As weather warms up, be aware that heat can be dangerous to rabbits. They’re more sensitive to it than humans. Source: My House Rabbit. Here are symptoms of heat stroke in rabbits: Reddening of the ears Panting Lethargy Salivating Weakness/slow movement Acting confused Convulsing … [Read more...]
Celebrate National Dairy Month
June is National Dairy Month. There are many ways folks celebrate. It’s likely a dairy practice or customer has an activity going on. Here’s a list of Dairy Month activities for most states. Find out what’s going on in your area. Source: DairyGood by Dairy Management Inc. We’ve highlighted a number of events below from MOOvie nights to dairy galas. Click your state for more … [Read more...]
It’s just me and the horse
Something worthwhile is coming from the Bureau of Land Management’s capture of wild horses from Wyoming. After therapy and medication, including self-medication, fails U.S. veterans of post-traumatic stress disorder and severe brain trauma, wild Mustangs are helping them thrive again. BraveHearts works with BLM to bring horses to Illinois where veterans work to help train … [Read more...]
Diet reduces the chance of milk fever in goats
After birth, goats must provide large amounts of calcium with their milk. Does normally have enough calcium reserves in their bones. But, if a doe has been on a high-calcium diet during her dry period, her body may “forget” how to mobilize those reserves. If that happens, blood calcium levels may drop and result in milk fever. Source: Purina Mills. You can help address milk … [Read more...]
Clean dairy calves are healthy calves
Keeping dairy calves healthy is easier when their exposure to harmful bacteria is limited. Even when they’re exposed and don’t become sick, it takes valuable energy to fight off disease, according to Christie Underwood, PhD, Purina calf and heifer specialist. Source: Purina Mills. To look beyond the surface and truly analyze the cleanliness of your facility, there are four … [Read more...]
Grill safely this summer
Memorial Day Weekend is here. Grills will be fired up, the sounds of picnics will fill parks and boats will hit the water. We offered pet safety tips last month. Remember personal safety when you start the grill. The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association offers this free fact sheet about grilling safety you can share with clients or use in blogs and newsletters. Source: … [Read more...]
First-class calf management equals lifetime of herd production
The basics of dairy calf management never go out of style. Liz Cox, M.S., DVM, with Merck Animal Health, offers the ABCs of calf care from day one to full production. This is a good refresher for old hands and a sound foundation for new employees, especially those new to the dairy business. Source: Dairy Business, May 2016, page 24. Cattle learn from interactions with … [Read more...]
“Everything travels down that leash.”
Bruno, an Anaheim, California, K-9 officer shot in the line of duty two years ago, died last week from wounds he suffered during that shooting. He’d been a babysitter to his officer partner’s kids since being retired from the force in 2014. Source: NBC4, May 18, 2016, Los Angeles Times, May 19, 2016. He died in the line of duty. He protected us and the department and my … [Read more...]
10 ways to keep pets safe on Memorial Day
The kickoff to summer is almost here. Memorial Day weekend starts the season of picnics and all sorts of great outdoor activities. Here are 10 common-sense tips to help keep pets safe during the festive times. Source: Pet Health Network Our pets love summer just as much as we do! It’s the best time of year to be out and about, enjoying all that the season has to offer, … [Read more...]
Dogs bite year-round
This week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week® which focuses on educating people about preventing dog bites. Dog bites happen year-round. The resources at this site can be used all year long, too. They include photos and social media support. Source: American Veterinary Medical Association With an estimated population of 70 million dogs living in U.S. households, millions … [Read more...]
Jerky treats sicken, kill dogs
More than 1,140 dogs have died after eating jerky pet treats, out of 6,200 cases of jerky related canine illness reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from 2007 to December 31, 2015. The agency released these numbers this week in an update on in its ongoing investigation into animal illnesses and death related to jerky treats. Source: Petfood Industry, May 17, … [Read more...]
4 ways to protect against ransomware
Ransomware can strike anyone and any business. The experts at InfoGPS wrote about it in March and April for AHD. While backing up is the most important aspect of maintaining data, restoring it after an attack isn’t painless. It could take a week or more and an untold amount of staff time to get things back to normal. Here are four ways to keep it at bay. Source: Wired, May … [Read more...]
Improve self-acceptance for better well-being
More than one in six veterinarians have considered suicide since graduation, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control, as reported by JAVMAnews. It is important to maintain mental health and sound well-being, no matter what role you fill in the animal health business. Srini Pillay, MD, notes that self-acceptance, or lack of it, affects your physical and … [Read more...]
Xylitol can kill or poison dogs
Xylitol, a common sweetener in chewing gum, mints and other products can kill or severely poison dogs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued, ‘Xylitol and Your Dog: Danger, Paws Off,’ May 12 after a surge in death and several illnesses from dogs that had accidentally ingest Xylitol, according to pet poison-control centers. Source: The Wall Street Journal, May 12, … [Read more...]
Pseudorabies discovered on Missouri hog farm
Officials destroyed about 100 hogs on a Callaway County, Missouri hog farm after the herd tested positive for pseudorabies. Feral hogs are suspected to have exposed the herd to the disease, which affects a pig’s central nervous system. Source: Pork Network, May 13, 2016. In this particular herd, testing came back as serologically positive and the decision was made to … [Read more...]
12 things that make us sound dumb
Consistently communicating clearly is hard. Yet, how we communicate with others helps keep projects moving, builds relationships and keeps careers advancing. Dumping these 12 words and phrases will help us sound as smart as we are. Source: Business Insider, May 12, 2016. Your verbal communications can make or break your relationship with your boss, team, clients, business … [Read more...]
Free hot dog lesson plan available
Kids are often responsible for pet care year-round. A free lesson plan to help them learn how to deal with the problem of dogs left in cars in hot weather is available from Red Rover. It works to strengthen the bond between people and animals. Simply request the plan via email. Source: Red Rover. Students will enjoy applying concepts in physics, biology and mathematics to a … [Read more...]
Keep your dog cool
Temperatures in the Southwest are already hitting 100º and up. The rest of the country will soon follow. All too often, we read and hear about dogs dying from being left too long in cars in the sun. Fortunately, there are tips galore, posters, signs and even a Cool Dog Pledge at My Dog Is Cool. Source: My Dog is Cool. Leaving your dog in a car for “just a minute” may be too … [Read more...]
Keep the weed from Fido
A Denver-area emergency animal hospital is treating at least five dogs a day for marijuana ingestion. Clinics are seeing increases, too. Fox Hollow Animal Hospital used to see it once or twice a year, but now see it once or twice a month since pot became legal in Colorado in 2014. Source: KDVR, May 9, 2016. It was just so terrifying, infuriating and sad. I felt so helpless … [Read more...]
Petcube is Skype for Fido and Fluff
The stress of being stuck in traffic or working late while one’s dog or cat waits at home may be eased with Petcube, a new smart camera. Paired with a smartphone app, it lets users watch, talk and play with pets in real time time using a laser pointer. Source: Sacramento Bee, May 4, 2016. It’s basically like Skype for you and your pet, but your pet doesn’t have to pick up … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – 3 cybersecurity tips can help secure data
Securing clinic data is critical to general business practices and to ensure client, employee and third-party vendor data remain confidential. In our second installment about cybersecurity, Terrie Bonfiglio offers three, common-sense tips to keep data thieves out of your system. Source: Learn 3 cybersecurity tips in 10 minutes via InfoGPS Networks, April 2016. However, your … [Read more...]
3 tips help keep pets safe during storms
Storm season will be around for a few more weeks. These three, common-sense tips will help keep your pets as safe as possible during severe weather. Source: White Oaks Veterinary Clinic. You can increase the chances that your pet will survive a storm by following these tips from our Edmond, OK, veterinary team... … [Read more...]
Grandin concerned about dairy cow breeding
As U.S. dairy producers continue to breed cows that produce more milk, some folks think we may be pushing things too far. Temple Grandin, animal scientist and animal welfare specialist, Colorado State University, is one of them. She shared her comments with Roberto A. Ferdman, a Wonkblog reporter for The Washington Post. Source: The Washington Post, April 21, 2016. With … [Read more...]
Stay safe during tornadoes
Spring storm season is in high gear. With it comes rain, wind, hail and tornadoes. Driving safety may seem basic, yet reminders like these never hurt. Share with team members who may be servicing routes and sales folks on the road. Source: Travelers. Remember, severe weather demands your undivided attention, so turn down the radio and minimize other distractions. … [Read more...]
10 Memorial Day pet safety tips
The Memorial Day weekend is just a month away. There’ll be picnics, campouts, boat rides and even fireworks. What’s celebratory to us may not be to our pets. Here are 10 pet safety tips ready to include in newsletters, blogs and counter materials. Source: Pet 360. Unlike people, dogs won’t associate the noise, flashes and burning smell of pyrotechnics with a celebration. … [Read more...]
4 tips to help retain millennials
Generational differences in work styles, habits and values can create consternation, if not downright madness, in the workplace. Millennials, the first generation to come of age in this millennium, behave much differently than the generations before them. Impatient, entitled and needy are a few descriptors shared about them. Chris Hess, on the other hand, believes … [Read more...]
Back it up! Here’s how.
The spring storm season is here. Don’t let lightning strikes, power surges and power outages zap your data. “Clinics are more at risk of a lightning strike or power surge that can negatively affect computers than they are for all the data breaches you’re reading about. Data backup failure is going to get someone first,” says Nancy Dewitz, technical and marketing consultant … [Read more...]
Help keep pets safe during storms, disasters
Help clients keep their pets safe during storms and disasters. May 8 is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day. It is a reminder to create a disaster plan for pets or include them in your personal disaster plan. Eight tips are featured here. Source: AAA Oklahoma. While pets can suffer from sickness or injury as the result of a natural catastrophe, we hope to minimize … [Read more...]
5 tips help with pet travel
Vacation season is almost here. In fact, Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kick-off to summer, is just seven weeks away. For those traveling with pets, five considerations will help make traveling with pets as stress-free as possible. Source: American Red Cross A common concern of people who travel with their pets is that the animals will get sick, hurt or lost during … [Read more...]
Keep pets safe during July 4th celebration
July 4th and its accompanying fireworks will be here soon. Help clients get ready for the noisy celebrations that often scare pets. The specialists at the VPI Pet HealthZone offer sound tips about dealing with noise, food toxicity and lost pets. Source: July 4th Pet Safety Tips, Veterinary Pet Insurance™, a Nationwide Insurance® company. If you include your pets at a 4th of … [Read more...]