A team at the Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research is focusing on developing a rigorous measure of quality of life. They are working to determine how many healthy years of life you have before you become unhealthy. Given our industry’s aging professional population, you will value this information, the calculator and its implications. Please note, the calculator is still … [Read more...]
Goat packing revisited
We first posted content about pack goats in September 2016. < link > Theresa Miller shares her experience with pack goats and discusses how they carry gear for camping, hunting and trail maintenance into the Rocky Mountains. Goats are well suited to the high country. Their surefooted nature makes them able to navigate steeper, rougher, and less-maintained trails than … [Read more...]
Managing persistently infected calves key to BVD prevention
It’s a story we have been told over and over. Yet, we still see BVD sneak into herds. One of the most common ways it spreads is with persistently infected (PI) calves. Chris Chase, DVM, says the biggest issue with BVD is in herds that haven’t been testing calves with an ear-notch program and where biosecurity is not great. Monitoring for BVD is very important because when the … [Read more...]
Myths and truths of equine cribbing
Several factors that seem to contribute to acquiring a cribbing habit, says Tina Steward, DVM. Such as: Dietary lack of roughage Diet of sweetened feeds Long periods without feed Emotional and physical stress Genetic, heritable traits Lots of forage and friends are the best management tools for cribbers and cribbing prevention. Source: Dressage Today, … [Read more...]
Fix stinky chicken coops
Jeremy Chartier shares a few tips to fix chicken coop smells or at least understand the issue. The booming urban chicken trend has neighborhoods dealing with new odors. The most likely culprit is ammonia. Ammonia is a natural byproduct found in poultry manure and when in vapor form, smells incredibly strong and foul. Source: Countryside Daily, July 20, 2018. Link. In the … [Read more...]
Newly updated FlexVet: How to Be One, How to Hire One now available
AHD subscriber Cindy Trice, DVM, asked us to help announce the release of the 5th edition, (3rd Kindle Edition) of the book, “FlexVet: How to Be One, How to Hire One, The Comprehensive Practice Guide for Relief & Part-Time Veterinarians.” This one of a kind book is practical and highly educational, Trice says. It features seven chapters covering a wide range of resources to … [Read more...]
10 cutest parts of cats
What? Made you look? The Modern Cat team shares its list but also gives you more information on the importance of each of these body parts. Can you guess which of these three is number 1? Socks Teeny tiny teeth Toe beans Source: Modern Cat, April 18, 2019. Link. Also see: Feng Shui for felines, Modern Cat, April 2018. Link. 5 tips to create positive energy in … [Read more...]
Catnip basics, the original feline high (includes videos)
It turns out there are some psychotropic affects going on when your cat gets into the catnip zone, writes Phillip Mlynar. According to science buffs, cats react to catnip after a volatile oil in it called nepetalactone interacts with the nasal tissue. Once the catnip has been engaged, it starts to replicate pheromones that, in turn, switch on feline receptors and make all sorts … [Read more...]
Questions to ask when choosing a boarding kennel
The boarding kennel marketplace continues to expand for cats and dogs. Animal owners need need help to choose the right facility for their pet, regardless of whether its for daycare or for an extended stay. Joseph H. Kinnarney, DVM, MS, gives questions to ask when selecting a boarding kennel: What vaccinations do you require? Can I see where my pet will stay? What … [Read more...]
10 types of service dogs have different roles
Heather Marcoux tackles the growing diversity of service dog breeds and their roles. For a growing number of individuals with specific physical, neurological or mental health needs, different types of service dogs are invaluable partners in day-to-day life. Legally, most of these types of service dogs are welcome in places where pet dogs are not. Unfortunately, the practice of … [Read more...]
Parasite education? There’s an APP for that
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has designed an app to help strengthen skills in the microscopic identification of fecal parasites in veterinary clinic settings and for individual study. The Veterinary Internal Parasite Flash Card App < link > includes approximately 100 veterinary internal parasites found in dogs, cats, small mammals, reptiles and … [Read more...]
FDA now posting adverse event report data
More than 30 years of adverse event reports related to animal drugs and devices used in animals is now available online as part of the FDA’s commitment to increase transparency. Previously, this detailed level of data was only available via a Freedom of Information Act request. It is now electronically accessible and available for automated searching. < link > The FDA … [Read more...]
Stay sharp when your ability to focus declines
We live and work in an increasingly disruptive world. Research shows interruptions occur about every 12 minutes in the workplace and even more frequently in other settings. Authors Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist, and Dr. Larry Rosen, a psychologist, explain how our ability to pay attention works and what we can do to stay focused. Researchers say our ability to pay … [Read more...]
Speak up when it matters
Speaking up is hard to do. We all like to think that if we see something questionable, we’ll say something. However, we are strikingly bad at anticipating how we’ll feel in future circumstances and it can be incredibly difficult to speak up in the moment. In fact, research suggests that most people tend to not act, and then rationalize their inaction. Source: HBR Ascend. … [Read more...]
How to get through an extremely busy time at work
Many of us go through periods when we have little personal time, writes Alice Boyes. Others may be committed to jobs that regularly involve intense and long hours, creating a long-term lack of rest. She offers practical tips for thriving when you have to be fully committed. Here are some strategies that can help: Use Premack’s principle; reward system Compartmentalize … [Read more...]
Awkward doesn’t even begin to describe it
IF you talk to veterinary team members very long you’ll eventually hear about awkward situations they frequently encounter. The FIRSTLINE team gathered a few of these stories for this article. For salespersons and new clinic colleagues, stories like these are great icebreakers. To get a conversation started ask, “What happened this week that was awkward and challenging to … [Read more...]
Top 5 substances that affect blood glucose
Thomas Schermerhorn, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM), shares his top five substances that exert important effects on blood glucose regulation in dogs and cats and the clinical situations in which they may be encountered: Insulin Glucocorticoids Xylitol Growth hormone Progestins Source: Clinician’s Brief, November 2018. Link. Abnormalities in blood glucose occur when … [Read more...]
Dogs, ibuprofen and other human pain relievers
Melvin Peña provides solid information about ibuprofen and other human NSAIDS being ingested by dogs. He explains the compounds’ mode of action in dogs and shares common toxicity symptoms. Peña focuses his information on dogs and ibuprofen, since it appears to be the biggest reported culprit. Still no nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, is safe for dogs to … [Read more...]
Alternatives for feeding dogs with diarrhea or other stomach issues
Marc Smith, DVM, draws from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) food therapy when addressing a dog with stomach issues. His approach is to optimize the individual’s qi (life force) by balancing the internal energies of yin (cold) and yang (heat). According to TCM, all foods have properties that either warm the body, cool the body or are neutral, says Smith. Most acute … [Read more...]
The role of gut-microbiota in animal health, well-being
The complex microbial community in the gut of animals plays a critical role in pathogen control, immune function, nutrient provision and intestinal morphology. Animals are born with no effective gut microbiota. Inoculation and colonization begins as the animal exits the birth canal. Each animal’s microbiota is unique, but 90 percent of the contributing organisms are of the … [Read more...]
Let chicks outside at the right time
Marissa Ames discusses when new chicks can leave the brooder to get exposed to the outdoors. She provides an informative growth and temperature chart to help chicken owners keep weather in mind so chicks manage the transition from brooder to the outdoors as well as possible. Source: Countryside Daily, March 13, 2019. Link. Whether chicks are outside or in, always ensure they … [Read more...]
PickyOrSick.com, a new science-based resource helps cat owners
A new website from Kindred Biosciences, Inc., helps owners recognize changes in eating and drinking behavior in their cat and directs them to a veterinarian. The site provides research-backed information and always directs owners to make an appointment at their local veterinary clinic. Note how often people search the internet about cat illness in the announcement. Source: … [Read more...]
Top 10 Cities heartworm report: March 2019
CAPC released the March 2019 report that lists cities with the highest percentage increase in positive heartworm tests. They are: Overland Park, KS San Francisco, CA Laredo, TX Thousand Oaks, CA Salinas, CA Oceanside, CA Clarksville, TN Portland, OR Providence, RI Jersey City, NJ Source: CAPC, April 12, 2019. Link. Share this update with … [Read more...]
USDA simplifying vaccine labels
Industry groups have pushed for a single-tiered system since 2002. Similar to the system FDA uses for human vaccines, the single-tiered system makes the approval process more efficient, while still providing producers and veterinarians the information they need to make vaccine decisions. USDA published a final rule in 2015. USDA released guidelines in 2018, and the … [Read more...]
JAVMA talks student debt, salaries
With nearly half of veterinary clinics seeking a new associate DVM in the next decade, <link> practice owners need to stay abreast of both salaries and indebtedness of students arriving on the job scene. Salary trends appear strong while debt continues to increase. Source: JAVMA, May 1, 2019. Link. (abstract only) . . . the mean full-time starting salary was $82,425 . … [Read more...]
Employment opportunities in veterinary profession exploding
The 2013 National Research Council comprehensive study of current and future workforce needs in the veterinary profession concluded there was little evidence of workforce shortages in most areas of the profession. Today however, the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate a projected increase of 15,000 veterinarian positions will be needed between 2016 and 2026. While it’s very … [Read more...]
Screen time has little impact on teen well-being
A new study casts doubt on the widely accepted notion that spending time online, gaming, or watching TV, especially before bedtime, can damage young people's mental health. Published in Psychological Science <link>, at least one of three studies included in the report normalized results for specific content affect. Perhaps we’ve been misled? Source: Science Daily, … [Read more...]
Rapid fertility evolution has beef bulls in demand on dairies
Corey Geiger explains why some dairy managers are using beef genetics in their dairy cow herds. Earlier use of heifers, sexed semen and improved pregnancy rates are part of the reasons for this shift in fertility strategies. This April, 4284 bulls were declared active by A.I. organizations . . . but only 1,074 of those bulls had milking daughters. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, … [Read more...]
Consolidation continues as nearly 3,000 U.S. dairy farms closed in 2018
Consolidation is happening throughout the animal health industry. Hoard’s team provides a series of articles that project a picture increasing cow numbers on fewer farms. While market conditions are a primary factor, attrition due to dairy farmers’ age, absence of succession options and carrying costs also contribute to this trend. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman. Dairy farm … [Read more...]
Treating Type One and Type Two equine wounds (includes video, photos)
Type One wounds, those that heal by first intention, are those that can be sewn up, says David Ramsey, DVM. Normally after a cut, there’s about six hours to reintroduce the edges of the skin to each other. Type Two wounds are healed by second intention because to close the skin granulation and epithelial, cell bridges must form. In the two articles referenced here, Ramsey … [Read more...]