From Buffalo to Bothell and Back: The Uncharted Flight of Dr. Jeff Hess
The path to a dream is rarely a straight line. For Dr. Jeff Hess, an exotic animal veterinarian whose passion was ignited by the infectious enthusiasm of Steve Irwin, it was a journey that included a turbulent detour through the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lonely nights of emergency medicine—all before he could truly take flight.
The Heavy Burden: New Study Links Excess Body Fat and Larger Size to Widespread Osteoarthritis in Cats
A groundbreaking study using whole-body CT scans has provided compelling evidence that excess body fat is a significant risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA) in cats, with larger body size compounding the problem. The research, which also investigated key metabolic hormones, offers a new understanding of why this painful joint disease is so prevalent in felines and suggests that weight management could be a critical preventive strategy.
Veterinary Industry Boom: $157 Billion Pet Market and What It Means for Your Practice
The U.S. pet industry continues to experience significant growth, with expenditures in 2024 reaching an impressive $152 billion, and projections suggesting it will exceed $157 billion in 2025. This surge is driven by increasing pet ownership across the country and a shift in consumer behavior, particularly among Millennials, who now represent the largest group of pet owners in the U.S. Their influence is reshaping market trends and driving new demands in pet products and services.
Beyond the Procedure: Study Reveals Declawing Causes Lasting Neurological Damage and Worsens Arthritis Pain in Cats
The controversial practice of feline declawing (onychectomy) has long been opposed on ethical grounds, with bans increasingly common due to concerns about chronic pain and compromised welfare. However, the precise neurological and physiological mechanisms of this pain have remained poorly understood. A groundbreaking new study moves beyond anecdotal evidence to provide concrete, clinical proof that declawing is associated with severe, long-term neurological changes that sensitize cats to pain, significantly worsening the effects of common age-related conditions like osteoarthritis (OA).
The Silent Epidemic: Unraveling the Mystery of Feline Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) in cats is not a minor ailment; it is a pervasive, degenerative, and painfully silent epidemic. Recognized as the primary source of chronic pain in the feline population, it afflicts well over a quarter of all cats. Yet, despite its prevalence, a profound gap exists between the number of cats suffering and those who receive a diagnosis and subsequent care. This disconnect forms the core of a significant challenge in veterinary medicine: managing a disease we are still striving to fully understand.
USDA Faces ‘Impossible’ Task in Overseeing Lab Animal Welfare Amid Shrinking Workforce
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is struggling to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, which safeguards nearly 800,000 laboratory animals, as staffing and resources dwindle.