A commonly used rule of thumb is to put jackets on dairy calves as another level of protection when the ground is frozen. They help insulate them from winter temperature swings at least until their rumens develop and generate heat from fermentation activities. Source: The Bullvine, March 1, 2021. Link. Calf jackets are most useful for calves under 3 weeks of age and … [Read more...]
3 tips to prevent clostridial diseases on dairies
Mark van der List, DVM, shares information that refreshes our understanding of clostridial diseases. These insidious bacteria are opportunistic and may lie dormant for years before showing up usually in the form of a dead animal. van der list shares three key management practices to help combat the clostridial nemeses: Vaccination Maternal antibodies for calves … [Read more...]
Are farmers teaching cows bad habits?
It could be that slug feeding methods are forcing dairy cattle to eat too much too quickly causing a negative impact on the rumen environment. Management plays a role in feed bunk behavior, as farmers don’t have to just think about what feed animals consume, but also the manner in which they eat it. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, February 25, 20212. Link. Factors to consider when … [Read more...]
Don’t forget the heifers when managing mastitis
Heifers can be forgotten on the dairy farm. They live away from the main farm where they are not cleaned and bedded as often as the milking herd. This can cause huge mastitis issues when they become a productive member of the milking string. The author presents the easiest ways to control the spread of contagious mastitis bacteria to calves and heifers and shares tips to … [Read more...]
Detecting transition cow problems
Overall production problems can usually be traced back to a cow’s dry/transition period. Virginia A. Ishler says it is helpful to know if that is really the issue before solving the problem. She shares information from the DHIA 202 summary report to help determine if a problem is occurring related to transition. Source: Dairy Herd Management, June 8, 2020. Link. If two out … [Read more...]
How to save wildlife by changing a cat’s diet
Researchers have found an alternative way to prevent cats from decimating wildlife. It starts with dietary changes and increased object play. Nutrition seems to have some bearing on a cat’s tendency to kill things, and some cats that hunt may need something extra.” - Robbie A. McDonald, study ecologist Source: Pet Business, March 2, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Based on these … [Read more...]
Human grade dog chow may aid in digestion
Opinion We noticed this article in VPN and an industry colleague’s post. The second one made me look for something about consumable nutrients instead of fecal volume comparisons. It is important to review the study abstract <Link> to understand the study hypothesis. We did not access the full study. A new comparison study out of the University of Illinois has found … [Read more...]
Effectiveness of oral lotilaner
There are some smells one never forgets. The smell of sarcoptic mange in the crusty, scabbed skin stage is one of mine. The Vet Candy team shared promising results of a study using lotilaner to treat confirmed cases of sarcoptic mange. Source: Vet Candy, February 22, 2021. Link. The results showed that pruritus resolved after two weeks. The cutaneous score was also reduced … [Read more...]
AAHA and AAFP release updated feline life stage guidelines to the veterinary community
Our industry guidelines require updating as we understand more about the animals we live with and provide with care. New updates for individual felines are found in the 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines. The Guidelines are provided jointly by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). The new updates … [Read more...]
Dogs are more than men’s and women’s best friends
Complimentary Content Ceva Animal Health, an early supporter of AHD, recognizes the need for a ‘One Welfare’ approach that recognizes the importance of considering the wellbeing of people and animals. This blog post highlights four global initiatives and partnerships with multi-disciplinary teams of scientists Ceva is working with to generate evidence that demonstrates … [Read more...]
AASV attendees learn value of accelerated hydrogen peroxide’s effectiveness against ASFv
Sponsored Content During the recent AASV annual meeting, Jose Ramirez, MS, PhD, shared the recent validation of Intervention® efficacy versus the African Swine Flu Virus. Its subsequent U.S. EPA approval provides producers and veterinarians with a superior alternative to fight environmental contamination by ASFV. He presented the practical considerations of field use and the … [Read more...]
6 tips for properly vaccinating beef cattle
Complimentary Sponsored Content John Currin, DVM, and Jody Wade, DVM team up in this article to provide insight on best practices for vaccine administration. The practices they outline are good reminders as spring calves are born: Store, mix and handle vaccines according to label directions Choose an appropriate needle size Administer products according to labeled … [Read more...]
Biting, sucking lice thrive in winter
Lice thrive in winter. Their survival and transmission is further enhanced by factors such as long haircoats and huddling behavior, writes Meredyth Jones DVM, MS, DACVIM. She writes about winter conditions, infestation, reduced weight gain, products and treatments. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, February 19, 2021. Link. Lice spread via direct contact between animals but are … [Read more...]
The way we breed dairy cows is setting them up for extinction
Ninety-nine percent of dairy bulls can be traced back to one of two bulls, both born in the 1960s. This means among all the male Holsteins in the country, there are just two Y chromosomes. The females are not much more genetically diverse, shares Chad Dechow, PhD, who cited the inherent risks of long-term genetic homogeneity. Source: The Bullvine, February 8, 2021. … [Read more...]
Is that horse fit or fat?
Pat Raia shares the tools and techniques needed to assess equine body condition. Assessing a horse’s body condition requires patience and lots of practice. Raia presents the Henneke body condition scale developed in the 1960s. It is designed to evaluate a horse’s overall body condition, though it does not assess equine weight. Source: EquiShopper, May 6, 2020. Link. Since … [Read more...]
All cats need exercise, some get lonely
Two articles share information on cat health from ongoing wellness research on domesticated felines. Source: Catster, February 17, 2021. Link. Keeping cats indoors is safer than letting them roam. So, it’s up to cat owners to make their home as stimulating as possible for their cat and to encourage it to exercise. Source: Catster, February 16, 2021. Link. Outside of … [Read more...]
Hunting for food helps increase activity for cats
A simple way to increase the amount of activity in a cat’s day is to stop feeding it in a bowl and allow it to hunt for their meals, writes Sassafras Lowrey. This turns mealtime into an interactive game adding enrichment to the cat’s day. She shares some methods for implementing this approach. Source: Catster, February 19, 2021. Link. Lowrey says to monitor each cat as they … [Read more...]
4 ways to exercise your dog’s mind
Dogs require mental stimulation to thrive just like humans do, writes Gerry Ellen. She shares four things to exercise a dog’s mind: Give at least six feet of free-range walking room Practice tricks on the go Let the dog engage with other dogs Go on adventures Source: Animal Wellness, March 16, 2020. Link. Every dog deserves a chance to use his instinct and … [Read more...]
CDC offers advice on how to stay healthy around pets
Maureen Anderson DVM, DVSc, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM), shares CDC information about multiple topics that can be readily shared with pet owners and prospective pet owners. It can be linked to websites and shared on social media. This material supports safe and responsible pet ownership. Source: Worms and Germs Blog, February 19, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: We agree with Anderson. … [Read more...]
Rawhide chews aren’t good for pets
Rawhide chews dominate treat shelves and endcaps in retail stores and pet sections. Katie Woodley, BVSc, cVMA, GDVCHM, explains how they are made and why they are not a good choice for pets. Rawhide is one of the most common choking hazards and provides no benefit for a dog’s teeth.” – Katie Woodley, BVSc, cVMA, GDVCHM Source: Dr. Katie Woodley - The Natural Pet Doctor, … [Read more...]
Veterinary resource library supports pet health insurance discussions
Complimentary Content – Part 4 of February 2021 series Data featured in this month’s posts about research conducted by Dr. Wendy Hauser’s team are compelling and indicate potential benefits for insured pets, pet owners, veterinary team members and practices. <Link>. The results also indicate the need for a strategic approach to comfortably include pet health insurance … [Read more...]
The Depression Project helps people understand their depression
Given our industry’s focus on suicide and stress, we’re sharing information from The Depression Project. Two brothers from Australia experienced depression from different perspectives and created Storm to Sun Framework. It makes it easier for people to understand their depression; to know what they need to do to get better; and to have an easy way of explaining their depression … [Read more...]
VVCA inaugural Lunch and Learn deemed a success
VVCA Board member, Aaron Smiley, DVM, was the featured speaker during the inaugural Lunch and Learn series for VVCA Community members. Smiley brought his well-known enthusiasm to the group as he shared step-by-step use of telemedicine, client interactions and veterinary nurse involvement in two cases from his practice in Indiana. He also demonstrated how he monetizes virtual … [Read more...]
Working with technology means planning for failure
Opinion For those of us born before 1990, technology represents significantly more than computers and digital devices. Things like anti-lock braking systems, satellite communications, microwave ovens, cable television, early robotics, even indoor plumbing all fit in technology discussions. The expectation was that these technologies will work 99.9 percent of the time. The … [Read more...]
AAFP releases new feline hypertension educational toolkit
The new Hypertension Educational Toolkit will help veterinary professionals diagnose systemic arterial hypertension (hypertension) in cats, according to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). Assessing blood pressure in the feline species is an important part of feline preventive care, yet it is uncommon for practices to routinely perform this test. This … [Read more...]
Slow down, write better emails
We’re sharing from this article verbatim. It is concise, actionable and central to our personal lives. Erica Dhawan says reading carefully is the new listening and writing clearly is the new empathy. So many of our exchanges today happen in written (or typed) form such as email, text and IM. This means that listening in its traditional sense has been replaced by reading text … [Read more...]
Knowing why a cow is culled is important
Think about it! Was the cow culled voluntarily or non-voluntarily? While both affect cull rate calculations, voluntary is a proactive decision; non-voluntary is a reactive decision. There are opportunities for herd management improvements that increase potential revenue and profits In the nuances. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 30, 2021. Link. Evaluating the … [Read more...]
Racing colostrum’s ticking clock
Calving season is here. Colostrum must be a top priority. We learn more each year about this important and beneficial compound. The ability to absorb antibodies steadily declines over the first few hours of life. The old rule of thumb is that calves must ingest colostrum within the first 24 hours of life, but actually, the percent of antibodies absorbed decreases dramatically … [Read more...]
Keeping the horse’s hindgut happy
Although researchers, veterinarians and nutritionists know how critical hindgut function is to overall horse health, they know less about this part of the digestive system than others, writes Katie Navarra in an excerpt from the full article. The stomach is only 10% of the GI tract, but there’s such a focus there. The hindgut is about 25 gallons in a 1,000-pound horse . . . … [Read more...]
The cat’s microbiome
Researchers are learning more about the feline microbiome, says Ingrid King, former veterinary hospital manager, certified veterinary journalist and author. She shares a few tips to help keep it healthy. A cat’s gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of organisms that can be affected by many factors says King. One of the biggest threats comes from antibiotics which … [Read more...]