Snow across the northern plains signals the need to consider snow removal tools. If you already have a snowblower it is time to get it out and perform regular maintenance to keep it in top shape. Make sure couplings, hydraulics and lights are serviced and working on blades and snowplows. Do any blade repairs now before snow starts to accumulate. For those looking at getting … [Read more...]
Toxic algae a concern as hunters hit the fields (videos)
One area of pet safety concerns is the growing challenge of toxic blue-green algae. While not actually algae at all, they are types of bacteria called cyanobacteria. The bacteria are normally present in many lakes and stagnant waters. Not all states report where the cyanobacteria have been found, some do. The risk is that these bacteria form poisonous toxins, microcystins, … [Read more...]
What dogs see (video)
Enjoy this video clip that shows what the world looks like through the eyes of a canine. Use it on social media and link it in newsletters. Source: Healthy Pets, WebMD. Link. Dog’s eyes pick up on fewer colors than human eyes. A lot of things appear grayish brown but dogs see yellows and blues. Reds and greens are colors dogs don’t spot. … [Read more...]
Field research looks at what affects canine pulse rate during walks
Karen B. London, PhD, shares preliminary results from a recent field study < link > which explored the pulse rate of dogs on walks. Researchers found some interesting results related to leash length, sniffing and shaking-it-off behaviors. Longer leashes allowed more sniffing Sniffing and shaking-it-off both correlate with lowering pulse rates Source: The Bark, … [Read more...]
7 human foods that are good for dogs
In contrast to all the warnings about table scraps, Marcelle Chastain shares seven human foods that can be shared with dogs since they are high in nutrients and low in calories. She notes which fruits and vegetables require seed removal or cutting into chewable portions. Pears Watermelon Cucumbers Blueberries Celery Fresh peaches Carrots Source: Inside … [Read more...]
11 people foods that are OK for cats
Elizabeth Scott shares healthy treats using these human foods for cats: Lox Spinach Sardines Beef or chicken broth Blueberries Melon Cheese Chicken or turkey gizzards Fresh or frozen peas Nutritional yeast Eggs, cooked Source: Modern Cat. Link. INSIGHTS: Cat owners appreciate tips like this since so many felines are considered finicky. … [Read more...]
When the fur flies and how to stop cat fights
Cat fights are natural feline behavior. The key to stopping them lies in understanding why they are fighting in the first place. The author shares common causes for cat fights and how to address them: Hormones New cat smell Jealousy Territorial Proximity caging and positive behavior rewards Source: Catster, September 19, 2019. Link. Never reach in and try … [Read more...]
How many dogs does it take to change a lightbulb?
Tick or Treat? Brandy Arnold shares an old dog joke. As each breed answers the question, you’ll crack a smile. Source: Dogington Post, February 2012, Link. … [Read more...]
219 million people to dress pets for Halloween
The National Retail Federation annual survey results indicates there will a lot of four-legged pumpkins this Halloween with 172 million people planning to celebrate Halloween. Twenty-nine million of them plan to dress their pets in costumes. Animal health pros know Halloween is stressful for most pets before they get dressed up. We captured a selection of articles, tips and … [Read more...]
Baking soda and the horse barn
Baking soda? Yes, the common housecleaner has several uses in the horse barn, writes Christine Barakat: Scrub out water buckets and troughs Clean bits and metal stirrups Freshen horse’s laundry Deodorize drains Source: EQUUS, August 22, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: We anticipate baking soda is useful in kennels and catteries, as well. Share the tip with horse and … [Read more...]
Profitable cows start with a sound heifer development plan
How you develop heifers makes all the difference in what kind of cows they become, writes Burke Teichert. He shares his perspective on issues that drive good decision making in the development and selection of replacement heifers: We should not strive for maximum conception rate in yearling heifers Heifers do not need to reach 65% of expected mature cow weight to have … [Read more...]
Land O’Lakes, American farmers treated well by CBS
The CBS program, 60 Minutes profiled Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford October 6. She is presented as the farmer’s advocate. The interview presents American farmers as the forward-thinking innovators they are. Source: 60 Minutes, October 6, 2019. Link. “A woman named Beth Ford has emerged as the farmer’s advocate. Last year, she became the CEO of Land O’Lakes. . . . But it’s also a … [Read more...]
What to know about keeping backyard chickens (podcast)
In this article and podcast, Maurice Pitesky, DVM, and host Andy Schneider, outline their top husbandry recommendations for managing, housing and feeding backyard birds. . . . many of the problems that arise in backyard flocks can be traced back to issues with husbandry. Good husbandry practices can minimize these stresses and let keepers get the most out of their … [Read more...]
Opinion – Contributing factors to indoor air quality
Confining animals to a barn, limited area or coop creates air-quality challenges for the animals and the people who care for them. The discussion of occupational exposures limits for humans versus animals is valid and applicable to most of these settings. This review summarizes the impact of air quality on swine production and discusses the main factors related to air … [Read more...]
Fungi directly linked to equine inflammatory airway disease (video)
A three-year study found a direct link between fungal particles in the lungs and inflammatory airway disease (IAD) in horses. Eliminating exposure to fungi is critical to IAD prevention. Source: Horse Network, October 2, 2019. Link. In the 700 horse study published by The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine < link > researchers found that: fungal elements are … [Read more...]
Skinny horse notes
David Ramsey, DVM, brings the skinny horse into perspective. Bottom line, a skinny horse is not getting enough to eat, he says. But there may be some factors that limit the horse’s ability to gain and maintain weight> Owners may simply not know how much to feed the horse. Ramsey says, how much an individual horse needs depends on: Metabolism Horse’s activities … [Read more...]
Producers can reverse BRD trends
The severe stress calves experience stress during weaning and shipping is opportunity for bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Despite producers’ and feedlot managers’ best attempts to manage the costly malady, mortality rates for feedlots continue to increase. John M. Davis with Beef Cattle Professional Services at Boehringer Ingelheim, suggests it is time to manage the disease … [Read more...]
October calves may come early
Warm temperatures can shorten the length of gestation for fall-calving cows and heifers. Oklahoma State University physiologists looked at two calving seasons’ worth of data on 60 Angus/Hereford crossbred cows calving in August and October. Gestation periods were nearly a full week shorter than normal for those calving in August the first year and four days shorter the second … [Read more...]
Rethinking red meat
New nutrition recommendations published in the Annals of Internal Medicine < link > say that red and processed meats are not bad for us, contradicting current guidelines. A panel of 14 persons working in various fields related to nutrition used a research approach that rates the certainty of the evidence. They focused on the absolute risk rather than the relative risk of … [Read more...]
Second dog? Be ready for something different.
Here are tips that single-dog owners need to read BEFORE they become a multi-pet household. Commitment, pet matching, second pet age and schedule adjustments are presented. Two can be trickier than one . . . unless you prepare. Source: Associated Press, October 5, 2019. Link. For many pet owners and pets, the process can be challenging. The cheerful bonding they’d hoped for … [Read more...]
9 common dog training mistakes
“Are YOU the problem?” Teoti Anderson asks before she offers tips about common dog behavior problems. Not using clear, consistent cues is a common mistake people make when training their dogs. Her nine common mistakes dog owners make reducing the value of dog training efforts make for a good resource for social media, newsletters and for new pet orientations: Leaving a … [Read more...]
Treat-training works better than praise, punishment
Dogs respond best to food treats instead of petting praise or punishment, according to researchers. Erica Feuerbacher has found that dogs will stay near a person who’s praising them for the same amount of time as if they’re being ignored. Punishment also works to change behavior, but can have serious side effects including damaging the human-animal bond. Source: Associated … [Read more...]
5 things veterinary experts say owners should stop doing to dogs
Most dog owners unintentionally do certain things that can hurt their pets, writes Marcelle Chastain, who discussed the topic with veterinarians. Here are the top five things: Feeding human food Reinforcing separation anxiety Letting the dog take control Placing food bowls out of a dog’s reach Too much or too little exercise Source: Inside Pets World, … [Read more...]
Ideas to stop the infernal caterwauling at night
Being awakened by household cats in the wee hours of the morning can irritate cat owners. If the cat is healthy, then behavioral interventions are possible. Cat behaviorist, Mieshelle Nagelschnider, offers tips to address that pesky meowing: Feed later in the evening Keep your cat awake more during the Reset your cat’s internal hunting time clock Ignore the … [Read more...]
No answer to, “How many cats are too many?”
There is no magic number at which “how many” becomes “too many.” It’s more like a magic threshold one crosses at which point life goes from being “feline-friendly” to “feline-unhealthy.” The author discusses various elements of healthy cat socialization, bonding, space and resources. Source: PureWow, October 3, 2019. Link. Commenting on too many cats in one household, … [Read more...]
2019 PAW Report offers great insight
Seventy one percent of cat owners in the United Kingdom (UK) would like to change at least one of their cat’s behaviors, according to the 2019 Annual Paw Report <Link>. Based on surveys of UK residents, the report has useful insights for us all. Per the report, there is a decline in juvenile pets receiving vaccinations, and, perhaps less surprisingly, a large portion of … [Read more...]
Stem cell use growing, more work to do
With clinical use of stem cells in veterinary orthopedics growing, Nicole S. Amato, DVM, DACVS, offers answers to the question, “What does the current evidence show regarding efficacy?” She discusses terminology, stem cells sources and harvesting and clinical impact. Amato’s discussion of advantages and disadvantages leads to a conclusion. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSCT) … [Read more...]
Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody!
We include articles about leadership and defining responsibilities in sources we review. A recent article reminded us of a poem credited to former CBS news anchor and poet Charles Osgood. His “Responsibility Poem” illustrates how important it is to take responsibilities seriously and to own them. The short version is shown here. We’ve linked two sources where the full … [Read more...]
Learn collaboration from Songland
We can learn something from television now and then. The new show, Songland, demonstrates how collaboration by amateurs and experts can take an idea for a song and turn it into a hit. When encouraged to collaborate, employees can take companies to chart-topping success. Source: Purpose Unlimited, October 8, 2019. Link. “A culture of collaboration engages employees. They … [Read more...]
Consumers REALLY want brands and culture to mix
This article is important to marketers, sales teams and business owners. Twitter’s new study, “The Impact of Culture < link >,” emphasizes how much consumers expect and even want brands to be culturally relevant: aligning well with cultural events, promoting trends that define today’s culture and supporting social issues that benefit everyone. Brand involvement in … [Read more...]