This week is National Veterinary Technician Week and we’re celebrating some of Animal Health Digest’s more loyal readers. When we select content for the weekly AHD Bulletins, we keep vet techs’ daily work in mind, especially their important interactions with animal owners. For us, every week is Vet Tech Week. THANK YOU for your ongoing commitments to quality animal care, … [Read more...]
It’s ON! PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week is October 19th – 25th
During PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week, thousands of local shelters and rescues will bring adoptable pets, including cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and often even small pets and reptiles, into nearly every PetSmart store across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Potential adopters can spend time with pets and ask staff and volunteers questions to feel confident in finding the … [Read more...]
The Animal Health Supplement Act needs your support
If you supply, sell, recommend, give pets animal health supplements or plan to, now is the time to act. The National Animal Supplement Council is preparing to introduce legislation called The Animal Health Supplement Act, which would create a permanent legal category for animal health supplements. Source: Pet Age, October 19, 2026. Link. Every manufacturer, supplier, … [Read more...]
IBPSA Pet Care Pro – October 2026
In this edition: Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Pet Care Business Excellence Awards A hearty WELCOME to 17 new IBPSA members Safety alert! Cooling gel products are a newly documented poisoning risk. Legislative Alert: Washington, D.C. Brief business news Articles Essential oils: snake oil or the real deal? <Link>. Shadowing Is More … [Read more...]
Emerging concerns in canine and feline parasitology: A preview of the 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines
The 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines: Emerging Concerns in Canine and Feline Parasitology will launch on October 29th. In this article, members of the guidelines task force share what you can expect from these guidelines, what might surprise you,and what aspects of them they’re most anxious to see out in the world. The guidelines call for a One Health approach to monitoring, … [Read more...]
A Q&A with Dr. John Madigan, author of Awakening at Birth
Complimentary Best known as the inventor of the Madigan Squeeze, John Madigan, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACAW, has released a new book, Awakening at Birth: What the Newborn Foal Revealed About Birth, Consciousness, and Neurodevelopment. With a foreword by animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, PhD, Awakening at Birth tells a medical mystery story that extends well beyond veterinary … [Read more...]
Recent H5N1 research identifies potential viral replication sites in swine
H5N1 infection in pigs has NOT suddenly become inevitable. However, understanding how the virus attaches and binds to specific porcine cells can help researchers better understand potential transmission dynamics. Research findings from the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan demonstrated that, in the laboratory, porcine cells can … [Read more...]
Kansas City shelter gets 29,000 doses of heartworm prevention
Complimentary Virbac has donated more than 29,000 doses of IVERHART MAX® Chews (ivermectin/pyrantel pamoate/praziquantel) parasite prevention products to KC Pet Project, the municipal animal shelter for Kansas City, Missouri, to help protect its dogs against heartworm disease and intestinal parasites. Source: PR Newswire, October 15, 2026. Link. Virbac's generous … [Read more...]
FDA approves Zoetis’ Convenia RTU®, expanding injectable antibiotic options for dogs
Zoetis Inc. received FDA approval for Convenia® RTU for Dogs (cefovecin injectable suspension) for the treatment of susceptible bacterial skin infections in dogs. It can provide up to 14 days of antibiotic treatment of susceptible bacterial skin infections in dogs in a single injection by a veterinary professional reducing injection volume and making treatment more practical … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 22, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 15, 2026. Link.☑ Most read posts from October 15th AHD Bulletin – Study: The State of AI in Veterinary Medicine. Link. Malone: Paint a picture. Your clients will remember it. Link. Wharton’s 2026 AI Adoption Report: the Adaptive Advantage. Link. Reminder: Some foods we eat can kill dogs. … [Read more...]
Help pets and their owners adjust to the fall time change
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m., Sunday, November 1. While health effects of the semi-annual time change on humans are well-documented, it can also be troublesome for pets. To help them adjust, start now and slowly adjust feeding, medication and play times in the next two weeks. Sara B. Hansen’s article, while written for dog owners, offers good guidance for cat … [Read more...]
Study: The State of AI in Veterinary Medicine
Complimentary Digitail and the American Animal Hospital Association recently released their 2026 Veterinary AI Study <Press release> finding that AI use among veterinary professionals has more than doubled since 2024. More revealing is that many clinics have yet to establish strategies and safeguards needed to realize its potential. A maturity model used in the study … [Read more...]
Wharton’s 2026 AI Adoption Report: the Adaptive Advantage
This study will resonate with animal health pros who wish to see if collective industry experiences compare to Digitail’s veterinary industry benchmark studies <Link>. We’ll share takeaways from the study overview here. Now in its fourth year, this year-over-year study from Wharton Human-AI Research and GBK Collective tracks the evolution of AI adoption, ROI, agents, … [Read more...]
Simon Sinek on prioritizing shareholders over employees
There’s nothing wrong with short-term decisions, so long as they’re made in the context of long-term ambitions, says Simon Sinek in this video from the March 2026 Autodesk One Team Conference. He assesses that the modern-day public company has over-indexed on the short term at the expense of the long term, at the expense of the employee and at the expense of the customer. His … [Read more...]
IBPSA FastBites – October 12, 2026
In this member news edition: Learning platform update: Courses temporarily unavailable; new platform delays 2026 Pet Care Business Excellence Award winners. CONGRATULATIONS! Cybersecurity awareness: recent text and QR scams currently circulating IBPSA Education Committee is seeking about 10 members to help choose the topics and speakers for the 2027 Conference … [Read more...]
Do you know what your customers value? Likely NOT
The study featured in this article channels the lesson in Patrick Malone’s PAR training <Link>, in which a confidence statement was followed by an invitation to neutral for review, then decision. So, I’m confident that customer value drivers interest animal health professionals and that this article is worth your review and consideration. Take a look. Then you can … [Read more...]
Fear Free for felines introductory course for members
Cats have unique needs when it comes to veterinary visits, and understanding how they communicate and respond to handling can make all the difference. October’s member-exclusive course, Fear Free for Felines, introduces considerate handling, touch gradients, rewards, gentle control and practical strategies to help reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in feline patients. Details … [Read more...]
CATalyst Council Q3 Report: Cat clinical visits grow 2.7 percent; clinical vet visits decline
Feline clinical visits at U.S. veterinary practices grew 2.7 percent year over year in the third quarter of 2026, while canine clinical visits* fell 3.3 percent, according to Vetsource data reported in CATalyst Council Feline Veterinary Market Insights: Volume VII. Feline clinical visits grew in each of the last 12 quarters, and canine clinical visits fell in 11 of … [Read more...]
1 in 15 household cats may carry ‘Beaver Fever’ which is zoonotic
Giardia duodenalis, commonly known as "beaver fever," is a parasite that can infect humans and animals. Where a cat lives and the time of year may also play a role. Researchers found that kittens were more likely to test positive than older cats, and male cats were more likely to be infected than female cats. Source: ABC News, October 7, 2026. Link. Giardia live in the … [Read more...]
Snapshot: Fifty years of progress in cattle production
When it comes to sustainability, beef has received much criticism, writes C. Alan Rotz, PhD. His article covers the changes, challenges and improvements in beef production over the past 50 years. We’re sharing some key statements from the article. Over the past 50-year period: Yields of the major feed crops used for cattle production increased The number of beef cows … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club names Susie Crockett as 2027 ICON Award Honoree
Veterinary practice management leader Susie Crockett, BS, CVPM, will receive The Bridge Club’s 2027 ICON Award, becoming the first Certified Veterinary Practice Manager to earn the distinction. The award recognizes her more than 25 years of leadership, mentorship and contributions to the veterinary profession. Source: Animal Health News, October 14, 2026. Link. … [Read more...]
AMODIP® (amlodipine besylate tablets) for control of systemic hypertension in cats now available in the U.S.
While off-label use of generic human amlodipine products has been the standard antihypertensive therapy for cats for many years, these medications were not developed with feline patients in mind. Veterinarians and feline caregivers in the U.S. now have a new tool to help manage systemic hypertension in cats. AMODIP® (amlodipine besylate tablets), the first FDA‑approved … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 15, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 8, 2026. Link. Most read posts from October 8th AHD Bulletin – Diabetes care looks different in cats and dogs. Link. Rats identified as overlooked H5N1 link between birds, other animals. Link. Veterinary preventive care, a pricing paradox. Link. Malone: The seal of approval. Link. High … [Read more...]
Mental Illness Awareness Week is October 4th -10th
Mental health is closely linked to physical health. The two are equally important. Family, work, romantic relationships and even pet care can contribute to mental health concern. A coworker or superior maybe managing a mental health condition without others knowing. A teammate may be managing a mental health condition others know nothing about. If an opportunity for a … [Read more...]
Rats identified as overlooked H5N1 link between birds, other animals
An analysis of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a small farm in Illinois revealed that the virus also spread to a cat and wild rats. The virus was found in multiple types of tissue samples, as well as in infected rats' urine. “Because the mammalian-adaptation marker was already present in the bird virus, crossing into mammals may not require new mutations. … [Read more...]
Debrief events before the details fade
In this article, Amy Connor asserts debriefing an event deserves its own conversation. Because details don’t keep, she shares the importance of a debrief process that one person owns, by name, for every event, within five business days and where the recap gets stored and sent. The 10-question debrief evaluates events from a marketing, budgeting and future decision standpoint … [Read more...]
New research on dewormer resistance in horses, explained
The dewormer rotation most barns run was built on an idea that made sense at the time: vary the drug class, and no parasite population gets enough exposure to adapt. It turns out that treating every horse on a fixed calendar does roughly the reverse, because the low shedders take the drug exposure and contribute nothing in return, according to new three-year French … [Read more...]
High nitrates confirmed across Upper Plains; ruminants may be at risk
Drought conditions are almost always associated with the possibility of elevated nitrate levels in forages. According to information by Dairyland Laboratories, many tested feed samples from Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota in 2026 have confirmed nitrate levels of more than 1,000 parts per million nitrate-nitrogen. Drinking water also needs to be checked for … [Read more...]
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research invests to reduce swine mortality
Reducing pig mortality is influenced by animal health, management, environment and other factors throughout production. FFAR, the Pork Checkoff and industry stakeholders are investing $1,643,357 in the Pig Livability Project. Led by Iowa State University in collaboration with Kansas State University, the project seeks practical ways to reduce pig deaths and pig welfare in the … [Read more...]
Cockroach milk proteins churn out an Ig Nobel win
Researchers found that cockroach milk proteins boast more than triple the energy content of dairy milk, winning the 2026 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Milk proteins from Diploptera punctata, the Pacific beetle cockroach, have more than three times as much energy as milk proteins from cows Source: Scientist Digest, September 3, 2026. Link. D. punctata, in particular, is one of … [Read more...]