Vet Watch Episode 1

Alice Jeromin, DVM, RPh, DACVD, and host Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, open the premiere episode of 

 with a comprehensive exploration of how isoxazoline parasiticides have revolutionized ectoparasite management in small-animal practice. In the episode, Jeromin and Lee discuss the mechanism of action of these parasiticides, their extralabel uses, and the different isoxazoline products available, detailing their differences, doses, and duration. They also share diagnostic tips and anecdotes about older treatments before the advent of isoxazolines and talk about the challenges of public education on flea treatment, including incorrect use of products and more.

Check out the episode above to hear the full dialogue and deepen your understanding of these transformative compounds. Your next challenging case of unexplained pruritus may have a simple, science-backed solution.

Below is a partial transcript of the video, which has been lightly edited for clarity:

Today, we're talking about isoxazolines, or as they’re called, "isox." So to help everyone get on the same page—I don't know, the first time I heard of isox, I thought they were Bluetooth leggings that I had to have for some reason. So, what are isox? How do they work, and what are they?

 First of all, every veterinary dermatologist you can ask is in love with isoxazolines. We'll get into the reason for that later, but they are both insecticidal and acaricidal, which means they're pretty good at what they do for insects, fleas, ticks—that kind of thing.

Thankfully, we've got several to choose from. Their method of action is that they antagonize GABA [gamma-aminobutyric acid], which is...like a double negative. I always think of GABA as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. So they're antagonizing an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which in turn controls chloride channels. They also—at least in invertebrates—antagonize glutamate-driven chloride channels. So there's kind of a 2-fold mechanism of action in invertebrates, and invertebrates—like mammals, us—they do...the antagonism of GABA, which is a real long mouthful, but it just results in hyperpolarization, and then the being dies. We know that insects are much more sensitive [to] these GABA receptors than mammals are. So that's good because we don't want to have any of the neurological issues that can occur with some of these insecticides and acaricides, particularly the GABA-mediated ones.

 Yeah, it's great having that level of safety. And speaking of safety and just overall efficacy...you and I have both been practicing veterinary medicine for a while, so when we look at it and you have over 35 years of experience...for some of our listeners [who don’t]—let's kind of go back. I think you and I both remember 1993 when Frontline was first law. What was it even before that? Do you have any stories from [the pre-Frontline era]?

Alice Jeromin, DVM, RPh, DACVD—Before earning her DVM degree from The Ohio State University, Jeromin graduated from the University of Toledo with a BS in Pharmacy and practiced as a hospital pharmacist. She completed her veterinary dermatology residency with Patrick Breen and dermatopathology training at Procter & Gamble, Miami Valley Labs, as well as a fellowship in human dermatology at MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, with Bryan Davis. Jeromin is currently an adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University, lecturer at Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy, and former practice owner of Veterinary Allergy & Dermatology, Inc. She is a former member-at-large on the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Biologics and Therapeutic Agents as chairman of the supplements and compounding committees. Along with publishing in human and veterinary journals, she authored the dermatology chapter in 

Pharmacotherapeutics for Veterinary Dispensing

. Her interests include human-animal comparative dermatology and skin lipid research, with publications in both areas. Because of her pharmacist background of counseling patients, she is a strong believer in client education and maintains her website,

, for clients to be educated with evidence-based information, as well as her podcast, 

. The podcast is geared toward pet owners of allergic pets to provide them with accurate, evidence-based information.

Videos

Introducing Vet Watch! Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, and Alice Jeromin, DVM, RPh, DACVD, discuss the clinical benefits and practical applications of isoxazoline parasiticides for year-round ectoparasite control.

Vet Watch: Tips and pitfalls of dermatology in the new age of isoxazolines

Heather Duncan, DVM, DAVDC, discusses her Fetch On-Demand session

A preview of a dental extraction lecture

In this video, Heather Duncan, DVM, DAVDC, founder and CEO of Crown Veterinary Dental Specialists in Charlotte, North Carolina, discusses her lecture “Lights, Camera, Action: Let's Walk Through Real Life Dental Extractions, which focuses on dental extractions, surgical techniques, and instruments used for flap release and tooth extraction. The session, originally presented at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte, can now be viewed virtually for continuing education credit through dvm360 Flex.

Previews of Duncan’s other on-demand lectures can be accessed below:

A veterinary dentist previews her session on dental instruments for extractions

 So, our lecture for “Lights, Camera, Action: Let's Walk Through [Real Life] Dental Extractions,” I am a very visual learner, so I like to watch things being done. That's how I learned the best. So, we have compiled a lot of videos showing dental extractions, especially the main teeth that we're going to extract. So maxillary canine tooth, maxillary fourth premolar, mandibular canine tooth, mandibular first molar, as well as some premolars with periodontal disease.

So, we have compiled a lot of videos that walk you through those steps, how we're going to design that flap, the micro gingival flap, and have a tension free flap at the end to suture, as well as well as the instruments that we're going to use to release that flap, to elevate the tooth and extract that tooth itself.

 delivers expert-led veterinary continuing education on your schedule. With 

, you can access top-tier sessions anytime, anywhere—whether at home, in the clinic, or on the go. Ready to earn CE credits? Watch this session and more on 

A preview of a lecture on dental extractions

Beef and dairy production significantly contribute to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in varying amounts depending on the country. GHG emissions intensity is calculated using the emissions produced per unit of product such as beef or milk. It directly correlates to a country’s income status. The lower the income, the greater the intensity, which is concerning given that low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) own 76% of global cattle and contribute 75% of the global ruminant GHG emissions. Optimizing production efficacy in LMICs with the highest intensities—India, Brazil, Pakistan, and African nations, to name a few—can reduce global livestock emissions by 60% to 65% by 2050.

Genetic improvement is a potential strategy to accomplish this goal. A recent review in the 

explored the current use of genetic improvement technologies to:

increase milk and beef production efficacy

explore future implications of gene editing, and

summarize the opportunity cost of delay in implementing genetic technologies into livestock production.

Current technologies used in cattle production include genetic selection, artificial insemination (AI), and sexed semen. Genetic selection uses genotyping to identify cows with the best genetic traits, like high milk yield. AI is a reproductive technology that uses genetic selection to breed cattle with sperm from genetically superior bulls, ensuring high-quality calves. The AI process has become increasingly beneficial with the introduction of sexed semen. Using X-chromosome-bearing semen to perform AI increases the number of female calves while reducing unwanted males.

AI increases livestock production efficiency but has been adopted inconsistently and unequally across beef and dairy industries. The beef industry uses genetic selection and AI more frequently to produce higher quality beef; however, 45% of beef comes from dairy production systems globally. Since beef produced in specialized beef herds generates 4 times the emissions as intensity of beef from dairy farms, there is potential to combine these sectors. Crossbreeding cattle using semen from genetically superior beef breeds to AI dairy cows can create “beef on dairy” calves tailored for beef production and have environmental and economic advantages.

The future of genetic technology is genetic engineering (GE) and gene editing (GnEd). These emerging technologies can create intentional genomic alterations (IGA) in the cattle genome to produce favorable phenotypes such as disease resistance, hornless, heat tolerance, and single-sex offspring. GnEd knocks out or introduces specific genes through nuclease-mediated changes to DNA. Incorporating this into current practice requires standard regulations, appropriate infrastructure, and positive public perception.

Genetic technologies have played a crucial role in lowering GHG emissions in the cattle industry. Delaying implementation in LMIC and future advancements of GnEd due to regulatory burdens and public pushback would forgo advantages of beneficial technologies, reduced GHG emissions, and environmental protection.

, is a 2025 PharmD Candidate studying veterinary pharmacy at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy in Storrs.

Van Eenennaam AL. Current and future uses of genetic improvement technologies in livestock breeding programs. 

. 2025;15(1):80-90. doi:10.1093/af/vfae042

Articles

The use of technologies to increase food production and understand the implications of gene editing are being explored

Fighting greenhouse gas emissions with cattle genetics

Happy Friday dvm360 readers! We hope that you all had a fantastic week and are ready to kick off the weekend. Did you know that dvm360’s continuing education platform, Flex, is now offering Fetch on Demand? Fetch on Demand offers Fetch attendees, and those who missed the show, a chance to watch sessions and earn continuing education at their own pace and time. With a wide range of topics, there is something for everyone to learn from. You can check out the courses available 

As you get ready to learn from Fetch on Demand, here is what was popular this week on dvm360.com:

With Fetch Nashville right around the corner, we know that putting together your conference schedule can be overwhelming. To help, we 

 our upcoming keynotes, which faculty will be participating in the Consult and Connect, plus the available hands on laboratories.

MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., 

 the news that its gentamicin, posaconazole, and mometasone furoate otic suspension (Mometamax Single; Merck), has received approval from the FDA to treat canine otitis externa.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Josh Rosen, DVM, joins host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to talk about the importance of having clinical empathy in the veterinary clinic.

 all things North American Veterinary Licensing Examination, including its history and some advice on prepping for the exam, as someone who helps write its questions.

 with dvm360 to preview his Fetch on Demand session, Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, explains the unique physical characteristics amphibians have that can impact their response to anesthesia and analgesia.

Wrap up: A sneak peek for Fetch Nashville 2025, and other news

Erin Davis, BVBiol, BVSc, BFMgt, MVS (Con Med), works on the International One Health team at Wildlife Health Australia, the independent coordinating body for wildlife health in Australia. Earlier this year, she traveled on a 2-week ship voyage to Antarctica run by Homeward Bound Projects, part of an initiative to inspire collective leadership action to tackle global sustainability issues.

“The trip was the culmination of a 12-month science, technology, engineering, maths, and medicine [STEMM] transformational leadership initiative, in which 124 women and nonbinary people from more than 24 different nationalities journeyed together to Antarctica. I learned an enormous amount from the trip and the people I attended it with! Antarctica really is like no other place on earth, and I doubt anyone could come back unchanged from such a trip,” Davis said to 

Erin Davis, BVBiol, BVSc, BFMgt, MVS (Con Med), in Antarctica (Image courtesy of Davis) 

“From learning about the wildlife to the climate, geography, history, land, and oceans, and the work being done in the region by amazing scientists and support staff at research stations. How glaciers form, move, and impact the environment around them. How the wildlife, from the smallest krill to the penguins and other seabirds, to seals and the megafauna, whales—all exist in a delicate balance that is easily disrupted.”

With the One Health approach recognizing the interconnectedness between the health of people, animals, and the environment, Davis’ Antarctic adventure brought into focus the importance of her work in the One Health area.

“The connections I made with my fellow travelers and the experiences we shared together in Antarctica were incredibly beneficial to my work in One Health. The trip itself afforded me unique insights into wildlife health in extreme environments, including the dynamics of disease in isolated populations and the impact of human-induced climate change on ecosystem and wildlife health,” Davis said.

“The experience also allowed me to appreciate in person how the impacts of human activities globally affect the entire system that is earth and helped to inspire me toward collective and transformative action to address these issues. This trip helped me to better understand the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and biosecurity interventions in protecting vulnerable species in remote, fragile habitats.”

Davis and the other participants learned about the challenges facing the Antarctic region while using the opportunity to further develop their skills and strategies for driving and leading effective change to ensure a sustainable future for all.

“From climate change to the impacts of tourism and harvesting of marine fisheries stocks to political influences and the Antarctic Treaty to seeing the impact of emerging disease outbreaks in the region—[highly pathogenic] avian influenza [HPAI] in particular—from a One Health perspective, I was able to develop connections with people working in human, animal, and environmental health, including doctors, environmental scientists, engineers, and social scientists, bridging barriers to collective action along the way,” Davis said.

“As a veterinarian working to help prepare for diseases of concern to Australia and on the global stage, I delivered a presentation on board to help build awareness of the impact of diseases of concern to Antarctica and globally. This included a presentation on HPAI to the cohort and to expedition staff on the ship, covering what, who, where, and why we should care about this disease from a One Health perspective.”

Homeward Bound is a global transformational leadership initiative, and for Davis, her participation in the trip to Antarctica left her inspired to make real change.

“From the program and participants, I developed my skills in understanding and applying my personal learning styles and how to develop my personal strategy. I also met and [learned] from amazing women and nonbinary participants from many cultures and walks of life in STEM fields,” Davis said.

“The trip also reinforced my understanding of the importance of systems and One Health approaches to help address wicked problems in the world. And importantly, I started to work with others on strategies for how we can work together to address these issues using collective action for transformational change for a more sustainable world.”

Sydney hosts annual Australian Veterinary Association conference


"Cutting Through" is the theme of the upcoming 2025 Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Conference in Sydney from May 12-15, 2025. Presentations will focus on a range of veterinary topics, including discussions on the opportunities and pitfalls of artificial intelligence in veterinary medicine, the future of One Health, and how to thrive outside your comfort zone.

“It is Australia's premier veterinary professional development event, and we’re really excited that, this year, it is going to be in Sydney after a 20-year hiatus! The program features an exceptional array of keynote speakers from a wide range of veterinary expertise backgrounds, featuring both visiting international experts and world-leading, home-grown talent,” Sally Colgan BVSc, DipVetClinStud, DACVS, MAICD, AVA president, said exclusively to 

Sally Colgan BVSc, DipVetClinStud, DACVS, MAICD, Australian Veterinary Association president (Image courtesy of the Australian Veterinary Association)

The conference will feature presentations from Greg Ogilvie, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Oncology), DECVIM-CA; Jaume Fatjo, DVM, PhD, ECVBM-CA, a human-animal bond researcher; and Chris Tan, BVSc, BSc (Vet), PhD, FANZCVS, DECVS-SA, a popular Australian small-animal specialist surgeon.

Throughout the event, conference delegates will be able to participate in a multitude of social activities, including university alumni dinners and special interest group functions, culminating in the AVA Awards Gala Dinner, at which leading members of the veterinary profession will be celebrated.

The AVA board is also keen to showcase the organization’s new strategic plan, and in a new initiative at this year’s conference, board directors will be present at the AVA exhibition stand during the event for a Q&A session to further engage with conference delegates.

“We're really looking forward to meeting our members and engaging with them directly via this innovative Q&A session format. The development of the AVA’s new strategic plan was informed by member consultation, and the plan will deliver our vision and purpose. Our members spoke, we listened, and we’ve acted on that with this strategic plan, which we’re excited to talk about further,” Colgan said.

Further information about the event is available via the AVA website.

Read for updates on the veterinarian who traveled to Antarctica as part of the Homeward Bound projects and about Australia’s much-anticipated upcoming annual national veterinary conference.

Veterinary scene down under: One veterinarian's trip to Antarctica, plus AVA’s annual veterinary conference

Heather Duncan, DVM, DAVDC, talks about her Fetch dvm360 conference session, now available on-demand

Heather Duncan, DVM, DAVDC, founder and CEO of Crown Veterinary Dental Specialists in Charlotte, North Carolina, talks about her Fetch dvm360 presentation “Instruments to Make Dental Extractions Easier: What You May Have Missed in Vet School,” now available on-demand for CE credit on dvm360's Flex website. In the video, Duncan offers a preview of key topics that the session covers, such as various dental instruments, including periosteal elevators and luxators. The session also goes over correct suture use and the number of knots needed for various cases.

Below is the interview transcript, lightly edited for clarity:

: One of the other presentations that you can watch on-demand are “Instruments to Make Dental Extractions Easier: What You May Have Missed in Vet School.” In vet school, you know, we learned so much information, and there's a plethora of dental instrumentation out there that can make our lives easier, from the periosteal elevators to our elevators, to our luxators to our luxating-type elevators. So, it's just a whole new world of learning that language, as well as the burs to choose and when you would use one bur versus another, what type of suture are we going to use? You know, how are we going to do the sutures? How many knots do you need?

So, we have this presentation to help kind of bridge that gap between what we may not have gotten in vet school to learn for those things, and what can help us in real life with instruments, and how we're going to plan those and what to have in our instrument packs at work to help our patients.