April Blong, DVM, DACVECC, discusses emergencies of the heart including tachycardia, in a dvm360 interview.

Managing rapid change in cardiac care

What is the process for managing a patient with an emergency cardiac condition? In a 

 interview, April Blong, DVM, DACVECC, a clinical associate professor at the Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center in Ames and the medical director at Iowa Veterinary Specialties in Des Moines, discusses considerations for veterinarians handling these cases. 

Blong presented continuing education (CE) sessions on emergency and critical care at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, where her interview was recorded. These CE sessions provided insights into abdominal and thoracic injuries in blunt force trauma cases, as well as the identification and stabilization of possible traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. In this video, she addresses rapid change with cardiac conditions, including tachycardia.

The following is a transcript of the video:

 An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Unfortunately, with medicine, it's really hard to cookie-cutter things; you have to think about 

patient. What am I worried could happen with this patient? And monitor accordingly. That involves what parameters you're monitoring. Are they on [electrocardiogram]? Are they on blood pressure watches? Are they on [packed cell volume] watches, in addition to intervening timely? If I don't want to get called at night, I can set my call parameters such that no one's ever going to call me. I might walk into a disaster in the morning because my patient's not going to be doing well. So it's a combination of: What am I watching for? When should I at least evaluate further? Maybe I don't intervene, but at least look closer.

Tachycardia is probably one of our most common problems that we see in hospitalized patients, and it's like anything else. The tachycardia, while that's what we're recognizing as a problem, is really a symptom of what's going on. So we have to think about what the possible things [are] that can be driving that tachycardia if we want to address it appropriately.

Common causes of blunt force trauma in pets

You can also learn more and register for the 2026 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City

Videos

April Blong, DVM, DACVECC, discusses emergencies of the heart, including tachycardia, in a dvm360 interview.

Considerations for an emergency cardiac case

The new Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine (SSVM) celebrated its opening with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 3, 2025, at Rowan University’s West Campus in Harrison Township, New Jersey. Guests were then invited to tour the new academic facility and teaching hospital.

At the podium during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine, Ali Houshmand, PhD, president of Rowan University, thanks $30 million donors Melanie and Gerald Shreiber (at left) while sharing the stage with Matthew Edson, DVM, MBA, CVPM, MRCVS, the school's founding dean. 

Ali Houshmand, PhD, president of Rowan University, as well as a pet owner, told a crowd of university leaders, state and local legislators, faculty, staff, students, and other guests, that creating the veterinary school was something that was needed in New Jersey. “The horse industry alone in New Jersey is a billion-dollar business, not to mention food animals and pet animals. And everybody loves a pet,” Houshmand said.

The school is the first in the Garden State to offer a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree program. The veterinary school’s opening also makes Rowan only the second public university in the US to offer DVM, doctor of osteopathic medicine, and doctor of medicine degrees. The university’s overall growth and successes in recent years were recognized by speakers, with animal health care noted as a significant addition to the state and region.

Planning for the veterinary school began in February 2020 and built momentum despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Tony Lowman, PhD, chancellor at Rowan University.

 Rowan then celebrated the 50% completion of the building with a 

The inaugural class of 75 SSVM students began their Rowan veterinary education in September 2025. More than half the first class call New Jersey home, with the remaining students hailing from 15 other states, including Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Wisconsin, and Washington. Rowan plans to eventually enroll annual classes of 90 students.

A surgical room allows students to view procedures from an observation deck. The clouded windows become transparent when in use. 

Houshmand told the audience that Rowan serves the country and “cares very much” about what they do to advance the interests of New Jersey and the nation. “We want to keep it affordable. We want to keep it safe for every single one of your children, irrespective of their politics, their religion, their beliefs, whatever it is. We want them to come in here and feel welcome and feel loved and get a great education and go and be a great citizen. That's the mission of every university in this country,” Houshmand said.

The campus offers a 70,000-sq-ft academic facility with classrooms and teaching laboratories, and a 47,000-sq-ft teaching hospital that opened on October 6, 2025. The hospital will offer primary and specialty care as well as emergency medicine and features a diagnostics laboratory and an on-site pharmacy.

During tours of the facilities, guides took visitors through many of these spaces as well as comfortable seating areas for students to study, eat lunch, and store belongings. A student guide pointed out innovative details such as charging towers placed throughout a large classroom that allow students to increase the battery lives on their electronic devices from wherever they sit, and a clinical skills classroom with models of large animals that allow learners to practice hands-on techniques before handling live patients. In the hospital, a staff veterinary technician showed exam rooms, an anesthesia administration area, a dentistry suite, and first-floor surgical spaces that are equipped with observation windows, allowing students to view procedures from second-floor observation benches.

A set of equine models sit ready for students to use in a hands-on clinical skills classroom at Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine.

Matthew Edson, DVM, MBA, CVPM, MRCVS, founding dean of the SSVM, noted in his speech that many supporters and donors came together to create the veterinary school. He thanked them as a whole, while recognizing individually the school’s namesake family, who 

 “Gerry and Melanie [Shreiber] are a part of this. They come and they visit. They want to hang out with our students. They want to see the impact that they're having,” Edson said.

The dean also thanked members of SSVM’s first class, and asked those in attendance to stand and be recognized. “We have representation from all across the United States and have international applicants applying to our program…. All these students are brave members of this beta test [for] the first vet school in the state. I hope we're doing OK so far, but it really was a great moment for all of us [who] are a part of this to see them arrive a couple weeks ago. So thank you for being here,” Edson said.

Upon graduation of this first class, SSVM will be eligible for accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE). Most recently in the multistep process for accreditation, Rowan obtained a Letter of Reasonable Assurance in 2024.

 In the US, 30 veterinary colleges are currently accredited by the AVMA COE, with 4 more schools holding provisionary accreditation.

In his ceremonial speech, New Jersey State Assemblyman Louis Greenwald noted the impact the veterinary school will have on the region, which includes increasing jobs and boosting the local economy. “This day means much more than just this class and this building…. This becomes decades and generations of return on investment. This incoming class of 75 students [and subsequent classes]—more than 50% New Jersey born and raised—will not only make a difference in our immediate regional economy, but they will lead efforts around clinical trials and differences that will not only improve the culture of our animal stock and what most of us know as traditional veterinary impact, but...will lead to the overall better health of our human society,” Greenwald said.

The mobile clinic, which features several exam tables and other equipment for practicing veterinary medicine, brings access to care to communities in need.

SSVM has already been working to improve access to veterinary care throughout the rural South Jersey region. Since the fall of 2024, it has operated a 

that provides shelter medicine and community outreach services.

 Edson said veterinarians have been performing spay and neuter procedures, and a large animal unit that cares for patients is in the field with trucks outfitted to serve these medical needs.

Shreiber School ribbon-cutting ceremony. Presented at: Rowan University Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine; October 3, 2025. Harrison Township, NJ.

Coppock K. The new Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine breaks ground. 

. April 28, 2023. Accessed October 3, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/the-new-shreiber-school-of-veterinary-medicine-breaks-ground

Littrell A. Rowan University’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine celebrates 50% completion.

. September 11, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/rowan-universitys-shreiber-school-of-veterinary-medicine-celebrates-50-percent-completion

Rowan University receives $30 million donation for New Jersey’s first veterinary school. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/rowan-university-receives-30-million-donation-for-new-jersey-s-first-veterinary-school

Accredited veterinary colleges. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed October 3, 2025.

White K, Crossley KC. Rowan University takes veterinary services on the road. 

. November 18, 2024. Accessed October 3, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/rowan-university-takes-veterinary-services-on-the-road

Articles

A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the first veterinary school in New Jersey.

Rowan University opens Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine 

Julien Grosmaire, BVetBiol, BVSc, GC-SAUA, and Peter Timms (Image courtesy of the University of the Sunshine Coast)

In a world first, a new single-dose vaccine has been approved in Australia to protect koalas from infection with chlamydia, a disease that can cause painful urinary tract infections, infertility, blindness, and even death.

The vaccine was developed by a collaborative research team led by Peter Timms, a professor of microbiology at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and included support from Julien Grosmaire, BVetBiol, BVSc, GC-SAUA, from Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE).

“At EVE, we work on major koala health and population management projects, focusing on areas where chlamydial disease is having a significant impact. Our team is a specialist provider in this field, applying a holistic model, using a range of interventions to tackle population declines, especially in regions where koalas are at risk of local extinction from this disease,” Grosmaire told 

“I'm very proud to be one of the many people and organizations involved in this work. Thanks to our management programs, we have been able to deliver large-scale longitudinal trials on the vaccine's effectiveness and safety. As a veterinarian, I have been involved in some of the trial designs, recruitment and vaccination of animals, health checks, and research sampling, as well as some writing up and interpretation of findings, which has been truly rewarding outside of my usual clinical work.”

In koalas, chlamydia can lead to significant adverse welfare due to painful keratoconjunctivitis that can leave koalas blind, and urinary tract infections causing severe cystitis and urine scalding.

“Severe chlamydial infections can be fatal. Chlamydia can also cause reproductive disease leading to infertility, which, on a population level, can lead to significant declines and even local extinction, particularly when combined with other threats like habitat degradation, climate change, and human-animal interactions,” said Grosmaire.

“The University of the Sunshine Coast is now seeking funding to produce and distribute the vaccine to wildlife hospitals where the vaccine can be administered to healthy koalas being returned to their home where they may be at risk of reinfection. Unfortunately, infection does not confer immunity from subsequent infections. Koalas treated with antibiotics are at risk of reinfection when returned to their home population where chlamydia might be endemic. Hence, the vaccine will hopefully prevent disease [from] developing when individuals are next exposed to the bacteria.”

Grosmaire said that although the vaccine is not a silver bullet for solving the chlamydial disease problem in koala populations, it is another useful tool that could help manage the threat the disease poses to koala welfare and the species' survival.

“I would love to see more support for management programs in severely affected populations. With enough resources, we know we can treat chlamydia out of populations, turn them away from their extinction trajectory, and use the vaccine to safeguard them from the pathogen's reintroduction,” Grosmaire said.

“We are currently analyzing some data on the vaccine's potential therapeutic effects and hope to publish on this trial soon. The University of the Sunshine Coast team hopes to be able to make the vaccine available to veterinarians in all wildlife hospitals by the end of 2026.”

Vetuosity is a subscription-model virtual learning platform for the veterinary profession that was developed to fill the niche of providing short, accessible, affordable, and on-demand professional development content for species-specific and mixed-practice veterinarians.

The Vetuosity platform, cofounded by veterinary practice manager Jason Chuck, BCom, MBA, CPA, and Gemma Chuck, BVetMed, PhD, MAICD, was formally launched earlier this year and is already popular with veterinarians eager to access on-demand video learning.

“Our vision is to empower veterinary teams to master the skills they need in the moment they need them. And we do this by providing practical, relevant, and accessible tools that enable veterinary teams to deliver extraordinary veterinary care,” Jason Chuck said.

“My wife, Gemma, and I are really passionate about the future of the veterinary profession and, with our broad experience in the veterinary profession, it was only natural that we wanted to create a learning platform that allowed veterinary teams to develop extraordinary veterinary skills.”

From the outset, the focus of Vetuosity has been the provision of practical, relevant, and on-demand short educational videos. The platform also offers info sheets, cheat sheets, checklists, and newsletter articles.

“We knew that learning through a virtual environment has increased in popularity over the past decade but the majority of content was long-form, prerecorded, or live webinars with a predominant focus on companion animals and equine. Provision of high-quality content for the production animal sector was very limited,” Jason Chuck explained.

“We also realized that learning styles have changed and that provision of bite-sized media content across all species was limited, and where it does exist it was of variable audio and visual quality. Frequently vets and nurses need to recall procedures under significant time pressure. We saw an opportunity for a virtual learning environment that offers short, evidence-based, and peer-reviewed 3- to 6-minute videos detailing procedures, allowing the user to perform them competently and confidently.”

As the Chucks live and work in rural Queensland, the initial focus of content development for Vetuosity was on cattle and equine to offset the previously limited learning resources available for these topics.

“In production animals, supportive tools and resources were limited and when available, rarely demonstrated the best-practice standard of care. Sole production animal veterinarians are becoming less common, with many rural veterinarians now relying on companion animals in the face of a declining production animal market. This has resulted in less exposure of necessary caseload for new and recent graduates,” Jason Chuck said.

Jason Chuck (left) of Vetuosity and Mick Ruppin, BVSc MANZCVS (Image courtesy of Vetuosity)

“We think it’s vitally important to support [veterinarians] in the field to ensure a high standard of animal care and to provide the support and training necessary to perform procedures. There is also a knowledge gap between graduation and specialization in rural practice. The option for specialist referral is often limited for rural clients, thus if rural [veterinarians] are able to upskill in a wider range of procedures, they can provide clients with a broader range of treatment options. Face-to-face support and training for rural veterinarians can be challenging in terms of accessibility to expertise."

Vetuosity was designed to be of interest to a wide audience including veterinary students, new or recent graduate veterinarians, those veterinarians returning after a career break, or those diversifying into another discipline.

“Vetuosity fills a knowledge gap by providing veterinary professionals with the tools needed to succeed, empowering them to provide a high standard of care for their clients. We know one of the top 3 satisfaction priorities for employed veterinarians is peer support and, aside from better remuneration, the lack of opportunity to develop new skills is the main reason why employed [veterinarians] would consider leaving their role,” Jason Chuck said.

“We hope that Vetuosity will assist in addressing these challenges and support veterinary teams to develop new and different skills. If [veterinarians] feel more empowered and supported in the workplace, then recruitment and retention rates should improve and attrition rates decline. It is the aim for Vetuosity to assist in future-proofing our profession with a capable and sustainable workforce.”

Updates on a new vaccine to help protect koalas from chlamydia, and a virtual learning environment providing on-demand professional development for species-specific and mixed-practice veterinarians.

Veterinary scene Down Under: Australia approves world-first single-dose chlamydia vaccine for koalas, and more news

Applications have opened for the 2026 cohort of the Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program, which is designed to expand leadership opportunities for veterinary students from underserved backgrounds. A collaboration between the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) and Chewy Health, the initiative will award 15 students with a $20,000 scholarship, paid directly to their institutions during the fall 2025 semester.

“This program goes beyond scholarships. It’s about building a supportive pathway for the next generation of veterinary leaders,” Mita Malhotra, president of Chewy Health, said in an announcement.

 “Through mentorship, leadership training, and building a strong sense of community, we are proud to provide students with the skills and confidence they need to help shape the future of veterinary medicine.”

In addition to financial aid, the program will provide students with professional development resources, such as monthly conversations facilitated by a third-party mentor and an in-person leadership summit at Chewy’s headquarters in Florida. After graduation, participants will have access to a 6-month mentorship and professional development curriculum, as well as the program’s alumni network.

"Our partnership with Chewy Health for the Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program is helping to shape the future of veterinary medicine by empowering students who bring fresh perspectives, resilience, and a deep commitment to service,” Ted Mashima, DVM, interim CEO at AAVMC, added.

 “When we invest in these emerging leaders, we’re not only opening doors for individuals—we’re transforming the profession to be more inclusive, innovative, and reflective of the communities we serve.”

Fall scholarships for veterinary and veterinary technician students

Kennedi Robinson, a 2025 Chewy Veterinary Leader and veterinary student at Purdue University, said the program provided her with scholarship support and opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and networking with other veterinary students and professionals, according to Chewy and AAVMC. “...at Chewy [headquarters]...I gained invaluable professional development, leadership training, mentorship, and lifelong connections with amazing veterinary students and veterinary professionals,” Robinson said in the news release.

Winners of the 2025 Chewy Veterinary Leaders program, announced in January 2025, came from a variety of universities across the US, including Colorado State University, the University of Tennessee, Mississippi State University, Cornell University in New York, Washington State University, the University of California, Davis, and others.

Students are nominated by their schools or colleges. The submission deadline for this year’s cohort is November 4, 2025. Students seeking more information on the program can visit awards.aavmc.org.

AAVMC and Chewy Health open applications for 2026 Cohort of Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program. News release. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. October 1, 2025. https://www.aavmc.org/news/aavmc-and-chewy-health-open-applications-for-2026-cohort-of-chewy-veterinary-leaders-program/

AAVMC announces Chewy Veterinary leaders Cohort. 

. January 17, 2025. October 3, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/aavmc-announces-chewy-veterinary-leaders-cohort

The program will award $20,000 in aid to 15 students.

Applications for 2026 Veterinary Leaders Program now open

Happy Friday dvm360 readers! Have you gotten a chance to check out dvm360.com’s new look? On Monday, we officially launched our new website, which has plenty of new features and a new look, including a section dedicated to shorter videos. Have an idea of what you would want to see there? Email our team at news@dvm360.com!

Since you are already checking out the website, here is some news that was posted this week!

 that in a 3-1 vote, it has vacated the 2024 final rule banning most employment noncompete agreements, meaning the initiative from the Biden Administration has formally ended.

 fluralaner for extended-release injectable suspension (Bravecto Quantum; Merck Animal Health), becoming one of the over 50 countries in the world to approve the product to treat and prevent flea infestations, as well as treat and control tick infestations for 12 months in dogs and puppies over 6 months of age.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Matthew W. Brunke, DVM, DACVSMR (Canine), CCAT, Fellow IAVRPT, and Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, talked about the modern multimodal pain management for patients, including joint therapies and evidence-based holistic approaches, and more.

 the story of Rocky, a Pomeranian, who tested positive for cocaine, amphetamines, and tetrahydrocannabinol—the psychoactive compound in marijuana—after being exposed at a music festival.

 from the University of Maryland found that antiviral treatment with oseltamivir and identifying highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) early in feline patients can help improve survival rates after studying 4 cats in one home infected with the virus.

Wrap up: FTC vacates ban on noncompete agreements, and other news

Investigators studying equine pregnancy loss to better understand how bacterial infections can cause miscarriages have discovered the amniotic membrane may play a more significant role than previously thought. The research is a result of collaboration between investigators at Texas A&M University in College Station, the University of Kentucky in Lexington, and the University of São Paulo in Brazil, and could help lead to miscarriage prevention strategies.

Ascending placentitis is a common cause of third-trimester miscarriage in horses, and the condition accounts for approximately 25% of aborted equine pregnancies. Ascending placentitis is caused by 

 bacterial infection, which migrates through the vagina and cervical canal. Related maternal and fetal tissues adjacent to the cervix are affected.

“The bacteria enter the cervix and infect the placenta, which is the main source of oxygen and nutrients for the fetus,” Sophia Marchio, DVM, a doctoral student at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS), said in a news release.

 “When the placenta gets infected, it alters the hormone and immune system of the mare, sometimes causing a miscarriage or premature delivery.”

In data from a recent Swedish study of 17 cases of ascending placentitis in horses, initial signs of infection included premature udder development and vulval discharge. Investigators determined that early diagnosis of the condition is key to correcting the vulval conformation and establishing an effective vulval seal to prevent bacteria from entering the cervix.

However, achieving an early diagnosis continues to be a challenge. “How the bacteria affect specific parts of the placenta has not been well studied. With our research, we hope to understand not only how miscarriages happen but also ways to detect problems earlier and even prevent pregnancy loss,” Marchio said.

Thus far, findings from this collaborative study have shown that the amniotic membrane responds to infection and inflammation. According to Yatta Boakari, DVM, PhD, MS, DACT, an author on the published study, assistant professor at VMBS, and head of the VMBS Comparative Reproductive Laboratory, the amniotic membrane is the closest placental membrane to the fetus and acts as a protective, physical barrier around the foal.

, the findings could play a large role in scientific understanding of why miscarriages happen. “This particular equine membrane has never been studied up close using RNA sequencing,” Boakari said in the release.

 “Before our publication, it wasn’t even known whether it had an immune response. We are the first ones to show that it does using RNA sequencing.”

Price C. Texas A&M-led research collaboration aims to uncover the secrets of equine miscarriage. News release. Texas A&M University. October 1, 2025. Accessed October 2, 2025. 

https://stories.tamu.edu/news/2025/10/01/texas-am-led-research-collaboration-aims-to-uncover-the-secrets-of-equine-miscarriage/

Fedorka CE, Troedsson MHT. The immune response to equine ascending placentitis: a narrative review. 

. 2023;203:11-20. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.03.002

Hemberg E, Morrell JM. Case report: diagnosis and treatment of equine ascending placentitis: compilation of 17 case reports. 

. 2025;12. doi:10.3389/fvets.2025.1591452

Marchio SP, El-Sheikh Ali H, Scott MA, et al. Decoding the amniotic membrane transcriptome during equine ascending placentitis. 

. August 21, 2025. Accessed October 2, 2025. 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-16671-5

Investigators at Texas A&M University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of São Paulo aim to better understand how bacterial infection causes miscarriage. 