Veterinary Vertex

AVMA Journals
  • 4.7 (13)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Veterinary Vertex is a weekly podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the clinical and research discoveries published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) and the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR). Tune in to learn about cutting-edge veterinary research and gain in-depth insights you won’t find anywhere else. Come away with knowledge you can put to use in your own practice – along with a healthy dose of inspiration to remind you what you love about veterinary medicine. 

  1. 3D AGO

    Same Lifespan, More Challenges: PPID in Horses

    Send us a text A shaggy coat and a creaky stride don’t have to signal the end of the road. We unpack new primary-care evidence on pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) showing that diagnosed horses can live as long as matched controls, even as they experience more medical events along the way. That insight changes how we talk with owners: from doom to diligence, and from a single prescription to a complete, daily management plan. We sit down with researchers Drs. Emma Stapley and François René-Bertin to break down what PPID really is—and why it’s not the same as “Cushing’s” in people or dogs. You’ll hear how they built a robust control group by matching age, breed type, and even owner to cut through referral bias. We dig into the laminitis connection, the role of insulin dysregulation, and why the oral sugar test is your best entry point. From there, we move into practical monitoring: post-meal insulin checks, seasonally aware testing, and how owners who give pergolide daily often catch subtle changes earlier. Treatment is more than pergolide. We map the full-care toolkit: low-NSC diets tailored to the individual horse, ration balancers that avoid unnecessary starch, exercise that builds muscle without overloading feet, and farriery that supports comfort and function. Body condition is a quiet lever with outsized effects; holding a steady, moderate score can rival medication in shaping outcomes. We also surface often-missed comorbidities—slow wound healing, hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis, and dental issues like EOTRH—and explore emerging questions around calcium and vitamin D that may link neuroendocrine change to oral health. If you work with senior horses, manage a barn, or simply love a hairy retiree who still wants a job, this conversation gives you a clear, evidence-based playbook. Subscribe, share the episode with your barn friends, and leave a review to help more horse owners find science-backed guidance. What PPID myth have you struggled to debunk? Tell us after you listen. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.08.0533 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

    26 min

  2. JAN 31

    Elevating Credentialed Veterinary Technician Voices in Scientific Research

    Send us a text What happens when the people closest to the patient lead the science that shapes their care? We sit down with guest editors Erik Fausak and Dr. Adesola Odunayo to unpack the first-ever JAVMA supplemental issue authored by credentialed veterinary technicians—and why it matters for outcomes, team culture, and the future of evidence-based practice. Across anesthesia, radiology, ECC, and surgery, credentialed veterinary technicians make thousands of critical decisions every day. That frontline view generates smart research questions: how to secure IV catheters, how long to hang fluid bags, which scrub protocols lower infection risk, and how to standardize monitoring that prevents complications. We explore how credentialed veterinary technician-led studies, from narrative and scoping reviews to original research, turn bedside insight into better protocols that any clinic can adopt. We also address barriers that hold technicians back: limited mentorship, scarce funding, minimal institutional credit, and no protected time to write. Erik and Adesola share workable fixes—establishing research mentors, pooling multi-site data to power studies, rewarding publications for techs, and using social media to both crowdsource questions and fight misinformation. The payoff is real: higher job satisfaction, stronger retention, and a team-wide shift from “evidence-based medicine” to “evidence-based practice,” where everyone participates in decisions that improve care. If you want a stronger hospital culture, safer anesthesia, cleaner lines, and a clearer career path for your credentialed technicians, this conversation offers a roadmap. Read the credentialed veterinary technician-led supplement, share it with your team, and start a study that answers a question from your treatment floor. Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us which credentialed veterinary technician-led research your clinic should tackle next. JAVMA supplemental issue: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.263.s2.s4 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

    26 min

  3. JAN 24

    Primary Liver Tumors in Dogs: Additional Liver Masses Are Often Benign

    Send us a text Your heart sinks when a dog’s CT shows a primary liver tumor plus extra lesions. Ours used to as well—until we dug into data showing how often those additional masses are actually benign. In this conversation with surgical oncologists Drs. Samuel Burkhardt and Hunter Piegols, we rethink what “multiple hepatic lesions” really means, and how that shift can change everything from pre-op counseling to what you sample in the OR. We walk through their study design—primary liver tumors paired with additional lesions verified by surgical exploration and histopathology—and why imaging alone couldn’t separate benign from malignant with confidence. You’ll hear practical guidance on interpreting CT findings without leaping to metastasis, framing owner conversations to avoid a falsely negative outlook, and planning targeted biopsies that refine staging and inform follow-up. We also tackle the language problem: nodule versus mass. Without common definitions, clinicians and researchers risk misreading severity and muddying the literature. The case for cross-disciplinary standards and working groups is compelling. Looking ahead, we explore tools that could improve preoperative decisions: contrast-enhanced ultrasound, more rigorous imaging criteria adapted from human medicine, and the promise of liquid biopsy and biomarkers to flag “bad actor” hepatocellular carcinomas. We discuss sample-size limits in veterinary studies, the value of multi-institutional collaboration, and related puzzles like what a solitary pulmonary nodule really means for prognosis. Along the way, you’ll pick up succinct surgical maxims, practical tips for histopath submission, and a reminder that small resets outside the clinic help us think clearly when cases get complex. If this conversation helps you reframe your next liver case, share it with a colleague, subscribe for more evidence-based episodes, and leave a review so others can find the show. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.07.0514 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

    16 min

  4. JAN 17

    Does Changing the Needle Matter? Evidence from a Canine Vaccination Trial

    Send us a text What if one of the most common vaccine rituals in small animal practice doesn’t help patients at all? We sit down with researchers Jane Sagaser and Dr. Rachael Kreisler to unpack a randomized clinical trial that tested whether replacing the needle after drawing up a canine subcutaneous vaccine improves comfort or outcomes. The result is a clear, practice-changing insight: no clinical benefit for dogs, and no reliable advantage detected by blinded injectors. Together we explore how the team measured what matters—objective heart rate changes as a proxy for stress and a holistic, blinded reaction score at the moment of injection—while keeping the study grounded in real clinic workflows. We put long-standing beliefs under the microscope, tracing how dramatic but poorly documented images of bent needle tips shaped habits, and we connect the findings to human vaccine guidance that does not recommend needle swapping after vial puncture. Jane and Rachael also point out when replacement still makes sense: visible damage, contamination, or drops that compromise safety. The conversation widens into sustainability, cost, and sharps volume, showing how small changes in protocol can reduce waste and needle-stick risk without sacrificing patient care. A surprising pattern pops up when the rabies vaccine is given second in the right rear limb, prompting new questions about site sensitivity, formulation effects, and the potential influence of temperature or tactile desensitization. We get candid about measurement challenges—from blood pressure cuffs to wearable heart rate sensors—and highlight the need for better species-ready tools to capture continuous physiologic data. If you value evidence over habit, this is a guide to updating your standard operating procedures with confidence. You’ll hear practical strategies for critical appraisal, ideas for simple clinic-based studies, and a call to test assumptions rather than inherit them. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review to help more veterinary professionals find data that improves patient comfort, safety, and sustainability. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.10.0661 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

    24 min

  5. JAN 10

    Rapid Cooling in Dogs: The Science Behind Post-Exercise Head Dunking

    Send us a text A working dog powers through a hot training session, then stops. The clock is ticking, because core temperature can keep climbing even after the effort ends. We sit down with JAVMA student award winner Sarah Parnes to unpack a simple, field-ready strategy that changes outcomes: cool first, transport second. Using the gear most of us carry—a water bottle, a towel, a small cooler—Sara's team tested multiple methods outdoors to mirror real-world conditions. One approach stood out: a voluntary head dunk that quickly blunted the post-exercise temperature rise while other techniques only reduced heat more slowly. We dig into why the head matters for thermoregulation, how targeted cooling may protect the brain and calm the system, and what owners can do when water is limited. If a dog won’t dunk, pouring water over the head or using a wet towel still helps, but the dunk delivered the strongest effect. We also break down the early signs of heat stress that many people miss: ears pulled back, a long curled tongue, squinting eyes, shade seeking, and sudden reluctance to move. For brachycephalic breeds like French Bulldogs and Pugs, we share prevention tactics that reduce risk on hot days, from timing exercise to creating shade and ensuring fresh water. Sarah also opens up about the research journey, from designing realistic protocols to exploring unanswered questions—like how post-exercise drinking during a dunk may influence cooling, and what head-focused alternatives work for dogs that avoid submersion. Whether you handle working dogs or walk a weekend warrior, you’ll leave with practical tools to act fast and smart when the temperature spikes. If this conversation helps you or your dog community, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find these life-saving tips. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.06.0368 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

    16 min

  6. 12/30/2025

    The Overlooked Electrolyte: How Low Chloride Impacts Survival in Dogs with Heart Failure

    Send us a text A single ion is changing how we read the story of canine heart failure. We sit down with cardiologist Dr. Darcy Adin and internist–nephrology researcher Dr. Autumn Harris to unpack why hypochloremia—once dismissed as collateral damage from diuretics—now stands out as a powerful predictor of survival in dogs with stable congestive heart failure. The conversation moves from physiology to practice, showing how chloride levels map to renin–angiotensin activation, diuretic resistance, and risk, and how that knowledge can guide smarter, earlier interventions. We trace the research arc: early work that spotlighted chloride as more than a bystander, data linking low chloride to advanced disease stages and higher diuretic needs, and the pivotal finding that hypochloremia predicts outcomes even after controlling for other variables. Along the way, we break down renal salt sensing at the macula densa, why chloride depletion ramps up neurohormonal stress, and how this affects real dogs with mitral valve disease and congestive heart failure. If you manage CHF cases, this is practical cardiology and nephrology in lockstep. Most importantly, we translate the science into steps you can use tomorrow. We talk thresholds and trend-watching, ensuring chloride is on every chemistry panel, covering RAS inhibition, adjusting diuretic strategies to spare chloride, and when to consider chloride supplementation. We also preview active trials targeting chloride to improve diuretic responsiveness, cut hospital time, and lift quality of life. Owners get a clear takeaway too: lab values are not just numbers; they’re signals that help personalize care and extend good days. If you care for dogs with heart failure—or love one at home—this deep dive reframes a humble electrolyte as a crucial guide. Listen, share with your team, and help push the field forward. Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us how you monitor chloride in your CHF workflow. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.08.0526 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

    15 min

  7. 12/23/2025

    Companion Animals and H5N1: What Vets and Owners Should Know

    Send us a text A spike in feline H5N1 cases has many of us asking the same question: how did bird flu end up in our living rooms? We sit down with author and clinician Dr. Jane Sykes to map the path from migratory birds to household pets, spotlighting the two biggest drivers of risk for cats—predation on infected wildlife and contaminated raw diets. The conversation is candid, practical, and rooted in current data, with clear guidance for veterinarians and pet owners who want to reduce danger without fear or hype. We break down the clinical pattern that should trigger suspicion: a rapidly worsening illness with fever, lower respiratory signs, neurologic changes like ataxia or seizures, hypersalivation, and even sudden vision loss. Jane shares a step-by-step plan for what to do next: preserve the suspect diet for testing, notify local public health partners, and coordinate diagnostics through NAHLN labs with NVSL confirmation. We also unpack why household cases typically arise from common exposure rather than cat-to-cat spread, and why ending raw feeding across the home is the first and most effective intervention. The oseltamivir question comes up too; Jane weighs the risks, pharmacologic unknowns, and stewardship concerns around antivirals in cats. Listeners get concise takeaways: cooked diets are safer, indoor life or secure catios cut exposure, and detailed dietary histories matter more than ever because many raw products look like pasteurized foods. We touch on the evolving clade 2.3.4.4b, the possibility of reassortment in cats, and why dogs appear more resistant yet still susceptible to infection. Jane points to the research we still need—serology to find silent infections, better food-chain surveillance, and communication tools that help us talk about diet without blame. Subscribe, share with a colleague or pet-loving friend, and leave a quick review to help more people find evidence-based guidance on companion animal health. JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.06.0388 Washington Post article: https://wapo.st/49isM8M 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

    19 min

  8. 12/20/2025

    Bumped-Kinase Inhibitors: A New Path Toward Treating EPM in Horses

    Send us a text A small structural “bump” on a molecule might be the big breakthrough EPM care has been waiting for. We sit down with researcher and clinician Izabela de Assis Rocha to unpack how bumped kinase inhibitors exploit a tiny difference between parasite and mammalian kinases to hit Sarcocystis neurona where it hurts—motility, invasion, and replication—while sparing the horse. It’s a molecular strategy with practical promise, and the conversation bridges the stall, the lab, and the future of equine neurology. We break down the science behind CDPK1, the gatekeeper residue that drives selectivity, and why unique parasite structures like the apical complex and apicoplast open new therapeutic lanes. Then we move into what really matters for care: pharmacokinetics and clinical fit. BKI-1708 shows strong systemic distribution that positions it as a prophylactic candidate, while early data on BKI-1553 suggests better CNS penetration and a path toward active EPM treatment. Isabella explains how EPM’s dead-end host biology may lower the risk of widespread resistance, a rare bright spot in the antiparasitic landscape. Clinical trials are the hard part. With no robust experimental infection model and fewer than 1% of exposed horses developing disease, enrolling enough cases takes patience and teamwork. We talk about building pragmatic, clinician-led studies, harmonizing diagnostics and neurologic scoring, and tracking relapse to find outcomes that matter to horses and owners. The One Health angle also shines through: BKIs show activity against equine piroplasmosis and have potential roles in toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis, linking equine research to human and livestock health. If you care about evidence-based equine neurology, new antiparasitic strategies, and turning elegant biochemistry into barn-side change, this is your roadmap. Subscribe, share with a colleague who manages EPM cases, and leave a review to help more veterinarians find the show. What question would you ask about bringing BKIs into practice? AJVR article: https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.25.07.0270 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

    13 min
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4.7
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Veterinary Vertex is a weekly podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the clinical and research discoveries published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) and the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR). Tune in to learn about cutting-edge veterinary research and gain in-depth insights you won’t find anywhere else. Come away with knowledge you can put to use in your own practice – along with a healthy dose of inspiration to remind you what you love about veterinary medicine. 

Information

  • Creator
    AVMA Journals
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    184
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Veterinary Vertex
  • Show Website
    Veterinary Vertex

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