Top Stories
Murder of Retired Auburn University Professor ‘Beyond Devastating’ for Veterinary Community
Source: AL.com Auburn University’s Veterinary community is mourning the tragic death of Professor Emerita Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, described by colleagues and former students as a “bright light” and “force” in the field. Standing just over 5-foot-2, Dr. Schnuelle...
Mysterious Illness Plaguing Southern California Seagulls
Source: Fox 11 Los Angeles A mysterious illness is sickening and killing Western gulls along Southern California’s coast from Malibu to Redondo Beach, prompting investigations by state and county agencies. Since July 25, International Bird Rescue has treated 17 gulls...
Danielle Spencer, who played little sister Dee on ‘What’s Happening!!,’ Dies at 60
Source: AP News Danielle Spencer, best known for playing wisecracking little sister Dee Thomas on the 1970s sitcom What’s Happening!!, died August 11, 2025, at age 60 in Richmond, Virginia, after a long battle with cancer, her family announced. As Dee, Spencer became...
Finding Justice for the Voiceless: How a University of Guelph Veterinarian is Pioneering a Growing Field
Source: CTV News Dr. Shane Bateman, a veterinarian at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College, is pioneering forensic Veterinary science to help uncover and prosecute cases of animal abuse. Inspired by the recognized link between animal cruelty and human...
Michigan State University Trains Dogs to Protect Honey Bees
Source: AP News At Michigan State University’s Pollinator Performance Center, researchers are training dogs to detect American foulbrood, a bacterial disease that kills honey bee larvae. Bees face multiple threats—including disease, pesticides, climate change, and...
Texas A&M Researchers Study Diet’s Impact On Salmonella Prevalence In Cattle
Source: Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Researchers at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences are exploring how cattle diets influence Salmonella infections, a major U.S. foodborne...
Pessimistic Dogs Are Better at Smelling Cancer—And Other Keys to Disease-Sniffing Success
Source: Scientific American Billy, a beagle trained to detect cancer, demonstrates how dogs can identify disease by scent. Cancer alters a person’s “volatilome,” the unique mix of volatile organic compounds in breath, sweat, blood, and urine. Dogs like Billy are...
Why Do Cats and Dogs Eat Grass?
Source: Live Science Pets’ grass-eating habits in dogs and cats remain somewhat mysterious, with multiple theories but no single proven cause. Veterinarian Dr. Jamie Lovejoy notes that neither species can digest grass well, lacking specialized gut bacteria and...
By the Water this Weekend? Beware of Potentially Deadly Dog Disease
Source: My Northwest Salmon poisoning disease, primarily found in the Pacific Northwest, is a potentially fatal illness for dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, and occasionally black bears, but not cats. It occurs when an animal consumes raw or undercooked fish—such as...
Veterinarian Honored for 50 years of Service in Perry County
Source: Penn Live Dr. Dean Cauffman, honored in 2025 for 50 years of Veterinary service, has uniquely balanced a large-animal Veterinary career with running his family’s 190-year-old, 400-acre Perry Valley farm. Starting in 1975 without advertising, he built his...
Report Details Raccoon Roundworm Infections in 2 California Children in 2024
Source: CIDRAP In 2024, two children in Los Angeles County contracted raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) infections, with one suffering severe, lasting neurological damage due to delayed diagnosis. The parasite, carried by up to 80% of raccoons in parts of...
Danish Zoo Asks Pet Owners to Donate Rabbits and Horses to Feed its Predators
Source: The Guardian Aalborg Zoo in Denmark has sparked debate after asking pet owners to donate healthy animals—including chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and even horses—to be humanely euthanised and fed to its predators, such as the European lynx. The zoo says the...
Vaccine Studied at Yale Could Delay, Cure Cancer in Dogs
Source: WTNH Yale School of Medicine immunologist Dr. Mark Mamula is leading groundbreaking research on a cancer vaccine for dogs through his company, Therajan, offering new hope to pet owners nationwide. Now in clinical trials, the vaccine can attack, delay, and in...
The Law That Saved the Whales Is Under Attack
Source: Scientific American Proposed amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), introduced July 22 by Rep. Nicholas Begich (R-Alaska), could drastically weaken the 1972 law credited with preventing extinctions and driving recoveries of whales, dolphins,...
Photos of the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest Held in California
Source: AP News The 2025 World’s Ugliest Dog Contest was held on August 8 at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California, celebrating canines with delightfully unconventional appearances. The lighthearted event featured a parade of unique dogs, including Little...
Beyond the Tools: Why Your Veterinary Practice Needs a Cybersecurity Framework
When it comes to protecting your Veterinary hospital’s network, the first thing that comes to mind is the specific tools used to keep you safe – perhaps you think about antivirus software, phishing-prevention tools, or backup solutions to restore functionality in the...
Cultivating a Culture of Accountability Without Killing Morale
Accountability. Much has been written about this, lectured about at conferences, and discussed amongst owners and managers over a drink. Yet, with all the publicity, creating a culture of accountability, without squashing autonomy and morale, remains a delicate...
Mastering Patient Care Plan (PCP) Sales: The Art of Quality Care Acceptance
In Veterinary practice, it’s tempting to focus solely on patient care and avoid financial discussions. Early in my career as a new practice owner, I did just that—prioritizing medicine over money. I’d treat patients, then retreat to the back, anxiously listening as...
Dog Nose Length Just One Predictor of Friendliness and Trainability
Source: New Atlas A study from Eötvös Loránd University examined whether flat-faced (brachycephalic) dog breeds like Pugs and French Bulldogs truly have distinct behaviors or if traits are shaped more by size, training, and owner habits. Researchers surveyed over...
Four ‘Unwelcome’ Words: Which Words Have Worn Out Their Welcome in Veterinary Medicine?
Since 1976, Lake Superior State University has published an annual list of ‘Banished Words’. Originally named “List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness,” this list highlights words that no longer bring value to...
Why Conversational Analytics Matter in Veterinary Leadership
For years, we as Veterinary leaders have pursued efficiency by optimizing schedules, workflows, and compensation models. We have treated the practice like a machine to be fine-tuned. But a more profound opportunity is now in front of us: leveraging a new kind of data...
Back to School, Back to Busy: Supporting Staff and Clients Through Seasonal Shifts
As summer winds down and families settle into new school schedules, many Veterinary practices notice a shift in the rhythm of their days. Appointments that seemed easy to fit in during the summer months suddenly become more difficult for clients to schedule. At the...
Financial Freedom Is the Real Antidote to Burnout
Burnout in Veterinary medicine is not just a buzzword. It is the reality for too many veterinarians. I have watched bright-eyed graduates lose their spark within a few years, and I have seen seasoned colleagues question the career they once loved. Even before I...
Why Sustainability September Matters More Than Ever in Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary medicine has always been driven by a mission of care for animals, people, and communities. Now, that mission is expanding to include another urgent priority: the health of our planet. This September, that commitment takes center stage with the launch...
Master the Controllables: How to Take Charge of Your Career and Let Go of the Rest
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.” — The Serenity Prayer This timeless quote, often associated with recovery communities, has broad relevance in every corner of...