Last week’s most read post Most read Animal Health Digest posts of 2021. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 30, 2021. Link. AHD posts one year ago Archives for December 2020, Animal Health Digest. Link. ================================= Steve Dale: Fear Free: Transforming veterinary medicine Source: Steve … [Read more...]
Plan ahead to feed problem newborn calves
Not every calf that drops in the coming months will have what it needs to thrive, according to Jason Smith. He discusses the importance of early preparation and colostrum. The importance and value of colostrum to a newborn calf cannot be overstated. Most calves that don’t receive adequate colostrum in a timely manner will not survive. It’s as simple as that.” – Jason Smith, … [Read more...]
Dos and don’ts of down cow care
Down cow care is frequently scrutinized by various media sources. A down cow is a signal for producers to act immediately and summon help from a trained rescue team. Shaw Perrin, DVM, shared dos and don’ts in a webinar. Key points of down cow care are summarized in the article below, including guidance on euthanasia. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 5, 2021. … [Read more...]
Shoes and blood circulation in hooves: Is there a connection?
Polish researchers concluded that horseshoes may have a negative impact on blood circulation in the hoof and noted that different types of shoes may result in different median temperature differences of the heel and toe portions of hooves. Source: Paulick Report, December 24, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Cat obesity up more than 100 percent in 10 years
Citing Banfield Pet Hospitals’ electronic veterinary health records, Jackie Brown shares some disturbing findings: 114 percent increase in cats diagnosed as overweight in the last 10 years Dog obesity also rose 108 percent in the same period A survey of 1,000 owners of overweight or obese pets discovered: 93 percent said they faced hurdles in maintaining a … [Read more...]
Land area twice the size of the UK needed to feed the world’s pets
With increasing demand for pets comes increasing demand for pet food. In fact, an area twice the size of the UK is used to produce dry cat and dog food each year, according to a recent study published in the journal Global Environmental Change. Researchers analyzed data on primary ingredients in more than 280 types of dry food in the U.S. and Europe, which account for two … [Read more...]
Considerations before switching a pet’s food
Questions about pet food are among the most frequent queries made by pet owners. One size fits all doesn’t work when it comes to pet food, says Anthony Bennie. He shares signs that could signal the need for a food source change and factors that could influence pets’ acceptance of their pet food. Source: Animal Wellness Report, December 2021. Link. While changes in your dog … [Read more...]
New science shows how exercise affects nearly every cell in the body (video)
New Year’s resolutions frequently include exercise and weight loss. While those are good objectives, research now shows exercise is something vital for good overall health, not just our hearts and muscles, but it also positively affects all the other organs, as well. Researchers have found that exercise basically improves health outcomes largely independent of weight loss.” - … [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...]
To hug or not. Tools to solve the conundrum.
Gift article from The New York Times Convention season is upon us. For many, the challenge of reengagement includes whether to offer a hug, fist bump or just a of wave hello. Emma Goldberg shares how colored wristbands and buttons are being used to help people know each other’s sensitivities. Source: The New York Times, January 4, 2022. Link. Optional PDF. Link. Everyone … [Read more...]
Workplace bullying, a growing concern for HR departments
Workplace bullying can cause employees physical injuries and mental anguish, high absenteeism and turnover, low productivity and morale, and damage to a company’s reputation. Bullying can include verbal abuse, offensive conduct, intimidation or assault. As many as 75% of employees report that they have been a target of or have witnessed bullying at work, which has affected an … [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...]
National Geographic’s 12 most intriguing animal discoveries of 2021
‘Virgin births’ in a rare bird, Covid-19 found in wild deer, other animals, cloning a black ferret, elephant evolving to lose tusks, wild horses and donkeys digging desert wells, ants that shrink and regrow their brains and more. . . Source: National Geographic, December 8, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Veterinary Practice News top 10 news and features stories in 2021
It has been another wild year and we covered a lot of ground, say the editors at VPN. They provide a look back at what was being read throughout the year. They list the top 10 in news and feature stories respectively. Source: Veterinary Practice News, December 15, 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...]
3 keys to handling injectables when it is below freezing
Shannon Williams reminds us to keep injectables at the proper temperature. It is vitally important to maintain their effectiveness. She shares three key practices to keep your injectables from being too cold. Setting your injectables on the defroster or under the heater in the pickup is NOT the solution. . . you could end up “cooking” it and damaging the product. . . … [Read more...]
Beef cattle: the ultimate upcyclers
Complimentary Sponsored Content As consumers continue to push for more sustainable food production, the beef industry, by way of cattle's natural ability as upcyclers, is primed to deliver. If we think about upcycling in the context of cattle, what they're doing every single day is taking mostly human inedible plants and making a higher value product [beef] with regard to … [Read more...]
How DVMs choose stem cells or PRP for equine tendon and ligament injuries
Tremendous interest exists to understand how to use regenerative therapies (orthobiologics) such as platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stem cells to treat tendon and ligament injuries in horses. Some tendon and ligament injuries have a better chance of benefiting from orthobiologics than others. Roger Smith, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FHEA, LAAssocECVDI, Dipl. ECVSMR, ECVS, … [Read more...]
Jingle Bells was not written with yuletide merriment in mind
We’ve been duped, writes Rebecca Berry. The Jingle Bells song, written 164 years ago, was a sleighing song whose original title was One Horse Open Sleigh. But yuletide intentions did not inspire songwriter James Pierpont, rather sleigh races he witnessed. . . . jingling sleigh bells were not festive adornments because having bells was the law. Heavy fines were issued if a … [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...]
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...]
STOP being nice at work. Kindness trumps nice.
Nice and kind are not the same thing, writes Kelly D. Parker. Though similar, kindness is the clear front runner, with the power to motivate teams, boost productivity and foster a culture that attracts and retains top talent. She shares three reasons to ditch nice in exchange for kind: Niceness breeds uncertainty Nice people want to be liked Niceness slows … [Read more...]
Getting stuff done when you’re feeling down
If you’re depressed, your number-1 job is to look after yourself. Productivity is secondary to your mental health, says Alice Boyes. However, learning how to be productive when you’re feeling down can help with depression recovery. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 20, 2021. Link. Summary. When people are depressed their energy, activity, and mood levels decrease … [Read more...]
Best of Pat Malone 2021
Pat Malone’s posts consistently rank near the top of those you read each week. Here are this year’s most popular. Spoiler alert. They’re as relevant in 2022 as they were in 2021. Source: Animal Health Digest. 2021. updated 12/23/2021 Top 10 most-read posts from Patrick T. Malone: Be interested. Link. Communicating without words. Link. Complex … [Read more...]
5 retention strategies for combatting the Great Resignation
OPINION Retention has not been a common term in the employment marketplace and only occasionally considered in customer strategies in recent years. Peter Corless says, “It is imperative that we get creative with retention strategies and cater to the needs and wants of today’s workforce.” Organizations need to shift from a work-life mindset to a life-work mindset and place … [Read more...]
Why Doc Lunsford and his orange slices define Christmas
Every now and then someone or something bestows upon us the real meaning of Christmas. AHD contributor Jim Whitt shares his annual post about Doc Lunsford’s generosity, unconditional acceptance and the most difficult gift to share. Source: Purpose Unlimited, Link. Doc could never repay my parents for the kindness they showed him – at least not financially. But I could never … [Read more...]
“Farmers thrive when their animals thrive.”
That’s what fourth-generation, Iowa dairy farmer and TikTok sensation Dan Venteicher said in a recent conversation with Kristen Peck, chief executive officer at Zoetis. The pair talked about the importance of taking care of the cows so they produce more milk and remain healthy. Venteicher also shared the reality of using technology and data to help care for and in this case, … [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...]