Complimentary Sponsored Content John Currin, DVM, and Jody Wade, DVM team up in this article to provide insight on best practices for vaccine administration. The practices they outline are good reminders as spring calves are born: Store, mix and handle vaccines according to label directions Choose an appropriate needle size Administer products according to labeled … [Read more...]
Biting, sucking lice thrive in winter
Lice thrive in winter. Their survival and transmission is further enhanced by factors such as long haircoats and huddling behavior, writes Meredyth Jones DVM, MS, DACVIM. She writes about winter conditions, infestation, reduced weight gain, products and treatments. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, February 19, 2021. Link. Lice spread via direct contact between animals but are … [Read more...]
The way we breed dairy cows is setting them up for extinction
Ninety-nine percent of dairy bulls can be traced back to one of two bulls, both born in the 1960s. This means among all the male Holsteins in the country, there are just two Y chromosomes. The females are not much more genetically diverse, shares Chad Dechow, PhD, who cited the inherent risks of long-term genetic homogeneity. Source: The Bullvine, February 8, 2021. … [Read more...]
Is that horse fit or fat?
Pat Raia shares the tools and techniques needed to assess equine body condition. Assessing a horse’s body condition requires patience and lots of practice. Raia presents the Henneke body condition scale developed in the 1960s. It is designed to evaluate a horse’s overall body condition, though it does not assess equine weight. Source: EquiShopper, May 6, 2020. Link. Since … [Read more...]
All cats need exercise, some get lonely
Two articles share information on cat health from ongoing wellness research on domesticated felines. Source: Catster, February 17, 2021. Link. Keeping cats indoors is safer than letting them roam. So, it’s up to cat owners to make their home as stimulating as possible for their cat and to encourage it to exercise. Source: Catster, February 16, 2021. Link. Outside of … [Read more...]
Hunting for food helps increase activity for cats
A simple way to increase the amount of activity in a cat’s day is to stop feeding it in a bowl and allow it to hunt for their meals, writes Sassafras Lowrey. This turns mealtime into an interactive game adding enrichment to the cat’s day. She shares some methods for implementing this approach. Source: Catster, February 19, 2021. Link. Lowrey says to monitor each cat as they … [Read more...]
4 ways to exercise your dog’s mind
Dogs require mental stimulation to thrive just like humans do, writes Gerry Ellen. She shares four things to exercise a dog’s mind: Give at least six feet of free-range walking room Practice tricks on the go Let the dog engage with other dogs Go on adventures Source: Animal Wellness, March 16, 2020. Link. Every dog deserves a chance to use his instinct and … [Read more...]
CDC offers advice on how to stay healthy around pets
Maureen Anderson DVM, DVSc, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM), shares CDC information about multiple topics that can be readily shared with pet owners and prospective pet owners. It can be linked to websites and shared on social media. This material supports safe and responsible pet ownership. Source: Worms and Germs Blog, February 19, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: We agree with Anderson. … [Read more...]
Rawhide chews aren’t good for pets
Rawhide chews dominate treat shelves and endcaps in retail stores and pet sections. Katie Woodley, BVSc, cVMA, GDVCHM, explains how they are made and why they are not a good choice for pets. Rawhide is one of the most common choking hazards and provides no benefit for a dog’s teeth.” – Katie Woodley, BVSc, cVMA, GDVCHM Source: Dr. Katie Woodley - The Natural Pet Doctor, … [Read more...]
A clinical approach to alopecia in cats
Dermatologic issues of pets are commonly among the top 10 reasons owners visit their veterinary hospitals. The visible fur loss that shocks clients requires veterinary teams to use their detective skills. The single-most important diagnostic tool for any skin disease (including alopecia) is a thorough history, writes Cherie Pucheu-Haston DVM, PhD, DACVD. Pucheu-Haston’s … [Read more...]
Veterinary resource library supports pet health insurance discussions
Complimentary Content – Part 4 of February 2021 series Data featured in this month’s posts about research conducted by Dr. Wendy Hauser’s team are compelling and indicate potential benefits for insured pets, pet owners, veterinary team members and practices. <Link>. The results also indicate the need for a strategic approach to comfortably include pet health insurance … [Read more...]
VVCA inaugural Lunch and Learn deemed a success
VVCA Board member, Aaron Smiley, DVM, was the featured speaker during the inaugural Lunch and Learn series for VVCA Community members. Smiley brought his well-known enthusiasm to the group as he shared step-by-step use of telemedicine, client interactions and veterinary nurse involvement in two cases from his practice in Indiana. He also demonstrated how he monetizes virtual … [Read more...]
AAFP releases new feline hypertension educational toolkit
The new Hypertension Educational Toolkit will help veterinary professionals diagnose systemic arterial hypertension (hypertension) in cats, according to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). Assessing blood pressure in the feline species is an important part of feline preventive care, yet it is uncommon for practices to routinely perform this test. This … [Read more...]
Slow down, write better emails
We’re sharing from this article verbatim. It is concise, actionable and central to our personal lives. Erica Dhawan says reading carefully is the new listening and writing clearly is the new empathy. So many of our exchanges today happen in written (or typed) form such as email, text and IM. This means that listening in its traditional sense has been replaced by reading text … [Read more...]
Mini-podcast series on Covid-19 features Scott Weese, DVM
Scott Weese, DVM, is featured in a series of mini-podcasts on Covid-19 precautions in veterinary clinics produced by companion animal Ontario Animal Health Network. Each mini-podcast features a quick 3- to 5-minute “lighting round” on common questions and topics. Source: Worms and Germs Blog, February 22, 2021. Link. The mini-podcasts provide bite-sized bits for busy … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 18, 2021
Dogs love the sound of your voice, especially when you say certain words. Source: Daily Paws, January 15, 2021. Link. From the study, dogs liked these words best: Walkies, dinner/food/eat, treat, get it, fetch. 7 pet-friendly home design tips Source: Animal Wellness, January 21, 2021. Link. The author shares seven pet-friendly home design tips from … [Read more...]
Knowing why a cow is culled is important
Think about it! Was the cow culled voluntarily or non-voluntarily? While both affect cull rate calculations, voluntary is a proactive decision; non-voluntary is a reactive decision. There are opportunities for herd management improvements that increase potential revenue and profits In the nuances. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 30, 2021. Link. Evaluating the … [Read more...]
Racing colostrum’s ticking clock
Calving season is here. Colostrum must be a top priority. We learn more each year about this important and beneficial compound. The ability to absorb antibodies steadily declines over the first few hours of life. The old rule of thumb is that calves must ingest colostrum within the first 24 hours of life, but actually, the percent of antibodies absorbed decreases dramatically … [Read more...]
Keeping the horse’s hindgut happy
Although researchers, veterinarians and nutritionists know how critical hindgut function is to overall horse health, they know less about this part of the digestive system than others, writes Katie Navarra in an excerpt from the full article. The stomach is only 10% of the GI tract, but there’s such a focus there. The hindgut is about 25 gallons in a 1,000-pound horse . . . … [Read more...]
The cat’s microbiome
Researchers are learning more about the feline microbiome, says Ingrid King, former veterinary hospital manager, certified veterinary journalist and author. She shares a few tips to help keep it healthy. A cat’s gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of organisms that can be affected by many factors says King. One of the biggest threats comes from antibiotics which … [Read more...]
Recognizing the dangerous signs of hypothermia in dogs
The polar vortex is crippling much of the U.S. In this timely article, Deb M. Eldredge, DVM, shares information about hypothermia pet owners can use now. While we tend to think of hypothermia in cold weather, it can happen in warm weather, too she says. Individual body temperatures below 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit can be life threatening. Source: Daily Paws, November 25, 2020. … [Read more...]
5 tips for helping pets deal with their grief
Rescue. . .Rehome. . .Adopt. . . Foster. . .Relinquish These verbs are all part of the animal health narrative in 2021. Most are associated with people improving the potential for life quality for pets. And, pets grieve. From the pets’ perspective, Jennifer Coates, DVM, reminds us that grief and loss are often associated with these words and we can help if we recognize the … [Read more...]
Lyme disease is getting skinked
Black-legged ticks in the southeast U.S. prefer to feed on lizards, particularly skinks. Skinks don’t transmit Lyme as easily as the white-footed mice in the northeast U.S. Jean Tsao, a disease ecologist, and her team found a clear divide in ticks’ preferred hosts and behavior south of Virginia, matching the pattern of both tick infections and Lyme disease. Source: Science, … [Read more...]
Lepto IS a thing! Dr. Jen the Vet
Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM, discusses Leptospirosis sp. including history, zoonoses, clinical signs, environmental concerns and modern approaches to prevention. Every dog, EVERY dog is at risk for lepto. Every dog ought to be vaccinated for lepto.” - Dr. Jen the Vet Source: Is this a Thing? Dr. Jen the Vet, February 10, 2021. Abbreviated version. … [Read more...]
Moving your practice services online important, especially now
Sponsored Content Many small- and medium-sized veterinary practices are still reeling from the impact of the lockdowns during this coronavirus pandemic. Getting practice services online often sounds like a daunting task for practice owners, says Clint Latham, JD. However, it is now more important than ever to have an online presence, where you can reach out to your clients … [Read more...]
Overcoming barriers in cost-of-care conversations
Complimentary Sponsored Content – Part 3 of a February 2021 series In the first two posts <post-1> <post-2>, study results reported by Wendy Hauser, DVM, and team indicate clients and veterinary team members feel better when proactive education about pet health insurance occurs and demonstrated a strong correlation between insured pets and the care these pets … [Read more...]
Huddle up each morning
Two examples highlight the benefit of check-in meetings. First, a recent Nat Geo episode of The Wild Life of Dr. Ole <Link>, featured Ole Alcumbrac, DVM, hosting a stand-up meeting discussing the day, staff substitution while he would be out and follow-up required on a couple of cases. It ended with a request for questions or concerns. This is a real-world example … [Read more...]
Realizing the full potential of veterinary nurses
Kate Boatright, VMD, presents ways today’s veterinary nurses can boost practice efficiencies and improve client experiences. Veterinary nurses are patient care specialists. Their skills should be engaged in every aspect of patient care. . . . veterinary nurses are one of the most underutilized and, often, underappreciated resources. Don't let their skills atrophy!” Source: … [Read more...]
The 5 things customers want
Randy MacLean works in distribution. His perspective on five things customers want and how to deliver them is applicable anywhere in the animal health supply chain. He believes customers are affected and influenced almost exclusively by: Availability On-time delivery No product failures Smooth (and short) interactions Acceptable price Source: Modern … [Read more...]
Why pigs don’t wear masks
Opinion Relating the challenges of pandemic mask wearing may be a reach, but swine veterinarians and producers have been fighting Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) since the late 1980s. Most animal health pros realize the importance of pathogen reduction. Air filtering has become a primary method of reducing risks in swine units where herd density … [Read more...]