CVM News

May 11, 2026

Year-round threat: 2026 Pet Parasite Forecast shows rising tick risk

Auburn University parasitologist Dr. Kathryn Reif is well acquainted with ticks and the many misconceptions that can leave pets and their humans unprotected from a growing, year-round threat. For starters, ticks don’t disappear in the winter. Many species remain active as long as temperatures are above freezing. They’re also just as likely to show up in backyards as in forests or tall grass.

May 11, 2026

Veterinary students gain hands-on experience at Atlanta outreach event

For some pet owners, the biggest obstacles to veterinary care aren’t medical. A group of Auburn veterinary students recently saw firsthand how breaking down barriers like cost, access and the fear of judgment can open doors for both pets and their humans.

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.

Dec 8, 2025

Hope in action: Veterinary medicine professor launches emergency rescue team

In the summer of 2016, a slow-moving storm devastated southern Louisiana. Unleashing more rainfall than historic Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the unnamed storm mercilessly killed 13 people and left behind a staggering $10 billion in damage. Among those caught in its path was Dr. Chance Armstrong. Although today he is an associate clinical professor in Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, in 2016, he was in the eye of the storm as a faculty member at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Nov 20, 2025

Horse owners urged to take precautions against EHV-1

Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is closely monitoring the recent and ongoing outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. While no cases of EHV-1 have been reported in Alabama at this time, EHV-1 is highly contagious and is primarily spread though horse-to-horse contact via respiratory secretions, aerosolized droplets or indirect contact with contaminated equipment, feed, tack, water buckets and human hands or clothing.

Jul 2, 2025

Veterinary Outreach Elective Supports Underserved Communities

Veterinary medicine students often find themselves immersed in learning environments in the classroom or laboratory, intensely studying their coursework. Throughout the months of October and November, however, Auburn veterinary students who are enrolled in a special outreach elective course, are participating in a community service program in north Alabama, providing veterinary services to underserved areas. […]

Jun 10, 2025

A Fetching Future: Grateful dachshund owners invest in pet care for others

Self-described dog lovers J.T. and Pam Brown make no bones about it — when it comes to football, they cheer for the Georgia Bulldogs. But when their beloved dachshund Buddy needed back surgery, they became big fans of Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (AUCVM).

Jan 31, 2025

Auburn experts weigh in on rise in bird flu cases, urge diligent preventative measures

The United States has seen a considerable increase in bird flu cases in recent weeks, resulting in everything from soaring egg prices and pet sicknesses to production setbacks and even human deaths. A trio of experts from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine answered several questions about the growing crisis in this installment of Expert Answers.

Oct 21, 2024

Driving for a Cure to Breast Cancer

The big pink bus that the Gene Machine once called home is hardly inconspicuous. If you’ve traveled Wire Road at any point over the last seven years, there’s a good chance you spotted the vibrant 2002 Ford Super Duty F-250 from the road, even if you weren’t aware of its connection to Auburn.

Oct 2, 2024

Auburn-community partnership brings pet housing, veterinary care to domestic violence intervention program

Domestic violence survivors served by the Domestic Violence Intervention Center (DVIC) of East Alabama will have the option to take their pets with them to a safehouse starting in 2025. Auburn University faculty, the DVIC and Opelika Animal Hospital partnered to secure a Safe Housing grant from national animal welfare nonprofit RedRover. Most pets living in homes with domestic violence are […]

Jul 20, 2023

How Hot is too Hot? Auburn Veterinarian Provides Insight into Warning Signs of Heat Stress in Pets

Heat and humidity during the summer can affect us all, including our pets. Dogs and cats can easily suffer from heat stress, heat stroke, and other heat-related illnesses during the hottest months of the year.

Feb 1, 2023

National Pet Dental Health Month

Dental health is an important part of our companion animal’s overall health and wellness. Approximately 70 - 80 percent of dogs and cats exhibit signs of dental disease by the age of 3.

Dec 9, 2020

Austin selected as U.S. Secretary of Defense

Congratulations to General Lloyd Austin, Auburn alumnus and Board of Trustees member, selected to be the next U.S. Secretary of Defense. General Austin is Vet Med’s Board of Trustee liaison and a strong advocate for the college’s programs and students. We are proud to have had several opportunities to share with him the important work […]

Sep 18, 2020

Tuskegee’s Perry named Zoetis Champion of Diversity at 2020 Diversity Matters Symposium

Dr. Ruby Perry, dean of the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, was named the Zoetis Champion of Diversity during the recent Southeastern Diversity Matters Symposium. Hosted by the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine on August 29, the biennial conference featured topics related to diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine. The 2020 symposium was […]

Aug 24, 2020

Auburn Vet Med to Host Southeast Regional Diversity Matters Symposium

The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine will play host to the Southeast Regional Diversity Matters Symposium—a biennial conference featuring topics related to diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine—on August 29, 2020. This year’s conference is sponsored by Zoetis, Inc., and Banfield Pet Hospital and will be held in a virtual format due to state […]

Aug 10, 2020

2020 Virtual Vet Camps

Auburn Vet Med Summer 2020 Vet Camps Go Virtual Each summer, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine hosts 150 middle and high school student campers for a week-long Vet Camp experience. Led by second- and third-year veterinary student counselors, campers are exposed to various aspects of veterinary medicine, including small and large animal specialty services, […]

Feb 10, 2020

Neo’s “New” Chance

When the operators of Sweet Home Doberman Rescue in Enterprise, Ala., recently rescued a young male puppy with a problem, they knew exactly who to call. Neo, a Doberman puppy, was found as a stray and turned into an animal shelter before ending up at Sweet Home. Once there, it was discovered he had a […]

Feb 7, 2020

AU Vet Med Open House Set for April 4 (Canceled)

Due to changes in university operations in response to concerns about coronavirus (COVID-19) spread, the annual Vet Med Open House has been canceled. We hope you will make plans to join us for the next Open House in April 2021.

Sep 11, 2019

Fire Awareness a Great Idea for Pets Too

September is Campus Fire Safety Month, while October will continue to raise awareness as Fire Safety Month nationwide. But while those events give people an opportunity to think about what they should do in case of a fire, they rarely pause to consider their pets’ safety as well. To help remedy that, the Auburn College […]

Jul 25, 2019

High Schooler Completes CVM Equine Internship

When 17-year-old Caroline Lucarelli arrived in Auburn June 9, she had never been to Alabama or the deep South. But thanks to a Colorado-based, Smithsonian-affiliated organization, high school seniors such as Lucarelli have earned coveted research-intense internships that offer deep immersion in various fields of science being studied nationwide. In Lucarelli’s case, the six-week internship, […]

Jul 16, 2019

Concerns about FDA grain-free dog food warning best addressed by your local veterinarian

The recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning about a possible link between increasingly popular grain-free foods for dogs and a heart disease called dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, has dog owners across Alabama and the nation taking a closer look at their options while searching the pet food aisles in their favorite stores. Grain-free […]

Mar 22, 2019

College’s annual Open House set for April 6

The College of Veterinary Medicine will open its doors to the public during Open House, an event-filled educational day set for Saturday, April 6. Organized and conducted by veterinary students and staff volunteers, the more than 30-year tradition showcases the variety of educational opportunities offered through the veterinary medical profession. The free event, which has […]

Mar 1, 2019

College of Veterinary Medicine celebrates Brain Awareness Week March 12

Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will host an event celebrating Brain Awareness Week March 12 to share research being conducted at Auburn on rare and fatal brain disorders known as GM1 gangliosidosis, Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases. The university and community event, Building a Brighter Future for Rare Brain Disease Patients, will be held at […]

Nov 19, 2018

Pet and animal safety can be a special concern during the holidays

The holiday season is upon us, and the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine reminds pet owners that the safety and wellbeing of their animals are important during the holidays and year round. Dog and cat owners should pay special attention to their pets. “We bring new things into our homes that are not commonly […]