Teleradiology company, VetCT, is calling for companies developing and deploying AI in the field of veterinary diagnostic imaging to impose the highest standards of self-regulation. 

In an AI position statement released on their website, the company highlights the opportunities and risks associated with the use of AI to interpret diagnostic images.

In the joint statement, company owners Victoria Johnson and Julien Labruyère (pictured right), said: “We strongly welcome the introduction of appropriately developed, tested and implemented AI tools into our profession, to provide solutions to improve resourcing and benefit animal welfare.

“There is a limited pool of veterinary radiologists and an ever-increasing need for expert interpretation of radiographs and more advanced diagnostic imaging modalities.

"This presents a huge opportunity for the development of AI and related technologies to better address demand, save time and potentially improve clinical knowledge and outcomes. 

"However, it is important to note that, unlike human radiology, there is no official framework for the regulation, governance and quality control of AI tools in veterinary radiology.

"This means that there should be a very strong onus on companies and individuals to adhere to the highest standards of medical tool development when creating AI solutions.” 

“If AI is released into veterinary practice without appropriate oversight or governance there is a significant risk of misleading results, misdiagnosis, and negative impacts on patient welfare.

"This, in turn, may undermine trust in AI and create a culture of hesitancy to adopt new technologies at a time when innovation is much needed to improve access to advanced care.”

The company is advocating for a series of self-regulatory measures to be applied by companies developing AI in order to safeguard both animal welfare and the liability of the veterinary surgeons using these tools in clinical practice.

The full position statement and a list of recommendations can be here: https://www.vet-ct.com/gb/our-services/ai-veterinary-radiology/ 

Cave Veterinary Specialists, near Wellington, has expanded it's neurology service with the appointment of European specialist Sabrina Gillespie, and the installation of a £1.2m Phillips Ingenia 1.5T Evolution MRI.

Sabrina joins Fran Taylor-Brown, Simon Bertram and head of service Tom Cardy.

Tom, a European and RCVS specialist in neurology, said Cave is now the biggest specialist-led neurology service in the South West: 

“We are very pleased to have Sabrina join the neurology service at Cave, expanding our team to four European and RCVS-recognised specialists in veterinary neurology. This really sets Cave apart from our competitors.

“Sabrina’s arrival, in conjunction with the installation of our new state-of-the-art MRI scanner, means we can see most urgent neurology referrals within 24-48 hours in nearly all cases and increase the number of neurology cases we treat each day.”

Cave’s new £1.2m Phillips Ingenia 1.5T Evolution offers 50% faster scans at a far higher resolution than its previous MRI and shorter general anaesthetics for patients.

It also allows a more detailed and accurate diagnosis of complex neurological conditions.

Tom added: “The MRI scanner is one of the most advanced imaging modalities for the nervous system, providing millimetre-thick cross-sectional images of the brain and spinal cord which is essential for both accurate diagnosis and treatment.

“Having such advanced equipment and facilities plus four recognised specialists means all our clients and their pets will see a vet with the highest level of training in veterinary neurology.

“All of our specialists are happy to discuss challenging cases on the phone with our referring vets and Sabrina's skills and enthusiasm will continue to improve and diversify the service we offer.

https://cave-vet-specialists.co.uk 

A study published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice has concluded that there is no difference between vapocoolant spray or eutectic lidocaine/prilocaine (EMLA) cream for improving tolerance of intravenous catheter placement in dogs¹.

Given that vapocoolant is effective immediately, compared to EMLA cream which is recommended to be applied 60 minutes beforehand, the study suggests that in dogs at least, vapocoolant may be the better option in practice.

For the study, researchers from the Royal Veterinary College assessed 83 dogs and 18 cats requiring intravenous catheterisation for either blood donation collection or as oncology patients.

Patients were randomly assigned to receive either EMLA cream or a swab saturated with vapocoolant spray (Ethycalm / Invicta Animal Health) applied before catheterisation, and their reactions were assessed during initial restraint, limb handling, swab application and skin puncture.

Overall, there was no significant difference between vapocoolant spray and EMLA cream, and neither method appeared better at improving patient tolerance of intravenous catheter placement.

Vapocoolant spray was less effective than EMLA cream in reducing adverse reactions to skin puncture during catheterisation in cats, suggesting that EMLA may be preferable for feline patients.

Dogs that received vapocoolant spray showed a greater adverse response during swab application compared to those receiving EMLA, possibly due to the coldness of the swab.

Success of intravenous catheter placement was identical for both anaesthetics.

Dr Richie Trinder, lead author of the study, said: “The study is the first of its kind comparing vapocoolant spray and EMLA, and suggests in this context that the use of vapocoolant spray provides a similar degree of relief as EMLA, but with the added advantage of being instantaneous, instead of needing to wait the recommended 60 minutes for EMLA.”

Reference

• Trinder, R., Park, J., Humm, K. and Cole, L. (2025), Effectiveness of vapocoolant spray compared to eutectic lidocaine/prilocaine cream to enhance tolerance during intravenous catheterisation: a randomised controlled trial. J Small Anim Pract, 66: 236-242. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13825 

Vets attending the first veterinary-led European Equine Transport Forum, held in Brussels last November, have agreed that the profession needs to take a leading role to help enforce the current regulation governing the long-distance transport of horses, in order for equine welfare standards to be improved.

In support, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Trust has announced the introduction of the BEVA Trust Equine Transport Enforcement Award of €1000, to be given annually to the individual or group doing the most to improve enforcement of the current transport regulation.

The Forum was initiated by BEVA President Madeleine Campbell in conjunction with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and is sponsored by the BEVA Trust and World Horse Welfare. It attracted representatives from 38 nations; including a strong turnout from Eastern Europe where horses sourced for slaughter often start their journeys and Italy which is the end destination for the majority of these horses.

The plight of horses sourced for slaughter was the main focus for discussion and the key issues raised were:

• The practical enforcement of the current regulation at the beginning, middle and end of journeys
• Consistent enforcement of the current regulation across all Member States
• That horses transported for slaughter should receive the same regard for their welfare as competition and leisure horses
• The lack of adequate assessments of fitness to travel, leading to diseased horses being transported greatly increasing the risk of transmitting infectious diseases across Europe. These non-compliant shipments should be tackled through robust and thorough veterinary examination at each stage of the journey, coupled with rigorous identification procedures for every horse to ensure traceability.

Delegates also examined the long-term need to change the attitude of Italian consumers, raising awareness of the current welfare issues related to their preference for fresh meat, labelled as Italian produce. In addition they discussed the impact on equine welfare of increased profits in sourcing horses in Eastern Europe and then transporting them long distances for slaughter.

Dr Madeleine Campbell said: "The atmosphere throughout the day was one of collaboration and determination to succeed. Proper enforcement of the current regulation is the key to welfare improvements, as is the need for a system of best practice to drive a change in cultural attitudes about how horse meat is produced. A process of education is necessary so that consumers understand the welfare issues associated with long-distance transport and start demanding accurate information about where the meat which they are buying originally came from, and how far the horses travelled to slaughter. We are all in agreement that vets have a pivotal role to play in both education and enforcement, and that they want to play it."

Nominations for the annual BEVA Trust Equine Transport Enforcement Award are open and can be made via the FVE and the BEVA Trust. The award will be judged by the FVE Working Group on Transport, and will be awarded for the first time in November 2011. The programme, abstracts and presentations from the Forum can be found at: http://www.fve.org/events/index.html#conferences

Vetoquinol, distributor of the Phovia light system, is highlighting a new study in Veterinary Dermatology which concluded that fluorescent light energy reduces the time to clinical resolution, increases the resolution rate and minimises the need for antibiotics in cases of canine  interdigital furunculosis (CIF)^₁.

Conducted as a multicentric international study involving board-certified veterinary dermatologists, the trial included 35 dogs with CIF in at least two paws.

Each dog acted as its own control, and was treated with systemic antibiotics, with one paw being treated with FLE and the other paw without. 

Paws were allocated based on a coin toss, and the study was single blinded: the principal investigator was responsible for the assessment of lesions, and the co-investigator was responsible for administration of FLE treatment.

The dogs were assessed over an 8-week period with check-ups every 14 days.

At every check-up the paws treated with FLE showed a greater improvement than paws without FLE treatment.

The lesions were assessed and scored with the global lesion score, the pruritic visual analogue scale, a cytological scoring, and photographic documentation.

The results of the study demonstrated that FLE combined with systemic antibiotics significantly reduced the time to clinical resolution compared to antibiotics alone.

By week four, 50% of paws in the FLE group had reached clinical resolution compared to 17% in the control group.

By week eight, 88% of paws in the FLE group had healed compared to 54% in the control group.

Dr Anja Lange, DVM, Department of Dermatology, AniCura Kleintierspezialisten Augsburg GmbH, Augsburg, Germany, said: “Canine interdigital furunculosis is a challenging condition to treat that can be prolonged and frustrating.

"Having FLE as an additional management tool is very exciting, not least because it speeds up time to healing, but it also requires us to use less antibiotics.

"The use of FLE was well accepted by all of the dog owners from the study and the dogs themselves tolerated it well, showing it can be a very useful adjunct to cases in clinical practice.”

Reference

1. A blinded randomised split-body clinical trial evaluating the effect of fluorescent light energy on antimicrobial management of canine interdigital furunculosis A. Lange, U. Mayer, E. Bensignor, L. Cornegliani, D. Ferreira, I. Matricoti, M. Mosca, L. Ordeix, D. Pin, F. Scarampella, E. Videmont, A. Yu, O. Fantini https://doi.org/10.1111/vde.13340

Shams Mir MRCVS, Chair of the BVU, has launched a petition to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons which asks that they do not allow remote prescription of POM-V medicines without a physical examination, as was proposed and discussed at the Council meeting held at the end of last year

The petition follows the news that IVC is to launch its own telemedicine service, joining three others already in the game, at least one of which is pushing for a relaxation of the rules surrounding the  prescription of POM-V medicines.

For clarity, veterinary surgeons are currently allowed to remote prescribe medicines for animals that meet the definition of 'under his care' (i.e. seen immediately before, or "recently enough or often enough for the veterinary surgeon to have personal knowledge of the condition of the animal or current health status of the herd or flock to make a diagnosis and prescribe").

In other words, there is nothing to stop bricks and mortar practices offering video consultations and prescribing medicines to those of their existing clients that they have seen recently enough. 

What Shams and the BVU are petitioning against is the idea of allowing companies staffed by veterinary surgeons to prescribe veterinary medicines for animals that they have never seen in the flesh.

They argue that remote prescribing will:

1. First and foremost risk animal patient welfare and herd health

2. Create a two-tier system of care within the profession

3. Break down the practice-based vet-client relationship 

4. Disrupt veterinary services due to complications related to out-of-hours emergency cover, transfer of patient and patient histories etc. of remotely treated patients

5. Cause clients to face increased costs by paying for telemedicine consultations and then requiring examination and treatment in practice

6. Negatively impact the financial condition of veterinary practices and professionals.

These all seem very possible consequences of allowing remote prescribing, indeed some have already come to pass in the world of human medicine following the launch of Babylon.

The counter argument is that remote prescription will improve access to veterinary care as people don’t have to flog down to the practice for a flea treatment and the cost of a consultation is reduced. There is surely truth in that.

The other point that is fundamental to this debate is the type of drug being prescribed remotely. With so many small animal parasiticides having already gone OTC, is it really necessary to talk to a veterinary surgeon before buying a POM-V flea treatment? Perhaps not.

However, that doesn’t necessarily present a case for remote prescribing such drugs; if they don’t need veterinary input, then you could equally argue they just need reclassifying.

So, should you sign this petition? Well, I think so, yes. Remote prescribing will come. It’s inevitable. But given the risks, surely the pragmatic starting point is to trial remote prescribing amongst existing clients of bricks and mortar practices, and only if that is successful to broaden it to non-clients of bricks and mortar practices.

If both those proved successful, and with technology advancing in the background, it might then be sensible to look at whether non bricks and mortar practices could remote prescribe. But that’s quite a big ‘might’.

Meantime, you can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/royal-college-of-veterinary-surgeons-stop-authorising-prescription-of-pom-v-without-physical-examination-of-the-patient

You can discuss the petition with Shams here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/nonclinical/f/6/t/28273.aspx

Dechra Veterinary Products - maker of Zycortal - has teamed up with some of Europe’s leading endocrinologists to draw up 'Five Golden Rules', a set of guidelines designed to help veterinary professionals who are diagnosing and treating canine hypoadrenocorticism.

Addison’s disease is caused by a reduction in corticosteroid secretion from the adrenal glands. Symptoms can include lack of appetite, tremors or vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, low heart rate, muscle weakness, low body temperature and collapse. If left untreated, Addison’s disease can present as an acute, life-threatening emergency.

Zycortal is the only European licensed treatment for the disease. It is a prolonged-release suspension used as replacement therapy for mineralocorticoid. Dechra says it has proved highly effective in clinical trials with more than 80% of dogs responding positively to treatment¹.

The golden rules are available at: www.dechra.co.uk/goldenrules.

Dechra has also produced a series of six video presentations to help veterinary surgeons in their diagnosis and treatment and created a dedicated owner website - www.myaddisonsdog.co.uk - to help owners understand the condition and monitor their pet's progress.

Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "Addison’s can be a hidden disease but Zycortal presents a very visible answer. With the wealth of expertise from the endocrinologists, the Five Golden Rules should be an important reference tool for vets.

"We hope that the series of resources we have produced, used in partnership with Zycortal, will make the diagnosis, treatment and management of dogs with Addison’s an easier journey for both vets and owner."

Reference

1. CVMP Assessment report for Zycortal (EMEA/V/C/003782/0000) 2015 pg. 19

Macahl Animal Health, manufacturer of Oralade, is highlighting the need to consider the hydration status of wildlife patients admitted to veterinary practices as we head into the winter months.

The company says there is often an increase in admissions of hibernating species at this time of year, particularly hedgehogs, and it is thought that numbers of sick and injured wildlife handed over by the general public may increase this year as people spend more time in their gardens and local parks due to coronavirus restrictions.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society suggests that if uncertain about a hedgehog’s hydration status, it is always best to assume a degree of dehydration.

Macahl regularly donates Oralade to wildlife sanctuaries where it is in widespread use. One such sanctuary is the Wildlife Aid Foundation, based in Surrey, which says: "We frequently use Oralade to help our patients which are suffering from mild dehydration and are reluctant to eat. It works really well for species such as hedgehogs, foxes and badgers as the smell seems to encourage them to lap. It really does give them a boost and can get them eating solid food again which is critical for their rehabilitation."

Macahl says Oralade GI support is suitable for oral rehydration in many wildlife species, including hedgehogs. The suggested maintenance dose is 50ml per kg per 24hrs, with additional quantities needed to correct a hydration deficit. Identifying dehydration is similar to pet species, and includes assessment of skin tent, gum colour, and capillary refill time.

Peripatetic veterinary ultrasonographer Camilla Edwards DVM CertAVP MRCVS, founder of First Opinion Veterinary Ultrasound (FOVU), has launched a guided ultrasound reporting tool she developed to help first opinion vets who find ultrasound report-writing a daunting task.

Camilla, who was shortlisted as a finalist for Innovator of the Year at the 2025 Digital Women Awards, says her mission has always been to give first-opinion vets the tools and confidence to get the most from ultrasound in everyday practice – and the new tool is a big step forward in that vision.

The tool:

• gives prompts to ensure a thorough scan (with measurement fields that automatically compare kidney size, for example, against species- and weight-specific norms — no need to look anything up.
• links directly to quick refresher videos on scanning technique for each organ section.
• Offers a ready-made “normal” summary when a structure looks fine, unlocking a step-by-step framework if something looks abnormal or uncertain.
• Expands questions dynamically (e.g. asking about lesion distribution) so nothing important is overlooked.
• Builds a clear, structured summary of findings organ by organ, flagging abnormalities, and automatically generating a conclusion with likely differentials and suggested next steps.

Camilla says the final report is fully editable, but much of the “heavy lifting” is done — saving time, reducing second-guessing, and producing reports that are more useful for colleagues, clients, and patient care.

https://www.fovu.co.uk/ 

https://www.fovu.co.uk/fovu-report-video 

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has paid tribute to its former President Professor Bob Michell, who died on the 8th October, aged 75.

Bob was a member of RCVS Council from 1992 until 2004 and was President in 1999/2000. During his time on Council he also served as a member of all of the major committees of that time, with the exception of the Disciplinary Committee, and chaired several of the subject boards for the RCVS Diplomas.

Current RCVS President Chris Tufnell said: "Bob was 100% responsible for my involvement with the RCVS, putting me forward for a working party in my first year in practice. Throughout his career he nurtured young professionals who he genuinely saw as the future and he was particularly dedicated to furthering and improving the education and development of veterinary surgeons, as demonstrated by his involvement in the RCVS Diplomas, the College’s continuing professional development (CPD) board and the former RCVS Trust.

"His dedication to our profession was exceptional and his kind and erudite observations, both public and private, were always welcome. We will miss him and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

Photo courtesy Dulwich College.

Petplan is giving away a VIP trip for two people to this year's 'Petplan Veterinary Awards' in Birmingham on 31^st March.

The prize includes two admission tickets to the awards ceremony, as well as accommodation at a top hotel in Birmingham.

Veterinary staff can be in with a chance at winning this exclusive opportunity by nominating their practice or a member of staff for the following awards:

• Vet of the Year
• Vet Nurse of the Year
• Vet Support Staff of the Year
• Practice of the Year

Alison Andrew, Petplan's Marketing Manager, said, "Veterinary professionals up and down the country show great commitment and dedication to our pets everyday and the awards are an opportunity to recognise all their hard work. By nominating a colleague you can not only show them your appreciation but you can also going into the draw to win a fantastic night out"

By making a nomination at www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards you'll automatically be entered into the draw to win the VIP tickets to the evening.

Nominations for the awards close on the 4^th February and the winner of the VIP tickets will be announced in late February.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has suspended a Cardigan veterinary surgeon from the RCVS Register for five months, for failure to perform accurate bovine tuberculin testing and for falsely certifying the test results.

During the two-day hearing, Dewi Wyn Lewis, of Priory Veterinary Ltd, Cardigan, answered charges about inaccurate skin fold measurements and false certification relating to two visits he made as an Official Veterinarian to a farm in April 2009 to undertake tuberculin testing.

Mr Lewis accepted that he had not carried out the tuberculin tests in the way required by Animal Health (AH) - an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - and had taken short cuts to save time. However, he denied the charges, arguing that, although instructions to Official Veterinarians clearly required the use of callipers to measure the skin folds of cattle necks on Day One of testing, not using callipers and using his finger and thumb did not amount to failing to measure. 

He also argued (and it was accepted by the Committee) that, regarding Day Two of testing, there was inconsistency in AH's instructions on calliper use, which in written form required using callipers for measuring every animal but in practice accepted use of callipers when a reaction could be detected by manually palpating the skin. On Day Two, Mr Lewis said, he had done what AH required: he had used callipers on the cattle he identified for closer examination.

The Committee, however, found that by failing to use callipers on the first day, as required by AH, Mr Lewis had failed to measure the skin folds of almost all of the 104 cattle. The Committee was also satisfied that, on the second day, 10-20% of the herd were not even touched by Mr Lewis and the Committee accepted the evidence of the three other witnesses present during the testing, which indicated that Mr Lewis had failed to carry out careful assessment and manual palpation of every animal.

The Committee then considered whether Mr Lewis had dishonestly signed the certificate, or had signed a false certificate which he ought to have known was inaccurate. The Committee noted that there were no previous Disciplinary findings against Mr Lewis, and was prepared to believe his assertion that, although he knew he had not carried out the tests in strict compliance with AH's instructions, he genuinely believed his methods to be at least as accurate as measuring with callipers and did not think he was doing anything wrong or dishonest. The Committee could not then be sure that Mr Lewis had realised what he was doing was dishonest. However, the Committee noted that 'false' also means 'inaccurate' and, as Mr Lewis ought to have known that as his testing methods were not adequate, he also should have known that a considerable number of measurements on the certificate were inaccurate and that the certificate itself was inaccurate. 

After considering the facts of the case, the Committee concluded that Mr Lewis's actions amounted to serious professional misconduct and directed that he should be suspended from the Register for five months, after which he may return to practice. In relation to the sanction, the Committee said:  "In reaching this decision it is relevant that the false certification was not dishonest and that there was professional and personal mitigation put forward on behalf of Mr Lewis. The Committee has paid regard to the fact that Mr Lewis is an experienced veterinary surgeon who is highly thought of in his local area. It does not believe that there is any likelihood that he will repeat his previous conduct."

The Committee also said it gave considerable weight to the fact that Mr Lewis had had to wait an additional three-month period for the hearing because of an earlier adjournment.