Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 3, 2024. Link. Most read posts from April 3, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Top 7 drug classes to be tapered before discontinuation. Link. Bird flu expert discusses how H5N1 affects wild, domestic animals. Link. Orthobiologics in an equine veterinarian’s day-to-day practice. Link. Association for Pet … [Read more...]
Handling the existing and looming threats of feral swine
Called wild, feral, pigs, boars, swine or hogs, these adaptable animals are an invasive species steadily encroaching into more than 35 U.S. states and several Canadian provinces writes Bruce Derksen. Wild pigs cause direct physical damage to pastures, forage fields, fences and crops and like deer are a direct competitor in pasture-based livestock management … [Read more...]
CSU avian influenza expert discusses how H5N1 affects wild and domestic animals
Understanding how the current H5N1 virus is affecting wild and domestic animals is a mission of the Colorado State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The VDL runs as many as 600 samples on a busy day, including a growing number from cats. The VDL has detected outbreaks in commercial poultry and backyard poultry flocks, dairy cattle, domestic pet cats, wild birds and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 27, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 20, 2024. Link. Most read posts from March 20, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Ego management. Link. 3 phrases no one should ever say in a negotiation. Link. A new approach to deworming. Link. Dog breeds being banned in the U.S. (slides). Link. AKC names Pet Honesty as official multivitamin … [Read more...]
Preventing canine-transmitted neosporosis in cattle
Neosporosis-related losses cost the beef industry an estimated $111 million annually, writes Lindsay Waechter-Mead. The disease is transmitted through Neospora caninum an intracellular parasite. Canines that feed on infected cattle carcasses or placenta become infected and become a host where the parasite multiplies in the intestinal tract. Stable neospora oocytes are shed in … [Read more...]
Increasing prevalence of E. multilocularis in wild, domestic canids
The Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm is becoming more prevalent in North America, with rapid expansion in the northeastern United States. Wild and domestic canid species serve as definitive hosts, with rodents being intermediate hosts. E. multilocularis proglottids are microscopic, making annual fecal flotations using centrifugation important for early identification of … [Read more...]
Cornell launches website for bird flu information
Seeking to aggregate up-to-date information on avian influenza, Cornell University has launched a one-stop clearinghouse for the most current and trustworthy information on bird flu. The new Avian Flu Resource Center provides reliable and accessible information for members of the public, farmers, wildlife professionals, state and public health agency partners, and … [Read more...]
Save a swamp. Sauté a nutria.
In an effort to curb growing populations of invasive species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offers a practical solution: Eat them. Nutria a large semiaquatic rodent whose population is increasing and disrupting marshland ecosystems, is the preferred menu item. Weighing 15 to 20 pounds each, they live along the Gulf Coast, in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeastern … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 6, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 30, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 30, 2025 AHD Bulletin Making the case for clinical obesity vs. obesity in veterinary medicine. Link. Storm clouds on the horizon evident in next generation of students. Link. Leadership advice. Link. Bird flu enters a new phase . . . the … [Read more...]
Lasers deployed to increase farm biosecurity, deter waterfowl
A New Ulm, Minnesota, turkey grower has added lasers to his biosecurity efforts. The laser bird deterrent system aims to scare away migratory birds that have the potential to infect domestic flocks with HPAI. While we see a green laser beam, migratory birds see a predator and they avoid the barn areas. Source: The Farmer, February 4, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Veterinarian warns cat owners about H5N1 risks amid rising cases
“Vigilance is key in preventing further bird flu infections,” said Susan Nelson, DVM, discussing the detection of H5N1 in cats. The article offers preventive measures to minimize the risk of infection in cats and other animals, including up-to-date rabies vaccinations, keeping cats indoors and avoiding feeding raw meat or unpasteurized dairy products. Source: PHYS.ORG, … [Read more...]
High prevalence of veterinary drugs in birds’ nest materials
A study published in Science of the Total Environment found high levels of veterinary insecticides in the nests of British songbirds and associated it with increased mortality in their offspring. Fipronil, imidacloprid and permethrin were detected in 100 percent, 89.1 percent and 89.1 percent of the nest material samples, respectively. Source: Science Direct, February 10, … [Read more...]
Bird flu enters a new phase, meanwhile, the environment cannot be sterilized
The latest data from the CDC and USDA shows the continued devastating effects of bird flu outbreaks across the United States. New York Times writer Apoorva Mandavilli provides a relevant and updated situation analysis in the second article shared here. Not yet a serious human threat, she shares the expanding discoveries in mammalian species, including cats both wild and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 16, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 12, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 9, 2025 AHD Bulletin - Water: Critical, undervalued nutrient in dairy calves. Link. Vaccination protects ratter dog from disease. Link. Lead when not in charge: leverage influence when you lack authority. Link. … [Read more...]
Bird flu may be reaching the boiling point
Scientists are increasingly worried about bird flu based on four key signals. The H5N1 virus has spread uncontrolled in animals, including cows frequently in contact with people. Additionally, detections in wastewater show the virus is leaving a wide-ranging imprint, and not just in farm animals. Some experts say they have lost faith in the government's ability to contain the … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 19, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 12, 2024. Link. Most read posts from December 12, 2024 AHD Bulletin Are you asking the right questions? Link. Better flooring creates fewer slip-ups. Link. Bred heifers need individual care, nutrition during winter months. Link. USDA offers support to address rural veterinarian shortage. … [Read more...]
Don’t feed the wildlife
The intersection of wildlife and domestic pets gets closer to our back doors every day. The USDA recently updated its wildlife information, including signage for airports, parks and public places. Yet, the need for public education must extend beyond “don’t feed wildlife in your yard.” This coyote was photographed in a backyard a half mile from my home in Liberty, Missouri, … [Read more...]
“The tip of the iceberg.” Two cats die after drinking recalled raw milk.
Two cats have died after consuming recalled raw milk from Raw Milk Farms LLC, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health stated in a news release last Thursday. The two cats lived in the same household. After eating the product, they exhibited lack of appetite, fever and signs of neurological problems. Source: Los Angeles Times, December 12, 2024. Link. “I think this … [Read more...]
Cats may help spread bird flu, scientists warn
Jess Thomson shares research results that identify cats as a reservoir to infect humans with H5N1 from birds or cattle. The researchers identified several key mutations in the H5N1 sequence from infected cats that may suggest adaptation to cats is the potential to jump from cats to humans for the first time. The ability of the H5N1 virus to persist and adapt in mammalian hosts … [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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
Worth a Glance – October 3, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, September 26, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the September 26th AHD Bulletin – The story no one talks about: the cost to produce food. Link. Changing weather patterns call for a change in deworming habits. Link. Conservation advocacy soars in ‘24 Bird Photographer competition. Link. USDA network … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 12, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, September 5, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the September 5th AHD Bulletin – A priest, a drunk and a business leader meet and . . . Link. Wildlife decision tree helps clinic staff deal with wildlife properly. Link. New guidance for AMR gram-negative infections. Link. Swine producers, veterinarians … [Read more...]
Rats don’t care about property lines
Chickens are messy eaters. This creates a tempting smorgasbord for rodents, explains Maureen Mackey. She shares ways to reduce rat problems around chickens, tips from experts, coop construction advice and reminds us that they can carry serious diseases, including salmonella and leptospirosis. Source: Backyard Poultry, September 2021. Link. Rats rarely go beyond 300 feet of … [Read more...]
Finding a good place for pollinators
Farmers, as well as suburban property owners, can effectively install pollinator habitats. Ben Powell, MS, shared the importance and opportunity farmers have to plant a wide variety of native crops to provide pollinator habitat at a recent field day. His focus is on crop farmers in this article, but the content applies to suburbia, acreages, along roads and green spaces in more … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 5, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 29, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the August 29th AHD Bulletin – The 5 levers of compliance. Link. Character and integrity. Link. Highlights from the 2024 KCAHC Animal Health Summit. Link. What did we miss at the VIS? Link. 5 silent revenue drains and ways to plug them. Link. … [Read more...]
Wildlife decision tree helps clinic staff deal with wildlife properly
As humans encroach on wildlife habitats, the likelihood of human and wild animal interactions, planned or not, continues to increase. The AVMA resources shared here provide veterinary clinic teams with a unified approach, including the importance of safety. Be sure to view the decision tree algorithm and fill in local contact information as shown <Link>. The form is … [Read more...]
Revisiting Old Yeller ahead of World Rabies Day 2024
The news story of at least one puppy in a litter of unvaccinated puppies transported from North Texas to a Denver-area dog rescue that was found to have rabies prompted Dan Solomon to write the article shared here. Fred Gipson’s 1956 novel, “Old Yeller” and subsequent movie depictions of it may not be familiar to Millennials or Gen Z and likely won’t be on reading lists for Gen … [Read more...]