A recent study found flea and tick preventive compliance was as low as 16 percent. Flea infestations can cause much more than itching. Flea bite dermatitis or flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common dermatologic condition in dogs and cats. Plus, fleas are intermediate hosts for other diseases or parasites. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, May 2017. All veterinary … [Read more...]
Proper wound drain placement important (photos included)
Eric R. Pope, DVM, MS, DACVS, with Ross University, discusses the dos and don'ts of wound drainage. The photos that accompany his piece are informative. Source: Clinician’s Brief, February 2017. Drains are sometimes necessary for managing fluid accumulations or prophylactically when postoperative fluid accumulation is likely due to dead space or wounds in high-motion areas. … [Read more...]
Help pets get through thunderstorm phobia
Thunderstorm phobia is a panic disorder commonly seen in adult dogs which is generally triggered by a storm. The panic lasts the duration of the storm and often continues from 30 minutes to days. Dogs often anticipate the storm before it hits. Source: Firstline, May/June 2017, page 32. Dr. E’Lise Christensen, DACVB, offers at-home behavior modification strategies … [Read more...]
Fungal disease threatens wild and captive snakes
More than a dozen species of captive and wild snakes in at least 15 states have been affected by what’s being called snake fungal disease (SFD). Researchers are exploring the disease, including its epidemiology, how it grows, how it is transmitted, how to treat it and even which disinfectants work or don't work against the primary fungus associated with it, Ophidiomyces … [Read more...]
Texas A&M researchers model illness onset in cattle
Respiratory disease causes 60 to 90 percent of the morbidity or sickness in feedlot cattle, Dr. Bill Pinchak says. Diagnosis is a challenge and primarily relies on visual appraisal to determine illness. This can vary by degrees of individual experience in diagnosing. “Typically, the accuracy is about 60 percent. So there are a lot of animals that are not diagnosed and end up … [Read more...]
Consumer misconceptions affect animal welfare
Recent Packaged Facts survey data reveals that 58 percent of consumers are more concerned about food animal welfare now than they were in previous years. Lack of understanding, combined with a desire to provide humane treatment for food animals, have led to shifts in consumer demand for meat, poultry, egg and other related products. The common assumption is organic standards … [Read more...]
Sunscreen is necessary
The Food and Drug Administration regulates the efficacy sunscreens can claim and standards have become increasingly strict over the years. Use a shot-glass-sized amount of sunscreen to protect your body and a nickel-sized amount for your face and neck for every two hours spent in the sun, writes Kerry Hanson. Source: The Conversation, May 25, 2017. We can still enjoy being … [Read more...]
Don’t hug your chickens
America’s love affair with backyard chickens is making a few of us sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says eight salmonella outbreaks linked to petting pet poultry have occurred in the U.S. this year. They’ve sickened more than 370 people in 47 states, 71 of whom had to be hospitalized. No one has died this year – yet. Last year, three people died … [Read more...]
Editorial: Crowding nursery pigs negatively impacts performance
There has been a large amount of research studying the effects of space allowances on grow-finish pigs. However, little information is available about the effects on nursery pigs. Production management systems, facility constraints and establishing optimal space allowance requirements for pigs requires economic, health and welfare considerations. Sometimes, articles titled … [Read more...]
How to grip a bird (pictorial guide)
Dr. Tom Tully offers an image gallery with explanations for handling various avian species. If your team struggles with handling birds, review this information at a team meeting to sharpen your teams’ approach to servicing avian patients. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, March 2017. Avian patients come in many shapes, sizes, and species. Veterinary team members can safely … [Read more...]
Quiz: managing canine dental disease
Consider taking this quiz as an individual exercise and then discussing the results at a staff meeting. Whether a veterinary team member, retail associate or sales representative, proactively managing dental disease is important for our own pets as well as our customers’ pets. “Unfortunately, only about 1 percent of pet owners brush their pets teeth,” explained Academy of … [Read more...]
3 essential summer tips for cats
Karen Nichols says hydrate, furminate and educate are three important tips to keep cats comfortable, healthy and safe as summer begins. This content will help cat owners if presented on social media posts, blogs, websites and newsletters. Note the discussion of hydration and senior cats. Source: Catster, May 26, 2017. Heatstroke is life-threatening, and knowing proper first … [Read more...]
Poultry farm biosecurity improving since the 2015 HPAI outbreak
More than 42 million commercial poultry, mostly layers, died in the 2015 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the U.S. The catastrophe pointed to biosecurity gaps that needed remediation to reduce the risk of future outbreaks. Iowa State University’s Yuko Sato, DVM, MS, DACPV, surveyed the industry to see if behaviors and processes have changed. The results … [Read more...]
Any smartphone or laptop can catch fire
BE WARNED! Lithium ion batteries are statistically quite safe, and fires are rare — but they store a large amount of energy in a very small space, so the danger is real. How you use and recharge devices that contain lithium ion batteries could have a significant impact on fire risks. Source: Bottomline Personal, May 1, 2017. Advice from the National Fire Protection … [Read more...]
Predictive model could reveal risk for Lyme disease in dogs, humans
The range of ticks carrying Lyme continues to expand, making it important to be able to forecast patterns of risk to exposure in order to target those areas for vaccines, preventives measure and educational campaigns. Researchers with the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) published an open access article in May in PLOS One that describes the methods taken to create the … [Read more...]
Fitness dos and don’ts for senior dogs
C. J. Puotinen shares a comprehensive list of dos and don’ts when helping an aging dog resume a more active lifestyle. He reminds us that reasonable diet and exercise management balanced with time and effort is worth learning for the dog and owner. Source: Whole Dog Journal, December 2016. Exercise is essential for dogs of all ages. It helps maintain muscle tone, a healthy … [Read more...]
Feline hyperthyroidism reaching epidemic levels
When Dr. Mark Peterson started veterinary school in 1972, feline hyperthyroidism didn’t seem to exist. He treats nothing else today. This article traces the beginnings of research into the condition, to the treatment and to the links it may have to our own health. Source: New York Times Magazine, May 16, 2017 (paywall). A steady drumbeat of research links the strange feline … [Read more...]
Digital boundaries benefit everyone
Technological advances have improved our access to information, speed to market, competitive intelligence, and enhanced our successes. On the darker side, technology has blurred the lines between our work lives and our personal lives. This often causes us to be busier, but less productive. So, setting digital boundaries can help everyone. Source: Forbes, May 15, 2017. While … [Read more...]
Dental products you can recommend with a smile
Veterinary dentist Dr. Jan Bellows compiled this list of food, treats and more that are proven effective at maintaining the health of pets' teeth. She says that only 32 dog and 12 cat products have been approved by the VOHC. Click through to see what this means to you. Two of the 10 products showcased are manufactured by AHD Sponsor, Addison Biological Laboratory. Source: … [Read more...]
Foxtail: high risks for dogs
Nancy Kerns expresses the dangers of this prevalent grass to our canine friends. She writes, every single strand is lined with gnarly microscopic barbs that catch on anything they touch, from fur to collars, clothing to bare skin. When the barbs come in contact with anything, they propel the strand forward, pushing the sharp-tipped seed at the end forward. As the plants dry out … [Read more...]
Healthy weeds for horses
Not all weeds are bad, according to Casie Bazay. To horses or other herbivores, they’re all simply plants. While it’s true that some plants are toxic and should be kept out of our pastures, others that may be considered weeds, can be beneficial for horses to consume. Articles like this make good content for blogs, newsletters, websites and information packets for horse … [Read more...]
Join the veterinary well-being community
Knowing the mental health stressors within the veterinary profession, the AVMA has gathered and created resources to help measure compassion satisfaction, compassion stress and compassion fatigue, and identify areas where to focus on self-care. In addition to personal wellness tools, it also offers a self-assessment tool and training to identify and help at-risk … [Read more...]
Plague still poses risks
The widespread impact of the “black death” is not likely to be repeated in our time. However, plague still poses substantial risk to exposed humans, including pet owners and veterinarians. Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, is maintained in various wildlife populations, particularly wild rodents, and is spread through close contact and fleas. Spillover infections of domestic … [Read more...]
Strangles requires strict health protocols
Strangles, caused by the Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), is a highly contagious upper respiratory infection in horses. Control of outbreaks requires strict isolation protocols and hygiene measures. Source: Equine Veterinary Education, March 2017, (abstract access only). Also see: Lessons learned from a strangles outbreak on a large … [Read more...]
Looks like parvo, acts like parvo, tests negative: Cryptosporidium parvum
Brandon Sinn, DVM, shares information on a troublesome protozoan named for its parvo-like symptoms, Cryptosporidium parvum. He indicates Cryptosporidia burrows into the base of the intestinal villi and eventually moves them off similar to parvo. The result is profuse, bloody diarrhea. Professionals have observed a recent increase in protozoa infections in kennel operations … [Read more...]
Enterococcus sp.: 450 million years to become a super bug
It’s a tale of evolution. Scientists estimate that Enterococcus originated about 425 million to 500 million years ago, around the time when animals first moved from the ocean to land. The dangerous bacteria might have originated from an ancestor that lived in the guts of the first animals to walk on land, according to a new study. Source: Live Science, May 11, 2017. The … [Read more...]
Mizzou maps feline genomes, identifies source of illnesses
The research, named the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Initiative, aims to sequence the entire genome of 99 cats. Getting halfway there has already given the University of Missouri research team insights into genetic mutations that lead to serious health conditions. Source: Kansas City Star, May 10, 2017. One study found a genetic mutation responsible for progressive … [Read more...]
First screw flies, now cattle fever ticks
The Texas Department of Agriculture has allocated an additional $3.7 million in funds to the existing $8.5 million allocated for 2017 to combat the spread of the cattle tick fever in South Texas. The ticks spread intraerythrocytic protozoan parasites that cause Babesiosis. Source: The Monitor, May 9, 2014. Cattle fever ticks are known scientifically as Rhipicephalus … [Read more...]
Current bird flu strain increases pandemic risks
With bird flu surging, people in the U.S. need to do more to prevent a possible pandemic. The U.S. Government Accountability Office says efforts to protect chickens and turkeys from bird flu rely on voluntary and often inadequate measures by poultry producers. Controlling the virus in poultry is the main way to reduce human infection and prevent a pandemic, the GAO … [Read more...]
Buttercups; beautiful, prolific and toxic
Buttercups are toxic to horses and other animals. Overgrazing is the root of the buttercup problem on many farms. Before the grass gets grazed down to the ground, move horses to a different field or use temporary fencing such as electric tape to section off rotating parts of the pasture to let the grass recover. Source: Horse Channel, May 5, 2017. Horses generally have no … [Read more...]