Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 28, 2025. Link. Most read posts from August 28, 2025 AHD Bulletin – KC Animal Health Corridor Summit and initiative posts. Link-1 and Link-2 July VetWatch® commentary. Link. Everyone’s a coach. Link. Recognizing the early signs of joint disease (video). Link. The joy of sharing life … [Read more...]
20th annual Summit showcases startups, industry leaders, future of animal care
Snoretox captured the 2025 Animal Health Summit’s Innovation Award for its promising therapy, modeled after Botox therapy, to treat brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, a condition that affects short-snouted breeds. The innovations panel spotlighted feline medicine, telehealth and AI as forces that will affect clinical practice and reshape veterinary care. Keynote … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 27, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 21, 2025. Link. Most read posts from August 21, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Many problems with extreme conformation in dog and cat breeds. Link. 8 Gen Z habits that make others say, “Huh?” Link. Time management or prioritization? Link. Expert views on the importance of recordkeeping. Link. … [Read more...]
Expert views on the importance of recordkeeping
Imagine a team meeting at a veterinary hospital. The leader says, “Today, let’s discuss our medical records, why, not how, we do them and make sure they are a positive element of the client’s experience.” The why needs to provide context as well as content. This article is a good resource for that discussion. Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Anaplasmosis incidence growing
Lila Seidman’s article in The Los Angeles Times shares the growing threat of anaplasmosis in dogs in California. Anaplasmosis and Lyme disease are spread by western blacklegged ticks and can infect humans. A look at the Companion Animal Parasite Council map shows the anaplasmosis incidence across the country. Source: CAPC, The Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2025. … [Read more...]
Vets urge smarter parasite control to combat drug resistance
Commentary The topic of parasite resistance is not new to U.S. livestock production. However, the British Veterinary Association’s actions described in this article are important. Many foreign production environments are more condensed than those in the U.S. and can foretell future domestic production issues. The BVA’s new policy position warns that routine, blanket … [Read more...]
Veterinary team targets FAD hotspots to protect U.S. livestock
This article is informative and timely. The related article* linked at the end of this post describes how researchers found a gap between biosecurity perception and practice on farms, as well as a reliance on veterinarians for biosecurity-related advice. The health and protection of food animals from foreign animal diseases remains a significant concern and efforts to stay … [Read more...]
Simplot study: Sage grouse, cattle can thrive together
Environmentalists take note. A decade-long research project confirms what Simplot Land and Livestock employees have observed firsthand: that sage grouse and cows can exist and have been existing together. The study also shed new light on nest predation, with coyotes, not ravens, being the main culprit. However, less predation occurred where cows were actively grazing. The … [Read more...]
The best defense against rats and leptospirosis is a good trash can
The scene? Urban Boston where One Health researchers sought to better understand the risks from leptospirosis. Rats, being typically asymptomatic carriers of leptospirosis, can be an important source of exposure to humans (and pets) in urban environments. Since the organism is shed in the urine, common methods of exposure include direct contact with rat urine or with … [Read more...]
The ABCs of dog blood work: What the results really mean
It is common when reviewing articles on client feedback for pet owners to express confusion about test results and to indicate veterinary teams sometimes don’t take time to explain the results. In this article from AAHA’s Your Pet, blood work results are explained in the context of helping pet owners understand the numbers, their importance and why doing bloodwork is part of … [Read more...]
Beware of blue-tinted pig tissue, an indicator of rodenticide contamination
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife urges hunters to always use caution when harvesting game animals and be aware of potential risks. Wildlife can be inadvertently exposed to rodenticides either by eating rodenticide bait or by eating other animals that have ingested rodenticides. Rodenticide baits often contain dye to identify them as a poison. Blue-colored … [Read more...]
CDC ends emergency response to H5N1 bird flu
“As reports of animal infections with avian influenza A virus have declined and no human cases have been reported since February 2025, CDC’s H5N1 emergency bird flu response was deactivated to transition back to regular program activity on July 2, 2025.” Source: CNN, July 7, 2025. Link. Surveillance, readiness and response for influenza, including H5N1 bird flu, will … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 7, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 31, 2025. Link. Most read posts from July 31, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Ridiculous to sublime. K-9 preventive wellness mirrors their humans. Link. Buzz off! Deer flies irritate horses and pester riders, too! Link. Timing BRD vaccines likely improves calf health, performance. Link. 7,000 steps/day is … [Read more...]
Buzz off! Deer flies irritate horses and pester riders, too!
Gina Fortunato, MBA, shared a recent horse riding experience with disruptive, biting deer flies that aggravated her horse despite fly shields. She shares her experience and some facts about deer flies, including feedback horse owners offered via social media. Gina (right) and a friend are pictured with their horses. Source: Gina Fortunato, Animal Health Digest, July 28, … [Read more...]
Synthetic bait, insecticide designed to attract adult screwworm flies being deployed
Swormlure-5, created using modern science and built upon previous versions, is a potent synthetic attractant that mimics the scent of open wounds, drawing adult screwworm flies to the bait, where they die, according to Sid Miller, Texas agriculture commissioner, who is quoted in this article. Source: Bovine Practitioner, July 2025, 2025. Link. The attractant only impacts … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 31, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 24, 2025. Link. Most read posts from July 24, 2025 AHD Bulletin – The stares we can’t ignore. Link. Decoding pet insurance: Navigate policies, client questions (podcast). Link. Improve employee communications by these 9 phrases. Link. Difficult customers. Link. Hunter ticks and pathogen … [Read more...]
Hunter ticks and pathogen transmission variables
The quest to better understand ticks continues. We shared longhorned tick information in the July 17 AHD Bulletin <Link>. Speaking at the AVMA conference last week, Susan E. Little, DVM, PhD, DACVM, shared a range of tactics that affect how quickly ticks can spread disease. The overview differentiates the methods tick species use to find a host and factors that influence … [Read more...]
Camel walks again with prosthetic leg
A camel in Pakistan is learning how to walk on a prosthetic leg developed by workers at an animal shelter. It is thought to be the largest animal in the country to get a prosthetic limb. Source: BBC, July 20, 2025 (short video) Link. … [Read more...]
New World screwworm webinar to take place July 30
The National Institute for Animal Agriculture Council of Animal Disease Issues and Emergency Management is hosting a webinar at 2:00 p.m. CDT on July 30 to explore the threat of NWS as a public threat. Dr. Anne Strailly, veterinary medical officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Dr. Sarah Speth, a board-certified preventive medicine veterinarian, will be the key … [Read more...]
Longhorned ticks here to stay. Let’s review.
A male longhorned tick is a rarity. Reproducing by parthenogenesis, females clone themselves laying hundreds of eggs and individually creating an entire population in any given area. Considered a pest, there is no evidence that Asian longhorned ticks transmit any infection to people or dogs here in the U.S. However, they can transmit disease to cattle, farm animals and … [Read more...]
Scientists discover what’s driving record die-offs of U.S. honeybees
Researchers believe a bee virus spread by Varroa mites’ resistance to amitraz is likely a main contributor to startling honeybee losses. Other factors, such as less food in the form of pollen and nectar as monocrop farming proliferates, are also indicated. Many U.S. beekeepers now expect to lose 30 percent of their colonies or more every year. Source: The Guardian, July 8, … [Read more...]
Fly control. Getting the timing right
Drovers’ 2025 Fly Control eBook provides every animal health pro with up-to-date information on controlling these costly buzzing nuisances. Even suburban and city dwellers may find something actionable as they deal with flies in backyards feasting on dog feces or pestering backyard flocks. In the free eBook, leading entomologists and veterinarians share: 4 proven steps … [Read more...]
Mexican Border closed again, New World screwworm comes within 370 miles of the U.S.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins shut down cattle, bison and equine trade at the U.S. Mexico border due to new northward detection of the New World screwworm in Mexico. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, July 10, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 17, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 10, 2025. Link. Most read posts from July 10, 2025, AHD Bulletin – Growing your practice. Link. Are Gen-Z workers oversharing in the office? What to do about it. Link. Here are the 40 least obedient dog breeds. Link. Statistics about the horse industry. Link. Texas flash floods add to … [Read more...]
10 wild cat species found across the United States
As we focus more on improving feline veterinary visits, interest in cats, in general, is increasing. This article shares wild cats we might encounter in the U.S. Three of the 10 are not considered native to the U.S., with two that have likely escaped or been released. Source: CityStateZipcode.com, May 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
WOAH urges investment in vaccines as defense against growing disease threats
Commentary Before you say, “well, duh” or “it’s a global issue” or “we diligently promote vaccination,” take a few moments to read this article and skim the World Organization for Animal Health report. You’ll likely find some convincing facts to share the next time you encounter vaccine hesitancy. It warns that infectious diseases are spreading into new territories, placing … [Read more...]
Bearded dragon learns to brush its teeth (video)
Sponsor Content We shared the story of Dragatini, a bearded dragon at the National Aquarium previously <Link> but it bears resharing. Dragatini was trained by her veterinarian and care staff to clean her teeth using a foam brush and MAXIGUARD® Oral Cleansing Gel. Big or small, oral care matters.” Source: Addison Biological Laboratory, LLC, Facebook, June 27, 2025. … [Read more...]
13 plants that gardening experts say repel mosquitoes
As garden centers close out spring flowering plants to get ready for the fall planting season you may still be able pick up one or two of these plants that help keep mosquitoes away. Locally, marigolds, lavender, citronella and basil are still available. Source: Martha Stewart, April 15, 2025. Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 3, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, June 26, 2025. Link. Most read posts from June 26, 2025 AHD Bulletin – New World screwworm update and swine perspective. Link. 10 steps for pet owners to take if a coyote enters their yard. Link. Neuroscience and perspective. Link. DVM discusses half-dosing vaccines. Link. … [Read more...]
New World screwworm update and swine perspective
Ann Hess shares an update and perspectives on the advancing risk of the New World screwworm and where the risks exist for swine in the U.S. She includes how the changes in the Darien Gap increase risks. The Darien Gap has served as a biological barrier for keeping New World screwworm away from our border. Source: National Hog Farmer, June 13, 2025. Link. Fly control will be … [Read more...]