Opposing the PURR act, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture board of directors adopted a new policy supporting the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine to establish a national rule for pet food and specialty pet food labeling. The policy advocates for consistency and transparency on pet food and pet food labels. Source: … [Read more...]
Bottled water is full of tiny plastics
Commentary Water quality issues have long been a concern in animal health. The two articles here reinforce the need to consider if the water we drink is safe and by association reminds us that our animals need similar considerations. A recent study found there are roughly 240,000 detectable plastic fragments in a typical liter of bottled water. About 90 percent of the … [Read more...]
Employee discounts? Be sure to follow the rules.
Mira Johnson CPA, CVPM, MBA, and Jimmy Bell, CPA, share the rules of employee discounts. They say the practice is a misunderstood and an often abused on-the-job benefit in veterinary practice. Source: Today’s Veterinary Practice, February/March 2024. Link. Make sure your policy on employee discounts is clarified and well understood. Consider offering pet health insurance as … [Read more...]
Gender stereotypes hold women back in the workplace, kill self confidence
Women’s History Month is celebrated annually in March in the United States. Reading some of the bios featured on the site, it seems meeting the challenges of stereotypes is part of most of the stories of women who made contributions to our history and culture. Research by Katherine B. Coffman, PhD, et al, shares how the gender gap is due in part to occupational sorting but … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 14, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 7, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the March 7th AHD Bulletin – Data from 36 years: 20 dog breeds that attack people most. Link. Home delivery, autoship important offerings for veterinary clients. Link. 9 pet companies listed as fastest-growing U.S. private companies. Link. AHD Archives for … [Read more...]
USDA restricts use of ‘Product of USA’ label to U.S.-grown meat, poultry and eggs
Under a new rule, food processors will be able to put “Product of USA” on packages of meat, poultry and egg products only if the animals were born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States. The new rule takes effect in 60 days. Compliance becomes mandatory on Jan. 1, 2026. Source: Successful Farming, March 12, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
FDA proposes new regulations for animal drug labeling
The FDA is proposing new regulations to provide animal drug sponsors with predictable requirements for the labeling of prescription and over-the-counter new animal drugs, as well as new animal drugs for use in animal feeds. This would provide a more consistent presentation of information on the safe and effective use of these new animal drugs. Source: Feedstuffs, March 8, … [Read more...]
Dairy industry contraction trend continues
There were 1,642 dairies that milked cows for the last time in 2023, bringing the number of dairy farms with a permit to sell milk in the United States to 26,290, a reduction of 5.9 percent of the nation’s dairy farms. Overall, herd size has grown 382 percent over the past 32 years keeping cow numbers relatively steady. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, March 11, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Purina’s $30 million investment in people, pets
Purina's charitable giving in 2023 focused on key areas that included connecting pets with youth to support mental health, and funding programs designed to keep people and pets together in times of crisis. Source: Pet Business, February 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Don’t throw away extra milk
It is the most common disease in dairy cattle. Twenty percent to 40 percent of cows develop clinical mastitis each lactation. This article shares perspectives on mastitis treatment, choosing which cows to treat, culturing milk samples to determine the treatment pathway and economic considerations as presented by Pamela Ruegg, DVM, MPVM. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, March 8, … [Read more...]
Unraveling patterns of swine pathogen co-infections
Pig health is continually challenged and conditions vary from farm to farm. Multiple pathogens influence effective prevention strategies frustrating producers and veterinarians. To evaluate co-infections and their impact on farms and to better understand the consequences of pathogen challenges, a collaborative project of Iowa State University and Boehringer Ingelheim studied … [Read more...]
Overcoming the Stress Response Cascade to get more productive cows
Includes Commercial Content This article explains the results of stressors on cows and a trio of negative effects including reduced feed intake, development of leaky gut and systemic inflammation. It offers perspective on proactively using additives to reduce stress effects. Source: Feedstuffs, March 1, 2024. Link. With proper use, additives can be an effective and … [Read more...]
Cleaning the coop regularly is essential for protecting chicken health
A stroke of the obvious? Maybe . . . but backyard chicken raisers will appreciate this article from 20-year veteran Erin Snyder who shares tips on keeping the coop and accessories clean. Consider the article for social media, newletters or chicken enthusiast groups in your region. Source: Hobby Farms. Link. Regularly cleaning the coop, run, waterers and feeders may seem … [Read more...]
The great American llama (and ostrich and emu) collapse
Where have all the emus gone? We have about a quarter as many as we did two decades ago. Llama and ostriches plunged even more precipitously. Classic farm animals are doing fine. Unconventional animals aren't. The analysis by Andrew Van Dam shows population maps, charts and the often shaky economics of these unconventional animal markets. Source: The Washington Post, … [Read more...]
Pros and cons of vaccinating a horse against EHV-1
The debate continues about the validity of equine herpes virus vaccines despite consensus that vaccination is an important tool for reducing EHV-1 spread and the severity of clinical signs. Dr. Klaus Osterrieder shares the history, challenges and concerns about EHV-1. Source: The Horse, January 18, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Osterrieder urges researchers to continue working … [Read more...]
Feeding milk replacer when a foal needs extra nutrition
When a mare is not providing enough milk for her foal, owners can supplement with a milk replacer designed for horses, writes Clair Thunes, PhD. Plenty of early suckling is important so the mare can support the foal’s needs as she grows. If the issue is that the foal does not have much drive to nurse, a veterinarian will need to determine the cause. Source: The Horse, May … [Read more...]
Spring cleaning? Beware the toxic risks.
With warmer temperatures and increased daylight, homeowners get busy cleaning windows, washing decks, treating yards . . . generally freshening up their homes and yards. Those with pets need to be reminded many cleaning products contain chemicals that, in large enough amounts, can be toxic to humans and animals. Veterinary toxicologists share what and how much can be … [Read more...]
How cats see the world. Let’s review.
Paul Miller, DVM, DACVO, explains how cat vision works, from the way they see the world to how it shapes their behavior. Like dogs, cats are red-green color blind. Their night vision is about 5.5 to 7 times better than humans in dim light but humans are more than 10 times better at detecting motion in daylight. Miller shares some signs of eye problems in cats owners may notice … [Read more...]
Fix this diarrhea!
Veterinarians see dogs with diarrhea much quicker than physicians see their patients with diarrhea and are conditioned to do something about it. The question though is, “Did the dog get better because of what we did or despite it?” writes Scott Weese, DVM. Weese references a study in Veterinary Journal, 2024 and upcoming canine acute diarrhea antimicrobial use guidelines. … [Read more...]
Dogs with epilepsy found with altered levels of trace elements, heavy metals
Dogs with epilepsy exhibit distinct alterations in trace elements and heavy metal levels in their blood and fur compared with healthy counterparts according to findings from research being done by Sarah V. Rosendahl, DVM. The results showed that dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy had significantly higher levels of selenium and copper and lower levels of chromium in the … [Read more...]
Long-term cannabinoids deemed safe to give to healthy dogs, study finds
Results from the first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed safety study of cannabidiol products in healthy dogs demonstrated hemp-derived cannabinoids are well tolerated in healthy dogs at a dose of 5mg/kg of body weight per day and do not pose a significant risk to dogs in long-term use. Source: Pet Product News, March 2024. Link. The study was published in Frontiers in Veterinary … [Read more...]
So much drivel ! – How brachycephalic health issues are discussed on social media.
COMMENTARY We had to share this research paper. Something new? NO. Still, a published paper on the influences of social media groups discussing the health issues, real or perceived, that challenge brachycephalic dogs seems important to highlight. Misinformation continues to rule these narratives and emphasizes the need for professional education for pet … [Read more...]
Is the 5-Second Rule real?
Inquiring minds wanted to know if food that fell on the floor and was there fewer than five seconds, was it still acceptable to eat. Under ideal conditions . . . maybe. Source: Interesting Facts, March 12, 2024. Link. When in doubt, throw it out!” … [Read more...]
Finnish study shows noise sensitivity tops anxiety-related traits in dogs
Using an online questionnaire given to pet parents of mixed-breed and purebred dogs, researchers concluded that 72.5 percent of the dogs exhibited a behavior related to seven traits. Noise sensitivity was first, fearfulness second. Note: Aggression and separation-related behavior were the least common anxiety traits among the 37,715 dogs involved in the study. Source: … [Read more...]
How big of a deal are student loans?
Includes Commercial References Student loan debt hovers over veterinary professionals and is an underlying element as new graduates come into the marketplace. CJ Burnett, CExP, proposes loan advisors need to deal with student loans as individualized and situational to help graduates manage them intentionally. Source: DVM360, February 29, 2024. Link. . . . student loans … [Read more...]
A look inside Fear Free practices
International in scope, Fear Free methods are being adopted by veterinarians, veterinary technicians, groomers and trainers. One might say, Fear Free is a behavior modification program where people adjust to what makes animals comfortable in facilities retrofitted to reduce pets’ triggers and inherent fears. As such, Fear Free is a verb, denoting focused actions. As a noun, … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – March 11, 2024
Pet business is resetting post Covid, Petco Love promoting vaccination during National Pet Vaccination Month, Global Pet Expo, guide to safe online transactions and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, March 11, 2024. Link. Record number of speaker applications for IBPSA FLOW Business Conference planned for September 24, 2024 - September 26, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona … [Read more...]
Why introverts don’t consider everyone their friend
Introverts often give impressions that are seen as unfriendly or unwilling to make an effort. Kim Dresner shares her insights on what “friend” means to an introvert, its importance and how it shapes interactions. . . . introverts value quality over quantity, which might explain why we often struggle to fit into large friend groups.” Source: Introvert Dear, March 8, 2024. … [Read more...]
Doing for others
To lock in and truly listen is a hard skill to master. It starts with shifting our gaze from the phone — or mirror. Source: AXIOS, February 29, 2024. Link. I cannot remember a single wish that she espoused that was truly for herself, other than to be with her people — and her greatest joy was in their happiness." INSIGHTS: The most meaningful success is helping … [Read more...]
Prioritizing break time during the busy workday
It is not solely a matter of time, but a matter of energy to make it through busy work days and responsibilities, writes Rebecca Zucker. Creating several short micro-breaks throughout the day can help manage energy and maintain cognitive, emotional and even physical capacity. Zucker shares eight ways to establish and maintain breaks intentionally. Source: Harvard Business … [Read more...]