Commentary As you review this research summary, consider that pet owners who have researched their pets’ conditions may require a more collaborative discovery approach when working with a veterinary team. Acknowledging their questions, asking what they found, where they looked and what they believe can turn these conversations into opportunities for deep engagement and … [Read more...]
New Resource for Vet Practices from CATalyst Council marks Happy, Healthy Cat Month
Sponsor Content The CATalyst Council created Happy, Healthy Cat Month to counter a persistent myth: that cats are self-reliant, aloof and need less medical care than dogs. Happy, Healthy Cat Month exists to help close that gap, one cat and one caregiver, at a time. Adding to a website replete with resources, Kristin Wuhrman, CCBC, and Gina Fortunato, MBA, drew on … [Read more...]
Feline owner education ready to share
Commentary Our industry has been outspoken about the need to educate pet owners and the opportunity cats represent to the health of veterinary practices. Provided by the Feline Veterinary Medical Association, resources like this monthly newsletter are ready-made to share with feline clients and prospects. Beyond advocating cat owners subscribe, forwarding each month’s … [Read more...]
When ‘good enough’ starts costing you
In this article, Brianne Skien establishes when to challenge the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset. While the topic is swine production, the lessons apply to all animal health businesses. Skien writes there are good reasons we build systems around doing things the same way every day, BUT there is a difference between consistency and complacency. Consistency means we … [Read more...]
Gen Z is rewiring the pet health experience through technology
“Gen Z is raising the bar for pet healthcare,” says Mita Malhotra, president of Chewy Healthcare, in her latest article for Forbes Business Council. Noting that this generation is shifting how they navigate pet ownership, she says their use of digital resources is driven by wanting to feel better prepared to make informed health decisions on behalf of their pets. Gen Zs are … [Read more...]
Your humanity is not your greatest gift, rather your greatest exposure
“Your humanity is not your greatest gift. It is your greatest exposure,” asserts Gershon L. Alaluf, DVM, DBA, MBA, in the latest edition of his pursuit to research and understand why the veterinary profession breaks its best people. Commentary In this post, Alaluf introduces an in-the-works theory called the Safe Base Paradox where the workplace falsely becomes a safe … [Read more...]
U.S. health department seeks public feedback on vaccine guidelines after POTUS order
Animal health professionals are uniquely qualified to lend feedback on vaccination strategies. Consider offering feedback if you are so moved. The U.S. health department said on August 21st it was seeking public feedback on federal vaccine recommendations, including how they are categorized and communicated, after President Donald Trump's executive order calling for fewer … [Read more...]
Demonstration in the exam room can improve adherence
In this short video, Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP, demonstrates using MAXI/GUARD® Oral Cleansing Wipes on a patient’s teeth. Incorporating everyday oral care tools into practice reinforces the importance of preventive dental health with every patient’s owner.” Source: Addison Biological Laboratory Inc., Instagram, May 28, 2026. Link. [25 seconds] Also see: Demonstration … [Read more...]
Heifers: Keep some or not?
It’s weaning and shipping time in cattle country. With markets wavering slightly, Mexico opening up and a U.S. herd to rebuild, there has been considerable discussion of how to handle heifers*. Whether to retain or sell them is a long-term decision that depends on market conditions and the resources available on an operation. From the perspective of an animal health pro … [Read more...]
Busy August for animal health pros ends in Kansas City
Complimentary By all reports from AVMA, Groomer Expo, SUPERZOO and the new WVC Nashville, animal health pros have renewed old contacts, made new ones, shared meals and beverages, and viewed the latest topics and products. Fetch KC takes place August 28 to 30 and the month is bookended by the KC Corridor’s 2026 Animal Health Summit August 31 to September 1. There’s still … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – August 10, 2026
In this week’s FastBites: Upcoming webinar: Add-On Revenues: Part 3 of our Pet Industry Leadership webinar series: August 27th at 1:00 p.m. CDT. <Registration Link> OraStrip information as add-on service Legislative updates: Washington (King County), Massachusetts Medicare enrollment, key dates and ways to avoid penalties Source: IBPSA, August 17, 2026. … [Read more...]
Scientists claim you SHOULD let your cat roam outside; it makes them less destructive
Commentary This article references a paper, published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science <Link>. It describes how researchers discovered that cats that were allowed unsupervised time outside had lower levels of disruptive behavior. Considering how controversial this topic is and the likelihood that cat owners will not read the whole article or study, animal health … [Read more...]
MSHMP and SDRS; complementary programs for a similar purpose
Kudos to Cesar A. Corzo, University of Minnesota; Quyen Le, Daniel Linhares and Giovani Trevisan, Iowa State University, for this clarifying article. It helps with the alphabet soup that is part of swine research and management, and in this case, where perceived redundancies are actually synergistic. The authors share that the U.S. swine industry benefits from two nationally … [Read more...]
Spectrum of care in veterinary medicine; the role of the veterinary nurse
Commentary Every week we see articles on various barriers to veterinary care. Cost consistently tops the list. Empowering veterinary professionals and clients to consider a wide range of treatment strategies, from technologically advanced and expensive to more traditional and less expensive, can potentially improve access to medical care all pets need, writes Julie Ann … [Read more...]
7 ways veterinary practices can boost their revenue
Commentary Smart systems, better communication and expanded services can all make a meaningful difference, say the authors of this article. Of the seven strategies listed, staff training, empowerment and client education are known to provide value for clients at points of service. Patient no-shows take on a different meaning in the current vet visit environment. Industry … [Read more...]
Retailers’ wish list for SUPERZOO 2026
Retailers are on the hunt to find products that will help them stand out in their local markets at SUPERZOO 2026. Animal health pros can get a sense of where retailers expect to capture pet owners’ OTC spend by reviewing the list, such as new supplements, interactive toys and unique durables. Source: Pets+, August 10, 2026. Link. … [Read more...]
America’s future depends on the health of its animals
Animal health pros can use the positive messages from Holger Lehmann’s article. Each of us contributes to an infrastructure that sustains people, environments and the animals that support us. Take a minute from fighting the daily fires to appreciate all we do to provide the various segments of society. Lehmann writes, “When our agricultural and veterinary systems work as … [Read more...]
When pain changes more than movement
Maggie Creamer, PhD, is exploring if pain in dogs may reach beyond mobility, shaping how a dog thinks, learns, and experiences the world. A dog who seems less interested, struggles to learn something new or begins behaving differently may be communicating more than we realize, says Creamer. In people, chronic pain can interfere with everyday cognitive functioning and ability … [Read more...]
Dry-off deserves a bigger role in transition cow management
Dry-off is more than the end of one lactation; it is the first major biological event of the next one. Challenging the dairy industry’s long-held assumptions, Erminio Trevisi, MS, PhD, asserts dry-off transition deserves the same attention as calving because it marks the first stage of the next transition period. Trevisi’s research findings suggest dry-off does not reset the … [Read more...]
Bull fertility begins long before puberty
Research over the past two decades suggests one of the most influential periods in a bull’s reproductive life occurs during the first few months after birth, when endocrine signals are programming how the testes will develop for the rest of the animal’s life. Andrea Bedford shares key takeaways from The Bovine Vet Podcast featuring John Kastelic, DVM, MS, PhD, who explained … [Read more...]
6 pet owner personas help segment dog and cat food, treat marketing
Understanding why pet owners choose one product over another may be as important as developing the product itself, writes Tim Wall, summarizing information presented by Anderson Conejo at the July Petfood Forum in Mexico. Conejo presented six distinct consumer personas with different motivations, shopping habits and decision-making processes derived from the proprietary Loop … [Read more...]
Table Talk: A candid conversation about accreditation
Accreditation is one of the most important and likely misunderstood topics facing veterinary medicine today. In this edition of Table Talk, Catherine Haskins welcomes Dr. Jim Lloyd and Mark Cushing for an honest, thoughtful discussion about what accreditation is, why it's receiving so much attention and what it could mean for the future of veterinary education and … [Read more...]
The art of immunomodulation in beef cattle
Sponsor Content Immunomodulation, or modifying the immune response, is an emerging area of focus in beef nutrition and health management. Targeted biosolutions may help beef cattle thrive. This Novonesis webinar will explore the connection between the gut and the immune system and provide evidence-based insights into how Bacillus probiotics may help support cattle through … [Read more...]
Summer pinkeye: A frustrating foe on pasture
Matt Hill, DVM, PhD, is quoted in this article saying, “Pinkeye IS a multifactorial disease; it’s not a simple case of ‘this pathogen equals this disease.’ Hill and Laura Meier, DVM, agree that fly load and subsequent corneal damage are major factors that precede Moraxella sp. infections. Hill believes pinkeye tends to follow a cyclical pattern, with severe outbreaks often … [Read more...]
Optimize, don’t maximize: rethinking cow longevity
Cow longevity has become intertwined with conversations around sustainability, profitability and animal welfare. Since every cow will eventually leave the herd, the real question is whether she has reached the point where replacement makes biological and economic sense. The article will support herd improvement discussions with producers. Working to reduce transition … [Read more...]
30 studies show vegan dog and cat food generally well digested
A comprehensive scientific review has found that nutritionally complete vegan and vegetarian pet diets are generally well digested by both dogs and cats and perform similarly to conventional meat-based diets. The findings support the use of carefully formulated vegan and vegetarian diets and challenge the notion that such diets are less digestible than conventional meat-based … [Read more...]
The 23-hour horse: What confinement costs
Age Dawson’s latest editorial examines what the 23-hour day for horses actually costs. She shares paradigm-shifting evidence that an hour or so of work, and a horse spending the balance of the day standing in a 12-square-foot box is no longer defensible. A controlled study at The University of Göttingen compared horses in daily training with and without a couple of hours of … [Read more...]
Q&A: When antibiotics are indicated for equine dental concerns
Amelia Sidwell, DrMedVet, was lead author of a recent review <Link> on the topic of using antibiotics for equine dental concerns, including best practices, things to avoid and more. In an interview with Modern Equine Vet, Sidwell answered questions beginning with the specific clinical or diagnostic red flags veterinarians should use to call a horse “high-risk,” rather … [Read more...]
Finding the $1,300 herdsire gap in the alphabet soup
Geneticist Murray Hunt, MS, has shaped many of the production measurements in dairy production. In this article, he shares how using subindexes can explain how a bull can be well below average on the traits that empty stalls and still ride his components to a 96th-percentile lifetime profit index. That’s the whole blind spot in one line since health and welfare carry just eight … [Read more...]
Don’t just measure sow longevity. Measure what drives it
Commercial references Some swine operations overlook early factors influencing whether a sow ever reaches her full productive potential. Zinpro’s Lucas Rodrigues, PhD, believes operations benefit from paying closer attention to claw health information as a KPI because it helps provide a more complete management picture. Rodrigues notes that while claw lesions develop … [Read more...]