A commonly used rule of thumb is to put jackets on dairy calves as another level of protection when the ground is frozen. They help insulate them from winter temperature swings at least until their rumens develop and generate heat from fermentation activities. Source: The Bullvine, March 1, 2021. Link. Calf jackets are most useful for calves under 3 weeks of age and … [Read more...]
Don’t forget the heifers when managing mastitis
Heifers can be forgotten on the dairy farm. They live away from the main farm where they are not cleaned and bedded as often as the milking herd. This can cause huge mastitis issues when they become a productive member of the milking string. The author presents the easiest ways to control the spread of contagious mastitis bacteria to calves and heifers and shares tips to … [Read more...]
Blood in a chicken egg doesn’t mean it’s fertilized
Blood in a chicken egg is often believed to signify it is fertile. This isn’t true. In fact, the true sign that an egg is fertile is a white “bullseye” on the yolk. The blood spot is only a ruptured vessel and they are perfectly edible. Source: Backyard Poultry, February 22, 2021. Link. Different colored chicken eggs all taste the same and look the same inside. The taste of … [Read more...]
How to save wildlife by changing a cat’s diet
Researchers have found an alternative way to prevent cats from decimating wildlife. It starts with dietary changes and increased object play. Nutrition seems to have some bearing on a cat’s tendency to kill things, and some cats that hunt may need something extra.” - Robbie A. McDonald, study ecologist Source: Pet Business, March 2, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Based on these … [Read more...]
Dogs are more than men’s and women’s best friends
Complimentary Content Ceva Animal Health, an early supporter of AHD, recognizes the need for a ‘One Welfare’ approach that recognizes the importance of considering the wellbeing of people and animals. This blog post highlights four global initiatives and partnerships with multi-disciplinary teams of scientists Ceva is working with to generate evidence that demonstrates … [Read more...]
8 steps to recover veterinary hospital email from a hack
Sponsored Content Managing the risk of email fraud is more important than ever as email dominates business communications. Clint Latham, JD, shares the many ways an email system can be compromised and what to do about it. Ransomware is a reality of internet communications. Latham created a free ebook, The Essential Cybersecurity Toolkit for SMBs, to help businesses start … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club planning growth and expansion in 2021
Complimentary Content Catherine Haskins, Founder and CEO of The Bridge Club, says the organization is primed for growth in 2021. Plans are in place to launch several new communities including: TBC+, the membership arm of The Bridge Club Bridge Female Founders, a community dedicated to female entrepreneurs in veterinary medicine TBC Students, a community dedicated … [Read more...]
Texans rescue cold-stunned sea turtles
The extreme cold temperatures in Texas caused significant cold stunning in the Padre Island area. Volunteers and Sea Turtle Inc., staff members managed the influx of green turtles, Kemp’s ridley turtles and loggerhead turtles. More than 4,000 turtles were rescued. Getting them warm was a huge undertaking. Source: Texas Monthly, February 17, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
All cats need exercise, some get lonely
Two articles share information on cat health from ongoing wellness research on domesticated felines. Source: Catster, February 17, 2021. Link. Keeping cats indoors is safer than letting them roam. So, it’s up to cat owners to make their home as stimulating as possible for their cat and to encourage it to exercise. Source: Catster, February 16, 2021. Link. Outside of … [Read more...]
Hunting for food helps increase activity for cats
A simple way to increase the amount of activity in a cat’s day is to stop feeding it in a bowl and allow it to hunt for their meals, writes Sassafras Lowrey. This turns mealtime into an interactive game adding enrichment to the cat’s day. She shares some methods for implementing this approach. Source: Catster, February 19, 2021. Link. Lowrey says to monitor each cat as they … [Read more...]
4 ways to exercise your dog’s mind
Dogs require mental stimulation to thrive just like humans do, writes Gerry Ellen. She shares four things to exercise a dog’s mind: Give at least six feet of free-range walking room Practice tricks on the go Let the dog engage with other dogs Go on adventures Source: Animal Wellness, March 16, 2020. Link. Every dog deserves a chance to use his instinct and … [Read more...]
Slow down, write better emails
We’re sharing from this article verbatim. It is concise, actionable and central to our personal lives. Erica Dhawan says reading carefully is the new listening and writing clearly is the new empathy. So many of our exchanges today happen in written (or typed) form such as email, text and IM. This means that listening in its traditional sense has been replaced by reading text … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 18, 2021
Dogs love the sound of your voice, especially when you say certain words. Source: Daily Paws, January 15, 2021. Link. From the study, dogs liked these words best: Walkies, dinner/food/eat, treat, get it, fetch. 7 pet-friendly home design tips Source: Animal Wellness, January 21, 2021. Link. The author shares seven pet-friendly home design tips from … [Read more...]
Disabled fish gets special life jacket made to help him swim
This is not another fish tale. An unfortunate goldfish was suffering from an untreatable swim bladder disorder. It left him sitting upside down at the bottom of the tank until Stacey O’Shea outfitted it with a customized life jacket so it wouldn’t sink. Source: New York Times, February 15, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Dogs load bucking bulls in the open
This is how one cattle rancher loads bucking bulls. He never leaves his horse, nor uses a corral; just an open trailer and four, well-trained cattle dogs. Put your own twist on this as you please and enjoy! Source: Mel’s video of the day. Link. … [Read more...]
Lyme disease is getting skinked
Black-legged ticks in the southeast U.S. prefer to feed on lizards, particularly skinks. Skinks don’t transmit Lyme as easily as the white-footed mice in the northeast U.S. Jean Tsao, a disease ecologist, and her team found a clear divide in ticks’ preferred hosts and behavior south of Virginia, matching the pattern of both tick infections and Lyme disease. Source: Science, … [Read more...]
Moving your practice services online important, especially now
Sponsored Content Many small- and medium-sized veterinary practices are still reeling from the impact of the lockdowns during this coronavirus pandemic. Getting practice services online often sounds like a daunting task for practice owners, says Clint Latham, JD. However, it is now more important than ever to have an online presence, where you can reach out to your clients … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 11, 2021
Clever app encourages you call your friends Source: Fast Company, February 4, 2021. Link. . . . one of the biggest regrets among people on their deathbeds was that they hadn’t kept in touch with their friends.” Data backup 101 for veterinary practice owners – Sponsored Content Source: Lucca Veterinary Data Services, February 1, 2021. Link. Data backups are important … [Read more...]
Year-round chicken care calendar featured
Kenny Coogan provides a chronological guide for chicken care. It shows the commitment required to manage a flock. With Easter coming soon, this is a good resource to use on social media and in newsletters. Source: Backyard Poultry, February 7, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
7th National Thoroughbred Owner Conference to be virtual and monthly series
Complimentary The 2021 Thoroughbred Owner Conference will take place as a free series of virtual panels over nine months. The conference series will be live and interactive, with expert speakers and panelists on topics relevant to Thoroughbred ownership. Source: Bloodhorse Partners, February 4, 2021. Link. The conference series will be held on the first Tuesday of each … [Read more...]
Amateur sleuths find kidnapped dogs
Using tactics that would have made Sherlock Holmes proud, employees, friends, friends of friends and strangers all helped save a dozen kidnapped Portland, Oregon, dogs February 2nd. As doggy day care owner Sunni Liston handed a dog to its owner, a thief got in her van and took off with her phone, purse and the dogs in her charge. Thanks to phone tracking, social media and brave … [Read more...]
VIS webinar: How burnout prevention in veterinary organizations translates into profits
Complimentary Putting people first will encompass the topics Bob Lester, DVM, and Thom Jenkins, MA VetMB, will cover with Ivan Zak, DVM, in the February 24 Veterinary Integration Solutions webinar. Employee retention is especially important when transferring ownership or changing management structures. Burned out employees are 2.6 times as likely to be seeking a different … [Read more...]
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean YOU have to be cold
Much of the U.S. is experiencing gelid (also known as extremely cold) weather. Stephanie Thurrott shares ways to embrace the cold months learned from people who live in Sweden, Iceland and Canada. Eh?! Source: Today, December 10, 2020. Link. Also see: Brrrrr! How cold is too cold for pets? AHD, January 21, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Talking to yourself can improve career growth
Self-talk is one of the more effective tools to thrive at work, home or play, writes Bryan Robinson, PhD. The silent conversations we have with ourselves can make or break our happiness and success. He says the simple act of talking to yourself in the third person, helps with self-control and yields benefits of calm, clarity and confidence. Source: Forbes, February 3, 2021. … [Read more...]
Lest we forget our Valentines
Emily VanSchmus shares the history of why we celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is THIS Sunday, February 14. There’s still time to plan! People have been sending Valentines since 269 A.D. Source: Better Homes and Garden, January 11, 2021. Link. Happy Valentine's Day animal health professionals! … [Read more...]
Overcoming 4 WFH challenges for remote Gen-Z workers
It will require thoughtful use of resources to advance Gen-Z’s contribution in a virtual workspace. According to a new study by Ten Spot, 54 percent of Gen-Z workers report being less productive when working from home. Source: Forbes, February 2, 2021. Link. The main challenge factors and solutions are: Distractions: requires time management and structure Boredom: … [Read more...]
Cyberbullying in veterinary industry, a Bridge Club discussion
Complimentary content The Bridge Club is joining forces with Eric Garcia, founder of SimplyDone Tech Solutions, to provide real and tangible solutions to practices that address the growing challenge of cyberbullying in veterinary practices. It has become a common occurrence with an average of one in every five veterinary professionals experiencing it. There is no … [Read more...]
Covid-19 vaccine trial participant shares story
Longtime industry pro Janice Keene shares her experience as a participant in the Covid-19 vaccine trials. Familiar with the process of developing livestock vaccines, she confidently joined the 44,000 people worldwide involved in the Pfizer/BioNTech trial. The best way to protect the people you love is to get the vaccination yourself.” – Janice Keene Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, … [Read more...]
Vets share what people think they know about pets
BuzzFeed writer Alexa Lisitza shares what a Reddit user found when he asked veterinarians what they wish people knew about their pets. The result is something directly shareable with clients in practices and via social media. Source: BuzzFeed, February 1, 2021. Link. I wish people just even had a BASIC understanding of dog or cat body language. The number of videos posted on … [Read more...]
QR codes shaping Innovetive Pet Care services
Complimentary Commercial Content Adjusting pandemic-created constraints, Innovetive Petcare is using more touchless ways to position its veterinarians and animal practices for ongoing growth and success. They have introduced QR codes, online waitlist tools and the use of video in their recruiting, marketing and client-experience efforts. The approach resembles tactics used … [Read more...]