Single-use plastic bags can kill cows and horses if they eat them. Death can be slow or quick. Neither speed is pretty. The best bet is to not let them get loose in the first place. The second best bet is to pick up every one you see around corrals, stalls and pastures. Source: The Texas Tribune, August 14, 2019. Link. When West got to the pen, the colt had already swallowed … [Read more...]
Age not a factor with dog owners trying newer dog food brands
EVERYONE tries new pet food brands summarizes the findings presented in this article. Marketing towards a specific pet owner age group may reduce a campaign’s effectiveness, according to research published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. The key message is to not target narrowly and that brands should sell to all buyers of the category.” - Peilin … [Read more...]
8 tips for Facebook business pages
Make the most of your business presence on Facebook. The site is evolving quickly. It now treats business pages as mini-websites. If you invest the time to understand the complexity of business pages, you can increase exposure and grow your business. This list can help keep owners and site managers on track. Source: Park Marketing Link. Facebook is the most popular search … [Read more...]
Beyond heartworm treatment fundamentals
The American Heartworm Society offers heartworm disease treatment guidelines that consist of combination therapy with melarsomine, doxycycline and a macrocyclic lactone. Brian Herrin, DVM, PhD, recently shared treatment tactics recommended by veterinary experts and gave an overview of less extensive and less expensive alternatives. Source: Veterinary Medicine, July 26, 2019. … [Read more...]
New interactive rabies law map available
Rabies laws vary by state and change often. With more pets traveling and being relocated, animal health pros can use the new rabies law map to view what the laws are in the 50 U.S. states and District of Columbia. Source: Policy Surveillance Program. Link. The map includes data on state-level pre-exposure rabies vaccination laws for domestic dogs, cats, and ferrets across … [Read more...]
DVM shares farm safety tips
Dairy veterinarian Kelly Reed reminds us how easily people can get hurt during routine farming activities. She promotes protocols to cover aspects a farmer may not typically consider. This includes when to treat a worker on-farm instead of calling emergency services and which supervisor to contact in off hours based on who can respond quickest to a specific location. In … [Read more...]
Hot topics in bovine veterinary medicine
Citing constant changes in bovine medicine, Brittany Bowman assembled past article on topics worthy of sharing again: Coccidiosis affecting young calves, Bovine Veterinarian, June 7, 2017. Link. Cattle rabies is no laughing matter, Bovine Veterinarian, November 12, 2018. Link. Prime the pump, Bovine Veterinarian, April 22, 2019. Link. “Purple gut” in calves can … [Read more...]
Kitten Lady launches book, promotes kitten fostering
Hannah Shaw’s passion for fostering kittens spawned ongoing and time-saving video projects that caught the attention of kitten lovers on the internet. She added an Instagram profile and a YouTube page for potential kitten adopters, then discoveredthere was little information about fostering kittens available. Shaw realized that the animal advocacy world was missing a champion … [Read more...]
Teach dogs to be calm and collected on walks
Tonya Wilhelm adds yet another resource to retraining dogs to stop lunging and barking on walks. The key, she says, is to identify his triggers and re-rain him not to react to them. She offers six steps to help committed owners set their dog up for success and suggests a ways to establish a training protocol. Buy the right walking gear Provide healthy treats and small … [Read more...]
A step-by-step guide to pet CPR
Pet owners need to know how to perform pet CPR. Only a few of them have taken a pet first aid class, writes Allison Faulkner. Her guide to performing CPR includes a video link from Pets America < link >. Faulkner’s guide is one of many videos about pet CPR. Consider using these resources in social media, newsletters and clinic websites. . . . emergencies like natural … [Read more...]
Commercial content from AAHA NEWStat
We captured recent commercially sponsored content below as featured in the newly reformatted AAHA NEWStat. Source: AAHA NEWStat. Link. Pet diabetes and the role of insulin pens, Merck Animal Health, 8/1/2019. Link. The evolution of pain management in pets brings better options for relief, CareCredit, 8/1/2019. Link. Pet owner compliance a barrier to heartworm … [Read more...]
IPPC report does not say, “eat less meat” (includes video)
Recent media buzz (see second source below) claimed the newest Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPPC) suggested consumers eat less meat in order to curb climate change. The report < link > focused on land use and land use change, it didn’t tell consumers to eat less meat. Frank Mitloehner, UC Davis, says by focusing on eating less meat, consumers are being … [Read more...]
Teach aseptic technique in the kitchen, reduce salmonellosis
“The most formidable challenges of my veterinary career in food safety can be boiled down to the two primary foodborne pathogens of poultry: Salmonella and Campylobacter. I consider them my professional nemeses,” writes Foster Farms’ Robert O’Connor, DVM, MAM. He explains his approach to avoiding these pathogens in the kitchen. O’Connor reminds us that while chicken and other … [Read more...]
The importance of county fairs
It is fair season. County fairs are a part of the livestock industry history. For some kids, the county fair may be the only show they participate in all summer. For others, it might be a stepping stone to state level contests or more. The common threads fair participants all share are lessons learned that include hard work, perseverance, sportsmanship, public speaking, animal … [Read more...]
Today is Check the Chip Day!
To remind pet owners to have their pets microchipped and to keep registration information up to date, AVMA and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) created “Check the Chip Day.” Heather Loenser, DVM, shared these top reasons to microchip pets: • You’ll improve your chance of being reunited with your pet • It’s quick • It’s inexpensive • It helps provide proof of … [Read more...]
Select chicken breeds that work best for city backyards
Persons wanting to keep chickens in urban backyards should consider breeds that can tolerate a more controlled existence. Keeping a rooster may be out of the picture, writes Pam Freeman. She discusses the benefits of sex-link chickens and shares information about bantam breeds that are preferred for smaller spaces. Source: Backyard Poultry, August 5, 2019. Link. Regardless … [Read more...]
You can prevent Salmonella spread in horses
There is NO vaccine to protect horses against Salmonella. Thus, environmental and equipment disinfection, isolation of sick or new horses, good hand hygiene, and education are critical to an infection prevention program, writes Lucas Pantaleon, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM. He says it is easy for horses to make contact with the insidious bacteria as they move from venue to venue. Pantaleon … [Read more...]
AirBnb flies with traveling pet parents
Airbnb is a great option for traveling pet parents. Gerry Allen offers preparation tips to help travelers’ experiences will be smooth. Consider Allen's tips for social media posts and newsletters. Source: Animal Wellness, August 6, 2019. Link. Allen shares a summary of what to consider when selecting an Airbnb destination: The type of dwelling Are there other animals … [Read more...]
Top 5 methods for assessing tooth vitality (with slideshow photography)
Clinicians must be able to identify nonvital teeth to recommend appropriate treatment, writes Kendall Taney, DVM, DAVDC, FAVD. He shares his top 5 methods for assessing tooth vitality: Visual inspection of the crown of the tooth Sensibility and vitality testing Dental radiography Direct examination of the pulp Histopathic evaluation Source: Clinician’s … [Read more...]
Invest one minute to avoid bites, scratches (includes handout)
Phil Seibert, CVT, underscores the importance of prevention and caution for veterinary professionals. His tips for handling an injured or stressed animal in a vehicle are also applicable to waiting and exam rooms: Approach the patient from posterior side. Put a slip leash on the animal. Always apply a muzzle. Use a portable stretcher or cart. Source: FIRSTLINE, … [Read more...]
Proper storage critical to vaccine efficacy
“Producers cannot afford to overlook the importance of how they store vaccine and handle it prior to injection,” says Glenn Selk. His article is a good reminder during hot summer months. It is important for producers to monitor storage temperatures. Veterinary clinic and retailer staffs need to be diligent in managing the cold chain for items that need refrigeration. If the … [Read more...]
New technology holds promise for monitoring sows
Advancements in technologies are sometimes blamed for taking jobs. But in the U.S. swine market, monitoring sow health prior to farrowing is a 24/7 business that often doesn’t get done. Now, new technologies in precision livestock farming may help by monitoring sows’ individual behavior. Source: National Hog Farmer, August 6, 2019. Link. Technology in the farrowing room will … [Read more...]
Beyond Lyme, more tick-borne worries
The order Rickettsiales contain species Anaplasmataceae and Rickettsiaceae)that infect dogs, according to Brian Herrin, DVM. These intracellular bacteria pathogens are transmitted by a variety of tick vectors, maintained in wildlife and domestic reservoirs. They can cause clinical disease in humans, dogs and other domestic animals. Herrin discusses basic epidemiology, clinical … [Read more...]
Differing views create Lyme wars
Endemic or not in any geography is no longer easy to define. It seems the medical community is at odds with its approach to diagnosis and treatment. Parallel to the human discussion is the ongoing debate about vaccinating dogs. These two articles are helpful resources for making decisions about Lyme prevention, treatment as well as addressing animal owner questions. One thing … [Read more...]
Modern approach to developing farmer rapport can pay dividends
Telling farmers what to do and expecting them to “just do it” doesn’t always work. Sarah Tomlinson, veterinarian with Westpoint Farm Vets in Ashbourne, England, shares her approach as part of the farm team. A few keys are to let farmers talk first, explaining the “why and how” and motivational interviewing, which, if you never heard of it before, involves a little bit of … [Read more...]
Ongoing training essential to animal welfare
Good animal care must become a habit and part of the culture, writes Dave Sjeklocha, DVM. Training workers and family members on animal handling and care has never been more important. Documenting this training equally important. And we must continue to train, retrain and redocument, he says. Dr. Sjeklocha recently reviewed recent activities by animal rights groups. He … [Read more...]
Group calls for national CWD strategy
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) strategies have historically been managed state by state. The fatal prion disease is now in 26 states and continues to spread. So far, fears it could cross species barriers to affect livestock or humans have not come to fruition. It has not been found in animals other than deer, elk and other cervids. Recently, a multidisciplininary team of … [Read more...]
Goats can’t safely eat everything
You may think goats can eat nearly everything. Katherine Drovdahl, MA, CA, CR, CEIT, DipHlr, QTP, tells us differently. Knowing what to feed goats involves education. Even good plants can develop into a dangerous toxic condition called enterotoxemia if goats overeat on any plant they are not used to. She shares a few common toxic plants and suggests consulting a local … [Read more...]
3 Vs drive U.S. chicken purchases
Versatility, value and variety are just a few of the categories that chicken ticks the box for in consumers’ eyes, according to new research presented at the 2019 Chicken Marketing Summit. Of course, taste is important for chicken and all meat buyers. However, it was less important to consumers of plant-based products. Lots of interesting protein stats, plus protein industry … [Read more...]
Boehringer Ingelheim introduces BVDVTracker.com
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an ongoing challenge facing the cattle industry. The virus often goes undiagnosed and the consequences are severe. To help producers address the challenges BI launched BVDVTracker.com. The website’s mission is to support veterinarians, producers and industry professionals in the control of BVDV. Source: Drovers, July 16, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]