We’ve learned new pet owners often need basic husbandry guidance to understand pet needs. Eve Cohen, DVM, shares rabbit information important for those owning or considering acquiring a rabbit: Rabbits are social animals Rabbit’s life expectancy Rabbits are prey animals Housing: outdoors vs. indoors Safe flooring Rabbit nutrition Bunnies aren’t … [Read more...]
What eating in front of the TV does to your body
Eating in front of the TV is a great idea if you’re looking for a way to eat copious amounts of food without ever hearing the ‘I’ve had enough’ signal from your body.” - Lori Hammond, hypnotist Source: MEL, January 8, 2020. Link. Shows these days tend to be more suspenseful than ever. “Television today is riddled with faster-than-life scene changes,” says psychologist Glenn … [Read more...]
Shepherding off the coast of Maine remains unchanged for eons
Interested animal health pros will find this photo-filled story interesting, if not memorable. Experience how the Wakeman family works to maintain the traditions of island shepherding, which have been unchanged for centuries. Source: New York Times, December 31, 2020. Link. Historical evidence suggests that sheep have been raised on Big Nash Island for more than 300 years. … [Read more...]
Best air purifiers for pet dander and allergies
Potentially 20 percent of people have allergies to pets, writes Joelle Klein. For those who do, air purifiers may provide added support for removing dander, hair and odors. Klein shares products independently selected and reviewed by the Daily Paws editorial team. Source: Daily Paws, December 29, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Air purifiers can help owners with allergies avoid … [Read more...]
The remarkable life of Tommy Raskin
We’ve shared innumerable items about how important it is to maintain mental health, address issues surrounding it and to do what we can to prevent suicide. Whether for you, a coworker or a customer, when in doubt, ACT. None of us wants to help write a tribute such as this one that Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin and Sarah Bloom Raskin shared about their son, Tommy, last … [Read more...]
Sleep loss hijacks brain’s activity during learning
New research suggests disrupted sleep may lead to more problems than the occasional all-nighter. Source: Science Daily, November 11, 2020. Link. Research summary: Sleep is crucial for consolidating our memories, and sleep deprivation has long been known to interfere with learning and memory. Now a new study shows that getting only half a night's sleep - as many medical … [Read more...]
For aspiring animal scientists, it all starts in AnSci 101
Lots of opportunities for animal health pros to get involved. Many animal health professionals take an Introduction to Animal Sciences course early in their coursework. When the conditions are right, an introductory course can serve as a springboard where students find additional opportunities and formalize their interest in the subject. Conversely, an ineffective intro course … [Read more...]
Most common dairy farm inspection debits
From behind the scenes, a Minnesota, dairy farm inspector shares violations that occur over and over. The list reveals how much observational diligence is required on dairies. . . . to market Grade A milk, farms are required to undergo routine state and milk buyer inspections and pass federal milk inspection requirements. Source: Farm Progress, December 21, 2020. Link. Repeat … [Read more...]
Horses need to be taught to accept having their feet held
Idaho horseman and clinician Martin Black talks about working with horses, learning how to make it easy for them accept a raised foot and avoiding having the horse lean on the farrier. Source: Western Horseman, July 26, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: Training horses to tolerate foot care is similar to working with puppies and kittens on having nail trims. Consistent work and good … [Read more...]
Steve Dale’s holiday safety tips
For more than two decades, Steve Dale, certified animal behavior consultant, has been communicating with more pet owners than any other pet journalist in America. He’s not E.F. Hutton, but when Steve speaks, pet owners listen. Organizing his list in holiday fashion, Dale provides 12 Christmas pet safety tips to ensure a safe howliday. Source: Steve Dale’s Pet World, December … [Read more...]
Maybe we should go to bed angry
Recently, some colleagues shared relief at not having the BIG holiday gathering, “. . . maybe this year we won’t have to listen to <obstinate person> grouse about this and that!” One of the more common pieces of relationship wisdom shared is, “Don’t go to bed angry.” Indi Samarajiva disagrees. He says a fight is a feeling , often of not being heard, seen or tended to. … [Read more...]
Drought! Is it time to worry?
For those east of the Mississippi River, drought is not a great concern. However, areas west of there are experiencing a growing drought footprint. Currently, 67% of the country is afflicted with varying levels of drought, with 22% in the two most severe categories – “extreme” and “exceptional.” Source: Feedstuffs, December 16, 2020. Link. Forecasters are concerned that soil … [Read more...]
Honey, I shrunk the goat
When considering a backyard pet, a manageable 4-H project for a child, or smaller livestock for a homestead or hobby farm, consider these small goat breeds. Theresa Miller offers a concise catalogue of compact caprines. Source: Backyard Goats, October 9, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Take care of dogs during winter
Winter’s weather increase the risk for dogs to experience hypothermia and frostbite just as we do. Different breeds tolerate winter better than others, but age and overall health are important factors, too. Snow and ice can cause problems for some dogs. However, ice melts on pavement and sidewalks have own toxicity issues. Here are three resources to help address winter safety … [Read more...]
RFD-TV celebrates 20th anniversary (includes video)
Complimentary commercial content Founder Patrick Gosch’s conviction from 20 years ago is certainly as true today as ever. He set out to connect city and country for with rural programming that was being ignored by urban broadcasters. Today, Rural Media Group is the world’s leading provider of multimedia content dedicated to the rural and Western lifestyle. RFD TV is … [Read more...]
What Doc Lunsford taught me about Christmas
The Grinch is working overtime to steal Christmas in 2020. We may not celebrate with all of our family and friends this year. But, we can find joy in recalling memories of Christmas from years past. Source: Purpose Unlimited: Link. Every Christmas I think about Doc Lunsford. As a boy Doc had polio and was unable to attend school. His bout with polio left one leg shorter than … [Read more...]
New, empathic website helps you think and talk about death
Facing our own mortality and the mortality of ones we care about remains a tough topic. Mark Wilson reviews a new website, Life Support that lets you explore topics about death and dying from the perspectives of experts, such as palliative care doctors and social workers. Source: Fast Company, December 14, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
So long, BEEF, Feedstuffs and National Hog Farmer. “It’s been a heckuva ride.”
BEEF, Feedstuffs and National Hog Farmer will suspend print publications with January 2021 issues. Some digital presence of each will remain. We’ve shared plenty of their articles and web postings since Animal Health Digest began and their contributions are appreciated. Source: BEEF, November 25, 2020. Link. By suspend, they mean that BEEF print, along with the print … [Read more...]
The never-ending parasite dilemma
John Gillam, DVM, discusses parasites in ungulates including types, life cycles, treatments, testing and slowing down resistance. . . . understanding parasite treatment and the worms that can plague cattle is critical to developing healthy herds.” - John Gilliam, DVM Source: High Plains Journal, December 2, 2020. Link. “We actually select those parasite populations for … [Read more...]
Water: the forgotten nutrient
Water is known as the forgotten nutrient. Google it and you’ll find references to many species. Pedro E. Urriola shares perspectives from discussions at the recent Lehman workshop on water’s importance in pig production. . . . water can absorb a lot of heat before it starts to get hot. . . it is essential to thermal homeostasis of pigs, and all living species . . … [Read more...]
Preparations now will ease winter on chicken flocks
Shelby Stone shares tips on winterizing coops and preparing chickens for colder months. Her guidance covers bedding, heated waterers, care with heat lamps and updating diets. Note the tip for protecting combs and waddles using a coating of Vaseline. Source: Acreage Life, November 2020, page 23. Link. INSIGHTS: Chicken keepers will appreciate getting this article from … [Read more...]
Barn cats need care, too
Sarah Peakheart, DVM, shares tips for caring for barn cats. Her recommendations are especially applicable to cats who are easily handled. Tips related to improving the cats’ environment and safety are also beneficial, even for cats that are more feral. Source: The Bullvine, November 16, 2020. Link. Make plenty of noise before starting up your vehicles or farm equipment, … [Read more...]
Not all scents safely make sense
The holiday season brings new visual stimuli to our environments. It also is commonly accompanied by a variety of seasonal smells in diffusors, candles and sprays. Some of these are toxic to pets. Source: Catnip, November 19, 2020. Link. Common essential oils that could prove toxic in the wrong dose include: Tea tree, citrus, pine, pennyroyal, eucalyptus, peppermint, sweet … [Read more...]
Fences revisited, this time without wire
Last week we shared an article about the ecological impact of fences < link >. In ongoing research in Nevada, ranchers are experimenting with virtual fences using technologies that work like pet fencing but use GPS technologies instead of a wire in the ground. They hope to use the technology to improve rotational grazing and restrict cattle from grazing areas where toxic … [Read more...]
Top 10 holiday ads: Greenies tops the list
Ace Metrix tracked the spots that are engaging consumers the most this holiday season. Greenies’ animated dog is in the top spot. Dogs made appearances in four of the top 10. Source: Ad Age, December 3, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Most of these ads are under 20 seconds. … [Read more...]
Avoiding Covid-19 spread after travel (includes videos)
Thanksgiving holiday travel has already proven to speed Covid-19 spread. Kerry Breen offers guidance for quarantining, testing and incubation periods from several sources. If you traveled or gathered with people outside of your immediate household, it's not too late to prevent spreading the virus now.” Source: Today, November 30, 2020. Link. "The order of the day is for … [Read more...]
Promising new test for Johne’s disease in dairy cattle
The Institute for Global Food Security and School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast has developed a new test to detect more infected animals by milk testing than milk-ELISA. This could potentially facilitate control of Johne's disease faster, the university said. As well as bovine milk, the new test can also be applied to feces and blood from … [Read more...]
Animals most likely to kill you by state
This is intriguing enough to share. The study of the deadliest animal by each state was completed by the Centers for Disease Control. Dogs topped the list in Alabama and Arizona, for example. Source: The Outdoor Wear, November 20, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Confinement, feeding practices, lifestyle affect horse behaviors
There’s a lot to understand and consider when dealing with undesirable horse behaviors. New research from Brazil confirms the connection between confining a horse to a stall without sufficient food to keep him occupied and an increased likelihood of undesirable behaviors. Source: EQUUS, November 2, 2020. Link. If a horse develops unwanted behaviors, Ribeiro urges owners to … [Read more...]
Unmet environmental needs are killing cats
The number-1 cause of death for cats is something veterinary teams are not treating nor educating clients about: euthanasia. And the most common reasons for euthanasia in cats is behavior problems. Sadly, these are problems animal health pros understand, know why the behaviors happen and what cats need to minimize or eliminate them. Liz Bales, DVM, issues a call to action … [Read more...]