Weekly Companion Animal News: November 9, 2026

Merck launches NOBIVAC NXT rabies for dogs and cats

Merck Animal Health announced the U.S. availability of NOBIVAC NXT 1-Rabies and NOBIVAC NXT 3-Rabies, effective for vaccination of healthy cats and dogs 12 weeks of age or older against rabies. NOBIVAC NXT 3-Rabies offers a three-year duration of immunity after a repeat dose, and it is non-adjuvanted, preservative-free, antibiotic-free and thimerosal-free.

FDA testing faster track for animal drug approvals

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is launching a pilot program that offers sponsors of new animal drugs a faster, more flexible path to showing an animal drug residue testing method meets FDA standards, a required step in the approval process for a new animal drug for a food-producing species. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, animal drug sponsors must submit a practicable method for detecting the residues of a prospective new animal drug in meat, milk, eggs, and honey from treated food-producing animals.

Merck receives Emergency Use Authorization for Bravecto for NWS in dogs and puppies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Bravecto (fluralaner) chewable tablets for the treatment of New World screwworm infestations (myiasis) in dogs and puppies. This EUA will be in effect until it is revoked or the HHS Secretary terminates the declaration that the potential public health emergency presented by NWS justifies the emergency use authorization. The FDA previously approved Bravecto for various flea and tick-related indications in dogs and puppies.

Cold-stored platelets can be used effective in dogs: WSU study

A study from Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine found canine platelets can be processed, refrigerated and stored for up to three weeks while remaining effective in treating or preventing bleeding in the dogs studied, far exceeding the few days typically possible with traditional storage methods at room temperature. Cold-stored platelets are also less susceptible to harmful bacterial growth, do not require constant agitation and can be easily shipped, says Dr. Jillian Haines, director of the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s blood bank.

Ethos Veterinary Health publishes core competencies for diagnostic imaging specialists

Competency-based education is gaining attention in veterinary medicine, according to Ethos Veterinary Health. Rather than focusing only on what someone has been exposed to, it asks a different question: What should they be able to do? This fall the network published 30 core competencies for veterinary diagnostic imaging specialists in Veterinary Imaging Education and Workforce. By doing so, Ethos intends to provide a foundation for future efforts to strengthen diagnostic imaging training, assessment and professional standardization.

Survey to explore how UK primary care vets manage GI disease in dogs and cats

While chronic GI disease is a familiar presentation in small animal practice, diagnostic pathways are rarely straightforward, according to researchers from the University of Nottingham in the UK and Carus Animal Health. Owner circumstances, patient factors and the availability of diagnostic options can all influence clinical decisions. A survey of UK-registered veterinary surgeons working primarily in primary care practices aims to better understand how vets navigate these challenges and identify areas where future resources could be most useful in practice.

Infectious cancer believed to be circulating among dogs in UK

The University of Cambridge’s veterinary school is offering clinicians free PCR-based testing for suspected canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT) testing in response to a recent case report confirming active transmission of the disease in the UK for the first time in 50 years. The rise in numbers is thought to be linked to the import of dogs from regions where CTVT remains endemic, particularly Eastern Europe. Although CTVT is highly treatable with vincristine chemotherapy, researchers fear many vets may be unfamiliar with its presentation.

Japanese regulators evaluating protein therapy for feline kidney treatment

In April, the Tokyo-based Institute for AIM Medicine submitted an approval application for its AIM (apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage protein) therapy for cats with chronic kidney disease. An activated form of the AIM protein helps macrophages clear dead cells and cellular debris from the kidneys, according to Japanese immunologist Dr. Toru Miyazaki. Cats with advanced kidney disease that participated in clinical trials showed a one-year survival rate of 80% to 83% after being given the treatment, compared with roughly 20% for untreated cats.