Sponsored Content Considering foaling season is ending soon and the positive responses to the recent equine toxins infographic <Link>, we’re sharing more equine resources from the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance digital library. Any equine enthusiast will agree that horses enrich their lives, but they also come with some predictable health risks and associated … [Read more...]
Inflation is hurting dairy farmers
Opinion Costs are rising throughout the dairy business. Producers are seeing higher prices for diesel, fertilizer and feed. A gallon of milk costs as much as 30 cents more than it did in January 2022. Reducing expenses is a natural reaction to higher costs but in the case of animal health products, now is not the time to avoid health sustaining strategies.” – Kirk … [Read more...]
How cattle vaccination and nutrition connect
Complimentary Sponsored Content Shelby Roberts, PhD, discusses the symbiotic relationship of sound nutrition and proper vaccination which helps to maintain healthy immune functions in cattle. Vaccinations and nutrition have a symbiotic relationship in terms of maintaining healthy immune functions in cattle.” - Shelby Roberts, PhD Source: Alltech, March 8, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
The strongest predictor for success. Grit?
Opinion As new graduating classes of DVMs and veterinary nurses arrive in the market next month, identifying those candidates with grit and the growth mindset may be beneficial when evaluating new hires. An AHD subscriber recently shared a TED talk featuring Angela L. Duckworth, PhD, MA, MSc, in the context of the great resignation. Duckworth focuses on what it takes to … [Read more...]
Planned obsolescence in technology
Opinion Technology is responsible for driving more of the U.S. economy than any other profession than healthcare <Link>. The article revealing iPhone obsolescence prompted some juxtaposed thoughts about how often healthcare sustains dependence on fax machines in many situations. “All things must come to an end,” writes Cecily Mauran. Really? What’s the point for … [Read more...]
Allergy infographic provides step-by-step visual guide
Complimentary Sponsored Content To keep allergy-prone horses comfortable requires figuring out the causes of his reactions and working to avoid them. The infographic shared here is a step-by-step visual guide suitable for sharing in person, on social media and newsletters. Allergy avoidance is most likely less expensive than treating the allergy. In either case, cause … [Read more...]
Healthy pastures are the foundation for health herds
Complimentary Sponsored Content Providing abundant, quality grazing influences productivity in ways both obvious and subtle. Sound pasture management is as important as a good vaccine protocol or feed and mineral program. Yet it is often overlooked.” - Jeff Clark, Corteva Source: The Bullvine, March 2, 2022. Link. Nutrition to support body condition can come from a bale or … [Read more...]
Top 5 equine toxins (infographic)
Sponsored Content The danger of poisons and toxins isn’t unique to small animals. Poison education is important to horse owners, as well. Spring toxin incidents are often caused by insecticides and lawn and garden products. Now is a good time to remind horse owners of those risks. ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance provides the top 5 equine toxins in an infographic suitable to … [Read more...]
Parasite control for mares and foals
Complimentary Sponsored Content Merck Animal Health’s Wendy Vaala, VMD, DACVIM, shares the importance of life-stage parasite control protocols for horses as well as two key takeaways: Avoid any unnecessary drug administration, including dewormers, during the first 60 days of pregnancy Although any worm can affect a foal, the most significant parasites are ascarids … [Read more...]
Chatfield’s chat about blood transfusions in dogs, cats
Complimentary Sponsored Content The Chatfields welcome Richard Stone DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), to the chat room. The Chatfields and Stone discuss blood transfusions, client reactions, risks and where the blood comes from. Stone and Dr. Jason were classmates at Texas A&M University. Source: Chats with the Chatfields, You Tube, February 27, 2022. Link. 56 … [Read more...]
Prepare clients to be financially prepared from the start
Getting a pet has financial consequences that often surprise pet owners. Boo Larsen shares data from the recent Synchrony Lifetime of Care study along with three ways to help prepare clients for the cost of care: Prepare new pet owners for costs they may not anticipate. Recognize that an invoice of $250 or less may cause anxiety. Be upfront and open about the … [Read more...]
It’s National Pet Poison Prevention Week
In 2021, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center saw a 22 percent increase in call volume. It’s team analyzed more than 400,000 cases they received. They’re now sharing the top 10 toxin groupings. It is also organized in an informative infographic suitable for social media, newsletters, bulletin boards and exam room posting. Download and share the Top 10 Pet Toxins of 2021 with … [Read more...]
Future bound: Dr. Eleanor Green
Complimentary Sponsored Content Mike McFarland, DVM, shares a discussion with industry icon, Eleanor Green, DVM, about her career path, women in veterinary medicine, becoming the first female dean of Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, her passion for horses and more. I don’t think it’s a women’s profession or a man’s profession . . .”- … [Read more...]
Preconditioning starts when the calf hits the ground
Opinion Stocker operators and feedlots want matched sets of calves that are weaned, castrated, dehorned, familiar with water and feed sources and immunocompetent. Calves born now will be weaned in seven months, but could be weaned much earlier <Link>. Therefore, the colostrum intake first 48 hours after calving could be considered the first step to having … [Read more...]
Beware of nursing calf BRD
Complimentary Sponsored Content* Outbreaks of nursing calf BRD, also called summer pneumonia, do occur, writes Brent Meyer DVM, MS. He shares a list of factors that can lead to BRD in nursing calves. Most all are well known and routinely covered in the media. Yet, producers still have deaf ears and often maintain elevated expectations of dams’ natural abilities. Note the … [Read more...]
Don’t cut corners. Those first 48 hours are critical.
Includes Commercial Content Do we need to hear it and share it again and again? Yes Redundant? Yes. Same message over and over? Yes. Different for dairies versus beef? NO Can we cut corners in the first 48 hours after a calf is born? NO Invest in maintaining normal digestive health and a healthy immune system from day one by developing proper protocols to help … [Read more...]
Better cat care, includes inside-outside cat perspectives
Includes Commercial Content The Chatfields visit with Margie Scherk, DVM, DABVP (Feline), about benefits and risks of indoor-only versus outdoor-access cat care and stewardship. The discussion challenges the indoor-only advocacy now prevalent in the U.S. . . . indoor only cat behavior resembles human cabin fever. . . “ Source: Chats with the Chatfields, You Tube, February … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club awards veterinary medicine’s brightest minds
The Bridge Club honored the profession’s Brightest Minds during the 2022 WVC Convention in Las Vegas, recently. More than 20,000 veterinary professionals nominated and voted on the industry’s brightest minds in three categories. The winners and respective categories were: Game changer: 1 Life Connected, Kimberly Pope-Robinson, DVM, CCFP, pictured Paradigm shifter: … [Read more...]
Dealing with the top 5 deadliest bugs in veterinary practices
Sponsored Content Animal health pros routinely deal with zoonotic diseases and risks. New cheat sheets that break down the best practices for preventing the transmission of these pathogens were developed by Virox in collaboration with Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ACVPM. Source: Virox® Technologies Inc., February 14, 2022. Link. Cheat sheets are available … [Read more...]
2022 CAPC annual pet parasite forecast
Confirming many concerns about disease discovery in new areas, CAPC says ticks and mosquitoes remain the principal transmitters of pet and human vector-borne diseases. The 2022 CAPC forecast warns that vector-borne diseases will all pose higher-than-average risks across much of the country this year. CAPC’s 30-day Pet Parasite Forecast Maps complement the annual forecast and … [Read more...]
CVPM turns 30
This year, the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager program marks 30 years of credentialing the knowledge and experience of veterinary management professionals. Congratulations to the original visionaries, the VHMA and all those who went the extra mile to advance the business side of veterinary medicine. In the three decades since this program was created, the CVPM credential … [Read more...]
Whip your PiMS inventory into shape
Join Nicole Clausen with VetLogic for a FREE 3-part workshop series. The training is for veterinary professionals who want to understand more about keeping their practice management system accurate and functional to keep better track of clinic inventories. The training will take place in the Veterinary Inventory Management Facebook group. For those not on Facebook, you can … [Read more...]
Parents spending more time with children than their parents did with them
Opinion More than 60 percent of today’s parents spend more time with their children than their parents did with them, according to a OnePoll survey. Society has been asking for better parent involvement for decades. Is your business modeled to support today’s parents? . . . 74 percent of parents polled think it is more challenging to raise a child than when they grew up … [Read more...]
Alert! Highly pathogenic avian influenza now identified in 13 states and counting
Opinion It can be hard to know how to react to disease incidence reports. Animal health pros tendency to to ignore reports until we see a disease is a concern, yet HPAI continues to show up in poultry and non-poultry birds. The next HPAI incident may literally fly over your location today . . . the time to ACT* is NOW!” – Kirk Augustine In Maine, a new case reported was … [Read more...]
The evolution of computer speech
Sponsored Content Talkatoo, an AHD sponsor, recently shared an informative short video about speech recognition, software evolution and the continuous improvements in technology. Source: LinkedIn, February 8, 2022. Link. Talkatoo uses speech-to-text software to type out what you say in full and complete sentences with spelling and grammar corrections also being … [Read more...]
Anti-mink farming bill should concern poultry, confined animal production industry
OPINION It’s easy to forget about mink production, especially if you live in a region where mink have never been raised, writes Roy Graber. The fact that a provision that would outlaw commercial mink farms in the U.S. made it into a larger legislative bill should be concerning to anyone involved in animal agriculture, he says. Animal agriculture has been under intense … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 10, 2022
Last week’s most read post Catching up or just back to normal? Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, February 3, 2022. Link. =========================== It’s coyote mating season, and in my neighborhood that means trouble Source: Los Angeles Times, February 5, 2022. Link. The reign of terror in my Northridge neighborhood … [Read more...]
Breeding pint-sized Herefords
We thought this was a fun and interesting departure from most cattle articles we reference. Cow size is often a subject cattlemen discuss. Size is important in mini-Hereford breeding, as well. The origin of the miniature Hereford is the original English Hereford, which is a horned breed. Bred to hold the size to about two-thirds of traditional Hereford stock, the minis could … [Read more...]
Chatfields chat about itchy pets
Complimentary Sponsored Content We’re reposting this episode. Highly viewed in early December 2021, it is timely as winter days lengthen ahead of spring. Dr. Jen the Vet and Dr. Jason Chatfield are joined in the Chat Room by Millie Rosales, DVM, DACVD, to discuss common reasons pets itch. Skin issues are always in the top 10 reasons pet owners seek veterinary care. Note … [Read more...]
Catching up or just back to normal?
Opinion The recent Vetwatch™ Commentary provides consistent data to help assess the scope, velocity and significance of developments in the veterinary care sector across the United States. Following more current trends, the national 3-week rolling average for practice revenue growth fell to -9.1 percent. None of the nine census divisions posted positive revenue growth for … [Read more...]