The AVMA's tips for pet safety on Thanksgiving include keeping all people food away from pets, securely storing trash and being aware that some decorative plants are toxic to animals. Pets may also be stressed by visitors, and pet owners should watch exits to prevent pets from escaping.

Veterinarians at Washington State University saved the life of a ferret named Vanilla that was nearly comatose after eating three cannabis edibles. The case, detailed in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care, highlights the rising incidence of cannabis toxicity in pets, with a 448% increase in related calls to the Pet Poison Hotline from 2017 to 2023. Vanilla's clinical signs included tremors and seizure-like activity, initially indicating a traumatic brain injury, but a human over-the-counter test revealed high levels of marijuana, and Vanilla responded to an intravenous lipid emulsion.

Veterinarians in the UK performed a rare surgery on Sahara, a Nubian giraffe at Woburn Safari Park, to treat a joint condition known as locking stifle. Sahara's unique anatomy posed challenges, and the team adapted a minimally invasive equine tendon-splitting technique for the procedure. The giraffe was blindfolded and fitted with earplugs to prevent stress, her neck was supported with a wooden board, and keepers massaged her neck throughout the surgery to maintain circulation.

Researchers are using drones to collect exhaled droplets from critically endangered North Atlantic right whales to assess their health without stressing the animals. A study published in The ISME Journal found a link between respiratory microbes and the whales' body condition, and collecting exhalations with drones is a noninvasive way to monitor whale health and potentially improve conservation efforts.

Two studies suggest that sleep and structured training can help dogs with ADHD-like traits improve their focus and learning. One study, published in Animals, found that napping improved cognitive flexibility in highly distractible dogs, and another, in The Veterinary Journal, found an association between training and greater self-control.

Workers at a wildlife sanctuary in Utah carefully cracked dried concrete and meticulously picked bits of it off the feathers of a young great horned owl that survived having wet concrete poured on him. The owl regained his ability to fly within about two weeks, and he will stay at the sanctuary while his flight feathers regrow.

A complex mitral valve repair brought new hope—and highlights how innovation is changing outcomes in cardiac care.
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Health insurance costs are rising faster than inflation and wage growth, with the average cost of employer-sponsored health plans up 6% this year and expected to rise 6.7% in 2026, according to KFF and Mercer. Ed Lehman, US health and benefits leader at Mercer, says employers can mitigate the increases by offering more plan options and specialized health programs and encouraging employees to seek health care from high-performing providers.