Videos of Cinderblock, an 8-year-old gray domestic shorthair, has captured the attention of social media users. A Facebook video of Cinderblock meowing while lazily using a treadmill has been seen more than 2.2 million times. The cat was relinquished by its owner to Britta Kiffney, DVM, at Northshore Veterinary Hospital in Bellingham, Washington < link > who posted the … [Read more...]
Enjoy a safe Halloween (video)
Halloween safety tips for children abound. However, adults who gather some spooky fun also need to take care. The folks at USA Today developed a video aimed at keeping adults safe during ghoulish festivities. Source: USA Today, October 2, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: Be careful when out and about! Careless, excited kids, parents and pets sometimes forget to stop, look and … [Read more...]
CWD, a lingering threat
Deer harvest season is underway across the country. Various methods of surveying deer health get implemented depending on state regulations and previous disease evidence. John Maday’s article updates our post, Group calls for national CWD strategy, July 30, 2019. Link. Source: Drovers, October 2019. Link. Science-based and enforced regulation of captive cervid facilities is … [Read more...]
Mastitis in the mist, parasites in the drizzle. Rethink garden hose use
Though dairy related, the details presented about aerosolization and droplet-mediated transmission of bacteria applies to all animal health environments. Consider how various cleaning methods might literally cause a germ tsunami in various these settings. In addition to mastitis-causing pathogens, there are many bacteria, viruses, and parasites found in manure. If aerosolized, … [Read more...]
PRRS season is here
Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) virus has a reputation for infecting swine herds more frequently during the fall, winter and spring, writes Adam Schelkopf, DVM. He discusses two primary benefits of using a modified-live virus PRRS vaccine: Growing pig performance Controlling viral spread in a neighborhood Source: PORK, October 21, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
A problem‐based approach to equine red eye
The Wiley Network < link > recently announced the publication of an online virtual issue of EVE that focuses on equine ophthalmology. It includes relevant ophthalmology articles that have been published in EVE over the past 10 years. It is key for the veterinary clinician to follow a logical approach to equine ophthalmic cases. Source: Equine Veterinary Education (EVE), … [Read more...]
African swine fever decimates 20 percent of Vietnam herd
Ted McKinney, USDA undersecretary, reported from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during an agricultural trade mission that the country’s swine herd death toll is estimated at 20 percent. Vietnam’s officials said the outbreak appears to be slowing. However, McKinney is unsure of outbreak containment. Learn what this means for the US. Source: The Pig Site, September 18, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
Dog snoring: why and what is normal
Dog snoring is something that can be funny or annoying. It is often perfectly normal, even in healthy dogs. It can also be a symptom of a range of health issues, especially if a dog makes snoring sounds when awake. Source: The Labrador Site, May 6, 2019. Link. When something disrupts the normal flow of air along the dog’s airway, snoring occurs. Here the author shares some … [Read more...]
5 ways to handle the 5 main causes of seizures in dogs
Marcelle Chastain offers some coaching for pet owners when should their dogs experience seizures: Stay calm and do not panic Make a space by moving furniture, etc. that might injure the dog Remove other pets from the area Do not try to force it to open its mouth Call a veterinarian Source: Inside Pet’s World, October 4, 2019. Link. Detecting the root cause … [Read more...]
Spayed, neutered dogs more likely to become overweight or obese
New research published in PLOS ONE < link > found that de-sexing large-breed dogs increases their risk of becoming obese and/or suffering from non-traumatic orthopedic injuries. Using data from the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, researchers found that spayed or neutered dogs were 50 to 100 percent more likely to become overweight or obese. The … [Read more...]
More vaccine options create more confusion
As we learn more about diseases, vaccine technology continues to evolve. Subunit vaccines, recombinant vectored vaccines and DNA vaccines are examples of new DIVA (differentiating infected from vaccinated animals) vaccines. JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM, shares an update on vaccinology from a presentation by Laurel Gershwin, DVM, PhD, DACVM. Gershwin covered the following topics: … [Read more...]
What to do when Fido gets high
Fido is finding the gummies and he likes them. So far this year, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has observed a 765 percent rise in calls about animals ingesting marijuana than for the same time last year. The Pet Poison Helpline reports a 448 percent increase in calls over the past six years. Veterinary and animal health professionals share what to do when dogs eat … [Read more...]
Still time to celebrate National Make a Dog’s Day
In its ongoing support of adoption efforts and general welfare, Subaru established National Make a Dog’s Day <link> that took place last Tuesday. However, the celebration goes through October 31. There’s still time to make a connection with a local dealership, make a contribution and make plans for next year’s National Make a Dog day. Source: Media Post, October 6, … [Read more...]
USP 800 deadline looms (videos)
USP <800> was created to help protect workers, patients and others in veterinary environments. It was published February 1, 2016 with an implementation date of December 2019. USP <800> involves facility changes, such as adding additional rooms to prepare hazardous drugs. It also involves a change in operations and how veterinary teams deal with drugs in their … [Read more...]
Cat snoring: normal or not?
Eric Barchas, DVM, offers simple guidelines for determining whether a cat’s snoring is a medical problem or not. The most basic and common health issue that leads to cat snoring is being overweight or obese. Source: Catster, September 27, 2019. Link. Cat snoring that becomes progressively louder or is linked to other symptoms such as sneezing, coughing or changes in appetite … [Read more...]
People want their employers to talk about mental health
Mental health conditions affect more than 200 million workdays each year, yet mental health remains a taboo subject. About 60 percent of employees have never spoken to anyone at work about their mental health status. Mental health is becoming the next frontier of diversity and inclusion, and employees want their companies to address it. Source: Harvard Business Review, … [Read more...]
Fall foliage, while pretty, can be toxic
This interactive map predicts the timing of color changes in leaves across the continental United States. Created to promote fall tourism reasons, the map is also a good tool for animal health pros to know when to warn animal owners about the potential for leaf toxicity. Fall leaves can be toxic to horses, livestock, small ungulates Source: smokymountains.com. Link. Experts … [Read more...]
Pinkeye in cattle poses challenges more than 100 years after arrival
Pinkeye was first identified in the U.S. in the 1890s. Face flies, sometimes thought to cause it, entered this country from Nova Scotia in 1952. “M. bovis tends to be just in the conjunctiva in the lubricating fluid. Unless there is trauma to the eye, the bacteria can’t bind to the cornea,” says Annette O’Connor, DVM. Some of the things suspected of causing trauma include … [Read more...]
Getting ready for snow
Snow across the northern plains signals the need to consider snow removal tools. If you already have a snowblower it is time to get it out and perform regular maintenance to keep it in top shape. Make sure couplings, hydraulics and lights are serviced and working on blades and snowplows. Do any blade repairs now before snow starts to accumulate. For those looking at getting … [Read more...]
Toxic algae a concern as hunters hit the fields (videos)
One area of pet safety concerns is the growing challenge of toxic blue-green algae. While not actually algae at all, they are types of bacteria called cyanobacteria. The bacteria are normally present in many lakes and stagnant waters. Not all states report where the cyanobacteria have been found, some do. The risk is that these bacteria form poisonous toxins, microcystins, … [Read more...]
Field research looks at what affects canine pulse rate during walks
Karen B. London, PhD, shares preliminary results from a recent field study < link > which explored the pulse rate of dogs on walks. Researchers found some interesting results related to leash length, sniffing and shaking-it-off behaviors. Longer leashes allowed more sniffing Sniffing and shaking-it-off both correlate with lowering pulse rates Source: The Bark, … [Read more...]
7 human foods that are good for dogs
In contrast to all the warnings about table scraps, Marcelle Chastain shares seven human foods that can be shared with dogs since they are high in nutrients and low in calories. She notes which fruits and vegetables require seed removal or cutting into chewable portions. Pears Watermelon Cucumbers Blueberries Celery Fresh peaches Carrots Source: Inside … [Read more...]
When the fur flies and how to stop cat fights
Cat fights are natural feline behavior. The key to stopping them lies in understanding why they are fighting in the first place. The author shares common causes for cat fights and how to address them: Hormones New cat smell Jealousy Territorial Proximity caging and positive behavior rewards Source: Catster, September 19, 2019. Link. Never reach in and try … [Read more...]
219 million people to dress pets for Halloween
The National Retail Federation annual survey results indicates there will a lot of four-legged pumpkins this Halloween with 172 million people planning to celebrate Halloween. Twenty-nine million of them plan to dress their pets in costumes. Animal health pros know Halloween is stressful for most pets before they get dressed up. We captured a selection of articles, tips and … [Read more...]
Baking soda and the horse barn
Baking soda? Yes, the common housecleaner has several uses in the horse barn, writes Christine Barakat: Scrub out water buckets and troughs Clean bits and metal stirrups Freshen horse’s laundry Deodorize drains Source: EQUUS, August 22, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: We anticipate baking soda is useful in kennels and catteries, as well. Share the tip with horse and … [Read more...]
Profitable cows start with a sound heifer development plan
How you develop heifers makes all the difference in what kind of cows they become, writes Burke Teichert. He shares his perspective on issues that drive good decision making in the development and selection of replacement heifers: We should not strive for maximum conception rate in yearling heifers Heifers do not need to reach 65% of expected mature cow weight to have … [Read more...]
What to know about keeping backyard chickens (podcast)
In this article and podcast, Maurice Pitesky, DVM, and host Andy Schneider, outline their top husbandry recommendations for managing, housing and feeding backyard birds. . . . many of the problems that arise in backyard flocks can be traced back to issues with husbandry. Good husbandry practices can minimize these stresses and let keepers get the most out of their … [Read more...]
Opinion – Contributing factors to indoor air quality
Confining animals to a barn, limited area or coop creates air-quality challenges for the animals and the people who care for them. The discussion of occupational exposures limits for humans versus animals is valid and applicable to most of these settings. This review summarizes the impact of air quality on swine production and discusses the main factors related to air … [Read more...]
Fungi directly linked to equine inflammatory airway disease (video)
A three-year study found a direct link between fungal particles in the lungs and inflammatory airway disease (IAD) in horses. Eliminating exposure to fungi is critical to IAD prevention. Source: Horse Network, October 2, 2019. Link. In the 700 horse study published by The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine < link > researchers found that: fungal elements are … [Read more...]
Skinny horse notes
David Ramsey, DVM, brings the skinny horse into perspective. Bottom line, a skinny horse is not getting enough to eat, he says. But there may be some factors that limit the horse’s ability to gain and maintain weight> Owners may simply not know how much to feed the horse. Ramsey says, how much an individual horse needs depends on: Metabolism Horse’s activities … [Read more...]