Weekly Companion Animal News: September 14, 2026

U.S. judge dismisses lawsuit alleging AVMA monopoly to restrict veterinarians

The American Veterinary Medical Association persuaded U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan in Knoxville, Tennessee, to dismiss Lincoln Memorial University’s lawsuit alleging AVMA violated U.S. antitrust law through restrictive accreditation standards that threaten the availability of veterinary services and make animal care ⁠more expensive. Lincoln Memorial’s lawsuit challenged its probationary accreditation, saying that the ​designation at its Tennessee campus harmed its ability to expand and hurt its reputation. Varian ruled that Lincoln Memorial University had not adequately shown how it was being harmed and that its lawsuit was too speculative to move ahead now.

CVS practices reduce antibiotic usage in collaborative quality improvement project

The UK group reported that antibiotic prescribing fell from a baseline of more than 32% of non-routine consultations to approximately 21% during a project involving nine small-animal practices spanning 15 sites. Prescribing of triple-therapy ear medications decreased “substantially,” while “low levels” of metronidazole use were maintained throughout. Data-driven audit cycles were combined with training, clinical discussion and improved access to diagnostics, explained senior clinical director Katherine Davis.

South African cat-friendly clinic is training future vets

More than 2,000 cats have been treated at the University of Pretoria’s Cat Friendly Clinic at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital since its opening in July 2025. The clinic, which was developed in partnership with Royal Canin, has separate waiting and consultation rooms for feline patients with attention paid to sight, sound and smell. Staff and students are also trained in low-stress handling techniques. The clinic has been awarded Gold Status accreditation by the International Society of Feline Medicine.

Auburn collaborative to bring One Health perspective to rural health

Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will participate in the Auburn University Health Transformation Collaborative (AUHTC), a partnership among eight Auburn colleges and supported by a $15.3 million state grant. The collaboration will create the Rural Workforce Academy, in which veterinary medicine and public health will be integrated with pharmacy, nursing, nutrition, physical therapy, medical laboratory science and behavioral health.

Paw Prosper is named exclusive commercial partner for Elvation VET Shockwave Therapy

Engineered in Germany and assembled in the U.S., the Elvation technology uses focused piezoelectric technology to deliver targeted, sound-based shockwave therapy for equine and small animal ligament and tendon healing. PiezoWave product specialist Cindy Harrington will continue to lead client relationships and product consultation.

Most E. coli UTIs in pets successfully managed by antibiotics, but continuous monitoring needed

A significant proportion of E. coli-related urinary tract infections in companion animals can still be successfully managed with existing antibiotic therapies, according to a study from Austria. But the existence of multi-drug-resistant pet E. coli strains with a zoonotic potential underscores the critical need for a continuous “One Health” approach to monitor and control their virulence and antimicrobial resistance.

Limb position can make a difference in BP values in healthy dogs

Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that variations in limb positioning, when compared with the standard reference position, affect arterial blood pressure (ABP) values in healthy dogs under general anaesthesia. When the thoracic limb was positioned below the heart base, both systolic (SAP) and mean (MAP) readings increased significantly. In the pelvic limb, elevating the cuff above heart base level led to significant decreases in systolic (SAP), MAP and diastolic (DAP) readings.

Advanta Health Solutions, Petzey extend wellness coverage to pet health

Advanta, developer of the ActiveFit+ platform, announced that Petzey, an on-demand pet telehealth and wellness app, has joined its Preferred Partner program, giving ActiveFit+ members a way to extend wellness support to their pets. Petzey has built a routing and matching platform that connects pet owners to licensed vet professionals in real time, 24 hours a day, in all 50 states. Since launching as an enterprise benefit in 2023, the company reports signing up companies such as Verizon Rewards, Citibank Mastercard and Carvana.