A new test for assessing bovines’ genetic predisposition to bovine congestive heart failure (BCHF) has been released. The launch of the genomic test—Igenity BCHF—is aimed at improving the overall heart health standards among bovines, according Neogen Corporation, a food safety company behind the test’s development.

"When we look at the impact of Igenity BCHF on the industry, it is helping to genetically quantify the risk for [BCHF] and progress herds away from this growing cattle health and welfare concern," Kirk Ramsey, DVM, professional services veterinarian with Neogen, said in a company release.

 "Igenity BCHF is the first genomic test of its kind and is the first step in capturing the reason why congestive heart failure is occurring in these young calves and late-fed cattle."

In the western Great Plains of the United States and Canada, BCHF has been increasingly recognized as an emerging condition of cattle, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), with reports on BCHF occurrence showing a doubling of the condition every 10 years.

 The condition, marked by pulmonary hypertension that ultimately leads to right ventricular failure, is both untreatable and fatal.

In recent years, BCHF has grown in prevalence at the cow/calf and feedlot levels.

 Research has shown that a genetic factor makes cattle more prone to developing heart failure at some point during the feeding period.

 Currently, little is known about how to decrease the likelihood of heart failure in cattle genetically at risk for BCHF.

 outbreaks of BCHF are happening in operations that are feeding “well-managed, high genetic merit cattle.” The disease is the most expensive health-related issue for some producers, according to the federal agency. In individual operations, losses related to the condition surpass $250,000 annually and outpace losses from bovine respiratory diseases.

“Reducing the impact of BCHF is a high priority for the cattle industry,” wrote the USDA in the agency’s Agriculture Research Service web page.

The Igenity BCHF test scores an animal’s genetic proneness for the disease on a 1 to 10 scale, with 1 being lowest risk of disease development and 10 representing highest risk. There is an approximate 3.5% difference in the expected incidence rate for the disease between each score.

"Igenity BCHF is a revolutionary genomic test designed to assess an animal's genetic predisposition to heart failure," Victor Pedrosa, PhD, director of technical genomics and innovation at Neogen, said in a release.

 "The test results directly correlate with the percentage of BCHF risk an animal carries and could pass on to their progeny, serving as a genetic indicator of the likelihood of disease development."

Neogen introduces Igenity BCHF to help industry mitigate bovine congestive heart failure risk. News release. Neogen Corporation. January 21, 2025. Accessed February 19, 2025. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neogen-introduces-igenity-bchf-to-help-industry-mitigate-bovine-congestive-heart-failure-risk-302355664.html

Bovine congestive heart failure (BCHF) in feedlot cattle. US Department of Agriculture. April 3, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2025. 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/clay-center-ne/marc/bchf/bchf-main/

Herman J. Congestive heart failure in cattle—a learning curve. Beef Quality Assurance. January 17, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2025. 

https://www.bqa.org/about-us/newsroom/congestive-heart-failure-in-cattle-a-learning-curve

Articles

Congestive heart failure in cattle has become more prevalent in recent years

New genomic test for assessing bovine congestive heart failure risk is launched

According to results from a serosurvey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on 150 US bovine veterinary practitioners, 3 tested positive for antibodies to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5), indicating recent H5N1 infection in these individuals. None of the practitioners who tested positive for antibodies reported any respiratory or flu-like symptoms, including conjunctivitis.

The study, “Seroprevalence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5) Virus Infections Among Bovine Veterinary Practitioners,” aimed to investigate the prevalence of recent H5N1 infection among bovine veterinary practitioners in the US. To do this, public health officials with the CDC conducted an H5N1 serosurvey—which involves testing the blood serum of a group of individuals—on 150 bovine veterinarians that had had cattle exposure in the last 3 months.

All participants surveyed were attendees of the 2024 American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) conference.

 Participation was anonymous, with participants receiving a $50 USD gift card after the blood draw.

Of the 150 participants, 143 reported practicing primarily in 46 US states. Seven reported their primary practice was in Canada. Additionally, 82 (55%) practiced in states with dairy herds testing positive for H5N1, and 25 (17%) had worked with dairy cattle with known or suspected H5N1 infection.

Of the 3 veterinarians found to have H5N1 antibodies, the CDC reported

All provided care to multiple animals, including dairy cattle

All reported wearing gloves or clothing covers during veterinary care activities for cattle, such as pregnancy checking or surgery

Two also worked with nondairy cattle, one provided care to poultry, and one worked at livestock markets

None worked with dairy cattle known or suspected to be infected with H5N1, but one veterinarian worked with poultry that was H5N1 positive

Two of the veterinarians reported practicing in multiple US states and 2 practiced in states with known H5N1 infection among cattle

One veterinarian provided care to dairy cattle only in Georgia and nondairy cattle in South Carolina—both of which are states that had not previously reported H5N1 infection in dairy cattle; this same practitioner reported no exposure to animals with known or suspected H5N1 infections

“…safety goggles and a respirator are recommended when working with uninfected animals in regions where there are confirmed or potentially infected animals.... HPAI A(H5) virus is known to be present in high concentrations in milk produced by infected cattle, introducing infection risk through respiratory, ocular, and gastrointestinal exposure…. Continued systematic surveillance of livestock and milk could aid in appropriate occupational hazard assessment,” advised the authors of the study.

The study’s findings suggest that asymptomatic individuals could be going unnoticed, resulting in an underreporting of the actual number of infections. “These findings suggest that there might be HPAI A(H5) virus–infected dairy cattle in states where infection in dairy cattle has not yet been identified, highlighting the importance of rapid identification of infected dairy cattle through herd and bulk milk testing as recently announced by the US  Department of Agriculture,” wrote the study's authors.

“Detection of HPAI A(H5) antibodies in persons without reported symptoms suggests that surveillance of symptomatic exposed workers might underestimate human infection,” they continued

The study was conducted in collaboration with the AABP and the Ohio Department of Health in September 2024.

 Results were published February 13, 2025, in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

When the serosurvey was conducted, H5N1 had been detected in dairy cattle across 14 US states, and 4 human cases relating to dairy cattle exposure had been reported in 3 states, according to the CDC.

 Since then, the avian influenza outbreak has expanded to include 68 confirmed H5N1 human cases in the country. Of those, 23 were related to infected poultry exposure; 41 to infected dairy cattle exposure; 1 has an unknown source of infection with potential exposure to other animals; and 3 exposure cases remain unknown.

Leonard J, Harker EJ, Szablewski CM, et al. 

: Seroprevalence of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) virus infections among bovine veterinary practitioners — United States, September 2024. 

MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

. 2025;74(4):50-52. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7404a2

Study: Three bovine veterinarians unknowingly infected with H5N1. American Veterinary Medical Association. February 14, 2025. Accessed February 18, 2025. https://www.avma.org/news/study-three-bovine-veterinarians-unknowingly-infected-h5n1?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

Findings suggest that the number of human H5N1 cases may be higher than reported

CDC study identifies US bovine veterinarians infected with avian influenza

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) issued a warning to pet owners about the risks of raw pet food in cats after several indoor cats in Oregon were diagnosed with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) starting earlier this month.

The owners of the infected cats, after consulting with their veterinarians, elected to euthanize each of the cats due to the severity of their illness. After looking into potential sources of the illness, officials discovered that all of the sick feline patients ate the same brand of raw pet food, manufactured by Wild Coast, LLC, before becoming sick.

The illnesses were reported to the ODA, prompting the ODA to collect samples from the affected cats, pre- and post- mortem, and from the open pet food containers. The samples were then sent for testing at Oregon Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratories at Oregon State University and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), confirming the presence of HPAI in the both the cat and food samples.

In response to the findings, ODA and WSDA issued a public health notice and the WSDA conducted further testing on unopened containers of the food. Both departments are urging cat owns to check the lot numbers on Wild Coast, LLC products at home. The specific lot numbers are:

Wild Coast LLC – Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula Photos Lots #22660 and #22664 – Best By Date 12/2025

“We are writing to you regarding a developing situation concerning H5N1 and the affected cats in the Portland area. On February 7th, [WSDA] notified us of a house cat that tested positive for H5N1, with a potential link to our food. Open containers from the household were tested and came back as non-negative and negative,” said Tyler Duncan, founder of Wild Coast Pet Foods, in an organizational statement.

“A non-negative result in a diagnostic test, indicates that the test produced a result that isn’t clearly positive or negative. It suggests something might be present, but the test lacks the specificity or sensitivity to confirm it. It’s an indeterminate result, requiring further investigation. In further investigation twelve additional sealed samples were then purchased at retail locations including the same lot code that came back as non-negative from the open container test (Lot #22660). These results yielded one non – negative result (Lot #22664) and the rest negative including from Lot #22660.We were given this information late Thursday 2/13. On Friday 2/14 the WSDA and ODA made a public health warning advising customers to not feed these two lots,” he continued.

Several cat deaths reported following bird flu exposure through raw pet food and milk

Pets infected with H5N1 could present with

Neurological signs such as blindness, incoordination, seizure, or tremors.

If any pets have consumed the product from Wild Coast LLC and is presenting with these symptoms, WSDA and ODA encourages pet owners to call their veterinarian immediately. 

At this time, there have been no human infections linked to handling raw pet food products. They normally become infected when the virus enters their eyes, nose, our mouth, such has handling contaminated pet food or touching a surface that is contaminated, especially without thoroughly washing their hands after coming into contact with contaminated surfaces. Anyone suspected of coming into contact with H5N1 should contact their healthcare provide and monitor themselves for symptoms such as:

For veterinary professionals, avian influenza is a notifiable disease by the World Organization for Animal Health. Professionals should immediately report any suspected cases of HPAI in any bird, or of H5 or H7 low pathogenic avian influenza, to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the USDA and the applicable state animal health official(s). If a case comes in after hours and on weekend’s professionals should call the USDA foreign animal disease hotline at 866-536-7593.

“…I sincerely apologize and deeply regret not conveying this information to you sooner and know many of you heard about this through other channels. Moving forward, I am committed to keeping you promptly informed on the evolving situation and will be updating our website as the information becomes available,” Duncan concluded.

Raw pet food identified as source of bird flu infection to house cats. News release. Washington State Department of Agriculture. February 14, 2025. Accessed February 18, 2025. 

https://agr.wa.gov/lookuptypes/recallfile/131

Wild Coast Statement. News release. Wild Coast Pet Foods. Accessed February 18, 2025. 

https://wildcoastpets.com/wild-coast-safety-steps-for-h5n1/

Avian Influenza. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed February 18, 2025. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza



Samples collected from the infected cats and open food confirmed the presence of HPAI in both the food and cats

WSDA and ODA identifies raw pet food as source of bird flu infections 

I was captivated by dentistry soon after attending my first dental wet lab in 1986. One of the best talks I remember at our annual veterinary dental forum was given by a boarded veterinary dentist, who shared blunders he made along the way to becoming better. I hope you can learn from some of my slipups and solutions.

Ineffectiveness of pulse therapy against biofilms

The use of pulse antibiotic therapy for oral infections is now considered inappropriate. In the 1990s, I worked with another veterinarian to spread the word about using pulse therapy, prescribing a dental antibiotic the first 5 days of the month to treat periodontal disease. The recommendation caught on like wildfire.

Unfortunately, the most significant pitfall of pulse antibiotic therapy in oral infections is its ineffectiveness against biofilms. A dental antibiotic is prescribed for the first 5 days of the month. Pulse therapy is unlikely to achieve the sustained high concentrations needed to penetrate these biofilms effectively. It fails to address the primary cause of periodontal disease, which requires mechanical plaque removal—systemic antibiotics should only be recommended for specific cases, such as patients with compromised immune systems.

Early in my dental career, I learned a crucial lesson about the importance of comprehensive examinations. Failing to conduct a meticulous tooth-by-tooth assessment and maintain detailed charts resulted in overlooked pathologies and missed opportunities to enhance patient care. This experience  highlighted the critical nature of thorough documentation in dentistry. Over time, I have come to appreciate the significant advantages of electronic dental charting over traditional paper methods. Electronic charting offers several key benefits:

Cloud-based accessibility: Patient records are securely stored in the cloud, allowing easy access during future dental visits, regardless of location.

Improved accuracy: Electronic systems often include built-in checks and prompts, reducing the likelihood of errors or omissions in charting.

Enhanced data analysis: Digital records facilitate easier patient history tracking,
treatment updates, and viewing of overall oral health trends.

Integration capabilities: Electronic charts can seamlessly connect with other dental technologies, such as imaging systems and practice management software.

Better patient communication: Visual representations and digital charts can be easily shared with patients, improving their understanding of their oral health status and treatment plans.

By embracing electronic dental charting, we can significantly improve our ability to provide patients with comprehensive, consistent, high quality care (

Figures and images courtesy of Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP (Canine, Feline), FAVD

Spring-loaded mouth gags can cause temporomandibular joint damage, decreased cerebral blood flow, and blindness, especially in cats (

). A better option is cutting previously used endotracheal tubes placed between the canine teeth. In cats, the maximum size is 42 mm (

Separated tooth roots during extraction can occur secondary to excessive force and inadequate alveolar bone removal, creating root fragments. Unless addressed, these can lead to ongoing pain and infection. To avoid this:

Ensure instruments are sharpened before each extraction case (

Remove the crown before removing the roots (

If you choose not to use the crown removal technique, create a full-thickness flap that extends beyond the mucogingival junction. Use a sharpened periosteal elevator (flat Molt 2/4) to reflect the flap carefully (

To section multirooted, teeth start at the furcation before extracting, even if the tooth is mobile.

Remove adequate buccal bone before elevating.

Use a luxator before an elevator to partially excise the periodontal ligament attachment.

Failing to smooth sharp alveolar margin after extraction can lead to delayed healing and discomfort for the patient. After the tooth is delivered from its alveolus, a diamond-encrusted football dental bur can smooth the sharp alveolar crest (

). Before closing the flap over the extraction site, digitally palpate for any remaining sharp edges.


Flap closure with excessive tension after extractions can lead to wound breakdown. In most cases, when dehiscence occurs, the exposure heals through contraction and epithelialization (


Removing the protrusion of the dental alveolus after maxillary canine extraction in cats can cause lip entrapment and trauma. If this occurs, either extraction or crown reduction and restoration of the mandibular canine will eliminate the entrapment (

When excising oral tumors, failing to achieve adequate margins can lead to rapid recurrence. Here is the solution:

Obtain preoperative imaging (CT or MRI) for proper surgical planning.

Plan 0.5- to 1-cm clean surgical margins in all directions for benign oral tumors and at least 2-cm clean margins for malignant tumors (

Consider adjunctive treatments (radiation, chemotherapy) for high-grade tumors.

Creating an oronasal communication is a complication during maxillary extractions, especially canine teeth. To avoid oronasal fistula formation, design a large flap that can be closed without tension and use careful elevation techniques to prevent excessive force (

Successful outcomes in veterinary dentistry require knowledge, skill, and attention to detail. Continuous education, practice, and a willingness to learn from our mistakes are crucial. Quality control measures, such as regular case reviews, will help identify areas for improvement.

Approach each case thoroughly and commit to providing the best possible care. Minimize errors and improve outcomes in veterinary dental procedures by staying current with the latest techniques (subscribe to the 

), invest in proper equipment, and continually refine skills. Our goal as veterinary dental professionals is to enhance the quality of life for our patients through excellent oral health care. By learning from our mistakes and constantly striving for improvement, we can achieve this goal and advance the field of veterinary dentistry

Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP (Canine, Feline), FAVD,

 received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Auburn University in Alabama. After completing an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York, New York, he returned to Florida, where he practices companion animal medicine surgery and dentistry at All Pets Dental in Weston.

A veterinarian learns from his dental care journey

Toothaches and triumphs

Researchers from Colorado State University and Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance collaborated to survey employees and volunteers at zoos throughout the United States to learn more about the experiences they face with burnout and animal losses.

 the research emphasizes the need for zoos to create comprehensive grief-affirming policies and greater access to mental health resources. The researchers also added that communication protocols for compassionate and timely responses to animal loss can foster empathetic culture within the organization that support staff, volunteer wellbeing, and effective animal care.

The experiences of loss in participants working in organizations that do not have supportive structures resulted in anxiety, guilt, hurt, or shame, but those who had a grief-affirming culture held more positive views. In both cases, the participants provided suggestions for ways to better improve the zoo industry to be more supportive of staff.

“Zoo professionals and volunteers frequently face significant emotional strain due to animal losses, yet structured organizational support for processing grief remains limited,” Nichole Nageotte, PhD, author of the study adjunct and instructor at Unity Environmental University.

There is poor grief support in some zoos located in the US, leaving staff feeling like they are receiving limited empathy from leadership, burnout, and cannot openly express grief after the death of an animal they developed a close emotional bond to, according to the researchers.

The survey was completed by 1695 zoo professionals, and researchers analyzed open-ended responses from 182 participants, 135 animal care and health professionals, 12 volunteers, and 35 additional staff.

 Zoo professionals shared in the responses that they have individuals within their organization that provide a safe space for them to discuss loss and grief. Others expressed a desire for a culture where they can ask for support, take a minute to catch their breath, and have access to grief resources tailored to these professionals.

Zoo employees and volunteers also want opportunities for the team to take part in planning a ‘good death’ or transfer, which would allow individuals within the organization to say goodbye, take photos, or gather samples from the animal, such as fur, feathers, or paw/footprints.

In response to the responses, the researchers say there were requests for transparency in the case of a traumatic death. Employees and volunteers could be offered time and space to debrief with the team about the events that led up to the animal’s death. This will give these professionals a space to be able to process their feelings, if they would like.

Researchers have a plethora of recommendations for an industry level response to help zoo management create supportive infrastructures and resources to improve wellbeing and retention within the industry. An initial step they recommend is the creation of zoo animal grief resources. Organizations can set up advisory or special interest groups to meet on a regular basis to talk about grief culture, share resources, and promote self-compassion around loss.

Another suggestion the researchers presented was the development of an online database of grief resources so best practices examples of memorial activities can be shared as well as a directory of zoo counselors and professionals interested in mentoring other professionals about experiences this type of loss.

Study examines grief of zoo employees and volunteers across the US after animal losses. News release. CABI. February 12, 2025. Accessed February 18, 2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-grief-zoo-employees-volunteers-animal.html

Nageotte, Nichole L.; Currin-McCulloch, Jennifer; McDonald, Shelby; Walker, Abby; Kogan, Lori, ‘Animal Loss and Grief in Zoos: Qualitative Insights to Inform Organizational Support for Zoo Professionals and Volunteers,’ 

, 12 February (2025). DOI: 10.1079/hai.2025.0004

Researchers and volunteers across the United States were surveyed about their experiences with burnout and grief surrounding animal losses in zoos. 

Study explores zoo staff grief after animal loss

Happy Monday dvm360 readers! Did you know that the dvm360 team will be heading to both 

 within the next month? Be sure to check in to dvm360 throughout the next month to see our coverage of both conferences, including interviews with faculty, session coverage, and conference news.

Check out the news you can find this week at dvm360.com:

Researchers from Colorado State University and Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance surveyed zoo employees and volunteers across the United States to learn more about their experiences with grief and burnout related to the loss of zoo animals.

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated, recently shared that the company received a Warning Letter from the US Food and Drug Administration in regard to the promotional materials the company put out regarding its ilunocitinib tablets (Zenrelia; Elanco).

On this week’s episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes guest Brian Goleman, CVT, to discuss the importance of bandaging clients, and what led him to found his company, Brian’s Bandages.

During an interview with dvm360, Jason B. Pieper, DVM, MS, DACVD, shared the common treatments veterinary professionals can utilize when treating pets with moderate and severe atopic dermatitis.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a serosurvey of 150 bovine veterinary practitioners, with findings indicating 3 of the participants had antibodies of recent HPAI A(H5) virus infection.

Here is a sneak peek of this week’s headlines