There’s a lesson here for all animal health pros. Diseases are easily spread. Consider how many times we forget that one of the more important roles of veterinary medicine and animal husbandry prevention processes is population control. Congratulations to this multi-disciplined team of researchers whose persistence has identified potential for disease contamination in trucks … [Read more...]
Recognize the signs of pain in pets (includes video)
Janice Huntingford, DVM, believes pet owners and veterinarians can work together to identify pain in dogs and cats. The pet owner is likely to be the first to notice that their pet is in pain if they know what to look for. Source: Veterinary Medicine, May 30, 2017. Watch the video to learn how Dr. Huntingford describes often-overlooked signs of pain to pet owners, or read … [Read more...]
Mitigate the costs of care in small animal practice
Access to veterinary care and, unfortunately, economic euthanasia, are problems we can no longer afford to ignore, shares Barry Kipperman, DVM, DACVIM. He notes that 30 years into his career, our profession has made significant technological advances, but negotiating with clients over the costs of patient care remains unchanged. Source: Veterinary Medicine, June 8, … [Read more...]
11 things you should know about dogs and fireworks
Independence Day celebrations are a couple weeks away. The time to prepare for the anxiety dogs experience from the sounds of fireworks is now, not then. Our friends at Purina developed 11 common-sense tips that are useful fodder for websites, blogs and newsletter. Hurry and share. July 4th is almost here. Source: Purina. Before July 4th rolls around, here are eleven things … [Read more...]
Whisker fatigue isn’t funny
While it may be a beneficial term for cat food makers and cat food bowl manufacturers, whisker fatigue appears to be an actual diagnosis. When cats must eat from deep bowls and their whiskers rub against the sides, it can be a stressful experience. In turn, they may paw their food to the floor or become irritable during mealtimes. Source: New York Times, June 5, 2017 … [Read more...]
7 “what if” questions every rancher should ask
Burt Teichert offers challenging questions for producers to consider as they evaluate the profitability of their operations. Veterinarians and sales representatives can use these questions to work with producers to increase their cow herd values. Source: Beef, June 12, 2017. Here’s a sample of the seven questions Teichert offers: What if every replacement heifer was … [Read more...]
The biting facts about fleas
A recent study found flea and tick preventive compliance was as low as 16 percent. Flea infestations can cause much more than itching. Flea bite dermatitis or flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common dermatologic condition in dogs and cats. Plus, fleas are intermediate hosts for other diseases or parasites. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, May 2017. All veterinary … [Read more...]
Help pets get through thunderstorm phobia
Thunderstorm phobia is a panic disorder commonly seen in adult dogs which is generally triggered by a storm. The panic lasts the duration of the storm and often continues from 30 minutes to days. Dogs often anticipate the storm before it hits. Source: Firstline, May/June 2017, page 32. Dr. E’Lise Christensen, DACVB, offers at-home behavior modification strategies … [Read more...]
Fungal disease threatens wild and captive snakes
More than a dozen species of captive and wild snakes in at least 15 states have been affected by what’s being called snake fungal disease (SFD). Researchers are exploring the disease, including its epidemiology, how it grows, how it is transmitted, how to treat it and even which disinfectants work or don't work against the primary fungus associated with it, Ophidiomyces … [Read more...]
K.I.S.S. horse care
Casie Bazay shares her journey back to simpler horse care. She is still learning and adjusting every day. But, she is less stressed and having fun with her horses again. This article makes good content for a website, blog, social media and a newsletter. Source: Horse Network, June 1, 2017. Bazay says she is very glad she took those equine nutrition courses. She learned a … [Read more...]
Tips and etiquette for vacationing with dogs
JoAnna Lou offers suggestions to stay safe and to be courteous when sharing your next trip with your pup. Source: The Bark, May 31, 2017. Ms. Lou’s tips cover: Car rides Hotels Parks Miscellaneous Also see: Planning a pet friendly vacation … [Read more...]
Hypoallergenic shampoo a misnomer
Cynthia Foley provides a thorough discussion of the hypoallergenic description, its history, lack of regulatory basis and suggests it is the best word we have for less-likely-to-cause-allergic-reactions. She opines the products that are marketed as particularly gentle or for dogs with particularly sensitive skin should be held to a higher standard than regular … [Read more...]
Don’t hug your chickens
America’s love affair with backyard chickens is making a few of us sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says eight salmonella outbreaks linked to petting pet poultry have occurred in the U.S. this year. They’ve sickened more than 370 people in 47 states, 71 of whom had to be hospitalized. No one has died this year – yet. Last year, three people died … [Read more...]
Editorial: Crowding nursery pigs negatively impacts performance
There has been a large amount of research studying the effects of space allowances on grow-finish pigs. However, little information is available about the effects on nursery pigs. Production management systems, facility constraints and establishing optimal space allowance requirements for pigs requires economic, health and welfare considerations. Sometimes, articles titled … [Read more...]
First-calf heifer conundrum
Jason Smith, University of Tennessee tackles the fundamentals of first calf heifer management. The first calf heifer is a different beast compared to mature cows or replacement heifers. As such, being proactive can help develop these individuals’ value to a cow-calf operator. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, May 16, 2017. Generally we think of a heifer as being mature once … [Read more...]
Speaking of birds
Ana Hotaling provides an experience-based introduction to the discussion of three common myths about aging hens. She recounts the story of losing a seven- year-old hen and offers insight about these myths: Chickens have short life spans Hens stop laying after age 2 Older hens are flock freeloaders Source: Hobby Farms, May 24, 2017. Hens continue to lay longer … [Read more...]
How to grip a bird (pictorial guide)
Dr. Tom Tully offers an image gallery with explanations for handling various avian species. If your team struggles with handling birds, review this information at a team meeting to sharpen your teams’ approach to servicing avian patients. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, March 2017. Avian patients come in many shapes, sizes, and species. Veterinary team members can safely … [Read more...]
Industry events can be blessings or curses
There is no shortage of industry events available to every businessperson. In fact, we are bombarded with so many invitations that attending each would leave us no time to execute our responsibilities. So, knowing how to make sure an event is worth your time is important. Source: Forbes, May 23, 2017. If you’re extroverted, the thought of attending an event may energize … [Read more...]
Quiz: managing canine dental disease
Consider taking this quiz as an individual exercise and then discussing the results at a staff meeting. Whether a veterinary team member, retail associate or sales representative, proactively managing dental disease is important for our own pets as well as our customers’ pets. “Unfortunately, only about 1 percent of pet owners brush their pets teeth,” explained Academy of … [Read more...]
3 essential summer tips for cats
Karen Nichols says hydrate, furminate and educate are three important tips to keep cats comfortable, healthy and safe as summer begins. This content will help cat owners if presented on social media posts, blogs, websites and newsletters. Note the discussion of hydration and senior cats. Source: Catster, May 26, 2017. Heatstroke is life-threatening, and knowing proper first … [Read more...]
Convert an outdoor cat into a happy indoor cat
Behaviorist Marilyn Krieger says cats can gradually be transitioned to living indoors by making their homes more appealing than the great outdoors. Here’s how: Bring your cat to the veterinarian Motivate your cat with food Provide a sanctuary room Teach litter box skills Enhance your cat’s indoor worlds Exercise your cat’s inner predator Source: Catster, … [Read more...]
Predictive model could reveal risk for Lyme disease in dogs, humans
The range of ticks carrying Lyme continues to expand, making it important to be able to forecast patterns of risk to exposure in order to target those areas for vaccines, preventives measure and educational campaigns. Researchers with the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) published an open access article in May in PLOS One that describes the methods taken to create the … [Read more...]
Increased client compliance rewards for patients and practices
Dr. Karen Felstad, Gary Glassman, Dr. Marsha Heinke and Fritz Wood are featured in this 12th article of a series generated from the Henry Schein Animal Health 2016 Solutions Workshop. They discuss the elements of customer compliance and the need for a team plan. Source: Animal Health Solution, 2Q2017, page 8. When you have a plan, a way to measure it, activities to support … [Read more...]
Fitness dos and don’ts for senior dogs
C. J. Puotinen shares a comprehensive list of dos and don’ts when helping an aging dog resume a more active lifestyle. He reminds us that reasonable diet and exercise management balanced with time and effort is worth learning for the dog and owner. Source: Whole Dog Journal, December 2016. Exercise is essential for dogs of all ages. It helps maintain muscle tone, a healthy … [Read more...]
A good veterinarian-producer relationship is priceless
The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) has increased interest in creating or improving relationships with veterinarian. Joe Paschal, an Extension livestock specialist with Texas A&M University, offers some down-to-earth perspective about the value these relationships can offer. Source: Progressive Cattleman, May 16, 2017. Since your veterinarian is not as familiar with … [Read more...]
Dental products you can recommend with a smile
Veterinary dentist Dr. Jan Bellows compiled this list of food, treats and more that are proven effective at maintaining the health of pets' teeth. She says that only 32 dog and 12 cat products have been approved by the VOHC. Click through to see what this means to you. Two of the 10 products showcased are manufactured by AHD Sponsor, Addison Biological Laboratory. Source: … [Read more...]
Cesar: separation anxiety is your fault
When your dog is separated from you, he gets anxious and acts out. So, who causes it? Two words. YOU DO! Cesar Millan explains how pet owners winding up their animals before leaving and upon returning can create separation anxiety. Source: Cesar’s Way, May 21, 2017. In a related article, he shares 5 tips to help dog separation anxiety: Before you leave the house, … [Read more...]
Foxtail: high risks for dogs
Nancy Kerns expresses the dangers of this prevalent grass to our canine friends. She writes, every single strand is lined with gnarly microscopic barbs that catch on anything they touch, from fur to collars, clothing to bare skin. When the barbs come in contact with anything, they propel the strand forward, pushing the sharp-tipped seed at the end forward. As the plants dry out … [Read more...]
Healthy weeds for horses
Not all weeds are bad, according to Casie Bazay. To horses or other herbivores, they’re all simply plants. While it’s true that some plants are toxic and should be kept out of our pastures, others that may be considered weeds, can be beneficial for horses to consume. Articles like this make good content for blogs, newsletters, websites and information packets for horse … [Read more...]
EPM continues to be a threat
Advances in diagnostics and treatments have greatly reduced the number of horses who succumb to Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). This potentially debilitating neurological disease remains a threat to horses throughout the United States. Its range is spreading, too. Finding more effective ways to prevent and treat this disease continues to challenge … [Read more...]