Veterinary Vertex

AVMA Journals

Veterinary Vertex is an SSP EPIC Award–winning weekly podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the latest clinical and research discoveries published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) and the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR). Each episode explores cutting-edge advancements in veterinary medicine, offering expert insight you won’t find anywhere else. Tune in to gain practical knowledge you can apply in your own practice—along with fresh inspiration to reconnect with what you love about veterinary medicine.

  1. hace 2 días ·  Video

    Feeling for Answers: Rectal Palpation and Intestinal Lesions in Colic

    Send us Fan Mail A rectal exam is one of the oldest tools in the equine colic workup, but we rarely stop to ask a blunt question: how accurate is abdominal palpation per rectum at telling small intestinal disease from large intestinal disease when it truly counts? We sit down with Drs. Mary Hallsten and George Elane to dig into the data behind rectal palpation, using surgical findings as the gold standard so we can compare what we feel with what is actually happening inside the abdomen.  We unpack why their study matters for everyday decision making, especially for the horses that keep hurting despite sedation and may need referral or exploratory surgery. You’ll hear what it means to have high sensitivity but extremely low specificity, and why that combination can still be clinically useful while also being easy to overinterpret. We also talk about why accuracy may look better than older reports, including improvements in veterinary education, palpation models, cadaver wet labs, and better correlation between anatomy and hands-on findings.  Then we zoom out to the diagnostic hierarchy. Heart rate, lactate, PCV, and age track with non-survival, while a “correct” rectal exam finding does not, which reframes rectal palpation as one important but subjective test that works best when paired with objective physiology. Finally, we address the part everyone thinks about but doesn’t always say out loud: rectal exams carry real safety risk, and the right choice depends on help, restraint, environment, and the horse in front of you.  If you work with horses and want a clearer, more evidence-based way to use rectal palpation in equine colic triage, listen through and share this with a colleague. Subscribe for more, and leave a rating and review to help other veterinarians find the show. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.12.0837 INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

  2. 19 ago ·  Video

    Rethinking Parvovirus Protocols: A Low-Cost Oral Fecal Transplant Trial

    Send us Fan Mail Oral fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) capsules sound like the kind of elegant fix we all want for canine parvovirus: simple to give, easy to store, and built for high-volume shelter medicine. But when you put a microbiome therapy into a randomized controlled trial in a real outpatient protocol, the story gets more complicated and far more useful. We sit down with manuscript authors Drs. Meghan Hoel and Amanda Gimenez to unpack their shelter-based study at Austin Pets Alive and why they designed it for the realities of accessible veterinary care. We dig into the key choices that make-or-break field research: why oral capsules were more feasible than rectal FMT, how they approached dosing without a known “right” answer, and how blinding and consistency can actually hold up over a two-year trial in a dynamic shelter environment. We also talk about what “recovery” should mean when survival is already high, and why time to normal stool and a negative SNAP parvo test matters for isolation space, staffing, and cost. Then we get into the results and the nuance clinicians care about most. The oral FMT capsule regimens did not shorten recovery, did not reduce ICU transfers, and did not show a clear survival benefit. Even without definitive proof of harm, the overall trend pushes us to ask a harder question: should we assume FMT is benign when the intestinal barrier is severely damaged and immune defenses may be suppressed? We close with what better follow-up studies could look like, including timing later in recovery, comparing delivery routes, confirming microbial viability, and adding longitudinal microbiome sequencing. If you care about evidence-based parvovirus treatment, the veterinary microbiome, and what actually works in shelter medicine, subscribe, share this conversation with a colleague, and leave us a rating and review. What would you test next? JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.26.01.0051 INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

  3. 11 ago ·  Video

    Fighting Resistant Hookworms: Inside the AAVP Task Force's New Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines

    Send us Fan Mail Hookworm cases that “just won’t clear” are no longer a weird outlier, and that should change how we practice. We sit down with parasitology expert Dr. Ray Kaplan to unpack the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP) Hookworm Task Force recommendations on diagnosing and treating multidrug-resistant canine hookworms, including what clinics can do right now to stop guessing and start confirming. We talk through how this problem came to light, why drug-resistant hookworms likely gained traction in greyhound breeding and racing environments, and why it’s now a pet dog problem across breeds and regions. We also zoom out to the biology that makes Ancylostoma caninum such a persistent threat, from multiple routes of infection to the possibility of “larva leak,” and then get practical about what should raise suspicion.  From there, we map out a clear diagnostic path. We discuss the value of a two-week post-treatment fecal recheck, how to use a fecal egg count reduction test to quantify efficacy, and what “good” reduction should look like. We cover the task force approach to treatment and testing across the three drug classes (topical moxidectin, pyrantel, and benzimidazoles like fenbendazole or febantel), the limits of current PCR testing, and when extra-label emodepside enters the conversation with important safety precautions. If you want a grounded, clinic-ready framework that also addresses environmental contamination and zoonotic risk, this one’s for you.  Subscribe for more evidence-driven veterinary conversations, share this with a colleague who’s seeing chronic hookworm cases, and leave us a rating and review to help more listeners find the show. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.26.02.0094 INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

  4. 8 ago ·  Video

    Crowdfunding Cardiac Care: The Reality Behind Canine Pacemaker Campaigns

    Send us Fan Mail A dog needs a pacemaker, the estimate is five figures, and the family’s last lifeline is a GoFundMe link. We wanted to know what happens next when veterinary teams suggest crowdfunding as a way to cover the cost of canine pacemaker implantation and whether it truly works often enough to be responsible advice. We sit down with cardiologist and researcher Dr. Mark Rishniw to break down what he found by mining publicly available GoFundMe campaigns for dog pacemakers. We talk about how “success” gets defined, why reaching 80% of a target can still be a huge gap, and the uncomfortable headline: only a small slice of campaigns come close, while many never reach even half of what they ask for and some raise nothing at all. We also explore a pattern that changes the timeline for decision-making, with most donations arriving early and then fading fast. From there, we widen the lens to the rising cost of advanced veterinary procedures, the reality that some interventions now rival the price of a car, and what that means for client conversations when the choices feel like treatment or euthanasia. We also discuss where pet insurance fits, why “friends and family” may be the true engine of most fundraising, and how to set expectations without taking hope away. If you’ve ever wondered what to tell a client considering veterinary crowdfunding, this one will give you data and language you can use. Subscribe, share this with your team, and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.26.03.0160 INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

  5. 1 ago ·  Video

    When Is Research Ready to Publish? A Veterinary Cardiologist on Genetics, Negative Results, and Peer Review

    Send us Fan Mail A lot of researchers quietly struggle with the same question: when is a study truly ready to publish, and how do you write it so someone actually uses it? From the AVMA Convention 2026, we sit down live with Dr. Joshua Stern, a veterinary cardiologist and geneticist whose work bridges cardiovascular disease, genomics, and clinical impact. We start with Joshua’s path into cardiology, sparked by working with “super athlete” animals like racehorses and sled dogs, then move into what he learned from publishing early in his career, including a genetic screening project in boxer dogs that came back completely negative. The twist: those results still mattered, and they taught him how to frame significance, define impact, and tell the truth clearly without overselling. We also talk about how to decide when to stop collecting “just one more” datapoint and instead share findings that can help patients, clinicians, and other researchers now. From there, we get practical about scientific writing and peer review. We unpack how to distill complex datasets into an approachable manuscript, when to move tables and niche analyses into supplementary materials, and why a massive supplement can be a sign you’re trying to write two papers. Joshua also shares his go-to mindset for reviewing and responding to reviews, including the simple habit of reading critiques, walking away, and coming back with a clearer lens. We close with a research challenge he hopes the field tackles next: the optimal timing of medical or surgical intervention in dogs and cats as advanced therapies expand. If you care about veterinary research, manuscript publishing, and clinician-scientist career skills, subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave us a review with your biggest peer review lesson. INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

  6. 23 jul ·  Video

    What Journal Editors Actually Look For: A Veterinarian's Guide to Getting Published

    Send us Fan Mail Your research might be solid, your conclusions might be exciting, and you still may be setting yourself up for a rough peer review if the methods, statistical analysis, and journal fit aren’t dialed in. Recording live from the AVMA 2026 convention in Anaheim, we sit down with Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn, a longtime veterinary surgeon and associate editor, to unpack what actually speeds up (or stalls) publication in veterinary journals like JAVMA and AJVR.  We get specific about the behind-the-scenes signals editors look for right away: study design clarity, sample size thinking, appropriate statistical tests, and whether the discussion stays relevant instead of inflating claims. Jolle explains why selecting a journal early and writing for a defined audience can prevent avoidable rewrites, and how improvements like faster time to publication can change an author’s entire submission strategy, especially for early-career veterinarians navigating deadlines and credentialing pressure.  We also dig into the emotional side of publishing: that first brutal review, the temptation to get defensive, and the simple habits that separate a strong revision from a red-flag response. You’ll leave with a practical writing workflow (starting with Materials and Methods), a reminder that good research can matter more than flashy results, and clear guidance on making your abstract and cover letter do real work.  If you found this helpful, subscribe for weekly conversations with the people shaping veterinary research, share this episode with a colleague who’s writing a paper, and leave a review telling us what publishing question you want answered next. INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

  7. 17 jul ·  Video

    Deep Digital Flexor Tenotomy: Pain Relief and Comfort for Horses with Chronic Laminitis

    Send us Fan Mail Chronic laminitis forces every equine clinician into the same hard question: when comfort keeps slipping and radiographs keep worsening, what can truly change the mechanics of the foot and the horse’s day-to-day life? We sit down with Dr. Jim Orsini to talk about deep digital flexor (DDF) tenotomy, a procedure many people still treat as “last resort,” and why the data argue it may deserve earlier consideration in the right chronic rotational laminitis cases. We dig into what the surgery is actually trying to accomplish: reducing the pull of the deep digital flexor tendon on the coffin bone (third phalanx) so the foot can realign to the ground surface. Jim walks us through the patient selection details that matter, including the rotation versus sinking distinction, and why great farriery is not optional. We also discuss the practical, clinic-friendly ways to judge success, from owner-observed comfort and stable pain-medication needs to radiographic progression like lysis, sole penetration, and hoof wall separation. Then we get into the findings that made us pause, including the striking improvement signal at three to six months and the nuance around age, underlying causes like equine metabolic syndrome, and why chronic cases can be recognized late. We close with the real-world conversation every veterinarian has to have: cost, expectations, and the truth that chronic laminitis care is a long-term commitment, not a one-and-done fix. Subscribe for more equine veterinary surgery and lameness insights, share this with a colleague or farrier you trust, and leave a rating and review so more listeners can find Veterinary Vertex. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.12.0839 INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

  8. 9 jul ·  Video

    FARVets: A Model for Global Competency in Veterinary Service-Learning

    Send us Fan Mail A veterinary “clinic” doesn’t always look like stainless steel tables and a wall of equipment. Sometimes it’s a town pavilion, a park, an old hotel lobby, or a host’s living room and that shift changes what students learn, what they notice, and who they become as clinicians. We’re joined by Dr. Paul Maza to talk about international veterinary service learning and why it deserves more recognition in veterinary education, not as a feel-good add-on, but as rigorous training that builds adaptability, confidence, and cultural humility. We dig into the on-the-ground reality of providing animal care in low-resource settings: how teams adjust anesthesia protocols when the usual machines aren’t available, how students learn to problem-solve with different supplies and medications, and how interpreters often translate cultural context as much as language. Paul also shares what he’s observed after training hundreds of students over the years, including how the “clinical work” can become the backdrop for deeper learning about community, partnership, and the global nature of veterinary medicine and animal welfare. Then we get personal with the stories that stick: setting up a clinic at a Buddhist monastery in Thailand and realizing a single monk was the essential partner for safely handling the dogs, and walking the streets of La Paz, Bolivia, only to find street dogs wearing child-sized puffy coats because people wanted them warm. If you’ve ever wondered what global veterinary service, externships, and community-based care can teach that a hospital rotation can’t, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend in veterinary medicine, and leave a rating and review wherever you listen. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.26.04.0275 INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT TO JAVMA ®  OR AJVR ® ? JAVMA ® : https://avma.org/JAVMAAuthors AJVR ® : https://avma.org/AJVRAuthors FOLLOW US: JAVMA ® : Facebook: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - JAVMA | Facebook Instagram: JAVMA (@avma_javma) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: JAVMA (@AVMAJAVMA) / Twitter   AJVR ® :  Facebook: American Journal of Veterinary Research - AJVR | Facebook Instagram: AJVR (@ajvroa) • Instagram photos and videos Twitter: AJVR (@AJVROA) / Twitter JAVMA ®  and AJVR ®  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/avma-journals

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Veterinary Vertex is an SSP EPIC Award–winning weekly podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the latest clinical and research discoveries published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) and the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR). Each episode explores cutting-edge advancements in veterinary medicine, offering expert insight you won’t find anywhere else. Tune in to gain practical knowledge you can apply in your own practice—along with fresh inspiration to reconnect with what you love about veterinary medicine.

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