VETgirl podcast maps the veterinary innovations to watch in 2026

Version 1 — Brief

VETgirl’s February 9, 2026 podcast, “Top Innovations Shaping Veterinary Medicine in 2026,” puts a spotlight on four themes its hosts, Drs. Garret Pachtinger and Justine Lee, see shaping practice this year: AI integration, personalized care, growth in urgent care, and advanced diagnostics. The episode arrives as VETgirl is also expanding its digital education footprint with the VETgirl vital app, which packages CE, offline learning, certificate tracking, and community features into a mobile platform, while also promoting VETgirl U 2026 in Salt Lake City, including a veterinary technician-specific track running June 19-21. (podcasts.apple.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway isn’t just that new tools are coming, it’s that expectations around workflow, access, clinical decision support, and team training are already changing. Industry groups including the AVMA have encouraged responsible, ethical use of technology in veterinary medicine, while AAHA coverage has pointed to both the promise and the limits of AI, especially around diagnostics and oversight. At the same time, urgent care models are gaining traction as practices look for ways to reduce schedule disruption, improve access, and ease pressure on GP and ER teams, and education providers are putting more emphasis on technician development and specialty training as part of that shift. (avma.org)

What to watch: Expect more scrutiny in 2026 around which veterinary AI tools actually improve care, how they’re validated, and whether practices can integrate them without adding risk, cost, or staff burden. Also watch how CE companies tie innovation coverage to hands-on team education, including technician-focused programming and specialty pathways. (aaha.org)