Dog and cat facial expressions, why pet therapy works, small business trends, insurance and planning, longest living dog breeds and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, January 3, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
The future of work is a 60-year career
Retirement as we know it didn’t exist in the 19th century, writes Joe Pinsker. The norm then was to work until you could no longer physically do the job. Now with age expectancy increasing to 100 years experts project the 20th century model of forty-year careers will need to be expanded to 60 years. He shares several concepts about how employment strategies will need to change … [Read more...]
Science editors’ favorite news stories of 2021
Giant diamonds and deep earthquakes, potty training cows, wombat poop cubes, ice age dire wolves may not have been wolves at all and more . . . Source: Science, December 17, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Drs Chatfield share their top 5 animal stories
There’s always a laugh, something to learn and some sibling banter when Dr. Jen the Vet and twin brother, Jason Chatfield, DVM, get together for an episode of Chat’s with the Chatfields. The latest episode covers their top 5 animal stories and more. Source: Chat’s with the Chatfields, YouTube, December 16, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
2021’s top 10 VIP episodes
Shawn Wilkie and Dr. Ivan Zak have produced 84 podcasts in the last two years providing animal health pros a unique opportunity to learn about innovations in our marketplace. VIP provided a list of the most-listened to podcasts for us to share with you. Seven new podcasts are already planned for 2022. Source: Veterinary Innovation Podcast, December 24, 2021. … [Read more...]
Most read Animal Health Digest posts of 2021
As 2021 ends, our team celebrates six years of curating, selecting and then supplying actionable content for animal health professionals. To date, about 6,500 posts are stored in our AHD website. What you read helps determine where we seek content that can be applied to how you work and interact with customers and stakeholders. We’ve assembled the most read posts of 2021 in … [Read more...]
Choosing safe dog toys
Dog toys, according to the experts, are a must-have. Sheila Pell shares the challenges and realities of choosing them, and presents safety concerns and offers safe toy suggestions. What makes a toy special to a dog may escape human logic, but knowing your dog can help you make wiser choices.” – Sheila Pell Source: The Bark, December 2021. Link. Takeaway tips: Avoid balls … [Read more...]
Whole Dog Journal’s 2021 dog gear of the year
Nancy Kerns and Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, review the most exciting and useful dog products they’ve seen and enjoyed this year. The doggy bathroom and LickiMat Wobbler caught our attention. Source: Whole Dog Journal, December 17, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
5 ways to keep cats happy
Simple things that can make a cat feel good. The authors shares five of them, including using a drinking fountain instead of a stationary bowl. Consider this article for social media and newsletters. Source: Tufts Catnip, June 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
That latest scoop on feline vaccines, VETgirl
The most recent updates to the AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccine Guidelines have adjusted how veterinarians and cat owners approach vaccination and disease prevention. Now pet owner clients are included as essential members of their cats’ healthcare teams, cats have been defined into five populations and lifestyle has been taken into consideration. The result is a much more … [Read more...]
Legal ramifications of lay persons providing veterinary advice online
Animal owners frequently seek solutions for their horses and pets online. Some lay people are exposing themselves to liability by giving advice as if they are veterinarians. It happens all the time in chat rooms, Facebook groups and various internet venues. If a layperson is giving information about a specific condition, they’re diagnosing. That’s practicing without a license, … [Read more...]
IBPSA FastBites – December 20, 2021
Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council turns 50, a new IBPSA member platform, small business trends, considerations for managed security service providers and more. . . Source: IBPSA FastBites, December 20, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Winners announced: the Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021
Zoe Ross was named the overall winner with her shot of little Pepper, the puppy in 'Whizz Pop!’. The Comedy Pet Photo Awards seeks to promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues and celebrate the incredible and valuable contribution that pets can and do have on our lives.” Source: Comedy Pet Photo Awards, December 10, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: See all the finalists at … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 16, 2021
Last week’s most read post Toxic positivity. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 9, 2021. Link. AHD posts one year ago Archives for December 2020, Animal Health Digest. Link. Zoonotic infection from household aquarium Source: Worms and Germs, November 30, 2021. Link. Scott Weese, DVM, reminds us to use some … [Read more...]
Is your cat happy? There’s an app for that.
For those who like to take photos of their cats, there’s a new reason to do so. Sylster.ai, a Calgary, Alberta, Canada, animal health technology company, developed an app calledTably that uses a phone’s camera to determine whether a cat is feeling pain. Source: Yahoo!news, July 27, 2021. Link. An app that learns patterns from images o cat faces can be helpful but cat owners … [Read more...]
Top 10 tips for caring for senior dogs or cats
Complimentary Commercial Content November is when we celebrate National Senior Pet Month. . . . once a pet becomes a senior, every day is senior care day.” Keeping a senior pet happy is all about paying attention, shares Katherine Carbanaro. As dogs’ or cats’ needs change with age, owners need to learn about accommodating them and adjusting routines when needed. Among the … [Read more...]
How to raise a barn cat right
Barn cats deserve to be treated like other high-performing work animals. If you want an animal to perform work for you, then you should feed it adequate nutrition, so it has the energy and stamina to perform, asserts author Janet Garman. She addresses spay and neutering, veterinary care, shelter, nutrition, feeding locations, collars, microchips and monitoring working cat … [Read more...]
Do cats get separation anxiety?
Little work has been done to assess potential separation-related problems in cats. Using canine questionnaire studies as a model, researchers investigated the topic with cat owners. The results suggest that pet cats are social and develop bonds with their owners and about 13 percent of cats may have signs of separation-related problems. Source: Vet Candy, November 27, 2021. … [Read more...]
Big puppy paws; big dog or not?
It is possible to understand the relationship between a puppy’s paw and the puppy’s size when one knows the growth stages a puppy undergoes. However, the author concludes one cannot rely on finding the puppy’s size using its paws as the result might be wrong. Determining the size of the puppy based on its paws is a fun and interesting activity. Other alternatives to consider … [Read more...]
Treat nutrition: The why, how and what of proper treating
Treating is a rapidly growing subcategory of pet nutrition. Jessie Nelson AAS, CVT, VTS, and Kara M. Burns MS, MEd, LVT, VTS, VTS-H, discuss the importance of understanding treat use and their nutritional value when working with pet owners. <treats> are intended to be given in moderation. However, many clients may be unaware of this distinction.” Source: Today’s … [Read more...]
What reptiles REALLY need to thrive with Joerg Mayer, DVM
Complimentary Sponsored Content Responding to viewer inquiries, the Chatfields host Joerg Mayer, DVM, MS, DABVP, DECZM, DACZM, to discuss reptile care, feeding crickets and whether to feed live rodents to snakes. Specifically, the discussion of sunlight versus artificial sunlight is enlightening. Source: Chats with the Chatfields, November 24, 2021. Link. 54 minutes. … [Read more...]
IBPSA FastBites – December 13, 2021
Pet training apps, 2021 U.S. pet food and treats update, less is more mindset, five points for small business advertising, reminder to submit for IBPSA rebate program, the latest from AHD and more . . . If some new holiday employees plan to stay into 2022, don’t forget the species-specific education and certification programs available for enrollment in the IBPSA online … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 9, 2021
Last week’s . . . . . . most read November 2021 post Study suggests health benefits by feeding dogs once a day. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin. Link. . . . AHD posts one year ago Archives for December 2020, Animal Health Digest. Link. Amazon exec says Black Friday sales broke records Source: The Hill, November 28, … [Read more...]
Teaching the Velcro dog independence
If a dog is underfoot at every turn or is the owner’s shadow its likely it could be a Velcro dog. Various resources suggest dogs learn this behavior through inadvertent training and reinforcement of clingy behavior. Also, certain breeds that are more prone to clinginess than others. We’re sharing articles about dealing with the Velcro behaviors and teaching the dog to be … [Read more...]
Inbreeding contributes to higher costs of dog care
Most dog breeds are highly inbred, contributing to a lifelong increase in disease and health care costs. New research confirms dog breeds with higher levels of inbreeding were more likely than other breeds to need additional veterinary care. Study researchers found that the average inbreeding was close to 25 percent, which is similar to the amount of genetic similarity found … [Read more...]
Feline nuisance behaviors; it’s a thing.
Feline nuisance behaviors are normal behaviors that occur in problematic ways and are not inherently pathological, says Chris Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC. He offers items to consider before making recommendations to cat owners for curbing their cat’s nuisance behavior. Cats have the potential to annoy people and sometimes pose a danger to themselves or others in the household. … [Read more...]
Survey says pets are as costly as a child
According to a new survey by OnePoll in partnership with MetLife, 40 percent of pet parents believe that having a pet is just as expensive than raising a child, if not more. The findings show that the average pet owner spends over $4,500 on their pet’s basic needs each year. Sixty-one percent of owners said that owning a pet is more expensive than they initially thought. … [Read more...]
What to do with pets’ itches
Complimentary Sponsored Content Itching is one of the most common reasons pet owners seek veterinary care. In this episode, Dr. Jen the vet and Jason Chatfield, DVM, are joined by Dr. Millie Rosales, a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. They discuss common reasons pets itch. From skin testing for most popular environmental allergens to serology, veterinary medicine … [Read more...]
Top pet products of 2021
The 20th annual Pet Business Industry Recognition Awards celebrate the most innovative products and companies in the pet care category. Among the products are several treats, diets and supplements. With obesity issues affecting over half of all dogs and cats, veterinary teams and OTC retailers are advised to monitor the Kcal levels in these offerings. Source: Pet Business, … [Read more...]
Tips to stop dogs from peeing on Christmas trees
A popular cartoon shows two dogs admiring a newly decorated Christmas tree. The caption reads, “Every year about this time they put in an indoor toilet.” Karen B. London, PhD, shares tips to help owners and dogs adjust to a tree’s tempting presence. Go back to Housetraining 101. No matter how well your dog is housetrained or how many years it’s been since he had an … [Read more...]