Weekly Companion Animal News: July 6, 2026

RI allows telemedicine for pets even for first visits

The law, signed June 23, allows vets to offer virtual services even for the pet’s first appointment with them. In addition, vets can now prescribe some medicine after virtual appointments, but controlled substances can only be prescribed after an in-person visit. Prescriptions from virtual appointments can last 30 days and one renewal, but another virtual appointment or in-person visit is required to continue renewing the prescription.

Chewy Health releases 2026 CE schedule

The company says the 2026 webinar calendar is designed to address both medical and non-medical topics that veterinary teams encounter every day. Topics range from shock recognition and dermatology to communication skills, conflict resolution, self-advocacy and team development. The free virtual on-demand sessions are intended to provide practical, relevant learning opportunities that support veterinary professionals throughout the year.

AR glasses may improve spatial accuracy for head and neck surgery

Augmented-reality-guided visualization can improve spatial accuracy without reducing the speed of complex veterinary head and neck surgery, according to researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UC-Davis. High precision is imperative for clinical applications, such as surgical oncology, where even slight margin errors can risk removal of healthy tissue or leaving cancer cells behind, they wrote. The improved accuracy with AR is likely related to its ability to mitigate the 3-D spatial uncertainties commonly associated with monitor-based image-guided surgery setups. In standard practice, surgeons view a monitor screen and must mentally translate spatial and pathological data onto a 3-D patient, which is a process prone to errors. By superimposing holographic annotations directly onto the surgical field, AR technologies allow surgeons to visualize regions of interest without looking away.

Anivive Lifesciences receives full FDA approval for canine lymphoma treatment

Laverdia – an at-home treatment for lymphoma in dogs – works as an XPO1 inhibitor by selectively inhibiting nuclear export proteins involved in cancer cell survival, a mechanism pioneered in veterinary oncology. Anivive partnered with Dechra Veterinary Products in 2022, out-licensing the rights to Laverdia-CA1 in the United States. With the full FDA approval, Laverdia is now available through Dechra to veterinarians.

Effectiveness of ophthalmology antibiotics threatened

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in veterinary ophthalmology, according to researchers from the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Primary bacteria of concern are Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, beta-hemolytic streptococci, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with pseudomonas being the one vets fear most as it can dissolve the cornea quickly. The takeaway is to sample early: Taking a swab before piling on drugs gives the cleanest read on what is really there.

Colorado State U to make FIP test available soon

Colorado State University reports that its new test for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) will soon be available through the CSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories as part of its regular commercial offerings. The test, an immunofluorescent assay, was 78% accurate at diagnosing FIP in a clinical trial of 84 companion cats. Results were published in the April issue of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. Making sure cats get proper, potentially life-saving treatment is one reason a more accurate test is needed, according to the researchers. There are also potential downsides to treating cats for FIP if they do not have the disease, as doing so could lead to more antiviral resistance.

VMD Sciences launches global veterinary export program

The company’s Global Export Pharmacy and Services, located in Lake Worth, Florida, is intended to enable veterinary practices and distributors outside the U.S. to access U.S.-sourced FDA- and USDA-approved medications through compliant export channels. This expansion complements the company’s global drug and vaccine importation services, which give veterinarians in the United States access to critical medicines licensed outside of the country.

Lovet survey: 46% of pet owners delay care due to cost

Pet owners remain deeply committed to their pets, but financial pressures, uncertainty around when care is needed and growing reliance on online advice are shaping veterinary care decisions, according to the 2026 Lovet Checkup Report from Lovet Pet Health Care. More than 90% of pet owners surveyed would be willing to take on debt to save their pet’s life, but 46% said rising veterinary costs have caused them to delay or skip care in the past 12 months.