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...]
Debunking the myths of distributive veterinary education
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...]