There is something about pets that overrides conventional career logic, writes veterinary nutritionist Megan Sprinkle, DVM. She shares her observations from a trip to Global Pet Expo 2026 and contrasts parallel industries with a common customer commenting on the opportunity of shared purpose. Source: Animal Health News and Views, April 2026. Link. Diverse perspectives and … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – April 13, 2026
In this week’s Fast Bites: Pet industry surveys from a) Australia , b) Canada, and c) United Kingdom Legislative updates from a) New York, b) New Jersey, and c) Iowa Source: IBPSA, April 13, 2026. Link. Also see: Animal Health Digest Bulletin, April 9th. Link. Personal responsibility, leadership maturity, the power of introverts, emotional support animals, and … [Read more...]
5 secrets to stronger hooves (audio)
Genetics aside, there’s plenty that can be done to improve a horse’s hooves through diet and management. As warmer weather arrives, consider sharing these hoof care tips with horse owners to encourage stronger hooves in any horse: Optimize nutrition Stick to a consistent shoeing schedule Maximize opportunities for exercise Consider feeding a hoof supplement … [Read more...]
New ISU guides help hog producers manage heat stress
Swine producers have new resources available from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach to mitigate summer heat stress. These resources are available for download from the ISU Extension store: Heat Stress in Swine Production: Breeding Herd Considerations Heat Stress in Swine Production: Basic Research Source: National Hog Farmer, April 6, 2026. Link. … [Read more...]
Why dairy cattle bunch: What published research reveals about this costly behavior
Published research shows there are clear reasons “cows just stand around for no reason” and they’re almost always environmental. Leading peer‑reviewed research on why dairy cows bunch, what environmental factors drive the behavior and how dairies can reduce it is shared in this article. Key reasons for bunching include: Stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) Heat … [Read more...]
Where medicine meets intuition
Commentary Beyond the science, data, diagnostics and evidence-based decision making is gut instinct, writes Adam Christman, DVM, MBA. Intuition does not replace science; it directs it, he says. His advocacy for pet owner intuition, coupled with the veterinarian’s instincts, is not to be dismissed. “Going with your gut is not about being impulsive. It is about being … [Read more...]
9 insider tips to drive dental product sales
Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, shares ways to introduce dental products to improve patients' health and bolster retail revenue. Her tips include eye-level displays and placing carefully selected products in animal owners’ hands. Ideas from Mary L. Berg, BS, LATG, RVT, VTS (Dentistry), FVTE, are also included. Source: Veterinary Practice News, February 6, 2026. Link. Berg suggests … [Read more...]
Here’s what dog gum colors mean
Content for Pet Dental Month Helping dog owners understand the importance of oral care can start with simply urging them to routinely check the color of their dogs’ gums. Katie Grzyb, DVM, shares the meaning behind changes in a dog’s gum colors and when pet owners should contact a veterinarian. Source: PetMD, December 28, 2025. Link. Key takeaways from the article: … [Read more...]
Why veterinarians recommend using a broker for pet insurance
This article is a good read for veterinary teams willing to promote pet insurance benefits but hesitant to direct pet owners to specific pet insurance brands. To support those discussions, Animal Health Digest created a “Pet Insurance Guide.” The guide is a free tool designed to save time, advance pet health insurance conversations, and highlight the benefits for clients, their … [Read more...]
Boost herd health and performance through the transition period
The importance of managing the transition period from dry-off to peak milk rightfully dominates dairy management topics. In the article shared here, Zoetis’ Matthew Boyle, DVM, shares best practices that set transition cows up for success. Source: Progressive Dairy, December 15, 2025. Link. Boyle emphasizes the opportunity to make small adjustments in each of the three … [Read more...]
VMX: Stop, look, listen but rest
The first big industry convention and trade expo is vibrating at the starting gate for an estimated 30,000 animal health professionals. The adrenaline is palpable as attendees try to take it all in. I’m unable to join you, so here’s my perspective from nearly 20 years of attending NAVC’s premier expo: Manage your personal biosecurity. Every year, some people return with … [Read more...]
Opportunity flows from where you focus your intentions and attention
Commentary This new year is not a fresh start. It’s the next chapter of continually improving the health and welfare of our animals and those who care for them. For many animal health pros, the horizon may be foggy as new annual plans are implemented, territories realigned, new management introduced and teams face staffing and goal changes. As we begin this year, we can … [Read more...]
Most read Malone posts – January to June 2025
We include wisdom from Patrick T. Malone weekly. His perspectives on leadership, teamwork and personal development are routinely found in the most read posts. Malone’s experiences with how using the PAR skills engages others in productive conversations and honors decision makers are foundational to our curation efforts. Last week, we shared Malone’s most read from Q-3 and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 24, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 18, 2025. Link. Scroll through all of the December 2025 Animal Health Digest posts here. Link. ======================= … [Read more...]
Most read Malone posts – June to date 2025
We include wisdom from Patrick T. Malone weekly. His perspectives on leadership, teamwork and personal development are always among the most read posts. Keeping with the getting-ready-for-2026 theme, here are Malone’s top posts from the last six months. Source: Animal Health Digest Archives, June 2025 – December 2025. Above all else, Integrity. Link. Time management … [Read more...]
10 years later, November 2015 post still relevant
As part of our 10th anniversary, we looked back at some of the first posts we wrote for animal health pros. This one remains relevant. AAHA Trends’ main feature dove into the experience economy and examines what it takes to make a great impression on every client. Source: Welcome to the experience economy. It’s everything!, Animal Health Digest, November 16, 2015. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – December 1, 2025
Holiday readiness, finding stability during hard seasons, HBR podcast featuring Nicholas A . Pearce, PhD, and the latest from Animal Health Digest. Source: IBPSA, December 1, 2025. Link. The best companies are ones that not only have a purpose for themselves but also attract and hire people whose individual senses of purpose align with the company’s purpose.” - Nicholas … [Read more...]
Counter-surfing dog spends Thanksgiving in ER; ate common holiday ingredients
Here’s a story to share on social media, in newsletters and with local media. Pet owners need to be reminded of risks to pet safety over and over again. Snoopy and his family are sharing their story about a toxic food encounter to save pet parents and their animals from stress this holiday season. Despite his owner’s attempt to keep him from the fried chicken pan, Snoopy … [Read more...]
Animal Health Digest celebrates 10 years!
Thanksgiving season is an appropriate time to thank those who support AHD’s curation service. Without you, our weekly Bulletin would not be possible. THANK YOU! The curators who share content they reviewed include: Rick Purnell, editor Dane Erickson, Bulletin manager Patrick T. Malone, weekly columnist Industry colleagues and friends AHD Sponsors In the … [Read more...]
Scroll the AHD Archives
During this past three months, we’ve experienced all-time highs in post readership. The links here will allow you to quickly scroll through the AHD Archives by month, catch posts you missed or revisit the ones you skipped for a later time. Source: Animal Health Digest Archives for November 2025. Link. Archives for October 2025. Link. Archives for September 2025. … [Read more...]
How to read pet food labels
AAFCO’s Pet Food Label Modernization project is underway, explains Jean Hofve, DVM, but in the meantime, pet food labels and language remain confusing. She shares how to interpret product names, nutrition facts and what to expect from upcoming label changes. Source: Animal Wellness, October 17, 2025. Link. Also see: Search Results for: pet food labels, AHD Archives. … [Read more...]
Considerations when talking about pet insurance
We recently introduced a non-commercial Pet Insurance Guide to help animal health pros easily share the “who, what, when, where and why” of choosing pet insurance policies. Confused pet owners considering pet insurance and those with existing policies they don’t understand often seek advice from veterinary teams. The guide is designed as a conversation aid to help discuss pet … [Read more...]
“What Else?”
To fully understand the situation, you need the customer’s perception of the NEED, its IMPORTANCE, QUANTIFY it, then consider the positive/negative CONSEQUENCES and LOOK at the options. Many times, you need to ask follow-up questions. Examples are included in this article. Source: Veterinary Advantage, December 2022. Link. Every practice team member is in SALES . . . and has … [Read more...]
Pet dental care: Evolving for convenience and better health
Includes Commercial Content The pet dental and oral care segment is expanding beyond the traditional bone-type products for dogs, writes Lindsey Beaton. She says dog and cat owners are more educated on the importance of oral care and are interested in making dental care more convenient. The trends are giving rise to supplement chews, powders and functional foods. Science … [Read more...]
New tool helps clarify pet insurance decisions for owners
Animal Health Digest introduces a “Pet Insurance Guide,” a tool designed to save time, advance pet health insurance conversations, and highlight its benefits for clients, their pets, veterinarians, and their teams. The free, non-commercial PDF is available here. Link. AHD’s Pet Insurance Guide helps animal pros easily take pet owners through the “who, what, when, where, and … [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...]
10 steps for pet owners to take if a coyote enters their yard
Across the U.S., coyotes are frequently seen in urban and suburban settings. Wildlife in general is moving to town <Link>. Mathew Abraham provides good ideas to help keep pets and people safe from hungry coyotes seeking an easy meal. By now, adult coyotes are not only hunting for themselves but for four or more rapidly growing pups. Abraham asserts the need for … [Read more...]
Keeping cows cool
We enjoyed the positive responses to last week’s post “Making dairy herds in the shade” <Link>. Recent studies show shade is important for growing beef cattle comfort and efficiency <Link>. Articles like this are reminders of the health and economic benefits of providing shade for cattle as temperatures move above 70°F. Because of that feedback, we’re repeating … [Read more...]
AHD reader shares concerns and feedback
Occasionally, we get an animal-owner reader response (that isn’t spam) to one of our posts <Link>. We’re sharing it here. Reader comments from AHD post on website As a pet owner I find that my costs at the vet have tripled and the time I see the vet is now about 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes even though the time slotted for me was 30 minutes. I feel that the … [Read more...]
Ramp up fly control or breathe through your teeth
Maggie Gilles provides a reminder all animal health pros need. Fly control begins with regular sanitation to remove manure and organic material from breeding areas. To increase effectiveness, it is important to implement one or more of the fly reduction approaches targeted to different life stages of the pesky flies. Stable flies and horn flies are the primary targets for … [Read more...]