Top Stories

How Your Pets Alter Your Immune System
Source: BBC Household pets, especially dogs, influence human immunity in several important ways. Pets bring a variety of outdoor microbes into homes, which supports the idea that early exposure to diverse bacteria can help train the immune system and potentially...

WSU Veterinary Hospital Sees Record-Breaking Surge of Wildlife Patients
Source: KXLY.com Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital is experiencing a sharp rise in wildlife admissions, including baby raccoons, owls, and squirrels, largely due to the recent closure of another rehabilitation center in central Washington. As...

Research Suggests Earlier Kitten Neutering Does Not Affect Bodyweight in Later Life
Source: University of Bristol A recent study published in Vet Record found that neutering cats at four months old does not increase their risk of developing weight problems compared to neutering at six months. Analyzing over 2,000 clinical records from the University...

Business Briefs: Are Practice Owners More Satisfied Than Associates?
Source: EquiManagement The 2024 AVMA/AAEP Economic Report highlights a significant satisfaction gap between equine Veterinary practice owners and associates. Owners reported higher satisfaction with job (81%), lifestyle (72%), and compensation (74%) compared to...
Understanding Supply, Demand, and Pricing in a Post-Pandemic Veterinary Economy
One of the most foundational principles of economics, regardless of industry, is the law of supply and demand. These concepts govern how prices are determined through the interaction between consumers and providers in a marketplace. In simplest terms, the law of...

Community, Collaboration, and Connections: Highlights from Fetch Nashville 2025
Southern charm blended with cutting-edge education for anyone attending the DVM360 Fetch Nashville Conference on May 30–31, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. This two-day event featured over 120 presentations that catered to a diverse range of interests and specialties....

Premiumization in Pet Products and Services: Winning Strategy or Lost Opportunity?
In his 2025 Pet Summit keynote address, Dave Bolen highlighted the widespread premiumization that exists in the markets for US pet products and services.1 As a business strategy, premiumization has been successful in leading much of the pet industry growth in recent...

Sustainable HR: Measure Up!
Have you ever thought about measuring workplace performance and sustainability through a lens of psychological health and safety factors? Have you been finding it a struggle to keep employees motivated, focused, or resilient? A measurement grid of psychological safety...

Florida Passes New Laws To Protect Pets During Hurricanes
Source: Gulf Coast News As hurricane season begins, Florida has enacted two new laws to protect animals during natural disasters. Prompted by the viral rescue of a dog named Trooper—found tied to a fence as Hurricane Milton approached—Gov. Ron...

A Cautionary Parallel: Are We Seeing a Resurgence of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Veterinary Medicine?
Earlier this month, I came across an article in my sister’s copy of The Journal of Hospital Medicine (she works in human healthcare as a Hospitalist Physician Assistant) ominously titled “Preparing for the Unthinkable: The Resurgence of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases.”...

What I Learned in a Room Full of Veterinary Practice Owners
Last week, I sat in a room filled with current and aspiring Veterinary practice owners. These were people actively building or preparing to build practices of their own. It was energizing to witness so many entrepreneurial veterinarians taking concrete steps to...

Data Disasters and Digital Safety Nets: Why Backups Matter for Your Veterinary Practice
In Veterinary medicine, trust and timing are everything. Pet owners trust your team to deliver excellent care—and they trust your practice to keep accurate, secure records of that care. But what happens when technology falters? When the server crashes, data is...

New Clients: The Lifeblood of Your Veterinary Practice
New clients are the lifeblood of any Veterinary practice, injecting vitality into your schedule, keeping your veterinarians and staff engaged, and ensuring financial stability. Whether you’re running a bustling corporate practice or a community-focused private clinic,...

Influencing Change as a New Veterinarian: Leading Without Authority
I was recently asked to give a lecture to a Veterinary Business Management Association chapter on the topic of how to influence change, whether as a newly graduated veterinarian, or even experienced veterinarian, without a formal leadership title (“Owner,” “Medical...

Parasite ‘Liver Fluke’ Found in Colorado River; Dangerous to Dogs
Source: Parker Pioneer Pet owners are being urged to keep dogs out of the Colorado River after the discovery of a dangerous parasite called Heterobilharzia americana, or liver fluke, which causes canine schistosomiasis. While harmless to humans, the parasite can be...

DVM Breeds: Hiring the Right Vet Starts with Knowing Who You’re Looking For
Hiring a veterinarian right now is no small feat. It's time-consuming, expensive, and emotionally draining for most practices. You’re lucky to get an application in under a month, let alone find someone who’s not just qualified but also aligned with your clinic’s...

Before You Share It: A Call for Personal Responsibility in the Age of Misinformation
I was recently invited to speak at the HIVE conference in Chicago to share strategies on how to correct false information in Veterinary medicine. What I didn’t expect but perhaps should have, was how urgently we all needed a reminder that misinformation isn’t just...

Has Work-Life Balance Gone Too Far?
In recent years, the modern workforce has seen a dramatic shift in values and expectations. Once characterized by long hours and near-total dedication to the job, work culture has swung toward an emphasis on flexibility, mental health, and personal fulfillment. This...

We’re Close To Translating Animal Languages – What Happens Then?
Source: The Guardian A growing movement to decode animal communication, especially among cetaceans, is gaining momentum, driven by advances in AI and a $10 million prize from the Jeremy Coller Foundation. Projects like Project Ceti are using large language models to...

Dogs Are Helping Us To Better Understand and Treat ACL Injuries
Source: New Atlas A new Cornell University study highlights striking similarities between dogs and humans in how anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries develop and heal, offering a promising path for advancing treatment in both species. Researchers analyzed...

Federal Incentive For Food Animal Veterinarians Paused
Source: VIN News The federal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP), designed to encourage veterinarians to work in underserved rural areas, is currently on hold as the Trump administration reviews all USDA grant programs. Since its launch in 2010, VMLRP...

Virginia Latest State To Tackle Large Animal Veterinarian Shortage
Source: AVMA Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed legislation establishing a grant program to address the state’s shortage of large animal veterinarians in underserved areas. Beginning by July 1, 2026, the initiative will award $110,000 grants to up to four...

House Votes to Repeal Student Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Plans — 4 Key Takeaways for the Veterinary Community
Source: My Vet Candy The U.S. House narrowly passed a reconciliation bill (215-214) that would significantly alter the federal student loan system, including over $300 billion in education funding cuts. The legislation proposes eliminating key forgiveness...

52% of U.S. Pet Owners Skipped or Declined Veterinary Care
Source: Gallup A recent PetSmart Charities-Gallup study reveals that over half (52%) of U.S. pet owners skipped or declined Veterinary care in the past year, primarily due to financial barriers. Among these, 71% cited cost as the main reason—regardless of income...

Hill’s and Harvard Launch Web Portal to Accelerate Pet Microbiome Research
Source: Pet Food Industry Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Dr. Curtis Huttenhower of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have launched a new web portal for the One Health Microbiome Resource (OHMR), offering open access to over 2,000 pet gut microbiome samples. This...