JAVMA Articles - American Association of Industry Veterinarians

Mentors have shaped my career at every stage. They taught me clinical skills and guided my development as a radiologist. They instilled in me essential skills like effective communication, leadership, and kindness. They grounded me in the shared responsibility we all have: to lift others, develop colleagues, and inspire them to grow and lead in turn. I must admit, I didn’t always realize it at the time, but later I recognized that the lessons I learned from their mentoring were a major key to my success. Continue reading.

Research on fingernail properties (eg, nail length) and the effects of nail polish and acrylic nails on bacterial load is well documented in human medicine. However, there is limited research on veterinary professionals. Hardy et al studied bacterial accumulation in a veterinary teaching hospital and found that while unchipped nail polish does not increase bacterial counts, nail lengths over 2 mm significantly contributed to increases in bacterial load despite thorough surgical scrubbing in veterinary students, small animal surgery technicians, interns, residents, and faculty. Continue reading.

Faculty mentorship plays a vital role in supporting veterinary students as they navigate the demands of rigorous academic and clinical training. In veterinary schools, mentoring programs provide students with guidance on academic decisions, career planning, and professional growth, helping to shape their personal and professional identities. These programs are often designed to foster connections between students and experienced professionals who can offer insights and support that extend beyond the classroom. Continue reading.

When a pet owner cannot afford care, is it the responsibility of the veterinary practice to offer flexible payment options? Many practices hesitate to do so based on past negative experiences with in-house, staff-managed plans; however, partnerships with third-party–managed pay-over-time plans, digital wallet payments, and crowdfunding platforms can alleviate distress for clients and veterinary teams while increasing acceptance of recommended diagnostics and treatment plans. Continue reading.

Scientific communication about animal research is not solely about delivering facts. It is about understanding how different audiences interpret those facts, highlighting the importance of public trust and ethical messaging. This challenge is intensified by the spread of misinformation and disinformation, which distort the understanding of humane practices and the ethical use of animals in science. Disinformation, in particular, undermines public trust and can mislead audiences about the realities of research. Continue reading.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive common diagnosis in feline veterinary practice with prevalence increasing with age. Early recognition of CKD allows for the commencement of renoprotective therapies that may delay disease progression. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measurement is the gold standard for evaluation of kidney function and is most accurately estimated through the urinary or plasma clearance of small molecules, such as inulin and iohexol. These methods are expensive and inconvenient, requiring precisely timed postinjection blood collection to document the elimination of the marker molecule. Continue reading.

Service-learning is an educational paradigm in which students learn important skills while delivering 1 or more services to a community in response to its self-declared needs. Service-learning is a powerful tool to augment academic knowledge gained in didactic settings with technical, practical, behavioral, and social skills developed in real-world contexts. It is grounded on the principles of reciprocal benefit, authentic partnership, social advocacy, and critical reflection. Continue reading.

Rabies vaccine failures in domestic animals can have severe public health consequences and are not consistently publicized. This study describes trends in rabies vaccine failures among dogs and cats in the US reported to the CDC’s National Rabies Surveillance System between 2002 and 2022 to characterize the efficacy of rabies vaccines and evaluate the economic and public health burdens of nonvaccination. Thirty-nine of 1,525 rabid dogs (2.56%) and 30 of 5,530 rabid cats (0.54%) were documented as having a history of rabies vaccination, and 15 true vaccine failures (11 dogs and 4 cats) were identified among these during the study period. Continue reading.

Foreign animal diseases (FADs) are defined by the USDA as important transmissible livestock or poultry diseases that are believed not to be endemic to the US and are of high animal welfare and economic concern. Foreign animal diseases have extensive economic impacts resulting from containment and eradication efforts or business restrictions due to quarantine/isolation.1 Notable examples of FADs are African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, and others, all of which pose significant risks to animal health, animal welfare, trade, and food security.2 Continue reading.

The active ingredient in many FDA-approved heartworm preventive or parasiticide products indicated for dogs and cats is a macrocyclic lactone (avermectin or milbemycin).1,2 Macrocyclic lactones generally have a wide safety margin in dogs and cats because the mammalian GABA type A gated chloride channel receptor (GABAA), to which macrocyclic lactones can bind, is located within the CNS protected by P-glycoprotein, a key component of the blood-brain barrier.3 P-glycoprotein, encoded by the ABCB1 (formerly multidrug resistance 1 [MDR1]) gene, is expressed on the luminal surface of mammalian endothelial cells where it actively pumps substrates, including macrocyclic lactones, back into the capillary lumen.4 Continue reading.

The eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius), Texas coral snake (Micrurus tener), and Sonoran coral snake (Micruroides euryxanthus) are the only elapid snakes found in North America, with M. fulvius being the most lethal.1 The eastern coral snake is the only coral snake indigenous to Florida, thus being the only source of elapid envenomation in dogs in this geographic locale.2 The lethal venom component of M. fulvius is secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2).3 This β-neurotoxin has an affinity for the presynaptic cleft at the myoneural junction, which typically causes a lower motor neuron paralysis that can involve the respiratory muscles with potentially lethal effects secondary to hypoventilation.4 Continue reading.

In the US, animal rabies persists in primary reservoir species that maintain specific rabies virus variants (RVVs) in monitored geographic territories (Figure 1): Arctic Fox RVV (Vulpes lagopus), Arizona Gray Fox RVV (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), California Skunk RVV (primarily Mephitis mephitis), Eastern Raccoon RVV (Procyon lotor), North Central Skunk RVV (primarily M mephitis), Puerto Rico Mongoose RVV (Herpestes auropunctatus), South Central Skunk RVV (primarily M mephitis), and various bat-related RVVs. However, any mammal can contract and transmit rabies, and transmission and translocation may occur outside the extent of the known territories. Continue reading.

Brucella abortus is a gram-negative intracellular bacterium that primarily infects cattle and is one of the main causative agents of brucellosis—a significant zoonotic disease with global impact.1,2 In livestock, B abortus infection leads to reproductive disorders, such as abortion, infertility, and decreased milk production, resulting in severe economic losses in endemic regions, including the Mediterranean, Western Asia, and parts of Latin America. Additionally, transmission to humans through direct contact or consumption of unpasteurized dairy products poses an ongoing public health threat.3 Continue reading.

Salmonella is an important zoonotic pathogen of wildlife and humans. Adult white ibis (Eudocimus albus), an abundant bird in urbanized landscapes in Florida, have a high Salmonella prevalence (26%). Salmonella surveillance of nestlings improves our understanding of transmission and infection dynamics and disease risks. To determine Salmonella epidemiology in ibis nestlings, 2 studies were conducted. First, 24 free-living ibis chicks were captured for an experimental infection trial to evaluate susceptibility and clinical outcome. Continue reading.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype have recently undergone a major geographic expansion. At the same time, these viruses have substantially broadened their host range. Typically, H5N1 circulates in poultry, waterfowl, and shorebirds, but the breadth of avian species affected has increased and spillover to mammals has become common. The recent changes in H5N1 ecology have brought die-offs in wild birds and marine mammals, a sustained outbreak in US dairy cattle, and recurring spillover into domestic cats. Continue reading.

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic fungal infection endemic to the Southwestern US, particularly Arizona and California.1,2 The disease costs approximately $1.5 billion/year as a human health problem and greater than $80 million/year as a canine disease.3 Disease prevention in dogs and humans will benefit both species by a reduction in morbidity and death as well as a reduction in medical and veterinary financial burdens. A vaccine to prevent or mitigate the disease in both dogs and humans is in late-stage development for dogs and in early development for humans. Continue reading.

Diagnosing coagulation disorders can be challenging in primary care practice due to the complexity of coagulation pathways, confusing terminology, and special requirements for sample collection. This article highlights common problems identified in sample submissions for coagulation testing and provides solutions to help clinicians overcome these obstacles. Blood collection procedures for optimal sample quality are described, and diagnostic algorithms are presented that can guide test selection and facilitate the interpretation of test results for successful patient management. Continue reading.

An anonymous online survey of needle-changing behaviors by veterinary professionals was conducted from April to May 2023. Subsequently, a blinded randomized controlled bench trial assessed the impact of septum passage on needle sharpness between June and August 2023 at Midwestern University. Veterinary hypodermic needles of 3 brands and 4 gauges were tested after passing through a septum 0, 1, or 2 times. The primary outcome was the peak penetration force (PF) required to puncture standardized material. Secondary analysis involved visual examination of needles with the use of an optical 3-D surface roughness measurement instrument. Continue reading.

Fluorescent bead–based multiplex assays (multiplex assays) for serological detection of antibodies in patient samples have been used in veterinary diagnostics for a little over a decade. These quantitative assays offer several advantages compared to classical serological assays, like a lower limit of detection, less background, and a broader linear quantification range, all of which improve test accuracy. The simultaneous multiplex analysis of a patient’s serological response to several specific antigens also improves the diagnostic result interpretation. This influences treatment and management decisions and often allows for a quantitative follow-up as treatment response evaluation. Continue reading.

Lack of accessible veterinary-specific guidelines for the selection of specimen collection containers, transport media, and storage temperatures before laboratory arrival leads to suboptimal culture specimen handling, negatively impacting specimen quality and diagnostic value. Our objective was to summarize best practices for microbiological culture specimen handling by veterinary professionals and provide an accessible chart for guidance when handling culture specimens for submission to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Continue reading.

RMSF, a tickborne infection caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, produces severe and fatal disease in humans and dogs. Since the beginning of the 21st century, cases have risen dramatically, most notably in Mexico and Brazil, where outbreaks occur in urban centers including cities with populations of > 1,000,000 persons. Reported case fatality rates can exceed 50%. Factors consistent with high case fatality include lack of awareness of disease ecology, limited capacity for diagnosis, and delay in appropriate antimicrobial treatment. Continue reading.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) kills people and dogs in rural communities throughout the Americas and in urban epidemics in Brazil and Mexico. The companion Currents in One Health by Foley et al, AJVR, March 2025, addresses the urban ecology of this devastating disease across the Americas. Cases acquired from Dermacentor spp ticks are sylvatic and sporadic, in contrast with peridomestic cases from Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, which relies on dogs as hosts. Since the early 2000s, RMSF reemerged in northern Mexico with at least 9,152 human cases and case mortality up to 50%. These cases tend to occur where people are impoverished and have marginal access to medical care. Continue reading.

A national survey including an adapted version of the PACV was administered to 2,853 dog and 1,977 cat owners. Respondents were queried about the vaccination status of their pets. Exploratory factor analysis, Mokken scale analysis, Cronbach α, McDonald ω, and bivariate analyses were used to assess the validity and reliability of the PACV and shortened versions. The Fisher exact test and linear probability models were used to assess the association between the PACV and other factors and vaccination status. Continue reading.

Following the onset of COVID-19, demand for US veterinary services rapidly increased, similarly driving up demand in upstream veterinary labor markets. This increasing demand starkly contrasted with the “excess capacity” period following the Great Recession, marked by fewer opportunities and low wages for veterinarians. Better models and forecasts of veterinary labor market conditions improve information for decision-making by veterinarians, relevant business owners, professional associations, and educational institutions. Continue reading.

Rabies is a fatal encephalitic disease affecting all mammals. This report describes identification of raccoon rabies virus variant isolated from a stray kitten in an urban Midwestern city that is nonendemic for this virus variant. The kitten originally presented with nonspecific neurologic abnormalities. Astute veterinary, wildlife, and public health professionals played a critical role in the identification of this fatal zoonotic disease and the extensive public health and wildlife management response that ensued. This case serves as an important reminder of the risk of rabies in unvaccinated animals or those without known vaccination status, including stray animals. Continue reading.

In this article, which is part of the Currents in One Health series, principles of immunotherapeutics are discussed and their clinical exploration in dogs reviewed with emphasis on their translatability for improving treatment of commonly diagnosed cancers. With increasing longevity and sustained quality of life in pet dogs through dietary, environmental awareness, and preventative medical practices, the geriatric pet population has continued to steadily grow and, consequently, so have age-related pathologies. Continue reading.

Since their commercialization, scientists have known that antimicrobial use kills or inhibits susceptible bacteria while allowing resistant bacteria to survive and expand. Today there is widespread antimicrobial resistance (AMR), even to antimicrobials of last resort such as the carbapenems, which are reserved for use in life-threatening infections. It is often convenient to assign responsibility for this global health crisis to the users and prescribers of antimicrobials. However, we know that animals never treated with antimicrobials carry clinically relevant AMR bacteria and genes. Continue reading.

Once considered to be a simple cause-and-effect relationship with localized impact, the concept of how antimicrobial use drives antimicrobial resistance is now recognized as a complex, transdisciplinary problem on a global scale. While the issue of antimicrobial resistance is often studied and addressed at the antimicrobial-human or antimicrobial-animal treatment interface, the role of the environment in the One Health dynamics of antimicrobial resistance is not as well understood. Continue reading.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global One Health concern with critical implications for the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Phenotypic methods of bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing remain the gold standards for the detection of antimicrobial resistance and appropriate patient care; however, genotypic-based methods, such as PCR, whole genome sequencing, and metagenomic sequencing, for detection of genes conferring antimicrobial resistance are increasingly available without inclusion of appropriate standards for quality or interpretation. Continue reading.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical One Health concern with implications for human, animal, plant, and environmental health. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), antimicrobial resistance testing (ART), and surveillance practices must be harmonized across One Health sectors to ensure consistent detection and reporting practices. Veterinary diagnostic laboratory stewardship, clinical outcomes studies, and training for current and future generations of veterinarians and laboratorians are necessary to minimize the spread of AMR and move veterinary medicine forward into an age of better antimicrobial use practices. Continue reading.

Supply chain issues disrupt veterinary care and cause downstream consequences that alter the practice of veterinary medicine. Antimicrobials are just 1 class of pharmaceuticals that have been impacted by supply chain issues over the last couple of years. Since February 2021, 2 sponsors/manufacturers of penicillin products have reported shortages in the active pharmaceutical ingredient. With the release of the 2021 Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals by the FDA, a key finding was a 19% decrease in penicillin sales and distribution from 2020 to 2021. Continue reading.

This review, which is part of the “Currents in One Health” series, describes and evaluates the current research on the utilization of trained medical scent detection, aka “sniffer” dogs for the detection of diseases, with particular emphasis on neoplasia, both within human and veterinary patients. A recent study by the authors that used sniffer dogs to detect differences in saliva from dogs diagnosed with various neoplastic processes compared with healthy control dogs is described. Continue reading.

Antimicrobial stewardship encompasses all the individual and collective actions that medical professionals take to preserve the efficacy of antimicrobials. It is a one-health problem, affecting animals and humans. The current state of antimicrobial use in cats, particularly (1) the overuse and improper use of cefovecin, which belongs to the third-generation cephalosporin class that is critically important to human health, and (2) use of antimicrobials when they are not needed, poses unsustainable risks of antimicrobial resistance. Continue reading.

Wild and domestic animals are known to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, and transmission from infected animals to humans has been reported. Companion animals (eg, domestic canines and felines and other exotic mammal species) have received notable attention as potential sources of transmission given their ubiquitous distribution and close peridomestic living conditions. A 2016 internet survey of more than 27,000 users (age ≥ 15) across 22 countries revealed that approximately 57% of respondents had pets in their household. Continue reading.

Tendon injuries are common in both veterinary and human clinical patients and result in morbidity, pain, and lost athletic performance. Consequently, utilizing naturally occurring injuries in veterinary patients as a comparative model could inform the development of novel therapies and increase translation for the treatment of human tendon injuries. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown considerable efficacy for the treatment of experimental and clinical superficial digital flexor tendon injury in the horse; however, the reinjury rate following treatment can remain high and MSC efficacy in treating other tendons is less well known. Continue reading.

Opportunities for the public to interact with animals in public settings such as petting zoos, fairs, and farm visits can be valuable learning and entertainment experiences. However, zoonotic disease transmission from healthy animals on exhibit and their environments, as well as injuries and other health problems, may result from these interactions if steps are not taken to minimize risks. The 2023 Compendium of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings provides background about these potential risks and updates recommendations for reducing those risks. Continue reading.

Antibiograms are collections of antimicrobial susceptibility data for a particular bacterial organism and host species. Antibiograms are important tools for antimicrobial stewardship, as they may be used to guide empiric antimicrobial therapy and assess trends in antimicrobial resistance, maximizing treatment success and preserving the efficacy of currently available pharmaceuticals. Targeted use of antimicrobials is critically important to minimize the spread of antimicrobial resistance, which may be conveyed between animals and humans directly but may also be spread through the environment and ecological niches, such as soil, water, and wildlife reservoirs. Continue reading.

Antibiograms are important tools for antimicrobial stewardship that are often underutilized in veterinary medicine. Antibiograms summarize cumulative antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) data for specific pathogens over a defined time period; in veterinary medicine, they are often stratified by host species and site of infection. They can aid practitioners with empiric therapy choices and assessment of antimicrobial resistance trends within a population in support of one-health goals for antimicrobial stewardship. Continue reading.

The term reverse zoonosis specifically refers to the natural transmission of disease and infection from humans to animals, with humans as the reservoir host replicating the infectious agent. In the last 20 years, reverse zoonosis has increasingly garnered attention because of human disease outbreaks. In this Currents in One Health article, the author will review host range as the main risk factor for reverse zoonosis, with an emphasis on influenza A virus (IAV) disease events in humans and other species in the context of a “One Health” approach to gain a better understanding of their transmission routes to facilitate their control and prevent them from occurring. Continue reading.

Brucellosis is a highly infectious zoonotic disease of global significance due to its adverse impact on public health, economics, and trade. Despite being one of the most prevalent zoonoses worldwide, attention given to global brucellosis control and prevention has been inadequate. Brucella species of greatest one-health relevance in the US include those infecting dogs (Brucella canis), swine (Brucella suis), and cattle and domestic bison (Brucella abortus). Although not endemic in the US, Brucella melitensis warrants awareness as it poses a risk to international travelers. Continue reading.

Industry JAVMA Articles

Enhancing mentorship in veterinary practice

The ACTH ratio validates the thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test to diagnose pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction but does not enhance performance

Diagnostic performance of a human over-the-counter urine test to detect kratom alkaloids and metabolites in canine urine

A therapeutic gastrointestinal diet improves nutrient digestibility and modulates fecal microbiota and metabolites in dogs

The effect of nail sticker use on hand surface bacterial counts after surgical scrubbing

Surgical site infection definitions consensus: a first step toward improving prevention in veterinary medicine

Generative artificial intelligence provides accurate case selection in veterinary retrospective studies

Industrial engineering solutions enhance operational efficiency in human and veterinary hospitals: a scoping review

Faculty prefer clear guidelines and individual interactions in a mentorship program

Nonsterile gloves: to don, or not to don, what is best practice?

Could offering a variety of payment options lead to more owners accepting care recommendations?

A national survey on public opinions about research involving animals: veterinarians are the most trusted source

Well-executed debriefings conducted after adverse medical events are associated with psychological safety, work engagement, job fulfillment, and reduced burnout

Evaluation of symmetric dimethylarginine in cats using a point-of-care analyzer and commercial laboratory assay: limitations in chronic kidney disease staging

Practice-wide certification in stress-reducing animal care lowers the rate of patient-inflicted injuries to veterinary staff in small animal general practices

Community service-learning in contemporary veterinary education is here to stay

Vaccination protects animal and human health and reduces the economic burden of preventable cases: rabies in vaccinated dogs and cats (2002–2022)

Recommendations for reducing response time to foreign animal disease in the United States with point-of-care diagnostic tests

Diagnostic performance of an in-clinic cortisol assay in dogs with suspected hypoadrenocorticism

Avermectin-induced neurotoxicity and mortality reported more commonly in cats homozygous for ABCB11930_1931del TC after application of eprinomectin- versus selamectin-containing products

Phospholipase A2 inhibitor may shorten the duration of clinical signs in the treatment of neurotoxicity caused by eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) envenomation in 3 dogs

Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2023

Development of a VirB12 gene–deleted Brucella abortus A19 strain as a vaccine candidate for differentiating infected from vaccinated animals in cattle and establishment of a differentiating ELISA assay

QUICK LINKS

RECENT POSTS