CVM News
Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine News
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
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.
Jan 21, 2026
Internship program helps address shortage of veterinary technicians
An internship program gives veterinary technician students hands-on experience in nearly every aspect of patient care, training alongside Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students and rotating through specialties at the Wilford and Kate Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital and the JT Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital.
Jan 12, 2026
Department of Clinical Sciences earns Excellence in Education Award
Presented annually, the award recognizes an academic department that demonstrates sustained excellence in teaching and learning through innovation, impact, and measurable outcomes. Departments are selected through a rigorous two-phase review process that includes an initial evaluation using a standardized scoring rubric, followed by formal presentations from finalist departments.
Jan 9, 2026
Public and One Health student turns curiosity into impact
While Auburn University’s Public and One Health (PAOH) undergraduate program has been in existence for just over a year, the major tends to attract a very specific type of student. “They’re systems thinkers, they’re curious, they’re driven, and they’re drawn to complex problems,” said Dr. Kelley Steury, co-director of the PAOH program and assistant clinical professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Pathobiology.
Jan 9, 2026
Global perspectives: Cottingham selected for NCURA fellowship
As the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Director of Research Program Development, Contract & Grant Administration, Erika Cottingham enjoys working “at the center of ideas, people, and systems.” “The college’s research portfolio is broad, ambitious, and impactful,” she said, “and my work allows me to support that mission by helping faculty and leadership navigate the structures that make funded research possible.”