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Discover the challenges and insights of traveling emergency veterinarians, as they navigate the evolving landscape of emergency veterinary medicine.

Behind the crash cart: A nationwide look through the eyes of traveling ER veterinarians

Dômes Pharma Teams Up with Fear Free to  Make Eye Care Less Stressful for Pets

A dog suffers severe reactions after chewing on an agave plant.

Agave plant triggers serious reaction in dog

Check out these strategies to align practice growth with personal financial goals for a secure future.

Business financial planning: Incorporating personal finance goals with practice goals

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April Blong, DVM, DACVECC, discusses some of the ways that pets experience serious emergency injuries, in a dvm360 interview.

Common causes of blunt force trauma in pets

At Fetch dvm360 in Kansas City, Missouri, Melissa Evans, LVT, VTS(ECC), told attendees that rapid stabilization and focused nursing interventions can materially reduce secondary brain injury in neurologic emergencies.

Rapid triage reduces secondary brain damage in emergencies

Michael W. Dryden DVM, MS, PhD, DACVM (Parasitology), delivered a keynote address focused on canine heartworm disease on Day 2 of the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

Breaking down how parasite preventives work

Understanding natural feline behavior 

The parasitology page is a comprehensive resource for Veterinary news, animal health, and pet care insights on parasitology. Read more at dvm360.

Parasitology | Veterinary News & Animal Health | dvm360

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 parasitology page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on the latest in veterinary parasitology. This page consists of videos, interviews, articles, podcasts, and research on the advancements and developments of therapies for parasitology, and more.

and login or create a free CE account and claim your credit after listening to this episode.

Ticks pose a significant health risk to companion animals, both as blood-feeding parasites and as vectors for numerous pathogens. Over the past few decades, tick populations have expanded and intensified due to factors such as increased globalization, greater movement of humans and animals, and climate change. In the United States, common tick species—including the blacklegged tick, lone star tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick—have the potential to transmit a range of bacterial, protozoal, and viral pathogens.

Serological data indicate that tick-borne pathogens are a persistent challenge for dogs, with U.S. canines frequently testing positive for agents of anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis. Many of these same ticks and pathogens also pose a public health risk, as the tick species that commonly bite dogs can also transmit these same pathogens to humans. As a result, dogs can serve as valuable sentinels for tick-borne disease risks of their human families.

Despite awareness of the risks ticks pose to pets, ticks are often and easily overlooked. Given that ticks are a year-round threat in most regions, annual testing and the routine use of fast-acting tick control products play a critical role in protecting pet health by killing ticks and reducing pathogen transmission risk.

Identify the most common tick species in the U.S. that pose a risk to companion animals and suggest resources where for investigating local tick and tick-borne pathogen risk.

Explain the key factors contributing to the expansion and intensification of tick populations, including environmental and human-driven influences.

Outline pathogens commonly transmitted by ticks to dogs and humans, including agents of anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis.

Discuss the speed at which different tick-borne pathogens are transmitted and the implications for timely intervention and prevention.

Advise on effective tick prevention, treatment, and control strategies for dogs, including the importance of annual testing.

 Credelio Quattro is indicated for the prevention of heartworm disease caused by 

 and for the treatment and control of roundworm (immature adult and adult 

), hookworm (fourth stage larvae, immature adult, and adult 

) infections. Credelio Quattro kills adult fleas and is indicated for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations (

) and the treatment and control of tick infestations [

 (brown dog tick)] for one month in dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age and older and weighing 3.3 pounds or greater. 



 Lotilaner, an ingredient in Credelio Quattro, belongs to the isoxazoline class and has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions like tremors, ataxia, and seizures even in dogs without a history of seizures. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infections before Credelio Quattro administration as it is not effective against adult 

. The safe use in breeding, pregnant, or lactating dogs has not been evaluated. The most frequently reported adverse reactions in clinical trials were vomiting and diarrhea. For full prescribing information see the Credelio Quattro package insert.

Explore the rising threat of ticks to pets and humans, and discover effective prevention strategies with Credelio Quattro (lotilaner, moxidectin, praziquantel, and pyrantel chewable tablets).

Podcast CE:Tick Tidbits: Ticking Off The 5 Ws on These Tiny Troublemakers

This content is sponsored by Antech Diagnostics.

, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes special guest Kelly Mitchell, DVM, DVSc, Bsc, DACVIM (SAIM), to discuss all things feline heartworm. Throughout the episode, Mitchell highlights the need for a multimodal approach to testing, limitations of microfilaria testing in feline patients, treatment focusing on managing clinical signs and support care, and why prevention is crucial. 

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity. 

The presentation that cats present for heartworm is definitely different [from] that of dogs. So at a practical level, how is heartworm's clinical presentation different in cats vs dogs?

Kelly Mitchell, DVM, DVSc, Bsc, DACVIM (SAIM

 Cats are not the natural definitive host for heartworm, and that results in a few differences in the pathophysiology of their disease, and a few...important differences when we compare them [with] dogs. Infection intensity in cats is often lower, so maybe only 1 to 2 worms and single-sex infections are thought to be more common in cats as compared [with] dogs. Now, considering cats [have a] generally smaller body size, the American Heartworm Society guidelines emphasize that even 1 to 2 [worms are] going to represent a significant infection burden in a cat. But to your point...the clinical signs of infection in cats are also very different than dogs, and I think in part, it leads to how this is a more elusive or difficult diagnosis in cats. So the clinical signs [in] cats [are] going to range from the obvious and the significant to the more subtle and nonspecific. 

While we certainly want to be cognizant of the obvious and the significant—those are going to include sudden death or a per-acute syndrome of severe respiratory or neurological signs, and sometimes cats will show clinical signs related to aberrant worm migration. Those are the obvious and the significant, but what we don't want to forget about are the subtle and the nonspecific. So, signs of chronic respiratory disease are most common, [such as] cough [and] increased respiratory effort or rate. Cats may also show nonspecific signs, [such as] lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, weight loss—clinical signs that can also be intermittent, right?

Thinking about it from that big picture, we do want to make sure that we're cognizant of these more subtle clinical signs and the differences between cats and dogs, just so that it's always on our list.... If we're not thinking about it, then we're going to miss that opportunity to diagnose it.

Learn more on heartworm in feline patients, plus what has been updated in the American Heartworm Society guidelines on this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, presented by dvm360.

What you should know about heartworm in cats and the updated AHS guidelines

Sponsored by Elanco Animal Health. Head to

There are many barriers, whether real or perceived, to providing preventive care and treating many common ailments in cats. Clients may be wary of seeking wellness care after they've experienced a high stress veterinary visit. Furthermore, they may worry it will be next to impossible to get their cat to comply with any at home preventive or therapeutic medication. What if we could make this experience completely different for both the patient and the client? This presentation will walk you through how to make your wellness visits and prescribed treatments not just better, but enjoyable for your feline patients. Learn tips and tricks from a behaviorist's point of view on how to keep your feline patients content and compliant with all of their wellness care and keep your clients coming back for more.

Feline veterinary visits frequency of care

How to mitigate feline veterinary visit stressors

Identification of fear, anxiety, stress in cats

Environmental strategies to reduce stress

Low-stress techniques for conducting common wellness visit procedures

Strategies to maximize owner success of delivering prescribed preventive care at home

Learn important environmental and handling stress mitigating strategies for feline veterinary visits.

Understand the principles and practices of conditioning positive emotions for your feline patients.

Using feline behavioral knowledge, identify best options and strategies for delivering preventive and therapeutic care to feline patients.

 Credelio CAT kills adult fleas and is indicated for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations (

) for one month in cats and kittens 8 weeks of age and older and weighing 2.0 pounds or greater. Credelio CAT is also indicated for treatment and control of 

 (black-legged tick) infestations for one month in cats and kittens 6 months of age and older and weighing 2.0 pounds or greater.

 Lotilaner is a member of the isoxazoline class. This class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions including tremors, ataxia and seizures. Neurologic adverse reactions have been reported in cats receiving isoxazoline class drugs, even in cats without a history of neurologic disorders. Use with caution in cats with a history of neurologic disorders. The safety of Credelio CAT has not been established in breeding, pregnant and lactating cats. The effectiveness of Credelio CAT against 

 in kittens less than 6 months of age has not been evaluated. The most frequently reported adverse reactions are weight loss, tachypnea and vomiting. For full prescribing information see Credelio CAT 

Learn and earn CE credits online with dvm360 Flex

Podcast CE: Breaking down behavioral barriers to feline wellness care 

On this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Brooke Moore, VMD, and Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, join host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to chat about the scary threats to patients: parasites. The 3 doctors discuss all things parasites including how they are spread, the importance of prevention, and studies talking about the threats these monsters have on the clients as we prepare for spooky season. 

Below is a partial transcript. Listen to the full podcast for more.

I'll tell you, this is going to sound weird, but I am extremely passionate about parasites. Honestly, they're fascinating creatures, but I'm even more passionate about protecting our pets from them and the first thing I will say is that parasites are gross. Have you ever had an owner say, 'Oh, I'm cool with my dog having worms?' No, that's not going to happen. People don't like their pets to have worms and so, unfortunately, it's super simple for our pets to become infected with these parasites. It could be as simple as them going outside in the backyard to do their business in the morning and they're chugging along and they ingest a parasite egg, and our nematodes are usually going to infect our pets that way. So think about your whipworm, your hookworm, your roundworm, and those suckers traveling through the GI tract and they wreak havoc. Can you say diarrhea, right? I know no one wants to come home from a long day at work to find that in their household. 

Other parasites are a little more complicated, like the tapeworm, which requires an intermediate host like a flea, they need a friend right, they need somebody to help them get into our pets. And then the ectoparasites have it pretty easy, right? It can be as simple for them to hitch a ride on your pet when they go outside or go to your friend's apartment, or anything along those lines. So unfortunately, our pets are under constant attack, Adam and so that's why we're here today.

Dr Peter Weinstein and Dr Brooke Moore sit down with Dr Adam Christman to talk about the parasites that are harming patients and clients

Warding off the monsters that plague pets

Content sponsored by Interceptor Plus and Credelio. This podcast is worth 0.25 CE credits. Head to 

and login or create an account to redeem your free CE after listening to this episode.

Dogs are at risk of infection and infestation from a broad array of parasites. In this podcast we discuss the importance of broad spectrum parasite control to protect the health of dogs, including internal parasites like heartworm, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms, and external parasites like fleas and ticks. Many of these parasite pose a zoonotic risk but all can be controlled by implementing comprehensive, 360-degree protection.

Where are dogs exposed to and at risk of acquiring internal and external parasites?

How can we raise awareness about parasite concerns with pet owners?

Which active ingredients are effective at controlling tapeworms and whipworms?

Learn about complete protection from a broad array of parasites

Parasitology

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