Difficulty sleeping at night, interacting less with owners, and showing signs of confusion or anxiety are often dismissed as “normal” signs of aging in pets. But these behaviors may be signs of dementia. 

Just like humans, dogs and cats can develop dementia as they age — and the resulting behavioral changes can be easily mistaken for symptoms of other diseases.

Dr. Joel White, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, shares guidance to help owners better understand changes in their pets’ behavior and learn how to care for animals living with dementia. 

Signs of Dementia in Dogs and Cats

Dementia in dogs and cats, often called cognitive dysfunction, develops when changes in the brain affect how pets think, learn, and remember. 

In dogs, signs of cognitive dysfunction can appear as early as 8 years old, with roughly 10% of dogs that age being affected. 

“Prevalence rises steadily with age, reaching about 80% in dogs over 18,” White said. 

In cats, symptoms typically emerge around age 10, with a similar age-related increase in prevalence — more than half of cats over age 15 show signs consistent with dementia.

“As veterinary medicine advances, many dogs and cats are living longer than they previously did, which increases the likelihood of developing this disease,” White said. “In addition, we (veterinarians and owners) are becoming more aware of this disease and are likely better at recognizing and diagnosing it.” 

Early signs of dementia include: 

• Wandering aimlessly 
• Having accidents in the house 
• Struggling to navigate doorways or stairs 
• Changes in hearing or responsiveness 
• Vocalizing more than usual

Because these changes can overlap with other conditions, it is easy to confuse them, according to White. 

“Difficulty with stairs might look like arthritis, while accidents in the house could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or kidney disease,” he said. 

While dogs and cats may show similar symptoms, cats also tend to over-groom themselves to the point of developing bald spots.

“Cats are excellent at hiding illness from their owners and veterinarians, which can make them more challenging to diagnose,” White said. 

Older cats also commonly develop other health conditions, especially hyperthyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This can cause changes in behavior and activity that may look similar to signs of dementia, making an accurate diagnosis even more important.

How Dementia is Diagnosed

When dementia is suspected, veterinarians will use questionnaires based on owners’ observations of their pets’ behavior to help identify cognitive dysfunction — the more signs a pet shows, the more likely the disease may be contributing to the changes.

“A comprehensive history is the most valuable tool when making a diagnosis of dementia in pets,” White said.

Veterinarians may also perform blood tests, combined with physical and neurologic examinations, to rule out other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to dementia.

The most definitive way to evaluate a pet for dementia-related changes in the brain is magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI. However, an MRI requires anesthesia and can be costly.

Supporting Pets with Dementia

Although there is no cure for dementia in dogs or cats, changes to a pet’s daily routine and environment can help manage symptoms and support quality of life.

Regular exercise — including leash walks and games of fetch for dogs, or food puzzles and interactive toys for cats — can help keep pets physically active and mentally engaged. 

“This can be challenging when a pet has other health problems, such as severe arthritis,” White said. “Many owners find creative alternatives to keep their older pets active. For example, swimming can be an option for larger pets, while gentle movement in a tub or outdoor time in strollers, carriers, or backpacks can provide activity for smaller ones.”

Spending regular quality time with your pets can also help support their well-being.

In addition, for pets severely affected by dementia, keeping their environment safe and predictable is essential because sudden changes can be stressful. Owners can close off areas where their pet might get hurt, pad sharp furniture corners, and avoid major changes, such as rearranging furniture or moving to a new home. 

Diet can also play a role in managing dementia. 

Foods rich in medium‑chain triglycerides (MCTs) and antioxidants such as vitamin E and omega‑3s may help improve clinical signs. While manufactured diets containing these ingredients are available for dogs, similar options have not been developed for cats. 

Veterinarians also can help owners determine which supplements may be appropriate for their pets.

When lifestyle and diet are not enough, medications can be considered as an option. However, pets can respond differently to medications, so they should always be used under the guidance of a veterinarian.

Keeping the Bond Strong in Difficult Times

For many owners, the hardest part of caring for a pet with dementia is staying patient as the disease progresses. Watching a beloved pet struggle can be heartbreaking, and feeling frustrated at times is normal. 

“It may be easy to forget that your pet is not choosing to cause problems, like waking you up at night or having an accident on the rug, especially when these things happen repeatedly,” White said. “In those moments, it can help to pause, take a breath, and remember that the pet is ill, not intentionally misbehaving.” 

Dementia may change some aspects of life with an aging pet, but patience, compassion, and quality time can help owners continue to make the most of the years they have together.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu. 

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Veterinarians have limited time to read research, yet many spend valuable hours sorting through studies that don’t directly address their clinical questions.

That struggle, shared across the profession, prompted Texas A&M researchers and a global team to develop the Quality and Uncertainty Indicator Tool (QUIT) — a simple, 10‑question triage tool that helps early-career veterinarians quickly decide whether to keep reading or set aside a research paper.

“QUIT gets its name from its purpose: to help readers quit reading a study with too many shortcomings. It can save time that might be spent going down rabbit holes that aren’t the best choices for them,” said Laura Rey, an instructional assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) and one of the project’s authors. Rey was joined in developing the resource by Molly Crews, also a VMBS instructional assistant professor and a member of the Evidence‑Based Veterinary Medicine Association (EBVMA).  

Rey also helped shape the website and the audio series that accompanies the free tool.

“Our ambition is for every veterinarian to be able to apply the 10 straightforward questions,” said Dr. Sheila Keay, EBVMA president. “There’s no other tool out there like this.”

Simple Questions Spot Concerns in Complex Studies

QUIT is built as a one‑page flowchart that guides readers through 10 plain‑language, yes‑or‑no questions, organized the same way a research paper is laid out — from the abstract and introduction to the methods, results, and discussion.

Website users can click “yes” or “no” on each question, which generates a traffic‑light summary that helps users quickly evaluate a paper — yellow cautions flag areas that may need a closer look, while red stop signs point to more serious concerns.

One of QUIT’s first questions asks whether a study addresses a clinically relevant problem: did the authors measure outcomes that matter in practice — such as pain, appetite, or sleep — or focus only on obscure physiological markers? If not, even a strong study may be set aside.

The tool also helps beginners in assessing a study’s risk of bias in the methods section, which can feel overwhelming, through four guiding questions. One simply asks whether researchers calculated how many samples (animals, people, or data points) they needed before beginning the study.

“People often jump straight to judging the sample size, but calculating it can be brutal for complex studies,” Keay said. “What matters is simply asking, ‘Was it done?’ Most veterinary studies don’t report their sample‑size calculations at all.”

Another question encourages readers to compare what researchers said they would measure with what they actually reported in the results.

“If researchers strongly believe a treatment is effective, they might test three outcomes. If only one shows a benefit and the other two don’t, do they report just the favorable one?” Keay said. “Authors should always explain why certain outcomes weren’t reported. When they don’t, it becomes an important source of potential bias.”

Turning Shared Frustration into Practical Tools

The inspiration for QUIT stemmed from the EBVMA’s Website Committee’s empathy for veterinarians who are scrambling to keep up with increasingly complex literature. Many of them have few systematic reviews to guide their decisions. That need brought together a 17-member volunteer group of EBVMA Board members and invited experts from diverse veterinary backgrounds to design the tool.

Their first instinct was to help readers confirm when a study was trustworthy. But they quickly realized veterinarians would get stuck on questions that required deeper knowledge of bias and study design. So, they flipped the idea: instead of ruling a study in, QUIT would focus on a short set of questions to rule one out. 

“That nuance mattered. You can’t escape the fact that assessing risk of bias still requires skill and training— there’s no shortcut for that,” Keay said. “But if clinicians can quickly set aside papers with obvious problems, they’re already far ahead of the game.”

As the team worked to make the tool accessible for non‑experts, they refined the questions through an estimated 30 rounds of revisions before landing on language that early-career practitioners could answer comfortably.

To make the content easier to absorb without heavy reading, the team also developed the Evidence Anxiety Series, a set of short audio recordings covering six topics.

The team is now testing QUIT as a teaching resource for practitioners and educators.

Next, the team plans to validate the tool by comparing how students and experts trained in risk‑of‑bias assessment use QUIT to evaluate the same studies.

“Ultimately, we want to advocate for research synthesis,” Keay said. “This tool is just a starting point and an interim measure — something to help veterinarians begin talking about uncertainty and how to navigate it.”

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As antibiotic resistance grows, scientists hope to harness the body’s natural defenses by studying how the immune system uses copper — and how bacteria fight back.

When bacteria invade the urinary tract, the body has its own arsenal for fighting back. Among those weapons is an unlikely tool: copper.

Researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) are investigating how the body uses the essential trace mineral to fight urinary tract infections (UTIs), how bacteria manage to survive that attack, and whether those discoveries could eventually lead to new ways of treating infections that are increasingly difficult to control with antibiotics.

The research, supported by a $1.48 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), builds on previous findings from the lab of Dr. Sarguru Subash, an associate professor in the VMBS Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, showing that the body pumps copper into the urinary tract during infection to kill the UTI-causing bacteria.

“We know that copper plays an important role, but that also raises so many questions about how these pathogens adapt to the presence of increased copper,” Subash said. “If we better understand how the bacteria overcome the host-imposed copper resistance, then we can develop therapies that make the bacteria more susceptible to copper and, more broadly to everything that the immune system throws at them.”

Turning A Nutrient Into A Weapon

Copper is an essential nutrient for both people and animals, but in the right environment and concentration, it can also be toxic to bacteria.

The immune system takes advantage of that property when responding to infection.

As part of the body’s early, or innate, immune response, specialized immune cells can engulf invading bacteria and expose them to an antimicrobial mixture that includes copper. During a UTI, Subash’s previous research has shown that the body increases copper levels in the urine.

But bacteria aren’t defenseless. Because they encounter copper naturally in the environment, many bacteria have evolved mechanisms that allow them to remove or detoxify the metal.

“Bacteria do have adaptations, but when it’s presented in the context of this cocktail, the bacterial defense mechanisms are not as effective,” Subash said. “Sometimes the balance tips in favor of the host, so we can control the infections. Other times, the balance tips in favor of pathogens. As a result, we get clinical disease.”

That creates what Subash describes as a tug-of-war between the host and pathogen: sometimes, the immune system successfully controls bacterial growth before it causes noticeable illness; other times, bacteria overcome those defenses, allowing an infection to become established.

Understanding what tips that balance could reveal new vulnerabilities that researchers can target to control bacterial infections.

Learning How Bacteria Fight Back

His new project will examine the interaction from both sides — how the body deploys copper and how bacteria respond once they encounter it.

Part of the research will investigate the genetic mechanisms that allow UTI-causing bacteria to tolerate increased copper and continue growing despite the immune system’s attempts to stop them.

Another part will explore early evidence found by the team that copper may do more than inhibit bacterial growth. It could interfere with hair-like structures on the surface of bacteria called fimbriae, which allow the bacteria to attach tightly to cells lining the bladder.

That attachment is critical because one of the urinary tract’s physical defenses is urination itself, according to Subash. Bacteria that cannot firmly attach to the bladder lining are more likely to be flushed from the body.

The researchers will also study ceruloplasmin, a copper-containing protein that Subash’s previous findings suggest may help deliver copper during a UTI.

Finally, because metals such as copper can damage the body’s own cells at high concentrations, the body carefully controls how they are transported and stored. Subash’s team will investigate how ceruloplasmin helps mobilize copper during infection and what role that process plays in the immune system’s ability to control invading bacteria.

Together, those studies will help researchers better understand the host-pathogen interface — where the body’s defenses and a disease-causing organism interact.

Helping The Immune System Finish The Job

The project’s ultimate goal goes beyond understanding how the process works. Subash’s team is also investigating whether it can use that knowledge to develop new treatments.

The researchers previously identified an experimental antimicrobial compound that becomes more effective when copper is present. They will now modify and test related compounds to identify potential candidates for future therapies that could work alongside the immune system’s existing defenses.

This host-directed approach could be particularly valuable as bacteria become increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

“We are very interested in understanding the basic aspects of how the immune system controls pathogens so we can develop next-generation antimicrobials that not only are focused on directly killing bacteria but also work synergistically with the immune system,” Subash said.

Subash cautioned that any clinically available copper-dependent treatment is still likely years away, but the current research could provide an important early step toward developing new options for difficult-to-treat UTIs.

Potential Beyond UTIs

While the research is focused on UTIs, its potential impact could extend beyond the bladder. Some of the same bacteria that cause UTIs can also cause infections in other parts of the body, meaning discoveries about how they respond to copper could eventually inform treatments for other bacterial infections.

The work could also have implications for veterinary medicine, where UTIs are a recurring problem in animals such as dogs. Before those possibilities can be explored, Subash and his team are focused on understanding the fundamental relationship between the body’s copper defenses and the bacteria trying to overcome them.

“The main innovative aspect of this project is looking comprehensively at how the pathogen responds and how the host uses copper and then tying together both of these basic science discoveries with a translational goal,” Subash said. “It’s a full circle.”

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In much of the South, warm temperatures and humidity create the perfect environment for fleas to thrive and reproduce almost year-round, making prevention especially important for pets.

For some dogs and cats, even a small number of flea bites can trigger flea allergy dermatitis — an allergic reaction to flea saliva causing severe itch, skin inflammation, hair loss, and accompanying skin infection.

To help owners better understand flea infestations and flea allergy dermatitis, Dr. Veronica Izydorczyk, a dermatology resident at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explains why fleas are often underestimated, what warning signs owners should watch for, and which prevention and environmental treatments are essential for long-term control.

Fleas Are More Common Than Owners May Realize

When an owner spots a flea on their pet, they may be inclined to believe it’s a singular parasite, especially if they don’t immediately spot others; however, Izydorczyk says many flea infestations appear smaller than they actually are because most of the flea life cycle happens off the pet.

“Fleas are quite small, move quickly, and most of the flea burden resides as immature forms in the environment,” Izydorczyk said. “People may only see a few of them when, in fact, they are more numerous.” 

Because fleas are so common in the environment, they are often unavoidable, and exposure can happen even in pets that are otherwise healthy, well cared for, and reside indoors.

“Some people are desensitized to fleas,” Izydorczyk said. “They have always seen a few around and had dogs before, and perhaps those dogs did not have flea allergy, so the symptoms were less severe in their previous experience.”

Recognizing Flea Allergy Dermatitis

For pets with flea allergy dermatitis, however, flea bites can cause much more than mild irritation.

Dogs can develop flea allergy dermatitis at any age following exposure to fleas, even if they have not previously shown signs of the allergy, and they do not need to have other food or environmental allergies to develop the condition. Cats can develop flea allergy dermatitis as well. 

“In a dog with flea allergy dermatitis, the flea bites trigger a severe inflammatory reaction that leads to severe itching and, often, secondary bacterial infection,” Izydorczyk said.

The most common symptom owners notice is excessive scratching or chewing due to itching, especially near the rump, right above the tail head.

“There may also be skin sores that can look like crusted pimples and red bumps,” Izydorczyk said. 

In cats, signs of flea allergy dermatitis can include excessive grooming, hair loss, and crusted bumps, with lesions commonly affecting areas such as the head, neck, back, and tail. 

As such, owners should pay attention when itching begins interfering with a pet’s normal routine.

“If your dog has to stop playing or eating to scratch, that is concerning, as the itch is bothersome enough to interrupt everyday activities,” Izydorczyk said. “If the pet seems uncomfortable, that is reason enough to see a vet.” 

Treating Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Treatment is prescribed to kill current fleas and halt the flea life cycle as well as to relieve itch and address any accompanying skin infections. Because treatment will depend on the severity of the reaction and any secondary infections, owners should work with their veterinarian to determine the appropriate treatment for their pet. 

In addition, any other dogs and cats in the household will require flea prevention to eliminate the flea burden.

For pets with flea allergy dermatitis, preventing future flea bites is an important part of managing the condition. Consistent flea control can help prevent future flare-ups in pets that are allergic to flea saliva. 

Fleas can also pose a human health risk, providing another reason for owners to consult their veterinarian when a pet has fleas or shows signs of flea allergy dermatitis. 

“Fleas can also spread diseases and parasites to both pets and humans, including tapeworms and Bartonella, a bacterium that can cause cat scratch disease,” Izydorczyk said.

Treatment Takes Time

One of the most common mistakes pet owners make is only treating the pet they see scratching. Because fleas spend much of their life cycle away from the animal, environmental treatment is just as important as treating the pet itself, especially when an infestation is already established.

“Adult fleas will lay eggs on the fur of the animal; these eggs fall off into the environment (in carpets, bedding, furniture, grass, and other shaded areas around the home), where they hatch as larvae that eventually pupate and emerge as adults, which then jump back onto pets and possibly humans,” Izydorczyk said.

To help reduce flea populations, owners should: 

• Consistent use of veterinarian-recommended flea preventatives;
• Vacuum and dispose of canister contents frequently;
• Wash pet bedding regularly; and 
• Treat the home and outdoor environment, when necessary.

“Most veterinarian-recommended flea preventatives kill adult fleas within 24 hours or less; the goal is to kill the adult fleas fast enough that they do not have time to reproduce,” Izydorczyk said. “However, since fleas are still developing in the environment, they can continue appearing for weeks or months after treatment for the pet begins. Getting rid of an infestation using adulticidal flea prevention administered to your pet, alone, may take a long time, but prevention for the pets is the most crucial part of treatment and eradication.”

The most effective way to speed up that process is having the home treated by a professional pest extermination service; if that is not possible, owners can use insect growth regulators — such as sprays or foggers — to stop fleas from developing into adults. With those solutions, owners should carefully follow safety instructions.

“Some of these products can be toxic to pets, especially cats and pocket pets, so it may be necessary to remove them from the home during treatment or for a period of time after treatment,” Izydorczyk said.

Because some immature flea stages are resistant to treatment, owners may continue seeing fleas even after preventative measures begin.

“There will be ‘new waves’ of fleas, so even with treatment of the environment and all pets in the home, it can take several months to fully eradicate the problem,” Izydorczyk said.

Although eliminating an established infestation can take several months, consistent flea prevention is especially important for pets with flea allergy dermatitis because continued exposure can trigger additional allergic reactions. 

Fleas are common and often unavoidable, but by viewing flea prevention as an essential part of pet care rather than just a seasonal problem, pet owners can keep their animals and homes healthy, comfortable, and ready for outdoor fun. 

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu

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Cancer, osteoarthritis, and obesity can become interconnected as dogs age, creating health risks that extend beyond any single disease.

As dogs age, many develop more than one chronic health condition. New research from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) shows those conditions can dramatically shorten a dog’s lifespan, highlighting the importance of managing multiple diseases together rather than individually.

In a recent study published in GeroScience, researchers with the Dog Aging Project found that dogs with five or more chronic diseases were more than twice as likely to die as dogs living with only one diagnosed condition, regardless of their age or size. The findings suggest that, as in humans, chronic diseases interact in ways that make their combined effects more harmful than each condition alone.

“Multimorbidity refers to the fact that individuals often become ill with more than one chronic disease at the same time,” said Dr. Kate Creevy, chief veterinary officer for the Dog Aging Project and a professor in the VMBS’ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. “We know in people that being sick with more than one thing is frequently more damaging to health and survival than simply adding up the effects of two different diseases. We wanted to understand if the same thing is true for dogs.”

Rather than simply identifying which diseases are most common, the researchers hope the work will eventually help veterinarians decide where to focus treatment when pets are living with multiple chronic conditions.

Many owners face difficult decisions about medications, specialist visits, and treatment costs as their pets age. Understanding which diseases have the greatest influence on long-term health could help veterinarians focus care where it matters most.

“If we can identify which conditions are most likely to cause harm or contribute to other problems, we can help owners prioritize their healthcare investment, the time they spend, the money they spend, and the challenges of managing multiple therapies,” Creevy said. “This is really just the first step in that research pathway.”

Tracking More Than 50,000 Dogs

For the study, researchers analyzed health information from more than 50,000 dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project; participating owners report any medical diagnoses their dogs have received each year, allowing researchers to follow changes in health over time.

The team compared the health histories of dogs that had died with those that were still living, accounting for differences in age at enrollment and the length of time each dog had participated in the project.

The analysis confirmed that dogs, like humans, accumulate more chronic conditions as they age and that those conditions can become intertwined. For example, a dog with osteoarthritis may become less active and gain excess weight, while excess weight can also increase a dog’s risk of developing osteoarthritis.

More importantly, the study showed that the number of diseases a dog develops has a substantial impact on survival, even after accounting for factors such as age and size.  

“We are all eventually going to die, but this analysis asked the question: for any given year of life, how likely is the dog to die this year?” Creevy said. “Dogs with five or more conditions were more than twice as likely to die than dogs with a single condition reported. It shows that the magnitude of this impact is pretty dramatic.”

Some Conditions Matter More Than Others

Beyond counting diseases, the researchers also examined which health conditions tended to occur together and which conditions were most strongly associated with shorter lifespans.

Among the disease combinations linked to shorter lifespans, cancer and osteoarthritis emerged as one of the most common and concerning. Dogs with significant dental disease also frequently had other chronic illnesses, while hearing loss appeared regularly among dogs living with multiple conditions.

Rather than acting independently, many of these diseases appear to reinforce one another.

“Cancer can affect multiple body systems as it spreads,” Creevy said. “Similarly, osteoarthritis can interfere with the activities of daily living. If a dog can’t move comfortably, it may exercise less, drink less water, or have difficulty getting outside, and those consequences can lead to additional health problems.”

Excess weight also played an important role because it can both contribute to chronic disease and result from it. This two-way relationship illustrates how diseases can become interconnected, potentially compounding their effects on a dog’s overall health.  

Lessons For Dogs — And People

The study also reinforces the growing value of companion dogs as models for understanding healthy aging in people.

Because most dogs live 10 to 12 years, researchers can study an entire lifespan in little more than a decade. Answering similar questions in humans can require following participants for 70 years or longer.

As scientists continue studying how chronic diseases interact, discoveries made through dogs may eventually guide healthcare strategies for both species.

For now, Creevy says many of the same recommendations veterinarians have made for years remain some of the most effective ways owners can support healthy aging.

Keeping pets at a healthy weight, encouraging regular physical activity, and maintaining good dental health may all help reduce the burden of chronic disease as dogs grow older.

Creevy credits the thousands of owners who volunteer their pets’ health information through the Dog Aging Project for making studies like this possible.

“The reason we can learn this is because so many dedicated volunteer owners have shared their data with the Dog Aging Project,” Creevy said. “Their willingness to tell us what happens to their dogs over several years is what makes this kind of research possible.”

Texas A&M activities of the Dog Aging Project are supported by Anthony Wood ’87 and his wife, Susan ‘89 through the WoodNext TAMU Fund, a fund of a donor-advised fund program. Guided by the Woods’ overall mission to advance human progress and remove obstacles to a fulfilling life, the WoodNext Foundation makes grants and investments in areas including scientific and biomedical research, mental health, homelessness, education, nature conservation, disaster recovery and economic opportunity.

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Ever the Aggie, Ricardo Diaz ’00 has grounded his career in service, leadership, and a deep appreciation for the people who keep healthcare running.

After two decades working as a hospital executive across the country, he returned to Aggieland in 2023 and now serves as assistant vice president for clinical affairs for the Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health), bringing broad experience in hospital operations, healthcare administration, and teaching to prepare the next generation of healthcare leaders.

His generosity and admiration for frontline caregivers have made him a trusted mentor as he “passes back” his expertise to the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ biomedical sciences (BIMS) undergraduate students who are exploring careers beyond traditional clinical paths.

Discovering a Path Through BIMS

Diaz had limited exposure to science or healthcare growing up in San Antonio, aside from his father’s work as a respiratory therapist. That changed in 1996, when a friend mentioned Texas A&M University’s BIMS program, which immediately caught his interest.

“Since I didn’t grow up with a business background, I naturally gravitated toward a science‑focused degree,” he recalled.

Once in the program, BIMS 101 introduced him to healthcare administration.

“One of my classes featured a guest lecture from Dr. McCoggren, a professor from Trinity University who was recruiting students for the master’s program in healthcare administration,” Diaz said. “As a freshman, I had never even heard of that career path before. But that single lecture planted a seed that stayed with me.”

His BIMS coursework also exposed him to faculty who encouraged him to participate in chemistry and physiology research, which gave him hands‑on experience in labs and deepened his respect for scientific inquiry. Those opportunities broadened his sense of what he might do: research, teaching, or healthcare leadership.

“As I was finishing my degree, I realized how introverted I was, which is probably why the research path appealed to me,” he said. “But without a clear sense of what I wanted to do after graduation, I decided to teach high‑school science for a year.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree in BIMS, Diaz spent a year teaching high‑school physics and chemistry in Austin, where he hoped to build confidence and explore whether teaching or research might be the right path.

Although he enjoyed the classroom, he found himself increasingly drawn to leadership roles.

“As the school year was ending, I realized that while I loved teaching, the high school principal role was really starting to interest me,” Diaz said. “Thinking back to my experience in BIMS 101, that early introduction to healthcare administration, and seeing a few classmates go on to Trinity University for the program, it opened the door for me to consider that healthcare administration might be where I truly felt at home.”

Diaz then decided to pursue a master’s degree at Trinity University in San Antonio, where he completed a one‑year hospital residency. That experience led him to Crestwood Medical Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where he began his career in for‑profit hospital management and advanced from resident to assistant administrator.

“That opened the door to a role with Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico,” he said. “I was very young in my career when they offered me the chief operating officer (COO) position there, and it was an incredible opportunity — an entirely different part of the country but beautiful in its own way, with truly wonderful people.”

He also went on to serve as COO, at Spring Hill Regional Hospital ,and at Santa Rosa Medical Center before becoming chief executive officer of Shands Live Oak Regional Medical Center in Live Oak, Florida.

By then, he and his wife were looking for a place to settle, so when an opportunity arose to return to Texas, he joined St. Joseph Health System in Bryan. The not‑for‑profit Catholic hospital offered a meaningful transition from the for‑profit sector and a multi‑hospital leadership role. He later became the system’s COO, serving for nearly a decade and developing deep ties to the community and its caregivers.

Creating Opportunities for Future Clinicians

During his time at St. Joseph, Diaz and Kim Dubose, also a BIMS alumna, created a phlebotomy program to give BIMS students hands‑on exposure to healthcare.

“Phlebotomy was a great fit because hospitals always need skilled phlebotomists, and patients truly appreciate someone who’s good at it,” Diaz said. “It also exposes students to a wide range of patient experiences — from routine, 4 a.m. lab draws to real trauma cases. St. Joseph was a level‑two trauma center at the time, so students had the chance to see acute situations up close and decide whether they genuinely loved this work.”

In addition to the phlebotomy program, Diaz met with BIMS students interested in healthcare administration and shared his own career path. Through those conversations, he helped students clarify their interests and take early steps toward becoming healthcare professionals.

“Knowing that any student who goes through the BIMS program receives a rigorous education and learns from exceptional professors, you know they’re coming in with a strong foundation and great mentors,” Diaz said. “For me, that means you’re getting a talented student, and the goal is simply to open doors for them to explore healthcare.”

Because healthcare has expanded far beyond traditional hospital management, there are new career paths for BIMS students in areas such as ambulatory surgery centers, concierge medicine, and consumer‑focused care models as well as roles shaped by artificial intelligence.

“BIMS gives students something unique — early exposure to the kinds of people they’ll work with in healthcare and the discipline to master demanding coursework. You learn to handle large amounts of information, solve complex problems, and develop a strong work ethic,” Diaz said. “If you thrive in that environment and enjoy the people around you, many of whom go on to become clinicians, you’ll likely thrive in healthcare as well. It’s a strong training ground for the field.”

During his 10 years at St. Joseph, Diaz’s work also intersected with Texas A&M Health, which he joined in 2023.

“In the back of my mind, I’d always wanted to teach, and when the opportunity came up, I was fortunate to be welcomed aboard. My role includes teaching classes for the Master of Healthcare Administration students. I also serve Texas A&M Health in my administrative position,” Diaz said. “It’s interesting because it brings together everything I’d hoped to do.”

He’s fortunate to play a key role in advancing Texas A&M Health’s clinical enterprise, which includes ambulatory medical clinics in Bryan, College Station, Madisonville, and Dallas, along with mobile health units. This network has continued to expand to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the communities it serves.

He also works to strengthen partnerships with major Texas health systems, which provide clinical training and rotations to Texas A&M Health’s professional students before they move on to internships or residency.

Although he’s no longer involved in programs that directly support BIMS students, he continues to connect students — from Texas A&M Health or BIMS — with professional contacts when possible, drawing on his 20‑year network in the healthcare industry to expose students to the full spectrum of healthcare careers beyond traditional paths.

“I’m hopeful I can help some students discover a passion they may not have considered and offer an honest point of view that’s useful to them,” he said. “Whether they choose a path similar to mine or something entirely different, if they find something they’re truly passionate about, that alone is a great foundation for their future.”

Today, Diaz is grateful to be rooted in a community he and his wife love, raising their three children in the place they long hoped to call home.

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When a pet is injured or suddenly becomes ill, the first few minutes can make a difference. While basic first aid is not a replacement for veterinary care, it can help prevent further harm until a veterinarian can provide treatment. 

Dr. Christine Rutter, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, shares what every owner should know about basic first aid for pets and preparing for an emergency.

When Should A Pet Owner Use First Aid?

First aid at home should be used when a pet experiences a non-emergent (non-life-threatening) accident, injury, illness, or intoxication.

Understanding the difference between when an injury is non-emergent, urgent, or an emergency can benefit you, your pet, and veterinarian. Rutter suggests owners seek immediate veterinary attention for: 

• Any laceration or significant wound
• Bite wounds
• Stings that cause pain and significant swelling
• Ingestion of unknown substance or foreign bodies
• Suspected or witnessed intoxication
• Suspected or witnessed envenomation
• Sudden weakness, collapse, or lameness 
• Body temperature over 104°F
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea

“Recognizing the signs of an urgent situation and seeking veterinary care can make all the difference in a pet’s outcome,” Rutter said.  

Building A Pet First Aid Kit

For injuries that can be treated at home, preparing a simple, well-organized pet first aid kit is one of the easiest ways owners can be proactive. 

Rutter recommends keeping these essential items on hand: 

• Thermometer (designated for use on the pet)
• E-collar (of appropriate size to prevent licking/chewing)
• Soft muzzle
• Non-adherent wound dressing
• Rolled gauze
• Cohesive bandage
• Bandage scissors
• Sterile gauze pads
• Hemostats, a surgical tool (clamp) used to help stop bleeding

Sterile water, saline, or a commercial wound rinse is the safest way to flush wounds, and any of these would be important additions to any pet first aid kit. 

“You never want to flush or treat wounds with alcohol or peroxide, which can not only hurt but also inhibit healing,” Rutter said. 

First aid kits can also help owners respond quickly and safely when emergencies happen, providing temporary care to help stabilize a pet and prevent further harm until they can reach a veterinarian. 

What To Do If Your Pet Has A Wound

When an animal is wounded, owners may need to assess the open cut to determine whether it is minor or should be seen by a veterinarian. Any questions should prompt a visit to your veterinarian, according to Rutter. 

Before assessing a wound, owners should remember that any injured pet may bite and, therefore, should always use caution when approaching an injured animal. Pets should be properly restrained with an E-collar or muzzle, when possible, to protect both the animal and the person providing first aid.

“Because animals may be fearful, defensive, or aggressive after a serious injury, it is always best to prioritize your safety and then their comfort,” Rutter said. “An E-collar, blanket, leash, or muzzle can help keep both you and your pet safe while you prepare to seek veterinary care. Preventing bites and protecting human safety should always come first.”  

These kinds of restraints can also prevent wound licking, which is a common instinct pets use to comfort and clean themselves. Excessive licking can cause additional trauma, delay healing, and introduce bacteria into the wound. 

After the pet is restrained, owners should examine the wound. If the fur around the wound is long, it may be carefully trimmed with bandage scissors, taking care to avoid the skin. 

To prevent nicking any skin, trim slowly and carefully— only using bandage scissors, Rutter said. 

Next, the wound should be rinsed with sterile water, saline, or commercial wound rinse before being covered with non-adherent dressing, soft gauze, and cohesive wrap. Owners should then seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

Wounds such as animal bites, lacerations, or fractures should be treated immediately by a veterinarian. 

“Cover the wound with non-adherent dressing, soft gauze, and cohesive wrap before heading to a vet’s office,” Rutter said.

Before administering any medication, talk to a veterinarian, or schedule an appointment if the wound appears less severe. 

“Some medications that you may have at home can interfere with what your veterinarian needs to prescribe, so please don’t administer medications without a veterinarian’s direct supervision,” Rutter said.   

What To Do If Your Pet Is Poisoned

Another common emergency pet owners may encounter is suspected poisoning when a pet eats something toxic; in these cases, owners should take a photo of any remaining material and contact ASPCA Poison Control at 888.426.4435 or go directly to a veterinarian.

 In these moments, quick action paired with clear information is critical. 

“Take a photo or get samples of any ingested plants or mushrooms,” Rutter said. “I don’t recommend inducing vomiting at home. Your veterinarian has a lot safer ways to induce vomiting (if indicated) than what is available at home.”

Any substance ingested should be documented: accurate information such as how many pills were in the bottle, how many are missing, or if a substance was accidentally dropped allows the veterinary team to determine the safest and most effective treatment.

“We see accidental recreational medication ingestion all the time. We won’t report you. We just treat your pet,” Rutter said. 

Additionally, if an animal is bitten or stung by a snake or insect, taking a photo of the reptile or bug can also help veterinarians determine care for the pet. You don’t need to bring the offending creature that stung or bit your pet into the ER. A photo will do just fine. 

“When in doubt, call Poison Control, take photos, and be honest,” Rutter said. “Preparation and awareness can help your veterinarian respond more effectively.”

Handling An Injured Pet

Safely transporting an injured pet means keeping them in a secure, controlled space where they cannot fall or sustain additional injuries. 

It’s also important to consider any other animals in the household. Rutter says it is best to leave other pets at home while going to the veterinarian’s office to reduce stress and avoid potential complications. 

By combining safe handling, calm transport, and the right protective tools, you can stabilize your pet while you seek professional help. 

Ultimately, Rutter reminds pet parents that the best first aid is preparation. Keeping essential supplies on hand and talking with your veterinarian about emergency care before a crisis occurs can help ensure you are ready to act quickly when your pet needs you most. 

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu

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The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary battle between pathogens and one of the world’s most abundant vertebrates.

Atlantic herring travel in massive schools that can contain hundreds of millions — and sometimes even billions — of fish. While this abundance is characteristic for one of the most successful vertebrates on Earth, it also creates ideal conditions for viruses, bacteria, and parasites to spread.

Now, an international team of researchers led by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has discovered that Atlantic herring have an extraordinary level of diversity in a group of immune genes that help recognize invading pathogens. Published in Science Advances, the study found that the fish’s genetic diversity in these immune genes exceeds what has been reported in any other vertebrate studied so far, including humans.

The researchers believe this remarkable diversity reflects millions of years of natural selection as Atlantic herring continually adapted to defend themselves against an ever-changing array of pathogens.

“Our previous work has revealed many genes contributing to ecological adaptation in the Atlantic herring, but it has been very challenge to study immune genes because they often occur as clusters of closely related genes,” said Dr. Leif Andersson, a professor in VMBS’ Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences and principal investigator of the study.

Built To Defend Against Disease

The genes at the center of the study belong to the major histocompatibility complex, or MHC, which plays a critical role in the vertebrate immune system.

MHC molecules help the body recognize harmful invaders by presenting fragments of viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other foreign proteins to immune cells, allowing the immune system to mount a defense. Because different MHC variants recognize different pathogens to different degrees, greater genetic diversity generally provides broader protection against disease.

MHC genes are already known to be among the most diverse protein-coding genes in vertebrates. However, accurately measuring that diversity has long been a challenge because these regions of the genome are highly complex.

To better understand how these genes have evolved in Atlantic herring, the research team sequenced the complete genomes of 14 fish collected from three geographic locations across the species’ range. Using long-read sequencing technology (a method that allows DNA to be read in one long, continuous stretch instead of in shorter fragments), they assembled high-quality genomes that allowed them to examine the complex MHC gene regions with unprecedented resolution.

“The use of long-read sequencing was the key to success because it allowed us to characterize clusters of closely related sequences with high accuracy, which was not possible with more widely use short-read sequencing,” said Dr. Minal Jamsandekar, Andersson’s former doctoral student and a co-author of the study.

Diversity Unlike Anything Seen Before

The researchers found that Atlantic herring possess exceptionally high diversity in their MHC class II genes, a group of immune genes involved in recognizing pathogens and activating immune responses.

The diversity stems from two key factors. First, the portions of the MHC molecules responsible for binding and presenting foreign proteins differ dramatically among individuals. Second, the number of MHC genes themselves varies considerably from fish to fish, meaning individual herring carry different combinations of immune genes.

Together, these differences create unique immune profiles for individual fish across the population, giving the species an exceptionally broad capacity to recognize and respond to pathogens.

The findings suggest this extraordinary diversity has been shaped by strong natural selection driven by the evolutionary “arms race” between Atlantic herring and the viruses, bacteria, and parasites they encounter throughout their lives.

New Insights Into Immune System Evolution

Beyond helping explain how Atlantic herring have adapted to life under constant pathogen pressure, the findings provide new insight into the evolution of MHC genes and the forces that shape immune gene diversity across vertebrates.  

The study also demonstrates the power of long-read genome sequencing to resolve some of the most complex regions of vertebrate genomes, opening new opportunities to study the evolution of immune genes in other vertebrate species.

“This is the first study of the highly variable MHC genes in natural populations where long-read sequencing has been used,” Andersson said. “It is now important to apply this approach in other species to reveal if the extreme level of genetic diversity is restricted to highly abundant species like the herring or more widespread than previously thought.”

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Livestock owners know the value of planning ahead when it comes to animal health. From making herd management decisions to navigating unexpected challenges, producers rely on experience, knowledge, and trusted resources to care for their animals.

One way that they can strengthen their planning is by establishing a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) with a local veterinarian.

Dr. Kevin Washburn, a professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explains how a VCPR helps veterinarians better understand an operation and provide recommendations that support both producers and their animals.

A Relationship Worth Herding 

A VCPR is the professional relationship between a veterinarian, a producer, and the animals under their care. These relationships are required by state and/or federal law for specialized actions that can include prescribing drugs, use of certain kinds of medications, and conducting telemedicine appointments.  

“VCPR is important for producers because if you are involved with livestock or even pet livestock, the health of the animals is of the utmost importance,” Washburn said. “In order to ensure good health, veterinarians are the trusted source for any questions one might have and should have a working knowledge of not only individual animals that get sick, but of the condition of the entire herd as well.”

Establishing that relationship does not require a sick animal or an emergency.

“We don’t have to treat an animal; we just have to get to know you, how these animals are housed, how they’re being fed, and how they’re being cared for,” Washburn said. “Or, if you brought one of your herd members to us, that would also establish a VCPR.”

By learning about a producer’s operation, management practices, and animals, veterinarians can provide recommendations based on the specific needs of that herd rather than general advice.

A Healthy Dose Of Trust

One of the biggest benefits of a VCPR is that it allows veterinarians to make more informed decisions about treatments and medications. 

“The only legal way to get most medications is via prescription from a veterinarian,” Washburn said. “Legally, we cannot prescribe you a medication for your animal without having that relationship; when your veterinarian knows your animal, and your ability to care for and treat that animal, they can be confident that you will use that medication properly and abide by any regulations associated with it such as milk and/or meat withdrawal times.”

A veterinarian’s familiarity with an operation also helps when producers need guidance about an animal’s condition. While photos and videos can help provide information, they do not replace a veterinarian’s understanding of the situation.

“If we have that established relationship and a producer sends me a picture, I know them well enough to know, ‘You need to bring the animal into the hospital now,’ or ‘I think that can wait,'” Washburn said. “But if we don’t have a relationship with you, we can’t legally do that, nor can we safely make those decisions based solely on a picture or video.”

A VCPR is not only valuable when an animal becomes sick but also allows veterinarians to help producers develop proactive herd health plans.

“Veterinarians should be able to help you set up vaccine protocols, nutrition, deworming schedules, and all those things tailored specifically to the needs of your herd,” Washburn said. “But it all comes back to establishing a relationship.”

The Price Of Preparation

Like any good working relationship, a VCPR works best when it is established before it is needed.

In many rural communities, food animal veterinarians are in high demand. Developing a relationship before an emergency can make it easier to access veterinary care when time matters most.

“If you live in one of those areas, especially, you should find a veterinarian and develop a relationship,” Washburn said. “Some practices will only do emergencies if you’re one of their clients. It all just ties right into that relationship. It’s the best way to get help.”

Whether it is developing herd health plans, prescribing medications or responding during an emergency, a VCPR gives veterinarians the knowledge they need to provide informed care; therefore, establishing a relationship with your closest veterinarian before problems arise helps ensure producers can receive the guidance they need when they need it most.

Pasture Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu.

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For four years, professional barrel racer Halyn Lide and her quarter horse Keeper have competed together, relying on trust, teamwork, and communication to navigate the fast-paced rodeo sport.

In November 2025, Keeper’s challenges moved beyond the arena when he contracted equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), a dangerous and highly contagious virus, during a major outbreak that affected approximately 60 horses at a competition.

As a result, Keeper developed a fever that progressed into neurologic symptoms, and when his condition worsened, Lide turned to the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (VMBS) Large Animal Teaching Hospital (LATH), where he received intensive care in the hospital’s specialized isolation facility.

Thanks to early recognition, advanced supportive care, and a dedicated team of veterinary specialists, Keeper returned home and continued his recovery.

A Horse Worth Keeping

Lide’s journey with Keeper began while she was in college, when she decided to breed her mare with the stallion Dash Ta Heaven, a well-known barrel racing bloodline.

“Keeper was confident, willing to do everything you asked, and picked everything up really easy,” Lide said. “My husband knew right away that he was different. He said, ‘This one’s a keeper.’”

Keeper’s disposition led Lide to begin competing with him when he was 5 years old and eventually led to the pair rodeoing professionally.

“Rodeoing was never actually a dream that I had,” Lide said. “I like running the barrels, and I like horses. And he was just so good that we decided to give it all a go.”

Together, they rose to the top of the sport, qualifying twice for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), the championship event where the season’s top competitors compete for world titles.

The Wrong Place At The Wrong Time

As part of their competition schedule, Lide and Keeper competed at the 2025 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association Finals in Waco, Texas.

“I live 20 minutes from the arena, so I just hauled the horses in and out,” Lide said. “After we got home, I found out through social media that we were supposed to start all of a sudden checking horses for illness and taking temperatures.”

When Lide checked all the horses’ temperatures, Keeper was the one with a fever.

“We separated him, and at that point he was showing no other signs,” Lide said. “Everything seemed fine, but we went ahead and started treating him, just in case, and trying to keep ahead of it.”

Because Lide’s husband is a veterinarian, they were able to begin treatment immediately. But by the next morning, Keeper’s condition had worsened.

“His right eye almost looked like it was rolling back,” Lide said. “I went and put a halter on him and walked him around and immediately knew he wasn’t quite right.”

Recognizing Keeper needed specialized care, Lide made plans to take him to the LATH.

“My husband already had a feeling that things were going the wrong direction, so he immediately called Texas A&M because we wanted to find a place that would have a sling to keep him on his feet if that’s what we needed,” Lide said.

Racing Against Time

When Keeper arrived at the LATH, the veterinary team quickly diagnosed him with equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the less common, neurologic form of the EHV-1 infection, which is characterized by incoordination, weakness, and difficulty standing.

Because neurologic cases of EHV-1 can vary widely in severity, early recognition and specialized care are critical to improving a horse’s chances of recovery.

“Keeper presented classic signs of EHM, including incoordination and decreased tail tone, although he was able to stand and walk without significant assistance,” said Dr. Jared Janke, a clinical associate professor of large animal internal medicine at the VMBS.

Given the seriousness of Keeper’s diagnosis, he was immediately admitted to the hospital’s isolation facility, where the team could begin intensive care in a controlled environment.

“EHV-1 is highly contagious, so biosecurity is our top priority,” Janke said. “Any horse suspected of having EHV is immediately isolated in our specialized isolation facility.”

Keeper had already begun antiviral treatment before arriving at the LATH, and his veterinary team continued those therapies while providing intensive supportive care and monitoring his neurologic status throughout his hospitalization.

“Supportive care is the cornerstone of treatment for horses with EHM,” Janke said. “Keeper’s prognosis was improved because his owners recognized the warning signs early, initiated treatment, and sought specialized care before his condition progressed.”

Fortunately, Keeper never progressed to the most severe stage of the disease. 

“Keeper’s recovery from EHV-1 depended not only on the care team and his owners but also on his ability to tolerate prolonged supportive care, confinement, and the demands of isolation,” Janke said. “Keeper adapted well to these challenges, allowing him to receive the intensive nursing and medical care needed to support his recovery.”

His recovery also was made possible by the dedication of everyone involved in his care.

“Keeper’s success is a culmination of the work of a huge team, including owners who were completely committed to giving Keeper the best care possible,” Janke said. “The internal medicine faculty, residents, technicians, senior veterinary students, and stall attendants all played an important role in Keeper’s care. All of these individuals directly contributed to Keeper’s success.”

After 12 days in isolation, Keeper completed his state-mandated quarantine and returned home to continue his recovery, no longer considered a risk for spreading EHV-1 to other horses.

A Different Kind of Competition

While Keeper was receiving treatment at the LATH, Lide faced the difficult reality of continuing her season without the horse who had carried her through some of her biggest moments.

“We brought him in, and it was terrifying and devastating,” Lide said. “Dr. Janke let me know how serious his condition was and that I wouldn’t be able to visit him because he was in isolation, which I didn’t realize at the time.”

The timing made the situation even more difficult. Keeper became ill just before Lide was scheduled to compete at the National Finals Rodeo; although he had helped qualify her for the championship event, she now faced entering the arena without him.

“At that point, I was like, ‘I’m just not even going to go,’” Lide said. “But I came to the realization that I needed to see it through.”

With Keeper still fighting to recover at Texas A&M, Lide traveled to Las Vegas and competed on another horse.

“My perspective on performing was different than usual,” Lide said. “I didn’t have any expectations; I was more focused on Keeper.”

The uncertainty of Keeper’s recovery stayed with her throughout the competition.

“At points, I wondered whether I was going to have the opportunity to be on him again and even have him again,” Lide said. “And then at other moments when things looked like it was all going good, I was just grateful.”

Finding His Stride Again

Because the NFR spans 14 days, Keeper was able to complete his treatment and return home while Lide was still competing in Las Vegas.

“My parents were close by, so they came and checked on him every day,” Lide said. “And the girl who feeds horses for me, of course, kept a close eye on him and sent us constant updates.”

To help rebuild his strength and mobility, Keeper spent nearly two months at Conquer Equine in Lampasas, Texas, where he underwent rehabilitation designed to help him regain coordination and movement.

“They treated him like they would a horse with more complicated neurologic conditions and built him up that way,” Lide said. “They put him on the walker a whole bunch, so he just did a walk and then got him into water therapy and the treadmill.”

After about two months of rehabilitation, Keeper returned home, where Lide slowly began riding him again and guiding his return to the arena. Today, thanks to the dedication of his team of veterinary specialists and his owners, Keeper is back in training for barrel racing and continuing to regain strength and confidence with each ride. 

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