Animal health pros, especially those serving livestock and wildlife sectors, often get into conversations about the best use for certain types of land. Bloomberg writers Dave Merrill and Lauren Leatherby used data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to show the major uses of land in the lower 48 states. You may be surprised at how little is used to grow our food. Source: … [Read more...]
Our pets are fat and getting fatter
Sixty percent of cats and 56 percent of dogs in the U.S. are overweight. In fact, the Association for Pet Obesity estimates that veterinarians now classify more than 100 million dogs and cats as overweight or obese. That is up from 80 million five years ago. Some pet owners fail to recognize the severity of the problem. Source: New York Times, August 2, 2018. (paywall) … [Read more...]
A text can save your life
We’ve shared posts at AHD about career, financial and personal challenges and the mental anguish they can cause. We’ve also shared information about veterinarian and farmer and rancher suicides. Crisis Text Line is a confidential place anyone can turn to for help simply by texting HOME to 741741. Any stressful situation is accepted. Source: CRISIS TEXT LINE, Link. Text HOME … [Read more...]
6 signs of a healthy chicken
Happy and healthy chickens are confident, strong and productive. They should also exhibit the six characteristics noted here. If they don’t, improper nutrition may be the culprit. Source: Rural Marketing News, July 30, 2018. Link. “As you get to know your birds, you’ll learn their personalities and habits. Strong hens are confident, alert and strut their stuff,” says … [Read more...]
Experts share what human foods dogs can eat
As making homemade dog food becomes more common, ensuring dogs get balanced diets is important. Jennifer Berg, owner of Tribeca veterinary Wellness clinic and Debra Zoran, veterinary professor at Texas A&M University shared some human foods that are okay for dogs and ones to avoid. Source: Today, July 19, 2018. Link. “Fruits and vegetables can be included in a dog’s … [Read more...]
There are 3 occasions when it is okay to cuss
Cursing. It’s a temptation that’s gotten the better of most us more than once. It is likely none of those utterances fit the straightforward guidelines in this piece. Jenni Latzke takes on salty language and the very few times it is worth considering. Source: High Plains Journal, July 16, 2018. Link. Look, there’s a reason curse words are called “salty language.” It’s … [Read more...]
New checklist helps kids stay safe on the farm
It’s natural that parents and grandparents want to protect their children. Because each agricultural setting is unique, as is each child, addressing child safety requires an individual approach. The new Child/Youth Agricultural Safety Checklist from the National Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety helps parents perform customized safety checks. It is free and … [Read more...]
Catego® for cats helps raise more than $10,000 for Virginia cat rescue
AHD sponsor Ceva Animal Health, maker of Catego®, helped the Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation raise more than $10,000 through a popular video on Facebook. Catego SpokesCat Benedict, “Benny” Cumbercat, and his owner, Ellen Carozza, a veterinary technician, were featured in video highlighting the Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation that cares for at-risk kittens. It … [Read more...]
You’re never done transitioning, so get good at it
We all have transitions, or changes, in life whether we make them ourselves or they’re made for us. Aviah Wittenberg-Cox, author of Seven Steps to Leading a Gender-Balanced Business, says mapping out transitions on a timeline from zero to 100 years will give you an idea of how many transitions you’ll experience. Source: Harvard Business Review, July 5, 2018. Link. Longevity … [Read more...]
Med students learn from zoo patients and vets in Harvard program
A rotation at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston is demonstrating to Harvard Medical School students that animals and people share the same environment. Offered for the last three years, Harvard students work alongside zoo veterinarians monitoring animal health and collaborating in diagnoses and treatments. Source: New York Times (paywall). June 29, 2018. Link. “I would never … [Read more...]
Newly discovered tick can be managed with existing products
Researchers at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences recently identified a nymphal longhorn ticket or bush tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis. Susan Little, DVM, PhD, said the finding wasn’t too surprising based on recent reports from New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia. Source: Oklahoma State University June 21, 2018. Link. Originally from East … [Read more...]
Enjoy winning photos from The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy recently announced the winning entries of its 2018 Photo Contest. Take a break and enjoy the majesty of nature. Source: The Nature Conservancy, June, 2018. Link. From the grand prize to the judges’ special recognition, you’ll like what you see. Be even more awed when you look at this year’s Judges’ Favorites. Link. … [Read more...]
Few domestic violence shelters are pet-friendly. More are needed.
An abusive relationship is tough, no matter the circumstances. Imagine having to choose between fleeing one with your pet or leaving it behind to an unknown fate. More domestic violence shelters are slowly opening their doors to victims and pets, yet only 3 percent do so currently. Construction is underway in New York City for the country’s first shelter custom-built for … [Read more...]
These dogs sniff cybercrime
The Connecticut State Police is training dogs to sniff out the hard-to-detect chemical in electronics. They’re helping law enforcement personnel find child pornography on hard drives, find hidden phones, even track calls on SIM cards. This is worth a read simply to be reminded how sharp dogs can be trained to be. Source: CNET, June 11, 2018. Link. Where we might smell … [Read more...]
AHD welcomes Jim Whitt
The AHD Bulletin welcomes Jim Whitt as a contributor to our team. Jim is a professional people provoker and one who believes and lives the transformational power of purpose. Source: Animal Health Digest. Jim helps people reach their full potential scientifically, psychologically and spiritually. We have no doubt you’ll enjoy and benefit from his contributions. Reach him … [Read more...]
Take Your Pet to Work Week starts June 18
Take Your Pet to Work Week kicks off June 18. The event with Take your Cat to Work Day™ on Monday and ends Friday with Take Your Dog to Work Day®. Pet Sitters International has a free toolkit filled with tips and promotions to help celebrate the week. Plus, the website offers all the social media information you could want. Source: Pet Sitters International. Link. May 23, … [Read more...]
Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards accepting entries
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards (link) is in its fourth year and is delivering goofy animal moments caught on camera. The deadline for entries is June 30. Take a few, fun minutes to look at the photos that have already been received at the link below. You may even want to enter your own shots. Source: Huffington Post, May 23, 2018. Link. The entries for the 2018 … [Read more...]
Prepare pets for spring, summer storms
June is National Pet Preparedness Month. It is a time to remind client and ourselves to double-check to make sure the basics are in order and late springs and summer storms hit. They include: pet ID tags, rescue alert stickers, safe havens where pets can be taken during or after a storm, a kennel and being prepared ourselves. The Department of Homeland Security has assembled a … [Read more...]
Memorial Day is more than a long weekend
Memorial Day takes place this Monday. This federal holiday was established to honor those who died while serving in the U.S. military. Some version of the day has taken place throughout history. One of the first took place in 1865 in South Carolina. It became an official federal holiday in 1971. We urge you to take time this weekend to honor those who have offered the ultimate … [Read more...]
7 Home fixer-ups that are dangerous for pets
Spring and summer are top times for home repair and remodeling projects. This work and the supplies to support it can be hazardous to pets. The folks at vetSTREET put together some great tips to keep pets safe. Source: vetSTREET, April 20, 2015. Link. The bottom line is, for safety’s sake, always keep your pets away from home-repair products. If, despite your precautions, … [Read more...]
Those extra coyotes you see are real
If it seems like coyotes are everywhere, it’s because they are. A North Carolina State University professor and graduate student mapped the historic range of coyotes using archaeological and fossil records. They then plotted the coyotes’ range expansion across North America from 1900 to 2016 and reviewed more than 12,500 records covering 10,000 years. The study adds to the … [Read more...]
Amarillo to get new Texas Tech vet school
The Amarillo, Texas, city council approved an arrangement last week that guarantees a concept for a new Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine will become reality. The city will support an Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) pledge of up to $69 toward the $90 million project. This will be the first new veterinary school in the U.S. in 40 … [Read more...]
Dogs and their owners may live forever
George Church, a biologist at Harvard Medical School, thinks he might be able to help dogs live longer lives and bring age-defeating treatments for humans to market at the same time. In fact, he has cofounded the company Rejuvenate Bio, to do it. It claims preliminary tests on beagles make animals “younger” by adding new DNA instructions to their bodies. Source: MIT … [Read more...]
17 tips for camping with dogs
It’s the time of year when folks head to campgrounds all over the country. Fido is often in tow, which can make for a great camping experience. Writer Jen Reeder shares basic tips to help ensure fun camping trips that include dogs. Source: AAHA. Link. Here are some suggestions to help create an outstanding experience: Let your dog check out the gear. Visit the … [Read more...]
Dress appropriately
Mary Barra, chief executive of General Motors, is straightforward. Having lived through corporate bankruptcy and restructuring, she knows what managing culture is like. As a lifelong GM employee, she knew she had to change it. She started with the dress code that, when enforced, empowers managers to do what they think is right for the company. It’s a strong lesson from which … [Read more...]
Help pets stay calm during storms
Spring thunderstorms are daily reality right now and they strike fear in some pets. This fear can manifest as hiding, whining, scratching, slobbering or tearing down door frames in a state of panic, according to animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell. It can worsen with age. This brief item article offers some useful tips to help keep pets calm and understand their … [Read more...]
Seniors offer insight into social media use
Senior citizens have internet power. Sixty seven percent of them in the U.S. use the internet today, according to the Pew Research Center. Sheree Johnson, CEO of SJ Insights, a marketing services firm, teaches Introduction to Social Media at a Kansas City area college. In general, the students are 70 or more years old. To better understand seniors’ usage, Johnson set up a panel … [Read more...]
What dogs eat matters
The folks at Reader’s Digest talked to a few veterinarians to come up with eight recommendations veterinarians are apt to tell clients about what they feed their dogs. This quick read will affirm what clinic teams recommend daily. Source: Reader’s Digest, April 2018, Link. More important than the ‘natural’ claim is whether or not the food is nutritionally completed and … [Read more...]
Labs still atop U.S. dog breeds
Labrador Retrievers have captured American’s hearts for 27 years and continue to reign in the latest breed rankings from the American Kennel Club. Source: Quartz, April 24, 2018, Link. There are 196 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club in total. For a full list of how they all stack up click here. … [Read more...]
National Park Week is next week
National Park Week runs April 21 through 29 and Earth Day is Sunday, April 22. Parks across the country will host special programs and events, including a fee-free day, Saturday April 21. Take some time to enjoy what our park system has to offer. Source: National Park Service. (Link) The theme for National Park Week is “Park Stars,” celebrating everything from starry skies … [Read more...]