The 2025 year in review

As 2025 draws to a close, dvm360 is reflecting on the veterinary industry news, clinical advancements, achievements in education, and more of the stories that had the most impact on our audience of veterinarians, veterinary technicians and nurses, customer service representatives, practice managers and administrators, pet owners, and other audience members.

Join us in looking back on the developments and memorable moments that contributed to the advancement of veterinary medicine in 2025. Read on for the Top 25 veterinary news articles of the year, from first to last, as determined by dvm360.com data collected from January 1, 2025, to November 1, 2025.

1. Second drug for canine healthy lifespan extension receives FDA support

By Kristen Coppock Crossley, MA

Loyal’s developmental therapy aims to increase longevity and quality of life for senior dogs.

2. Veterinary school warns of severe feline illness following ingestion of oclacitinib chewable tablets

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

Two cats who ingested the dog allergy medication experienced acute kidney injury and required 4 rounds of hemodialysis.

3. FDA notifies veterinarians of animal burn risk linked to human medical devices

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

Dogs have experienced burn injuries following unsafe use of Megadyne grounding pads.

4. Lincoln Memorial University sues American Veterinary Medical Association

By Caitlin McCafferty

The university claims in its lawsuit that the AVMA is violating US antitrust laws.

5. First drug shown to reverse feline HCM expected to receive FDA approval

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

The novel therapy is the first drug for treating cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

6. Tick tidbits: Ticking off the 5 W’s on these tiny troublemakers

By Kathryn E. Reif, PhD, MSPH; Sponsored by Elanco

Tick bite risks, prevention strategies, and treatments are reviewed.

7. Vetlen launches 5-mL pouch for targeted antibiotic therapy in animals

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

The device received an FDA breakthrough device designation last year.

8. Veterinary visits decline as clients face rising costs, data reveal

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

A white paper by Vetsource found that the time between client visits increased by 48% from 2023 to 2024 compared with 3 years ago.

9. Dry dog food supporting patients with atopic dermatitis is relaunched

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

Skin Relief dry dog food by Rayne Nutrition is designed to help manage conditions such as atopic dermatitis, osteoarthritis, and more.

10. Relief practice allows veterinarians to thrive

By Kristen Coppock Crossley, MA

Temporary work is a choice that a growing number of doctors have made in recent years.

11. Kitten and puppy food are voluntarily recalled

By Kristen Coppock Crossley, MA

Certain Blue Ridge Beef products were found to be contaminated with bacteria that can cause illness in pets.

12. How urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio enhances CKD detection in dogs

By Ava Landry, PharmD candidate

Early diagnosis and treatment can help manage the disease and improve quality of life for affected patients.

13. The role of sustainability in pet food

By Miranda Morman, BS, PharmD candidate

A new study examined how large companies that produce meals for animals communicate their sustainability practices.

14. The rising costs of veterinary care: challenges and pathways to greater success

By Emily M. Tincher, DVM; sponsored by Nationwide

By helping pet families plan for costs, embracing a spectrum of care, and exploring innovative care models, veterinary teams can play a pivotal role in improving access to care for all pets.

15. Several cat deaths reported following bird flu exposure through raw pet food and milk

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

Government officials are urging pet owners to avoid feeding pets raw diets amid multiple cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in felines and raw pet food recalls.

16. Many pet owners cannot afford veterinary care, survey finds

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

Nearly 1 in 3 pet parents says they know someone whose pet died because the owner could not afford the necessary treatment.

17. The case for year-round heartworm prevention and how to talk with clients about affordable options

By Peter C. Hann, DVM; sponsored by Aurora Pharmaceutical

Veterinary teams can help clients protect their pets from heartworm disease by offering compassionate guidance and affordable solutions, including safe and effective generic alternatives.

18. Drug label is updated for pain management therapy

By Kristen Coppock Crossley, MA

Librela (bedinvetmab injection) is a monthly injectable monoclonal antibody for which real-world drug experience data have been collected in the past year.

19. Lyon College breaks ground on new veterinary school

By Kristen Coppock Crossley, MA

The animal health campus in Cabot, Arkansas, will feature more than 100,000 square feet of educational and clinical space.

20. FDA notifies veterinarians of adverse events linked to canine osteoarthritis treatment

By Abi Bautista-Alejandre

Neurologic signs were reported with bedinvetmab injection use in dogs.

21. New canine supplement is designed to improve muscle health

By Kristen Coppock Crossley, MA

At the 2025 Veterinary Meeting & Expo, Virbac launched an oral product featuring ursolic acid, in collaboration with Emmyon, Inc.

22. Practical weight loss in cats

By Mansum Yau, DVM

With these practical tips for cat weight loss, we can empower clients to help their cats achieve a normal body condition while maintaining, if not improving, the human-animal bond.

23. Kevin Costner at VMX 2025: Finding your heart

By Bob Alaburda

At the 2025 Veterinary Meeting & Expo, the movie star shared heartfelt stories about animals, purpose, and perseverance in an inspiring opening-day keynote address.

24. FDA conditionally approves first drug for feline subclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

By Caitlin McCafferty

Felycin-CA1 manages ventricular hypertrophy in feline patients with subclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

25. FDA approves new canine otitis externa medication

By Caitlin McCafferty

Dechra’s Otiserene is a single-dose, long-acting product that utilizes marbofloxacin.