A new veterinary nutrition residency has been established at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) with sponsorship from The Farmer’s Dog, a fresh pet food. The 2-year program was developed by UTCVM faculty and meets the standards for board eligibility set by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM).

The sponsorship by The Farmer’s Dog is designed to fully fund the training of a select resident in clinical nutrition, preparing them for board certification in nutrition through ACVIM. The selected resident will receive extensive clinical, teaching, and didactic training with a strong emphasis on research and scholarly activity under the mentorship of university faculty members as well as and Angela Rollins, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), and Maryanne Murphy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition).

“Programs like this are critically important to develop the next generation of veterinary nutritionists and leaders in animal health,” Rollins, said in a news release. “The Farmer’s Dog’s support allows us to expand on crucial nutrition-based training opportunities while also elevating clinical practice and research standards in pet nutrition.”

The goal for program is to contribute to the growing body of published research in animal health, open doors for new clinical nutrition training opportunities, and ultimately shape the future of pet health through academic partnerships and scientific collaboration, according to The Farmer’s Dog. While nurturing the next generation of leaders in veterinary nutrition, the company’s sponsorship of the new residency also represents a milestone for the fresh pet food industry.

“There’s been a lot more interest lately in the science behind fresh, human-grade dog food,” Murphy said in a news release. “This program lets a resident dig deeper into that research.”


Additionally, the sponsorship underscores The Farmer’s Dog’s commitment to rigorous, evidence-based pet health research, according to the company. Jonathan Regev, cofounder and CEO of The Farmer’s Dog, said the company is excited to work with UTCVM and help equip veterinary residents with tools, support and knowledge they’ll need to flourish and help the pet health industry progress.

“Veterinarians have always been critical partners in helping us improve the lives of dogs, and sponsoring this residency program is one of the many ways we're putting real, tangible support to continue that partnership,” Regev said in a news release. “The Farmer’s Dog’s mission is to improve pets’ lives through minimally processed, science-backed food, and we’re proud to support the veterinary community that makes this progress possible.”

The UTCVM currently offers 8 residences in biomedical and diagnostic sciences, large animal clinical sciences, and small animal clinical sciences, in addition to veterinary nutrition.

 Additional information about UTCVM residencies and applications can be found online at 

vetmed.tennessee.edu/academics/internships-and-residencies.

The Farmer’s Dog funds veterinary nutrition residency at the University of Tennessee. News release. The Farmer’s Dog. June 16, 2025.

Internships and residences. University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed June 16, 2025. 

https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/academics/internships-and-residencies/

Articles

The Farmer's Dog fresh pet food company is providing funding for the new position.

Veterinary nutrition residency is launched at the University of Tennessee

Every day, veterinarians are faced with challenges that pull them in different directions: caring for patients, managing their clinic, staying up to date on the latest research and new technologies, communicating with clients, and caring for themselves and their colleagues in the veterinary profession. The one thing that veterinarians can count on is change.

Change can positively impact the lives of pets through the development of innovative diagnostic tools, medications, and groundbreaking dietary therapies, or it can further impact the challenges that veterinarians face.

These challenges can begin even before they enter the workforce, as the cost of veterinary education has risen exponentially, triggering an accompanying burden of student debt. Plus, the global health pandemic that spanned several years also accelerated additional industry changes, from expanding the growth of telemedicine and online pharmacies to creating new disparities in client access to veterinary care. For clients, pet ownership is currently at an all-time high in the United States, with 66% of households owning a pet.

Owners also have unprecedented access to online information about pet health conditions and management, resulting in skepticism of recommended treatments and costs. In addition, the rising cost of living has affected pet owners’ willingness—and sometimes their ability—to pay for veterinary care. Although veterinarians have a sense of duty to protect the pets in their community, a strained environment from a shortage of veterinarians, high staff turnover, and clients unable to pay for care has a personal cost, leaving veterinarians feeling depleted.

The bottom line is that although advancements in veterinary medicine, technology, and communication are improving the lives of pets, those caring for our pets need support now more than ever to help overcome these obstacles.

Even with all their challenges, one vital factor has remained constant: the passion and dedication all veterinarians share for improving the lives of patients and clients. Many companies and organizations that support the veterinary industry have demonstrated their commitment to veterinary professionals in heartfelt, positive ways. From conducting veterinary well-being studies to providing scholarships for student debt relief, and from funding psychological support services to finding innovative ways to provide continuing education, significant steps are being taken to support the veterinary profession. For veterinarians, patients, and clients to continue to thrive, we all must continue to do our part and explore new ways to demonstrate our dedication and gratitude.

Pro Plan Veterinary believes no veterinarian should face obstacles alone when providing care. That’s why we established the Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission, an initiative designed to help remove barriers veterinarians often face
in practice. We know the impact veterinarians make on pets and their families is infinite, which is why Pro Plan Veterinary is helping to remove stress-inducing obstacles by providing resources that foster well-being to help veterinarians focus on what they do best: delivering patient care.

Since launching in 2024, the Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission has surpassed more than $2 million in donations to organizations addressing veterinarians' biggest obstacles. Our goal is to make a difference in the difference veterinarians make by supporting their calling to care.

Our partners in removing barriers to care

Central to the success of the Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission are strategic partnerships with industry-leading organizations dedicated to veterinary care, with a focus on helping veterinarians thrive both professionally and personally.

The Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission’s inaugural and continued partner is the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) and its Reaching Every Animal With Charitable Healthcare (REACH) program. REACH was created in 2023 by the AVMF to increase assistance to the most vulnerable communities and to help reduce economic pressures that veterinarians may face during challenging situations. More than 2100 pets have been supported through REACH, which helps to offset veterinarians’ costs for time and services when helping pets in need. The program has helped pets like Rihanna, a canine patient who, due to fluid in her chest and around her lungs, needed a CT scan and open chest surgery. Payment was going to be a challenge for the owner, but thanks to the availability of the REACH program, the clinic was able to do the surgery, allowing Rihanna to make a full recovery and live her fullest life. Success stories like Rihanna’s and those of countless others are why veterinarians do what they do.

Our goal at Pro Plan Veterinary is to address the challenges within the veterinary industry, enabling veterinarians to prioritize what truly matters—their health and well-being, as well as the health of their patients. This is why the Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission has partnered with Paisley Paws, a charitable veterinary foundation that provides funds exclusively to its 199 PAWrtner Clinics. The mission at Paisley Paws is to enhance the well-being of pets and veterinary professionals in need of lifesaving, life-enhancing hardship support. The Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission currently supports 2 of its strategic pillars. The Life-Saving, Life-Enhancing Pillar provides financial support directly to PAWrtner Clinics during times of medical crises for pet owners who are unable to afford veterinary care. The Betterment of Mental Health Fund provides financial aid to veterinary professionals experiencing mental health crises. This support helps cover essential living expenses and medical costs, allowing those in need to take necessary medical leave without the added stress of financial worries.

Pro Plan Veterinary is also dedicated to creating a brighter future and supporting the next generation of veterinarians by providing resources to support veterinary students and young veterinarians when they enter this profession. The Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission has partnered with Utah State University in sponsoring the Purina Mental Health Services Suite at the university’s new Veterinary Medical Education Building. This facility ensures that veterinary medicine students have access to private spaces where they can seek assistance and speak with professional counselors to promote mental well-being.

In our ongoing commitment to veterinarians, we continue to explore partnerships with organizations in the industry to help address the obstacles veterinarians face.

The Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission is a testament to the incredible impact veterinarians make every single day. By addressing barriers to care and supporting mental health initiatives, we can empower veterinarians to continue their vital work of caring for pets.

Visit www.ProPlanVetSupport.com to learn more about the Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission and our partners.

Latest pet ownership and spending data from APPA reveals continued strength of national pet industry in the face of economic uncertainty. News release. American Pet Products Association. March 23, 2023. Accessed May 7, 2025. https://americanpetproducts.org/news/latest-pet-ownership-and-spending-data-from-appa-reveals-continued-strength-of-national-pet-industry-in-the-face-of-economic-uncertainty 

The Pro Plan Veterinary Support Mission is working for vets

With Nashville behind us, are you missing the excitement or is your fear of missing out taking over? Do not worry, 

 has you covered with this post conference recap! Here, you can have a glimpse into the conference through coverage of the keynote addresses, interviews with Fetch facutly, and articles highlighting continuing education sessions. All of 

 on dvm360.com, but here are some highlights!

A musical journey in discovering dermatology

Julia Miller, DVM, DACVD, kicked off Fetch Nashville on Friday May 30, 2025, with her musical keynote address. Using parodies of popular songs, Miller took attendees through her journey into becoming a veterinary dermatologist, including how she went from studying theater and opera at Indiana University to veterinary professional. Along with her history in veterinary medicine, Miller provided “down and dermy” tips she has learned through her personal experiences in dermatology to attendees.

Four actionable Fear Free tips from Temple Grandin, PhD, and Marty Becker, DVM

On Day 2 of Fetch Nashville, the dvm360 team welcomed Temple Grandin, PhD, and Marty Becker, DVM, to the keynote stage to provide insight into how a Fear Free approach at your clinic can help give patients a “life worth living.’ Throughout the address, the duo walked attendees through the history of livestock handling, and how the lessons Grandin learned doing that could be applied to small animals, plus Becker explained how the advice that Grandin provided attendees can turn into practical ways professionals can effect the well-being on companion animals positively.

Rethinking feline house soiling: What you should know

During her interview with dvm360, Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP, FFC, shared 3 key details she wanted attendees to take away from her lecture “Litterbox Lessons: Keeping Cats in the Litterbox,” including why it is important to offer feline caregivers empathy and support as well as helping clients move away from blame-based narratives surrounding cats, like "spiteful" or "inappropriate" behavior.

 ahead of her lectures at Fetch Nashville, Kathryn E. Reif, MSPH, PhD, shared with the audience the adoption of endectocide-based protocols for true “one-and-done” protection.

“So previously, in order to control our ectoparasites and a variety of our different endoparasites that affect our dogs, we may have had to reach for multiple products to provide really comprehensive, broad parasite control. But over the last decade or so, we’re now starting to see different companies bring together ectoparasite-control drugs as well as endoparasite-control drugs to create what they call an endectocide product—one that offers protection against both ectoparasites, like fleas and ticks, and a variety of endoparasites, like hookworms, heartworms, roundworms, etc,” Reif explained during the interview.

Kristen Ward, RN-BSN, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia), shared during her interview with 

 at the 2025 Fetch Nashville conference why veterinary professionals should know about capnography as well as some insights into the use of it with anesthesia in veterinary medicine

During their joint lecture at Fetch Nashville, Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, Julia Miller DVM, DACVD, and Natalie Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V, discussed with the crowd practical insights on how and when general practitioners should implement diet trials for their dermatology cases. Through the lecture, the debunked some myths, shared some advice, and discussed common errors that can happen during a trial, and how to avoid them.

The importance of “pet-alized” dental care for older animals

Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, in her lecture “They are NOT Too Old for Dental Procedures (Usually)” during the conference focused on how to treat older patients with periodontal disease, plus tailor pain management and anesthesia protocols veterinarians can put into practice to reduce the risks of treatments in these older patients. Throughout 

’s coverage, check out the questions Lobprise answered through the lecture, including why do many dogs not receive ongoing dental car throughout their lives, what are the challenges of senior dentistry, and more.
“The best monitor is a good technician,” Lobprise said in her lecture. “Having someone dedicated to watching the patient during anesthesia is extremely critical.”

Torsemide for canine CHF: Emerging evidence and clinical benefits

William Rausch, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), tackled torsemide and how to use it for canine hearth failutre during his lecture at Fetch Nashville. Rausch highlighted the loop diuretics remain the cornerstone of congestive heart failure therapy but noted evolving evidence suggesting torsemide may outperform the long-standing “workhorse” furosemide in certain clinical scenarios. Rausch provided dosing and monitoring consideration from a clinical standpoint, the pharmacokinetic advantages of torsemide, clinical trial evidence, and more to attendees, and in this recap article of his session.

What business opportunities exist for veterinary technicians?

As a technician, do you know what career pathways and opportunities are available to you? Kucera broke down the diverse pathways that a veterinary technician can take beyond the traditional roles in the clinic, and how to utilize the skills technicians must create business opportunities and increase earning potential.

“A lot of vet techs are not advocating for themselves,” Kucera said. “It’s a big problem in our field. We need to be that voice for each other. 

"The biggest takeaway [from my presentation] is that you’re not stuck,” Kucera added. “The grass is greener on the other side.”

The microorganism in pets, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa, play a crucial role in the health of patients. Vicky Orgrain, MBA, RVT, VTS (Nutrition), scientific communication senior specialist with Hill's Pet Nutrition, took the stage at Fech Nashville to help attendees get a petter understanding of its significant, and how to modulate it with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. 

“There's so much more that we need to learn, so we are just starting to really get the tip of the iceberg of all the things that the microbiome is associated with. It really affects every part of our body,” Ograin explained during her lecture.

Registration for Fetch Nashville 2026 is now open and you can register 

Since dvm360's 2025 conference in the Music City is officially finished, here are some highlights from the show 

Fetch Nashville 2025 wrap up 

Asking clients to record videos of their cat at home can play a major role in helping identify pain

Tips for identifying pain in cats

Extensive collaboration with clients plays a major role in the identification of pain in cats. In this discussion, Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP, FFCP, encourages veterinary professionals to request video footage of the patient’s gait and daily activities captured at home to help identify if a patient is experiencing pain. These videos, Kucera explains, can be a "game changer" in assessing baseline behavior and providing instant feedback.

She also talks about the value of sharing tools with clients to help manage and identify pain. These tools include the Feline Grimace Scale, fecal score charts, videos of cats exhibiting different signs of pain, and more.

Below is a partial transcript, which has been lightly edited for improved clarity:

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP, FFCP:

 Chronic pain is hard, so we have to be kind to ourselves—that's the one big thing, and we need, capital N-E-E-D, the caregiver's help. We can't do it on our own. Just like in human medicine, chronic pain is really challenging. Acute pain is a little easier for both vet med and human med.

So, one of the things I recommend to all my colleagues, but also the caregivers I work with, is every vet visit should include 2 to 3, 1 to 3-minute videos of the cat's gait, so your cat's walking, your cat's playing, eating, and/or doing their favorite thing. I'm not really specific, because first off, everyone has smartphones, which is amazing. And I tell my caregivers, “it's appropriate for your vet not to have the cat walk up and down the hallway if they have severe fear and stress, which unfortunately is pretty common. So, your vet can't acknowledge or assess your cat's gait.”

And also, of course, that cat's behavior is going to be more their baseline, and they'll feel more comfortable exhibiting those normal behaviors in the home setting. So that video thing is a game changer.

It also helps you to identify other things. [For example], these litter boxes are the store-bought ones that are way too small, this cat has to jump over to do an everyday function. Or, oh, that cat really loves to go on the couch or rest on that bed, let's create a few steps, whether it's a little ottoman or cat steps. You could literally provide immediate feedback to make that animal's life more comfortable, which is awesome.

And then also...we're getting more and more resources about pain identification and sharing those with caregivers. The Feline VMA has a great Chronic Pain Education Toolbook. But I'm also a huge fan of the Feline Grimace Scale app, catswitharthritis.com.

And I'm a huge proponent—I did not use this enough in [general practice] before I worked for myself—[of]fecal score charts. Caregivers can easily look at poop. I usually include the kits in the consult to keep track of the poop. And the number of pretty severe medical issues that have been diagnosed just due to my caregivers doing that simple step has been huge. Again, I’m like, 

And then also identifying the animal's baseline. Are they doing their favorite things? Are they resting in their favorite spots? How does their relationship look with the other animals in the home? Again, identifying what's their baseline, and has their behavior changed at all—[all] of those things can be really helpful as well as sharing. I have lots of videos of cats exhibiting various symptoms of chronic pain, and I'll share those with my caregivers. Then I'll kind of put it together with their cat's video and help them understand.

Videos

Tatiana Henriques Ferreira, DVM, PhD, MSc, DACVAA, and Marlis Rezende, DVM, PhD, MSc, DACVAA, discuss best practices

Understanding when to use inhalant anesthesia

Tatiana Henriques Ferreira, DVM, PhD, MSc, DACVAA, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, and Marlis Rezende, DVM, PhD, MSc, DACVAA, an associate professor of anesthesia and analgesia at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences in Fort Collins, co-presented a lecture on inhalant anesthesia vs total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) at the 2025 North American Veterinary Community 

 interview, they discussed cases that commonly use inhalant anesthesia.

Using total intravenous anesthesia in certain cases

The following is a transcript of the video

Tatiana Henriques Ferreira, DVM, PhD, MSc, DACVAA

: You really can do inhalant anesthesia for any procedure, but you just have to keep in mind that inhalant anesthetics can lead to some negative effects on some body systems. And in the example of the neuro patients, when you worry about intracranial pressure, you could think about mitigating some of those negative effects by keeping the inhaling anesthetics low, like below Mac values. And this would mitigate some of those side effects.

: And controlling CO2, so that’ the same thing.

 Perhaps a little bit more aggressive in the case of inhalants, then you have to be with TIVA. But yeah, we can do those two.

 And the other case you mentioned, it's probably…not as common, would be craniotomies. We do those, brain surgery, with TIVA. But a lot of like our brains, we do them on inhalant too, if they are not particularly affected…We oftentimes do them on inhalant, doing those things like ventilating them, keeping their CO2 on the end tidal CO2 around 32-35, and sometimes using a [constant rate infusion] of propofol or opioid to sort of make sure that the concentration of ISO stays low. So we do those with inhalants too. So it's not like you have to use TIVA, but that would be probably one of the scenarios where TIVA would be the most beneficial.

Tatiana Henriques Ferreira, DVM, PhD, MSc, DACVAA, and Marlis Rezende, DVM, PhD, MSc, DACVAA, discuss which types of cases are ideal for inhalant anesthesia vs total intravenous anesthesia.

Cases that use inhalant anesthesia

Cancer affects millions of Americans each year, with over 2 million new cases diagnosed in 2024 alone—resulting in approximately 5,500 cancer diagnoses and 1,600 deaths per day.

 While the medical community has increasingly recognized the impact of cancer on survivors’ relationships with their children, little attention has been paid to how cancer affects relationships between survivors and pets. 

To better understand this important, but overlooked topic, we recruited cancer survivors between April 2024 – December 2024 via social media (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit). Our sample included 930 cancer survivors, consisting of 265/882 (30%) people diagnosed with breast cancer, 220/882 (24.9%) with lung/bronchus cancer, 120/882 (13.6%) with prostate cancer, 70/882 (7.9%) with colorectal cancer, and 207/882 (23.5%) with other types of cancer. The largest percentages of participants were in Stage 1 (280/919, 30.5%) or Stage II (263/919, 28.6%), and the majority (722/919, 78.6%) reported currently receiving treatment or care. The most common type of treatment or care they were receiving included chemotherapy (341/930, 36.7%), followed by medication (e.g., tamoxifen/Nolvadex, aromatase inhibitors) (229/930, 24.6%), and radiotherapy (227/930, 24.4%). A smaller number reported undergoing any type of surgical procedure (112/930, 12.0%) or receiving hospice or palliative care (63/930, 6.8%). Most participants reported being diagnosed 2-12 months (256/930, 27.5%) or 1-2 years ago (206/930, 22.2%).

Findings from our study elucidated the most common concerns and benefits breast, prostate, colorectal and lung cancer survivors experience in caring for their pets during cancer treatment and/or recovery. Survivors reported that their pets provide them with emotional support, companionship, and motivation during treatment. In particular, 79% of participants reported that their pets create a "positive presence in the home", view their pets as "partners to relax with" (73%), make them “feel loved” (77%), and "offer the opportunity to care for another being" (69%). For many survivors, their pets were seen as a critical coping mechanism during treatment.

Participants overwhelmingly reported strong attachments to their pets. These strong bonds were associated with higher levels of reported support from their pets and higher levels of guilt when they felt unable to provide the care they wanted to give their pets. Many of our participants reported significant guilt about not meeting their pets' needs during treatment, similar to parental guilt experienced by those with children. This guilt can exacerbate anxiety and depression,

 potentially impacting treatment adherence and recovery. Yet daily tasks like walking their dogs, lifting heavy bags of food or litter, and cleaning up after their pets can become difficult or impossible during treatment. In addition, approximately 1/3 of participants reported being very or extremely concerned about the practical impact of cancer on their pets and who would care for their pet if they became unable due to cancer progression or death.

We found that certain populations faced greater challenges managing pet care during cancer treatment, including recently diagnosed patients (within 2 months), those under 30 years old, and those with young children. These demographic groups reported higher levels of concern and guilt regarding pet care during treatment.

When queried about support, approximately 2/3 of cancer survivors reported receiving support for pet-related needs from partners, family, and friends, but only half of the participants felt supported by their veterinarian or medical professionals.

 These results suggest that more can be done to help support cancer survivors, with veterinary professionals uniquely positioned to help support pet owners with cancer during both treatment and recovery.

Recognizing the limitations within busy veterinary practices, we offer the following suggestions to help support pet owners with cancer:

Include a sensitively worded owner health question within client paperwork. For example, "Are there any health challenges you're currently experiencing that might affect your ability to care for your pet?"

Train staff to recognize signs that clients may be struggling with illness (frequent rescheduling, appearing fatigued, mentioning treatment schedules) and how to respond compassionately.

Offer flexible scheduling options for clients undergoing treatment, including same-day appointments when possible, drop-offs, and telehealth options when appropriate.

Move immunocompromised clients to an exam room as soon as possible to reduce stress and infection risk.

Create a "Cancer Care Kit" for clients that includes information about

Local pet service resources (dog walkers, pet sitters, mobile groomers)

Modified payment plans or financial assistance programs, if needed

Adaptive pet care tools (e.g., extended leashes, elevated food bowls, ramps, etc.)

Potential concerns for pet owners undergoing cancer treatment such as:

Radiation safety concerns for pets (maintaining distance after certain treatments)

Educate clients about chemotherapy safety and pets:

Provide detailed guidelines about the safe handling of chemotherapy medications, including proper disposal of any pill containers or sharps

Advise on precautions if bodily fluids may contain traces of chemotherapy drugs (particularly important during the first 48-72 hours after treatment)

Suggest protective measures for immunocompromised pet owners, such as wearing gloves when cleaning litter boxes or picking up waste

Handling pets while immunocompromised (safe petting practices, avoiding scratches)

Managing pet care during long treatment days and hospital stays (planning calendars, caregiver instructions)

Adjusting pet care routines to accommodate reduced energy (using puzzle toys instead of long walks)

Information about pet waste handling during chemotherapy treatment

Create a list of clients willing to volunteer to help owners experiencing serious illness with pet care tasks (e.g., transportation to appointments, dog walking, temporary pet sitting during treatments).

Offer suggestions for low-energy pet care options

Indoor enrichment activities for dogs when walks are difficult (scent games, puzzle toys, gentle training sessions)

Automated feeders and water fountains to reduce daily maintenance

Alternative exercise options (hiring dog walkers, doggy daycare)

Litter box modifications for easier cleaning (automatic or larger systems)

Adaptive equipment for pet care (extended-handle pooper scoopers, lightweight leashes)

Discuss temporary living arrangements if needed

Information about reputable boarding facilities

Guidance on preparing pets for temporary stays with friends or family (providing familiar items, maintaining routines)

Suggestions on how to maintain their connection with their pet during separation (video calls with pets, sending items with their scent)

Acknowledge the pet's importance in your client's cancer journey. Simple statements like "I know Bella must be a comfort to you during this difficult time" can validate their feelings.

Address pet-related guilt by normalizing these feelings and emphasizing that temporary adjustments to care routines will not harm their relationship with their pet.

Listen compassionately when clients express concerns about their ability to care for their pet during treatment. Statements like "Your pet will still love you even if you can't walk them as often right now" can be reassuring. Explain how pets often adapt well to temporary changes in routine.

Provide information about reputable boarding facilities

Provide a template for pet care instructions that clients can easily complete for times when they are undergoing treatment or to plan for extended hospitalization or declining health, including:

Lists of daily, weekly, and monthly pet care tasks

Medication schedules with clear instructions for temporary caregivers

Behavioral information about the pet to help temporary caregivers manage successfully

Behavioral quirks and management strategies

Comfort techniques (where the pet likes to be petted, words they respond to)

Warning signs of stress or illness specific to their pet

Create a handout to help clients develop an "Emergency Pet Kit" 

2-3 days of pet food, medications, and supplies

Care instructions with feeding amounts, medication dosages, and routine details

Veterinary contact information and medical history summary

Comfort items (toys, blankets) to reduce pet stress

Pet description including personality traits and preferences

Develop a "Veterinary-Oncology Liaison Program"

A program where interested staff members receive additional training on cancer treatment effects and pet care, becoming specialists in supporting these clients within your practice.

Veterinarians have a unique opportunity to support pet owners facing cancer and help preserve the human-animal bond. By acknowledging both the practical challenges and the emotional benefits pets provide to survivors of cancer, veterinarians can help reduce pet-related guilt and ensure that the human-animal relationship remains a source of comfort rather than stress during cancer treatment.

Simple interventions, including flexible scheduling, resource sharing, compassionate listening, and practical care planning, can make a significant difference for clients managing both cancer treatment and pet care responsibilities. By extending compassionate care beyond the animal to include the needs of the owner facing cancer, veterinarians can support animal health, and help preserve the human-animal bond during one of life's most challenging times.

The American Cancer Society. 2024 Cancer Facts & Figures Cancer | 2024--First Year the US Expects More than 2M New Cases of Cancer. 2025. Accessed February 17, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/facts-and-figures-2024.html

Kogan LR, Bussolari C, Currin-McCulloch J, Packman W, Erdman P. Dog owners: Disenfranchised guilt and related depression and anxiety. 

Kogan LR, Currin-McCulloch J, Bussolari C, Packman W. Cat owners’ disenfranchised guilt and its predictive value on owners’ depression and anxiety. 

Kogan, L R. and Currin-McCulloch, J (in press). Unrecognized Bonds: How Pet Ownership Affects Guilt, Concerns, and Quality of Life During Cancer Treatment. Cancer Nursing: An International Journal for Cancer Care Research

Practical suggestions for veterinary professionals