Weekly Companion Animal News: May 12, 2025

Dechra announces FDA approval of Otiserene for canine otitis externa

Dechra received FDA approval to market Otiserene (marbofloxacin, terbinafine, and dexamethasone otic suspension), a one-time treatment for otitis externa in dogs. Otiserene is said to be the first single-dose, long-acting otitis externa product to leverage the antibiotic marbofloxacin. It must be administered in the clinic by veterinary personnel and will be available for purchase through select veterinary distributors in late 2025.

Merck to invest $895 million in manufacturing and R&D facilities in Kansas

Merck Animal Health and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced an $895 million expansion of the company’s manufacturing facility and R&D laboratories in De Soto, Kansas. The manufacturing facility project will expand filling and freeze dryer capacity for large molecule vaccines and biologic products. Site preparation and facility design will start immediately.

FelineVMA and Merck announce student scholarships

The Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA) and Merck Animal Health announced the 2025 Scholarships for Academic Excellence in Feline Healthcare to support veterinary students going into their second and third years (Classes of 2027 and 2028) dedicated to feline medicine. Two students from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school will each receive a $10,000 scholarship and complimentary registration to the 2025 FelineVMA Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon, September 18-21.

CDC infection control advisory committee shut down

The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been shut down, shortly before completing new guidelines for airborne pathogens. HICPAC had been responsible for crafting national standards for handwashing, mask-wearing and isolating sick patients, which most U.S. hospitals follow.

Animal sedative medetomidine is showing up in US illegal drug supply

The animal sedative medetomidine is increasingly showing up in the U.S. illegal drug supply, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported clusters of cases in Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Investigators say the drug is being mixed with other illicit drugs, mainly fentanyl. Medetomidine was first detected in illegally manufactured opioids in North America in 2022.

Vetspire introduces enhanced AI-powered features

Veterinary practice management software provider Vetspire announced the system now can provide an overview of a patient’s medical history from the past three years, automatically compiled from lab results and PDFs, pre-diagnosed conditions, current medications and more. In addition, the AI Scribe App is designed to bring voice-powered documentation to the iPhone and iPad.

Koala Health, a pet health startup, raises $20M in Series B funding

Koala Health raised $20M in Series B funding for its chronic pet medication delivery service. The round was led by Valspring Capital, a healthcare-focused growth equity firm. With operations active in all 50 U.S. states, Koala Health serves more than 25,000 independent veterinary clinics by eliminating the need for in-house medication storage and fulfillment.

Pet industry coalition to tackle tariff challenges

Seven pet industry organizations are working to align efforts to mitigate the impacts of tariffs, calling for businesses to share information, including countries of concern, relevant Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes, and anecdotes to use in discussions with officials. Participants are the American Pet Products Association (APPA), IndiePet, National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), Pet Advocacy Network (PAN), Pet Food Institute (PFI), Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) and World Pet Association (WPA).

RECOVER Initiative releases CPR guidelines for cats and dogs in 15 languages

The RECOVER Initiative released the 2024 RECOVER CPR Guidelines for dogs and cats in 15 languages. Since 2012, the nonprofit has provided education, science, and community for veterinary professionals and pet owners worldwide. It has a network of over 350 certified instructors, 25,500 certified rescuers and 85,000 course learners.