Veterinary Voices

A shortage of veterinary educators, building for decades, is exacerbated by current and projected openings of new veterinary schools, a condition explored in a recent story by the VIN News Service.

The article elicited illuminating comments on a message board of the Veterinary Information Network, an online community for the profession and parent of VIN News. A selection of responses are gathered here. 

This story was published on March 17, 2026.

Citing persistent shortages in veterinary services in the state, the University of Nevada, Reno, is pursuing plans to open a veterinary school. It's the second Nevada university in the past year to announce such aspirations.

This story was published on March 12, 2026.

Dr. Vicky Smith was reviewing the medical history of her patient, a small dog brought in for lethargy, extreme thirst, a ravenous appetite and increased urination, when his owner revealed a surprising bit of information.

As Smith inquired about any medications the dog was taking, the owner said, "Oh, he's on cyclosporine," Smith recounted. Cyclosporine requires a prescription for sale in the United States, and Smith hadn't written one for this dog — nor, apparently, had any other veterinarian.

This story was published on March 9, 2026.

During interviews in January with applicants to veterinary school at Kansas State University, where he teaches, Dr. Shane Lyon heard something that stood out. It was not about the candidate's academic achievements, animal care experience or passion for the profession.

It was about the cost of schooling.

This story was published on March 3, 2026.

For more information:

• American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges cost comparison tool
• American Veterinary Medical Association summary of loan changes
• Congressional Research Service summary of loan changes
• United States Department of Education proposed final rule
• VIN Foundation borrowing changes alert
• VIN Foundation school-specific calculations

The University of Cambridge will keep its veterinary school open, bucking a closure recommendation by the institution's own senior officials that sparked a barrage of public opposition.

The school's future remains under a cloud, as the prestigious English university attempts to stem the school's financial losses and rectify deficiencies identified in its veterinary medicine program by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the United Kingdom's regulator for the profession.

This story was published on Feb. 24, 2026.

A viral video on social media that made the local news, about puppies receiving care in her home county of Bartow, in Georgia, sent Dr. Heather Lindell Tally to TikTok for what she anticipated would be a welcome brain break.

The footage didn't provide much in the way of stress relief, though. Seconds after tracking it down, Tally was hit by a pang of cold recognition. The veterinary practice featured in the video was hers.

This story was published on Feb. 23, 2026.

Covetrus has agreed to acquire MWI Animal Health in a move that will reduce to two the number of nationwide distributors of veterinary pharmaceuticals, equipment and supplies in the United States.

This story was published on Feb. 19, 2026.

Years in the making, a new master's degree in veterinary clinical care at Colorado State University has opened for applications, with a program start this fall. The first of its kind in the country, the credential aligns with a new midlevel position called a veterinary professional associate, or VPA, that Colorado voters approved in 2024.

Two CSU faculty members, the driving force behind the degree, talk about where the program is now and why it’s needed.

This story was published on Feb. 18, 2026.

A surge in new veterinary schools. Record-high enrollment. A long-standing migration of specialists to the private sector.

Converging trends have created a heightened demand for veterinary educators in the United States that's anticipated to intensify. So far, no one reports effects on education quality, but academics across the country describe worrisome signs in the form of clinical service delays at teaching hospitals and full-time faculty overburdened from picking up the slack when job openings go chronically unfilled.

This story was published on Feb. 12, 2026.

The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine generated buzz at the end of January with an announcement that it’s received a $120 million donation and, in recognition of the donors, is renaming itself the Joan and Sanford I. Weill School of Veterinary Medicine.

The gift is the largest received by a veterinary school, not only in the United States but worldwide. UC Davis’ program is not the first to incorporate a benefactor’s name, however. Six other veterinary schools in the U.S. have adopted a person’s name into their own. Four namings happened in the past 3½ years. It appears to be a bit of a trend.

This story was published on February 5, 2026.