Sneak peek: Dive deep into NWS with Drs Christopher Lee and Kathryn Reif, and other news

Happy Monday dvm360 readers! For those of you that were able to enjoy a long holiday weekend, we hope that it was spent relaxing surrounded by friends, family, and pets! The dvm360 team is currently getting ready to head out to Anaheim, California for the 2026 AVMA Convention! Be sure to check in on dvm360’s dedicated AVMA Convention page throughout the convention for interviews, session coverage, and more.

As we continue to prepare for the convention, here is what you can find this week on dvm360.com:

• A new episode of dvm360’s Vet Watch will air this Thursday! For the new episode, our host Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (parasitology), welcomed Kathryn E. Reif, MSPH, PhD, to the show to take listeners on a deep dive into New World screwworm. Throughout the episode, the duo discussed what exactly NWS is, how serious of a concern it is, how sterile flies are being used to keep it under control, and more.
• The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine announced a 3-year strategic plan to modernize and expand the Minor Use and Minor Species (MUMS) program. The plan, MUMS BluePrint for Success: 2026-2026, will outline future actions and proposals from the FDA to improve the availability of safe and effective drugs for animal populations that are underserved.
• Mars Petcare US, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall for two lots of PEDIGREE® High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor canned dog food (13.2 oz) after the products failed to meet the company's stringent safety and quality standards. Although the affected lots were initially sent to a third-party vendor for destruction, Mars Petcare now believes the products were fraudulently diverted and sold into the US marketplace.
• Researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences found DNA from Rickettsia typhi, the bacteria that causes flea-borne murine typhus, in feline fleas collected from domestic cats living in the Rio Grande Valley, which is an area that consistently reports some of the highest numbers of human cases of this bacterium in Texas.
• According to data from the Pet Poison Helpline, calls involving hallucinogens have surged by over 1000% since 2020. The organization reported receiving over 600 calls regarding psychedelic and hallucinogenic mushrooms in 2025, compared to just 50 in 2020. The rise in cases is believed to come from a shift in the public’s attitude toward psychedelics.
• And more!