On this sponsored episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes Emmanuel Fontaine, DVM, MSc, PhD, DECAR,  to discuss pediatric care and nutrition

Royal Canin sponsored podcast

, presented by dvm360 at our Fetch National Harbor conference, host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA; and Emmanuel Fontaine

DVM, MSc, PhD, DECAR, sat down to talk about pediatric care and nutrition for the puppies and kittens coming into veterinary clinics. Throughout the episode, Fontaine and Christman talk about the importance of regular veterinary visits, significance in nutrition for these patients, with statistics to match, and more. 

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity.

: I know we're talking about having the clients come in often during the puppyhood phase. How can veterinarians communicate the value of multiple pediatric visits to owners who may see them as optional?

: I think we need to reframe the conversation, and we should not present those pediatric visits as checkups. We should present them as an investment for the future health of those puppies and kittens. Earlier, we talked about this new framework that is recommended by the growth chart studies. And I think all those touch points, all those assessments, should be seen as a way to pick up early on potential problems like behavioral issues, early growth, development problems, and nutritional gaps. And if we pick those [up] early, we can correct them, while if we don't, they might lead later on to more health problems during adult life, and especially more costly treatment. 

So I always tell pet owners that those visits during the pediatric phase, they're kind of an insurance policy for their pets future, and by doing that, they will optimize and really help improve the health of their future adult dog or adult cat.

: Yeah, you want to be more proactive than reactive, and that's how you can do that.

I fully agree. And I think you know, pet owners want what's best for their puppies and kittens during this period; they're more receptive to everything we want to offer, and we can offer a lot. I mean, in my presentation yesterday, I was talking about a case I had 15 years ago, and I had this golden retriever in consultation, and I was super excited, and there was so much I wanted to share about the health of this puppy, because I thought, "Oh, those owners, they are new to this. They have to hear about this." And that I had 15 minutes to do my consultation. I couldn't cover everything. In the end, I had to wrap up the consultation, and they were really upset because I didn't answer what they were coming for. I think communication with pet owners is critical during this period. 

: And it's not just about the message we want to share in veterinary medicine. It's not just about vaccines, deworming,…and nurturing. There are plenty of other stuff that they want to learn, like emotional well-being, the well-being of their pets. Nutrition, how do we properly feed, which is critical during this period. All of that should be integrated in a real content calendar that we should develop in our clinics, to feed them properly.

Podcasts

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA; and Emmanuel Fontaine, DVM, MSc, PhD, DECAR, take a deep dive into veterinary pediatrics and nutrition in this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, presented by dvm360.

Advancing pediatric nutrition: Strategies for puppies and kittens

A modern veterinary care company opened a center in Overland Park, Kansas. Meanwhile, Chewy Vet Care debuted a new location in Chandler, Arizona—its first clinic to feature a viewing window for treatments. In Norfolk, Virginia, an award-winning dog day care unveiled a new facility owned by a local family with a passion for dogs.

Chewy Vet Care Chandler (Chandler, Arizona)

Chewy Vet Care Chandler interior. (Image courtesy of Chewy)

Chewy Vet Care recently opened a new clinic in Chandler, Arizona. The practice, located in the larger Phoenix metropolitan area, is the first Chewy Vet Care location with a viewing treatment window that allows clients to observe their pets receiving treatment in real time during appointments.

In addition to a viewing treatment window, Chewy Vet Care Chandler features personalized room monitors that show photos of clients’ pets, care team, and visit details. Visits also include features such as Polaroid photos, selfie mirrors, and exam rooms named after pets. According to Chewy, the clinic was developed by veterinarians with pets and their families in mind. The practice uses warm lighting, soft colors, nonslip floors, and pet-friendly materials for a calming and welcoming environment.

"We are thrilled to bring Chewy Vet Care to Phoenix,” said Mita Malhotra, president of Chewy Health. “It is an exciting moment for pet health care as more pet owners are treating their pets' health and wellness as highly as their own. Especially in Phoenix, as the region is consistently ranked as one of the most pet-friendly cities in the country, with one of the highest rates of pet ownership per household. We look forward to delivering the personalized care and convenience that our customers have come to love and expect from Chewy, now in a best-in-class veterinary practice."

Petfolk Veterinary and Urgent Care (Overland Park, Kansas)

Petfolk has announced the opening of a new veterinary location in Overland Park, Kansas. The new practice marks the veterinary care company’s 35th pet care center in the US, and it is the 13th location they have opened this year.

The center was designed with transparent glass walls for visibility and features open-concept spaces to keep pets and caregivers together. According to Petfolk, its veterinary team uses Fear-Free methods to help reduce stress in patients. Services offered include wellness visits, urgent care, surgery, and dental care.

“Petfolk is the future our city has been waiting for. A new era of veterinary medicine, supporting pets, pet parents, and vets alike,” Kayla Walden, a Petfolk business partner, said in a company release.

 "I am honored to help lead our veterinary team into an era that prioritizes transparency, compassionate service, and genuine connections with pets and their families."

The dog wellness franchise Dogtopia opened a new location in the Ghent neighborhood of Norfolk, Virginia, earlier this fall. In addition to dog day care, the 7500–sq-ft facility offers boarding and spa services and houses a pet nutrition store.

The new location is owned by a local family and features indoor climate-controlled playrooms with compressed rubber flooring to lower the impact on dogs’ paws and joints. According to Dogtopia, dogs are supervised by professionally trained “canine coaches,” with rooms set up for dogs of similar size and play style. 

"We've always loved dogs, and we're thrilled to bring Dogtopia's safe, fun, and engaging environment to Norfolk-Ghent," Chip Sutelan, one of the day care’s owners, said in a news release.

 "Our goal is to provide exceptional care for dogs while creating a welcoming community for their owners. We're also excited to offer the Earthwise store here, giving pet parents access to premium nutrition and wellness products in the same convenient location."

Petfolk expands in Kansas City metro with new Overland Park location. News release. Petfolk. October 14, 2025. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/petfolk-expands-in-kansas-city-metro-with-new-overland-park-location-302583708.html 

Local family opens leading dog daycare in Norfolk. News release. Dogtopia. September 16, 2025. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/local-family-opens-leading-dog-daycare-in-norfolk-302557757.html 

Articles

The latest updates relating to animal care establishments and platforms.

Clinic center: New Chewy Vet Care clinic features viewing treatment window

A new clinical study will evaluate a first-in-class immuno-enhancing therapy supported by the proprietary Fc-fusion protein platform Ambifect from Akston Biosciences Corporation. The intramuscular injection therapy targets PD-L1 in dogs with solid tumors.

Rocco, an 11-year-old Dutch shepherd, is the first participant in a study to evaluate Akston's new Ambifect immuno-enhancing therapy targeting PD-L1 in dogs with solid tumors.

The study was launched by Akston in partnership with Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in West Lafayette, Indiana. It’s first patient is Rocco, an 11-year-old Dutch shepherd dog. Rocco was first diagnosed with high-grade soft tissue sarcoma in 2025. After surgery, the dog’s tumor returned, leading Rocco to go back to Purdue University for treatment. There, Rocco recently received the first dose of the trial therapy, according to Akston.

Led by Shawna Klahn, DVM, and Nikolaos Dervisis, DVM, in the Purdue Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center, the trial aims to assess the safety and tolerability of the therapy in canine pets with naturally occurring cancer. Secondary objectives of the trial are to identify initial signals of efficacy and explore biomarkers for response. According to Akston, the trial will enroll client-owned dogs with a variety of solid tumors, including soft tissue sarcoma, melanoma, and mast cell tumor, among others.

"By leveraging our proprietary platform, we believe we can effectively transform the dog's own immune system into a durable anticancer defense, reducing the number of treatments needed and dramatically improv[ing] access to lifesaving veterinary care. This study is an important step in bringing advanced checkpoint inhibitor therapy to more dogs at a fraction of the cost of traditional biologics," Todd Zion, PhD, cofounder and CEO of Akston, said in a news release.

The Ambifect platform is designed to improve scalability and expand availability of cancer immunotherapy to a broader population of pets, including those previously unable to access or tolerate conventional monoclonal antibody treatments. This common platform enables the company to develop therapeutic candidates that interact with parts of the immune system related to the target disease while minimizing the effects off-target.

Most Innovative Award at the 2023 Animal Health Corridor Summit

 The platform’s versatility was demonstrated with the development of insulin drug products for canine and feline patients with diabetes that were designed to be injected once a week.

The Ambifect version of the new trial drug builds on Akston's anti–cPD-L1 monoclonal antibody, designed to target and block the cPD-L1 protein on cancer cells, which is currently in clinical trial for dogs with bladder cancer.

 This drug is anticipated for conditional approval by the US Department of Agriculture in 2027.

Global veterinary pharmaceutical specialist acquires innovative insulin programs

Akston pioneers a new generation of cancer therapy for dogs in clinical trial launch. News release. Akston. October 29, 2025. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.akstonbio.com/in-the-news/akston-pioneers-a-new-generation-of-cancer-therapy-for-dogs-in-clinical-trial-launch/ 

Zion T. Emerging companies: Akston Biosciences. Presented at: 2023 Animal Health Corridor Summit; August 28-29, 2023; Kansas City, MO.

Akston Biosciences receives 2023 Most Innovative Award at Animal Health Summit. News release. Akston. August 31, 2023. Accessed July 30, 2024. 

https://www.akstonbio.com/akston-biosciences-receives-2023-most-innovative-award-at-animal-health-summit/

Crossley KC. Animal health therapeutic development platform demonstrates versatility. 

. March 12, 2024. Accessed October 29, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/therapeutic-development-platform-demonstrates-versatility

Akston Biosciences Corporation partnered with Purdue University to develop a drug targeting PD-L1 in dogs with solid tumors.

Akston launches clinical trial for novel canine cancer therapy

Jackie Dueñas, DVM, shares her tips for clients during the holidays

Tips for pet treats during the holidays

The holidays bring joy, visitors, and lots of food. This means extra chances for pets to be tempted and for well-meaning guests to offer table scraps. Jackie Dueñas, DVM, shares practical, easy-to-follow guidance to keep treats safe, healthy, and still fun this season. These tips help you protect your clients' pets from common holiday hazards while keeping them included in the celebrations.

1. Treats are bonding, but don’t equate food with love

Treats can be a sweet way to bond with pets, but food does not have to equal love. Clients should stick with treats made for them. 

Chocolate, grapes, raisins, garlic, onion, and fatty foods—staples of the holidays—can cause serious digestive issues. Instead, set out a jar of pet-safe treats so guests can spoil your pet the right way.

Always consider whether a pet has dietary restrictions or special nutritional needs. If the pet is on a special diet, check whether their pet food company makes matching treats so you can keep them aligned with their nutritional goals. 

With these tips for mindful treating, clients can keep their pets healthy and happy while letting them be part of the holiday joy.

Videos

Keep clients' pets safe (and still spoiled) this holiday season with these quick treat tips from Jackie Dueñas, DVM.

Treating well: Practical tips for pet-friendly treats

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy with a 3-month dosing interval for relieving pain associated with feline osteoarthritis (OA) will be available in Europe in 2026. Marketing authorization for relfovetmab (Portela; Zoetis) has been granted by the European Commission, according to a Zoetis news release,

 making it the first long-acting anti–nerve growth factor (NGF) mAB therapy for cats to be made accessible by prescription in Europe.

The marketing authorization—similar to an FDA approval in the US

—follows a recommendation issued by the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) on September 10, 2025.

The committee’s recommendation for marketing authorization was based on a positive benefit-risk balance of the safety and efficacy data submitted by Zoetis.

“The benefits of Portela are significantly improved scores as assessed by cat owners using client-specific outcome measures, and reduced pain as assessed by veterinarians using a categorical pain assessment. These improvements were consistent over a 270-day period,” CVMP wrote in its opinion summary.

Rob Polzer, PhD, executive vice president and president of research and development at Zoetis, said the marketing authorization represents a “pivotal advancement” for pain management in cats. “Portela’s long-acting antibody properties and its unique binding site to NGF now provide veterinarians and cat owners across the European Union with another innovative, approved option to manage osteoarthritis-related pain. This milestone reflects our continued commitment to advancing innovative therapies that enhance the health and well-being of companion animals,” Polzer said in the news release.

OA is very common in cats, affecting mobility and quality of life.

Although less than 20% of felines are diagnosed with OA, up to 40% of cats have clinical signs of the chronic and progressive joint disease, while many other cases go undiagnosed.

“The statistics show that about 60% of cats over the age of 6 [years] have x-ray evidence of arthritis, and 90% of cats over the age of 12 [years] have radiographic [OA]," Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVS-SA, CACVSMR, founder of Canine Arthritis Resources and Education, said in a 

“Osteoarthritis in cats is often underestimated because they’re so good at hiding pain. Behavioral changes are frequently seen as ‘just getting older’ when they may in fact be signs of long-term discomfort. New therapies that provide lasting pain relief without daily administration are a real step forward—for cats, their owners, and veterinarians,” Marieke Knies, DVM, DECVIM, internal medicine specialist in the Netherlands, said in the release.

Relfovetmab targets anti-NGF, a mediator of OA pain and inflammation, with a single injection. A 9-month field study in Europe demonstrated the effectiveness of the drug in relieving pain associated with OA. The study also showed that relfovetmab was well-tolerated by patients, including felines with kidney disease at IRIS stages 1, 2, or 3.

The most reported adverse effects of relfovetmab are immediate pain upon injection and dermatitis. Less common adverse effects include pruritus, skin scabs, injection site swelling, and injection site hair loss, according to CVMP.

Relfovetmab is designed to support long-term comfort and mobility for cats, and with the benefit for pet owners that now only need to bring their cats in for an injection once every 3 months, according to 

Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA

, global chief medical officer and head of medical affairs at Zoetis. “We look forward to providing veterinarians with another innovative tool, adding to our wide feline portfolio, to help them improve the quality of life for the cats in their care,” Goldstein said in the release.

Zoetis receives European Commission marketing authorization for Portela (relfovetmab) to alleviate pain associated with osteoarthritis in cats. News release. Zoetis. October 29, 2025. October 29, 2025. 

https://investor.zoetis.com/news/news-details/2025/Zoetis-Receives-European-Commission-Marketing-Authorization-for-Portela-relfovetmab-to-Alleviate-Pain-Associated-with-Osteoarthritis-in-Cats/default.aspx

Crossley KC. Developmental drug for feline pain takes a step forward in Europe. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/developmental-drug-for-feline-pain-takes-a-step-forward-in-europe

A look at the European Medicines Agency. FDA. August 9, 2025. Accessed October 29, 2025. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/look-european-medicines-agency

Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products. Summary of opinion: Portela. European Medicines Agency. September 10, 2025. Accessed October 29, 2025. 

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/smop-initial/cvmp-summary-positive-opinion-portela_en.pdf

Kirby Shaw K, Bautista-Alejandre A. Feline arthritis remains underdiagnosed. 

. May 22, 2025. Accessed September 12, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/feline-arthritis-remains-underdiagnosed

Zoetis' relfovetmab product is a long-acting anti–nerve growth factor monoclonal therapy for cats.

Long-acting therapy for relieving OA pain in cats receives European marketing authorization 

Aging is not a disease, but its process affects every patient, so confronting it may not be easy for everyone. Continuum of care is practiced with wellness and prevention through the patient’s life stages, making discussions with clients to work toward an understanding of these life stages an important part for effective communication when a patient is approaching that time. This means to best advocate for senior patients, there needs to be unison between veterinary teams and clients to have the best strategies in place as well as help them understand any additional care that could be required for their pet.

Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, from Cibolo Creek Veterinary Hospital in Boerne, Texas, shared during her lecture “Age is NOT just a number: Advocate for your senior patients!” ways to advocate for the senior pets at your clinic through communication, making it a team sport between clients and teams, and how to use the senior for better advocacy.

"We need to work with the caregiver, everybody on that veterinary team, so we can get clear communication, good education, and really impact the health of these pets throughout their lives," Lobprise stated to the room.

"When you start talking about senior care, when they turn senior, they're going to look at us like, yeah, right. You just want another business model [and] money. Now we're going to continue good care throughout life stages," she continued.

Unlike most things that are hard about cats, a less complicated one is effective communication for when their senior life stage is approaching because of their uniform body size and guidelines. Senior cat guidelines state that a cat over 10 years of age is senior.

 For canines, it is more complicated due to the many body sizes in dogs. According to the American Animal Hospital Association’s 2019 Canine Life Stage guidelines, a dog is considered senior in their last quarter of life, but the life span is estimated to determine the point of time, making it not as simple as the public thinks.

 To determine their chronological age and size, veterinary teams can determine their patient's unique life span.

Once the senior status of the patient is identified, additional recommended care can start. Sometimes, and Lobprise noted this may be inconsistent, veterinary clinics encourage those with senior pets to come in the clinic for semi-annual examinations accompanied by appropriate diagnostics. Regular veterinary visits can also help identify health issues earlier in the pet’s life to create a better care plan, while also continuing wellness and preventative care. In the case of senior pets, especially feline patients, they are brought in late into the progression of the illness they have, when symptoms have become advanced before being noticed and recognized as significant. This then creates the perception that health span plays a role, beyond concepts of lifespan and longevity, where pets spend ‘years in good health’ without chronic diseases, disabilities, or frailty.

According to Lobprise, the goal of maintaining health until the patient is closer to the end of their life and compressing the diseases and issues into a shorter time frame before death can impact the patient’s quality of life.

Talking about aging can often be assisted by comparing pets to humans because humans are given recommendations for early examinations and specific diagnostic assessments as they age. Veterinary teams can even use similar situations with cognition, frailty, mobility, and quality of life comparisons to help clients understand the need for extra attention.

Advocacy is a team sport between the veterinary team and clients. Teams should be educated and effectively engaged in the proactive patient care starting at the front desk. Client service representatives can work to see if there is a customizable option in the patient information system to include what life state the pet is at. They can then update it when a pet reaches a new stage. The clinic can also issue questionnaires or checklists for clients coming into the practice to get a better understanding of their pet’s basic health, such as activity, cognition, diet, mobility, and more. If possible, a dedicated senior waiting area with non-skid runners on the floor or quiet places for senior cats. This extra attention can help open a dialogue between patients and clients on how they too can make their pet's environment at home more senior-friendly.

Veterinarians and technicians can also continue dialogues with clients by talking about issues such as activity or mobility. Often minor changes are determined to be the patient just getting old and that may be true, but early diagnosis of conditions can help for earlier and more effective intervention. Veterinary teams can encourage clients to take videos of their pets at home to demonstrate behavioral changes, declines in mobility, or indications of pain and discomfort. 

A newer concept for many veterinary teams is the assessment of frailty, but it can help provide a better understanding of decline and how to identify weakness, pain, undernutrition, and exhaustion through validated scales for canine and feline patients. For example, for feline patients, the 2021 AAFP (now known as the Feline Veterinary Medical Association) Senior Care guidelines can provide teams with 3 defined levels of intervention in the Frailty Prevention Model. The primary level includes wellness and preventive measures, plus early disease detection through screening to minimize disease risk factors.

With all these efforts, any plans will work best when working with an informed client. Veterinary teams can utilize those checklists and questionnaires during the mature and healthy adult stages to teach clients to monitor for subtle signs and changes in their pet. Declines that come with aging will always be there, but it is better to start looking into them early to better determine which interventions or treatments are needed, if any.

"What we need to do is we need to advocate years before this time to make sure we get the best care they can have, and to prepare them for changes. [and] not just prepare them (the caregivers) for changes, but have them help us look for changes, because if we can see early changes, we may have a chance to intervene at early stages," said Lobprise.

Clients want to do all that they can to help their pets, but costs can build up, putting a financial burden on the clients, especially in the case of chronic diseases or disabilities. Besides financial, an emotional, physical, and psychological burden can also impact and take a toll on their quality of life. Teams can be empathetic and reserve judgment for clients as part of the care they are providing because, like their pets, clients may not be able to handle the burdens the same or could react in different ways, so communication needs to be effective.

Aging pets can be hard on veterinary teams, clients, and the patients themselves. By creating an 'it is us versus the problem' mentality in clinics, veterinary teams will be able to better understand the possibility of care for clients and patients to create a plan that works for everyone, and could improve the quality of life for everyone.

Lobprise H. Age is NOT just a number: Advocate for your senior patients!.Presented at: Hill’s Global Symposium; October 27-28, 2025; Phoenix, AZ.

Dhaliwal R, Boynton E, Carrera-Justiz S, et al. 2023 AAHA Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. 

. 2023;59(1):1-21. doi:10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7343

Creevy KE, Grady J, Little SE, et al. 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. 

. 2019;55(6):267-290. doi:10.5326/JAAHA-MS-6999

Veterinary professionals are always the voice for their patient, and that voice should be loud until the very end.