Idea Exchange: Need to soak a paw? Bag it up

Two notable pet-industry acquisitions closed in September. One bringing AI-powered clinical documentation into IDEXX's software ecosystem, the other marking the first acquisition for fresh-food brand The Farmer's Dog.

New leadership moves, recognition, and achievement.

In a keynote address at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, Jessica Pritchard, VMD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), shared research showing that many owners decline vaccines because they do not think their pet needs them, and discussed ways veterinary teams can address those concerns.

Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, FVTE, outlines key considerations for veterinary technicians during triage, from rapid patient assessment and prioritization to client communication and team coordination, in this interview from the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.

In a session at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, Nathanael Oster, VMD, MBA, walked attendees through the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of the flea tapeworm in dogs and cats, including why cats are affected more often than dogs.

SNAP-P is a proposed high-impact program that would provide at least $4.4 billion in benefits to low-income pet owners at marginal cost to federal and state governments.

In a slideshow drawn from an on-site dvm360 interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, a veterinary oncologist and a veterinary social worker walk through how the role supports owners and staff across a pet's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care.

Here are this week's headlines