- The Companion Animal Parasite Council is warning of the continued expansion of heartworm, Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases throughout the United States in 2024. “Over the past 12 years, we have seen the movement of parasitic diseases and the vectors that carry them expand to new areas, signaling the need for pet owners to test their pets every year and protect them year-round,” said Heather Walden, president of the CAPC board. In its 2024 “Pet Parasite Forecast,” CAPC reports that ticks and mosquitoes remain the principal transmitters of pet and human vector-borne diseases. The risks of contracting Lyme, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and heartworm diseases are increasing due to various factors, according to the announcement, such as rehoming of pets, urbanization and climate change.
- To help improve the industry and alleviate a shortage of equine veterinarians, the American Association of Equine Practitioners has created a strategic plan to address its sustainability, including the launch of its Commission on Equine Veterinary Sustainability, dvm360 reports. A compensation survey conducted by AAEP found that on average, those working in practices work 5.3 days a week during the busiest quarter of the year and 4.4 days during the less busy quarter. This led to the creation of a compensation committee. A student subcommittee also was formed to prioritize outreach to students to determine their needs.
- Cal-Maine Foods, the largest producer of fresh eggs in the United States, temporarily halted production at one of its facilities in Texas after detecting highly pathogenic avian influenza there, the company announced. The company said it depopulated about 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, or about 3.6% of its flock, as a result of the outbreak. It’s possible the depopulation at the Texas location could lead to higher egg prices at the grocery store, “because you’re taking a large number of egg-laying birds out of production all at once,” Amy Hagerman, an associate professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University, told NPR.