This research information should interest to any animal health pro as whose focus is on prevention and managing disease. The immunes system has high biological priority. When pathogens are detected, the immune response becomes the animal’s energetic priority and changes how dietary nutrients and calories are utilized. Source: National Hog Farmer, October 2017. Any energy … [Read more...]
Women’s leadership Q/A: Never let them see you sweat
This Q/A with Kimberley Bennett, senior director of Kentucky Beam Bourbon Experiences at Beam Suntory will resonate with the increasing number of female animal health pros. Bennett has always worked in male-dominated industries and learned early on to "never let them see you sweat." She says women "need that network of strong-minded women to cheer for your success and share … [Read more...]
No kidding, goats are smart
As the number of homestead-like farms grows so does the number of goats. Researchers continue to study how they are affected by the production environment and how they see and interact with us. Goats may appear to have one-track minds, but they devote a lot of thought to social issues, too. Source: Countryside Daily, November 6, 2017. In 2017, we have seen published results … [Read more...]
Impostor syndrome sneaks up on everyone
It’s likely every animal health pro feels like a fraud from time to time. Ciera Miller, CVT, VTS, speaks to us all in her article on the imposter syndrome. Source: Firstline, October 26, 2017. Impostor syndrome, a concept where an individual is marked by an inability to recognize their accomplishments and lives with a constant fear of being a “fraud,” is extremely … [Read more...]
Your feelings about work-life balance are shaped by what you saw your parents do
A popular TV ad sponsored by an insurance provider depicts aging adults becoming their parents. Research published by Ioana Lupu found that our upbringing has enduring influence on our work and career decisions — and that what we subconsciously learn from our parents plays an important role in how we think about and manage work-life balance. Source: Harvard Business Review, … [Read more...]
New video series promotes understanding of dairy management systems
A series of six new videos from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach have been created to help beginning dairy farmers learn about different types of dairy operations and management systems. Each video features a dairy farmer who discusses the different aspects of their operation. We agree these videos will also help generational succession changes required as older … [Read more...]
Pork facts (slideshow)
Pork is big business today. More than 2 billion pounds of it is produced annually in the United States. As the most versatile meat, it can be marinated, roasted, barbecued, pan-fried, stir-fried, grilled, dry rubbed, boiled and baked. No matter how you fix it, pork is a protein-packed treat. Cheryl Day shares some facts about pork that animal health pros may find useful and … [Read more...]
Peek inside a hoop beef facility (slideshow)
Progressive practices are best viewed in person, but when you can’t, articles like this one help animal health pros understand new approaches. Here, a Missouri father-son team shares experiences from their hoop feeding facility and the benefits they are seeing. Source: Beef, May 19, 2017. By taking the weather off their back, cattle are improving gains and feed … [Read more...]
DVM posts dairy bull calf care tips on social media (includes videos)
Kudos to veterinarian Marissa Hake for using social media to share how to keep male dairy calves on a successful path of health. The series of videos were posted on the Facebook site of Mackinson Dairy Farm on October 27. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, October 30, 2017. Dr. Hake shares videos and photos of her day caring for veal calves. In the posts Hake offers tips on … [Read more...]
AAHA accredits 17 new practices in September-October
Congratulations to the newly AAHA-accredited practices. These practices worked hard to meet the highest standards in veterinary medicine. Check this list for colleagues or customers: The Cat Hospital of Media, Media, PA Pikes Peak Veterinary Clinic, Colorado Springs, CO Aina Haina Pet Hospital, Honolulu, HI Germantown–Farmington Animal Hospital, Germantown, TN … [Read more...]
Carbon paw-print from feeding meat to pets
We’ve studied the environmental impact of cow flatulence, water source contaminations from livestock and myriad other environmental effects of animal production. Now a 2014 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has surfaced to expose the carbon paw-print from feeding meat to pets. Source: Los Angeles Times, August 4, 2017. In short, Gregory Okin … [Read more...]
Been there, done that
On any day, at any level of an organization, an idea can surface to solve a problem, meet a need or generate value. It is easy to get discouraged if it seems like the idea is not new or revolutionary. Charlie Gilkey proposes that if novelty is what you are after, you’ve already lost the opportunity. Source: Thrive Global, October 30, 2017. Service trumps novelty. Rather … [Read more...]
Ask a Cat Lady belts out feline distemper (includes video)
Sarah Donner, the Ask a Cat Lady personality, shares feline distemper facts, including a song she composed and performs on video. Sometimes known as ataxia or the cat plague, FPV spreads through fluid or fecal contact, in utero or via fleas. This virus can survive years in a stable environment, and it can be devastating when it breaks out. Source: Catster, October 26, … [Read more...]
Check smoke and carbon dioxide alarms as Daylight savings time ends
Seasonal changes have many furnaces already running. These changes can also alert animal health pros to check the functionality of smoke alarms and CO2 sensors. If you haven’t changed batteries or tested your alarms, now is the time to do so. Combine the alarm checks with resetting your clocks. Daylight Savings time ends Sunday, November 5, 2017, 2:00:00 am. Clocks are … [Read more...]
Affordability is the hottest topic in veterinary medicine
Dr. Patty Khuly discusses the cost of care challenges and an assessment of pet insurance and other payment options. She opines that some animals from lower-income households will need to accept a lower standard of care. It is part of the conundrum she discusses. Source: Veterinary Practice News, October 23, 2017. We all know veterinary care has gotten pricier. And there are … [Read more...]
Neglect allegations force dog blood bank closing
The Pet Blood Bank, a Cherokee, Texas, supplier of canine blood for veterinary transfusions has closed following allegations by an animal rights group that the company neglected about 150 greyhounds for which it was caring. The San Saba County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Texas Greyhound Association found no evidence of abuse or neglect. Source: Washington Post, October … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – New product redirects destructive cat scratching
“Veterinarians now have a way to stop destructive scratching in the home without declawing procedures or ineffective alternatives,” said Dr. Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, Dipl. ACVB, Veterinary Services Specialist at Ceva Animal Health in a statement released November 1, 2017. FELISCRATCH by FELIWAYTM, is clinically proven to stop and prevent both vertical and horizontal destructive … [Read more...]
Don’t fear Dr. Google
In a recent study, Trone Brand Energy found only 31 percent of pet owners highly trust online information sources. This compared to 81 percent of pet owners who highly trust their veterinarians. Forty seven percent of them highly trust their family and friends, which was the second most trusted source of information. In a related study, pet owners who rank in the top 25 … [Read more...]
Opinion – Unlearn toxic masculinity
There is no doubt the Harvey Weinstein revelations have pulled discussions of sexual assault and harassment to the front of water cooler discussions. These stories emphasize the negative consequences of what some call toxic masculinity. Left without context that is presented this article, mindsets are cemented and generalizations get perpetuated. Source: The Cut, October 23, … [Read more...]
Sustainably manage parasites in goats
Managing parasites in goats often loses effectiveness over time. Lisa Seger shares how to keep worm treatments effective with these three valuable tools: FAMACHA scoring, fecal flotations/eggs counts, and body condition scoring. Used alone, any one of these markers is inadequate for gauging parasites. Used together, however, they provide the best picture of what … [Read more...]
Composting pets now a reality
All dogs go to heaven when they die, of course, but they leave behind bodies. Rooted Pet, a startup in Seattle, Washington, intends to help with that. Composting carcasses is not unusual. Farms often use it to get rid of dead livestock and some states use it to manage roadkill. So, Paul Tschetter, a Seattle entrepreneur, helped create a process that he says is, “adding … [Read more...]
Opinion – Vaccine refusals rising in many parts of the country
PLEASE, ignore the political bent. Please! Consider how human behaviors and standards are consistently presented to us as influencing pet care decisions. Then mull over the information on the vaccine refuser and vaccine hesitant groups of persons. Source: Vox, October 3, 2017. Most research shows that parents who reject some or all vaccines are more likely to be white, … [Read more...]
End never-ending email chains without being rude
A coworker sends an email to a dozen people with an open-ended question that doesn’t have any real consequences on anyone’s life. What follows is a predictable avalanche of responses that solve nothing. Source: The Muse, October 2017. Richard Moy shares an email template he uses to redirect the discussion and keep you from throwing your laptop against the wall. … [Read more...]
Vet Tech Week ends; the work continues (includes podcast)
The media coverage for National Vet Tech week was ramped up this year. Animal health pros across America celebrated the various contributions of this community of professionals. The lobby for changing their designation to veterinary nurse is well underway. We selected a group of articles on the subject of veterinary technicians or veterinary nurses. These include: The … [Read more...]
Should you believe the article you just read?
It only takes a single click to spread information like wildfire, says Nicole Palumbo, DVM. A 2012 University of Illinois graduate, Dr. Palumbo is clearly part of the social media generation. Her article offers animal owners guidelines on what is appropriate to share about veterinary medicine. Source: Dr. Andy Roark, September 9, 2017. Check your sources before spreading … [Read more...]
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A special thank you goes out to our contributors listed on the AHD site. Their ongoing work help keeps you informed and our offerings fresh. You can contribute to our weekly email once or on an ongoing basis. If you want us to look for specific topics, please email us from the “contact us” section of the site. Better yet, write up a short summary of an article or other media … [Read more...]
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Our industry provides millions of dollars in advertising and content development in the media from which we curate. Your feedback tells us that providing this service to animal health pros at no charge helps you do your jobs better. Sponsors receive consideration for their brands and activities when published content relates to their portfolios. Source: Animal Health Digest, … [Read more...]
AHD website tools make content easy to use
For animal health pros who need to find a post for any reason, the AHD website has several tools to help find it: BULLETIN Archive, keeps the last 20 BULLETINs easy to find and reference “Search the site” on the upper right, uses familiar key word search methods to find a topic Sponsor and Founder’s Circle logos all link to the respective company’s … [Read more...]
AHD Sponsor and Founder’s Circle support recognized
Two sponsors have helped AHD from early in its development. We are grateful for the financial support from: Ceva Animal Health U.S. Addison Biological Laboratory, Inc. Our Founder’s Circle cooperators are pivotal to help grow the readership and reach of AHD. Many thanks to: American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) FORAYS, Inc. Innovetive Pet Care RPR … [Read more...]
2000 posts in 2 years: AHD celebrates anniversary
The Animal Health Digest teams offers a sincere “thank you” for your readership and support the past two years. Our mission to “read for the animal health industry” remains in place. Each week, we scour more than 200 print and digital media sources for information relevant to animal health professionals at all levels. Our selections are delivered Thursday mornings via email … [Read more...]