Ellen Furlong provides reflection on our dogs’ abilities to care about us and the uniqueness of their sense of smell. She believes dogs might be happier if allowed an occasional “sniffy walk” which lets them lead the way and take as much time to smell as they would like. Hers is a unique perspective that dog owners will appreciate and take to heart. Source: The … [Read more...]
Considerations for breeding a dog
Industry research indicates demand for dogs will continue to increase. Shelter and rescue organizations can’t keep up and provide little support for individual breed development and continuity. The number of breeders is likely to grow with the demand leaving a common question among folks new to breeding. What is the best age to breed a dog?” Source: Breeding Business, March … [Read more...]
Top 10 cities roundworm report
Cities across the U.S. are experiencing increases in roundworm infection. The September Top 10 report emphasizes the need to continue communicating the importance of year-round broad-spectrum protection for pets against roundworms and routine testing, regardless of where pets reside. An increase in roundworm prevalence not only alerts communities to a persistent threat to the … [Read more...]
Oral care at home, COHAT in the clinic
Opinion, Sponsored Content from Addison Biological Laboratory, Inc. Last week I asked the question, “What ever happened to COHAT?” an acronym Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment. The logic made sense and leads to reasserting the need for in-home oral health to be presented as a priority. Dental exams are a component of COHAT often required more frequently … [Read more...]
Rat bomb. . . eeekk!
Colder weather and the ongoing harvest are signals to button up buildings, businesses and residences to keep out rodents. Chris Bennett shares the destructive capacity of rats in detail from his interviews with a rodentologist known as the Rat Czar of New York City. It conjures images from the 13th century legacy of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Germany. . . . any hole where a … [Read more...]
Kitty’s worst day ever!
Personal experience Sassafras Lowrey shares fire safety and carbon monoxide reminders in the article below. Her article linked reminded me of an incident long-ago. My grandfather always had two or three cats that lived in and around his shop. The only heat for the shop was a Warm Morning wood stove near the steps to the upstairs loft. The stairs were open on one side … [Read more...]
Which is smarter, cats or dogs?
Brendan Howard returns with animal health content in a quick summary of a recent PBS NewsHour report < link >. PBS posed the question of pet intelligence to three scientists: a neuroscientist, a dog cognition expert and a cat behavior and cognition researcher. When one of these scientists counted the brain cells in these animals, there was a clear winner. Even with this … [Read more...]
What ever happened to COHAT?
Opinion In INSIGHTS a year ago I wrote this: Establishing COHAT language could help build veterinary dentistry. Mixed practices can take the lead by applying the acronym in a multi-species environment and including COHAT assessments as a line item on invoices and vet records. Moving away from labeling oral care as dentals made sense then and still does.” Source: COHAT is … [Read more...]
Dr. Jen translates Covid-19 and pets!
Complimentary Content Covid-19 is the latest topic on Is this a thing? hosted on YouTube by Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM. She works through a review of coronaviruses and discusses SARS-CoV-2. She addresses the common questions from animal owners and reviews recent papers about animal to animal infections. Source: Dr Jen the Vet, YouTube. Link. Chatfield … [Read more...]
Help for communicating the cost of care
Complimentary Content Pet owners are frequently surprised at the cost of veterinary care. This is partly because veterinary teams are reluctant to proactively discuss the cost of a lifelong commitment to pet ownership. Further, there is a distinct difference between price of care versus cost of care over the life of the pet. Wendy Hauser, DVM, shares how being proactive … [Read more...]
Best dog clippers for professional groomers
Getting pets groomed is often part of holiday planning. For pros, this may mean thinking about updating clippers. The editors at Breeding Business say there is no single best product but several dominate the market for great reasons. They share a look at their top 10. Source: Breeding Business, July 24, 2020. Link. The features that matter most when picking the best dog … [Read more...]
Covid in Animals, Review
Scott Weese, DVM, returns to the Covid-19 discussion. He is focusing on one species at a time starting with cats followed by dogs as below. Source: COVID in Animals Review Part 1: Cats, WormsandGerms Blog, October 15, 2020. Link. Cats are people too when it comes to Covid-19. . . so if a family member is being isolated, isolate the cat too” Source: COVID in Animals Review … [Read more...]
Make Halloween fear free for pets
Part of the fun of Halloween includes frightening images, sounds and sudden movements. While great for most humans, our pets are not as tolerant. Fear Free Pets offers some ideas to reduce anxiety and create a Fear Free Happy Home for pets. The tips are available as PDFs so animal owners can easily try to prevent Halloween howls from their pets. Source: Fear Free Pets. … [Read more...]
Table Talk to provide information about canine genomic testing in veterinary practice
Complimentary content DNA testing options are continuously being developed for dogs and adoption of the technology is on the rise. Veterinarians can now use genomic testing to screen for common, actionable disorders to anticipate health issues and enable preventative care. Join Lindsey Kock, DVM, and Lauren Thorne of Neogen® for a free RACE CE approved Table Talk: … [Read more...]
Petco launches Vital Care Wellness Plan
"Petco's Vital Care Wellness Plan is the latest offering in our mission to improve the lives of pets and pet parents. With Vital Care we are offering critical, everyday services, from nail trims and teeth brushing to vet care, in a way that has never been done before - all in one accessible destination." - Ron Coughlin, Petco CEO. Source: Rural Marketing News, October 12, … [Read more...]
Content for dog owners
Animal owners are full of questions. If you don’t believe it, monitor one of The Bridge Club Pets sessions or videos < link >. Our industry supports more than 150 publications targeting animal owners, all of which compete for their eyes and their dollars. The scope of social media has progressed considerably beyond Dr. Google. We share the following information for dog … [Read more...]
Metronidazole is not FDA-approved for dogs
Opinion Regardless of accuracy, it concerns me when articles and videos* like this one are published in consumer publications. Regardless of how frequently metronidazole is prescribed by veterinarians, it is not yet approved by the FDA for veterinary use. * The video features Jerry Klein, DVM, AKC’s chief veterinary officer Source: AKC, September 21, 2020. … [Read more...]
Debunking pet food myths and misconceptions
Ryan Yamka, PhD, challenges the World Small Animal Veterinary Association guidelines and pet food recommendations. He calls for an update to fill gaps and provide proper security for those recommending pet foods. This statement motivated posting Yamka’s article, “Based on WSAVA guidelines, a pet food company only needs to provide a complete nutrient analysis for one formula … [Read more...]
5 ways to optimize your pet’s health
Complimentary content Katie Woodley, BVSc, cVMA, GDVCHM, brings a collaborative mindset to integrative veterinary medicine. She combines western and eastern approaches to improving the quality of life for pets. A frequent guest on The Bridge Club Pets*, she anchors on food being the foundation for health. She asserts five steps to implement into pet's lives for optimal … [Read more...]
Dr. Jen translates dog diarrhea and new puppy musts
Complimentary content Two new YouTube editions of Is this a Thing? are now available. Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM, talks about new puppies and dealing with diarrhea in her initiative to help pet owners understand veterinary jargon and be more comfortable communicating with veterinarians. Source: Dr Jen the Vet, YouTube. Link to YouTube channel. … [Read more...]
The 4 Cs of restraint-free grooming
Restraint-free grooming has allowed fearful and aggressive peta that hated to be groomed to feel calm and protected, writes Hannah Ziegler. Restraint-free means no extra people, no grooming loops, no muzzles or Elizabethan collars. She says that with dedicated time and repetitions, 98 percent of pets can be groomed without restraints using her approach. The 4 Cs to grooming … [Read more...]
SID feeding of indoor cats may improve health
Obesity is the most common nutritional problem affecting cats. In research likely to surprise veterinarians and cat owners*, cats that ate one meal a day were more satisfied, which could result in less food-begging behavior. The study results also suggest cutting back feeding frequency could help reduce the risk of obesity by controlling cats' appetite and potentially making … [Read more...]
The dilemma of pandemic pet pounds
The challenge of obesity in dogs has been exacerbated by the pandemic lockdown. The WFH messages promoted to date involve pets getting more exercise, but Kim Kavin’s Washington Post story indicates many dogs have packed on extra weight. On the other hand, dogs that have lost weight might have a few aches and pains from the increase in activity. Dog owners should work with … [Read more...]
Decoding vaccine titers in companion animal practice
Sara E. Gonzalez, DVM, MS, provides a literature-based review of the limitations and benefits of this type of testing and guidance for interpreting results. In the summary comments she shares: The gold standard laboratory techniques for detecting circulating blood antibody titers against the core canine vaccine antigens and FPV are VN and HI. Core vaccine titer testing … [Read more...]
The conversations continue at The Bridge Club and The Bridge Club Pets
The Bridge Club remains true to its origins to provide virtual opportunities to connect, engage, learn and grow. Now with a professional version and a pet owner version, the coming weeks provide opportunities for animal health pros and pet owners to meet. Click on the link below and then register by clicking on individual conversation topics. Source: The Bridge Club … [Read more...]
Improvements in overnight monitoring care
Complimentary Commercial Content from Kevin Maher, VetMeasure Overnight monitoring care is often necessary for a veterinary patient and can be difficult for the veterinary team, animal owner and the animal. Today, there are options for pet wearables that practices can use to monitor various vitals including: a patient’s axillary temperature, respiratory rate (range), and … [Read more...]
Choosing a feline behaviorist from 4 types of specialists
All cat behaviorists are not equal. In fact, there are four recognized types of them, each with their own credentials: Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior Source: Tuft’s Catnip, September 18, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
4 categories help cats thrive for 5 types of cat owners
September was Happy Cat Month, an event created by the CATalyst Council to improve cat wellness by focusing on happiness. The council promotes helping cats live their best lives by focusing on four major categories: health, enrichment, safety and value. The hunting behavior of cats is frequently a topic for songbird enthusiasts. However, understanding how cat owners view … [Read more...]
Why dogs eat rocks and how to stop it
Rock eating by dogs can be the result of a medical, behavioral or psychological problem, writes Kaitlyn Arford. While boredom is frequently the reason, she reviews eating disorders and possible medical reasons for this habit that is also hard on teeth. Teaching dogs and puppies two important basic commands, “leave it” and “drop it,” is the foundation of successfully destroying … [Read more...]
Proofing a dog’s training
The 3-D approach to proofing a dog’s training involves challenging the dog with what it does at home without distractions in a distracted environment. Kathy Santo explains the three major categories of proofing: Distraction Duration Distance The reality of dog training is that proofing is the way to take your training from “works at home, sometimes” to “works … [Read more...]