This Week in Animal Health: Merck and Vetoquinol Report 3rd Quarter Results
Animal Health News and Notes · October 30, 2026
Editor: Christine Merle DVM, MBA, CVPM
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Earnings News

• Merck announced its third quarter of 2026 results with animal health sales of $1.7B for the quarter reflecting 4% growth over same period prior year. Growth was driven by both Livestock (2%) and Companion Animal Portfolios (6%). (company press release)
• Vetoquinol released its third quarter of 2026 results with an increase of 5.4% on constant currency to €399M (US$445.9) for the first 9 months of the year. Sales are driven by its Essential segment which accounted for 64.9% of their sales year to date. (company press release)

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Brakke Search
We’re Hiring! 

Now Hiring! We seek a sales leader with a book of business selling to veterinary hospitals in GA and the southeast. Proximity to Atlanta and experience selling services preferred but not required. Our client offers a competitive compensation package with uncapped OTE. You’ll enjoy autonomy and spearhead an established company’s growth in the US, starting in the Southeast. If you can sell, we’d like to speak with you. Please contact Jeff Santosuosso.

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US Company News

• Hill’s Pet Nutrition celebrated the 5^th anniversary of its Small Paws Innovation Center which is dedicated solely to the needs of small and miniature dog breeds. (petfoodprocessing.net)
• Nestle’s Purina Dog Chow will celebrate its 100^th Birthday with a company float in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade. (mediapost.com)
• Blue Buffalo announced that it will match donations to Morris Animal Foundation up to $200,000 to support the fight against pet cancer. (company press release)
• The FDA issued a Do Not Feed Advisory for two lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Chicken Recipe Cat Food due to Salmonella. (government press release)
• Synchrony’s CareCredit announced its strategic partnership with Clarus Technology providing access to real-time financial information and insurance coverage insights to pet care teams. (company press release)
• VETARYS announced a research collaboration with Antigenesis to develop a combination immunotherapy for solid tumors in dogs. (company news release)
• VETmAb Biosciences announced positive clinical proof of concept results for a long-acting Anti- IL-23 antibody for treatment of canine chronic inflammatory enteropathy. (finance.yahoo.com)
• The National Institute on Aging (part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided new funding to support the next five-year phase of the Dog Aging Project, a nationwide long term cohort study of ~55,000 companion dogs that was launched in 2018. (stories.tamu.edu)
• CDT Equity announced that they entered an evaluation agreement with Manoira Corporation, a specialty animal health company, to assess the potential of its animal health product portfolio build on patented cannabinoid cocrystal and solid-form technologies. (markets.businessinsider.com)
• A peer reviewed publication showed that Gallagher’s Water, an equine hydration and electrolyte mix, from Equestribev increased voluntary water intake in healthy horses when compared to plain water and water flavored with sweet feed. (avmajournals.avma.org)
• Parasight System and B&L Reference Laboratory are partnering to provide Independent Animal Hospital Association (IAHA) members with a complete diagnostic portfolio for in-clinic panels and reference-lab testing. (company press release)
• Affordable Pet Labs announced the launch of a nationwide validation study of an at-home heartworm test which doesn’t require a needle for sample collection. (markets.businessinsider.com)
• VIP Petcare was fined by the Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for running nine clinics on expired location permits. (wkrn.com)
• CityVet, a veterinarian-owned practice network across 11 states, was named to the 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces in HealthCare List in the small and medium category for the second consecutive year. (company press release)
• Veterinary Practice Partners announced it has become the First Veterinary Partnership Community, a new kind of organization in veterinary medicine. (company press release)

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International Company News

• AU –Medical Ethics, announced the positive conclusion of the European Decentralized Procedure for its Steri-Solfen Epilesional Solution for Piglets, a topical pain-relief wound treatment during surgical castration and other invasive livestock procedures. (company press release)
• EU – MSD Animal Health launched its Nobivac NXT line of 6 cat vaccines at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress in Warsaw, Poland that are approved for use in the European Union. (vettimes.com)
• OM – Omani’s investment firm Al Batinah Development and Investment Holding Company has acquired full ownership of Oman’s first dedicated veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer now renamed Oryx Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Industries. (omanobserver.om)
• UK- Dechra launched a campaign to educate horse owners about strangles and the importance of vaccination. (vettimes.com)

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Animal Health Jobs
Make Your Voice Heard! 

Help us understand the future of our animal health industry by sharing your thoughts, attitudes, career experiences, and industry trends by participating in the 4th Annual Animal Health & Nutrition Industry Attitude Survey!  The survey takes just a few minutes, and all responses are confidential. 

Plus, you could win! The first 100 respondents will be entered into a drawing for one of ten $20 Amazon eGift cards! 

Survey Deadline: October 31, 2026
Winners Notified: November 3, 2026 

Survey results will be featured in an industry white paper published in November. 

TAKE THE SURVEY TODAY! 

For questions, contact Amanda McDavid at amcdavid@brakkeconsulting.com 

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Animal Health Industry News

• US – NEW WORLD SCREWWORM UPDATE- Arizona becomes the third state to be confirmed with new world screwworm. It was found in a dog in Cochise County. Additional cases in Texas and New Mexico included cattle, dogs and a domestic cat.
• US – University of Arizona researchers published a recent study which chowed the Cognitive Assessment for Neuropsychological Impairments in Dogs (CANID) can catch subtle cognitive impairment in dogs earlier. (earth.com)
• US – The Bureau of Land Management announced the completion of a wild horse gather in the Sulphur Herd Management Area in western Utah due to the decline of range conditions and protecting the long-term health of the herd. (blm.gov)
• US – A published study examining the barriers to bacterial culture and susceptibility testing for canine superficial pyoderma revealed that cost for both clinic and client may be the leading barrier. (aaha.org)
• US – The RECOVER initiative released the 2026 RECOVER First Aid Guidelines. (organization press release)
• US – AAHA released its 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines: Emerging Concerns in Canine and Feline Parasitology. (organization press release)
• US – The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine is launching a pilot program that offers new animal drugs a faster, more flexible path to meet animal drug residue method requirements for food-producing species. (government press release)
• KR – A study from the Chungbuk National University Veterinary Teaching Hospitals of hyperthyroid cats that presented for radioactive iodine therapy revealed several insights including that ~30% were diagnosed incidentally rather than because owners recognized signs of thyroid disease. (myvetcandy.com)
• KR- The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is partnering with four National Universities to operate public veterinary care hubs. (korea.net)

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Brakke Viewpoint
Price transparency: what you see is what you pay

Late last month, I spent some time vacationing in Germany and France.  Like the US, Europe is facing inflation and higher costs- I was prepared that this trip might cost us a bit, but I was pleasantly surprised by what we experienced.  The one area that surprised me the most was dining.  I found that for dining the price transparency surrounding our meals was greatly appreciated.  The cost of the meal ALWAYS came to the price on the menu – tipping was completely optional and could only be done if left in euros or if I advised the server what the total should be when using a credit card.  When charging to a card there never as an “additional” processing fee for that convenience and there was never a “suggested” tip amount for me to consider.  Here in the US – it’s hard to find that type of price transparency in most places.  But there are some veterinary practices (both corporate and independent) that are trying to do this.  For some it’s a way to encourage participation in membership plans by highlighting the “savings” that members receive and for others it may be a way to differentiate their services from competitors.  In an economy with inflation and concerns about cost- transparency is more appreciated than ever.

Dr. Christine Merle, Editor

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Your View
Last week we asked you to share a time you took a big risk in your business career and what the outcome was- a common theme was making a job change within the animal health industry based on the outcomes there was no regrets in the action taken.

This week Christine talked about price transparency and unexpected add on fees so we want to know which unexpected add on fee “irks” you the most?

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Brakke Stock Table