Opinion It can be hard to know how to react to disease incidence reports. Animal health pros tendency to to ignore reports until we see a disease is a concern, yet HPAI continues to show up in poultry and non-poultry birds. The next HPAI incident may literally fly over your location today . . . the time to ACT* is NOW!” – Kirk Augustine In Maine, a new case reported was … [Read more...]
The science of gratitude
Whether you hope to boost your mood and mental health, protect your physical health or improve your personal relationships, a rich body of social science research has found that gratitude offers important benefits. Research shows gratitude isn’t just a pleasant feeling. Being grateful can also support greater health, happiness, and wisdom in ourselves and our … [Read more...]
5 texting etiquette rules to know
There ARE rules that guide texting behavior complete with widely accepted, yet unspoken, etiquette. The author shares tips in case you are accidentally sending mixed signals: Use emojis judiciously Watch your punctuation Don’t send a million texts Don’t use ALL CAPS Use the right laughter level Source: Word Genius, November 26, 2021. Link. Also see: … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 17, 2022
Last week’s most read post Emotions – make them work for you. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, February 10, 2022. Link. =========================== Dog breeds that shed the most Source: Puppies and Pooches, February 10, 2022. Link. Prospective dog owners not prepared for the constant vacuuming and brushing … [Read more...]
Customers speak with their wallets; beef producers can’t ignore the results
Speaking at the recent National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Cattle Industry Convention, Randy Blach, CattleFax CEO, shared how value-added programs paying high premiums have boosted beef demand and spread wealth throughout the industry. Driven by premiums and value-added programs, CattleFax forecasts show strong price growth for calves, feeder calves, fed cattle and bred cows … [Read more...]
Best young farmers in America
The National Outstanding Young Farmers program has named winners for 2022 and 2021. Eight farming families were named for each year. Their farming profiles show the individual and collective diversification required for farming success. Take a look at the winners and other finalists listed. You may find one of your customers. Source: National Hog Farmer, February 15, … [Read more...]
What’s killing the chickens?
Wildlife predators are keeping close to dens in February as they anticipate new litters in March and April. Backyard poultry locations and pet food bowls left outside are easy targets for sustained nutrition during gestation and after litters are born. Gail Damerow shares ways to examine where, how and when a bird turns up dead or missing. Missing eggs are often an early … [Read more...]
Scientists explain why sudden equine deaths are hard to pinpoint
Efforts to explain the sudden death of especially racehorses took the form of a teleconference focused on the loss of Medina Spirit on December 6, 2021, at Santa Anita Park. The California Horse Racing Board hosted a media teleconference where veterinarians provided context to the investigation’s findings. It's not uncommon for sudden death cases to have no cause of death … [Read more...]
Treat the cat, not the test
Symmetric dimethylarginine is a biomarker used to assess glomerular filtration rate in the diagnosis, classification and monitoring of chronic kidney disease. Margie Scherk, DVM, DABVP, presents acceptable analytical variability in SDMA immunoassay values and notes that clinician expectations for test performance expected much less variability than shown. When interpreting … [Read more...]
Retrospective evaluation of secondary wound healing for extraction of the maxillary first molar in dogs
A particular area of challenge of oral surgery in dogs is extraction and closure of the maxillary first molar (M1) in dogs. A retrospective assessment evaluated patients that had the maxillary first molar extracted with placement of a cruciate suture across the alveolus to achieve partial closure and secure the blood clot. Results . . . demonstrate that primary … [Read more...]
The evolution of computer speech
Sponsored Content Talkatoo, an AHD sponsor, recently shared an informative short video about speech recognition, software evolution and the continuous improvements in technology. Source: LinkedIn, February 8, 2022. Link. Talkatoo uses speech-to-text software to type out what you say in full and complete sentences with spelling and grammar corrections also being … [Read more...]
February 2022 is Responsible Pet Owners Month
Responsible Pet Owners Month highlights the key components of responsibility about pet ownership and how owners meet their animals’ needs including*: Food quality and portions Getting enough exercise, love and attention Proper identification Pet proofing and safety in home and yard Socialization beyond the home Regular veterinary check-ups * Our additions … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – February 14, 2022
Digital transformation in vet services, trending products for senior pets, e-commerce’s next level, eco-friendly products and practices now table stakes in pet industry and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, February 14, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Your invisible work is key to your most productive self
Invisible work includes deep observation, listening, daydreaming, sitting with our intuition, pondering questions about a challenge or opportunity post meeting, and then reframing those questions, writes Natalie Nixon. It’s the feverish scribbling or typing out of new ideas that emerge in the moment or during windshield time on a long drive. Nixon asserts we need to stop … [Read more...]
Using the Mark Twain rule to become exceptionally persuasive
Emotionally intelligent people learn to embrace a deceptively simple habit that helps them overcome undermining their own goals and exhibiting a lack of emotional intelligence. That habit is brevity, shares Bill Murphy, Jr. Coming up with a good message takes time, but truly crafting it -- editing it, to put it differently, and ensuring it's efficiently tied to your ultimate … [Read more...]
No regrets?
To extinguish your regrets doesn’t put you on a path to freedom; it consigns you to make the same mistakes again and again. Source: The Atlantic, February 3, 2022. Link. True freedom requires that we put regret in its proper place in our life. Look out for people who may be struggling with heavy workloads or working long hours while juggling home schooling, childcare, elder … [Read more...]
Making sure mentoring works
Employee development topics abound as society faces the great resignation, work-life balance and employee retention. Results from Harvard Business School research found that new hires who received effective mentoring were able to outperform their non-mentored peers by 18 percent. What’s more, the mentored employees also stayed with the organization longer than their … [Read more...]
Anti-mink farming bill should concern poultry, confined animal production industry
OPINION It’s easy to forget about mink production, especially if you live in a region where mink have never been raised, writes Roy Graber. The fact that a provision that would outlaw commercial mink farms in the U.S. made it into a larger legislative bill should be concerning to anyone involved in animal agriculture, he says. Animal agriculture has been under intense … [Read more...]
3 mindset pivots that help lead for today, tomorrow and beyond
Leaders at all levels can use business issues as strategic building blocks to seek resolution and strategically move forward. Dave Coffaro shares three pivots to help move a business from defining problems to strategic management: Pivot 1: From eliminating pain points to a strategic management mindset Pivot 2: From description to root cause Pivot 3: From struggle to … [Read more...]
VIS updates analysis of the major veterinary groups in North America
Veterinary Integration Solutions released its updated version of veterinary groups in North America. What’s new: Galaxy Vets was added SAGE Veterinary Centers was added Pathway Vets was renamed Thrive Pet Healthcare MAVANA was removed O’Brien Veterinary Group was removed The numbers of locations were updated. Source: Veterinary Integration Solutions, … [Read more...]
A coronavirus variant once helped the global pork industry. Could one protect us?
In 1946 veterinary researchers at Purdue University reported that something invading the guts of young pigs was causing diarrhea, vomiting and weight loss, ultimately killing most of them. The culprit was a coronavirus we know as transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). TGEV has never harmed a human, and its relationship to SARS-CoV-2, the driver of COVID-19, is … [Read more...]
Urban wildlife and SARS-CoV-2 variants
Scott Weese, DVM, has kept information and perspective on SARS-CoV-2 updated and fresh over the past two years. He writes, “While control of the pandemic at this stage is pretty much still solely dependent on addressing human-to-human transmission, as things slowly get more controlled in people, other sources of infection and other sources of variants become more relevant. The … [Read more...]
What to do when activists arrive
Anthropomorphic characteristics continue to define how humans see animals. With this comes more activism targeted at current stewardship methods, regardless of how much improvement has been made in pain management, care, housing, handling and euthanasia methods. Animal health professionals need to be prepared for animal activist encounters. If you encounter an activist on … [Read more...]
6 nutrients that support hoof health
Commercial content included Certain nutrients can make a huge difference in the state of a horse’s feet. The author outlines six ingredients that can have a positive impact on hoof health and stability. Source: Equine Wellness, January 13, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Can Diet Coke really treat colic? Social media gone wrong.
While an older story, this serves as a reminder to be diligent when posting content on social media. Oliver Liyou BVSC (HONS1) MANZCVSC (EQ DENT), was the victim of social media gone awry after posting himself administering Diet Coke to a horse with a gastric impaction. The post reached 1.5 million people and received 6500 likes. Liyou emphasized that the entire point … [Read more...]
All about bees
The veterinary feed directive put bees prominently into the mix of animals veterinarians must consider with specific products. We’re sharing a link to the special edition of Successful Farming that features six articles about bees and beekeeping. They are good resources to learn more about beekeeping from crops to insemination to mead wine made from honey. Source: Successful … [Read more...]
Americans projected to eat 1.42 billion chicken wings for Super Bowl
Need we say it? Animal health practices make wings safer than the quarterbacks will be winging the ball downfield at Super Bowl LVI. 😉 “Demand for chicken wings has been through the roof since the beginning of the pandemic. A shift from sit-down restaurants to takeout and quick service has boosted chicken wing consumption,” explains Tom Super, NCC. Source: Feedstuffs, … [Read more...]
Puppy Bowl XVII airs Sunday, February 13
The 18th annual Puppy Bowl will air at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time this Sunday on Animal Planet and Discovery+. Martha Steward (Team Ruff) and Snoop Dogg (Team Fluff). More than 100 dogs will participate. There will also be Kitty Halftime Show for cat lovers during the broadcast. Source: Bleacher Report, February 8, 2022. Link. Before the Puppy Bowl kicks off, there will be a … [Read more...]
Caring for the outdoor cat
Sharing items to consider before letting cats roam, Michelle K offers preventive measures to ensure outdoor cats stay safe: Identification Regular wellbeing check-ups with veterinarians Leaving out food and water Provide indoor stimulation to reduce the desire to go outdoors Because of all of the potential threats they’re exposed to, outdoor cats, on average, … [Read more...]
Could it be an allergy?
Getting a good history and a complete picture of anything that might have changed in a pet’s environment is important for any allergy diagnosis. Ultimately, getting history depends on fully engaging the pet owner to identify possible causes. Consider this article as a resource to help pet owners think about possible causes when they suspect a pet allergy and to realize the … [Read more...]