News

Distinguished Professor Lisa Tell recently served as chair on a panel of experts tasked with identifying holistic approaches to address opportunities and challenges in animal health and veterinary medicine.

Graduate health professions students from socially disadvantaged groups are more likely to have had encountered adversity in their childhood. And according to a new study, that reality also could lead to personal struggles during their education and careers.

The longitudinal research examined the wellbeing of UC Davis students in three of its professional schools: medical, veterinary and nursing.

Dr. Sanam (Sunny) Thukral was close to graduating from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine when she passed away in November of last year after a 30-month battle with glioblastoma. She was awarded a posthumous DVM during commencement ceremonies this May with her family accepting it on her behalf.

“Case of the Month” – June 2025

Woodie, a 1-year-old pit bull mix, is now pain free and seeing better thanks to community-based veterinary programs that came together to care for him. Born with a dermoid mass in the corner of his left eye, Woodie recently underwent surgery at the UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) to have the benign growth removed.

Long-time equestrian Deborah Steele was trailering her 18-year-old Paint mare Daisy Mae to a chiropractor appointment. When she opened the trailer upon arrival, Steele saw Daisy Mae—whom she has owned since birth after breeding her dam—hung up on the metal bar divider of the trailer stalls.

Resident researchers were recognized and applauded at the American College of Internal Veterinary Medicine (ACVIM) Forum in Louisville, Kentucky, during an awards luncheon on June 20, 2025. The special event was sponsored by Purina Institute with many of the winners in attendance. The winning abstracts were among the research presented to ACVIM Forum attendees throughout the conference.

Among those selected from UC Davis are:

Dr. Michael Lairmore and Dr. Michael Wilkes—two UC Davis-affiliated thought leaders in veterinary medicine and global health—have just released a new book, Belonging to Earth: One Health Stories to Save Our Planet and Ourselves (Cambridge Scholars Publishing). Lairmore is dean emeritus of the School of Veterinary Medicine. Wilkes is director of global health and professor of medicine at the School of Medicine, and senior medical correspondent for KCRW/NPR.

An agreement of cooperation has been signed by University College Dublin and the University of California, Davis to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the world.

This new research partnership will focus on the themes of Sustainable Food Systems, One Health, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, and reaffirms both universities commitment to tackling global problems through collaborative research and education.

Since the university’s inception in 1908, faculty and students at UC Davis have pushed the boundaries of knowledge to deliver discoveries that not only enrich lives but also drive economic growth, prosperity and security in California and throughout our nation.

Our research shapes industries, creates well-paying jobs and prepares the next generation of leaders and innovators.

We deliver breakthroughs that advance healthcare, our food supply, energy solutions, education and more.

“Case of the Month” – May 2025

In late February, Amanda Johnson awoke to find a frightening scene in her barn. The jaw of her 5-day-old foal Quincy was bloody and hanging out of place, appearing broken on both sides. She immediately called her veterinarian.

“She was out of town but took the time to discuss the situation with me,” said Johnson. “She suggested I take Quincy to UC Davis. They would have the latest techniques to fix the jaw and give Quincy the best outlook for her future as a performance horse.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2025 who received their degrees from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in its 75th Commencement Ceremony held at the Mondavi Center on May 23rd. Among those graduating were 142 DVM students, 34 residents and 8 students in the Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine program.

Since 2000, the UC Davis Big Bang! Business Competition has been supporting entrepreneurs as they develop their business ventures. It is open to teams with a founder or team lead affiliated with a college or university in California. The prizes are funded by corporate, university, nonprofit and various other sponsors.

When Flynn, an approximately 1-year-old male neutered Great Pyrenees, arrived at the UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), he had visible tire tracks across his back leg and abdomen. The City of Stockton Animal Services Center reported he was run over by a car and thrown into a ditch. Knowing Flynn needed specialty care, the Yolo County Spay and Neuter Group agreed to take him and immediately brought him to UC Davis.

Kaya Miller, a second-year UC Davis undergraduate, introduces her three 3-week-old foster kittens: Anna, Elsa and Merida. She explains that as a busy student, she and her roommate have taken on alternating shifts feeding and cleaning the kittens. “It’s a lot of dedication; we have to wake up every two hours, but it's so worth it,” she said.  

Miller is a volunteer foster within the Orphan Kitten Project, or OKP, a nonprofit, vet-student-run club that has rescued and rehabilitated neonatal kittens since 1988.

The UC Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital has acquired two new underwater treadmills for its small animal Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Service. The treadmills, used daily to rehabilitate dogs recovering from injury and/or surgery, replace older treadmills that were in place at the hospital for more than 20 years.