Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, shares ways to introduce dental products to improve patients' health and bolster retail revenue. Her tips include eye-level displays and placing carefully selected products in animal owners’ hands. Ideas from Mary L. Berg, BS, LATG, RVT, VTS (Dentistry), FVTE, are also included. Source: Veterinary Practice News, February 6, 2026. Link. Berg suggests … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 19, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 12, 2026. Link. Most read posts from February 12, 2026 AHD Bulletin – 90% of cat owners make winter mistakes. Cats suffer unnoticed. Link. Waiting is not free. Link. How emotional marketing creates moral injury in vet med, pet care. Link. NEW resource strengthens biosecurity practices, … [Read more...]
The quiet evolution of veterinary containment
Includes Commercial References Today's best animal housing systems are evolving with subtle, thoughtful design shifts that support the goals veterinarians care about most: reducing stress, improving outcomes and creating a recovery space that heals as much as it holds. We believe clients care about those spaces, too. John Freytag writes about what he calls purposeful … [Read more...]
The 2025 “They Ate What?!” X-ray contest results are in. You’re invited to score, too!
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...]
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...]
Goodbye, back room. Hello, lower-stress patient exams.
Karen Becker, VMD, asks an obvious question about taking pets into the back room for examination, then addresses the benefits and challenges of exam room appointments that include pet owners. She asserts that allowing a guardian to remain involved in the treatment and care of their pet opens the doors of communication, builds trust with that client, and influences client choice … [Read more...]
The role of AI in cancer diagnostics
Includes Commercial References Unlike the challenges with AI in content development, in-clinic AI-powered tools hold vast potential to improve care for companion animals, from streamlining routine tasks to enabling accurate diagnostics. Authors from the Zoetis Global Diagnostics team share potential benefits from increasing access to care for diagnostic detection with … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 4, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 28, 2025. Link. Most read posts from August 28, 2025 AHD Bulletin – KC Animal Health Corridor Summit and initiative posts. Link-1 and Link-2 July VetWatch® commentary. Link. Everyone’s a coach. Link. Recognizing the early signs of joint disease (video). Link. The joy of sharing life … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 21, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 14, 2025. Link. Most read posts from August 14, 2025 AHD Bulletin – When the economy suffers, the dogs and cats suffer. Link. Combine disease. A good reminder for livestock producers. Link. The hidden costs of fear in businesses. Link. Tetanus creates problems for animals after storms. … [Read more...]
Counting calories for cats
Includes commercial links Sources have indicated that today’s cat owners are more invested in their cats’ health, including seeking out resources like this article. BtoC content like this does affect pet owner perceptions between clinic visits. Consider sharing this article in newsletters, on social media or directly with specific pet owners to set up the discussions … [Read more...]
AVMA elects new volunteer leaders for 2025-2026 term
Dr. Michael Q. Bailey was elected to serve as President of the AVMA at the 2025 AVMA Conference and is the first African American to serve in the role. Dr. Jennifer Quammen was selected as the president-elect by the AVMA board of delegates. Each individual brings considerable experience to their roles. Source: AVMA, July 21, 2025. Link. Veterinarians are vital to community … [Read more...]
Report: Misinformation, misconceptions can make pet obesity discussions difficult
Commentary We liked Don Vaughn’s approach to this article. He involves several veterinarians, is realistic about non-veterinary obesity information influences, time management restrictions during clinic visits and the relative lack of comfort many veterinarians have when discussing obesity. The lack of nutrition education in veterinary curricula is noted and … [Read more...]
Veterinary nutrition residency funded at the University of Tennessee
Marking a notable development in the fresh pet food sector's involvement in veterinary science, The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine has launched a new veterinary nutrition residency program. The two-year program is backed by a sponsorship from The Farmer's Dog. The program meets board eligibility standards set by the American College of Veterinary … [Read more...]
How to better utilize vet techs
Commentary Yes, it’s another article on using veterinary technicians at the top of their license. We have found each iteration of this topic is helpful for animal health pros at all levels as we gain more understanding of opportunities and barriers in practices and various regions. Adrienne Kruzer, BBA, RVT, LVT, tackles this topic covering pros, cons, economics and more. … [Read more...]
Most common medical conditions affecting dogs and cats
Based on data from more than a million of its actively insured pets, Nationwide has identified the most common medical conditions in dogs and cats. Chronic conditions are prevalent in both species and represent challenging and sometimes burdensome, cumulative costs over time for animal owners. Noting the repetitive conditions populating lists like this year after year can … [Read more...]
8 tips to extend post-conference experiences
The guidance from Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, in this article is spot on. However, the devil is in the details as it takes discipline and planning to effectively capture and carry conference learnings back to home practices and businesses. Source: Veterinary Practice News, March 5, 2025. Link. Go home with more than a conference bag . . . you should be motivated, wiser, and have … [Read more...]
Client education, the main objective of National Pet Dental Month
Commentary Sponsored by the AVMA, February is National Pet Dental Month. Our industry has presented and marketed dental care myriad ways over the past three decades. Foundationally, the dental market sought the "endorsement" of veterinary dental products <Link>. When the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Guidelines recommended pet dental care in 2017, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 16, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 12, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 9, 2025 AHD Bulletin - Water: Critical, undervalued nutrient in dairy calves. Link. Vaccination protects ratter dog from disease. Link. Lead when not in charge: leverage influence when you lack authority. Link. … [Read more...]
5 tricks to help clients develop healthy treat-giving habits
It is important for veterinarians to adopt a proactive approach when counseling owners about treats, writes Raj Naik, DVM, DACVIM. Acknowledging the emotional factors, it is possible to get poor treat-giving habits under control by understanding the behavior behind them and working with the client to develop a personalized plan that satisfies both owners and pets. Source: … [Read more...]
What do all those ‘biotics’ do?
Microbiome researchers have learned that microbiome health likely plays a key role in the overall health of pets. Veterinarians and pet owners can choose a probiotic, prebiotic, synbiotic or postbiotic, but knowing which bug or brand is a good choice is difficult. The GI microbiome is a complex ecosystem, writes Martha Cline, DVM, DACVIM, in this article. She shares some of … [Read more...]
Laser therapy’s many uses in small animal practice
As year-end approaches, some practices consider making capital expenditures on equipment. Lasers may be a good choice. Two recent articles, which include photos, share when, where and how to use lasers in various veterinary practice settings. Jason B. Pieper DVM, MS, DACVD, shares how CO2 lasers are used in veterinary dermatology. Michael C. Petty, DVM, asserts the benefits … [Read more...]
Analgesia trends in exotics
Discussing analgesia in rabbits and rodents, Olivia A. Petritz, DVM, DACZM, provides an overview of recent studies. She also refers to the development of grimace scales for rabbits, rats and mice. Source: Veterinary Practice News, September 20, 2024. Link. Clinical signs of pain in rodents are similar to rabbits and include a hunched posture, lack of or increased grooming, … [Read more...]
Federal bill seeks to expand HSA, FSA eligibility to include veterinary care expenses
The People and Animal Well-being (PAW) Act aims to support pet owners by making veterinary care more affordable under Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Source: Veterinary Practice News, September 17, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Study: Canine respiratory, digestive disease ‘strongly linked’
Dogs with respiratory disease may be at higher risk of digestive system abnormalities, according to a study from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Researchers investigated the interplay between disorders in canine respiratory and digestive systems, finding 75 percent of dogs with respiratory disease were found to have one or more co-existing digestive … [Read more...]
Facing declining interest in vet practice ownership
Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA, shares her top four stumbling blocks to practice ownership in the article here positioned as a rebuttal to an article in The Atlantic <Link>. She writes about forces that affect the makeup of veterinary professional attitudes that alter attitudes toward entrepreneurship and, therefore, practice ownership. Regarding decreased aspirational … [Read more...]
Noise from stainless steel kennels ‘detrimental’ to patient health, survey shows
Includes Commercial Content A recent CASCO Pet survey reveals how noise can pose challenges to staff and patients. Clanging, resonant and disruptive, stainless steel kennels can significantly exacerbate fear, stress and anxiety and impact recovery. Source: Veterinary Practice News, June 10, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
18th anniversary veterinary X-ray contest announced by VPN
Veterinary Practice News launches the 2024 'They Ate What?!' X-ray Contest, sponsored by Dechra Veterinary Products. A longtime favorite, practices share the strange things pet have eaten, their wild stories and extraordinary X-rays. Source: Veterinary Practice News, May 31, 2024. Link. How to enter: Go to https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/xraycontest Log in or … [Read more...]
Seeing allergies through a One Health lens
Calling for a bigger view of product and treatment choices, Erica Tramuta-Drobnis, VMD, MPH, CPH, urges veterinary teams to evaluate plans by the individual animal, consider the owner’s capacities and ensure proper antimicrobial stewardship practices. Ensuring we select appropriate therapies to manage dermatological manifestations of allergies and other skin conditions … [Read more...]
Compare margins and markups to ensure a healthy pharmacy in your practice
Acknowledging the importance of margin and markup pricing, Rachel Singletary, CVPM, shares the basics of when to use each method, how the PIMS systems are involved and meeting the market prices. It is important to remember: Markup is a cost-based calculation to determine price Margin is a price-based equation that includes a percentage objective against COGS … [Read more...]
Animal Cracker’s YouTube videos raise concerns about animal chiropractic
Narda G. Robinson, DO, DVM, MS, FAAMA, shares concerns and assertions about doctors of chiropractic performing animal adjustments and challenges regulatory language. Animal chiropractic is considered part of physical medicine as shared in several Animal Health Digest posts which include eye-opening information about the animal chiropractor licensing process <Link>. It … [Read more...]