Veterinary Voices

Research challenges notion of 'hybrid vigor' in dogs

More than a century ago, the famed naturalist Charles Darwin discovered that cross-pollinated maize plants were taller and more fertile than their self-pollinated counterparts. The observation gave rise to the concept known as hybrid vigor, whereby a richer assortment of genes makes an organism hardier.

But the idea that hybrid vigor makes crossbreed and mixed-breed dogs inherently healthier than purebreds is looking questionable, judging from several scientific studies.

This story was published on Dec. 10, 2024.

University of Cambridge veterinary school under fire

The University of Cambridge's veterinary school is at risk of losing its accreditation in the United Kingdom and possibly elsewhere after dozens of shortcomings were identified in its veterinary medicine program.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the U.K.'s regulator for the profession, found the school had failed to meet 50 of 77 accreditation standards following a site visit conducted in May.

This story was published on Dec. 3, 2024.

Bunsen and the giant cyst

Until he was 7 years old, Bunsen lived a carefree life. The Bernese mountain dog romped on a farm in Alberta, Canada — his adventures with two dog buddies and a cat named Ginger followed by hundreds of thousands of users on X, Instagram and other social media platforms.

But on the morning of Aug. 16, Bunsen was in distress.

This story was published on Dec. 6, 2024.

Relief business impersonates veterinarian in online group

In a masquerade that began eight years ago, a Texas-based veterinary relief staffing company called Evette has been using the identity of at least one veterinarian to access veterinarian-only Facebook groups, and possibly other veterinarians' identities to infiltrate online platforms of rival businesses. 

This story was published Nov. 25, 2024.

Female veterinarians in leadership: how much progress?

Fifteen years since the majority of veterinarians in the United States became women, they've made notable progress in achieving positions of leadership in the profession and beyond, but there's still a ways to go.

This story was published Nov. 19, 2024.

When the government regulates the cost of veterinary care

Few people outside Germany would be surprised to learn that, as Europe's biggest economy, the country is home to a thriving veterinary community that typically offers high standards of care.

Many outsiders might be surprised to discover, though, that even in modern-day, capitalist Germany, the cost of veterinary care is regulated by the government.

This story was published on Nov. 14, 2024.

New Jersey's first veterinary school poised for 2025 open

New Jersey is on track to open its first veterinary school after accreditors green-lit the program ahead of a planned opening next year. Georgia, meanwhile, will continue to have a single veterinary school for the foreseeable future after plans to build a second one there fell apart.

This story was published Nov. 12, 2024.

California city bans breeding of pets with 'extreme' traits

A small city in Southern California has become the first place in the United States to ban the breeding of pets with physical characteristics deemed inherently harmful, such as squashed muzzles and excessive skin folds.

This story was published on Nov. 5, 2024.

Strategic assets: The evolving role of military veterinarians

Veterinarians serving in the military once worked overtime caring for horses maimed in battle. Nowadays, they'll more likely be treating service dogs, whether injured while sniffing out explosives or just in need of a routine nail clipping while guarding a secure compound.

Modern-day military veterinarians also may find themselves focused on things alien to colleagues in the civilian world. 

This story was published on Nov. 1, 2024.

Colorado voters send veterinary profession in new direction

Creation of a midlevel practitioner role in veterinary medicine for the first time in the United States is all but certain following a historic "yes" vote in Colorado that could fundamentally reshape the profession in the state and inspire others to follow. 

This story was published on Nov. 7, 2024.