The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has declared that the FDA can now issue emergency use authorizations for animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by New World screwworm (NWS). According to the announcement, the declaration applies only to animal drugs.

“Today we are taking decisive action to safeguard the nation’s food supply from this emerging threat,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, said in the announcement.

 “This authorization equips FDA to act quickly, limit the spread of [NWS], and protect America’s livestock.”

NWS targets warm-blooded animals, including cattle, pets, wildlife, and, less commonly, humans. An NWS infestation may cause severe tissue damage and, in some cases, death.

Although the public health risk to humans remains low, its reemergence poses a potential threat to animal health and livestock production. “This parasite poses an emerging threat to livestock and food security, with potential impacts on both national security and animal health,” the HHS wrote in its announcement.

 update: New World screwworm or not? What vets should and shouldn’t submit to labs

NWS was eradicated from North America and Central America decades ago but has been advancing north since 2022 and is now close to the US border with Mexico.

 According to Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, a preventive medicine specialist focusing on parasitology, immunology, and infectious disease, an NWS invasion is likely, with predictions that the parasite will make its way into the US by this year or next year.

“We have been seeing [NWS] moving up from South America, through every single country in Central America, and has touched down into Mexico,” Lee said in a 

 “Currently, we are looking at the numbers nearly doubling every couple of weeks.”

There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for NWS in the US.

 Under the new emergency authorization, however, the FDA can temporarily authorize the use of certain animal drugs that are approved for other conditions or in other countries but not formally approved for NWS in the US, giving veterinarians and producers quicker access to options for protecting animals and the food supply. The emergency use authorization allows veterinarians, farmers, and animal health officials to have timely access to options for protecting pets, livestock, and the US food supply, the HHS said.

Screwworms: When the larvae don't care about boundaries

FDA is acting swiftly and responsibly to help ensure we have the necessary tools to prevent and control [NWS], minimizing risks to agriculture and public health,” said Marty Makary, MD, MPH, FDA commissioner.

HHS allows FDA emergency use of animal drugs to combat New World screwworm, protect US food supply. News release. US Department of Health and Human Services. August 19, 2025. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/hhs-allows-fda-emergency-use-animal-drugs-combat-new-world-screwworm-protect-us-food-supply 

. May 16, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/vet-watch-update-new-world-screwworm


Articles

The declaration allows emergency use of animal drugs not yet FDA approved for screwworm treatment.

US Department of Health and Human Services authorizes emergency use of animal drugs for New World screwworm

The veterinary relief platform Roo is launching a new service to connect students with animal health care practices providing externships. Roo Uni is the industry’s first and only centralized platform where veterinary students can search and directly apply to externships, according to a news release. The service is free to use for students, universities and hospitals.

Roo Uni aims to fill a critical gap in an increasingly competitive field. Veterinary students traditionally have had to track down externships hospital by hospital, often applying to only a few, according to Roo. “The lack of centralized, transparent access has left many [students] just scrambling, stressed and then settling for suboptimal placements that could shape their career trajectory,” Charlotte Weir, vice president of hospital success and industry relations at Roo, said in a 

The new service connects veterinary students with more than 800 animal hospitals across 47 states using a single, searchable platform. Although veterinarians are typically limited by state licenses when they begin practicing, students can gain hands-on experience across state lines.

“As the industry's largest veterinary staffing marketplace connecting hospitals with relief vets, creating a platform that does the same for students seeking externships felt like a natural next step for us,” Weir said in the release.

 “When you’re a student, it can be really difficult to ask the 'hard' questions, like: Will they pay me? How much? Will they help with housing? We built Roo Uni to answer those questions all in one place and take the confusion and stress out of the externship process.”

Designed by veterinary professionals who have gone through the externship process, Roo Uni was created to provide a smarter way for veterinary students to successfully start their careers across the country, according to Roo. As students head back to school, the company is aiming to help hospitals attract and identify the best emerging talent, and make the process of securing a competitive externship easier for students.

“Externships are really just one of the most powerful recruitment tools that a hospital really can have. They allow practitioners to meet students early, showcase their practice and identify potential future associates before graduation. It's essentially the try before you hire experience for both sides. Students gain hands on training and hospitals get to see how students sort of connect with their team, clients and patients,” Weir said in the 

interview. “Externships also give practitioners the chance to give back to the profession by teaching, which many veterinarians find rewarding and reinvigorating for hospitals. Mentoring externs strengthens their team morale. It builds loyalty and helps ensure the next generation is well prepared to deliver quality care [and] gives them a leg up.”

Students can search for externships by location, area of interest, duration and more.

Each listing provides key details students need to know before applying such as what skills they’ll gain, whether it’s hands-on, whether or not the opportunity pays, how long it lasts, etc.

The service is free to use, and any pay or stipends are negotiated by the hospital and student directly.

Featured externships are highlighted, which are opportunities that have earned high praise from past students to give future externs a clear, direct path to sought-after, high-value experiences.

The new platform has already gained strong momentum in its beta form. Thousands of students have registered with hundreds successfully placed in externships. Partnerships have been established with more than half of the veterinary schools in the US.

Jilliane De Leon, a 2026 DVM candidate and Roo student ambassador Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine in Pomona, California, found her externship using the platform. “Roo Uni is incredibly easy to use. The sign up process is quick, and you get immediate access to the externships available,” she said in a 

“Roo Uni has been incredibly helpful throughout my entire externship process because they did all the legwork, all I had to do was apply,” Amber Elalem, an incoming third-year student at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, said in the news release.

 “Balancing the intense demands of vet school while trying to track down externships can be incredibly stressful. With Roo Uni, I was able to find an externship that allows me to work on really important clinical skills that I’ll need during practice, and I didn’t have to email 20 different hospitals to get there.”

For veterinary students seeking externships, De Leon advised not to be afraid to inquire about doing things. "You are there to learn and create new experiences. You might be surprised at how much someone is willing to teach you," she said.

According to Roo, veterinary practices are also seeing the value as externships are often the first step in recruiting passionate, committed veterinarians, while giving back to the profession through teaching and helping to strengthens job satisfaction.

While providing the service at no cost to users, Roo is launching Roo Uni as part of its’ mission to support veterinarians at various stages of their careers. “Roo already supports veterinarians later in their careers. Roo Uni, for us, extends that support at the very beginning of the journey by helping students access quality externships,” Weir said in the interview. “Roo strengthens the pipeline for future veterinarians, and we're building trust with hospitals that fosters relationships with students who may eventually return to Roo for relief work or hiring opportunities. So for us, it's really about building a healthier veterinary ecosystem, one where students, practitioners, hospitals and schools, all benefit.”

Roo, leading veterinary tech company, launches Roo Uni: the first-ever national externship platform for veterinary students. News release. Roo. August 19, 2025.

Roo Uni was created by the relief veterinary platform Roo as a free service for practices and student users.

New digital platform connects students with externships

As a child growing up in Burlington, Connecticut, Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA, found his love for veterinary medicine by reading Zoobooks magazines. Through those magazines, he would learn the anatomy of each animal featured, and, combined with his time spent in nature as a child, he began his journey to becoming a veterinary surgeon. The real spark was when Campbell received a puppy on his 10th birthday, and he knew his path in life was to become a veterinarian.

“As I navigated my formal education, particularly at Tuskegee University [in Alabama], those early seeds of anatomic knowledge blossomed, leading me to become an anatomy and physiology tutor in veterinary school, and eventually, I found myself increasingly drawn to the singular world of surgery. And it wasn’t just about the meticulous precision or the thrilling intellectual puzzle, though those are certainly compelling. What truly captivated my imagination was the profound, almost mystical ability to restore: to mend what was broken, to bring a living creature back to wholeness,” Campbell explained.

“Surgery, for me, embodies this incredible dance between science and art, intellect and intuition, demanding a deep understanding of both basic and advanced sciences. It’s the ultimate act of doing, of stepping into the arena to fix what was broken, to alleviate pain, and to give families back their beloved companions, whole again,” he continued.

Now the proud owner of Stitches Veterinary Surgery, the first specialty center of its kind in Long Beach, California, and a frequent speaker at veterinary conferences across the globe, Campbell is using his love of knowledge and animals to not only care for patients but to educate veterinary professionals currently in the profession or future professionals. As a proud collaborator with blendVET and Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition, Campbell is helping to uplift students in schools all over the United States by teaching them what it means to be a veterinary professional and helping create a more diverse community within veterinary medicine.

“As surgeons, we’re trained for precision, control, and expertise.... Those skills are absolutely critical, but what I’ve discovered in the deepest recesses of the operating room and in the tender conversations with families is that the most powerful, most profound healing, the most meaningful outcomes, don’t just come from perfect technique. They come from our ability to truly connect, listen, and communicate with heartfelt clarity,” he concluded.

The 2025 class of dvm360 Veterinary Heroes will be honored at a celebratory luncheon in the dvm360 Fetch Kansas City Conference. 

Click here learn more or register for the event.

Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA, wins the 2025 dvm360 Veterinary Hero award in the surgery category

2025 Veterinary Heroes: Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA

Audrey Mohan never planned to get a cat, but after she spent time feeding a family of strays living on her fiancé's land, she noticed one of the kittens was in distress. The kitten was lethargic and struggled to drink any water, so she brought her to a local animal hospital. At the hospital, the kitten, whom Mohan named Skittles, weighed less than 1 lb, so she was too small for flea medicine. Skittles also had extremely low red blood cells and an injury on her front leg that was infected and swelled 3 times its normal size. Because of the injury, the local veterinarian performed an amputation, but a new issue presented itself to Mohan.

Skittles, 6-month-old calico, was treated at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ Small Animal Teaching Hospital for a serious mouth injury (Images courtesy of Jason Nitsch ’14, VMBS Marketing & Communications)

“About a month after the amputation surgery, she started to lose function in her jaw, and the only way she could eat was by sticking her tongue in and out of her mouth to lick food,” Mohan said.

 “That’s when we were sent to a specialist, who then referred us to Texas A&M.”

Upon arriving at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ Small Animal Teaching Hospital, she was evaluated by its dentistry service. Adriana Regalado-Ibarra, MVZ, DAVDC, noticed Skittles’ jaw was locked on one side and fractured on the other. The team believes that at some point in her life, Skittles suffered a serious injury, and now was the chance to improve her quality of life. Regalado-Ibarra noted that because she was growing when she broke her jaw, the healing process happened quickly, but the bones were not aligned properly, causing her upper and lower jaw to fuse together into 1 solid bone. This led to her mouth completely locking shut.

Skittles needed surgery desperately in order to unlock her jaw, but because of her small size, the procedure required a team of specialists and advanced equipment to ensure a successful outcome.

“Skittles was tiny. That type of surgery at that age becomes risky,” Regalado-Ibarra said.

 “We are working near important parts, like the brain, major blood vessels, and nerves. Instead of cutting the joint and risking unintended damage, we chose to remove a piece of the lower jaw to allow easier movement.”

The team was also worried about putting Skittles under anesthesia because it would be "nearly impossible" to place a breathing tube due to the jaw being locked. By using the smallest endoscope, they were able to navigate through a tiny gap located on the side of Skittles' mouth to locate her airway. They then performed a scope-assisted intubation.

The procedure lasted 3 hours and required collaboration from multiple departments, including dentistry, radiology, internal medicine, and anesthesiology. When Skittles woke up from the procedure, she meowed for the first time in months. 

Skittles being examined by the dentistry service following her surgery

“She had meowed when her jaw was open as a little kitten, but when it locked shut, she couldn’t make a sound,” Mohan said. “After surgery, she opened her mouth, yawned, and meowed.”

Skittles made a full recovery after her jaw was successfully treated and can now eat and drink with ease. However, her tongue now sticks out due to the misaligned jaw, but her family says it only adds to her charm.

“Skittles’ recovery was a true team effort,” Regalado said. “Every single person involved—including Skittles’ owner and all our medical staff—played a role in her survival.”

Dunn M. Texas A&M veterinarians help tiny kitten get her voice back. VMBS News. August 13, 2025. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/texas-am-veterinarians-help-tiny-kitten-get-her-voice-back/

Skittles, a 6-month-old calico, presented at Texas A&M’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital with her jaw locked shut on one side and fractured on the other.

Texas A&M team saves kitten with locked jaw

A wellness symposium at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, provides personal and professional development created for female veterinarians. The “Thriving as Women in Veterinary Medicine” event offers 3 continuing education (CE) credits.

The symposium will be held on Sunday, August 24, 2025, from 8 AM to 12 PM CDT at the Kansas City Convention Center. Sponsored by Purina Pro Plan and Fabletics Scrubs, the symposium is open to veterinarians registered for this Fetch conference, with no additional fee nor prerequisites required. Space is limited to 50 attendees.

Following a group breakfast, the symposium provides a 20-minute lecture and 30 minutes of activities for each of the 3 CE hours. Facilitators include Laura Neff, CPCC; Lisa Radosta, DVM, DACVB; and Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V.

Neff is the founder of New Atlas Coaching, which offers consulting and coaching services. A certified professional coactive coach through the Co-Active Training Institute, she is a member of the International Coaching Federation and past president of the organization’s chapter in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Radosta is the owner of the specialty practice Florida Veterinary Behavior Service. A lecturer for veterinary professionals, pet owners, and canine trainers, she has authored several books, including 

, and is the editor of the fourth edition of 

Marks is the owner of Marks DVM Consulting. A former practice owner, she is CEO of the Veterinary Angel Network for Entrepreneurs) and co-owner of Veterinary Ownership Advocates.

Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V

These interactive sessions will offer insights on identifying your core values, owning ourselves and generating possibility, and using core values to affect and change scenarios from work and life. Learning objectives for the symposium include the following:

Knowledge and discovery of internal core values system

Assessment and prioritization of the participant’s current alignment with core values

Self-discovery and interpretation of unexpected core values in the system

Application of individual core values to typical negatively viewed work scenarios and a strategy for applying core values toward a different, more favorable outcome in future scenarios

The symposium also offers wellness stations. Author Lynsey Victoria Rinelli, DVM, an emergency practitioner, will meet with symposium attendees at one of the stations, where she will sign copies of her children’s book, 

. The book’s story is about love, loss, the human-animal bond, and saying goodbye to a cherished pet.

Click here to learn more about Fetch Kansas City or register for the event.

The event offers 3.0 CE credits and features 3 hours of interactive 

Symposium aims to empower women in veterinary medicine

With the appearance of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in United States cattle and swine, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), the Pork Checkoff, and the Foundation for Foods & Agriculture Research (FFAR) are funding 10 new projects to improve prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response capabilities for HPAI H5N1. The projects, which are being conducted by various universities across the country, are part of the H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program, a $4 million research program and joint initiative of the 3 organizations.

The 10 projects, totaling $2.1 million in funding, address vaccine development and cross-protection, clinical presentation of swine in different production phases, potential for mammary transmission, diagnostic surveillance, introduction and transmission risks, and biosecurity practices.

“Funding timely research is essential to drive action for emerging disease prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response for the US swine industry,” Megan Niederwerder, DVM, PhD, executive director of SHIC, said in a news release.

 “We were very pleased with the overwhelming response to this research program, which received a record number of applicants.”

The studies focusing on vaccine development and cross-protection include

“Development of a vaccine against highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses for use in pigs” at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Is focusing on developing a vaccine strategy for inducing an immune response in swine

“Evaluation of cross-protective N1 swine antibodies against HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus” at the University of Minnesota: Is evaluating whether natural infection with endemic swine influenza A virus strains or immunization with commercial swine influenza A virus vaccines create immune cross-protection against HPAI H5N1

“Role of Prior Immunity to endemic swine viruses on HPAI H5N1 infection in pigs” at the University of Georgia: Objective is to investigate whether existing influenza A vaccines or prior exposure to endemic swine flu strains affect infection susceptibility and transmission of H5N1 in swine.

Studies on the clinical presentation and mammary transmission of HPAI H5N1 in pigs represent the category with the greatest number of funded projects. These studies include

“Preparing the US swine industry for HPAI H5N1: Quantifying and comparing H5N1 vs H1N1 spreading, shedding, and detection in groups with or without immunity to H1N1” at Iowa State University: Is comparing transmissibility, shedding, and detection of H5N1 vs H1N1 and assessing the impact of prior H1N1 infection on H5N1 infection and spread.

“Pathogenesis and transmission studies in piglets and sows infected with different genotypes of 2.3.4.4b clade H5Nx viruses” at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease: Is assessing H5N1, H5N2, or H5N5 pathogenesis in weaned piglets via different exposure routes and intramammary infection in lactating sows and suckling piglets.

“Evaluating H5N1 risk to swine: Mammary transmission and clinical presentation in lactating sows” at The Ohio State University: Is evaluating the replication potential of H5N1 strains in swine mammary tissue and clinical signs, shedding, and transmission in lactating sows and suckling piglets.

“Investigation of susceptibility of porcine mammary gland to highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus infection and transmission risk of virus from sows to nursing piglets” at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada: Is investigating whether H5N1 can replicate and transmit via the mammary route in swine and examining pathogenesis in farrowing sows.

All projects were started this summer and are expected to run 12 to 18 months.

 According to SHIC, study results will be shared with veterinarians and producers “as soon as they become available.”

FFAR, SHIC & Pork Checkoff fund H5N1 Swine Research Projects. News release. July 24, 2025. Foundation for Foods & Agriculture Research. July 24, 2025. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://foundationfar.org/news/ffar-shic-pork-checkoff-fund-h5n1-swine-research-projects/

SHIC, FFAR, and Pork Checkoff fund 10 H5N1 Risk to Swine projects to address emerging disease threat. News release. Swine Health Information Center. July 22, 2025. Accessed August 18, 2025. https://www.swinehealth.org/shic-ffar-and-pork-checkoff-fund-10-h5n1-risk-to-swine-projects-to-address-emerging-disease-threat/

New research projects funded to combat avian influenza in swine focus on vaccine development, transmission risks, and biosecurity measures.