Vital Signs — Wednesday, October 28, 2026

"If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable." — Seneca, Letters to Lucilius

A clear destination makes the day's small choices a lot easier to steer by.

Editor's Pick

• Fine Needle Aspiration Often Skipped for Dog and Cat Lumps, New Veterinary Study Finds — Only 29% of surveyed vets aspirated more than half the superficial masses they examined, with "probably benign" the top reason for skipping it. Why it matters: a lump that feels harmless is not a diagnosis, and skipping the FNA can cost the best shot at clean margins.

By the Numbers

• 83.7% — the share of veterinary professionals now using AI, up from 39.2% in 2024 in the Digitail/AAHA 2026 study. Takeaway: AI has gone from experiment to everyday habit in two years — the question now is how deliberately it's being used.

In the Journals

• Scoping Review Finds Major Gaps in How Vets Diagnose and Treat Pyelonephritis in Cats and Dogs — Across 176 studies, there were no clinical trials, no agreed diagnostic criteria, and almost no long-term kidney outcome data for this potentially life-threatening infection.
• Healthy Cats and Dogs AMR Study Expands to Vet Practices and Animal Shelters — A UK project is recruiting about 100 practices and 100 shelters to build the first national surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in healthy pets, not just sick ones.

AI Watch

• Systematic Review Finds Limited Validation of AI Diagnosis in Dogs and Cats — Of 57 AI diagnostic studies in dogs and cats, only six used independent external validation, so strong lab accuracy may not yet hold up in routine practice.

The Business End

• Fortune Media and Great Place To Work Name CityVet to 2026 Best Workplaces in Health Care List — The veterinarian-owned network made the list for a second straight year as the only general-practice vet company recognized, with 88% of employees calling it a great place to work.
• Southpaw Animal Care Named 2026 Best of Texas Award Winner — A deliberately small, independently owned Texas practice credits decades-long client relationships, same-day minor-emergency slots, and long-tenured technicians for the win.
• Puerto Rico Governor Signs Proclamation Recognizing National Veterinary Technician Week — Puerto Rico formally recognized vet tech week, a reminder for owners that title protection and visible credential recognition are retention levers, not just ceremony.

The Fine Print

• American Regent BetaVet Betamethasone Injectable Suspension for Horses Recall — A lot of the equine intra-articular steroid was recalled over defective container seals, so check lot 26038L2C1 (NDC 10797-720-01) if you stock it.

The Feel-Good Finish

• Pisgah Climbing School Receives PETA Award for Rescuing Dog Stranded for Days on 200-Foot Cliff — After three days stranded 200 feet up a crumbling cliff, a dog was coaxed into a harness and lowered to safety by headlamp — and reunited with his guardian.

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