Top Stories
Meet AKC’s Three Newly-Recognized Dog Breeds
Source: American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club officially recognized three new dog breeds on January 1, 2026: the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka, the Basset Fauve de Bretagne, and the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, bringing the total number of AKC-recognized breeds to...
No New Parvo Cases Means Spokane County Animal Shelter May Reopen Adult Dog Adoptions Soon
Source: The Spokesman Review Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS) may soon resume adult dog adoptions after reporting no new cases of canine parvovirus since last week. The shelter announced that five dogs had contracted the highly contagious...
Cost of Care Continues to Strain Veterinary Care Access, New Study Finds
Source: PR Newswire A new PetSmart Charities–Gallup study finds that the rising cost of Veterinary care continues to limit access for pets and place emotional strain on both families and providers. Nearly all veterinarians (94%) report that clients’ financial...
Your Pet’s Flea Treatment Could Be Destroying the Planet
Source: EurekaAlert! A new peer-reviewed study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry by Oxford University Press warns that widely used flea and tick medications for dogs and cats may pose serious environmental risks. The research focuses on isoxazoline...
Pensacola Goes to the Dogs During Paw-Di-Gras
Source: Pensacola News Journal Pensacola celebrated its fifth annual Paw-Di-Gras with a lively, dog-centered festival in downtown on February 1, 2026. The event drew large crowds of dog lovers who enjoyed a full day of pet-friendly activities. Festivities included a...
6 Weird Groundhog Facts for Groundhog Day
Source: SCI AM Groundhogs are best known for their Groundhog Day weather predictions, but their forecasts are no more accurate than chance. The tradition of watching a groundhog emerge on February 2 has roots in older seasonal folklore and continues to draw large...
Easterwood Starts New Role within Texas A&M Veterinary College
Source: Feedstuffs Leslie Easterwood has been appointed director of the Office of Continuing Education at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, beginning Jan. 1, 2026. A clinical associate professor and longtime equine...
Trump Administration Orders USDA To Investigate Foreign Researchers It Works With
Source: Successful Farming The Trump administration has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to scrutinize foreign scientists who collaborate with its researchers, directing employees to investigate co-authors for potential “subversive or criminal activity.”...
Does Humility Still Exist in Animal Health?
In an industry driven by innovation, advancement, and constant momentum, we often celebrate the loudest voices, the biggest announcements, the fastest growth, the boldest opinions. But recently, I found myself asking a different question: Does humility still exist in...
Innovations and Insights from the World’s Leading Veterinary Conference
VMX 2026 was a powerful reminder of how quickly our profession is evolving, with innovation and fresh thinking everywhere you turn. The momentum started at the VetPartners meeting and continued throughout VMX 2026, where the focus shifted from what’s new to what’s...
Deepfakes, Identity Cons, and ‘Smart’ Devices: Cyber Scams Veterinary Practices (and Families) Need to Know
Veterinary practices are built on trust—between clients and clinicians, between managers and staff, and often between family members who help run the business. Unfortunately, today’s cybercriminals are exploiting that trust with tools that look and sound alarmingly...
Artificial (Augmented) Intelligence (AI) in Veterinary Healthcare: A Few Lessons from Human Healthcare, Part 1
(Editor's note: This is the first part of a two-part series. The second part will be published in the March issue of Animal Health News and Views.) Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize winner for his commentary and consistent use of humor to present fresh insights into serious...
Petflation 2025 – December Update: Back up to +3.5% vs Last Year
Source: Pet Business Professor The December 2025 Petflation report shows pet-related prices rising again, with year-over-year inflation reaching 3.5%, up from 2.6% in November and now nearly 30% higher than the national CPI. Overall U.S. inflation held steady at 2.7%,...
Don’t Fire Them—Fire Them Up!
In a well-run Veterinary practice, most staff genuinely want to contribute and thrive. They perform willingly when the environment offers clear policies and procedures (SOPs), a structured gradient training approach (via the Gradient Training Check Sheet, or GTC),...
Breaking the Cycle: Making Sense of Student Debt in Veterinary Medicine
Debt. Payments. Interest. Owing money. Losing money. Trapped. All these words can create anxiety or optimism depending on how we view the world. The reality is that veterinarians who have graduated and those who are graduating experience higher than normal levels of...
The First 150 Days: What I Got Wrong, What Worked, and What I’m Building Next
After selling my minority partnerships in my previous hospitals and finishing business school, I genuinely believed I was prepared for the startup-practice world. I knew it would be hard, but I thought experience plus an MBA meant I would launch with confidence and a...
Startup or Buy? One of the Most Consequential Decisions in Veterinary Practice Ownership
I’m writing this article sitting at a coffee shop preparing to kick-off our Spring Semester of Professional Development and Practice Management at one of the Veterinary schools at which I have the opportunity to teach. This topic is on the docket for lecture today and...
Arizona to Florida to Toronto and Back
Let’s be honest, winters in Arizona are not a chore. And 2026 is no different. But the highlight of my January so far was a quick trip to “balmy” Toronto (-2 degrees F) for the Ontario VMA Convention following a chilly VMX in Orlando. Ten years ago a group of us...
CE Isn’t a Luxury: Why Ongoing Education Is Essential for Veterinary Technician Retention
As the new year begins, many Veterinary technicians find themselves in familiar territory—credential and association renewals to track, continuing education (CE) hours to plan for, and budgets that already feel stretched. For some, CE feels like just another box to...
Feedback is a Gift: How Leaders Can Create Trust and Growth
In my nearly 30 of working with Animal Health and Veterinary professionals and employers, one truth has stood out time and again: the best leaders are the ones who give and receive feedback with heart, clarity, and intention. Feedback, when offered with genuine care,...
The Complex Relationship Between Canine Skin Disease and Behavioral Change
Source: AAHA Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is closely linked to significant behavioral changes in dogs, according to a growing body of Veterinary research. Chronic itching and inflammation don’t just cause physical discomfort; they can drive anxiety, irritability,...
Texas Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling $2.4M Worth of Smuggled Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs Online
Source: WFAA A North Texas couple has pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle and sell unregistered pesticides and misbranded Veterinary drugs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Thao Duong and Lam Mai of Garland operated an online business that sold illegal...
Florida Lawmakers Propose Bills Allowing Veterinarians to Report Suspected Cases of Animal Abuse
Source: WCTV Florida lawmakers have introduced a package of bills aimed at strengthening protections against animal cruelty and improving accountability statewide. A key proposal would allow veterinarians to report suspected cases of animal abuse without fear of legal...
Pets Playing in the Snow in Northeastern Oklahoma
Source: News on 6 News On 6 shared a cheerful photo gallery showcasing pets playing in the snow across northeastern Oklahoma, capturing the joy of a winter weather moment through the eyes of local animals. Viewers submitted photos of dogs and cats bounding through...
From Fragility To Foresight: Big Data Boosting Racehorse Safety
Source: Paulick Report Big data is playing a growing role in improving racehorse safety through the work of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). Since launching its Racetrack Safety Program in 2022, HISA has required nationwide reporting of Veterinary...