Noseband tightness is a welfare concern with equestrians. A new study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Equine Veterinary Science provides an informative perspective of a new issue caused by tight nosebands. The study found that not only do tighter nosebands increase pressure on the nasal bone, but they also cause a significant decrease in stride length when compared to … [Read more...]
Timing BRD vaccines likely improves calf health, performance
A comprehensive review article published in Applied Animal Science examines vaccination strategies across three critical phases of cattle development: maternal vaccination during pregnancy, early calf vaccination from birth through branding (60 to 120 days of age), and vaccination timing around weaning (approximately 205 days). The study found that current vaccination … [Read more...]
“If we wait, we lose.” Screwworm coming for U.S. beef
Fresh on the heels of bird flu, the New World screwworm is rattling Agriculture Department officials and livestock producers more than any threat in 50 years. This is because few believe we’re equipped to handle an outbreak of screwworm. Once eradicated from the U.S., screwworm has returned, similarly as has measles. A natural barrier and sound management practices once kept … [Read more...]
Synthetic bait, insecticide designed to attract adult screwworm flies being deployed
Swormlure-5, created using modern science and built upon previous versions, is a potent synthetic attractant that mimics the scent of open wounds, drawing adult screwworm flies to the bait, where they die, according to Sid Miller, Texas agriculture commissioner, who is quoted in this article. Source: Bovine Practitioner, July 2025, 2025. Link. The attractant only impacts … [Read more...]
Felycin®-CA1 is now available
Felycin®-CA1 is now available by prescription via licensed veterinarians, and PBI-Gordon Companies, Inc. confirms that it has no affiliation with any online companies offering rapamycin (sirolimus) through telehealth consultations. PBI-Gordon Companies, Inc. the parent company of TriviumVet, holds sole conditional approval from the FDA for Felycin®-CA1 (sirolimus … [Read more...]
VetriScience®, Senior Dog Veterinary Society partner to support, educate about senior dogs
Senior Dog Veterinary Society will collaborate with VetriScience to educate veterinarians and pet parents on the benefits of nutritional supplements for their dogs as part of this partnership. SDVS's certification program provides training on advanced topics, including chronic pain, nutrition, anesthesia and end-of-life care. Supplements are often considered for proactive … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 31, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 24, 2025. Link. Most read posts from July 24, 2025 AHD Bulletin – The stares we can’t ignore. Link. Decoding pet insurance: Navigate policies, client questions (podcast). Link. Improve employee communications by these 9 phrases. Link. Difficult customers. Link. Hunter ticks and pathogen … [Read more...]
The stares we can’t ignore
The “Gen Z stare,” a long, blank and expressionless stare in a variety of social situations is getting a lot of attention. Bryan Robinson, PhD, shares some of the reasons this may be occurring with these digital natives. He advises leaders to move beyond snap judgments to look closely at how they interpret employee behavior. Wanting mentorship versus micromanagement, Gen Zs … [Read more...]
How influencer marketing lost its edge
Commentary Influencer marketing, Chris Gadek explains, is an unintended consequence of the social media revolution. For those of us entrenched in the sales and marketing spaces before 2000, influencer marketing had long been associated with branding efforts and endorsement-styled adverts. Still, Gadek’s assertions about what constitutes an advert and influencer fatigue are … [Read more...]
Improve employee communications by these 9 phrases
Empty platitudes, vague promises, corporate jargon and performative empathy were all part of negative feedback when Jess Zafarris queried her LinkedIn network. She shares nine phrases to retire from your leadership vocabulary and what to say instead in this article. These resonated with our AHD team: Don’t say: “We’re a family.” Don’t say: “We hear you.” (If you don’t … [Read more...]
Difficult customers
Sometimes there are customers you cannot seem to please, no matter how hard you try. You know the type; the folks who never seem satisfied even when they get exactly what they ask for. Source: Veterinary Advantage, August 2023. Link. Every successful conversation is a give-and-take between two or more people . . . Showing respect when respect has not been received sounds … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – July 21, 2025
Forum registration ends August 21st, thunderstorm aversion research, cats in Indonesia dictating the size and shape of the pet food market, pet custody legislation, scaling veterinary telehealth startups, small business grants available and more . . . Source: IBPSA, July 21, 2025. Link. Cats rule and dogs follow in Indonesia, owning 77.5 percent of the total pet food market … [Read more...]
Hunter ticks and pathogen transmission variables
The quest to better understand ticks continues. We shared longhorned tick information in the July 17 AHD Bulletin <Link>. Speaking at the AVMA conference last week, Susan E. Little, DVM, PhD, DACVM, shared a range of tactics that affect how quickly ticks can spread disease. The overview differentiates the methods tick species use to find a host and factors that influence … [Read more...]
County fair, starter calf, high school friends. It takes community
Here’s a feel-good story where friends, animals and lending a hand come together. Memphis Luginbill, who is 18 years old and 17-year-old Cooper Steele are good friends. Memphis has cerebral palsy, but he wanted to raise a calf to show at the county fair. This year, Cooper helped make it happen. Source: Wane 15, July 21, 2025. Link. Memphis placed first in his division and … [Read more...]
Decoding pet insurance: Navigating policies and client questions (podcast)
Confused about pet insurance? You are not alone, and veterinary clients probably are, too. In this podcast, Jennifer Sperry, DVM, breaks down key differences between accident, illness, and wellness policies. She demystifies deductibles and highlights what veterinary professionals need to know when talking with pet owners. Although recommending specific policies … [Read more...]
Cats love their concrete
Bruce Kornreich, DVM, PhD, ACVIM, shares why cats and concrete go together. Whether for scent marking, a scratching surface, or temperature regulation, cats enjoy concrete. Cat owners might consider adding a concrete block to catios. Source: Popular Science via AVMA SmartBrief, July 17, 2025. Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
The 15 dog breeds that live the longest, according to data sources
Schipperke, Lhasa Apso, Miniature Poodle, Toy Poodle and Bichon frise top the list of long-lived dogs in this article, referencing data from a 2008 study published in the journal Genetics and 2016 breed popularity rankings from the American Kennel Club. The article shares 15 breeds that can live more than 14 years. Source: Stacker, March 2023. Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
Toxic plants cat owners must avoid
Animal health pros can help cats avoid getting poisoned by plants by sharing this article. On the list of outdoor plants are lilies and tomato plants, which are blooming or producing fruit in backyards across the U.S. now. Source: Paws and Tails. Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
Mud therapy shows potential for canine osteoarthritis, skin and coat health
Clean-up in treatment room 3! It’s hard to imagine the time and energy it takes to provide mud therapy for pets, but some veterinary teams are finding mud therapy to be effective. This article explains the potential, focusing on avoiding treatments for OA and skin conditions where Rx therapies have side effects. Source: Innovative Veterinary Care, June 16, 2025. Link. Mud … [Read more...]
Enteroliths in horses: Causes and prevention
Enteroliths develop when mineral deposits form in concentric layers around a central nidus, such as a piece of wire, small stone, twine or other foreign body in the large colon, writes Alicia Long, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVECC. She shares what is known and what is not known about these strange rocks that form and could weigh up to nine pounds*. Each article here discusses … [Read more...]
Use of flank laparoscopy in the standing horse as a diagnostic aid in horses with chronic abdominal pain
Advances in laproscopy equipment allow veterinarians to view and explore potential causes of abdominal pain in horses. Exploratory laparoscopy is a well-established, minimally invasive diagnostic tool in horses. Researchers of a recently published study sought to report indications, findings and outcomes of equine exploratory laparoscopy in a case series to support its … [Read more...]
Calving difficulty and earlier age at first calving reduce milk yield
Commentary Production research and measurements are tedious and fascinating. Research often allows producers to fine-tune their animal management processes to optimize production and animal welfare. With a little help from veterinarians and animal health pros, dairy producers will appreciate learning about the research shared here. Two takeaways stand out. Heifers … [Read more...]
Dealing with pasture lameness
Producers are well into the summer grazing months when many “turn ‘em out to let them grow.” Among the things that need monitoring are grass height, fly load, supplement availability and lameness. J. Tarpoff, DVM, MS, reviews some of the common causes of lameness and the key differences between the clinical signs in this article. The estimates of 88 percent to 92 percent of … [Read more...]
H5N1 bird flu takes major toll on dairy herds
Managing different elements of production on dairies occupies a lot of content in livestock and veterinary publications. Like fine-tuning a race car, multiple factors affect production outcomes. In this article, Laura Reiley shares how H5N1 affects cows gleaned from a new paper published by a team of Cornell researchers. Bird flu causes severe mastitis and decreased milk … [Read more...]
4 ways feral hogs cost farmers and ranchers
It’s easy to know if feral hogs are on one’s land, according to Curtis Larson, Noble Research Institute ranch manager. “You can see exactly where they’re rooting up the pasture, going for stuff in the ground, grub worms and such,” he says. The critters cause an estimated $1.5 billion in damage yearly to land across the U.S. They now number about nine million in 36 states. … [Read more...]
New World screwworm webinar to take place July 30
The National Institute for Animal Agriculture Council of Animal Disease Issues and Emergency Management is hosting a webinar at 2:00 p.m. CDT on July 30 to explore the threat of NWS as a public threat. Dr. Anne Strailly, veterinary medical officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Dr. Sarah Speth, a board-certified preventive medicine veterinarian, will be the key … [Read more...]
MWI Animal Health bolsters technology solutions, adds Furscription
Furscription offers veterinarians access to secure, user-friendly software solutions and an electronic prescription management platform designed to improve and simplify the prescribing experience and support efficient access to prescription records. Source: MWI Animal Health, July 15, 2025. Link. Furscription will build upon our existing technology enabled solutions and … [Read more...]
MWI Animal Health to distribute Farmina Pet Foods’ VetLife line of therapeutic diets AHD Staff
Farmina Pet Foods has signed a national distribution agreement with MWI Animal Health to market and distribute Farmina’s VetLife line of therapeutic diets. Source: yahoo finance, July 22, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
FDA approves Merck’s northern fowl mite treatment for poultry
The FDA has approved Merck Animal Health’s EXZOLT™ (fluralaner oral solution), a parasiticide for chickens that treats and controls northern fowl mites (Ornithinyssus sylviarum) in production houses. Safe for laying hens and replacement chickens EXZOLT™ is a first-of-its-kind product which can be administered in drinking water. Source: FEEDSTUFFS, July 18, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 23, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 17, 2025. Link. Most read posts from July 17, 2025 AHD Bulletin – ½ of moms in sandwich generation left jobs due to caregiving roles. Link. Above all else, Integrity. Link. Longhorned ticks here to stay. Let’s review. Link. Applying the kitten checklist. Link. Cat panting. A concern or not? … [Read more...]