In most rescue animal adoptions, the adopter picks their pet. Not this time. This is a great story of a dog choosing his new home all on his own. Source: The Washington Post, September 1, 2023. Link. Scout was staying at the Antrim County Animal Shelter in Bellaire, Mich., when he started sneaking out to Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility – a nursing home across the street – … [Read more...]
Rocky Mountain spotted fever on an alarming rise
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a disease spread through bites of ticks that live primarily on dogs, remains rare, but its frequency is rising. It is at epidemic levels in northern Mexico. In Baja California, there were 92 cases in 2022 which prompted a team of Mexican and U.S. scientists to pluck ticks off dogs, scour homes for larvae and warn residents to keep their dogs off … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – September 4, 2023
In the eyes of the law pets are property, study shows vet schools transmit culture and attitudes, future proofing digital assets, a possible link between respiratory and digestive issues in dogs, avoiding normalizing the Monday blues and more. . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, September 4, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Canine vaccine hesitancy, including rabies, prevalent among U.S. dog owners
A study out of Boston University School of Public Health highlights the concerning levels of canine vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. Published in the journal Vaccine, the study results revealed 53 percent of dog owners express some level of skepticism about vaccinating their pets. They expressed concerns about safety, efficacy and necessity. The researchers don’t believe canine … [Read more...]
Euthanasia rates across U.S. animal shelters reach 3-year high
More dogs than cats are coming into shelters in many major cities, driven largely by an increase in strays, according to Shelter Animals Count. Animal intakes at public and private shelters across the country are expected to reach a 3-year high this year . . . adoptions or owner returns are not keeping pace.” SAC Source: AXIOS, September 1, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 31, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 24, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the August 24th AHD Bulletin – Quotes that epitomize Myers-Briggs types. Link. Customer experience thoughts for Link. The inside-out approach to customer centricity. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
How much should a dog drink?
Healthy dogs need to drink about an ounce per pound of their body weight daily, but many factors can affect their consumption, writes Eileen Fatcheric, DVM. Regardless, the chart shown here is a good resource to share with dog owners on social media, in newsletters or with local reporters, especially during hot periods. It’s also helpful for owners when their dogs’ diets are … [Read more...]
Education affects acceptance of insects in pet food
Humans may be more willing to accept insects in their pets’ food than their own. Introducing insect-based pet foods relies on the education of pet owners about the sustainability and healthiness of insect-based pet food ingredients. Tim Wall shares results from a study showing pet owners identified capsule, powder/flour and sachet/snack as their most preferred methods to … [Read more...]
New sense discovered in dog noses: the ability to detect heat
Dogs' noses just got a bit more amazing, writes Virginia Morell referencing a study in Scientific Reports. The ability to sense weak, radiating heat is known in only a handful of animals: black fire beetles, certain snakes, and one species of mammal, the common vampire bat, all of which use it to hunt prey. . . . dogs' rhinaria are moist, colder than the ambient temperature, … [Read more...]
Practice Camp event offered free online
Complimentary Invitation “If you think you don't have time, then you likely NEED to make the time more than anyone else,” shares Amy Hayek, DVM, CAC, CVA, in her invitation for veterinarians to invest three hours in a virtual practice camp. Practice Camp is hosted by Animal Chiropractic Education Source and is dedicated to help empower veterinary professionals overcome the … [Read more...]
Dog brains are tuned to dog-directed speech spoken by women (video)
Dogs show greater brain sensitivity to the speech directed at them than to adult-directed speech, especially if spoken by women, according to a new study in Communications Biology. The study shows that dog auditory brain regions responded more to dog- and infant-directed than to adult-directed speech, which is the first neural evidence that dog brains are tuned to the speech … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – August 28, 2023
Poop scooping as a money maker, rescue organizations saving pets from wildfires, the dogs of Chernobyl, speeding up payment processes, managing social media and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, August 28, 2023. Link. FLOW business conference early registration rates and conference group hotel block access ends September 1st. … [Read more...]
Pet Assistance Network of Topeka (PANT), 2023 Spirit of Service Recipient
This year’s Spirit of Service Recipient is PANT, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to help care for pets of community members who have fallen into difficult times. Supporting these pets, in turn, supports their owners. PANT helps families stay together with their pets during times when their owners are struggling with hardships. THANK YOU! Through an enabling partnership with … [Read more...]
Veterinary ophthalmologist explains how dogs see the world
Instead of 20/20 vision, dogs have the equivalent range of 20/40 to 20/50, explains Jaycie Reisberg, DVM, DACVO. That means that what people clearly see at 20 feet, a dog sees as if he was standing 40 or 50 feet away. However, dogs are much more sensitive to detecting motion. Source: Daily Paws, September 5, 2022. Link. Canines are dichromatic, having two types of cones in … [Read more...]
Predictability is key to calming anxious dogs
As school begins, dogs all over are dealing with changes in household activities breaking the patterns dogs are wired to find. When dogs can predict what's next, they become calmer and less anxious. Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, shares advice on creating patterns to help dogs whose anxieties may otherwise increase. Owners can take advantage of this, and identify, strengthen, and … [Read more...]
Americans can’t afford their pets; animal shelters filling up
Kenny Torrella writes shelters began filling back up in 2021 as more animals entered than left, and now many are packed to the brim. He cites survey data from Shelter Animals Count indicating almost half of shelters surveyed reported an increase in euthanized dogs, while only 10 percent reported a decrease. Torrella identifies inflation, veterinary costs, rebalancing of … [Read more...]
Considerations for fresh pet food diets
Pet food choices are not simple anymore. Variations include kibble size, shape, nutrition sources, canned diets and, more recently, fresh options all making calorie control a challenge for pet owners and veterinarians. Cailin Heinze, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Nutrition), shares her perspectives on some of the terms, delivery methods, marketing efforts and more in this opinion … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 16, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 10, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from August 3rd AHD Bulletin – Hauser: Client relationships with veterinary team critical to positive practice experiences. Link. Less is more – Patrick Malone. Link. Work-life balance is the wrong goal. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences … [Read more...]
Social companionship can help dogs live healthier and longer
A recent study showed that dogs who had social companionship with humans and animals has a larger influence on healthy aging than family finances, household children and the pet parent’s age. Published in Evolution, Medicine and Public Health, the study surveyed human parents of more than 21,000 dogs to reach this conclusion. Source: The Washington Post, August 15, 2023. … [Read more...]
Zoetis names 10 pet shelters receiving Apoquel® grants
Complimentary Commercial Content Zoetis For Shelters is a program that connects animal shelters with animal care through savings on Zoetis’ products to help save more pets. Acknowledging the 10th anniversary of Apoquel® (oclacitinib tablet), a grant program was announced in May for shelters that met eligibility criteria, including an annual intake of at least 100 dogs and … [Read more...]
Does the world need another dental treat? The inventor of Greenies™ says, “Yes.”
Complimentary Commercial Content Why would the well-known inventor of GREENIES™ return to the treat market after selling to MARS? Curious, we asked veterinary-publishing veteran and podcast host-for-hire Brendan Howard to interview Joe Roetheli, PhD, to find out and learn about Yummy Combs® dog treats. The result is the podcast linked here. Two things are clear. Roetheli’s … [Read more...]
New pet food label guidelines approved by AAFCO
Under new dog and cat food label guidelines pet food will soon have nutrition labels similar to human food. The labels approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials will list ingredients, nutrition facts, plus handling and storage instructions to improve consistency and inform consumers. Source: Pet Food Processing, July 31, 2023. Link. The association is … [Read more...]
Pet benefits a desired trend in employee retention
Nearly half of Gen Z and millennials would be more likely to stay at an employer that offered pet benefits according to a survey by Nationwide. The benefits they want include: 40 percent: Pet insurance 29 percent: Paid time off to care for a pet 27 percent: A pet-friendly office 14 percent: Leave to care for a new pet, sometimes called “paw-ternity” Source: … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 10, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 3, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from August 3rd AHD Bulletin – Weight stigma infiltrates work. Link. Addressing relentless licking by dogs. Link. Covetrus® expands GreatPetCare™. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
Does cuddling lead to better-behaved dogs?
Scientists refute the notion that all canine moms provide the appropriate nurturing needed to produce healthy and well-adjusted puppies. Stanley Coren, PhD, shares research showing the differences in pups from dams that spent a lot of time touching, manipulating and caring for their pups compared to others that were more inattentive. . . . a puppy with a high frequency of … [Read more...]
Bug spray with DEET is NOT safe for dogs (video)
When dogs are exposed to DEET whether it is through their skin or if they ingest it by licking their fur or licking where you’ve applied the spray, it can cause wobbly walking, shakes, seizure, diarrhea and vomiting.” - Cristine Hayes, DVM, DABT, DABVT Source: News19, August 3, 2023. Link. DEET is so dangerous for pets, the ASPCA recommends removing pets from the area when … [Read more...]
Super Zoo schedule set for August 15th through 18th
North America’s largest pet retail event in Orlando, Florida, will draw as many as 20,000 attendees and more than 1,100 exhibitors. Produced by the World Pet Association, it is a comprehensive marketplace to debut products, reveal bestsellers, as well as management and e-commerce solutions for pet retailers. Source: World Pet Association. Link. Includes video (0:46) With … [Read more...]
PIDA’s board approves new strategic plan, value proposition
The Pet Industry Distributors Association has set new goals for the coming years that include retailer education and advocacy on behalf of everyone in the pet care community. The plan is to provide ways to connect manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the supply chains. Source: Pet Product News, August 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: We noted the strategy names smaller … [Read more...]
Yes, animal chiropractic is a thing
Commentary Having a conversation* with Dr. O (William Ormston, DVM) is mind-expanding. He is a veterinarian with a passion for exploring, learning, teaching and sharing the benefits of animal chiropractic, a branch of physical medicine. We are pleased to share this recent article. For a four-legged animal to move correctly, it requires every bone, muscle, ligament, tendon … [Read more...]
Kudos for Texas A&M University Veterinary Emergency Team’s pop-up vet clinic results
A free pet clinic manned by a staff of about 80 was part of the annual Operation Border Health Preparedness in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It is a sparsely populated area and one of the more economically-distressed regions where high unemployment rates and low per capita income make the expense of pet care hard to meet. One thousand, twenty-two house pets, mostly dogs, … [Read more...]