Breaking News

Boston, Mass. -- The Massachusetts House of Representatives has voted to ban surgical debarking of dogs and cats unless a licensed veterinarian deems the procedure medically necessary. The vote was nearly unanimous, passing 150-1.

Omaha, Neb. -- The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) installed a new president, president-elect and vice president at its annual meeting this month.

Taking top honors

DVM Newsmagazine nets a national business journalism award.

Washington D.C. -- The EPA will discuss its findings from a five-year study of flea and tick products Wednesday during a free, public Webinar, titled "Evaluation of Pet Spot-on Flea and Tick Products and Next Steps."

Davis, Calif. -- The new North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association wants to recruit medicine researchers, stem cell biologists, and others with an interest in stem cell therapy.

Schaumburg, Ill. -- Dr. Ron DeHaven, chief executive officer of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and a former head of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, cites his concerns about the new plans for a U.S. animal ID system in a video on the AVMA site.

Fort Collins -- A dead mountain lion, later found to have died from the plague, brought to the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in November has spurred talk of new policy changes for students at the college.

Washington, D.C. -- Dr. Larry Adams of the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine has been chosen to receive the 2009 national Pfizer Teaching Award, the most prestigious veterinary teaching award in the United States.

Birmingham, Ala. -- A new study conducted by psychologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is evaluating whether a computer software program can improve the way children behave with dogs in an effort to reduce the chances of dog bites.

College Park, Md. -- A new collaboration between the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and the United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) will offer mentoring, education and networking opportunities for veterinarians and veterinary students.