Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, discusses potential complications that can arise when amphibians are under anesthesia

Minimizing anesthetic risks in amphibian patients

Navigating Amphibian Anesthesia and Analgesia

, presented at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, director of animal health and chief veterinarian at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina, talks about anesthetic risks in amphibian patients. Minter explains that these risks are similar to the ones mammalian patients face and offers advice for minimizing complications in these animals.

Below is the interview transcript, lightly edited for clarity:

When I think about anesthetic complications with my amphibian patients, they're very similar to the ones that I would think about for my mammalian patients.

So hyperthermia is one. So since like I said, I mentioned that amphibians are ectothermic...which means they [have] an inability to maintain their own body temperature. Maintaining that appropriate body temperature during anesthesia is going to be critical. So if the temperatures drop too low, that slows down their metabolic rate quite a bit and that basically includes their drug metabolism, which can potentially lead to prolonged anesthesia recovery or even death, if you've gotten them too chilly.

So ways of minimizing that...just provide them some type of warming support. Cardiovascular compromise, again, if they get a little chilly, they have a lower heart rate anyways and lower blood pressure. So...again, going back to that temperature regulation, it can become problematic for amphibians with these limited cardiovascular reserves, so you want to make sure that you use lower doses of drugs and then maintain that optimal temperature range.

And then another one I always like to think about is, again, they rely heavily on their skin for gas exchange and certain anesthetic agents can depress that respiratory function, which can lead to hypoxia. So just closely monitor their oxygen output and [make] sure that they're breathing throughout the process.

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The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in Gainesville has adopted a scribe platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) for use across its’ veterinary facilities and in classroom settings. The university chose ScribbleVet, which is used by thousands of veterinarians, because the platform offers high-accuracy, ease-of-use, and time-saving efficiency, according to a news release.

"The University of Florida is the first educational institution to adopt ScribbleVet system-wide, for both veterinary facilities and student use," Rohan Relan, founder and CEO of ScribbleVet, said in a news release.

The digital scribe utilizes AI to record appointments and complete veterinary SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan) notes during patient exams. Veterinarians may have the opportunity to finish their medical notes and complete patient record-keeping within minutes, rather than hours, each day while using ScribbleVet.

"We chose ScribbleVet for its high accuracy and time-saving workflows, which allow clinicians to reclaim hours for patient care while seamlessly incorporating AI into student training,” Andrea Miller, associate director of operations at the CVM, said in a news release. "This collaboration reflects our leadership in veterinary AI innovation, equipping future professionals with the tools to streamline workflows, advance diagnostics, and elevate standards of care.”

The use of AI in research and education is not new for UFCVM. In 2023, university officials shared that investigators in the veterinary college had access to supercomputing and machine learning. With these tools, they had the ability to apply AI techniques to uterine microbiota in dairy cows to prevent metritis and had adapted microbiota for canine dermatitis treatment. Additionally, one faculty member’s role was to utilize AI technology and machine learning to develop diagnostic and clinical applications for comparative oncology and translational medicine.

The new initiative with ScribbleVet creates new opportunities. "We're excited to assist the university in teaching practices and students about ways they can leverage artificial intelligence to free up their time, minimizing administrative tasks and maximizing patient attention," Relan said,

ScribbleVet also recently announced an integration with LifeLearn.

 The collaboration allows veterinary practices using ScribbleVet’s service to immediately access the differential diagnostics in LifeLearn’s Sofie, a decision support tool that provides answers to pet health questions, and provide deep research within its’ SOAP notes.

University of Florida adopts ScribbleVet AI scribe tools for veterinary facilities, students. News release. ScribbleVet. March 25, 2025. Accessed March 25, 2025. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/university-of-florida-adopts-scribblevet-ai-scribe-tools-for-veterinary-facilities-students-302410867.html?tc=eml_cleartime

College rises to No. 7 in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. News release. University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. April 25, 2023. Accessed March 25, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/2023/04/25/college-rises-to-no-7-in-latest-u-s-news-world-report-rankings/

Two companies are integrating AI-based tools for enhanced SOAP notes. 

. March 3, 2025. Accessed March 25, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/two-companies-are-integrating-ai-based-tools-for-enhanced-soap-notes

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ScribbleVet announced the University of Florida as the first first educational institution to adopt the digital solution system-wide for veterinary uses.

Veterinary college incorporates AI scribe into facilities and classrooms

Base Molecular Resonance Technologies (BMRT), a startup specializing in advanced detection technology, has developed a novel tool that can noninvasively detect poultry infected with avian influenza. The technology can also be used to detect up to 200 types of cancers and other diseases, drugs, gunpowder, and other substances, according to a recent announcement by BMRT.

The technology—Base Molecular Resonance (BMR)—can detect particle interactions at subatomic levels using resonant frequencies. The innovation uses scanning technology that can detect any compound or biological substance, including any element on the periodic table, as well as various cancers and avian influenza based on molecular structure.

“The non-invasive, harmless, and instant scan has broad implications in cancer diagnostics, public safety, law enforcement, security, and military services,” wrote BMRT in a news release.

The tool’s new application for detecting animals infected with avian influenza can help prevent the mass slaughter of poultry amid avian influenza outbreaks, as BMR has the ability to differentiate infected birds from healthy ones instantaneously, according to the company.

 "Right now, millions of chickens are being slaughtered out of fear rather than necessity. Our technology eliminates that uncertainty. With a simple scan, we can pinpoint infected animals with 100% accuracy, allowing farmers and regulators to respond with surgical precision instead of widespread devastation,” Robert “Bo” Short, co-founder and CEO of BMRT, said in a news release.

 “This is a major step forward for global food security, animal welfare, and the agricultural economy."

More than 166 million birds, including chickens and turkeys, have been slaughtered in the United States since the start of the avian influenza outbreak, with many of these birds being healthy.

 According to BMRT, testing data suggest that only 5% to 10% of these animals would have likely tested positive for avian influenza.

 More than 20 million egg-laying chickens were culled in the only the last quarter, costing poultry farmers hundreds of millions of dollars, affecting food production and driving egg prices, and putting a strain on supply chains.

Last year, the company announced that a study from York St John University’s Center for Applied Innovation in York, England, confirmed BMR had 100% accuracy in detecting cancerous tissues, nuclear elements, gunpowder, and more, in blind and double-blind tests.

 The research was led by Phillippe B. Wilson, PhD, PGCHE, president-elect of the Comparative Medicine Council at the Royal Society of Medicine and associate pro vice-chancellor for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange and professor of One Health at York St John University.

“The same precision and reliability now apply to disease detection in the agricultural industry, making it possible to safeguard global food supplies with unprecedented efficiency,” wrote BMRT in its most recent announcement.

A potential use for detecting other diseases in animals

According to BMRT, their BMR technology can also be adapted to detect diseases in cattle, swine, and other livestock, offering a valuable tool in preventing major outbreaks, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy, African swine fever, and foot-and-mouth disease.

"Bird flu is just the beginning. We can detect disease in livestock at the molecular level before symptoms even appear, allowing for rapid intervention that safeguards the food supply and protects farmers from catastrophic losses,” said Lee Duke, co-founder and president of BMRT, in a company release.

“This is the future of disease detection."

Base Molecular Resonance Technologies introduces game-changing solution to stop mass livestock culling amid bird flu crisis. News release. Base Molecular Resonance Technologies, LLC. March 13, 2025. Accessed March 25, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/base-molecular-resonance-technologies-introduces-game-changing-solution-to-stop-mass-livestock-culling-amid-bird-flu-crisis-302401169.html

About us. Base Molecular Resonance Technologies, LLC. Accessed March 25, 2025. 

Landmark study confirms unprecedented 100% accuracy in quantum physics technology breakthrough for public safety, law enforcement, military applications, and cancer detection. News release. Base Molecular Resonance Technologies, LLC. July 11, 2024. Accessed March 25, 2025. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/landmark-study-confirms-unprecedented-100-accuracy-in-quantum-physics-technology-breakthrough-for-public-safety-law-enforcement-military-applications-and-cancer-detection-302193686.html

The innovation also has the potential to detect other diseases in livestock, in addition to detecting up to 200 types of cancers

Novel scanning technology may instantly detect avian influenza in poultry

The School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet) and the University of Padova in Padova, Italy, in collaboration with a foundation breeding service dogs for those who are visually impaired, identified a novel variant associated with progressive retinal atrophy in 3 Labrador retrievers.

The findings were recently published in Scientific Reports, and state that a genetic mutation was found in 3 of the 6 littermates affected by progressive retinal atrophy, 2 males and 1 female. The 3 patients were brought to the attention of 2 Penn Vet doctors, Leonardo Murgiano, PhD, and Gustavo D. Aguirre, VMD, PhD, DACVO, as well as their collaborators by a foundation that breeds service dogs for visually impaired human patients. Besides these 3 cases, no other dogs within the breeding program were reported to present with comparable vision deficits or retinal abnormalities.

“We have been providing services to guide dog organizations since 1989,” explained Aguirre, in an organizational release.

 “When these organizations reach out to us, our aim is to find the mutation and develop a diagnostic test for it so that they can use it to breed dogs without this condition in the future.”

According to the study, researchers identified a 3-bp deletion in the coding region of GTPBP2, a gene that encodes a G-protein expressed in several tissues—which includes the canine retina.

 The deletion was then linked to the loss of a highly conserved alanine outside of the GTPase domain of GTPBP2, where the protein’s activity is regulated, "toggling it on and off." This indicates that the loss of this alanine affects a different aspect of the protein, potentially the cellular localization.

An analysis of 569 Labrador retrievers from the general population of the United States as well as 91 non-affected Labrador retrievers from the same kennel was conducted and identified 16 carriers, all from the original kennel. All of the other canines were wild-type, as in they carried the "normal" version of the gene, emphasizing this variant’s rarity.

When it comes to humans, this gene mutation has been reported, but the GTPBP2 genetic variants are typically associated with Jaberi-Elahi syndrome, an extremely rare genetic disease.

 The human patients with the mutations normally present with neurologic and morphologic abnormalities as well as intellectual disabilities. For the canine patients, unlike humans with the same mutation, they presented with no other symptoms other than retinal degeneration/blindness.

“What we report here is a variant that appears to be less severe in our dogs than what is reported in humans, possibly occurring in a different region of the protein—closer to its terminal part,” Murgiano concluded.

“We have observed this before in genes attributed to syndromes—not all mutations in those genes lead to syndromes. Phenotypes can be flexible, and what we report here is an example of a flexible phenotype. This could have relevance in a general medical genetics landscape.”

New genetic cause of blindness in dogs. News release. Penn Today. March 20, 2025. Accessed March 25, 2025. 

https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-vet-new-genetic-cause-blindness-dogs?utm_content=Staff&utm_source=Penn+Today+-+Newsletters&utm_campaign=99fe552859-3/21/25:+Inherited+blindness&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-07fd5831a9-45832012

Murgiano L, Niggel JK, Eylem Emek Akyürek, Sacchetto R, Aguirre GD. GTPBP2 in-frame deletion in canine model with non-syndromic progressive retinal atrophy. 

. 2025;15(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89446-7

Manoochehri J, Shiri A, Khoddam S, et al. Jaberi-Elahi syndrome: Exploring a novel GTPBP2 mutation and a literature review. 

. 2024;70:104953. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmg.2024.104953

Researchers at Penn Vet and the University of Padova identified a novel variant connected to progressive retinal atrophy 

Potential genetic cause of blindness in canines identified 

The veterinary industry faces a critical challenge: As the cost of care rises, access to essential veterinary services is slipping out of reach for many pet families. Veterinary teams witness this daily—pet parents struggling with difficult financial decisions, delaying or forgoing care, and seeking alternatives outside of mainstream practice models. Ensuring that pets receive the care they need requires a deeper understanding of the barriers pet families face and the shifting landscape of veterinary medicine. The challenge is not just affordability, but also availability, flexibility, and trust in a system that must evolve to meet pet parents where they are. How can we, as veterinary professionals and the broader industry, work to build a pet care model that is both inclusive and adaptable?

Understanding the Drivers of Rising Costs 

To address the issue, we must first examine the factors contributing to increasing veterinary costs. Over the past 2 decades, veterinary service inflation has surpassed general inflation rates by > 60% in the consumer price index, making it harder for pet owners to budget for their pets’ health care needs. Several key factors contribute to these rising expenses:

 A competitive job market has driven long-overdue wage increases for veterinarians and support staff.

 Clinics are adjusting pricing models to offset reduced pharmacy revenue from online competition and increased operational costs.

Inflation, supply chain issues, and manufacturer pricing changes have led to increased costs for medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.

Technological advancements and shifts in care models also play a role:

Cutting-edge diagnostics and treatments: 

New diagnostic and treatment innovations improve pet health outcomes but come with higher costs.

Expanded specialty and referral services: 

Greater access to advanced care means more options but also increased expenses due to the specialized staff, equipment, and facilities required.

A growing focus on advanced-level treatment has created gaps in mid-tier care, leaving some pet families with limited choices between specialty care or basic/no treatment.

While advanced treatment often leads to the best medical results, it’s essential to recognize that specialty care isn’t always feasible or desirable for every pet family.

Practical Strategies for Increasing Access to Care 

Here are 3 ways to support affordability and accessibility without compromising on the need to charge properly for your goods and services:

Educate Pet Owners on Financial Planning Tools. 

When it comes to their pets’ healthcare, families have more financial planning options than ever. They look to you for guidance, so recommending options for things like pet insurance can help ease financial strain. Encouraging teams to stay informed about available solutions can make a big impact. Nationwide’s video series for veterinary health care teams answers FAQs about pet insurance, our coverage, and what makes us different. Find them by visiting petinsurance.com/veterinarians and clicking on Digital Materials.

Providing a range of evidence-based treatment options—from basic to advanced— ensures that pet owners can make informed decisions within their comfort level. Judgment-free communication and flexible care models empower more families to say “yes” to a level of treatment that meets their expectations and their resources. Learn more at 

Rethinking service delivery can improve affordability and efficiency. Consider maintaining a referral list of lower-cost providers, directing minor cases to urgent care, or utilizing telehealth for triage. Emerging models—such as vaccine clinics, outpatient surgery practices, and urgent care centers— are reshaping the landscape, making veterinary care more accessible for a broader range of pet families. There is mounting evidence that these models invite pet families who may not otherwise engage with veterinary care to do so.

Change, even gradual change, can be challenging—but small, intentional steps can make a meaningful difference. By helping pet families plan for costs, embracing a spectrum of care, and exploring innovative care models, veterinary teams can play a pivotal role in improving access to care for all pets.

1. Benson J, Tincher EM. Cost of Care, Access to Care, and Payment Options in Veterinary Practice. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. Published online December 1, 2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2023.10.007 

2. Wiltzius AJ, Blackwell M, Krebsbach S, et al. Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers, Current Practices, and Public Policy. AVCC Website (http://avccutkedu/). Published online December 17, 2018. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_smalpubs/17/ 

3. Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households (SHED). Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Updated August 22, 2022. Accessed May 21, 2023.

Products underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Columbus, OH; National Casualty Company (all other states), Columbus, OH. Agency of Record: DVM Insurance Agency. All are subsidiaries of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle, and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. ©2025 Nationwide.

By helping pet families plan for costs, embracing a spectrum of care, and exploring innovative care models, veterinary teams can play a pivotal role in improving access to care for all pets. 

The Rising Costs of Veterinary Care: Challenges and Pathways to Greater Access

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition seen in canine patients, and management can be challenging. “We cannot take a cookbook approach,” David Dycus, DVM, MS, CCRP, DACVS-SA, founder and orthopedic surgeon at Fusion Veterinary Orthopedics, said during a recent session at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 Instead, Dycus encourages veterinarians to obtain a definitive diagnosis of OA and create a management plan that is patient-specific.

OA is the No. 1 cause of chronic pain in dogs and can have a large impact on both the patient's and the owner's quality of life. Dycus reminded veterinarians that, because it is an inflammatory disease that occurs secondary to other disease processes, it can occur in dogs of any age. A recent study of patients between 8 months and 4 years of age found that nearly 40% had radiographic evidence of OA.

 Of these, 60% had concurrent clinical signs of OA.

As some clinical signs of OA can be subtle, it is essential to ask owners specific questions to determine the presence or absence of clinical signs.

The diagnosis of OA requires multiple pieces of information, including the following:

 Most patients with OA have a chronic, slowly progressive history of lameness or alterations in their mobility. Patients presenting with a history of acute lameness often have some degree of injury, though they may be at risk of future development of OA.

 This includes objective gait evaluation (ideally using a numerical scale), assessing range of motion and presence or absence of pain in the joints, and comparing muscle mass in the limbs, which can indicate disuse.

Radiographs aid in the diagnosis of OA and are the minimum imaging technique needed for a diagnosis, but they should not be the only consideration. This is particularly important as some patients can have radiographic evidence of OA that is not yet causing clinical signs.

For some patients, the OA diagnosis may be speculative (based on history and physical examination alone) if the owner is unable or unwilling to pursue radiographs. Dycus encouraged veterinarians to carefully consider the potential adverse effects of any medications or treatments that are considered in these cases.

Finally, Dycus recommended using the Canine OsteoArthritis Staging Tool (COAST) to determine disease severity. This tool takes input from the veterinarian and owner to determine the stage of OA for patients with clinical signs and helps to identify dogs with OA risk factors that could benefit from early intervention.

Ultimately, “OA is a total management disease,” Dycus said. “Our primary focus in patients with OA should be on modulating, mitigating, and/or eliminating inflammation.” By doing this, we can work to improve patient quality of life, improve pain, decrease the severity and frequency of flare-ups, improve daily activity, and improve the human-animal bond.

Multimodal management is essential. OA affects the entire joint, not just a single part, so treatment should focus on the entire joint. Additionally, Dycus noted that many patients will present with flares of OA. Management of a patient during a flare is different than long-term management, particularly when it comes to exercise levels.

COAST stage 1 includes patients with risk factors but no clinical signs of OA or pain on examination. These patients are usually puppies or young adults. Radiographic changes may or may not be present.

For these patients, Dycus recommends establishing a baseline strategy to promote joint health and delay the onset of OA. This strategy should include the following:

Preventing obesity is the ideal strategy. For patients who are already overweight, controlling pain is essential before starting a weight loss plan that includes exercise.

 Although time running and playing in the yard can be helpful, clients should work with their pet to build up to 20 to 30 minutes of walking on flat ground twice daily.

 These may include nonslip flooring, adding rugs, or installing ramps to reduce strain on joints.

 These have been shown to modulate inflammation. For joint health, the recommended dose is higher than for other diseases (DHA/EPA 150-175 mg/kg/day).

Polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (Adequan Canine; American Regent Animal Health):

 This has been proven to support joints in dogs. Dycus recommended administering the product at the label dose (2 mg/lb intramuscular injection twice weekly for 4 weeks). Once 8 injections have been administered, dosing can be discontinued.

Joint supplements can be considered part of this strategy; however, Dycus cautioned veterinarians that the FDA does not regulate supplements. He recommended looking for supplements with quality control programs, including third-party testing, that contain ingredients known to modulate inflammatory responses and that test those ingredients in vitro.

As clinical signs of OA begin to develop in young to middle-aged dogs, these patients may present with pain on examination and may have radiographic changes. At this stage, Dycus recommended continuing the baseline management strategy previously outlined but reducing daily exercise, especially during times of pain. Additionally, he added the following therapies to the management plan:

Repeating the polysulfated glycosaminoglycan treatment at the label dose every 6 months. "This is not a loading dose; this is the dose,” Dycus said, adding that ongoing injections between the series are not necessary.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most effective oral pain relievers available. Dycus typically starts with 1 to 4 months of NSAID therapy.

For patients in this category, Dycus recommended rechecking 2 to 4 weeks after instituting therapy to ensure a positive response. As long as the patient is responding well, he rechecks every 6 weeks until the patient returns to their baseline management plan. Long-term management of these patients includes evaluating COAST and an orthopedic examination every 4 to 6 months.

For patients who are refractory to the initial treatment plan, additional options include short-term addition of amantadine, formal rehabilitation therapy for 4 to 6 weeks, shockwave therapy, and intra-articular injections with platelet-rich plasma, steroids, or synthetics.

Middle-aged to older patients with consistent to worsening clinical signs, pain on examination, decreased range of motion in their joints, and radiographic changes of OA are typically COAST stage 3 to 4. These patients should still have a baseline plan, but it will likely need to be modified to account for mobility limitations that may interfere with daily exercise.

In addition to the regular polysulfated glycosaminoglycan series and daily NSAIDs, patients may need long-term amantadine, intra-articular injections, and maintenance rehab. Dycus shared that the addition of gabapentin (> 10 mg/kg 3 times per day) or pregabalin (2-4 mg/kg twice a day) may be helpful, though there is limited evidence for efficacy with regard to joint pain.

For patients who are having significant pain flares or not improving, subcutaneous ketamine injections can be considered. Bedinvetmab (Librela; Zoetis) could also be considered to help break the pain cycle. One strategy is administering 2 to 3 injections, then returning to maintenance NSAID use.

Dycus stressed the importance of setting appropriate expectations with owners of dogs with OA. This is a progressive disease that will worsen over time despite our best efforts. Owners should be prepared for this and understand that the management plan will evolve over time as the patient’s baseline changes.

Additionally, owners should be prepared for flare-ups of the disease process and know how to recognize these events. The faster an owner recognizes a flare, the faster an intervention plan can be instituted.

“I’m a big fan of educating owners,” Dycus said, though he cautioned against giving too much information at once. Instead, he recommended providing owners with additional resources, such as websites like caninearthritis.org and caninearthritis.co.uk, that they can explore after the appointment.

“There’s never going to be only 1 thing to manage osteoarthritis,” Dycus said. Canine patients can present with risk factors or clinical signs of OA at any age. Using a tool like COAST can help to identify these patients and institute a patient-specific management plan that can decrease inflammation within the joint and improve overall patient quality of life.

Dycus D. A patient specific approach to osteoarthritis management. Presented at: Fetch dvm360 Conference; March 14-16, 2025; Charlotte, NC. 

Enomoto M, de Castro N, Hash J, et al. Prevalence of radiographic appendicular osteoarthritis and associated clinical signs in young dogs. 

. 2024;14:2827. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-52324-9

Cachon T, Frykman O, Innes JF. Face validity of a proposed tool for staging canine osteoarthritis: Canine OsteoArthritis Staging Tool (COAST). 

. 2018;235:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.02.017

Many therapies exist for osteoarthritis, but the best approach is multimodal and patient-specific.