As we noted in this post last June, hugging and kissing chickens can cause exposure to Salmonella, which has killed one person in the U.S. this year. Young children are the most vulnerable to this bacteria. Source: NBC News, August 22, 2017. Nine hundred sixty one people have tested positive for Salmonella this year. That’s more cases than in all of 2016. It’s been found in … [Read more...]
Chickens becoming beloved family pets
It won’t be long before chickens are the new family dog, according to Kathy Shea Mormino, aka the Chicken Chick. She may be on to something. More than one percent of U.S. households now raise chickens. Plus, the USDA estimates that by 2019, urban chicken flocks will increase by 400 percent. Mormino is attuned to this growth as she answers questions for her 743,000 followers on … [Read more...]
Respect a cat’s hiss
Jane A Kelly shares perspectives on why cats hiss. Some feline behavior experts believe that the cat learned how to hiss by imitating the sound of snakes. Mimicking the sound of other species is a survival technique used by many animals, and there’s no mistaking the distinct warning given by a hiss. Source: Catster, August 21, 2017. Ultimately, the cat hiss is designed to … [Read more...]
Lone star tick is rapidly migrating
Lone star ticks have been implicated in a handful of zoonotic illnesses (not Lyme disease) that are serious to humans and animals. Experts in human allergy, parasitology, and entomology joined to discuss the lone star tick, its geographic spread and the zoonotic diseases it can transmit during the AVMA 2017 convention in Indianapolis. Source: Veterinary Practice News, August … [Read more...]
Dog pee: normal or not?
Arden Moore goes through everything from urine color to frequency to how to obtain a pee sample from a dog. It is light but informative content. Consider using it for websites, newsletters or social media. Source: The Bark, August 28, 2017. The liquid gold stream exiting from a dog contains priceless clues on just how healthy the dog is. Snicker if you will, but any … [Read more...]
Working with bad listeners
It’s a challenge to work with people — peers, junior colleagues, customers, or even bosses — who just don’t listen. Rebecca Knight offers some dos and don’ts in this discussion of distracted and distracting communications. Source: Harvard Business Review, August 24, 2017. Here are some strategies for working with colleagues who never seem to be listening: Consider work … [Read more...]
Put down the phone
Wendy Myers suggests ways to get clients and staff members to hang up their phones and listen. Addictive cellphone use is a growing problem and contributes to declining listening and retention skills. Try a collaborative rather than confrontational approach when dealing with smartphone use. Source: Veterinary Practice News, August 23, 2017. Distracted clients may be … [Read more...]
Precondition beef calves regardless of weaning time
Preconditioning calves helps ease the stressful transition from being with mama cows to being with peers in the feedlot. North Dakota State University’s Kris Ringwall offers some pointers. Source: Drovers Cattle Network, August 7, 2017. No perfect preconditioning program, no perfect time to vaccinate, no perfect time to market exists, but producers, with the help of good … [Read more...]
Feline calcivirus review
Feline calcivirus is a single-stranded nonenveloped RNA virus that frequently presents clinical symptoms in young cats and kittens as acute upper respiratory or ocular signs. The virus often infects cats who become subclinical carriers of the virus. Source: Clinician’s Brief, September 2015. FCV should be treated on an outpatient basis, if possible, as it is highly … [Read more...]
When dogs make you late
A fun one! Karen London loves the benefits of dog ownership. She is also realistic about how they can delay a disciplined morning routine or other plans. Source: The Bark, July 17, 2017. No matter how much we love our dogs, it can be frustrating when they make it extra challenging to get to work on time. … [Read more...]
New horse welfare guidelines and penalties released
US Equestrian Federation has released new, official guidelines for horse welfare and safety penalties. To do this, the organization has created rules to govern the actions of its members and protect horses and humans, allowing them to experience the joy of horse sports. The guidelines fall into these categories: Excessive use of whip or spurs and improper use of bits … [Read more...]
Horse wellness and medical coverage options expanding
Equine insurance policies have historically been used by sport and breeding horse owners. That changed this June when the Crum & Foster Pet Insurance Group began offering American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Pet Health Insurance to owners of horses that do not hold a high monetary value. Source: The Horse, July 31, 2017. There are many owners who … [Read more...]
Pets seen as starter children
Forty four percent of millennials see their pets as “practice” for the real deal, with 21 percent citing that as the main reason for welcoming an animal into their homes. Another 23 percent said it was at least part of the reason. These are just three key points animal health pros can take home from a recent study conducted by the business consultancy, GALE. Source: Ad Week, … [Read more...]
August is a great time to promote pet vaccination awareness
For a long list of reasons, many pet owners do comply with recommended vaccine guidelines. Veterinary healthcare teams are the most critical link to get dogs and cats and the disease protection they need when they needed. August is National Immunization Awareness Month and is a great time to reinforce the importance of protecting pets against disease, just like we do our … [Read more...]
Fight mosquitoes, help fellow humans
Population control methods we now see as emerging practices in animal health are rooted in a lengthy history of reducing human risk from malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. Since 2007, Bill Gates has been seeking solutions to age-old mosquito challenges. He remains hopeful we can eradicate malaria and the mosquitoes that carry it. Source: LinkedIn, August 16, … [Read more...]
Speaking of tapeworms
Sometimes there’s more to the human-animal bond than we want to admit. More interactions with wildlife as our cities expand into their habitat increase opportunities for new challenges, including a wide variety of Echinococcus spp. tapeworms. Dogs act as an intermediate host between wildlife and humans in some species. Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 2017. Surveillance in … [Read more...]
Ringworm calls for carpet and surface cleaning
Treating Microsporum canis in pets is straightforward. Veterinary teams frequently make recommendations for cleaning the home, but the efficacy of these recommendations has not been evaluated. Decontamination of hard surfaces involves thorough mechanical cleaning followed by disinfectant application. Less is known about successful decontamination of carpet with … [Read more...]
Understand feline sexual aggression
There are good reasons to neuter a male cat during the first six months or so of his life. In addition to population control, neutering eliminates or at least reduces the occurrence of some undesirable sex-related behaviors. Source: Catster, August 2017. Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, notes that about 10 percent of neutered cats will continue to display unwanted behaviors. “Owners … [Read more...]
How much food to feed a cat
Feeding a cat is not complicated, but is based on many variables. These include its weight and age, food-type selection, its activity level, and whether it is pregnant or nursing. Source: Catster, June 19, 2017. Cat owners are often puzzled by the question: “How much should I feed my cat?” Catster unpacks information needed about feeding a cat. INSIGHTS: Animal health pros … [Read more...]
Effective opening statements help make meetings matter
The number of producer meetings I have attended over the last two decades are innumerable. Unfortunately, most have been a waste of your time and a waste of your company’s money unless your sole objective was to create goodwill. If you have watched the mergers and acquisitions in our industry, you know that goodwill is the value of a business not related to assets or … [Read more...]
Animals can get bored
Animals can feel boredom, according to Charlotte C. Burn, a biologist at The Royal Veterinary Collge of the University of London. Her essay in the August issue of Animal Behavior, explains that boredom is felt by some animals left alone for long periods. Source: NPR, August 10, 2017. We need to look inward too, at our own homes. “As for the pets we live with,” Burn says, … [Read more...]
Grain-free pet foods not healthier than others
If a pet is overweight, a grain-free food will not help it lose weight faster than another food. Animal nutritionists and veterinarians agree that there is no data to support the idea that grain-free diets are better for pets. “Claims like no gluten, no grains and no soy generally mean no science.” Source: Washington Post, August 15, 2017 (paywall). Some pet owners have a … [Read more...]
Beef’s trending headlines
Burt Rutherford shares five trending headlines. Senseless cattle killings in the Southwest have cattlemen and law enforcement concerned. On a lighter note, a new smartphone app helps you analyze manure to determine forage quality. Source: Beef, August 14, 2017. Also see: Beef’s 2017 lineup of mid-range tractors, and skid-steer and track loaders … [Read more...]
Your dog’s as fat as you
Obviously, no animal health professional would ever say that. But many are afraid of offending obese clients in the process of discussing their pet’s obesity. Ernie Ward, DVM, presents the dynamics of discussing obesity and shares communication strategies to avoid possible client embarrassment. Source: Veterinary Practice News, August 9, 2017. Reframe the discussion in … [Read more...]
The art and science of starting new calves
To be successful at starting cattle, cattlemen must become as knowledgeable about animal behavior as about disease treatments and health products. Drs. Tom Noffsinger and Dee Griffin share perspectives on pre-conditioning and handling. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, July 7, 2017. Weaning begins the day the calf is born,” says Noffsinger. “How you handle that momma cow is … [Read more...]
Animal Hospice and Palliative Care Certificate Program now available
With all the information published about millennials’ focus on pet life quality, this new certificate program will help participants meet these needs. During this program, participants will: Understand the unique field of animal hospice Learn how palliative care differs from conventional medicine Learn best practices in hospice care Understand what to expect in … [Read more...]
Blanket training aids in dog comfort
Have blanket, will travel. A blanket can help dogs handle adventures away from home shares, Karen London, PhD. It is a technique used commonly with service dogs that helps them relax. With training, the blanket indicates to the dog where to sit or lie down. Source: The Bark, July 24, 2017. Once a dog has been to multiple places and happily goes to lie down and stay on his … [Read more...]
How cats say, “I love you.” (includes client handout)
Cats demonstrate their devotion to their humans in important and obvious ways if you know what to look for. Using the client handout in this article will help cat owners decipher the silent ways cats share affection. Source: Veterinary Medicine, July 25, 2017. Elizabeth Colleran, DVM, DABVP covers three area where cats share affection: Territorial tenderness … [Read more...]
SuperZoo’s new product showcase winners
SuperZoo attendees voted for the best products across nine key pet categories during this year’s July show. Source: Pet Product News, August 2, 2017. See 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each of these categories: Grooming; Aquatics; Bird; Cat; Equine; Reptile; Small Animal; Dog; Miscellaneous. … [Read more...]
August is National Vaccine and Immunization Month
Stay up to date on current vaccinations, Lyme disease prevention and how to keep practices in top shape. Four informative session are available on VetFolio: Vaccines: Current Protocols and Recommendations Introducing the Next Generation of Lyme Disease Vaccine Technology; sponsored by Zoetis Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Lyme Disease: The Latest Research and … [Read more...]