterinary attention, but knowing some of the basics about how horse eyes work is beneficial. Read how David Ramey, DVM, describes how horses see, if they can see colors and much more basic information about equine eyes. Source: David Ramey, DVM, April 10, … [Read more...]
Sedating for a lameness exams may improve procedure
Mild sedation during lameness exams can help the procedure move along more smoothly and safely. However, the relaxation result of the sedative could skew results. Read this piece to learn what common lameness indicators the sedation affects and how veterinarians and owners take that into consideration. Source: Equus November, 2015 But sedation can make a horse sluggish, so … [Read more...]
Enteroliths: Colic-causing rocks
Enteroliths are rock-like concretions that are similar to gallstones in humans. They form in the large intestine of a horse; usually after the ingestion of a small pebble, grains of sand or other small, hard object. These rocks can cause anything from mild colic symptoms to full impactions that require surgery or lead to death. Luckily, there are things horse owners can do to … [Read more...]
Natural Options: Herbs may help soothe equine stomachs
Battling colic can be tricky and scary for a horse owner, mostly because of its variability in causes, symptoms and severity. The five most beneficial herbal supplements are presented in this article. Source: Horse Talk, March 31, 2016. Herbs may be of help in relieving your horse’s discomfort and helping to prevent future bouts with colic and other common equine health … [Read more...]
Scoping in motion: Dynamic endoscope improves diagnosis of breathing problems
Because upper respiratory abnormalities lead to poor performance, predominantly in racing thoroughbreds, but also in show and sport horses; technology has evolved to help properly diagnose these issues. Changing from resting endoscopy to dynamic versions help veterinarians better evaluate and diagnose a performance horse with airway issues. This technology has evolved from use … [Read more...]
Studies support Equine Herpesvirus associated ocular disease
Herpes viruses, found naturally, are known for inducing equine respiratory, reproductive and neurologic diseases. There are multiple strains of the virus which subsequently cause multiple disease states. It is unsure how or which exact strain is responsible for ocular diseases, but studies seem to indicate the potential for a correlation and have supported the role of EHV-1 in … [Read more...]
4 ways to determine if a horse is overweight
Just as humans are, horses are also affected by obesity. Multiple systems have been developed to help owners keep an eye on their horses’ weight and work towards an ideal scale reading. Source: The Paulick Report, March 28, 2016. As is true for humans, this added weight comes a host of potential damaging health issues. For horses, these health issues can include laminitis, … [Read more...]
Dental health dictates overall horse health
Horses require regular dental care, just like humans. Because of the way domestic horses are fed, they need annual, or sometimes semi-annual, checkups and floats by veterinarians or equine dentists. Floating prevents sharp points from forming on the edges of their teeth. Source: The Paulick Report, March 28, 2016 Horses get sharp points or unevenness on their teeth when … [Read more...]
Thwart thrush in 3 steps
Thrush is a bacterial infection of the hoof and frog* that is caused by constantly standing in wet muddy ground. This prevents hooves from drying out and firming up, which leads to infection. Read on to discover three ways to prevent thrush. Source: The Paulick Report, March 29, 2016 Thrush, which thrives in wet, unsanitary conditions, affects the frog of the horse's hoof. … [Read more...]
Technology improves equine lameness evaluation
Equine lameness exams have historically been performed by a clinician who assigns subjective lameness score value to what he or she observes. While this method has been somewhat effective, opinions and abilities to see a lameness can vary greatly between veterinarians. Tools now exist to provide for a more objective evaluations of lameness. Source: The Paulick Report, March … [Read more...]