VT Corner
Can probiotics protect the gut during antibiotic therapy? Veterinary professionals are often asked if probiotics should be administered during antibiotic therapy and whether they truly improve patient outcomes.
How to Place Nasogastric and Nasoesophageal Feeding Tubes This piece shares indications, contraindications, potential complications, and placement techniques for nasogastric and nasoesophageal feeding tubes as well as maintenance and troubleshooting tips.
Lameness Caused by Canine Osteoarthritis of the Digits Digital osteoarthritis may be overlooked in dogs because its clinical signs can be subtle.
Cytology of Skin Masses Cytology can help distinguish benign from malignant skin masses and guide further diagnostics.
Epistaxis in Dogs Learn about common local and systemic causes of nosebleeds in dogs and how they can overlap.
Maximizing Air Flow Through Stenotic Nares via Ala Vestibuloplasty Ala vestibuloplasty can improve airflow in brachycephalic dogs by surgically enlarging stenotic nares.
Reading Electrocardiograms An overview of how ECGs record and display the heart’s electrical activity.
Feline Herpesvirus-1 An overview of feline herpesvirus-1, a common cause of respiratory and ocular disease in cats.
5 Questions for a VTS Diagnostic Imaging Specialist Megan Gonzalez, CVT, VTS-DI, discusses her career in veterinary diagnostic imaging and how the specialty supports patient diagnosis and care.
Dispelling Pet Nutrition Myths Explore common pet nutrition myths and how veterinary professionals can help clients make evidence-based dietary choices.
Urinary Catheter Placement in Female Dogs Tips for overcoming the anatomical and practical challenges of placing urinary catheters in female dogs.
Emergency Management of Urethral Obstruction in Male Cats Urethral obstruction is a life-threatening emergency in male cats requiring prompt recognition and treatment.
Stabilization of Patients with Pleural Effusion Prior to Referral Rapid stabilization is critical for patients with pleural effusion to support breathing before referral. Collaboration between the veterinarian and VT is very important.
Feline Chronic Pain Assessment Learn how validated pain-assessment tools can help veterinary teams recognize and manage chronic pain in cats.
One Health
One Health Guidelines One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach–working at local, regional, national, and global levels – to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes–recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants and their shared environment.
Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines Working dogs are heroes. A toolkit was developed by AAHA to help veterinarians care for these dogs.
- Learn the special needs and jobs of working dogs and understand the difference between working, assistance, and therapy dogs.
- Look at the situation from the handler or trainer’s perspective Give them the benefit of the doubt and trust them for subtle observations that veterinary teams may miss. They may depend more on this dog’s health than the average pet owner would.
- Keep everyone safe and decrease stress Low stress handling.
- Minimize disease transmission and injury to others.
- Keep these animals safe to allow them to keep others safe.
Veterinary Care for Cats of Low-Income Seniors The second year of grant-funded Pets to the Vet is in its second year of an innovative program which helps low-income seniors receive essential veterinary care for their pets where they reside. The Touched by an Angel Sanctuary coordinates and funds mobile veterinary visits at senior residential facilities providing check-ups including a wellness examination, nail trimming, and basic vaccines. This is in recognition of the importance of keeping people and their pets together to preserve the bond.
The Human-Pet Deep Bond A deep, two-way relationship between people and animals helps the health and well-being of both. Humans and pets often release oxytocin, a chemical in the brain linked to love and happiness when they spend time together. Vets focus on this bond to care for both the physical and mental health of the animal and owner.
For humans, the bond:
- Lowers stress, anxiety, and blood pressure.
- Lowers the risk of heart disease and helps people heal after a heart attack.
- Gives people unconditional love and support during hard times.
- Helps people stay active
- Helps people feel less lonely
Pets also have a powerful, scientifically proven impact on mental health. In fact, 86% of pet owners report that their animals have a mostly positive impact on their mental well-being, according to data from the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Articles of Interest
Comparison of Current Fecal Examination Techniques for Diagnosing Parasites in Companion Animals Traditional and newer fecal testing methods for detecting intestinal parasites in dogs and cats are compared including their strengths and limitations.
Algorithm: Diagnosing and Treating Feline Infectious Peritonitis Before prioritizing diagnostic tests for FIP, it is critical to adequately rule out diagnostic differentials that may mimic FIP.
Reviewing Common Emergencies of Backyard Poultry This article reviews the most common emergencies of backyard hens, including treatment options.
Top 5 Corneal Diseases in Aging Dogs The cornea becomes increasingly susceptible to degenerative and inflammatory diseases as dogs age. Early recognition and appropriate treatment can preserve vision and ocular comfort in geriatric dogs.
Large Language Models Demonstrate Variable Diagnostic Performance and a Systematic Risk of Undertriage in Surgical Triage of Feline Metacarpal and Metatarsal Fractures Large language models identify cats with fractures that require surgery.
Spotlight on Vitreoretinal Surgery The surgical approach to treating glaucoma in dogs has potential benefits for controlling eye pressure and preserving vision.
The 60-Second Check That Can Change Outcomes for HCM Patients A simple at-home check can help owners monitor cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and recognize concerning changes early.
Complications of Bandages in Cats A study of 152 cats examines the frequency, severity, and risk factors for complications from external bandaging.
Fourth Human Case of “Rabbit Fever” Confirmed on Long Island Amid Decade-High Tick Activity Four human cases of tularemia have been reported on Long Island in 2026, highlighting important zoonotic considerations for veterinary teams.
Adequan Injections for Dogs and Horses Recalled Nationwide After Glass Fibers Detected Four lots of Adequan injections for dogs and horses have been recalled nationwide after glass fibers were detected in testing.
Top 5 Causes of Proteinuria in Dogs & Cats Common causes of proteinuria exist in dogs and cats, and abnormal protein levels can indicate kidney disease.
Clinically Important Abnormalities Are Common in Senior Cats Perceived to Be Healthy by Owners The study found that senior cats considered healthy by their owners often had significant clinical or diagnostic abnormalities.
Improvements in Knowledge and Detection of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Transmission in Companion Animals Will Strengthen Prevention Across the One Health Spectrum Explore the growing threat of CP-CRE in companion animals and strategies for improving detection and prevention.
A Veterinarian’s Guide to New World Screwworm Cases, Treatment, Reporting, Response in the US, & More This is a practical guide to recognizing, treating, reporting, and responding to New World screwworm cases in the U.S.
Lick Granulomas Review the common causes, diagnosis, and treatment of lick granulomas in dogs, with an emphasis on addressing the underlying cause.
Of Eggs and Proglottids: How to Identify Common Cestodes of Dogs and Cats Learn to identify common tapeworm species in dogs and cats to guide treatment, prevention, and zoonotic risk communication.
Epistaxis in Dogs
Nosebleeds in dogs can have specific causes that can be remedied through a diagnostic approach and treatment.
Recognizing Infectious Disease on Cytology Cytology and blood-smear examination can provide a rapid, minimally invasive way to detect infectious diseases in veterinary patients.
Anesthetic Strategies for the Dental Patient Dental care for small animal veterinary patients requires high-quality anesthesia and pain management. Dental patients often have significant comorbidities along with their need for dental care, continuing into the geriatric period.
Algorithm for Diagnosing Acute Blindness in Dogs Acute blindness in dogs is an emergency requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment to improve outcomes.
Blood Smear Review: How to Identify and Interpret Neutrophil Abnormalities Learn how manual blood-smear review can identify neutrophil abnormalities that automated analyzers may miss.
Practice Resources
Just One Thing: Check Your Digits Veterinary practices should check their online contact information and make sure clients can easily find accurate practice details.
How to Perform a Veterinary Software Audit in 90 Minutes A quick process for reviewing practice software to identify unnecessary tools, overlapping systems, and opportunities to reduce costs is in place.
Your Veterinary Practice’s Best Marketing Tool Is Free A well-maintained Google Business Profile can improve a veterinary practice’s online visibility and attract new clients.
Lead Better, Lose Fewer Veterinary Employees Leadership strategies can improve employee engagement, strengthen workplace culture, and reduce staff turnover.
Best Practices to Attract and Keep Top Talent Practical strategies exist that veterinary practices can use to attract skilled employees and improve staff retention.
Space: The Final Frontier in Surgical Efficiency The layout of surgical prep, operating, and recovery areas can improve workflow and surgical efficiency.
Management of Online Reputation Veterinary professionals own their reputation. AVMA has created a toolkit that includes information to empower them to protect their reputations, prevent and combat cyberbullying, respond to cyberbullying situations, and support team well-being.
Discussing Costs With Empathy Empathy in a veterinary cost conversation is the deliberate practice of organizing information so that the client can hear it, weigh it, and act on it.
Pet Insurance Specialist The cost of veterinary care is one of the key stresses of practice life. Studies show that clients with insurance are more likely to pursue treatment plans and get advanced care for their pets. A Pet Insurance Specialist at a practice could bridge this gap, which could boost client trust, treatment, and revenue.
Mentorships are Meaningful Effective mentoring is key to attracting and retaining veterinary professionals, and you can set your practice apart by making mentorship part of your culture. Mentorship is multi-dimensional and will help mentors, mentees, clients, and the overall practice.
Making the Case for a Resurgent U.S. Independent Veterinary Practice Segment: A SWOT Analysis This SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of independent veterinary practice reveals that a thriving independent practice segment can provide a satisfying career and viable living. Current economic conditions and changes in the veterinary ecosystem may create opportunities for a resurgence of independent veterinary practice ownership.
Are Worker Cooperatives an Alternative to the Corporatization of Vet Med? Worker cooperatives are potential alternatives to corporate veterinary ownership, with employees sharing ownership and decision-making.
Educate Pet Owners
Ferret Care Ongoing ferret care is required to ensure the pet can lead a happy, fulfilling, and healthy life. A vet visit should be arranged as soon as a ferret is adopted. At the initial checkup, the vet will inspect the ferret for signs of illness and will recommend certain vaccinations, including a rabies vaccine and a canine distemper vaccine. A pet ferret requires an annual vet visit. During these appointments, the vet will perform a thorough physical exam and may take blood samples to get a better idea of the pet’s current health. Early detection and prompt treatment are crucial for maintaining the well-being of pet ferrets. Common ferret illnesses exist and require immediate medical attention.