In a newly published study, African swine fever viruses have been detected in blood-sucking insects, particularly in those found on farms where pigs are present. While direct transmission was not conclusive, the study reinforces the need to consider insects in biosecurity efforts. Source: Feed Strategy, April 7, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Fly control has always been important … [Read more...]
Improved treatment helps cats with chronic kidney disease
Two percent to 20 percent of all cats and 30 percent of cats over the age of 10 have chronic kidney disease. Recent advances in diagnostics and medical management mean veterinarians can now treat some cats for extended periods. Katie Burns shares information from various sources for controlling chronic kidney disease in cats. Diagnostics and treatments have improved and … [Read more...]
Pet food modernization still a work in progress
Lindsay Beaton shares what is, what is being proposed and where confusion exists in the efforts to update pet food labeling. The idea of simplifying things for pet food customers is constantly evolving in the industry. Making it easier to understand pet nutrition has been a consistent demand heard from advocacy groups, veterinarians, customers and pet … [Read more...]
Understanding the Velcro dog
The author provides a series of reasons dogs might follow the owner all over as if stuck to them. Whether attention-getting or separation anxiety, it is important to understand these behaviors have a purpose. Source: Puppies and Pooches, January 15, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: This is good information to share on social media or in newsletters for dog owners. Be sure to include … [Read more...]
National Pet ID Week kicks off Saturday
National Pet ID week starts Saturday and runs through Friday, April 23. This event helps owners make sure their pets’ identification is up to date. Collar tags and microchips offer the best chances for pets to be returned to their owners if they get separated, according to the ASPCA. Source: National Band and Tag Company, Link. Vets recommend every pet owner prepare for a … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 8, 2021
How we treat animals will inform our future with robots Source: One Zero, April 1, 2021. Link. Author Kate Darling from MIT Media Lab believes that as humanlike robots become more advanced and more deeply integrated into society, we should be wary of people becoming accustomed to mistreating them. Diagnosis of the diagnostics in … [Read more...]
The best dog names of 2021. 500 names by category.
This article contains around 500 name ideas for dogs. It offers essential guidelines for naming a dog. The names are categorized by:Source: Puppies and Pooches, February 4, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
April 11-17 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week
There are an estimated 77 million dogs living in U.S. households and millions of people are bitten by dogs every year. Most, if not all, of these bites are preventable. The American Veterinary Medical Association has assembled worthwhile tips for observing National Dog Bite Preparedness Week® and tools for bringing dog bite prevention education to clinics and … [Read more...]
April is heartworm awareness month
Heartworms are in every U.S. state and other countries. In fact, heartworm disease is on the rise throughout the U.S. and areas that were once non-endemic. The American Heartworm Society offers multiple resources for veterinarians and pet owners at heartwormsociety.org. They include: Heartworm incidence map: updated every three years to highlight the average number of … [Read more...]
Frenetic random activity periods. Why?
FRAPS or, frenetic random activity periods, are also known as zoomies. Karen B. London, PhD, shares reasons behind dog zoomies. They are not a reaction to Zoom meetings, however. London also shares some insights into dogs and smiling in a related article. Source: The Bark, March 2021. Link. Most of the time, a case of the zoomies lasts just a few minutes or even less. … [Read more...]
Changing feline eating habits can be good
Donna Raditic DVM, DACVN, CVA challenges traditional feeding habits and suggests encouraging diet variety for cats. She outlines rationales and benefits with catvocate Steve Dale. Source: Catster, March 31, 2021. Link. Think about what cats do in the wild. It makes sense to offer a cat two or three diets, each with different textures, tastes and smells (unless the cat is … [Read more...]
Mother’s Day flowers that are BIG risks to pets
Marie Carter-Robb shares the 10 most common Mother’s Day flower varieties that are a risk to dogs and cats. Tulips, carnations, and lilies top the list. Consider sharing this warning on social media and in newsletters. Source: Pets Magazine, March 11, 2020. Link. Also see: 12 pet-safe flowers for Mother's Day, ASPCA, May 6, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Shoelaces smoked with bacon. Say what?
As if dogs needed more incentive to chew shoes, Oscar Mayer teamed up with Black Ops Productions to create 1,500 pairs of limited-edition shoelaces cold-smoked with Hardwood Smoked Bacon to capture their scent. Source: ADWEEK, March 26, 2021. Link. Fans have until April 1 to tweet with the hashtags #OscarCookMyKicks and #Sweepstakes. … [Read more...]
How to help a dog with separation anxiety
Complimentary Sponsored Content Claire Walther, DVM, shares three ways to address separation anxiety: environmental management, behavior modification and pharmaceutical options. Walther is a Zoetis Petcare medical lead. Source: Zoetis Petcare. Link. Changes in a dog’s life can also trigger separation anxiety even if they haven’t had problems with it before. Even changes … [Read more...]
Healthy Puppy Month effort seeks to raise $20,000 for parvovirus research
Complimentary Content Revival Animal Health and Good Dog are teaming up to celebrate Healthy Puppy Month and raise money for parvovirus research. All month long, puppy owners and caretakers are encouraged to sign the Healthy Puppy Pledge. For every signature, Revival and Good Dog will donate $1 to Morris Animal Foundation, up to $20,000, to help fund parvovirus … [Read more...]
New grooming series, ‘Pooch Perfect’ coming to ABC
'Pooch Perfect' is the ulti-mutt dog grooming competition series, says ABC. The eight-episode reality series will showcase 10 of the best dog groomers in the country, and their assistants, competing in a series of paw-some themed challenges. The series, hosted by actress Rebel Wilson, premieres Tuesday, March 30, 2021 8:00 p.m. EDT|7:00 p.m. CDT on ABC! Source: ABC, … [Read more...]
Omnichannel, asynchronous, decision support, home delivery terms of future pet business
Opinion Changes to the ways we live and work could mean years of extra business for pet supply stores, says Erich Schwartzel. His article prompts reflection on how we got here from an animal health supply and services standpoint. Source: The long tail of the pandemic puppy business, Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2021. Link. Petco, the animal-supply retailer, was a … [Read more...]
B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant, pets and myocarditis
Scott Weese, DVM, says the first report of the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant being found in a dog and cat in Texas will cause a bit of concern, but unnecessarily. He reviews and challenges a recent paper yet to be peer-reviewed. This study simply showed that animals can be infected. It does not indicate anything about pets’ role in outbreak dynamics or anything else. Source: … [Read more...]
Feeding cats. Enough or too much?
Regardless of how long they’ve owned them, cat owners often wonder if they are feeding their cats enough or too much. They also inquire about what brand to feed, wet versus dry feed and when to feed it. The Catster editors answer these questions in the article below. Source: Catster, March 18, 2021. Link. Also see: Optimal nutrition calculators for cats and dogs, Animal … [Read more...]
What to know about dogs and onions
Avoid feeding onions and garlic to dogs, Jeff Werber, DVM, says. Onions contain a toxic ingredient called n-propyl disulfide, which is an oxidant that can do oxidant damage to red blood cells. AVOID offering a dog raw, cooked even foods flavored or cooked with onion . . . “ Source: Dogster, March 4, 2021. Link. Symptoms of onion toxicity are symptoms of anemia Look for … [Read more...]
Why dogs chew their feet and what to do about it
All dogs chew and lick their feet. Finding the cause of foot chewing can be complicated, says Christopher Pachel, DVM. Among the reasons are anxiety, boredom, injuries, allergies, cracked nails and even food allergies. He offers these tips to help avoid problems: Feed a high-quality, well-balanced diet. Make sure your dog gets plenty of physical exercise, mental … [Read more...]
Primary training likely works best for shelter puppies
Bonnie V. Beaver, DVM, MS, DSc (Hon), DPNAP, DACVB, DACAW, shares the results of a study on training methods. The key pearls tell the story: Puppies may not be ready to make the connection between use of secondary (e.g., clickers) and primary (e.g., food) reinforcers Owners with puppies should be encouraged to use food rewards in training Secondary reinforcers may be … [Read more...]
Canine parvovirus varies geographically
Canine parvovirus first emerged in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia in 1978, when a virus similar to feline panleukopenia virus crossed over from cats to cause a new type of disease among domestic dogs. An ongoing worldwide concern, CPV-2 has since mutated into three strains (CPV-2a, -2b, and -2c) that vary in prevalence geographically. Jonathan E. Fogle DVM, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 18, 2021
The 5 best TED Talks to watch today Source: Forbes, March 5, 2021. Link. Topics include work stress, side hustles, anxiety gaps, teaching girls, freelancing. Four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and their simple fixes Source: Stanford News, February 23, 2021. Link. “Videoconferencing is a good thing for remote communication, but just … [Read more...]
Jan Pol, DVM: 5 tips for hobby farmers to keep farm animals healthy
Nat Geo WILD’s Incredible Dr. Pol shares tips for hobby farmers. His perspective is multi-species and the tips focus on preventing health issues using vaccines, cleanliness and reducing animal interactions with new or wild animals. Source: Hobby Farms, January/February 2021. Link. The Incredible Dr. Pol is now in its 17th season on Nat Geo WILD <link>. … [Read more...]
Optimal nutrition calculators for cats and dogs available
OPINION Pet owners are responsible for their pets’ proper nutrition. Too often we hear questions about specific brands of pet food wanting a yes or no answer. The same goes for treat brands and then there are table scraps. Bottom-line, daily Kcal (calorie) calculations are important before brand discussion, although a proper assessment may identify the need for … [Read more...]
Billions of cicadas may be coming soon to trees near you
Starting sometime in April or May, depending on latitude, one of the largest broods of 17-year cicadas will emerge from underground in a dozen states, from New York to Illinois and south into northern Georgia. Cicada exoskeletons are difficult to digest and can cause dogs to suffer serious consequences if eaten.” - AKC Source: The Conversation, March 12, 2021. … [Read more...]
AAFP announces new eConference
The American Association of Feline Practitioners announces an eConference: Spring into Feline Medicine. This three-day virtual live CE event is scheduled for Sunday, April 18; Wednesday, April 28 and Saturday, May 8. The three-day series will feature speakers with feline expertise presenting a variety of topics including behavior, nutrition, senior care, CKD, endocrinology, … [Read more...]
Heartworm review and update
Whether living in endemic or nonendemic areas, heartworm remains a top priority parasite for dogs and cats. Andrew R. Moorhead, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVM (Parasitology), reviews the life cycle and strategies for prevention and treatment. It is crucial to test all dogs for microfilariae at the same time as antigen testing.” Source: Clinician’s Brief, March 2021. Link. Treatment … [Read more...]
Raising capable and empowered pet parents
The efforts to educate and raise capabilities in animal owners are as important as building capabilities in employees. In this context. compliance takes on a new, more appropriate meaning. Kudos to the MWI Animal Health team for providing this thoughtful article. Teach clients how to be better partners in their pet’s health care and THANK THEM!” Source: MWI Messenger Focus - … [Read more...]