Melissa Evans, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC), discusses vital parameters veterinary technicians should track during the unblocking process in cats with urethral obstruction.

Monitoring vitals in blocked cats

Melissa Evans, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC), owner and founder of Melissa Evans, VTS (ECC) Veterinary Nurse Consulting, discusses patient monitoring during the unblocking process for feline urethral obstruction, a topic she presented on at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, in late August. In this clip, Evans talks about how technicians can assist the veterinarian while also tracking vital parameters such as electrocardiogram (ECG), pulse oximetry, and blood pressure. She also discusses the importance of closely monitoring patients for pain, movement, or increased heart rate. Moreover, Evans notes that she pays particular attention to the ECG, as cats experiencing an obstruction are more prone to electrical conductivity.

Below is a transcript of the video, which has been lightly edited for improved clarity.

 During the unblock, when I'm monitoring, sometimes I'm doing 2 things at once, so I'm assisting the doctor as well as monitoring. So, I definitely want to make sure that my patient is hooked up to an ECG. I want to make sure they're hooked up to a pulse oximeter.

Blood pressure can get in the way sometimes of the unblock because we usually put it on a back foot. So if we have the ability to put it on a front leg, then we can get blood pressure on there.

And I'm going to be looking at [the patients] really closely and making sure that they're not showing signs of pain, moving, increased heart rate, anything like that. Because blocked cats can often have electrical conductivity issues with their heart, I'm also going to keep a close eye on that ECG.

And when the doctor doesn't need my hands, I will absolutely put my stethoscope in and listen because I really think that while all the monitoring tools in the world are great, that we are the best tool, and so we should use that as often as we can.

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Melissa Evans, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC), discusses vital parameters veterinary technicians should track during the unblocking process in cats with urethal obstruction.

After a cat located in San Fransisco, California, tested positive for H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, the FDA, state and local public health and agriculture partners, and federal partners suggest that after further testing, there a link between the strain detected in the cat and certain lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, a product the cat ate before falling ill.

According to the FDA, the San Francisco Department of Public Health was notified that a cat ate Lot CC 25 093 before becoming ill with H5N1 and was euthanized.

 Initial PCR testing of the open product detected H5N1. Subsequent whole genome sequencing (WGS) of a diagnostic sample from the cat and the open sample from Lot CCS 25 093 was performed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Service Laboratories (NVSL). 

The FDA then collected and tested 2 retail samples of the same RAWR Chicken Eats product with a different lot number (CC 25 077) and Sell By Date (09/18/26), each testing positive for Influenza A Virus, and a WFS performed on one sample was also positive for H5N1.

WGS results also indicated that H5N1 from all 3 samples were within the same WGS cluster, indicating relatedness. This cluster involves a virus lineage detected from approximately November to December 2024. It is no longer circulating, supporting the idea that the infected cat became ill from eating the Lot CCS 25 093 of the Chicken Eats product.

Additional cat food company announces recall over H5N1 concerns

NVSL testing of the cat, Lot CCS 25 093, and Lot CCS 25 077 identified the H5N1 as genotype B3.13. This genotype virus was found in other brands of raw poultry-based pet foods that were associated with the illness or death of cats.

The RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, Sell by 09/18/26, and RAWR Cat Food Chicken Eats, Sell by 10/03/26, are sold in 2.5-pound resealable frozen plastic bags that have 40 1-oz sliders in them in retail stores nationwide and online. The bags are white and yellow with black lettering, and have the lot code CCS 25 077 or CCS 25 093 printed in the center of the back of each bag.

At this time, the FDA is not aware of any human cases of H5N1 contracted through exposure to contaminated food.

The H5N1 virus can result in illness and death in birds and mammals, such as domesticated cats, large felids, and dogs. However, cases in dogs usually present with mild clinical signs and low mortality compared to cats. Currently, there are no known dogs with highly pathogenic avian influenza in the United States, but other countries have seen fatal cases. There is a list of animals that have tested positive for the virus on the USDA’s APHIS website.

Animals with weak immune systems or that are very old or young are at risk of contracting the virus. Animals with the virus typically present with the following signs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association

Neurologic signs such as blindness, incoordination, seizures, and tremors

While there have been no identified cases of H5N1 infections among anyone handling raw pet food products, humans are still at risk of being infected if an active virus gets into their eyes, nose, or mouth. Because of this, it is crucial for people to wash their hands after handling any pet food products and to sanitize contact surfaces.

FDA notifies pet owners that tests show H5N1 contamination in certain lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats. News release. US Food and Drug Administration. September 3, 2025. Accessed September 4, 2025. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-notifies-pet-owners-tests-show-h5n1-contamination-certain-lots-rawr-raw-cat-food-chicken-eats?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

American Veterinary Medical Association. Avian influenza in companion animals. American Veterinary Medical Association. Published 2025. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-companion-animals

The food was tested prior to a cat testing positive for H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza prior to ingesting one of the infected lot numbers.

Raw cat food tests positive for H5N1 

Photos courtesy of Dechra Veterinary Products

Kristen Larson, DVM, a past scholarship recipient.

Dechra Veterinary Products has opened its 2025 Veterinary Scholarship Program in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Five student scholarships were added this year, for a total of 25 scholarships in areas aligned with Dechra’s therapy offerings, in support of the next generation of veterinary professionals.

The program will provide 20 scholarships to veterinary students across 4 fields: dermatology; equine sports medicine; internal medicine; and a new category, anesthesia, surgery, and critical care—each valued at $2500. Additionally, 5 veterinary technician scholarships, valued at $2000 each, will be awarded to eligible candidates. Dechra is 1 of only 3 companies nationwide offering technician-specific awards, according to the company.

“Investing in veterinary education is a long-term priority for Dechra,” Jill Stohs, DVM, senior director of veterinary professional services and medical affairs at Dechra, said in a news release. “By partnering with AVMF, we are not only providing financial relief but also recognizing students who demonstrate leadership, ambition, and a clear commitment to advancing animal health. These scholarships help shape the future of the veterinary profession and strengthen the communities in which we live and work.”

Over the past several years, Dechra has invested nearly $1 million in support of veterinary education. This includes scholarships, mentorship opportunities, hands-on learning experiences, and educational events that reach thousands of students annually.

The company’s partnership with AVMF reflects just 1 part of Dechra’s broader commitment to education and charitable giving. In addition to its scholarship program, Dechra supports students through its Student Ambassador Program, targeted mentorship opportunities, and its partnership with Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition to help remove inequity barriers.

Kristen Larson, DVM, was a 2024 Dechra Equine Sports Medicine Scholarship recipient.

Applications for the 2025 Dechra veterinary scholarships are currently being accepted through September 30, 2025. Winners will be announced in the fall, with funds distributed in December 2025. More information, including eligibility details and application guidelines, is available online through AVMF at 

https://www.avmf.org/grants-and-scholarships/scholarships/

“At AVMF, we believe that by investing in the education of veterinary students, we are shaping the future of animal health and empowering tomorrow’s veterinarians with the skills they need to treat animals effectively," Heather Case, DVM, board chair of the AVMF, said in the release. “We are immensely grateful to Dechra for their generous support and continued partnership. Their investment enables us to extend essential support to veterinary students and technicians across multiple fields, ensuring that the leaders and innovators of tomorrow have the resources and recognition they deserve.”

Dechra expands AVMF scholarship program, adding new category focused on anesthesia, surgery, and critical care. News release. Dechra. September 3, 2025.

The Veterinary Scholarship Program is a partnership of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation and Dechra Veterinary Products.

Scholarship program expands to include anesthesia, surgery, and critical care

A new therapy created for protection against the most prevalent genotypes of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has been launched on the veterinary market. The porcine circovirus vaccine, type 2, killed baculovirus vector (Ingelvac Circoflex AD; Boehringer Ingelheim [BI]), is the first vaccine to combine PVC2a and PVC2d antigens in a single dose, according to BI.

“These 2 genotypes are responsible for over 90% of clinical cases,” Gerard Ensink, global head of swine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said in a news release.

 “Our customers can count on us for continuous vaccine innovation. With Ingelvac Circoflex AD, we’re further advancing protection against evolving PCV2 threats.”

PCV2 is the cause of porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD) and is one of the most common viruses in the swine production industry. PCVAD compromises the immune system of pigs and enhances coinfections, putting these animals at higher risk of respiratory, reproductive, and digestive diseases. Signs of PCVAD can include severe weight loss, trouble breathing, and diarrhea.

 to protect pigs ages 3 weeks and older against disease caused by PCV2a and PCV2, as well as 

. This product (Circumvent CML) contains a subunit vaccine based on PCV2a. It has an immunity duration of at least 16 weeks for PCV2d, and an unknown immunity duration for PCV2a.

Granted a product license approval by the USDA, the PCV2 vaccine from BI is indicated for healthy pigs aged as young as 2 weeks. It is administered through an intramuscular 1-mL dose. This vaccine is available in 50-dose and 250-dose presentations.

The BI vaccine’s efficacy was demonstrated through multiple studies with data submitted to the USDA. Immunity onset occurs 2 weeks post vaccination, and the duration is at least 6 months.

2 automatic swine syringes are introduced to the veterinary market

Steve Boren, vice president, US Livestock at BI, noted that the vaccine reflects the company’s commitment to PCV2 control and empowering producers to manage herd health. “In an industry where disease is a constant challenge, this next-generation vaccine offers broader, safer, longer-lasting immunity against the most prevalent PCV2 genotypes and can help proactively strengthen a herd’s immune system,”

PCV2d has become a predominant genotype in the US and around the world, according to BI. “We’ll continue to closely monitor PCV2 and other diseases impacting pig performance to help producers stay ahead of emerging risks,” Ensink said.

Boehringer Ingelheim launches swine vaccine with advanced protection against porcine circovirus type 2 in the United States. News release. Boehringer Ingelheim. September 3, 2025. Accessed September 3, 2025. 

https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/us/media/press-releases/boehringer-launches-swine-vaccine-advanced-protection-against-pcv2

Summary of studies supporting USDA product licensure. USDA. March 21, 2025. Accessed September 4, 2025. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/124-19k5r9.pdf

Novel vaccine on the market for viruses in pigs. 

. June 8, 2023. Accessed September 4, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/novel-vaccine-on-the-market-for-viruses-in-pigs

Circumvent CML. Product label. Merck Animal Health. Accessed September 4, 2025. https://merckusa.cvpservice.com/product/view/1047582

The therapy from Boehringer Ingelheim provides protection against porcine circovirus type 2.

A new vaccine for swine is launched in the US

Melissa Evans, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC), discussed these common endocrine conditions in a dvm360 interview.

Identifying diabetic emergencies

What are the most common diabetic emergencies in veterinary medicine? Melissa Evans, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC), owner of Melissa Evans, VTS (ECC): Veterinary Nurse Consulting, discussed these endocrine conditions in a 

interview at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

Evans is an experienced emergency, intensive care unit, and critical care technician with additional experience in shelter, wildlife, and disaster medicine. She is a RECOVER CPR–certified instructor who has worked in referral and specialty hospitals in New Jersey and New York. Evans is also a relief technician for specialty hospitals throughout New York, New York.

At the Fetch conference, Evans presented a series of continuing education sessions, including on focused on diabetic emergencies. In the session, she discussed emergency diabetic conditions and the role of technicians in providing nursing care. In this video, she addresses the most common of these conditions.

Researchers study vitamin D metabolism in dogs with diabetes

The following is a transcript of the video:

 There are 2 that I see most commonly. The first one is hypoglycemia, where the blood sugar is too low. There's a couple of reasons for this, either the patient has gotten too much insulin, or the patient isn't eating the way they're supposed to, and they're still getting insulin. The other one is the opposite, hyperglycemia—so diabetic ketoacidosis, where the body isn't able to use glucose for energy, so it breaks down fatty acids and then uses ketones for that energy. This causes a wide range of problems, acidosis, the patient becomes lethargic, the patient becomes very sick, and they need a lot of care.

From needles to pills: transforming feline diabetes care

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On August 26, 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed the first human case of travel-associated New World screwworm (NWS). The CDC first identified the case on August 4, 2024, when the infected person from Maryland returned to the US after traveling to El Salvador. The CDC and the Maryland Department of Health are currently investigating this case.

“As this is a human case, CDC is the lead response agency and is conducting an epidemiological assessment in coordination with local health authorities. Currently, the risk to public health in the United States from this case is very low. In support of CDC’s activities and out of an abundance of caution, USDA initiated targeted surveillance for NWS within a 20-mile radius of the affected area, encompassing portions of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia,” the USDA stated in its release.

“To date, all trap results have been negative for NWS. There have been no detections of NWS in the US in livestock or other animals since the last outbreak of NWS in the Florida Keys was resolved in 2017,” the statement continued.

The USDA also shared in its announcement that there have been previous travel-associated cases in the US in past years, but all were isolated and designated as closed after precautionary targeted surveillance in the vicinity was negative. The USDA stated that there may be more cases of traveler-associated NWS, but it will work with the HHS and CDC to conduct targeted surveillance to help make sure there is no active spread of it in the US. At this time, there is no cause for alarm because human risk remains low, and the several isolated cases the organizations have seen in recent years have not resulted in livestock transmission.

In April 2025, Brooke Rollins, US Secretary of Agriculture, announced that Mexico committed to eliminating restrictions on USDA aircraft and waiving customs duties on eradication equipment to help respond to the spread of NWS. This agreement meant the ports would remain open to livestock imports, but if the terms are not upheld, port closures could be revisited.

A letter Rollins addressed to Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Julio Antonio Berdegué Sacristán, outlined the negative impact on efforts to curtail the spread of NWS from restrictions for aircraft operated by the USDA, stating they are “uniquely equipped to conduct the high-volume, precision aerial releases required to suppress and eliminate the NWS population” as well as “substantial import duties on critical aviation parts, dispersal equipment, and sterile fly shipments.

As the detection of NWS continued to increase in Mexico, the USDA issued a 5-part eradication plan, which included an $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility. The facility will be built at the Moore Air Force Base in Mission, Texas, because of its proximity to the border, and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Buck Wehrbein, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, stated that having a sufficient supply of sterile flies is the only way the US can push NWS away from the border, meaning this facility is crucial to eradication efforts.

 In the 1960s, Moore Air Force Base was part of the eradication efforts and will now be the cornerstone of the fight against NWS.

Besides the Moore Air Force Base, the USDA is reviewing other options for another facility in the US that can generate 300 million sterile flies a week, with a possibility of the agency building a modular sterile fly production facility along with different technologies to help provide faster construction and surge capacities in the future.

Besides inside the US, the USDA is investing $21 million to assist in the renovation of a sterile fly production facility located in Metapa, Mexico, which is expected to be completed in a little over a year from now. The facility is estimated to generate 60 million to 100 million sterile flies weekly.

On a treatment level, the HHS announced that the FDA can issue emergency use authorization for animal drugs to prevent or treat infestations caused by NWS. This authorization only applies to animal drugs at this time.

“We have been seeing [NWS] moving up from South America, through every single country in Central America, and has touched down into Mexico,” Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, host of 

 “Currently, we are looking at the numbers nearly doubling every couple of weeks.”

For veterinary professionals, NWSs are similar in size to common house flies, or could be slightly larger, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

 The flies will also have orange eyes, metallic blue or green bodies, and 3 dark stripes along their back. If a patient is infected with NWS, they will present with the following:

Wounds with bloody or purulent discharge and an odor of decay

Signs of pain like depression, irritability, inappetence, or isolating from other animals or people

After 3 days of the initial infestation, hundreds or thousands of larvae could be present. The larvae are normally positioned with their heads down, and their posterior ends will be visible at the wound's surface. For wounds that are deep or more narrow, the only visible sign may be subtle movement. 

 continues to cover NWS and its updates, which you can find on dvm360.com or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

 will also continue to monitor progress or advancements made for the eradication of NWS, or if more cases continue to pop up in the US.

HHS and USDA confirm singular traveler-associated New World screwworm case; precautionary and proactive surveillance ongoing. News release. USDA. August 26, 2025. Accessed September 3, 2025. https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/26/hhs-and-usda-confirm-singular-traveler-associated-new-world-screwworm-case-precautionary-and 

Coppock Crossley K. US-Mexico agreement allows screwworm eradication efforts to resume. 

. May 1, 2025. Accessed September 3, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/us-mexico-agreement-allows-screwworm-eradication-efforts-to-resume

Bautista-Alejandre A. Clinic center: USDA announces sterile fly facility at Texas base for screwworm eradication, and more. 

. July 9, 2025. Accessed September 3, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/clinic-center-usda-announces-sterile-fly-facility-at-texas-base-for-screwworm-eradication-and-more

USDA unveils Texas screwworm facility, eradication strategy amid reopening of southern ports. American Veterinary Medical Association. July 2, 2025. Accessed July 9, 2025. https://www.avma.org/news/usda-unveils-texas-screwworm-facility-eradication-strategy-amid-reopening-southern-ports?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

Bautista-Alejandre A. US Department of Health and Human Services authorizes emergency use of animal drugs for New World screwworm. 

. August 19, 2025. Accessed September 3, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/us-department-of-health-and-human-services-authorizes-emergency-use-of-animal-drugs-for-new-world-screwworm

. May 16, 2025. Accessed August 19, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/vet-watch-update-new-world-screwworm

New World screwworm (NWS). American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed September 3, 2025. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/one-health/veterinarians-and-public-health/new-world-screwworm

The first human case detected in US, plus a summary of how the US is responding to New World screwworm.