Complimentary Content Marijuana intoxication in dogs doesn’t make them high, it makes them incredibly ill. Keep all of those products up and out of the reach of our favorite pets.” – Elaine Blythe, Source: Veterinary Pharmacy Education, Instagram, April 10, 2023. Link. (2:00) Also available on Facebook. Link. Marijuana is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. There is no antidote … [Read more...]
Suicide attempt survivor writes “How Not to Kill Yourself”
Clancy Martin tried dying by suicide more than a dozen times. Using what he learned from those attempts, the philosophy professor with the University of Missouri-Kansas City wrote a new book, How Not to Kill Yourself, A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind. It can be helpful for anyone, but given the high rate of suicide in the veterinary profession, the book can be a lifesaver for … [Read more...]
A 2-minute burn out check up
Burnout is the result of chronic stress and, at work, that stress tends to accumulate around your experiences of workload, values, reward, control, fairness and community. Chris Bailey’s short assessment can help you gauge whether you’re on the path to burnout, and where you should focus your attention to make beneficial changes. Source: Harvard Business Review, April 9, … [Read more...]
Chewy and Petco are increasingly reliant on pet health care for sales
Commentary With our recent post, “Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong” <Link> still resonating, we stepped back to the comments on quarterly reports from pet retailers Chewy and Petco. Gabrielle Fonrouge summarized key points from the respective earnings reports commenting, “Pet health care will be key to whether the companies can grow and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 13, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 6th, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 30th AHD Bulletin – Hauser: Reverse the downward trend of pets missing vet care. Link. JVECC makes a case for quality improvement in vet med. Link. Finding the optimal pattern of a customer journey. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences … [Read more...]
Pig monitoring is feasible
Commentary Looking like production manufacturing from the Science Channel’s How it’s Made, swine production is rapidly moving forward with technology. Radio frequency, wireless sensors, remote monitoring, individual pig behavior data and more are advancing efficiencies exponentially. One can’t help thinking about how far swine production has come in the last century and what … [Read more...]
Uterine prolapses, a review
No prolapse is exactly like the next one and there’s likely not a worse thing that can happen to a cow. Most prolapses occur following birth and within 24 hours. Rhonda Brooks shares feedback from veterinarians about handling uterine prolapses, clients and being prepared when arriving at the farm. When I was in practice, we actually had a chart taped to the wall by every … [Read more...]
Remember the social aspect of working with mules and horses (video)
Arkansas mule trainer Bob Smith shares the approach he uses with mules like Red in this informative video. We often leave the social aspect behind when we’re working with mules and horses. Too often we ignore the social nature and focus on what we want them to do for us . . . ” – Bob Smith Source: Missouri Mule Makeover/Ozark Mule Days, Facebook, March 30, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
U.S. bans big cat ownership
A bill outlawing unlicensed people from owning, breeding and transporting big cats in the United States was signed last December. The Big Cat Public Safety Act, which identifies lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars and hybrids of these species, goes one step further, banning licensed exhibitors from allowing public petting of big cats and their cubs. Source: … [Read more...]
Dog paw infections: Causes, symptoms and treatments
JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM, reminds us that dog paw infections can be uncomfortable, but they are treatable and preventable. She reviews how and why paws get infected and ways to prevent dog paw infections through good care. Dog paw infections come from three types: bacterial, fungal and yeast.” Source: Great Pet Care, March 18, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for … [Read more...]
Prioritize canine influenza vaccines based on animals at risk during shortages
Scott Weese, DVM, shares ways to determine which dogs need the canine influenza vaccines most since our industry continues to see shortages in flu vaccine supplies. Dogs considered to have increased risk of severe disease include seniors, pregnant, immune compromised, brachycephalic and those with significant cardiac or respiratory disease. Canine influenza is one potential … [Read more...]
Dogs, lawn care and cancer
The pesticides and herbicides that make mass food production and smooth grass easier may negatively impact the ecosystem, but also the health of our pets. Lauren Trepanier, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVCP, shares findings from three ongoing studies that compare chemical exposures in dogs with and without cancer. Source: The Humane Society of the United States, March 31, 2023. … [Read more...]
Documentary highlights life and work of Temple Grandin
A documentary film about the world-renowned Dr. Temple Grandin recently completed shooting. The film, Open Door, features interviews with Grandin, her colleagues, industry professionals and those she has influenced throughout her career as a champion of human treatment of livestock, autism rights and inclusive neurodiversity. The production team includes eight current Colorado … [Read more...]
Managing compassion fatigue
The reality for most people working in the animal healthcare industry is that you will get compassion fatigue. The only question is do you manage it or allow it to control you? Source: AVMA. Link. . . . build a self-care plan that charts the path you think is best designed to help bring your life back into balance.” INSIGHT: Be compassionate with yourself first. Then your … [Read more...]
Is climate change accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans? (video)
Scientists researching the aftermath of California wildfires say they are finding evidence that climate change is accelerating the risk of disease spreading from animals to humans. Historical evidence linking the climate to zoonotic disease is growing . . .” Miles O’Brien Source: PBS, March 1, 2023. Link. (7:37) INSIGHTS: Forward-thinking scientists are working to advance … [Read more...]
Finding the optimal pattern of a customer journey
Commentary Customer journey analysis is not new, although customer experience management is relatively new. The identification, optimization and management of touch points that lead to action by a prospect or customer challenges brands, budgets and companies in today’s internet world. Even so, earning a customer and retaining them is a journey animal health pros discuss and … [Read more...]
Hauser: Reverse the downward trend of pets missing vet care
There are many factors that cause pets to miss vital regular health care. Veterinary practices cannot afford to ignore trends showing fewer patient visits. Wendy Hauser, DVM, identifies three primary drivers for why patients don’t get needed veterinary care as: Client economic limitations The owner’s inability to access care A lack of communication Too many pet … [Read more...]
JVECC makes a case for quality improvement in vet med
To prevent medical errors, we have to understand how they occur and invest in programs to prevent them. Acknowledging health care delivery is a complex process, so the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care is establishing a Quality Improvement and Patient Safety feature. The objective is to contribute to building a collective knowledge base in patient safety and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 6, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 30, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from March 30th AHD Bulletin – Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. Veterinarian helper wins digital ag hackathon Source: Cornell Chronicle, March … [Read more...]
LSU develops patent-pending wild pig bait
Commentary Feral hog control is an issue for ALL animal health pros. Wild pigs reproduce rapidly and cause damage to farms and suburban properties from the southern U.S. and into Canada <Link>. They also pose a growing threat to the environment, people and other animals. If an animal disease like African swine fever or hoof-and-mouth gets into these animals, it will be … [Read more...]
7 tips for more effective vaccination programs in calves
Rhonda Brooks shares seven tips from bovine veterinarians that can help plan an effective vaccination program in calves. She reminds us that there is no effective one-size-fits-all strategy. Consider this article for communications with cow-calf, dairy or beef operators. It sets core considerations for what a vaccination program can and can’t deliver. Source: Dairy Herd … [Read more...]
Stimulating more milk fat production
Increasing milkfat and protein components of milk can raise the value of milk for producers. Milkfat comes from two sources. Preformed fat comes from fat present in the diet or body reserves. Other fat results from synthesis in the udder, and this is called de novo or “new” fat. Mike Hutjens, PhD, shared ways feeding and management can affect de novo fatty acid synthesis in … [Read more...]
Getting familiar with hemorrhagic bowel syndrome
Hemorrhagic bowel syndrome, also known as sudden death disease, is an emerging, highly fatal intestinal disease of adult cows. The cow's immune system plays a role in whether a cow becomes an HBS cow. Cases are most common following stressful periods in a cow’s lactation cycle such as calving and early lactation, when cows are subject to several different stressors.” – Scott … [Read more...]
Essential safety rules to follow when around horses
Jack Benton shared the cowboy after OSHA inspection image in 2016 <Link>. While absurd, it makes a point. Injuries to riders and handlers often increase as the excitement to return to riding increases during spring. It is important to reinforce safety guidelines considering many horses were handled infrequently during the winter months. Jennifer Forsbery Meyers’ basic … [Read more...]
Review: Multiple reasons for equine deaths during foaling
Complications during foaling are a predominant cause of death and disease in foals and mares regardless of the difficulty of the birth. In a review of cases, researchers categorized deaths into five groups based on the primary organ system associated with the cause of death. Their results showed the most-common reasons for death were: fatal lesions in the gastrointestinal … [Read more...]
Why pets do (fill in the blank)?
Addressing pet owner inquiries, the authors share answers to dog and cat owners’ most commonly searched questions. Source: Happy Puppy Tips. Link. INSIGHTS: Share this and discuss with your team to see if they have a consistent answer for these common questions. … [Read more...]
Anal sacculitis and an ear ointment option
A retrospective review found that while obesity and poor stool quality have been implicated in development of anal sacculitis, definitive conclusions about the relationship between obesity and anal sacculitis could not be made. The data did show atopic dermatitis was the most common comorbidity. Infusing a steroid/antibiotic/antifungal otic solution following expressing and … [Read more...]
A proactive approach to feline stress
Contains Commercial Content Cat owner and Vet Advantage columnist Dawn Singleton-Olsen explains how helping veterinary teams educate cat owners about regular vet visits and some products that are helpful with the stresses of proactive feline care. Source: Veterinary Advantage, December 2022. Link. . . . attract more cat owners through client education and recommending … [Read more...]
Those dirty flies . . .
Warmer spring weather is also the start of fly season and no matter where you live, flies can be a problem. Our AHD archives offer many resources on fly control. Getting started now, can help keep fly populations from growing out of control. Source: Search results for fly control, AHD Archives. Link. … [Read more...]
Being positive all the time is impossible and toxic, how to deal with difficult emotions at work
Organizations that set the expectation that negative emotions are wrong and do not belong at work ultimately set themselves up for volatile toxic cultures. Although it’s no easy task, difficult emotions must not be ignored or avoided. By bringing emotions out into the open, there is an opportunity to work through them. Driving them underground allows them to do more damage to a … [Read more...]