Confirming what we already know, a Finnish study of 13,000 pet dogs found that nearly three-quarters of them have behavioral issues. The study focused on seven issues: noise sensitivity fearfulness compulsion fear of surfaces or heights inattention/impulsivity separation related behavior and aggression. Over a quarter of the dogs were fearful of fireworks … [Read more...]
César Millán’s 5 rules for chill dogs
Animal behaviorist César Millán believes dogs that were adopted when stay-at-home orders were in place went to loving homes. His concern is that owners may not be committed to the long-term job of properly caring for them. He says adopting a dog to keep you company during isolation “is like getting married for all the wrong reasons.” He offers five tips for owner and dog … [Read more...]
Wildlife among us
Commentary A fecal deposit on my deck and a latrine under a tree recently are stark reminders that suburban backyards are frequented by an ever-increasing citified wildlife population. Animal health pros immediately think of rabies and ideally have been able to keep vaccinations current in pets that go outdoors. Beyond deer eating in our yards and predators like foxes, … [Read more...]
Don’t flush cat poop!
Cat poop is implicated for causing fatal toxoplasmosis in wild southern sea otters, according to a recent study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B < link >. The Toxoplasma agents spread to the ocean from cat feces to land. Toxoplasma oocysts (eggs) accrue in kelp beds, where they are eaten by snails. Otters then eat the snails. Source: Catster, June 10, … [Read more...]
Dang those flies!
Flies are a nasty nuisance. Whether on the farm, acreage or in the backyard, they are an insidious challenge for animal owners and people alike. It’s summer. When the temperatures go up, fly numbers rapidly increase. If not controlled, adult flies continue to lay eggs and increase the fly population. Managing larvae and adult flies should be a continuous process. Every … [Read more...]
DOGPARCS study shows parasites are common in recreational canine sites
What has been suspected to be true about dog parks and parasite risks has been quantified. This study assessed the prevalence of these infections in dogs visiting off‑leash dog parks. It is the first large-scale effort to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs visiting dog parks throughout the USA. Source: BMC, June 1, 2020. Link. Intestinal parasites, the … [Read more...]
Why dog import legislation is important to animal health pros
Commentary Art Parola, a pet industry consultant, recently wrote the column, Why Cattleman Should Care About Dog Import Legislation, for Drovers. He highlights the real risk of Bont ticks being imported while attached to dogs coming into the U.S., especially those from the Caribbean region. It is highly infested with heartwater for which hont ticks are vectors. Heartwater … [Read more...]
Global Vet Link offers free regulatory compliance education
Content provided by Global Vet Link. Complicated animal health regulations and movement requirements are always changing. The GLV platform helps simplify these rules for veterinarians and helps ensure compliance. The company is expanding industry knowledge of animal health regulations and documentation to everyone with GVL University < link >. Source: GVL, June 3, … [Read more...]
TODAY! Free webinar: Covid-19 & Companion Animal Setting
Content provided by Virox Animal Health. Thursday, June 18th, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT Practical measures for protecting your team and your clients when returning to business. This webinar is aimed at veterinarians, animal technicians, office managers, employees and volunteers in clinical or group animal settings. Dr. Jose Ramirez will review the latest … [Read more...]
Survey reveals 1 in 3 adults misused bleach
The Centers for Disease Control says about one in three adults intentionally used chemicals and disinfectants unsafely, according to results from a recent survey < link >. Some of the high-risk practices included using bleach to wash fruits and vegetables, applying household cleaning and disinfectant products to bare skin, and inhaling, gargling or ingesting cleaners and … [Read more...]
Dairy topics: Milk fever, dry cows, inbreeding, heat stress, sperm dose
Here are worthwhile topics to discuss with dairy producers during National Dairy Month. Veterinarians and direct-to-dairy representatives often find a third-party article opens the door to discussions beyond normal dialogues and details. The pandemic has taught us the importance of educational communications. Share these in person, on social media or in … [Read more...]
Cat toys, catnip, cat eyes and moving with a cat
We continue to review articles targeted to animal owners. This helps ensure animal health pros know what various publications are telling animal owners and also to provide solid information to use in communications and social media. This selection of cat articles is worth your review. Source: Cat toys: How to keep them clean, when to throw them out, Catster, March 23, … [Read more...]
Cats need heartworm prevention too
A noticeable number of heartworm infections are found in indoor-only cats. This, along with limited treatment options, makes prevention important for every cat. Brian Calabro, DVM, discusses heartworm disease in cats. Source: DVM 360, June 8, 2020. Link. Cats are not small dogs making it good to review what we know about heartworm disease in cats and to refocus our efforts … [Read more...]
Reasons dogs eat grass
John Woods tackles why dogs eat grass. In spite of research efforts, there’s no explanation for this. There is one clear warning, however. Don’t let dogs eat grass that has been chemically treated with glyphosate and don’t let them eat toxic plants. Source: All Things Dog, March 18, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Dogs and hot summer weather
Heat and sunshine can be deleterious to the health of our dogs. The articles collected for this post all refer to taking precautions with dogs during summer. Given the number of new pet adoptions recently, reinforcing this information with pet owners is important. Source: Can Dogs Get Sunburned? PetMD, June 1, 2020. Link. It’s actually very important to put sunscreen on … [Read more...]
Dog life after WFH. Prepare for separation anxiety (video).
Once stay-at-home mandates end, pet owners won't be home as much. Prepare dogs for separation anxiety before it starts. Steve Dale shares concerns about upcoming separation stress. He shares proactive tools and ideas. Source: Good Morning America, May 2, 2020.Link. Also see: Separation anxiety training, The Bark, April 2020. Link. Also see: Pet separation anxiety … [Read more...]
Myths that stop people for asking for help at work
Comfortably and confidently asking for help requires refuting misperceptions that have been uncovered in research. These are myths likely to have been heightened as a result of the ongoing pandemic adjustments. Asking for help makes you look bad If I do ask for help, I’ll be rejected Even if someone agrees to help, they won’t enjoy doing so Source: Harvard … [Read more...]
Burnout recovery: 11 strategies to help you reset
People in our networks are feeling the deepening fatigue of adjusting to the rigors of the initial pandemic period. Whether working from home or working with PPE restrictions, ongoing high stress takes a toll on the brain and body. Burnout happens gradually. You might not notice symptoms immediately. However, once it takes hold, it can affect your ability to function across … [Read more...]
Pandemic metrics unclear on alcohol use
Early data from some sources indicated alcohol use was increasing during the work-from-home period brought on by the pandemic. Recent information shows it was skewed due to channel shifting and point of sale pricing variances. You’ll be interested in the Nielsen analysis, as well as HR management guidance to reduce potential WFH abuse. Source: HR Daily Advisor, June 1, … [Read more...]
Storm clouds on the next pandemic horizon (video)
Scientists believe another pandemic will happen during our lifetime. A global team has developed a pattern-recognition system to identify diseases in wildlife with a high potential for zoonosis. . . . our behaviors on a global scale are facilitating the movement of a pathogen from an animal population into humans” Source: BBC, June 6, 2020. Link. The surveillance system scans … [Read more...]
Intranasal vaccination for dairy, beef calves
One way to reduce the effects of maternal antibody interference is to use intranasal vaccines, writes Jennifer Ryan. Colostrum received by young dairy calves can interfere with injectable vaccines. However, intranasal vaccines tend to work with colostrum. Beef calves are often worked first at branding, a stressful period where cortisol weakens blood cells. Intranasal works here … [Read more...]
March 2020 – Top post review (3 of 3)
March 2020 – the month when the coronavirus feces hit the fan. Animal health pros faced the challenges and worked hard to mitigate risks while learning what changes the next day would bring. Defining essential versus non-essential was necessary to facilitate prevention of coronavirus transfer. Work-from-home mandates literally ground some businesses to a halt, forcing high … [Read more...]
BudBox design improves stockmanship
Handling cattle can be stressful on the cattle and operators. Traditional methods of funneling and pushing add more stress. Whit Hibbard And Dawn Hnatow explain the differences between three crowd pen systems: wedges narrow options to one and rely on force tubs favor a mechanical over behavioral approach BudBoxes use a behavioral approach by obeying certain … [Read more...]
Pet separation anxiety likely after pandemic pause
The pandemic WFH pause has some silver linings. For pet-owning families, pets and people became much more attuned to each other’s behaviors and idiosyncrasies. Animal health pros have been proactive in assessing the potential for pet separation anxiety issues as family members return to work and summer activities leaving pets alone at home. Nicole Ellis, CPDT-KA, shares ways … [Read more...]
Raising Gallons video part of dairy month effort (video)
Dairy Management Inc. and state and regional checkoff teams around the country are showcasing dairy’s resilience and community impact during the Covid-19 pandemic in celebration of National Dairy Month. The efforts began on World Milk Day, June 1, with a Raising Gallons video < link > DMI created in partnership with state and regional checkoff organizations. The video … [Read more...]
Iowa DVMs offered free training on foreign animal diseases
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering a free, online, continuing education program for veterinarians licensed in Iowa titled IowaFADefense. The focus of IowaFADefense is to increase the state's ability to rapidly detect, respond to, and contain foreign animal diseases. The diseases covered in the program are: African swine fever, classical swine … [Read more...]
Never seen a screwworm? Here’s why.
Except for occasional reintroductions, primarily in imported dogs and horses, the screwworm has been eradicated in the U.S. Eradication started in the 1950s with the joint vision of ranchers working with USDA in a multidecade effort that included Mexico and Central America. This fascinating article sheds light on what it took to get rid of screwworms. As importantly, it focuses … [Read more...]
The 4 parasites horses hate
Sponsored Content from Bimeda U.S.A. Take a look at how modern deworming approaches are preventing the evolution of super parasites and the techniques to employ to keep horses healthy. This special edition covers: The four worst parasites for a horse What’s the future of parasite control? Know the most effective deworming techniques The most effective deworming … [Read more...]
Rabbits, RHDV and what you need to know
The most recent report indicates that RHDV has spread over 1,000 miles in the last six weeks with no end in sight. Since people, insects, birds, and other animals, including pets, can spread the virus to a healthy rabbit, there are many safety precautions rabbit guardians should take to help protect their rabbit, including vaccination. Even if a rabbit is indoors-only, they … [Read more...]
1 in 10 veterinarians surveyed considered suicide due to student loans
Travis Hornsby shares information garnered from a survey of his community of borrowers. The group is much more likely to have six figures of debt and have graduate degrees. We asked him to give us a bit of comparative perspective against other professions. Source: Student Loan Planner, May 19, 2020. Link. Veterinarians also have one of the highest student debt burdens of … [Read more...]