Vitamin D is good for all of us, according to this article. Changes in the daily dose guidelines will interest all animal health professionals. Source: Repertoire Magazine, April 2016. Vitamin D is not only known for its ability to help maintain healthy bones and teeth. Research has suggested it also: Supports the health of the immune system, brain and nervous … [Read more...]
Cesar Millan’s tips for picking up dogs
Cesar reminds pet owners of a dog’s perspective about being picked up. The perspective is interesting to consider. “Stay calm, and leave the dog on the floor,” is his guidance. Source: Cesar’s Way, May 1, 2016. We always have to remember that dogs are different than people, no matter how much we consider them to be a part of our lives and families. Their psychology is … [Read more...]
Scan every pet, every visit
This is a good reminder during National Pet Week. Routine scanning of individual microchips ensures their reliability. To be effective, the microchip, scanner and the registration databases must all in good order. Routine scanning is essentially quality control and supports the value of the recovery systems should an animal become lost. Source: MWI Messenger, May 2016, page … [Read more...]
National pet week
National Pet Week is in full swing through Saturday, May 7. With the theme, “Lifetime of Love,” each day focuses on a special topic. They are: Sunday, May 1: Choose well, commit for life. Monday, May 2: Socialize now. New doesn't have to be scary. Tuesday, May 3: Exercise body. Exercise mind. Wednesday, May 4: Love your pet? See … [Read more...]
5 ways to keep small teams efficient
John Rampton shares how he works to make small teams as efficient as they can be. These are five key areas: Get everyone square on the team’s goals Give people freedom, then preserve it Automate and outsource wherever you need to Keep check-ins regular and meetings small Craft an unbelievable culture Source: Fast Company, April 25, 2016. In many ways, small … [Read more...]
World Pork Expo kicks off next month
There is more to the World Pork Expo than hogs walking around a show ring. It is a destination worthy of consideration for any animal health professional, especially those working in swine markets. The show can help open your eyes to industry changes on the way. If you plan to be near Des Moines, Iowa, June 8 to 10, consider adding it to your plans. Source: National Hog … [Read more...]
Editorial – Questions are essential to successful workplaces
My grandfather often said, “the wisdom is in the question, not the answers.” He was not admonishing me for talking too much, rather, trying to get me to think more broadly and thoughtfully. Companies that view questions as a problem are missing out, writes Jay Steven Levin and Scott Mabry in these blog posts. Meaningful questions take time and consideration. They’re, intended … [Read more...]
Is your vet making your dog sick and charging you for it?
With the headline, Dangerous over-vaccination is on the rise, Patricia Jordan, DVM, challenges annual vaccination protocols, duration of immunity and profit motives. She makes no reference to the regulatory oversight required to get a vaccine approved or the ongoing testing continually underway in manufacturing. Source: Dogs Naturally, April 26, 2016. Today I’m writing … [Read more...]
9 things to know about animal vaccine development
Drs. Richt, Rowland and Shi share the goal of developing rationally designed vaccines that are safe and efficacious. Their vaccine development and testing projects are in various stages and all of them guard animal health. Each of them are pursuing Differentiation of Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) or marker vaccines that allow for vaccination while retaining the … [Read more...]
Lighthearted viral lemur video has serious undertone
Everything about this video—the lemur, its incessant demands and the young boys —is adorable. However, the real story of lemurs and domestication is quite different according to Tara Clarke, assistant professor at Duke University and co-director of a nonprofit called Lemur Love. Source: Slate, April 27, 2016 via AVMA SmartBrief, April 29, 2016. Lemurs (Lemur catta) are not … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Equine gastroscopy 101
Merial provides a primer on what to expect if an equine veterinarian suggests a gastroscopic examination. This was sent to AQHA Daily subscribers. Source: AQHA Daily, April 28, 2016. Two out of three non-racing competitive horses have stomach ulcers. Signs such as poor performance, decreased appetite, recurrent colic or poor body condition may point to stomach ulcers. … [Read more...]
Find Fido’s perfect rawhide chew
Nancy Kern provides an informative essay on the subject of rawhide chews. It includes the who, what, when where, how and why of chews. She shares how to identify the best ones. This is good information for veterinary teams to discuss at staff meetings and to use on websites, blogs and newsletters. Source: Whole Dog Journal, February 19, 2016 via May 1, 2016 … [Read more...]
New York issues guidelines for avoiding conflicts with coyotes
Coyotes are adaptable and have invaded urban and suburban spaces. Their normal behaviors often put pets at risk. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has issued coyote guidelines that could be used in any part of the U.S. It is good information for websites, blogs and newsletters. Source: AgriPulse, May 2, 2016, link to WBNG News. The state Department of … [Read more...]
Run meetings that are fair to introverts, women and remote workers
The title says it all. Diversity and geographic separation make meetings challenging. Those challenges get deeper if biases are not mitigated. Source: Harvard Business Review, April 29, 2016. By overcoming the biases, organizations can elevate their collective thinking, giving them a much greater chance of realizing the full potential of their entire workforce, not just the … [Read more...]
Another E. coli
E. coli O165:H25, is an enterohemorrhagic strain that can cause disease in cattle and could poses a food safety hazard for humans. It is a potential risk in young calves and recently caused enteric disease in feedlot heifers. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, April 25, 2016. The 0165:H25 serotype is similar to E. coli O157:H7, and could be an emerging food-borne pathogen in … [Read more...]
Whole Foods whops PETA
For some, this article will be a rude awakening. Others will smile and laugh with author Dan Murphy. See how a lawsuit from PETA exposes perfectly permissible premium pricing and nebulous labeling by Whole Foods. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, April 29, 2016. This entire scenario is classic. PETA sues Whole Foods because they’re not righteous enough for the extremist … [Read more...]
Billboards attack at conventional food production
The Animal Health Digest team helps show animal health professionals information media presents to business-to-business business-to-consumer audiences. Some of this information is actionable. Some is more for your information. This article is one of the latter. Review it to determine how you may wish to respond within your own community. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April … [Read more...]
Professor clarifies livestock’s part in greenhouse gases
Frank Mitloehner, University of California – Davis professor and air quality specialist, is working to clear the air on the role of livestock in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. He notes that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has quantified livestock as the source of just 4.2 percent of all U.S. GHG emissions. This compared to transportation and energy sectors contribute … [Read more...]
Improved environments stop cats from eating non-food items
Pica or wool-sucking is common in oriental cat breeds. Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University shares an experience with a pica cat and discusses the disorder. Source: Cat Talk, March 2012. These days, wool-sucking/pica is regarded as a form of feline compulsive disorder and, as such, has … [Read more...]
CEVA increases commitment to heartworm education
Ceva Animal Health is stepping up its commitment to the American Heartworm Society by becoming a Platinum sponsor along with Bayer, Elanco, Merial, Virbac and Zoetis. “This is an especially appropriate time for Ceva to show our support, as we believe the emphasis on the importance of fighting both heartworms and the vectors that carry them is more important than ever … [Read more...]
5 steps to become an equine technician
Beyond the love of horses, this article provides a reality check and roadmap for persons wanting to become an equine technician. Source: NAVTA Journal, Apr/May 2016, page 55. (direct link unavailable) To become a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Equine Nursing (VTS-EVN) candidates must work three or more years on the job to gain experience before beginning a yearlong … [Read more...]
Veterinary nurse title confuses human RNs
The movement to register veterinary nurses compared to the more commonly used term of veterinary technician was the focus of a perception study of a small sample of human registered nurses. This article is detailed, yet clearly shows the veterinary nurse or technician role is not understood at an educational level. The term is just as confusing to similarly titled persons in … [Read more...]
The impact of training recommendations on patients and clients
Behavior-related issues are cited as determining factors in more than half of all pets relinquished to shelters. This AAVSB RACE-accredited article helps reset expectations for what modern dog training should be and the importance of veterinary team members’ knowledge of training approaches and local trainers. Source: NAVTA Journal, Apr/May 2016, page 36. (direct link … [Read more...]
Here come the bugs!
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) gazed into the future and doesn’t like what’s coming. Its computer models for 2016, released April 19, predict growing threats to dogs and cats from multiple vector-borne diseases. Source: Veterinary Practice News, April 19, 2016. For the entire year, CAPC predicts: Growing risk of Lyme disease in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and … [Read more...]
Egg producers lose to cage-free activists
It has never been the primary responsibility of retailers and restaurant chains to explain and defend animal husbandry practices, says Terrence O'Keefe, editor of Egg Industry and content director of agri-business at WATT Global Media. Egg producers and their lenders aren’t happy because they now face what could be a cumulative $6 billion to $10 billion capital outlay to … [Read more...]
Research simulates PEDv route of entry from China
Scott Dee, DVM, Pipestone, Minnesota, led a study designed to simulate the shipping route of a feed source from Beijing, China to Des Moines, Iowa. Results show feed could be a transfer medium for PEDv. It also modeled potential mitigation strategies. Dee’s findings set the stage for more research. Source: Pork Network, April 25, 2016. Under the conditions of this study, … [Read more...]
Local DVM recommends year-round prevention
Lawrence Gerson, VMD, shares his perspective and recommendations for heartworm and other parasites. He references the recent attention to mosquitoes and the Zika virus, the need for year-round prevention and its benefits on other parasite threats to pets and humans. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 23, 2016. (via AVMA SmartBrief, April 25, 2016) Dogs can be bitten by … [Read more...]
Steps to a more satisfying life
There is at least one tip for everyone in this article. Here are four of eleven tips offered: Set appropriate expectations at home, at work and in the community. Spend 10% of your time creating and monitoring your life plan. Be present in all that you do. Multitasking is not being present. Measure accomplishment by results rather than by hours worked. Source: … [Read more...]
The changing Holstein
Many of us were taught that every Holstein is genetically the same as the next. This article sheds light on how crossbreeding has changed the dairy cow, its production potential and the profit stream that flows from these living manufacturing units. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 20, 2016. We needed a heartier cow in the late 1990s. A cow that can maintain some body … [Read more...]
Pork trademarks under fire by HSUS
The Humane Society of the United States will continue its legal challenges to a 2006 sale of “Pork. The Other White Meat” and other Pork trademarks by the National Pork Producers Council to the National Pork Board for $35 million. HSUS contends the sale and ensuing payments were unlawful and the Pork Board is prohibited from using checkoff dollars to influence … [Read more...]