Distributive clinical education is no longer an experimental approach but a well-established model that prepares graduates for contemporary veterinary practice, writes Stacy Anderson DVM, Ph.D., DACVS-LA. Addressing some of the misconceptions that persist, she says the available evidence and graduates’ success demonstrate that high-quality clinical education can occur outside … [Read more...]
Productive conflict improves team performance
Leadership literature has long recognized the importance of productive conflict, although in practice it remains one of the more misunderstood dynamics in teams, writes Pia Riccombeni. Still, successful teams that consistently deliver extraordinary results have learned to work productively in the face of tension rather than avoid conflict. Source: SmartBrief, July 24, 2026. … [Read more...]
Routine dog and cat licking, grooming: normal or chronic?
Commercial references included B2C articles like this provide veterinary teams with content to help cat and dog owners understand when behaviors assumed to be normal are actually signs of chronic itch, allergic skin disease or another condition that needs veterinary care. Dogs with chronic itch may repeatedly lick or chew their paws, rub their faces, scratch their bodies, … [Read more...]
Docility: Understanding pressure and selection
The selection processes used to improve herd outcomes take many forms. As an industry, culling practices receive plenty of attention <Link>. In recent years docility, often discussed as a behavioral or management trait, is now known to be moderately heritable. Neogen’s Kirk Ramsey, DVM, offers a view of where docile cattle behavior plays out in herd development and how … [Read more...]
Understanding Theileria (“TIE-leer-ee-uh” (thī-ˈlir-ē-ə)
Complimentary Content Podcast guest Dr. Gregg Hanzlicek provides the latest information on the emerging disease theileriosis, a growing protozoan threat to thousands of cattle, their owners and those who care for the health of the herds. Most frequently associated with long horn ticks, it is often confused with anaplasmosis. Source: EAHAO podcast, Medgene, July 29, 2026. … [Read more...]
Nurses consistently ranked as America’s most trusted profession
Commentary Clarifying why nurses are trusted more than doctors, Angela Haupt’s article provides veterinarians and practice managers important realities to consider when empowering veterinary nurses and technicians. Consider her statements when entrusting veterinary practice teams with increased responsibility for owner engagement and patient care. Doctors and nurses do … [Read more...]
Pets are one of the most important relationships in people’s lives
Complimentary – includes commercial content A new survey from Lillie&Lee called Pet Wellness Consumer Trends Report 2026 puts data behind what many already feel: the bond between people and their pets isn't just emotional, it's a genuine wellness lifeline. The findings are timely, human and another confirmation of the value found in the human-animal bond. The graphic … [Read more...]
How sleep shapes canine behavior
Understanding why sleep affects dog behavior starts with understanding how they actually sleep, writes Colette Kase, citing a recent literature review. She covers sleep’s effects on behavior, what good sleep looks like, stimulation timing, environmental factors and how cognitive decline disrupts the sleep-wake cycle as dogs age. Kase’s article is written for veterinary … [Read more...]
How exercise can change a dog’s core strength and fitness
Complimentary The muscles that support the spine play an important role in overall movement, stability, and performance in especially active dogs. Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, DACVSMR, and her team at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center are examining how an exercise regimen changes core muscle structure and performance scores in healthy dogs in a Canine Health Foundation … [Read more...]
Study: Horses may not consume enough salt, even with free-choice access
A new Colorado State University study provides experimental data finding that nine of the 16 horses studied failed to voluntarily consume enough salt to meet recommended sodium requirements. More than half of the horses in the study voluntarily consumed less salt than recommended. Individual horse preferences had a much greater influence on consumption than the form in which … [Read more...]
How the ‘Knowing-Doing Gap’ undermines even the best ideas
Strategy is one thing; execution is another, writes Greg Satell. He draws on multiple sources in this article on the gap between theory and practice, between strategy and execution and why the status quo always has inertia on its side. It’s a good read for those trying to advance while simplifying how to meet our ultimate customers’ needs. In the absence of strategy chaos … [Read more...]
How elite sports coaches make high-pressure decisions
The comparison between decision-making in sports and business has its limits. Still, for animal health pros leading and working with employees, staff, colleagues and clients, this self-management article is worth your time and consideration. Top coaches combine disciplined preparation with emotional control and social awareness during crunch time, then embrace accountability … [Read more...]
What if the mid-level practitioner role wasn’t clinical at all?
If you’re as comfortable seeing your nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant as you are with your doctor, this may resonate with you. We’ve not seen much recognition of this alternate concept to mid-level practitioners since April. See what you think. Registered veterinary technician Jodi Belongié suggests that the debate over mid-level practitioners in veterinary … [Read more...]
Review: How to talk to clients about vaccinations
Commentary Articles like this one from Reagan Bugg, DVM, offer veterinary teams a quick way to review and adjust conversations about vaccination hesitancy with the whole team. She reinforces discussion of the pet’s lifestyle as interactive with the animal owner to increase transparency and allay any vaccine hesitancy. Repositioning the yearly exam as a whole health visit … [Read more...]
Veterinary nurses want growth. Doctors want relief. Clients want better patient care.
Elevating veterinary nurse use directly impacts patient care, team morale and practice revenue, writes Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS. He shares the benefits of high-level veterinary nurse engagement, reviews barriers to using them at the "top of their license" and provides a responsible utilization formula. Yagi says responsible utilization means establishing a safeguarded … [Read more...]
CATalyst Council’s second edition of “Puppocalypse, Kitten Craze” Report confirms its veterinary visit forecast with updated Q2 2026 data
Cats have outpaced dogs in clinical visit growth every quarter since Q1 2023 and the CATalyst Council’s new report confirms the previous assertions, incorporating a full fiscal year of clinic visit data. The CATalyst Council’s second edition of “Puppocalypse, Kitten Craze” report was released July 15th. It confirms the bust is fewer puppy acquisitions each year, not just fewer … [Read more...]
Private equity ownership of clinics draws scrutiny (video)
Geoff Bennett sets the stage for this content, saying, “As veterinary care prices rise, attention is turning to a major shift in the industry: private equity firms and large corporations buying up veterinary practices across the country.” Commentary The dialogue here is yet another public-facing discussion of price, ownership and practice objectives that animal owners are … [Read more...]
Hormone Friendly Vetmed campaign from Vet Empowered, LLC
Complimentary Veterinary medicine has one of the highest proportions of women and assigned female at birth (AFAB) individuals in any professional workforce, and yet conversations about how hormonal health intersects with work performance, mental health and team dynamics remain rare or are dismissed entirely, writes Katie Ford, MRCVS <Link>. Silently ignoring these … [Read more...]
When “We’re like family” becomes a leadership problem
In a June 2022 post <Link>, I commented, “A company employs you because what you do is valuable. Your value must be enough to justify your salary.” In the post’s article, Gloria Chan Packer gave guidance to deal with the “like family” paradigm, which can be destructive to teams and individuals. Marlene Chism addresses “like family” in depth in the article linked here. … [Read more...]
Handling the unruly patient
Commentary David Burger’s article reviews an apparent increase in fractious pets that increase injury risks for veterinary teams and pet owners alike. While “do more training” is advocated, it is clear that beyond veterinary teams adjusting their approach with problem pets, getting modern pet owners to establish basic behavior boundaries is difficult. Similarly, groomers … [Read more...]
A history of veterinary medicine as America celebrates its 250th anniversary
This evolution of the veterinary profession is a good read to accompany the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration this year. Julie A. Jacob shares resources from the American Veterinary Medical History Society that show great support for the profession from our country’s founding to current times. Source: AVMA, June 1, 2026. Link. Our country's founding fathers … [Read more...]
Chewy Health with NAVC: Building the future of veterinary medicine
Complimentary Mita Malhotra, president of Chewy Health, and Gene O’Neill, NAVC CEO, discuss how technology, AI, better team support and expanded education contribute to and reshape veterinary medicine by reducing burnout, improving efficiency and strengthening trust between care teams and animal owners. Source: Life At Chewy, YouTube, June 10, 2026. Link. [27:13] … [Read more...]
New data: Pet owners seeking help sooner; telehealth becoming the first step
Complimentary whiskerDoc’s analysis of 2026 pet health interactions suggests that telehealth is increasingly becoming the first step in a pet parent's care journey. The data reinforces the power of early intervention: timely access to professional advice helps owners make more informed decisions, potentially reduce unnecessary treatment and incur lower pet health care … [Read more...]
The leadership skill no one teaches
In this world focused on immediacy, the hardest leadership skill isn’t deciding. It’s recognizing when the urgency you feel is yours, not the situation at hand. That gap between your own anxiety and what the situation requires is where most reactive decisions get made. In this article, Tony Martignetti distinguishes between responsive and reactive leadership. He emphasizes … [Read more...]
The art of receiving feedback: How to stay connected when you’re being criticized
This is a good read as mid-year reviews get scheduled. Feedback itself is not the problem. It is what happens in our nervous systems when we receive it. Research shows that when we get feedback, especially when it suggests we did something wrong or could have done better, our nervous system scans for threat, then prepares us to fight, flee or freeze. At this point, you’re at … [Read more...]
Experts offer perspectives for veterinary practices from CATalyst Council report
The Fountain Report asked three experts to weigh in on implications for veterinary practices from the recent CATalyst Council white paper, “Puppocalypse, Kitten Craze, and the Expectations Reset <Link>. The report addresses the veterinary industry’s fifth consecutive year of declining visits and why that trend is likely to continue through the next decade. Here are the … [Read more...]
Tips to keep dogs cool and safe in the summer heat
Dogs need to consume about an ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. Adding summer heat, exercise and too much weight can double their hydration needs. Pet owners need to be constantly reminded of heat management tips. Share these tips often during hot summer days. Source: Blue Cross. Link. Also see: Is My Dog Dehydrated? Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
SSDD does not produce different results
Commentary Same strategy different decade does not remove the barriers that undermine purpose <Link>. This theme supports the recent assertions from Gershon Alaluf DVM, MBA, DBA, about challenges in veterinary medicine <Link>, who says, “Veterinary medicine takes the most fit among us and makes them feel like the misfits.” Over the next few weeks, Alaluf … [Read more...]
Questioning single-use and reuse of medical supplies
The reuse of single-use medical supplies is not unheard of in veterinary medicine. Whether an established practice, cost-driven or to support environmental waste reductions, reusing single-use medical supplies is an accident or patient death, waiting to happen. Emily Singler, VMD, and Kristen Green Seymour discuss the issues, cross-contamination, infection transmission and … [Read more...]
Pet wellness market tops $5 billion, growing faster than predicted
The U.S. pet wellness market is larger and growing faster than many industry estimates suggest. According to Lauren DeVestern, long-term demand, channel success, high customer retention and clear brand differentiation support the pet wellness category's value. Source: PETFOOD Industry, June 18, 2026. Link. Pet wellness products remain heavily online, but expanding into … [Read more...]