On August 20th, a federal district court in Texas blocked implementation of the Federal Trade Commission’s April 2024 final rule banning most non-compete agreements declaring it “arbitrary and capricious.” Source: AVMA, August 22, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
APPA introduces new supplier membership
The American Pet Products Association’s new membership category, supplier members, hopes to connect suppliers of pet product components, ingredients, packaging, live animal companions, business services and more with top manufacturers in the industry. Source: Pet Product News, September 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Drs. Peter Weinstein and Marty Becker honored in Kansas City
Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, was presented with the Distinguished Life Member Award and Marty Becker, DVM, received Pioneer Professional Award for their commitments to advancing veterinary medicine and the animal health industry. The VetPartners™ 2024 Mid-Year Conference, took place August 20–22 in Kansas City, Missouri, and was attended by nearly 100 industry leaders. Source: … [Read more...]
Virtual BEEF experience promises context
Complimentary Consider this opportunity to engage with producers or advance your understanding of production issues and practices. BEEF’s free online event September 18th features updates related to market trends and forecasts, cattle health and new technology. Among the presenters are: Glynn Tonsor, PhD Dan Thompson, PhD, DVM Russ Daly, DVM, MS, DACVPM Grant … [Read more...]
Don’t forget. Manure can kill!
Dealing with manure pits and tankers is a nasty reality for livestock producers. Jennifer Kiel addresses safety as the fall manure application period gets going. Consider her article for newsletters, social media posts and print a few to leave at local coffee stops. Manure is dangerous . . . it breaks down to produce gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane and … [Read more...]
Time teaches biosecurity importance
We like Kevin Shultz’s title, “Time teaches biosecurity importance.” It represents the importance of collaboration and applied experiences. He reviews findings from SHIC’s Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program. Whether producer, veterinary clinic staff or animal health representative, understanding and advocating for tightening swine farm biosecurity measures is … [Read more...]
Rats don’t care about property lines
Chickens are messy eaters. This creates a tempting smorgasbord for rodents, explains Maureen Mackey. She shares ways to reduce rat problems around chickens, tips from experts, coop construction advice and reminds us that they can carry serious diseases, including salmonella and leptospirosis. Source: Backyard Poultry, September 2021. Link. Rats rarely go beyond 300 feet of … [Read more...]
Finding a good place for pollinators
Farmers, as well as suburban property owners, can effectively install pollinator habitats. Ben Powell, MS, shared the importance and opportunity farmers have to plant a wide variety of native crops to provide pollinator habitat at a recent field day. His focus is on crop farmers in this article, but the content applies to suburbia, acreages, along roads and green spaces in more … [Read more...]
Beyond joints; regenerative medicine advances in horses
Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc, reveals new paths for using stem cells and other biologics to help horses heal in this article. She shares the 20-year progress with stem cell development to treating tendons and ligaments, musculoskeletal issues and other conditions; cell-less therapy; and new ways of efficiently producing large numbers of stem cells. Oke provides an eye-opening … [Read more...]
10 most popular vet apps for cat owners (2024 Update)
Apps can’t completely replace in-person vet appointments and annual checkups, but they can still benefit many cat owners, shares Jessica Kim. She classifies the most common types of vet app deliverables as providing 1) tele-triage services, 2) telemedicine services, and 3) veterinary clinic operations software. The reviews of the various app functions may provide some … [Read more...]
Study: Canine respiratory, digestive disease ‘strongly linked’
Dogs with respiratory disease may be at higher risk of digestive system abnormalities, according to a study from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Researchers investigated the interplay between disorders in canine respiratory and digestive systems, finding 75 percent of dogs with respiratory disease were found to have one or more co-existing digestive … [Read more...]
Strategies to help manage cognitive decline in senior dogs (video)
Like people, older dogs can show signs of age-related cognitive decline, shares Jerry Klein, DVM. With a growing population of senior dogs, combining diet, physical exercise and behavioral enrichment can help combat cognitive decline and the more serious cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Source: AKC, August 28, 2024. Link. Any time an animal shows noticeable changes to his … [Read more...]
Why you should pet your dog first thing in the morning
Before getting out of bed for the first cup of coffee, start the day with five minutes of head pets and belly rubs. By making this a regular activity, you’re essentially teaching the dog that the day doesn’t begin until they have been petted and acknowledged. Plus, those few minutes before checking email, texts and schedules are good for our health too. Source: Better … [Read more...]
Let’s review. Dog park safety tips
Dog parks come in many shapes, sizes and terrain. Ashley Bates shares 11 tips to ensure pets and people have good experiences using these spaces. This article is good content for social media posts, newsletters and to share with your own commentary with local media. Source: Whole Dog Journal, September 5, 2024. Link. Before you go to dog parks know the rules. Some of them … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – September 9, 2024
Tech and the veterinarian, retaining talent, video marketing for small business, streamlining, luxury pet brands, heartworm and questions about customer-centricity. Are consumers starting to fade into the backseat?” Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, September 9, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
The latest email scams
Thanks to artificial intelligence, email scams are becoming tougher than ever to detect, writes Steven J.J. Weisman, JD. He reviews five scams many will recognize and how to avoid or deal with them: Spoofing scams from what appears to be a known email address Fake invoice PayPal email scam Airline customer service scam Social Security update scam E-Z Pass … [Read more...]
Reminder: Prioritizing veterinary technicians, a virtual conversation
The Bridge Club’s September 18th Zoom conversation seeks to advance successful paths forward for all technicians. Despite their crucial role in veterinary care, veterinary technicians continue to encounter numerous challenges, including title protection, underutilization, low compensation and high turnover rates. Join via Zoom, September 18, 2024, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDT. … [Read more...]
Likeability – How to find it in others and develop it in you
We find people who are interested in us to be interesting to us. Source: Inc., September 2, 2024. Link. Be curious. …asking a question, and then two follow-up questions, dramatically increases how likable others perceive you to be.” INSIGHTS: Being nice is one of the most underrated business skills, according to Mark Cuban. It's better to be respected and liked. … [Read more...]
Automation to streamline its rabies vaccination, certificate processes
GlobalVetLink has developed a solution that simplifies the creation and submission of rabies vaccination certificates and ensures compliance with state and local regulations. GVL's Rabies Vaccination Certificates eliminates the cumbersome, time-consuming tasks associated with manual certificate management, saves time and reduces errors. Source: GlobalVetLink via PR Newswire, … [Read more...]
Chewy Q2 earnings results show app use growing, net sales increase
Chewy’s Q2 earnings call highlighted six percent net sales per active customer increase, 20 million active customers, six Chewy Health clinics in operation and 13 percent more unique customers using the Chewy app. Source: Digital 360, September 3, 2024. Link. Digital Commerce 360 projects that Chewy online sales will reach $11.59 billion in 2024. Also see: Chewy sees … [Read more...]
FDA – defining VCPR, including telemedicine
The FDA recently published a Q&A page about federal requirements related to a veterinarian’s role in dispensing prescription animal drugs and establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship in the course of practice. The page only covers the veterinarian’s obligations under federal law. Consult state licensing boards to determine if there are additional requirements … [Read more...]
Team-level engagement linked to profitability
Gallup recently shared updates to the world's largest ongoing study of the employee experience, which now represents 183,806 business units and teams globally. The variability in employee engagement within teams at a given company is nearly as great as the variability in employee engagement for teams across all companies. The differentiating factor in this variability is the … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 5, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 29, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the August 29th AHD Bulletin – The 5 levers of compliance. Link. Character and integrity. Link. Highlights from the 2024 KCAHC Animal Health Summit. Link. What did we miss at the VIS? Link. 5 silent revenue drains and ways to plug them. Link. … [Read more...]
Swine producers, veterinarians learning from the PRRS Outbreak Management Program
Developed as an epidemiological database to track PRRS outbreaks in breeding herds, the PRRS Outbreak Management Program delivers evaluations of various management practices. Advantages are indicated when batch farrowing, combining live virus inoculation and MLV and barn depopulation between farrowing groups. The POMP database has approximately 447 herd outbreaks from more than … [Read more...]
AAFCO and FDA to end longstanding MOU signaling shift in animal feed regulation
The 17-year memorandum of understanding to provide standardization to the animal food industry is ending. It allows AAFCO to look at new and innovative solutions in the ingredient space, and to seek out additional partners that can provide strong, science-based guidance to our state officials. Meanwhile, the FDA is evaluating its animal food ingredient review authorities and … [Read more...]
Largest cattle feedlot in Nebraska to begin taking feeders later this month
Blackshirt Feeders is almost ready to take feeder cattle and meet the scrutiny head-on. Promoted as a “beyond a state-of-the-art” feedlot, it is anchored with a rolled, compacted concrete base to reduce odors and flies. It is designed to be easier to clean and eventually allow the tons of manure to be used by biodigesters to produce methane. Developers were required to retire … [Read more...]
Webinar tonight – Updated EID tag requirements for disease traceability
In April 2024, USDA-APHIS issued a final rule updating its existing 2013 regulations on animal disease traceability. The updated rule will take effect on November 5, 2024. This update now requires ear tags to be used as official animal identification for the interstate movement of covered classes of cattle to be both visually and electronically readable. Webinar information: … [Read more...]
Overcoming transit stress in feedlot cattle
Calves transported long distances can exhibit muscle fatigue and oxidative stress, an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants that can ultimately cause cell and tissue damage, shares Stephanie Hansen, PhD. Her Iowa State University research team is investigating the role of trace minerals and vitamins in cattle health and welfare during long-haul transit. Vitamin C and … [Read more...]
Detecting and mitigating stray voltage
The need to stay grounded takes on a different meaning in the two articles shared here. Stray voltage is a hidden risk to production and safety in production settings. Testing for stray voltage is crucial to protecting the herd and livelihoods: Stray voltage can severely affect livestock, resulting in stress, reduced milk production, and higher illness incidents. Causes … [Read more...]
Eyeworm emergence in cats, dogs in the U.S.
Muscoid flies like the house fly and stable fly, along with drosophilid flies like fruit flies, can transmit eye worm nematodes in the genus Thelazia. Many eyeworm species have been identified in the United States in dogs, wildlife, horses and cattle. Heather D.S. Walden, MS, PhD, shares the discovery of Thelazia callipaeda infections in cats and explains the importance of … [Read more...]