Daniel R. Verdon

The number of associate veterinarians expressing interest in veterinary practice ownership declined, again.

The number of heartworm cases continues to climb in parts of the United States.

National Report - Pet owners are throwing in the towel earlier on veterinary treatment, according to a new DVM Newsmagazine survey.

More than 1 million dogs and cats are at risk for becoming homeless, the ASPCA believes.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Animal welfare ranks as one to the top strategic initiatives for AVMA, for good reason.

Denver - Newly introduced legislation in Colorado would limit the number of dogs owned by commercial breeders and mandate veterinary certification exams.

PORTLAND, ORE. - The alarms are sounding again to increase the number of veterinarians in the United States.

Trying to bridge public health with the medical and veterinary communities is no small undertaking.

The convergence of people, animals and the environment could be the most critical risk factor to the spread of infectious disease.

Portland, Ore. - Dr. Hugh B. Lewis shared a big vision during his career.

Rockville, Md. - She wants to build collaborations, share ideas in a transparent system with one over-arching ethos: ensure public health.

Two hundred climbers perished before him.

Kansas City- Luring three companies and a trade association, the KC Animal Health Corridor says it's poised to make even deeper tracks into the market next year.

I am absolutely convinced that veterinarians will be faced with more intrusive government rules and regulations than ever before. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's going to get worse.

National Report - Client expectations have increased over the last two years, according to 80 percent of veterinarians surveyed.

National Report - When a medical case goes bad, consumers are more likely to complain to state boards than in years past, veterinarians report.

It started with one simple, undocumented question: "Are complaints against veterinarians on the rise nationally?"

Portland, Ore. - More than 140 leaders, representing many of the diverse disciplines in the veterinary market, hope to address the perceived and growing shortage of veterinarians in the United States.

National Report - An increasing number of practices are appraising lower than expected, management experts report. If that trend holds true, it signals a need to closely scrutinize profitability, according to the Valuation Issues Committee of the Association of Veterinary Practice Management Consultants and Advisors (AVPMCA).

Animal-law expert Barbara Gislason, a Minneapolis attorney, believes the time is ripe for veterinary medicine to help design a fair system to resolve the emotional-value issue in malpractice claims. Otherwise, she warns, the courts will do the job, and the profession might not like the outcome.

National Report - Money isn't everything. Especially when it comes to consumer attitudes about rising veterinary fees.

The delivery of veterinary care can be every bit as good as that of human medicine, says Diane Levitan, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM.

Davis, Calif. - "It's like a wet finger in the wind," says Dr. Paul Pion, of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN), in assessing the health impact of the massive recall affecting about 1 percent of all pet foods.

National Report - Governments have fallen, diseases conquered and new technologies have changed the face of medicine.

National Report - Parasites are on the move. Warmer winters, exploding wildlife populations and reforestation are all fueling the trend.

Costing some $15 million, researchers put the final piece of a scientific puzzle on the horse genome sequence that totalled 2.7 billion DNA base pairs.

Sometimes the fewest words last the longest.

Orlando - With only 4 percent of cats estimated to be on heartworm medicine, a new campaign from the American Heartworm Society (AHS) aims to change what officials are calling an abysmal prevention rate.

James Herriot's books sold some 70 million copies worldwide. Yet, veterinarian, author and son James Wight never lived in the shadow of that legacy.

Atlanta - With arms raised, Gov. Sonny Perdue made history, again.