Winter’s weather increase the risk for dogs to experience hypothermia and frostbite just as we do. Different breeds tolerate winter better than others, but age and overall health are important factors, too. Snow and ice can cause problems for some dogs. However, ice melts on pavement and sidewalks have own toxicity issues. Here are three resources to help address winter safety … [Read more...]
Signs and treatment of dog tooth infections
John Huff, DVM, FAVD, Dipl. AVDC, shares his perspectives on dog tooth infections, what causes them and things for owners to watch for. He names chewing on objects that are too hard for your dog’s teeth, which could be common dog-chew items like tennis balls, deer antlers, pig’s ears and rawhide as common culprits that can cause teeth to break and become susceptible to … [Read more...]
MaxiGuard® Oral Cleansing Wipes now available in 10 packs
Sponsored Commercial Content Responding to requests from veterinary clinics, Addison Biological Laboratories announced a new package size for the popular MaxiGuard® Oral Cleansing Wipes. The 10 packs are packaged in a convenient foil pouch < link >. Source: Addison Biological Laboratories, December 14, 2020. Link. There has been consistent, strong demand from … [Read more...]
2020 e-commerce surge carried pet food along for the ride
“One of the driving factors behind the e-commerce growth trends for pet food was the growth of millennial pet owners who were preconditioned to online shopping. The pandemic has taken this storyline and put it on steroids,” according to Tom Elliott citing a new report from Capstone Headwaters. In a related discussion, Fritz Wood, CPA and Vertical Vet's Dr. Ernie Ward … [Read more...]
50% of dog owners believe their pets have separation anxiety
Commentary To most animal health pros, study results revealed in People will come as no surprise. If anything, the WFH months has increased visibility to issues many pets were already experiencing and now owners want to address the issues. Results from the survey found that 53 percent of dog owners overall and 60 percent of hybrid workers believe that their dogs has … [Read more...]
Not all scents safely make sense
The holiday season brings new visual stimuli to our environments. It also is commonly accompanied by a variety of seasonal smells in diffusors, candles and sprays. Some of these are toxic to pets. Source: Catnip, November 19, 2020. Link. Common essential oils that could prove toxic in the wrong dose include: Tea tree, citrus, pine, pennyroyal, eucalyptus, peppermint, sweet … [Read more...]
Dr. Jen’s top 5 holiday dangers for pets
Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, and twin brother Jason Chatfield, DVM, discuss holiday dangers for pets in a new edition of Is this a Thing? They discuss these top 5 holiday dangers: Out of town guests; people and their pets Holiday decorations; tinsel, ornaments and seasonal plants Holiday travel; microchipping and registration reminders Holiday foods Weather … [Read more...]
Pet Business customer loyalty survey results
Results from a 2020 survey of persons using small businesses reinforces the importance of three factors important to boarding, daycare and groomers. These factors are familiar in veterinary surveys and important to consider as the clients are the same. Deliver high-quality service consistently: 62 percent said this is the most important trait Create a personalized … [Read more...]
Top 10 holiday ads: Greenies tops the list
Ace Metrix tracked the spots that are engaging consumers the most this holiday season. Greenies’ animated dog is in the top spot. Dogs made appearances in four of the top 10. Source: Ad Age, December 3, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Most of these ads are under 20 seconds. … [Read more...]
Dr. Jen discusses what to know about dog flu
Complimentary video content Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM, talks influenza in the latest video edition of Is This a Thing? With flu season upon us, she reviews all the influenzas, their origins, the interesting creatures that get flu and how they ALL fit together. Source: Dr. Jen the Vet, You Tube, November 25, 2020. Link. If your dog has not been … [Read more...]
73 percent of pandemic adoptions at risk to be surrendered
Sound the alarms and call in the techs! A recent survey of new dog owners conducted by Merck Animal Health found 73 percent of those who brought home a pooch this year are considering rehoming the animal once the pandemic ends. This decision, Merck says, likely stems from a lack of knowledge about animal care. 25 percent of respondents claimed they do not have enough … [Read more...]
Roundworms aren’t table talk. But, they’re important.
While not a tasty topic for the Thanksgiving table, roundworm information is important to pet owners and their families. Maybe, just maybe a social media post or newsletter item on roundworm incidence and zoonotic risks might get discussed during a commercial or while doing dishes, especially in the cities listed in the November and October Top Ten reports from CAPC. . . . if … [Read more...]
Turkey talk. Skip the bones for sure!
Turkey is not toxic to dogs. But spices and rubs might cause some gastro upsets. Turkey bones like chicken bones are brittle and add myriad risks from mouth to tail and in between. Anna Burke shares four things to keep dogs safe during Thanksgiving festivities: Skip the skin Feed ONLY the turkey meat Feed only small quantities of turkey Make sure there are no … [Read more...]
Dogs being trained to detect Covid-19
Scientists are training dogs to sniff out Covid-19 at airports and other public places around the world. The dogs are doing a good job, too. Madeleine Brand, host of Press Play, interviews Maria Goodavage, journalist and author of Doctor Dogs: How Our Best Friends Are Becoming Our Best Medicine. Link. Source: KCRW, November 17, 2020. Link. At a few airports in the UAE … [Read more...]
The first MiQLab diagnostic system placed at University of Pennsylvania
Complimentary commercial content “We are very excited to be placing our first completed commercial MiQLab system in the Penn Vet [school] microbiology laboratory for their evaluation. This is a tremendous step in delivering our technology into the veterinary market and beyond,” stated Dr. Jack Regan, LexaGene’s CEO and Founder. Designed for in-clinic, point-of-care, … [Read more...]
Drs. Weese and Anderson review Covid-19 in animals
In a series of blog posts, Scott Weese, DVM and Maureen Anderson, DVM review Covid-19 in animals by family. Industry pros are thankful for the efforts being made to help keep Covid-19 in perspective. Thank you Drs. Weese and Anderson!” Source: WormsandGerms Blog. Link. Worms & Germs Blog is an educational website coordinated by Drs. Scott Weese and Maureen Anderson of the … [Read more...]
Multiple influences affect puppy litter size
No matter how a bitch acts or looks, not even experts can be 100-percent sure about her general fertility and an estimated puppy count. Source: Breeding Business, Link. There are several factors influencing the number of puppies a given female will have in her next litter. These include: The breed Size of the female Coefficient of inbreeding Age of the bitch … [Read more...]
Up to scratch: Topical treatments for skin conditions
When the overnight temperatures drop below 600F, furnaces across the country get turned on. By day 3 of heated air, indoor humidity has often fallen by 20 or more percent signaling a change in skin care needs for ourselves and our pets. Conditions we’ve ignored or accepted during the humid summer months exacerbate. Approximately 10 percent of cats and dogs suffer from some … [Read more...]
Dog park etiquette
Harriet Meyers reminds us that not all dogs are ready for a dog park experience. She discusses the benefits and focuses on readiness including vaccination, safety, environmental concerns and socialization. Her article is a good one for social media and newsletters. Source: AKC, October 7, 2020. Link. Also see: How to safely greet a strange dog, AKC, November 6, 2020. … [Read more...]
Help dogs have happy olfactory experiences
Ellen Furlong provides reflection on our dogs’ abilities to care about us and the uniqueness of their sense of smell. She believes dogs might be happier if allowed an occasional “sniffy walk” which lets them lead the way and take as much time to smell as they would like. Hers is a unique perspective that dog owners will appreciate and take to heart. Source: The … [Read more...]
Considerations for breeding a dog
Industry research indicates demand for dogs will continue to increase. Shelter and rescue organizations can’t keep up and provide little support for individual breed development and continuity. The number of breeders is likely to grow with the demand leaving a common question among folks new to breeding. What is the best age to breed a dog?” Source: Breeding Business, March … [Read more...]
Oral care at home, COHAT in the clinic
Opinion, Sponsored Content from Addison Biological Laboratory, Inc. Last week I asked the question, “What ever happened to COHAT?” an acronym Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment. The logic made sense and leads to reasserting the need for in-home oral health to be presented as a priority. Dental exams are a component of COHAT often required more frequently … [Read more...]
Which is smarter, cats or dogs?
Brendan Howard returns with animal health content in a quick summary of a recent PBS NewsHour report < link >. PBS posed the question of pet intelligence to three scientists: a neuroscientist, a dog cognition expert and a cat behavior and cognition researcher. When one of these scientists counted the brain cells in these animals, there was a clear winner. Even with this … [Read more...]
What ever happened to COHAT?
Opinion In INSIGHTS a year ago I wrote this: Establishing COHAT language could help build veterinary dentistry. Mixed practices can take the lead by applying the acronym in a multi-species environment and including COHAT assessments as a line item on invoices and vet records. Moving away from labeling oral care as dentals made sense then and still does.” Source: COHAT is … [Read more...]
Dr. Jen translates Covid-19 and pets!
Complimentary Content Covid-19 is the latest topic on Is this a thing? hosted on YouTube by Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM. She works through a review of coronaviruses and discusses SARS-CoV-2. She addresses the common questions from animal owners and reviews recent papers about animal to animal infections. Source: Dr Jen the Vet, YouTube. Link. Chatfield … [Read more...]
Help for communicating the cost of care
Complimentary Content Pet owners are frequently surprised at the cost of veterinary care. This is partly because veterinary teams are reluctant to proactively discuss the cost of a lifelong commitment to pet ownership. Further, there is a distinct difference between price of care versus cost of care over the life of the pet. Wendy Hauser, DVM, shares how being proactive … [Read more...]
Best dog clippers for professional groomers
Getting pets groomed is often part of holiday planning. For pros, this may mean thinking about updating clippers. The editors at Breeding Business say there is no single best product but several dominate the market for great reasons. They share a look at their top 10. Source: Breeding Business, July 24, 2020. Link. The features that matter most when picking the best dog … [Read more...]
Covid in Animals, Review
Scott Weese, DVM, returns to the Covid-19 discussion. He is focusing on one species at a time starting with cats followed by dogs as below. Source: COVID in Animals Review Part 1: Cats, WormsandGerms Blog, October 15, 2020. Link. Cats are people too when it comes to Covid-19. . . so if a family member is being isolated, isolate the cat too” Source: COVID in Animals Review … [Read more...]
Make Halloween fear free for pets
Part of the fun of Halloween includes frightening images, sounds and sudden movements. While great for most humans, our pets are not as tolerant. Fear Free Pets offers some ideas to reduce anxiety and create a Fear Free Happy Home for pets. The tips are available as PDFs so animal owners can easily try to prevent Halloween howls from their pets. Source: Fear Free Pets. … [Read more...]
Table Talk to provide information about canine genomic testing in veterinary practice
Complimentary content DNA testing options are continuously being developed for dogs and adoption of the technology is on the rise. Veterinarians can now use genomic testing to screen for common, actionable disorders to anticipate health issues and enable preventative care. Join Lindsey Kock, DVM, and Lauren Thorne of Neogen® for a free RACE CE approved Table Talk: … [Read more...]