American Board of Veterinary Practitioners

10/14/2026

Welcome to the ABVP student representative at Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario. ABVP student reps are the information source for students and set up lunch & learns and other educational activities.

Samantha Ferguson is a third-year veterinary student at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario. She has a passion for small animal, shelter, and community medicine and serves as President of the OVC Community Health and Shelter Medicine Club. Outside of school, she enjoys hockey, camping, hiking, and quilting (with varying degrees of success!).

Samantha is honored to be ABVP’s first Canadian student representative and excited to help connect veterinary students with the organization.

10/12/2026

October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month, a time to reflect on the importance of the keeping our pets healthy, safe, and well cared for.

How do veterinarians keep your animals safe? These are just 6 ways:

1️⃣ Vaccination against disease
2️⃣ Parasite prevention
3️⃣ Microchip and identification
4️⃣ Emergency and disaster preparation
5️⃣ Routine and emergency care
6️⃣ Travel or household safety advice

From preventive care to preparing for the unexpected, your veterinarian is an important partner in keeping your animals safe and healthy.

10/08/2026

🌀 Hurricane Isaias is forecast to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday. If you have horses or livestock, now is the time to prepare.

The Auburn Veterinary Emergency Response Team (AVERT) encourages owners, especially those along the Gulf Coast, to take steps now to protect their animals:

🆔 Ensure animals are properly identified with tags, brands, microchips or other methods, and keep an up-to-date inventory of all animals.
🐄 Move animals out of low-lying or flood-prone areas.
📄 Store health records and proof of ownership in a waterproof container and electronically.
⚕️ Stock at least 7–14 days' worth of feed, water and medications. Water should be a top priority.
🛻 Check trucks and trailers to ensure they're roadworthy and ready if evacuation becomes necessary.
🚨 Prepare an emergency kit with halters, lead ropes, hay bags or nets, first-aid supplies and other essentials.

Planning to evacuate? 🛣️ Alabama has designated livestock shelters in Troy, Dothan and Autaugaville. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so call ahead to confirm accommodations are available for your animals.

🔗 Find additional storm prep resources: https://bit.ly/4y4eu57

10/08/2026

Whether you are practicing veterinary medicine in person or remotely through telemedicine, having a veterinarian-client-patient relationship in place is critical. The AVMA Model Veterinary Practice Act, which many governmental bodies use as a guide when establishing or revising laws governing veterinary practice, includes the following definition of the VCPR.

For more information, visit avma.org/Telehealth

10/07/2026

Welcome to our ABVP student representative at the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at Rowan University. ABVP student reps are the information source for students at their schools and set up lunch & learns and other educational activities.

Kristi is a second-year student at Rowan University’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine. She is born and raised in Niagara Falls, NY, but has called Grand Rapids, Michigan “home” since 2023. With a strong interest in small animal general practice and a passion for shelter medicine, Kristi is eager to work alongside ABVP Diplomates as she charts her path post-graduation.

10/04/2026

Today is - an international day of action that aims to help improve animal welfare standards through increased awareness and education. Veterinary professionals play an important role in protecting animal welfare, and AVMA is proud to support the profession in that work. 🌎🌍

From pets and horses to livestock, poultry, laboratory animals, zoo and wildlife species, AVMA resources help guide veterinary professionals in their commitment to animal welfare in every setting. Explore AVMA’s animal welfare resources: https://bit.ly/4cTs9UV

09/30/2026

Welcome to our ABVP student representative at the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. ABVP student reps are the information source for students at their schools and set up lunch & learns and other educational activities. She writes:

"Hi my name is Sydnie Bisesi. I am a 3rd year food animal tracker at VCMVM this year and I am most excited about is the opportunity to go to the ABVP Symposium this year and sharing what ABVP is to my classmates. My first year of vet school I had no idea something as cool species specializing existed… and now I have the ability to create all of these connections and carry them with me after graduation."

09/28/2026

What can you do on to help control the spread? Rabies is 100% preventable! You can help prevent rabies infections by vaccinating your animals and keeping them away from wildlife that can spread the disease. Your local veterinary plays a key role in controlling rabies. You can find more information at avma.org/Rabies.

09/28/2026

09/25/2026

Dr. Jerry Rusch, ABVP Beef Cattle Diplomate & Purdue graduate, spoke to Purdue University veterinary students about the benefits and steps to becoming an ABVP Diplomate. Special thanks to Fionna Freeman, the Purdue ABVP student representative, for setting up this lunch and learn.