Opinion It is no secret livestock owners, farmers and ranchers have challenges accessing qualified veterinary care. The Veterinary Feed Directive put added requirements on available food animal veterinarians. Many equine and livestock veterinarians have used the telephone effectively for years. Now, new digital tools offer potentially more efficiency and effectiveness for … [Read more...]
FAQ: California EHV-1 Outbreak
Despite prevention efforts, disease outbreaks occur. The transfer of animals across geographies and in and out of facilities adds to the risks, regardless of compliance to protocols. Competitive horse events frequently mix horses from a variety of origins. Eighteen horses have been confirmed positive for EHV-1 in southern California’s Riverside County. Some of these horses … [Read more...]
Dr Jen the Vet talks rabies, ticks and horses for THJ Season 2 premiere
The Horsemanship Journey is a monthly video series that streams on demand through the THJ website. Launched in 2021, a new episode is released each month. Episodes are about one hour long and are advertising free. Every episode has 3 parts: Part 1 features an amazing story about horses and people. Part 2 is the informational segment with top equine professionals and … [Read more...]
Study predicts marijuana toxicity will overtake chocolate toxicity by 2023
BluePearl recently released its 2021 Pet Health Trends Report. One key takeaway from it is that marijuana toxicity cases have quickly risen to be the second leading cause of animal toxicity, behind chocolate. Marijuana toxicity cases remain constant as more states move toward legalization and/or decriminalization. We have a responsibility to utilize our medical data for the … [Read more...]
Bite inhibition matters
Though using their mouths on our hands, arms, legs, hair and clothes is natural behavior for dogs, they must learn to interact in ways that are appropriate in our world. Karen B. London, PhD The degree to which dogs learn not to use the full force of their mouths on people and other dogs is called “bite inhibition,” and it is the most important part of a dog’s … [Read more...]
Benefits of multi-cat households hard to prove
Conducting an appraisal of published literature, researchers sought to assess evidence of the impact of cat group size on cat well-being in domestic homes. The appraisal results highlight the complex, multifactorial relationships between cat well-being and various social and environmental factors. These may be as important than the numbers of cats living in a … [Read more...]
Special days coming in March
Savvy animal health pros will find reasons to conduct outreach, have themes in house or start conversations using one of these featured day or week designations. Source: National Today. Link Here’s what we found for the first part of March 2022. National If Pets Had Thumbs Day – March 3, 2022 National Professional Pet Sitters Week – March 6-12, 2022 National K9 … [Read more...]
Whip your PiMS inventory into shape
Join Nicole Clausen with VetLogic for a FREE 3-part workshop series. The training is for veterinary professionals who want to understand more about keeping their practice management system accurate and functional to keep better track of clinic inventories. The training will take place in the Veterinary Inventory Management Facebook group. For those not on Facebook, you can … [Read more...]
Pet ownership linked to slower cognitive decline
In a study thought to be the first to consider the effect of duration of pet ownership on cognitive health, pet ownership was especially beneficial for working verbal memory, such as memorization of word lists. Owning household pets for five years or more produced the most benefit, delaying cognitive decline by 1.2 points over the six-year period of the study compared with … [Read more...]
Become a Veterinarian Camp Contest 2022
Please share this opportunity with your local middle school administrators, counselors, science teachers and youth groups. Vet Set Go together with Merck Animal Health and VCA Animal Hospitals is inviting rising sixth, seventh and eighth grade students to enter the sixth annual Vet Set Go Become a Veterinarian Camp Contest 2022. The online essay contest will award three … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – February 28, 2022
Power shifts in pet industry, veterinarians burning out, 2022 focus areas for small business, Google arts and culture app uses AI to find pet lookalikes, Target Corporation accelerator looking for pet startups, pets and our brains plus more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, February 28, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Consuming water helped people reduce stress
A large study found people who drink five cups or more of water per day were at lower risk of depression and anxiety. In comparison, drinking fewer than two cups per day doubles the risk. The link between dehydration and anxiety is also observed in children, who are a group at risk of dehydration. Researchers have also found people who usually drink lots of water feel less … [Read more...]
It’s just semantics . . . NOT!
Semantics isn’t just a superficial difference of opinion even though often we use semantics as a reason to end a debate. Semantics is important because words, sentences, and phrases frame our reality. Disputes about semantics and meaning can be big deals. However, disagreeing about word choices versus meaning is lexicography or diction. That’s just semantics or You’re just … [Read more...]
Is it fun or escapism?
Taking a hard look at how we socialize helps us spend time the way we truly want.” – Nir Eyal Source: Forge, February 24, 2022. Link. Asking ourselves some potentially uncomfortable questions about the way we get together could help us make important changes now that the world is entering the new normal. … [Read more...]
Routines are not creative
In everyday life, it is easy to get sucked into the prevailing culture. We know the expectations and what is acceptable in our working life. Even when we are working remotely, we still feel we cannot take time off for lunch, that we cannot go for a walk around the block when we need a break. Source: Fast Company, February 14, 2022. Link. The key here is to play, experiment, … [Read more...]
How to interrupt someone’s workday without annoying them
As organizations shift to long-term hybrid models, it’s more important than ever to think proactively about how we communicate with one another at work. This increasingly complex landscape dictates we pay close attention to what it means to be a good interrupter. Research suggests that interruptions don’t have to be unpleasant. Elana Feldman offers six strategies to become … [Read more...]
MD discusses key differences between in-person and virtual (video)
We can all learn from perspectives in human medicine as we adopt and learn where virtual care in animal health fits. Embracing some of this new technology is beneficial, shares Remo Panaccione, MD, but the importance of interacting face to face with a patient remains a cornerstone of health care. One of the more important things is if we're going to deliver virtual care, we … [Read more...]
Too many pets kept alive when it’s not the kindest option, say vets
Some veterinarians are warning too many owners are spending huge amounts of money on keeping their pets alive, even when it’s not the most humane option, writes Rachel Hall. Although veterinary science has made impressive advances in recent years, some say extending an animal’s life at all costs is not always the best option for them and can result in bills of thousands of … [Read more...]
March is Women’s History Month
Women’s History Month originated as a national celebration in 1981 as Women’s History Week. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the March as Women’s History Month. These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the U.S. and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a … [Read more...]
Deer strains of SARS-CoV-2 might be emerging
Scientists estimate that more than six of every 10 known infectious diseases in people can be spread from animals, and three out of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals <Link>. In a recent Worms and Germs blog, Scott Weese, DVM, shares details and speculation about SARS-CoV-2 infections in the highly susceptible deer population. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 24, 2022
Last week’s most read post Customers speak with their wallets; beef producers can’t ignore the results. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, February 17, 2022. Link. =========================== UK’s veterinary workforce crisis deepens; registrants drop by over two-thirds Source: British Veterinary Association, … [Read more...]
Ventilation video series for swine producers
Contains Commercial Content Proper barn ventilation is a key factor in promoting swine health and productivity. AP, an AGCO brand, developed a series of 14 short ventilation videos with tips to help producers unlock better year-round performance and improve animal health. Source: National Hog Farmer, February 10, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this resource to educate … [Read more...]
New study says opossums DO NOT like eating ticks
From websites to publications to social media, the idea that opossums help save humans from tick-borne ailments is broadly proliferated. Bret Collier, PhD refutes the tick vacuum designation citing study methods from a 2009 study versus a 2021 Hennessy and Hild study of wild opossum stomach contents. Source: Field and Stream, January 5, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Like the … [Read more...]
How equine supplements complement forage
Sometimes hay just isn’t enough, says Clair Thune. She shares how equine supplements can help horses get the nutrients they need to thrive. Source: Equine Wellness, February 2, 2022. Link. Look for products that provide at least 50 percent of the National Research Council guidelines for copper and zinc and 100 percent of the guidelines for vitamin E. Note that the amounts … [Read more...]
Why dogs bite and how to stop it
Behavior problems remain a primary reason dogs are relinquished or euthanized. Bite aggression is one of those behaviors that cause owners to give up on their dogs. Victoria Stillwell’s article is a good resource to share with dog owners. The most important advice says Stillwell, is to be your dog’s advocate and try not to put pressure on her to greet other people on walks … [Read more...]
Mental stimulation matters for dogs
. . . just 15 minutes of mental stimulation can have the same positive benefits of an hour of physical exercise in dogs.” The author outlines the top tips and tricks to ensure dogs’ mental health stays as fit as their physical bodies. Source: Happy Puppy Tips. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for newsletters and social media. It reinforces the need for exercise in … [Read more...]
Food puzzles for cats
Most, if not all, cats can adjust to food puzzles, given time, patience and proper staging of difficulty. The overriding objective should be to provide all food from puzzles. Food puzzles are considered important as part of a multimodal enrichment plan. Source: AAFP, LinkedIn, February 18, 2022. Link. This 2016 clinical review article presents puzzles of all kinds and their … [Read more...]
Top herbs that help promote dental health
Sharing symptomatic remedies, not cures, Greg Tilford emphasizes working with veterinarians, taking a hard look at the food an animal receives, and including an occasional raw bone to scrub off tartar and build healthy gleaming teeth. His list of favorite herbs, plus kelp are options he suggests that minimize discomfort while enhancing the health of the pet’s teeth and gums and … [Read more...]
Parents spending more time with children than their parents did with them
Opinion More than 60 percent of today’s parents spend more time with their children than their parents did with them, according to a OnePoll survey. Society has been asking for better parent involvement for decades. Is your business modeled to support today’s parents? . . . 74 percent of parents polled think it is more challenging to raise a child than when they grew up … [Read more...]
NAVC seeking feedback about advancing diversity, equity and inclusion
Complimentary Content We received an email inviting participation in a NAVC survey to capture opinions, challenges and desires related to DE&I. Feedback will help NAVC assess and advance areas of opportunity related to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the veterinary healthcare community. If you skipped over this, please take a few minutes to complete … [Read more...]