Weekly Companion Animal News: October 13, 2025

Ollie patents at-home tool that predicts canine parasite infections

Fresh dog food maker Ollie secured a patent for technology that predicts parasite fecal test results from smartphone photos of dog stool. The tool, integrated into the company’s health screening app, determines with 85% accuracy whether a stool sample will test positive for intestinal parasites. The patent represents the company’s first application of predictive stool analysis in the pet food industry.

Yale develops rapid test for leptospirosis

Yale School of Medicine researchers unveiled a method for detecting leptospiral virulence-modifying (VM) proteins in the blood and urine of hamsters, an advance that could lead to early diagnosis of leptospirosis in humans. The research, led by Joseph M. Vinetz, MD, in collaboration with Luna Bioscience, has led to a monoclonal-antibody-based capture immunoassay that detects VM proteins, which are crucial for the development of leptospirosis.

Stress reduction among staff lowers patient-related injuries

Injury rates were lower in practices where 100% of veterinary staff were certified in a stress-reducing care method or program, according to researchers. Practices in which fewer than 100% of employees were certified were 3.5 times more likely to have injuries once a month or more than practices with 100% certification. Veterinarians have a threefold risk of injury compared to human medical general practitioners.

Resistant bacteria spread from pets to people: Massachusetts studies

Two investigations into multidrug-resistant bacteria reveal genetic links that hint at potential transmission between pets and their owners, One began at a veterinary teaching hospital in Worcester County, Massachusetts, where a cluster of carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli infections were detected in cats and dogs in late 2022. The other involved a cluster of human infections that occurred months later in the same county, caused by the same bacteria.

Radimal is provider of overflow imaging support at Cornell

Radimal, a veterinary radiology services provider combining AI assessment with board-certified consultations, has become the preferred provider for overflow imaging support at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Cornell has over 21,000 imaging cases annually. “As AI becomes more integrated into our field, our job will increasingly be to explain, contextualize and teach,” said Dr. Peter V. Scrivani, section chief of imaging.

DoveLewis trains K9 handlers on emergency care for working dogs

Portland’s DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital is offering workshops for K9 handlers on how to provide emergency care to their working dogs in the field. The sessions, led by Sarah Tauber, DVM, focus on real-world emergencies, such as opioid exposure and trauma. Participants learn to administer Narcan, apply bandages, monitor vital signs and perform essential first aid.

Researchers examine impact of environmental toxins on pets

Pets breathe the same air, drink the same water and often sleep in the same beds as their owners. And yet, there is relatively little research on how environmental toxins and pollutants affect them. That is an enormous missed opportunity, experts told The New York Times. Understanding more about how pollution affects pets could ultimately yield insights that improve both animal and human health.

Fear Free welcomes SIGNS Labs SAS as a Corporate Program Member

Fear Free, which offers veterinary professionals, pet care providers and practices with strategies to prevent and reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in pets, has welcomed SIGNS Labs SAS as a corporate program member. SIGNS Labs SAS is the only laboratory in the world devoted exclusively to advancing pheromone science, according to Fear Free.