Cats are thought to be the third most common cause of indoor allergies, yet over 80 percent of cat owners ignore advice to give up their cat to help manage allergies. So, animal health pros often get questioned about reducing allergens, albeit not that directly. This article explains allergen sources and several ways to reduce their effect on the cat owner and family. Note … [Read more...]
Vector-borne disease screening critical to pet health
To help veterinarians stay ahead of the curve and provide the best care to their patients, this article explores why comprehensive screening is critical to pet health. It includes key insights into a lesser-known tick-borne disease that has become more frequently detected than Lyme. “Anaplasma is becoming the most common vector-borne infection they’re seeing dogs are exposed … [Read more...]
Vet pharmacist. Marijuana intoxication in dogs (video).
Complimentary Content Marijuana intoxication in dogs doesn’t make them high, it makes them incredibly ill. Keep all of those products up and out of the reach of our favorite pets.” – Elaine Blythe, Source: Veterinary Pharmacy Education, Instagram, April 10, 2023. Link. (2:00) Also available on Facebook. Link. Marijuana is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. There is no antidote … [Read more...]
The 5 most trusted pet retailers in 2023
Five pet retailers were recognized on Newsweek’s second annual Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2023 list. The list includes Amazon, Chewy, PetSmart and PetCo in the retail category top 10. Tractor Supply was not mentioned in the article but took 10th place. Walmart was ranked 25th. <Link> Source: Pet Product News, April 7, 2023. Link. Also see: Franchising is … [Read more...]
Chewy and Petco are increasingly reliant on pet health care for sales
Commentary With our recent post, “Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong” <Link> still resonating, we stepped back to the comments on quarterly reports from pet retailers Chewy and Petco. Gabrielle Fonrouge summarized key points from the respective earnings reports commenting, “Pet health care will be key to whether the companies can grow and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 13, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 6th, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 30th AHD Bulletin – Hauser: Reverse the downward trend of pets missing vet care. Link. JVECC makes a case for quality improvement in vet med. Link. Finding the optimal pattern of a customer journey. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences … [Read more...]
U.S. bans big cat ownership
A bill outlawing unlicensed people from owning, breeding and transporting big cats in the United States was signed last December. The Big Cat Public Safety Act, which identifies lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars and hybrids of these species, goes one step further, banning licensed exhibitors from allowing public petting of big cats and their cubs. Source: … [Read more...]
Dogs, lawn care and cancer
The pesticides and herbicides that make mass food production and smooth grass easier may negatively impact the ecosystem, but also the health of our pets. Lauren Trepanier, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVCP, shares findings from three ongoing studies that compare chemical exposures in dogs with and without cancer. Source: The Humane Society of the United States, March 31, 2023. … [Read more...]
Why pets do (fill in the blank)?
Addressing pet owner inquiries, the authors share answers to dog and cat owners’ most commonly searched questions. Source: Happy Puppy Tips. Link. INSIGHTS: Share this and discuss with your team to see if they have a consistent answer for these common questions. … [Read more...]
A proactive approach to feline stress
Contains Commercial Content Cat owner and Vet Advantage columnist Dawn Singleton-Olsen explains how helping veterinary teams educate cat owners about regular vet visits and some products that are helpful with the stresses of proactive feline care. Source: Veterinary Advantage, December 2022. Link. . . . attract more cat owners through client education and recommending … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – March 27, 2023
October PetCare Conference details, small business grants, risk management, Freshpet and Petco launch fresh food home delivery, women in the pet industry and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, March 27, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
EPA seeks to hand off pet pesticide regulation to FDA
Citing controversy, lack of action and resources to respond to untoward incidents with a popular flea coller, the EPA wants to relinquish its oversight of pet pesticide products. Under the current setup, the EPA is responsible for regulating pet pesticide products that are “not systemic,” or aren’t supposed to enter the bloodstream, while the FDA regulates “systemic” pet … [Read more...]
Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong
Richard Kestenbaum shares he was shocked with numbers from the APPA summary of its annual report on pet ownership that shows a decline in pet households. The percentage of households with pets declined from 70 percent in 2021 to 66 percent in 2022. In contrast to the households decline, the dollars spent on pets in 2022 were up 10.8 percent over 2021. Recent reports from Chewy … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 23, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 16, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 2nd AHD Bulletin – 7 things to know to keep rabbits healthy and hopping. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. ===================================== Fake ChatGPT Chrome extension stealing Facebook … [Read more...]
Pet food recalls
Anne Norris of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine monitors recalls sharing what happens “when a product violates federal laws and needs immediate legal action.” Recalls can happen in three ways: the company pulls the product on its own the product is pulled by formal FDA request the product is pulled by an FDA order under the agency’s mandatory recall … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club back in action
Sponsored Content The Bridge Club and The Bridge Club Pets announce three new events. The conversations will be lively. See the links below. TBC: Groomers and veterinarians: Can they co-exist? April 19 at 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDT on Zoom. Register here <Link> TBC Pets: Let’s talk about all the creepy crawlies on pets March 30, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDY … [Read more...]
Negative side effects of declawing cats
Declawing is an increasingly controversial veterinary surgical procedure. Rania Gollakner, BS, DVM, MPH, presents the procedure, risks, possible behavior consequences post surgery and scratching behaviors as normal and instinctual. Source: Pet MD, March 3, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Domestication of cats and why they are like us
Recent experiments suggest that cats are more socially intelligent and attuned to familiar humans than we realize. These studies even indicate that cats like us. . . . there is no reason to suppose that humans deliberately domesticated cats . . . if anything, cats domesticated themselves.” - Danijela Popovic, PhD Source: New Scientist, March 7, 2023. Link. Also see: Why … [Read more...]
Dogs, special brownies and more
“What to do if your dog eats marijuana,” by Jennifer Bailey, DVM, addresses a growing issue in homes with pets. Whether edibles, weed or vape cartridges, many of these familiar options are also attractive to dogs. Marijuana was ranked 9th in top Toxin Trends <Link>. Consider this article for social media posts and newsletters to keep pet owners informed of the safety … [Read more...]
A primer on mastitis in small animals
Mastitis can have a dramatic effect on the quality of life of any animal. It is painful, can become a more serious systemic infection and can challenge owners to care for young animals unable to nurse effectively. Don Vaughan shares how mastitis presents in small animals along with diagnosis, treatment and effects. Client education can go a long way toward preventing mastitis … [Read more...]
Demand for pet groomers, grooming remains high
The demand for grooming is outpacing the number of groomers available, according to Paula Hendrickson. She discussed the situation with grooming industry peers in the article linked here. Burnout is a concern as professional skills specialization and certification advance customer expectations and groomer economics. Source: Pet Product News, March 8, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – March 13, 2023
Safety tips for traveling with pets, increasing demand for pet-friendly workplaces, types of YouTube videos that grow business, more legislation limiting retail pet sales, trends in pet nutrition and more. Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, March 13, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
The modern pet telehealth industry is improving veterinary practices
Vetster’s Cerys Goodall writes about the benefits and opportunities for veterinary telehealth in the article linked here. For veterinary teams who have yet to fully use telehealth, it makes a good backdrop for a team discussion. Goodall says telehealth provides unique solutions for consumers and veterinarians while filling in the gaps of in-person clinics. She adds that … [Read more...]
Pets can teach us about love, grief, life and death
Karen Fine, DVM, wrote the recently released book, “The Other Family Doctor.” The book’s subtitle, “A veterinarian explores what animals can teach us about love, life, and mortality,” aptly describes Fine’s observations. She shares these experiences and how they relate to the realities of veterinary practice today with Fresh Air’s Dave Davies. The half-hour interview ranges … [Read more...]
Stop doing these 7 things that annoy cats
Cat behaviorist Mieshelle Nagelschneider shares seven ways cat owners annoy their cats and what to do instead: Putting all their toys in one basket Wiggling toys in their face Expecting cats to obey Not giving enough attention Giving too much attention Reprimanding the cat Old-school feeding and water methods Source: Modern Cat. Link. Cats can be the … [Read more...]
Why does a well-fed cat kill small animals and birds?
John Woolf, a self-proclaimed cat whisperer, addresses the basic instincts cats have for hunting even when well-fed and living indoors. He shares the story of when Mr. Whiskers becomes Dr. Hyde and along the way shares some facts about cats and their lives. . . . even the Garfields of the world can’t overcome instinct.” Source: LinkedIn Pulse, February 27, 2023. Link. Three … [Read more...]
Top 50 best dog poop bags, plus a pollution reality
Commercial Content Included Picking the right dog waste bags is vital. Without the right bag to prevent pollution, non-biodegradable and non-environmentally friendly poop bags can create even more issues. America's 83 million pet dogs produce some 10.6 million tons of poop every year.” – OnEarth.org Source: Top Dog Tips, January 5, 2023. Link. There are 23 million coliform … [Read more...]
3 videos feature insights for treating diabetic patients
DVM 360’s team shares some of the latest tips and tricks for better understanding, diagnosing and treating chronic diabetes in companion animals. They note diabetes affects about 1 in 300 adult dogs and 1 in 230 cats in the U.S. Source: DVM 360, February 24, 2023. Link. The diabetes videos referenced are: The connection between the endocrine pancreas and diabetes. Link. … [Read more...]
Topical therapies in veterinary dermatology
Citing the plethora of topical products for pets, Alexandra Gould, DVM, DACVD, says multiuse products are usually easiest to carry. She groups topical therapies around four main goals and shares the considerations and treatments used to achieve them: Treat infections and prevent their recurrence Decrease seborrhea or greasy skin texture Treat or prevent pruritus … [Read more...]
Florida veterinary technician demonstrates MAXI/GUARD® Oral Cleansing Wipes
Sponsored Content Oral Cleansing Wipes are a fabulous choice for in-between brushings and/or for hard-to-brush mouths, shares Vet Tech Sara from Deerwood Animal Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. Source: Addison Biological Laboratory. Link. … [Read more...]