🧠 Thinking Brains, Thinking Machines, and Transparent Pay

Issue #14 | Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 | ⏳ Read Time: ~9 Minutes | 2028 Words

👋 Welcome to Vet to the Future

This issue is all about minds—how we understand them, support them, and maybe even build them. From AI interpreting radiographs and decoding behavior, to lab-grown brain tissue responding to seizure meds, we’re watching the boundaries between biology and computation begin to dissolve. But progress isn’t just digital—it’s practical, too.

With the USDA approving a monoclonal antibody shot to prevent parvo and a community-powered salary transparency platform reshaping veterinary compensation, this week’s breakthroughs are redefining how we treat patients, support professionals, and advocate for change.

It’s a future where the smartest systems won’t work alone—and where your voice matters just as much as your stethoscope.

⚡ Quick Hits: Your Fast Facts Roundup

🧾 VetComp Adds Transparency to Vet Salaries
VeterinaryComp.com is helping bring transparency to compensation in the veterinary field with anonymous, self-reported salary data and advanced filters by region, role, and experience level. 🔗 Read More

🧬 USDA Approves Parvo Antibody Shot for Puppies
A new monoclonal antibody product offers passive immunity against canine parvovirus—now USDA-approved for puppies at risk. 🔗 Read More

🩻 AI Holds Its Own Against Vet Radiologists
A peer-reviewed study shows AI is nearly as accurate as board-certified radiologists in reading canine and feline x-rays. 🔗 Read More

🧠 AI Gets Inside Animal Behavior and Neurology
Editorial insights explore how AI is redefining diagnostics in veterinary behavior, neurology, and welfare tracking. 🔗 Read More

🧪 Lab-Grown Mini-Brains Respond to Seizure Meds
Researchers built brain organoids that learn and respond to epilepsy drugs—no live animal models needed. 🔗 Read More

🦜 Parrots Share Musical Taste with Humans
Budgies and people both prefer musical patterns that are neither too simple nor too chaotic, hinting at deep cognitive parallels. 🔗 Read More

🧬 CRISPR Creates Mice from Two Sperm Cells
Gene-editing researchers generated viable offspring using only two male gametes, pushing reproductive biology into uncharted territory. 🔗 Read More

🧠 AI Scientists Are Getting Closer to Discovery Mode
Tools like AutoScientist are training AIs not just to analyze data—but to generate scientific hypotheses on their own. 🔗 Read More

📸 Smart Camera Uses AI to Narrate Your Pet’s Movements
PetLibro’s new product uses machine learning to describe and label real-time pet behaviors via app. 🔗 Read More

💉 Chemo-Immunotherapy Boosts Canine Cancer Outcomes
A new study shows combined treatments improve survival rates in dogs with various cancers. 🔗 Read More

🧠 Glowing Brains Could Illuminate New Diagnostic Tools
Scientists have discovered that human brain tissue naturally emits faint infrared light—possibly pointing to new, non-invasive ways to monitor neural health. 🔗 Read More

🧬 Lab-Built Human DNA Pushes the Boundaries of Biotech
Researchers have successfully synthesized entire human chromosomes from scratch, setting the stage for future breakthroughs in gene therapy and synthetic biology. 🔗 Read More

🦾 Can AI Ever Truly Think Without a Body?
A new analysis asks whether embodied experience—touch, motion, perception—is essential for AI to develop full intelligence. 🔗 Read More

🎶 Humans and Animals May Share a Love of Sound
A cross-species study finds both people and animals are drawn to certain acoustic features—suggesting shared evolutionary pathways in how we process sound. 🔗 Read More

🧠 AI-Powered MRI Scanner Cleared for Veterinary and Human Use
The FDA has approved a new energy-efficient MRI scanner designed for both human hospitals and veterinary clinics—blending affordability with precision. 🔗 Read More

🤿 Deep Dives: Big Stories, Bigger Impact

A New Way to Prevent Parvo in Puppies

📝 Veterinary Practice News | June 27, 2025 | Read More

The Scoop:
The USDA has approved Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody (CPMA), a groundbreaking injectable preventative treatment for parvo in puppies. Unlike traditional vaccines that stimulate the immune system to create its own antibodies over time, CPMA provides immediate passive immunity by delivering lab-created antibodies that neutralize the virus directly. This could be a game-changer for puppies too young for full vaccination or those in high-risk shelter environments.

The approval marks the first monoclonal antibody product of its kind for dogs and opens the door for similar approaches in other veterinary applications. Given the high mortality rate of parvo and the challenges of ensuring early vaccination in every case, CPMA offers a new safety net—and could reduce the number of emergency interventions and intensive care cases that currently overwhelm shelters and clinics alike.

🧠 Why it matters:
✅ Fills Immunity Gaps – Provides protection before full vaccine schedules are complete.
✅ Reduces Mortality – Offers a life-saving option during outbreaks and in shelters.
✅ Paves the Way for More Biologics – A big step forward for monoclonal therapies in pets.

Join the Conversation:
Should we start treating young and at-risk animals with biologics the way we do in human pediatrics?

🩻 AI in Radiology: Not So Fast

📝 Steve K. Joslyn et al | June 24, 2025 | Frontiers in Veterinary Science | Read More

The Scoop:
In a thoughtful commentary, a group of veterinary radiologists—including Steve Joslyn and colleagues—urge caution in how we interpret and promote the accuracy of AI in diagnostic imaging. They respond to a prior study that compared a commercial AI system to board-certified radiologists, pointing out that such head-to-head comparisons risk oversimplifying the nuanced work of clinical interpretation.

The authors emphasize that while AI may support clinicians by flagging patterns, it cannot replace the context, experience, or judgment of trained radiologists. They also push back on sensationalist headlines and call for more rigor, transparency, and appropriate framing in how AI’s role is communicated—especially when being adopted into clinical settings.

🧠 Why it matters:
✅ Supports Responsible AI Adoption – Encourages evidence-based, careful rollout of tech.
✅ Protects Clinical Integrity – Centers the role of human expertise in diagnostics.
✅ Pushes Back on Hype – Elevates dialogue around the limits of AI, not just potential.

Join the Conversation:
How do we strike the right balance between embracing AI and safeguarding clinical nuance?

AI Meets Animal Behavior and Neurology

📝 Jasmin Nicole Nessler | June 23, 2025 | Frontiers in Veterinary Science | Read More

The Scoop:
A new editorial highlights how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape our understanding of animal behavior and neurological conditions. The convergence of AI with behavior research is already yielding breakthroughs—from automated aggression scoring in kennels to predictive modeling of seizure patterns. But the applications go beyond monitoring; researchers are starting to train neural nets to recognize distress signals in animals, potentially flagging pain or cognitive decline earlier than humans can detect.

This shift has significant implications for diagnostics, welfare monitoring, and even veterinary education. By analyzing subtle changes in gait, vocalization, or interaction with enrichment items, AI tools can generate objective, scalable insights that once required months of manual observation. As the tech advances, we may see tailored behavior therapies or early dementia screening—tools that could extend both the quality and duration of life for veterinary patients.

🧠 Why it matters:
✅ Improves Animal Welfare – Detects distress and dysfunction with unprecedented precision.
✅ Supports Earlier Intervention – Opens new doors in neurology, pain management, and cognition.
✅ Makes Behavior Measurable – Turns subjective impressions into actionable data.

Join the Conversation:
Would you use an AI behavior dashboard in your hospital? Where do you draw the line between insight and surveillance?

Mini-Brains Respond to Seizure Meds in Real Time

📝 Bronwyn Thompson | June 26, 2025 | | New Atlas Read More

Cortical Labs

The Scoop:
Cortical Labs has reached a milestone in organoid research: lab-grown brain-like tissues—dubbed “mini-brains”—have not only learned to process input, but are now reacting to epilepsy drugs in real time. These tiny constructs, derived from stem cells and stimulated with electrical impulses, exhibit synaptic activity and learning-like behavior. When exposed to anti-seizure medications, they altered their responses accordingly—mirroring what happens in clinical neurology.

This is a huge leap for translational medicine and could dramatically reduce reliance on animal models for early-phase neurological research. For veterinarians, it means that drugs for canine epilepsy or behavioral disorders might be screened with organoid models before ever reaching a clinical trial. It also teases a future in which we can simulate individual patients’ responses, leading to personalized neurotherapeutics—even in animals.

🧠 Why it matters:
✅ Replaces Animal Models – Enables ethical testing for new neuro drugs.
✅ Supports Precision Medicine – May one day predict how a specific dog or cat will respond.
✅ Cross-Species Research Potential – Shared pathways between humans and animals could benefit both.

Join the Conversation:
Would you consider prescribing a new medication that was tested only on brain organoids?

🙌🏼 Impressive Animals 🐾

🦜 Parrots and Humans Prefer Musical Complexity

📝 Oliver T. Bellmann et al | June 23, 2025 | bioRxiv | Read More

The Scoop:
What kind of music do parrots like? A new study suggests they share similar taste with humans. In an experiment using tone sequences of varying complexity, both humans and budgerigars (a type of parrot) preferred pitch patterns that were neither too simple nor too random. In other words, they liked songs with “just the right” level of structure—mirroring the same Goldilocks curve seen in human music appreciation.

This research offers more than novelty. Because parrots are vocal learners with advanced auditory systems, their preference for intermediate complexity may reflect deeper cognitive processing—and possibly an evolutionary parallel to human aesthetics. From a veterinary or enrichment standpoint, it hints that animals might benefit from more thoughtfully designed soundscapes, tailored not just for distraction but for stimulation and engagement.

🧠 Why it matters:
✅ Reveals Deep Cognitive Parallels – Shows birds and humans may share sensory processing rules.
✅ Enhances Captive Care – Informs better enrichment strategies through sound.
✅ Challenges Human Exceptionalism – Suggests aesthetic judgment may not be uniquely human.

Join the Conversation:
Do you think other animals enjoy music—or even have favorite genres? What do your pets seem to respond to?

💊℞: Dose of Humor

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🎬 Closing Thoughts

What ties this issue together isn’t just brains or biologics—it’s clarity. Whether it’s a monoclonal antibody that protects the vulnerable, a website revealing what your peers actually make, or AI helping us see what we might’ve missed, every story points toward sharper tools and fairer systems.

That’s the kind of future we need: where smarter tools serve better care—and the people behind them get the recognition they deserve.

Until next time,
— Ross

📩 Want to submit a story? Let’s connect → [email protected]!