Dairies should trim each cow’s feet twice a year, once before dry off and at mid-lactation as both a routine and corrective measure, asserts Brad Ingram. He and Aaron LaVoy share tips, timing and techniques to ensure blocking compliments trimming activities and ultimately healthier cows. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, October 22, 2021. Link. Sanitation, nutrition, hoof … [Read more...]
Fat leg disease or edema?
It is not uncommon to see horses swell with subcutaneous edema. It happens most frequently in the hind legs and resolves when the horse begins exercising again. Alternatively, swelling can be a bacterial infection and indicate a different condition with several potential causes. Regardless of the exact cause, the swelling will be extreme, hot and very painful to the touch, … [Read more...]
Is your cat happy? There’s an app for that.
For those who like to take photos of their cats, there’s a new reason to do so. Sylster.ai, a Calgary, Alberta, Canada, animal health technology company, developed an app calledTably that uses a phone’s camera to determine whether a cat is feeling pain. Source: Yahoo!news, July 27, 2021. Link. An app that learns patterns from images o cat faces can be helpful but cat owners … [Read more...]
How to raise a barn cat right
Barn cats deserve to be treated like other high-performing work animals. If you want an animal to perform work for you, then you should feed it adequate nutrition, so it has the energy and stamina to perform, asserts author Janet Garman. She addresses spay and neutering, veterinary care, shelter, nutrition, feeding locations, collars, microchips and monitoring working cat … [Read more...]
Big puppy paws; big dog or not?
It is possible to understand the relationship between a puppy’s paw and the puppy’s size when one knows the growth stages a puppy undergoes. However, the author concludes one cannot rely on finding the puppy’s size using its paws as the result might be wrong. Determining the size of the puppy based on its paws is a fun and interesting activity. Other alternatives to consider … [Read more...]
No college degree? More employers than ever just don’t care.
Most U.S. working age adults do not have a 4-year college degree. New growth in apprenticeship programs that lead to jobs are resulting in paid, on-the-job training, benefits, coaching and access to employee and alumni networks. Over the past five years, employers have been trying to solve for two things: the long-predicted skilled labor shortage; especially in … [Read more...]
IBPSA FastBites – December 13, 2021
Pet training apps, 2021 U.S. pet food and treats update, less is more mindset, five points for small business advertising, reminder to submit for IBPSA rebate program, the latest from AHD and more . . . If some new holiday employees plan to stay into 2022, don’t forget the species-specific education and certification programs available for enrollment in the IBPSA online … [Read more...]
Pain predictor research
As animal welfare concerns grow, pain evaluation methods are being challenged and researched. Heart rate variability is one of the possible indicators being researched. Maureen Hansen shares how technology and analytics are being implemented in different production scenarios to monitor heart rate variability. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, October 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Even with screening, equine cardiac problems prove difficult to catch
Medina Spirit, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, died of an apparent heart attack December 6, 2021 at Santa Anita, California. While tragic, we’re reminded that screening for equine cardiac problems is not as easy as you'd think, especially in racehorses. Natalie Voss presents information equine veterinarian specialists shared during discussions about the realities and challenges … [Read more...]
Teaching the Velcro dog independence
If a dog is underfoot at every turn or is the owner’s shadow its likely it could be a Velcro dog. Various resources suggest dogs learn this behavior through inadvertent training and reinforcement of clingy behavior. Also, certain breeds that are more prone to clinginess than others. We’re sharing articles about dealing with the Velcro behaviors and teaching the dog to be … [Read more...]
Top pet products of 2021
The 20th annual Pet Business Industry Recognition Awards celebrate the most innovative products and companies in the pet care category. Among the products are several treats, diets and supplements. With obesity issues affecting over half of all dogs and cats, veterinary teams and OTC retailers are advised to monitor the Kcal levels in these offerings. Source: Pet Business, … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites, December 6, 2021
Leveraging 2021 shopping trends, Mark Cushing on advocating for animals, veterinary backlogs, top pets names for 2021 and more. Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, December 6, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Tips to stop dogs from peeing on Christmas trees
A popular cartoon shows two dogs admiring a newly decorated Christmas tree. The caption reads, “Every year about this time they put in an indoor toilet.” Karen B. London, PhD, shares tips to help owners and dogs adjust to a tree’s tempting presence. Go back to Housetraining 101. No matter how well your dog is housetrained or how many years it’s been since he had an … [Read more...]
Manage seasonal affective disorder
About one in 20 U.S. residents suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, according to Norman Rosenthal, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University of School of Medicine. SAD occurs during winter and causes people to become depressed, feel sluggish and be uninterested in things they previously enjoyed, among other symptoms. This article and podcast … [Read more...]
8 steps to creating better cybersecurity on your PCs
Sponsored Content We used to be able to download a simple AV program and call it good. With cyber criminals constantly finding new ways into networks we need to take a layered approach to how we protect our businesses.”- Clint Latham, JD Source: Lucca Veterinary Data Security, LinkedIn, December 6, 2021. Link. Latham says to use end-point security to secure end-user devices … [Read more...]
Fidu, Hill’s partner on free veterinary nutrition teleconsultation service
Complimentary Content Nutritional evaluation, the fifth vital assessment, constitutes a core component of every pet’s veterinary examination. Proper nutrition promotes wellness and helps manage illness, and pet parents crave specific diet recommendations for their canine and feline family members. Now nutrition consultations, which often cost more than $200, are being … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 2, 2021
Did you miss a week or two? Check the AHD Bulletin archives. Animal Health Digest Bulletin Link. Email signatures can increase brand awareness, drive traffic and generate leads Source: MarTech, November 22, 2021. Link. There are three times more individual email accounts than both Facebook and Twitter social media profiles combined. That’s not all. You are … [Read more...]
National Influenza Vaccination Week Begins December 5
If you or your team members haven’t been vaccinated for the flu, there’s no better time than next week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proclaimed December 5 through 11 as National Influenza Vaccination Week. Source: CDC. Link. The free digital toolkit includes social media content, shareable assets, Twitter chat and sample newsletter blurbs and … [Read more...]
Camel culture alive in U.S.
Camel culture in the U.S. goes back to 1855. Today’s camel enthusiasts gathered at the Southwest Camel Conference and Training Clinic in October to learn and share about camel development in today’s agricultural setting. The event featured Alice Blue-McLendon, Texas A&M Veterinary Sciences department professor, and Charmian Wright, a Utah veterinarian. About 5,000 camels … [Read more...]
Fauci, Pfizer among popular dog names for 2021
Covid, Fauci and Pfizer are just three of the top names for this year. Even the name, Zoom jumped up 443 percent from last year. Check out the others. Dolly Parton’s name got an honorable mention, too. Source: Rover.com, Link. To better understand the stories these names have to tell us about the people, places, and stories that defined the past year, we dug into our … [Read more...]
First aid kits for dogs
Carrying two adhesive bandages with you doesn’t represent a first aid kit for a dog or you. Pet owners can keep a separate and customized first aid kit for their pet for in case of an injury or emergency. Of course, the type of pet and its lifestyle determines how extensive the first aid kit needs to be. Source: Puppies and Pooches, November 29, 2021. Link. Also see: The … [Read more...]
Performing successful surgical procedures
DVM 360’s Julia Burke assembled three articles covering tips and tricks for veterinary surgery. The content and videos cover the ins and outs of minimally invasive surgery, insights on performing oronasal fistula repair and common questions about canine digit amputation. Source: DVM 360, November 2, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Articles like these are especially good … [Read more...]
Study suggests health benefits by feeding dogs once a day
According to a new study, dogs that are only fed once a day are less likely to develop age-related conditions such as dental, gastrointestinal, orthopedic and liver disorders thandogs fed more frequently. Companion dogs provide a potentially powerful animal model in which to better understand the relationship between diet and age-related health outcomes. Once-daily feeding in … [Read more...]
Yes, cats can be trained
Cats can and do learn various behaviors through positive behavior training. Positive reinforcement, rewarding a behavior you desire, is how cats learn best, according to the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Ignoring undesirable behaviors can be extremely effective as well. Active punishment is not effective and can lead to a cascade of negative effects. Source: … [Read more...]
Consumer survey predicts holiday giving to pets will grow
Ho, ho, ho! Duke and Ginger and all their companion animal pals are likely to see presents under the tree. Fifty-six percent of consumers surveyed plan to buy their pets a present this year, up from 51 percent last year and 47 percent in 2019. Thankfully, for most pets this holiday season, the best present will be a squeaky sprout toy or snazzy Santa outfit, not a new … [Read more...]
CDC eases restrictions on entering U.S. with dogs
The United States government has eased up on a rule that banned the importation of dogs from 113 countries because of concerns over fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates. As of October 14, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention blocked the import of foreign dogs and those re-entering the country after traveling abroad, from countries where the risk of … [Read more...]
Research backed tips for using emojis at work
Emojis have become acceptable even in workplace email etiquette. When using them, just be sure they are appropriate and easily understood within the context. Source: Fast Company, October 31, 2021. Link. Three out of four surveyed believed that using emojis has improved their communication in the workplace. The most accepted emoji at 71% was “thumbs up,” which signifies … [Read more...]
Set boundaries with chatty colleagues
You might think you’re being generous or patient by listening to a chatty coworker talk endlessly, but you’re simply letting resentment fester that’s toxic to your emotional well-being and productivity. Melody Wilding offers advice for setting boundaries with a talkative colleague in a compassionate, diplomatic way that still allows you to get your work done: Preempt their … [Read more...]
4 quick tips to get cattle winter-ready
The Thanksgiving holiday is a good time to enlist some extra helpers on the farm. Extension beef specialist Ron Lemenager recommends these steps for early winter herd management planning: Take care of your weaning Get your vaccinations done Prepare your facilities Consider adding windbreaks or other protective structures to limit cattle stress Source: … [Read more...]
Cats and reactions to insect bites and stings
Some cats may be allergic to either the bite or to the venom of an insect. Allergic reactions can range from minor swelling at the injury site, to hives and anaphylaxis, writes Hanie Elfenbein, DVM. She suggests protecting cats from bugs that bite. Source: Pet MD. Link. A minor allergic reaction can often be effectively treated with a cold compress and diphenhydramine … [Read more...]