In the early 2000s, a significant disparity was noted in the veterinary community between the level of traumatic injury an animal endured and their access to adequate critical care needed to improve survival. Several trauma registries were instituted in an attempt to close the gap between trauma and access to care, including the Veterinary Committee on Trauma and Military Working Dog Trauma Registry

, and triage scores, such as the Animal Trauma Triage score (ATT)

, and Acute Physiologic and Laboratory Evaluation score (APPLE).

Recently, however, a globally recognized scale called the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) has been adapted from human medicine to more accurately quantify the severity of traumatic animal injuries. Originally developed for humans in the 1971 for classifying vehicular accident trauma, AIS is now used in gauging the level and severity of injury in various types of human trauma.

 Additionally, the United States Military utilizes this scale to determine the severity of injury in combat, resulting in actionable information to improve soldier survivability and enhance protective equipment. When analyzing the human AIS, it became apparent that the military working dog counterparts lacked a similar system to help classify injuries sustained in combat.

 In 2025, the Veterinary Abbreviated Injury Scale (V-AIS) was developed using the most recent version of the human AIS.

V-AIS aimed to define anatomical variations in canine species and improve the accuracy of numeric injury assignments for an injured canine.

 Fore- and hind-limb categorization, along with the 4 areas used for neurolocalization—cervical, cervicothoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral, including the tail region—were added to the V-AIS to enhance the accuracy and quality of injury pattern identification. Injury directionality was also changed to veterinarian-friendly terminology, e.g., cranial and caudal, instead of the anterior and posterior directional terms in human medicine.

The V-AIS is composed similarly to the human AIS, as it has the unique seven-digit code that classifies the type of injury (

). A “V” denotes the start of the 6-point injury scale to identify a veterinary patient instead of a human.

 The first digit describes the location of the injury, which is categorized 0 to 9, localizing the injury in the area of the head, face, neck, thorax, abdomen, spine, hind or forelimb, and external lesions. The next digit identifies portions of the body that are involved, whether that is an entire region, an organ or localized to specific vessels, nerves or joints. The third and fourth digits identify the specific anatomic structure involved while the fifth and sixth digits describe the level of injury to that structure. The post-dot digit denotes the severity of the injury sustained, with 1 being minor to 6 being maximally severe. When the severity of an injury is unknown, an ordinal value of 9 is assigned to that injury.

To accurately code all veterinary traumatic injuries that come into referral hospitals, extensive coding training is completed so that the detailed injury descriptions and associated codes are standardized across all hospitals, preventing errors in determining the injury type and severity. The V-AIS’s detailed veterinary dictionary lists codes for each anatomical site that can be quickly referenced. To ensure all injury descriptions are accurately coded, there are supplemental boxes that provide rules and guidelines for coding when dealing with certain types of injury, such as brain swelling or skull fractures.

There are other trauma scoring systems utilized for triage in referral clinics, such as the ATT and MGCS, that were referenced earlier in the article. These scoring systems can be used in combination with V-AIS to help describe the severity of injury a canine has sustained with a goal of improving triage protocols for future patients. Although the V-AIS does not predict prognostic indicators for traumatic injuries, current research is being performed to validate survivability in correlation with V-AIS scores. The hope is that by focusing on the pattern of injury and severity of trauma in canines, veterinary facilities will improve recognition of injury and quality of intervention.

Ongoing efforts include studies analyzing canine intravehicular injuries and Operational K9 injuries. The current research aims to validate V-AIS and offer imperative advancements in veterinary medicine. Efforts will help provide veterinary trauma centers with knowledge to improve trauma interventions and subsequently increase survivability. Additionally, V-AIS studies will help in the development of protective equipment to decrease risk of trauma in both civilian pets and the working dog community.

For more information on the V-AIS dictionary and training/research opportunities, please reach out to their team at Veterinary.AIS@gmail.com.

is a fourth-year veterinary student at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Massachusetts, and a commissioned officer in the US Army Veterinary Corps.

, is a captain with the US Army Veterinary Corps, and branch chief for Whidbey, Veterinary Readiness Activity at Fort Lewis in Washington State.

Articles

The Veterinary Abbreviated Injury Scale is being used to help classify combat injuries sustained by military working dogs.

Mitigating injuries and improving trauma care in animals 

Acupuncture can address aspects of homeostatic balance that drugs alone don’t reach, explains Bonnie D. Wright, DVM, DACVAA, CVMA, CVPP, CCRT, CCRP. 

Why acupuncture can complement pharmaceuticals in chronic disease

Managing chronic disease often involves addressing one problem at a time: pain is managed, inflammation is suppressed, organ function is supported. Yet, many chronic conditions involve overlapping immune and neurologic dysfunction, with these systems interacting in ways that sustain symptoms as disease progresses.

In this video, Bonnie D. Wright, DVM, DACVAA, CVMA, CVPP, CCRT, CCRP, a veterinary anesthesiologist, pain specialist, and acupuncturist, discusses where acupuncture fits into chronic disease management. Rather than targeting a single outcome, Wright explains, acupuncture influences the crosstalk between pain signaling and immune dysfunction, addressing aspects of homeostatic imbalance that pharmaceuticals may not fully address on their own.

Below is a partial transcript, lightly edited for clarity.

What makes a patient with chronic disease a good candidate for acupuncture?

Chronic disease often involves amplification of different homeostatic loops. In one case, many chronic diseases are accompanied by a pain component that develops over time, but there will also be other concurrent issues. And often, there's also an immune function aberration that occurs with chronic disease where we see low-grade, inappropriate inflammation in organs like the kidneys and the bladder, and so those pain conditions, and then those immune dysregulatory issues, happen concurrently.

One of the great things about acupuncture is that we know that it's very, very good for treating pain, but it also overlaps and treats a lot of immunologic dysfunction. And so, in the face of chronic disease, acupuncture fits in very nicely alongside the pharmaceuticals that help treat that particular condition, because it helps with some of that homeostatic balance that the drugs don't get to. And so, that can be both the immunologic side—because of that effect on the interstitium and the home of the immune system—as well as that neuropathic pain side that helps to feed those inflammatory cascades.

So, that crosstalk between the immune and the neurologic systems is specifically where acupuncture is working, whereas a lot of the pharmaceuticals we use for these are looking at a particular outcome of what that organ does. So really, in almost any chronic case—whether you're treating kidney disease, bladder disease, or recognized pelvic pain—the overlap of acupuncture is going to address multiple portions of that because of that effect on the neurologic and immune systems.

Videos

Kathleen Cooney examines evolving ethical challenges in companion animal euthanasia, including owner-team conflicts, changing costs, hospice and palliative care uptake, team roles, and environmental impacts.

Emerging ethical issues in euthanasia

Kathleen Cooney, DVM, MS, CHPV, CPEV, DACAW, reviews several ethical trends shaping companion animal euthanasia in 2026 and beyond. She highlights the persistent potential for moral conflict between owners and veterinary teams, and points to concrete areas clinics should watch, such as rising costs as specialized euthanasia services expand, earlier adoption of hospice and palliative care, clearer utilization and role definitions for technicians and assistants, and environmental concerns related to drug choice and disposal. 

Modern ethical issues and best practices in companion animal euthanasia

Her observations are grounded in recent research and practical experience, and are intended to help clinical teams anticipate ethical tensions and improve end-of-life care. The following is a transcript from the video:

Kathleen Cooney, DVM, MS, CHPV, CPEV, DACAW

: Emerging ethical issues in companion animal euthanasia continue to evolve. Today, in 2026, these issues have been coming up for years and will continue for a long time. Euthanasia is an appointment that will always be here.

In veterinary medicine we have the potential for moral conflict and moral distress in the euthanasia work that we do, because an owner’s wishes can be very different from what the veterinary team thinks is appropriate. The veterinary team might be leaning toward euthanasia while the client leans away, and vice versa.

Overall, I think veterinary medicine is doing reasonably well at considering ethical issues that arise during euthanasia. Both veterinarians and technicians are trying to find common ground and determine what will be best for the owner and for the patient. From the research I have reviewed, pet owners are generally satisfied with how veterinarians and veterinary teams care for them during difficult end-of-life times, which tells me there are many things aligning in good ways.

Some emerging issues I have been watching include the changing cost of euthanasia services, especially as specialty mobile services and brick-and-mortar practices offer more specialized euthanasia experiences. Costs may be increasing in these areas.

I am also watching hospice and palliative care, and how often veterinary teams are adopting those options earlier so we can care for animals leading up to euthanasia. Hospice and palliative care options are an emerging topic.

Team utilization is another area of focus: how well we leverage technicians, assistants, and other team members and how we define their roles in euthanasia. It is about putting the right people in the right seats to support owners and patients during euthanasia procedures.

Another emerging topic, which I am not sure is strictly an ethical consideration but is important, is environmental protection around euthanasia. That includes thinking about the drugs we use and the techniques we choose, and ensuring those choices are appropriate for the patient and for the environment. I have been keeping an eye on those issues in particular.

Kathleen Cooney DVM, MS, CHPV, CPEV, DACAW, explains evolving ethical challenges in companion animal euthanasia, including owner-team conflicts, changing costs, hospice and palliative care uptake, team roles, and environmental impacts.

Dog Longevity 101: Aging Fundamentals That Every Vet Should Know

This course reviews the biology of aging in dogs: the mechanisms behind age-associated disease, how aging acts as a modifiable risk factor, and therapeutic/ preventive targets to slow aging, delay disease, and preserve quality of life.

: Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V

This 1-hour lecture offers a brief review of canine diabetes pathophysiology (including parallels to human juvenile diabetes and differences from feline disease), outlines common and uncommon signs and comorbidities, summarizes diagnostic approaches, then focuses on treatment, monitoring, and practical innovations clinics can adopt

Nonsurgical Management of Canine Degenerative Joint Disease

: Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Services

This 1-hour lecture discusses the diagnosis and medical management of canine osteoarthritis. Multimodal management and treatment options will be discussed, and surgery will be briefly addressed. This lecture is for
all small-animal practitioners who see these cases daily.

Gilvetmab: A Novel Immunotherapy in the Fight Against Cancer

: Craig A. Clifford, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)

This lecture covers recent advances in veterinary cancer immunotherapy—how immune-based approaches can complement or reduce chemotherapy and radiation— with a spotlight on checkpoint inhibitors and the first veterinary agent in this class, gilvetmab. 

Continuing education on demand anytime, anywhere. 

Flex Forecast: January/February 2026

Veterinary teams need a quick guide to interpret the 2024 pet food label modernization so they can advise which patients will and will not be appropriate for all-life-stage formulas.

What you need to know about the AAFCO Pet Food Label Modernization project

The The Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCO) new pet food label modernization regulations, already effective in 2024 with full implementation required by 2030, change how manufacturers present species, age, nutrient content, and nutritional adequacy on packaging. For clinicians, these changes mean owners will arrive with different-looking labels that can be misleading if interpreted without context. Purpose statements may mask all-life-stage formulations; guaranteed analyses will include per-cup measures reported on an as-fed basis; and fiber will be listed as total dietary fiber rather than crude fiber. Veterinary teams should prepare to interpret these new labels for clients. Vicky Ograin, MBA, RVT, VTS (Nutrition), explains what you need to know. Below is a transcript for the video above, lightly edited for clarity:

: Yeah, that goes to the lecture I gave at the conference where I talked about the pet food label modernization, the new regulations that are coming. They are already in effect; they went into effect in 2024 and we have until 2030 to get them fully implemented. That means we will see new packaging, and I think it is something we absolutely need to be aware of because it will confuse our pet parents.

Honestly, I think the intent was to make labels easier and maybe more transparent, and maybe they are more transparent. But there are nuances to the labels that I think will be confusing. I have had to go through multiple trainings to really wrap my head around it. The first point is if you see the new label, they are going to have what is called a purpose statement. It used to be on the front of the bag; it would tell you the species, like “dog food.” Now it will be the purpose statement, which is good, but you have to understand the regulations to know what it truly means.

The purpose statement is going to tell you the species and, in theory, the age. So it might say “complete puppy food.” That is very obvious: a complete and balanced food for puppies. But if it says “complete dog food,” that actually means all life stage. An all-life-stage food has to be most appropriate for the highest nutrient requirements in a dog or cat's life, which are gestation, lactation, and puppy or kitten growth. Adults might be okay, but for gestation and lactation it has to be higher in calories and fat. So if you have an overweight dog eating an all-life-stage food, that may not be appropriate. Giving them less of that food will not be a simple fix because you are then cutting both calories and nutrients that are important. You might be cutting protein, which is very important.

Another group I think about, more importantly, is seniors. If seniors have declining kidney function, an all-life-stage food could have higher levels of phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and extra fat that they may not need. For some seniors it might be okay, but for others not. So when I look at the purpose statement it tells me species and age, and then we need to decide as veterinary professionals what is appropriate for the pet in front of us. An all-life-stage food might be okay, but it might not be for that particular pet. An indoor, free-fed, inactive cat, for example, would not be appropriate on an all-life-stage food because they would become gargantuan from the extra calories. So I think the purpose statement will be helpful, but it will not be easy for owners to understand.

We still have the nutritional adequacy statement, the AAFCO statement, and that is not going away; it needs to complement the purpose statement. The AAFCO statement will now be part of what they are calling a pet nutrition facts box. That is one similarity to human food labels: you will see a nutrition facts box. But what is inside will not be the same as human nutrition facts because pets eat differently. Human labels are per serving and often reference a 2,000-calorie diet. Pet food labels have to reflect sole-source nutrition. So if you feed this pet one cup of food, this is how much protein the animal will get as a sole source. That difference will make comparing the two label styles confusing.

Previously the guaranteed analysis showed minimums and maximums — crude protein, crude fat, moisture, and crude fiber—and now they are adding carbohydrates. On the new label it will be easy to see the difference: the guaranteed analysis will still show percentages for the whole bag, but there will also be another column showing common household measures, such as per can, per cup, or per treat. For example, it might say that one cup of this kibble has 20 g of protein. Now you know that one cup contains 20 g of protein instead of interpreting the percentage of the whole bag.

The confusing part is that these numbers are on an as-fed basis. The entire product—all nutrients, meaning water, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals—are reported as fed. Dry food is much lower in water than canned food. A canned food could be 78% to 80% water, while a dry food is closer to 8% to 10% water. So a canned food’s protein per cup will look lower than a dry food per cup because of the water weight. If you remove the water (convert to dry-matter basis), the comparisons change drastically. We need to recognize that we cannot directly compare a dry food to a canned food using these per-cup as-fed numbers.

Another change is that fiber will be calculated differently. Previously labels showed crude fiber; under the new rules fiber will be reported as dietary fiber, or total dietary fiber. That means if the same company puts the same formula on a new label without formulation changes, the fiber number may look higher simply because the calculation changed. I have seen situations where owners call the manufacturer, convinced the formula changed because the fiber is higher, when in fact it is only a difference in how fiber is measured.

Finally, that pet nutrition facts box is where you will find the nutritional adequacy statement, and that needs to complement the purpose statement. If the purpose statement says “complete dog food,” the nutritional adequacy statement should say “all life stage.” Those are the key points I think we can look at and use to help pet parents decipher the new regulations compared to what they are used to seeing today.

Vicky Ograin explains AAFCO pet food label modernization: purpose statements, new nutrition fact box, fiber calculation shifts, and tips for clearer client communications.

The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), in partnership with Chewy Health, has announced the 2026 recipients of the Chewy Veterinary Leaders program, a scholarship and professional development initiative aimed at supporting veterinary students from underserved communities. With the addition of this year’s cohort, the program has awarded $900,000 in scholarships since it was first started in 2024.

The Chewy Veterinary Leaders program provides $20,000 scholarships to 15 second-year veterinary students selected by their institutions. In addition to financial support, the program includes leadership development opportunities, peer networking, and structured mentorship designed to support students as they progress through veterinary school and into practice.

Ted Y. Mashima, DVM, interim CEO of AAVMC, said the partnership reflects a shared focus on expanding access to veterinary education and supporting future leaders within the profession. “We’re honored to partner with Chewy Health to expand access and opportunity within the veterinary profession. By supporting talented emerging leaders from all backgrounds, we are building a more inclusive field that is better equipped to serve diverse communities and advance veterinary care for all,” Mashima said in a news release.

Beyond tuition assistance, participants engage in bi-monthly peer support sessions and take part in leadership and networking opportunities, including a visit to Chewy’s headquarters. Following graduation, recipients are enrolled in MentorVet LEAP, a 6-month early-career mentorship program intended to support the transition from veterinary school to professional practice. Awardees also gain access to the Chewy Veterinary Leaders alumni network.

According to Chewy Health president Mita Malhotra, the program has continued to expand since its launch, with total investment exceeding $1 million when leadership development and mentorship components are included. The initiative, she said, reflects Chewy Health’s ongoing commitment to supporting the veterinary profession through education and professional development.

The 2026 Chewy Veterinary Leaders were nominated by their veterinary colleges and selected based on academic achievement and leadership potential. This year’s recipients represent institutions across the United States, including public and private veterinary schools.

Vitaly Capitaine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jasmine Cobos, Midwestern University
Natasha George, University of Arizona
Carolina Gonzalez, University of Georgia
Dasia Harris, North Carolina State University
Esmeralda Lopez Hernandez, Cornell University
Zachary Inniss, The Ohio State University
Chauntelle Johnson, University of California, Davis
Christina Lim, University of Missouri
Crystal Mateo Mendez, Colorado State University
Marcus McCaskill, Iowa State University
Maria Rivera, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Nailah Smith, Purdue University
Nhi Tran, University of Minnesota
Joshua Waller, Kansas State University

“This innovative program combines financial assistance, professional development resources, and mentorship opportunities to empower underrepresented veterinary students to thrive as future leaders in their field,” said the AAVMC.

AAVMC and Chewy Health Announce 2026 Chewy Veterinary Leaders. News release. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. January 28, 2026. Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.aavmc.org/news/aavmc-and-chewy-health-announce-2026-chewy-veterinary-leaders/

AAVMC awards inaugural Chewy Veterinary Leaders Cohort. News release. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. March 27, 2026. Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.aavmc.org/news/aavmc-awards-inaugural-chewy-veterinary-leaders-cohort/

The program provides financial assistance and leadership opportunities to underrepresented students.