There was a moment in my life when everything seemed to crumble beneath my feet. I faced academic dismissal from veterinary school, a label that made me question not only my abilities, but my very worth. For the first time, I heard the harsh, discouraging voices that echoed, “You’re not good enough. You are not smart enough. You will never become a doctor.” Each word felt like a weight pressing down on my spirit, threatening to extinguish the passion that had once fueled my dream of becoming a veterinarian.

In those dark hours, I applied to work as an emergency veterinary technician, hoping I would find fulfillment in still having the ability to work with animals and save them, albeit in a different role. It was a way to walk away from disappointment, and accept that maybe, just maybe, my dream was too big or beyond my reach. However, something inside me refused to let go. During my time working, I found myself in an odd medium where my knowledge was far beyond that of a technician, yet insufficient to be a doctor. I was constantly told to “take off my doctor glasses.” This in-between place was both humbling and motivating.

I was not alone in this fight. My family stood by my side unwaveringly, their faith in me becoming the light in my darkest days. They reminded me who I truly was, not the mistakes I made, but the potential I held.

As time passed, I learned that setbacks are not the end of the road but a fork inviting us to choose courage over fear. Returning to veterinary school wasn’t just about academic redemption; it was about reclaiming hope and proving to myself that my past did not define my future. Each challenging class, each late night of studying, was a step toward rebuilding my confidence and reigniting my dream.

Whether you have been academically dismissed or failed a course and are battling self-doubt, I am here to tell you that you are good enough and you are not alone. Take a moment to sit back and look around at the people surrounding you. If you are sitting in a classroom, every student around you is struggling with something. It could be school pressure, finances, anxiety from being away from home, or family challenges. These struggles don’t make them less capable, it makes them human.

If you are at work, know that everyone carries their burdens, stress, uncertainty about the future, or feelings of inadequacy. Despite that, each day, individuals show up, put in the effort, and in some cases, start from scratch.

This is a powerful reminder that starting over doesn’t mean failure; it means strength. You can begin again, rewriting your story, and shaping the future you desire.

History and everyday life are full of inspiring examples. These stories teach us that setbacks are steppingstones, belief in oneself is vital, and persistence ultimately leads to achievement.

In essence, perseverance combined with self-confidence and a supportive network transforms obstacles into opportunities. As Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” By holding firmly to our dreams and embracing every challenge as a chance to grow, we not only realize our aspirations but also inspire others to do the same.

Never let the doubts of others or the setbacks you face silence the voice inside that says, ‘keep going.’ My journey is a reminder that even when the path seems uncertain, with courage and support, we can rise, reclaim our dreams, and create the future we’ve always imagined.

Articles

In perseverance lies hope, and in hope lies the power to transform your life.

From academic dismissal to a dream reclaimed: My journey of courage and hope

Accurately dosing medications for animal patients of different sizes and species can be a challenge. Traditional compounding can be imprecise, often relying on manual adjustments or requiring pet owners to split tablets, which can introduce variability. Now, a Finnish biotechnology company, CurifyLabs, is bringing 3D-printed compounded medications to the veterinary space after years in human compounding pharmacies and hospitals.

In this Q&A, adapted from an interview with 

, Niklas Sandler Topelius, PhD, MSc, chief technology officer and cofounder of CurifyLabs, explains how the company’s 

recently launched CuraBlend Vet excipient system

 combines automated compounding with a beef-flavored base, allowing for individualized and more precise patient dosing in animal patients. He also discusses where veterinary personalized medication may be headed, suggesting 3D-printed compounded medications may lay the groundwork for easier dose adjustments guided by diagnostic testing.

Editor’s note: This dvm360 Q&A has been edited and consolidated from a verbal interview to better fit a written format while retaining the substance of the original conversation.

: Can you tell us about CurifyLabs and the inspiration behind developing 3D-printed compounded medications?

 CurifyLabs has developed a platform for compounding pharmacies and hospitals that automate the compounding process. Currently, it is a very manual process and we have [developed more advanced] technology that tries to take away the human error from that manual way of doing things. We founded the company in 2021 and we are a Helsinki-based company from Finland. We started first in Europe, with a presence in 13 countries, and now we are in the US, primarily working with compounding and hospital pharmacies.

: What motivated the shift into the veterinary space?

 Actually, we started with veterinary applications. When we founded the company, our first application areas were veterinary formulations because we want to bring personalized, individualized therapies to patients. In the veterinary space, that need is even bigger than on the human side. The within-species variability, for instance, in dogs, is immense. Taking every species into account is very important from our point of view. We saw a lot of pull from the human side and focused there for a time. We never left the veterinary side, so we recently came out with our Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-manufactured veterinary basis.

: For veterinarians unfamiliar with this, how do 3D-printed compounded medications work, and how do they differ from traditional compounding?

 The compounder—what we call the “Compounding System Solution” is based on and inspired on 3D printing. With this technology, you can really precisely and flexibly dose any given drug that is in the formulation library. Precision is one of the key elements. You could build dosage regimens very accurately for any given patient. These medications also have bases.

: Can you talk specifically about the CuraBlend Vet base?

 CuraBlend Vet, which we launched in December 2025, is a specifically designed excipient base into which the pharmacist adds the active pharmaceutical ingredient. This base is designed to be palatable to patients, primarily cats and dogs. We [designed] it like a gummy-like treat for optimized palatability. In essence, the base and the technology together build the dosage form, while the technology provides the precision and possibility to really individualize the dosing in an optimal way.

: Are there any upcoming developments for CurifyLabs in the veterinary market?

 This launch of the first CuraBlend Vet base, which is beef-flavored, will be accompanied by other bases. We need to broaden that spectrum of different types of flavors for more flexibility

: Looking ahead, how do you see personalized, 3D printed medications changing the way veterinarians prescribe over the next decade?

 From a treatment optimization perspective, this type of technology offers the best solution because you can really tailor the dosing. Going forward, there will be other types of formulations made available for more species beyond dogs and cats, allowing better-optimized treatment across more veterinary patients. [With conventional, manual compounding,] a tablet might need to be split into multiple pieces, usually by the pet owner.

It will also push the boundaries of individualized treatment.

Diagnostics and biomarkers, such as blood tests, could inform adjustments to a patient’s dose over time—creating something like a feedback loop that responds to the animal’s actual needs. That kind of individualized, patient-specific dosing isn’t possible with today’s conventional compounding or standard tablets, so 3D-printed medications could play a big role there.

The cofounder of a biotech developing 3D-printing compounding technology company discusses the company's official entrance into the veterinary space, in this Q&A.

Q&A: Are 3D-printed compounded medications the future of veterinary prescribing? 

A group of researchers from across the globe have released a set of guidelines veterinary professionals can use when diagnosing and monitoring canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS). The guidelines will provide a standard definition of the condition as well as practical diagnostic criteria, plus can be used by both clinicians and researchers to help senior dogs who have cognitive issues.

According to the organizational release, CCDS is a chronic, progressive, and age-associated neurodegenerative syndrome which is characterized by cognitive and behavioral changes.

 Patients with CCDS can present with altered activity levels, anxiety, sleep disruption, house soiling as well as learning and memory impairment.

“We are seeing CCDS diagnoses with increasing frequency, but there isn’t a standardized method for the diagnosis,” said Natasha Olby, VetMB PhD, DACVIM (Neurology), Kady M. Gjessing, DVM, and Rahna M. Davidson distinguished chair in gerontology at North Carolina State University, in an organizational release.

 “We wanted to propose that standardized method as a starting point that can be built upon over time.” Olby is the leader of the working group and corresponding author of the work.

Within the guidelines, the researchers created a diagnostic flowchart to help professionals establish a diagnosis with 2 different levels of certainty, and they proposed 3 definitions of severity, ranging from mild to debilitating impairment.

 The researchers recommended to professionals that they start monitoring dogs for cognitive changes through routine senior dog surveys when patients are about 7 years old.

According to the research, CCDS manifests as changes in the following, commonly known as DISHAA

House soiling, learning, and memory deficits

Activity changes (either increasing or decreasing)

If a client reports behavioral abnormalities, veterinary teams should follow up with a CCDS scale and ongoing monitoring every 6 months. The CCDS scale should also be used on canine patients starting when they are 10 years old and then every 6 months after that. Following this step, the next ones are to rule out other ailments by conducting neurological and physical exams, and if possible, brain imaging.

“The good news here is that there is increased interest in finding treatments for CCDS,” Olby stated.

 “But in order to develop those treatments we must first be sure there’s an agreed upon definition of the condition.”

The researchers hope by providing veterinary professionals a workable definition of CCDS and its diagnostic criteria that it will improve diagnostic and therapeutics for senior canine patients.

“I selected the participants in this working group from experts in field who are either actively working on CCDS or who historically have set the standards – from those who first defined it to those who translated it into clinical practice,” Olby concluded. “We recognize that this document is just the start of the process, but it was developed as a working live document that can be added to over time as our understanding improves.”

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

 and was supported in part by the American Kennel Club’s Canine Health Foundation.

Peake T. Researchers Develop Guidelines for Diagnosing, Monitoring Canine Cognitive Decline | NC State News. NC State News. Published January 5, 2026. Accessed January 15, 2026. 

https://news.ncsu.edu/2026/01/researchers-develop-guidelines-for-diagnosing-monitoring-canine-cognitive-decline/

Olby NJ, Araujo JA, Gruen ME, et al. The Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome Working Group guidelines for diagnosis and monitoring of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome. 

. Published online December 24, 2025:1-8. doi:https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.10.0668

Veterinary experts establish new guidelines for diagnosing and monitoring CCDS.

Researchers create canine cognitive decline guidelines

Image courtesy of Louisiana State University

Microscopic image of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1).

A team of researchers at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge is investigating equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), following a 2025 outbreak of the disease in the US. The goal is to determine where in the body the virus resides during latency.

EHV-1 largely causes respiratory signs, but the virus can also cause neurologic disease and abortion in pregnant mares, according to LSU. Although a vaccine for the respiratory version of EHV-1 currently exists, the research at LSU could help the development of a vaccine for the neurologic version of the virus, known as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM).

EHV-1 is spread through contact with infected nasal discharge and aerosol droplets between horses, as well as contaminated surfaces such as stalls, feed, tack, and vehicles. Humans can also indirectly transmit infection through contaminated hands, clothing, and equipment.

Clinical signs of EHV-1 infection include fever, nasal discharge, enlarged lymph nodes, lethargy, and late-term abortion that can occur up to 2 months after a mare is infected, according to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Signs of EHM include an inability to stand, incoordination, urine dribbling, high fever, and decreased sensation in the tail and perineal area.

Outbreaks can be difficult to predict or control, according to LSU.

, horses in multiple states were reportedly diagnosed with EHV-1 infection linked to the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Finals and Elite Barrel Race held in Waco, Texas, earlier in the same month. Three of those horses, from Texas, were quarantined at the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Baton Rouge.

At LSU, faculty members in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences—Udeni Balasuriya, BVSc, PhD; Côme Thieulent, PhD; and Mariano Carossino, DVM, PhD—were awarded a Charles V. Cusimano Equine Health and Sports Performance Research Grant for the investigation of rapid detection of latent respiratory EHV-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and peripheral tissues using multiplex 1-step digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) assays. Based on this research, investigators are now aiming to develop a rapid, highly sensitive molecular dPCR assay that will detect hidden EHV-1 infections before they lead to disease and outbreaks. According to LSU, such a tool would support vaccine development.

More knowledge of the virus during latency can also help veterinarians improve animal health and welfare, as well as equine disease control.

 Currently, veterinarians can perform diagnostics for living equine patients such as nasal swab collection and blood collection. Standard treatment can include intravenous fluids or anti-inflammatory drugs with antibiotics used for secondary bacterial infection.

LSU vet med researchers investigating Equine herpesvirus. News release. Louisiana State University. December 19, 2025. Accessed January 15, 2025. 

https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/news/2025/equine_herpesvirus_research.php

Crossley KC. Equine herpesvirus poses threat to horses in multiple states. 

. November 21, 2025. Accessed January 15, 2026. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/equine-herpesvirus-poses-threat-to-horses-in-multiple-states

LSU vet med treating three Texas horses quarantined for confirmed equine herpesvirus-1. News release. Louisiana State University. November 19, 2025. Accessed January 15, 2026. 

https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/news/2025/equine_herpesvirus.php

Sharfman A. OK Dept. of Agriculture confirms two cases of highly contagious virus affecting horses. 

. November 19, 2025. Updated November 20, 2025. Accessed November 21, 2025. 

https://ktul.com/news/local/possible-exposure-of-equine-herpesvirus-leads-to-lazy-e-arena-event-cancellation-highly-contagious-virus-horses-oklahoma-state-veterinarian-ehv-1-rhinopneumonitis-virus-strain-symptoms-barrel-futurities-of-america

Equine herpesvirus (EHV) myeloencephalopathy: a guide to understanding the neurologic form of EHV infection. US Department of Agriculture. December 2008. Accessed January 15, 2026. 

http://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/ehsp/ehv_guide.pdf

Louisiana State University investigators were awarded a grant to explore the detection of the virus during the latent period.

Researchers are working to learn more about equine herpesvirus

Supporting clients in keeping pets lean and up to date on vaccines and parasite prevention are simple steps veterinarians can take to help pets live longer, healthier lives, explains Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD. 

Preventive care and healthy body weight help pets live longer, expert says

Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, director of veterinary medicine at Loyal, a biotechnology company focusing on extending the healthy lifespan of dogs, shares the most effective, ‘low-tech’ strategies for longer, healthy lives in animal patients. He highlights how maintaining a lean body weight reduces risk of 

, which is a key component of the aging process. Routine diagnostics and parasite prevention also contribute to healthy, long lives in pets, notes McKenzie.

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

Hi, I'm Brennen McKenzie. I'm a small animal veterinarian and I am currently both part-time in private practice, where I've been for almost 25 years now, and the director of veterinary medicine for Loyal, which is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco, [California]. Our mission is developing medications to try to extend the healthy lifespan of dogs.

What steps can veterinarians take to help delay disease onset and extend a dog’s healthy lifespan?

For now, the things that are available are, not super high-tech and complicated, but they're still very impactful. One of the most important is encouraging and helping and supporting our clients to maintain a healthy body weight in their pets.

Obesity and overweight are very significant drivers of metabolic dysfunction, and they stack on top of the dysfunction that goes along with aging to make it even worse. So, we know very clearly from the scientific literature that if we keep animals at a healthy, lean body weight, they're going to feel better, they're going to have less disease, and they're going to live longer.

Other than that, routine preventive care. We found that people who bring their dogs in regularly for vaccinations, who are consistent with their parasite prevention, who do regular, appropriate screening blood work and things like that, have pets who are healthier and live longer. My job is to hopefully develop some new tools, but those are the things that vets can do right now to maintain healthy life as long as possible in their patients.

Videos

The 2026 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) hosted by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) kicks off in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, January 17. Veterinary professionals attending in person or virtually have 5 days of continuing education opportunities, access to exhibiting vendors from throughout the industry, and presentations on new veterinary research. 

There is also a variety of activities and special events available to attendees that focus on physical and mental wellness, community service, and entertainment. Here are some of those events:

The Zen Garden at the 2025 VMX event in Orlando, Florida.

Throughout VMX, various fitness and wellness initiatives are available to attendees. Whether looking for relaxation and enjoyment or physical well-being for attendees and their pets, there is a variety of activities from which to choose, including the following:

Puppy Playground and the Cat Nap Café, with both spaces featuring live animals

Zen Garden, offering yoga, meditation, art, therapy and giveaways

Rabies titer testing and biochemical assays

Fitness and well-being center, offering scheduled yoga, Pilates, stretching, and more for the mind and body

The 5K Fun Run, starting 6:30 AM on January 19, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency 

The 2026 VMX theme celebrates “Champions of Care” in veterinary medicine. In the spirit of the theme, the following activities provide opportunities for attendees  to serve their communities:

Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service Million Meal Pack: This initiative helps fight hunger in the Orlando community, with volunteers packing and distributing healthy meals. Attendees can 

 for one of several 90-minute sessions to help pack meals.

Blood drive: A bus collecting donations will be parked outside the south concourse of the convention center. Donors will receive a long-sleeved T-shirt, a $20 e-gift card, and a full wellness checkup.

Pet adoption: Dogs and cats available for adoption at the end of VMX can be found at the Puppy Playground and the Cat Nap Café.

NAVC Gives: Submit a nomination for an achievement or advancement in animal wellness that deserved to be recognized. 

Artwork by veterinary professionals on display at the 2025 VMX event.

The 2025 VMX theme has also focused on the arts. This year, NAVC is bringing back elements of that theme with a continued celebration of veterinary artists. Attendees will view artwork in various mediums—paintings, drawings, photography, textiles, digital illustrations, etc—submitted by veterinarians, technicians, veterinary assistants, practice managers, and other team members and industry professionals, as well as students.

Additionally, actor John Travolta will serve as the headline speaker for VMX’s welcome address, sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, on January 17, 2026, according to NAVC. The 

star is replacing actor Patrick Dempsey with his VMX appearance. Although NAVC previously announced Dempsey as the headliner, filming schedule conflicts were cited as the reason the 

Other entertainment includes a concert by country musician Riley Green on January 18, 2026, which is exclusive to VMX attendees; and a party on January 19, 2026, with music, food, dancing, and areas to watch a football championship game. Finally, during the closing ceremony on January 21, 2026, the stars of Nat Geo’s TV show 

, Vernard L. Hodges, DVM, and Terrence Ferguson, DVM, will be the featured speakers.

Hosted by the North American Veterinary Community, the event features a variety of activities that include celebrity appearances, physical fitness, and several ways to perform community service. 