At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in a range of nonhuman animal species, both wild and domestic. Scientists discovered that in white-tailed deer and mink, the virus spread readily within the species and acquired mutations that eventually "spilled back" into humans. This raised concerns that the parallel evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in animals could create more transmissible or pathogenic variants, resulting in a resurgence of human infections.

In a new study, researchers at Yale University performed surveillance to understand the current coronaviral landscape in wild and domestic animals in the northeastern United States. They found that although the virus continues to evolve in humans, its grip seems to be weakening within the animal kingdom.

“This is good news, as it reduces the chance of spill-back of newly evolved animal variants into humans,” said Caroline Zeiss, DACVP, DACLAM, senior author of the study and professor of comparative medicine and of ophthalmology and visual science at Yale School of Medicine.

“Ongoing monitoring is essential, particularly for viruses that are capable of infecting many species, such as corona[viruses] and influenza viruses. Long-term surveillance of wildlife and animals living close to humans gives us a unique chance to spot new pathogens that might spread to humans or affect animal health.”

Coronaviruses have a very broad host range and can jump across species; this ability was at the root of the virus crossing the animal-human boundary to trigger the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the virus has undergone rapid evolution, with one variant succeeding another as it becomes increasingly transmissible in its predominant human host.

This progression has been accompanied by evidence of transmission between humans and animals, as well as sustained transmission within certain species. Although the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in animal samples has declined since the pandemic’s peak, it remains unclear whether this reflects a true decline or simply reduced surveillance resources.

For this new study, titled "The Coronaviral Landscape Across Diverse Mammalian Species in the Northeastern United States" and published in 

, researchers sought to understand the reasoning behind this decline.

 They conducted a broad surveillance study of wild and domestic animals—including cats, dogs, ferrets, woodchucks, and cattle—located within the northeastern US. In total, the team collected fecal swabs, oral swabs, or stool specimens from 889 animals. This was a collaborative effort between Yale University, the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

The samples were analyzed for coronaviral RNA using an assay method capable of detecting a broad range of coronavirus types. Positive samples were sequenced to identify the specific coronavirus species, and researchers conducted genetic analysis on most positive samples to provide independent verification of the results.¹

To complement the surveillance, researchers conducted experimental infections of white-footed mice in the laboratory using the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the Omicron variant. They focused on white-footed mice because they are the most common rodent in the study area and have an established role in spreading pathogens between humans and other animals. To test cross-species transmission, the team exposed hamsters—known to be a susceptible model for infection—to contaminated bedding and cages from the infected mice.

“Our goal was to determine whether both variants could infect white-footed mice and whether they could transmit the virus to each other or to another species,” Zeiss said.

Through these studies, researchers detected several kinds of animal coronaviruses in samples from 7 different species; however, none of them tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.²

When researchers infected the white-footed mice in the lab, the mice contracted both the original and Omicron variants. However, they did not shed as much of the virus with the Omicron variant and did not transmit it among themselves. Notably, although the original strain could spread among the mice, neither the original nor the Omicron variant jumped to the hamsters.¹

Researchers say these findings suggest that as SARS-CoV-2 evolves in its preferred human host, successive variants may be losing their affinity for nonhuman animals.

“Therefore, the chance of spill-back of newly evolved animal variants into humans is very low,” Zeiss said. “For most people, this is relevant to pet owners who live in close contact with animals.”

This study was supposed by the United States Department of Agriculture, and the rodent capture occurred as part of integrated tick management studies funded by the CDC.

Dalton M. SARS-CoV-2 is on the decline in animals, study finds. Yale News. January 9, 2026. Accessed January 14, 2026. 

https://news.yale.edu/2026/01/09/sars-cov-2-decline-animals-study-finds

Ibemgbo S, Compton S, Breban MI, et al. The coronaviral landscape across diverse mammalian species in the northeastern United States. 

. Published online December 20, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-32849-3

Articles

Research from a study conducted at Yale University found that the virus responsible for COVID-19 is weakening in animals, even as it continues to evolve in humans. 

Research finds SARS-CoV-2 declining in animals 

In this video, Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAABC) emphasizes the importance finding the right solution for each patient.

Navigating complementary therapies for canine separation anxiety

In this video, Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAABC), owner and lead clinician at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon, discusses complementary and alternative therapies that may help support dogs with separation anxiety. He outlines key considerations for selecting safe and effective options for individual patients, and explains how practitioners can navigate these options to find the best fit for each patient.

: Is medication necessary for dogs with separation anxiety?

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

My name is Dr Chris Pachel. I am a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and the lead clinician at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon.

Can you talk about alternative therapies for separation anxiety in dogs?

There are all sorts of complementary therapies, whether that be supplements, nutraceuticals, herbal therapies, or pheromones. There are even some device-based solutions or adjunctive therapies, like the Calmer Canine device, that can all be helpful. Where we want to be really intentional in our choices is trying to figure out: what's the right solution here?

Now, what I mean by that is that when we look at some particular interventions, there may be contraindications, either due to underlying health concerns or perhaps being just a mismatch between the way in which a particular supplement or herbal therapy is going to have an impact for that particular patient. So, from a practitioner standpoint, I look at a long list of all of those options and say: what are the patient's needs? What is the timeline under which we may be looking for that support? Do we have other medications on board that may be working synergistically or potentially in conflict with what we're choosing from a supplement or nutraceutical or herbal basis?

Choosing the right medication for canine separation anxiety

Videos

The Pet Poison Helpline released its annual Top 10 Pet Poisons lists for dogs and cats, highlighting the toxins most frequently reported to its call center in North America over the past year. In 2025, many familiar household hazards remained, but a new item appeared on both the canine and feline lists: acetaminophen.

This new “top 10” toxin is linked to an increase in influenza (flu) cases across the US, as many cold and flu medications contain acetaminophen. According to the CDC, influenza activity in the 2024-2025 season (September 29, 2024-August 30, 2025) was the most severe influenza season since 2017-2018, with the CDC classifying this past season as “high severity.”

 Last month, the federal public health agency saw an especially high surge in influenza cases,

 with activity remaining elevated to date.

“With more cold and flu medicine available in households, it makes sense that curious pets would find it and ingest it," Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of veterinary medicine at Pet Poison Helpline, said in a company news release.

 "Many of those cold and flu medications contain acetaminophen.”

Acetaminophen poses a severe toxicity risk to cats

Alternate names for acetaminophen include

For cats, acetaminophen’s toxicity level is severe, as their liver is not able to efficiently metabolize the drug, putting them at far greater risk of toxicity than most other species.

 Dogs also face a risk, with Pet Poison Helpline classifying the risk to these animals as moderate.

Common signs of acetaminophen toxicity include the following

Swelling of the face, paws, and/or forelimbs

Liver damage (characterized by dark urine, discolored feces, polyuria, polydipsia, and an enlarged abdomen)

Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2025: Canine and feline lists

In addition to acetaminophen making its way on the 2025 Top 10 Pet Poisons canine list, other changes include some items shifting up and down the list. The list is as follows:

Carprofen became the first veterinary-specific medication to appear on Pet Poison Helpline’s Top 10 list in 2022,

 following cases of accidental ingestion or overdoses in pets for whom it was not prescribed.

"The biggest shift was onion exposures, which shot from number 10 in 2024 to number [5] this past year," Schmid said.

 "Acetaminophen also made the list at number 10, and carprofen fell off the list." 

"Cats have very different tastes than dogs, so the list of Top 10 Pet Poisons for cats is significantly different than for dogs," Schmid said.

 "The biggest difference is that specific lilies are extremely enticing to cats, [whereas] chocolate is the biggest temptation for dogs, based on the calls received to our call center. 

 sp lilies pose a great risk for causing kidney failure in cats and can be deadly if ingested. For cats, garlic fell off the list, which had taken the fourth spot, and grapes and acetaminophen were added.”

The 2025 Top 10 Pet Poisons list for cats is as follows:

"While these [toxins for cats and dogs] are not necessarily the most toxic poisons, they are the most frequently encountered by pets,” Schmid said.

1. Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2025. Pet Poison Helpline. January 14, 2026. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/top-10-pet-poisons-of-2025-302660204.html 

2. Influenza activity in the United States during the 2024–25 season and composition of the 2025–26 influenza vaccine. CDC. September 26, 2025. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/whats-new/2025-2026-influenza-activity.html

3. Weekly US influenza surveillance report: key updates for week 51, ending December 20, 2025. CDC. December 30, 2025. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-51.html

4. Weekly US influenza surveillance report: key updates for week 53, ending January 3, 2026. CDC. January 9, 2026. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-53.html

5. Acetaminophen. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/acetaminophen/

6. Schmid R, Brutlag A, Downing R. Acetaminophen poisoning in cats. VCA Animal Hospitals. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/acetaminophen-toxicity-in-cats

7. Coppock K. Marijuana is among the 2023 top 10 pet toxins. 

. December 14, 2023. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/marijuana-is-among-the-2023-top-10-pet-toxins

A surge in influenza cases this past season coincides with acetaminophen appearing on the Pet Poison Helpline’s 2025 list of the most commonly reported toxins for cats and dogs.

Acetaminophen rises to top 10 pet poisons in 2025

Late last October, Bessie, a 2-year-old chihuahua mix, was brought to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine by her owners Tammy Wright and Wendy Chartier because she lost the ability to move her back legs, going from a mild limp to total paralysis in only 12 days.

Bessie, a 2-year-old chihuahua mix, was brought to the teaching hospital after she was unable to walk on her own. (Image courtesy of Virginia Tech)

During her neurological exam, Richard Shinn, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology), pinched Bessie’s toes with a hemostat and there was no flinch or reaction, which marked a devastating milestone for the dog. According to Shinn, for a tumor when deep pain is gone usually has a 10-20% prognosis, and the team was not expecting her to walk again.

Bessie received an MRI where it was revealed something Shinn had only seen one other time in his career: a nephroblastoma embedded in the patient’s spinal cord. Nephroblastoma is a tumor born from kidney cels that was trapped in the wrong place during fetal development and is more common in German shepherds and Great Danes.

"It’s weird," Shinn said. "A little piece of kidney gets stuck where the spinal cord is formed, and it grows with the spinal cord."

In Bessie’s case, the tumor compressed her spinal cord so if the team were to remove it, it would mean destroying functional nerve tissue. Surgery would help ease Bessie’s pain, but the team thought her ever walking again was “wishful thinking.”

Case report: canine spinal cord nephroblastoma

Wright and Chartier had stretched their finances to a breaking point on diagnostic imaging, but since Bessie’s case was rare, hospital teaching funds and compassionate care assistance made surgery possible. Along with surgery, Bessie joined an ongoing clinical trial that was examining whether nerve signal testing can predict which patients will regain function.

Shinn and Bryanna Mischler, BSc, DVM, a first-year neurology resident, and a fourth-year veterinary student, worked over 3 hours drilling through Bessie’s vertebral bone to reach the spinal canal to carefully remove as much of the tumor as they could. When they were done, the team noted that her spinal cord looked bruised, frayed, and ‘not healthy.’

The morning after the surgery, Shinn returned to check on Bessie and pinched her toes. This time, Bessie pulled away.

"The very next day, she could feel her toes, and that was quite remarkable," Shinn said.

Three days later, Bessie was discharged since she could stand unassisted and her right back leg stepped properly. Her left back leg showed intermittent movement, and she was nearly able to walk.

Once home, Wright provided intensive care from Wright, including holding her up when she needed to go to the bathroom, spoon fed her baby food, and administered pain medication every few hours. Weeks later Bessie walked into the hospital for her recheck appointment. Even though one back leg remained weaker than the other, she was mobile.

Without radiation therapy, most nephroblastoma’s recur within a year or two, and Shinn made sure that Bessie’s owners understand this and the goal all along was never false hope, but quality of life and time.

"A year for a dog is different than a year for us," Shinn concluded.

 "Now they have time to prepare themselves, either mentally or financially, for when that time comes."

Since Bessie’s surgery was recorded, it is now going to be used as a teaching resource that did not exist before, and Mischler gained hands-on experience for a condition she may never see again. The clinical study Bessie was involved in also added another data point to help predict outcomes for future paralyzed patients.

As for Bessie and her family, they are happy the surgery gave Bessie the chance to be a dog, and they would do it all over again.

Mann A. Paralyzed chihuahua walks again after rare tumor surgery. Virginia Tech. Published January 7, 2026. Accessed January 14, 2026. 

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/01/vetmed-vth-success-story-bessie.html

Meiman E, Glass E, Kent M, Silver G, Song R. Case report: canine spinal cord nephroblastoma. dvm360. Published November 10, 2021. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/case-report-canine-spinal-cord-nephroblastoma

After going from a mild limp to total paralysis in less than 2 weeks, Bessie, a 2-year-old chihuahua mix, was brought to the neurology team at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary medicine.

Rare tumor surgery helps dog walk again 

Not One More Vet (NOMV) has awarded its’ CLEAR Blueprint certification to Roo, a veterinary relief organization. Roo is the first veterinary relief organization to earn the distinction, which certifies that it has created and maintains a mentally healthy, supportive workplace.

Charlotte Weir, vice president, hospital success and industry relations for Roo, said the organization was honored to take part in the CLEAR Blueprint program and receive certification.

 “Roo is really trying to set a new standard for how mental health and well-being can be embedded organizationally, not just like within singular practices,” Weir added in a 

Burnout, compassion fatigue and other mental health issues such as financial pressures and limited time for self-care are veterinary industry concerns driven by long hours, emotional strain, and chronic understaffing.

 For example, a 2024 survey of veterinary technicians found 88% of respondents reported compassion fatigue as a “significant issue.”

 Furthermore, a 2022 survey of found 44% of veterinary professionals had considered leaving the field for reasons other than retirement, which was an increase from 36% in 2020. The most reported reasons cited for considering leaving the profession were mental health (36%) and work-life balance (27%).

“Veterinary medicine is emotionally demanding, and too often the people who give so much of themselves are left without the support they deserve. We’re proud to be building a community where veterinarians, technicians, students, and hospital leaders feel protected and empowered to pursue fulfilling careers,” Weir said in a news release.

The CLEAR Blueprint workplace wellness certification provides veterinary teams with resources and guidance for building and sustaining mentally healthy workplaces. 

NOMV's mission is literally to ensure the well-being of veterinary industry members. We really focus in 3 arenas: education, awareness and support [with] resources,” Gigi Tsontos, executive director at the nonprofit Not One More Vet and a licensed clinical social worker, said in a 

 interview. “Our education components are anything from awareness campaigns, outreach materials that are available to help someone learn about how they can develop skills, [and] webinars. I like to say that our education department team and volunteers, they help synthesize tough information so that you can use it in the moment.”

The certification program provides “clear practices for how staff care for themselves, support one another, and interact with the people they meet while caring for animals,” according to NOMV. “Roo’s achievement of the CLEAR Blueprint certification reflects the kind of proactive leadership needed in the industry, particularly from organizations that are leading how veterinary professionals access work and support,” Tsontos said in the news release.

 “By embedding CLEAR standards into its own operations and championing mental health, Roo is helping move the profession toward a healthier future and represents a powerful step in building a more compassionate industry.”

Roo provides relief veterinary team members to practices and hospitals in need, while offering flexible career options to those workers. The organization has been long committed to mental health support, including serving as a sponsor for NOMV’s peer-support Lifeboat program. The company is deepening its commitment to veterinary professionals by integrating CLEAR Blueprint standards with its internal workplace culture—formalizing polices and practices that strengthen mental wellness and support—and the broader veterinary community.

interview, Weir said one example of a policy that supports mental well-being is Roo’s practice of providing unlimited paid time off. “It really is about the empowerment for people to take the time they need. Life is throwing curve balls. You want to make sure that your team has a chance to spend time with family, to recover, to go travel, to see the world. There's so much to do, and you only have one life to live. So we want to ensure that our employees here feel empowered to do that,” Weir said.

According to Roo, the organization plans to continue expanding internal policies, resources, and partnerships that promote mental health efforts in veterinary medicine. Furthermore, Roo is making the CLEAR Blueprint program more accessible to its hospital partners that are working toward.

“I’m afirm believer that anything you're certified in, you should certainly revisit. You're always changing your ecosystem. You're adding [and] you're subtracting team members. And so, you want to make sure that you keep this at the forefront. You can't plant a garden and then not water it. So we're committed to doing that with our team,” Weir said in a 

Roo becomes the first veterinary relief organization to earn Not One More Vet’s CLEAR Blueprint certification. News release. Roo. January 14, 2026.

NAVTA’s 2024 Demographic Survey reveals strong feelings on title protection, income, role clarity, and wellness. News release. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. April 3, 2025. Accessed January 14, 2026. 

https://navta.net/news/navtas-2024-demographic-survey-reveals-strong-feelings-on-title-protection-income-role-clarity-and-wellness/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

2022 AVMA Report on the Economic State of the Veterinary Profession. American Veterinary Medical Association. 2022. Accessed January 14, 2026. 

https://ebusiness.avma.org/files/ProductDownloads/eco-state-of-profession-report-lr-secured-2022.pdf

Roo is recognized for building a mentally healthy, supportive work environment.

Veterinary relief organization earns NOMV certification for mental wellness

Parties, malls, soccer games, and Facebook are just a few of the places where veterinarians are cornered for casual medical advice, even care, for their pets. Why the under-the-table solicitations? Sheer convenience. A play for free help. Trust in an acquaintance. Or just an innocent conversation starter.

“A lot of veterinarians are empathetic and people-pleasing perfectionists by nature,” Julie Cappel, DVM, veterinary life coach, said. “But…people assume we want to do our jobs 24-7.”

Full-time veterinarians work an average of 42.3 hours weekly.

 The job is both brain-twisting and mind-numbingly repetitive in turns, sometimes gut-wrenching, and always a vocal workout. A recent study of quality of life in the veterinary profession reported high burnout in 1 of 4 survey respondents.

Veterinarians often assume they won’t be asked medical questions when they’re off the clock. However, Cappel said, this hopeful thinking comes at a cost.

“It becomes a big problem because we veterinarians think it shouldn’t happen… 

we are going to get asked stuff, because what we do is interesting and people love their animals,” she added.

Joe Hyduke, DVM, medical director of Malvern Veterinary Hospital in Pennsylvania, said he isn’t bothered. “I enjoy what I do, and I like talking about it.”

Hyduke recalled a recent outing where “everyone on the beach”—upon hearing he was a veterinarian—approached him with questions about their pets. Although he doesn’t mind the queries, he conceded that these scenarios often feel intrusive to his companions. So, when he attends a social event, he sometimes refrains from rolling out the “V” word.

Despite loving his work, Noto feels that when a friend or family member shows him a photo on their phone of their cat’s abscess while at a party and asks him for medication, for instance, they are undervaluing the profession: They are dismissing not only the rigor needed to manage a case, but also the rightful remuneration.

Comparing veterinary medicine to law, he said, “A lawyer will charge you if he thinks about your case while taking a bath. A lawyer will charge you if he calls you and gets no answer. A lawyer will charge you the extra hour on the nights we jump the clock forward.”

Money aside, there are also complex legal issues in play, Rob Simpson, DVM, JD, president of the American Veterinary Medical Law Association, said. Whether the medical advice or treatment is doled out to a client at the clinic or to a friend outside the office, the veterinarian is held to the same standard of care. “You are accountable, even if it’s at a party,” he warned.

A veterinarian cannot legally treat a pet without a valid veterinarian-client-patient-relationship (VCPR). What constitutes a VCPR varies by state, but most require an understanding of the patient’s history, a recent in-person exam, availability for ongoing consultation about prescribed treatments, and record-keeping, with some states mandating a novel VCPR for each new condition that arises.

All of this is hard to do if we are counseling the stranger sitting next to us on a plane about his pet we’ve never seen in person. And from a purely ethical standpoint, the American Veterinary Medical Association frowns on mixing medicine and friendship or kinship because of concerns about professional objectivity and conflicts of interest.

Simpson recounted a case involving a veterinarian whose close friend became a client. The friend dropped by the hospital one day because his pet had a seizure. The doctor and the owner chatted in the lobby. Without examining the pet or offering diagnostics, the veterinarian offhandedly remarked, “‘Why don’t you try some [cannabidiol]?’”

Two days later, the dog presented with liver failure and died. After the friend reported him to the state veterinary medical board, Simpson recalled, the doctor received professional discipline because the owner was treated “more as a friend than as a client.”

“You don’t typically think a friend will report you,” he explained, “but the moment something goes wrong, it hits the fan.”

Anthony Mahan, Esq, managing attorney with Mahan Law in Bellevue, Kentucky, said his office now handles more state board complaints than it did in the past. Not only are licenses on the line, but pet owners can sue for malpractice.

What may a veterinarian legally do for nonclient friends and family? Simpson said they may give general husbandry advice. Nutritional counseling is generally OK too, though the legalities here can be murky. But sending a friend’s pet to the vet always gets a green light. “You will never get in trouble for saying, ‘Yes, that sounds like it needs to be seen.’”

Now 25-plus years in practice, RobNoto,VMD, medical director at Memorial Veterinary Hospital in Throop, Pennsylvania, no longer provides guidance for pets that are not his patients: He draws a hard line. “If I don’t see you in the office, I don’t talk about your pet,” he affirmed.

He also shies away from giving second opinions, instead redirecting the owner to listen to their own veterinarian. His stringency is sometimes met with consternation. “The closer they are to you, the more shocked they are that you’re not getting involved,” Noto observed.

Cappel noted that sometimes second opinions are really just a friend’s way of seeking a better understanding of what their own veterinarian told them. She said she has no issue with serving as a friendly interpreter of complex medical information.

Our profession touches virtually everyone’s life. And “everyone” sometimes seeks our help at any hour of the day, even if they are not our client.

To shield our personal time, think wheat and chaff. Cappel said we should select which acquaintances to let into our privileged space and follow the letter of the law in doing so. We should also decide whom to keep at arm’s length, medically speaking, and be prepared with ways to pivot them.

We can advise them to listen to their own veterinarian, who is likely more familiar with that animal’s health than we are. We can direct them to call our office to schedule an in-office appointment. We can refer them to another vet for their pet’s problem. Or, she added, we can simply say, “‘I don’t talk work when I’m at a party.’”

2025 AVMA Report on the Economic State of the Veterinary Profession. 2025. American Veterinary Medical Association.

Rohlf VI, Scotney R, Monaghan H, Bennett P. Predictors of professional quality of life in veterinary professionals. 

. 2022:49(3):372-381. doi:10.3138/jvme-2020-0144

Principles of veterinary medical ethics of the AVMA. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed January 7, 2026. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/principles-veterinary-medical-ethics-avma

When friends and family tap us for “on the fly” help with their pets, it can tread on our free time and also our ability to comply with the legalities of our profession.  