The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is seeking feedback on a new draft Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.

The new draft Code, which would replace the existing RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses, has been produced by a Working Party set up by the RCVS Advisory Committee to review the Guides for both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

It is the benchmark for professional conduct against which registered veterinary nurses will be measured in any hearings on serious professional misconduct held by the recently-introduced VN Disciplinary Committee.

The purpose of the review is to ensure that guidance to the profession, and the public, is clear, for example, using consistent language to distinguish between what must be done and what is advised.

The new Code is a short, principles-based document, using the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe's Code of Conduct as the starting point. It will be supported by additional advice on specific areas of veterinary practice or issues, for example, clinical governance.

The consultation follows an earlier one for a new draft Code for veterinary surgeons that closed at the end of June: the new Code for veterinary nurses follows the format and style of that for veterinary surgeons. Comments made during the veterinary surgeon consultation will be taken account of alongside comments made during this new consultation.

For the first time, the draft proposes that veterinary nurses make a declaration on joining the VN Register, which underlines the primary importance of animal health and welfare: "I PROMISE AND SOLEMNLY DECLARE that my constant endeavour will be to ensure the welfare of animals committed to my care and that I will pursue the work of my profession with integrity and accept my responsibilities to my clients, the public, the profession and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons."

Comments on the proposed draft are invited from the veterinary nursing profession, the veterinary profession and the public, particularly on the issue of whether the Codes for veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons ought to be combined.

Andrea Jeffery, the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council member who led the group tasked with developing the new Code, said: "It is 50 years since the start of the veterinary nursing profession and the changes proposed in the Code reflect the development of our professional role over this time.

"This new Code is a simplified document that focuses on key principles and which will be supported by more detailed guidance. Although it follows the format of the draft Code for veterinary surgeons, it is important that we recognise our unique position as veterinary nurses."

The new Code, together with the consultation paper, can be downloaded at www.rcvs.org.uk/VNcodeconsultation.

Comments should be sent by email to Christopher Murdoch, Secretary to the Guides Review Working Party, at c.murdoch@rcvs.org.uk by Friday, 21 October 2011.

The RCVS has begun the final stage of its review of the definition of ‘under care’ and the provision of 24/7 emergency cover, and is now consulting veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, students and the wider veterinary team on its proposed new guidance.

The review started with a series of focus groups amongst veterinary professionals across multiple sectors.

This was followed by an analysis of the information gleaned from the focus groups, additional stakeholder submissions, data from the College's Covid surveys, independent research studies and formal legal advice to formulate an online qualitative survey to gain the views and feedback of UK-based veterinary professionals.

In this final stage, the public consultation, all veterinary professionals, vet and vet nurse students, practice managers and all those who work in the veterinary practice team are invited to share the extent to which they agree (or disagree) with each element of the proposed new guidance on ‘under care’, their views on the requirements for a 24/7 follow-up service following a remote prescription and other safeguards, and their feedback on the proposed definition of limited-service providers.

There will also be a consultation with members of the animal-owning public, which will likely include questions asking for information about animal owner experiences with remote prescriptions, the perceived advantages and/or disadvantages of remote prescribing, and views on 24/7 care and how important a service this is to respondents.

Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS, RCVS President and former Chair of the Standards Committee, said: “The past two years have shown us that the veterinary professions are highly capable of adopting new ways of working.

"It also revealed that we can adapt our established ways of practice to better respond to shifts in public expectations and advancements in technology.

"However, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that any changes continue to allow us to provide safe and effective care for our patients, and meet the appropriate expectations of our clients.

“Whilst we recognise and reflect on the need for change, the proposed guidance seeks to protect animal health and welfare and maintain public trust by ensuring that decision-making remains firmly in the hands of individual veterinary surgeons, as to what they, in their professional judgement, consider appropriate in a specific situation.

“This consultation, then, while not a referendum on whether RCVS guidance on ‘under care’ and 24-hour emergency first-aid and pain relief should change – that decision having been made by Standards Committee and approved by Council based on the evidence gathered, including the views of the profession and objective evidence, and legal advice – is a crucial opportunity for veterinary colleagues to tell us whether we have got the draft guidance right, whether the proposed safeguards are sufficient, and whether there is anything we might have missed or should amend.”

www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare.

The RCVS is calling on everyone to nominate veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and laypeople who are working above-and-beyond for the benefit of animal health and welfare, the veterinary professions or public health, for one of its 2019 honours and awards.

This year the College is seeking nominations for six awards:

• The Queen’s Medal: the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a veterinary surgeon for a highly distinguished career with sustained and outstanding achievements throughout.

• The Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award: this award is aimed at veterinary nurses who have had a sustained and distinguished career, who can demonstrate a leadership role within the profession and who can act as an ambassador for the value of veterinary nurses and their work.

• RCVS International Award: this award is for vets, vet nurses or laypeople who work internationally, from either within or outside the UK, in making an outstanding contribution to, for example, raising veterinary standards, veterinary education and improving animal health and welfare.

• RCVS Impact Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses who have recently, or are currently, undertaking a project, initiative or similar that has a significant impact on the profession at large, animal health or welfare, or public health. Such impact could have been made through any field of veterinary endeavour, including clinical practice, research, education or veterinary politics.

• RCVS Inspiration Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses at any stage of their career who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout. It is open to those who have inspired and motivated individuals anywhere within the profession and recognises those who have gone ‘above and beyond’ what may normally be expected from a professional colleague.

• Honorary Associateship: this honour is conferred to a small number of laypeople each year, in recognition of their special contribution to the veterinary sphere. It recognises the full range of individuals who contribute to the veterinary sphere including scientists, lecturers, journalists, charity-workers, farriers, farmers and those involved in the commercial field.

For this year’s honours and awards nomination period, the College has produced a video using footage from Royal College Day 2018, featuring interviews with those who were recognised with RCVS honours and awards on the day. 

The video is available to view at www.rcvs.org.uk/honours where you can also download further information and guidance about the criteria for nominators and nominees for the awards, as well as how to make nomination.

Dr Niall Connell, RCVS Junior Vice-President, is taking the lead in promoting the awards this year. He said: "Throughout my time in the veterinary profession, and particularly since joining RCVS Council, I have met so many veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons who are truly inspiring individuals.

"The RCVS honours and awards scheme is a perfect opportunity to celebrate some of the individuals that have done or are doing something really special – whether that’s by inspiring their colleagues and peers or doing things that benefit animal health and welfare or society at large.

"Across all six awards there really is something for everyone – vets and veterinary nurses at all stages of their careers as well as laypeople are all up for recognition and so I’d strongly encourage everyone to think about someone they know who deserves recognition and get in touch.”

The deadline for nominations is Friday 18 January 2019. 

For an informal talk about the awards and how to make a nomination you can contact Peris Dean, Executive Secretary, on p.dean@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0761.

A study published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice has found that neutering female dogs makes them three times more likely to develop urinary incontinence (UI)¹.

The research, carried out by the Royal Veterinary College’s (RVC) VetCompass programme, involved analysing data from 333,910 bitches who presented at veterinary practices participating in the programme between 2014 and 2017.

The study also indicated that the females of certain breeds are more prone to UI than others, with Hungarian Vizslas, Doberman, Weimaraners and Boxers most at risk.

UI affects around 3% of bitches in primary veterinary care in England.

The researchers say that a connection between neutering and UI in bitches has long been suspected but this study provides stronger evidence on the extent of the relationship.

The data also showed that age and bodyweight are major contributory factors to bitches developing UI as well as neutering and breed. Other key findings include:  

• Bitches over nine years old are 1.7 times more likely to develop UI compared to those younger than three years.

• Bitches weighing over 10kg are 1.9 more likely to develop UI than those weighing less than 10kg, while bitches over 30kg are three times more likely.

Camilla Pegram, VetCompass epidemiologist and lead researcher on the study, said: "First opinion vets discuss and perform neuters on a daily basis but, until now, evidence on the link between neutering and urinary incontinence has been tenuous.

"This study provides stronger evidence of an important association between neutering and urinary incontinence. The decision to neuter a bitch is based on many factors, not just incontinence risk alone. However, these results suggest that the component of the decision driven by urinary incontinence could be emphasised for the high-risk breeds and bitches of larger bodyweight.”

It is hoped that the results will aid owners and vets in making evidence-based decisions when it comes to neutering female dogs. 

Reference 

1. Pegram, C. , O'Neill, D. G., Church, D. B., Hall, J. , Owen, L. and Brodbelt, D. C. (2019), Spaying and urinary incontinence in bitches under UK primary veterinary care: a case–control study. J Small Anim Pract. doi:10.1111/jsap.13014

The BSAVA has released a new collection of resources to help veterinary surgeons treat hedgehogs.

The resource includes content from Companion, BSAVA Congress, and the BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties.

Topics range from hand-rearing to anaesthesia to relevant legal questions and cover both hedgehogs and general wildlife casualties.

Liz Mullineaux, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Wildlife Medicine (Mammalian), Senior Vice President of the British Veterinary Zoological Society, and editor of the BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties, said: "Hedgehogs are the most common mammalian wildlife casualty seen by veterinary surgeons.

"Those caring for these animals have very variable knowledge and look to vets for appropriate help, advice, and clinical care.

"It’s therefore really important that vets and vet nurses in practice have some good information about hedgehogs to hand.

"As well as knowing about clinical conditions, a broader understanding of wildlife rehabilitation is essential.

The collection, which costs £20.00 for BSAVA members or £45.00 for non-members, can be accessed via the BSAVA Library: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/hedgehogs. 

The Vet Channel has launched VetPod, a customisable video display system for practice waiting rooms.  

The VetPod system is comprised of three elements: a website where you select the media you want to display in your waiting room, the VetPod, which downloads the videos you select, and a monitor on which to display them in your waiting room.

The Vet Channel says it is updating its media library regularly, so you can pick content which ties in with your practices' clinical focus, marketing strategy and promotional offerings.

The system also allows you to upload your own logos, photographs and videos, and display practice specific information, such as staff news, opening hours, special clinics and promotions. In addition The Vet Channel's in-house design studio can create bold, eye-catching media content to reflect your brand and promote every aspect of your services.

Anthony Beliovich from Companion Care said: "Enquiries about microchipping and flea treatment increased by 25% after we installed The Vet Channel."

For more information, visit  http://www.thevetchannel.co.uk/, email  enquiries@thevetchannel.co.uk, or ring: 0844 8111406

Alternatively, you'll be able to see a demonstration of VetPod at BSAVA Congress this year.

The RVC has published two studies which give a greater insight to the 2021 outbreak of feline pancytopenia.

The outbreak, which was widely covered in the media, caused concern amongst cat owners.

The findings of an investigation found a link between high concentrations of trichothecene T-2/HT-2 mycotoxins (both poisonous substances, produced by fungi) in certain cat foods.

The first study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, describes 580 cats recorded by the RVC’s database during the initial outbreak, the epidemiology of the cases and the link with mycotoxin exposure. 

The cats presented with severe reductions in vital blood cells, including white blood cells responsible for fighting infection and platelets responsible for blood clotting.

The research recounts how analysis of these cats’ data – provided both by pet owners and vets - revealed three diets that had been consumed by the majority of affected cats and how this subsequently led to a UK wide recall in June 2021. 

Examining the subsequent analysis of the feed samples and the discovery of mycotoxin contamination, which is known to be toxic to bone marrow, and thereby negatively impacting the production of key blood cells, the study concludes that mycotoxin contamination should be considered as the cause of the outbreak.

The second study examines 50 cats identified as having pancytopenia in more depth, providing a detailed picture of clinical findings to better understand the disease process in these cats affected by the outbreak.

Records and data of 50 of the affected cats were assessed to identify additional clinical signs which indicated contact with mycotoxins.

Following examination of the cats’ bone marrow, it was found that all cats suffered a marked toxic insult to their bone marrow.

From this, the study concluded that a differential diagnosis of mycotoxin-induced pancytopenia should be considered in cats presenting with pancytopenia.

Lead author of the research, Dr Barbara Glanemann, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College and Co-head of the Small Animal Internal Medicine Service at the RVC’s Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, said:

“These pieces of research involved a great deal of work from many people (noted as authors and acknowledgements in the papers) and we really appreciate the teamwork involved, and the collaborative support we received.

“We know first-hand how much devastation and concern this outbreak caused for many cat owners across the country and so it is our hope that the studies will help people better understand what happened to cause this outbreak and can be used to not only provide some closure to those affected but also reduce the chances of something similar occurring in the future.”

References

1. Glanemann, B., Humm, K, et al. (2022). An investigation into an outbreak of pancytopenia in cats in the United Kingdom, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. The full paper is available at: http://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16615
2. Glanemann, B., Humm, K, et al. (2022). Clinical and clinicopathological features and outcomes of cats with suspected dietary induced pancytopenia,Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. The full paper is available at: http://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16613 

John Burns MRCVS, founder of Burns Pet Nutrition has been announced as a finalist for the 2018 NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

John (pictured right) will compete against leading businessmen and women from across the country and a range of industries in the 'Entrepreneur for Good' category, designed to celebrate entrepreneurs that are pioneering ideas and business models to help drive social change.

John founded Burns Pet Nutrition in 1993, with the thinking that a healthy diet is key to managing many of the common health problems seen in pets. In fact, John reckons he's done more for pets with his line of pet food than he could have ever hoped to have achieved in general practice.

In 2008, John set up The Burns Pet Nutrition Foundation - a charity dedicated to improving the lives of people and pets across the UK. Today, the in-house charity is run by a team of six who specialise in everything from one-off donations to grassroots projects. 

One such project, Burns by Your Side, helps schoolchildren to improve their literacy and communication skills with the aid of trained volunteers and their companion dogs. The scheme is currently active in over 40 educational settings across parts of Wales and Ireland.

More recently, Burns Pet Nutrition announced a £1M charity donation to mark its 25^th year of trading. 

John said "I have decided that the company should be a force for good. I want Burns Pet Nutrition to not only be known for our natural pet food, but also for establishing and maintaining a legacy of good causes in the community."

John is in the running to win the Entrepreneur for Good award along with six other Welsh entrepreneurs. The winners will be announced on Thursday 22^nd November at a special gala final in Cardiff. 

For further information on the awards, please visit, www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com.

Animalcare has added Orozyme Oral Hygiene Gel, an enzymatic plaque-suppressing toothpaste, to its range. 

The company has also carried out research amongst 60 practices which found that despite the fact that over 80% of dogs over the age of three reportedly suffer from dental disease¹, only 48% opened discussions about dental care at the earliest opportunity: vaccination time. 16% only discussed dental care if the dog developed a dental problem and 52% also admitted that they did not follow up discussions on dental compliance.²

Eleanor Workman Wright, Product Manager at Animalcare, said: "The key to successful dental care is to start early, both in educating owners and getting puppies and kittens used to brushing or other forms of dental care. If discussions are delayed until the animal is a year old, it is possible that some disease may already be present while the animal may be less receptive to brushing or other efforts to care for their teeth.

"We see the dental sector as important and one that is likely to grow, particularly in the light of the pandemic-induced increase in the number of dogs and cats. We hope that our new Owner Guide will support veterinary teams in initiating early discussions with owners about the importance of dental care, while the addition of an affordable and effective oral gel in Orozyme, to our range will give them a key tool to offer to owners to use as part of their homecare routine."

For more information, contact your Animalcare Territory Manager or visit: www.animalcare.co.uk .  

Reference

1. Enlund, K.B., Brunius, C., Hanson, J. et al. Dental home care in dogs - a questionnaire study among Swedish dog owners, veterinarians and veterinary nurses. BMC Vet Res 16, 90 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02281-y
2. Research summary available from Animalcare on request

Elanco Animal Health has launched Imrestor, a new treatment designed to help prevent transition diseases in cows and potentially reduce antibiotic usage¹.

During the 60 days before to 30 days after calving, dairy cows experience a dip in their natural immunity, leaving them especially vulnerable to important diseases such as mastitis², metritis³ and retained placenta.⁴ With serious cost consequences and implications for cow welfare and productivity, this makes the transition period one of the most challenging yet vital periods for vets to manage with dairy clients. 

Imrestor (pegbovigrastim injection) is a pegylated form of the naturally occurring protein cytokine, bovine Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (bG-CSF). Elanco says it helps restore the cow’s natural defences by increasing the number and restoring the function of neutrophils, the primary type of white blood cell that recognizes and kills harmful bacteria.

Fiona Anderson, Technical Vet at Elanco, said: "It’s no secret that a successful transition period is vital for maximising productivity in the next lactation, yet we are still ‘firefighting’ common transition diseases like mastitis rather than focusing on their true cause."

"Vets are under increasing pressure to adopt a more proactive approach, not least to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock but with few credible alternatives. This can be challenging in dairy herds, particularly around calving when cows are susceptible to multiple disease challenges while their defences are low. Imrestor helps to restore a cow’s own natural immunity and strengthen her ability to defend against infection by a range of mastitis pathogens – thus helping to protect the cow against mastitis when she needs it most."

Available in pre-filled, single-dose syringes, Imrestor is administered with two injections – one seven days prior to the anticipated date of calving and the other within 24 hours after calving – with neither injection requiring a withdrawal period.

Kingsley Baxendale, Ruminant Marketing Manager at Elanco Animal Health said: "It can be extremely frustrating for vets to see their dairy farmers struggling with the stress and hassle of dealing with increased numbers of sick cows during calving; they have enough to deal with at the moment. We’re delighted that Imrestor can provide vets with a tool to help decrease the negative consequences associated with immune-related diseases like mastitis and maximise their herds’ lactation potential."

As part of the launch of Imrestor, Elanco also announced its new 'Pledge To Protect' initiative to encourage vets and farmers to make a pledge symbolising their commitment to address immune suppression in their dairy cows.

The number of pledges will be tracked using a life-sized 2D cow model, pictured above. For each pledge, which can be made online or at events, Elanco will make a £5 donation to The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I), which supports farmers in difficulty. As a thank you for showing support, all pledgers will automatically be entered into a weekly prize draw.

To find out more about using Imrestor and how you can make your pledge, visit www.vital90days.co.uk.

References

1. CVMP Assessment Report for Imrestor (EMEA/V/C/002763/0000)
2. Sordillo L.M., (2005), Factors affecting mammary gland immunity and mastitis susceptibility. Livestock Production Science, 98, 89 -99.
3. Hammon D.S. et al,(2006), Neutrophil function and energy status in Holstein cows with uterine health disorders, Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 113, 21 -29.
4. Kimura K., Goff J.P., Kehrli M.E., (2002), Decreased neutrophil function as a cause of retained placenta in dairy cattle, Journal of Dairy Science, 85 (3), 544 -550.

Harper Adams University and Keele University have announced that they are in exploratory talks to establish a new UK veterinary school.

The proposal is for the new school to provide five-year degrees leading to a Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences (BVSc) qualification, with training being delivered on both university campuses, in partnership with local clinical providers and industry.

Carwyn Ellis, Head of the Animal Production, Welfare and Veterinary Sciences at Harper Adams, said: "This is an exciting development which will add further to our provision for the veterinary sector, complementing our current postgraduate veterinary medicine programmes, and our undergraduate programmes in Bioveterinary Science, Clinical Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Veterinary Nursing, Veterinary Physiotherapy and Agriculture all of which will contribute to enhanced animal health and wellbeing."

The universities say further discussions and detailed business planning will be taking place over the coming months, with a view to a further announcement later in the year outlining when the new school would expect to receive its first cohort of students.

Commenting on the news, BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "This is a very interesting development at a time when there are many questions around the sustainability of the UK veterinary workforce as the UK prepares to leave the EU and at a time when many practices and businesses are reporting significant problems in recruiting.

"Striking the right balance between producing ‘home grown’ graduates from UK veterinary schools and bringing in appropriately qualified and skilled foreign graduates will be key to maintaining a flexible, skilled and sustainable workforce. 

"However, there are a number of very important factors that will need to be considered, including whether we have enough capacity in the UK to deliver quality EMS placements, and how it might impact on the availability of veterinary teaching staff, particularly given that 25% of current veterinary academics are from non-UK EU countries.

"An increase in UK vet school places also needs to be considered in the context of the Vet Futures project and the Vet Futures actions currently underway, including the RCVS-led Graduate Outcomes project and the BVA-led workforce study. We must ensure that we can provide fulfilling career opportunities for our graduates in a wide range of veterinary roles – both clinical and non-clinical – as well as meeting the needs of society now and in the future."

Photo: Harper Adams

The International Society of Feline Medicine has announced that two 'giants of feline medicine and infectious disease' will headline its European Feline Congress, which is open to all and taking place in the beautiful Croatian town of Cavtat from 26th-30th June.

Richard Malik from the Centre for Veterinary Education at the University of Sydney and Mike Lappin from Colorado State University, known for their amusing and questioning presentations, will be joined by experts including Jayne Sykes, Séverine Tasker, Donato Traversa and Francesca Mancianti to present the latest information about the diagnosis and treatment of a veritable smorgasbord of feline infectious diseases, including heartworm, leishmaniasis, toxocara, aspergillus, bartonella, coronavirus, erlichia, anaplasma, rickettsia, lungworm, mycobacteria, FeLV, FIV, haemoplasmas, cryptococcosis, GI disease and  emerging feline pathogens.

Together with a mini-symposia organised by the congress sponsors – Idexx, Hill’s, Ceva, Bayer and Boehringer Ingelheim – the five-day event is worth 25 hours of feline CPD.

If you need more in-depth knowledge of feline infectious diseases, there are also three masterclasses planned.

The venue looks drop-dead gorgeous too. Set on a small wooded peninsula embraced by two harbours, Cavtat has a pretty waterfront peppered with restaurants, pebbly beaches and an interesting assortment of artsy attractions, making it one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the region. ISFM says it's a great base from which to explore Dubrovnik and the surrounding area.

The welcome party will take place at the congress hotel’s waterfront restaurant on Thursday evening.

Tickets cost £475 for ISFM members and £605 for non-members. Masterclasses are an additional £50 each.

That seems like an absolute steal to me, and I'm not even a vet. Where do I sign?

Ah, here it is: https://icatcare.org/isfm-congress

RSA has announced the rollout of its UK-wide network of preferred referral practices.

The scheme caused widespread concern within the profession when it was trialed in the Midlands earlier this year, primarily because of fears that it would reduce general practitioners' freedom to refer an animal to a centre that they felt could provide the most appropriate care for both the animal and the owner. In addition, RSA's claim that it was aiming to provide like-for-like care at a lower cost was undermined by the fact that the network could hardly field a single RCVS Recognised Specialist amongst its numbers. There were also concerns being voiced about the terms under which referral practices could join the network.

However, the underlying challenge of keeping pet insurance affordable remains. RSA says that according to its research, and based on Association of British Insurers averages, 27% of its customers pay more for their pet insurance than the average cost of home insurance; 17% pay more than the average cost of car insurance and 3% pay more than the average cost for private medical insurance.

It does seem as though RSA has been making a concerted effort to adopt a more collaborative approach before the nationwide rollout, having meetings with both the BVA and BSAVA which the respective organisations described as 'constructive'.

The current state of play is that RSA is inviting referral practices to join its network in advance of a launch some time after the end of the year. Thereafter, VetSurgeon.org understands that clients who decide to opt for a non-emergency referral outside its network will be subject to an additional flat fee which has yet to be announced.

Bill Paton, Claims Director for UK and Western Europe said: “The introduction of this new preferred referral network ensures that our customers will receive the most appropriate available treatment as diagnosed by their vet.

"For us, being able to control costs with our vet partners in the network will help us manage our claims cost more effectively and ensure that policy limits last as long as possible.

"Ultimately, this will have a positive effect on premium rates for our customers ensuring that pet insurance remains affordable.”

For more information about joining RSA's referral network, email: rsa.pet@uk.rsagroup.com.