Keys to success for pet stores, VMG’s new dashboard, where cannabis is working, poverty and pets, another celebrity brand, advertising in 2024 and more . . . Approximately 20 million pets in the U.S. experience poverty with their families and 70 percent have never seen a veterinarian.” – Harris Poll survey Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, May 13, 2024. Link. Recently updated IBPSA … [Read more...]
Start treating your words like Lego blocks
Words are like Legos. You can assemble them in a nearly infinite number of ways. Start thinking about words as building blocks of great conversations, writes Art Petty. Every workplace and career problem has a communication issue close to the core. We all have the same building blocks . . . some people are better builders.” Source: ArtPetty, May 1, 2024. Link. Each of us has … [Read more...]
AAHA hosting free mentorship workshop for veterinary professionals
Focusing on mentorship, this FREE workshop is open to all practices, including those not accredited by AAHA. Join industry experts James Desir, DVM, and Alyssa Mages, CVT, for this workshop designed to empower veterinarians, CrVTs, veterinary assistants, CSRs, practice managers and anyone committed to fostering a positive, inclusive and supportive culture within their … [Read more...]
Report shows dermatitis, gastroenteritis among top reasons for veterinary visits
Annual claims reports help bring awareness to pet owners about common pet conditions and the costs to treat them. Gastroenteritis, degenerative arthritis and dental disease rank high for cats and dogs alike, according to data shared by Nationwide’s Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS. Source: Veterinary Practice News, April 18, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 9, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 2, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the May 2nd AHD Bulletin – Why vet bills are so high. Link. 7 cleaning tips about washing pet toys. Link. AHD’s archives offer a quick way to see posts by month, see what you missed. Archives for April 2024. … [Read more...]
First of its kind veterinary of record program seeks to improve access to care
Shelters United is a group purchasing organization that allows animal welfare groups to purchase animal care supplies and products at discounted prices. Rescue organizations rely on a veterinarian of record to provide care for pets awaiting adoption and to purchase necessary prescription medications. Since no VOR model exists to help veterinarians and rescue organizations … [Read more...]
Asian longhorned tick now in 19 states
Asian longhorned ticks, described by USDA as “invasive pests that post a serious risk to livestock,” are now in 19 states. The CDC says that ALT have been found in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West … [Read more...]
Pork Powerhouses listings for 2023 released
The 36th largest U.S. pig producers reduced sows by 17,348 in 2023. It’s the first net loss Pork Powerhouses has reported since 2010 and shows the pain pork producers experienced last year. There was an average loss of $31.57 per head. However, productivity increased. Source: Successful Farming, May 6, 2024. Link. Producers credited improved genetics and continued investment … [Read more...]
Rebuild or sell off? Considerations for beef producers.
The question, “What do you think about (fill in the blank)?” dominates discussions at rural coffee shops, during neighborly stops on gravel roads and during on-farm veterinary visits. Scott Brown is no stranger to these environments and shares thoughts about strategic choices beef producers are facing during high value beef markets. Source: Missouri Ruralist, May 6, 2024. … [Read more...]
Differentiating mastitis from teat sealant residue at freshening
Sharing information from Boehringer-Ingelheim, Audrey Schmitz’s article addresses some challenges at dry-off with high-producing cows. Teat sealants are frequently used to close teats in top milk producers as they are less likely to form a natural keratin plug. She shares the importance of keeping milking employees trained on identifying milk versus teat sealants, as well as … [Read more...]
Managing dry-off with high-producing cows
Abruptly ceasing milking is a widely adopted practice for low-producing cows but may not be the best method for drying off high-producing cows. Heather Dann shares approaches for reducing milk yield before dry-off to manage involution and keeping cows healthy. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, May 6, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider sharing this article with dairy producers to help … [Read more...]
Advances in equine disease detection
Commentary Horse enthusiasts and owners will value Chelsie J. Huseman’s, MS, PhD, article on equine diagnostics. Embedded links for each disease make this a layperson’s guide to equine diseases and testing. If you work with horse owners, the article will likely influence discussions or come up in conversation about a problem horse. We recommend veterinary teams review it … [Read more...]
July 12 is deadline for Farm Dog of the Year nominations
Nominations for the 2025 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year are open. Farmers and ranchers who are Farm Bureau members can nominate their dogs by reviewing eligibility guidelines and submission requirements here. Link Once there, click on the black “submit” button to be taken to the final instructions. You can see last year’s winner here. Link. Source: Farm Bureau, May 1, … [Read more...]
Comparison of analgesic efficacy of tramadol, morphine and methadone in cats
Domesticated cats usually do not receive adequate perioperative analgesia, due to the difficulty in recognizing pain in this species, as their pain-associated behavior can be confused with fear or stress. A research study sought to evaluate the intra- and postoperative analgesic efficacy of the opioids methadone, morphine and tramadol in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. … [Read more...]
Top 5 uses for gabapentin in dogs and cats (podcast)
A survey of clinicians found that gabapentin use in veterinary medicine is similar to use in human medicine; 69 percent of respondents indicated they prescribe gabapentin on a daily or weekly basis, most commonly for acute and chronic pain (extra-label). Rebecca Reader, DVM, DACVAA, reviews her top five recommended uses for gabapentin based on mechanism of action and physiology … [Read more...]
Cute aggression. Why we want to squish adorable things. (video)
If you get overcome by the cuteness, you might not be able to properly take care of it, so the brain needs to bring us back a bit. This is apparently where cute aggression comes in, according to evolutionary theorists. Source: Nice News, March 4, 2024. Link. . . . for people who tend to experience the feeling of ‘not being able to take how cute something is,’ cute … [Read more...]
Understanding telemedicine and teletriage
Jennifer Bailey, DVM, shares the differences between telemedicine and teletriage in her article for dog owners. The difference between the two and her explanation of VCPR is good information to share with pet owners on social media or in newsletters. Source: Whole Dog Journal, April 29, 2024. Link. Telemedicine and teletriage can play an important role in your dog’s … [Read more...]
Nature can’t run without parasites. What happens when they start to disappear? (video)
Commentary Millions of dollars are spent annually to get rid of parasites. This article challenges much of the traditional thinking about parasites as bad things. In some ways, it reminds me of the microbiome discoveries and advancements of the last 50 years that continue to change how we think about the role of intestinal bacteria. Parasite ecologist Chelsea Wood … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 2, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 25, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the April 25th AHD Bulletin – 9 Gen Z work trends, not new but hit differently now. Link. Employee engagement in the U.S. hits 11-year low. Link. Cull cows, beef value now important for dairy profits. Link. ===================================== The … [Read more...]
Virox celebrates 25 years
Congratulations to the teams at Virox Technologies, Inc. on their 25-year milestone! An incredible team doing remarkable things in a rivalry of legacy established companies and chemistries, Virox continues to change the rules of the game!” - Randy Pilon MBA. ICD.D CEO & Founder at ViroxTechnolgies Inc. Source: Virox Technologies, Inc., YouTube, February 27, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
FDA finalizes guidance to provide further clarity on VFD
To assist stakeholders involved with veterinary feed directives – veterinarians, VFD feed distributors (medicated feed mills, feed retailers) and clients (owners or other caretakers of the animals) the FDA has finalized Guidance for Industry (GFI) #120: Veterinary Feed Directive Regulation Questions and Answers. While the core recommendations in final GFI #120 remain the same … [Read more...]
Phibro Animal Health to acquire Zoetis medicated feed additive portfolio
Zoetis Inc. and Phibro Animal Health Corporation announced they have entered into a definitive agreement where Phibro Animal Health will acquire Zoetis’ medicated feed additive product portfolio, certain water-soluble products and related assets. Source: Feedstuffs, April 29, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Growing concerns about fescue toxicosis in the dairy industry
Producers who use fescue in grazing pastures have growing concerns about the impact of fescue toxicosis on milk production, writes Carmen Burner. Tall fescue, a perennial grass, is found in 15 states. It is grown for benefits such as drought tolerance and resistance to various insects, viruses and fungal diseases. A fungal endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum found in about … [Read more...]
7 common threads of top-producing dairies
Dairy production is competitive although competition is strongest when dairies work to increase their own production metrics. Karen Luchterhand, PhD, shared common actions from dairies that are getting the most from their cows including milking three times per day, prioritizing heat stress abatement and stall management. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 26, 2024. … [Read more...]
We can’t ignore the real costs of PRRS any longer
The U.S. <still> has a lot of work to do concerning PRRS. “PRRS is not new, and it is not going to go away on its own,” according to Cara Haden, DVM. And the U.S. is not making progress at the rate of other countries. Jennifer Shike shares key takeaways Haden offered during the Ohio Pork Congress. There is a very real cost of PRRS when it comes to pigs, people and public … [Read more...]
Cost versus value 1 of 4 nutrition challenges with pet owners
Chyrle Bonk, DVM, PhD, identified pet owner awareness, time constraints, information overload and, especially, pet obesity among the nutrition challenges facing the veterinary and pet food industry. These likely play out in everyday conversations in veterinary hospitals and retailers alike. Source: PETFOOD Industry, April 25, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
World Pork Expo registration is now open
The National Pork Producers Council is set to welcome the global swine community at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines on June 5th and 6th. They are packing a lot of activities into the two-day event; food, fun, show pig contests, education and the latest advances showcased in the trade show. Source: NPPC. Link. Register here <Link>. … [Read more...]
9 strategies to grow your loyal customer base
Commentary Considering how easy it is to quit doing the basics, Syed Balkhi’s nine ways to focus on your existing customers and explore ways to generate more revenue from them may be worth reviewing. After all, few of us ever dislike hearing ”dijuwanfrieswitdat?” at the drive-through window. Pursuing new prospects is great and all, but you shouldn’t disregard the … [Read more...]
Why vet bills are so high
Opinion article by Helaine Olen The circulation of The Atlantic is broad enough that Helaine Olens’ opinion piece will reach some clients of veterinary hospitals. She provides a well-informed opinion piece indicting Big Vet while recognizing pet owners’ inclinations to do whatever it takes to extend their pet’s lives. The emergence of Big Vet and the injection of cutthroat … [Read more...]
New program to open access to veterinary care to underserved animals nationwide
The Veterinary Innovation Council has announced the launch of new resources to address the nationwide problem of access to veterinary care and new comprehensive services to help veterinarians reach underserved patients. Through its Access to Care Resource Hub, veterinary professionals will find the tools, knowledge and resources they need to offer greater access to veterinary … [Read more...]