Vetree

The article "Launch of veterinary service-learning series" by L.A. Fortier, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2026, introduces a new series focused on veterinary service-learning. Service-learning is an educational approach that combines academic instruction with community service, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. This initiative aims to enhance veterinary education by providing students with practical experience in community service, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of the human-animal bond and the societal role of veterinarians. The series is expected to cover various aspects of service-learning, including its implementation in veterinary curricula, benefits to students and communities, and best practices for successful integration. By launching this series, the Journal seeks to promote the adoption of service-learning as a valuable component of veterinary education, encouraging institutions to incorporate these experiences into their programs to better prepare students for diverse professional challenges.

The article "SAVMA Symposium: Preparing the Next Generation of Veterinary Leaders" by Bailey MQ discusses the importance of leadership development within the veterinary profession. It highlights the role of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) Symposium in fostering leadership skills among veterinary students. The symposium serves as a platform for students to engage with peers, mentors, and professionals, facilitating the exchange of ideas and experiences. Through workshops, seminars, and networking events, participants are exposed to various aspects of veterinary practice, including clinical skills, research, and business management. The article emphasizes the significance of such events in preparing students for the challenges of the evolving veterinary landscape. By participating in the symposium, students gain insights into effective communication, decision-making, and problem-solving, which are essential for successful leadership in their future careers. The author advocates for continued support and expansion of such programs to ensure that the next generation of veterinarians is well-equipped to lead and innovate in the field.

The University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) established the Community Care Clinic (CCC) to provide veterinary services to underserved communities while offering students practical experience. The clinic operates under the guidance of faculty members, allowing students to engage in direct patient care, diagnostics, and treatment planning. This hands-on approach enhances their clinical skills and fosters a sense of social responsibility. The CCC also serves as a resource for pet owners who may not have access to regular veterinary care, ensuring that animals receive necessary medical attention. By integrating community service with education, the clinic exemplifies a model of veterinary practice that benefits both students and the public.

The article "Teaching surgery, saving lives, and serving Appalachia at Lincoln Memorial University" by LeRoy, Pulliam, and Hunt, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, discusses the integration of surgical education within the veterinary curriculum at Lincoln Memorial University (LMU). The authors highlight the importance of early and continuous surgical training to ensure that veterinary students develop proficiency in essential surgical skills. They describe a structured approach where students begin with basic procedures, such as surgical ligation, in the first semester, progressing to more complex techniques like instrument ties and excisions in subsequent semesters. This progressive training is complemented by hands-on practice in the clinical skills laboratory, allowing students to refine their abilities under faculty supervision. The article also emphasizes the significance of community service, noting that LMU's veterinary program is dedicated to improving animal and human healthcare in the Appalachian region. Through initiatives like the Center for Animal Health in Appalachia, the university aims to address regional health challenges by hosting conferences, workshops, and training programs that raise awareness and advance knowledge of animal health issues specific to the area. By combining rigorous surgical education with a commitment to community service, LMU prepares its students to become competent veterinarians who can make meaningful contributions to both the profession and the communities they serve.

This prospective, multi-site, open-label extension study evaluated the long-term safety and effectiveness of allogeneic uterine-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UMSCs) in 35 client-owned cats with refractory feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) that persisted despite extraction and medical management. Cats received two intravenous doses of 20 million UMSCs 14 days apart during the initial trial, with follow-up extending to Day 365. Safety assessment revealed no serious adverse events or clinically relevant abnormalities in hematology or urinalysis. Transient gastrointestinal and respiratory signs were the most common AEs. Clinical efficacy showed 69% of cats gained weight (mean 16.2%), with owner-reported improvement of 75.8% at Day 180 and 65.6% at Day 365. Veterinarian-assessed global oral lesion scores improved 51.5% and 46.9% at corresponding timepoints, with 22% achieving clinical cure. Notably, 66% of cats discontinued medical therapy post-UMSC treatment, with only 8.6% continuing immunosuppressants. These findings support UMSC therapy as a safe long-term treatment for refractory FCGS with meaningful quality-of-life improvements.

This retrospective case series describes a novel coaptationless surgical technique for treating multiligament stifle injuries (MLSI) in 23 cats. The technique employs ligament-specific reconstruction methods: TightRope procedure for cranial and lateral collateral ligament injuries, intra-articular reconstruction for caudal cruciate ligament deficiency, and knotless anchors for medial collateral ligament repair. Unlike traditional approaches, postoperative joint immobilization was not utilized. Initial stabilization was achieved in all cases, with six major complications occurring: four involving recurrent caudal cruciate ligament instability and two involving medial patellar luxation. All but one complication were resolved through revision surgery; one case required arthrodesis. At follow-up (up to 6 months), lameness grades ranged from 1 to undetectable, with feline musculoskeletal pain index scores of 0.95-1.0. The results demonstrate that appropriate reconstruction of all injured ligaments, particularly the caudal cruciate ligament, is critical for minimizing postoperative complications. This technique provides an effective alternative to immobilization-based approaches in feline patients.

This study evaluated the feasibility of unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) partial cervical laminectomy and facetectomy in canine cervical vertebrae through a cadaveric study of 14 beagle specimens and one clinical case report. Laminectomies were performed at C3-4 and C6-7 levels with assessment of visualization, anatomical landmark identification, and surgical parameters. Results demonstrated consistent visualization of anatomical landmarks with excellent scores (2 ± 0) and successful probing of target structures. Median surgical time was 31.5 minutes, with minimal portal sizes (1.21 ± 0.3 cm for instruments, 1.0 cm for endoscope). Laminectomy ratios averaged 39.9% cranially and 20.7% caudally relative to intact contralateral laminae. Three dural injuries were noted in cadaveric specimens. No differences were detected between left- and right-sided approaches. The clinical case involved a 5-year-old Doberman pinscher with wobbler syndrome that underwent UBE laminectomy with vertebral distraction and fusion at C5-6, resulting in resolution of proprioceptive ataxia within one month and normal neurologic examination at six-month follow-up. These findings support UBE laminectomy as a viable minimally invasive alternative for cervical spine decompression in dogs.

This prospective clinical study evaluated the safety and efficacy of an ophytrium and seboliance-containing topical protocol (DOUXO® S3 SEB Shampoo and Mousse) in 19 client-owned cats with keratinisation disorders presenting with seborrhoea. Nineteen cats were treated with either shampoo or mousse at baseline, followed by mousse application every 48-72 hours for 3 weeks. Clinical assessment using a modified Skin Seborrheic Index occurred at days 0, 7, and 21, measuring affected body surface area, scaling, coat greasiness, and secondary signs. Of 17 completing cats, SSI scores improved significantly by day 7 and 21, with ≥50% reduction in 82.4% of cases. By day 21, affected body surface decreased 92.9%, scaling 70.5%, and greasiness 68.3%. Veterinarians rated improvement as satisfactory to excellent in 100% of cases. Owners reported 100% effectiveness and 88.2% practicality ratings, with 94.1% observing improved skin and coat condition. The protocol demonstrated excellent tolerability with no reported adverse effects, establishing it as an effective and practical therapeutic option for feline seborrhoea.

This retrospective study evaluated 169 stifles undergoing modified cranial closing wedge ostectomy (CCWO) for cranial cruciate ligament disease, with a focus on identifying risk factors for construct failure. The overall major complication rate was 12% with an 8% re-operation rate. A case-control analysis compared 10 construct failure cases with 52 weight and plate-matched controls. Variables assessed included plate size, plate position, proximal tibial flare, adjunctive fixation use, and tibial plateau angles (pre- and post-operative). Surprisingly, no statistically significant differences were found between construct failure and control groups across any measured variables. However, the authors noted that larger plates were consistently used compared to recommendations for tibial plateau levelling osteotomy. The authors acknowledge the lack of significant findings likely represents a Type II error rather than true absence of risk factors. Despite statistical non-significance, the authors recommend clinicians consider plate size selection, plate positioning, proximal tibial anatomy, and adjunctive fixation when planning CCWO procedures.

This prospective case series evaluated ultrasound-guided trigeminal nerve blocks in seven dogs undergoing extensive oncologic maxillofacial surgery. Using a temporal approach, clinicians performed ten unilateral or bilateral injections of ropivacaine, dexmedetomidine, and iohexol contrast medium (0.07 mL/kg per site). Contrast-enhanced CT imaging obtained 5-10 minutes post-injection confirmed adequate injectate distribution within 5 mm of targeted foramina in 8/10 cases, with no intracranial spread observed. Sonoanatomical landmarks were consistently identified during ultrasound guidance. Intraoperatively, only 4/7 dogs required rescue analgesia (single fentanyl bolus), with no dogs needing redosing. No immediate or delayed adverse effects were documented. The integration of ultrasound-guided trigeminal nerve blocks into multimodal anesthesia protocols appeared to reduce intraoperative nociceptive responses and minimize additional systemic analgesic requirements in this small cohort. The technique provides valuable real-time anatomical guidance and post-injection verification through CT imaging.

This report documents the first cases of Marjolin's ulcer (MU) in sheep, a rare and aggressive squamous cell carcinoma arising from chronic cutaneous injury. Five Santa Inês ewes from a confined flock in Northeastern Brazil developed chronic dorsal wounds from repeated mechanical trauma caused by crawling under galvanized wire fencing over two years. The non-healing hypertrophic lesions rapidly enlarged three months before evaluation, presenting as multinodular, ulcerated, friable, malodorous wounds with extensive scarring. Histopathology confirmed moderately differentiated infiltrative squamous cell carcinoma with marked keratinocyte atypia, keratin pearl formation, and chronic inflammation. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated pancytokeratin immunolabelling confirming epithelial origin. Complete necropsies revealed no lymphatic or visceral metastases. This investigation emphasizes the importance of early recognition and management of chronic wounds in small ruminants to prevent malignant transformation, and distinguishes traumatic MU from solar radiation-induced SCC.

This study presents a novel MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry-based multiplex assay for simultaneous detection of 10 major avian pathogens, including three subtypes of avian influenza (H5/H7/H9), Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, infectious laryngotracheitis, fowl pox, avian adenovirus, and avian metapneumovirus. The method employs optimized multiplex PCR with specific primer design followed by SAP treatment and rapid mass spectrometry identification. The assay demonstrates excellent analytical performance with detection limits ranging from 4.70 to 52.54 copies/μL, exhibiting high sensitivity and specificity with reliable reproducibility across simulated samples. The technique significantly reduces detection time and cost compared to conventional diagnostic methods. This MALDI-TOF multiplex approach represents an important advancement in rapid diagnosis and surveillance of economically significant avian diseases, offering practical value for disease prevention and control in poultry operations.

Senecavirus A (SVA) is an emerging picornavirus causing significant economic losses in swine through vesicular disease and neonatal mortality. This study investigated SVA presence in boar semen from clinically healthy animals, revealing 8.45% (18/213) of fresh semen samples tested positive by qRT-PCR with high cycle threshold values, indicating subclinical viral shedding at low titers. A novel recombinant SVA isolate (SVA/China/seHN-3-2/2024) was successfully isolated from semen with infectious titers of 1×10 TCID₅₀/100μL in PK-15 cells. Molecular characterization identified three unique nucleotide mutations and highest genomic identity (99.31%) with GD06/2017. Phylogenetic analysis placed the isolate within the USA lineage, while recombination analysis indicated its origin from recombination between USA and Canadian lineages with breakpoints in the VP3-VP1-2A-2B region. These findings establish semen as a potential transmission route for SVA, despite low viral loads, with implications for biosecurity in swine breeding stock and semen trade globally.

This randomized controlled trial compared propofol and alfaxalone induction protocols, each followed by isoflurane maintenance, in 35 bitches undergoing elective cesarean section. The study evaluated maternal hemodynamic stability, anesthetic requirements, and neonatal outcomes including umbilical cord blood parameters and Apgar scores. While both protocols provided generally stable anesthesia, the alfaxalone-isoflurane group experienced significantly higher hypotension episodes after fetal removal (44.4% vs. 17.7%) and at surgical closure (66.7% vs. 17.7%), requiring increased isoflurane supplementation. However, neonates from alfaxalone-anesthetized dams demonstrated superior outcomes: higher umbilical cord pH (7.19 vs. 7.16), lower pCO₂ (64.4 vs. 72.3 mmHg), and significantly higher Apgar scores at 20 minutes (8.22 vs. 7.79). All puppies survived the first postoperative week. The findings suggest alfaxalone provides neonatal advantages by reducing fetal acidosis and improving vitality, though clinicians must closely monitor maternal blood pressure during and after surgery. This evidence supports selective use of alfaxalone in high-risk pregnancies prioritizing neonatal viability while implementing enhanced hemodynamic monitoring protocols.

This experimental study investigated the pathogenic role of bovine gammaherpesvirus 4 (BoGHV-4) in subclinical endometritis (SE) in dairy heifers. Seven heifers received intrauterine inoculation with a local BoGHV-4 strain (07/435), while three served as controls. Over 28 days, clinical examinations, serology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry were performed at days 0, 7, and 21. No clinical signs or systemic viral dissemination occurred. Uterine biopsies revealed acute, self-limiting, localized inflammation with periglandular infiltration of CD68+ macrophages, CD3+ T lymphocytes, and CD79+ B lymphocytes, peaking at day 7 and resolving by day 21. Only two infected heifers seroconverted by day 21, while controls remained seronegative. Transient cervico-vaginal viral shedding occurred in infected animals. These findings demonstrate that BoGHV-4 induces localized endometrial immune responses without clinical manifestations, functioning as a subclinical modulator of the uterine microenvironment. Results emphasize the importance of considering subclinical viral infections in dairy herd reproductive management and diagnostic strategies.

This study evaluated instrumented hoof boots (IHBs) for objective lameness detection in 26 horses during diagnostic anaesthesia procedures. Horses were equipped with pressure-sensing boots and inertial sensors, with data collected before and after local anaesthetic blocks until lameness resolution. Peak vertical pressure (PVP) and impulse (AUC) measurements showed significant differences between lame and contralateral limbs at baseline (p<0.001), but these differences diminished after positive diagnostic anaesthesia, indicating improved limb loading symmetry. Peak loading rate (PLR) also showed significant changes (p=0.006 before, p=0.024 after anaesthesia). Mean PVP difference between limbs decreased from 3.54% to 0.90%, and AUC difference from 5.44% to 2.04% post-anaesthesia. The IHB successfully detected lameness-related asymmetry and monitored therapeutic response. Study limitations included small sample size, mixed diagnoses, unknown locomotion speeds, and diverse breed population. Results demonstrate IHB utility for objective lameness assessment beyond traditional subjective evaluation methods.

This study conducted whole genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of the Brucella attenuated vaccine strain BA0711 against the wild-type virulent strain M28 to elucidate the genetic basis of virulence attenuation. The BA0711 vaccine strain exhibited 199 and 144 mutations, deletions, and unique gene fragments on chromosomes I and II respectively compared to M28. Key findings revealed that BA0711 lacks genes encoding cold shock proteins and glutamine transferases, with functional impairments in energy metabolism, stress defense, drug resistance, virulence expression, and genomic plasticity. Despite these genomic alterations, the vaccine strain maintained strong host adaptability, viability, and immunogenicity. The researchers developed a sensitive and specific dual TaqMan qPCR assay targeting BA0711-specific gene fragments, achieving 1×10¹ copies/μL sensitivity with intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation below 0.5%. Validation on 100 samples confirmed accurate differentiation between BA0711, other Brucella serotypes, and mixed infections. This work provides crucial tools for epidemic surveillance and clinical diagnosis of brucellosis.

This experimental study investigated intradermal botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) administration on full-thickness wound healing in a porcine model. Ten standardized circular wounds received either intradermal BTX-A or saline control, with assessment at multiple timepoints (days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28) using histopathological analysis. While wound closure kinetics were comparable between groups, BTX-A-treated wounds demonstrated superior healing quality parameters. Early postoperative inflammation was significantly reduced, evidenced by decreased neutrophil, lymphocyte, and macrophage infiltration. The BTX-A group exhibited enhanced angiogenesis and fibroblast proliferation during the proliferative phase, with consistently elevated collagen density throughout healing. Notably, collagen fiber organization improved significantly during the remodeling phase in treated wounds. These findings suggest BTX-A enhances wound healing quality through multiple mechanisms—modulating inflammatory response, promoting vascularization, and improving collagen maturation—without accelerating overall wound closure. The results provide histopathological evidence supporting BTX-A's potential therapeutic application in cutaneous wound management beyond its established neuromuscular effects.

This study evaluated potential prognostic biomarkers for feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) infection in 58 cats admitted to a university teaching hospital between 2017-2025. Researchers analyzed demographic variables (age, sex) and hematological/biochemical parameters (hematocrit, leukocyte counts, neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio [NLR], platelet:lymphocyte ratio [PLR], albumin, and potassium) collected at hospital admission. The case fatality rate was 10.3% (6/58 cats). Despite non-survivors showing trends toward lower hematocrit, albumin, and neutrophil values with relative lymphocytosis, no statistically significant differences were identified for any analyzed variables. The authors concluded that hematologic indexes such as NLR and PLR have limited prognostic utility in cats with FPV. They recommend larger prospective studies with dynamic biomarker monitoring during hospitalization and incorporation of complementary parameters for improved prognostic stratification and survival prediction in feline panleukopenia cases.

This randomized controlled study evaluated oral interferon alpha (IFN-α) therapy in 32 dogs with moderate-to-severe periodontal disease, comparing 22 treated animals with 10 untreated controls. Dogs received 2.75 g of IFN-α formulation applied to the gingival margin twice weekly for five weeks. Treatment significantly reduced periodontal disease severity, bacterial enzymatic activity (BANA), volatile sulfur compound concentrations (hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan), and halitosis compared to baseline and controls. Notably, 27% of treated dogs converted from P. gulae-positive to P. gulae-negative status. Outcomes were assessed using PD Severity Index, PCR detection of Porphyromonas gulae, gas chromatography analysis, and owner-reported clinical improvement. These findings demonstrate that topical IFN-α effectively reduces halitosis and pathogenic bacterial activity in canine periodontal disease, suggesting potential as a non-invasive therapeutic option. The mechanism likely involves immune modulation and direct antimicrobial effects.