Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 15, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the February 15th AHD Bulletin – Creating a Fear Free toothbrushing experience for pets (video). Link. Consistent ordinary produces extraordinary. Link. Improve the narrative with diagnostic listening. Link. … [Read more...]
Yes to testing! Yes to preventatives!
Commentary Resources from the American Heartworm Society include a waiver for when a client declines heartworm testing and heartworm prevention. Use this AHS form to educate clients when they won't choose prevention. Whether they sign or not, it provides an opportunity to educate them on how important heartworm prevention really is! And it is a role most veterinary … [Read more...]
Free Free’s revitalizes branding and tools signaling a broadening focus
Conventioneers attending Viticus’ WVC were introduced to a fresh look and promising improvements to the Fear Free platforms. According to the company’s press release, providing the best physical and emotional care for animals remains the core objective, along with making certification and training easier for animal pros. Source: Fear Free, February 19, 2024. Link. Working … [Read more...]
Skipping the dog walk is a big deal
A fenced yard is nice for a dog to rest or to take a quick pee, but it can’t take the place of a good walking, according to Stephanie Borns-Weil at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Plus, while great, exercise isn’t the most important reason for the walk. Source: The Washington Post, February 20, 2024. Link. . . . they’re not getting … [Read more...]
Over-the-counter meds & pet poisoning perils
Renee Schmid, DVM, DABVT, DABT, joins Drs Jenifer and Jason Chatfield to discuss the often-overlooked dangers of common over-the-counter medications for pets. Pain medications like Advil, Tylenol, Aleve and aspirin top Dr. Schmid’s list of OTC medications that frequently cause issues for pets. Schmid notes that a high number of calls they receive at the Pet Poison Helpline … [Read more...]
Which size dog faces higher risks of certain diseases?
A University of Washington study of more than 25,000 dogs and 238 breeds has linked dog size to varying patterns of risk for health conditions throughout a dog’s lifespan. Overall, larger dogs in the study were more likely to have faced certain health conditions at some point in their lives, including cancer, bone-related disease, gastrointestinal problems, ear/nose/throat … [Read more...]
Banfield, more than half of dogs and cats have periodontal disease
Commentary Research from Banfield’s expansive, granular veterinary visit records has been invaluable as our industry seeks to understand the metrics of our business. Their recent report on oral health issues, while not surprising, quantifies the challenges veterinary teams face in making oral health an integral part of managing a pet's overall health and … [Read more...]
Cost of Care tools drive interest, conversations at VMX and WVC 2024
Veterinarians and technicians kept ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance field representatives busy at their booth during VMX 2024 and WVC 2024. Booth personnel sought to learn about the interactions veterinary staff have with pet owners about pet insurance from attendees. Those discussions exposed the values an informative cost of care tool provides when sharing ways to plan for the … [Read more...]
8 reasons a dog may be anxious
Anxiety in dogs is displayed, among other behaviors, through fear responses, aggression, noise phobia, separation anxiety and compulsive behaviors. Some of these can be subtle or ignored as normal. Caroline Wilkinson shares reasons a dog may have anxiety. Lack of socialization, life changes and owner anxiety are among them. Source: Pets Radar. Link. INSIGHTS: This is a … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – February 19, 2024
Active shooter training, nose length may hint at dog longevity, progress on pet adoption crisis, year-round dental care, curing animals with cannabis, getting ready for falling interest rates, SEO, social media and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, February 19, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Creating a Fear Free toothbrushing experience for pets (video)
Fear Free specialists explain how pet owners can make the often stressful task of brushing their pet’s teeth into something Fear Free. The video is good to repost on social media, link in newsletters or use in exam rooms. Source: Fear Free Pets, YouTube. Link. (3:25) Sponsored Content. Dental wipes make oral care easy and convenient. MAXI/GUARD® family of oral care … [Read more...]
CBD in Dr. Marty Beckers’ 2024 five tips for dogs
Marty Becker, DVM, shared five tips to do for dogs in 2024 in his recent newsletter. They include nutrition, parasite control, supplements, CBD and enrichment. Source: DrMartyBecker.com, February 13, 2024. Link. Related content: Long-term CBD for dogs caused few health problems, PETFOOD Industry, February 6, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
If we don’t keep reminding, educating – WHO will?
Commentary The American Heartworm Society routinely provides images like these on X, Instagram and Facebook. The amount of likes and forwards of the posts does not reflect the number of followers, nor how many animal health pros there are. It’s our job to keep the educational efforts of AHS in front of pet owners. The posts are easy to forward and can be copied for all … [Read more...]
Measure pet food by weight, not volume
An estimated six out of 10 cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese, so how pet food is measured is something to consider. With a little coaching, pet owners can learn to measure based on calorie content instead of using a volume measurement. Research has shown that measuring by cup, or volume, often leads to overfeeding or underfeeding.” Source: Catster, September 27, 2022. … [Read more...]
How to get a dog to listen when it’s distracted
Some dogs become highly distracted as soon as they step into the real world. It is a common problem for dogs of all ages and an important behavior for all dog owners to cultivate. Consider this article when coaching an owner, for social media or newsletters. To get a dog to come when distracted outdoors, it needs to be able to reliably ignore distractions indoors, … [Read more...]
How to help dogs get along
Multiple dogs in a household or daycare often require approaches to minimize exposure to stressors that can result in interdog aggression. Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, shares a lot of information that may be challenging for the typical dog owner to comprehend. The tips and approaches she offers can be used to help pet owners deal with dog-versus-dog interactions in their homes … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 8, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 1, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the February 1st AHD Bulletin – A plan is not a strategy. Link. Studies: Early social housing helps dairy calves thrive. Link. Using standing equine CT in veterinary diagnostics. Link. Do it NOW! Link. ============================================ … [Read more...]
Paragon’s new digital dog grooming guide
"Notes From the Grooming Table," authored and released by Melissa Verplank nearly 20 years ago is now available as a digital book for the low monthly subscription price of $6.99. Source: Pet Business, September 2023. Link. The digital version allows users to highlight and bookmark important information, freehand draw on the pages with a stylus or a finger, search for key … [Read more...]
Dechra launching monthly dentistry education for veterinary teams
With help from Jan Bellows, DVM, DIPL, AVDC, ABVP, Dechra Academy is launching the 12 Months of Dentistry educational series. Each month a new webinar, podcast episode, case study, or interactive educational tool will be made available to build more dentistry confidence. Because dental care goes beyond one month.” Source: Dechra Veterinary Products, February 7, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
The relationship between foxes and coyotes living in cities (video)
A colleague sent us this video featuring a University of Minnesota researcher documenting the relationship between foxes and coyotes in the Twin Cities seven-county metro area. Informative, it explains the challenges of fox-coyote relationships which push foxes closer to our backyards. The intersection of wildlife and our domestic animals is worth more attention and … [Read more...]
AKC has a new top dog
After 31 years, America has a new favorite dog bypassing the ever-popular Laborador Retriever. AKC’s top dog in 2022 is the big-headed, smash-nosed, urban-friendly French Bulldog. The Lab is still number 2. Source: UpWorthy, AKC, January 22, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
February is National Cat Health Month
Along with the annual focus on oral care and the beginnings of flea, tick and mosquito season, February is dedicated to cat health. The consumer messages remind cat owners of the importance of maintaining regular veterinary appointments. Christian Adams shares tips to ensure cats remain healthy all year long. Source: Catster, January 27, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Veterinary … [Read more...]
Silent hazards of the grooming profession
Probably one of the more common and most debilitating issues groomers deal with is Groomer’s Lung, writes Cliff Faver, DVM. It is a combination of breathing in hair slivers, bacteria, fungi, dead skin cells and probably even an occasional parasite. Shampoo is designed to clean, and unless it is specifically designed to kill bacteria/fungus, it does not protect against … [Read more...]
Canine and feline dental home care tips for pet owners
Sponsored Content Even with all the options for pet oral care, animal health pros need to keep the topic front and center year-round. February is National Pet Dental Month which parallels Children’s Dental Health Month and Gum Disease Awareness Month promotions. This article provides content worth sharing with animal owners. Comprehensive oral care for pets starts at home . … [Read more...]
Reminder. Clean it up and dispose properly!
This article offers a good reminder of the importance of removing dog and cat feces from yards, parks and trails to avoid potential infections and to keep updated on preventatives. Dog and cat feces left in neighborhoods, dog parks and forests can spread life-threatening parasites and viruses to other dogs and cats as well as wild animals and people” – Julia Wuerz, … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – February 5, 2024
Farmer’s Dog partners with WSAVA, Disney’s pet resort, small business preparations for future, updated information on human animal bond benefits, pet tech from Consumer Electronics show and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, February 5, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 1, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 15, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the January 25th AHD Bulletin – Develop an opportunity mindset. Link. How dogs understand time. Link. An update on multi-drug-resistant parasites in horses. Link. ============================================ 8 Pet supply, service businesses on … [Read more...]
Houseplants: 6 to keep, 6 to keep out of pet spaces
With the holidays over, some pet owner’s homes are getting reset for the rest of winter and early spring. Offices, too, are getting a fresh look. Plants are often a part of these space revitalization activities and in some cases contractors choose and care for the greenery. Houseplants, beyond being decorative, are assets to purify the air and remove toxins but, not all … [Read more...]
Tips for discussing weight management with pet owners (video)
Hill’s Karen Shenoy, DVM, shares advice for veterinary teams when discussing a pet’s weight with clients and addressing a case of obesity with animal owners. Her guidance about working pet owners’ behaviors into proactive feeding plans and considering the inclusion of treats is excellent counsel. We reminded veterinary teams to include food and treat information in pet … [Read more...]
What dogs may do better than your friends
The research on the human-animal bond has given us much to consider and even more to learn. Stacy Colino shares information from neuroscience, psychologists and veterinary behaviorists. They just sit there and look at you with loving eyes. Dogs don’t judge or criticize. This silent form of canine encouragement can have a calming effect when you’re anxious or under pressure, … [Read more...]