Not reinventing the wheel—rethinking it!

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The time for our profession to increasingly thrive is here. This 2025 will be the year of not reinventing the wheel but rather exploring how innovations, hot topics, trends, and legislation can drive meaningful progress, even when we may struggle to find a silver lining. This type of change implies a focus on challenging the status quo to enhance outcomes, streamline workflows, and elevate the overall standard of veterinary medicine. Let’s explore some topics that will continue to generate interest in our profession this year.

1 Veterinary professional associate (VPA).

Although supporters argue this new role would improve access to care, critics highlight concerns about its overlap with registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) and veterinary technician specialists (VTSs), the limited training of VPAs compared with veterinarians, and the lack of national standards for the education or licensure of VPAs.

Colorado has recently expanded the scope of practice for RVTs and VTSs through thoughtful legislation, emphasizing their roles in veterinary practices and granting new regulatory protections, which many believe have not yet been fully implemented or supported. However, critics argue the VPAs’ proposed training would not adequately prepare them for the complexities of even routine procedures, potentially compromising the quality of animal care. Advocates for technicians stress the importance of leveraging the newly expanded technician roles rather than introducing an entirely new, underdefined position into the profession.

2 Changes to pet insurance.

The cost of pet insurance premiums is rising. With its heavy regulation, pet insurance seems to be heading toward the human health insurance model of a managed care system. This may lead to concerns that insurance providers may dictate care. Additionally, it will be intriguing to see how claims are processed with the growing usage of artificial intelligence. That’s where further pet owner education will come into play.

3 Artificial intelligence.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in veterinary medicine is just beginning and this year will fuel its advancement. Dictation software, removal of language barriers, phone call efficiency, diagnostic tools, and medical records are just a few of the many areas in which AI is expected to improve our workflows and patient care.

4 Rising costs of care.

We know that the costs of veterinary care have increased, resulting in changes in how we do business. There is discussion among veterinary professionals on whether that will lead to a fall in demand for, or decrease in, veterinary visits this year.

5 Customizable patient care.

Understanding the wants and needs of dog and cat breeds has become increasingly relevant. DNA testing, 3D printing, cancer screening tools, and an interest in extended life spans relating to particular breeds and mixed breeds are shaping the way we practice preventive medicine and patient care.

6 Hormone-sparing sterilization.

Methods such as hysterectomy and vasectomy are ways to sterilize pets without impacting hormone loss. Additional discussion on these—and whether they should be taught in veterinary schools—will be of interest in 2025.

7 Advances in veterinary medicine.

New drug therapeutics from the past 2 years (pain management, parasitic control, dermatology, oncology, and internal medicine, just to name a few) have made significant and positive impacts on the way we treat our patients.

8 New veterinary schools and veterinary technician schools.

Our profession is popular and we recognize the need for more veterinary professionals to enter our field. It’s exciting to see these schools develop, enroll their first classes, and make a difference in their communities as well as the profession.