Jane Sykes, BVSc, DACVIM (SAIM), PhD, MPH, MBA, FNAP, discusses what researchers still don’t know about canine leptospirosis and where progress may be coming.

What we still don’t know about leptospirosis in dogs

Veterinarians know leptospirosis is on the rise, but many of the most basic questions about how dogs become infected are still unresolved. In this interview with 

, Jane Sykes, BVSc, DACVIM (SAIM), PhD, MPH, MBA, FNAP, a researcher and professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, discusses the research gaps that matter most and what progress may be on the horizon.

Below is the transcript, lightly edited for clarity.

What gaps in leptospirosis research still need to be addressed, and what developments do you anticipate in the next few years?

We still don't really understand transmission cycles in dogs, and that's really the focus of our research right now—is really trying to understand what serovars are out there, and how they're circulating among different animal species and the environment and their risk to humans. And that’s a difficult thing to study, because really the only way to understand it is to do whole-genome sequencing on isolates from urine.

We were able to do that in the West Los Angeles outbreak, and we were able to show that at least in the post-peak period, the organisms were a little bit different from one another in several dogs. So it didn't suggest that there was, you know, dog-to-dog transmission occurring during that period, although there could have been during the peak. So we need more studies like that to kind of understand, you know, are rodents infected with the same strains that dogs are infected with? You know, what about other wildlife species—urban wildlife species—and their role in transmitting infections to dogs, and what's out there in the environment too? So it's a real One Health problem.

So we badly need that. We also badly need vaccines that are not serovar-specific. And I think once we have vaccines that are broader and not serovar-specific, then, you know, a lot of this stuff about understanding serovars will not be so important, because we're still trying to understand serovars so that we can design appropriate vaccines to protect against those serovars, because they're serovar-specific. But as soon as we have vaccines that are non-serovar-specific, it'll become less important to know what serovars are infecting dogs.

And really importantly, you cannot use the MAT test as a serovar test. It's a diagnostic test for leptospirosis, and serovars are added to improve the sensitivity of the test, not to help identify serovars—because you could easily keep adding on more and more serovars to the panel and see higher and higher titers to additional serovars. So it's not a good serovar test.

Videos

Happy Friday dvm360 readers! We hope everyone had an amazing week and are looking forward to a weekend full of relaxing, good food, and good times. With the Super Bowl this week, dvm360 may have something hitting the field that will be a touchdown for veterinary professionals, so be on the lookout!

While we get ready to watch the Puppy Bowl, here is this week’s top stories.

 it has granted Emergency Use Authorization for a parasiticide to help prevent New World screwworm (NWSW) infestation in cattle, Ivermectin injectable solution (Ivomec 1%; Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health), which is available over the counter and was approved by the FDA previously to control and treat over 30 parasite species and stages in cattle, swine, reindeer, and American bison.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Clare T. Walker, DVM, shared more about her dual career as a veterinary professional and a suspense author, plus how she uses her life as a veterinarian to create plot lines in her books.

Cynthia M. Otto, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, DACVSMR, and Clara Wilson, postdoctoral research fellow at Penn Vet’s Working Dog Center, 

 more intel regarding their data from their recently published study in 

where they investigated if canines can sniff out hemangiosarcoma.

 with dvm360, Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAABC), shared how 8-month rechecks can help veterinary professionals monitor the pets development, normalize adolescent behavior, and more.

 in her recent article how end of life and palliative care can offer veterinary professionals a sustainable veterinary medicine career.

 a statewide disaster declaration to bolster the states defense against NWS after cases in Mexico have began to spread upward closer and closer to the US.

Articles

Wrap up: New world screw worm updates, and other news 

Naomi Hoyer, DVM, DAVDC, discussed how to distinguish the condition from other oral diseases and treating it.

Providing stomatitis care

How is stomatitis identified, and how can it be treated? Naomi Hoyer, DVM, DAVDC, an associate professor of dentistry and oral surgery at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, provided insight about stomatitis, in a continuing education (CE) session at the 2026 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida.

at VMX, Hoyer discussed how to distinguish the condition from other oral diseases and provided recommendations for stomatitis care in cats and dogs.

The following is a transcript of the video, lightly edited for clarity:

How do you distinguish stomatitis from other oral diseases?

: Usually where the inflammation is is the best place to distinguish it. So in cats, it's not just the gingiva, so not just the soft tissues that are next to the teeth. We're actually looking in the very far back of the mouth, that the hollow muscle folds and in dogs, for their variety of stomatitis that they get, we're looking at the mucosa, which is the lining on the insides of the cheeks, where that's contacting the teeth. That's actually one of the best places to locate stomatitis. So most people think of only looking at the teeth, but for stomatitis, we want to look at the rest of the mouth too.

: What are some current recommendations for care?

:Well for cats, unfortunately, our best recommendation initially is still to take the teeth out. We don't really have a great way to manage this condition without removing teeth, so extractions are a very, very common first step. We also want to provide a lot of pain support, because these are very painful conditions. And then we have a series of medications that we can use in the postoperative period to help keep cats more comfortable. There are standard things like anti-inflammatory doses of steroids. And then there's some new things on the market, like, if you have a cat where you have taken out all the teeth and it hasn't quite resolved it, maybe consider stem cell use, if it's calicivirus-positive, maybe we test for calicivirus and think about whether something like molnupiravir would be appropriate. So lots of good things up and coming, but we always have to start with extractions.

For dogs, it's a little bit different. We can do a lot to help keep the teeth plaque free, and that will help the symptoms of stomatitis in dogs.

For more industry news and coverage of VMX, visit 

Hoyer N. Stomatitis in cats and dogs: Tackling the inflammation! Presented at: Veterinary Meeting & Expo; Orlando, FL. January 17-21, 2026.

Naomi Hoyer, DVM, DAVDC, discussed how to distinguish the condition from other oral diseases and treating it, in a dvm360 interview at VMX 2026.

Providing stomatitis care for companion animals

Image Credit: © sirikornt | stock.adobe.com

Mary Berg, BS, RVT, RLATG, VTS (Dentistry), presented a virtual VMX session on the complete oral health assessment and treatment (COHAT). Her objective was to explain to teams how to work efficiently while still providing high-quality standard of care. The 

 team sat down with Berg and asked her to share her insights. In this Q&A, she focuses on workflow, infection control, instrument technique, client conversations, scheduling and follow-up, and more.

What was the focus of your session at VMX?

: My VMX talk was on the steps to a COHAT and ways to make the procedure more efficient. It’s more than just cleaning teeth. It includes getting the client on board, doing a complete oral exam, taking radiographs, and then using tips and tricks that together reduce anesthesia time. The main goal is to do a good, thorough job while making sure the pet is well cared for.

: 5 practical tips to improve efficiency and safety in veterinary dental procedures

Berg dentistry tips

What common workflow mistakes do you see, and what should teams change first?

: One big change is to take dental radiographs early. I teach doing radiographs with the patient in sternal and dorsal, so they are intubated, connected to monitors, and warm, and then when they reach a surgical plane of anesthesia, take the dental rads. That lets the veterinarian review images while the technician is charting and cleaning. If something unexpected appears, you can call the owner right away without stopping the procedure to hunt for permission.

Another step is team training on charting and oral evaluation so technicians can recognize abnormal findings. Those basics reduce delays and improve decision making during the procedure.

Any simple infection-control or prep tricks that change the case?

Berg: Yes. After charting, brush the tooth surfaces with a soft toothbrush and power-wash the mouth with the air-water syringe, both buttons pressed. That removes more than 80% of plaque bacteria. Plaque is hard to remove with the scaler and when you aerosolize with the scaler that bacteria spreads up to 6 feet and stays in the air for 8 to 12 hours. Brushing first removes most of the plaque, so you can then dry and rapidly remove gross calculus. It shortens the case and improves the working environment.

One practical tip is to soak a toothbrush in chlorhexidine, rinse it well, and send it home with the owner so they have a toothbrush for the pet.

What about scaler tips and polishing. Any efficiency tips?

: Many hospitals use only the universal tip, but the universal tip is large and slow for crown work and too big for deep pockets. Use a beavertail tip on crowns to remove gross calculus quickly, using only the distal 2–3 millimeters of the tip with a light touch and fast motion. Then switch to a periodontal tip for subgingival cleaning. Changing tips takes seconds but saves huge amounts of time overall.

For polishing, instead of filling the cup repeatedly with pumice, I spread the pumice paste on the teeth with my finger and then polish. It saves time without sacrificing the finish.

How do you coach teams to explain cost and value to owners?

: First, change the vocabulary. The word “dental” is vague. I prefer COHAT—comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment—because it communicates that this is an involved procedure, not just a quick cleaning. I also avoid jargon like “periodontal disease” and say “a painful infection in the mouth.” Owners understand pain, and they understand infections.

When discussing cost, price procedures by stage of disease. A stage 1 or 2 case is faster and should be less expensive than a stage 4 that requires extractions. Keeping early-stage pricing accessible encourages owners to bring pets in earlier, which is better for the pet and for scheduling. Offer third-party payment plans rather than doing in-house financing.

Finally, make the conversation two-way. Ask what the owner knows, validate their concerns, explain how you make anesthesia safe, and then ask them to tell you what they understood. That engagement helps owners commit.

How important is the discharge appointment and home care?

: Very important. Schedule a tech discharge appointment when the patient is dropped off so you can meet the owner at pickup and explain what you found, what was done, and what to do at home. Discuss home care options, but don’t just hand over a VOHC list. Recommend one or two products you trust and explain why they work. If owners won’t brush, offer other practical home-care options. Also schedule a follow-up tech check in a week or two to see how home care is going. That follow-up reinforces the bond with the clinic.

Do you talk about the mouth–body connection with clients?

: Yes, I explain that oral infections can affect the rest of the body. In people, periodontal disease is linked to heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. We don’t have as much data in animals, but there is evidence and strong clinical suspicion. I tell owners that keeping the mouth healthy may help prevent other problems and can help pets live longer and healthier lives.

Should clinics be forward-booking dental appointments?

: Definitely. Human patients always leave with the next appointment booked. Veterinary clinics should do the same. When owners leave and the appointment is already scheduled they are far more likely to show up than if they have to remember to call later.

Any final practical takeaways for teams wanting to improve their COHATs?

: Train your team on a consistent workflow, take radiographs early, brush before scaling, use the right scaler tips for crown and subgingival work, polish efficiently, schedule tech discharge and follow-up appointments, price by disease stage, forward-book when possible, and communicate clearly and confidently with owners. Small changes add up to big improvements in safety, efficiency, and patient care.

Mary Berg walks through the steps of a comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment and shares small, practical changes that may shorten anesthesia time and improve patient outcomes.

Practical steps to safer, faster dental care

For veterinarians, especially recent graduates, seeing patients alone out in the field, when sole-charge in the veterinary clinic, or during an after-hours emergency - getting some quick telephone advice and mentoring support from a veterinary colleague can be a valuable moral boost and provide ease of mind when dealing with a tricky case.

Moss Siddle, BVSc, owner of Dandenong Ranges Veterinary Centre, recognized there was a need for this type of mentoring support for veterinarians, so he created the VetMentor 24/7 service, whereby any veterinarian, anywhere in Australia can obtain clinical advice and guidance or just have a general chat with another experienced veterinarian.

Moss Siddle, BVSc, owner of Dandenong Ranges Veterinary Centre

“No pre-registration is required and veterinarians, whether experienced of inexperienced, can access the service by simply calling 1300 838 999. They might be out in the field with a horse with colic or working in-clinic with a critical care patient, or at home, and just need some reassurance,” explained Siddle to 

The VetMentor 24/7 service is free of charge for the first 4 calls per month for veterinary clinics that use VetCheck 24/7, a triage service that Siddle founded, that veterinary practices can utilize to screen or filter calls from clients after hours, or any time, so that the on-call veterinarian only gets called for true emergencies.

“Other veterinarians are also very welcome to utilize the VetMentor 24/7 service, and invoice is issued which they can pay later, or they can have the mentoring session billed to the veterinary clinic where they are employed,” said Siddle.

The idea for offering the VetMentor 24/7 service came about after Siddle and his team received a request from one of their veterinary clinics utilizing VetCheck 24/7, to offer support to a recent veterinary graduate if needed while the practice principal was away on holidays.

“Sometimes recent graduates do not want to wake up or bother their boss for advice in the early hours of the morning, so they can call the VetMentor 24/7 veterinarians instead to receive on the spot support and advice. Every veterinarian could do with ‘phoning a friend’ at times and this is the service that provides that in a non-judgmental and supportive manner,” shared Siddle.

“Sometimes the stress and constant barrage of cases can have a negative impact on the self-esteem of veterinarians. Our VetMentor 24/7 veterinarians are all experienced practitioners that know this first hand and have often had similar experiences in their own career, so they can provide positive, impartial support with empathy.”

Siddle explained that VetMentor 24/7 is also not just limited to clinical support.

“Whilst our experienced veterinarians are not trained counsellors, they can refer callers to counseling and psychological support services if that is appropriate. Whilst the Australian Veterinary Association does offer a new and recent graduate mentoring service, the VetMentor 24/7 service offers instant clinical support to any veterinarian, even more experienced veterinarians who just want that quick reassurance and guidance,” said Siddle.

The Australian Veterinary Innovation Council (AVIC) has officially launched, dedicated to fostering a more efficient, sustainable, and forward-looking future for the veterinary profession in Australia.

AVIC brings together innovators from across the animal health ecosystem, including Simone Maher, BVSc (Hons 1), GCEdStudies, FHEA, MANZCVS (Animal Welfare), from PetSure Australia, Megan Auld MProfComm BSc, BA, from VetScript Australia, Bronwyn Orr BVSc, MSc (IAWEL), MANZCVS (Animal Welfare), PhD, GAICD, from Pawl, Claire Jenkins, BVSc (Hons), MANZCVS (Small Animal Medicine), from VetChat and Shai Jordan from Bova Australia.

“The veterinary sector is at a tipping point. We have access to incredible new technology, including proven advances from international and human health settings. But vets are often forced to operate within a maze of outdated and ambiguous rules. This not only causes frustration and adds to the mental load, but creates barriers to accessing veterinary care,” said Maher exclusively to

“That is why we launched the [AVIC]. We're not just here to talk about the future; we are here to help build it.”

The goal of AVIC is to champion smart, scalable innovation and advocate for change that supports the sustainability of the veterinary profession.

“By bringing together veterinary innovation leaders, we can advocate more effectively for evidence-based solutions that work for Australian vets and consumers. Ultimately, we aim to foster better access to care for animals and a robust, future-ready profession,” said Maher.

Review of veterinary nursing qualifications

Work is underway to update veterinary nursing qualifications in Australia to better reflect workforce needs and the skills required across a wide range of species and the diversity of veterinary practice. Consultation is now open for the veterinary nursing review led by Skills Insight, with the draft qualifications and units of competency available for public feedback until March 10, 2026. https://skillsinsight.com.au/project/veterinary-nursing-review/

pdates on the 24/7 telephone mentoring service available to Australian veterinarians; and the launch of the Australian Veterinary Innovation Council.

Veterinary scene down under: 24/7 telephone mentoring now available, and other news

Note that many of the upcoming industry events are being held in person or via a combination of live and virtual learning. Please visit individual event websites for details.

https://www.viticusgroup.org/wvc-conference

Hosted by the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association

https://registration.dvm360.com/fetch-charlotte-2026

The exhibition hall at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Veterinary Orthopedic Society Annual Conference

https://www.vosdvm.org/vos-2026-conference

Hosted by the American Veterinary Medical Association

https://www.avma.org/events/ veterinary-leadership-conference

https://registration.dvm360.com/fetch-nashville-2026/home

UC Davis Veterinary Conference—AggieVet

https://ce.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/symposia-article/uc-davis-veterinary-conference-aggievet-2026

ongoing conference coverage by visiting 

 with articles, videos and photo galleries.

Upcoming industry events for earning continuing education credits.