In a newly published study, African swine fever viruses have been detected in blood-sucking insects, particularly in those found on farms where pigs are present. While direct transmission was not conclusive, the study reinforces the need to consider insects in biosecurity efforts. Source: Feed Strategy, April 7, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Fly control has always been important … [Read more...]
Calves and flies don’t have to coexist
Calves are a popular target for fly breeding grounds because their bedding and feed are perfect havens for flies to multiply en masse. Entomologist Roger Moon and dairy producer Merri Post shared experiences and ideas about reducing flies and their impact on herd health. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 12, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: For salespersons and veterinary teams, … [Read more...]
Understanding Equine Cushing’s disease
Equine Cushing’s disease is a chronic, progressive endocrine disease seen in middle-aged to senior horses. More accurately labeled pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, or PPID, this is a disease of the pituitary gland. Anna O'Brien, DVM, discusses the pituitary gland, disease symptoms, diagnostics and caring for a Cushing’s horse. Source: Horse Illustrated, January 23, … [Read more...]
Improved treatment helps cats with chronic kidney disease
Two percent to 20 percent of all cats and 30 percent of cats over the age of 10 have chronic kidney disease. Recent advances in diagnostics and medical management mean veterinarians can now treat some cats for extended periods. Katie Burns shares information from various sources for controlling chronic kidney disease in cats. Diagnostics and treatments have improved and … [Read more...]
Environmental decontamination important to control ringworm
Dermatophytosis affects adoptable populations of animals, primarily puppies and kittens, writes Alison Diesel, DVM, DACVD. She shares results from a retrospective study of feline foster homes including cleaning processes for the location and multimodal therapies for the cats. Source: Clinician’s Brief, September 2020. Link. Positive Wood’s lamp fluorescence results will only … [Read more...]
Pet food modernization still a work in progress
Lindsay Beaton shares what is, what is being proposed and where confusion exists in the efforts to update pet food labeling. The idea of simplifying things for pet food customers is constantly evolving in the industry. Making it easier to understand pet nutrition has been a consistent demand heard from advocacy groups, veterinarians, customers and pet … [Read more...]
Understanding the Velcro dog
The author provides a series of reasons dogs might follow the owner all over as if stuck to them. Whether attention-getting or separation anxiety, it is important to understand these behaviors have a purpose. Source: Puppies and Pooches, January 15, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: This is good information to share on social media or in newsletters for dog owners. Be sure to include … [Read more...]
National Pet ID Week kicks off Saturday
National Pet ID week starts Saturday and runs through Friday, April 23. This event helps owners make sure their pets’ identification is up to date. Collar tags and microchips offer the best chances for pets to be returned to their owners if they get separated, according to the ASPCA. Source: National Band and Tag Company, Link. Vets recommend every pet owner prepare for a … [Read more...]
How to stop doing everything yourself
A lot of business owners aren't skilled at the art of delegation. They may struggle with knowing when to hand off a project to a team member, how much or how little supervision is needed, and when and how to close the loop on a project that they have handed over. David Finkel shares a proven method for delegating things the right way. Source: Inc, April 2, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Stop chasing success and start enjoying the little things in life
We’re always striving for more, never satisfied with where we are, writes Mercy Torres. More is always better. Happiness and fulfillment are always just out of reach. When we’re growing up, we strive to finish high school. Then the goal is college, then grad school. We have a family, and we live through the challenges of life, but we never stop to realize the grace in each … [Read more...]
Beware of BAD career advice
I want to see a show of hands of those whose five-year plan included a contingency for a worldwide shutdown caused by a coronavirus pandemic. This is just one piece of evidence that some career advice should be ignored, according to Kelsey Manning. Source: Fast Company, December 15, 2014. Link. Following the money with complete disregard for your interest is a surefire path … [Read more...]
Handling angry clients
Handling angry clients is less of a science and more of an art form, writes Jamie Rauscher, RVT. It takes thick skin and years of experience to master. She reminds us to identify and address the problem and also to consider the source. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Spring 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Rausher provides good guidance for facing angry clients. It is important to … [Read more...]
Anger, masked with a smile: How to handle passive-aggressive workers
Passive aggression can manifest in multiple ways, but it typically involves avoiding direct conflict. The passive-aggressive person is motivated by their fear of expressing their anger directly. It is a defensive and ingrained behavior. Fortunately, managers can learn to recognize the patterns of passive-aggressive workers, then deftly guide them to change that behavior, … [Read more...]
Border Collies are wonderful dogs, but they make poor CEOs
Todd Ordal uses sheep dogs nipping at heels as a poor example of leadership. Sheep require constant nipping, he says. And the only people who’ll work for a Border Collie for an extended period are sheep! Running to-and-fro and nipping at heels (OK, barking orders) creates a lot of movement, but it’s mostly wasted movement. And the moment the barking stops, all hell breaks … [Read more...]
Buzz On B2B: Email is tops for acquisition and retention
Email remains the top tool for retention and acquisition in B2B, but search may be coming up on the inside, judging by MeritB2B’s Q1 2021 Marketing Trends Report. Ray Schultz presents trends and shifts in business communications. Source: Media Post, April 7, 2021. Link. The focus is always on audience, and email is a proven vehicle for optimized messaging to highly … [Read more...]
Chameleon-like ambiverts make better leaders
Bryan Lufkin says blending extrovert and introvert personality types can make you indispensable in the office. Finding the right balance is a skill we can all master. Ambiverts naturally engage in a flexible pattern of talking and listening. They are likely to express sufficient assertiveness and enthusiasm to persuade and close a sale. They are also more inclined to listen to … [Read more...]
Veterinarian: Bird lovers must guard against salmonella
Jim LaCour, DVM, shares concerns about salmonella bacterial infection that causes sporadic mortality in some wild birds. He shares how to clean and sanitize bird feeders and bird baths to help prevent birds from catching deadly salmonella. Plus, he notes it’s important to carefully dispose of deceased birds. Many of the <salmonella> deaths have been associated with bird … [Read more...]
Survey says more than 800 hours a year cleaning up after pets
Complimentary Content A new study conducted on behalf of Trane Heating and Air Conditioning examined the great lengths to which pet owners will go to keep a clean and healthy environment while caring for their pets. The study results shows various facts about the impact of cleaning, in-home relationships and owner wellness. Source: SWNS digital, April 8, 2021. Link. News … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 8, 2021
How we treat animals will inform our future with robots Source: One Zero, April 1, 2021. Link. Author Kate Darling from MIT Media Lab believes that as humanlike robots become more advanced and more deeply integrated into society, we should be wary of people becoming accustomed to mistreating them. Diagnosis of the diagnostics in … [Read more...]
Research explains why cool cows can provide more milk
Heat stress represents a major burden to the dairy industry making improving cow comfort and productivity in the hot and humid summer months a significant management objective. University of Georgia researchers determined that dairy cattle cooled with fans and sprinklers respond better to heat stress, produce more milk and have healthier mammary glands. A recent study … [Read more...]
Virtual fencing technology to intensively graze lactating dairy cattle, really?
Grazed pasture is generally the most cost-effective nutrient source in pasture-based dairy systems. A recent study compared traditional electric fence to GPS technology connected to cow collars. The objective was to measure the technology efficacy and pasture use outcomes. Source: Journal of Dairy Science, April 1, 2021. Link. Overall, this study demonstrated a successful … [Read more...]
New PRRS 1-4-4 L1C variant deserves vigilance, preparations
PRRS has been challenging swine producers for nearly 35 years. In late 2020, a variant strain surfaced from the PRRS 1-4-4 L1C lineage. It can be extremely virulent, although not the only variant strain circulating in swine herds. We’re sharing articles with different perspectives about the significance of this variant. It is clear, however, that biosecurity protocols at … [Read more...]
The battle to control America’s ‘most destructive’ species: feral pigs
Today, there are between 6 and 9 million feral hogs running across at least 42 U.S. states and three territories. The cost of the damage they cause is probably about $2.5 billion annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We haven’t been able to find a crop that feral swine won’t eat.” - Stephanie Shwiff, economist with National Wildlife Research … [Read more...]
Calf Care & Quality Assurance program launched
The Calf Care & Quality Assurance program is a new program to help ensure optimal calf health and welfare. The program provides a framework that will serve as great resource for anyone working in the calf-raising industry. The CCQA program not only exists to support calf raisers, but it helps the consumer understand the attention given to calves, as well. Ultimately, the … [Read more...]
Watch for grass tetany and milk fever in spring calving herds
Lush green grass is a welcome sign of spring. Cows in otherwise good condition and health are sometimes found demonstrating unusual behaviors, unsteady gait or inability to rise. These are early signs of grass tetany and milk fever, says Paul Beck. He describes the magnesium and calcium shortages that bring about these diseases. They are hard to differentiate, and are difficult … [Read more...]
Chickens in a minute; including treats (video)
Most backyard birds receive treats because it’s fun for the owners. But overdoing it is dangerous because our birds can fill up on them. Chickens only have 24 taste buds compared to our 10,000.” Source: Backyard Poultry, April 2, 2021. Link. Also see: Lesser-known facts about chickens and ducks Backyard Poultry, April 2, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
The rise of reptiles and what it means for veterinary medicine
Mike Corcoran, DVM, DABVP, CertAqV, says the number of reptiles as pets has more than doubled since 2007. The pet trade is marketing more products to reptile owners directed at enrichment and the human-animal bond. He expects veterinarians will see reptiles more frequently as their owners seek diagnostics and treatments recommended for their pets. Source: Pet Vet Magazine, … [Read more...]
The best dog names of 2021. 500 names by category.
This article contains around 500 name ideas for dogs. It offers essential guidelines for naming a dog. The names are categorized by:Source: Puppies and Pooches, February 4, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
April 11-17 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week
There are an estimated 77 million dogs living in U.S. households and millions of people are bitten by dogs every year. Most, if not all, of these bites are preventable. The American Veterinary Medical Association has assembled worthwhile tips for observing National Dog Bite Preparedness Week® and tools for bringing dog bite prevention education to clinics and … [Read more...]
April is heartworm awareness month
Heartworms are in every U.S. state and other countries. In fact, heartworm disease is on the rise throughout the U.S. and areas that were once non-endemic. The American Heartworm Society offers multiple resources for veterinarians and pet owners at heartwormsociety.org. They include: Heartworm incidence map: updated every three years to highlight the average number of … [Read more...]