Sustainability is a buzzword worldwide, but it is sometimes real. Beef’s sustainability is demonstrable after animals are harvested, considering only half of what a beef carcass yields is considered consumable in the U.S. Carrie Veselka’s recap of a Cattlemen’s College session about how beef byproducts are used and developed provides proof that “they use everything but the … [Read more...]
Why dogs like your head and hair
Pet owners often ask why their dog licks their head, hair and so on. Petya Natrcheva shares nine reasons they act this way. Dog owners will appreciate this list if you share it on social media or in newsletters. Source: Dogs and Clogs. Link. Your dog licks your hair on your head because that’s how they show affection, or they like the taste of your skin, want to groom you, … [Read more...]
Comedy Pet Photography Awards announces 2021 finalists
Take a few minutes and crack a lot of smiles! Check out the photo and video finalists in the 2021 Comedy Pet Photography Awards. Some of these shots will make your day. Source: Comedy Pet Photography Awards. Link. Enjoy! … [Read more...]
Chatfields and AVMA Trust launch recurring segment for veterinary students
Complimentary “Chats with the Chatfields” is partnering with the AVMA Trust to bring listeners “V’s View from Vet School.” This monthly recurring segment will follow Veronica, a veterinary student, as she takes the journey to become a veterinarian. Source: Chats with the Chatfields, October 26, 2021. Link. Veronica has a unique pre-vet school background: She is a … [Read more...]
Counter the negative effects of sitting
According to a recent study, standing up and moving for roughly three minutes every half an hour may mitigate the negative effects of over-sitting. . . . those who exercised the most – averaging 75 steps during the three-minute breaks – saw the biggest gains.” Source: Runner’s World, October 19, 2021. Link. Over-sitting is an area we should all take seriously. Its impacts are … [Read more...]
10 things to say besides YES
Lots of folks are headed for a crash or have crashed because they have not mastered the art of answering the next request for their time and attention with something other than an unqualified, “yes.” In the interest of preserving your health, sanity and well-being, the author offers 10 things you can say besides, “Yes,” when someone asks you to attend their meeting, join their … [Read more...]
Increase retention while eliminating burnout
This sounds impossible in today’s competitive environment, but it is not that hard. Gallup has identified three simple steps to accomplish it. Source: Gallup, August 25, 2021. Link. They know what is expected of them. They have what they need to get their work done. And their manager helps them manage their workload, collaborate effectively, and see a clear path to a bright … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 21, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post Grain-free? Grain-ful? The Chatfields discuss pet food choices. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Oct 14, 2021. Link. Label pea-protein cat food as not for ferrets, vet says Source: Petfood Industry, October 11, 2021. Link. Bladder stones in ferrets may be related to diets containing … [Read more...]
Undeniably Dairy campaign designed to reach Gen Z
Did you know The dairy checkoff’s Undeniably Dairy campaign has a new wave to create deeper connections between Gen Z and dairy products. The campaign will use media channels and marketing strategies, including gaming, social media influencers and digital content, to engage with Gen Z to grow sales and trust of dairy. Did you know dairy can do more than set you at ease? It … [Read more...]
When do we need to re-treat? Cattle Chat discussion.
Treatment intervals and comfort care were discussion topics on a recent Cattle Chat podcast hosted by the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute team of veterinary experts. Producers need to start a protocol and track the results. Research has shown that the response rate improved if we followed a 5-7 or 7-10-day window as opposed to an immediate retreatment. . . … [Read more...]
Terms of venery beyond packs and herds
Here’s an article to use on trivia night. It wasn’t scientists who coined fanciful names like “a charm of hummingbirds" or "a cauldron of bats." Rather, 15th-century Englishmen would come up with names for animal gangs while hunting. Bloat, gaggle, murder and shrewdness all denote groups of animals too. Source: Word Genius, May 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Kid approved chicken chores
The Centers for Disease Control continues to warn people to stop cuddling and kissing backyard poultry because chickens may spread salmonella. The warnings are warranted, but chickens are excellent starter animals for homesteaders or home-produced food enthusiasts. Kids enjoy the birds too. Patrick Diggs, PhD, shares chicken chores kids can help with and reinforces the CDC … [Read more...]
Dogfight over pet prescriptions AND a Bridge Club discussion
OPINION Market share is determined by where and WHY customers spend their dollars. Chewy’s investment into telemedicine and compounding is yet another event in the ethical versus OTC dynamics of the animal health supply business. An extension of the historic catalog business, online pet supply options increase convenience, avoid visits to the veterinary clinic and are … [Read more...]
Move forward by going back
The adage “two steps forward one step back” fits the theme of DVM Wendy Hauser’s article about creating and improving a culture of preventive care. The Covid-19 pandemic and new pet demands put some veterinary teams into a Dragnet-like “just the facts ma’am” triage mode. This created significant variability in how preventive care was discussed, if at all. Many veterinary … [Read more...]
Scours treatment. Dealing with dehydration.
It’s generally not the gut infection that causes scours that kills the calf, it’s dehydration. Regardless of the cause of scours (whether bacterial, viral, protozoal or something else), dehydration and the resultant acid-base imbalance is often what kills the calf. Dehydration, the loss of electrolytes and decrease in pH in the blood (metabolic acidosis) are the three biggest … [Read more...]
How often should a horse see the dentist?
The most important person in tooth care for horses is the one hired to float the teeth, says Lu Ann Groves, DVM. Horse age, loose or erupting teeth can make a difference to how often teeth need floating. The general rule is that a horse’s teeth should be floated every year. But this may not always apply. . .” Source: Equine Wellness Natural Health Report, September 2021. … [Read more...]
5 cat facts that aren’t
Halloween always brings out the black cat = bad luck phrase. Beyond nine lives or a cat having your tongue, there are other supposed truisms that just aren’t: Cats are nocturnal Cats and milk go together Purring always indicates happiness Pregnant women should not be around cats A cat can steal a baby’s breath Source: Tuft’s Catnip, August 21, 2021. … [Read more...]
Reinforcing the need for rabies vaccination
Rabies vaccination of dogs remains one of the more effective strategies for preventing rabies in humans. Arguments about titers and vaccination intervals aside, most U.S. states mandate revaccination for rabies regardless of medical history or antibody levels. Source: Today’s Veterinary Practice, January/February 2021. Link. Research is continuing to evaluate the duration of … [Read more...]
Advising pet owners on nutritional adequacy
Addressing questions from owners about whether a food is safe and meets their pet’s needs can be challenging and time-consuming, as there is a significant amount of misinformation available, writes Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVN. She shares examples of the criteria and questions from the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee’s nutrition toolkit to determine high-quality pet … [Read more...]
Hannah Lau, DVM next on VVCA Lunch and Learn
Complimentary The VVCA Lunch and Learn series continues Wednesday, October 27 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Hannah Lau, DVM, will share telehealth cases from her practice. She has been practicing veterinary telemedicine and telehealth fulltime since 2019, along with a small team of remote veterinary technicians and assistants. Although living in southwest Virginia, Lau practices … [Read more...]
New resources to discuss the cost of care from ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance now available
Sponsored Content Discussions with clients about the cost of veterinary care are often avoided until services are needed. This is a missed opportunity to help pet owners understand and prepare for their pets’ future health care needs, and how to pay for them. The ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance’s “Cost of Care Wheel” tool makes it quick and easy to have these conversations … [Read more...]
Much ado about nothing
Addicted to busyness and productivity, people are seeking ways to chill out and escape their running wheel lives. It is estimated that a $121 million industry has risen to address sleep, self-improvement and meditation. Leath Tonino, a self-proclaimed overachiever shares how doing nothing may be the newest antidote to doing too much. You can’t hurry your way to slowness or buy … [Read more...]
When is your Green Zone?
Your Green Zones are the times of the day when your energy is at its peak, according to author Carey Nieuwhof. SmartBrief surveyed readers to arrive at the chart shown here. Overall, cooperating with your energy levels produces far greater productivity than competing with them.” - Carey Nieuwhof Source: SmartBrief on Careers, October 8, 2021. Link. Nieuwhof discusses the … [Read more...]
First, do good. Dr. Bellows on beneficence versus maleficence and oral care
The veterinary oath does not contain any language about doing no harm, shares Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP. It is a basic principle errantly drilled into veterinary students and practitioners, he says. Nowhere in the veterinary oath is the mention of doing no harm, otherwise known as nonmaleficence.” - Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP Bellows shares information about the … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 7, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post Highlights from the 31st Carthage Swine Conference. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Sept 30, 2021. Link. Goodbye Google: 7 privacy-first search engines everyone should try Source: Fast Company, September 29, 2021. Link. Jared Newman offers search engine options that remove the … [Read more...]
Them’s the Rules: Bio containment? Viral escapes? What?
Complimentary* Bio-containment expert Lisa Kercher, PhD, discusses virus research, bio attacks and what type of regulations exist in the US to prevent catastrophes including viral mishaps! Source: Chats with the Chatfields, You Tube, September 16, 2021. Link. “How to work with animals in containment was the longest amount of training I had,” shared Kercher. The scariest … [Read more...]
Preparing for the holiday rush
Ho! Ho! Ho! Thanksgiving is seven weeks away. Christmas is 11 weeks away. Jonathan David talks about pacing yourself from a groomer’s perspective as the holidays approach. Source: Groomer to Groomer, pages 6-9, October 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Petco to expand PupBoxes, include private label products
Opinion PupBox, a monthly subscription service for dogs, will expand to offer boxes across four life stages: puppy, young pup, grown pup and senior pup. The boxes each contain five to seven hand-picked items items designed for a dog's specific needs at each stage of life. This expansion follows the one of Petco’s mental health pet programs, which also feature the … [Read more...]
Use time blocking for better time management
Time blocking is the practice of planning your schedule for the day in advance by blocking every hour of your day for specific tasks and responsibilities. Thomas Griffin explains how to start time blocking and its benefits. Source: Forbes, September 15, 2021. Link. The reason why time blocking works so well is that, unlike an open-ended to-do list, here, it helps you focus … [Read more...]
7 symptoms of a nervous breakdown (includes video)
"Nervous breakdown" isn't a clinical term and it's not considered a mental illness, says Erin Engle, PsyD. It is more of a catchall term that references multiple psychological ailments in situations where a person cannot function normally because of overwhelming stress. Engle shares a few common signs that someone is feeling overwhelmed and not having an entirely healthy … [Read more...]