Weekly Companion Animal News: August 31, 2026

CATalyst Council releases downloadable resource on lifelong feline care

CATalyst Council marked the start of Happy, Healthy Cat Month with the release of a new downloadable resource for veterinary practices, “The Kitten in the Room: Turning Kitten Season into Lifelong Feline Care.” Authored by Kristin Wuhrman, CCBC, and Gina Fortunato, MBA, the article draws on CATalyst’s 2026 State of the Cat report. It offers offers eight practical actions veterinary teams can put in place now, from reframing annual reminders around longevity rather than vaccines, to considering wellness bundles that make ongoing care more predictable for cat parents’ budgets, to a simple intake question, “Do you have any other pets at home?” which CATalyst’s data shows is one of the lowest-cost ways to find cats who have never been seen.

AAHA to release new diabetes management guidelines for dogs

Set to go live Sept. 1, the AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs includes information on the species-specific aspects of diabetes, how to diagnose diabetes mellitus in dogs, insulin treatment and monitoring, treating diabetic ketoacidosis, dietary management, and tests for monitoring glycemic status. Earlier this year the AAHA published a set of guidelines for managing diabetes in cats.

It’s not algae. It’s cyanobacteria.

Climate change and pollution are driving an increase in toxin-producing cyanobacteria and other poisonous waterborne blooms worldwide, posing a challenge for veterinarians treating poisoned animals before knowing the source of the problem. And even when the cause is known, there is no specific therapy for cyanobacterial poisoning, especially when patients get very sick very fast. Before cyanobacteria were recognized as bacteria in the 1960s, scientists mistook them for algae. The misnomer has stuck.

Existing drug could treat canine oral tumors: Cornell research team

A multidisciplinary research team at Cornell used genomic techniques to isolate and profile single cells from tumor samples and identify a rare cell type that is unique to canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma (CAA), making it possible now to differentiate much more cleanly between CCA and canine oral squamous cell carcinoma. CAA is benign but also a locally aggressive, destructive and invasive tumor that is relatively common in dogs. Surgery is the standard treatment, often involving removing a section of the jawbone. Many features of CAA overlap with canine oral squamous cell carcinoma (COSCC), a malignant, metastatic canine oral cancer, making it challenging for clinicians to distinguish between the two.

FDA seeks public feedback on generative AI-enabled medical devices

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a discussion paper on considerations for the regulation of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)-enabled medical devices, seeking feedback from interested parties on risk assessment, premarket evaluation, postmarket monitoring and other topics relevant to the regulation of GenAI-enabled medical devices. Feedback should be submitted under the docket FDA-2026-N-7874 on Regulations.gov by Oct. 19, 2026.

South Florida experiencing outbreak of feline parvo

Feline panleukopenia is affecting large numbers of kittens as well as adult cats in South Florida, probably due to extreme heat and an overpopulation of cats there. Broward County Animal Care reported an increase in cases this summer, resulting in eight to 10 instances of cat rooms being under quarantine. Miami-Dade Animal Services reported 216 cases so far this year. The incubation period is two to seven days, meaning it can quickly circulate before symptoms even show.

Rayence introduces portable imaging device for field work

The South Korean-based company has introduced the “Anywhere-V,” a portable imaging device for equine hospitals, livestock farms, wildlife rescue centers and large-animal field practices. The device is reported to support multiple portable generator options including X-Lite, PXP-40HF, and VET-20BT, available in both battery-powered and AC-powered configurations. Its wireless detector offers an optional battery capable of operating for up to 16 hours, according to the company.

Australian state backs e-prescribing for vets

The Victorian Parliament in southeastern Australia has backed a motion for electronic prescribing for veterinarians. The motion was moved by MP Georgie Purcell and received the backing of the Victorian Government and all members of parliament, reflecting rare multiparty agreement. Parliamentary inquiries in other states also recommend e-prescribing for veterinarians, suggesting the reform could soon extend nationwide.