Feeding pregnant cows with a balanced ration will yield calves with more muscle mass. The nutrition part of gestation is critical! It matters the entire time due to fetal changes throughout gestation.” - Ruel "Buzz" Iliff, DVM Source: BEEF, October 5, 2021. Link. Cows can’t handle fetal development entirely on their own. They need a balanced ration for the entire gestation to … [Read more...]
Scratches, bacteria contribute to EPD
The search for the cause of equine pastern dermatitis continues adding new research results regarding bacteria. We really can’t conclude that any bacteria cause EPD. At this point we can only show that it’s associated with it.” - Sarah Kaiser-Thom, DVM, PhD Source: The Horse, October 5, 2021. Link. EPD is common, and people have this empirical knowledge about it, like it … [Read more...]
Halloween safety tips for cats
A new infographic from the AAFP will help cat owners take precautions for their feline friends during Halloween activities. The tip list appeared with the announcement of the newly redesigned Cat Friendly website which is now organized by categories like Behavior, Veterinary Care, and Being a Cat Friendly Caregiver. Source: Cat Friendly … [Read more...]
5 supplements dogs need or don’t
NOTE: The word SHOULD in this article is strong and potentially dangerous language for pet owners. There is also a link to “top” supplements to help with everything from anxiety, digestion and joint health to dental and immune support. Ugghh! Turmeric, coconut oil, probiotics, glucosamine and fish oil are supplements Jennifer Yau says dog owners SHOULD give their dogs. At … [Read more...]
Them’s the Rules: Bio containment? Viral escapes? What?
Complimentary* Bio-containment expert Lisa Kercher, PhD, discusses virus research, bio attacks and what type of regulations exist in the US to prevent catastrophes including viral mishaps! Source: Chats with the Chatfields, You Tube, September 16, 2021. Link. “How to work with animals in containment was the longest amount of training I had,” shared Kercher. The scariest … [Read more...]
IBPSA’s Fast Bites – October 4th edition
IBBY excellence award winners from the 9th 2021 IBPSA Business Conference, SNL’s Keenen Thompson’s effort to inspire students to become DVMs, Penn Vet’s new coalition for pet care, how pet lodging businesses are competing to provide “pet-cations” and more. Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, October 4, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Petco to expand PupBoxes, include private label products
Opinion PupBox, a monthly subscription service for dogs, will expand to offer boxes across four life stages: puppy, young pup, grown pup and senior pup. The boxes each contain five to seven hand-picked items items designed for a dog's specific needs at each stage of life. This expansion follows the one of Petco’s mental health pet programs, which also feature the … [Read more...]
Good consumer marketing is like dating
The goal of dating is to get someone to like you, to take a chance on you and to, hopefully, give you a second date. That’s exactly what we want when we’re trying to bring somebody into our brand, store (clinic) or service.” - Michael Johnson Source: Petfood Industry, September 29, 2021. Link. The things that most pet consumers have in common is that they are value-minded, … [Read more...]
Use time blocking for better time management
Time blocking is the practice of planning your schedule for the day in advance by blocking every hour of your day for specific tasks and responsibilities. Thomas Griffin explains how to start time blocking and its benefits. Source: Forbes, September 15, 2021. Link. The reason why time blocking works so well is that, unlike an open-ended to-do list, here, it helps you focus … [Read more...]
Spectrum of care: more than treatment options
From the paper: Offering and providing an spectrum of care can be difficult but can also provide substantial benefits for all stakeholders in the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. In providing a SoC, veterinarians have a responsibility to provide context for each option, discussing the advantages, disadvantages, and most likely outcomes for each option; the … [Read more...]
Public agritourism and cuddly animals have inherent disease risks
Greg Cima provides a call to action for veterinarians working with clients whose operations or activities include sharing live animals in public settings. Pathogens are an occupational hazard in animal agriculture. Zoonotic risks are inherent in public venues and interactions. Animal shedding of E coli O157:H7 and Salmonella organisms is highest in the summer and fall, when … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 30, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post More effective communications. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Sept 23, 2021. Link. But for a genetic parasite, humans might have tails Source: New Scientist, September 24, 2021. Link. Bo Xia’s tail bone injury led to a genetic investigation of why apes, and therefore humans, do not … [Read more...]
Highlights from the 31st Carthage Swine Conference
An emphasis on people, training, culture, retention and advancement are key priorities for today’s swine producers according to Claire LeFevre, DVM. She summarizes priorities from presentations at the swine conference. Source: National Hog Farmer, September 28, 2021. Link. Presenters discussed using the TN Visa Network which allows professionals from Canada and Mexico to … [Read more...]
Getting started with goats for milk
The popularity of self-sustaining food production on small acreages or large backyards includes rabbits, poultry and goats. Heather Smith Thomas writes about raising goats for milk and how their short generation makes goats a great project for 4-H kids. Dwarf goats don’t produce the volume of milk of large goats but their milk is high in butterfat and makes good cheese she … [Read more...]
Evaluation of antimicrobial prescriptions in dogs with suspected bacterial urinary tract disease
A study published in the August 16 edition of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine evaluated antimicrobial prescriptions for dogs in the U.S. and Canada diagnosed with urinary tract disease. Understanding antimicrobial use is a critical component of antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Decreases in duration and increased use of recommended first-line antimicrobials were … [Read more...]
Proactive nutrition for the healthy indoor cat
Nutrition is especially important for indoor cats, which depend solely on their owners for what, when, and how they eat. Indoor cats are at greater risk for becoming overweight or obese and for developing behavior problems." From the summary: Recommending that clients weigh daily food portions and monitor the cat’s BCS and body weight will help them maintain a healthy weight … [Read more...]
VVCA member benefits worth the price of admission
Complimentary If only for the lunch and learn events, membership in the VVCA is worth the small fee. Plus, employees of sponsor organizations receive membership at no cost. Telemedicine is here to stay – for us personally in our own health, and for the health of our pets. Consumer demand won’t let us go backward at this point. Virtual care is … [Read more...]
Third-party sellers are outgrowing Amazon
Some of the top Amazon-native brands have ballooned to such a size that they are ready to transition beyond the platform. Amazon sellers are achieving enough scale that they can stand alone as public-facing brands. IPOs and SPACs offer a path toward ubiquity. Opinion Much of the discussion in this article will remind animal health pros of events over the last two or more … [Read more...]
Supply-chain contracts getting revamped after Covid-19 disruptions (includes video)
Buyers beware! It is likely the contract changes represented in this article will hit animal health companies at some point. We’re sharing excerpts from the article. Pandemic-driven strains in supply chains are triggering changes in contract terms between suppliers and their manufacturing and retail customers as companies try to address the risks and added costs brought on … [Read more...]
The latest from the IBPSA
We began sharing the Animal Health Digest Bulletin with the International Boarding and Pet Services Association in July. The IBPSA communicates regularly with its members with Fast Bites by email and with its magazine Pet Care Pro Quarterly. The IBPSA member base is part of the growing pet care community serving pet owners to provide pet boarding and daycare facilities, … [Read more...]
Dehydration symptoms everyone should know
Kansas City Chiefs fans were reminded of the ill effects of dehydration when Coach Andy Reid was taken to the hospital following the recent football game in GEHA Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Dehydration does more than just make you thirsty. It can be dangerous to your health, share authors Linda Melone and Maggie O'Neill. They share a slide show outlining 13 … [Read more...]
Veterinary Cannabis Society working to empower through education
The developing cannabis market for animals is a prime example of a consumer-driven market seeking consistent, dependable supply. CBD supplements and cannabis use remains a hot and complicated topic in veterinary medicine. Traditional research is scarce compared to other veterinary products, but that has not slowed the development of new products. The Veterinary Cannabis … [Read more...]
Dog disorders and their frequency in pictures
Data released by Britain's VetCompass program at the Royal Veterinary College is based on a sample of 22,333 dogs in the United Kingdom and offers insight into common dog disorders. The dogs were followed for a year and had all their health issues documented. In addition to a traditional matrix, the results are documented in unique graphic form. Source: VIN News Service, … [Read more...]
VetWatch commentary reveals pet owner influencers, satisfaction
Opinion These excerpts from the VetWatchSM Commentary for Week 37 - thru September 18, 2021 are important because they reveal the value of current market trends and changes in pet owner mindshare. Excerpt: “As of September 18, 2021, year-over-year growth remains robust though continues to slow versus the previous year.” Question: Does -0.2 percent seem minimal to … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 23, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post Survey: Workers ages 18 to 44 want payday more flexible. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Sept 16, 2021. Link. Forget a pre-flight drink. Pet an airport therapy dog. Source: Washington Post, September 17, 2021. Link. Sure, you could drown your travel anxieties at the airport bar or … [Read more...]
Comparing beef and dairy bull fertility
The increased use of beef sires on dairy cattle has raised questions on the relative fertility of beef versus dairy sires. Since 2008, dairy producers have had access to sire conception rate data. Similar information has not been available in the expected progeny differences published for beef sires for which a different scoring is used. A 2020 study by McWhorter et al. … [Read more...]
Fall checklist for horses’ health
Fall is a good time to arrange veterinary care, assess horses’ conditions, secure winter forage and restore pastures in preparation for winter. Katie Navarra shares fall horse keeping tasks broken down into four areas with checklists. Source: Horse and Rider, September 23, 2019. Link. The fall-health checklist includes: Provide optimal veterinary care Evaluate horse … [Read more...]
Cattle feed can be deadly for horses
A long-running court case serves as a reminder to be vigilant about the source and content of a horse's grain. Twenty horses there were poisoned by a mistaken delivery of cattle grain laced with the antibiotic lasalodic in 1999. All the horses colicked and five died. Source: EQUUS, July 25, 2021. Link. Lasalodic and monensin are two common cattle-feed additives that are … [Read more...]
R.I.P. Stuckie, the coon hound that refused to quit
The photos in this article may be disturbing to some. Chasing a raccoon almost 30’ above the floor of heavy northeast Alabama woods 40 years ago, a Redbone coonhound got lodged in an oak tree and was out of hearing range of its owner. Forty years later a logging operation fell the tree and discovered the well-preserved hound, posthumously named, Stuckie. The log, dog and … [Read more...]
Toxic, invasive poison hemlock is spreading into gardens, yards, parks across U.S.
Poison hemlock, which resembles Queen Anne’s Lace, is often spotted along highways, in fence lines and on the edges of farm fields. Recently, populations of this toxic and invasive plant have exploded in parks, yards and gardens across the country. Poison hemlock spreads and grows its footprint during late summer and fall. Each plant produces up to 30,000 seeds that ripen … [Read more...]