Top Stories
Wild Ideas Can Save Lives
Source: Psychology Today Fifteen years ago, parvovirus-infected puppies in animal shelters faced almost certain euthanasia due to traditional infection control measures. Driven by a desire to save these animals, veterinarian Ellen Jefferson established the first parvo...
How Can Kentucky Tackle Veterinarian Shortage? Working Group Presents Its Ideas
Source: Kentucky Lantern The Kentucky Veterinary Shortage Working Group has finalized an 18-month report addressing the shortage of large animal veterinarians in the state. Currently, only 3% of Kentucky vets specialize in large animals, compared to the national...
Dealing with Uncivil Behavior in the Clinic
Source: dvm360 Veterinary consultant Louise S. Dunn, in her lecture at the Fetch Coastal conference, addressed the issue of workplace incivility in Veterinary clinics, providing a plan of action for teams to remedy such behavior. Dunn highlighted that uncivil...
Spaying May Increase Canine Hemangiosarcoma Risk
Source: Today's Veterinary Business A scientific analysis of the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study has suggested a potential link between spaying and canine hemangiosarcoma, a type of cancer. The study found that hemangiosarcoma was an unlikely diagnosis in dogs under 8...
Anyone for Cow Cuddling? Meet the New Breed of ‘Therapy Animals’
Source: The Telegraph Dumble Farm in Arram, East Riding of Yorkshire, has found success with cow cuddling sessions after selling its dairy herd due to challenges like flooding and falling milk prices. The farm joined a conservation scheme to rewild the land but wanted...
Holy Mole-y: A Sniffer Dog Helps Rediscover a Rare Mole
Source: NPR Scientists in South Africa have rediscovered 11 De Winton's golden moles, a species not seen since 1936, using a trained border collie named Jessie and DNA analysis. The tiny, blind moles with an iridescent coat live underground and move through sand using...
FDA Determines Drug for Lifespan Extension in Large Dogs to Have a Reasonable Expectation of Effectiveness
Source: dvm360 The FDA has granted support for the development of LOY-001, a drug aimed at extending the lifespan and improving the quality of life for large- and giant-breed dogs. Loyal, the biotech company behind the drug, received approval for the "Reasonable...
Pet Insurance Company Shares Tips for a Safe Holiday Season
Source: dvm360 Nationwide Pet Insurance has cautioned pet owners and Veterinary professionals about common holiday hazards for pets, based on the analysis of over 1.2 million insured pets. The top five risks include the ingestion of foreign objects (average claim cost...
How to Know if Your Dog Has the Mysterious Canine Illness—and When to Worry
Source: New York Post A mysterious respiratory illness affecting dogs across the United States has raised concerns among pet owners and veterinarians. The illness, resistant to antibiotics, has led to deaths in some cases. Little is known about the unidentified...
A Great Candidate Experience Does Not End When They Accept Your Job Offer
First, there was the Great Depression. Then, many years later, there was the Great Recession. More recently, there was the Great Resignation. However, in today’s competitive hiring environment—especially within the Veterinary profession—the most important “great” is...
It All Comes Down to Access to Care
2023 ends in a few weeks. Was this the greatest year ever for Veterinary medicine? Probably not, still not the worst for sure. Let’s call it a mixed bag. The dynamics of pet healthcare are stable, but the future isn’t blooming with clarity. Let’s list the dynamics:...
New Normal . . . or Return to the Old Normal?
Are practices seeing a new normal or a return to the old normal? There seems to be a little bit of both going on right now. Prior to the pandemic, average annual revenue growth in companion animal practices was about 4%-8%, depending on the study, along with small...
Does Your Strategic Plan Include These 2 Key Areas for Success Today and Into the Future (Part 2)?
This two-part series presents ideas for upgrading your strategic plan to help your practice achieve success today and into the future. Part one of this series addressed access to care. In part two, the focus will be on ways to improve the experience of your clients...
The Psychologically Safe Co-Worker: Teamwork, Not Silos
Routine, daily mental checks, attitude adjustment, and perspective. Gratitude, positivity, foresight, and perpetual resilience. What if your new co-worker could share their thoughts? Would you hear some of those same words, knowing they were preparing to be the best...
Sacramento’s Mercer Clinic Giving Holiday Baskets and Sweaters to Pets of Homeless People
Source: CBS News Sacramento The Mercer Veterinary Clinic is spreading holiday cheer by assembling pet baskets containing warm coats, toys, and treats for the pets of individuals experiencing homelessness. Set to take place on December 9 at the Loaves and Fishes campus...
The Evolving Mission of the Center for Veterinary Social Work
Source: American Animal Hospital Association The Center for Veterinary Social Work at the University of Tennessee, established in 2002, has evolved its mission from addressing human needs at the intersection of Veterinary and social work to a broader focus on the...
Post Holdings to Inject Up to $100 Million into Pet Food Operations in 2024
Source: Pet Food Processing Post Holdings, Inc. has reported positive outcomes from its recent entry into the Pet Food sector, contributing to a 71.5% year-over-year increase in Post Consumer Brands' net sales to $1.01 billion in Q4. Pet food sales accounted for...
Custom Showers and Designer Crates: Welcome to the ‘Barkitecture’ Boom
Source: The Guardian "Barkitecture," a trend dubbed by Pinterest in 2021, is gaining popularity in the U.S. as pet owners invest significant resources in designing homes with a focus on their pets' needs. Fueled by social media, magazines, and home renovation shows,...
ISU Searches for Genetic Links to Improve Crop, Livestock Breeding
Source: National Hog Farmer Iowa State University researchers seized an opportunity presented by a devastating derecho storm in August 2020 to conduct a natural experiment on corn crops. The storm provided insights into the genetic factors affecting corn root...
Veterinary Starting Salaries Rise in 2023, Educational Debt Holds Steady
Source: American Veterinary Medical Association The graduating class of 2023 in Veterinary medicine is experiencing positive trends, with increasing starting salaries and a steady level of educational debt. The mean debt-to-income ratio for new veterinarians has...
AAHA Releases Veterinary Technician Utilization Guidelines
Source: American Veterinary Medical Association The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has introduced the 2023 AAHA Technician Utilization Guidelines to address challenges in the Veterinary field, particularly in the recruitment and retention of skilled team...
ACVIM Offers a New Fellowship Opportunity
Source: dvm360 The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) has introduced a Fellowship Program to advance expertise in Veterinary internal medicine. The program encourages professional development for ACVIM diplomates seeking to elevate their...
Pet Food Recall Linked to Seven-State Salmonella Outbreak
Source: American Veterinary Medical Association The FDA is investigating a Salmonella Kiambu outbreak across seven states, potentially linked to pet food from Mid America Pet Food. The company expanded its October 30 recall, including additional products with a...
Pet Health Partnership Focuses on Shelter Animals
Source: dvm360 Animal health company Zoetis and Adopt a Pet have joined forces in a nearly $1 million partnership to enhance care for animals in shelters. The collaboration aims to improve access to care, provide educational resources for shelter staff and pet...
Binghamton University Speech and Language Therapists Use Horses to Help Kids Communicate
Source: BingUNews The Kali’s Klubhouse: iTalk with Horses program, a community initiative through Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, utilizes equine-assisted therapy to aid speech and language development in children. The six-week program, entirely...