Forum Dogs & Cats Overdue for Vaccination Recommendations for Updatin…

A recent white paper published in JAVMA highlights the challenge veterinarians face to stay informed about current research and practice evidence-based veterinary medicine. Best practice in decision-making includes finding, critically appraising, and synthesizing available research evidence. Too few systematic reviews and meta-analyses mean that veterinarians must find and synthesize the latest information from sources with variable reliability (e.g., websites, continuing education notes, academic research journals). Veterinarians have little time and resources to do this, thus the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medical Association (EBVMA) Board and invited colleagues developed the Quality and Uncertainty Indicator Triage (QUIT) tool to help readers recognize 10 common but important potential concerns in published research so they may rule out a study and set it aside rather than invest time for further critical appraisal. The QUIT tool is to be used as a preliminary assessment tool to triage studies and is not to be used for ruling in studies for inclusion in decision-making; questions are inadequate to fully assess study validity. This is a subtle but important distinction. Readers are directed to formal Risk of Bias tools for assessing study validity. Sheila Keay, DVM, MBA, MPH, PhD , is the current president (2025-2027) of the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medical Association (EBVMA) . The EBVMA mission is to develop, promote, and share knowledge and resources about evidence-based

I grew up somewhere in between the James Herriot era and the development of 48 AVMA-recognized veterinary specialties. A member of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians, my stints in companion medicine and my fascination with access to care often baffle people. My upbringing exposed me to a profession with endless opportunities. My mom doctored dogs, cats, sheep, and goats, and I sometimes accompanied her as she went back and forth from her small animal clinic to her second job at the Ministry of Agriculture in the Dominican Republic, where she eventually worked on poultry medicine and public health. I woke up many mornings to find out she had left overnight to care for an emergency. Years after closing her brick-and-mortar practice, my mom kept a vaccine cooler for her clients of 20-plus years who refused to take their pets to see anyone else. As I navigated my own path in veterinary medicine in the United States, I saw less people who looked like me. Having joined far too many extracurricular activities, I explored diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), becoming almost comfortable in spaces that supported belonging focusing on race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. However, boxes, limits, and borders continued to frustrate me. My brain saw connections others did not—like improperly stacked Tetris pieces I wished I could rotate. Multiple disability diagnoses later; the puzzle started to fit together. This extrovert with attention-deficit/hyperactivity diso

Pet-directed speech, or companion animal-directed speech, is defined as a person speaking directly to an animal and distinguished by a higher pitch and pitch variation. In this recent study published in Vet Record , an online survey and snowball sampling were used to evaluate the use of pet-directed speech and how its use affected clients’ opinions about veterinarians. Of the 400 respondents, most (87%) were non-veterinary professionals who owned at least 1 dog (76%). This week, I spoke with Mickey McDermott, PhD , senior vice president of strategy at Circa Healthcare, and Louise Corah, PhD, MRCVS, assistant professor of veterinary education at University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, about the study. Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from Research Wrapped, a free monthly newsletter that collects the latest scientific research relevant to small animal veterinarians and pulls out practical takeaways. To be the first to receive this newsletter each month, subscribe here . Q: Free-text responses to the survey were grouped into 4 themes: “pet at the center,” “not just words,” “include the owner,” and “impressions of the veterinarian.” These 4 themes emphasize the role of pet-directed speech in the veterinarian-client-patient relationship and its ability to strengthen that relationship. Would you consider that to be an accurate summation of pet-directed speech and its potential? Dr. Corah: Definitely, and it demonstrates the importance of pet-directed sp

The microbiome and central nervous system connection has recently attracted significant attention. The influence of bacteria on our emotions, cognition, and behavior has led to recognition of the microbiota–gut–brain axis, based on the premise that gastrointestinal bacteria secrete neuroactive substances, including neurotransmitters, short-chain fatty acids, and amino acids. Related therapeautics such as fecal transplants have been used in traditional Chinese medicine since the Dong Jin dynasty and in Ancient Greece. However, it was not until the 19th century, when physicians adopted a more holistic approach to human health, that some began to blame the gut for influencing mental health. In 1887, German and French physicians linked the presence of gut bacteria to autointoxication. It was believed that if toxins produced during digestion were not evacuated from the body early enough, they would lead to central nervous system poisoning. By the 20th century, this holistic approach to gastrointestinal research had been reversed. Peter Dally, a British psychiatrist, postulated that all patients with gastrointestinal symptoms without any organic cause should be diagnosed with mental illness. From this time point, many functional gastrointestinal disturbances were thought to be associated with “psychological distress.” Now, however, the microbiome appears to be a promising therapeutic target. This connection is reviewed in this issue’s “ Role of the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in Beha

9/9 The Hidden Cost of Masking: Neurodiversity, Mental Health, and Being Unseen Veterinary professionals are often expected to be calm under pressure, highly capable, emotionally resilient, and endlessly adaptable. But for many neurodivergent individuals, meeting these expectations can require a tremendous amount of effort through “masking.” Masking can help people stay employed, avoid judgment, and feel safer in environments that were not built with their needs in mind. Over time, however, masking can come at a significant cost. This webinar led by Ron Sosa, CVPM, CCFP, PgD-CLD, explores why neurodivergent professionals feel forced to hide their true selves; how this obscures mental health struggles; and how the veterinary industry can redesign teams to be supportive, safe spaces where everyone can thrive. Register for this VetFolio webinar and earn 1 hour of CE credit. 10/24-25 HiVE West: Designed Differently Designed to inspire veterinary team members to thrive in both their professional careers and personal lives, HiVE delivers education and hands-on experiences to build real-world skills, mentorships, and community-building activities. Your veterinary nurses/technicians and practice managers will return with a renewed sense of ambition and skills that will enhance the way your practice functions and feels. HiVE West is taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 24 and 25. Registration ranges from $99 to $174. Get more information on this specialized CE event for your v

Millions of households in the United States now have exotic companion animals as pets. Small mammals—including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets, sugar gliders, and more—reside in 6.7 million households, birds in 6.1 million, and reptiles in 6 million. 1 These pets are valued similarly to dogs and cats, with a survey of small companion mammal owners finding that these pets were considered a family member (42%), like a child (17%), or a best friend (12%). 2 Exotic pets have a wide-ranging lifespan from just 2 to 3 years for small rodents to over 50 years for some tortoises and parrots. A common misconception is that veterinary care for these smaller species should be more affordable, in accordance with their size and perceived value. However, with a limited number of veterinarians willing to treat exotic companion animals and the additional expertise and equipment required to effectively treat a wide range of species, costs of care may be significantly higher than for dogs and cats. Quantifying the costs of veterinary care for exotic pets is difficult due to the wide range of species, variable lifespan, and geographic differences in costs of care. Many exotic pet owners underestimate total lifetime costs. 2 According to Synchrony’s Pet Lifetime of Care 2025 study, actual costs for small companion mammals over a 6-year lifespan were $7600 to $14 938, while owners estimated they would spend only $2977 over a 7.3 year lifespan. 2 Costs in this study included food, housing,

Abstract Dexmedetomidine is a versatile, highly selective α 2 -adrenoceptor agonist with a well-established evidence base in small animal practice. Yet, despite the strong evidence supporting its use in small animal practice, dexmedetomidine is a drug that polarizes clinicians; it is routinely incorporated into some protocols and largely absent from others. Take-Home Points Dexmedetomidine provides reliable, dose-dependent, reversible sedation. Dexmedetomidine can be administered as a sole agent, but its sedative and analgesic effects are potentiated and more reliable with coadministration of opioids. Dexmedetomidine causes dose-dependent biphasic cardiovascular effects that lead to reduced cardiac output; use in patients with cardiac disease or hemodynamic instability is generally discouraged. Unless accompanied by hypotension, bradycardia caused by dexmedetomidine does not routinely warrant reversal. Dexmedetomidine may be administered via multiple routes as part of a balanced sedation or multimodal analgesic plan. Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α 2 -adrenoceptor agonist with a well-established role in small animal veterinary practice; it provides reliable sedation, analgesia, and the practical advantage of reversibility. Regardless, its use remains inconsistent; some clinicians avoid it due to unfamiliarity or concern about cardiovascular side effects. However, for clinicians who understand its pharmacology, appropriate patient selection, and physiologic monitoring,

Abstract Management of chronic enteropathy syndrome is common yet often challenging in small animal practice due to the variability in clinical presentation, underlying pathology, and response to therapy. A recent collaborative discussion among veterinary nutrition and internal medicine specialists highlighted the need for a more structured, diet-first, and patient-centered approach to management. Take-Home Points Not all patients with chronic enteropathy or protein-losing enteropathy respond to the same dietary strategy; successful management often requires an individualized, nutrient-focused approach. Valuable diagnostic insight can be gained by carefully evaluating diet history, calorie intake, body weight trends, and subtle clinical signs. Diet is often among the most effective first-line interventions for patients with chronic enteropathy and protein-losing enteropathy and should be optimized before escalating medical therapy. Current classification systems may oversimplify both chronic enteropathy (CE) and protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), which likely represent heterogeneous clinical syndromes with multiple underlying mechanisms that may differ substantially among patients. In addition, common clinical assumptions, such as interpreting response to hydrolyzed diets as confirmation of food hypersensitivity, may be overly simplistic and limit effective long-term management of dogs with chronic gastrointestinal disease. Considering how factors such as fat content, fiber, d

Abstract The microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA) describes bidirectional pathways that enable gut microbiota to affect neurologic functions, cognition, and behavior while the brain modulates gut physiology, functions, and microbiota composition. Rodent and human studies have shown that the MGBA may contribute to development of anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and epilepsy. In veterinary medicine, studies have evaluated the role of the MGBA in dogs with behavioral disorders, idiopathic epilepsy, and canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, otherwise known as MGBA diseases. Take-Home Points Studies have evaluated the role of the MGBA in dogs with behavioral disorders, idiopathic epilepsy, and canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Studies suggest that dysbiosis interferes with normal MGBA functions and can result in dysregulated immune signaling, increased neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and disruptions in blood–brain barrier integrity. The bidirectional nature of the MGBA implies not only that the brain can influence gut health but also that gut-targeted interventions may be therapeutic for dogs with behavioral disorders, idiopathic epilepsy, and canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Outcomes for MGBA diseases are optimal when gut microbiota and mental health are treated concurrently. Because comorbidities are common among patients with MGBA diseases, ma

Abstract Corneal ulcers are among the most common ophthalmic diseases diagnosed in feline practice. Their treatment approach differs from that of corneal ulcers in dogs due to differences in etiology, management options, complications, and prognosis. Many corneal ulcers in cats, including both acute and chronic nonhealing superficial corneal ulcers, are directly or indirectly secondary to feline herpesvirus 1; identifying the specific etiology is essential for guiding appropriate treatment. This article focuses on the diagnosis of feline corneal ulcers based on eye examination findings and adjunctive testing, as well as the medical and surgical management of specific types of corneal ulcers. Take-Home Points Feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1) is a common corneal ulcer etiology in cats and can be presumed unless another cause is identified. There is no reliable diagnostic test for FHV-1. Herpesvirus is often diagnosed based on clinical signs and response to therapy rather than laboratory testing. Superficial nonhealing corneal ulcers with loose epithelium can be secondary to FHV-1 in cats, requiring mechanical interventions (e.g., cotton-tipped applicator debridement, diamond burr debridement, superficial keratectomy) in conjunction with antiviral therapy to heal. Corneal sequestrum is a common complication in cats with nonhealing ulcers that confounds treatment. Prompt identification and treatment of ulcers are important to avoid this complication. The cornea is an avascular, trans