Veterinary Vertex

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A citation can be polished, specific, and completely fake and that’s the scary part. We sit down with Morna Conway, PhD, Scholarly Journal Consultant and JAVMA and AJVR Copy Editor Vic Schultz to unpack how generative AI tools like ChatGPT can hallucinate references, remixing real author names, familiar journal titles, and plausible article wording into sources that simply do not exist. If you write, review, edit, or read scientific articles in veterinary medicine, this conversation is a practical guide to protecting research integrity in the age of AI-assisted writing.

We walk through how these fabricated citations get discovered, from peer reviewers who know the field well enough to spot a suspicious claim to copy editors who notice missing DOIs, dead Crossref links, absent PMIDs, or volume and page details that don’t add up. Dr. Lisa Fortier shares how editorial workflows shape when problems are caught and why JAVMA and AJVR take a hard line: if hallucinated references are found, the editorial team can reject the manuscript even after acceptance because accuracy is non-negotiable for credible scientific publishing.

We also get specific about responsible AI use in scientific writing: disclose how you used AI, describe the workflow, and personally verify every output before submission. The best advice sounds old-school because it works: proofread, slow down, and click every DOI. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a rating and review to help more researchers find it.
JAVMA editorial: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.264.4.382
Scientific Reports article: Fabrication and errors in the bibliographic citations generated by ChatGPT | Scientific Reports
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A splenic mass is one of those findings that can flip a normal day into a crisis. You may have an older Labrador or Golden Retriever, an ultrasound that shows a splenic tumor, and an owner asking the question you cannot fully answer yet: “Is it cancer?” We sit down with Dr. Janet Grimes to unpack why that gap between suspicion and certainty is so hard in canine medicine and why better preoperative diagnostics for splenic masses could change everything from emergency decisions to long-term screening.

We walk through what veterinarians currently juggle when counseling clients, including the role of hemoabdomen, the wide spread in prognosis between benign lesions and canine hemangiosarcoma, and how rules of thumb like the double two-thirds rule fit (or do not fit) in different clinical scenarios. Then we zoom in on the science of microRNAs: tiny non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and can be detected in circulation, making them promising minimally invasive biomarkers for veterinary oncology.

Dr. Grimes explains how a multi-marker microRNA panel is built from blood samples and measured with quantitative RT-PCR, why panels can be more specific than single markers, and what it could look like to use this as a send-out test today with the longer-term goal of a cage-side diagnostic. We also discuss the real-world barriers: differentiating hemangiosarcoma from other splenic malignancies, avoiding misleading results in sick dogs, and integrating any new test as an adjunct to physical exam, imaging, and standard lab work.

If you care about earlier cancer detection in dogs, smarter decision-making around splenectomy, and the future of blood-based cancer diagnostics, listen through to the end and share this with a colleague. Subscribe, leave a rating and review, and tell us what question you most want a pre-op splenic mass test to answer.
AJVR articles: https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.25.07.0258 and https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.25.07.0250
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Cloudy eyes in a kitten can be a warning sign for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). What happens when the eyes look like FIP and then… the kitten gets better? That clinical tension sits at the heart of our conversation with Hikaru Shiraishi and Drs. Karen Vernau and David Maggs. Their JAVMA article describes “undifferentiated resolving uveitis” in young cats, a syndrome that can mimic FIP associated uveitis at first glance yet improves with symptomatic treatment and careful follow up.

We walk through what uveitis actually is, why it matters so much in kittens, and how a set of real hospital cases pushed the team to look back systematically. You’ll hear how terminology changed the thinking: “idiopathic” implies an exhaustive workup, while “undifferentiated” reflects what clinicians often face in rescue, shelter, and budget limited situations. We also dig into the practical details that can help on the clinic floor, including which ophthalmic signs overlapped between groups and which findings leaned more toward FIP, such as fundic abnormalities and rubeosis iridis.

We also address the realities that make this topic so high stakes: the limits of coronavirus serology, the role of clinical pathology like globulins and bilirubin, and the weight of decisions that can lead to expensive antivirals or even euthanasia. Our biggest takeaway is a clinical mindset shift: FIP diagnosis is a weighted balance of evidence, and a thorough fundic exam plus a willingness to reassess over time can keep you from making a knee jerk call when a kitten might simply need a chance.

If you found this helpful, subscribe for more author behind the scenes conversations, share the episode with a colleague who sees urgent eye cases, and leave us a rating and review. What’s the hardest part of getting a good fundic exam in your practice?
JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.07.0469
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Worried pet parent meets phone tree is a stress spiral no one needs—so we put it to the test. We sat down with health services researcher Dr. Simon Haeder to unpack a large secret shopper study that mimicked real owners calling nearby clinics to book first-visit puppy care. Across six diverse states, the results upend common assumptions: two-thirds of callers landed an appointment, average waits hovered around six days, and typical drives were about 13 minutes. Even better, directory inaccuracies were rare.

But averages aren’t the whole story. A meaningful slice of callers never reached a human or bailed after long holds, and rural clients paid a bigger time tax with longer waits and drives. We zero in on the most fixable barriers—phones and scheduling—and outline practical steps clinics can take right now: enable online booking for routine visits, add an answering service or AI-assisted intake to capture messages reliably, and set clear callback expectations. These low-friction changes reduce abandonment, calm anxious owners, and free front-desk teams to focus on in-clinic care.

We also zoom out to the big questions shaping veterinary access. How different are wait times for dentistry, oncology, and other specialties, especially outside metro hubs and away from teaching hospitals? What happens as pet insurance grows? And how do cats, horses, and rural communities fit into an access map still being drawn? You’ll come away with data you can use, a checklist to improve client communication, and smart planning tips if you’re welcoming a new pet.

If this conversation helps you see veterinary access more clearly, subscribe, share with a fellow pet lover, and leave a quick review so others can find the show.
JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.05.0311
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What if the case notes from your clinic could forecast tomorrow’s outbreak? We sit down with epidemiologist Dr. Lauren Grant to unpack a One Health vision that connects veterinary, human, and environmental data so we can spot risks sooner, act faster, and guide smarter decisions in practice.

We start by clarifying what “integrated companion animal health surveillance” really means and why Canada needs it. Today’s networks rely on selective reporting and expert panels, which are invaluable but miss the power of routine primary care records at scale. Lauren explains how systems like the UK’s VETCOMPASS and SAVSNET turn everyday consultations into population-level insight, building baselines and detecting anomalies that trigger timely investigation. The payoff is concrete: regional trend context to refine differentials, better testing choices, targeted client advice, and earlier alerts for zoonotic and reverse zoonotic threats.

The conversation gets real about barriers to data sharing: policy constraints, privacy, commercial concerns, and a cultural gap where clinicians don’t always see their notes as public health assets. We explore practical solutions—clear governance, de-identified pipelines, minimal viable data fields, and feedback loops that return value to contributing practices through dashboards and timely briefs. Lauren walks through a compelling example from the UK where an unusual spike in canine vomiting was picked up, investigated, and traced to a canine enteric coronavirus, illustrating how strong baselines and near real-time data can change outcomes.

If you’re a veterinarian, public health professional, or data-minded pet owner, this is a roadmap for making companion animals true sentinels of community health. Learn how a Canadian system could start with dogs and cats, build interoperability and trust, and ultimately help both pets and people. Enjoy the episode, share it with a colleague, and if it resonates, subscribe and leave a review so more listeners can find conversations like this.
JAVMA article: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.09.0575
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