Sponsored Commercial Content Every month and every visit to the veterinarian should include an oral care discussion about dogs and cats. The animal health industry parallels the dental months in human medicine with our own National Pet Dental Health Month in February supported by the AVMA. PetMD’s Dr. Hanie Elfenbein, DVM, PhD, reminds dog owners that poor oral hygiene … [Read more...]
Search Results for: email
12 tips for rediscovering the telephone’s gifts
Attacking the current habits of text-go-rounds, call screening and circular emails, Ken Goldstein reminds us we’ve fallen into very poor telephone conduct. A phone is hardly a phone anymore, he writes. It’s an email device, a web browser, a camera, a texting platform, and an app launcher. Yet, its initial, if not primary function we still call a telephone. Source: … [Read more...]
Tips for getting your cat clean with less drama
Occasionally, cats get dirty enough to need a bath. The author shares tips for making bath time less stressful on the cat and owner. Consider these resources for social media and newsletters to help cat owners clean up a dirty cat . Source: Tuft’s Catnip, November 22, 2021. Link. Also see: How to [safely] bathe a cat, ASPCA® Pet Insurance. Link. … [Read more...]
Puppy meets a live wire (podcast)
Jennifer Good, DVM, DACVECC, discusses in this podcast what happens when a puppy that snacked on an electrical cord was presented to her in cardiovascular shock. Good retraces her steps, highlighting all the turning points and big decisions these cases entail. Source: Clinician’s Brief Podcast. Link. 34 minutes. … [Read more...]
Reminder: February is Pet Dental Month
Opinion National Pet Dental Health Month is celebrated in February to reinforce the importance of pet dental health and as a reminder for pet owners to practice routine oral care on their pets. It is sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Call it dental care or oral care, it is a critical component of healthy pet management at home, in veterinary … [Read more...]
HBR Editors’ favorite management tips of 2021
Breaking the self-criticism cycle and the art of gracious follow-up are good reminders as 2022 gets going. Source: Harvard Business Review, December 30, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
The best de-shedding brushes
Pet owners often ask which tool is best to help capture and control shedding hair. Nine de-shedding tools are reviewed in this article. Most pets grow accustomed to frequent brushing. Owners find this to be an excellent time to bond and look over their pets. Source: Puppies and Pooches, August 12, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Dr. Pol, Dr. Oakley, Dr. K among Nat Geo shows now on Disney+
Disney is dropping new episodes of many Nat Geo and Disney Channel shows in batches, rather than waiting until an entire season has finished, as it used to. Dozens of episodes of popular Nat Geo veterinary docuseries are now streaming on Disney+. The first 18 seasons of The Incredible Dr Pol are available, along with a number of specials. The first batch of episodes from … [Read more...]
We eat A LOT of candy
We were surprised at the volume of candy individuals eat. It plays a big role in American culture and offered during upcoming convention events. The average American consumes an estimated eight pounds of candy (3.7 kilograms) annually. Children eat even more. On a typical day, one in four persons eat at least some candy. Most candy is basically just a heap of sugar.” - … [Read more...]
Tactics to keep meetings on track
This article covers 10 communication tactics that can help make sure critical points are raised and discussed as effectively and efficiently, so meetings accomplish their mission. The tips start with a premeeting plan and finish with identifying action steps. Source: Harvard Business Review, January 5, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Lyme-carrying ticks live longer. What?
Research reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology reveals black-legged ticks infected with the Lyme disease-causing microbe thrive in subfreezing weather and can be active, even in winter. Laura Ferguson, PhD, and Amal El Nabbout reported their findings from working with ticks over three winters. Infected ticks in fluctuating … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 6, 2022
Last week’s most read post Most read Animal Health Digest posts of 2021. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 30, 2021. Link. AHD posts one year ago Archives for December 2020, Animal Health Digest. Link. ================================= Steve Dale: Fear Free: Transforming veterinary medicine Source: Steve … [Read more...]
Pinkeye in sheep different than pinkeye in cattle
Commercial content included While most prevalent during warmer months, crowed conditions in sheep barns and enclosures during winter increase the risk of animal-to-animal transfer of pinkeye bacteria. Pinkeye, called infectious keratoconjunctivitis, is most frequently caused by one of two bacteria. Chlamydia psittaci (ovis) and Mycoplasma conjunctiva are the culprits … [Read more...]
Plan ahead to feed problem newborn calves
Not every calf that drops in the coming months will have what it needs to thrive, according to Jason Smith. He discusses the importance of early preparation and colostrum. The importance and value of colostrum to a newborn calf cannot be overstated. Most calves that don’t receive adequate colostrum in a timely manner will not survive. It’s as simple as that.” – Jason Smith, … [Read more...]
Building an equine colic toolkit
Chris White, DVM, shares how horse owners can prepare for a colic episode, considerations to make, and things to keep in mind after surgery. In some horses and situations colic can be impossible to prevent. So, having a toolkit that includes an active VCPR will help owners best handle colic when it happens. White reminds horse owners to avoid handling colic episodes alone. … [Read more...]
Cat obesity up more than 100 percent in 10 years
Citing Banfield Pet Hospitals’ electronic veterinary health records, Jackie Brown shares some disturbing findings: 114 percent increase in cats diagnosed as overweight in the last 10 years Dog obesity also rose 108 percent in the same period A survey of 1,000 owners of overweight or obese pets discovered: 93 percent said they faced hurdles in maintaining a … [Read more...]
Cleaning up after feline messes
While cats are often considered fastidious, they can be untidy creatures. They leave a unique assortment of stains and messes around homes that require constant cleaning. Kate Benjamin shares how to keep things nice and neat when living with cats. New and seasoned cat owners will appreciate Benjamin’s tips. Share them on social media and in newsletters. Source: Catster, … [Read more...]
National Geographic’s 12 most intriguing animal discoveries of 2021
‘Virgin births’ in a rare bird, Covid-19 found in wild deer, other animals, cloning a black ferret, elephant evolving to lose tusks, wild horses and donkeys digging desert wells, ants that shrink and regrow their brains and more. . . Source: National Geographic, December 8, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
3 keys to handling injectables when it is below freezing
Shannon Williams reminds us to keep injectables at the proper temperature. It is vitally important to maintain their effectiveness. She shares three key practices to keep your injectables from being too cold. Setting your injectables on the defroster or under the heater in the pickup is NOT the solution. . . you could end up “cooking” it and damaging the product. . . … [Read more...]
Jingle Bells was not written with yuletide merriment in mind
We’ve been duped, writes Rebecca Berry. The Jingle Bells song, written 164 years ago, was a sleighing song whose original title was One Horse Open Sleigh. But yuletide intentions did not inspire songwriter James Pierpont, rather sleigh races he witnessed. . . . jingling sleigh bells were not festive adornments because having bells was the law. Heavy fines were issued if a … [Read more...]
That latest scoop on feline vaccines, VETgirl
The most recent updates to the AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccine Guidelines have adjusted how veterinarians and cat owners approach vaccination and disease prevention. Now pet owner clients are included as essential members of their cats’ healthcare teams, cats have been defined into five populations and lifestyle has been taken into consideration. The result is a much more … [Read more...]
Getting stuff done when you’re feeling down
If you’re depressed, your number-1 job is to look after yourself. Productivity is secondary to your mental health, says Alice Boyes. However, learning how to be productive when you’re feeling down can help with depression recovery. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 20, 2021. Link. Summary. When people are depressed their energy, activity, and mood levels decrease … [Read more...]
“Farmers thrive when their animals thrive.”
That’s what fourth-generation, Iowa dairy farmer and TikTok sensation Dan Venteicher said in a recent conversation with Kristen Peck, chief executive officer at Zoetis. The pair talked about the importance of taking care of the cows so they produce more milk and remain healthy. Venteicher also shared the reality of using technology and data to help care for and in this case, … [Read more...]
Treat nutrition: The why, how and what of proper treating
Treating is a rapidly growing subcategory of pet nutrition. Jessie Nelson AAS, CVT, VTS, and Kara M. Burns MS, MEd, LVT, VTS, VTS-H, discuss the importance of understanding treat use and their nutritional value when working with pet owners. <treats> are intended to be given in moderation. However, many clients may be unaware of this distinction.” Source: Today’s … [Read more...]
Managing intellectual diversity
Most workforces are equally divided into thirds among conservatives, moderates and liberals when it comes to social issues. Forty-one percent strongly favor their employer requiring Covid-19 vaccinations to enter the workplace, while 31 percent strongly oppose. The list of differences goes on, so these three suggestions are essential to getting the work done. Source: Gallup, … [Read more...]
Just fat, hay belly or getting on in years?
These two articles about horse obesity will be useful to horse owners. Poor-quality feed can fool horse owners when their horse looks like it’s getting fat. Feeding low-quality hay that lacks adequate protein and fiber is the cause of a horse’s belly hanging low and out to the sides. Called “hay belly,” the condition happens when poor-quality feed sits in the large … [Read more...]
Inbreeding contributes to higher costs of dog care
Most dog breeds are highly inbred, contributing to a lifelong increase in disease and health care costs. New research confirms dog breeds with higher levels of inbreeding were more likely than other breeds to need additional veterinary care. Study researchers found that the average inbreeding was close to 25 percent, which is similar to the amount of genetic similarity found … [Read more...]
Tips to stay focused on the tasks at hand
We’ve never been more distracted at work than we are today, writes Naphtali Hoff. As we fragment our attention, fatigue and stress increase, which negatively affects performance. According to research cited by the Society for Human Resource Management: Workers are interrupted by e-mail, instant messages and other digital distractions nearly 14 times per day on average … [Read more...]
Evolving the window shopping experience (includes podcast)
Trends in consumer shopping reflect how animal owners seek products and services are discussed in this episode of the Retail Gets Real podcast. All commerce is becoming digital — even when it happens in store.” “Shoppers are operating in a more blended world as the boundaries between physical and digital shopping start to fall away. For example, 68 percent of shoppers say … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 2, 2021
Did you miss a week or two? Check the AHD Bulletin archives. Animal Health Digest Bulletin Link. Email signatures can increase brand awareness, drive traffic and generate leads Source: MarTech, November 22, 2021. Link. There are three times more individual email accounts than both Facebook and Twitter social media profiles combined. That’s not all. You are … [Read more...]