Vital Signs — Wednesday, October 14, 2026

14 Oct 2026 — 2 min read

New technology

HT VET AI Scanner Identifies Specific Canine Tumors — Peer-reviewed research on HT VET's Vista iQ found its AI heat-diffusion scanner rules out malignancy in canine masses with 92% sensitivity and 98% negative predictive value, and new tumor-specific classifiers now target lipomas and mast cell tumors.

World Rabies Day: Study finds community-led dog vaccination could save lives — A WSU-led, NIH-funded study in rural Tanzania found community-run dog rabies vaccination kept more dogs protected and coverage above the 40% herd-immunity threshold (risk of dipping below: 18% vs 60% for traditional annual campaigns).
Weekly Companion Animal News: October 12, 2026 — JAVMA research warns that consumer polyacrylamide-based hydrogel products (cooling beds, mats, wraps) carry variable levels of neurotoxic acrylamide monomer, a potentially life-threatening toxicosis source in dogs.
Weekly Companion Animal News: October 12, 2026 — A survey in the journal Veterinary Oncology found US small-animal practices are skipping the guideline-recommended fine-needle aspiration on most skin and subcutaneous masses (only 29% of professionals test a majority of lumps).

Weekly Companion Animal News: October 12, 2026 — An ImpriMed cost analysis found that matching relapsed canine B-cell lymphoma treatment to personalized drug-response predictions was associated with longer time before the cancer worsened — at a lower estimated cost per day of treatment.

Cage-Free Eggs Win Another Round as Federal Judge Dismisses Michigan Animal Welfare Challenge — A federal judge dismissed the DOJ's lawsuit against Michigan's cage-free Hen Enclosure Law for lack of legal standing, keeping the state's hen housing standards in place while the government gets a chance to amend its complaint.
INVESTOR ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On behalf of Investors of Neogen Corporation — Pomerantz LLP is investigating investor claims against Neogen after the FDA's Sept. 29 warning letter tied its HYCOAT veterinary wound-care product to serious infections and at least 20 horse deaths — the largest such death toll linked to a quality defect in an FDA-regulated veterinary product.

Rescue Puppy Shows His Playful Side After Illness & Now He Needs Someone to Choose Him — Bear, a sick six-month-old German Shepherd mix from a San Bernardino shelter who'd reportedly been exposed to distemper, got fostered, nursed through treatment and a three-week quarantine, and is now a playful, car-ride-loving pup ready for his forever family.

Pet owners to see clear pricing at vet practices by end of the year — The UK Competition and Markets Authority's vet-services reforms are now law: larger practices must publish price lists for standard services, provide pet care plan cost breakdowns, and disclose ownership from December 22, with prescription-fee caps phasing in next year.
Weekly Companion Animal News: October 12, 2026 — Colorado State enrolled its first 14 students in the nation's first Veterinary Professional Associate program — a five-semester MS in Veterinary Clinical Care, with the first cohort graduating in spring 2028 to take on routine care under veterinarian supervision.