Congratulations to Drs. Caitlin Holly, Lisa Freeman, and Kim Skibbe
2023 VIN Veritas Award Winners

The VIN Veritas Award – from the Latin for truth – honors those who serve science and truth through courage and integrity.  

The inaugural winners of the VIN Veritas Award, Scott Weese and Steve Valeika, were honored for their dedication to sharing the best available, science-based information about COVID-19 in the face of harassment and derision. Last year, Brennen McKenzie was honored for his courage, integrity, and dedication to promoting evidence-based veterinary medicine.

This third annual VIN Veritas Award brings me back to my early career. The two defining events in my career have been the founding of VIN and the discovery of taurine deficiency in cat foods as the major cause of feline dilated cardiomyopathy. Like this year’s Veritas winners, I encountered protectionist, market-driven resistance to my research findings, from colleagues and several pet food companies – large and small.

With that background you’ve likely guessed this year’s honorees are being recognized by the selection committee for their work related to the thus far unresolved association between feeding certain types of dog foods and canine dilated cardiomyopathy. While a definitive explanation as to why certain food types associated with an increase in the incidence of dilated cardiomyopathy in breeds not commonly prone to dilated cardiomyopathy continues to evade, there was and is a clear signal of a link between those diets and heart disease worthy of investigation and caution being expressed to the public. No matter the outcome of the research, we should support all efforts to undertake valid scientific investigations that have the potential to improve our understanding of the health of our patients.

This year, the VIN community nominated and the VIN Veritas Award committee chose to honor Lisa Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), Kim Skibbe, DVM, and Caitlin Holly, DVM, for their work and for speaking about these concerns to the profession and public. 

It should be noted that Dr. Holly was a veterinary student when she began her educational efforts. Also, although not nominated by colleagues for this award, there are dozens of colleagues (they know who they are) whose efforts identifying, investigating and informing others about this issue deserve mention and recognition.  Thank you all.

The VIN Veritas award is bestowed annually upon colleague(s) who demonstrate extraordinary courage and integrity in the service of science and truth.

Nominations are solicited from colleagues, with a committee choosing the honoree(s) each year.

A call for nominations for VIN Veritas awardees will be distributed in the fall of each year.

The VIN Veritas award is bestowed annually upon colleague(s) who demonstrate extraordinary courage and integrity in the service of science and truth.  

Nominations will be solicited from colleagues, with a committee choosing the honoree(s) each year.

A call for nominations for VIN Veritas awardees will be distributed in the fall of each year.

-- Paul --

Paul D. Pion, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Co-founder, VIN
Board of Directors, VIN Foundation
Paul@vin.com
530-757-6881