Weekly Companion Animal News: April 28, 2025

Boehringer Ingelheim: Veterinarians are appreciated but don’t always feel it

Ninety-four percent of animal owners appreciate the work of veterinarians and 91% recognize that veterinary teams are essential or important to society, but only 49% of veterinary professionals feel their profession is appreciated, according to survey results from Boehringer Ingelheim. Moreover, 65% of animal owners think veterinarians have a good work-life balance while 48% of veterinarians say animal owners underappreciate the way they trade-off their work.

PSIvet announces agreement with VEA

Members of group purchasing organization PSIvet will have access to Veterinarian Exam Assistant’s platform, designed to automate clinical documentation, optimize treatment plans, and integrate with practice management systems. Through this pilot program, select PSIvet member clinics will gain six months of complimentary access to VEA.

More pets insured in USA and Canada in 2024

More than 7 million pets were insured in the U.S. and Canada at the end of 2024, an increase of 12.2% from the 6.25 million total pets insured in 2023, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association’s 2025 State of the Industry Report. Total premium volume in the U.S. reached $4.7 billion at year end 2024, while in Canada, volume for the year was $583.9 million (Canadian).

BluePearl provides minimally invasive heart procedure for pets

BluePearl Pet Hospital announced that its Tampa, Florida, hospital has begun offering the Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) procedure, a minimally invasive, beating heart intervention used to treat severe mitral regurgitation caused by chronic valvular disease, a common cause of heart disease in dogs. The procedure involves placing a device via a ventricular catheter to connect the edges of the mitral valve, significantly reducing or eliminating leakage.

Pet Insurance providers and agents face new regs in Florida

Pet insurance and pet wellness programs face new regulations under a bill signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, the law clarifies that homeowners’ insurance policies may include coverage for pet medical care, and that the coverage is not subject to statutes governing health or life insurance. The bill also bars pet insurance agents from marketing wellness programs as pet insurance or making wellness programs a prerequisite to the purchase of insurance.

Vivos announces record Q1 growth in noninvasive cancer therapy for pets

Kennewick, Washington-based Vivos Inc., a developer of cancer therapies, reported that 15 pets were treated with its non-invasive Precision Radionuclide Therapy in Q1 2025. IsoPet is an outpatient therapy that delivers high-dose beta radiation directly to solid tumors using Y-90 hydrogel. Suitable for cats, dogs, horses, and exotic animals, it targets cancers like sarcomas and equine sarcoids, with prior cases achieving complete tumor destruction and significant shrinkage.

The backyard chicken veterinary care gap

Thirteen percent of U.S. households keep chickens. The reasons are numerous, including the desire for sustainable food systems, access to fresh eggs, and emotional support and companionship. Owners are increasingly willing to invest in their care, but the demand is oftentimes not met. Small animal veterinarians can increase awareness of the benefits of avian husbandry and acceptance of chickens as pets.

Veterinary parasiticides may endanger coastal waters: UK study

A new study calls for greater monitoring of coastal waters amid concerns over chemicals in veterinary parasiticides, particularly imidacloprid, and other chemicals. “The true risk of chemical mixtures is likely to be underestimated, especially for marine species,” said researchers at Imperial College London. The National Office of Animal Campaign is urging pet owners to follow manufacturers’ instructions, particularly concerning when animals can be safely bathed after treatment.