Don Schrider delves into chicken breeds, crossbreeding and explains how sexlink chickens produce dependable gender offspring for retail locations to sell. He includes a good history of breeds and crossbreds to expand your chicken knowledge if you are unfamiliar with commercial or backyard chicken production. His information is useful for veterinary teams and retailers … [Read more...]
Coprophagia, pica and the funny eating habits of horses
David Ramey, DVM, offers information about horses’ eating habits and the many things they ingest. In the wild, horses eat in 23 of 24 hours during the day. Eating like a horse, indeed. Source: Horse Network, February 2019. Link. Equine nutritionists . . . have found that horses really only seek out energy, water, salt, and fiber. INSIGHTS: Equine veterinary teams as well as … [Read more...]
Equine rabies often insidious and vague in horses
We often picture unnaturally aggressive skunks, raccoons or dogs foaming at the mouth when we think of rabies. Although it isn’t widely found among horses in the United States, veterinarians diagnose about 40 cases per year. Betsy Greene relates that the potential risk of human exposure from even one infected horse is concerning. Source: The Horse, April 2019. Link. Greene … [Read more...]
Depression among customers hurts us all
Production agriculture can be isolating. This tends to intensify feelings like grief, depression, anger, blame, resentment and a feeling of failure, writes Amanda Radke. She curated a series of articles on mental health issues with farmers and ranchers. Beyond our own issues with high veterinary suicide rates, some of our better customers are also hurting. Mental health issues … [Read more...]
Formula, cat years x 7 = human years, no longer valid
The timeworn cat age formula no longer holds true, writes Elizabeth Vecsi. A cat celebrating his first birthday is actually the equivalent of a person who is 15 years old, a 10-year-old cat is the equivalent of 56 and a 17-year-old cat is the equivalent of 84. Source: Catnip, April 26, 2019. Link. New Feline Life Stages Guidelines developed jointly by the AAFP and AAHA … [Read more...]
Deal with canine noise phobias
Thunderstorm season is a challenging time for many dogs and their owners. Noise phobia describes the intense and irrational fear displayed to certain sounds by some dogs. Fear is a normal emotional response to a real or perceived threat or situation but they can escalate to a phobia that can emotionally cripple a dog. Nicholas Dodman, BVMS estimates close to 50 percent of dogs … [Read more...]
Fun, easy brain games for dogs help them bond with owners
John Wood provides some great games to help dog owners bond with their dogs. The dog-human social contract is all about our relationship with our dogs. Play builds relationships. Behavior training is important, but so is play. Source: Dogster, April 16, 2019. Link. Playing brain games for dogs can help to alleviate boredom and prevent destructive behaviors such as chewing … [Read more...]
Stevie the pit bull was likely high
Megan Stadler, DVM, and Julien Guillaumin, DVM, DACVECC, DECVECC, present the case of Stevie, a pit bull presented for an emergency examination approximately three hours after the owner noticed an acute onset of lethargic behavior. The owner affirmed that Stevie had the potential for recent marijuana exposure, but there was no way to confirm it. Stevie’s experience is a … [Read more...]
Experts weigh in on pet-safe houseplants
“Even just the fertilizer that the plant sits in can be a problem,” says Stephanie Liff, DVM. Liza Corsillo sought her arborist and educator Ben Team about pet safety with houseplants. She includes specific species and links to resources for acquiring them. This is informative fit for social media and e-newsletters to help educate pet owners. Source: New York Magazine, April … [Read more...]
Opinion – Pets becoming part of long-term eldercare
A Google search produces dozens of visiting pet organizations that provide pet therapy visits to elder care facilities. The results are positive and the organizations require visiting pets to be trained for such activities. Ramona Marek reviews a growing trend of allowing seniors to bring their pet from home when they enter a care facility. I’m supportive of fur, feathers … [Read more...]
Opinion – Adjust clinic visits to appeal to millennials
Architect Paul Gladyz offers thought-provoking ideas about how to adjust the veterinary visit to meet the experience-desiring millennials. As a father of millennials, his perspective is personal, as well as professional. Millennials want their experiences to work toward an enjoyable life. Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, April 2019. Link. The fact remains millenials are … [Read more...]
Leave wildlife wild
“Young wild animals are rarely abandoned or orphaned,” said Missouri Department of Conservation State Wildlife Veterinarian Sherri Russell. “The wildlife parent is afraid of people and will retreat when you approach.” . . . most wild mothers do not abandon their young because of a human smell on them, and most young wild animals do not survive in captivity. Source: Missouri … [Read more...]
Keep those mosquitos away
Mosquitoes are a worldwide problem and the solutions are the same no matter where you live. The best way to avoid mosquito borne diseases, such as heartworm, is to keep the mosquitos away. Protecting animals from vector mosquitoes remains an animal health priority. Here are two references to consider as you deal with the pesky bugs. Source: How to keep mosquitoes away, … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Rethinking the way veterinary medicine does retail (video)
Finance expert Fritz Wood talks about the challenges the veterinary industry faces when it comes to carrying and selling products, as well as why services such as Hills to Home are worth considering. Veterinarians can ill-afford to walk away or lose a third of their business Source: NAVC Spark, April 19, 2019. Link. . . . is this (inventory business) a business I really … [Read more...]
Goat packing revisited
We first posted content about pack goats in September 2016. < link > Theresa Miller shares her experience with pack goats and discusses how they carry gear for camping, hunting and trail maintenance into the Rocky Mountains. Goats are well suited to the high country. Their surefooted nature makes them able to navigate steeper, rougher, and less-maintained trails than … [Read more...]
Dairy goats expanding faster than any major livestock group
The U.S. dairy goat herd grew 61 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. Numbers for hens and beef cattle were flat. Numbers for specialty animals dropped out of sight. While goat numbers are predicted to continue increasing, the business is not without challenges. Source: Washington Post, April 23, 2019. Link. . . . To this day, banks … [Read more...]
Managing persistently infected calves key to BVD prevention
It’s a story we have been told over and over. Yet, we still see BVD sneak into herds. One of the most common ways it spreads is with persistently infected (PI) calves. Chris Chase, DVM, says the biggest issue with BVD is in herds that haven’t been testing calves with an ear-notch program and where biosecurity is not great. Monitoring for BVD is very important because when the … [Read more...]
Get colostrum fed to calves. Period.
Feeding colostrum can set a calf up for success from the start. Micheal Steele studied colostrum delivery methods and found no real difference between bottles, bags or tubes. Just get the colostrum into calves immediately” – Michael Steele Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 22, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: This quick read can help open up good discussions about using colostrum . . . … [Read more...]
Myths and truths of equine cribbing
Several factors that seem to contribute to acquiring a cribbing habit, says Tina Steward, DVM. Such as: Dietary lack of roughage Diet of sweetened feeds Long periods without feed Emotional and physical stress Genetic, heritable traits Lots of forage and friends are the best management tools for cribbers and cribbing prevention. Source: Dressage Today, … [Read more...]
Fix stinky chicken coops
Jeremy Chartier shares a few tips to fix chicken coop smells or at least understand the issue. The booming urban chicken trend has neighborhoods dealing with new odors. The most likely culprit is ammonia. Ammonia is a natural byproduct found in poultry manure and when in vapor form, smells incredibly strong and foul. Source: Countryside Daily, July 20, 2018. Link. In the … [Read more...]
Catnip basics, the original feline high (includes videos)
It turns out there are some psychotropic affects going on when your cat gets into the catnip zone, writes Phillip Mlynar. According to science buffs, cats react to catnip after a volatile oil in it called nepetalactone interacts with the nasal tissue. Once the catnip has been engaged, it starts to replicate pheromones that, in turn, switch on feline receptors and make all sorts … [Read more...]
Finicky feline eaters: born or made?
Most finicky cats have likely been trained by impatient, overly concerned owners, according to nutritionists at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Cats in general are happy to eat the same food day after day. . . . just put out the food and let the cat eat or not as he desires. Source: Tufts Catnip, April 2019. Link. In some cases, a change in a cat’s diet is … [Read more...]
Questions to ask when choosing a boarding kennel
The boarding kennel marketplace continues to expand for cats and dogs. Animal owners need need help to choose the right facility for their pet, regardless of whether its for daycare or for an extended stay. Joseph H. Kinnarney, DVM, MS, gives questions to ask when selecting a boarding kennel: What vaccinations do you require? Can I see where my pet will stay? What … [Read more...]
10 types of service dogs have different roles
Heather Marcoux tackles the growing diversity of service dog breeds and their roles. For a growing number of individuals with specific physical, neurological or mental health needs, different types of service dogs are invaluable partners in day-to-day life. Legally, most of these types of service dogs are welcome in places where pet dogs are not. Unfortunately, the practice of … [Read more...]
Parasite education? There’s an APP for that
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has designed an app to help strengthen skills in the microscopic identification of fecal parasites in veterinary clinic settings and for individual study. The Veterinary Internal Parasite Flash Card App < link > includes approximately 100 veterinary internal parasites found in dogs, cats, small mammals, reptiles and … [Read more...]
Stay sharp when your ability to focus declines
We live and work in an increasingly disruptive world. Research shows interruptions occur about every 12 minutes in the workplace and even more frequently in other settings. Authors Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist, and Dr. Larry Rosen, a psychologist, explain how our ability to pay attention works and what we can do to stay focused. Researchers say our ability to pay … [Read more...]
Male or female, humping is a normal dog behavior
Humping behavior is mostly associated with male dogs, but it is not uncommon in female dogs, writes Sassafras Lowrey. The behavior is usually a sign of heightened arousal, but not necessarily sexual. Lowrey sought information from Nik Hof, Chair of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers, to address common concerns and methods to manage the behavior. Sorce: Whole Dog … [Read more...]
Dog whimpering may not mean something bad
Dog whimpering communicates something, but it doesn’t automatically indicate something bad, according to David Dilmore, DVM, He says whimpering can caused by any of these factors: Being uncomfortable or in pain Illness Feeling anxious Needing something/excitement Source: Dogster, April 3, 2019. Link. . . . dog whimpering is just a way for dogs to communicate … [Read more...]
Top 5 substances that affect blood glucose
Thomas Schermerhorn, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM), shares his top five substances that exert important effects on blood glucose regulation in dogs and cats and the clinical situations in which they may be encountered: Insulin Glucocorticoids Xylitol Growth hormone Progestins Source: Clinician’s Brief, November 2018. Link. Abnormalities in blood glucose occur when … [Read more...]
Dogs, ibuprofen and other human pain relievers
Melvin Peña provides solid information about ibuprofen and other human NSAIDS being ingested by dogs. He explains the compounds’ mode of action in dogs and shares common toxicity symptoms. Peña focuses his information on dogs and ibuprofen, since it appears to be the biggest reported culprit. Still no nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, is safe for dogs to … [Read more...]