Commentary Authored collaboratively by Wendy Hauser, DVM, Jon Ayers, MBA, and Charlotte McKay, MS, this article identifies the value and benefits inherent in moving diagnostics from reactive to an expected, key component of healthy pet wellness visits not, just chronic care. Kudos to the authors for bringing perspectives from individual practices, group practice analytics … [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...]
The seal of approval
We now measure our approval in likes, comments, followers, job titles, houses, holidays, and little blue thumbs. Social media has poured gasoline on this trend, turning being liked into a scoreboard, says Ben Hooson-Jones. Source: 1 Minute Read, Substack, September 21, 2026. Link. …there is enormous freedom in realizing that you don’t have to audition anymore.” INSIGHTS: … [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...]
Beware the tollbooth installed at the entrance to your own rest
If you’ve sat down to rest and felt guilty within about four minutes, this article is for you. Rest is NOT a reward for enough productivity, asserts the author. It was never meant to be conditional. But you and societal expectations have turned rest into a transaction. You have reacted by deciding that stopping has to be purchased with sufficient doing, that you're only … [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...]
Early lameness intervention changes everything
Complimentary commercial content By the time lameness becomes obvious, the biological and economic consequences are already underway. More than one in five U.S. dairy cows are estimated to be limping at any given time. The earliest stages of lameness represent the greatest opportunity for intervention. Transitioning from periodic human observation to a continuous AI … [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...]
CatsOnly™ opens with CAETA Practice Certification, a first
CatsOnly™ announced October 6th that its flagship location has earned the Certified Peaceful End-of-Life Practice designation from Lap of Love's Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy. A historic milestone for feline healthcare, it is the first practice to open its doors with the CAETA practice certification in place from day one the company said. Source: PR Newswire, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 8, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, October 1, 2026. Link. Most read posts from October 1st AHD Bulletin – New research reveals barriers to pet adoption. Link. Malone: Integrity in your hospital. Link. No avocado toast for your rabbit, bird, horse, sheep, goat or cow. Link. Dogs use a surprising method to understand human language. … [Read more...]
Vaccination scenarios: 1) Overdue pets, 2) Minimum interval for giving different vaccines
Vaccine label instructions have traditionally described ideal, textbook scenarios, but they are getting much less specific. While it provides room for flexibility and gets away from rigorous, dogmatic approaches, it doesn’t necessarily help someone know what to do instead, writes Scott Weese, DVM, DACIVM. Veterinary vaccination guidelines can be useful and have helped … [Read more...]
Integrity in your hospital
In another lifetime I authored an article for distribution about integrity and sales leadership. It occurs to me that the challenges cited in that article are the same today for personnel within veterinary hospitals across our country. Source: Veterinary Advantage, April 2019. Link. If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else … [Read more...]
How well should you know others’ strengths?
Gallup research across more than 11,000 teams found that strengths awareness has roughly twice the influence on team performance as the team’s mix of strengths. But strengths awareness doesn’t mean you have to know every colleague’s full Clifton Strengths profile from the company’s strength-based development tool. In today’s expanding workplace team environments, Gallup … [Read more...]
Female vets and difficult male client interactions
Commentary Fans of the veterinary shows on National Geographic TV will recognize the doctors in this photo. Drs Brenda, Emily and many like them face gendered disrespect daily in companion, equine, mixed and large animal practices. Viewers of the programs also see post-treatment interviews where the animal owner admits his concerns about the “little gal” were … [Read more...]
IBPSA FastBites, September 28, 2026
In this edition: IBPSA offices will close from October 7th – 9th for staff to attend the CANIS Conference Save your records before the migration to GZLearn; learning management system Cybersecurity awareness: a quick refresher on what email scams are currently circulating and how to protect yourself Thank you to the sponsors who are generously underwriting this … [Read more...]
Scientists want your photos of wildlife eating lunch
Feedback tells us you enjoy the photos of the year contest results we post <Link>. Here is a chance to contribute your own photos.weerwe A citizen science project called Who Eats Whom is using crowdsourcing to grow a repository of wildlife photos. Ideally, they will inform conservation efforts in species interactions and adaptation. With a platform like Who Eats Whom, … [Read more...]
Review: Understanding ionophores
Includes commercial references Ionophores are feed additives used in beef production to improve energy efficiency and prevent diseases in cattle. They are not human-grade antibiotics and do not contribute to antibiotic resistance in cattle or humans. The majority of ionophores are fed to finishing cattle, but they can be fed to all classes of cattle. Note the chart of … [Read more...]
Fetch pet insurance launches Fetch Online Vet powered by Vetster with no out-of-pocket costs or claims to file
Complimentary Fetch Pet Insurance announced the launch of Fetch Online Vet powered by Vetster on September 29th. The service gives Fetch Pet members a first-of-its-kind virtual veterinary care experience. Available exclusively for Fetch Pet members directly through the app, this new vet experience is included at no additional cost, allowing members to connect with veterinary … [Read more...]
Enter the Trends Teams@Work Photo Contest by October 15th
The Trends annual Teams@Work Photo Contest celebrates veterinary teams in honor of National Veterinary Technician Week. Send your best photos of veterinary teams working in the practice by October 15, 2026. Note the updated rules for 2026. Source: AAHA Trends, September 25, 2026. Link. … [Read more...]
Registration open for Week of WILMAH virtual event
Join Women in Leadership and Management in Animal Health for a virtual event to invest in personal and professional growth without travel or committing to an entire day online. Sessions run from 12:00 to 1:30 EST November 2nd to 6th. Each day is a different theme: Key connections, Personal brand, Leadership, Career growth, Well-being. Source: WILMAH, September 29, 2026. … [Read more...]
CareCredit and Vetspire modernize veterinary payments with AI-enabled practice solutions
CareCredit’s embedded financing, combined with Vetspire’s AI-enabled practice technology, helps veterinary teams streamline operations, improve client engagement and support timely pet care. Source: Synchrony, September 30, 2026. Link. Key Highlights: Embedded financing from CareCredit: Real-time financing offers now integrated directly into the Vetspire workflow. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 1, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, September 24, 2026. Link. Most read posts from September 24th AHD Bulletin – Why job hopping is surging among Gen Zers. Link. Community outreach “stuffy style” Link. Malone: Role reversal. Link. BioSphere Essentials: Enzymes in animal nutrition. Link. FFA: Growing the future. Link. Also see: … [Read more...]
New Age Pet partners with Dr. Jan Pol on collection of dog, cat, bird products
Complimentary New Age Pet has partnered with the Dr. Pol brand to develop and launch new innovative pet products that combine the trusted veterinary expertise with thoughtful, pet-centric design. Five new products were developed with Dr. Jan Pol’s practical, no-nonsense approach to animal care and New Age Pet’s commitment to safe, durable and stylish products for … [Read more...]
Roark: Candid. Revealing. Reflecting and unabashed (as usual)
This post departs from our normal neutral format. Commercial references aside, Andy Roark, DVM, lifts his scrubs as he reflects on engaging the veterinary community, conference objectives, post-conference intentions and learning what it takes to keep pace in today’s veterinary medicine and animal-owning society. His statements that follow are to encourage you to read his … [Read more...]
Why job hopping is surging among Gen Zers
A new survey from consulting firm Robert Half found that 55 percent of Gen Z workers plan to look for a new job before the end of 2026, up 23 percent from a year ago. More than half want better perks, benefits, higher compensation and more advancement opportunities. Source: HR Executive, September 21, 2026. Link. When it comes to the benefits and perks Gen Z job hoppers are … [Read more...]
Community outreach “stuffy style”
Commentary We often recommend that local outreach and visibility are important for veterinary professionals. Doctors Justin Sobota and Brooke Alnwick had a great idea to help familiarize animal owners about veterinarians, what they do and also raise the profile of horses. The team set up a Stuffy ER at The Great Frederick Fair on September 20th. The Stuffy ER idea can be … [Read more...]
USDA announces actions marking new era of companion animal welfare
Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, U.S. Department of Agriculture, held a Strikeforce roundtable with federal agency partners on September 21, where she announced actions to usher in a new era of companion animal oversight under the leadership of the current administration. Strikeforce meeting objectives will continue to build and develop policies to protect our nation’s animals, … [Read more...]