UK Pet Food says that with pet owners increasingly turning to their vets for nutrition guidance, this course is designed to equip veterinary teams with the knowledge and confidence to offer clear, evidence-based advice.
The course offers 20 hours of CPD comprised of on-demand modules and live Q&A sessions covering pet food formats, clinical nutrition, pet obesity, regulatory frameworks, sustainability, and client communication.
There'll be contributions from independent speakers and chairs from leading academics, veterinary nutritionists, and industry experts
Sarah Hormozi, Head of Science & Education at UK Pet Food, said: “This course is about helping veterinary professionals critically evaluate the science behind pet nutrition.
“We’ve worked with board-certified veterinary nutritionists, academics, industry experts, and veterinary associations to develop a resource that supports everyday clinical conversation - giving the veterinary community practical tools and confidence to talk about pet food and nutrition with clarity and credibility.”
There are early bird tickets for £90 if you book by 15th August 2025.
https://thewebinarvet.com/events/uk-pet-food-2025
https://www.ukpetfood.org
Photo: www.depositphotos.com
The merger brings together Improve International’s global reach and postgraduate qualification programmes with Central CPD’s practitioner-led Continuing Professional Development training and digital learning infrastructure.
Improve says the merger will better position the two companies to meet the growing and evolving needs of the profession.
However, the veterinary training marketplace has been hit recently by news that IVC Evidensia has opened two in-house training centres, one in Scotland and one in the Midlands, perhaps precipitating some consolidation, especially since IVC has announced plans to offer CPD to the wider profession later this year.
Jonathan Hill, UK country manager at Dômes Pharma said: "Dômes Pharma is really excited to be extending our pet anxiety range to help vets manage cases in this complex area.
https://domespharma.co.uk/products/fluoxevet/
In the webinar, which is sponsored by Horiba, Ian will present an update on new exotic parasite infections and distribution across the UK and Europe, and what this means for pets, livestock and the people that care for them.
“New Exotic Parasites – Worming Their Way In?” is suitable for vets, nurses, students and veterinary care assistants.
https://horiba.link/4h2.
The solution is designed to streamline Animal Health and Welfare Pathway (AHWP) reviews, from on-farm sampling through to laboratory results, reporting, vet attestation and DEFRA compliance, by integrating faecal egg count testing at Sandhill Laboratories with the VetDX app,
VetDX says that by integrating every stage of the review process into a single digital workflow, the VetDX platform allows practices to carry out efficient, compliant visits with a reduced administrative burden.
Laura Eden MRCVS (pictured), farm animal vet at Bishopton Vets said: “What’s really improved the process for us is how straightforward it is to submit samples and how quickly we get results back from Sandhill.
"It takes a lot of the hassle out of coordinating AHWP visits and lets us focus on the clinical side.”
Rachel Kirkby MRCVS, Business Development Director at VetDX, said: “The AHWP is a real opportunity to tackle issues like anthelmintic resistance in a structured, funded way - but only if the process is workable on the ground.
"That’s why we’ve built the platform to fit naturally into how vets carry out these visits, supporting accurate on-farm data capture with features like in-app QR code scanning.
"It means lab results are securely linked to the right animals or groups, without the risk of transcription errors or lost paperwork.”
https://vetdxs.com
The new resource is designed to help dog owners understand the risks of cancer, recognise the importance of early detection, and learn how HT Vista’s cancer detection device supports veterinary teams in screening suspicious masses.
It includes guidance on the early warning signs of cancer in dogs and explains how acting quickly can improve outcomes.
Dr Liron Levy-Hirsch, Veterinary Surgeon and Managing Director at HT Vista said: “We believe informed pet owners are key to driving earlier diagnosis.
"This new page is all about bridging the gap between innovative veterinary technology and the people it’s designed to support.
"By empowering pet owners with clear and trustworthy information, we hope to strengthen understanding of the diagnostic process, support clinical decision-making, and ultimately help more dogs receive timely treatment.”
www.ht-vet.com/petowners
Julia, who came to the UK in 2016, graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2021.
She then completed a master’s degree in animal welfare in Canada, before returning to the UK to join Crowshall in 2024.
Her interest was initially in companion animals, but she decided to focus her career on animal welfare and population medicine.
The judges said: “She has quickly become a dynamic leader in poultry health and welfare, helping farms achieve dramatic reductions in antibiotic use and improved performance.
"Her commitment to evidence-based advice, education and industry advocacy has earned widespread recognition.”
Photo: Julia presented with her award by Shaun Williamson and Emily Wilton from Zoetis.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton was originally struck off in 1994 after his Kent practice was found to be unhygienic and unsterile with poor record keeping.
However, he has always maintained that the reason his premises were unhygienic and unsterile was because they were closed.
As in previous applications, he said his reason for applying for restoration was to help him gain recognition for his alleged herbal and natural remedy discoveries and that he had no intention of going back into general practice.
As with previous applications, the Committee said that Mr Seymour-Hamilton has shown no real insight into the conduct underlying the original findings and nor has he shown insight into matters identified by previous restoration hearings.
The Committee also considered that Mr Seymour-Hamilton has been off the Register for some 31 years and would therefore need prolonged, intensive, formal retraining to ensure that he was now fit to practise, without which he might pose a risk to animal welfare.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton's case was not helped by the fact that he indicated that he had practised veterinary surgery while off the Register – including conducting two spay procedures in Calais, France, and treating two of his own dogs for cancer.
He also referred to having cultured faecal bacteria in a witness’ kitchen.
The Committee felt it was concerning that Mr Seymour-Hamilton thought these things were compatible with being on the Register and upholding the professional standards expected of a veterinary surgeon.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Mr Seymour-Hamilton still lacks an understanding as to why he has not been restored in the past.
"Apart from additional CPD, he has not set about effectively addressing any of his shortcomings.
"He relies passionately on his research, yet he does not support that research with any peer-reviewed publications, indeed all his attempts to gain recognition have been rebuffed.”
He added: “The Committee is firmly of the view that after such a prolonged period of failing to be reinstated as a veterinary surgeon, Mr Seymour-Hamilton has to face the reality that his continued applications, taking up time, resources and expense (which is ultimately borne by all those veterinary surgeons who are on the Register), are vexatious and ultimately unlikely to succeed.
“Whilst the College cannot prevent him from continuing to apply to be restored to the Register, Mr Seymour-Hamilton should by now realise that this is not a good use of the College’s finite resources.
"He is now 86 years old and has not practised for over thirty years and in fact has now been off the Register for longer than he was on it.
"This is now the twelfth time he has been found to be not fit to be restored to the Register.
"The Committee hopes Mr Seymour-Hamilton will now take time seriously to reflect and take into account the impact to all concerned of his continued applications, before deciding to submit any more.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
The company says the main breakthrough in this new authorisation is that the dose for cattle has been reduced from 4 ml to 2 ml, improving convenience and aligning with the latest regulatory data.
In cattle, the vaccine is indicated for active immunisation to reduce viraemia caused by BTV-3.
The onset of immunity is 3 weeks after completing the primary vaccination course.
The vaccine can be given to cattle from 2 months of age in naïve animals, or from 3 months if born to immune dams.
For the primary vaccination, two doses of 2ml are given, 3 weeks apart, intramuscularly.
In sheep, the vaccine is indicated for active immunisation to reduce viraemia, mortality, clinical signs and lesions caused by BTV-3.
The onset of immunity is 4 weeks after completing the primary vaccination course.
The vaccine can be given to sheep from 3 months of age, subcutaneously.
For the primary vaccination, one dose of 2 ml is given.
https://syva.es/en/
The library currently has 28 on-demand recordings, covering a range of sessions on three main themes: people, planet and animals.
They include: ‘Managing emotions in stressful situation’ and ‘Shaping practice culture as a team’, and BVA Congress recordings, such as "Is neutering dogs doing more harm than good?".
BVA President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “All veterinary professionals will understand the crucial role that CPD plays in maintaining and enhancing our knowledge and skills.
"Whether you're catching up on missed sessions or looking to revisit key topics, the new BVA CPD library can help members stay up to date throughout your career.”
https://mybva.bva.co.uk/cpd-library.html
The service is designed to make vital support more accessible to those clients who may face challenges visiting the practice, whether that's down to limited mobility, transport difficulties, or simply a pet’s anxiety with travel.
Led by experienced RVNs, the service includes:
Judith Lee, Small Animal Director at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, said: “Our Community Vet Nurse service is all about making it easier for our clients to access the help they need."
https://www.oakhill-vets.com/pets/community-vet-nurse/
The Awards are open to all organisations and practice teams across the UK who are using recognised QI techniques to improve outcomes.
The Award categories are as follows:
Ashley Doorly, Head of Quality Improvement at RCVS Knowledge, said: “Now in its seventh year, the RCVS Knowledge Awards continue to highlight the incredible work being done across the veterinary professions to improve patient safety and outcomes, boost team morale, embed evidence-based veterinary medicine, and support more fulfilling careers.
"Over the years, we’ve seen how strong team culture lays the foundation for successful Quality Improvement projects.
“This year, we’re especially excited to receive applications that explore emerging priorities such as sustainability, One Health, and contextualised care.”
https://knowledge.rcvs.org.uk/awards/rcvs-knowledge-awards
The company's teleradiology and education services are not affected, and will continue as normal.
VET.CT's CEO, Victoria Johnson said: “We are deeply sorry to have to close our teleconsulting specialist case advice service.
"Despite many loyal clients loving it and using the service to the full, wider adoption of teleconsulting has been variable globally since its launch in 2018.
"We have continued to consult, invest in, iterate and adapt the service over the past 7 years to unlock the demand.
"However, despite our efforts, we now have to take the painful and difficult decision to close our client-facing service.
"There are a multiplicity of factors that contribute to the issue and sadly, the ongoing economic pressures mean that the teleconsulting service is no longer sustainable.
"We want to reassure our clients that our quality-focused radiology reporting and education services are unaffected by these changes and continue to grow.
https://resources.vet-ct.com/statement-about-teleconsulting-service
Do you have an interesting or unusual small animal medicine case that would be suitable to present as an oral abstract? The Small Animal Medicine Society (SAMSoc) is currently inviting submissions for the case report session during the pre BSAVA satellite meeting on April 1st 2009.
This Competition is open to anyone with an interest in canine or feline medicine. Suitable cases should have interesting discussion points but need not necessarily be so unusual that they would be considered publishable.
Three case reports will be selected by the SAMSOC committee for presentation during the meeting (12 minutes plus 3 minute for questions).
Successful selection entitles the author to free registration for the meeting.
At the end of the session the audience will vote by ballot for their favourite case report. Each presenter will then be awarded a prize which has been kindly donated by Vetoquinol: 1st place £300, 2nd place £150, 3rd place £50.
If you are interested in submitting a case report for consideration please contact Alison Ridyard (Alison.Ridyard@ed.ac.uk.) for details.
The deadline for submission is February 1st 2009
We're delighted to announce details of the SAMSoc Pre-BSAVA Satellite Meeting:
Date: Wednesday April 1st 2009Venue: Hall 8a, ICC, Birmingham
Timetable:
8.30 - 9am
Registration
9 - 10
Thoracic CT
Charlotte Whatmough (UK)
10 - 11
Thoracoscopy for medics
Eric Monnet (USA)
11 - 11.30
Break
11.30-12.15
Case Reports - sponsored by Vetoquinol
12.15 - 1.15
Current management of Diabetes Mellitus in people
Dr Aldibbiat (UK)
1.15 -2.30
Lunch
2.30-3.30
A logical approach to changed mental status
Natasha Olby (USA)
3.30-4.30
Interpretation of bone marrow cytology
Reinhard Mischke (Germany)
4.30-5pm
AGM
Satellite meeting fees (lunch is included) - members £65, Non members £95. SAMSOC annual membership - £25
We would like to invite submission of interesting case reports. There will be three presentations each lasting 12 minutes (plus 3 minutes for questions). If you have a case that you would like to present please e-mail an outline (up to 500 words) to Alison.Ridyard@ed.ac.uk by the 1st February 2009. The programme co-ordinators will review the submissions and inform people of the selected cases by the 1st March 2009. This is a chance for sharing your interesting and unusual cases with the group and we look forward to some interesting submissions. This year in addition to free registration, there will be prizes for the best case reports (first prize £300, second £150 , third £50).
If you are interested in joining the society or attending the meeting contact medicinereferrals@hotmail.com or iab@vetspecialists.co.uk. You may also click here for more details.
We would like to announce a new facility in the SAMSoc website. We are inviting members to list details of any clinical trials that they are currently undertaking, within the SAMSoc Wiki.
Our hope is that by distributing this information to our members, case recruitment for your study will increase. It may also lead to collaboration with other groups.
In time, it will also build into a valuable, searchable database of research work carried out by our members.
After completion and successful publication of any trails you have posted, we would appreciate it if you could post an abstract of the work (within the Wiki with an appropriate journal citation) for our members to view.
Details of how to upload your trail data and the information required in the post can be found in the Wiki section of the SAMSoc page (you will find Wiki in the quick links menu on the right of the page). If you have any problems please contact us.
A "News" feature will be distributed intermittently to all members to summaries deatils of recently posted trails
Our first research post is from Stijn Niessen of the RVC. He is inviting vets, nurses and owners to complete a short questionnaire on patients undergoing therapy for diabetes mellitus. Further details on how to source the questionnaires can be found in his post in the SAMSoc Wiki.
Brain Catchpole and Lucy Davidson are collaborating with a number of centres to investigate the genetic basis of several canine endocrine disorders.They are keen to recruit samples (serum and EDTA blood) from dogs suffering from the following disorders:
· neonatal diabetes mellitus (i.e. diabetes onset < 1 yr of age)
· diabetes in high risk breeds (Samoyed, Cairn terrier, Tibetan terrier, Polish Lowland Sheepdog)
· dioestrus diabetes
· lymphocytic thyroiditis / hypothyroidism
· hypoadrenocorticism
Further details can be found in the WIKI of the SAMSOC website
Other projects posted on the SAMSOC website
Stijn Nelson’s Diabetes Treatment Survey for vets, nurses and owners – further details for case recruitment can be found in the WIKI
If you would like to announce recruitment details for a clinical trial, please logo onto to the SAMSoc Wiki or contact a member of the SAMSOC committee.
If you wish to register for the SAMSoc pre-BSAVA meeting on April 2009 then please print the attached form and send the completed form and payment to the address shown.
Please note that the deadline for catering arrangements is March 13th. Lunch will only be provided to those who have registered and paid before this date!
After a record number of submissions we are please to announce that the 3 finalists have been selected. In no particular order they are
The cases will be presented during the SAMSOC day and audience voting will select the winner.
Registration forms and the speaker schedule for the SAMSOC meeting 1st April 2009 can be found on the website ( alternatively contact medicinereferrals@hotmail.com or iab@vetspecialists.co.uk ).
Note - we are unable to provide a lunch for registrations received after March 12th
Hi everyone,
We hope that everyone who was able to attend this years SAMSOC meeting enjoyed the day.
We are already starting to consider lecture subjects for next year so if you have any ideas please contact us.
Stijn is currently processing the feedback questionaires, but would like to hear from any members who did not come, particularly if it was because you didn't find the program appealing. We hope there are not many of the latter, but if you didn't like the look of the programme we would find your comments invaluable.
Alison Ridyard has stepped down from the programme commitee and we would like to thank her again for her hard work during the last five years. During the AGM Sheena Warmen was voted in as her replacement .
I am sure you will agree the case report session (sponsored by Vetoquinol) was a success. The winners based on audience voting were
Thanks again to all of the members who submitted a report and we hope we can look forward to another quality case report session next year. We are currently working on securing prize sponsership for next years submission
Picture shows: Prize winners, from left to right - Russell Roan (Vetoquinol), Flo Juvet (3rd place), Alistair Stewart (2nd place) and Lucy Goodwin (1st place), Ian Battersby
Membership renewal information attached.
Feline Chronic Kidney Disease: Use of oral phosphate binders -
Harriet Syme and Colleagues RVC
As part of ongoing research into Feline Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) at the Royal Veterinary College, and the Clinical Investigation Centre (CIC) is working with an animal health company to verify the efficacy of a novel palatable phosphate binder that will hopefully proceed to drug registration.
Recruited cases with be entitled to free diagnostic tests including initial ultrasound, serial biochemistry, urinalysis, blood pressure analysis and fundic examination. In addition to comprehensive investigation of renal disease by internal medicine clinicians with a special interest in this field
Voucher will also be provided to assist with ongoing care at the referring practice
Further details ( including contacts) about the project can be found in the WIKI of the SAMSOC website
Other projects posted on the SAMSOC website ( within the Wiki)
· Brain Catchpole and Lucy Davidson are collaborating with a number of centres to investigate the genetic basis of several canine endocrine disorders. They are keen to recruit samples (serum and EDTA blood) from dogs suffering from a number of endocrine disorders – see wiki section
· Stijn Nelson’s Diabetes Treatment Survey for vets, nurses and owners – further details for case recruitment can be found in the WIKI
NOTE- If you would like to announce recruitment details for a clinical trial, please logo onto to the SAMSoc Wiki or contact a member of the SAMSOC committee.
The SAMSOC committee is please to announce that Vetoquinol has agreed to sponser next years case report competition.
The competition will have a similar format to last year with audience voting deciding the winners from the 3 choosen finalists
1st -£300
2nd -£150
3rd - £50
We will circulate more details later in the year but in the mean time keep an eye out for suitable cases
Ian
Congenital PSS in Birman Cats - DNA Project
Angie Hibbert and Proffessor Tim Gruffydd-Jones at the Feline Centre (Bristol) In conjunction with Professor Leslie Lyons (UC Davies) are currently looking into the predispoistion of Birman cats to congenital porotsystemic shunts. They are looking to obtain DNA smaples from affected cats and their siblings. A simple buccal swab is required and if possible details of the cats pedigree.
More details can be found in the SAMSOC Wiki
Harriet Syme and Colleagues RVC are recruiting cases for a clinical trail evaluating the use of oral phosphate binders in Feline Chronic Kidney Disease -
Stijn Nelson’s Diabetes Treatment Survey for vets, nurses and owners
Brain Catchpole and Lucy Davidson are collaborating with a number of centres to investigate the genetic basis of several canine endocrine disorders. They are keen to recruit samples (serum and EDTA blood) from dogs suffering from a number of endocrine disorders
Feedback Form Responses pre-BSAVA Satellite Meeting SAMSOC 2009
Below you will find feedback from people attending the 2009 SAMSOC satellite meeting. You'll find that the great majority of people had a great day. We hope to use positive and negative comments to make the 2010 meeting even more worthwhile! Do you still want to provide feedback? (even if you did not attend, i.e. why not?), please drop a line on: sniessen@rvc.ac.uk or simply respond to this news item on this website, by hitting the reply button.
Regards,
SAMSOC Programme Committee
Administration/facilities: Responses (%)
Registration procedure
1. Poor 0 0%
2. Adequate 0 0%
3. Good 7/22 32%
4. Excellent 15/22 68%
Lecture room facilities
2. Adequate 5/22 23%
3. Good 13/22 59%
4. Excellent 4/22 18%
Comments: too cold (6/22), noisy at times (1/22), chairs too close to screen (1/22), liked set-up with tables more (1/22)
Quality and quantity of refreshments
2. Adequate 1/22 4.5%
3. Good 11/22 50%
4. Excellent 9/22 41%
Comments: nice biscuits (1/22); excellent lunch (1/22), cold tea (1/22)
Value for money
3. Good 9/22 41%
4. Excellent 13/22 59%
Programme/lectures
1. Thoracic CT
a. Delivery
i. Poor 0 0%
ii. Adequate 0 0%
iii. Good 8/22 36%
iv. Excellent 13/22 59%
b. Content
iii. Good 7/22 32%
iv. Excellent 14/22 64%
c. Notes
ii. Adequate 1/22 5%
iii. Good 10/22 45%
iv. Excellent 9/22 41%
d. Good choice for program?
Comments: 1/22: very educational and helpful to have images
2. Thoracoscopy for medics
iii. Good 9/22 41%
iii. Good 11/22 50%
iv. Excellent 10/22 45%
iii. Good 17/22 77%
iv. Excellent 4/22 18%
ii. Adequate 6/22` 27%
iv. Excellent 8/22 36%
Comments: 1/22 excellent images of thoracoscopy
3. Case reports
iii. Good 15/22 68%
iii. Good 14/22 64%
i. Poor n/a
ii. Adequate n/a
iii. Good n/a
iv. Excellent n/a
Comments: 1/22: would like notes for this as well
iv. Excellent 10/22 44%
4. Current management of diabetes mellitus in people
ii. Adequate 2/22 9%
iii. Good 12/22 55%
iv. Excellent 7/22 32%
Comments: 8/22: notes poor since missing
iv. Excellent 11/22 50%
Comments: 1/22: very interesting
5. A logical approach to changed mental status
iii. Good 1/22 5%
iv. Excellent 20/22 91%
iii. Good 2/22 9%
iv. Excellent 19/22 86%
iii. Good 4/22 18%
iv. Excellent 15/22 68%
iii. Good 3/22 14%
iv. Excellent 18/22 82%
Comments: 1/22: Really excellent; 1/22: excellent presentation and case studies
6. Interpretation of bone marrow cytology
ii. Adequate 7/22 32%
iv. Excellent 12/22 55%
ii. Adequate 5/22 23%
ii. Adequate 3/22 14%
iv. Excellent 6/22 27%
Comments: 1/22: very entertaining!
Comments: 1/22: very entertaining, excellent pictures of cytology; very helpful; 1/22: good choice for program but turned into a list
General individual comments
1. I wonder if too many topics were quite specialist this year; ie maybe great for us academics but not so attractive for practitioners?
2. Later start (10am – or even 9.30am); reduced registration fees for interns/residents; no lunch in place of reduced rate
3. Really liked the human presentations; please continue with this tradition
4. Might be worth concentrating on 1 or 2 themes for the day? Consider shorter talks? 45 minutes long enough per speaker?
5. Enjoy the human presentation and comparative aspect – please continue this tradition! Excellent day – thank you!
6. Superb meeting, all the practical tips and information were really useful and the speakers were all excellent – more of the same standard next year please!
7. Appropriately pitched for medicine certificate level, would be great to have a specialist day.
8. Initially dubious about the heterogeneous nature of the lectures but actually it worked very well. The case reports are a very good thing – enjoyable to give residents a forum to present cases.
Stijn Niessen 26 June 2009