Sneak peek: Study results show gaps between clients and veterinarians on flexible options for care amid financial strain, and other news

Good morning and happy Monday dvm360 readers! Earlier this morning, the news broke that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means we are in for 6 more weeks of winter. Each year, thousands of people gather in a small town in Western Pennsylvania to see whether there will be an early spring or a longer winter, and this year Phil predicted the latter. If you want to read more about the history of Punxsutawney Phil and where this tradition came from, you can check out this article!¹

While we brace ourselves for 6 more weeks of winter, here is what you can find this week on dvm360.com:

• Part 2 of the Pet Smart Charities – Gallup Study revealed gaps between pet owners and veterinary professionals on flexible care options amid shared financial strain, and showed cost is a reason clients decline treatment, and is more than twice as often as any other factor.

• In his latest installment of Vet Scene Down Under, Phil Tucak, BSc, BVMS, shares the latest on the 24/7 telephone mentoring service available to Australian veterinarians, plus the launch of the Australian Veterinary Innovation Council.
• On this week’s episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes Clare Walker, DVM, to the show to talk about what it is like to be a thriller author and a veterinary professional.
• During an interview with dvm360, Phil Bergman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), shares insights into the data, and misunderstandings about it, on spay and neuter and the role it may have on certain types of cancers in patients.
• UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine shared the story of Tyler, a 3-year-old mixed-breed rabbit, who was brought to its veterinary hospital for emergency surgery after it was discovered that part of his liver became twisted.
• Veterinary professionals are uniquely positioned to provide guidance to clients about the true correlation between the climate and pets, so having a conversation about it with clients is crucial. Ajay Sawant, a veterinary intern at Apollo College of Veterinary Medicine, takes a deep dive into this topic in his first article as a dvm360 student ambassador.
• And more!

Reference

1. McCafferty C. Punxsutawney Phil officially makes his 2024 prediction. dvm360. February 2, 2024. Accessed February 2, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/punxsutawney-phil-officially-makes-his-2024-prediction