This Week in Animal Health: Dechra Announces Global Headquarters to Move to Boston

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Brakke Consulting’s 
Animal Health News & Notes for
Copyright © Brakke Consulting
Editor: Christine Merle DVM, MBA, CVPM 
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IN THE NEWS:

Brakke Consulting News
Animal Health Jobs

Earning News
Petco

Company News
Aqion
Biologos
bitBiome
Cronus Pharma
CVS (UK)
Dechra
ECO Animal Health
Elanco
Fujifilm Vet Systems (JP)
Health and Hygiene
Kyoritsu Seiyaku
Mangoceuticals
Merck
Nationwide
ORIJEN
Pet King Brands
Poultry Patrol
RexVet
Shelter United
Thrive Pet Healthcare
Veterinary Angel Network
Vets Plus
Volition
whiskerDocs

Animal Health News
Canada
United Kingdom
United States

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Company Earnings Releases

• Petco reported its fourth quarter and full year 2025 results with net sales of $6B which was a decrease of 2.5%. The company closed several stores in 2025 ending the year with 1,382 stores. (company press release)

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Animal Health Jobs

With today’s tight competition for top animal health talent, you need every advantage to attract the best people. There’s a reason Animal Health Jobs is the premier job board for the animal health and animal nutrition industry. With our tiered packages, you choose the level of service that’s right for your company. We accept roles across animal health, in marketing, business development, communications, technical services, sales, R&D and more.

We accept roles across animal health, in marketing, business development, communications, technical services, sales, R&D and more. Whether you need a cat, dog, horse, pig, cow or poultry person, you’ll find the best ones here.

If you need top talent, there’s no time to wait. Register your company or call us at 1-252-203-0033.

www.animalhealthjobs.com

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Company News Releases

• Merck’s Bravecto Quantum marketing language has been recommended to be changed by the Better Business Bureau National Programs’ National Advertising Division after a review due to a challenge issued by Elanco. (com)
• Dechra announced that it will relocate its global headquarters from Northwich, England to Boston, MA. (company press release)
• Nationwide shared its most common pet insurance claims for 2025 based on its 3.3 million claims. (company press release)
• Thrive Pet Healthcarelaunched its HereFurYou Helpline, a 24/7 service for pet owners. The service is provided by whiskerDocs and is free for pets enrolled in Thrive Plus membership program but available to non-members for a fee. (com)
• RexVet, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has introduced a pay-over-time option for its virtual veterinary consultations. (com)
• ORIJEN entered the fresh pet food market with its FRESHPREY line. (company press release)
• The FDA announced that Prazi-Med has been added as an Indexed Drug to treat parasites in Ornamental Finfish. It is manufactured by Aqion. (gov)
• Health and Hygiene’ssponsored over- the- counter- F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide has received FDA Emergency Use Authorization to prevent and treat new world screwworm in multiple species. (gov)
• Cronus Pharma’ssponsored Robenacoxib injection, was approved as the first generic injectable robenacoxib by the FDA. (gov)
• A partnership between Pet King Brandsand Shelters United, a cooperative buying program exclusively for nonprofit animal welfare organizations, was announced. (company press release)
• ECO Animal Health’sECOVAXXIN MG has received a favorable safety assessment from the USDA. (company press release)
• Poultry Patrol, a robotic in barn system, has received an investment from the Veterinary Angel Network (VANE). (com)
• A joint development and collaboration agreement betweenbitBiome, a biotechnology company, and Kyoritsu Seiyahku, a Japanese animal health and nutrition corporation was signed with the goal of co-developing products using bitBiome’s database of single-cell microbial genomes. (com)
• Vets Plus, a manufacturer of animal health and nutrition products, appointed Phillip Brame as CEO. (com)
• Biologos, a manufacturer of custom sterile-filtered liquid solutions, has appointed Hetal Patel as CEO. (com)
• JP- Fujifilm Vet Systemshave completed all validation and verification of Volition’s NuQ Vet Cancer Test allowing for an automated test within a network of central reference laboratories in Japan. (com)
• UK- CVS Vet Grouplaunched Collaborative Cancer Care Service, offering a tele vet to vet consults with a member of its Vet Oracle team after receiving laboratory and histopathology test results. (com)

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Animal Health Stock Price Tracker

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Animal Health News

• US- UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA- The University of Nevada at Reno is looking to establish a veterinary medical school and is seeking funding from the 2027 legislature. (rgj.com)
• US- ROSEMAN UNIVERSITY- Roseman University of Health Science’s has scheduled a consultative site visit with the AVMA’s Council on Education at the university’s Henderson, NV campus where they hope to establish a College of Veterinary Medicine. (com)
• US- ZOETIS FOUNDATION- A grant of $2.25M to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation for scholarship programs has been made by the Zoetis Foundation. (org)
• US- NEW TICK-BORNE BACTERIUM- Rickettsia finnyi, a new bacterium in US Dogs that is transmitted by ticks but is not on current lab tests, has been confirmed by North Carolina State University. (com)
• US-ECONOMIC STATE OF THE VETERINARY PROFESSION- The 2026 AVMA report on the Economic State of the Veterinary Profession is now available. (press release)
• US- GOLDEN RETRIEVERS- A new study from researchers at the University of Cambridge demonstrated that certain genes connected to Golden Retriever dog behaviors are also linked to similar emotional trains and behaviors in people. (com)
• US- SHELTER PET ADOPTION- Hill’s released its 2026 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report: Spotlight on Large Dogs (company press release)
• US- STATE OF VETERINARY PRACTICE- Instinct Science released two new surveys- The 4^thannual Specialty, ER and Urgent Care study and its Inaugural General Practice Study. (company press release)
• CA-UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH- The Ontario Veterinary College has named Dr. Julia Montgomery as dean effective June 15, 2026. (news.uoguelph.ca)
• UK-EQUINE EUTHANASIA- The British Equine Veterinary Association updated the guidelinesfor the euthanasia of insured horses. (co.uk)

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Brakke Consulting Viewpoint
As mentioned in last week’s viewpoint, several Brakke consultants including myself participated in the AHNTI conference in London.

The event saw strong attendance, drawing nearly all major animal health companies and much of their senior leadership. Additionally, a wide range of affiliated organizations—including CDMOs, suppliers, and consultants —were present.

The central theme was ‘Innovation,’ explored through a variety of engaging speakers and panel discussions. While innovation is crucial for industry growth, regulatory agencies face ongoing challenges to keep pace and ensure timely approval of new advances to the market. Investment is also a key component, particularly for independent startups, yet there remains a significant shortage of venture capital funding available within animal health to support them.

In my opinion, unless we improve regulatory processes and expand investment opportunities, innovation in animal health will remain more of a discussion point than a reality.

Paul Casady

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Your View 
Last week we asked you to how likely you thought the CVM would have meaningful and significant reforms by 2031? 61% felt that some improvements would be made by then, with another 26% felt that little to no improvements would occur. Only 13% were optimistic that a lot of improvements can be expected by 2031.

This week:
March madness ramps up this weekend when the bracket for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament is officially revealed. On Sunday, the selection committee will announce the 68 teams and their tournament seeds. We want to know your bracket strategy for winning friends or office bragging rights. Do you?