Understanding the common types of cancer in dogs and cats is essential for early detection, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The American Animal Hospital Association’s new 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats for general practice veterinarians treating dogs and cats with cancer cover diagnosing, staging, treating and providing supportive care for pets with … [Read more...]
Veterinarians encouraged to participate in 2025 heartworm survey
The American Heartworm Society is calling on veterinarians nationwide to participate in the 2025 AHS Heartworm Incidence Survey, now open and accepting submissions. The survey provides critical data used to track heartworm disease trends across the United States and support effective client education and prevention strategies. Source: AAHA, January 5, 2025. … [Read more...]
AAHA Names Dr. Brady Beale as Chief Executive Officer
The American Animal Hospital Association today announced the appointment of Brady Beale, VMD, DACVO, as its new chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2026. Dr. Beale will succeed Guylaine Charette, DVM, who has served as interim CEO. Source: AAHA, January 7, 2026. Link. Dr. Beale is joining us at a pivotal moment, and her unique blend of clinical expertise and … [Read more...]
Holiday stress, a potential medical and behavioral inflection point for pets
Holiday stress reveals behavior concerns in pets that often go unnoticed during normal activities. Family gatherings, schedule changes, fireworks and travel create environments where fear, aggression and separation-related behaviors surface or worsen. Proactive veterinary teams can elevate care during holidays by engaging clients to plan for disruptions and track their pets’ … [Read more...]
AAHA Accreditation named key quality indicator by Newsweek
Newsweek, in partnership with Plant-A Insights, announced America’s Best Animal Hospitals 2026, a definitive ranking of the nation’s premier veterinary care facilities. AAHA accreditation served as a key differentiator in the selection process, highlighting hospitals that meet rigorous quality benchmarks in veterinary medicine. Source: AAHA, December 2, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Texas flash floods add to growing disasters list, concerns
Commentary We should appreciate the people working to secure lives and property in Texas following the rampant flooding of the Guadalope River. Opportunists may use events like this to advance agendas on global warming or budget cuts. Instead, we were moved to consider the cumulative effect of disasters and the resulting economic burdens on the individuals and businesses … [Read more...]
AAHA announces leadership transition
Garth Jordan will step down as chief executive officer on June 30, 2025, after five years of distinguished service that transformed AAHA’s global reach and industry impact. Dr. Guylaine Charette, a past president of AAHA, will assume the role of interim CEO beginning July 1, 2025. Source: AAHA, June 17, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Review: Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines and certification
Working, therapy, and assistance dogs have unique needs requiring specialized care. The AAHA Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines Certificate program equips veterinary professionals with mission-specific knowledge to provide targeted care for each type of working dog. Source: AAHA. Link. 4.0 CE credits are available in this course divided into two main parts: … [Read more...]
Fake service dogs hurt real service animals’ credibility
Thousands of grocers and shop owners now prohibit any animals, including legitimate service dogs, from entering their stores, writes Marc Ramirez. Fake service dogs are poorly trained or untrained and falsely passed off by individuals trying to access restricted places or benefits. These animals reduce real service dogs’ credibility and increase the negative challenges people … [Read more...]
Veterinarians, honey bees and beekeepers
Jörg Mayer, DVM, MS, DABVP, DECZM, DACZM, discusses the role of veterinarians in supporting bee health and wellness since the Veterinary Feed Directive was implemented. Source: AAHA, YouTube, March 13, 2025. Link. We don’t think of the honey bee as a farm animal . . . but it is.” Also see: Search results for: bees, AHD Archives. Link. … [Read more...]
Let’s review: Leptospirosis, the puddle pathogens
In the park, at the beach, in the backyard, along the sidewalk and in the lake, many serovars of Leptospira sp. bacteria can be found in soil and water. They are spread through the urine of infected animals, including wildlife and even birds such as starlings. Lepto is zoonotic, adding significance to reinforcing the benefits of vaccination and preventative measures. Recent … [Read more...]
AAHA working, assistance and therapy dog guidelines certificate
Working, therapy and assistance dogs have unique needs requiring individualized care. This specialized course will help veterinarians adjust wellness and treatment plans for the various roles and health requirements of dogs working with their human counterparts. Source: AAHA. Link. INSIGHTS: Working, therapy, and assistance nomenclature encompasses multiple breeds outside … [Read more...]
AAHA releases guidelines for veterinary specialist referrals
The 2025 AAHA Referral Guidelines provide a framework that fosters stronger partnerships between primary care teams and specialty care teams. Emphasizing the importance of a referral coordinator, the guidelines establish three referral collaboration models: General collaborative conversations Professional-to-professional consultations Hands-on referrals Source: … [Read more...]
New Hampshire veterinary hospital named AAHA-Accredited Practice of the Year
Congratulations to Canobie Lake Veterinary Hospital in Windham, New Hampshire. It stood out for its unwavering dedication to patients and the team members who care for them. As a family-owned business, they have demonstrated a deep understanding of caring for families by caring for their pets. Source: AAHA via EIN Presswire, November 8, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 3, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, September 26, 2024. Link. Most read posts from the September 26th AHD Bulletin – The story no one talks about: the cost to produce food. Link. Changing weather patterns call for a change in deworming habits. Link. Conservation advocacy soars in ‘24 Bird Photographer competition. Link. USDA network … [Read more...]
5 reasons cats purr
It’s a common question with many answers. AAHA shares perspective on why that purring motor may be running. From expressing contentment and fostering mother-kitten bonding to promoting healing and reducing stress, purring goes beyond simple happiness. Source: AAHA, August 6, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for social media posts, newsletters and as a reference … [Read more...]
AAHA hosting free mentorship workshop for veterinary professionals
Focusing on mentorship, this FREE workshop is open to all practices, including those not accredited by AAHA. Join industry experts James Desir, DVM, and Alyssa Mages, CVT, for this workshop designed to empower veterinarians, CrVTs, veterinary assistants, CSRs, practice managers and anyone committed to fostering a positive, inclusive and supportive culture within their … [Read more...]
AAHA’s free webinar schedule for 2-Q-2024
AAHA Learning is providing free access to these courses for animal health pros. RACE continuing education credits are available with registration. Membership is not required. Feline diabetes and choosing SGLT2 inhibitors: May 27th recording may be available Fostering cultural competency in veterinary medicine Stay, please: The path to improved retention in veterinary … [Read more...]
Webinar to address cutaneous adverse food reactions
AAHA and Hills will offer a free CE webinar to update veterinary teams confronting skin issues from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. MDT, March 14, 2024. Presenter Sara Hoff, DVM, MPH, Dip. ACVD, expects to cover novel proteins plus: Latest data on CAFR prevalence and risk factors Advanced diagnostic techniques for accurate identification Proven strategies for managing … [Read more...]
Kicking off the new year with pet insurance (podcast)
Ricky Walthers, DVM, chief medical officer at Pawlicy Advisor, discusses trends and misconceptions surrounding pet insurance and how veterinary teams can educate clients about pet insurance to help them better understand the importance of having it. . . . only about 3 percent of U.S. pet owners have pet insurance . . .” Source: The Vet Blast Podcast, January 3, 2024. Link. A … [Read more...]
Veterinary community invited to participate in Vet Med artificial intelligence survey
Complimentary Content Administered by the American Animal Hospital Association, the Digitail survey aims to explore the perception and utilization of AI tools among veterinary professionals. It will provide an opportunity for veterinary professionals to influence the future development of AI tools, ensuring they benefit both practitioners and patients. Source: Digitail, … [Read more...]
Packaged Facts – pet industry is now “omnimarket,” not just “omnichannel”
Combining retail and pet services is becoming more common, according to Packaged Facts Pet Services in the US, 2nd Edition 2023. At the consumer level, franchising can combine some of the advantages of local, operator-owned with corporate efficiencies. At the industry level, franchising exemplifies how the pet market has entered a new era of multiple-front competition driven in … [Read more...]
One third of dogs have a behavior issue, study shows
Zazie Todd, PhD, shares results from a Danish study suggesting we need to pay more attention to behavior issues in dogs. The most common issues were related to fear and disobedience, which included jumping up, barking and not coming when called. Aggression was reported less often in this study than in other studies and was typified by actions toward other dogs, not … [Read more...]
AAHA publishes guidelines for the management of allergic skin diseases in dogs and cats
Managing allergic skin diseases in dogs and cats can be challenging. It requires a multimodal therapeutic approach and frequent, ongoing communication with the pet’s family members and caregivers. AAHA’s first-of-a-kind guidelines offer detailed diagnosis and treatment plans to help guide veterinary teams creating better patient outcomes and client satisfaction. Treating the … [Read more...]
AAHA expanding certification standards in Asia
The American Animal Hospital Association announces the international extension of the AAHA Standards and Guidelines with new partnerships in Asia. AAHA and the Korean Veterinary Medical Association jointly announced a licensing agreement to accredit veterinary clinics throughout South Korea. AAHA also welcomed five institutions in Japan that were recently accredited after … [Read more...]
Telehealth can benefit small private practices
Erica Jain shares reasons small medical practices can benefit from telehealth technologies. These benefits also apply to veterinary practices. Telehealth technologies level the playing field between large and small medical practices.” – Erick Jain Source: Medical Economics, July 27, 2023. Link. Jain asserts telehealth services help: Overcome staff shortages Streamline … [Read more...]
AAHA announces 2023 AAHA Mentoring Guidelines
The July AAHA Trends provided the first look at the updated AAHA Mentoring Guidelines last published in 2008. “The 2023 guidelines present a modern blueprint to building a better culture for the profession,” according to Jessica Vogelsang, DVM. Now available on the AAHA website, the 2023 Mentoring Guidelines materials include a single page Guidelines at a Glance … [Read more...]
AAHA discusses new guidelines for endocrinology diagnosis, treatment for dogs and cats
The American Animal Hospital Association recently published the 2023 AAHA Selected Endocrinopathies of Dogs and Cats Guidelines. These guidelines help practitioners identify and treat common endocrine diseases while effectively communicating with clients and the health care team. Liza Rudolph, BAS, RVT, VTS (CP-CF, SAIM), discussed the guidelines and how a team-based approach … [Read more...]
A closer look at the world of organized dentistry
Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP, FAVD, shares the history and development of organized dentistry. He outlines the bodies behind it that serve veterinarians, technicians and the public. Organized veterinary dentistry began in 1976 making it young compared to the 160-year-history of the American Dental Association. Source: DVM 360, April 2023. Link. Also see: … [Read more...]
Certified Veterinary Assistant Program summer session starts May 15
For some interested in working in veterinary medicine there is a stigma around the education requirements to become a veterinary technician or veterinarian. The Certified Veterinary Assistant Program is an excellent way for such a person to get started intentionally with entry level skills that benefit the practice and confirm the interests of the student. The Certified … [Read more...]