Includes Sponsored Content Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:-, an emerging serotype in swine, has become one of the most identified serotypes in pigs, pork, and humans worldwide. Responding to the industry’s needs, Swine Health Information Center posted a new fact sheet that contains valuable information on the serotype, its nomenclature, as well as resistance. Pigs often carry … [Read more...]
Deadly diseases common to the outdoors
Animal health pros frequently discuss zoonoses. This article reviews outdoor diseases, their sources and some familiar disease names. It is important to stay informed and inform clients and staff as they head out for outdoor activities. Source: The Outdoors Mag. Link. … [Read more...]
Mindfulness with paced breathing lowers blood pressure
Kudos to the Vet Candy team for bringing this information about testing the hypothesis that mindfulness with paced breathing reduces blood pressure. Meditation uses different methods to reach a state sometimes described as "thoughtful awareness" or "restful alertness 1." Massage therapy is also a safe, effective, applicable and cost-effective intervention in controlling … [Read more...]
Grounding, what you need to know
If you’ve ever removed your shoes to enjoy the feeling of lush grass or sand, you may have experienced the benefits of grounding. For some, it supports anxiety reduction, helps improve sleep and fight fatigue. Walking barefoot can be very calming. Whether it is on sand, grass or mud, our feet are quite sensitive, and letting them touch the ground can give you grounding … [Read more...]
Learning from curbside care
Dan Holland shares curbside care tips that are standing the test of time. He says for most clients, patients and veterinarians, this new treatment model has been a win-win-win. It also forced veterinary practices to rethink certain areas of their workflow to accommodate curbside care appointments. He shares recommendations for practices in the crucial areas of communication, … [Read more...]
The effects of incivility on people
In this science-backed talk, Christine Borath shares surprising insights about the costs of rudeness and shows how little acts of respect can boost your professional success and your company's bottom line. She shares the main reason incivility exists is stress. People feel overwhelmed. An additional reason is skepticism about appearing too nice. Incivility is a contagious bug. … [Read more...]
Refocus: 6 growing issues
The first trimester of 2021 is now behind us. Our industry continues to feel more complicated and changing at break-neck speed. In December 2020, Karen E. Felsted, DVM, CPA, MS, CVPM, CVA, and Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, reviewed Pew Research Center’s “Future Directions for Veterinary Medicine” (1989), and KPMG’s “The Current and Future Market for Veterinarians and Veterinary … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 29, 2021
20 Vacation Ideas for You and Your Dog Source: Daily Paws, April 5, 2021. Link. Top dog-friendly vacation destinations, a guide to exploring the world with your furry companion. Limping puppy: What should I do if my dog is limping? Source: Revival Animal Health, April 21, 2021. Link. Marty Greer, DVM, JD tips on what you should … [Read more...]
Dogs are really good at sniffing out coronavirus
A proof-of-concept investigation published in PLOS ONE suggests that specially trained detection dogs can sniff out COVID-19-positive samples with 96 percent accuracy. Source: Vet Practice, April 20, 2021. Link. “Dogs have to be specific about detecting the odor of the infection, but they also have to generalize across the background odors of different people: men and women, … [Read more...]
Cows aren’t to blame for most mastitis
Considering all factors that contribute to mastitis risk, cow factors only account for 20 percent of cases. The other 80 percent of infections are caused by humans, and more specifically, how the farm is managed. About 100 organisms can cause infections in the udders of dairy cows. When we have mastitis issues, we can’t really blame the cow. We have to look at ourselves … [Read more...]
Down cow dos and don’ts
Shaw Perrin, DVM, offers advice on how to best assist down cows, along with some practices to avoid. His dos and don’ts list provides a good outline for educating dairy teams on farm or sharing on social media or in newsletters. Down cows require immediate attention with assistance from a trained rescue team. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 5, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Help horses handle vaccination well
Most vaccine labels read, “For the vaccination of healthy horses . . .” Not all horses that seem well are healthy enough to mount immune responses. Stress, chronic lameness, age and poor nutrition can impact immunity. Madalyn Ward, DVM, shares steps horse owners can take to help their horse experience the best response to vaccinations with the fewest negative … [Read more...]
5 tips to engage equine owners in wellness care
Complimentary Content from Covetrus and Zoetis Amy L. Grice, VMD, MBA, shares tips for encouraging clients to embrace wellness care, including vaccinations provided by a veterinarian: Wellness Wednesday post Virtual or in-person event Create a template for your region Develop a wellness plan including some bundling Consider raising your emergency fees, … [Read more...]
Dog parks and parasites
Sharing key points from the DOGPARCs study, Donato Traversa, DVM, PhD, DipEVPC, EBVS, reminds us of the importance of keeping clients informed of the parasite risks at off-leash dog parks. He shares key pearls to put into practice with pet owners. Source: Clinician’s Brief, January/February 2021. Link. Key pearls for your clients: Intestinal parasites may be a constant … [Read more...]
How often to take a kitten or cat to the vet
Daily Paws writer Austin Cannon shares basic guidelines for veterinary visit frequency written for pet owners. From an animal health pro perspective, she exposes the opportunities with new cat owners who are usually bound by agreements with shelters or breeders to take their kittens to see a vet soon after adoption. Source: Daily Paws, August 24, 2020, updated April 24, … [Read more...]
5 tips for anesthetizing and recovering aggressive dogs
Careful planning, communication and preparation can facilitate a safe and productive appointment for fractious patients that need to be sedated or anesthetized, says Katherine Bennett, DVM, and Christine Egger, DVM, MVSc, CVA, CVH, DACVAA. They share tips for safe handling of for diagnostic or surgical procedures in these areas: Owner communication Pre-appointment … [Read more...]
Triaging vehicular trauma
There are very few ambulances and EMTs in animal health. That role is handed to veterinary teams for an animal that has been hurt in an automobile encounter. Cassandra Gilday, DVM, and Adesola Odunayo, DVM, MS, DACVECC, provide an extensive decision tree resource for animal patients who have experienced vehicular trauma. Source: Clinician’s Brief, March 2021. … [Read more...]
Do you really need to drink 8 glasses of water a day?
A one-size-fits-all fluid replacement strategy, such as drinking eight glasses of eight ounces of water per day, is inappropriate for everyone, writes Tamara Hew-Butler. How much water each person needs to drink mainly depends on three factors: Body weight Environmental temperature Physical activity levels Source: The Conversation, April 21, 2021. Link. Unless … [Read more...]
Beyond wellness plans, bundling can work
Wendy Hauser, DVM, and Lucas Pantaleon, DVM, MS, DACVIM, MBA, tackle the challenge of chronic illnesses that frequently fall outside of wellness plan coverage. The authors position bundling beginning with common bundles already in place in veterinary practices. By leveraging bundling, treatment packages offer four major advantages: Bundling helps clients understand the … [Read more...]
Getting clients to opt for treatment
Phil Zeltman, DVM, shares 10 common reasons clients decline treatment for their animals and how to avoid the situation. Confidence and the development of trust is critical to handling most situations he says. Ultimately, our job is not to convince a client to do the right thing. We are not in the arm-twisting business. All we can do is educate them objectively, be their pet’s … [Read more...]
Medical community telehealth concerns are opps for DVM community
OPINION Two articles outline some of the challenges medical entities and doctors see as telehealth capacity expands. With human medicine already a few years into telehealth development, it is important to monitor the progress, challenges and perceptions. In this era of tele-everything, it is likely animal health pros can integrate telehealth more effectively, efficiently … [Read more...]
Student focus group zeroes in on the future dairy farms and public expectations for dairy cattle care
Undergraduate students studying dairy or animal science gathered in a focus group during a 2019 meeting to discuss the future of dairying. This research is important as our industry works to improve health and well-being of dairy farm workers and cattle, in addition to improving public perceptions of the business. This generation of students will lead dairy initiatives, set … [Read more...]
7 types of rest we need!
Sleep is a bodily function. Rest is more than that. Rest is to help you grow out of your exhaustion and thrive at what keeps you going. Rest should equal restoration in seven key areas of your life, explains Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.” - Bansky Source: Thrive Global, April 21, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 22, 2021
Feeding cattle seaweed reduces their greenhouse gas emissions 82 percent Source: My Vet Candy, April 19, 2021. Link. "We now have sound evidence that seaweed in cattle diet is effective at reducing greenhouse gases and that the efficacy does not diminish over time.” - Ermias Kebreab Even Moses knew about biosecurity Source: Watt … [Read more...]
Tips for feeding, calving during wet and muddy conditions
Spring is a busy time for farmers and ranchers. Simple preparations now can help mitigate problems ahead of potential excess water. We can’t change the weather, but cattle producers can try to manage around wet conditions by preparing alternative livestock and feeding areas. Olivia Amundson and Taylor Grussing share ways to mitigate mud and moisture during calving … [Read more...]
Weaned calves worth $50 more than unweaned calves
Nearly 400,000 calves sold through Superior Livestock Auction during the summer of 2020. The weaned calves garnered about $50 more than their unweaned herd mates, based on sale price data analyzed from seven value-added programs. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, February 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Greg Henderson’s article shares the study results, as well as an overview of the … [Read more...]
Equine influenza virus – a review
EIV is rarely fatal, it is highly contagious and can lead to significant performance impairment and economic loss when outbreaks occur. Similar to influenza in other species, EIV is spread primarily via the respiratory route. The AAEP considers equine influenza virus a risk-based disease, meaning it is not necessarily warranted for every horse. For horses considered at risk, … [Read more...]
Communal dog water bowls: safe or not?
Communal water bowls come with some hidden risks, says Kaitlyn Arford. It is possible for dogs drinking out of communal bowls or fountains to be infected with diseases or parasites. Source: AKC, April 6, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for social media and newsletters. While basic, Arford presents an easily understood message. … [Read more...]
Barn dogs
Realizing it would be beneficial to take a more methodical approach to her barn dogs’ health maintenance, Katie Frank created basic guidelines for keeping her dogs as happy and healthy as her horses. Source: EQUUS Extra. Link. INSIGHTS: This resource addresses the realities of acreage or farm life where species interact daily. Kudos for addressing dogs in the equine … [Read more...]
K-9 kibble enhancement guide
Adjusting dog diets with fresh, raw and organic foods is popular. This article is a guide, compares fresh foods as supplemental versus kibble elimination and reminds pet owners to balance portions to manage weight gains. Whether raw or lightly cooked, a mostly fresh food diet yields outstanding results, with clear eyes, beautiful coats, great teeth, sweet breath, calm … [Read more...]