In May 2006, Anthony Vendrella’s 2-year-old son was bitten by a horse at Glendale Farms in Milford, Connecticut. The injury required corrective surgery and left a permanent scar. Vendrella sued the farm’s owner, lost his first lawsuit and won his appeal to the Connecticut Supreme Court in 2013. The court deemed horses as “inclined to do mischief or be vicious” and found the … [Read more...]
Ramey: Being an equine vet is wonderful and terrible
David Ramey is a Los Angeles area veterinarian specializing in the care and treatment of performance and pleasure horses. He is an author and frequent equine content contributor. His perspectives are dependably down to earth, pragmatic and often surprisingly honest. His article shared here exposes the trials and tribulations that accompany the joy of being a horse doctor, … [Read more...]
Dog park etiquette. The rudest things people do.
To help make the dog park a safe and enjoyable setting for everyone, HuffPost asked Nick Leighton and other etiquette experts to share the faux pas they’ve observed. They share their advice for avoiding these missteps. Pay attention, clean up and intervene when necessary.” Source: HuffPost, June 2, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: This is a good resource to share in social media, … [Read more...]
Dental pain in cats: A prospective 6-month study
This study from in a Portuguese veterinary hospital summarizes evaluations of 64 cats that randomly presented for different dental procedures. Researchers wanted to understand feline dental disease as a pain trigger during routine examination and whether disease severity correlates to the degree of pain. This study concluded that cats with dental disease feel pain during … [Read more...]
The quality of life question ALL DVMs should be asking
Certified in hospice and palliative care, Cherie T. Buisson, DVM, CHPV, faced agonizing thoughts and questions when her own dog’s quality of life reached a decision point. Her wrestling, rationales and emotions are expressed in her blog post. The decision point came in the form of a question Buisson now uses with clients when facing end of life decisions. What will he be … [Read more...]
4 ways to have cost conversations with clients
Sponsored Content Compiled from more than 1,200 veterinary professionals, results from the 2021 AAHA Financial Care Study* shine a spotlight on opportunities for practices to improve the way they discuss costs with animal owners. The four key takeaways and the associated statements shared in this article are worth reviewing with the entire veterinary team. These statements … [Read more...]
Futile veterinary care is widespread, study finds
We’re confident some of you have seen the results of the new Cornell-led study that documents the prevalence of futile care. If not, the article from Cornell is a good place to gain some knowledge. Futile care is defined as continuing treatment when relevant goals can no longer be reached. The veterinarians’ sense of obligation to pet owners was reflected in the data, with 60 … [Read more...]
5 ways to stop overthinking and make faster decisions at work
Deliberation is an essential quality, especially when we have so many options. Yet, decision making can get stalled with overthinking. Melody Wilding shares five strategies to break the cycle of overthinking and make confident decisions in less time. Wilding focuses her strategies on a profile type she calls a sensitive striver. These are high-achieving persons who process … [Read more...]
Email remains the cornerstone of many marketing initiatives
Myriad marketing efforts influence the buying behaviors of online shoppers. Emails have the most influence, from general mailings seen as influential among 44 percent of those who are part of the post-purchase communication flow. A recent Digital Commerce 360 survey reviewed buyer preferences and responses to different types of marketing communications. Saving shoppers money … [Read more...]
Chewy behind Amazon, ahead of Walmart in automatic reorders
Forty-four percent of Chewy’s customers are enrolled in its Autoship program, which lets customers specify when they want replenishment orders. Those customers spend considerably more than others who shop on Chewy.com. Autoship customers buy $820 per year on average from Chewy versus $423 for other Chewy customers. They buy 15.5 times annually versus 10.4 times and spend $53 … [Read more...]
Facts versus myth. Telling the story of beef sustainability.
Grilling season often elicits concerns about meat production. Sustainability, environmental perceptions and the lack of consumer education can escalate those discussions. The beef industry has responded to the criticisms assertively addressing fact versus myth and reminding consumers that beyond the meat, there are a lot of uses for cattle byproducts. We’re sharing two … [Read more...]
GROSS! Dealing with dogs eating poop
Coprophagia is common in dogs. It is a natural, normal behavior, writes Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA. Dogs may eat all kinds of poop. Deer, horse, bunny, even human poop, but cat feces seem especially delectable. She says stopping poop eating is more a matter of managing your dog than training him out of this disgusting habit. Managing access to feces is important to keep … [Read more...]
2022 World Pork Expo live June 8-10, 2022
Since 1988, the National Pork Producers Council has presented World Pork Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. There’s something for everyone including an expansive trade show, educational seminars, industry updates and networking. PLUS, there is tasty pork being cooked every which way. Source: World Pork Expo. Link. … [Read more...]
Researchers find newborn dairy calves fed probiotics healthier in crucial first weeks
When fed a cocktail of four strains of beneficial gut bacteria, newborn calves appeared to be more protected against common disease-causing bacteria, with few falling ill. Maddison Degenshein’s research is the first to test particular bacterial strains derived directly from bovines. It builds the understanding of how probiotics could shield calves from disease until their … [Read more...]
Performance impact of weaning pigs at older age
Raising pigs to meet market demands has required considerable research to manage pig health, sow fertility, genetics, nutrition, meat quality and production costs. Weaning age trials done by Pipestone Applied Research shows promising results across many factors. An older pig grew faster and was hardier, requiring less labor and overall production inputs on the finishing … [Read more...]
Horses don’t need glasses
Remembering the famous Mr. Ed from reruns of the 1960s television program, Rebecca Berry became curious about horses’ eyesight. She says horses rarely have issues with their eyes focusing light, which is why they don’t need glasses, contacts or a powerful light source. Source: Horse Network, May 17, 2022. Link. Horses are thought to have 20/30 to 20/60 vision. This … [Read more...]
No rain? No problem for mosquitoes.
The thing about mosquitoes is they’re very diverse in the habitat they can modify to, and it’s their adaptive behaviors that allow them to be successful.” - Justin Talley, PhD Source: Drovers, May 26, 2022. Link. 3 of 5 core equine diseases are spread by mosquitoes. EEE, WEE and VEE are spread to horses by mosquitoes, which feed on infected birds and rodents that serve as the … [Read more...]
Would your life improve if you just accepted it?
We received positive comments about including content from John P. Weiss in a recent AHD Bulletin. In his Saturday letter, Weiss shares his perspectives on the power of acceptance. He challenges us to avoid resignation and embrace acceptance. Imagine how your life could change if you embraced acceptance, let go of what’s not working, and started focusing on the areas where … [Read more...]
Malone’s 2022 most-read posts to date
While Patrick T. Malone took a short break, we looked back on his posts for this year. We’re sharing six posts that were read and noticed in the top 40 percent of all AHD posts since 2022 began. Source: Animal Health Digest. Stopping the Great Resignation. Link. Emotions – make them work for you. Link. Pandemic lessons for all. Link. Ghosting. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 26, 2022
Last week’s most read posts 5 employer strategies to help with rising inflation. Link. KC Animal Health Corridor announces dates, speakers for 2022 Animal Health Summit. Link. Engaging veterinary technicians improves practice success. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Link. One year ago: most read posts … [Read more...]
Sexed semen becoming popular in beef
Using sexed semen, beef producers can selectively breed cows to a desired bull and choose the sex of the offspring. This is beneficial if they want replacement heifers from their best cows, or bull calves from certain pairings. Source: Western Farmer-Stockman, May 12, 2022. Link. To know if use of sexed semen would be of economic value in a beef operation, each producer … [Read more...]
The importance of observation in cattle handling
Across dairy and beef country, cattle are on the move. These activities give producers an opportunity to review good stockmanship practices with seasoned and new employees. Anything that causes a cow to associate an action with something negative will cause her to be reluctant to repeat that action. It can be a huge source of frustration when cows don’t easily move when and … [Read more...]
Understanding colostrum intake by newborn pigs
Consumption of colostrum is critical for newborn piglets. We know that. We also know farrowing can last over several hours creating variability in individual piglet vitality. Various interventions are implemented for late born pigs in farrowing units across the U.S. A recent study in more than 600 piglets examined relationships among birth characteristics, early nursing … [Read more...]
Video captures mare bonding with new foal
Rachel Reilly, an Iowa equine photographer, recorded the moment a mare and her newborn foal first bonded. Remember to turn on the sound when playing the 15-second video. Source: PetHelpful, May 18, 2022. Link. Video loads slowly in article. … [Read more...]
Surprising findings about why horses paw
Researchers have suggested pawing behavior in horses may have nothing to do with boredom, rather possible discomfort associated with exertion. Horses were more likely to paw in the afternoon, after they had been exercised, and they were less inclined to engage in the behavior on Sundays, when they were not exercised at all.” Source: EQUUS, May 5, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Keeping an only horse from being lonely
Hope Ellis-Ashburn shares her experiences after losing one of her horses, leaving only one horse remaining. By not rushing to add a companion horse, she discovers ways to keep her lone remaining mare happy: Spend more time at the barn Providing horse-proof toys Feeding unlimited hay – this one had drawbacks Utilizing slow feeders Adding a goat or donkey … [Read more...]
How and why to take a horse’s pulse
Horse owners will appreciate learning about pulse rates as a horse health indicator. Teaching them during an exam to monitor pulse is an excellent way for veterinarians and veterinary technicians to engage with them. A horse at rest will typically have a pulse rate between 30 and 40 beats per minute. If a horse who hasn’t just finished exercising has a pulse rate of 50 beats … [Read more...]
Acute moist dermatitis; it’s that time of year
Acute moist dermatitis, like most dermatologic conditions, is not imminently life-threatening but can result in significant patient discomfort. The authors share diagnosis, treatment and management of AMD. Dogs with heavy and dense undercoats are more susceptible to developing hot spots because of increased environmental temperatures and slow drying of the coat due to lack … [Read more...]
Morris Animal Foundation highlights the top 10 toxins for cats and dogs
Pet owners need to be reminded of possible toxins, including foods that are commonplace in and outside our homes. Summer activities can upend pet schedules, change caretakers and remove oversight of pet activities. Consider this update for social media and newsletters. Source: Morris Animal Foundation, March 17, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Dark shadows and the neighbor’s new chicken coop
Personal experience A neighbor has constructed and populated a small backyard chicken coop about 100 yards from the back fence in my yard. Within a few days, I saw more hawks and owls circling the area, resting in the tall oaks and casting shadows as they flew over our neighborhood. Startled by the shadow of a swooping red-tail hawk I watched a massive one dive-bomb … [Read more...]