Shelters United is a group purchasing organization that allows animal welfare groups to purchase animal care supplies and products at discounted prices. Rescue organizations rely on a veterinarian of record to provide care for pets awaiting adoption and to purchase necessary prescription medications. Since no VOR model exists to help veterinarians and rescue organizations … [Read more...]
Temple Grandin, PhD, joins Fear Free as director, animal well-being
In her new role, Dr. Grandin will focus on developing innovative strategies to improve the well-being of animals to ensure lives worth living. She will begin her focus on how to bring Fear Free to farm animals. I'm especially excited about plans to give animals used for food and fiber what's being called 'a life worth living', where animals get to experience positive, … [Read more...]
Asian longhorned tick now in 19 states
Asian longhorned ticks, described by USDA as “invasive pests that post a serious risk to livestock,” are now in 19 states. The CDC says that ALT have been found in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West … [Read more...]
Pork Powerhouses listings for 2023 released
The 36th largest U.S. pig producers reduced sows by 17,348 in 2023. It’s the first net loss Pork Powerhouses has reported since 2010 and shows the pain pork producers experienced last year. There was an average loss of $31.57 per head. However, productivity increased. Source: Successful Farming, May 6, 2024. Link. Producers credited improved genetics and continued investment … [Read more...]
Differentiating mastitis from teat sealant residue at freshening
Sharing information from Boehringer-Ingelheim, Audrey Schmitz’s article addresses some challenges at dry-off with high-producing cows. Teat sealants are frequently used to close teats in top milk producers as they are less likely to form a natural keratin plug. She shares the importance of keeping milking employees trained on identifying milk versus teat sealants, as well as … [Read more...]
Managing dry-off with high-producing cows
Abruptly ceasing milking is a widely adopted practice for low-producing cows but may not be the best method for drying off high-producing cows. Heather Dann shares approaches for reducing milk yield before dry-off to manage involution and keeping cows healthy. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, May 6, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider sharing this article with dairy producers to help … [Read more...]
Jockey Club plans to launch traceability initiative
The Jockey Club Interactive Registry encourages anyone with a digital certificate of foal registration in their account who no longer has possession of the horse to transfer the certificate to the current owner or appropriate certificate manager. Source: The Paulick Report, may 1, 2024. Link. There is no cost to file a transfer of ownership, and the report can be filed … [Read more...]
Advances in equine disease detection
Commentary Horse enthusiasts and owners will value Chelsie J. Huseman’s, MS, PhD, article on equine diagnostics. Embedded links for each disease make this a layperson’s guide to equine diseases and testing. If you work with horse owners, the article will likely influence discussions or come up in conversation about a problem horse. We recommend veterinary teams review it … [Read more...]
Thelaziosis emerging in cats, dogs in northeastern U.S.
Thelaziosis, a disease caused by the Thelazia callipaeda eye worm, has been reported in two domestic cats in New York and is believed to pose an increasing threat to cats and dogs. T. callipaeda is an exotic eye worm transmitted by the fruit fly, Phortica variegata. Thelazia californiensis is native to North America but T. callipaeda poses a One Health risk as the parasite can … [Read more...]
Comparison of analgesic efficacy of tramadol, morphine and methadone in cats
Domesticated cats usually do not receive adequate perioperative analgesia, due to the difficulty in recognizing pain in this species, as their pain-associated behavior can be confused with fear or stress. A research study sought to evaluate the intra- and postoperative analgesic efficacy of the opioids methadone, morphine and tramadol in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. … [Read more...]
How smartphones fragment our attention span
Tom Johnson’s struggles to understand what had happened to his focus revealed that smartphones are wrecking our ability to focus. His systematic treatise on how smartphones effect our lives and attention is a worthy read. Source: I’d Rather be Writing, April 10, 2022. Link. Every incoming bit of information requires you to make a decision about it, removing you from your … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – May 6, 2024
Top pet franchises, focus on dental care, options with smartpay payment processes, study says purebred dogs are not more prone to health problems, National Pet Month study about pet owner spending and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, May 6, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
The challenge of leaving a long-term job to start something new
Dorie Clark and Natalie Nixon offer advice on to overcome six common transition challenges and share strategies to ensure that a new job or career is just as successful as the last one: Ruminating and second-guessing Feeling guilty Being afraid of losing status Needing to adapt Managing the perceptions of your new colleagues Balancing opposing … [Read more...]
The indiscipline of overwork
It’s human being, not human doing for a reason, writes Ryan Holiday, who shares his experiences and the consequences of pushing himself too hard too long. He says moderation, being present and knowing your limits are key to not burning out. This takes as much discipline as pushing yourself hard. Source: Ryan Holiday, March 5, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
You won’t be ready to change your life until these 5 things are in place
Change is easier said than done. For many, limiting beliefs get in the way. Sustainable change, however, requires more than willpower alone, says Maja Djukic PhD, RN, FAAN. It requires five integral parts of one’s being to move in the same direction simultaneously: motivation, behavior, emotions, mind and body. Dijikic calls this system the “wheel of change.” Source: Fast … [Read more...]
Business storms
Did you ever notice how fresh the weather feels after a storm? Source: LinkedIn Pulse, April 19, 2024. Link. Leadership, much like weathering a tempest, demands a mix of resilience, foresight and the ability to venture beyond familiar territories.” INSIGHTS: Weather, either good or bad, doesn’t last forever. … [Read more...]
Americans perceive gaps in mental, physical healthcare
Three-quarters of Americans think mental health issues are identified and treated worse than physical health issues in the U.S., according to a new survey from West Health and Gallup. Critical for the animal health industry, these perceptions challenge how we provide benefits and support for animal health pros. Beyond the stigma, the metrics identify access and cost of care as … [Read more...]
Employees are the biggest security threat
According to the 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, the number of data breaches last year involving a human element is the same number reported the previous year, 68 percent. The problem hasn’t gotten worse nor has it gotten better. The biggest security weak spots are organic, not digital, writes Dennis Scimeca. Employees present the largest holes in cybersecurity … [Read more...]
Understanding telemedicine and teletriage
Jennifer Bailey, DVM, shares the differences between telemedicine and teletriage in her article for dog owners. The difference between the two and her explanation of VCPR is good information to share with pet owners on social media or in newsletters. Source: Whole Dog Journal, April 29, 2024. Link. Telemedicine and teletriage can play an important role in your dog’s … [Read more...]
Why we need fewer performance reviews and more check-ins
Leadership expert, author Ashley Goodall, argues that check-ins are a more personal way for teams to set goals. He shares when Cisco researchers looked at the relationship between frequency and effect, they found that a biweekly conversation had a clear, positive effect, and that a weekly conversation had a very big, indeed positive effect. Source: Fast Company, May 6, 2024. … [Read more...]
Follow your dreams and other terrible career advice
An industry leader shared Bonnie Hammer’s essay with us along with this comment, “This message needs to be sent to the new generation of animal health professionals.” Hammer, vice chair of NBCUniversal pulls no punches. She says: It’s no wonder that when young people start working, too many feel betrayed or bored having been told that they could do anything growing … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 2, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 25, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the April 25th AHD Bulletin – 9 Gen Z work trends, not new but hit differently now. Link. Employee engagement in the U.S. hits 11-year low. Link. Cull cows, beef value now important for dairy profits. Link. ===================================== The … [Read more...]
Virox celebrates 25 years
Congratulations to the teams at Virox Technologies, Inc. on their 25-year milestone! An incredible team doing remarkable things in a rivalry of legacy established companies and chemistries, Virox continues to change the rules of the game!” - Randy Pilon MBA. ICD.D CEO & Founder at ViroxTechnolgies Inc. Source: Virox Technologies, Inc., YouTube, February 27, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
FDA finalizes guidance to provide further clarity on VFD
To assist stakeholders involved with veterinary feed directives – veterinarians, VFD feed distributors (medicated feed mills, feed retailers) and clients (owners or other caretakers of the animals) the FDA has finalized Guidance for Industry (GFI) #120: Veterinary Feed Directive Regulation Questions and Answers. While the core recommendations in final GFI #120 remain the same … [Read more...]
Phibro Animal Health to acquire Zoetis medicated feed additive portfolio
Zoetis Inc. and Phibro Animal Health Corporation announced they have entered into a definitive agreement where Phibro Animal Health will acquire Zoetis’ medicated feed additive product portfolio, certain water-soluble products and related assets. Source: Feedstuffs, April 29, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Growing concerns about fescue toxicosis in the dairy industry
Producers who use fescue in grazing pastures have growing concerns about the impact of fescue toxicosis on milk production, writes Carmen Burner. Tall fescue, a perennial grass, is found in 15 states. It is grown for benefits such as drought tolerance and resistance to various insects, viruses and fungal diseases. A fungal endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum found in about … [Read more...]
7 common threads of top-producing dairies
Dairy production is competitive although competition is strongest when dairies work to increase their own production metrics. Karen Luchterhand, PhD, shared common actions from dairies that are getting the most from their cows including milking three times per day, prioritizing heat stress abatement and stall management. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 26, 2024. … [Read more...]
We can’t ignore the real costs of PRRS any longer
The U.S. <still> has a lot of work to do concerning PRRS. “PRRS is not new, and it is not going to go away on its own,” according to Cara Haden, DVM. And the U.S. is not making progress at the rate of other countries. Jennifer Shike shares key takeaways Haden offered during the Ohio Pork Congress. There is a very real cost of PRRS when it comes to pigs, people and public … [Read more...]
Managing horses on pasture
Animal health pros who work with cattle producers will find Curt Arens’ article topics familiar. Terms like stocking rate, overgrazing, rotational grazing and more apply to horse pasture and health management, too. He shares the whys and basic management tips to keep the pastures healthy through the growing season and, consequently, provide optimal grazing forages for … [Read more...]
Cost versus value 1 of 4 nutrition challenges with pet owners
Chyrle Bonk, DVM, PhD, identified pet owner awareness, time constraints, information overload and, especially, pet obesity among the nutrition challenges facing the veterinary and pet food industry. These likely play out in everyday conversations in veterinary hospitals and retailers alike. Source: PETFOOD Industry, April 25, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]