Includes Sponsored Content Addressing concerns about the affordability of veterinary care runs high among pet owners of all generations, according to data presented in VetWatch™: For emergency services, 42 percent of vet clients are strongly concerned, 32 percent are somewhat concerned. For routine healthcare, 33 percent are strongly concerned, 35 percent are … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 28, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post When do we need to re-treat? Cattle Chat discussion. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Oct 21, 2021. Link. "Pandemic posture" hurting your back? You can fix it! Source: Harvard Health Letter, October 1, 2021. Link. Here’s what to do if you’ve developed back pain from poor posture habits … [Read more...]
Canine coronavirus was found in human pneumonia samples
Coronavirus outbreaks aren't rare and will likely occur every decade or so. Research published in May 2021 has identified a canine corona virus in patients hospitalized with pneumonia. The samples came from patients at a hospital in Malaysia, taken by a collaborator in 2017 and 2018. Virologist Xuming Zhang says he wouldn't be surprised if this dog virus is, in fact, a new … [Read more...]
Pigs will upcycle almost anything into nutritious food
There’s no animal superior to the pig at converting surplus nutrients into dense, living flesh. You might call pigs on-the-hoof food storage, writes Shawn and Beth Dougherty. Their context is hobby or subsistence farming, but the list of things hogs will eat should be interesting to anyone who never slopped the hogs. Pigs, like humans, are omnivores; they eat just about … [Read more...]
Stay safe when pumping manure
Sometimes before harvest is completely finished, manure slurries get pumped and put on fields already harvested. It is an important part of the pork industry's sustainability story but handling manure is inherently risky. Ted Funk shares 10 tips to control the risks to employees, manure handling contractors and avoid the potential to transfer diseases to … [Read more...]
Get BQA certified, assure customers of quality beef
Consumers trust beef producers more when they get BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certified, which can be done online or in person in some states. Funded by NCBA, the program teaches techniques of sound animal care and resource management. BQA training certifies producers’ commitments to do things right when it comes to injections, pest protection, resource management and overall … [Read more...]
Beef upcycles well. It’s a great story we all can share.
Sustainability is a buzzword worldwide, but it is sometimes real. Beef’s sustainability is demonstrable after animals are harvested, considering only half of what a beef carcass yields is considered consumable in the U.S. Carrie Veselka’s recap of a Cattlemen’s College session about how beef byproducts are used and developed provides proof that “they use everything but the … [Read more...]
Why dogs like your head and hair
Pet owners often ask why their dog licks their head, hair and so on. Petya Natrcheva shares nine reasons they act this way. Dog owners will appreciate this list if you share it on social media or in newsletters. Source: Dogs and Clogs. Link. Your dog licks your hair on your head because that’s how they show affection, or they like the taste of your skin, want to groom you, … [Read more...]
Helping pet owners deal with pet behavior issues
Getting past hesitancies to proactively discuss pet behavior is difficult, says Melissa Spooner-Raymond LVT, VTS. She reminds us that pet owners have different learning styles and provides links to various resources to help get ahead of behavior problems before they occur. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Summer 2021. Link. A simple way to provide clients valuable … [Read more...]
Chatfields and AVMA Trust launch recurring segment for veterinary students
Complimentary “Chats with the Chatfields” is partnering with the AVMA Trust to bring listeners “V’s View from Vet School.” This monthly recurring segment will follow Veronica, a veterinary student, as she takes the journey to become a veterinarian. Source: Chats with the Chatfields, October 26, 2021. Link. Veronica has a unique pre-vet school background: She is a … [Read more...]
10 things to say besides YES
Lots of folks are headed for a crash or have crashed because they have not mastered the art of answering the next request for their time and attention with something other than an unqualified, “yes.” In the interest of preserving your health, sanity and well-being, the author offers 10 things you can say besides, “Yes,” when someone asks you to attend their meeting, join their … [Read more...]
Surgeons attached a pig kidney to a human. It worked!
Researchers in New York successfully attached a kidney grown in a genetically altered pig to a human patient. The kidney worked normally representing a scientific breakthrough that may yield a new supply of organs for severely ill patients. Though the procedure won’t be available anytime soon, experts say the surgery is a milestone. Source: New York Times, October 19, 2021. … [Read more...]
What is really causing today’s extreme talent shortage?
There’s no clear answer to why employers are faced with more severe talent shortages than we’ve seen in the last 25 or more years. While the particulars differ by geography, industry, skill specialization and level, Bruce Tulgan says evidence of talent shortages is widespread: Voluntary unplanned turnover (the “quit rate”) is increasing. Pent-up departure demand (the … [Read more...]
Viruses are the villains and heroes of life as we know it
Bacteriophages are viruses known to infect bacteria and keep bacterial populations in check. Their ability to selectively kill bacteria also has medical doctors excited. Natural and engineered phages have been successfully used to treat bacterial infections that do not respond to antibiotics. Ivan Erill, PhD, discusses how virulent and temperate phages work, invade and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 21, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post Grain-free? Grain-ful? The Chatfields discuss pet food choices. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Oct 14, 2021. Link. Label pea-protein cat food as not for ferrets, vet says Source: Petfood Industry, October 11, 2021. Link. Bladder stones in ferrets may be related to diets containing … [Read more...]
Undeniably Dairy campaign designed to reach Gen Z
Did you know The dairy checkoff’s Undeniably Dairy campaign has a new wave to create deeper connections between Gen Z and dairy products. The campaign will use media channels and marketing strategies, including gaming, social media influencers and digital content, to engage with Gen Z to grow sales and trust of dairy. Did you know dairy can do more than set you at ease? It … [Read more...]
Nutrition tops cat owners’ topics for vet questions
Nutrition is the number-1 topic cat owners want to talk about with their vet, according to a survey of 1,001 cat owners by Royal Canin. The survey also found that three in five cat owners do not take their cat to the vet regularly. Encouraging cat owners to take their pets to the vet can help address diet-related medical conditions. Source: Petfood Industry, August 22, … [Read more...]
Dog breeds you can hold in one hand
The author provides a list of the top 10 smallest dog breeds. Teacup dog breeds are lovely companions to have, but their life span is shorter than those of larger dogs. The best option is to find a toy breed at the lower end of the reasonable height and weight levels. Source: Puppies and Pooches, September 16, 2021. Link. It is better to find a genuine dog breeder and vet, … [Read more...]
There’s no traffic jam on the extra mile
The Golden Rule is getting a makeover in some companies. Brian O’Connell says these company leaders say they instill their own golden rules at work and strive to make them stick. They're gratified when they see their employees follow those rules in the workplace. Source: SHRM, October 12, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 14, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post LED technology helps locate cows needing attention. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Oct 7, 2021. Link. 7 animals that can harm dogs Source: Outside Resource, July 28, 2021. Link. Good reminders for fall as food resources begin to diminish and young animals strike out on their … [Read more...]
Scours treatment. Dealing with dehydration.
It’s generally not the gut infection that causes scours that kills the calf, it’s dehydration. Regardless of the cause of scours (whether bacterial, viral, protozoal or something else), dehydration and the resultant acid-base imbalance is often what kills the calf. Dehydration, the loss of electrolytes and decrease in pH in the blood (metabolic acidosis) are the three biggest … [Read more...]
Temple Grandin: Looking back, looking ahead
Emphasizing the people side of the cattle business, Temple Grandin, PhD, recently told Wagyu breeders that all the technology you can buy won’t replace actually looking at your cattle. (Equipment) makes handling a lot easier. (But) equipment doesn’t replace management.” – Temple Grandin, PhD Source: Drovers, October 8, 2021. Link. Of the many lessons that COVID taught, … [Read more...]
How often should a horse see the dentist?
The most important person in tooth care for horses is the one hired to float the teeth, says Lu Ann Groves, DVM. Horse age, loose or erupting teeth can make a difference to how often teeth need floating. The general rule is that a horse’s teeth should be floated every year. But this may not always apply. . .” Source: Equine Wellness Natural Health Report, September 2021. … [Read more...]
Rooster talk. Vocalizations have meaning.
Dispelling the myth that roosters only crow in the morning, Ana Hotaling explains the complexity of rooster vocalizations. They differ from the morning cock-a-doodle-doos, when claiming territories or when it’s chow-time crow. They let out high-pitched shrieks when danger is perceived and crow when its time for bed too. Source: Hobby Farms, September 29, 2021. Link. Often … [Read more...]
Asian longhorned tick found in Georgia
The Asian longhorned tick, an invasive species, was recently positively confirmed on a cow in north central Georgia. The ticks can cause severe anemia and tick fever in livestock. If an animal has one tick it’s probably our common Lone Star Tick. If a cow [or other animal] shows up with hundreds of ticks on it, we’re going to be very suspicious that we’re looking at an Asian … [Read more...]
Reinforcing the need for rabies vaccination
Rabies vaccination of dogs remains one of the more effective strategies for preventing rabies in humans. Arguments about titers and vaccination intervals aside, most U.S. states mandate revaccination for rabies regardless of medical history or antibody levels. Source: Today’s Veterinary Practice, January/February 2021. Link. Research is continuing to evaluate the duration of … [Read more...]
Advising pet owners on nutritional adequacy
Addressing questions from owners about whether a food is safe and meets their pet’s needs can be challenging and time-consuming, as there is a significant amount of misinformation available, writes Deborah E. Linder, DVM, MS, DACVN. She shares examples of the criteria and questions from the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee’s nutrition toolkit to determine high-quality pet … [Read more...]
Grain-free? Grain-ful? The Chatfields discuss pet food choices.
Complimentary* Dr. Jen the vet and Dr. Jason Chatfield discuss the confusing pet food ingredients marketplace with Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, a veterinarian board-certified in nutrition and sports and rehabilitation medicine. They pragmatically differentiate what is marketing and what is nutrition. They also effectively addresses the differences between what dogs need and what … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club to discuss online pharmacies
Complimentary Join the live discussion with a panel of experts who discusses the future of pharmacies. They’ll talk about the good, the bad and how to be competitive. Source: The Bridge Club. Link. Live event: The state of online pharmacies October 21, 2021: 6 pm CDT/7 pm EDT Register here: Link … [Read more...]
Hannah Lau, DVM next on VVCA Lunch and Learn
Complimentary The VVCA Lunch and Learn series continues Wednesday, October 27 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Hannah Lau, DVM, will share telehealth cases from her practice. She has been practicing veterinary telemedicine and telehealth fulltime since 2019, along with a small team of remote veterinary technicians and assistants. Although living in southwest Virginia, Lau practices … [Read more...]