During this interview with dvm360 prior to his lecture at the 2026 Veterinary Meeting & Expo, Darin Dell, DVM, DACVD,  shares more on why ear smears are crucial when it comes to diagnosing ear infections. 

A diagnostic approach to canine otitis externa

 ahead of his lectures at the 2026 Veterinary Meeting & Expo, Darin Dell, DVM, DACVD, shared additional insight into the diagnostic approach for canine otitis externa. Throughout the interview, he shares why topical treatments for the ears can be a better option, why veterinary dermatologists do not regularly perform ear cultures, and more. 

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity. 

How is an ear cytology performed, and what specific findings would indicate a need for a bacterial culture and sensitivity test?

The strange thing about this is that dermatologists don't actually do a lot of...ear cultures. It's not something we do very often, and that's because you can achieve 100 to 1000 times the antibiotic concentration when [you] treat topically. Most cultures are going to give you sensitivity based on a blood level of an antibiotic, which is great if we're dealing with a skin infection or a respiratory infection. But in the ear, we're going to treat topically, so we can get a lot higher concentration. Typically, I wouldn't do an ear culture unless we had otitis media. That's a definite time to do an ear culture, or if I [were] seeing a dog that had literally been on every antibiotic there was, like everything they've seen. So then I would do it just [to] narrow my choices. 

That's one of those misnomers that we don't actually do a lot of them. It's...just something we don't do a lot of. We should be doing [the ear smear] every time. That's just trying to get a sample, usually with a Q-tip from the horizontal canal, rolling that onto a slide, a glass slide—however you prefer to do it—and then using Diff-Quik stain to look at it. 

There, we're looking for [whether] you did see on that slide—a whole lot of cocci, a whole lot of rods, [or] a lot of neutrophils. [That may] also encourage you to do...that culture, or at least think differently about your treatment. 

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Darin Dell, DVM, DACVD, shares insights on treating canine otitis externa, plus the importance of ear smears over cultures.

Elanco Animal Health announced the USDA approved TruCan Ultra B (Oral), an oral vaccine to protect canine patients from 

. This latest approval builds on Elanco’s TruCan B Oral, the first oral vaccine protecting dogs from 

 to hit the market; however, TruCan Ultra B provides the same protection in half the volume. According to the release, Tru vaccines remove unwanted protein and debris to reduce adverse reactions and improve patient comfort.

 is one of the leading causes of canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC), also known as kennel cough. CIRDC can lead to coughing and other respiratory signs in exposed dogs. According to a news release, research shows that expectations for the pet vaccination experience are evolving.

“We are committed to improving the in-clinic vaccination experience for pets,” said Bobby Modi, executive vice president, US pet health and global digital transformation at Elanco, in the release.¹

“USDA approval of TruCan Ultra B (Oral) strengthens our respiratory vaccine portfolio and demonstrates how Elanco is going beyond to develop innovative solutions that support better experiences for dogs and the veterinary teams who care for them,” he continued.

USDA approves canine influenza vaccination

In a field study, TruCan Ultra B (Oral) was proven safe. The study represented client-owned dogs ranging from 4 weeks to 15 years old. Elanco also conducted a challenge study that demonstrated significant protection against coughing associated with 

“Reducing fear and anxiety during the pet vaccination experience is a critical part of our goal at Fear Free,” Marty Becker, DVM, founder of Fear Free—of which Elanco is a corporate sponsor—said in an organizational release. “I look forward to seeing the positive impact TruCan Ultra B (Oral) has on the in-clinic vaccination experience for dogs.”

TruCan Ultra B (Oral) is the second expansion of Elanco’s vaccine line, which is the first vaccine portfolio to be recommended by Fear Free, following the USDA approval of TruCan Ultra CIV H3N2/H3N8 in July 2025.³

TruCan Ultra B (Oral) is expected to launch in Q1 2026.

Elanco Advances Canine Infectious Disease Innovation with USDA Approval of TruCan™ Ultra B (Oral), a ½ mL Bordetella bronchiseptica Vaccine for Dogs. News release. Elanco Animal Health Incorporated. January 15, 2026. Accessed January 27, 2026.

McCafferty C. USDA approves canine influenza vaccination. dvm360. July 10, 2025. Accessed January 17, 2026.

Elanco Receives USDA Approval for TruCan™ Ultra CIV H3N2/H3N8 (Canine Influenza Vaccine) Bringing to Market a High Standard of Respiratory Protection. News release. Elanco Animal Health Incorporated. July 9, 2025. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.elanco.com/us/newsroom/press-releases/elanco-receives-usda-approval-for-trucantm-ultra-civ-h3n2-h3n8-canine-influenza-vaccine-bringing-to-market-a-high-standard-of-respiratory-protection

Articles

This is the first USDA-licensed ½ mL oral Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccination for dogs.

USDA approves an oral vaccination protecting against Bordetella bronchiseptica

A new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered dental radiograph interpretation tool designed specifically for cats, RapidRead Dental for Feline, is now available to veterinarians, Antech Diagnostics recently announced. The veterinary diagnostics company also announced that symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) testing is now available on its Element i+ in-clinic diagnostic platform. Antech displayed both technologies at the 2026 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX 2026) in Orlando, Florida.

According to Antech, RapidRead Dental for Feline provides dental evaluations in less than 10 minutes.

 The tool was first introduced for dogs in May 2025, but the feline version was developed specifically for use in cats rather than adapted from the canine model.

The new software analyzes dental radiographs and generates tooth-by-tooth annotations intended to assist veterinarians in identifying and documenting pathologies of individual teeth, such as periodontitis and tooth resorption.

According to Antech, the technology identifies teeth using the Triadan tooth numbering system. Additionally, it was developed with a deep learning algorithm that was trained on more than 55,000 images and more than 275,000 teeth.

 The tool also features automatic charting.

“Many veterinarians struggle with feline dental radiographs due to the small size of feline teeth, the high prevalence of tooth resorption, and limited access to dental specialists,” Antech wrote in a news release announcing the technology’s launch.

 “RapidRead Dental for Feline supports clinicians in generating expert-level analysis and visual reports within minutes.”

Antech says the tool can help with in-procedure decision-making, build confidence with annotated findings, and improve communication with clients with its generated reports. The reports, Antech notes, can help pet owners better understand their cat’s dental health and treatment needs.

In addition to its dental imaging software, Antech announced the expansion of its in-clinic diagnostics platform by adding SDMA testing to Element i+. SDMA is a biomarker used to monitor kidney function in dogs and cats and can help veterinarians in monitoring changes associated with conditions such as hypovolemia, cardiac disease, and hyperthyroidism. Previously, SDMA testing was performed primarily through reference laboratories. The in-clinic format allows practices using Element i+ to obtain quantitative results in approximately 3 minutes, according to Antech.

“We exist to make every veterinarian’s day run smoother and more efficiently, whether it’s providing greater confidence with imaging, increasing throughput in the dental suite, or delivering immediate insights into kidney function,” Jimmy Barr, DVM, DACVECC, chief medical officer for both Mars Petcare’s Science and Diagnostics Division and Antech, said in a news release.

 “By automating rapid test result capture and seamlessly recording pet owner charges, we help clinics focus on what matters most—their patient care. We are committed to continuously evolving our portfolio to deliver flexible, accessible solutions that optimize workflows and empower veterinary professionals to make clinical decisions with speed and certainty, supporting better outcomes across every aspect of care.”

Other Antech technologies on display at VMX

In addition to RapidRead Dental for Feline and the Element i+ platform, Antech displayed the trūRapid FOUR in-house canine vector-borne disease screening test, the HealthTracks mobile application, and the trūRapid Reader, a portable device designed to automate rapid test result capture and transfer data to practice information management systems.

Antech launches next-generation diagnostic innovations to advance clinical decision-making at VMX 2026. News release. Antech Diagnostics. January 13, 2026. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.antechdiagnostics.com/2026/01/13/antech-launches-next-generation-diagnostic-innovations-to-advance-clinical-decision-making-at-vmx-2026/ 

RapidRead Dental. Antech Diagnostics. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.antechdiagnostics.com/imaging-services/rapidread-dental/

Antech Diagnostics unveils RapidRead Dental for Feline and symmetric dimethylarginine testing on its Element i+ platform.

New AI-powered feline dental radiograph tool and more launched

Happy Friday dvm360 readers! Who is ready for VMX? The dvm360 editorial team is! Throughout the show, our editors will be providing you with interviews from speakers who will provide more insight into their lectures, articles covering a wide range of topics from social media safety to a complete approach to antimicrobial therapy in dermatology, not to mention the keynote address, which will be given by John Travolta. There is so much that will be coming out on dvm360.com during the show, so be sure to check in!

Now that we are wrapping up another week, here is some news from this week:

Loyal recently announced a major milestone in its journey to receive FDA approval, it has had its target animal safety technical section accepted by the federal agency. Read more about what this means for the approval process 

dvm360 student ambassador Diana Caro recently contributed an 

 where she discussed how she faced academic dismissal from a veterinary school and how with the help of her support system, she picked herself back up and persevered.

Are virtual assistants helpful or over hyped in the veterinary industry? On this week’s 

 of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, and Kelly Cronin, MBA, BS, CVT, PHR, VTS (ECC), VSPN, set out to inform listeners just how helpful these tools can be.

Pet Poison Helpline recently shared their Top 10 pet poisons in 2025; a list they share every year to highlight the most frequently reported toxins that are called into their call center for North America. Check out the top 10 

 with dvm360, Christoher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, shared what the clinical decision process can look like for treating a canine with separation anxiety.

Investigators at Louisiana State University were recently 

 a grant to explore detection of equine herpesvirus, with the goal of determining where in the body the virus resides during latency, following a 2025 outbreak of the disease in the US.

Wrap up: Loyal announces latest achievement in FDA approval process, and other news

The FDA has granted full approval to verdinexor tablets (Laverdia; Anivive Lifesciences) for the treatment of dogs with lymphoma. The approval gives veterinarians a promising new oral avenue for managing the disease in dogs.

Cancer cells can disable normal cellular growth regulation by driving tumor-suppressing proteins out of the nucleus. Verdinexor tablets target this system by blocking the exit route, allowing these proteins to remain normally active and helping control growth and prevent the spread of lymphoma cells. According to the FDA, verdinexor tablets are selectively cytotoxic for tumor cells.

Verdinexor tablets is available only by prescription from a licensed veterinarian. Once prescribed, dog owners administer the medication orally at home, following the veterinarian’s instructions and the safety guidance provided in the client information sheet.

The drug is administered twice per week with at least 72 hours between doses, at a starting dose of 1.25 mg/kg.

 If the medication is tolerated after 2 weeks, the dose can be increased to 1.5 mg/kg, still keeping each dose at least 72 hours apart.

Additionally, each dose must be given with food or immediately after a meal. “This increases the amount of drug absorbed into the bloodstream,” the FDA stated in a news release announcing the drug’s approval.

Oncologists have observed that the drug has a very high response rate against T-cell lymphoma, Craig A. Clifford, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), told 

 by Pamela D. Jones, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), DACVR (Radiation Oncology).

In a clinical field study of 160 dogs with B‑cell or T‑cell lymphoma, those treated with verdinexor tablets experienced a significantly longer time to disease progression—37 days vs 23 days in the control group (

 The study included dogs with newly diagnosed or relapsed lymphoma, and 134 dogs were included in the effectiveness analysis.

The drug also has not been shown to cause resistance to other chemotherapy types, Jones explained in a Fetch dvm360 Conference lecture on canine lymphoma last month.

The full drug approval follows 4 annual renewals of the FDA’s conditional approval, after which the drug’s sponsor, Anivive Lifesciences, created the necessary effectiveness data for a full approval. The FDA first granted conditional approval to verdinexor tablets in January 2021 through the agency’s Minor Use/Minor Species pathway, a program designed to incentivize development of drugs for uncommon conditions, or minor uses, in major (dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, turkeys, and chickens) or minor species. According to the FDA, fewer than 80,000 dogs are affected by canine lymphoma each year, qualifying verdinexor tablets as a minor use in a major species.

“It's not meant to be a silver bullet [or] a cure-all for lymphoma,” Clifford said of the drug,

“but to me, knowing that 80% of lymphomas are left untreated…gives the primary care [practitioner] a game changer—something else that they can utilize, other than just prednisone.

“We’re expanding access, meaning more cases are going to get treated. It’s an unmet need, and I think this drug checks both of those boxes,” Clifford continued.

FDA grants full approval of first oral treatment for lymphoma in dogs. News release. FDA. January 16, 2026. Accessed January 16, 2026. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-grants-full-approval-first-oral-treatment-lymphoma-dogs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Freedom of information summary. FDA. December 18, 2025. Accessed January 16, 2026. 

https://animaldrugsatfda.fda.gov/adafda/app/search/public/document/downloadFoi/17795

Bautista-Alejandre A, Clifford CA. About the novel drug for canine lymphoma. 

. January 6, 2025. Accessed January 16, 2026. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/about-the-novel-drug-for-canine-lymphoma

Alaburda B. Key takeaways: practical approaches to canine lymphoma diagnosis and management. 

December 6, 2025. Accessed January 16, 2026. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/key-takeaways-practical-approaches-to-canine-lymphoma-diagnosis-and-management

Verdinexor tablets (Laverdia; Anivive Lifesciences) are the first oral treatment for managing lymphoma in dogs.

FDA grants full approval to verdinexor tablets for canine lymphoma

A new device for detecting canine cancer can screen for dermal and subcutaneous masses using artificial intelligence (AI). The noninvasive Vista iQ technology from HT VET is an advanced version of the company’s HT Vista.

“VISTA iQ reflects our continued commitment to innovation in veterinary diagnostics. We’ve listened to our customers and created a tool that’s faster, smarter, and more intuitive, helping practices to make informed decisions quickly and confidently. This launch represents the next stage in our mission to make early cancer detection accessible, efficient, and noninvasive,” Liron Levy-Hirsch, DVM, managing director for HT VET, said in a news release.

Vista iQ will be exhibited for the first time during the Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida; January 17-21, 2026. The company can be found at booth 2351 in the exposition hall at the Orange County Convention Center.

The original HT Vista device will no longer be available for purchase, following the launch of Vista iQ. However, HT Vista will continue to be supported by the HT VET team, according to the company. HT Vista users have the opportunity to trade in and upgrade their device to the VISTA iQ at any time.

New features aimed at improving usability, speed, and diagnostic efficiency are being introduced with Vista iQ., while also utilizing the same Heat Diffusion Imaging (HDI) technology at its core as HT Vista. The new device’s wireless design makes allows for portability and a seamless connection to tablets and smartphones throughout the hospital, according to HT VET.

The VISTA iQ has also been developed with consideration for clinical workflow. A new ergonomic design and multiuser functionality aim to make it easier for veterinary teams to integrate cancer screening into routine consultations. Upgrades include a redesigned user interface for faster navigation, improved light and vibration indicators for real-time feedback, and built-in precision tools such as a laser grid and accelerometer for accurate measurements. Additionally, a companion VISTA iQ application offers enhanced case documentation features, allowing clinicians to record detailed mass characteristics, case histories, treatment plans, and diagnostics in one place, creating a comprehensive and connected patient record system, according to the company.

For more industry news and coverage of VMX, visit 

HT VET launches VISTA iQ, combining advanced imaging with next-level AI analysis. News release. HT VET. January 16, 2026.

The noninvasive technology from HT VET screens for dermal and subcutaneous masses.