Benita Altier, LVT, VTS (Dentistry), owner of Pawsitive Dental Education, provides professional dental instruction and consultation to veterinary practices and conferences, both in the US and internationally. Altier is president-elect for the Arizona Veterinary Technician Association and a past president for the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (AVDT).

Altier presented a continuing education (CE) session about lighting, magnification, and seating during the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Long Beach, California. In a 

interview, she discussed key points from this CE session, including the importance of maintaining good posture while treating patients and selecting lighting and magnification tools, such as loupes, that best fit the individual needs of the care provider. She also discussed her path to technician specialization in veterinary dentistry and what’s next for the AVDT.

The following is a partial transcript of the interview, lightly edited for clarity:

You started in veterinary dentistry [by] being asked to develop x-rays for a dentistry patient. What about dentistry “hooked” you?

I realized that dentistry was a lot more complex than I thought, and I really wanted to learn more and more and more about it. So, I met the people [who] started the VTS [veterinary technician specialist certification] in dentistry in 2002, when I went to my first Veterinary Dental Forum…where I took my first class and their lectures. During that time, I was really excited about it because this was like a whole new world that I didn't even know existed. So, I wound up start[ing] working on my VTS in dentistry in 2005 and sat for my board exam in 2008. I believe [that], at that time when I passed my exam, I was 1 of 23 people in the whole world. Now we are about 128 members, [or] somewhere close to that [number].

Dentistry education is a focus of your business, Pawsitive Dental Education, and you gave a lecture at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Long Beach, California, about lighting, magnification, and seating. Why are good seating and posture so important [in] dentistry care?

 [After] working in practice for 29 years and actually performing dental procedures, pretty soon you wind up realizing that your body hurts. The things that really start hurting, and the things that I experienced, were things like my neck, my wrists, [and] my hands. My back seems to be pretty good, but…people have those issues, as well. And I started thinking, ‘Well, gosh, how is [it] that I'm dealing with this type of injury or chronic pain, and how could I potentially stop that from happening? And how could I help to prevent this from happening to other people?’

I started being more aware of why lighting and magnification [were] important. That's when I decided to get my first set of loupes…and light that will help to focus light on the area where I'm working. When I started employing that, I realized that I was really suffering for no reason before that. I could now sit up [straighter]. I can look down through the oculars. I could actually see what I was doing a lot better.

But the most important thing is [that] wearing something like that corrected my posture. I didn't realize [that] when you're trying to work on a patient, you're adapting your body to that particular animal, the height of the table, [or] whatever type of seating you may or may not have. You're really having to kind of become a contortionist trying to get your head closer to the area where you can see, and that's usually going to cause you to be in some sort of uncomfortable posture for a long period of time…. The human body can't adjust [to] that type of thing over a long period of time, so then you wind up with injuries [that] can lead to permanent disabilities and things that could potentially even cause people to have to change industries or not do that kind of work anymore.

You touched on the lighting and magnification [used in dentistry practice], and that's an interesting correlation between those and posture. Do you have any advice for anybody [who] might be interested in selecting some of these tools?

In regard to how to go about picking the correct lights and loupes for you—they're very user specific. You can't necessarily buy something off the shelf that's...one-size-fits-all, or even something that's infinitely adjustable that could potentially make it so multiple people could use the same pair of loupes. If you really want to do this profession for a long period of time and be comfortable—and not cause more injury on top of injury—I would definitely recommend exploring the option of customized loupes and lights, because the manufacturer creates them based on your pupillary distance, [as well as] your torso height, your table height, and your working distance. That way, they're adjusted specifically for what you need them to be. Usually, the ones that are customized can have your prescription lenses in [them].

It really is going to be your happy place, so to speak, if you have well-fitting loupes and lights that actually have the correct prescription in them, or magnification, or whatever is going to be what you need. The other thing is [that], usually, the ones that are higher end and more customized are [also] going to be lighter weight…and the lighting is going to be a lot safer [and] better quality.

The [AVDT] gave its first examination for [the VTS] certification in 2006 and is recognizing that 20th anniversary in 2026. What does the association have planned?

 We're going to have a special celebration at the Veterinary Dental Forum, which is going to be held in Orlando, Florida, in October [2026]. We're going to have a special dinner…for our members and their guests, as well as potentially some of the people [who] are still in the process of working to earn their specialties. But it's going to be at the [2026] forum, so it's exciting.

To read more news and view expert insights from Fetch Long Beach, visit

’s dedicated site for conference coverage at

https://www.dvm360.com/conference/fetch-long-beach

Articles

In this Q&A, Benita Altier, LVT, VTS (Dentistry), provides insights on how the right tools help improve patient care and practitioner experience, as well as the work of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Q&A: Delivering technician dentistry care

Doja the office cat managed to sneak into a room with toxic plants and flowers despite best efforts from Mercedes Muldoon, DVM.

After a family member of Mercedes Muldoon’s, DVM, retired, they received a bouquet of flowers that Muldoon stored in her office away from Doja, the office cat at her veterinary clinic. As a veterinarian, she knew that some of the flowers in the bouquet could be toxic, so she wanted to avoid exposure to Doja. However, Doja somehow managed to still sneak into her office. Once in there, Doja accidentally got locked inside Muldoon’s office for about an hour and started to explore.

Peruvian lilies, roses, and carnations were included in the bouquet in Muldoon’s office, all of which can cause gastrointestinal (GI) upset in pets, plus there was also a potted shamrock plant in the office.

"Fortunately, the type of lily Doja came in contact with was not expected to cause severe toxicity," said Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of veterinary medicine at Pet Poison Helpline, said in the release.

 "The most dangerous and potentially life-threatening lily ingestions by cats involve lilies belonging to the genera Lilium (true lilies) and Hemerocallis. Even small ingestions, including pollen or water from the vase, may result in severe, acute renal (kidney) failure."

Despite there being multiple flowers that could have given Doja GI upset, the primary concern was the shamrock plant. Shamrock has a very bitter taste to it, which usually deters canine and feline patients from consuming it in large quantities. According to Schmid, ingesting shamrock plants can cause a sudden drop in calcium, and in rare cases, acute renal failure.

Pets who ingest this plant normally present with the following symptoms

"Although cats are particularly susceptible to lilies, there are other houseplants that are more dangerous to dogs," Schmid added.

 "For example, many people keep sago palms in their home or office, and sagos are also used in ornamental bonsai houseplants. All parts of the sago palm are considered poisonous, with the seeds (nuts) being the most toxic part of the plant. Ingestion can cause severe liver failure in dogs, signs of which include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, inappetence, abnormal fluid accumulation, abdominal pain and more. Even with aggressive treatment, the survival rate is about 50%."

Muldoon called Pet Poison Helpline and provided a list and description of the flowers and plants in her office and determined that Doja had not ingested or absorbed enough of any items to require her to get treatment.

Once a month, Pet Poison Helpline shares 

 to help educate animal lovers and veterinary professionals on the types of poisoning dangers pets can face throughout their daily lives. All pets that Pet Poison Helpline highlight in 

 have been successfully treated for the poisoning and fully recovered.

For Doja, Pet Poison Helpline shared her story because January 10

 is National Houseplant Appreciation Day, so the team at Pet Poison Helpline shared this story to remind people to be cautious of what house plants and flowers they have in their home because they can make pets sick, or worse.

, to help educate veterinary professionals and clients, Pet Poison Helpline has No Lilies for Kitties, where they provide information on the dangers of lilies to pets, safer alternatives for homes, and educational materials.

Veterinarian's Doja Cat Trapped in Toxic Office. News release. Pet Poison Helpline, January 7, 2026, Accessed January 8, 2026. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veterinarians-doja-cat-trapped-in-toxic-office-302653042.html

Pet Poison Helpline. Shamrock. Accessed January 8, 2026. 

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/shamrock/

Ahead of National House Plant Appreciation Day, Pet Poison Helpline is reminding everyone the danger some plants can be for pets.

Cat potentially ingests toxic flowers and plant

Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, explains how energy metabolism changes as dogs age, and the health problems these changes can lead to.

How metabolic dysfunction shapes aging in dogs

In this video, Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, director of veterinary medicine at Loyal—a biotechnology company focusing on extending the healthy lifespan of dogs—explores the complex biological drivers of canine aging, focusing on metabolic dysfunction as one of Loyal’s special areas of interest. He notes that as dogs age, their energy metabolism becomes less efficient, leading to internal changes such as decreased insulin sensitivity and elevated insulin levels, which can increase the risk for cancer or dementia.

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

 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 also the director of veterinary medicine for Loyal, which is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco, [California], and our mission is developing medications to try to extend the healthy lifespan of dogs.

What are the main biological mechanisms that drive aging and age-related disease in dogs?

There are many mechanisms. Most of them, or a lot of them, have been collected in a little scheme called the Hallmarks of Aging, which is widely used as a way of, sort of, organizing the complicated biology of aging into categories that make it easier to investigate, to look for new therapies.

One of the ones that we're particularly interested in at Loyal is something called metabolic dysfunction. As people and dogs get older, our energy metabolism gets less efficient. And you know, we all know that; I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted, and I never gained weight, and I felt great, and now, at my age, I can't do that anymore.

So, that involves internal changes: things like less sensitivity to insulin, which makes our insulin levels go up, and that can drive risk for cancer or for dementia. Changes in our blood lipids—you know, we all get high cholesterol as we get older, and in humans, that tends to lead to things like heart attacks and strokes. It doesn't cause that in dogs, but it causes other kinds of health problems in the same sort of way.

So, metabolic dysfunction is, in particular, one of the mechanisms that we're interested in because it's something that we've seen success in treating in a variety of ways.

Videos

Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, director of veterinary medicine at Loyal, explains how energy metabolism changes as dogs age, and the health issues these changes can lead to.

This episode is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.

, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes special guest Audrey Cook, BVM&S, MSc, MRCVS, DACVIM (SAIM), DECVIM-CA, DABVP (Feline), to the show to chat all about feline diabetes. In recognition of Feline Diabetes Awareness Month, which 

 honored this past November, this episode will highlight unique differences between feline and canine diabetes, typical clinical signs, and more. 

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity

 OK, let's go over the clinical signs. Walk us through how a cat with [diabetes mellitus] is likely to present to the veterinarian.

Audrey Cook, BVM&S, MSc, MRCVS, DACVIM (SAIM), DECVIM-CA, DABVP (Feline):

 If I were to sketch out the poster child of [a diabetic] cat, [what] comes to my mind is a [body condition score of] about 7 out of 9 [for] a 7-year-old castrated male. His life is spent going from [the] food bowl that contains dry, high-carbohydrate Kibbies to the sofa, and then maybe a little bit of bird watching through the window, and then back to the food bowl, and then back to the sofa. Then maybe he gets a little bit more dental disease or something else that…makes that insulin resistance more effective, or maybe he's put on a short course of steroids for some dermatopathy. No matter what, we end up with a patient who had all these risk factors for becoming a diabetic and then crosses that threshold and starts to spill glucose. So, the owners are going to notice [an] increase in thirst, in urination, and usually hunger. This is a cat that's tapping you on the cheek at 4 AM, saying, “I think it's time for breakfast.” But anybody can become a diabetic, so I would never say that you are too skinny, too young, or too old. But if I had the poster child, it would be the overweight, sedentary, middle-aged male cat. 

Sometimes the cats will present because of signs directly attributable to glucose toxicity. And in cats, what people can see is that…peripheral neuropathy, where you have a cat that has a plantigrade stance and can't jump up onto the furniture. I've had a few scenarios where that is why the cat presented—[it] presented for “can't jump.” You look at this cat and think, “You have been hyperglycemic for weeks or months, and you are absolutely a diabetic.” It's just the other signs of diabetes, I guess, [that] didn't catch the owner's attention so much. 

Then occasionally, if we're unlucky, we get a cat who presents with diabetic ketoacidosis [DKA]. That would be a patient that comes in the clinic, and they're not eating—maybe they're vomiting, they're dehydrated, they're depressed, [or] they're clinically ill from DKA. But that's not a very common way for diabetic cats to present, fortunately.

Podcasts

Explore feline diabetes management with expert insights from Audrey Cook, BVM&S, MSc, MRCVS, DACVIM (SAIM), DECVIM-CA, DABVP (Feline).

Sweet solutions: A real-world approach to feline diabetes

Virbac has launched a new feline muscle health supplement. The market access to Ursolyx Soft Chews for Cats follows the 2025 launch of Ursolyx Soft Chews for Dogs.

Many felines are affected by muscle atrophy, which leads to reduced mobility and decreased quality of life, according to Virbac.

 Muscle atrophy can be caused by sarcopenia or reduced activity caused by chronic pain or conditions such as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease.

Ursolyx Soft Chews for Cats are ideal for felines 7 years and older, active patients in need of continued mobility support, and those working to rebuild strength. An early efficacy study showed an 82% mobility improvement by week 8 for felines taking the supplement, and many of these patients saw results in as little as 2 weeks, according to Virbac.

The supplement contains ursolic acid, a natural plant compound that helps maintain functional muscle in felines. This compound works at the molecular level to inhibit messenger RNA expression changes associated with muscle atrophy.

 Multiple studies have demonstrated ursolic acid as beneficial to skeletal muscle health in cats and other species.

Although joint health has long been a focus of senior pet care, muscle resilience represents an equally significant component of feline agility and vitality. As pet owners increasingly focus on the health span of their companion animals, maintaining muscle function becomes more crucial to helping cats enjoy their senior years with strength, according to Virbac.

According to Giovanni Abruzzini, president and CEO of Virbac US, addressing muscle atrophy is needed in veterinary medicine. “[Ursolyx Soft Chews for Cats] delivers meaningful solutions for feline health, reflecting our commitment to supporting cats throughout their health span,” Abruzzini said in a news release.

Ursolyx Soft Chews for Dogs was launched at the Veterinary Meeting & Expo presented by the North American Veterinary Community in Orlando, Florida, in January 2025. This product, which also relies on ursolic acid, was created in partnership with biotechnology company Emmyon, Inc.

Virbac launches Ursolyx Soft Chews for Cats: feline muscle support supplement. News release. Virbac. January 7, 2026. Accessed January 8, 2026. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virbac-launches-ursolyx-soft-chews-for-cats-feline-muscle-support-supplement-302655589.html

Crossley KC. New canine supplement is designed to improve muscle health. 

. January 21, 2025. Accessed January 8, 2026. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/new-canine-supplement-is-designed-to-improve-muscle-health

Dowgray N, Comerford E. Feline musculoskeletal ageing: how are we diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal impairment? 

. 2020;22(11):1069-1083. doi:10.1177/1098612X20965832

Yu R, Chen JA, Xu J, et al. Suppression of muscle wasting by the plant-derived compound ursolic acid in a model of chronic kidney disease. 

. 2017;8(2):327-341. doi:10.1002/jcsm.12162

Ebert SM, Dyle MC, Bullard SA, et al. Identification and small molecule inhibition of an activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-dependent pathway to age-related skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy. 

. 2015;290(42):25497-25511. doi:10.1074/jbc.M115.681445

Kunkel SD, Elmore CJ, Bongers KS, et al. Ursolic acid increases skeletal muscle and brown fat and decreases diet-induced obesity, glucose intolerance and fatty liver disease. 

. 2012;7(6):e39332. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039332

Kunkel SD, Suneja M, Ebert SM, et al. mRNA expression signatures of human skeletal muscle atrophy identify a natural compound that increases muscle mass. 

. 2011;13(6):627-638. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2011.03.020

The product from Virbac contains ursolic acid that inhibits messenger RNA expression changes associated with muscle atrophy.

New muscle support supplement for cats is launched

Developing slowly over months to years, feline small cell gastrointestinal (GI) lymphoma can be difficult to detect.

 With this type of cancer resembling many of the common digestive issues cats often experience, understanding the disease, warning signs, diagnosis, and treatment is important to ensure the well-being of feline patients with chronic GI symptoms.

GI lymphoma in cats is divided between small cell and large cell. Unlike small cell lymphoma, signs for large cell lymphoma develop quickly, over days to weeks, and the prognosis is poorer.

According to the North Carolina State Veterinary Hospital, cats with large cell GI lymphoma receiving CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) therapy have a prognosis of 6 to 9 months.

 Meanwhile, cats with small cell GI lymphoma have a longer prognosis of typically 2 to 3 years or more, but chronic treatment with oral medications is required.

The ins and outs of small cell GI lymphoma

Small cell GI lymphoma forms in the digestive tract. Affecting lymphocytes (immune cells involved in fighting off infection), lymphoma causes uncontrolled cell growth and loss of normal cell function. According to Texas A&M University, the GI tract is home to a high number of lymphocytes, making it a common site of lymphoma in feline patients.

 In fact, small cell GI lymphoma is the most common type of lymphoma in cats

 and is the most frequently diagnosed digestive tract cancer in these animals.

“Small cell GI lymphoma is the most common cancer of a cat’s digestive system and a highly prevalent feline cancer overall,” Regina Hayburn, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), a clinical assistant professor of medical oncology at Texas A&M’s Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, said in the Texas A&M report.

 “It can form anywhere along the digestive tract, including the stomach, small intestine, or colon.”

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and small cell GI lymphoma are thought to be closely related, representing different stages of the same underlying process. Veterinary researchers have found that GI inflammatory lesions, a major characteristic of IBD, often coexist with small cell GI lymphoma.

 This overlap has led to the proposition that chronic inflammatory lesions might progress to lymphoma over time.

 As such, many researchers and veterinarians have described small cell GI lymphoma as being a “spectrum of disease” with IBD.

The chronic inflammation seen in IBD leads to abnormalities in the intestinal walls that can affect the movement and absorption of food and water in the digestive system. This disruption consequently leads to chronic GI symptoms.

With GI lymphoma being a spectrum disease with IBD, clinical signs are largely the same. “Because of the impaired motility and absorption, chronic vomiting and diarrhea are common, along with weight loss and decreased appetite, although some cats maintain a normal or even increased appetite in early stages,” Hayburn said in the Texas A&M report.

 “As the disease progresses, cats often stop eating, vomit more frequently, and become increasingly lethargic and generally unwell due to chronic illness and weight loss.” Bloody stools may also be a sign of small cell GI lymphoma and IBD.

Taking blood work of feline patients with chronic GI issues is an important first step to obtaining a proper diagnosis, according to Texas A&M.

Abdominal ultrasounds may show thickened GI wall layers or changes in the intestinal walls, but they cannot confirm whether cancer is present. Definitive diagnosis of GI lymphoma requires a tissue biopsy for histopathologic examination.

Tissue samples for biopsy can be obtained either through endoscopy or surgery. Hayburn noted that endoscopic biopsies are less invasive but provide only small tissue samples. Meanwhile, surgical biopsies allow for collection from different areas of the intestine and include full intestinal thickness samples, but they require an open-abdomen surgery.

Once tissue is collected, veterinarians can perform additional tests to differentiate GI lymphoma from other conditions like irritable bowel disease, which can appear similar on imaging but requires different treatment.

 These tests may include histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction for antigen receptor rearrangements.

Treating small cell GI lymphoma involves long-term chemotherapy. “The most common treatments involve oral chemotherapy [chlorambucil] given at home and oral steroids [prednisolone]. These medications can be given long-term and help control this disease for years,” Hayburn said.

 She explained that this therapy is “generally well tolerated.”

Whole-abdomen radiation therapy—a new treatment option?

Still, “oral medications can be challenging for some cats,” Hayburn said. For feline patients who struggle with this form of medication and patients facing other therapy difficulties, Texas A&M is exploring new treatment options.

Currently, Hayburn is recruiting participants for a clinical trial that will evaluate whole-abdomen radiation therapy as a treatment for feline small cell GI lymphoma. The study will examine the use of whole-abdomen radiation therapy in cats whose lymphoma has relapsed after receiving previous standard-of-care treatment.

“This would make treatment easier for cats who are difficult to orally medicate or who don’t like frequent veterinary visits,” Hayburn said.

For the study, researchers aim to assess the safety and practicality of radiation therapy for cats with relapsed small cell GI lymphoma.

 Participants will undergo a series of radiation treatments over several days, with follow-up exams to monitor response and overall health.

According to Hayburn, the effectiveness of treatment can be measured by how well the patient’s symptoms are being managed rather than by imaging results. “Abdominal ultrasounds might still show visible signs of the cancer even when the cat is feeling much better,” Hayburn said in the university report.

 “As long as the cat’s physical symptoms are managed—where the cat is eating well, gaining weight, and having minimal to no vomiting and diarrhea—the treatment plan is likely effective and doesn’t need to be changed.”

Understanding feline small cell GI lymphoma is key to ensuring the condition does not go undiagnosed. With the disease being closely interconnected with IBD, conducting a biopsy to rule out cancer in patients with chronic GI symptoms can help veterinarians make an accurate diagnosis and guide appropriate treatment before the disease progresses.

Small cell GI lymphoma: a hidden cancer behind feline digestive issues. Texas A&M University. December 11, 2025. Accessed January 7, 2026. 

https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/feline-gi-lymphoma/

Medical oncology: feline lymphoma. North Carolina State University. Accessed January 7, 2026. 

https://hospital.cvm.ncsu.edu/services/small-animals/cancer-oncology/oncology/feline-lymphoma/

Common types of cancer in cats. University of Wisconsin–Madison. Accessed January 7, 2026. 

https://uwveterinarycare.wisc.edu/common-types-of-cancer-in-cats/#:~:text=Small%20cell%20gastrointestinal%20(GI)%20lymphoma%20is%20the,GI%20lymphoma%20typically%20respond%20well%20to%20treatment

Marsilio S, Pilla R, Sarawichitr B, et al. Characterization of the fecal microbiome in cats with inflammatory bowel disease or alimentary small cell lymphoma. 

. 2019;9(1):19208. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-55691-w

Evaluating whole abdomen radiation therapy as a treatment for feline small cell gastrointestinal lymphoma. Studypages. Accessed January 8, 2026. 

https://studypages.com/s/evaluating-whole-abdomen-radiation-therapy-as-a-treatment-for-feline-small-cell-gastrointestinal-lymphoma-358215/?ref=gallery

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may progress to feline small cell gastrointestinal (GI) lymphoma, researchers say. Texas A&M University is testing a new treatment option for the cancer.