DC Veterinary Medical Association

05/10/2026

Recent news of a hantavirus outbreak aboard an expedition cruise ship has put a spotlight on the rare but potentially deadly disease and raising concerns. Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine's Dr. Marieke Rosenbaum explains what to know—and how to protect yourself.

Learn more: https://now.tufts.edu/2026/05/07/hantavirus-outbreak-raises-questions-heres-how-we-can-protect-ourselves

[📸: Alonso Nichols, Tufts University]

05/10/2026

Trump’s most lethal policy will almost surely be his 71 percent cut in humanitarian aid from 2024 to 2025.

05/07/2026

HPAI updates from AVMA:

Wild bird migration continues to drive highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks across U.S. farms. Experts urge better habitat management for wildlife and enhanced biosecurity measures to protect flocks and herds.

05/06/2026

Hantaviruses are common, but outbreaks are rare

A deadly outbreak aboard a cruise ship has been linked to a rodent-borne hantavirus, which is not a common cause of human infections despite being widely distributed across Earth. Ships carrying rats along with goods probably introduced Old World hantavirus strains to North America, says microbiology and immunology professor Sabra Klein. Those strains may have morphed into a more lethal New World hantavirus carried by deer mice in the US, Klein says. Another strain common to the Andes Mountains is probably at play in the cruise ship outbreak, Klein says.

Since the family of rodent-borne infections were identified in the 1950s, they have turned up all over the world.

05/05/2026

Recognizing time as a major barrier, the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Association Board and collaborators developed QUIT—a 10-question triage tool to quickly flag concerns about the reliability of treatment studies. As flags accumulate, readers can confidently set studies aside, keeping in mind QUIT is designed to rule out—not rule in—evidence for decision-making.

Open access article: jav.ma/ebvma

05/05/2026

🌿 Not all plants are pet-safe!

Pets love to sniff, chew, and explore, so it’s important to make sure the plants in your home won’t harm them if nibbled. While many are harmless, some can pose serious risks.

Our experts at ASPCA Poison Control have put together a guide to help you spot safe vs. dangerous plants so you can decorate with peace of mind: Read more here: https://bit.ly/3UgncN3

05/03/2026

Targeted evidence-based and actionable educational resources can increase veterinarians’ intentions to follow antibiotic stewardship guidelines. 💊

Open access article: jav.ma/antimicrobial5

05/01/2026

Interesting read on neuroscience, compassion, and empathic distress

03/12/2026

Interesting paper from the human side:

This study evaluated the impact of prior antibiotic on the gut microbiome - the authors documented significant diversity loss in subjects who had taken antibiotics within the last year, 1-4 years and 4-8 years. Specific antibiotics had the strongest associations with microbiome impacts: clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, and flucloxacillin. Penicillin V, common outside of Sweden, saw small and short-lasting gut changes. The researchers are collecting additional samples from almost half the participants for more longitudinal data.

Using individual-level data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and f***l metagenomes of 14,979 individuals in Sweden, the authors examined the association between oral antibiotic use over 8 years and gut microbiome and found evidence that antibiotics can have long-lasting impacts on the gut m...

02/22/2026

The use of a standard surgical site infection language in veterinary practice is central to the future reliability of studies, their comparison, and the understanding of clinical risk factors in the development and prevention of surgical site infection.

Open access article: jav.ma/ssi2