Milko Marchetti was crowned Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his hilarious shot of a red squirrel. See all the other incredible category winners and highly commended winners here <Link>. Source: Comedy Wildlife Awards, December 11, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – December 9, 2024
Pug wins National Dog Show, impact of kennel materials on behavior, Gen Z stressing managers enough to quit, pet owners driving natural products, sticks and stone can spell injury and more . . . Source: IBPSA, December 9, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 5, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, November 27, 2024. Link. November 2024 AHD post archives. Link. ==================================== Less meat, better health? No so fast. Source: Drovers, November 18, 2024. Link. Nevil Speer asserts it’s clear that solving our weight and/or diabetes issues is far more complicated than simply eliminating … [Read more...]
Feline Heartworm Guidelines updated by the AHS
Driven by the underdiagnosis and undermanagement of heartworm disease in cats, the American Heartworm Society outlined four main reasons for recommending routine heartworm screening in cats: aiding diagnosis in symptomatic cats monitoring heartworm-positive cases establishing baselines before preventive treatment assessing heartworm risk in specific … [Read more...]
Weese: Rabies deaths reminders of the need to educate public
Rabies is still here and will likely always be, writes Scott Weese, DVM. While we have tools to effectively prevent infections, the human factor is the weak prevention link. Sharing two cases of human deaths from rabies, he stresses the importance of a better public understanding of rabies risks. Source: Worms and Germs, November 30, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – December 3, 2024
Colorado considering a new rule to require rabies vaccination for imported pets, NYC Council passes bill to prohibit sale of dogs, cats from unlicensed locations including backyard breeders, avoiding charity scams, selling pet play time and more . . . Note the members-only opportunities available in December. Source: IBPSA, December 3, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
First factory farm ban passes in Berkeley, California
Mostly symbolic, Measure DD’s passing in the city of Berkeley, California, may spur similar policies elsewhere in the United States. Advocates say large livestock facilities produce immense amounts of waste that can pollute water and spread disease, adding to human health risks. Source: Agricultural Dive, November 14, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: A review of the city of Berkeley … [Read more...]
Chicken feather and skin development
The development of the feathers and the feather follicles is extremely involved and a complex part of the bird, writes Doug Ottinger. Animal health pros may find his article worth reading if feather development is not a familiar topic. The feather is a complex epidermal organ.” Source: Backyard Poultry, October 5, 2022. Link. The follicles, feathers, and skin of the chicken, … [Read more...]
Identifying allergic reactions in dogs
Holidays bring risks of allergic reactions in dogs. Whether environmental, dietary, from new chemicals, a new product or accidental ingestion of a guest’s medications, knowing the signs of an allergic reaction is important. Kate Basedow, LVT, discusses allergic reactions from mild to severe in this article. Consider it for newsletters, holiday communications and social media … [Read more...]
Bottom line versus best practices. A delicate balancing act.
The business–care paradox is an emotional drain in veterinary medicine. This is not a phenomenon but rather a situational, everyday challenge veterinary teams experience daily. The current economic conditions exacerbate this long-standing challenge. Zenithson Ng, DVM, MS, DABVP, shares a study overview that explores how practices can successfully balance the financial realities … [Read more...]
Can people be ‘inoculated’ against misinformation?
Commentary Since our inaugural AHD Bulletin in 2015, we have curated content for animal health pros, including published information at all levels, with consumer-facing media being part of it. The growing amount of misinformation creates tremendous costs in our lives and industry. Once out in the public, incorrect information requires a lot of time and effort to correct, not … [Read more...]
The nonprofit veterinarian shortage: Who will care for the pets most in need?
Statewide studies suggest that shelters and nonprofit clinics have been especially hard hit by the veterinary workforce shortage. A study sought to determine the effect of this shortage on veterinary care provided at two types of public practice: veterinary care for cats and dogs housed temporarily in animal sheltering organizations veterinary clinics aimed at … [Read more...]
A dairy like you’ve never seen
The calves eat first at Humpback Dairy in southern Missouri. That’s because their mothers only produce milk when their calves are present. They’re part of a herd of 200 dromedary camels that produce milk for 650 markets across the country. Source: Rural Missouri, October 21, 2024. Link. Three years ago, Sam and his family built an FDA-approved and licensed processing, … [Read more...]
Neuroscientists explain why wet dogs shake themselves dry
The hairy skin of mammals is packed with more than 12 types of sensory neurons, each with a unique function to detect and interpret various sensations. Researchers studying a type of ultra-sensitive touch-detecting receptors that wrap around hair follicles (C-fibre low-threshold mechanoreceptors), or C-LTMRs, explain how signals from C-LTMRs travel through the nervous system to … [Read more...]
Reinforcing the 12-month flea prevention message
Holiday spending may affect flea preventative compliance as pet owners juggle budgets to buy gifts and meet holiday expectations. Whether or not pets are guests during holiday gatherings, pet owner visitors can carry larvae and eggs on their clothing from address to address. Animal health pros understand that visible fleas are just the tip of the iceberg when dealing with a … [Read more...]
3 major concerns for pet stores in 2025
Changing leadership in big box retailers, blurred lines in the points of sale and services and post-election hangover potentially weakening consumer confidence top Mark Kalaygian’s major concerns for brick-and-mortar pet retailers in 2025. Source: Pet Business, November 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Leptospirosis a post-hurricane risk
Commentary This article about the spikes in leptospirosis cases after Hurricane Fiona ravaged Puerto Rico in September 2022 serves as a warning to areas in the U.S. hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Whether people or animals, the elevated risks of leptospirosis require more vigilance and communication in healthcare communities. Source: IDSE, November 4, 2024. Link. Early … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 7, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 31, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the October 31st AHD Bulletin – First case of H5N1 in swine found in Oregon backyard farm. Link. Infection control, prevention and biosecurity. Is your plan current? Link. Bringing value. Link. ===================================== Cloned ferret gives … [Read more...]
Practices find value in Promoboxx® benefit from ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance
Sponsored Content Social media usage cuts across all demographic groups, be they generational, racial, gender-based or other. ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance has partnered with Promoboxx* to help practices capitalize on opportunities social media offers to promote practices and consistently engage with clients. The Promoboxx platform is currently provided at no … [Read more...]
Insights into the reasons pet owners surrender their pets to shelters
Updates to the AAHA website make the newly published 2024 AAHA Community Care Guidelines for Small Animal Practice more accessible to veterinarians and animal health pros. A community approach can begin to improve healthcare access by mobilizing all available resources within it. Emily Singler shares efforts to quantify why pet owners surrender pets to shelters and the … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 31, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 24, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the October 24th AHD Bulletin – Study: dead animal disposal practices can put swine farms at PRRS risk. Link. Pet industry adapts to economic challenges, new trends. Link. Cattle traceability rule set to take effect November 5th. Link. Image … [Read more...]
Improving deer health on cervid livestock farms
The cervid livestock business is one of the fastest-growing industries in rural America, writes Brian Consiglio. He shares what University of Missouri researchers are doing to improve deer health so cervid farm managers can make better-informed decisions on antibiotic use and disease management practices. Source: Show Me Mizzou, October 30, 2024. Link. Infections, such as … [Read more...]
Pekin ducks, a turkey alternative
Rumors of turkey shortages due to flocks being euthanized because of HPAI may make the Pekin duck an option. A Pennsylvania family has developed a substantial commercial duck business featured in the article here. While the Pekin duck is a famous icon for AFLAC, it’s all-dark meat may become a favored alternate choice for the holidays. Source: American Agriculturist, … [Read more...]
It may be fall, but mosquitoes are still buzzing
While fall tends to reduce mosquito populations, days above 50oF will prompt activity by those genera that hibernate. Emily Singler, VMD, says the uptick of heartworm-positive cases in unusual locations makes educating and encouraging clients about year-round heartworm prevention more important than ever. Source: AAHA NEWStat, April 9, 2024. Link. Related: 10 cases of … [Read more...]
Infection control, prevention and biosecurity. Is your plan current?
AAHA’s Infection Control, Prevention, and Biosecurity Guidelines have been available since 2018. Having an ICPB plan is critical to ensure the safety of pets, pet owners and clinic staff. A lot has happened in the six years since the guidelines were published, making updating any current plans important. Emily Singler, VMD, reviews the steps to create an effective ICPB and its … [Read more...]
Dairy biosecurity starts with mentality change
Biosecurity consultant Dan Hougentogler shares the challenges of improving biosecurity practices on dairies, especially those with multiple species on the farm. One of the bigger issues is to get producers to take biosecurity seriously. Source: American Agriculturist, October 21, 2024. Link. Changing the mentality is really about managing people to reduce our potential for … [Read more...]
Leave the leaves!
Leaves, brush piles, fallen logs, plant stems and flower heads might not be growing anymore, but they aren’t trash. They are natural homes that support pollinators and other invertebrates and provide them with the shelter they need to survive the winter. Source: Xerces Society, October 5, 2024. Link. The authors share tips for autumn cleanup that still leaves space for … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 17, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 10, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the October 10th AHD Bulletin – How to stop making excuses. Link. Larval therapy decreases layup time for coffin bone infection. Link. Oak mites join chiggers, mosquitos . . . big annoyance for pets, humans. Link. Explaining why cats chatter. Link. … [Read more...]
Vet Techs play critical role in pet healthcare
Commentary Celebrating veterinary technicians during National Veterinary Technician Week is important for individual and team morale. Handshakes, pizza lunches and bagels aside, animal-owning clients need help understanding the roles these experienced and educated animal healthcare professionals provide in a clinic or telehealth setting. Consider sharing the ASPCA® Pet … [Read more...]
The rise of the small animal pet market
Commentary The popularity of small pets continues to grow. In pet retail, this growth opens up many opportunities to cater to these feathered, furred and scaled animals, writes Lindsay Beaton. However, for veterinary and pet services businesses, specialty pets may prove challenging. Regardless, the metrics are worthy of review. They may generate some questions about … [Read more...]