VetSurgeon News

Daxocox gains UK perioperative licence for canine surgery

2026-06-25T07:00:00Z

Daxocox (enflicoxib) has been granted a perioperative licence for use in dogs in the UK, giving veterinary teams another licensed option for managing pain and inflammation associated with orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery.

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

Supreme launches rabbit and guinea pig feeding guide developed with Molly Varga

2026-06-24T07:00:00Z

Supreme Petfoods has launched a new rabbit and guinea pig feeding guide to give UK veterinary teams and pet owners a resource which gives advice based on body condition scoring, weight and a safe food database.

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

Free webinar on faecal testing for companion animal parasite control

2026-06-23T07:00:00Z

Veterinary professionals and SQPs are being invited to a free CPD webinar hosted by Micron Agritech on 25 June 2026 at 7:00pm (BST), where Dr Ian Wright will discuss the role of faecal testing in cat and dog worm control.

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

New online cat-handling course to help practices reduce stress in feline consults

2026-06-22T07:00:00Z

Ceva has launched season two of its Feliway Cat Handling Programme in collaboration with International Cat Care.

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 Hewison named Young Vet of the Year 2026

2026-06-19T07:00:00Z

Anna Hewison MRCVS has been named BVA Young Vet of the Year 2026 for work that strengthened collaboration between vets, technicians and farmers on youngstock management at Shepton Vets in Somerset.

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:

BVA Wellbeing Awards:
Small medium practice category – Vets for Pets Kirkcaldy
Large practice category - Chapelfield Vets
Non-clinical category - Sonopath
BVA Veterinary Mentor Award - Sharon Ann King\
BVA Veterinary Leader Award - Paul Horwood
BVA One Health and Sustainability Award: Dr Laura Higham
BVA Outstanding Service Award: Cat Henstridge
BVA Advancement of Veterinary Science Award - Professor Tom McNeilly
BVA Animal Health and Welfare Overseas Award (J. Trevor Blackburn Award) - Dr Romain Pizzi
Vet Record Impact Award: Rosemary Perkins, Gaëtan Glauser and Dave Goulson
WVS Global Veterinary Challenge, in association with BVA: Shreya Patel, Rudi Bruijn-Yard and Francesca Haldane

KRKA publishes dog joint health guide to support owner conversations on OA

2026-06-18T11:00:00Z

KRKA UK has launched a new educational resource, The Dog Owner's Guide to Joint Health, giving veterinary teams a take-home guide to support owner conversations about osteoarthritis outside limited consult time.

The guide combines evidence-based information with practical owner-focused support and encourages earlier conversations around joint health and proactive intervention.

It covers weight control, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, pain management, environmental adaptations and owner engagement.

Professor Stuart Carmichael FRCVS, who has collaborated with KRKA on a range of OA educational initiatives, said: "One of the biggest opportunities we have in osteoarthritis is identifying risk earlier and supporting owners before significant joint deterioration occurs.

"Helping owners understand that OA can begin much earlier in life allows practices to take a more proactive and individualised approach to joint care."

The guide also draws on insights from Danielle Everett PgD qualified Veterinary Physiotherapist and Canine Hydrotherapist.

Danielle said: "Simple lifestyle adjustments, tailored exercise and appropriate rehabilitation support can make a significant difference to comfort and mobility in dogs with OA.

"Resources that help owners understand those changes are incredibly valuable in improving quality of life and long-term health."

https://www.krka.co.uk/veterinary-knowledge-hub/

New primary care vet specialty training proposals move to consultation

2026-06-18T07:00:00Z

The RCVS Council has approved proposals for a future programme of specialty training for primary care veterinary surgeons, opening the way for general practice to be recognised as a specialty in its own right.

The proposals stem from the College's Veterinary Clinical Career Paths (VCCP) project, launched in 2024, which aimed to address the limited career paths open to the 80% of veterinary surgeons who work in general practice.

The proposals were develope by the VCCP working group, comprising advanced practitioners, specialists, rural practitioners, new graduates and representatives from different areas of practice, and headed up by medical GP Professor Nick Cooper.

Professor Tim Parkin, RCVS President and Chair of RCVS Education Committee, said: “The introduction of this speciality training is an exciting progression.

"With change on the horizon in many areas of the profession, we’re delighted that as part of this ongoing evolution we will be able to provide further career opportunities for vets in general practice.

“The proposals were passed unanimously by our Education Committee before going to Council for formal approval, where the document was met with immense positivity and enthusiasm.”

RCVS Director for Education, Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, said: “As a level 8 qualification, this programme will support the development of accomplished leaders and the completion and publication of research and scholarship to help ensure veterinary primary care practice continues to advance.

“Designed to be highly flexible and workplace based, with a strong emphasis placed on support for learners, the modular nature of the programme will allow vets to tailor their learning to their own interests.

“Vets working in general practice are the backbone of the profession and while we understand that not all vets wish to pursue further training, this new programme will provide those looking to develop their career paths in a more structured and supported way with an opportunity to do so.”

The College will begin consulting with the profession on the proposals in the coming weeks, starting with stakeholder groups, before progressing to a full consultation with the wider profession.

New dog OA antibody matches bedinvetmab for pain relief in early data

2026-06-17T07:00:00Z

VetrixBio has presented first clinical data for VTX-304, an investigational antibody for dogs with osteoarthritis that the company says could combine pain relief comparable to bedinvetmab with cartilage protection.

The data was presented at the 6th International Veterinary Pain Short Course hosted at NC State College of Veterinary Medicine.

VTX-304 is a bispecific antibody designed to target NGF and ADAMTS-5.

In a natural OA model with aged Beagles with a mean age of 10.8 years, VTX-304, dosed at 2.5 mg/kg SC, delivered pain relief comparable to the anti-NGF monoclonal antibody bedinvetmab, as measured by the modified Canine Brief Pain Inventory.

VetrixBio says that in biochemical and cell-based studies, VTX-304 demonstrated potent NGF/TrkA pathway inhibition and effective blockade of ADAMTS-5-mediated aggrecan cleavage, consistent with cartilage protection.

Peter Hanson, Chief Scientific Officer at VetrixBio, said: "Pain and OA in dogs are multifactorial. Single-pathway therapies leave significant disease biology unaddressed.

"VTX-304 represents an important advance, anchoring analgesia to diseased joint biology while protecting cartilage integrity.

"These initial results show that our bispecific antibody has the potential to deliver superior therapeutic profiles in veterinary medicine."

https://www.vetrixbio.com

CPD Solutions launches RCVS-approved Advanced Practitioner pathway for PgCert in Small Animal Surgery

2026-06-16T07:00:00Z

CPD Solutions has added a Synoptic Pathway to its PgCert in Small Animal Surgery, which has been approved as an eligible postgraduate qualification for veterinary surgeons applying for RCVS Advanced Practitioner status.

The programme is a 12-month, work-based postgraduate programme for practising veterinary surgeons validated by the University of Lancashire.

The Standard PgCert Pathway remains available for vets who want to develop their small animal surgery skills, build clinical confidence and gain a postgraduate qualification without a formal final examination.

The new PgCert Synoptic Pathway is designed for vets who want their qualification to support a future application for RCVS Advanced Practitioner status.

Students on this route complete the same PgCert programme, with an additional synoptic assessment after the taught modules.

CPD Solutions says this gives them the opportunity to demonstrate integrated clinical reasoning and apply their learning to new and unfamiliar case scenarios.

Passing the Synoptic Pathway award means the qualification can be used as part of an application for RCVS Advanced Practitioner status, subject to meeting the wider RCVS criteria.

Susie Coughlan, Managing Director of CPD Solutions (pictured), said: "This is an important step for our PgCert students and for vets who want postgraduate training that is both clinically useful and professionally meaningful.

"Our Small Animal Surgery PgCert has always been built around practical confidence, clinical reasoning and reflective development.

"Our wider aim is to give vets clear, practical and university-validated postgraduate pathways that support both clinical confidence and professional recognition."

Bella+Duke launches two CPD webinars for vets about raw feeding

2026-06-15T07:00:00Z

Bella+Duke has launched two free raw-feeding webinars for veterinary professionals.

The two webinars, which were developed by the company's veterinary team, are titled "Raw feeding for veterinary professionals" and "Raw feeding for puppies + kittens".

Bella+Duke said the webinars were developed in response to growing interest in raw diets across the companion animal sector and are intended to address knowledge gaps, tackle common misconceptions, and support confident, safe implementation of raw nutrition in practice and at home.

Carolanne Cicero RVN, Lead In-house Veterinary Advisor, said: "We know that veterinary professionals are fielding more and more questions about raw feeding, and we want to make sure they have access to reliable, safe and balanced information.

"These webinars are our way of bridging that gap - offering practical, trustworthy guidance developed by our own in-house veterinary team."

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5023526141933896800

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/923010778917784412

Poster prize goes to study of hidden GI inflammation in dogs on long-term NSAIDs

2026-06-12T07:00:00Z

Research from Carus Animal Health and the University of Bristol has won the top poster prize at the Veterinary Osteoarthritis Alliance Conference (VOACON) 2026 for work suggesting faecal calprotectin testing could help veterinary teams identify gastrointestinal inflammation in dogs receiving long-term NSAID therapy.

The poster, by Lucy Williams BVSc MRCVS, Marketing and Veterinary Technical Services Manager at Carus Animal Health, Tristan Cogan BSc (Hons) PhD FHEA FRSBHE, Christina Maunder BVM&S CertSAM DipECVIM-CA FRCVS FHEA, Helen Howell PhD DSc (Hons) from Bristol Veterinary School, was based on a study from Carus Animal Health and the University of Bristol.

Data presented at VOACON demonstrated that faecal calprotectin was elevated in some dogs receiving oral NSAIDs, even in the absence of obvious GI signs.

The findings build on previous validation work from the University of Bristol.

The research was conducted using GIQuest, Carus Animal Health's patient-side faecal calprotectin test.

Lucy said: "Veterinary teams are becoming increasingly proactive in how they manage osteoarthritis patients.

"We know NSAIDs can have a hugely positive impact on quality of life, but clinicians are also looking for ways to monitor patients more closely and identify potential issues before they become clinically significant.

"The response to this research at VOACON reflects the profession's growing interest in objective biomarkers that can support more informed treatment decisions and enhance patient care."

Jolian Howell, Chief Business Officer and Director of Carus Animal Health, said: "This award is a significant achievement, not only for Carus but also for the wider field of gastrointestinal biomarker research. It recognises the value of building an evidence base around earlier detection, patient monitoring and preventive healthcare.

https://carusanimalhealth.com/giquest

BSAVA launches LUMOS online CPD platform for vets

2026-06-11T07:00:00Z

The BSAVA has launched LUMOS, an online CPD platform for vets and veterinary nurses that offers modular learning, saved progress and a framework for tracking development.

LUMOS delivers case-based learning through Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced modules created and reviewed by qualified veterinary professionals.

The platform allows users to complete learning in short sessions, saves progress automatically, and lets learners pause and resume training without losing their place.

Learners can track individual module completions and work towards BSAVA LUMOS Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.

LUMOS also includes community forums for peer interaction.

It is available to all vets and veterinary nurses, with BSAVA members receiving a 25% discount on all modules.

Pricing ranges from £75 to £400, depending on module level and audience.

Stacy Woodman, Interim CEO at the BSAVA, said: "We are delighted to launch BSAVA LUMOS, our innovative online learning experience developed for small animal vets and veterinary nurses.

"This marks a significant step forward in how the BSAVA supports learning, professional development, and career progression across the small animal veterinary profession."

"Our team of CPD experts, volunteers, and support staff have worked tirelessly to bring LUMOS to life, which has been deliberately designed with flexibility and relevance at its core in response to the changing needs of the profession."

https://www.bsava.com/education/lumos

Vets invited to take part in SPVS 2026 salary survey

2026-06-10T07:00:00Z

The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons has launched the SPVS Salary Survey 2026 Questionnaire, inviting veterinary surgeons to contribute pay and benefits data and receive a summary report on remuneration across the veterinary sector.

The annual survey captures data including basic salaries, bonuses, dividends, overtime, and benefits such as accommodation, company vehicles, car allowances and pension contributions.

SPVS is inviting responses from everyone working in the veterinary sector, including veterinary surgeons, nurses, practice managers, support staff, and those working in industry or non-clinical roles.

The main findings will be published in a summary report, which will be made freely available to all participants who provide their email address at the end of the survey.

SPVS members will be able to access the full report, including detailed analysis and expert commentary.

Participants will also have the chance to enter a prize draw to win a Bose SoundLink Plus portable speaker.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/3YMX1O/

Vets Now opens booking for Leeds ECC Congress with 80 hours of CPD

2026-06-09T11:00:00Z

Vets Now has announced the full programme for ECC Congress 2026, giving vets and nurses access to 80 hours of CPD across seven learning streams at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds on Thursday 05 and Friday 06 November.

The programme features more than 30 speakers from the UK and overseas covering ECC anaesthesia, advanced surgical techniques, oncology, diagnostics, sepsis, nursing care and complex case management.

This year's keynote speaker is Professor Patrick Pollock, Professor at the University of Glasgow, and confirmed speakers also include Professor Kate Hopper, Associate Professor Claire Sharp and Marlaina Hrosch.

The programme includes practical workshops, case-based discussion and non-technical sessions on communication, teamwork and wellbeing.

The event includes access to session recordings after the congress, allowing delegates to revisit content.

Tickets are available now.

www.vets-now.com/congress-2026

New ear gel for dogs with Malassezia-associated otitis externa

2026-06-09T07:00:00Z

Dechra has launched DuOtic otic gel, billed as the first licensed steroid and antifungal combination for the treatment of otitis externa in dogs associated with susceptible strains of Malassezia pachydermatis.

DuOtic contains terbinafine 10 mg and betamethasone 1 mg and is supplied in pre-measured single dose 1.2 g tubes.

One tube should be applied per ear canal by a vet and repeated after seven days.

Jamie Walker MA VetMB MRCVS, veterinary technical manager at Dechra, said: "DuOtic has been available in Ireland and Northern Ireland for some time and feedback from vet professionals has been positive, both logistically as no refrigeration is required, but also practically as dog owners have appreciated the product being vet-applied, reducing the stress associated with treatment.

"Some owners also appreciated the targeted nature of the treatment in the broader context of antimicrobial stewardship."