Veterinary Voices

Hospice and palliative care veterinarians seek recognition

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:52:24 -0300

Today, at least a few hundred veterinarians in the United States practice end-of-life care, comprised of palliative medicine, an approach focused on managing clinical signs and providing comfort; and hospice, which provides support for terminally ill patients.

According to a committee representing a nascent American College of Veterinary Hospice and Palliative Medicine, it's time to make it a formal specialty.

This story was published on July 14, 2026.

Diving into the weird, wondrous world of coral medicine

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:08:01 -0300

A small contingent of veterinarians globally have expertise in one of the least understood members of the animal kingdom: coral.

"When I told people I was taking [a] coral pathology fellowship, one of the reactions I got was, 'Oh, so you're not going to be a veterinarian anymore,' " one recalled. "And I was like, 'No, I totally am. They're animals.' "

This story was published on July 9, 2026.

Opportunity meets setbacks for foreign-trained veterinarians

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:51:12 -0300

Dr. Lina Cortés became a veterinarian more than a decade ago and has, for most of that time, had her eye on practicing in the United States. As someone trained in the South American country of Colombia, Cortés knew she would need to pass a variety of exams before qualifying for a veterinary license.

What she didn't anticipate was that the quest would stretch out for an indeterminate, and seemingly interminable, number of years.

This story was published on July 6, 2026.

AI guardrails emerge as veterinarians mull ethics, safety risks

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 20:21:08 -0300

Developers of artificial intelligence tools for veterinarians should disclose whether veterinary professionals were involved in their products' development and have ownership in their businesses, according to guidelines being finalized in the United Kingdom.

The recommendation is one of 23 principles in a draft working paper drawn up by the Veterinary AI Transparency Alliance, a group led by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the U.K.'s professional regulator, and Digital Practice, a company that provides client communication, scheduling and payment services.

This story was published on July 2, 2026.

Animal travel rules imposed as screwworm spreads in US

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:58:31 -0300

After a case of New World screwworm was found in a dog living in New Mexico, a veterinarian in the state reached out to the VIN News Service with a concern – not about the parasite, per se, but about how new restrictions on animal travel might catch some pet owners unawares.

"I'm worried people are going to get blindsided flying with their animals to other states!" wrote Dr. Nicholas Hopkins, a practitioner in Albuquerque.

This story was published on June 25, 2026.

Bird flu confirmed in Australia after veterinarian's chance find

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:36:23 -0300

A highly virulent form of avian influenza that has devastated bird and some mammal populations across multiple continents has gone truly global, having been detected in Australia for the first time.

Its discovery there — by a veterinarian who, by chance, picked up a sick seabird while she was walking on a beach — has prompted at least one large commercial poultry operator to lock down some of its farms. Concerns also have been raised for the safety of vulnerable and endangered species like Australian sea lions, black swans, little penguins, orange-bellied parrots and Tasmanian devils.

This story was published on June 23, 2026.

House call practice: A stronghold for solo veterinarians?

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:29:21 -0300

Over the past two decades, large corporations have established a formidable presence in most facets of veterinary care, amassing sizable to dominant market shares in general practice, specialty hospitals, pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.

One domain, however, is proving hard for them to crack, seemingly providing a bastion for small, independent operators: house call practice.

This story was published on June 16, 2026.

The story behind the first new US screwworm case in a dog

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:30:34 -0300

Saturdays are usually busy at Andrews Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in West Texas, and this one was no different — until it was. Among the appointments on June 6 was a 10-year-old male shih tzu, a regular patient of Dr. Benjamin Hada, the clinic owner. The dog's owner brought in the pet to have a wound near his eye examined.

He sedated the dog and probed deeper. It was then that he saw that, beneath the skin, the wound was filled with larvae.

This story was published on June 19, 2026.

Midwestern halts veterinary school on its Illinois campus

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:25:56 -0300

In what it describes as a "strategic realignment," Midwestern University has announced it will "pause further action" on developing a veterinary school at its campus in Downers Grove, Illinois.

This story was published on June 12, 2026.

Advice to '26 graduates on student loans: Don't consolidate

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:10:22 -0300

For new graduates who borrowed money from the United States government to pay for school, standard advice over the years has been, for varying reasons, to consolidate their student loans into a single loan.

This year, the word to the wise is the opposite.

This story was published on June 11, 2026.

Colorado regulators hit speed bump in VPA rulemaking

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:29:28 -0300

When Colorado veterinary regulators meet on June 11, they won't be hammering out scope-of-practice rules or supervision requirements for what will be the first midlevel position in the United States. Instead, they'll revisit their decision on who will manage credentialing and administer the licensing exam — a determination they thought was settled nearly a year ago.

This story was published on June 4, 2026.

State laws mandating larger pig housing might be curtailed

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:36:25 -0300

When passed by popular vote in California in 2018, Proposition 12 was considered a landmark animal rights law.

The legislation establishes minimum space requirements for pregnant pigs and prohibits selling pork raised on farms that don't comply. This restriction effectively bans the use of gestation crates, also called gestation stalls, which are confined spaces with metal bars used to house pregnant sows. Typically around 7 feet by 2 feet, they are too small for sows to turn around in, much less walk or move freely. Now Congress is considering language in the upcoming farm bill that would gut the gestation crate law in California and a similar law in Massachusetts.

This story was published on June 2, 2026.

Beware ye! Textbook pirates roam veterinary realm

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:34:19 -0300

When a textbook co-authored by the English veterinarian Dr. Richard Wall about parasitic insects was published almost three decades ago, bloodsucking lice were classified under the taxonomic order Phthiraptera.

Pity the student still studying from Veterinary Entomology: Arthropod Ectoparasites of Veterinary Importance, the content of which has since been updated. That now-outdated edition is available for free on a website that offers pirated copies of veterinary textbooks. The risk of digesting inaccurate information is one of many perils of textbook piracy.

This story was published on May 26, 2026.

Large animal care access gap in US persists

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 18:12:28 -0300

Before closing his practice this spring, Dr. Martin Moravec was the lone veterinarian in Rock County, Nebraska, an area home to 40,000 beef cattle and only 1,200 people. He tried once to hire a veterinarian to share the work, carefully wording his advertisement to highlight that the position meant lots of time in the outdoors, away from the stress of city life.

"I got zero response," he said.

Access to large animal care in rural parts of the United States has been a problem for decades, and agricultural and veterinary leaders at federal, state, university and community levels are still trying to solve it.

This story was published on May 29, 2026.

Not so fast! 69-year-old animal clinic won't quite close after all

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:43:26 -0300

Erdman Animal Hospital was scheduled to close its doors in late May. Then along came a puppy who needed a booster shot the following month.

This story was published on May 28, 2026.

Phosphorus maximum for cat food on the horizon

Tue, 19 May 2026 17:25:16 -0300

Four weeks into the test period of a nine-month study investigating the link between cats' health and phosphorus in their food, Dr. Jonathan Stockman and his team cut the trial short. Some of the 24 feline subjects had lost their appetites and were shedding weight and vomiting. The kidneys of 22 cats appeared concerningly bright on ultrasound images.

The first study to suggest a link between high levels of dietary phosphorus and kidney disease in healthy adult cats had been published more than 20 years earlier, but now Stockman was seeing the negative effects in real time.

This story was published on May 14, 2026.

After 69 years, a beloved veterinary clinic prepares to close

Thu, 14 May 2026 19:15:21 -0300

Three hundred and thirty-six people commented after Dr. Lance Keil posted on social media that his veterinary clinic — the one his father started in 1957 on Erdman Avenue in Baltimore — was closing.

"I'm literally in tears," said one. "You have been a blessing to this community," wrote another. "We couldn't ask for a better doctor for our fur kids!" a third exclaimed. "Not to mention how you managed to give the best care while keeping it affordable. You will be missed!"

This story was published on May 12, 2026.

Long-running veterinary free speech suit resolved

Wed, 13 May 2026 16:10:07 -0300

The United States Supreme Court's refusal in April to review an appellate ruling marks the end of a case that hovered over veterinary telemedicine for 13 years.

The denial of review allows a 2024 Fifth Circuit decision to stand. The court found state regulators violated the free speech rights of a Texas veterinarian when they penalized him for advising clients by email without having first conducted a hands-on patient exam.

This story was published on May 8, 2026.

Veterinary AI radiology tools scrutinized in new study

Thu, 07 May 2026 16:11:15 -0300

When Dr. Stephen Joslyn and colleagues tested the accuracy of artificial intelligence programs that help veterinarians read radiographs, they discovered that the increasingly popular tools made mistakes. One case was particularly illustrative.

A dog had swallowed a river stone, the object lodging in its small intestine. Joslyn and his team at Murdoch University veterinary school in Australia sent two radiographs of the dog's abdomen to six different AI platforms for analysis; four were based in the United States, one in France and one in South Korea.

This story was published on May 4, 2026.

Show notes:

From 'magical community' to 'product'

Thu, 07 May 2026 16:08:58 -0300

For the past decade, veterinarians who are mothers have had a particular space online where they could talk about cases, ask for and give parenting advice, seek solace, complain, crack wise and build enduring friendships. The group has been described as "magical" and "a lifeline."

Now, numerous former members say the group is morphing into something else — something that seems less about building community and more about profit for a few individuals.

This story was published on April 28, 2026.

HomewardVet closes, only seven months after launch

Wed, 06 May 2026 18:27:08 -0300

HomewardVet, a mobile veterinary service franchise in the United States that began operations less than one year ago, has permanently closed.

It is the second mobile veterinary house-call company to shutter in the past year. The Vets abruptly shut down last July. HomewardVet subsequently brought on board veterinarians affected by The Vets' demise.

This story was published on May 1, 2026.

UK may confine spot-on sales to veterinarians, pharmacists

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:39:13 -0300

The United Kingdom government is considering confining the sale of certain flea and tick treatments to veterinarians and pharmacists, citing what it says is growing evidence that the products are contaminating the environment, particularly waterways.

This story was published on April 20, 2026.

New Brunswick to end public veterinary field service

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:07:41 -0300

Vanessa Leclair was deboarding her mare from a trailer when the horse slipped, slicing a hind leg open. Leclair lives in a rural part of New Brunswick, Canada, a three-hour drive from the nearest private-sector equine veterinarian. She immediately called the Provincial Veterinary Field Service (PVFS), and a practitioner arrived in an hour.

New Brunswick is one of two Canadian provinces that have government-funded large animal veterinary care. Many New Brunswickers were dismayed to learn on March 17 that their provincial government was planning to phase it out.

This story was published on April 16, 2026.

Recognizing dementia in dogs and cats

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:06:18 -0300

Dr. Lisa Wilhelm was at her wits' end with Uncle Terry. Her 19-year-old cat had developed a habit of screaming, night and day, without a clear reason. Wilhelm found carrying on phone calls impossible, and, unless he was sent to the basement at bedtime, Uncle Terry's loud meows kept the household awake.

This story was published on April 14, 2026.

Show notes:

Cases of a rare urinary tract stone type are rising in dogs

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:32:11 -0300

The largest laboratory in the United States that analyzes urinary tract stones in veterinary patients is seeing a sharp rise in a rare stone type among dogs that might be attributable to their diets.

Researchers at the Minnesota Urolith Center have found that the stone, composed of calcium tartrate tetrahydrate, is associated with consumption of a particular form of choline used in many fresh and homemade dog foods.

This story was published on April 8, 2026.

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Chewy to buy Modern Animal, upping veterinary clinic count

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:16:15 -0300

Chewy, an online retailer of pet products like medications and food, has deepened its recent foray into providing veterinary care by agreeing to acquire the practice chain Modern Animal.

The purchase will boost Chewy's practice count to 47 locations across the United States; 18 that Chewy has built since 2024 and the 29 owned by Modern Animal. The sale, for an undisclosed price, is expected to be completed later this year pending customary closing conditions, including a regulatory review.

This story was published on April 9, 2026.

Arkansas State will be third new veterinary school this year

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:26:56 -0300

Arkansas State University has begun accepting applications for its first veterinary school class less than two weeks before the April 15 deadline by which most prospective veterinary students in the United States must commit to a program.

This story was published on April 6, 2026.

On a faraway isle, an unusual approach to veterinary care

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:10:04 -0300

When the sole veterinarian on Tiree retired last year, no practice buyer stepped in, leaving inhabitants of the remote Scottish island without a replacement.

The difficulty of luring a new practitioner to settle somewhere that's four hours by ferry from the mainland has led the people of Tiree to implement a plan B, which is working out so promisingly so far that it has become their preferred option.

This story was published on April 1, 2026.

Here to stay? Veterinarians contemplate new bird flu reality

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:08:46 -0300

When a particularly virulent form of bird flu was first detected in the United States in January 2022, it was hoped the ensuing outbreak would burn out fast. After all, the last major national outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza fizzled within months. Four years later, veterinarians are confronting an uncomfortable possibility that the virus is here to stay.

This story was published on March 26, 2026.

Practice equity offers to veterinarians on rise, raise questions

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:44:04 -0300

Imagine being an associate veterinarian offered an investment opportunity in the practice by your employer. If the value of the business goes up, so does the value of your shares. Maybe you're offered a portion of profits in the form of periodic cash dividends. You'd essentially be like a business partner, a status that could secure your financial future.

As enticing as the pitch may sound, some lawyers and others with experience in the field urge caution before accepting.

This story was published on March 19, 2026.

Veterinary faculty shortage: Readers respond

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:15:15 -0300

A shortage of veterinary educators, building for decades, is exacerbated by current and projected openings of new veterinary schools, a condition explored in a recent story by the VIN News Service.

The article elicited illuminating comments on a message board of the Veterinary Information Network, an online community for the profession and parent of VIN News. A selection of responses are gathered here.

This story was published on March 17, 2026.

University of Nevada, Reno, wants a veterinary school

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:12:23 -0300

Citing persistent shortages in veterinary services in the state, the University of Nevada, Reno, is pursuing plans to open a veterinary school. It's the second Nevada university in the past year to announce such aspirations.

This story was published on March 12, 2026.

Veterinarians raise alarm over anti-itch drug sold without Rx

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:18:09 -0300

Dr. Vicky Smith was reviewing the medical history of her patient, a small dog brought in for lethargy, extreme thirst, a ravenous appetite and increased urination, when his owner revealed a surprising bit of information.

As Smith inquired about any medications the dog was taking, the owner said, "Oh, he's on cyclosporine," Smith recounted. Cyclosporine requires a prescription for sale in the United States, and Smith hadn't written one for this dog — nor, apparently, had any other veterinarian.

This story was published on March 9, 2026.

Incoming veterinary students face federal loan limits

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:02:28 -0300

During interviews in January with applicants to veterinary school at Kansas State University, where he teaches, Dr. Shane Lyon heard something that stood out. It was not about the candidate's academic achievements, animal care experience or passion for the profession.

It was about the cost of schooling.

This story was published on March 3, 2026.

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Following outcry, Cambridge veterinary school to stay open

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:21:40 -0400

The University of Cambridge will keep its veterinary school open, bucking a closure recommendation by the institution's own senior officials that sparked a barrage of public opposition.

The school's future remains under a cloud, as the prestigious English university attempts to stem the school's financial losses and rectify deficiencies identified in its veterinary medicine program by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the United Kingdom's regulator for the profession.

This story was published on Feb. 24, 2026.

When clients film veterinary visits

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:19:37 -0400

A viral video on social media that made the local news, about puppies receiving care in her home county of Bartow, in Georgia, sent Dr. Heather Lindell Tally to TikTok for what she anticipated would be a welcome brain break.

The footage didn't provide much in the way of stress relief, though. Seconds after tracking it down, Tally was hit by a pang of cold recognition. The veterinary practice featured in the video was hers.

This story was published on Feb. 23, 2026.

Covetrus and MWI Animal Health plan to merge

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:03:57 -0400

Covetrus has agreed to acquire MWI Animal Health in a move that will reduce to two the number of nationwide distributors of veterinary pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies in the United States.

This story was published on Feb. 19, 2026.

CSU readies to train first veterinary midlevel practitioners

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 13:59:55 -0400

Years in the making, a new master's degree in veterinary clinical care at Colorado State University has opened for applications, with a program start this fall. The first of its kind in the country, the credential aligns with a new midlevel position called a veterinary professional associate, or VPA, that Colorado voters approved in 2024.

Two CSU faculty members, the driving force behind the degree, talk about where the program is now and why it’s needed.

This story was published on Feb. 18, 2026.

Veterinary faculty shortage unlikely to abate soon

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:57:49 -0400

A surge in new veterinary schools. Record-high enrollment. A long-standing migration of specialists to the private sector.

Converging trends have created a heightened demand for veterinary educators in the United States that's anticipated to intensify. So far, no one reports effects on education quality, but academics across the country describe worrisome signs in the form of clinical service delays at teaching hospitals and full-time faculty overburdened from picking up the slack when job openings go chronically unfilled.

This story was published on Feb. 12, 2026.

Naming veterinary schools for donors is trending up

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:21:02 -0400

The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine generated buzz at the end of January with an announcement that it’s received a $120 million donation and, in recognition of the donors, is renaming itself the Joan and Sanford I. Weill School of Veterinary Medicine.

The gift is the largest received by a veterinary school, not only in the United States but worldwide. UC Davis’ program is not the first to incorporate a benefactor’s name, however. Six other veterinary schools in the U.S. have adopted a person’s name into their own. Four namings happened in the past 3½ years. It appears to be a bit of a trend.

This story was published on February 5, 2026.

Experts draw from experience to gird for screwworm in US

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:54:17 -0400

Dr. Bill Folger has made an annual trip to Honduras every year since 1998, traveling to remote villages to provide preventive care to small and large animals. Never in more than a quarter century of visits had the Texas veterinarian ever seen a case of New World screwworm — until last June.

This story was published on Feb. 10, 2026.

USDA postpones horse protection rule changes for third time

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:52:33 -0400

The federal agency charged with enforcing horse protection regulations announced on Jan. 28 that it will delay the effective date of a rule intended to fortify prohibitions on soring, the practice of using chemicals or mechanical devices on show horses to induce pain to elicit an exaggerated gait that wins competitions.

This story was published on Feb. 6, 2026.

Surge in rabies reports prompts public health concerns

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:56:00 -0400

For more than 60 years, Chicago logged zero cases of rabid dogs. Then, in December, a young dog that had been acting anxious and aggressive was euthanized under suspicion of rabies. Four days later, the Illinois Department of Public Health publicly confirmed the diagnosis.

The dog, which was less than a year old, had been vaccinated against rabies in June. It began showing clinical signs of the disease six months later — an especially long incubation period that has veterinarians and public health experts wondering when and how the pet was infected.

This story was published on Jan. 29, 2026.

Dog noses point toward earlier detection of a stealthy cancer

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:06:33 -0400

To any dog lover who's encountered hemangiosarcoma — and there are many — the short span from diagnosis to death is painfully familiar. The disease develops quickly and under the radar, yielding no obvious clinical signs until it reaches a catastrophic point.

This story was published on Jan. 21, 2026.

Netherlands targets incentive-based pay for veterinarians

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:29:18 -0400

Authorities in the Netherlands are moving to ban incentive-based pay for veterinarians, adding to mounting attempts by governments worldwide to address pet owners' concerns about the rising cost of veterinary care.

The recommendation from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) would prohibit linking veterinarians' pay directly to the amount of revenue or profit they generate. It is among a package of proposals from the regulator that includes establishing uniform standards for particular treatments and requiring veterinarians to disclose itemized prices to clients upfront.

This story was published on Jan. 15, 2026.

California ban on elective cat declawing goes into effect

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:53:12 -0400

Elective declawing of cats in California became a crime in January. The law, approved by the governor last October, authorizes the state veterinary medical board to revoke or suspend the license of or impose a fine on a veterinarian who performs the procedure for nonmedical reasons.

This story was published on Jan. 13, 2026.

Endorsed by a veterinarian? Think again

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:41:43 -0400

A curious, 2,500-word tale on Facebook first came to Dr. Anne Sinclair's attention when a long-time client emailed her a link.

The epic post is attributed to a Dr. Jessica Brown, DVM. It begins with Brown handing a $12,847 veterinary bill to a woman whose cat, Max, is supposedly at death's door.

This story was published on Jan. 8, 2026.

Rising antimicrobial drug sales stoke resistance concerns

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:31:36 -0400

Sales volumes in the United States of antimicrobial drugs for food animals rose markedly in 2024, seemingly eroding efforts to combat pathogen resistance to the drugs. Sales also rose, more modestly, in the European Union, while sales in Canada and the United Kingdom fell to record lows.

This story was published on Jan. 5, 2026.

US veterinary licensing exam challenged as biased

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:57:27 -0400

The administrator of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination will initiate an independent audit in the wake of allegations that the test required for veterinarians to practice in the United States and Canada is biased.

This story was published on December 26, 2025.

Justice Department weighs in on lawsuit against AVMA

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:38:28 -0400

The U.S. Department of Justice has stepped into a lawsuit challenging standards and procedures used by the country's only accreditor of veterinary education. In a nonbinding "statement of interest," the agency pushes back on elements of the American Veterinary Medical Association's response to a suit lodged by Lincoln Memorial University.

This story was published on Dec. 18, 2025.

Plan to close Cambridge veterinary program sparks outcry

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:32:15 -0400

The University of Cambridge is poised to become the first educational institution in the West in decades to end an established veterinary medicine program, a prospect that's sparked a sharp rebuke from its staff and students, who have pledged to do whatever they can to stop the prestigious British school from closing.

The British Veterinary Association, which represents more than 19,000 practitioners in the United Kingdom, also called for a rethink of the plan, which it described as "deeply worrying."

This story was published on Dec. 15, 2025.

Singapore to add regulator as veterinarian numbers soar

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:46:51 -0400

Two decades ago, Singapore had around 100 veterinarians. Today, more than 650 are licensed to practice in the Southeast Asian city-state.

The remarkable growth, driven in large part by a rise in pet ownership, has propelled lawmakers to rectify what many see as a glaring shortcoming: the lack of a dedicated veterinary regulator.

This story was published on Dec. 10, 2025.

Tuskegee veterinary school fights to maintain accreditation

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:11:57 -0400

Ever since Tuskegee University's veterinary school failed to meet what appeared to be a make-or-break accreditation standard last year regarding its students' performance on the national licensing exam, the question has loomed whether it would lose the crucial recognition.

An answer came in November.

This story was published on Dec. 4, 2025.

Going the distance to bring veterinary care to a Pacific island

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:46:34 -0400

On a crisp, blue-sky autumn day, Lauren Cabrera sits at Pups & Cups Cafe, a go-to study spot in the college town of Pullman, Washington. Two and a half months into her first year of veterinary school, Cabrera is studying on her iPad and slipping treats under the table to her dog, Cleo.

Like every other veterinary student who frequents this cafe, Cabrera, sporting a maroon Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine sweatshirt, has a lot of schoolwork to do. Unlike her peers, she already has started a veterinary clinic, where she will work after she graduates in 2029 — 5,800 miles away.

This story was published on Dec. 1, 2025.

Sunny thinking rose from a dark period

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:18:04 -0400

Running late en route to a meeting one night and already grumpy, Dr. Trae Cutchin got stuck in traffic and grew grumpier still. But when he saw that the backup was caused by a terrible accident, Cutchin realized that his bad day was nothing compared with the driver's.

The moment marked a turning point in Cutchin's mindset and inspired an online discussion with fellow veterinarians. "No matter how bad anyone's day is," he wrote, "there is always a little good in it. Find it. Relate it." An instant hit, the "best thing" conversation has been active for more than 12 years.

This story was published on Nov. 24, 2025.

Caring for and learning from the dogs of Chornobyl

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 13:18:34 -0400

When a reactor exploded at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, the thousands of people evacuated from a 19-mile exclusion zone were ordered to leave their pets behind. Soviet authorities said they'd be home in around three days. That never happened, and their dogs, cats and any other animals were abandoned in the wake of what turned out to be, and still is, the worst nuclear accident in history.

Today, nearly 40 years later, the descendants of some of those abandoned animals live on, including hundreds of stray dogs that inhabit the dilapidated remnants of the plant and nearby town of Chornobyl, both located in what is now northern Ukraine.

This story was published Nov. 18, 2025.

Hanover College suspends effort to open veterinary school

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:45:11 -0400

New rules on how accredited veterinary schools use distance education have derailed a proposed program in Indiana.

Hanover College announced an intent in late 2023 to open a veterinary school that would combine remote and in-person instruction. It would have been the first of its kind.

This story was published on Nov. 20, 2025.

Questions follow company's claim that its AI aced the NAVLE

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:03:53 -0400

A fledgling company that describes itself as the first artificial intelligence reasoning platform built for veterinary medicine made a splash in October with a press release proclaiming "OpenVet becomes first AI to score perfect 100% on the NAVLE," referring to the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination.

Upon seeing the press release, dated Oct. 8, the not-for-profit corporation that administers the NAVLE pushed back, calling the claim "false" in a letter to the company that was shared with the VIN News Service.

This story was published on Nov. 13, 2025.

Being a left-handed veterinarian in a right-handed world

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:41:28 -0400

"If you're left-handed, you should give up hope of becoming a surgeon."

Can you imagine a more demoralizing response to a simple question about suturing a wound?

This story was published on Nov. 6, 2025.

How necessary is the 'cone of shame'?

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:32:08 -0400

Vanessa Waltz was at her wit's end after her veterinarian issued an Elizabethan collar to her dog, Ringo. The 8-year-old, 66-pound dog had developed two skin lesions on his left front paw from obsessive licking. Elizabethan collars, often called "cones" for their shape, encircle a dog or cat's neck to keep them from licking or chewing on a wound, surgical site or irritated skin.

Like many pets, Ringo didn't like it, and he expressed his dislike openly.

This story was published on Nov. 10, 2025.

More veterinarians are using AI to write up medical records

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:39:45 -0400

In 2023, Dr. Summer Hedges signed on to beta test scribing software that uses artificial intelligence to convert recordings of a veterinary appointment into a medical record.

Two years later, she’s fully on board with the software — one among a growing number of early adopters. Regulators advise caution when using the fast-evolving technology.

This story was published on Nov. 3, 2025.

The rise and fall and rise again of the FTC on noncompetes

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:19:42 -0300

As anyone who follows government policy on noncompete agreements probably knows, the past 18 months have been a roller coaster in the United States.

The ride began in early May 2024, when the Federal Trade Commission published a rule that would render most employer-employee noncompete agreements in the country unenforceable. Noncompetes are clauses in contracts meant to prevent former employees from competing against their ex-employers, usually within a particular geographic area for a defined period of time. They are common in the veterinary profession, among other occupations.

This story was published on Oct. 29, 2025.

Royal Veterinary College regains full accreditation in US

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:11:49 -0300

The Royal Veterinary College has regained full accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education after its students sharply improved their collective performance on the key licensing exam that must be passed to practice veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada.

Students at the British school who elected to take the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam achieved a pass rate of 86% during the 2024-25 academic year, according to an update posted on the school website.

This story was published on Oct. 27, 2025.

Your turn: The VIN News Service would like your thoughts

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:00:38 -0300

The VIN News Service was founded 17 years ago to provide news and commentary for and about the veterinary community, free of advertising and free of charge to anyone with an internet connection. The news team strives to stay fresh and always improve. That's why we're reaching out to listeners for feedback. How often do you listen to VIN News? What would you like to see more of or less of? In sum, how can we better serve you? Take the short survey here.

This story was published on Oct. 20, 2025.

UK moves to compel veterinary clinics to post prices

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:56:05 -0300

Veterinary practices in the United Kingdom will have to state the prices of key services such as vaccinations, diagnostics and surgery up front, under provisional rules outlined on Oct. 15 by the country's competition regulator.

The rules also include a requirement for practices to clearly disclose their ownership to the public and the imposition of a £16 (US$21) cap on prescription fees, which many veterinarians charge when clients purchase drugs from a third-party provider.

This story was published on Oct. 15, 2025.

Accreditor green-lights South Carolina's first veterinary school

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:48:02 -0300

South Carolina is accepting applications to the state's first veterinary school, following a nod from the accreditor of veterinary education.

This story was published on Oct. 14, 2025.

Putting veterinary social workers on the map

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:53:35 -0300

Early efforts are underway to establish veterinary social work as a distinct vocation in Australia and the United Kingdom, potentially bringing increased global recognition to a role that has been gaining traction gradually in North America.

This story was published on Oct. 8, 2025.

Three states adopt laws allowing emergency medics to treat K9s

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 12:10:23 -0300

When Sgt. Christopher Moore goes to work in the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston, his partner, Rex, is always at his side.

A K9 officer, Rex is one of many specially trained working dogs around the country — often German shepherds — that assist law enforcement, military and other emergency response organizations, including search and rescue. K9s perform a variety of tasks. They detect drugs or explosives, track missing persons, help to apprehend suspects and more.

This story was published on Oct. 2, 2025.

After a gap year, rural veterinary incentive program to resume

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:43:06 -0300

After skipping a cycle selecting applicants for the first time in its 15-year history, a federal incentive program to draw veterinarians to work in rural, underserved regions of the United States is coming back online.

The return of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program was announced in a Rural Veterinary Action Plan issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Aug. 28 to strengthen the rural food animal veterinary workforce.

This story was published on Sept. 25, 2025.

Veterinarians stress importance of disaster planning

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:17:13 -0300

Dr. Debra Zoran has lost count of the number of times people have complained to her about losing their pets during natural disasters.

"I've heard it over and over and over again: 'I didn't think my dog would run off in the middle of the night,' " Zoran said. "If there's a fire bearing down on the house and they're loose, they're running. It's survival instinct."

This story was published on Sept. 23, 2025.

Apoquel accidental overdoses are rising in cats and dogs

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:53:11 -0300

Apoquel, a drug for skin allergies in dogs, came out two years ago in the United States in a chewable form flavored with pork to make it palatable. It's proven to be that, to an extreme.

Two separate organizations that operate hotlines for pet poison emergencies report a rising trend in overdoses in dogs and cats, who are breaking into the packaging and gorging on the contents.

This story was published on Sept. 18, 2025.

Koala vaccine approval could pause slide in numbers

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:08:20 -0300

Chlamydia, a bacterial infection best known as a sexually transmitted disease in people, has increased the risk of koalas going extinct. Now, the approval of the first-ever vaccine to protect the iconic Australian bear-like marsupial from chlamydia promises to arrest a rapid decline in their numbers.

The vaccine also is regarded by scientists as a potential blueprint for treating chlamydia in other animals, such as sheep, cattle and humans.

This story was published on Sept. 16, 2025.

Accreditor OKs second Lincoln Memorial veterinary school

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:54:30 -0300

An allegation in a lawsuit filed by Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee against the American Veterinary Medical Association could be undercut by a recent accreditation decision in the school's favor.

This story was published on Sept. 11, 2025.

Veterinarians asked to be alert for screwworm infestations

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:59:37 -0300

Dr. Will McCauley remembers a parasitology unit in veterinary school when his professors at Texas A&M University described the New World screwworm fly, an insect that once wreaked havoc in Texas but has long been eradicated in the United States.

"It was here in the '60s and '70s, but not anymore," McCauley recalled the instructors saying. "You'll probably never see it."

But it's looking like that won't be the case.

This story was published on Sept. 9, 2025.

When the patients are odds and ends and silicone

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:34:19 -0300

Dr. Julie Hunt knows how to sew latex fabric, wield a Dremel grinder and mix and pour foam like a practiced crafter. Early in her veterinary career, she did not anticipate these skills would play a role in educating future practitioners.

This story was published on Sept. 4, 2025, as the second of a two-part series. Read or listen to part 1.

Terminal labs: Controversial veterinary teaching method ebbs

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:41:07 -0300

When she was a veterinary student, Dr. Meghan Shannon was heartsick at the prospect of learning surgery by operating multiple times on a dog that didn't need it, then ending its life intentionally.

Being at a school in the southern United States, Shannon already felt like an outcast as a vegan Northerner sporting a crew cut and nose ring. So she didn't hesitate to openly question the practice.

This story was published on Sept. 3, 2025, as the first of a two-part series. Read or listen to part 2.

Show notes:

A public records review of cadaver and terminal animal use in US and Canadian veterinary schools, Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, Aug. 20, 2025
A survey of the use of live animals, cadavers, inanimate models, and computers in teaching veterinary surgery, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Oct. 1, 1993
Guidance on the operation of the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986
AAVMC Use of Animals in Veterinary Medical Education Handbook

Ticks' expanding ranges keep veterinarians on their toes

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 13:02:23 -0300

On a June morning two years ago, Kristin Laidre's dog, Molly, suddenly fell off her owners' bed.

"She just crashed to the ground," Laidre said. "She couldn't use her legs. They were basically like Jell-O."

This story was published on Aug. 29, 2025.

Hike or bust: Veterinarians in BC vote on registration fees

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 18:02:20 -0300

Veterinarians in British Columbia had a tough decision to make by the end of August about the regulatory fees they must pay to practice in the Canadian province.

The provincial regulatory body for the profession, the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia, asked them to approve a 36% hike in their annual registration fee to CA$1,900 (US$1,374), among a raft of other fee increases. Without the increases, the college said, it would become insolvent.

This story was published on Aug. 27, 2025.

Update: The proposed fee increases were approved, with 55.4% voting in favor and 44.6% against, the CVBC said in a statement on Sept. 2. Of 2,595 eligible registrants, 36% voted.

'It was crazy': Inside the shutdown of The Vets

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 12:47:32 -0300

Jerrold Abber finished his shift as a veterinary technician on a recent Monday and returned to his home in Tampa, Florida, thinking nothing was amiss. Then, at 9:39 p.m., an email arrived from his employer, The Vets, a mobile veterinary services provider. The July 21 message said the company was furloughing its employees without pay, effective immediately.

Abber was astonished. "We had appointments the next day," he said. "It was crazy."

This story was published on Aug. 21, 2025.

US veterinarians join effort to aid honey bees

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:44:08 -0300

Dr. Kristol Stenstrom didn't seek out beekeeping — the bees came to her.

The Kansas veterinarian came home one day in 2016 to find a honey bee swarm had taken up residence on her front porch. In awe but also frightened, she called acquaintances who were familiar with bees. Then, not one to turn down a challenge nor turn away strays — even 30,000 of them — Stenstrom decided to keep the bees.

"It was kind of baptism by fire," Stenstrom said.

This story was published on Aug. 19, 2025.

Donation to fund Australian veterinary school revamp, growth

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:28:04 -0300

When Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, celebrated its 50th birthday last year, festivities were tinged by an awareness that its aging facilities could do with an upgrade.

Now, the veterinary school has received a large, unexpected shot in the arm that will enable it to update the school and increase by about 50% the number of openings each year for domestic and international students combined.

This story was published on Aug. 13, 2025.

Union for veterinary support staff shuts down

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:57:36 -0300

The only union dedicated solely to veterinary support staff in the United States has shuttered. Its collapse was precipitated by the closure, in May, of an animal hospital in the Seattle area, where workers represented by the National Veterinary Professionals Union were negotiating a collective bargaining agreement.

This story was published on Aug. 12, 2025.

First long-acting flea, tick control for dogs rolls out in US

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:00:39 -0300

The launch in the United States of the first long-acting treatment to prevent fleas and ticks in dogs is stirring a mix of excitement and caution among veterinarians, as they weigh the benefit of uninterrupted 12-month coverage with concerns about neurological side effects that can be caused by the product's active ingredient.

The product's cost compared with shorter-acting treatments also has veterinarians wondering if some pet owners will be uncomfortable paying more up front for extended coverage, particularly for larger dogs that require a greater, and therefore more expensive, dose.

This story was published on Aug. 7, 2025.

Veterinarian reflects on colorblindness and career

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 15:28:22 -0300

When Dr. Randall Ruble attended veterinary school in the 1970s, being colorblind wasn't at the forefront of his mind. He pursued his studies with the merest of help and adapted as needed to visual challenges in his clinical practice.

Only now, late in his career, is the small animal practitioner in Central California beginning to appreciate how color vision deficiency — not seeing colors in the same way others do — influenced his life.

This story was published on July 24, 2025.

Internet vendor of opioids, euthanasia drug draws warning

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 19:06:40 -0300

At the top of a website called Peaceful Meds, images of injectable forms of ketamine, Demerol and GHB play in a slide show. A shopper may browse offerings in a variety of categories, labeled benzos, dissociatives, psychedelics, stimulants, opioids and more.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter dated May 5 to the website, alleging it is dealing in unapproved and misbranded drugs and offering prescription drugs for sale without a prescription.

This story was published on Aug. 4, 2025.

Georgia pet owners lose access to pet poison hotlines

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 20:51:33 -0300

The nation's only 24-hour animal poison control hotlines stopped providing guidance to callers from Georgia in July following the passage of a law on remote care that they believe prohibits them from dispensing treatment advice to nonveterinarians in the state.

This story was published on July 30, 2025.

The Vets cancels all appointments amid apparent closure

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 19:12:14 -0300

The Vets, a mobile veterinary service provider, apparently has stopped operating, having canceled all appointments.

Founded in 2021 by venture capitalists to provide at-home veterinary care, the company lists on its website 28 locations in the United States where it provided services, including major cities such as Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

This story was published on July 23, 2025.

Debate heats up over Librela safety profile

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:19:32 -0300

Discussion in the veterinary community about the safety profile of a popular new osteoarthritis drug for dogs is continuing with vigor, stoked by three research papers — two backed by the drug's manufacturer, Zoetis — that give contrasting impressions of the risk of side effects.

Zoetis maintains that the vast majority of patients receiving the injectable treatment, branded Librela, have positive experiences and that associated adverse events are rare.

This story was published on July 17, 2025.

Ohio lawmakers loosen veterinary telemedicine rule

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:56:01 -0300

A new law in Ohio allows veterinarians to treat patients using real-time, virtual methods without first conducting an in-person exam, as was previously required.

Ohio is the eighth state to expand the use of telemedicine to treat veterinary patients.

This story was published on July 15, 2025.

Limited licenses offer path to foreign-trained veterinarians

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:11:15 -0300

Recruiting veterinarians to New Hampshire is tough. It's why state lawmakers last year created a conditional license for foreign-trained veterinarians.

The Granite State is not alone. Creating provisional licenses for foreign-trained veterinarians to address perceived workforce shortages has become something of a trend in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with eight jurisdictions across the United States and Canada adopting them since 2021.

This story was published on July 9, 2025.

Cat poisoning in UK highlights danger of fake flea controls

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:57:18 -0300

Authorities in the United Kingdom are alerting pet owners about counterfeit topical flea and tick treatments that have poisoned at least one cat.

A bogus treatment given to that animal, bought online through the popular e-commerce site eBay and bearing the Frontline brand, was found to contain pirimiphos-methyl, a powerful insecticide that is toxic to cats.

This story was published on July 1, 2025.

How states regard gabapentin in veterinary use

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 20:16:44 -0300

At the Humane Society of Utah, as at many shelters and veterinary clinics, gabapentin is frequently given as an anti-anxiety medication.

As Alexis Pagoulatos, executive director of the nonprofit organization, explained, "Many animals arrive at shelters injured, fearful or emotionally shut down from trauma, and gabapentin plays a key role in keeping them calm and relieving pain."

This story was published on June 26, 2025. A correction was published on July 25, 2025.

Chewing the fat on dog chews

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 19:50:46 -0300

As the science of pet food gets more sophisticated, owners nowadays can cater to a seemingly endless assortment of their canine companions' nutritional needs — and wants. You can buy dog food tailored to specific breeds or to those with certain health conditions, such as skin problems. Dogs can even enjoy a "Mediterranean chicken and rice entrée" concocted by a Spanish Michelin-starred chef, José Andrés, among other luxury offerings.

One crucial ingredient, however, appears to have gotten lost along the way: an element of challenge for the dog. That's prompting some veterinarians to ruminate on the importance of chewing — and, by extension, chews — to dog health and well-being.

This story was published on June 24, 2025.

Burdened by financial losses, BSAVA Congress is no more

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:02:49 -0300

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association annual conference, known as BSAVA Congress, has ended for good, hurt by rising competition from other events and changes in the way practitioners access continuing education.

This story was published on June 17, 2025.

Nevada announces plans for its first veterinary school

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:37:59 -0300

States want their own veterinary schools, judging by recent efforts to start new programs in the United States. The latest aspirant is Nevada, where Roseman University of Health Sciences announced this week that it has notified the country's accreditor of veterinary education that it intends to initiate planning for a program.

This story was published on June 19, 2025.

Lincoln Memorial sues AVMA over accreditation

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:31:39 -0300

Lincoln Memorial University, which has a veterinary school that was recently put on accreditation probation, is suing the American Veterinary Medical Association, charging that it's engaging in "anticompetitive accreditation practices."

This story was published on June 18, 2025.

Uneasy pet owners in remote corner of US get good news

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:32:30 -0300

Overnight on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday in June, Dr. Amanda Mason saw 17 patients at a veterinary hospital in Sequim, a small city on the remote Olympic Peninsula of Washington state.

That may not seem like a big deal, but the mere fact that the veterinary clinic was accepting patients long after most residents were tucked in bed was groundbreaking.

This story was published on June 11, 2025.

Inside cutbacks at FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:42:09 -0300

Like many departments in the Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Veterinary Medicine has faced layoffs, hiring freezes and funding cutbacks under the new administration.

The CVM’s mandate is to protect human and animal health, which includes ensuring that animal drugs are safe and effective and monitoring the safety of animal food.

To understand the scale of the changes and their potential impact on veterinary medicine, the VIN News Service talked to a past CVM director and the recently departed chief of staff, as well as four current or former employees.

This story was published on June 5, 2025.

Amid economic turbulence, veterinarians brace for downturn

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 17:23:47 -0300

Visits to veterinarians began moderating around three years ago as a pandemic pet boom faded and runaway inflation weighed on household income. Now, even as inflation appears to have come off the boil, the outlook is getting gloomier.

This story was published on June 3, 2025.

RVC 'on track' to retain US accreditation, its officials report

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 14:47:22 -0300

The Royal Veterinary College is telling students that it appears to be on track, albeit narrowly, to retain its accreditation in North America, potentially averting a crisis that would make it harder for graduates from the United States and Canada to practice in their home countries.

This story was published on June 2, 2025.