Average Pay for New DVMs Is $130,000
The starting pay for new veterinary school graduates who accepted a full-time job averaged about $130,000 in 2024. The American Veterinary Medical Association also reported that established veterinarians earned a mean salary of about $150,000. “Among new graduates, 60.4% entered into full-time employment, 27.9% into advanced education (internship, residencies, advanced degree), and 6.1% had no offers,” the AVMA stated. The figures are among the findings set to be published in the 2025 State of the Profession Report.
Shore Capital Partners Plans $8.6 Billion Merger
The private equity firm Shore Capital Partners wants to merge two of its assets — Southern Veterinary Partners and Mission Veterinary Partners — in a deal valued at $8.6 billion, according to Bloomberg News. The two hospital networks operate about 750 practices. Another investment firm, Silver Lake Management, intends to team up with Shore Capital Partners. Together, they would “contribute about $4 billion of fresh equity to the company,” Bloomberg reported.
Controversial Midlevel Role Gets OK in Colorado
Colorado voters have approved the creation of a midlevel veterinary professional associate (VPA) role. Colorado State University is preparing a master of veterinary clinical care program to train VPAs, and the state Board of Veterinary Medicine will determine the VPA scope of practice, which could include some surgeries. The American Veterinary Medical Association and the Colorado VMA, among others, strongly opposed the ballot initiative.
VEG Collects More Than $1 Million for Charity
Dozens of practices operated by Veterinary Emergency Group raised more than $1.19 million to help underserved pets as part of VEG Cares Share Day. Some of the charitable program’s proceeds went to animal care in hurricane-stricken areas.
Vet Techs Can Apply for Free Mentoring
A new MentorVet scholarship program will provide free mentoring to 300 veterinary technicians. “Several cohorts of veterinary technicians will begin the program at different times in 2025, with the first starting in February,” according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, a co-sponsor. Learn more at bit.ly/3Z0fZCO.
Thrive Teams Up to Open Texas Eye Clinic
Thrive Pet Healthcare, which operates more than 380 hospitals across 37 states, has opened a second ophthalmology clinic in Austin, Texas, in partnership with Eye Care for Animals. In other news, Animal Medical and Surgical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, was renamed Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists North Scottsdale.
FDA Approves Ethiqa XR Label Expansion
Fidelis Animal Health’s Ethiqa XR (buprenorphine extended-release injectable suspension) is now indicated to control post-procedural pain in captive rodents and laboratory rabbits. According to the company, “With Ethiqa XR, veterinarians have an FDA-indexed, pharmaceutical grade, cGMP extended-release buprenorphine for use in mice, naked mole rats, gerbils, hamsters, rats, chinchillas, guinea pigs, prairie dogs, ferrets, laboratory rabbits, and non-human primates.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the application.