Vital Signs — Friday, October 16, 2026
"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.
New technology
- viggoVet Introduces the Intelligent Veterinary Platform, Bringing Clinical Super Intelligence into Veterinary Practice — viggoVet launched an AI platform that works alongside existing practice software (or as a full PIMS) for record summaries, dental charting, anesthesia decision support, and more, with a 60-day free trial.
- VMD Sciences Unveils VMD Access International at WSAVA 2026 — VMD Sciences launched a portal giving veterinarians worldwide a central way to find and access more than 3,000 animal-health products through regulated import-export pathways.
- SpotitEarly's LUCID 2.0 Named to TIME's List of the Best Inventions of 2026 — SpotitEarly's breath-based cancer screening test, which pairs trained canines with AI to flag multiple cancer types, made TIME's annual inventions list.
New discoveries and research
- Pet and Horse Bacteria Reveal How Biofilms Drive Drug Resistance in a Global Superbug — A study of 507 A. baumannii isolates from vet labs found nearly 80% multidrug-resistant, with strong biofilm formation concentrated in wound, urinary, and device-associated infections.
- Some house cats carry a gut parasite that can infect humans, study finds — In a study of 157,616 cats, 6.3% tested positive for Giardia, and 18.5% of those carried zoonotic assemblages A or B — highest in kittens and in the Northeast and West.
Feel-good stories
- A Moo-ving Tale — A 13-year-old Miniature Schnauzer with sick sinus syndrome is back to dog sports after receiving a human-donated pacemaker implanted by the Atlantic Veterinary College cardiology team.
- Veteran family gives Fayetteville rescue dog a second chance — Sunny, found with organs exposed after being struck by a car and abandoned, completed rehab and was adopted by a veteran family through the Mission First K9 program.
- Abandoned dog Mia gets a second chance thanks to rescue team's loving care at Manchester Dogs' Home — An emaciated Dogue de Bordeaux reached a healthy weight after eight weeks of care, and a discounted specialist cardiac workup cleared her murmur.
Clinic management and profitability
- Veterinary professionals cite burnout, pay, and corporate ownership concerns in dvm360 survey — In a dvm360 survey of 146 veterinary professionals, nearly three in four reported moderate or severe burnout, citing administrative burden, workload, staffing shortages, pay, and corporate ownership pressure.
- Consumers say veterinary care is among the last things they'd cut — Survey data presented at AVMA's Business and Economic Forum found pet owners prioritize vet care over cosmetics and elective treatments, though a quarter say even a $250 surprise bill would stress them.
- In-House Veterinary Radiology Boosts Profit & Retention — A SignalPET piece argues clinics that interpret images in-house (with AI support plus radiologist backup for complex cases) keep more diagnostic revenue and win higher treatment acceptance.