Surgery on a horse at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s equine veterinary medical centre in Saskatoon. (WCVM video screengrab via YouTube)

Saskatchewan’s livestock vet loan plan expanded to bigger centres

Urban vet clinics' work with rural producers noted

Saskatchewan’s program to forgive provincial student loans for veterinarians and vet techs serving livestock producers at rural clinics will now also cover those doing the same work out of bigger communities. The province’s Loan Forgiveness for Veterinarians and Veterinary Technologists program was first announced in April last year, offering forgiveness of 20 per cent of […] Read more

Alberta’s Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announces funding for the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine on May 10, 2022 at the university’s Spyhill campus. (Government of Alberta video screengrab via YouTube)

More funds put up to boost Calgary vet school enrolment

Funding added for more staff, materials on top of infrastructure money

The University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine, fresh off a major capital funding boost in February’s provincial budget, now gets another $8.4 million over three years to help expand enrolment. “This targeted enrolment funding will go towards hiring on more faculty/staff to teach the increased number of students,” Sam Blackett, press secretary for Advanced […] Read more

The funding will offer veterinarians who treat livestock in Ontario more telehealth options and enhanced virtual care service to farms.

More veterinary service needed on Ontario farms

$4 million investment aims to improve on-farm veterinary visit efficiency

Enhanced virtual care, diagnostic work and tele-medical support for Ontario livestock producers may soon be possible through the Livestock Veterinary Innovation Initiative. Up to $4 million is available to veterinarians through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership in Ontario to help give farmers better veterinary service.  Why it matters: Ontario has a shortage of veterinarians and veterinary […] Read more


Reba Pastink (left) and Dr. Swackhammer.

Is the veterinarian shortage real or regional?

Mentoring and partnering with farm animal practices can increase vet student confidence

There was a time when a veterinary help-wanted ad, even for a large-animal practice, would receive a healthy number of applications.  Not anymore.  A perceived global shortage of veterinarians is creating an urban-rural, companion-large animal bidding war for salary, incentives and work-life balance to attract applicants.  Why it matters: Rural and large animal practices are […] Read more


Co-founder and Chief Veterinary Officer of Obi Veterinary Education, Ryan Appleby, says the winnings from the Guelph LAIRR competition will help expand its offerings.

New micro-learning platform for veterinarians wins pitch competition

Obi Veterinary Education helps veterinarians stay up-to-date without in-person learning

An online platform that makes continuing education quicker and easier for veterinarians won the 2021 University of Guelph Gryphon’s LAAIR pitch competition.  Obi Veterinary Education has created an online community where subscribers can complete required continuing education credits in short, easily digestible blocks of information. “The idea came from the challenges I faced in school […] Read more

(Mustafagull/iStock/Getty Images)

Call your vet before you go to clinic during COVID-19

Different vet clinics have adopted different protocols

Animal welfare is paramount during COVID-19 — but so is human health. That’s why Darrell Dalton, registrar of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, recommends you call ahead before you go to your vet. “Different practices have taken different measures and different steps,” he said. “Some of the small practices are limiting the number of people […] Read more

Farmers have relied on non-veterinarian sellers of antimicrobials. New regulations would restrict those type of purchases, other than from a pharmacy or a veterinarian.

Kicking the antimicrobial habit

Farmers have already lost ability to use antimicrobials for growth enhancement; tighter purchasing restrictions are next

Farmers worry new Health Canada regulations that require veterinary prescriptions for commonly used antimicrobials will affect the industry’s competitiveness. Why it matters: Resistance to antimicrobials continues to grow among diseases that harm humans. Limiting the amount of those antimicrobials used in animal agriculture has become a step to maintaining antimicrobials for human use. The use […] Read more


(Keith Weller photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Regional-level biosecurity urged against PED in Manitoba

Producers in southeastern Manitoba’s “hog alley” are being urged to keep animal movements to a minimum and limit contact with hog operations in an area that’s seen five on-farm cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) this month. The province’s chief veterinary officer on Thursday confirmed positive test results for PED at a sow operation in […] Read more