A Palmer, Kansas, family dairy operation spent five years researching robotics and deployed a system a year ago. Duane Meier reflects on the positive results of the effort. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 21, 2016. Now, six people are taking care of 720 cows with more time to actually manage the cows and take care of 600 acres of crops. Milk production increases are … [Read more...]
Understand why cats puke so much
An excerpt from a book by Justine A. Lee, DVM, challenges the reality that cat owners often just tolerate how much their cats vomit. The guidance suggests that if there is no hair in the vomit there may be a reason to take the cat to a veterinarian. Source: Tufts Cat Talk, October 24, 2016. Chest and abdominal x-rays, some basic blood work, and a sterile lung fluid wash … [Read more...]
TNR works to control feral cats
Challenges with feral cats spans centuries. Estimates on their numbers range from about half as many as there are owned-cats to one and a half times as many owned cats. With 74 million owned-cats, there could be 32 million to 106 million feral cats. Feral cats are both beneficial and problematic. Historically, they were tied to superstitions in medieval Europe when the Great … [Read more...]
More controversy over dog kisses
Mouth to mouth dog kisses may feel like the ultimate display of affection, but when it comes to such kisses, several experts caution: beware of dogs. Source: New York Times, October 21, 2016. Dr. Nandi, University of Pennsylvania, says a dog’s saliva has proteins that may help cleanse or heal its own wounds, but in a paragraph titled “Why Not to Make Out With Your Pet,” he … [Read more...]
Being helpful at work can make you worse at your job
The title seems to fly in the face of logic. But University of Florida business professor Klodiana Lanaj recently outlined a major downside to this approach. Helping your colleagues is exhausting. In two recently published studies she and her colleagues discovered that helpfulness at work is something of a tightrope walk: It can boost your energy, but it can also leave you … [Read more...]
Breakers, boners, leans and lights
Cull cows, bulls and cull dairy cows make up about 20 percent of the beef available for consumption in the United States. About half of this group, or 10 percent of the beef supply, comes from cull beef cows. The USDA market news service reports on four classes of cull cows (not destined to be replacements). Learning a bit more about these classifications can impact overall … [Read more...]
Top 5 reasons veterinary nurses are essential
Veterinary nurses, or veterinary technicians, bring special skills and attributes to a practice. Few persons have a longer job description. Practices that learn to use them to their full potential realize increases in efficiency and improvements in client service and patient care. Veterinary nurses, with all their special skills, knowledge and attributes, are the gears that … [Read more...]
Being bold and making tough decisions
LaRae Quy was an FBI undercover and counterintelligence agent for 24 years. She is the author of “Secrets of a Strong Mind” and “Mental Toughness for Women Leaders: 52 Tips To Recognize and Utilize Your Greatest Strengths.” She says, “It’s no secret that business and life are not as simple as they were, either. Executives, business owners and entrepreneurs need to take a bold … [Read more...]
Research helps identify quitting behaviors
The basic tenet of managing turnover is that everyone eventually leaves. But the “when” can feel like a mystery. Recent research shouldn’t be considered the only way to identify an employee on the verge of quitting, but it does point to a set of behaviors that, taken together, can provide a clue—and it discounts behaviors that have mistakenly been seen as tells. Source: … [Read more...]
Stallions with steady jobs behave better
Jim Brinkman, owner of Pitzer Ranch in Ericson, Nebraska, and equine behaviorist Sue McDonnell, Ph.D., with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, share their experiences about helping a stallion behave well. Source: AQHA Daily, October 19, 2016. Give him a job. “A stallion is a lot like an 18-year-old-boy. If he’s got a steady job, and he’s a little … [Read more...]
AAHA transitioning to accredited-only hospital membership model
AAHA is bolstering its strategy to clarify and support the accredited AAHA practices with membership changes. Over the next two years, it will transition to an accredited-only hospital membership model. The transition will be completed by June 30, 2018. Non-accredited practices have until July 1, 2017 to enter into an agreement to become AAHA accredited. Any non-accredited … [Read more...]
How to recommend pet foods
Fritz Wood, CPA, CFP, often reminds his audiences that 100 percent of the dogs and cats that visit a veterinary practice EAT. The same is true of shoppers’ pets seen by retail associates. With this in mind, the free VetFolio web conference will be valuable to veterinary teams and reps who serve them. Consider attending this free web conference as a team. After the … [Read more...]
7 tips to keep pets safe this Halloween
Halloween is Monday, October 31. The American Veterinary Medical Association offers seven, common-sense tips to keeps pets safe during this ghoulish time. It also offers a free client handout to AVMA members here. Source: American Veterinary Medical Association. Don’t feed your pets Halloween candy Make sure your pet is properly identified (microchip, collar and ID … [Read more...]
Ear cytology illustrated
Ear cytology provides an abundance of useful clinical information that is easily obtained with in-house testing. When combined with otoscopic examination findings, cytology is an efficient tool that help clinicians make a diagnosis and assess treatment response. Source: Clinician’s Brief, June 2016. Utilize these photo images to review common findings present on ear … [Read more...]
Fetal programming affects how beef calves perform
“If cows have less stress during pregnancy, they have a better calf crop,” Ron Scott, director of beef research for Purina Animal Nutrition, says. “And, not only does it affect the calf crop right then, but close-outs at the feedyard, it influences fertility of the replacement heifers. And all of that has to do with the type of environment that calf had when its mama was … [Read more...]
Senior dogs can turn into puppies
Dogs often revert to puppy like problems as they age. Teoti Anderson reviews some issues pet owners may find coming back as their canine friends age. The core areas of anxiety, housetraining accidents, destructive behavior and grooming struggles are all considerations. Source: Modern Dog, October 13, 2016. As a dog ages, hearing and other senses diminish. Remember that … [Read more...]
Studies help define human relationships with dogs
Karen B. London, PhD, shares her perspective about the direction of anthrozoology studies. She references recent research published in the Applied Animal Behavior Science Journal; Measuring dog-owner relationships: Crossing boundaries between animal behaviour and human psychology. Source: The Bark, October 15, 2016. Referencing the study London relates some suggestions … [Read more...]
Training an older dog
Pat Miller says training an older dog requires some accommodations, but it can be done. She discusses a number of factors that influence how much and what mature canines can learn. She recommends talking with a veterinarian before starting a senior dog in a physically vigorous training program. Source: Whole Dog Journal, October 16, 2016 (repurposed from December 2007 … [Read more...]
Dogs and horses don extreme Halloween costumes
Just for fun! It is almost Halloween. Whether your customers are having a barn party or attending a holiday horse show, some of the most creative horse and dog costumes are about to emerge. Source: Horse Network, October 13, 2017. Photo essay of 28 Halloween horse (and dog) costumes that prove you aren’t trying hard enough. … [Read more...]
Pig virus with polio-like symptoms discovered
A novel sapelovirus that Iowa State University researchers had not previously encountered was found in microscopic lesions in two pigs’ central nervous tissues. The 11-week-old pigs displayed a polio-like weakness in their hind legs that prevented walking. Source: Pork Network, October 13, 2016. Paulo Arruda, an assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic and production … [Read more...]
Backyard flocks are big risk for spreading Gumboro in U.S. chickens
Infectious bursal disease (IBD), commonly known as Gumboro, is an immunosuppressive disease in chickens caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). A wide range of IBDV pathotypes exist in nature. They have been generally classified into subclinical IBDV (variant), classic virulent IBDV and very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) groups. Although vvIBDV does not exist in some … [Read more...]
Long-forgotten research unearths new mystery about Lyme disease
Nearly two years before Willy Burgdorfer discovered the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, he stumbled upon another obscure tick-borne bacterium, Rickettsia helvetica, which he called the Swiss Agent. But, Burgdorfer put those results aside. His 1980s-era papers on the forgotten research were recently discovered, raising new questions about the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme … [Read more...]
11 states where veterinarians earn great salaries
Insider Monkey, an evidence-based investment resource, recently released statistics about the 11 highest-paying states for veterinarians, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics report. Source: AAHA NEWStat, October 12, 2016. To select the 11 highest paying states for veterinarians, Insider Monkey referred to the Occupational Employment … [Read more...]
Understanding accountability
Accountable. The word conjures up visions of bad annual reviews, pink slips, punishment or harder work. Jonathan Raymond suggests thinking about accountability in five steps: The mention The invitation The conversation The boundary The limit Source: Harvard Business Review, October 13, 2016. At work as in life, we all need the people who care about us to … [Read more...]
Fall can be hazardous for pets
Sarah Young reminds us that fall weather also brings some seasonal hazards for pets. These simple reminders make good material for newsletters, posts and websites. Source: Consumer Affairs, October 12, 2016. Before heading outdoors, pet owners should keep in mind that fall brings with it certain risks to dogs. Some of these risks are made by mother nature while others are … [Read more...]
Dog-centric practices benefit dogs, vet teams
Progress is being made in all animal care segments to reduce the stress on animals when visiting a veterinary hospital or treatment environment. This article, the first of two, presents proactive thinking and preparation for animals that respond negatively to practice visits. The guidance includes people safety and reminds us that some preparations need to start at … [Read more...]
Water dangers for dogs
Ben Character, DVM, reviews the risks of dogs getting in the water in this Q & A. He says there are five major infectious organisms considered as waterborne. He also references chemical runoff. While this e-blast targets hunting dog owners, the warnings are similar for urban animals. Water features are common in suburbia and on golf courses. While pretty, they may not be … [Read more...]
APHIS pet travel tool
When travelling with pets, there may be animal health requirements specific for a destination. Factors to consider may include meeting timeframes for obtaining a health certificate, updating vaccinations, diagnostic testing or administration of medications or treatments. USDA APHIS recently launched a handy tool for veterinary teams and animal health pros dealing with pet … [Read more...]
Select the right bull
Bulls can rapidly change a herd. However, it is important to select the right bulls to make sure progress is made, says Burke Teichert. Bull selection, combined with choosing cull cows can positively or negatively impact operation profit so it needs to be done strategically. Source: Beef, October 6, 2017. Teichert offers 5 tips when selecting bulls: Cull the right … [Read more...]
50th World Dairy Expo ends
Here are some photos and moments from the World Dairy Expo that took place last week in Madison, Wisconsin. If you could not attend or have never been there, these will help you experience it minus the ice cream, milk and cheese samples. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 7, 2016. There are plenty of sights to take in while attending the 50th World Dairy Expo in … [Read more...]