The Fountain Report asked three experts to weigh in on implications for veterinary practices from the recent CATalyst Council white paper, “Puppocalypse, Kitten Craze, and the Expectations Reset <Link>. The report addresses the veterinary industry’s fifth consecutive year of declining visits and why that trend is likely to continue through the next decade. Here are the … [Read more...]
How to keep cats calm during fireworks
Fireworks can cause cats to become stressed and anxious. They can also cause them to run away and become lost. Alice Sewell shares tips to share with cat owners in these articles. Note the microchip reminders. Sources: Modern Cat, June 24, 2026. Link. NPR, June 28, 2026. Link. Dogs and cats can hear and feel the fireworks four times further than a human … [Read more...]
Tips to keep dogs cool and safe in the summer heat
Dogs need to consume about an ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. Adding summer heat, exercise and too much weight can double their hydration needs. Pet owners need to be constantly reminded of heat management tips. Share these tips often during hot summer days. Source: Blue Cross. Link. Also see: Is My Dog Dehydrated? Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
Easy-to-add physical rehabilitation tools for veterinary clinics
Beyond underwater treadmills, there are affordable and feasible options available to veterinary practices to use when providing canine and feline physical rehabilitation. Robin Downing, DVM, MS, DAAPM, DACVSMR, CVPP, CCRP, shares examples of physical rehabilitation equipment that are fundamental and easy to incorporate into any practice that serves patients with osteoarthritis … [Read more...]
Pigeons are surprisingly good at detecting cancer
Fascinating! For every 10 scans containing an abnormality, a radiologist is likely to miss three of them. To prevent medical imaging misses, researchers successfully trained six pigeons to watch short CT scan videos and decide whether or not they showed a lung nodule. Pigeons were chosen since their visual system works a lot like the unconscious part of human vision. The … [Read more...]
Behavior and health problems during short-distance transport
Commercial product referenced A recent survey of European horse owners revealed that even during trailering lasting less than two hours, injury, illness and acute stress occur frequently, affecting up to 42 percent of horses. Behavior problems were observed in a third of all horses and included fear, flight reactions, aggressiveness, rearing and reluctance to load. … [Read more...]
Electrolytes and muscle function in horses: Essentially linked
Commercial product referenced As the summer heat intensifies, keeping a close eye on macrominerals is vital. Because electrolytes facilitate normal muscle contraction and relaxation, even a minor disruption in balance can completely derail athletic performance. Takeaways noted from studies at Kentucky Equine Research in this article: The dose of electrolytes must be … [Read more...]
Separating common myths from the reality of bovine viral diarrhea
Fiction: The most common symptom of BVD is diarrhea. From vaccinations to diagnostics, misconceptions about BVD can leave costly gaps in herd health programs. Veterinarians Dr. Robert Larson and Dr. Christopher Chase help separate fact from fiction on one of the cattle industry’s most economically important diseases. Because many infected animals appear healthy, … [Read more...]
A new hay net wrap that disappears
Commercial content A new compostable net wrap is reducing tons of farm waste and saving cattle lives in the process. Nature’s Net Wrap is made from plant-based biopolymers that break down through microbial activity. Producers say the compostable wrap helps reduce plastic waste while eliminating the risk of cattle consuming traditional net wrap left on bales. The … [Read more...]
Hill’s Pet Nutrition launches Science Diet Single-Protein refrigerated dog food
Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced the debut of Hill’s Science Diet Single Protein Dog Food Rolls in the refrigerated section. The launch signifies Hill’s entry into the fresh dog food category. The new format will be available at pet specialty retailers beginning July 2026. Science Diet Single Protein Dog Food Rolls can be fed as the sole source of nutrition or used as a mix-in … [Read more...]
Mexico and U.S. inaugurate new sterile fly facility in Chiapas
The U.S. and Mexico began construction of a 22,000-square foot New World screwworm sterile fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico, just 11 months ago and officially opened the facility on June 27, 2026. The plant will produce 28 million flies per week initially and 100 million by year-end to fight New World screwworm incursion. Source: BEEF, June 29, 2026. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 2, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, June 25, 2026. Link. Most read posts from June 25, 2026 AHD Bulletin – SSDD does not produce different results. Link. Killing innovation. Link. It may be time to consider leptospirosis in cats. Link. The truth about MSG and dog food. Link. The horse industry’s social license to operate. Link. … [Read more...]
SSDD does not produce different results
Commentary Same strategy different decade does not remove the barriers that undermine purpose <Link>. This theme supports the recent assertions from Gershon Alaluf DVM, MBA, DBA, about challenges in veterinary medicine <Link>, who says, “Veterinary medicine takes the most fit among us and makes them feel like the misfits.” Over the next few weeks, Alaluf … [Read more...]
Killing innovation
Most leaders assume that a quiet room means everyone agrees. It often means people have decided it's safer not to disagree. But, quiet ≠ agreement. Source: LinkedIn, May 31, 2026. Link. What answer does the boss want?" Once that shift occurs, innovation slows down because people are no longer optimizing for outcomes. They're optimizing for approval.” INSIGHTS: Leaders need … [Read more...]
Knowing when to disengage
Excellent advice and responses when it’s time to diffuse tense situations. Protect your energy, not your ego. Choose response over revenge. Walk away with confidence. Source: Lawyer Vince, LinkedIn, May 2026. Link. [0:36] Emotionally intelligent people don’t react when they’re annoyed. They protect their energy, stay focused, and know when to walk away.” … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – June 22, 2026
In this week’s Fast Bites find member webinars, future market predictions, a different way to provide health insurance, getting ready for the upcoming holidays and more . . . Source: IBPSA, June 22, 2026. Link. Also see: Animal Health Digest Bulletin, June 18th. Link. Seasonal drift, ineffective accountability, "rust out", keeping dogs calm, and more! … [Read more...]
Pet wellness market tops $5 billion, growing faster than predicted
The U.S. pet wellness market is larger and growing faster than many industry estimates suggest. According to Lauren DeVestern, long-term demand, channel success, high customer retention and clear brand differentiation support the pet wellness category's value. Source: PETFOOD Industry, June 18, 2026. Link. Pet wellness products remain heavily online, but expanding into … [Read more...]
The truth about MSG and dog food
The topic of MSG in dog food is full of myth and hearsay, write Joe Holyoake and Andrew Dickens. They offer no definitive answer to the question, “Is MSG safe for a dog?” but relate FDA guidance, share concerns for dogs with certain conditions and the belief it sometimes helps reduce coprophagia. Source: Dog Food Advisor, June 15, 2026. Link. The scientific research … [Read more...]
Study of turmeric extract tolerance in cats
Turmeric extract has been widely studied in humans and increasingly in dogs but data on its safety in cats remains limited. The study reviewed in this article provides reassuring evidence that turmeric extract, at dietary levels up to 1040 ppm curcuminoids, can be safely fed to cats for four months. For veterinarians, this opens the door to considering TE as a functional … [Read more...]
It may be time to consider leptospirosis in cats
In this 2023 literature review, George E. Moore, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVPM, opines cats may have an underrecognized role in the epidemiology of leptospirosis. His review’s tenets continue to be supported in more recent pieces despite cats rarely showing clinical signs. Notable takeaways include: Cats, particularly free-roaming or stray cats, may have serologic evidence of … [Read more...]
The horse industry’s social license to operate
Breakdowns in racing. Questionable training practices. Medication and tack use in competition horses. Welfare of horses with minimal access to pasture. Well-being of horses asked to do a “job.” The list goes on, frequently shaping how society views horse sports. “Every horse person plays a part in shaping the future of the sport,” says Naomi Hurdle. “One of the most … [Read more...]
Research: Which horse feeder type slows feed intake of concentrates
The problem: Horses consume concentrates faster by weight compared to forage because of their small particle size and high palatability. Extending the time spent chewing can improve saliva production, nutrient absorption, and gut health and reduce the risk of choking with rapid feed consumption. Research to understand: Researchers at Colorado State University sought to … [Read more...]
Only a third of summer milk loss comes from the bunk
Cooling is necessary; it’s just not sufficient, writes Andrew Hunt. His article is one to study and share with dairy producers. Just one heat event starts a cascade resulting in milk losses. Only about a third of summer milk loss traces back to reduced intake. The rest comes from a gut–immune cascade cooling fans can’t touch. When a cow shunts blood from her gut to dump … [Read more...]
Liver abscesses not just a harvest-day finding
It is now believed the true impact of liver abscesses may begin long before harvest. Shifting energy use from maintenance to production and growth is central to the discussion of liver abscess. Recent research provides evidence that liver abscesses may begin earlier in life. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, June 17, 2026. Link. Veterinarians may need to view liver abscesses not … [Read more...]
25 heifer candidates are better than 10 replacement heifers
Stop only picking replacement heifers one time at weaning. Evaluate heifer candidates at five critical phases and let selection pressure identify your herd's future, writes Wesley Tucker. He asserts that producers continue sacrificing their younger, better-genetic heifers by selecting replacements too early and limiting a more natural selection process over the heifer … [Read more...]
Review: Why bird flu targets cows’ udders instead of lungs
In cows, the bird flu looks completely different. Instead of affecting the lungs, as H5N1 does in other mammalian species, it causes severe infection in the cows' udders and largely spares the lungs. Researchers revealed the biology of why the disease looked so different when it leaped to cows, and offer a framework for spotting its next guise more quickly in this … [Read more...]
One extra pound per consumer would change the pork industry
The opportunity to grow pork demand has never been greater, writes Jennifer Shike in her article supporting the ‘Pursuing One More Pound’ Pork Podcast episode. Her podcast guests discuss the National Pork Board’s efforts to use a pull versus push strategy with the Taste What Pork Can Do campaign <Link>. The NPB seeks to redefine where pork fits into the modern meals … [Read more...]
Free CE opportunities for veterinary professionals with Chewy Health
Complimentary Chewy Health’s 2026 Continuing Education calendar offers free educational opportunities for veterinary professionals throughout 2026. The program features 14 virtual on-demand sessions spanning both clinical and professional development topics. Sessions are led by veterinary professionals, pharmacists and industry experts from within Chewy Health, alongside … [Read more...]
Fear of rabies spreading in Upper Midwest cattle herds via skunks
Health officials across four Upper Midwest states are warning livestock owners about an uptick in rabies cases tied to infected skunks. Since 2024, 10 cattle have tested positive for rabies in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota, according to a joint notification from state agriculture and health departments. The infections have been linked to exposures from rabid skunks … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 25, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, June 18, 2026. Link. Most read posts from June 18, 2026 AHD Bulletin – Puppocalypse, Kitten Craze, resetting industry expectations. Link. ‘Rust-out’ is the new burnout. It requires a different fix. Link. 7 stories to help your customers come home at night. Link. Why the future of veterinary … [Read more...]