This week is National Veterinary Technician Week and we’re celebrating some of Animal Health Digest’s more loyal readers. When we select content for the weekly AHD Bulletins, we keep vet techs’ daily work in mind, especially their important interactions with animal owners. For us, every week is Vet Tech Week. THANK YOU for your ongoing commitments to quality animal care, … [Read more...]
It’s ON! PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week is October 19th – 25th
During PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week, thousands of local shelters and rescues will bring adoptable pets, including cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and often even small pets and reptiles, into nearly every PetSmart store across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Potential adopters can spend time with pets and ask staff and volunteers questions to feel confident in finding the … [Read more...]
The Animal Health Supplement Act needs your support
If you supply, sell, recommend, give pets animal health supplements or plan to, now is the time to act. The National Animal Supplement Council is preparing to introduce legislation called The Animal Health Supplement Act, which would create a permanent legal category for animal health supplements. Source: Pet Age, October 19, 2026. Link. Every manufacturer, supplier, … [Read more...]
Celebrating the harvest
We are approaching the midway point of the fourth quarter of the calendar year. We planned, we planted and we nurtured. Now it’s time to harvest and celebrate. Source: LinkedIn, September 29, 2026. Link. Before rushing toward the next goal, take a moment to appreciate the harvest. . .” INSIGHTS: The more you celebrate and praise, the more there is to celebrate. … [Read more...]
Inventory management ≠ COGS management
Good inventory management helps you control how much product is sitting on the shelf, how much is expired or obsolete, ordering habits, shrinkage and waste. But moving the needle on cost of goods sold requires looking beyond inventory management, writes Tiffany Consalvo BS, CVPM, CCFP. Consalvo shares an infographic outlining five areas that can make a meaningful difference … [Read more...]
What to do when anxiety feels worse at night
Lying awake replaying a tense conversation or dreading tomorrow’s meeting is common. In this piece, reporter Erica Sweeney explains why worries get loud after dark. Pulling information from Stanford, Stony Brook, Georgetown and the University of Arizona, she highlights how fewer distractions and weaker emotional control at night let anxious thoughts take over. Next, anxiety and … [Read more...]
IBPSA Pet Care Pro – October 2026
In this edition: Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Pet Care Business Excellence Awards A hearty WELCOME to 17 new IBPSA members Safety alert! Cooling gel products are a newly documented poisoning risk. Legislative Alert: Washington, D.C. Brief business news Articles Essential oils: snake oil or the real deal? <Link>. Shadowing Is More … [Read more...]
Dog food is an investment. Here are tips to keep it fresh.
Includes commercial links Proper storage for dog food is an important factor in keeping pets healthy. It not only helps keep it fresh and tasty, but also helps avoid spoilage by protecting it from mold, bacteria, and potential pests or rodents. Store pet food in the pantry just as you would your own food Keep pet food in original packaging and properly seal it … [Read more...]
Healthy weight conversations for dogs still shaped by landmark Purina Life Span study
Commercial, Complimentary Pet Age authors share findings from the 14-year Purina Life Span Study that continue to shape how veterinary professionals think about healthy weight and longevity in dogs. The study found that Labrador Retrievers maintained in lean body condition from puppyhood throughout life, lived a median of 1.8 years longer than heavier matched littermates and … [Read more...]
Review: Veterinary drugs with human health hazards
A number of approved prescription and over-the-counter medications with labeled indications for veterinary patients pose a health hazard to humans. Elaine Blythe, PharmD, shares many in the veterinary profession are unfamiliar with the human hazards these medications may pose—both to themselves and to others. This article is important for pet services personnel as well as … [Read more...]
Emerging concerns in canine and feline parasitology: A preview of the 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines
The 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines: Emerging Concerns in Canine and Feline Parasitology will launch on October 29th. In this article, members of the guidelines task force share what you can expect from these guidelines, what might surprise you,and what aspects of them they’re most anxious to see out in the world. The guidelines call for a One Health approach to monitoring, … [Read more...]
Winter welfare and management of livestock guardian, outdoor dogs
No single temperature fits all dogs, writes Bill Costanzo. While dogs with proper coats are usually suited for outdoor work, their cold tolerance varies with age, health, body condition, coat quality, acclimation, wind, and moisture. Much of the guidance in this article is focused on livestock guardian dogs. It is also applicable to dogs left outside. Costanzo’s key guidance … [Read more...]
Reminder: As furnaces turn on, pet hydration needs can change
Changes in pets’ water consumption can be noticeable as pet owners start the home heating season. Evaporation increases and lower humidity increases thirst. The importance of proper hydration is covered in these posts from the AHD Archives. Pets’ water demands generally increase as furnaces turn on and as pet owners start burning some of their woodpile.” Sources: AHD … [Read more...]
Study: Four weeks of light training may offer similar benefits to a layoff
A new study published in Royal Society Open Science suggests that regularly backing off a racehorse’s training for four weeks at a time may offer some of the same bone-repair benefits as longer periods of complete rest, without sacrificing as much cardiovascular fitness. Source: Paulick Report, October 13, 2026. Link. What makes a horse cardiovascularly fit is not … [Read more...]
A Q&A with Dr. John Madigan, author of Awakening at Birth
Complimentary Best known as the inventor of the Madigan Squeeze, John Madigan, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACAW, has released a new book, Awakening at Birth: What the Newborn Foal Revealed About Birth, Consciousness, and Neurodevelopment. With a foreword by animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, PhD, Awakening at Birth tells a medical mystery story that extends well beyond veterinary … [Read more...]
No offseason: Managing stress in dairy’s metabolic athletes
Thirty percent or more of cows will experience at least one disease event in early lactation, writes Dan Shock. For producers who push their animals close to their biological limits, resilience becomes the key driver of both welfare and performance. Stress links directly to inflammation, immune function and disease risk, so the opportunity for veterinary teams and their dairy … [Read more...]
Rethinking propylene glycol: A fresh look at fresh cow management
The current propylene glycol situation may be frustrating, but Nathan Upah argues it gives the dairy industry a reason to revisit things it hasn’t in years. After a refresher on ruminant energy and the negative energy balance post-calving, he questions when and where propylene glycol is needed, and outlines ways producers can prepare fresh cows for lactation. Source: … [Read more...]
Calf pneumonia: Look beyond the lungs
When pneumonia recurs, examining feeding mechanics and the structures that protect the lungs can reveal problems that might otherwise go unnoticed. The lungs may not tell the whole story, says Jeremy Schefers, DVM, PhD. He provides a practical checklist for investigating calf pneumonia to identify potential management-related contributors such as: Observe feeding for any … [Read more...]
Recent H5N1 research identifies potential viral replication sites in swine
H5N1 infection in pigs has NOT suddenly become inevitable. However, understanding how the virus attaches and binds to specific porcine cells can help researchers better understand potential transmission dynamics. Research findings from the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan demonstrated that, in the laboratory, porcine cells can … [Read more...]
Swine health experts: tighten biosecurity and herd surveillance. Start NOW!
September diagnostic data showed the typical seasonal rise in viral respiratory and enteric diseases, including increased detections of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, active porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus variants, and seasonal influenza. Source: PORK, October 20, 2026. Link. Because fall pathogen circulation frequently forecasts the severity of winter … [Read more...]
Kansas City shelter gets 29,000 doses of heartworm prevention
Complimentary Virbac has donated more than 29,000 doses of IVERHART MAX® Chews (ivermectin/pyrantel pamoate/praziquantel) parasite prevention products to KC Pet Project, the municipal animal shelter for Kansas City, Missouri, to help protect its dogs against heartworm disease and intestinal parasites. Source: PR Newswire, October 15, 2026. Link. Virbac's generous … [Read more...]
FDA approves Zoetis’ Convenia RTU®, expanding injectable antibiotic options for dogs
Zoetis Inc. received FDA approval for Convenia® RTU for Dogs (cefovecin injectable suspension) for the treatment of susceptible bacterial skin infections in dogs. It can provide up to 14 days of antibiotic treatment of susceptible bacterial skin infections in dogs in a single injection by a veterinary professional reducing injection volume and making treatment more practical … [Read more...]
AAHA encourages veterinary practices to champion veterinary technician title protection
Protecting the veterinary technician title is about more than professional recognition. Title protection remains inconsistent across states creating confusion about professional qualifications, their education and broad responsibilities. Source: AAHA, LinkedIn, October 21, 2026. Link. Establishing clear standards for education, credentialing, and title use can help … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 22, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 15, 2026. Link.☑ Most read posts from October 15th AHD Bulletin – Study: The State of AI in Veterinary Medicine. Link. Malone: Paint a picture. Your clients will remember it. Link. Wharton’s 2026 AI Adoption Report: the Adaptive Advantage. Link. Reminder: Some foods we eat can kill dogs. … [Read more...]
Help pets and their owners adjust to the fall time change
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m., Sunday, November 1. While health effects of the semi-annual time change on humans are well-documented, it can also be troublesome for pets. To help them adjust, start now and slowly adjust feeding, medication and play times in the next two weeks. Sara B. Hansen’s article, while written for dog owners, offers good guidance for cat … [Read more...]
Study: The State of AI in Veterinary Medicine
Complimentary Digitail and the American Animal Hospital Association recently released their 2026 Veterinary AI Study <Press release> finding that AI use among veterinary professionals has more than doubled since 2024. More revealing is that many clinics have yet to establish strategies and safeguards needed to realize its potential. A maturity model used in the study … [Read more...]
Wharton’s 2026 AI Adoption Report: the Adaptive Advantage
This study will resonate with animal health pros who wish to see if collective industry experiences compare to Digitail’s veterinary industry benchmark studies <Link>. We’ll share takeaways from the study overview here. Now in its fourth year, this year-over-year study from Wharton Human-AI Research and GBK Collective tracks the evolution of AI adoption, ROI, agents, … [Read more...]
Paint a picture. Your clients will remember it.
Painting a picture is important because your hospital customers will remember your stories much more than the technical advantage or cost of your flea and tick recommendation. Source: Veterinary Advantage, February 2024. Link. Your story transcends the straightforward selling of a product. It connects with your customer on an emotional basis.” INSIGHTS: They are at your … [Read more...]
Simon Sinek on prioritizing shareholders over employees
There’s nothing wrong with short-term decisions, so long as they’re made in the context of long-term ambitions, says Simon Sinek in this video from the March 2026 Autodesk One Team Conference. He assesses that the modern-day public company has over-indexed on the short term at the expense of the long term, at the expense of the employee and at the expense of the customer. His … [Read more...]
17 polite habits most people secretly dislike
Stop it! Not every email greeting or thank-you needs an exclamation point. These are but two examples of trying to be nice that are often unwelcome. Some of the things we do when trying to be polite bother people, including clients, friends and family. Plenty of etiquette rules have changed in the past decade, such as: Kissing or hugging hello. Just stop. Automatically … [Read more...]