Vital Signs — Sunday, November 1, 2026

01 Nov 2026 — 3 min read

"Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look." — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

A quiet reminder for a Sunday morning: the steadiness you need for the week ahead is usually already in you, not in the next tool or headline.

Editor's Pick

New World Screwworm Hits Arizona Dog in Cochise County as New Mexico Confirms First U.S. Cat Case — Arizona confirmed its first screwworm case in a Cochise County dog, and New Mexico confirmed the first U.S. case in a cat, among five new pet cases in a few days, bringing the USDA total to 74 animal cases since June with 21 active as of Oct. 29. Why it matters: screwworm is no longer just a rancher's problem — any open wound on a dog or cat in the Southwest now deserves a close look and a fast call if maggots or egg masses show up.

83.7% — the share of veterinary professionals in a 2026 Digitail/AAHA survey of 1,730 respondents who now use AI at work, up from 39.2% in 2024, with documentation the most common use. Takeaway: AI is no longer the early-adopter exception in clinics — the question now is whether it's actually saving time or just adding another subscription.

New Study Finds Lipiduria Is Surprisingly Common in Cats and Dogs — In 214 pets studied, lipid droplets showed up in the urine of 82% of cats and 46% of dogs, with no consistent link to kidney dysfunction — so a lipid finding on urinalysis is common, especially in cats, and shouldn't be read on its own as a sign of renal disease.
Study takes a new look at healthy aging in dogs and cats — A new JAVMA study argues aging's impact on morbidity can be delayed, not just endured, and urges aging conversations to start when cats are 6–7 and dogs 5–7, using tools like the AAHA Senior Care Guidelines and frailty screening — noting 38% of owners still believe nothing can be done about pet aging.
Intestinal Colonization by Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria Harboring Carbapenemase and/or AmpC β-Lactamase Genes in Hospitalized Dogs and Cats in Brazil — In 106 hospitalized dogs and cats, 13.2% carried multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria with carbapenemase or AmpC genes, including some colonized only after admission — a reminder that hospital infection control and stewardship matter even for patients who look clinically fine.

Best AI Scribe for Veterinary Practices (2026) — An updated Oct. 30 guide ranks Talkatoo first for broad PIMS coverage, Scribenote for cost-conscious solos (free tier; Pro $79–$99 per DVM per month), and VetRec for specialty and ER work, while warning that practices quit too early — the adoption curve runs 4–6 weeks — and that paying for both an embedded PMS scribe and a standalone one is an easy, expensive mistake.

Veterinary Practice M&A: Buyers & Multiples (2026) — Updated Oct. 29, the guide puts corporate ownership at 25–50% of general practices and about 75% of specialty and emergency clinics, with buyers paying most for retained doctors and stable patient counts — and single-doctor practices with declining visits facing a thinner, more price-disciplined buyer pool.
Why Ask AVMA, the Vet Guild, for Permission to Fix Vet Care? — A new ethics-council report argues for an independent pet-owner voice in veterinary reform and proposes an advanced, credentialed-technician role — trained techs examining pets and handling common illnesses under veterinarian leadership — as a way to expand access, support better tech pay, and ease the 52% of owners who skipped or declined needed care over cost.

Texas federal judge rules doomed Belgian Malinois service dog Major will not be euthanized after biting woman — After 575 days isolated in a kennel, service dog Major will not be euthanized under an Oct. 26 federal order, which instead requires transfer to a rescue within 30 days and at least 30 days of decompression and evaluation by a designated behavioral veterinarian before any reunion with his veteran owner.

Shelter Dog Greets Human for 427 Days, Until One Day She Doesn't & Her Kennel Remains Empty — After 427 days of greeting the same shelter visitor at her kennel door, Dottie was adopted overnight — and the empty kennel, for once, was the happiest possible ending, with a sunny-yard photo to prove it.

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