In May of this year, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine welcomed Carter Judy, DVM, DACVS, to its faculty. With this, UC Davis is now able to offer foraminotomy to its equine patients, which is an extremely specialized surgery that fewer than a dozen veterinarians in the US can perform. The surgery is for equine patients with cervical foraminal stenosis, which is a narrowing of an intervertebral opening where the limb nerve root exits the spinal column.

Carter Judy, DVM, DACVS, checking out live endoscopy images during a foraminotomy surgery at the UC Davis Large Animal Hospital. (Image courtesy of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)

Cervical foraminal stenosis can be caused by arthritis, bone spurs, disc herniation, or thickened ligaments and places compression on the patient's nerves that can be painful or cause numbness. This can then later develop into lameness and behavioral issues, such as ataxia, headshaking, and skipping gait. When veterinary professionals diagnose this condition, it generally occurs near the base of the neck where the cervical and thoracic vertebrae meet, meaning it requires a large-bore equine CT scanner. Not many hospitals have this equipment, UC Davis recently installed one in its All Species Imaging Center, and prior to this, the school only had a traditional scanner that did not allow for imaging beyond an equine patient’s head and distal limbs.

Before joining the faculty at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Carter performed this surgery for a year at his previous clinic, and continued to do so at UC Davis even without equine CT scanner thanks to imaging acquired from other hospitals.

Scott Katzman, DVM, DACVS-LA, and Heidi Reesink, VMD, PhD, DACVS-LA, faculty surgeons at UC Davis, also completed training earlier this year to perform foraminotomies, which means the team at UC Davis can help more horse’s pain be alleviated. According to UC Davis, the hospital is now attracting clients from across the US due to the limited number of surgeons who perform this procedure.

Frida, a 4-year-old Oldenburg mare from Washington, was treated for the condition at UC Davis after osteoarthritis of multiple facet joints caused foraminal stenosis. Frida suffered from hind-limb weakness, range of motion, and coordination issues. After the surgery, all these conditions were corrected and she continues to improve.

The first equine foraminotomy were performed on horses in Europe 5 years ago. Similar to the surgery performed on humans, that has been around for decades, the surgery is performed minimally invasively and uses endoscopic instruments to burr the foramen larger, which relieves the pressure compromises the nerve root. For many horses that have this surgery, they show improvement in less than 24 hours after the surgery.

The surgery was invented by a German veterinarian Jan-Hein Swagemakers and works by the veterinary professional inserting a specialized endoscope through a small incision on the patient. The procedure uses advanced endoscopy to safely remove excess bone to create more space and restore optimal nerve function.

A study conducted by Swagemakers along with fellow veterinary professionals performed this procedure on 3 equine cadavers and in 2 clinical cases of patients with a history of forelimb lameness that was located in the caudal cervical region. The results of the study the horses had a smooth recovery from the surgery and at a follow up 12 months later, the clinical signs resolved completely without recurrence. The researchers did state that their main limitation for the study was the small number of clinical cases and absence of post-mortem examination or isopathy performed on the cadavers to assess possible iatrogenic injuries.

However, the conclusion from the research was cervical spinal nerve decompression via minimal invasive foraminotomy is feasible in horses, but more research was needed at the time before researchers thought it could be recommended in clinical cases.

Warren R. Foraminotomy surgery now available for horses at UC Davis. December 10, 2025. Accessed December 16, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/foraminotomy-surgery-now-available-horses-uc-davis

Endoscopic Foraminotomy for the Treatment of Spinal Nerve Compression. University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed December 16, 2025. 

https://largeanimal.vethospitals.ufl.edu/hospital-services/surgery/endoscopic-foraminotomy-for-the-treatment-of-spinal-nerve-compression/

Swagemakers JH, Van Daele P, Mageed M. Percutaneous full endoscopic foraminotomy for treatment of cervical spinal nerve compression in horses using a uniportal approach: Feasibility study. 

. 2023;55(5):788-797. doi:10.1111/evj.13919

Articles

UC Davis enhances equine surgery options with foraminotomy, a specialized procedure for cervical foraminal stenosis, improving horse health and recovery.

Foraminotomy now available at UC Davis 

In this Q&A, Gianluca Bini, DVM, MRCVS, DACVAA, answers some questions surrounding bleeding in surgery. He discusses triage steps, von Willebrand disease, common mistakes made when administering blood products, common adverse reactions to transfusions, and a few things hospitals can do to improve how they manage bleeding patients.

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

dvm360: Can you introduce yourself and your background?

I'm Dr Gianluca Bini. I'm the cofounder and CEO of Safe Pet Anesthesia. I'm also an assistant professor at Oklahoma State University. I originally got my DVM in Italy. I did a rotating internship and an anesthesia internship in England, and then I did my residency in anesthesia at [North Carolina State University]. Then, I worked as a professor at Ohio State [University] for 3 years. I am now currently at Oklahoma State [University] — I moved here in 2024.

dvm360: What are some of the most common causes of bleeding that veterinarians encounter in small animals?

 Usually, the bleeding we deal with most often is under anesthesia and during surgery, although pets can bleed for many different reasons. For example, rodenticide toxicity—pets may get into products stored in a garage or garden shed. There are also conditions that predispose certain breeds to bleeding. Dobermans and Greyhounds come to mind, but many breeds can have diseases that increase bleeding risk.

That said, what we most commonly encounter is surgical bleeding. Sometimes it’s easy to identify and ligate a vessel beforehand, and sometimes it’s unexpected. In a general practice setting, that can be challenging because you don’t always have access to blood products or more advanced devices for hemostasis to stop the bleeding, so that can be a challenge.

dvm360: When a patient begins bleeding during surgery, what are the first triage steps you recommend?

 Unfortunately, the most common thing that people do [when a patient starts bleeding] is run a [packed cell volume] (PCV) and total solids. PCV looks at the percentage of red blood cells in the blood, and [total solids] looks at...the concentration of proteins in the blood. Unfortunately, those tests may kind of lie to you at the beginning — it takes a few hours for [PCV and total solids values] to actually be affected. A common misconception is that people [should] try to look at PCV first. In reality, total solids is usually affected first—it actually takes a longer time for PCV to be affected.

If there is significant bleeding, you can also see it on your monitor. You’ll see the heart rate spike and the blood pressure come down afterward. Usually those are more telltale signs of lack of volume. And of course, if there is active bleeding, you're going to have less blood volume, so those are the signs we look at the most.

Visualization of the bleeding is, of course, the easiest thing, but sometimes it's hard to quantify. A lot of people doing surgery use suction. You can technically look at your suction canister, but if you've been flushing with saline, it's diluted, so it’s kind of hard to tell how much of that is actual pure blood [versus] how much has been diluted.

There are some tests you can run to figure that out. You can run a PCV/[total protein] on your suction canister [to estimate] how much of it is actual blood. You can look at your sponges that have been soaking up blood, and there are some numbers you can use to estimate how much blood is in them. Ideally, you should weigh your sponges first and then do surgery. In reality nobody does that—it's very time-consuming, and you don’t want to do it for every single surgery. Sometimes it can be hard to quantify [blood loss]. Sometimes it’s very apparent, and sometimes it can be tricky.

dvm360: Can you choose one bleeding disorder and talk about how it’s typically managed?

 In terms of disease itself, probably the most common one people think about is von Willebrand disease, especially in Dobermans. Some [clinicians] will preventively give desmopressin about 20 to 30 minutes before surgery to stimulate release of von Willebrand factor.

Unfortunately, the injectable form of desmopressin is very expensive, so cost can [be a limitation] for owners. [The therapy] can help, but there’s also no guarantee that it actually works. If a patient is truly affected by the disease, you may still see some more bleeding than you would see in a normal patient.

[Testing for these conditions] requires effort and expense, and not every owner can afford it. That makes [management] more challenging in veterinary medicine compared with human medicine, where insurance often covers those diagnostics.

When choosing or administering blood products, what are some common mistakes you see?

 One issue is giving blood products too quickly. With blood products, you need to get that blood from a donor, and that can cause some transfusion reactions—giving blood too fast could increase your chance of a reaction. We always try to start at a slow rate to gauge whether the patient is reacting to the product. If you give too much too fast and a reaction occurs, it may already be too late to stop it.

Starting slow allows you to stop the transfusion early if needed. You can increase the rate later, after you’ve checked that the patient did not have a reaction. There are also delayed transfusion reactions that can happen hours later, [which are harder to predict]. Unfortunately, there is no way to [completely eliminate risk of adverse] effects [when giving blood products].

Speaking of reactions, when detectable, what are the most common signs clinicians see?

 You might see a spike in temperature, hives, vasodilation, or an increase in heart rate—these are the most common reactions that we would see. Sometimes you need some expertise to detect reactions. Some reactions are obvious, but others are really subtle. While there’s a long list of [possible reactions], those are the most common ones we see.

dvm360: If a hospital wanted to improve how it manages bleeding patients, what’s one impactful change it could make?

 That’s a good question. Unfortunately, there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle and there is no single answer. Bleeding can happen anytime and in any patient. There are hemostatic devices available, like cautery, foams, or gels. Cautery systems can be expensive, while some gels and foams are more affordable and easier to use.

Being able to recognize bleeding, knowing when to administer products, and knowing how to control bleeding is very important.

Gianluca Bini, DVM, MRCVS, DACVAA, shares insights on managing surgical bleeding, addressing common mistakes, and improving patient care in veterinary practices.

Q&A on bleeding in small animal patients: Triage, transfusions, reactions, and practical considerations

Susan E. Little, DVM, DACVM (Parasitology), walks through the messy, real-world situations and questions clinicians deal with when it comes to ticks: How long does a tick have to feed to transmit infection? How should owners remove an attached tick? When do you treat a seropositive but asymptomatic dog? Which prevention strategies actually help in endemic areas? Read on to learn the answers to all these questions and more. 

Prevent tick-borne disease with timely interventions

Image Credit: © ondreicka | stock.adobe.com

 Q&A has been lightly edited and consolidated from a verbal interview to better fit a written format while retaining the substance of the original conversation.

How quickly can ticks transmit infection? What windows should clinicians keep in mind for Lyme, 

 It varies by pathogen and tick species. Rickettsial agents [

 spp, including the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever] can be transmitted within the first day of feeding…within a few to 24 hours. By contrast, 

 [Lyme] typically requires [more time]. Transmission is usually at least 24 to 48 hours of feeding before an infected tick transmits. 

 also often needs roughly 24 to 48 hours for the organism in the tick to mature enough to transmit. In short, time matters. Killing a tick early can prevent several infections, but the precise window depends on the tick-pathogen pair.

If an owner finds an attached tick, what should they do?

 Remove it with steady rearward traction [gentle but firm], using fine-tipped forceps, tweezers, or a tick-removal tool that scoops without compressing the body. Avoid squeezing the tick or compressing the abdomen. You don’t want to force tick contents into the bite site. If hands are used, wear gloves to protect against contamination from the tick. If mouthparts stay in the skin, it’s not catastrophic. Treat it like a splinter. After removal, counsel the owner about tick control. The priority is preventing the next tick, so emphasize “every pet, every month, all year long” for tick prevention.

If a dog screens antibody positive but is asymptomatic, should vets test, treat, or watch?

 A seropositive dog without clinical signs is a common and nuanced scenario. Start with a careful history and focused diagnostics. For Lyme-seropositive dogs, evaluate the urine for proteinuria as an early warning for Lyme-associated nephritis. For suspected 

, run a [complete blood count] and chemistry. Look for thrombocytopenia, anemia, hypergammaglobulinemia, or other abnormalities suggesting active disease. If labs or history suggest clinical disease [lethargy, behavior change, abnormal labs], treat appropriately. If truly asymptomatic with normal labs, treat the patient’s prevention plan [ensure effective tick control, consider vaccination where indicated] and monitor rather than reflexively giving antibiotics.

Which prevention strategies deliver the best real-world protection in endemic areas?

 Focus on the tick. Effective tick control products, particularly the isoxazoline class [oral products such as afoxolaner, fluralaner, etc], dramatically reduce the time a tick spends feeding and thus the chance of transmission. In areas or seasons of high tick pressure, you may layer strategies. Maintain a monthly oral isoxazoline as baseline and add a topical during intense seasonal peaks. Vaccination against 

 is an additional tool where Lyme is endemic and can protect against that single pathogen, but it doesn’t protect against the many other tick-transmitted agents. The combined approach—vaccine where appropriate plus consistent, year-round tick control—is the practical message.

Do pets on tick control still have value for public health?

 Absolutely. Protecting pets reduces the reservoir of ticks that might spill into the household and helps detect emerging local transmission. When we test dogs annually for tick-borne antibodies and find evidence of local exposure, that’s an early warning system for human risk in the area. Plus, ticks killed on pets won’t crawl off onto people. So, pet protection is people protection.

Are there any emerging concerns vets should watch for?

 Several ticks and pathogens are expanding their ranges. For example, 

, the Asian longhorned tick] and other vectors have been found well outside their historical zones. New or reemerging agents and phenomena like alpha-gal syndrome are increasingly encountered. It’s important to stay current with surveillance and educate clients about year-round risk.

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

Susan E. Little, DVM, DACVM (Parasitology), explains how timing shapes transmission, how to remove ticks safely, what to do with an antibody-positive but well dog, and why year-round tick control protects pets and people.

Q&A: Practical parasitology for everyday practice

THERE’S NOTHING QUITE like a good recheck. The wound looks great, the patient’s tail is wagging, the client is beaming, and you’re the hero of the day. Then there’s the other kind of recheck, the one with the uncomfortable conversation about why the wound or incision is worse, healing is delayed, and why there may be another bill. That’s the wound care story KeraVet Gel is rewriting.

KeraVet Gel is the first and only keratin based hydrogel for pets that helps wounds and incisions heal faster, thanks to the power of keratin and a strong and safe lick deterrent. The result: less Elizabethan-collar (E-collar) drama, fewer rechecks, and a smoother healing journey all around.

Wound management in veterinary medicine has always been a juggling act: long healing times, licking, chewing, and the endless E-collar struggles that test even the most amazing clients. KeraVet Gel changes that with a novel approach by pairing keratin science with clinical practicality.

Effective wound and incision healing requires a controlled transition from the inflammatory phase to tissue repair. Studies show that the keratin in KeraVet Gel promotes the polarization of macrophages from the proinfl ammatory M1 state to the antiinfl ammatory M2 state. M2 macrophages play a critical role in tissue repair and wound resolution, creating a microenvironment that supports regeneration rather than chronic infl ammation.

Regulation of cytokines: Turning down the noise 

Keratin within the hydrogel directly infl uences cytokine activity, as follows:

: IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α are downregulated, reducing unnecessary tissue damage during the early stages of healing.

: IL-10 is upregulated, further dampening excessive inflammatory responses and supporting balanced immune activity.

Matrix remodeling: Building the scaffolding 

Keratin acts like a natural extracellular matrix, providing a biological scaffold that promotes cell adhesion, proliferation, and migration. That means quicker reepithelialization, stronger tissue integrity, and faster wound closure.

We know that even the best science can’t heal a wound or incision if the patient won’t stop licking it. That’s why KeraVet Gel includes bitterant, clinically proven to reduce licking by up to 87%. Less licking means fewer pathogens, less tissue damage, and if the cone comes o , healing continues.

 Clinically proven to support faster recovery by reducing edema and chronic inflammation and promoting healthy tissue growth.

: Replaces the need for multiple adjunct therapies with 1 reliable, easy-to-use gel.

: Safety assessments confirm that KeraVet Gel is nontoxic, nonirritating, and nonsensitizing.

: Patients treated with KeraVet Gel require less time in E-collars, and often none at all.

By minimizing self-licking and simplifying wound care, KeraVet Gel increases client follow-through.

Clinical use cases: The gel works just about everywhere

From general practice to urgent, emergency, and specialty care, KeraVet Gel is tough enough for your hardest cases and simple enough for your routine ones. It works across a wide range of cases: bite wounds, surgical incisions, lick granulomas, clipper burns, hot spots, degloving injuries, and even chronic nonhealing wounds.

Following surgical removal of a mass adherent to the biceps femoris muscle, Charlie’s incision dehisced at the skin level due to high limb motion. The site became infected, and after another wound ointment failed, Kimberly Focht, DVM, prescribed KeraVet Gel. “Within 12 hours, the area looked improved, with less wetness and redness,” she said.

KeraVet Gel redefines what’s possible in veterinary wound and incision care by bringing advanced immunological science to everyday clinical practice. By reducing excessive inflammation, supporting tissue regeneration, and easing the E-collar struggle, KeraVet Gel advances the standard of care for dogs and cats.

KeraVet Gel is not just another topical; it is smart, simple wound care that works. To explore the science behind KeraVet Gel, including clinical study results and case studies, visit 

KeraVet Gel is the new standard of wound and incision care. 

Keep healing. Even if the E-collar comes off

Purina has awarded research funding to 3 international scientific teams as part of its 2026 Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies, a biennial program that supports research on the bond between people and pets and how it can affect the wellbeing of both. Each selected project will receive up to $40,000 to develop research on the role of pets in supporting survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), separation-related disorders in cats, and the use of remote canine-assisted therapy for underserved pediatric oncology patients.

"These studies stand to deepen our understanding of the human-pet bond in some of life's most challenging moments. What these researchers discover could lead to more compassionate interventions, stronger behavioral and emotional support for pets, and improved resources for the people who depend on them every day,” Annie Valuska, PhD, CAAB, principal scientist on the Pet Behavior Team at Purina, said in a news release by Purina.

According to Purina, the organization reviewed more than 100 research proposals when selecting the 2026 research grant recipients. This funding round, the recipients are based in the United States and Hungary. The following studies are the recipients of the 2026 grant:

Understanding the human-animal bond in IPV-affected households: Impacts on survivor healing, pet welfare, and service provision, at the Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

The project will be an 18-month mixed-methods study looking at how the human-animal bond supports psychological resilience and healing among survivors of IPV, while also analyzing effects on companion animal welfare. The study will incorporate survivor interviews, informant insights, and human-animal bond questions in a statewide survey of approximately 1000 California residents who have experienced IPV.

The findings could help guide more pet-inclusive trauma support services where sheltering options are limited, Purina said. Investigators will collaborate with the RedRover, a nonprofit organization, to share its results through publications, training materials, and webinars for the community.

"Receiving this research grant from Purina is an honor for our team," said Jennifer A. Wagman, PhD, MHS, associate professor at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and the study’s principal investigator.

 "The grant will provide crucial support to study how pets can help survivors of intimate partner violence heal, while also ensuring that the animals themselves are safe and supported. We are excited for the ways this work can make a real difference in people's lives."

In your absence: Investigating separation-related disorders in companion cats, at Eötvös Loránd University Institute of Biology in Budapest, Hungary

The research, which will use a global citizen science model, will be the first large-scale, direct observational study of feline separation-related disorders. Specifically, researchers will collect video submissions and survey data from cat owners across the globe and investigate risk factors for feline separation disorders. The study will result in the first high-resolution ethogram of feline separation behavior.

“These insights will support international veterinary professionals, behaviorists and cat owners in identifying and addressing [separation-related disorders] and strengthening the human-cat bond,” Purina wrote.

Designing an inclusive model: Remote canine-assisted therapy for underserved pediatric oncology patients, at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary

Researchers will assess a Remote Canine-Assisted Therapy (RCAT) model that allows for safe, real-time interaction between trained dogs and pediatric oncology patients who are unable to complete in-person therapy due to being immunocompromised or at risk for infection. Investigators will use a counterbalanced crossover design to measure psychosocial outcomes like motivation, mood, and anxiety.

According to Purina, the model has the potential to be adopted worldwide, potentially helping children in rural regions or underserved communities obtain greater access to therapy. The technology could also have implications for countries that currently do not have an established therapy dog infrastructure.

Together, the funded studies highlight the expanding role of the human-animal bond for humans and animals alike. The bond has been widely recognized for its benefits to both parties, with the American Veterinary Association describing the bond as having a “major significance for veterinary medicine.”

Purina awards $120,000 in global research grants to advance understanding of the human-pet bond. News release. Nestlé Purina PetCare. December 17, 2025. Accessed December 17, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-awards-120-000-in-global-research-grants-to-advance-understanding-of-the-human-pet-bond-302644204.html

Human-animal bond. American Veterinary Association. Accessed December 17, 2025. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/one-health/human-animal-bond

Purina has announced the 3 recipients of its 2026 Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies.

Researchers to study the human-animal bond in trauma recovery, feline separation behavior, and remote canine-assisted therapy

What does it mean when a cat hisses? Annie Valuska, PhD, explaine in a dvm360 interview.

Interpreting feline behaviors (part 1)

 interview, Annie Valuska, PhD, principal scientist for the pet behavior team at Purina, discussed common behaviors that cat owners may typically see and what they can mean. The interview also discussed canine behaviors as well as which companion animal behaviors sometimes lead to pets being surrendered by their owners or euthanized.

In this video—part 1 of 2 videos—Valuska discussed hissing, one of the most common feline behaviors, including misconceptions and what it really means. 

 of this discussion addresses another common companion animal behavior: feline tail wagging.

The following is a transcript of the video:

As well as people think they understand dogs, I think it can be even more difficult for cats. One of the most commonly misunderstood cat behaviors, in my opinion, is the hiss. A lot of people hear a cat hissing, and they assume that that is an aggressive cat. They think that it's an aggressive signal, but actually a hiss is generally just communicating discomfort or uncertainty, a lack of confidence in a situation.

So, you see a lot of viral videos on social media of cats that are hissing at a pet sitter, and a lot of people think the cat is seemingly giving mixed signals, because they're often approaching the pet sitter. They seem like they're very friendly, and then they're hissing, which people are interpreting as not friendly or aggressive. And in fact, the hiss is consistent with those mixed signals. They're unsure about this new person in their home. They might want some human interaction. They might want the food that the pet sitter is offering, but they're still feeling a little nervous, and that hiss is just another way for the cat to express, ‘hey, I'm not feeling too sure about this. I want a little bit more space.’ It's not a sign of an aggressive cat or an aggressive signal.

Crossley KC, Valuska A. Interpreting feline behaviors (Part 2). December 19, 2025. Accessed December 19, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/interpreting-feline-behaviors-part-2-