This follows the publication of a study in Veterinary Record that examined the most-engaged English-language TikTok videos about tick prevention for cats and dogs and found that while tick prevention videos received high engagement on the platform, the content was largely influencer-driven, with limited involvement from veterinary professionals.
Results showed that the most common content promoted and demonstrated use of natural or holistic tick prevention methods, and videos promoting natural or non-prescription approaches received higher total engagement compared to other types of content.
The study also found that references to perceived safety frequently appeared alongside natural ingredients or holistic themes but were rarely accompanied by evidence or cautionary information.
Products marketed as ‘natural’ are still subject to the same advertising rules governing non-medicinal veterinary products.
Practices encountering suspicious veterinary medicines, non-medicinal veterinary products or retailers should report them to the VMD Enforcement Team: https://webform.clue.co.uk/vmdlivewebform
The proposals follow the recent consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 along with recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority following its investigation into veterinary services for household pets.
According to DEFRA, the department responsible, “Millions of pet owners will benefit from the most significant overhaul of veterinary regulation in six decades.”
The new measures, it says, “will radically modernise the industry, delivering better protections for households and greater transparency around prices – helping pet owners understand what they are paying for, avoid unexpected costs and choose the best value care for their pets".
Practices will be required to publish price lists for common treatments and be transparent about options and changes.
An independent veterinary ombudsman is being considered to give pet owners “a clear and straightforward route to redress when complaints cannot be resolved directly with their practice”. DEFRA states: “With the power to make binding decisions, the ombudsman will ensure disputes are resolved more quickly and fairly, increasing confidence across the sector.”
Among the new proposals are that veterinary businesses will be subject to statutory regulation, with a mandatory licensing system – similar to GP surgeries and care homes; and there will be inspections of premises with publication of compliance reports.
The proposals also include reforms to fitness-to-practise processes. The current system, says DEFRA, focuses heavily on past alleged misconduct and professional disrepute offering limited options for intervention. Under the proposed framework, regulation would move towards a modern “current impairment” model that focuses on whether a professional currently presents a risk and what support may be needed to help them practise safely and effectively.
Although no timescale is given, there is to be statutory registration of veterinary nurses as well as farriers; later, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, equine dental technicians and cattle and equine hoof trimmers will have to be registered. It is not yet clear who will have responsibility for this.
In addition to the ombudsman, practices will need to have in-house complaints procedures, and first opinion small animal practices will require a mandatory mediation process.
The Secretary of State for DEFRA, Emma Reynolds, said the reforms would help owners avoid unexpected bills, compare prices more easily and get the best value care for their pets; while the UK’s chief veterinary officer at DEFRA, Christine Middlemiss, said the new framework “will build a stronger, more resilient veterinary profession fit to meet the needs of the UK’s animal sector whilst ensuring the highest standards of care for our animals”.
She continued: “One of the most significant proposals is extending statutory regulation beyond veterinary surgeons to include veterinary nurses and other allied veterinary professionals through a licence-to-practise system.
“In recognising and regulating a broader range of professions as a sector we can provide greater clarity about roles and responsibilities, protect professional titles, and enable appropriately qualified professionals to work to the full extent of their competence. This will importantly help create a more flexible and resilient workforce while maintaining high standards of animal welfare and public confidence.”
She added: “The proposed licensing framework for businesses will establish clear standards relating to areas such as clinical governance, staffing, consumer information and accountability. At the same time, of course, regulation should remain proportionate and outcomes-focused, avoiding unnecessary burdens while maintaining confidence in the sector.”
The RCVS warmly welcomed the proposals, calling them “a step-change in how the sector is regulated”. The College said it agreed that the profession required modern legislation to protect animal welfare and noted that it was ready to separate its professional leadership and regulatory roles if DEFRA determined it necessary.
The newly-elected president of the Royal College, Tim Hutchinson, said the proposed reforms would provide stronger powers for the RCVS to regulate all veterinary and animal healthcare businesses, ensure the title “veterinary nurse” is used only by properly qualified professionals, allow for the regulation of the wider veterinary team, and introduce a modern fitness to practise framework. “These changes are essential for protecting animal health and welfare and for public confidence in the veterinary professions,” he added.
The BVA president, Rob Williams, described the publication of the white paper as “a positive, landmark moment for vet professionals, as well as for animals and their owners, taking us all one step closer to improved legislation that meets the demands of modern veterinary medicine”.
The BSAVA gave “broad support” to the proposals, in particular the legal protection of the veterinary nurse title, but it stressed that professional recognition must be paired with continued investment in lifelong learning and education for the whole team. This association, along with the BVA, has previously expressed concern that new pricing and prescription rules may disproportionately impact smaller, independent practices.
The BVNA said it was thrilled to see the white paper include statutory regulation and official protection for the title of “veterinary nurse”. This, it stated, would prevent unqualified individuals from using the title and ensure high standards of animal welfare and public safety. The association said it had pushed for years to update the law so it reflected what nurses actually do today. The BVNA also backed the proposals to hold corporate veterinary practices and businesses accountable, rather than just individual nurses and vets. This, it says, “will improve fairness and create a safer working environment”.
Sue Davies, head of consumer rights policy at Which?, described the current legislation regulating the veterinary market as seriously outdated with pet owners being badly let down by it.
Which? research has shown that the inadequacies of complaints and dispute resolution processes are a particular problem and they leave people fighting for years to get their voice heard. “This is why an independent veterinary ombudsman is sorely needed,” she said. “The government needs to keep moving forward with the reforms so that fit-for-purpose regulation is in place before the next general election.”
According to DEFRA, the reforms will “introduce more competition to lower costs over time” – though there was no detail in the white paper as to how this might happen.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-vision-for-a-thriving-veterinary-sector/our-vision-for-a-thriving-veterinary-sector
While the awards previously focused on clinical audit, the entry criteria have been expanded to include other approaches to QI. The awards “celebrate the creativity, courage and dedication of veterinary teams that improve their everyday practice through quality improvement”.
The categories are:
Projects involving any species can be submitted by any member of the veterinary practice team across first opinion, referral and peripatetic services, higher education facilities and both clinic-based and ambulatory practice.
“A successful application will present a well-designed project delivered through collaborative practice, demonstrating effective use of QI methods and data, meaningful and measured impact, and thoughtful reflection,” RCVS Knowledge says.
Apply (and see last year’s winners) at https://www.rcvsknowledge.org/awards/rcvs-knowledge-quality-improvement-awards/.
The project – ‘Alcohol Harm, mental health and opportunities for change in veterinary practice: A cross-sectional study’ – aimed to discover current attitudes, beliefs and alcohol use behaviours of those working in clinical settings in the UK veterinary sector in order to help improve support for those looking to reduce their consumption.
The survey, which began in May last year and was completed by 652 veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and non-clinical roles such as practice managers, receptionists and veterinary care assistants who currently consumed alcohol, concluded that around 40% of participants were drinking at some level of risk.
At-risk drinking was linked to drinking to cope, for pleasure, and poor mental health, and that interventions to reduce drinking and improve help-seeking for alcohol use should target promotion of adaptive coping techniques, knowledge of low-risk drinking and stigma reduction.
Dr Olivia Cormier, a member of the research team who is also undertaking a PhD at Oxford Brookes University on ‘Understanding UK veterinary professionals’ experiences and attitudes of seeking support for their drinking’, said: “Before now, the most recent data we had in this area dated back to 2009. We’re therefore really pleased to be providing new insights. Now, not only do we understand more about what the current situation looks like surrounding alcohol consumption in the UK veterinary professions, but we can use this knowledge to learn how to best provide support to this group.”
If you would like to participate in Olivia’s research, contact her by email: 19175231@brookes.ac.uk
The full peer-reviewed paper is open access: https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vetr.70911
The grant has been created to help veterinary teams strengthen their knowledge, confidence and care standards for rabbits and other small pets, with funding available for projects including CPD, rabbit-friendly practice improvements, client education initiatives and investment in new equipment or educational resources.
The initiative is open to both veterinary practices applying directly and to pet owners nominating a practice. The grant approval panel includes Dr Molly Varga Smith (The Exotic Animal Vets), Cat Henstridge (Cat the Vet), James Westgate (editor of Vet Times), and Claire Hamblion-Jennings (Supreme Petfoods marketing director).
Nominations close on 18th September.
https://supremepetfoods.com/selective-vet-grant/
The new agents are natively built into the Provet PMS with full context on the clinic’s records, performance, operations, customer communications, inventory and permissions: “they understand what is happening within a clinic, surfacing important information and – with a human's approval – can take action” so that teams spend less time managing software, says the firm.
Operational questions are answered “in plain language – the way a practice manager might ask a colleague” – using live practice data about invoices, payments, debt, items and health plans. More data sources are set to follow.
Clinical Agent, using Provet’s AI Scribe, captures spoken measurements, diagnoses, medications and charges during the consultation; the chart and invoice can then be confirmed in one click.
Provet MCP (coming soon) will connect the practice to external AI agents, including tools like Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini which can securely access Provet data.
See provet.com/next for more information.
The formulation “enables fast and efficient absorption” of ingredients in the intestines and contains: calcium carbonate to help naturally bind phosphorus; prebiotic fibres to support digestive health; and essential nutrients to help maintain overall well-being.
Additionally, Nutravet says, it aids normal phosphorus levels, boosts appetite and encourages water intake. Each box contains 4x150ml drink.
Email info@nutravet.co.uk or visit www.nutravet.com.
The vet appeared before the committee in June with two charges against him. The first concerned a number of purchases he had made using a practice credit card between 1st January 2019 and 31st December 2019 which were intended for his personal use, amounting to £8,495.77. Purchases included £134.92 on timber, limestone, sand and plywood; £139.99 on aluminium; £125 on calcium propionate; £571.60 on “sheet plastics” and £233.99 on an iPhone. False invoices were produced to account for the spending. The second charge was that his conduct in relation to the first charge was dishonest.
At the outset of the hearing, the defendant admitted all the charges against him and also admitted that, in his view, the conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct. The committee noted that his conduct involved a series of dishonest actions, sustained over a number of months, and that this was not a momentary lapse of judgement but had clearly involved time and thought.
Aggravating factors included that he had been reckless towards the potential impact on fellow professionals and the reputation of the practice; that the conduct was premeditated and sustained; that he had breached the trust placed in him by his employer and that the conduct was undertaken for financial gain. Mitigating factors: he had apologised for his behaviour, had admitted the allegations, had made frank admissions to his employer and to the RCVS during their respective investigations, and had remediated the conduct by undertaking psychotherapy and counselling as well as repaying his debt to the practice.
The vet had a previous suspension for “dishonesty regarding mobility score assessments for cattle”.
Committee chair Neil Slater stated that without the mitigation available, “a much longer period of suspension would have been considered appropriate and proportionate. The committee has determined that following a period of suspension the respondent is safe to return to practice”.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/veterinary-professionals/conduct-and-guidance/concerns-about-veterinary-professionals/disciplinary-committee-hearings
Yumivet, says the firm, combines fast, reliable diagnostics with intuitive workflows to enhance clinical decision-making across many animal species, and is simple to operate, consistently reliable, and readily adaptable across species.
The analyser has a touchscreen interface, supports multiple animal species including cats, dogs and horses and uses a set of 57 parameters, including complete blood count (CBC) with a nine-part differential, reticulocyte analysis, and dual platelet measurement methods. It enables open tube or continuous sample loading and delivers results in approximately 30 seconds per test.
Pre-configured species profiles include advanced cell differentiation and reticulocyte counts, along with automatic selection or easy switching between species. The profiles can also be customised. The analyser is also compatible with the company’s automated solutions such as a slide maker and stainer (Yumivet SPS), a track system (Yumizen T6000) and middleware (Yumizen P8000).
Horiba says product availability may vary by country.
Awards are presented across three categories:
Five shortlisted practices in each category will receive a book of their choice provided by 5m Books; the three category winners will win full-day and evening tickets to SPVS Congress 2027 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole (three team members per practice), where the overall winner will be announced, plus overnight accommodation. Pet People Vets of East Sheen was the overall winner in the 2025 awards.
The awards are supported by health and safety and employment law consultancy Citation. See spvs.org.uk/business-excellence-awards. The deadline for submissions is Friday 9th October.
Vetlife reports that this year is shaping up to be one of the busiest in its history, with record numbers of people contacting its confidential helpline and applying for financial assistance.
The event formed part of the Vetlife Day initiative, supported by education platform Risr/, which has also donated £7,500 to the charity. Michelle Gratton, donor relations manager at Vetlife, said: “Taking part in or holding your own Vetlife Day raises vital funds for our profession and can help spread awareness of our services. Thank you to everyone who took part and donated and a special thank you to Risr/ for their generous support of the event and continued support of Vetlife.”
Donations to support the Alexandra Palace fundraiser can still be made at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/vetlife-alexandra-palace; Vetlife intends to return to Alexandra Palace in 2027 – email info@vetlife.org.uk if you’re interested.
Co-hosted by Burgess Excel and the Guinea Pig Welfare UK charity, the event will be held at the Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre.
Confirmed speakers include Mary Coles (University of Liverpool), Alison Wills (Hartpury College) and clinicians and nurses working at the forefront of small animal practice, as well as John Chitty, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine and chair of Guinea Pig Welfare UK, who will chair the event.
Sessions will cover both clinical insight and practical care challenges: the morning programme will explore key welfare issues affecting guinea pigs in both pet and rescue environments, alongside topics such as reproduction, responsible breeding and the latest research developments. Afternoon sessions will cover sector-wide challenges and opportunities, including discussions on rescue centre operations and evolving licensing proposals, providing an opportunity for delegates to contribute to wider policy conversations around animal welfare.
Tickets are priced at £10, with all proceeds donated to Guinea Pig Welfare UK to support ongoing education, research and advocacy work aimed at improving welfare standards nationwide.
For more information and to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/guinea-pig-welfare-forum-2026-tickets-1987609178558
The report presents the full dataset collected over two decades and contains post-operative complication data from 90,363 neutering cases in dogs, cats and rabbits carried out between 2005 and 2025 in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Among the results published for the first time are pan-UK complication rates by species and procedure for the last two decades.
For spay procedures where no abnormality was present, the benchmark outcomes were 76% in dogs, 86% in cats and 81% in rabbits.
For castrate procedures where no abnormality was present, the benchmark outcomes were 75% in dogs, 95% in cats and 78% in rabbits.
The benchmarks exclude patients lost to follow-up and are representative of 76,222 cases across all species.
The rabbit dataset is much smaller than the data for cats and dogs, so RCVS Knowledge said the rabbit benchmarks are less robust.
RCVS Knowledge said the report can be used by practices as a reference point to understand their own audit data, highlight strengths and work towards improvements in the quality of care.
Katie Mantell, Chief Executive Officer at RCVS Knowledge, said: "Over the last 20 years, the NASAN has become a respected data set that provides veterinary professionals with reliable data to help them benchmark and audit complications associated with neutering in their own practices.
"The NASAN can only exist because veterinary professionals across the UK and Ireland willingly contribute their data for the betterment of surgical outcomes for dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs.
"Thank you to everyone who has submitted their data over the last two decades.
"Once you've finished reading the benchmarking report, I hope you'll be inspired to start contributing your own practice's data to the NASAN."
https://www.rcvsknowledge.org/subject/audits-and-benchmarks/national-audit-for-small-animal-neutering-nasan/nasan-benchmark-reports/
www.rcvsknowledge.org/NASAN-submit
As part of the arrangement, I am stepping down as Editor, with Veterinary Edge editor and VetEdge Congress organiser Chris Ritchie taking over day-to-day editorial responsibility for VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk.
The collaboration is designed to broaden editorial reach, strengthen the range of services offered to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, and create additional value for advertisers.
David Kimberley will become the main point of contact for advertising across VetSurgeon.org, VetNurse.co.uk, Veterinary Edge, VetIndex and VetEdge Congress.
After more than 25 years running the communities, I will remain publisher of the sites, working behind the scenes to support Chris and his team.
Alongside that, I’ll be focusing my attention on a new journalism venture, reviewing and explaining consumer technology, AI and gadgets for mainstream audiences: www.arlo-guthrie.com
My resignation letter in full: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/p/announce
Photo: It's bye bye from me.
Susan graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1992 and spent most of her career in small animal general practice.
In 2000, she founded her own practice and grew it into a three-site operation.
After two decades, the practice became part of a larger mixed group and then a corporate organisation, where Susan held senior roles including Managing Director and Business Development Director, supporting multiple practices across Scotland and the Scottish Borders.
Within BSAVA, Susan began as a regional volunteer, later became Regions Coordinator and then served a three-year term as Chair of the BSAVA PetSavers Management Committee.
Following a short break, she returned to the association in 2024 as a Trustee and joined the Presidential ladder as Junior Vice President.
Susan also volunteers with Vetlife and has contributed to the RCVS university accreditation panel.
She said: "I am very much looking forward to working closely with our Executive Leadership Team, Board, Volunteers, Staff and most importantly, our members, to keep rolling out the support, opportunities and products that our members value.
"It has been both interesting and a privilege to have served my first two years as a trustee, where as a team we see lots of opportunity for representation, innovation, collaboration, growth and strengthening of our BSAVA community."
Susan takes over from Dr Julian Hoad, who moves to Senior Vice President after two years as BSAVA President.
Niall Connell has moved into the role of Vice President, and Matt Erskine has joined the Presidential ladder as Junior Vice President.
"Supporting Successful Recovery - Practical Strategies for Post-Operative Care and Wound Healing" will be available from 09:00 July 13th 2026 through The Webinar Vet.
The webinar, which is aimed at the whole veterinary team but has a particular relevance for nurses involved in post-operative patient care, wound management and client support, is part of a new educational Recovery campaign delivered by Select from NVS and offering further resources via a dedicated online Recovery hub.
The session will provide a practical overview of post-operative wound healing and help veterinary professionals distinguish between surgical site infections (SSIs) and other common causes of wound breakdown.
Georgie, the founder of Bandaging Angels and a well-known veterinary nurse educator, will discuss factors that influence healing, illustrate common post-operative complications and share best-practice approaches to wound protection, including dressings, bandaging, collars and recovery garments.
The session will also include practical guidance on home wound management and how to encourage owner engagement to support successful recovery outcomes.
The Recovery hub will also feature articles, blogs and a podcast focused on recovery and wound care.
The campaign will also highlight complementary recovery products including Select from NVS bandages, bandage removal spray and recovery collars, designed to help practices create a comprehensive approach to post-operative care.
https://thewebinarvet.com/webinars/supporting-successful-recovery-practical-strategies-for-post-operative-care-and-wound-healing
https://www.nvsweb.co.uk/products/recovery/
Henry, a Small Animal Internal Medicine resident at the University of Liverpool Small Animal Teaching Hospital, won the Outstanding Oral Abstract Presentation award for "Risk factors associated with the development of suspected feline injection site sarcomas identified in a sentinel network of UK primary care veterinary practices."
Henry said: "It is particularly rewarding to see this work recognised, as it reflects a collaborative effort between researchers, clinicians, and the veterinary practices and pet owners contributing data through SAVSNET.
"I hope these findings contribute to a better understanding of feline injection site sarcomas and help support evidence-based discussions around feline vaccination in clinical practice."
Emily graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2023 and subsequently worked in a busy first-opinion practice in Inverness for 18 months.
She then returned to the University of Glasgow to complete a rotating internship, with the goal of pursuing a residency in Internal Medicine.
She won Outstanding Poster Abstract Presentation for: "Serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations help to predict azotaemia following radio-iodine treatment of hyperthyroid cats"
Emily said: "I am delighted to receive this award from the BSAVA. It is exciting to be involved in research that can help guide clinical decision-making in practice, and presenting my findings at BVA Live was a fantastic opportunity to share this work."
Katie, a final-year veterinary medicine student at the Royal Veterinary College, won Outstanding Student Abstract Presentation for: "Hot Cats: Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness in cats under UK emergency veterinary care during 2022 and 2023."
Izzy, a student and feline enthusiast at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, is due to graduate in July 2026.
She won the BSAVA PetSavers Clinical Research Abstract Award for "Pride and Purr-judice: Perception of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) by veterinary personnel, animal shelter staff and cat owners."
Her presentation is the culmination of a three-year project investigating whether perceptions and attitudes towards Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), a disease once thought to be a death sentence, have changed alongside scientific understanding. Its results reveal that veterinary personnel still overestimate FIV’s transmissibility and its impact on life expectancy.
She said: "It was an incredible honour just to receive a BSAVA PetSavers grant and present my abstract at BVA Live.
"This award has redefined my expectations of my own capabilities as a veterinarian and researcher.
"I am beyond excited to share my project with a larger audience, and reaching this many people makes me feel that I truly can make a difference to the welfare of FIV-positive cats."
BSAVA President Julian Hoad was one of the judges for this year. He said: “The standard of submissions this year was exceptionally high, reflecting the strength and diversity of clinical research taking place across the profession.
"The quality, enthusiasm, and innovation on display were truly inspiring, and it’s clear that these researchers are helping to drive veterinary medicine forward.
"A huge congratulations to all of this year’s winners and all who presented for their outstanding contributions.”
Bringing together the latest research, practical guidance and case studies, the resource is designed to help veterinary teams managing chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disease in cats.
Carus says that while faecal calprotectin is well established in human medicine, the veterinary evidence base in cats continues to build.
The publication includes findings from a University of Bristol validation study demonstrating that the GIQuest faecal calprotectin test differentiated cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy from healthy controls with 100% specificity and 92% sensitivity.
The booklet also features case studies from UK veterinary professionals, illustrating how faecal calprotectin testing has been used to support diagnosis, monitor treatment response and identify inflammatory flare-ups in complex chronic GI cases.
Lucy Williams BVSc MRCVS, Marketing and Veterinary Technical Services Manager at Carus Animal Health, said: "Feline gastrointestinal disease can be particularly challenging to manage.
"Clinical signs are often non-specific, diagnostics can be limited by patient temperament or owner factors, and monitoring treatment response isn't always straightforward.
"The growing evidence around faecal calprotectin is exciting because it offers clinicians an objective measure of intestinal inflammation that can support decision-making throughout the patient journey."
https://content.carusanimalhealth.com/feline-only-booklet-download
The webinar, Beyond Antibiotics: Navigating Otitis Management, will be presented by Ellie Wyatt BVSc DipECVD MRCVS, EBVS and RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology (pictured).
The session will focus on current best practice in otitis management, including antimicrobial stewardship and the role of targeted, anti-inflammatory-led therapy.
Delegates will be guided on how to apply antimicrobial stewardship principles when diagnosing and managing otitis externa without compromising clinical standards or patient outcomes.
The webinar will also cover the role of topical steroids in addressing the underlying inflammatory process and how early inflammatory control can resolve acute flares of otitis externa and help prevent long-term structural ear pathology.
The session will look at how to construct treatment plans that combine acute flare management with proactive, long-term therapy, as well as practical clinic protocols and client communication strategies to support consistent management of otitis cases.
Registration is free and includes access to the live session and on-demand viewing.
https://bit.ly/NavigatingOtitis
For the research, the RVC’s VetCompass Programme analysed anonymised veterinary records from 2.25 million dogs attending UK primary-care veterinary practices during 2019.
From this population, researchers identified 28,345 giant dogs and examined their demographic data, disorder frequency and lifespan records.
The study also involved a detailed manual review of clinical records from a random sample of more than 4,300 giant dogs to assess the most common health disorders and causes of death.
The data showed that the average lifespan of giant dogs was 8.9 years.
This is more than three years shorter than the average lifespan previously reported within VetCompass for dogs overall in England.
The RVC says this finding aligns with other research reported in many countries that more rapid growth in giant dogs leads to more rapid ageing.
The findings also showed that almost three-quarters (73.8%) of giant dogs had at least one disorder recorded annually, significantly higher than the average for all dog breeds (65.8%) within VetCompass.
The most common general groups of disorders overall were skin disorders, musculoskeletal disease and ear disease.
The most common specific diseases were ear infections (8.2%), overweight or obesity (8.0%) and aggression (5.6%).
The frequency of aggression in these giant breeds was more than double the 2.2% level recorded in dogs overall.
Additional findings included:
Professor Dan O’Neill, Professor of Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said: “Humanity has reshaped the domestic dog into the most physically diverse mammalian species on earth to create over 1,200 distinct dog breeds.
"Among these, the giant dog breeds can offer wonderful companionship for humans, but our findings suggest that the lifespan and welfare costs for these dogs, linked to their extreme body size, are substantial.
“The relatively short lives of giant dogs compared to the wider dog population should prompt wider discussion on the welfare limits of selective breeding towards extreme giantism.
"To protect these cherished breeds and make them sustainable for the future, moving towards more moderate body sizes within these breeds may help to improve both the quality and length of life for these dogs, while still giving owners a fulfilling dog-ownership experience.”
Reference
Daxocox is a COX2 selective NSAID administered orally, with a dosing interval of seven days.
When given preoperatively, its weekly duration of action means postoperative analgesia is already in place, with the NSAID being active throughout and following the surgery.
Colin Capner, Animalcare Senior Technical Vet, said: "Administering analgesia ahead of surgery can be an important part of perioperative planning.
"This licence extension enables Daxocox to be used pre-operatively with the confidence that the NSAID contribution to analgesia is available even during surgical preparation (often neglected) in suitable patients.
"That continuity of analgesia can also provide reassurance beyond discharge, supporting a smoother transition from practice to home.
"For veterinary teams, knowing analgesic cover remains in place may help provide additional confidence when patients leave the clinic.
"For owners, it may help reduce concerns around managing a dog recovering from surgery, particularly where discomfort could affect behaviour, mobility or appetite during the first few days at home."
Full prescribing information is available in the GB/NI Summary of Product Characteristics.
www.animalcare.co.uk
The web-based Selective Nutrition Guide was developed in partnership with specialist veterinary expert Molly Varga from The Exotics Animals Vets (pictured).
In addition to weight and body condition, the guide takes into account whether the rabbit lives indoors or out, is a picky eater or not, and whether it has any clinical issues such as dental problems or digestive issues.
Claire Hamblion-Jennings, Supreme Marketing Director, said: "Rabbits and guinea pigs are intelligent, social, and deeply rewarding companions, and we know that most pet owners want to do the right thing."
"But our research has shown that what's been missing until now is definitive, actionable feeding guidelines.
"Our simple, expert-led approach should finally clarify any confusion, and the new app will put precise, expert-level nutritional guidance in the palm of everyone's hand."
https://app.supremepetfoods.com
The webinar, titled "Not Just a Gut Feeling: The Role of Faecal Testing in Cat and Dog Worm Control", will provide practical insights into how routine faecal testing can support more targeted, evidence-based parasite control strategies.
The programme will cover the most common companion animal parasites encountered in practice, the role of faecal testing and the value it adds for veterinary teams and pet owners, the benefits and limitations of currently available diagnostic methods, future developments in pet parasite testing, and a live Q&A session with Dr Wright.
The webinar will be introduced by Madeleine Bucki BVMedSci BVM BVS MRCVS, who will also provide an overview of Micron Agritech's diagnostic technology, including the launch of the company's new +Pet testing system.
The source text also states that all attendees can enter a prize draw to win a ticket to the London Vet Show 2026.
Registration is free and all attendees can enter a prize draw to win a ticket to the London Vet Show 2026.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6817815210276/WN_myTFq4nHST6mBdvOPOQ5-w
The online, self-paced course offers veterinary teams evidence-based handling techniques designed to support feline welfare and improve clinical outcomes.
Stephanie Barnard-Twitchett, Registered Veterinary Nurse, Champion of Feline Welfare & Behaviour and Pharmacovigilance Specialist at Ceva Animal Health, said: "We know more about feline behaviour than ever before.
"Research has redefined our understanding of how cats experience veterinary visits, how stress affects clinical outcomes, and how small environmental and handling changes can dramatically improve feline welfare.
"Yet, despite this growing body of evidence, many cats still experience unnecessary fear and anxiety during routine veterinary visits.
"The question is no longer whether feline-friendly handling works.
"The question is how we help veterinary teams implement it consistently".
https://gbr.ceva.vet
Anna, a farm vet in Shepton Mallet, qualified from the University of Nottingham in 2022 and joined Shepton Vets, where she runs the practice's Youngstock Club, developing it into a more collaborative and effective programme by restructuring the scheme to encourage closer working relationships between vets, technicians and farmers.
The award, supported by Zoetis, was presented at the BVA Awards Dinner 2026.
Anna said: "I cannot believe that I have won this award and feel incredibly honoured."
"It is especially meaningful given the high standard of nominees."
"I genuinely love being a farm vet and find it hugely rewarding."
"I'm extremely grateful to my colleagues at Shepton Vets for their support, encouragement and the knowledge they have shared with me throughout my career so far."
"They have provided me with fantastic opportunities to learn and develop, and this award is very much a reflection of that."
British Veterinary Association President Dr Rob Williams MRCVS said: "Anna is an outstanding veterinary surgeon, and her clinical excellence and leadership is impressive at such a young age and so early in her career."
"It's inspiring how dedicated she is to developing her skills and strengthening relationships and collaboration with farmers, other veterinary professionals and her team."
"She should be exceptionally proud of her achievements so far and we're delighted to award her this prestigious title - it's very well deserved."
Other BVA award winners this year were: