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VetSurgeon.org publishes a curated feed of veterinary news for practising veterinary surgeons, with a primary focus on the UK profession.
We select stories based on their practical relevance, clinical interest, or professional significance — filtering out noise so busy vets can stay informed quickly.
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We report across all areas of practice, including companion animal, farm, equine and exotic species.
Our editorial approach is deliberately selective and concise. We prioritise clarity and relevance over volume, aiming to make each story worth your time.
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Dexmedocord is a dexmedetomidine 0.5 mg/ml solution for injection for dogs and cats and is available through all major UK veterinary wholesalers.
It is indicated in cats and dogs for non-invasive, mildly to moderately painful procedures and examinations requiring restraint, sedation and analgesia.
In dogs, it is also indicated for deep sedation and analgesia in concomitant use with butorphanol for medical and minor surgical procedures, and as a premedication in dogs and cats before induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia.
Dexmedetomidine is the active dextrorotatory enantiomer of medetomidine.
Bob Ferguson, Director of Animal Health at Accord Animal Health, said: "Veterinary practices need trusted products backed by accessible pricing and reliable supply."
"Dexmedocord marks an important milestone as our first POM-V pharmaceutical launch in the UK and reflects the established expertise and strong heritage in high-quality pharmaceuticals that we bring through the wider Accord group."
accordanimalhealth.com
The new library provides images of companion and farm animals with the purpose of helping animal health teams find the right images quickly, and with confidence in their clinical accuracy for appropriate use.
Toby Trimble, founder of Trimble Group, said: "We repeatedly saw a common issue in the veterinary sector of inadequate images and teams were having to spend significant amounts of time searching for usable images.
"To remedy this, we have created the Animal Health Image Library.
"Every image is clinically accurate, and features a mixture of breeds, signalments and scenarios.
"Furthermore we have clearly categorised images into categories which makes finding the right image a quick and easy process.
"We truly believe this resource will aid both those working in the industry creating content, and consumers who will benefit from seeing accurate imagery.”
www.vetimages.com
If adopted, the move would end the RCVS's 182-year role as regulator of the veterinary profession.
In its report, "A sustainable veterinary workforce", the committee said the Government should separate the RCVS's professional leadership role from any regulatory functions within the veterinary profession, creating a new independent body that can oversee the expanded role of a reformed Act.
The report argued that the current system of self-regulation makes the veterinary sector an outlier, pointing towards professions such as medicine and law where regulatory functions have been separated from professional bodies.
It added that self-regulation is increasingly unsuitable for a profession where vet practices and services are coming under the ownership of corporate entities and the management of non-vets.
The recommendation sits within a wider package on veterinary workforce pressures, veterinary education, Competition and Markets Authority remedies and reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
On workforce, the report said pressures in the profession are no longer driven primarily by an overall shortage of qualified individuals, but by challenges in retention, distribution and alignment with specific roles.
It recommended that Defra should, within six months, commission a sector-wide review of retention challenges across the profession.
The report also said the Home Office, in collaboration with Defra, should review the Skilled Worker Visa salary thresholds for veterinary roles by early 2027.
On veterinary education, the committee said the current funding model is not sustainable and recommended a full review of funding within the next Spending Review.
It also said the Government should ensure the CMA's remedies are fully rural proofed, and that the CMA, in partnership with the RCVS, should establish a monitoring framework by September 2027.
The RCVS welcomed the majority of the recommendations but said the idea of establishing a new veterinary regulator "seems to be based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the current role and functions of the College."
In a statement, the College added: “The report appears to assert that this reform is necessary because the functions of the RCVS are in conflict with one another, or that it is otherwise undesirable for these functions to be carried out by one organisation.
"Comparison with the legal sector – in which the regulatory and representative functions of professional bodies were separated by statute in 2007 – strongly implies that the committee considers the same reform necessary in the veterinary sector because the RCVS has similarly conflicting functions, which it does not, and suggests a conflation between professional leadership and representation.
“Furthermore, the report fundamentally misunderstands the concepts of self-regulation and regulatory independence.
"In the context of modern regulatory regimes, 'self-regulation' refers to the independence of a regulator from government, not whether a profession makes rules for itself. In this sense most professional regulators, including the General Medical Council, are both self-regulating and independent.
“The press release accompanying the report is more explicit on these points, arguing that the establishment of a new regulator would allow the RCVS to “specialise in continuing to represent the profession’s interests.”
"To be clear, the RCVS does not represent the interests of the veterinary profession as a whole, nor those of the individual veterinary professionals we regulate.
“While it is true that the RCVS is currently both a statutory regulator and a professional leadership body, we carry out our statutory regulatory function in the public interest under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and we carry out our professional leadership function in the public interest in line with the objectives in our Royal Charter.
"There is therefore no conflict between the two functions; indeed, they are complementary, allowing us to take a holistic approach to setting, maintaining and advancing veterinary standards.
“Furthermore, our Royal Charter has enabled us to innovate and plug gaps in our aging legislative framework, for example through regulating veterinary nurses and providing quality assurance of veterinary care through our Practice Standards Scheme.
"Far from detracting from or conflicting with our regulatory function, our professional leadership function, underpinned by the Charter, has reinforced our ability to take action in the public interest where we may not have statutory powers to do so.
“In relation to any suggestion that the RCVS should no longer be the veterinary regulator because it is unduly influenced by the profession through its governance arrangements, we would emphasise that the College has for some time been advocating for legislative reform that would replace its governing Council with a fully appointed board with lay parity, which would remove any risk, real or perceived, of the profession setting and marking its own homework.
"We are pleased that Defra has adopted this recommendation in full as part of its proposed reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.”
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5902/cmselect/cmenvfru/270/report.html
Analysis
The recommendation to create a new veterinary regulator is arguably the most significant proposal in the report, yet the committee’s case for such a fundamental change appears relatively thin.
The report argues that regulation should be separated from professional leadership, bringing the veterinary profession into line with sectors such as medicine and law. It also points to increasing corporate ownership of veterinary practices and the need to maintain public confidence.
However, the report does not provide evidence that the current regulatory model is failing, nor does it explain why reform of the RCVS itself would not achieve the same objective.
The result is that the recommendation appears to rest more on an ideological preference for separating professional leadership from regulation than on evidence that the existing model is producing poor outcomes.
Photo: EFRA committee chair Alistair Carmichael, whose committee has called for an end to veterinary self-regulation.
The study1 was led by Dr Zoe Davies, a former Postdoctoral Researcher at the RVC, supervised by Jim Usherwood, Professor in Locomotor Biomechanics at the RVC, and co-authored by Aimee Savage, who was an RVC undergraduate at the time.
It involved six dogs with forelimb amputations and six with hindlimb amputations recruited from across the UK through the RVC's social media channels.
Using a 3D motion capture system and force plates in the RVC's Structure and Motion Laboratory, researchers analysed how the dogs adapted their bodies at different speeds.
At higher speeds, the dogs used a gallop-like gait similar to that seen in four-legged dogs.
At slower speeds, the dogs adopted two different movement strategies.
One involved a slowed-down version of the gallop.
The other involved a gait in which the pair of remaining limbs moved in a walking pattern, while the single remaining limb contacted the ground more than once during each stride.
When analysing forces acting on the limbs, the researchers found that forelimb amputee dogs placed around 50% of their bodyweight through their single remaining front limb, whereas weight in hindlimb amputee dogs was distributed more evenly across their three remaining limbs.
The RVC said the research provides a foundation for future work into rehabilitation and mobility support for canine amputees and may also inform the development of adaptive legged robots capable of responding to limb loss.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article/293/2069/20253159/481426/Locomotion-on-three-legs-the-tripedal-gaits-of
Reference
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
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."
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/
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
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
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
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."
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
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.
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/
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: