Utah State University’s (USU) College of Veterinary Medicine has received assurance from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council of Education (AVMA COE) of its provisional accreditation in March 2025, a crucial step to becoming the Utah’s first 4-year veterinary degree program.

“Receipt of the Letter of Reasonable Assurance puts us on the path to fulfill our commitment to graduating exceptional veterinarians who are not only skilled practitioners but also compassionate professionals, ready to take on the challenges of animal health with confidence and competence,” explained Dirk Vanderwall, DVM, PhD, in an organizational release.

Vanderwall explained in the announcement that receiving this letter means that the USU program is currently on track to meet the 11 standards of accreditation, which is the highest standard of achievement for veterinary medical education in the United States. Since USU announced it received this letter, it has officially open applications for enrollment for its inaugural class, and the accepted students will begin their studies in the fall of 2025.

According to the release, USU considers this milestone 118 years in the making, starting back in 1907 when the trustees of USU, formerly known as the Agricultural College of Utah, pitched their vision to have a veterinary school. However, this vision was put on hold until 2011 when the Utah Legislature voted to fund and create a veterinary medicine education program with USU’s College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. The 2011 decision launched a partnership with Washington State University, where USU veterinary students spent the first 2 years of the studies in Utah before moving to Pullman, Washington, for their last 2 years and graduation. This partnership will sunset after the class of 2028 graduates.

“This is an incredibly important milestone for the College of Veterinary Medicine at USU. Reaching this point speaks to the committed efforts of the faculty, staff and administrators in the CVM, USU leadership, and the many stakeholders across the state who fervently supported the establishment of the college,” said Alan L. Smith, MS, PhD, USU interim president.

By opening its own veterinary school, it is predicted by state leaders that it will create home-grown veterinary practitioners to help bolster the $1.82 billion agricultural in Utah, plus filling the need for small animal owners across the entire state.

In the future, USU hopes to expand the class sizes, capping at 80 students a year. In the summer of 2026, construction on the school will be finished on its new state-fund Veterinary Medical Education building, which was designed by Salt Lake City’s VCBO Architecture and general contractor Jacobson Construction. The new classrooms, laboratories, officers, and study spaces will soon be ready to greet the new students and welcome the College of Veterinary Medicine to its new permanent home.

USU is one of multiple veterinary schools across the US preparing to welcome its first class of students, and their states first veterinary school. In Harrison Township, New Jersey, the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University is preparing to welcome students in the fall of 2025 and The Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine at Clemson University, recently celebrated its beam ceremony the college’s future home, with plans to welcome its first class in fall 2026, pending AVME COE approvals. Both schools are also going to be the first for their states.

Accreditation Announcement Launches USU's Veterinary College. News release. Utah State University. March 27, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2205. 

https://www.usu.edu/today/story/accreditation-announcement-launches-usus-veterinary-college

Coppock K. Clemson University’s future veterinary school is making progress. dvm360. Published April 10, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/clemson-university-s-future-veterinary-school-is-making-progress

Articles

Utah’s first 4-year veterinary school received the Letter of Reasonable Assurance from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education last month 

Utah State University College of Veterinary Medicine now accepting applications

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it is postponing the effective date for the strengthened Horse Protection Act (HPA) regulations into February 2026. HPA is a federal law that prohibits sored horses from participating in auctions, exhibitions, sales, or shows. Soring is a painful and deliberate act of inflicting chemical or mechanical injuries on horses’ legs and hooves to force an exaggerated gait.

The act has been used for decades in the Tennessee Walking Horse, Spotted Saddle, and Racking Horse industries. Despite current regulations, the practices continue to persist because of failed industry self-regulation and lack of veterinary medical officers coving all the events hosted every year, according to the Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the legal defining of soring in the HPA are

Irritating or blistering agent has been applied either internally or externally by a person to any of the horses limbs

Any burn, cut, or laceration has been inflicted by a person on any limb of the horse

Any tack, nail, screw, or chemical agent that was injected by a person or used by a person on any limb of a horse

Any additional substances or devices that have been used by a person on a limb or a horse or a person has engaged in a practice involving a horse, and as a result of such application, injection, infliction, use or practice, such a horse suffers or can resonably be expected to suffer physical pain or distress, inflammation or lameness when walking, trotting or otherwise moving, except that such term does not include such an application, infliction, injection, use or practice in connection with the therapeutic treatment of a horse by or under the supervision of a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state where the treatment was given.

On January 24, 2025, APHIS announced that it was postponing the effective date, which was supposed to start February 2025, with the exception of the section that authorized training horse inspectors, which went into effect on June 7, 2024.

 The delay is due to Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, who issued a decision vacating most of the new regulations, stating that APHIS exceeded its authority by issuing blanket prohibitions on using action devices, pads, and substances on Tennessee Walking Horses and Racking Horses. The new working also intended to replace the scar rule and pre-and-post-deprivation review of inspector’s decisions, both failing to provide due process.

The HPA updated regulations would have included:

Amending record keeping and reporting requirements for management at covered events to better enforce the HPA.

Eliminating industry self-regulation and the role of industry-backed designated qualified persons as inspectors at auctions, exhibitions, horse shows, and sales. Only independent non-APHIS employed horse protection inspectors and APHIS inspectors screened, trained, and authorized by APHIS will have inspection authority.

Ban any device, method, practice, or substance applied to horses associated with or can cause soring

Prohibiting on Tennessee Walking or racking horses all action devices and non-therapeutic pads, artificial toe extensions, and wedges. Also, all substances on the extremities above the hoof, including lubricants.

Getting rid of the scar rule from the regulations, replacing it with a more accurate description of visible dermatological changes that indicate soring.

“In light of the court’s decision, we are further postponing the effective date of the portions of the final rule that have not been vacated by the district court and otherwise would go into effect on April 2, 2025. We are postponing that effective date to February 1, 2026,” the information released by APHIS explained.

APHIS is also requesting public comments on if it should further extend the postponement as well as any additional information that could be used to decode the appropriate length of the postponement. APHIS will close the commenting period on May 20, 2025.

The AVMA and AAEP are working on comments for submissions. The AVMA also recently endorsed the Prevent All Soring Act (HR 1684) on February 27, 2025, when it was reintroduced into the House.

This act would strengthen the protection of horses from soring by closing regulatory loopholes, ensuring independent inspections, and increasing penalties. Later this year in Congress, the AVMA expects the Senate to follow with its companion bill.

APHIS further postpones Horse Protection Act changes. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. April 16, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. 

https://www.avma.org/news/aphis-further-postpones-horse-protection-act-changes

APHIS Further Postpones Effective Date for Horse Protection Act Final Rule. News release. US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. March 20, 2025. Accessed April 22, 2025. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/program-update/aphis-further-postpones-effective-date-horse-protection-act-final-rule

Position on the Practice of Soring. News release. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Accessed April 22, 2025. 

https://aaep.org/resource/position-on-the-practice-of-soring/

APHIS postponed the effective date of the act regulations into early 2026 

Horse Protection Act changes further postponed 

A common misconception veterinarians have about sustainable clinic designs is that they lead to higher costs. Although these designs may require an initial investment, many technologies provide a quick return on that investment, ultimately saving money. Moreover, some eco-friendly strategies come at zero cost.

“Veterinary hospitals use more energy, gas, water, power, than other typical building types,” Heather E. Lewis, AIA, NCARB, AAA, an architect with Animal Arts—a veterinary hospital and animal shelter design architecture firm based in Boulder, Colorado—explained in an interview with 

. “If we can find some ways to reduce those costs for the veterinarian and in the veterinary practice, then that is a huge win.”

Beyond saving money, focusing on a sustainable design can help veterinarians provide a better standard of care for their patients. As Lewis explained, many eco-friendly design ideas are simply good design ideas. “They go hand-in-hand with creating a quality space that allows veterinarians to deliver the medicine they envision,” she said.

Building orientation and window placement

Image: Wassana Techadilok/MJH Life Sciences using AI

One sustainable design strategy that comes at no added expense and can benefit patients and staff and reduce costs is being strategic about the clinic’s orientation and window placement. In areas with colder climates, such as upstate New York, positioning windows facing away from the sun can lead to heat loss, making it difficult to keep the building warm. Meanwhile, if the clinic is in a region with a hotter climate, like Arizona, orienting the building so that the windows are in the shade most of the time will reduce heat gain and lower cooling costs. “We can make a much better space to work in, in a space that’s easier to heat and cool,” Lewis said.

According to Lewis, in temperate climate zones of the northern hemisphere, buildings should be oriented east-west, with the longer sides facing south and north. Additionally, rooms with fewer windows, such as utility rooms, should be placed on the north side.

Meanwhile, windows on the south side of the building should be equipped with large overhangs for shading. “If you think about how the sun travels, there’s usually sun on the south side of buildings in the northern hemisphere. We can get a lot of nice sunlight but then have overhangs to cut off the sun in the summer when it’s hot, and then let lower winter sun into the building,” Lewis explained.

Not everyone can afford to build a new clinic, and renovating an existing building is the greenest approach, according to Lewis. Reusing a building—whether an old human medical clinic, a bank, or something else—is cost-effective for the practice and eco-friendly, as it reduces the environmental impact of new construction.

Energy recovery systems and high-efficiency lighting systems

The amount of power, water, and sometimes gas that veterinary hospitals consume is partly due to their air conditioning and ventilation systems. Installing energy recovery systems within the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system can help offset the amount of power, water, and gas used. Although the technology may require an initial investment, Lewis explained that these energy recovery systems typically pay for themselves quickly. “I think it’s important for...veterinarian[s] to know that we ought to pick and choose the products and systems that are going to apply to veterinary hospitals and get the quickest payoff,” she said.

A cost-effective measure for making older buildings more eco-friendly and reducing energy costs is installing high-efficiency lighting systems, as lighting can be expensive. Clinics can upgrade to LED lighting, which will lower electricity costs and create a more visually appealing environment, as the light can be dimmed and is of higher quality—offering more lumens per watt of energy used.

Sustainability beyond the building design

A sustainable clinic goes beyond the building itself. Having an eco-friendly practice means the operations within it are sustainable as well.

“I think that one of the huge pieces of a sustainable operation is good inventory management,” Lewis said. “There [are] gigantic amounts of waste in human...and animal medicine with not finding the right product, buying things that go out of date and have to be thrown away.

“Really getting a better handle on inventory management can make a gigantic difference for your practice and also the day-to-day operations,” Lewis continued. She also recommends researching eco-friendly initiatives in human medicine, as veterinary professionals can gain valuable insight from those practices.

Organizing the storage room, upgrading inventory management software, purchasing fewer disposable products and using more reusable products, and setting up a recycling program for the employees that includes composting can also make a clinic more sustainable. Lewis shared that the Animal Arts team has a compost bin, which stays in the freezer to avoid attracting flies. “Easy things like that can really make a big difference over time,” Lewis said.

There are multiple low- and no-cost ways to build a more sustainable practice while saving money

Creating an affordable eco-friendly clinic

A study by the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) found that 99.12% of dogs in the United States have behavior problems. The study, published in the 

, used data collected from 43,517 dogs of various breeds, ages, sexes, sizes, and locations in the US enrolled in the Dog Aging Project.

For the Dog Aging Project survey, owners scored their dog’s behaviors in various categories, including aggression, separation and attachment behaviors, fear and anxiety, and house soiling using a scale from 0 to 4, with 4 indicating a serious issue.

 According to the survey findings, 99.12% of dogs showed at least one behavior rated moderately serious or serious, or at least 2 problems of moderate to serious intensity.

Separation and attachment behaviors was the most reported (85.9% ) issue in dogs, with owners rating these as moderate and serious issues. These behaviors included restlessness, pacing, following the owner around the house, sitting close to them, escape attempts, or barking and chewing items when left alone.

 Study links owner demographics and canine nutrition

Aggression was another common issue, with approximately 55.6% of dogs showing moderate to serious behaviors on at least 2 occasions in the aggression category. Fear and anxiety followed at 49.9%. House soiling, meanwhile, was exhibited in 4.1% of dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project. Additional behavior issues reported by owners in the survey were persistent barking, escaping, eating grass or feces frequently, and chewing unwanted objects.

 Out of data from the 43,517 dogs in the project, only 110 had no reported behavioral problems across any of the questions asked.

In the US, behavior problems are a common reason people relinquish dogs at animal shelters, according to the study.

 Yet, owners do not always reveal a behavior problem, its severity, or whether the dog’s behavior is the reason for relinquishment.

According to Bonnie V. Beaver, DVM, MS, DSc, DPNAP, DACVB, DACAW, professor of small animal clinical sciences at VMBS, and lead of the study, there may be dogs with behavior issues that are not being diagnosed. “Most dogs probably will show mild expressions of a problem behavior infrequently enough that an owner does not consider it important to seek help,” she wrote in the study.

 “It is also likely that there are dogs with moderate to serious problems that go unreported because owners do not think of the behavior as a problem, decide to tolerate the behavior, find a tolerable way to live with it, or do not know where to find help. This is another reason the prevalence of undesirable behavior has remained elusive.”

According to Beaver, some studies suggest only half of veterinarians ask questions about behavior during appointments.

 “Essentially all pet dogs in the United States have at least one moderate to serious behavioral issue, which typically goes unaddressed by veterinary practitioners,” she concluded.

Beaver BV. The prevalence of behavior problems in dogs in the United States. 

. 2024;76:34-39. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2024.11.001

O’Connell L. More than 99% of US dogs have behavior problems. Newsweek Digital LLC. April 7, 2025. Accessed April 21, 2025.

Separation and attachment behaviors was the most reported issue in dogs

Almost every dog in the US has a behavior problem, study finds

A potential vaccine for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) has demonstrated 100% protection in a preclinical trial. According to biopharmaceutical company POP Biotechnologies, the study’s promising results come at a critical time, with the virus affecting various species including poultry, dairy cattle, wild birds, and domestic pets.

The nanoparticle vaccine is under development for potential use in both veterinary and human medicine, since the virus is a zoonotic and pandemic threat. More than 1000 US dairy herds have reported H5N1 infections, according to POP Biotechnologies. Cases include farm workers and domestic cat fatalities that have been linked to contaminated milk and pet food.Additionally, more than 167 million poultry birds in the US have been affected since early 2022.

The study was a collaboration of investigators from the University at Buffalo, the National Microbiology Laboratory (Public Health Agency of Canada), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, and the University of Manitoba. Results of the trial were published April 17, 2025, in 

Researchers find avian influenza in New York bobcats

The vaccine targets the 2.3.4.4b clade of H5N1, the strain credited with causing widespread avian outbreaks and some infections in humans. The study demonstrated the vaccine, which displays 2 recombinant virus-derived proteins—hemagglutinin (H5) and neuraminidase (N1)—could completely protect mice from the 2.3.4.4b clade of H5N1.

"Our approach is kind of like a magnet that can attach vaccine components to a small particle surface. It just clicks into place easily. The body's immune system can better recognize the particles, resulting in stronger immune responses. It's also fast and efficient to manufacture, which is advantageous when you need to quickly ramp up vaccine production," Jonathan Lovell, PhD, a study author, cofounder of POP Biotechnologies and a professor of biomedical engineering at the University at Buffalo in New York, said in a news release.

The developmental product relies onPOP Biotechnologies' proprietary nanoparticle vaccine platform, POP BIO SNAP.This technology uses cobalt-binding interactions to attach viral proteins to nanoparticles efficiently, which enhances immune responses. The result is acceleration of vaccine development while circumventing limitations of traditional egg-based production.

"This is a pivotal moment for pandemic preparedness initiatives," John R. Fulton, founder of BioNiagara, a pharmaceutical company in Ontario, Canada, said in the release.

 "Cross-border collaboration and cutting-edge technologies like POP BIO SNAP™ are vital to preempting a potential pandemic."

Magnet-like nanoparticle vaccine achieves 100% protection against H5N1 (bird flu) in preclinical trials. News release. BioNiagara and POP Biotechnologies. April 17, 2025. Accessed April 18, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/magnet-like-nanoparticle-vaccine-achieves-100-protection-against-h5n1-in-preclinical-trials-302431826.html

POP BIO announces vaccine concept targeting avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b. POP BIOTECH. April 17, 2025. Accessed April 18, 2025. 

Li Q, Vendramelli R, Truong T, et al. Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b hemagglutinin and/or neuraminidase elicit immunity in a recombinant nanoparticle vaccine. 

. April 17, 2025. Accessed April 18, 2025. 

https://www.cell.com/cell-biomaterials/fulltext/S3050-5623(25)00061-3

A nanoparticle-based vaccine candidate for H5N1 avian influenza achieved 100% protection in preclinical trials, offering hope amid rising infections across species and concerns over zoonotic spread

Avian flu vaccine shows promise in preclinical trials

This content was provided by IGNITE, a dvm360® Strategic Alliance Partner. Check out their website 

I have been a client service representative (CSR) for a long time and unfortunately watched my peers be neglected during National Veterinary Receptionist Week. This week is observed the last full week of April; however, CSRs should be celebrated year-round. National Veterinary Receptionist Week was founded about 20 years ago by 

, but I’ve only seen it recognized over the last few years, which is incredibly sad but also heartwarming.

 CSRs are the heart of veterinary practices; they know the clients and patients. Sometimes, our time with clients can feel like a little therapy session, and I know more about some clients than my own family, and that’s fine because as a CSR, I genuinely care about clients and patients.

Kelly Kulhavy, VRCE, holding her VRCE certificate (image courtesy of IGNITE) 

Veterinary receptionist program simplifies CSR training

You may be thinking that surprising them with a pizza party, and while I do love a good pie, I’d prefer to be appreciated in other ways. A heartfelt thank you would be a huge one. Oftentimes, we are overlooked with saying thank you, with some of us rarely receiving any thank yous for our work. Think of all the ways your CSRs help practices. They communicate with clients in many different formats like schedule appointments, multitask, clean, and carry animals and food out for clients, and more. Now, if all your budget allows is a pizza party, there is nothing wrong with that, but don’t discount an individual handwritten thank you card to each of your CSRs. Put more than just thanks for all you do, make it heartfelt. They will appreciate it.

Want to do more for them? I haven’t met a CSR that will turn down free caffeine, whether it be tea, coffee, energy drinks, etc. Gift baskets are fabulous, but I’ve never received one, but I enjoy the idea behind them. You could fill it with things a CSR needs to do their work, such as fun notepads, stickers, snacks, pens, etc. A clinic outing could also be fun, plus help with team building. Post snippets about them on your social media, I once made a whole client education board about our CSRs and social media posts.

Making your team feel valued will help with overall morale and support lower turnover rates. In short, celebrate your CSR because they deserve it.

Do you know a CSR who goes above and beyond for pets, clients, and the veterinary team? nominate them for dvm360's 2025 Veterinary Heroes® Awards! These award honor veterinary professionals, including CSRs, who makes a meaningful impact on patient outcomes through exceptional communication, compassion, and dedication. Submit your nomination 

Vastag K. Veterinary Receptionist Week: Tips for Appreciation. Weave. Published May 24, 2024. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.getweave.com/veterinary-receptionist-week/

A happy client service representative will make clients and patients feel welcome and comfortable in your veterinary clinic