Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 3, 2024. Link. This edition contains links to archived content in the Worth a Glance section plus links to previous years’ full editions as well as topic tags. ===================================== How to cope with post-vacation blues Source: Harvard Business Review, July 9, 2024. Link. Feeling drained … [Read more...]
Facility tips to help manage the impact of flies on cattle
Sponsored Content Got flies? Choosing fly control products is important, but proper facilities management along with product rotation and application are even more crucial for effectively controlling fly populations. Note: The management tips shared here also apply to anywhere flies and animals exist such as kennels, animal shelters, stables and backyard poultry … [Read more...]
Keep the colostrum coming
New research studies suggest there are health and developmental benefits to feeding calves colostrum or transition milk well beyond the first day of life, writes Maureen Hanson. She shares an overview of study results focused on extending colostrum feeding and the merits of feeding transition milk. Source: Dairy Herd Management, June 8, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Preconditioning: Worth the input or not?
Cindy Mansfield’s surprising article title made me read her review of the value cattle producers receive when committing the time, effort and expense to pre-condition their cattle. She reviews the economics, importance of vaccination, timelines and benefits to a producer’s reputation as advantages from preconditioning. Source: Progressive Cattle, July 4, 2024. Link. Also … [Read more...]
Could we eliminate PEDV from the U.S. swine population?
The U.S. swine industry has effectively been able to attack PEDV. Herds are getting cleaned faster thanks to the progressive mindset of producers, pig production companies, their teams and practitioners. The declining prevalence has swine scientists and industry leaders considering whether the pathogen can be eradicated. Source: National Hog Farmer, July 9, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Panel of DVMs discusses the greatest swine disease challenge in 2024
Outlining surprises and challenges facing pork producers and their veterinarians, Jennifer Shike shares responses from practicing swine veterinarians. PRRS remains the greatest challenge and it underscores the importance of biosecurity and prevention strategies. No biosecurity measure is too small to implement . . . but they take repetitive discipline and everyday management … [Read more...]
Poultry basics and diets for veterinary teams
The increased number of suburban and metro backyard flocks present challenges for companion animal practices. Keeping chickens, ducks and geese healthy goes beyond production animal paradigms as the birds are often considered pets. Veterinary teams will benefit from the upcoming VetFolio basics webinar and the article on poultry diets linked here. Sources: The science … [Read more...]
Meat goat demand continues to rise
About 90 percent of the U.S. goat inventory is raised for meat and herds average 20 animals. Goats can be found in urban, suburban and rural areas. They are an excellent biological tool to graze land that is overgrown or has the potential for wildfire. Although the overall number of meat goats has decreased over the last several years, demand for the meat continues to … [Read more...]
Reassuring findings about prednisolone
While concerns about glucocorticoids and laminitis are not completely unfounded, an English study shows that the commonly used drug prednisolone does not appear to make horses more susceptible to laminitis. Prednisolone is an extremely useful drug in equine medicine but use the drug with caution in horses with a history of laminitis.” - Victoria Jordan, MA, VetMB, … [Read more...]
Reading the vast, varied signs of equine gastric ulcer syndrome
Commercial References included It has been said that equine veterinary medicine is often more an art than science. While neither can be separated from the other, the gastric ulcer signs a horse might show are highly variable between individuals and might even change within an individual over time. Natalie DeFee Mendik, MA shares the behavioral, diagnostic and treatment … [Read more...]
Choosing the right cat bowl
Food bowls are a consideration when addressing cat acne <Link>, so we’re sharing an article that explores the most recommended type of bowls for individual cats. Whiskers are one of the considerations when choosing a bowl. Source: Cat Food Advisor, May 15, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for kitten kits, social media posts or newsletters. … [Read more...]
Addressing common nutrition misperceptions
Discussing pet diets is fraught with challenges created by common myths, misconceptions and marketing jargon. These include an excessive focus on the concept of natural ingredients, the effects of processing on pet food and the assumption that cost directly represents quality. Ultimately, the cornerstones of feeding pets are safety and nutritional balance, and these concepts … [Read more...]
Updated fluid therapy guidelines from AAHA
The new 2024 AAHA Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, provides a detailed refresher on the basic principles of fluid therapy while also guiding veterinary professionals through common fluid therapy scenarios and empowers an animal-specific, individualized approach. . . . if a practice doesn’t approach fluids as a drug prescription that necessitates accurate … [Read more...]
Pet-safe, DIY and dangerous baits for rats, mice
Beth Turner, DVM, shares comprehensive information about controlling rodents, the risks and different types of bait and control methods. Her article is a good resource to share with pet owners who may be experiencing rodent issues. Source: Preventive Vet, July 5, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
How hot is too hot?
This picture of a sidewalk sign is important. Although we posted about temperature risks on May 24th <Link>, the sign is a good reminder as were the number of dogs being walked in 90o F temps last week. Summertime warnings need to be repeated over and over.” Also see: Search results for: dog heat stroke, AHD archives. Link. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – July 8, 2024
Mars courting next-gen high-spending pet owners, future of flying with pets, email marketing myths, shifts in big life priorities, views of website written content averages 5.59 seconds, and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, July 8, 2024. Link. . . . websites are not just selling products or services . . . they’re guiding users on a journey, and every step along the way … [Read more...]
6 steps to improve your resilience
The reality that humans and animals are at risk daily is a primary lesson from the pandemic. Around every corner is a potential punch in the gut, whether health-related, societal, work-related, or emotional. Improving resilience helps us weather loss, setbacks, disappointment and a plethora of emotions. Some days the supply of available curse words is insufficient to meet my … [Read more...]
Majority of U.S. women struggle to prioritize health
Results from an April 2024 survey show women in the U.S. find it tough to make their own health a top priority. The findings are disturbing considering the high percentage of women graduating from veterinary schools and veterinary technician programs. Younger women and mothers with children under 18 are more likely to struggle to prioritize their own health. Survey results … [Read more...]
Addressing 7 common complaints practices face
Dissent and dissatisfaction are often masked by the historical statement, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Unfortunately, such experiences lead to customer loss. Marc Rosenberg, VMD, shares how routine preemptive troubleshooting with clinic staff members help to correct complaints heard before they rise to become points of contention. He shares … [Read more...]
Avian flu updates
Staying abreast of the latest on high-path avian flu is time-consuming and often confusing. Multiple media sources share information along a rapidly progressing timeline of discovery, opinions and responses. We aggregated some of the more recent updates at these links. Sources: Detections of HPAI in livestock, USDA, July 9, 2024. Link. The most current information and … [Read more...]
Animal health pros really DO matter
Getting caught up in the minutia of our daily animal health activities and checklists is easy. Swine flu, foot-and-mouth, CWD, HPAI, leptospirosis, tickborne diseases and more can create havoc for animals, the food supply and potentially our lives. As we return to our efforts from the Independence Day holiday and dive into 3-Q-2024, this graphic is a stark reminder of the core … [Read more...]
Shelter dogs do better with a well-matched roommate
Newly published research from Virginia Tech showed companiable dogs housed together showed fewer signs of stress and were adopted more quickly than dogs housed by themselves. . . . social isolation can work against dogs’ behavioral health and adoptability.” - Erica Feuerbacher, PhD Source: Virginia Tech News, June 12, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Pairing dogs that can get along … [Read more...]
Global Alliance for Rabies Control launches Dog Welfare Certificate course
GARC’s new Dog Welfare Certificate course is designed to provide essential knowledge for anyone involved or interested in canine care. Free and self-paced, the course offers foundational knowledge crucial for anyone looking to care for a dog whether it is their own, or a dog in the community. Source: Global Alliance for Rabies Control, June 23,2024. Link. The course is … [Read more...]
What can we expect from Elanco’s new Bovaer®?
Bovaer is a powdered feed supplement that blocks an enzyme involved in methane formation, reducing the amount of methane emitted by each animal. Elanco Animal Health, Inc., is licensing Bovaer for marketing in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Feeding Bovaer to 1 million cows would reduce methane emissions equivalent to removing more than 285,000 cars from the road for a … [Read more...]
Tom Vilsack: Good biosecurity critical to mitigating the spread of H5N1
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack’s opinion piece calls on producers to use USDA’s resources to enhance their biosecurity measures and for states and producers to opt into our support and herd monitoring programs designed to limit the spread of this H5N1 in dairy cattle. The most important step we can take today to contain HPAI is biosecurity.” Source: Agri-Pulse, June 21, 2024. … [Read more...]
Blackshirt Feeders: Closing the beef-on-dairy loop with data and technology
With contracts that stipulate every calf is tracked from birth with sire, health and performance data, Lee Leachman calls the closed-loop production model for beef on dairy a game changer. Greg Henderson explains how Blackshirt Feeders’ closed-loop system links the semen provider to the dairy to the feedyard and from where value will be derived. Source: Drovers, June 25, … [Read more...]
How the U.S. cowherd is distributed
70 percent of the U.S. cowherds use grass and maintain healthy grasslands, while the other 30 percent are finishing in an efficient feeding system or are maintaining a high-energy diet through a dairy production cycle. Source: Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, Facebook, June 13, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Keeping the bees buzzing (video)
There are so many things that can kill honey bees, says Kaitlyn Krebs, DVM, MBA, DABVP. She lectured about common diseases that affect honey bees and their hives at the 2024 AVMA convention. Krebs speaks about viral diseases that veterinarians should be aware of in caring for honey bees and tips when answering questions from beekeepers in their communities in the video … [Read more...]
Sport horse DVM answers 6 questions about osteoarthritis
Steve Allday, DVM, has been the lameness specialist for many equine legends. He shares his perspectives on osteoarthritis with a focus on prevention. Content like this can help veterinary teams educate their clients about what it takes to keep a horse sound. Social media posts or newsletters offer practices ways to proactively communicate best health practices to horse … [Read more...]
Safeguarding the equine industry: The importance of biosecurity practices
A recent study sheds valuable light on the current understanding and practices of horse owners across the country. In addition to the critical role veterinarians play in providing horse owners with medical information and guidance on biosecurity practices, the study revealed how horse owners prefer education and several key biosecurity techniques that horse owners can … [Read more...]