Veterinary Voices

Navigating the murky terrain of veterinary telemedicine

Fresh off seven months of relief work and reentering the job market last summer, Dr. Amy Reed came upon an enticing job listing. "Remote and flexible telemedicine job opportunity for veterinarian," the online advertisement beckoned.  

Navigating the murky terrain of veterinary telemedicine published on Feb. 14, 2024. 

Calif. bill would allow veterinary technicians to neuter cats

A bill introduced into the California Legislature Wednesday would permit a registered veterinary technician to neuter a male domestic cat provided they're directly supervised by a veterinarian.

Calif. bill would allow veterinary technicians to neuter cats published on Feb. 9, 2024. 

 

Confusion swirls around first legal FIP treatment in US

Dr. Anna Reading is doing what few veterinarians in the United States before her have done. The small animal practitioner in southern Washington state is administering an antiviral drug to a cat with feline infectious peritonitis, a fatal disease, without breaking any laws or regulations. 

Confusion swirls around first legal FIP treatment in US published on Feb. 2, 2024.

 

Sex hormone drug exposures in pets draw notice in Europe

The first report to capture Dr. Ann Neubert's attention involved a breeder of French bulldogs and Chihuahuas. Over the course of three months, four puppies were born with curious features. Three females had enlarged vulvas, while one male had swollen mammary glands. The apparent cause: exposure to a medication the breeder put on her skin containing the sex hormone estrogen. 

Sex hormone drug exposures in pets draw notice in Europe published on Jan. 30, 2024. 

Show notes

Study: Hyperöstrogenismus und Hyperandrogenismus bei Hunden und Katzen infolge sekundärer Exposition

Study: A review of adverse events in animals and children after secondary exposure to transdermal hormone-containing medicinal products

Drug safety bulletin: Bulletin zur Arzneimittelsicherheit - Informationen aus BfArM und PEI

'Technical glitch' causes veterinary licensing exam mix-up

Dozens of aspiring practitioners who recently took the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination, a key hurdle for practicing as a veterinarian in the United States and Canada, may have been surprised last week when they received an email regarding their test results.

That's because it did not contain their own performance metrics but instead those of a different examinee. 

'Technical glitch' causes veterinary licensing exam mix-up published on Jan. 24, 2024.

 

Ban on 'XL bully' dogs puts British veterinarians in a bind

A hastily implemented ban in the United Kingdom of American XL bulldogs — large, powerful dogs partly descended from pit bulls — is putting veterinarians under pressure, including by forcing them to choose whether to euthanize healthy pets.

Ban on 'XL bully' dogs puts British veterinarians in a bind published on Jan. 23, 2024. 

 

What do TV-watching dogs watch?

Suppose you wanted to know whether dogs around the world watch television and, if they do, what interests them most. You can't exactly ask dogs, since they don't speak human, so Dr. Freya Mowat did the next best thing — she asked their owners.

From 31 countries but predominantly the United States, 1,600 dog lovers responded to an online survey posted in 2022 by Mowat, a veterinary ophthalmologist, and her research team at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.

What do TV-watching dogs watch? published on Jan. 18, 2023. 

Hanover College joins list of budding veterinary programs

Institutions are unveiling veterinary colleges at an unprecedented clip. The latest is at Hanover College, a private school of 1,157 students in southern Indiana. The announcement last month by Hanover brings the number of emerging veterinary schools in the United States to 12.

Hanover College joins list of budding veterinary programs published on Jan. 16, 2024. 

 

Avian influenza crisis tests veterinarians' resolve

They could be working with chickens at a million-bird poultry farm, endangered condors in the wild, flamingos at the local zoo or a pet cockatiel at a clinic.

No matter how they practice, veterinarians from multiple facets of the profession are bracing for an extended onslaught of deadly avian influenza — with no clear end in sight.

Avian influenza crisis tests veterinarians' resolve published on Jan. 11, 2024.

 

Veterinarians revive ER service after Thrive hospital closes

When the owners of the only emergency veterinary hospital in Rochester, New York, announced in August that the practice would shut down within three months, it was a blow for local pet owners and employees but not a total surprise. Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services had been scaling back hours since early in the year, citing a shortage of veterinarians.

Veterinarians revive ER service after Thrive hospital closes published on Jan. 9, 2024.