Officials with the FDA have approved an oral lincosamide antibiotic for canines. Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets (Felixvet Inc.) is indicated to treat skin infections, deep wounds and abscesses, dental infections and osteomyelitis caused by susceptible bacterial strains, according to the manufacturer. The drug has demonstrated activity against bacteria such as 

The newly approved therapy from Felixvet offers generic bioequivalence to Antirobe (Zoetis) clindamycin hydrochloride capsules. However, Felixvet’s product is manufactured in tablet dosage form, rather than capsule.

“With the approval of Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets, we’re expanding access to a trusted treatment option that veterinarians rely on for managing common yet potentially serious infections,” Vince Palasota, President of North America at Felixvet, said in a news release.

 “This product reflects our ongoing commitment to quality, affordability and clinical relevance.”

According to the FDA, bioequivalence was demonstrated in a study that compared the 150 mg Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets to the 150 mg Antirobe capsule. Thirty dogs between the ages of 6 months and 5 years were enrolled in the randomized, masked study.

“Clindamycin is an incredibly important anti-infective, or antimicrobial, for the management of multiple different infectious diseases and infectious conditions in pets,” Douglas Shane, DVM, PhD, veterinary director at Felixvet, said in a 

interview. “So, we're just going to continue to bring that Felix value to our vet clinics so that they have another partner for them, in their practices, they go [for] this widely used antimicrobial.”

Felixvet representatives noted that Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets is considered a “value-added generic,” which differs from a traditional generic product in that something has been changed. Palasota said creating a flavored chewable instead of recreating an unflavored chewable is an example of a value-added generic product. “We're taking the pioneer’s product, and we made some differentiation in the marketplace to try to do what we can do increase compliance with the pet or [provide] something different for the pet owner,” Palasota said in the interview.

“Clindamycin is a proven, versatile therapeutic, and we’re proud to add it to our growing portfolio,” Palasota added in the release.

 “We look forward to continuing to deliver solutions that meet the daily needs of veterinarians and their patients.”

Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets will be available only through a prescription. The product will be supplied as 25 mg tablets in 400-count bottles, 75 mg tablets in 200-count bottles, and 150 mg tablets in 100-count bottles.

Patients are dosed with Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets every 12 hours. The duration of treatment varies by infection type, typically a few days for acute infections and up to 28 days for osteomyelitis, according to Felixvet.

According to Felixvet, the company currently holds more than 20 FDA approvals and has a development pipeline with approximately 70 products in development, including 30 in stages along accelerated paths towards approval. “When you think of generic drugs in the animal health marketplace, there's only about 12% of the marketplace that has been genericized. So, there's a world of opportunities of new generics,” Palasota said in an interview with 

Felixvet receives FDA approval for Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets. News release. Felixvet. September 22, 2025.

Freedom of Information Summary: ANADA 200-813. FDA. June 27, 2025. Accessed September 22, 2025. 

https://animaldrugsatfda.fda.gov/adafda/app/search/public/document/downloadFoi/17171

Articles

Felixvet's Clindamycin Hydrochloride Tablets gain FDA approval, offering a new oral antibiotic option for treating various canine infections.

FDA approves new antimicrobial drug for canine infections 

People in Fort Collins, Colorado recently reported seeing what seem to be horned rabbits in recent weeks, resulting in these animals getting the nicknames “Frankenstein bunnies,” “zombie rabbits,” and “demon rabbits.”

Wild rabbits in Fort Collins, Colorado, have gained traction on social media as well as news outlets all over the world for their wart-like tumors that look like horn projections (Image courtesy of the American Veterinary Medical Association)

However, according to American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), these ‘demon rabbits’ actually have Shope papillomavirus (SPV), a well-known viral infection which was first described almost a century ago.

The virus is an endemic in cottontail rabbits and is transmitted primarily by fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks. It tends to appear in rabbits more often during warmer months when insect activity peaks.

SPV causes wart-like tumors that could keratinize into dark, hard, horn-like projections that grow on the rabbit’s head, ears, and eyelids, which can sometimes impair their vision or feeding. For most wild rabbits, their immune system resolves the infection and the growths regress eventually. This viral infection is rarely diagnosed in domestic rabbits, but it is serious when it is because the papillomas are more likely to become malignant. For domestic rabbits, if left untreated, it can progress to malignant cancer.

If a domestic rabbit is presenting with signs of SPV, veterinarians need to surgically or manually remove the nodules and send them to a pathologist for evaluation via histopathology. This will help the veterinary team determine the cause of the papillomas, whether they are benign or malignant, and if they have transformed to squamous cell carcinomas. These nodules occasionally go away on their own, but surgical removal is recommended because they can become malignant and can potentially metastasize to lymph nodes and lungs.

"Based mostly on experimental work, we know that malignant transformation happens in about 75% of infected domestic rabbits, compared to only around 5% of infected cottontails," Javier Asin Ros, DVM, PhD, DECVP, associate professor and diagnostic veterinary pathologist at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, explained to the AVMA.

Although rare in domestic pets, veterinary professionals believe this is still something veterinarians should know its potential risks.

This recent wave of attention to SPV is due to residents in Fort Collins sharing photos and videos on social media of the rabbits with protrusions, gaining local, national, and international media attention within days of posting. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed the SPV diagnosis and emphasized that it poses a minimal risk to pets, humans, or other wildlife species. Veterinary professionals should recommend to pet owners to keep their rabbits away from cotton tails and to keep them up to date on their rabbit hemorrhagic disease vaccine.

Although unsettling to see these rabbits with SPV, veterinary professionals can see this story as a reminder of a long-known virus with occasional clinical significance, according to the AVMA.

"It can foster interest in this viral disease and perhaps encourage surveys in different states to see what wild rabbit species are affected and what factors influence malignant transformation," Ros said. "It’s also a good opportunity to remind people not to touch wild rabbits and to keep their pets protected," he concluded.

Nolen RS. Frankenstein rabbits? Veterinarians tell the real story. American Veterinary Medical Association. Published September 4, 2025. Accessed September 22, 2025. https://www.avma.org/news/frankenstein-rabbits-veterinarians-tell-real-story

PetMD Editorial. Shope Papilloma Virus in Rabbits: What It Is and How To Keep Your Bunny Safe. Petmd.com. Published October 2008. Accessed September 22, 2025. https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/viral/c_rb_shope_papilloma_virus

Wild rabbits in northern Colorado have been seen with horn-like lesions due to a viral infection. 

Are there Frankenstein rabbits in Colorado? 

Photos courtesy of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

An avian patient gets prepared to be scanned in the small animal CT machine at the All Species Imaging Center in California. 

A new veterinary facility has opened at the University of California-Davis (UC Davis). The All Species Imaging Center is designed to be a central hub for advanced diagnostic imaging at the UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), according to the university.

The new center consists of 4 diagnostic imaging suites, 2 control rooms, a patient waiting room, a room used by radiologists for image interpretation, and staff office spaces. Each of the imaging suites have a unique purpose and house advanced technology as follows

Computed tomography (CT) for small animals

High field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for small and large animals

Positron emission tomography (PET) and CT for small and large animals

The large animal CT scanner is used with an equine patient.

The new MRI machine has replaced an older scanner that was used by the university for about 25 years. The CT scanner for small animals replaces a machine that was used by the VMTH for 15 years, according to the university.

"With these advanced scanners, we have been able to image areas of animals that we had never been able to scan before, such as the lumbar spine of horses and cows, the pelvis and stifles of horses, a full equine cervical spine, and the abdomen of a llama," Mathieu Spriet, DVM, MS, DACVR, DECVDI, DACVR-EDI, director of Imaging Services at the VMTH, said in a news release.

 "We believe this to be the best veterinary imaging facility on the West Coast and one of the top veterinary imaging facilities in the world."

The diagnostic imaging facility is also a home to the university’s advanced radiology training program. In this space, a dozen veterinary residents are trained by 8 board-certified radiologists.

The veterinary hospital at UC Davis is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. It is the main hospital in a university network that includes the UC Veterinary Medical Center in San Diego, and the UC Veterinary Medicine Teaching & Research Center in Tulare.

 The opening of the imaging center marks a milestone in the planned expansion of the veterinary medicine complex that will allow the university to eventually increase the student capacity from 600 to 800 individuals and help ease a veterinarian shortage in the region.

“We know that there are people every day that want to come for our care, and we can't fit them in,” Mark Stetter, DVM, DACZM, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, said in a 

 “The expansion allows us to train more students. It allows us to take care of more animals, and it allows us to do more of our groundbreaking research.”

Expansion of the veterinary medicine complex is expected to continue with multiple new facilities that will enable the university to provide care annually to approximately 20,000 more animals. Future structures planned as additions to the complex include a veterinary education pavilion, a primary care hospital, an equine hospital, a cancer center, a spay-neuter clinic, and a raptor center, according to the 

Warren R. UC Davis opens All Species Imaging Center. News release. University of California-Davis. September 17, 2025. Accessed September 19, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-opens-all-species-imaging-center

William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed September 19, 2025. 

Denyer LA. UC Davis veterinary school undergoes major expansion, increasing capacity and addressing veterinary shortage. 

3. September 18, 2025. Accessed September 19, 2025. 

https://www.kcra.com/article/uc-davis-veterinary-school-major-expansion/67954651

The facility is used for all species and is part of a larger planned expansion for the university’s veterinary medicine complex.

UC Davis unveils a new diagnostic imaging center

ZyVet's Furosemide Tablets. (Image courtesy of ZyVet Animal Health)

ZyVet Animal Health has launched an FDA-approved generic form of furosemide tablets, used for managing congestive heart failure and chronic fluid retention in cats and dogs. The medication is the most commonly used veterinary diuretic for decreasing edema and pulmonary congestion caused by cardiac, renal, or systemic conditions.

In a news release announcing the drug’s launch, ZyVet said its formulation gives veterinarians a cost-effective option for long-term therapy “without compromising dosing flexibility or product availability.”

“We are happy to participate in the animal health segment and launch the first approved generic of Furosemide in the US,” Punit Patel, president and CEO of Zydus Americas, the parent company of ZyVet, said in a company news release.

 “Managing chronic conditions in pets is a long journey, and consistency in care makes all the difference. At ZyVet, we believe in ensuring that veterinarians and pet owners have reliable, affordable options they can count on, and this launch is another step toward making quality drugs accessible to all.”

According to ZyVet, the medication is available in more than one strength for patient-specific dosing.

Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood effectively, leading to fluid buildup that may leak from blood vessels. In cats and dogs, left-sided heart failure can cause fluid pulmonary edema, while right-sided heart failure leads to pleural effusion or ascites.

Common signs of heart failure in felines are difficulty breathing; a large, round abdomen due to fluid buildup in the abdomen; exercise intolerance; lethargy; hiding; weight loss; and poor appetite. In felines, coughing is not a common symptom of the disease.

Arterial thromboembolism, the formation of blood clots that travel through the bloodstream, can occur in cats with advanced heart disease. These clots most often lodge where the aorta divides into the femoral arteries, which supply the hind limbs. This blockage, called a saddle thrombus, is very painful and can cause sudden loss of function in one or both back legs, leading to paralysis in the limbs and the limb feeling cold.

 Although less common, blood clots may also lodge in the front limbs, causing the same symptoms as a saddle thrombus but on the affected front limb.

Unlike in cats, the most common sign of congestive heart failure in dogs is a persistent cough alongside difficulty breathing. Coughing may occur when resting or sleeping. Excessive panting, getting tired more easily, loss of appetite, a swollen belly, and pale or bluish gums are also signs. Dogs will heart failure may also experience generalized weight loss and muscle wasting.

ZyVet launches affordable Furosemide tablets to support long-term heart care trusted diuretic for dogs and cats now available in a generic form. News release. ZyVet Animal Health. September 15, 2025.

Barnes C. Congestive heart failure in cats. VCA Animal Hospitals. Accessed September 19, 2025. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/congestive-heart-failure-in-cats

Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals. Accessed September 19, 2025. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/congestive-heart-failure-in-dogs

Generic furosemide is used to help manage heart failure.

Generic furosemide tablets for cats and dogs is launched

Happy Friday dvm360 readers! It is officially one week since we kicked off our Fetch Coastal event in its new location, National Harbor. Thank you to all our amazing faculty as well as our attendees and exhibitors for making our first Fetch National Harbor such a success. Now that we have officially wrapped up National Harbor, our final show, Fetch Long Beach is next! You can learn more about Fetch Long Beach, including wet labs, keynotes, and register 

Before checking out the conference page, here is what you can find from this week’s news coverage on dvm360.com:

 earlier this week that the state and federal officials confirmed that highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected in a dairy cattle herd in Nebraska, making this the first known case of bird flu in Nebraska.

In this Q&A with Zachary Wright, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) from Fetch National Harbor, he 

 more about some of the latest cancer screen tests, plus what he hoped attendees would take away from his lecture during the conference.

 of The Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, sponsored by Blue Buffalo, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomed Alex Miller, VMD, MS, and Phil Richmond, DVM, CAPP, CPHSA, CCFP, talked about wellbeing in veterinary medicine, plus the Florida Veterinary Medical Association's Inspire program.

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation 

 the scholarship opportunities that are available to veterinary students, including ones for veterans, those with special interests within the industry, first generation students, and more.

A team of investigators in the United Kingdom 

 oronasal mucosal melanoma for the benefit of both canines and humans. The research was made possible through support from donations to the Humanimal Trust’s Cancer Discovery Fund.

Wrap up: First case of bird flu in dairy cattle confirmed by USDA, and other news 

Note that many of the upcoming industry events are being held in person or via a combination of live and virtual learning. Please visit individual event websites for details.

https://www.veterinarydentalforum.org/future-conferences

Association of Avian Veterinarians Annual Conference & Expo

American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists

https://www.acvoconference.org/future-conferences

American College of Veterinary Surgeons Surgery Summit

American College of Veterinary Pathologists Annual Meeting

https://acvp.org/annual-meeting/annual-meeting/

https://registration.dvm360.com/fetch-long-beach-2025

American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention

Upcoming industry events and association meetings are listed.