CVM News

Apr 10, 2026

Future dentist learning through serving others

Caroline Burrows’ volunteer work is two-fold: her commitment to helping others through outreach is also preparing her for a career in dentistry.

Apr 10, 2026

DVM students earn Phi Kappa Phi induction

Eight DVM students were inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective honor society, on April 9.

Apr 3, 2026

CVM Communications & Marketing team earns accolades

The College of Veterinary Medicine’s Communications & Marketing team earned recognition during the Public Relations Council of Alabama’s state conference in March. The team earned three Awards of Excellence in PRCA’s Medallion Awards judging for short-term public relations campaigns.

Mar 31, 2026

Paws or claws? Uncovering veterinary ‘cattitudes’ to provide better care 

Getting to know someone usually starts with the basics. What kind of movies are they into? Are they an early bird or a night owl? Or the ever-polarizing question: cats or dogs? For ages, people have tied their identities to whether they prefer paws or claws. But what about veterinarians? Do clinicians who care for our furry friends have preferences, too?

Mar 27, 2026

Veterinary Scholars Program combines student inquiry, mentorship

Sixteen College of Veterinary Medicine students have been selected to participate in the 2026 Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program. From May 11-July 17, the program will enable scholars to engage in hypothesis-driven research in a faculty mentor’s laboratory and weekly seminars and journal clubs on scientific topics.

Mar 27, 2026

Boshell Research Day showcases range of diabetes research

Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will host the 17th Annual Boshell Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Research Day on Friday, April 17, at the Auburn-Opelika Marriott Resort at Grand National.

Mar 26, 2026

Precision, practice and 1,400-pound patients: CVM palpation team builds on championship legacy

As expected, members of one of Auburn University’s most prolific championship-winning teams devote considerable time to their craft. They often awaken when it’s still dark outside and train through the thick summer humidity and numbing winter chill. Like their counterparts in intercollegiate sports, they aren’t afraid to get dirty in pursuit of excellence. A few key factors differentiate these Auburn competitors from their peers in football, basketball, baseball or gymnastics, however.

Mar 26, 2026

Storm-swept bald eaglets now on the road to recovery at Auburn

As heavy storms swept through lower Alabama earlier this month, two bald eaglets and their nest fell from a tree in Gulf State Park. Orange Beach Wildlife Center staff and park residents — who kept a close eye on the well-known eagle nest — immediately launched a search. Thanks to their efforts, both chicks were located and brought to the wildlife center for initial care.

Mar 23, 2026

CVM Tiger Giving Day projects emphasize innovation, Auburn spirit

Auburn University’s upcoming Tiger Giving Day features a pair of College of Veterinary Medicine projects that connect to “Innovation & the Auburn Spirit.” During the annual 24-hour giving extravaganza on Wednesday, March 25, members of the Auburn Family can support the CVM Blood Bank’s efforts to maximize the life-saving potential of its donor dogs and the Auburn University Raptor Center’s efforts to provide safe transit for its feathered ambassadors.

Mar 18, 2026

Vet Fest 2026 welcomes community for free family fun

Vet Fest, a family-friendly event hosted by Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, will take place on Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the college’s Wire Road campus. Focused on STEM and veterinary educational programming, this free event is open to all ages for live animal encounters, hands-on experiences and more.

Mar 18, 2026

CVM to welcome Donlin as commencement speaker

Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will welcome American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Janet Donlin as its Spring 2026 commencement speaker. Donlin will address the CVM’s 131-member graduating class during its commencement ceremony on Monday, May 4, at 6 p.m. in Neville Arena.

Mar 9, 2026

From Auburn to the Arctic: Veterinary medicine at minus-60

Having competed in marathons and triathlons, Dr. Mary Beth Hannon respects the interplay between proper training, nutrition and sports medicine in athletic performance. As a professor of practice in the College of Veterinary Medicine with a focus on small animal emergency medicine, Hannon has applied her clinical skills and knowledge of endurance sports to help a unique group of four-legged athletes in one of the most extreme competitive environments imaginable.

Mar 2, 2026

A major mile marker: Class of 2027 earns white coats

Before enrolling at Auburn to pursue her DVM, Abigail Gaston had heard of veterinary school being compared to a marathon. After three years of rigorous coursework, she has decided a new description is in order. “Now, I think it’s more like one of those 100-mile cross country races that you’ve got to be absolutely insane to sign up for,” joked Gaston, the Class of 2027 president from Guntersville, Ala.

Mar 2, 2026

The power of passion: Sierra Ott’s journey to equine medicine

Despite the physical toll and 24/7 on-call nature of equine medicine, there are still dedicated students who are eager to join the herd. Fourth-year DVM candidate Sierra Ott has always been inspired by equine medicine, but it took some time for her to view it as a realistic goal.

Feb 23, 2026

Researchers study swine immunity to unlock better flu vaccines

Since September 2025, more than 24 million Americans have come down with the flu. Most of those cases were caused by a highly mutated version of influenza A, the H3N2 K subclade, that showed up last summer, long after the strains of flu used to formulate this year’s flu shot were chosen.

Feb 23, 2026

College of Veterinary Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony Class of 2027

  The ceremony will be live streamed on February 28, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central. A recording will also be available after the ceremony.

Feb 16, 2026

The hawk who wanted to be a Tiger

The Auburn University Raptor Center helped the Auburn football program deal with an unexpected walk-on — or fly-in — recruit who bypassed college football’s transfer portal and traditional recruiting processes. In early February, a Cooper’s hawk found its way inside the football team’s indoor practice facility but couldn’t find its way out.

Feb 16, 2026

Minding the gap between hiring manager and Gen Z expectations

When it comes to recruiting newly minted DVMs for private practice openings, specificity matters. Potential hires are unlikely to be persuaded by ambiguous claims about “work-life balance” or “team culture.” But, according to an informal survey conducted by Assistant Clinical Professor Ryan Gibson, they will respond positive to more concrete details about structured mentorship, onboarding, workplace culture, and professional development opportunities.

Feb 12, 2026

Tiny puppy, big heart: Blondie’s second chance receives boost from Auburn University donors

Blondie, a 2-month-old Shetland Sheepdog puppy, recently came to Auburn University’s Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital with a common but serious congenital heart defect — patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). If left untreated, the condition can significantly shorten a dog’s lifespan. Thanks to the work of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Cardiology Service team and the generosity of Auburn University Tiger Giving Day donors, Blondie should live a long, healthy and happy life.

Feb 10, 2026

A pocket-sized tool with life-saving potential for horses

When a horse becomes suddenly and severely ill, time seems to tighten around each potential decision. A fever. Rapid breathing. An elevated heart rate. Gums taking on a dark red coloration from increased blood flow. For veterinarians and horse owners, these early warning signs point to sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition that can result from pneumonia, post-partum complications, abscesses, gastrointestinal issues and other health problems.

Feb 6, 2026

Auburn University Raptor Center hosts Talons, Taps, & Trivia on Feb. 17

Fans of birds, brews and bites are invited to the Auburn University Raptor Center’s Talons, Taps, & Trivia event on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. Sponsored by Auburn-Opelika Tourism, the event will be hosted by New Realm Brewery inside Hey Day Market. The interactive event will include trivia and opportunities to meet the raptor center’s winged ambassadors. Raptor Specialist Katie Pnewski will quiz attendees on birds of prey, the War Eagle tradition and all things Auburn.

Feb 4, 2026

Office space: Ray Wilhite

Ray Wilhite’s office at Auburn University is a cabinet of curiosities — a place where ancient bones, thank-you notes and a signature Australian cowboy hat all tell the story of a scientist, teacher and mentor whose passion for anatomy and paleontology is matched only by his devotion to students. For 18 years, Wilhite has served as both anatomy laboratory coordinator for the College of Veterinary Medicine and curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Auburn University Museum of Natural History.

Jan 30, 2026

Molecular messengers: Decoding a circulatory threat

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) doesn’t typically announce itself in the form of a stroke or heart attack. The signals are far more subtle – feeling the need to rest while climbing a flight of stairs, experiencing a tightening in the calf muscles while taking a walk or a creeping sensation that normal movement is beginning to slip away.

Jan 26, 2026

Spotlighting the CVM’s unique exotics experiences

Students in Auburn University’s DVM program have ample opportunity for experiential learning with specific subsets of exotic animals. The Journal of American Veterinary Medicine recently highlighted the College of Vet Med’s Aquatic Digital Badge program and clinical course experiences offered by the Auburn University Raptor Center.