Mary Gardner, DVM, discusses approaching quality of life conversations by bringing together the veterinary medicine expert and the client who is the expert on the pet. The end-of-life decision should be better informed and the outcome hopefully less burdensome to everyone involved she says. Source: DVM 360, February 25, 2020. Link. Gardner advocates for breaking the … [Read more...]
America’s pet spending nears a record $100 billion
U.S. sales of pet products and services hit $95.7 billion in 2019, the American Pet Products Association announced last week during Global Pet Expo. Pet food and treats is the largest spending category, followed by supplies; live animals and OTC medicine; vet care and product sales; and other services. Source: APPA, February 27, 2020. Link. “Scientific research from the … [Read more...]
Talking money with animal owners (video option)
Veterinary team members frequently anticipate client objections to treatment recommendations before the conversation gets started, writes Wendy Hauser, DVM. She offers proactive recommendations to help handle money discussions, including team training. Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, February 2020. Link. A disconnect can arise between pet owners and veterinary teams … [Read more...]
Veterinarian excited about future of CBD, but concerned today
Lara A. Sypniewski, DVM, DABVP, CVA, CCRP, shares her thoughts about CBD use in pets. She is optimistic that potential treatment options for CBD will be explored and tested more fully in the near future but, unfortunately, she doesn’t believe we are there just yet. . . . it is essential that pet owners understand product concerns, marketing hype and the limitations of current … [Read more...]
The primordial pouch is nothing to worry about
Don’t let that wad of swaying skin on a cat’s underbelly make cat owners feel like they’ve done something wrong with maintaining their cat’s svelte physique. That bag of flab was always there and is naturally part of feline anatomy. The big, wild cats have it too. It is often called the primordial pouch. Source: Tuft’s Catnip, March 2020. Link. The purpose of the primordial … [Read more...]
AAFP recently updated feline retrovirus guidelines
The guidelines panel determined there was a need to improve compliance with testing and vaccination recommendations in cats. The 2020 guidelines < link > are first official update to the document in 12 years. One objective was to ensure the new guidelines enabled practical use for all veterinarians. The 32-page illustrated document offers new information about feline … [Read more...]
National FFA Week in progress (video)
Agriculture is more than planting and harvesting. It involves science, business and more. There’s no doubt that some of today’s 700,000-plus FFA members are tomorrow’s future biologists, chemists, veterinarians, engineers and entrepreneurs. 2020’s National FFA Week (Feb. 22-Feb. 29) is a time for FFA members to host activities that raise awareness about the role of FFA in … [Read more...]
Talents don’t always mean performance
No matter how talented someone might be, there is no guarantee that their talents will translate into top performance. The science of human potential has generally illustrated that an individual’s overarching competence cannot be fully understood unless we also account for their emotional make-up, preferences, and dispositions. Source: Harvard Business Review, March 18, … [Read more...]
Why salespeople struggle at leading
The first of the year always brings changes in company hierarchies. Dina Gerdeman discusses sad scenarios that often play out. Top-performing salespeople get promoted to become sales managers, but don’t actually know how to manage. Unable to disconnect from the thrill of selling, the result brings productivity issues, disgruntled salespeople head for the door and the new … [Read more...]
PRRS made swine industry better
PRRS remains the number-one cause of economic impact in the U.S. swine industry. First described in the U.S. in the late 1980s < link >, PRRS has challenged swine veterinarians and producers to improvement all management practices. In addition to biosecurity advancements, PRRS made the swine industry better in five ways: Improved communication Fostered … [Read more...]
Equine body condition tips
Gauging a horse’s weight without a scale is inexact, so most horse owners must rely on other methods for monitoring their horses’ body condition. Veterinarians and nutritionists encourage horse owners to use the Henneke Body Condition Scoring system. Factors such as height, breed, and reproductive status will affect weight, and you can’t identify a ‘healthy weight range’ that … [Read more...]
Helping foals survive in this pathogen-filled world
Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA, reminds us that an uneventful arrival of a new foal isn’t a guarantee that all is going to be fine. She provides the green lights and red flags of neonatal health along with guidelines on how to handle the warning signs and what to expect if a foal’s health goes downhill. Source: The Horse, February 2020. Link. (paywall) Lesté-Lasserre discusses … [Read more...]
The emotional gauntlet of raising meat chickens and other livestock
One person’s chicken is another person’s dinner. It is an age-old challenge for animal owners who work hard at having healthy food animals. Consumers avoid visualizing a living, breathing animal as the source of the neat, plastic-wrapped package sliding over a scanner at the grocery. Marissa Ames provides thought-filled perspectives on raising animals for meat protein. She … [Read more...]
BI releases Cattle First documentary about commitment to cattle health
Cattle First, a documentary about the Johnsons, a six-generation ranching family who owns the Flying Diamond Cattle ranch in Colorado, premiered during the recent 2020 Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio. The Johnson’s story focuses on the importance – and benefits – of putting animals first and the importance of being transparent about how beef is produced. Watch the … [Read more...]
Opinion – Managing obesity? You have to count the treats.
In a recent post referencing the 2020 Banfield report <link>, I shared the experience of adjusting the diet for our Morkie. The discovery of the number of Kcals in his treats led me to seek resources that help animal health pros counsel pet owners on the impact of calories from treats. Treats are frequently mentioned in articles that give nutritional guidance, but limited … [Read more...]
Pet groomers gathering in Pasadena
The Groom ExpoWest gathers groomers from across the country February 20 to 23. One of multiple expos across the United States, groomers and pet boarding pros will expand their knowledge, explore new products and tools plus network with each other. Source: GROOMEXPOWEST. Link. The styling contest is the highlight of the expo. INSIGHTS: Grooming and boarding pros not … [Read more...]
Dealing with procrastination
Eric Olszewski stopped putting things off when he learned to see life as one big deadline. A perpetual procrastinator, he would let time fly by until panic set in, at which point he finally buckled down and did whatever it took to get through the work he was avoiding. He learned he was suffering from too much freedom. . . . simply overwhelmed by the multitude of options in my … [Read more...]
Quiz: Is your ego is hurting your success? (video)
Suzy Welch offers ways to determine if you are confident or arrogant. She says, “Success makes some people grow, and it makes some people swell.” Source: CNBC, July 2019. Link. Also see: Related posts from Animal Health Digest Me. Me. Stop talking so much about yourself, February 11, 2020. Link. This was the most read post from the February 13, 2020 Bulletin … [Read more...]
Poultry and protein trends covered at IPPE
Global experts spoke at the Poultry Market Intelligence Forum at the 2020 International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta recently, describing trends in the poultry and egg industries. Dr. David Hughes, professor at the Imperial College of London, predicted that during the first two decades of this century, we will see 40 percent growth in protein consumption, which … [Read more...]
Chickens in a minute (video)
Sponsored content from Nutrena With Easter around the corner and farm stores getting ready for new chicks, basic chicken care questions are eminent. Consider this video for social media posts, websites and newsletters. Source: Backyard Poultry, March 2019. Link. Chickens are hardy creatures that are lower maintenance than many house pets, but they do need some basic care … [Read more...]
Itchy cat? Think location, location, location.
Amelia White, DVM, MS, DACVD, offered VMX attendees insight about managing several types of allergies in cats. Her presentation begins with a discussion of behaviors that indicate causes or imposters. Joan Capuzzi, VMD, summarizes the content in the following categories. Cats and their eosinophils Creepy crawlies When food’s the culprit Atopy: allergies “on … [Read more...]
Can dogs savor their food?
Beyond taste bud comparisons, Tavor White shares science references on dogs and savoring flavor. According to Alexandra Horowitz, dogs have 300 million olfactory receptor cells compared to five million in humans. Add that the part of their brain that analyzes smells is approximately 40 times bigger than ours and a dog’s sense of smell is up to one million times greater than … [Read more...]
Opinion – Convenience and the consumer (slide show)
Americans spent more on pets in 2018 (avg. $662) than on fresh fruit and vegetables, alcohol, beef, pork and poultry, water and other services or medicinal drugs <link>. Consumer research on convenience can help us better understand animal owner needs as a reflection of how they manage their lives. Consumers’ choices in terms of where, how and why they buy are … [Read more...]
A manager’s checklist
The greatest gift of leadership is a boss who truly wants you to be successful.” Jon Taffer Source: LinkedIn Pulse, August 19, 2019. Link. Bad boss behaviors lead to poor employee engagement and high turnover. Check yourself against this short list of deal breakers. INSIGHTS: A truly great boss can be hard to find, but difficult to leave and impossible to forget. … [Read more...]
Open cow knowledge more important than preg status
Preg checking is a much-anticipated exercise for cattle producers anxious to predict their calf crop. Taylor Leach provides a helpful reminder that open cows represent opportunity more than failure. Source: Dairy Herd Management, December 11, 2019. Link. . . . the most important controllable component of any breeding program is to identify your open cows, according to Donna … [Read more...]
Castrating pigs, lambs, and goat kids
Janet Garman’s article on castration appeared a few weeks after we updated our readers on how dehorning and castration guidelines have been updated to include pain mitigation <link>. Garman’s review is a good reason to communicate about pain management to animal owners. Castrations are routinely done on the farm without veterinarian support, so determining how to … [Read more...]
Bovine Veterinarian: What to expect from the 2020s, 8-part series
Veterinarians provide their thoughts on the key challenges and opportunities for success during the 2020s in this insightful series. Their comments are a directional microcosm facing bovine practices, as well as veterinary practices in general. . . . veterinarians serve as forward-looking change agents in animal agriculture, as they continuously evaluate new systems, products, … [Read more...]
American Heartworm Society seeks individual clinic data
Veterinarians are urged to take time to submit clinic data to support the 2019 AHS Heartworm Incidence Survey. Each veterinary practice that submits data on the number of animals tested and diagnosed over the 2019 calendar year enables the AHS to create a more comprehensive and useful map” - Chris Duke, DVM, president AHS Source: DVM 360, January 28, 2020. Link. Survey … [Read more...]
Super Bowl Ads: 5 best, 5 worst
How ‘bout those C H I E F S! It has been a wild week in the KC Animal Health Corridor. Even veterinarians were celebrated in the Super Bowl ad from WeatherTech <link>. Jeff Beer says the $6 million to run a Super Bowl ad thanking the veterinarians that saved Scout, WeatherTech’s CEO’s dog, is either genius or a waste. Source: Fast Company, February 2, 2020. Link. The … [Read more...]
Hatching calculator determines incubation period
As more poultry moves back into neighborhood backyards, some hobbyists are interested in using incubators to hatch eggs. This handy calculator determines the incubation period for chicken, duck, goose, turkey, quail, peafowl, guinea fowl, pheasant and emu eggs. Source: Backyard Poultry, February 3, 2020. Link. The article also has links to several how-to … [Read more...]