Research continues to demonstrate that acupuncture can play a valuable role in treating a variety of equine health conditions when performed by a qualified veterinarian. They conclude that acupuncture provides the greatest benefit when used alongside accurate diagnosis, rehabilitation and appropriate veterinary care rather than as a standalone treatment. Source: Equine … [Read more...]
Understanding fall equine laminitis risks
We tend to associate springtime with laminitis, but fall is also a high risk for many horses, writes Eleanor Kellon, VMD. She explains that the major contributor to fall laminitis has nothing to do with pasture and can affect any horse. The warm days and cold nights of fall contribute to laminitis risk on pasture for horses with metabolic syndrome and high blood … [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...]
PetSmart Charities launches Veterinary Fellowship Program
PetSmart Charities® launched The PetSmart Charities Veterinary Fellowship program on August 17. The investment is designed to cultivate leaders in community medicine through education, mentorship and long-term professional connection. This program is one part of PetSmart Charities' response to findings from the PetSmart Charities-Gallup State of Pet Care Study to invest … [Read more...]
Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards 2026
The Human Animal Bond Research Institute announced the winners of its annual Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards, recognizing those who offer innovative programs, policies and initiatives to advance the human-animal bond and create a more pet-friendly society. Source: PR Newswire, Human Animal Bond Research Institute, August 13, 2026. Link. 2026 Honorees: Dogs on … [Read more...]
Leadership changes at Veterinary Virtual Care Association
The Veterinary Virtual Care Association announced the installation of Jessica May, BVetMed, as president of its board of directors, succeeding founding Board Chair Mark Cushing. May has served on the VVCA board of directors since 2022, where she chaired the Association's European Committee. Source: VVCA, August 13, 2026. Link. May will work alongside the Board of Directors, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 20, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 13, 2026. Link. Most read posts from August 13th, 2026 AHD Bulletin – When pain changes more than movement. Link. Emotionally intelligent leaders consistently exhibit 6 habits. Link. Malone: AI in your hospital? Link. Role of the veterinary nurse in Spectrum of Care. Link. 7 ways … [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...]
AI in your hospital?
The manufacturers’ reps who call on you are using AI to better serve your hospital. Why aren’t you using it to better serve your customers? Brian Sullivan’s suggestion could also apply to pet service businesses or retailers. Source: Veterinary Advantage, June 2025. Link. AI can help you send a message that earns a response. Think of it as your ghostwriter – minus the … [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...]
Brain games dogs (and DVMs) love
Physical exercise is important for canine health, but it only addresses part of what dogs need. Mental stimulation is just as important for behavioral health. Dan Seymour shares low-cost ways dog owners can mentally engage their dogs. Structured tug-o-war, hide ‘n seek and name that toy are examples dog owners can implement easily. Consider sharing this article in social … [Read more...]
Dogs know when we’re happy or sad, new study shows
Researchers have discovered canine brains may understand human emotions more than previously thought. With awake and unrestrained dogs in an MRI scanner, researchers showed the dogs pictures of human facial expressions. Scans showed the dogs made distinctions between fear and anger, and fear and sadness. This indicates dogs can tell the difference between nuanced emotions. … [Read more...]
Antibiotic resistance threatens vision in pets and horses
Sight-threatening antibiotic-resistant eye infections are becoming a significant threat to vision in dogs, cats and horses, according to a review published in Veterinary Ophthalmology. Researchers examined global trends in antimicrobial resistance in animal eye infections and warn that multidrug-resistant bacteria are becoming more common in referral veterinary … [Read more...]
Thermal image-based approach to mastitis detection in Holstein dairy cattle
A study examining whether thermal images taken from cow udders during milking can be used to detect mastitis using AI produced promising results. The consistent performance of the model to distinguish between healthy and mastitis-affected udders showed that it could reliably analyze new data without overfitting. These results indicate that thermal imaging combined with AI is … [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...]
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...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – August 3, 2026
In this week’s FastBites: Legislative updates: New York, Massachusetts, Colorado OraStrip coming soon Crisis care reminders PLUS book offer: Hairy Situations by IBPSA member Sonya Wilson; one of the first books on crisis management and disaster planning specifically written for the pet care industry <Link>. New Communications Schedule Fast Bites … [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...]
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...]
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...]
Purdue Veterinary Medicine launches pet care app for Apple platforms
The new Purdue Vet Med Pro Tips app offers tutorials for care tasks like trimming nails, cleaning ears, bandaging wounds and administering medications. The app, created by Purdue veterinary professionals and designed for pet owners, is available for Apple Vision Pro, iPad and iPhone and offers step-by-step tutorials for providing at-home care to cats, dogs, horses and … [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...]
FDA releases NARMS Strategic Plan for 2026-2030
The newly released the NARMS Strategic Plan: 2026-2030 marks the 30th anniversary of the NARMS program. The plan is anchored in three themes that reflect a commitment to improve and expand antimicrobial resistance monitoring and data sharing, plus translate decades of surveillance data into actionable research and evidence-based policy. Source: Feedstuffs, July 24, 2026. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – July 26, 2026
In this week’s FastBites: July 30th webinar: Staffing Systems to Protect Your Business <Link> OraStrip to be available for purchase by IBPSA members in the coming weeks United States New World Screwworm update Source: IBPSA, July 26, 2026. Link. Also see: Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 22nd. Link. Pets are important relationships, the power of … [Read more...]
Managing horses at risk for laminitis
For veterinarians, this article can help position metabolic screening with preventative services and testing. It suggests annual metabolic screening for most horses younger than 10 years old and twice yearly for horses older than 10, as well as breeds or individuals considered at higher risk for laminitis. Hyperinsulinemia, or persistently high blood insulin concentrations, … [Read more...]
Reminder: The air quality index is important for horses, too
The air quality index is an important consideration for people with respiratory disorders throughout the year. Christine Barakat shares the importance of AQI measurements, color meanings and how to adjust horse and human activity accordingly. NOTE: Share this link with horse owners to check the AQI in their area <Link>. Source: EQUUS, July 17, 2026. Link. Image: … [Read more...]