This new release provides a comprehensive update from the heavily referenced 2009 AAFP Senior Care Guidelines. The Guidelines address the importance of veterinary visits a minimum of every six months for cats 10 to 15 years old. This allows veterinary teams to best track and manage health-related issues and detect disease early. Healthy senior cats over the age of 15 should be … [Read more...]
The immense power of a handwritten note
Gina Hamadey shares a non-traditional perspective on handwritten notes of gratitude. She shares the benefits to the writer where most past resources have focused on the receiver. Writing the notes not only offered me a short-term feeling of calm, it made it easier to channel positive emotions in general.” – Gina Hamadey Source: Elle, June 9, 2021. Link. Our collective … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 24, 2021
Last week’s most read post(s) – two posts tied for most-read Confidence requires a PLAN, Source: AHD, June 15, 2021. Link. Udder conformation, increasing concerns for farmers, Source: AHD, June 15, 2021. Link. Vaccine workshop leads veterinarians in foot-and-mouth disease planning Source: Feedstuffs, June 17, 2021. Link. The vaccine exercise was part of … [Read more...]
Summer feed spoilage – something to consider for any animal
Amber Friedrichsen shares approaches to packing, inoculating, sealing and removing feedstuffs during hot summer weather. She focused on stored forages in this article. Heat considerations are applicable to feed for any animal as they can absorb moisture and deteriorate in the heat.” – Kirk Augustine Starchy forages, such as silage, are susceptible to aerobic instability. Wet … [Read more...]
Wether considerations and boy bands
No, it’s not a misspelling. As a capon is to a rooster, or gelding to a stallion, a wether refers to a buck goat that isn’t anymore. How to get that job done is not without controversy. Karen Kopf writes about neutering goats using elastrator banding. Source: Backyard Goats, June 14, 2021. Link. One of the greatest risks of banding goats is tetanus since the band creates an … [Read more...]
Regenerative medicine for the equine athlete
Helping equine athletes reach their full potential and maintain optimal health is the goal of sport horse medicine, writes Tori Bilas. Horses can reap the benefits of self-derived biologic treatments well before a serious injury occurs that could derail training or require a lengthy recovery. Regenerative medicine is used to treat or prevent joint disease and soft tissue … [Read more...]
Teach cats to wear a harness
Cat owners may enjoy their cats more when they can take them safely outside. Habituating a cat to a harness and then to a harness-plus-leash takes time and needs to follow specific steps says Nicole Ellis. Source: Catster, April 17, 2021. Link. Also see: Choosing a harness for a cat, Tufts Catnip, April 21, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Turn down the volume on pets’ firework and thunderstorm fears
Complimentary Commercial Content Don't ignore your pet's fear out of the mistaken belief you will reinforce it and make it worse, writes Marty Becker, DVM. The key is to stay calm and not get all worked up yourself, but instead provide calm attention like how you normally interact with him. Becker has updated his previously published article for 2021. Source: Dr. … [Read more...]
Bright Minds nominations sought by The Bridge Club
Complimentary Content To honor the best thinkers, innovators and paradigm shifters in veterinary medicine, The Bridge Club is launching Bright Minds, an event celebrating innovation in veterinary medicine during the 2021 WVC Convention. Nominations end June 30, 2021. Source: The Bridge Club. Link. Nomination Categories: Out of the Box Thinker - an individual who … [Read more...]
Early registration ending for WVC Annual Conference
Complimentary Commercial Content The 2021 WVC Annual Conference is scheduled for September 6 – 9, 2021 in Las Vegas. Live and supplemental virtual opportunities will gather animal health pros to collaborate, network and learn. Early registration discounts end June 30, 2021. We are excited to get people back to learning in-person and celebrating the Veterinary Industry. Our … [Read more...]
Creating boundaries in our everyday work (podcast)
The animal health industry is rightly concerned about mental health and stress in the veterinary work environment. When you’re struggling with these issues, the day-to-day routines of a work environment can be a lot, but recognizing and enforcing boundaries help navigate work and stress. This podcast is a conversation with author and activist Roxane Gay about work and mental … [Read more...]
Colorado Supreme Court rejects animal cruelty initiative
It is not over yet, but the Colorado Supreme Court on Monday rejected a ballot initiative that would have extended the state’s animal cruelty laws to cover livestock and poultry. The current law has an exception for animals raised on farms and ranches, as long as their owners follow accepted animal husbandry practices. The proposal would have added cows, pigs, chicken and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 17, 2021
Last week’s most read post 2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey reveals important post-pandemic changes for the pet care industry Source: Animal Health Digest, June 8, 2021. Link. U.S. bans importing of dogs from 113 countries due to rise in false rabies records Source: NPR, June 14, 2021. Link. Veterinarians are praising the decision. 36 … [Read more...]
Hot chicken: good on a plate, dangerous in the coop
Heat exhaustion, heat stroke or even death are real dangers to chickens when temperatures rise. They don’t sweat like humans and are limited in their ability to cool down. Lots of shade and cool water help immensely. The effects of heat exhaustion are cumulative, says Lisa Steele. Several days of temperatures above 80 degrees, especially with high humidity, can negatively … [Read more...]
Debunking 7 equine deworming myths
The general rationale has been that all parasites are terrible and horse owners must do everything that they can to ensure horses are completely parasite-free at all times, writes David Ramey, DVM. Even with anthelmintics, ‘parasite-free’ is for all practical matters an oxymoron. The most important thing for you to do is to test your horses and monitor them. Horse owners need … [Read more...]
Vetting a boarding stable
Horse owners should complete their homework when looking for boarding facilities. If a stable does not have a boarding contract, writes Natalie Voss, it is a red flag. She adds boarding farm rules and a liability waiver to the list of first considerations. Source: Acreage Life, July 2021. Link. !! Voss adds these questions to help horse owners do their research before … [Read more...]
Why does my puppy growl at strangers?
At its core growling is about communication writes, Stephanie Gibeault, MSc, CPDT. It is a warning, a symptom of your puppy’s discomfort. Rarely an indication of aggression initially, growling at strangers is a sign that something is wrong. The most likely explanation is the puppy is fearful of people they don’t know. Source: AKC, January 19, 2021. Link. Whenever your puppy … [Read more...]
WEBINAR TODAY! U.S. Veterinary telehealth data, WhiskerDocs
There’s still time to register for this VVCA Community webinar that takes place at 11:00 a.m. PDT/2:00 p.m. EDT today. Deb Leon, CEO of whiskerDocs and founding board member of VVCA, will share an in-depth analysis of their 90,000 U.S. interactions from 2020. Come and learn what they found! We'll be busting more industry and profession-wide myths. The webinar is free to VVCA … [Read more...]
Be prepared, avoid being blown away
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center is predicting another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. If you stand your ground instead of evacuating, there are a few things that you should have to keep yourself safe and to survive a hurricane: Bottled water and non-perishable food Tools and other supplies First aid and … [Read more...]
Dr. Jen the Vet at VMX
Complimentary Content Eugene “Gene” O'Neill, CEO, and Dr. Dana Varble, chief veterinary officer at the North American Veterinary Community, were guests on Chats with the Chatfields during the recent VMX industry conference. They and Jen Chatfield, DVM, discussed current innovations in veterinary medicine, NAVC’s support of innovative companies and the industry landscape … [Read more...]
Oldest livestock genome reveals origin of today’s goats
Comparing the ancient goat DNA with that of modern wild goats, scientists found distinct genetic clusters indicating apparently managed goats were being bred with one another. This confirms the herders maintained a goat population largely separate from near wild goats in Iran’s Zagros Mountain region. The earliest of the goat remains date to about 8200 BCE, making the DNA in … [Read more...]
Travel checklists for horse caretakers
Horse owners traveling will appreciate these lists to ensure horse health. Hannah Arington provides a checklist for traveling with horse(s) and one for a horse sitter. Consider sharing the article on social media, in newsletters, with local equine hobbyists and with 4-H and youth development groups. Doing it now will help prepare recipients for upcoming county and state … [Read more...]
Dogs get sunburn too!
People are surprised to learn dogs need protection from the sun. Hair offers a natural barrier between its skin and the sun’s rays, but it is not complete protection. Dogs can get sunburned, too. We’re including two references to help educate pet owners via social media or newsletters. Source: 5 ways to protect your dog from sunburn, Animal Wellness, May 2017. … [Read more...]
Upcoming Leading with Purpose webinar: Pushing beyond your current plateau
Consolidations and practice acquisitions continue. The following topics are on the webinar agenda and will interest practicing veterinarians: Status of veterinary practice consolidation: market share, acquisition pace, and future projections Reasons for the increase in consolidations and top challenges Key revenue drivers in veterinary services Six essential … [Read more...]
Fighting brain fog with food: Tips from a psychiatrist (with videos)
Brain fog has emerged as one of the most frustrating effects of long Covid-19. It can linger for months after the first symptoms of the coronavirus have passed. Uma Naidoo, MD, nutritionist, chef, author, prescribing psychiatrist, addresses the challenges of brain fog and how specific foods activate the gut-brain connection to help return to normal. The gut and the brain are … [Read more...]
Female veterinarians say gender disparity remains an uphill battle
Meg Mueller, DVM, says one of the biggest challenges females face in large animal practices is the issue of working with strong and powerful patients who are much of the time in non-clinical, less than ideal settings. Clients’ perceptions that they can't handle the job doesn’t help Source: Wisconsin State Farmer, June 2, 2021. Link. This article is part of a series entitled … [Read more...]
What happens when a horse undergoes general anesthesia?
Luisito Pablo, MS, DVM, Dipl. ACVAA describes steps the veterinary anesthesia team takes when caring for horses before, during, and after surgery. Source: The Horse, May 28, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Sedating and anesthetizing a 900 to 2200 pound animal is both science and art. We found this article to be informative and worthy of sharing with horse owners to orient them to … [Read more...]
30 minutes’ exercise won’t counteract sitting all day, but adding light movement can help – new research
For decades, scientists have studied the health benefits of exercise. But this research has largely ignored the fact that how you spend the rest of the day also matters. It’s unclear if the health benefits of exercise and movement are the same if you don’t get enough sleep. A healthy lifestyle requires more than 30 minutes of exercise if you spend a lot of time … [Read more...]
Hugging requires consent, now more than ever. Here’s how to navigate that.
Live and in-person, finally! But now, post-pandemic with social distancing in place, do we need ways to easily ask people if it’s okay to hug them? Tracey Anne Duncan asked psychologists how to navigate requesting consent when you want to embrace someone with whom you are less familiar. We’re all navigating unfamiliar terrain with rusty social skills right now and there is … [Read more...]
Best washing machines of 2021
Laundry stacks up fast in veterinary clinics. The pandemic taxed existing machines as disinfection took a higher priority. Machines that have bigger capacities, speed cycles or built-in pretreat features have been developed to reduce laundry time. Ecofriendly or green choice models add more options from which to choose. Consumer Reports’ washer buying guide reviews … [Read more...]