Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 20th, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from April 20th AHD Bulletin – Enhancing your customers’ experiences. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. Study says U.S. unprepared for dangers posed by zoonotic diseases Source: Vet Candy, February 13, 2023. … [Read more...]
Beyond CBD: the ingredients driving sales of pet supplements
Contains Commercial Content Pet owners are turning to supplements for a variety of reasons, writes Lindsay Getz. She interviewed several supplement providers for their take on supplement demand. Source: Pet Product News, April 2023. Link. Pet owners need to be sure that they’re very educated in the supplements themselves, and then fact check them with many sources. Trust … [Read more...]
Positive Pet Care Guide seeks to define, strengthen the veterinary team-client partnership
Commentary Setting expectations for team members and animal owners is basic to positive experiences and better animal health. The tenets of this new guide are relevant and appropriate for this period in our animal health industry. The key will be for veterinary teams of alll species to adopt and sustain the discussion of expectations internally and externally with animal … [Read more...]
Dog seats not as safe as advertised
Protecting pets in a car is essential, and there are several ways you can do that. But, not all restraints are as safe as we’re led to believe. . . . safety testing data from independent sources show that a crash-tested car restraint is a much wiser investment in your dog’s safety than a dog car seat.” Source: Top Dog Tips. Link. … [Read more...]
11 everyday habits that put dogs in danger
Includes Sponsored Content Pet owners often do things that can be harmful to their pets, writes Diana Kelly Levey. She identifies smoking around them, errors in bathing and nail trim, overfeeding and poor oral care as potentially harmful. Source: Reader’s Digest, July 27, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: The Addison Biological Laboratory's MAXI/GUARD® family of oral care wipes, … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – April 17, 2023
Influencer dogs with their own LLC, pet food label modernization, creating an inbound marketing strategy, affiliate marketing in pet industry, pet parents grappling with pet expenses and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, April 17, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Pause to say, “Good Job” to veterinary teams
Commentary – Complimentary Content While already into 2-Q-2023, the most recent Vet Watch Monthly Insight report shows veterinary teams have stayed the course to meet the demands of pet owners and rebalance some of the previous negative trends. Vet Watch numbers remain consistent down to a regional level. Individual practices are advised to look at their own practice results … [Read more...]
What it means when a dog puts his paw on you
Pawing is a form of communication, writes Lauren Cahn. She interviewed veterinarians and trainers to better understand canine motivation for pawing. You talk with your hands. Why shouldn't your dog?” Source: Reader’s Digest, February 16, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: There’s little doubt animal health pros will hear things animal lovers read in the Digest. Reader’s Digest claims … [Read more...]
2 stages of puppy fear and how to get them through it
All puppies go through stages of development. Two of them are often referred to as the fear period or stage. The author explains each stage and ways to help a pup mature into a confident, happy, socialized dog. For most dogs animal health pros see, stage 1 has already passed during weeks three through twelve. Stage two generally arrives at about four to six months and can … [Read more...]
Dewclaws. Leave ‘em or remove ‘em?
Eileen Fatcheric, DVM, says the best answer to the dewclaw question is, “sometimes.” She shares the anatomy, pros, cons and the general opinions of breeders and dog owners based on the activities the dog will be expected to perform. Source: Whole Dog Journal, February 1, 2023. Link. All dogs are born with front dewclaws while hind dewclaws are absent in most dogs. The … [Read more...]
How much food to feed a dog
“How much do I feed my dog?,” is one of the most common questions animal health pros hear from new and seasoned dog owners. John Strassburger reminds dog owners that food volumes are different for every dog. He offers some calorie guidance and suggestions. Bottom line, dog owners will read this so animal health pros need to be aware of the guidance. Source: Whole Dog … [Read more...]
Keep the cat, manage the allergens
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...]
Professional Animal Care Certification
Commentary There’s no doubt animal training improves care and stewardship while helping to increase the quality of life for our pets. It seems every week we see another person or organization launching some level of training. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, duplication has its own challenges. Third-party training is available for pet care personnel … [Read more...]
Certified Veterinary Assistant Program summer session starts May 15
For some interested in working in veterinary medicine there is a stigma around the education requirements to become a veterinary technician or veterinarian. The Certified Veterinary Assistant Program is an excellent way for such a person to get started intentionally with entry level skills that benefit the practice and confirm the interests of the student. The Certified … [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...]
Dog paw infections: Causes, symptoms and treatments
JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM, reminds us that dog paw infections can be uncomfortable, but they are treatable and preventable. She reviews how and why paws get infected and ways to prevent dog paw infections through good care. Dog paw infections come from three types: bacterial, fungal and yeast.” Source: Great Pet Care, March 18, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for … [Read more...]
Prioritize canine influenza vaccines based on animals at risk during shortages
Scott Weese, DVM, shares ways to determine which dogs need the canine influenza vaccines most since our industry continues to see shortages in flu vaccine supplies. Dogs considered to have increased risk of severe disease include seniors, pregnant, immune compromised, brachycephalic and those with significant cardiac or respiratory disease. Canine influenza is one potential … [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...]
Is climate change accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans? (video)
Scientists researching the aftermath of California wildfires say they are finding evidence that climate change is accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans. Historical evidence linking the climate to zoonotic disease is growing . . .” Miles O’Brien Source: PBS, March 1, 2023. Link. (7:37) INSIGHTS: Forward-thinking scientists are working to advance … [Read more...]
Hauser: Reverse the downward trend of pets missing vet care
There are many factors that cause pets to miss vital regular health care. Veterinary practices cannot afford to ignore trends showing fewer patient visits. Wendy Hauser, DVM, identifies three primary drivers for why patients don’t get needed veterinary care as: Client economic limitations The owner’s inability to access care A lack of communication Too many pet … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 6, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 30, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 30th AHD Bulletin – Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. Veterinarian helper wins digital ag hackathon Source: Cornell Chronicle, March … [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...]
Anal sacculitis and an ear ointment option
A retrospective review found that while obesity and poor stool quality have been implicated in development of anal sacculitis, definitive conclusions about the relationship between obesity and anal sacculitis could not be made. The data did show atopic dermatitis was the most common comorbidity. Infusing a steroid/antibiotic/antifungal otic solution following expressing and … [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...]
Snoopy was a rescue (video)
We saw a post about Snoopy on the Texas Weimaraner Rescue Facebook page. A cultural icon for the human-animal bond, Snoopy was a rescued puppy having been returned to Daisy Hill Puppy Farm according to some accounts. Snoopy made his debut his debut in Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip in October 1950. The black and white beagle didn’t have a name until more than a … [Read more...]