Excessive body fat in pets increases the risk of preventable health issues and may shorten the life expectancy of dogs and cats as it does in humans. Retrospective research shows the obesity trend is continuing. Nationwide Insurance searched its database to determine the top 10 conditions where obesity is a factor. (see the table in the article). Source: Feedstuffs, January … [Read more...]
Start yesterday to promote dental month
There’s no question that dental services extend life quality for pets and increase revenue potential for animal health businesses. With the inclusion of home care in the WASAVA Global Dental Guidelines, the dental message has more potential for 2019 National Pet Dental Health Month communications in February. Social media is especially helpful in educating clients because it … [Read more...]
Still no pet insurance?
The editorial team at Catnip challenges rationales for avoiding pet insurance. Pet health insurance should be a no-brainer Source: Tufts Catnip, January 2019. Link. 100 percent of cats get sick at one point or another, just like people. That’s why we firmly believe that cat owners should seriously consider buying a health insurance policy for their pets. Also see: … [Read more...]
When an argument gets too heated, here’s what to say
Productive conflict is a hallmark of high-performing teams. Some teams struggle to communicate dissenting opinions without triggering resistance and defensiveness, writes Liane Davey. They fall into unproductive conflict by invalidating one another as they argue. IF you can validate your teammate’s perspective, expertise, and feelings, you will keep the conflict focused on … [Read more...]
Favorite 2018 posts featuring Addison Biological Laboratory
Addison Biological Laboratory has helped fund AHD’s development and growth as a 2018 sponsor. As we come to the end of the year,we’ve chosen these favorite posts referencing the company. Source: Animal Health Digest. Sponsored Content – Pinkeye Cofactors, Animal Health Digest, June 24, 2018. Link.This post features the printable .pdf of New Findings with Bovine Pinkeye … [Read more...]
Declaw free practice reviews results
Four things impressed me about this article: Going declaw-free was done more than four years ago before negative press about declaw issues was prevalent Amy Zellweger made the decision after engaging the practice team to gather evidence about declaw issues The practices have continued to grow financially Because of the educational focus, the practice now has … [Read more...]
Follow Animal Health Digest on LinkedIn
Our AHD team invites you to follow AHD on LinkedIn <link>. Each week we provide three posts featuring the current AHD Bulletin, the most-read current post and the most-read posts from the same week one and two years previously. It’s not our intent to overwhelm social media with myriad posts. Rather we strive to be judicious in providing current and historically relevant … [Read more...]
Celebrating animal health pros with thanks!
Our team at Animal Health Digest extends best wishes to animal health professionals, their families and friends for Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season. Through floods, hurricanes, fires, drought, growing disease concerns, expanding vector threats and advancing technologies, animal health pros continue to find ways to serve animals and animal owners. THANK … [Read more...]
What equine DVMs say about core vaccinations
Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA, helps support horse owner education with this Zoetis sponsored article. Consider it for social media posts, e-newletters and website content. The high mortality rate, human risk, and vaccine efficacy have led veterinarians to identify five vaccines they consider “core:” West Nile virus, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus, and … [Read more...]
AHD – focused on you for three years
We’ve been honored to bring actionable information to animal health pros for three years. Using your feedback, we added resources that help us get along with each other and develop our own interpersonal skills. This edition of the AHD Bulletin focuses on challenges animal health pros experience in day-to-day interactions with human beings. We define animal health … [Read more...]
6 most read posts from the last 6 months
Providing you a way to quickly sift through industry media is the main objective of Animal Health Digest. We believe informed animal health pros create more opportunities when you’re up to speed on what’s out there. With reading in decline, readers have a comparative advantage in today’s business, Michael Hyatt. Link. We’ve captured a few of the most read posts from Q1 and 2Q … [Read more...]
Fall leaves can be toxic to horses
As fall colors paint the countryside, remember that falling leaves can pose a potentially deadly threat to horses. Dr. Tania Cubitt reviews trees whose leaves are dangerous in this article sponsored by Standlee Forage. Source: Horse Network, October 10, 2018. Link. Do not dispose of your raked leaves into your pasture Also see: Red maple leaves dangerous for horses, Animal … [Read more...]
Understanding customers and decision makers
Two posts featuring Pat Malone, AHD’s weekly contributor, were opened at exceptionally high rates. Malone's focus on leading a customer to decide is evident in his writing and in his daily interactions with colleagues, customers, seminar participants and friends. These posts and the associated articles are relevant in today's business environment. Source: Understanding the … [Read more...]
Weaning, a ‘house of horrors’ for young calves
With a Halloween mindset, Blaine Corners compares weaning a calf to sending a small child into a house of horrors alone. . . . weaned calves face frightening new surroundings. This can include unfamiliar feed, new water sources, exposure to different cattle and harmful pathogens, and increased stress. Source: Progressive Cattleman, September 11, 2018. Link. Producers can … [Read more...]
Sponsored content: Recently seen in AAHA NEWStat
We’re sharing sponsored content from NEWStat, one of several publications available from AAHA Press, the publishing arm of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). New study shows link the evolution of feline hypertension, Boehringer Ingelheim, September 1, 2018. Link. New study shows link between ticks and kidney disease, September 1, 2018. Link. Guide to … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Home dental care now in WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Dental Guidelines were updated August 1, 2018. They now include a section on dental home care. The two major types of home plaque control are active and passive. Both types can be effective if performed correctly and consistently. Active homecare is currently the gold standard. Active homecare involves the … [Read more...]
Pet medical insurance is growing, group says
Whether as a member of a veterinary team or as a pet owner, pet insurance is becoming a more prevalent consideration in managing both life quality and financial risk when owning a pet. The number of insured pets increased climbing to 1.83 million last year, up about 16% from the previous year. That’s only 1% of dogs and cats, but insurers expect the expansion to … [Read more...]
Pinkeye challenges NC region
Cattle in Catawba County, North Carolina, are experiencing the worst year for pinkeye ever, according to North Carolina State University Extension agent Glenn Detweiler. He references late rains and fly populations as part of a perfect storm for pinkeye infections. Source: Hickory Record, August 17, 2018. Link. The group called face flies seem harmless since they do not … [Read more...]
Opinion – Chew on this blast from the past
AHD editor, Rick Purnell, found a dental care brochure in a media kit from 2007. See the images of the Hartz® brochure at the link below. While the graphics show how far we’ve come in presenting products in the last 10 plus years, the messages are alarmingly similar. A Google search for the study referenced indicates its results have been referenced by as many as 20 or more … [Read more...]
Opinion – Train new hires to give location directions
A recent family reunion and the return trip across new geography exposed the weakness of cell phone coverage, internet connectivity and the stark reality that many younger persons cannot give directions to their work location without the help of digital technology. Imagine the end of a 600-plus-mile day, traveling with a gracious but tired octogenarian and not being able to … [Read more...]
B-Lyme-y! (infographic)
The DVM 360 staff put together an informative infographic that highlights findings from a new study conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Merck Animal Health. Data shows pets aren’t getting complete protection against fleas, ticks and Lyme disease. Source: DVM 360, June 22, 2018. Link. The good news: Pet parents of all ages want to protect their pets from parasites, with … [Read more...]
Water consumption crucial to horse health
Getting enough water sounds elementary doesn’t it. But for horses, and cattle, as well, . . . water is the most important nutrient, especially in hot weather. Without it, horses die within a few days, whereas they may be able to go weeks without food. Source: BEEF, June 25, 2018. Link. Ambient temperature affects water intake, and horses typically drink less water in cold … [Read more...]
Update, anaplasmosis in dogs
Prompted by the Dogster article linked below, we reviewed recent information about anaplasmosis in dogs, in addition to ruminants, horses, people and wildlife species. White-tailed deer and small rodents are considered the primary reservoir hosts. Canine anaplasmosis is caused by one of two gram-negative, obligate, intracellular bacterial agents, Anaplasma phagocytophilum or … [Read more...]
How women can succeed by rethinking old habits
Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith discuss self-limiting behaviors that are simply part of being human. Their combined experiences with women in virtually every sector taught them that even women at the highest levels can undermine themselves with specific self-sabotaging or self-limiting behaviors that are different from those that most frequently undermine men. Not all … [Read more...]
AHD welcomes Jim Whitt
The AHD Bulletin welcomes Jim Whitt as a contributor to our team. Jim is a professional people provoker and one who believes and lives the transformational power of purpose. Source: Animal Health Digest. Jim helps people reach their full potential scientifically, psychologically and spiritually. We have no doubt you’ll enjoy and benefit from his contributions. Reach him … [Read more...]
The world needs you to love reading
Niklas Göke is young, a German grad student and prolific contributor to Medium. In this post, he addresses the importance of reading and the need to fight to read even when you enjoy it. Explaining his perspective on reading and its link to culture he writes, Despite both the subjective and objective evidence, the demise of reading is not a very public issue. In the age of new … [Read more...]
Heed new pinkeye management protocols
Articles from AHD sponsor Addison Biological Laboratories provide information about how we should now manage pinkeye. Starting with a historical perspective helps. This is what we know: Pinkeye is a painful cattle disease that can reduce weaning weights as much as 17 lbs. to 65 lbs. per animal. Pinkeye is a multifactor disease. Once it begins to spread through a … [Read more...]
Trim dogs’ toenails in a stress-free way
Searching “dog nail trimming” on Google reveals a plethora of information. Most of it focuses on our reluctance to routinely trim nails because of unruly animals or the fear of cutting into the quick. Dr. Karen Gellman reminds us that long toenails have consequences on the pet: Long toenails cause painful feet Overgrown nails often create an abnormal compensatory … [Read more...]
Presenting euthanasia as a reasonable option may benefit DVMs, owners and pets
Euthanasia and end-of-life considerations are predictable stressors for veterinary professionals, says Katherine Goldberg, DVM. What follows is a rational and strategic discussion of euthanasia from both the DVMs’ perspectives and the pet owners. She thoughtfully suggests we rethink euthanasia from something we must or should consider to something we might or could … [Read more...]
Prevent lameness in dairy cows
Recent research findings published in the Journal of Dairy Science suggest that lameness prevention merits a strong focus on dairy farms. Michael Cox reviews the prevention issues and opportunities. Source: American Dairymen, April 2018, page 14. Like many animal health issues, lameness is a multi-factorial problem. Dairymen need to review their facilities and people … [Read more...]