Veterinary shortages across the United States have been a daunting problem for the profession. From Mars Veterinary Health data, it is estimated that up to 55,000 additional veterinarians will be needed to meet the needs of companion animal healthcare by 2030. In addition, even with the new veterinary graduates expected over the next 10 years, a shortage of up to 24,000 companion-animal veterinarians will likely still exist by 2030.

However, a silver lining in this issue, is that more and more colleges and universities across the country have been adding veterinary medicine doctorate programs to their degree offerings.

 College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences announced construction to expand the veterinary medicine and education facilities, doubling the size of its teaching hospital.

 College of Veterinary Medicine is set to open in Fall 2025.

New Jersey’s first veterinary medicine program comes from the 

Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University

 and construction encompasses the anticipation of welcoming its first class of 60-70 veterinary students in 2025.

 will welcome its first class of veterinarians in the fall of 2026, becoming the first college of veterinary medicine in South Carolina.

 spend their first 2 years at Utah State and then finish their remaining 2 years at Washington State University where their degree will be awarded. However, Utah State anticipates that students admitted for fall 2025 will attend all 4 years of their DVM program at USU.

Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana now joins this list of providing students with more options to obtain their veterinary medicine degree. According to a university release,

 Hanover College plans to launch a hybrid, accelerated Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program with its first cohort starting in August 2026. The first cohort is expected to welcome 80 students and each subsequent class will expand to 100 students per cohort by the third year. Hanover College anticipates full capacity to include a maximum total enrollment of 300 DVM students.

The hybrid approach to veterinary education will follow guidelines set by the Higher Learning Commission and the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education.

 The program offered by Hanover College will feature a blend of online lectures and discussions, along with centralized laboratory and regional clinical experiences.

According to the release, students will complete the curriculum in 3 years.

 This is possible because the program will run year-round and is separated into 9 semesters. During the first 4 semesters, the curriculum will include animal anatomy and physiology, clinical communication, and simulation-oriented surgical and medical skills. The fifth and sixth semesters will focus on field-based clinical courses and patient care. Students will be placed into intensive clinical rotations for the last 3 semesters.

“Many qualified candidates who want to be veterinarians have to go abroad to seek a veterinary education,” Hanover president, Lake Lambert, said in the release. “This is a tremendous loss of talent for Indiana, so our program creates a great opportunity to attract and retain more talent to Indiana.”

Through Indiana’s statewide Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, Hanover College received a $5.9 million grant in 2022 that will go directly towards covering a total expected cost of $16.5 million for facility construction and operational needs.

 These costs encompass the construction, renovation, and furnishing of buildings on Hanover's campus, as well as the recruitment of doctoral-level faculty and their associated staff.

Hanover College is specifically hoping to bring more livestock and public-health veterinarians into the profession. Lambert added, “Indiana is an agricultural state with a growing biotech and agriscience industry. To support all of those needs, Indiana needs more trained veterinary professionals, and this program is going to make that possible.”

From data demonstrated on the United States Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Services Shortage Situations Map, Indiana is currently experiencing shortages in public practice, private practice food animal medicine, and private practice—rural area food animal medicine.

Hanover's DVM program is also partnered with the veterinary nursing curriculum at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana-Madison Campus. Ivy Tech Madison will offer an associate-degree-level veterinary nursing program and licensure as a registered veterinary technician (RVTs).

The Hanover-Ivy Tech partnership is 1 of only 5 like it in the US and is aimed at creating a substantial impact on education and animal healthcare in the southern Indiana region.

 This collaboration allows DVM and RVT students to share training opportunities, collaborate with teamwork skills, and experience an enriching curriculum provided by doctoral-level faculty.

Tackling the veterinary professional shortage. Mars Veterinary Health. August 2023. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://www.marsveterinary.com/tackling-the-veterinary-professional-shortage/

Hanover College pursuing innovative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. News release. Hanover College. December 2023. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://www.hanover.edu/about/news/2023/veterinary-program/

Veterinary Services Shortage Situations Map. United States Department of Agriculture. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-map?state=468

Articles

A hybrid, accelerated Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program will welcome its first cohort in August 2026

Hanover College helps alleviate veterinary shortage by offering a DVM program

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) are prevalent metabolic disorders that affect more than 500 million people worldwide. Yet, therapeutic strategies are often hindered by the inability of traditional animal models to accurately reproduce human disease phenotypes. A recent study published in the journal 

 indicates that dogs are potential models for T2DM and IGT.

Why choose dogs over other animal models? This is because canines are one of the more promising models for studying human metabolic disorders. Canines are known to share genetic diversity and physiological similarities with humans. This provides a more realistic representation of the performance of potential therapies.

When examining dogs (N = 32) fed a hypercaloric high-fat high-fructose diet (HFFD), a common dietary habit of humans, observations paralleled humans in their progression to IGT. Similarly, the canine response to HFFD created similar precursors of human T2DM. Not only did the canine participants gain weight on the HFFD, but they also exhibited metabolic changes strikingly similar to early-stage human T2DM. Within just 4 weeks, these dogs experienced a 50% decrease in insulin sensitivity, mirroring the journey from normal metabolism to IGT in humans, according to investigators. Imagine a model that not only replicates weight gain but captures the intricate nature of insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction seen in the early stages of diabetes.

To dig deeper, the study aimed to expand our understanding of disease pathophysiology. To do this, the researchers hypothesized an accurate replication of key attributes of human T2DM and IGT. From this they discovered a cascade of physiologic shifts. The researchers observed declines in insulin sensitivity, significant decreases in early-phase insulin release, and an associated decrease in disposition index (the measure of the body's ability to dispose of a glucose load). All of these changes mirror T2DM’s pathophysiology in humans.

The HFFD canine model provides not only translatable insights into disease pathophysiology but also a tangible and readily available avenue for testing groundbreaking therapeutic interventions. This study is more than just a scientific breakthrough; it's an unveiling of a new frontier in diabetes research. Man's best friend might just hold the key to understanding and combating this global health challenge.

Ava Landry is a 2026 PharmD candidate, studying veterinary pharmacy, at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Gregory JM, Kraft G, Dalla Man C, et al. A high-fat and fructose diet in dogs mirrors insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction characteristic of impaired glucose tolerance in humans. 

. 2023;18(12):e0296400. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0296400

A recent study investigates therapeutic strategies for dogs with the disease that may also benefit humans with diabetes

Can man's best friend hold the key to tackling diabetes?

Embrace Veterinary Insurance has officially insured 500,000 dogs and cats across the United States. Since it sold its first policy on October 10, 2006, to a cat named 

 living in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, working toward this milestone shows the development and dedication to providing insurance to pets in need for almost 20 years, according to a company release.

"Today marks a significant chapter in Embrace Pet Insurance's story as we celebrate insuring our 500,000th pet," said Brian Macias, CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance, in the release. "It's more than just a number for us; it represents half a million stories of love, care, and commitment to the wellbeing of pets across the country.”

Throughout its years, Embrace has handled more than 4.6 million claims, including more than 1 million in the year 2023. To be more innovative and serve its clients, Embrace also launched its Apollo AI claims processes technology. This system has sped up claims processing by 75%, helping ensure clients will receive their reimbursement quickly, according to the company.

In celebration of all these milestones, and as a tribute to its first client, Lily, Embrace will donate $5,000 to Stay-A-While Cat Shelter in North Royalton, Ohio. The company expressed hope that this gesture is not only its commitment to the welfare of animals but also to honor the life of Lily.

“Our dedication to providing peace of mind to pet parents with our comprehensive coverage plans remains unwavering. We believe every pet deserves the best care, and we're here to ensure they receive it," concluded Macias.

Half a Million Pets Now Protected: Embrace Pet Insurance Celebrates Milestone. News release. Embrace Pet Insurance. January 26, 2024. Accessed January 30, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/half-a-million-pets-now-protected-embrace-pet-insurance-celebrates-milestone-302045953.html

Embrace Pet Insurance has insured half a million pets since selling its first policy in 2006

Insurance company announces significant milestone 

The USDA has awarded a $640,000 grant to investigators at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) in College Station for the purpose of studying abnormalities in sex development that affect the reproductive capabilities of some horses. The new project will examine a diverse group of about 100 sterile horses, including those whose chromosomes don’t match their gender based on the presence of their reproductive organs, according to VMBS.

Studying these unexplained abnormalities will give equine scientists and veterinarians vital information for giving care and treatment advice to horse owners. "This project will allow us to properly diagnose these abnormalities in the future,” said Terje Raudsepp, PhD, MS, a professor in the VMBS Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences and director of the Molecular Cytogenetics Lab, in a news release.

"We’ll be able to give owners a definitive answer regarding whether a certain horse is capable of reproduction, so they don’t spend valuable time and resources on reproductive therapies. It will also improve the animal’s quality of care,” she added.

The horses in the study can be separated into 3 distinct groups, each with a different reproductive abnormality that renders them sterile. The first group are mares with underdeveloped reproductive organs, which is often a sign of X monosomy, a condition in which a female animal is born with only 1 X chromosome instead of 2. "It’s the most common sex chromosome abnormality in horses and one of the main causes of mare sterility,” Raudsepp said in the release. “If we know that an animal has X monosomy, we can tell the owners so that they don’t continue to look for a fertility treatment. That mare may be a good companion, or a good riding horse, but she won’t ever reproduce.”

Previous chromosomal analysis has revealed that the mares did not have X monosomy — they had a normal karyotype of XX. Raudsepp and her team hope to discover why these mares have underdeveloped reproductive tracts despite having normal-looking chromosomes.

The second group of horses in the study have a normal male karyotype — with an X and Y chromosome — as well as the sex determination region (SRY) or 

 gene, but their organs did not develop as expected. “If their sex chromosomes are XY and they have the SRY gene, then they should be male,” Raudsepp said, in the release. “But these horses have underdeveloped ovaries instead of male sex organs. They appear to be female.”

A third group of horses in the study are intersex — they are not easily identifiable as either male or female by their physical features and reproductive organs. "However, when we look at all their chromosomes together, we see normal female XX karyotype. So this third group should be female, but they’re not,” Raudsepp said in the release.

Raudsepp and her colleagues collected the genetic samples for this project over the course of more than 20 years in the Texas A&M Molecular Cytogenetics Lab, which provides testing to inform owners of chromosomal abnormalities in their animals.The tests are especially useful when an animal has a health condition like sterility and the underlying cause is unknown.

Over the years, the samples collected from mares with different disorders of sex development and reproduction showed that some mares had sex chromosome abnormalities, while others did not, and the researchers realized there was no clear scientific explanation. "We also work with many other kinds of animals; the comparisons with other species helped us notice the patterns in horses that led to this project,” said Raudsepp in the release.

To understand what mutations are causing these abnormalities, Raudsepp and her colleagues will use genome sequencing to see the genomic features of each gene in an organism’s DNA. "Twenty years ago, the technology was too expensive to do at this scale. But we also didn’t have enough samples yet. Now we have better technology, more animal health data to compare with our findings, and more collaborators to work with,” Raudsepp added.

In addition to the members of the Molecular Cytogenetics Lab, Raudsepp is working with VMBS faculty members Brian Davis, PhD, MS, an associate professor in the Departments of Veterinary Pathobiology and Small Animal Clinical Sciences; and Rytis Juras, DVM, PhD, director of Animal Genetics Laboratory. The team will also collaborate with Alan Conley, BVSc, PhD, MS, at the University of California, Davis, who is conducting hormonal profiling of the horses.

Price C. Texas A&M Researchers Studying Reproductive Abnormalities That Cause Sterility In Horses. News release. Texas A&M University. January 30, 2024. Accessed January 30, 2024. 

https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/horse-sterility/

Investigators are seeking information that will give equine scientists and veterinarians vital information they can use to provide care and treatment advice to owners

USDA is funding a study of reproductive abnormalities and sterility in horses

Imagine a world where every sick or injured pet has access to the life-saving gift of blood, just like humans do. That's the promising reality we're steering towards with the advancement of animal blood banking in veterinary medicine. A fusion of compassion and advanced science, animal blood banking is becoming a game-changer in how we care for our furry companions.

In recent years, especially post-pandemic, our bond with pets has deepened, elevating them to family member status. This shift has spiked the demand for advanced veterinary care, including the need for blood transfusions. If a pet needs a life-saving transfusion but a hospital is unable to acquire the necessary blood products, the pet is not able to receive the vital treatment that they need, which often leads to the loss of life.

Veterinary medicine is evolving, and a key player in this transformation is component therapy. Think of it as life-saving alchemy–spinning donated whole blood to separate it into red blood cell and plasma component products. Although plasma can be stored longer, the real challenge lies in maintaining a constant stock of red blood cells—the elixir for pets in critical conditions. These products expire almost every month, so keeping red blood cells available is a relentless stress for veterinary teams.

There is currently nothing available to replace these resuscitative products, which means veterinary treatment solutions are limited without a constant, steady supply. Veterinary hospitals across the globe are racing against time, often grappling with a critical shortage leading to competing with one another for these regenerative blood products. The scarcity is further aggravated by the limited shelf life, making every drop a precious commodity.

The startling truth is many pet owners are oblivious to the concept of animal blood banking until their pet is the one in dire need. This gap in awareness underscores an urgent call to action to educate pet lovers about the transformative impact of animal blood donations and how they can help. Allowing their pet to be a blood donor hero saves multiple pets with each donation and expands treatment solutions for the veterinary community. It's a simple yet profound way for pet owners to contribute to a community that thrives on kindness and shared responsibility.

The process of blood donation for pets is enveloped in care and safety. Ideal candidates are healthy dogs weighing over 55 pounds, aged between 1 and 8 years, up to date on vaccines and on heartworm prevention as well as flea and tick prevention. Before donating blood, these furry heroes undergo rigorous health screenings, ensuring that the act of giving life does not compromise their own.

A blood donation day for a pet is a blend of warmth, treats, gentle care and expressions of gratitude. Veterinary hospitals have crafted this experience to be as stress-free as possible, transforming donors into heroes with every donation. From the moment they step into the donation room, to the treats they receive afterwards, every aspect is designed to make them feel comfortable, advocated for, and cherished. If a hero ever experiences any discomfort or inability to tolerate the donation, the process is stopped immediately ensuring that their health and safety remain forefront throughout the process.

By maintaining a steady supply of blood, veterinary blood banks empower animal care teams to make decisions based on what’s best for the patient, not what’s left on the shelf. This proactive approach is particularly crucial in emergency medicine, where time and resources are often scarce which can greatly affect the outcome of patient care.As we delve deeper into the intricacies of animal blood banking, the call for community involvement becomes clear. It's about harnessing the collective power of pet owners, veterinarians, and animal lovers to ensure that these life-saving resources are always available. By spreading the word, volunteering our pets for donation, and supporting local blood banks, we can make a monumental difference in the lives of countless animals as well the veterinary community.

The integration of blood banking into veterinary care is not just a medical advancement but a reflection of our evolving relationship with pets as well as the desire that veterinary professionals provide the best treatment available to their patients. It's about recognizing our pets not just as companions, but as beings deserving of the highest level of care. In this journey of saving lives, each of us has a role to play. By educating ourselves and participating in animal blood donation, we're not just giving blood–we're giving life.

Based in Manassas, Virginia, Jessie Brown, BS, LVT, is the blood bank director for the nationwide Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG). Kenchiro Yagi, BS, RVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM), is a chief veterinary nursing officer for VEG, and based in White Plains, New York. 

Veterinary technicians discuss the importance and impact of donated blood in veterinary medicine.

The lifesaving world of animal blood banking

In the realm of diagnostics, obtaining a diagnosis without resorting to a biopsy is generally more favorable for the client. A biopsy should generally not be seen as a first line diagnostic. However, in certain cases, biopsy can be the first choice such as in the skin and bones in which these areas have a diagnostic efficiency with about 90% of cases.

In a 2024 Veterinary Meeting & Expo session, Brittany Ciepluch, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA, ACVS Fellow Surgical Oncology, stated, “For bones, cytology is my preference. Cytology is highly diagnostic for bone lesions. I mostly see neoplasia, so maybe that’s my bias, but if you can get away with doing cytology—that is the preferred method.”

Additionally, the decision to perform a culture may come into play, particularly when diagnosing infections, where obtaining tissue samples takes precedence over surface swabbing since the infection lives inside the tissue.

 This can occur with drug eruption dermatitis.

A culture on a biopsy would be indicated in a specific case in which the 

therapy can be associated with significant adverse effects

 in the patient. “For example, if you have an infection that is just as susceptible to [antibiotics like] Amikacin, that therapy can significantly affect that patient. So, you want to make sure you’re guiding your therapy in a pointed direction. So, a culture on a biopsy sample would be indicated,” Cieplich said.

 This can be indicated if there is a nodule on the skin or a chronic, nonhealing ulcerative lesion.

Ciepluch explained she did a biopsy for a case in which a 2-year-old golden retriever had a nonpainful growth on the side of her face.

When lesions develop while on therapy or fail to respond to therapy.

Overall, primary lesions should be sampled. These could be a papulue, pustule, nodule, or erythema. Collect secondary lesions if they are extensive and mark these samples as such. Secondary samples would come from any crusts, scale, or collarettes.

 Ciepluch recommended getting your sample in the depigmented section or on the margin between the depigmentation and darker skin.

 take from the margin of the intact skin and the lesions, rather than directly in the middle of the ulcer.

 Ciepluch stated these cases need 3 samples. One from the most alopecic lesion, one from a partially haired region, and one from a normal skin area.

take a sample from the full nodule with an excisional biopsy.

If possible: a lesion map and photo of lesions on the patient

Some other tips for collecting samples include the following:

Never scrub the skin—this can potentially remove important diagnostic material.

Use a local anesthetic. In a study testing 3 different local analgesics, Lidocaine was concluded to be the best choice for skin biopsies.

Position the punch biopsy instrument over the center of the lesion.

Rotate the punch in one direction to avoid additional trauma.

Consider antibiotics before taking a biopsy if needed.

Stop any glucocorticoids for 2 weeks before the biopsy. Injectables need to be stopped 6 weeks before.

For a bone diagnosis, Ciepluch recommended using cytology because, in her opinion, it is easier, less expensive, safe, and has a high accuracy. The only weakness with cytology is that histopathology agrees with only about 27% of cases with non-neoplastic bone lesions.

 “So if you’re not suspicious of neoplasia, maybe a bone biopsy will be your better bet,” Ciepluch said. However, Ciepluch stated that if your patient/client is considering a limb spare procedure, then avoid doing a bone biopsy.

In general, if cytology doesn’t give the diagnosis or it is not an option, then a bone biopsy can still be used. “A couple of additional principles for bone biopsy: we want to have strict asepsis, definitely stricter than skin or mouth biopsies. Hemostasis is important. You want to get deep into the bone, so you need to penetrate that near cortex, you don’t want to penetrate the far cortex. And then, offering the owners the risks that come with [this diagnostic], which include hematoma, infection, fracture, and possibly getting a non-diagnostic sample,” Ciepluch said. To avoid providing a nondiagnostic sample, Ciepluch stated to make sure you are taking the biopsy from the middle of the lesion and getting far enough in that you get into the medullary canal.

1. Ciepluch B. Perfecting the biopsy: Skin, mouth, and bones. Presented at: Veterinary Meeting & Expo; Orlando, Florida; January 13-17, 2024.

2. Henfrey JI, Thoday KL, Head KW. A Comparison of Three Local Anaesthetic Techniques for Skin Biopsy in Dogs. 

. 1991;2(1):21-27. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3164.1991.tb00106.x

3. Sabattini S, Renzi A, Buracco P, et al. Comparative Assessment of the Accuracy of Cytological and Histologic Biopsies in the Diagnosis of Canine Bone Lesions. 

. 2017;31(3):864-871. doi:10.1111/jvim.14696

A surgical oncology expert shares her tips for getting an accurate and useable biopsy for next step diagnostics