Are dogs just very good at guessing, or do they really understand and keep track of time? Matt Soniak explores the topic in this interesting article. Source: Pet MD. Link. A review of research on the subject by psychologist William Roberts found ample evidence that many different animals are sensitive to time. “They can learn to go to a particular place for food at a … [Read more...]
The most important thing to teach dogs
Before you dive into this article, write down your top three answers to test yourself. Nicole Wilde admits that not biting, potty skills and socialization are important for dogs. But for day-to-day living the most important thing you can teach them is how to ask politely for what they want. This article is sound advice for pet owners and is worth using for social media … [Read more...]
Tooth resorption: Name it to tame it
There are three types of tooth resorption in cats and six types in dogs. And all of them are treated differently, says Dr. Mary Krakowski Volker, DVM, DAVDC. Treatment depends on the type of resorption present. She notes we don’t use the same names for dogs or cats. Source: Veterinary Medicine, DVM 360, May 23, 2018. Link. There are stages of tooth resorption in cats that … [Read more...]
June is National Pet Preparedness Month. Let’s get chippy!
Sarah Wooten, DVM, says it is time to target new clients and all clients in your database who don’t have a microchip on file with succinct, powerful communication that will cause them to take action. She offers a script to help animal health pros promote microchipping and motivate owners to act. Source: DVM 360, May 14, 2018. Link. Also see: Ready.gov. Link. The Pet … [Read more...]
Make RV travel stress-free for dogs
Memorial Day weekend signals the start of the vacation season and with it the RVs come out of storage to hit the road. Planning will keep RVing dogs happy and safe. Liz Palika offers ideas in the following categories for those traveling with their pets: Where will the dog ride? The right dog stuff Stop often on the road Stopping for the night Daily routine … [Read more...]
Rabies vaccine is associated with decreased all-cause mortality in dogs
Research published in the July 2017 issue of the journal Vaccine found that dogs who receive rabies vaccines experience better health overall. The researchers hypothesize that the protective association between rabies vaccination status and all-cause mortality is due to a protective effect of rabies vaccine against diseases other than rabies. Source: Vaccine, July 5, 2017. … [Read more...]
Prepare pets for spring, summer storms
June is National Pet Preparedness Month. It is a time to remind client and ourselves to double-check to make sure the basics are in order and late springs and summer storms hit. They include: pet ID tags, rescue alert stickers, safe havens where pets can be taken during or after a storm, a kennel and being prepared ourselves. The Department of Homeland Security has assembled a … [Read more...]
7 Home fixer-ups that are dangerous for pets
Spring and summer are top times for home repair and remodeling projects. This work and the supplies to support it can be hazardous to pets. The folks at vetSTREET put together some great tips to keep pets safe. Source: vetSTREET, April 20, 2015. Link. The bottom line is, for safety’s sake, always keep your pets away from home-repair products. If, despite your precautions, … [Read more...]
Purebred pet paradox
Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA, delivers a twisted take on the importance of purebred pets, puppy mills and irresponsible breeding methods to veterinary practices. Where would you be without your purebred patients? It’s true! If we waved a wand and eliminated purebreds, the economics of our profession would be instantly turned upside down. We’d see record unemployment among generalists … [Read more...]
Manage the environment to reduce dog-on-dog household aggression
Pat Miller reminds us that not all dogs get along, even though they are a social species. He reviews potential stressors and offers counter measures to reduce the tensions in a household. Source: Whole Dog Journal, January 3, 2018. Link. When you have identified your dogs’ triggers, you can manage their environment to reduce trigger incidents and minimize outright conflict. … [Read more...]
Opinion – Manage maggots and bots in dogs and cats
Images of screwworm infestations in newly born kittens, ferrets and rabbits before 1966 still bring nightmares. Clear are the memories of tiny, near-hairless, days-old animals lying across my palm while we systematically removed screw worms from holes nearly the size of a pencil eraser. Fly control product stations were everywhere on our farm. We bought ducks to help clean … [Read more...]
Fear Free tips to handle big dogs
Mikkel Becker offers some tips to avoid injury while handling, lifting, restraining and caring for large and giant-sized canines. She says to consider the following strategies: Avoid the wrestling match. Evaluate your default. Dig for the root. Do your future self a favor. Replace restraint. Pharmaceuticals could be your friend. Treat yo’ patient. … [Read more...]
Dogs and their owners may live forever
George Church, a biologist at Harvard Medical School, thinks he might be able to help dogs live longer lives and bring age-defeating treatments for humans to market at the same time. In fact, he has cofounded the company Rejuvenate Bio, to do it. It claims preliminary tests on beagles make animals “younger” by adding new DNA instructions to their bodies. Source: MIT … [Read more...]
Top considerations to soothe skin disease in cats and dogs
Whether it’s from allergies, bacterial infections, or external parasites, pruritus is easily among the top 10 problems veterinarians see in dogs and cats. Because meds for managing pruritus vary in mechanism of action, patient restrictions, and more, each individual case dictates which drug is used for treatment. Source: Veterinary Practice News, May 1, 2018. Link. Some … [Read more...]
Clear up misconceptions about regenerative medicine (includes video)
Regenerative medicine has become more common in the veterinary market. So has pet owners’ misunderstanding. David Dycus, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA, offers clarification and speaks to the differences of rich plasma and stem cell therapies. Probably a lot of the public's misconception is that we're simply trying to regenerate new tissues, which, while there may be some regeneration, … [Read more...]
17 tips for camping with dogs
It’s the time of year when folks head to campgrounds all over the country. Fido is often in tow, which can make for a great camping experience. Writer Jen Reeder shares basic tips to help ensure fun camping trips that include dogs. Source: AAHA. Link. Here are some suggestions to help create an outstanding experience: Let your dog check out the gear. Visit the … [Read more...]
What I wish groomers looked for
Part of what keeps me grounded in the veterinary profession is realizing that many pet care service providers—including dog groomers, and owners and employees of pet stores, kennels and boarding facilities—are in higher demand than veterinarians, writes Courtney Campbell, DVM. She acknowledges that pet owners frequently visit some of these service providers and wishes teams … [Read more...]
29 dogs sleeping in hilarious positions (includes slideshow)
Animal health pros and their customers love their dogs. Dog owners are often seen showing pictures of their dogs to friends and family sometimes before they show photos of their children. Pawsome compiled some photos of canines whose need for sleep has them in funky positions. Source: Pawsome, May 2018. Link. Dogs will nap literally anywhere they want as long as they are … [Read more...]
Get to know ticks
Heidi Goethert, ScD, presents an image gallery showing the ticks of the northeast United States, though their range may extend throughout much of North America. The ticks were photographed on the author's hand to show scale. A close-up view is included to show details useful for identification. Source: Clinician’s Brief, April 2008. Link. A clinician's ability to make an … [Read more...]
A pictorial journey of the effects of heartworm infection
It just takes one bite. Still clients and veterinary teams struggle with year-round heartworm prevention. Stephen Jones, DVM, challenges animal health pros to understand how heartworm disease begins long before clinical signs develop and progresses as long as heartworms are present. Source: Veterinary Medicine, April 19, 2018. Link. Remember: by the time a dog is diagnosed … [Read more...]
Separation anxiety: The worry over worry
The market reentry of Reconcile® (fluoxetine hydrochloride) from PRN Pharmacal™ prompted research by AHD staff about separation anxiety. Most recently, Fear Free Happy Homes offered context in the article, “Shadow effect: is it closeness or anxiety?” Link. The writer states, “Separation anxiety rarely gets better on its own and, in fact, often escalates.” John Ciribassi, … [Read more...]
Keep vaccinating. Dogs can’t get autism.
The anti-vaxxers simply won’t let science get in the way of senseless fearmongering. In fact, the fear they spread prompted the British Veterinary Association to issue a statement last week: Dogs cannot develop autism. Their message is that dog owners should keep vaccinating their pets against diseases because fear that animal would develop autism is unfounded. The theory … [Read more...]
Bad dog breath; Szabo’s home remedies
Julia Szabo is a frequent contributor of content to Dogster. Bad dog breath is a sign of an unhealthy mouth, she states and offers eight home remedies for it. We’re sharing her list and explanations for consideration by animal health pros when discussing dog halitosis with pet owners. Because this list includes some spices, we added spices and neem oil references. Source: … [Read more...]
Make routine dentals digestible
Making dental care easier to swallow for pet owners requires some modeling choices. Karen Felstad, DVM360 conference educator, speaks to bundling, economical basic pricing and more. For practice managers and clinic owners, his information presented is a worthwhile topic for discussion at a management meeting. Source: Veterinary Economics, April 18, 2018. Link. “A lot of … [Read more...]
Help pets stay calm during storms
Spring thunderstorms are daily reality right now and they strike fear in some pets. This fear can manifest as hiding, whining, scratching, slobbering or tearing down door frames in a state of panic, according to animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell. It can worsen with age. This brief item article offers some useful tips to help keep pets calm and understand their … [Read more...]
Animal welfare tops list of American causes
Americans say they care more about animal welfare than children’s education and hunger. That’s according to the findings of the “Causes Americans Care About,” a new study that gathered responses from 1,000 adults: 41% chose animal welfare number one. Children’s education ranked second with 38% of respondents. Hunger, chosen by 33% of respondents ranked number … [Read more...]
This animal kills more people in a day than sharks in a century (videos)
Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, has come to fear mosquitos. He discusses the global consequences of mosquito-borne disease in humans, fears and shares a clever video that reinforces mosquitos as a vector. The video’s mosquito character says, “I don’t want to kill, it’s just something inside me.” For animal health professionals, mosquitos are most notably vectors for dog … [Read more...]
AAHA offers parasite counselor program
The American Animal Hospital Association now offers the Parasite Counselor Program for veterinarians and veterinary staff. The online modules are designed for all staff of companion animal veterinary practices and can be accessed at VetFolio. Source: Vetfolio, April 27, 2017. Link. The specially tailored courses in this program will provide training on fleas, ticks, … [Read more...]
Ways to reduce fear, stress and anxiety in pets
When Steve Dale talks, people listen. In a recent newsletter he discusses: Destress Your Pet Month from Ceva Animal Health and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. From Fearful to Fear Free: A Positive Program to Free Your Dog from Anxiety, Fears and Phobias, Dr. Marty Becker, Dr. Lisa Radosta, Dr. Wailani Sung, Mikkel Becker, edited by Kim Campbell … [Read more...]
Reconcile® joins Animal Health Digest as Sponsor
AHD welcomes Reconcile® (fluoxetine hydrochloride) as our newest Supporting Sponsor. Manufactured by PRN PharmacalTM, a PBI-Gordon company, Reconcile provides veterinarians with a clinically tested, FDA-approved, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) labeled for dogs. When combined with the BONDTM Behavior ModificationTraining Program, Reconcile® has been shown to … [Read more...]