We look forward to seeing the images from these outrageous cases every year. As you review the entries, VPN asks you to score each one. The entry with the highest average score will be crowned this year's People's Choice. Voting runs from October 22nd to December 31st. Source: Veterinary Practice News, October 22, 2025. Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club seeks participation in ethics survey
Please consider the Ethics Survey, sharing your insight on experiences where you may have been asked to do something in the workplace that crossed a moral, ethical, or legal line. The Bridge Club wants to update earlier findings that showed 57 percent of veterinarians faced ethical dilemmas on a weekly basis. Your perspective will help identify what has changed, what … [Read more...]
Toss the kibble cup to feed dogs less
Commentary* Nancy Kerns shares her own challenges with feeding her dogs the right amount of food versus an estimated volume. She advocates for weighing the kibble using a kitchen scale, which she has written about before <Link>. A recent situation analysis of overweight dogs identified a complex web of interactions between dogs, their breed background, their … [Read more...]
Everyday feline behaviors as early health signals: Behavioral and bonding trends
In this edition of Feline Findings, Gina Fortunato and Kristin Wuhrman share information from Volume II of the CATalyst Council 2025 Feline Market Insights Report. It clearly shows the commitment cat owners have to their cat(s). Veterinary teams can boost the owner-cat relationship by educating clients about subtle shifts they may observe in their cats’ behaviors. Tracking … [Read more...]
The matted cat; causes, cures, prevention
Cats’ tongues are designed to move sebum from their skin through the hair, maintaining hair integrity, loosening dirt and providing cooling, writes Cliff Faver, DVM. Despite their assiduous self-maintenance routines, cats get matted when sebum doesn’t move through their hair. Faver explains conditions that predispose cats to matting and advises groomers about degreasing cat … [Read more...]
6 steps to manage horses with hock arthritis
When horses develop arthritis in their hocks, they need a management plan that corresponds to both the horse and the owner, writes Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA. She shares important management decisions for the horse owner to make with their veterinarian. As the disease progresses, owners might need to adjust that plan and eventually consider a lower workload for the … [Read more...]
Scientists focus on genetically engineering mice to cut Lyme disease transmission
Scientists hope to use genetic engineering to reduce the transmission of Lyme disease. The scientists' target is not the deer and ticks associated with the disease, but wild, White-footed mice, the main carriers of Lyme. The teams of scientists are engineering changes in the genetic makeup of the mice by adding a gene for an antibody that prevents Lyme infection to a mouse … [Read more...]
Body condition scoring for success
Right now, when cows are slicked off and in the second trimester of pregnancy, is the most accurate and easiest time of the management cycle to evaluate their BCS. Producers should manage their calving season, genetics, grazing system, supplementation program and herd health to achieve an average BCS of 5 to 6 (target 5.5) in the mature cow herd at calving time, writes Mark Z. … [Read more...]
University of Nebraska-Lincoln working to understand, reduce methane emissions
Reducing methane emissions can yield climate benefits quickly compared to other greenhouse gases due to its shorter half-life. A moderately heritable trait, methane production is influenced by several factors, including diet, feed intake, animal and microbial genetics and stage or phase of production. This article shares how researchers at UNL are exploring genetic tools and … [Read more...]
Opportunities to unlock the potential of dairy heifers
When pregnant heifers are ready to enter the milking herd there are unique requirements, challenges and opportunities to consider. Mike Hutjens shares four strategies to increase growth and production and improve heifer programs on dairy farms. His article is a good outline for discussions on farm or to share in newsletters or other targeted communications Source: Dairy … [Read more...]
Convenience, connection matter just as much as price
In this article, My Vet Candy reviews survey results from a paper titled, “U.S. Residents' Self-Reported Access to Veterinary Care and Implications for Care-Seeking Decisions.” The survey of more than 1,100 adults asked what “access to veterinary care” meant. In summary, the results show most people value and respect veterinary professionals, but they often feel shut out and … [Read more...]
Canine sports medicine has a promising future
The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation’s new Canine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency program is generating excitement about specialty training that will benefit any pet with mobility challenges. The program kicked off in July 2025 with residents and mentors at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and Colorado State University College … [Read more...]
How to follow up after an interview if you’re still waiting for answers
It’s natural to want updates after a job interview, but phrasing matters, writes Richard Moy. He shares how to follow up after an interview, with tips and examples for different situations. Source: The Muse, March 11, 2025. Link. If you were never given a timeline for the next steps, it’s recommended to wait at least a week before following up. If the interviewer provided a … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – October 27, 2025
From the IBPSA blog: Termageddon is offering IBPSA members a 10 percent discount on website compliance service to manage risk from a growing list of privacy laws <Link>. Gallagher offers IBPSA members affordable, comprehensive health insurance and pharmacy solutions designed specifically for individuals, families, and business owners with options available … [Read more...]
4 ways to fix ‘tech neck,’ according to a physical therapist
The more you succumb to the default smartphone posture, the more you stretch out the muscles of your neck, making them longer and weaker. Patrick Suarez, OCS, SCS, says the solution is a series of upper back exercises to strengthen, not stretch, the muscles to promote strength and proper alignment. Source: Popular Science, October 18, 2025. Link. Image: Link. … [Read more...]
First open-source dairy farm ‘digital twin’ unveiled
Amazing new technology lets dairy producers get closer to cows from farther away and it is open-source. Scotland’s Rural College Dairy Research Centre, has unveiled farm-twin, the world’s first open-source Digital Twin platform designed specifically to transform dairy farming. By replicating the physical environment in a digital space, it enables farmers to monitor … [Read more...]
Dry fog a possible alternative for disinfecting supplies entering farms
Veterinary student Lindsey Britton’s research was recognized during the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference. Her study looked at dry fogging systems as an alternative disinfection method and demonstrated efficacy in reducing pathogen viability, including Salmonella spp. Two different disinfectants were fogged from a Micro-spray unit and evaluated: a) hypochlorous acid and b) … [Read more...]
BiomEdit awarded $2 million to develop AI model reducing cattle methane emissions
BiomEdit, an animal health biotechnology company, has received nearly $2 million from the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge to develop the Rumen Digital Twin, an artificial intelligence model aimed at reducing methane emissions in cattle while enhancing productivity and welfare. Source: Feed & Grain, October 24, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
What neuroscience teaches us about reducing phone use
Our brains aren’t well-suited for smartphones. We might not like this reality, but we cannot ignore it. Fixing the issues this causes requires more than minor tweaks. We have to drastically change our relationship to our devices if we hope to control their impact. Source: Cal Newport, October 13, 2025. Link. There are bundles of neurons in your brain associated with your … [Read more...]
Most canine masses go undiagnosed
Commentary These results are potentially a wake-up call for practices. One must trust that most of the lumps and bumps are being measured, noted and follow-up appointments to check on them are being set. The malignancy rate is yet another reason to urge pet owners to consider pet insurance early in the animal’s life. A 2025 HT Vista survey of more than 240 veterinarians* … [Read more...]
BEEF takeaways going into Fall 2025
Reviewing the dynamics of the 2025 beef industry through August, Clint Peck summarizes industry events, challenges and market opportunities. Source: BEEF, September 3, 2025. Link. Life in the cattle business just keeps getting more interesting” … [Read more...]
80 percent of calves sell through livestock auctions
Input from nearly 500 beef producers is assembled in the recent 2025 Farm Journal State of the Beef Industry survey. The marketing guidance for producers to provide weaning, health and genetic data to buyers is a key takeaway from the article worth discussing with producer clients. Source: Drovers, October 20, 2025. Link. Ranchers need to get more active in marketing their … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 16, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 9, 2025. Link. Most read posts from October 9, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Ways to help cats and their caregivers prepare for veterinary visits. Link. Understanding the rise of career dysmorphia; what to do about it. Link. Competitive rivalries. Link. 4 giants dominate consumer pet food market … [Read more...]
Make the call and Just ASK
Commentary The call from a local but unrecognized number seemed random. Still, I answered it. It was from my dog’s veterinary clinic. Sharing her name and the clinic’s, the vet tech was calling to check on my dog, noting I hadn’t responded to two wellness visit emails. Yes, I remembered one of the emails but did not act on it at the moment, nor did I act on one text message … [Read more...]
What’s covered and what’s not in veterinary clinic cyber insurance
Cyber insurance is no longer optional, writes Clint Latham, JD. It is a critical tool for protecting operations, safeguarding client trust, and ensuring your clinic stays open when hackers strike. According to AVMA Trust data, more than 11,000 veterinary clinics are hit by cyberattacks annually, and the average insurance claim runs to $135,000. Despite those numbers, most … [Read more...]
Soft skills matter more now than ever
In an age when technical expertise can become irrelevant in just a few years, foundational skills matter more than ever. Abilities like collaboration, problem-solving and a solid grounding in math transfer across jobs and help teams adapt to new challenges. Source: Harvard Business Review, August 26, 2025. Link. Foundational skills (like reading comprehension, basic math, … [Read more...]
AI writing hasn’t overwhelmed the web yet
New, online articles generated by AI are now roughly equal to those written by humans, according to a recent report from SEO firm Graphite, writes Megan Morrone. She notes that distinguishing between machine and human-written content is increasingly hard. Commentary As curators, we can spot AI-written content fairly easily. We suspect some of the poor writing is due to a … [Read more...]
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests can be problematic, require education
Faced with a genetic test report from a direct-to-consumer company, veterinary teams may be challenged to interpret or use the report to a client’s or pet’s benefit. Genetic testing has gone direct-to-consumer, so veterinarians must understand the types of genetic tests available, as well as how to use and interpret them properly, said Jerrod Bell, DVM, in a related article … [Read more...]
America Palominos likely descend from six sires
TV horses like Roy Rogers’ Trigger captured people’s interest in palomino horses. Researchers from Mississippi State University studied palomino inheritance patterns and discovered six foundation sires for the modern stock-type horses registered with the Palomino Horse Breeders Association. Fifty-eight percent of PBHA horses trace back to Old Fred, a palomino Quarter Horse … [Read more...]
Windrow grazing provides nutrition, cost advantages
Here’s an idea that has caught on in row crop country. Aaron Berger shares how windrow-grazing annual forages allows producers to cut the crop at an optimum time for quality in late summer or early fall and increase harvest efficiency through strip-grazing the windrows. With crop harvest progress more than 80 percent complete, this method may be a good discussion topic with … [Read more...]