Commentary Mara Watts’s article3 advocating for seasonal, proactive care and support for farmyard cats initiated thoughts and an investigation of the various categories of cats1 based on their lifestyles. Recent posts from animal health pros sought to identify and reduce barriers to the medicalization of cats, increase wellness efforts and improve veterinary care of pet cats … [Read more...]
10 Cat breeds that act like dogs
Commentary Jackie Brown shares behaviors some cat owners describe as dog-like in this article. It is interesting information if someone knows what they want from a cat, but likely doesn’t advance our industry’s effort to differentiate the two species and increase the ability to treat cats as a whole. Source: Cats.com, July 9, 2024. Link. Related: 10 cats that form … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – March 3, 2025
Lamb Chop puppet revival, hidden fees, small business AI, hero blood donor dogs, pet insurance for small businesses, pup busing, pet aquamation services, business taxes and more . . . Source: IBPSA, March 3, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 27, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 20, 2024. Link. Most read posts from February 20, 2025 AHD Bulletin – BuddyID® offers free lifetime registration for pets affected by Save This Life microchip. Link. Resources designed to help talk teeth and oral care. Link. Applying facial recognition to animal stewardship and production. … [Read more...]
Improving cull cow decisions
Our perceptions of cull cows are not always representative of their value as they leave the herd. It is better to consider them dairy market cows versus cull cows <Link>. Cull cow weight and price remain a primary factor in managing herd profitability. Maureen Hansen covers five factors to consider when culling cows. She includes economic and animal health elements that … [Read more...]
New protocol guide to help DVMs standardize their approach to canine OA
Complimentary Commercial Content American Regent, maker of Adequan® Canine (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), created an OA Treatment Protocol Guide subsequent to veterinary feedback. The guide will help veterinary teams develop their own osteoarthritis protocols which shares a three-step plan to help develop and implement an OA treatment protocol in almost any clinic. It … [Read more...]
Who’s afraid of the dreaded cough?!
Commercially supported by Merck Animal Health Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM, provides an insightful and educational look at canine infectious respiratory disease complex, its primary causes, the changes in dog influenza and why knowing how dogs are vaccinated is important to individual dogs and for those dogs around them. Source: Dr Jen the Vet, YouTube, … [Read more...]
Thoughts on communicating with people outside of your normal industry segment
Emily Eilers addresses the challenges of communicating the farm and food story with consumers while facing the narratives inherent when only two percent of the U.S. population grows our food. Source: Nebraska Farmer, February 19, 2025. Link. Commentary Eiler’s article caused me to think about the number of social media posts I saw from cow-calf producers during the … [Read more...]
Milking camels a niche market
Niche markets in livestock production offer intrigue and opportunities to producers willing to learn and take risks. Camels were imported to the American West in the 1850s as pack animals and have garnered interest since <Link>. In this article, Steve Pastis shares the story of three U.S. dairy farmers filling a niche market by milking camels. Source: Progressive … [Read more...]
Varroa mites, public enemy No.1 to bees
Reducing the destruction to bee colonies caused by Varroa destructor mites is a priority for beekeepers worldwide, but research reveals that improper timing of various treatments could cause more harm than good. Source: Earth.com, February 10, 2025. Link. A common mistake among beekeepers is applying treatment too early or too late in the season. If treatment occurs too … [Read more...]
Ear cleaning and treatment outcomes in dogs with otitis externa
Questioning why we do things the way we’ve always done them makes sense. In this article William Oldenhoff, DVM, DACVD, reviews a study that evaluated whether cleaning dogs’ ears improves treatment outcomes. Both groups had successful treatment outcomes, regardless of cleaning; however, cleaning before medication application was particularly important in patients with … [Read more...]
Resources designed to help talk teeth and oral care
Sponsor Content Infographics are great tools to use when talking with clients about dental and oral care for their pets. These free dental health infographics are great educational tools for your clients that can help animal health pros spread the importance of dental health in pets during National Dental Health Month. The infographics provide information about periodontal … [Read more...]
Applying facial recognition to animal stewardship and production
Fascinating! Scientists worldwide are turning to AI to decipher the facial expressions of animals, from sheep to horses to cats and dogs. Some have already developed faster and more accurate algorithms for recognizing signs of pain and distress than the most attentive humans. In this article, the authors share several examples of how AI is being developed to observe animals and … [Read more...]
Mycoplasma bovis: Tough to treat, difficult to prevent
Includes Commercial References Newport Laboratories’ Jason Anderson, DVM, writes about Mycoplasma bovis, calling it problematic, insidious and hard to control. M. bovis is found in many different disease presentations. Affected cattle may display nasal discharge, cough, labored breathing, drooped ear, head tilt, head shaking, difficulty moving, swollen joints, inflamed … [Read more...]
Opportunities for retailers who focus on oral care products
Includes Commercial Content What’s that old saying? “It takes a community . . . “ Glenn Polyn shares ideas for pet retailers in this article. He notes the oral health retail sector has grown with innovative and easy-to-use products designed to help address dental health in dogs and cats. Polyn mentions cross-merchandising opportunities and the importance of training store … [Read more...]
Survey says unruly customers take a toll on frontline workers
Whether in person or on a call, customer impatience and retaliatory behaviors create difficulties for frontline employees and affect positive customer experiences. A survey by Perceptyx found more than half of public-facing workers have recently encountered customers who were verbally abusive, threatening or otherwise unruly. The report shares how frontline personnel are … [Read more...]
Could we be headed to a ‘manager crash’ in 2025?
Commentary Although sometimes suspect as subtle promotions for consulting groups, articles like this and the data they share are worth considering. The pandemic upset the proverbial apple cart and increased the need for excellent juggling skills at all levels of the animal health business, regardless of staff size and sophistication. A declining number of middle managers did … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 6, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 30, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 30, 2025 AHD Bulletin Making the case for clinical obesity vs. obesity in veterinary medicine. Link. Storm clouds on the horizon evident in next generation of students. Link. Leadership advice. Link. Bird flu enters a new phase . . . the … [Read more...]
Veterinarian warns cat owners about H5N1 risks amid rising cases
“Vigilance is key in preventing further bird flu infections,” said Susan Nelson, DVM, discussing the detection of H5N1 in cats. The article offers preventive measures to minimize the risk of infection in cats and other animals, including up-to-date rabies vaccinations, keeping cats indoors and avoiding feeding raw meat or unpasteurized dairy products. Source: PHYS.ORG, … [Read more...]
High prevalence of veterinary drugs in birds’ nest materials
A study published in Science of the Total Environment found high levels of veterinary insecticides in the nests of British songbirds and associated it with increased mortality in their offspring. Fipronil, imidacloprid and permethrin were detected in 100 percent, 89.1 percent and 89.1 percent of the nest material samples, respectively. Source: Science Direct, February 10, … [Read more...]
30,000 from 86 countries, 2025 VMX celebrated the emotion, art behind veterinary science
As the dust settles for those who traveled to Orlando for VMX 2025, many animal health pros stayed behind to run practices and keep customers serviced. To get a taste of the event, review the news release here and note the video link as well. Congratulations to the NAVC for another record-breaking conference! Source: NAVC, January 30, 2025. Link. VMX 2025 was a … [Read more...]
6 strategies for navigating a multigenerational healthcare workforce
Jacob Kupietzky outlines strategies for leaders to successfully navigate the dynamics of their multigenerational teams so that all employees can thrive. His strategies apply to veterinary teams as they meet challenges and develop opportunities in animal medicine. Source: Fast Company, January 30, 2025. Link. Leaders who proactively address generational differences while … [Read more...]
Client education, the main objective of National Pet Dental Month
Commentary Sponsored by the AVMA, February is National Pet Dental Month. Our industry has presented and marketed dental care myriad ways over the past three decades. Foundationally, the dental market sought the "endorsement" of veterinary dental products <Link>. When the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Guidelines recommended pet dental care in 2017, … [Read more...]
6 ways to develop today’s managers to be tomorrow’s leaders
Commentary Employee development is an underlying theme in our animal health industry. Collectively, we are challenged to find enough veterinarians and technicians ready to provide full veterinary services. Beyond the science, we face challenges to identify aspects of professional roles and improve the ongoing need to cultivate opportunities for personal development and … [Read more...]
Bird flu enters a new phase, meanwhile, the environment cannot be sterilized
The latest data from the CDC and USDA shows the continued devastating effects of bird flu outbreaks across the United States. New York Times writer Apoorva Mandavilli provides a relevant and updated situation analysis in the second article shared here. Not yet a serious human threat, she shares the expanding discoveries in mammalian species, including cats both wild and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 30, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 23, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 23, 2025 AHD Bulletin Managing your stress. Link. Johne’s disease no longer just a dairy disease. Link. 200 weeks and counting . . . the bull run continues. Link. ================================= Wings, turf, pigskin, cheese and more . . . … [Read more...]
Employee detachment threatens customer satisfaction
When employees disengage, customers feel it. Customer centricity is a competitive advantage and worth investing time and effort to ensure stronger alignments between employees and customers. Source: Gallup, January 28, 2005. Link. Employee pride in the quality of products and services is declining.” INSIGHTS: For small businesses, a simple phone call as follow-up may … [Read more...]
People buy benefits. Does your website share them?
Commentary Patrick Malone consistently coaches, “No one ever paid a dollar for a feature or function . . . they buy the benefit and what it will give to them.” Another way this can be expressed is we need to provide a “what’s in it for them” explanation. The results of a study published in JAVMA recently suggest that opportunities exist to increase communication of the … [Read more...]
Gender and appearance bias exacerbates equine DVM shortage
A study published in Equine Veterinary Journal shared results of a focus group study of current and former equine veterinarians to learn what stressors led to, or could lead to, them leaving the profession. Beyond compensation, student loan debt and work-life balance, discrimination was an overall challenge. Seventy-six percent of participants reported experiencing some form of … [Read more...]
Storm clouds on the horizon evident in next generation of students
Commentary The slide show here was disturbing because it confirms discussions with educators. Industry colleagues have previously shared their challenges with integrating Gen Z early adults in the workplace, and it seems apparent the next generation will be even more challenging. While there are obvious human resource and selection criteria issues to plan for, the role … [Read more...]