Tramadol has become a controlled drug and has been added to Schedule 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001

The change to the regulations, which was made by the Home Office means that the drug is now subject to special requirements when writing prescriptions.

The RCVS says practitioners should also note that:

• Prescriptions for Schedule 3 controlled drugs are only valid for 28 days and are non-repeatable.
• It is an offence to supply a Schedule 3 controlled drug against a fax or email prescription; the original prescription must be obtained before the medicine is dispensed.
• If supplying a Schedule 3 controlled drug against another veterinary surgeon’s prescription, checks need to be made to ensure that the prescription has come from a UK address and that the signature is genuine.
• The date on which the drug was supplied must be marked on the prescription and the prescription retained on the practice premises for at least five years.

Although tramadol is exempt from Safe Custody Regulations, the RCVS advises that all Schedule 3 controlled drugs are locked away.

The Home Office has also reclassified ketamine as a Class B controlled drug. However, it remains under Schedule 4 (Part 1) of the 2001 Regulations meaning that the legal requirements for supply, storage and record keeping remain the same.

The RCVS therefore continues to advise that practice premises should:

• Record the use of ketamine in an informal register.
• Store ketamine in a controlled drugs cabinet.
• Destroy ketamine in the presence of an authorised witness.

Further details about the specific requirements for controlled drugs can be found in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s Guidance Note No 20 – Controlled Drugs.

Practice premises can also contact the RCVS Professional Conduct Department for further guidance on 020 7202 0789 or profcon@rcvs.org.uk.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded Gloucestershire veterinary surgeon Adele Lewis for failing to pass on information about a horse’s clinical history to a potential buyer during a pre-purchase examination.

Ms Lewis, the sole principal of the Cotswold Equine Clinic in Lechlade, Gloucestershire, carried out the examination of a pony called Luke on 13 February 2014. Luke was owned by Mrs Booth who was a long-established client of Ms Lewis, both at her previous practice, Bourton Vale, and at her current practice. The examination was carried out on behalf of the prospective purchaser, Mrs Grieve.

Upon examination Ms Lewis certified that, in her opinion, Luke’s veterinary history did not increase the risk of purchase.

Following the purchase of Luke, Mrs Grieve attempted to obtain insurance for Luke and found out from a pet insurance company that a claim had been made by Mrs Booth in September 2013. She subsequently found out that, following concerns expressed by Mrs Booth and her trainer about Luke’s movement and their wanting an expert opinion, Ms Lewis had referred him to Dr Kold, a Specialist in Equine Orthopaedics, in September 2013. Dr Kold had diagnosed Luke with lameness and had given him intra-articular medication. Luke had also had a follow-up appointment with Dr Kold about four weeks later in October 2013.  

The Disciplinary Committee hearing commenced on Tuesday 13 October 2015. At the outset, Ms Lewis admitted several parts of the charges (charge A and charge B) against her. In regards to charge A, she admitted that she had failed to inform Mrs Grieve that, when she examined Luke on 24 September 2013, his then owner Mrs Booth had complained firstly that Luke was “not tracking up and going forward” and, secondly, that he had improved significantly when put on a Phenylbutazone trial. She also admitted that she had referred him to Dr Kold for a poor performance investigation and that she ought to have informed Mrs Grieve of these matters.

In regards to charge B, she admitted that she completed a Certificate of Veterinary Examination in which she had declared that Luke’s veterinary history did not increase the risk of purchase and allowed the vendor’s declaration to include assertions that there had been no previous lameness and no intra-articular medication given in the last 12 months. Ms Lewis admitted that she ought to have known that her declaration that Luke’s veterinary history did not increase the risk of purchase was incorrect.

However, Ms Lewis denied being aware that Dr Kold had diagnosed lameness, administered an intra-articular corticosteroid to Luke and examined and noted a problem with his breathing, including upper airway disease and possible lower airway disease. Furthermore, she denied dishonesty in regards to both the charges against her and in relation to vendor declarations made on the Certificate of Veterinary Examination regarding previous lameness and intra-articular medication.

During the course of the hearing, Ms Lewis told the Committee that she had not received the reports about the two consultations by Dr Kold (despite their having been sent to her by letter and, with respect to the second report, also by email) and that she was therefore unaware of his findings when she carried out the pre-purchase examination. She also stated that she had not been informed of these by Mrs Booth. During her evidence, Ms Lewis also admitted having entered inaccurate information on a veterinary report to assist with an insurance claim.

The Committee did not find Ms Lewis to be an impressive witness citing the fact that her “explanations as to her practice showed a worrying absence of probity in the completion of veterinary reports for the purposes of insurance claims, and an absence of any effective practice management, consistent with acceptable practice.”

However, the Committee felt it did not have the evidence to conclude that Ms Lewis had acted dishonestly during the pre-purchase examination. It cited the fact that her actions, when informed by the purchaser Mrs Grieve of Dr Kold’s examination, did not appear to be those of someone trying to cover their tracks.

In regards to charge A, the Committee also found that the “apparently chaotic manner in which Ms Lewis ran her practice, and her own opinion that the pony was sound, would appear to have led her to wrongly disregard these matters from disclosure.”

In making its decision on her conduct and sanction, the Committee said that Ms Lewis’ failure to fully communicate to Mrs Grieve all the relevant information about Luke’s veterinary history fell far short of the conduct expected from a veterinary surgeon. It also cited the utmost importance of a complete and accurate certification process, as made clear in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and the Twelve Principles of Certification.  

Chitra Karve, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said:  “The Committee continues to emphasise the importance of maintaining the integrity of veterinary certification in any aspect of practice. Mrs Grieve told this Committee that if she had been fully informed about Luke’s veterinary history she would not have purchased the pony. It is clear from the evidence that it affected Mrs Grieve’s ability to insure the pony. Ms Lewis has accepted that the information about Luke’s veterinary history, not having been disclosed, was capable of affecting the risk of purchase. The public are entitled to rely upon veterinary surgeons providing complete and accurate information, when certificates and reports are prepared.”

In mitigation, the Committee paid regard to Ms Lewis’ inexperience at running her own practice and found no issue with her competence or clinical ability as a veterinary surgeon. It concluded that she had acted out of character and that there was no financial motivation for her actions. It also found it “highly relevant that the facts admitted and found proved related to a single pre-purchase examination.”

It also noted that Ms Lewis has now put in place a practice management system and has shown insight into her actions, by taking active steps to better comply with her obligations under the Code of Professional Conduct. She had also made early admissions of guilt and made a full apology to both Mrs Grieve and the RCVS both at the outset of the hearing, and in her evidence.

Chitra Karve added: “Having had the opportunity of observing her demeanour at this hearing, the Committee believes that it is unlikely that she will repeat her conduct.... The Committee has concluded that an appropriate and proportionate response in this case is to reprimand Ms Lewis.”

Bayer Animal Health is currently sponsoring GMTV's Pet Clinic feature to promote its wormer, Drontal.

Running until Friday 19 February, the All About Pets short programmes feature TV vet Emma Milne who will be advising viewers on a variety of topics from choosing the right pet to hidden illnesses.

All About Pets will be aired twice daily and Drontal will be featured after the short programmes.

Bayer says the advertising will target the product's core target audience - housewives with children during half term - with key messages on the importance of regular worming with Drontal. In addition, GMTV will also include details on Drontal on its website - www.gm.tv - and pet owners will be able to follow a link to the award-winning website www.drontal.com.

Merial Territory Managers have taken the first three places at the British Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards, beating off competition from over 100 other entries, including those from household names such as Virgin, npower and DHL.

Merial's Andi Collins was named Sales Professional of the Year (companies over 50 employees), while her colleagues Emma McAnally and Stephen Booth came second and third respectively.  In the eyes of the judges it was their ability to listen, ask questions and then develop insightful business proposals that set them apart.

Merial National Sales Training Manager, Tony Jones said: "At Merial we believe our responsive, well-trained Territory Managers are a great resource for vets.  A resource that we are only too happy to see practices use to the fullest extent.  We expect our people to do their utmost to find out what a  practice's needs really are and then work to deliver the requirements."

The judges recognised the quality of the Merial candidates and their training and also the value this brings to veterinary customers.  Andi's commendation said:  "Her questioning was very strong, undertaking a fact-find in a relaxed manner which gained empathy and importantly she did not try and propose a solution until she had completed her questioning, to gain a full background of the situation in hand."

Nigel Slater, Head of Companion Animal Sales at Merial said: "I am delighted for Andi, Emma and Stephen. These awards are also a huge endorsement of the training investment we make here at Merial.  An investment that independent surveys show is highly regarded by successful veterinary practices."

Ayrshire-based veterinary surgeon and farmer Melissa Donald has been elected as the RCVS Junior Vice-President for 2021-22 and will take up the post at the College’s Annual General Meeting in July 2021.

Melissa graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and, after working as a food animal intern at Iowa State University in the United States for a stint, in 1990 joined a two-person traditional mixed-animal veterinary practice on the Ayrshire coast. Over the next 25 years she developed it into a 4.5 person small-animal practice with a focus on dentistry, before moving away from clinical work in 2015.

Melissa was first elected to Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 and, since joining, has sat on a number of committees including the Education Committee, Finance & Resources Committee, and Preliminary Investigation Committee/Disciplinary Committee Liaison Committee. Since 2019 she has chaired the Standards Committee where she has led the Review of ‘Under Care’ and Out-of-Hours Emergency Cover and also chairs the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice Subcommittee.

As well as her work with RCVS she has also been President of the British Veterinary Association’s Scottish Branch and is currently a Non-Executive Director of the Red Tractor Assured Food Standards Scheme and a Trustee of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Outside of work, she enjoys running, swimming, cooking, reading and hopes to have the patience one day to write children’s books.

Melissa said: “I’m delighted and humbled to have been voted in as JVP from July. Thank you to my peers on Council and, as with everything I have done in my career, you, the profession, will see me put all my energy and commitment into the role.

"Themes that I'm keen to develop as a member of the RCVS Officer Team will be: communication, as that can always be improved; community, including within the profession, within the workplace and within the society in which you live; and continuing with the ‘blame culture’ theme originally set out in Chris Tufnell's presidency by looking into how we can use veterinary human factors to improve patient safety."

Other appointments that were confirmed by election at the same meeting of Council was Dr Niall Connell MRCVS as RCVS Treasurer, a role he will take up at the July AGM after completing his year as Senior Vice-President.

Niall: “It is a tremendous honour for me to be elected Treasurer. The RCVS has an exciting strategy which I am looking forward to playing my part in ensuring we remain on a sound financial footing, supporting projects within the RCVS Strategic Plan and continuing to play a wider role within the RCVS Officer Team.”

In terms of committee chairs, Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS was reconfirmed as Chair of the Education Committee, Dr Melissa Donald was reconfirmed as Chair of the Standards Committee and current RCVS President Dr Mandisa Greene MRCVS was elected as Chair of the Advancement of the Professions Committee, replacing Professor David Argyle in that post from July 2021.

Following Professor Argyle stepping down as Junior Vice-President earlier in March 2021, an election to replace him as Junior Vice-President for the remainder of the presidential year will take place in April 2021. Subject to the usual approval from Council, this person will take up the position of RCVS President 2021-22 following the AGM in July.

Neurologists Nicolas Granger (pictured) and Jon Prager from Bristol Vet Specialists are recruiting dogs paralysed following thoraco-lumbar spinal cord injury for a study which aims to see whether new ultrasound software can predict recovery in dogs after spinal injuries.

They say that dogs which lose sensation following damage to the spinal cord from a slipped disc have a prognosis for recovery of about 50%. 

However, there is no reliable way of determining which dog will recover and failing that, owners must wait weeks to months to see if there are any signs of recovery, during which time dogs may need anaesthesia, surgery, and intensive nursing care.

The researchers say that the stiffness of an organ can be a marker of how damaged it is.

So, for the research, a new ultrasound machine equipped with an advanced piece of software (known as ‘shear wave elastography’) – will be used to measure the stiffness of a dog’s spinal cord during surgery.

The dog’s recovery to walking after surgery will then be monitored routinely.

The results will allow researchers to see if a relationship between spinal cord stiffness at time of surgery and recovery exists.

If successful, this would help them provide a more accurate prognosis for dogs with spinal cord injury in the future.

If you have a case suitable for this study, CVS says they will receive a gold standard treatment for spinal cord injury, which will include spinal surgery.

They will also have an ultrasound of the spinal cord performed during surgery, a procedure taking approximately 15 minutes.

Contact referrals@highcroftvet.co.uk or nicolas.granger@bristolvetspecialists.co.uk.

BVS Neurology study from CVS (UK) Ltd on Vimeo.

Dechra has launched a 9g sachet version of its prednisolone treatment, Equisolon, for horses with severe equine asthma.

The oral corticosteroid powder formulation was previously only available in 180g tubs.

Severe equine asthma, which was previously known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Heaves, can lead to airway neutrophil influx and excessive mucus production. Although it is generally managed by environmental measures to suppose triggering factors, it can be combined with corticosteroid therapy to control airway inflammation in more severe cases.

Alana McGlade BVMedSci BVM BVS MRCVS, Equine Business Manager, said: "Severe equine asthma is the most common cause of chronic coughing in mature horses. Attributed to a hypersensitivity to inhaled allergens and dust, clinical signs - such as inflammation of the airways - can be alleviated by Equisolon’s active ingredient prednisolone.

"Prednisolone has been shown to have positive effects on clinical signs, endoscopic evaluation, arterial blood gases and pulmonary function when used in conjunction with environmental changes to reduce a horse’s exposure to potential triggers.

"Previously, vets would have had to measure out the powder but the sachets make dosing more convenient. The sachets come in a box of 10, so each pack will treat one 300 kg horse for 10 days or one 600 kg horse for 5 days. As the sachets are pre-measured, horses get exactly the dose they need.” 

Equisolon oral powder contains 33.3 mg/g of prednisolone and should be administered at 1 mg prednisolone per kg of body weight per day. Treatment can be repeated at 24 hour intervals during 10 consecutive days.

For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk

Sanofi-aventis has signed an agreement under which it will buy Merck & Co Ltd's 50% stake in Merial Limited for $4 billion cash, after which it will own Merial outright. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Merck is selling its stake in Merial to avoid concerns from antitrust regulators that its pending acquisition of Schering-Plough will make it too dominant.

Merck, sanofi-aventis and Schering-Plough have also announced another agreement under which sanofi-aventis will have the option to combine Merck's Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health business with Merial to form an animal health joint venture owned equally by Merck and sanofi-aventis.

I thought Merial-Intervet-Schering-Plough was a bit of a mouthful, but sanofi-aventis-Merial-Intervet/Schering-Plough? The receptionist is going to have her work cut out.

The British College of Veterinary Specialists (BCVSp) has launched a new website, www.yourvetspecialist.org to promote the services of RCVS and European Veterinary Specialists to the pet-owning public.

The new website explains what Veterinary Specialists are, how they may be able to help, and how the referral process works. The BCVSp says it has been designed to be a useful resource which primary practices can direct their clients to if a referral is being considered.

As well as being able to search for a Specialist by location and by discipline, owners can also read some real life patient case studies following the referral, treatment journeys and outcomes of animals that have benefited from Specialist care and meet some of the Specialists via podcast links.

BCVSp Trustee Celia Marr said: "While most happy healthy animals will never need Specialist veterinary care, if they do we want their owners to know that we are here to help.

"There are many hundreds of Specialists working at the forefront of veterinary care and also those working in research, pathology and academia, helping to advance animal health and welfare, every day. We believe our new website should help to spread the word and make referral more understandable and accessible."

Visit the new website at www.yourvetspecialist.org 

The RSPB has reported the results of two studies which revealed that a greater diversity of birds of prey, including some eagles, are killed eating carrion contaminated with diclofenac.

The RSPB says that these findings strengthen the case of banning the use of veterinary diclofenac in livestock across Europe, including Spain and Italy where the drug has already been approved.

In the first paper¹, published in the journal Bird Conservation International, scientists present results of tests carried out on two steppe eagles found dead at a cattle carcass dump in Rajasthan, India. Both birds had diclofenac residue in their tissues and exhibited the same clinical signs of kidney failure as seen in Gyps vultures experimentally given diclofenac. 

Steppe eagles are closely related to the golden eagles found in the UK, the vulnerable Spanish imperial eagle and other globally vulnerable or declining Eurasian eagles. Scientists now fear that all species in this genus, known as Aquila, are susceptible to diclofenac. With fourteen species of Aquila eagle distributed across Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and North America, this means that diclofenac poisoning should now be considered largely a global problem.

Dr Toby Galligan, RSPB conservation scientist and one of the authors of the paper, said: "We have known for some time that diclofenac is toxic to Gyps vultures, including the Eurasian griffon vulture, but we now know it is toxic to an Aquila eagle too. This suggests that the drug is fatal to a greater number of birds of prey in Asia, Europe and around the world. We had suspected as much from observed declines in non-Gyps vultures in Asia, but this study confirms our worst fears."

In another paper², published in Bird Conservation International, Dr Galligan led an examination of recent population trends in Egyptian and red-headed vultures in India. That study shows population declines of similar timing and scale as the declines observed in Gyps vultures, providing indirect evidence that these species have been impacted by diclofenac as well. 

After years of campaigning by conservationists, the governments of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan banned veterinary formulations of diclofenac between 2006 and 2010. Recently, experts have recorded a slowing of Gyps vulture declines as a result of the bans. However, formulations of diclofenac intended for use in humans are still widely available and illegally used to treat livestock, the carcasses of which are the main food source for vultures in South Asia.
 
It was announced in March that veterinary diclofenac had been authorised for manufacture and use in Italy and Spain and had been distributed to other European countries. Since then, a coalition of organisations including the Vulture Conservation Foundation, the RSPB and BirdLife International have been campaigning for this decision to be reversed.

Dr Galligan continued: "In light of recent developments in Europe, our findings take on an even more worrying meaning. All of Europe's charismatic Aquila eagles, like the Spanish imperial eagle and, closer to home, the golden eagle, are opportunistic scavengers and therefore could be at risk of diclofenac poisoning.  As we have seen in South Asia, wherever free-ranging livestock are treated with diclofenac, population declines in vultures and eagles can occur. The European Commission needs to recognise this problem and impose a continent-wide ban on veterinary diclofenac before it can impact on our birds."

Last week, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) announced measures against the drug. 

In a statement the VMD said: "The UK's Veterinary Medicines Directorate is taking the issue of diclofenac's risks to vulture populations seriously. As a precautionary measure the VMD will not approve any requests from vets to import products containing diclofenac. Furthermore, the VMD has agreed not to issue any export certificates which name diclofenac-containing products in the list of products to be exported."

Sacha Cleminson, Head of International Biodiversity Policy at the RSPB, said: "The announcement from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is a welcome signal to Europe that the UK is taking the issue seriously. This new evidence underlines the need for a ban across Europe, and ultimately beyond." 

References

1. Diclofenac is toxic to the Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis: widening the diversity of raptors threatened by NSAID misuse in South Asia. Anil K. Sharma et al Bird Conservation International Online. 26th May 2014.

2. Have population declines in Egyptian Vulture and Red-headed Vulture in India slowed since the 2006 ban on veterinary diclofenac? Toby H. Galligan et al. Bird Conservation International Online. 1st April 2014.
   

Southfields Veterinary Specialists has started work building a new, £16m, 40,000 square foot referral centre.

The new site, which is ten minutes up the road from Southfield's current location in Basildon, Essex, is due to be ready in time for them to move in at the start of 2022.

When it opens, the centre will continue to offer 15 specialist-led services, but the team is projected to double in size as more specialists, clinicians and staff are recruited over the course of this year

The new premises has been made possible thanks to a big investment by parent company Linnaeus, backed by Mars Veterinary Health.

Southfields managing director Tim Richardson said: "The new hospital is a real statement of intent, a clear signal we are committed to delivering a level of excellence in treatment and care second to none. 

"It will provide the region with one of the largest and best-equipped veterinary centres in, not only  the UK, but also throughout Europe, with an extensive range of expertise in a wide variety of disciplines all under one roof.

"The fabulous facilities include a cutting-edge imaging suite, comprehensive treatment facilities and a new linear accelerator to assist our illustrious oncology team, which has already seen its status as one of the most experienced in the industry enhanced by the arrival of James Elliott, a renowned specialist in oncology.

"There will be seven operating theatres, 16 consultation rooms, recovery suites, lecture halls, a dedicated ICU department and there are plans for a future hydrotherapy suite. 

Southfields says it also aims to lead the industry in terms of staff wellbeing, with yoga and boxercise classes among the activities available to the Southfields team. 

Daniel Hogan, Southfields’ hospital director, said: “This is a huge move for us in every way. The increased size of the hospital will enable us to provide a dedicated staff wellbeing area and to offer a range of activities which will benefit our team in both body and mind. 

“Along with exercise and relaxation classes, we will have an education centre which will offer some really exciting qualifications and courses for the wider profession.” 

Bart Johnson, chief executive of Linnaeus, said: "This move is a reflection of the ambition of Southfields, Linnaeus and Mars to continue providing the best veterinary care in the UK." 

For more information about Southfields’ new site, visit https://southfields.co.uk/veterinary-professionals/new-hospital/. 

Researchers from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, in conjunction with the Waltham Equine Studies Group, have identified a possible mechanistic link between high levels of insulin and equine laminitis.

Their study, which was published in the research journal PeerJ at the end of last year¹, investigated the effects of insulin on equine hoof lamellar cells in the laboratory.

The researchers say that high levels of insulin have been known for some time to cause acute endocrine laminitis, seen when ponies and certain types of horses graze lush pasture or consume a starch- or sugar-rich diet, or when they develop Cushing’s syndrome.

Many ponies and horses at risk of the condition produce large spikes of insulin in their blood stream after consuming meals high in non-structural carbohydrates (in particular starch and simple sugars) which indicates that this could be the way in which they succumb to acute endocrine laminitis.

The mechanism by which insulin can cause effects in the foot leading to laminitis has been the subject of much debate in recent years.

Hormones like insulin must interact with a specific receptor on the surface of cells in order to produce their effects. What has confused researchers in the past is that there appear to be no insulin receptors on the hoof lamellar cells (these cells give the lamellar tissues their strength and changes to their growth or structure weaken the bonds and cause laminitis).

The researchers considered the close similarities between insulin and a growth factor hormone called insulin-like growth factor -1 (IGF-1). There are receptors for IGF-1 on the lamellar cells, and the researchers speculated that high concentrations of insulin might be able to cross-stimulate these cells by activating the IGF-1 receptors. To investigate this possibility PhD student Courtnay Baskerville, together with her supervisor Professor Simon Bailey, developed a method for culturing lamellar epithelial cells in the laboratory, and incubated them with increasing concentrations of insulin.

They found that high concentrations of insulin stimulated the cells to proliferate. Furthermore, this effect could be prevented using an antibody that specifically blocks only the IGF-1 receptor. Further downstream effects within the cells were also shown. The changes seemed to occur mainly at very high concentrations of insulin. Similar concentration levels can be seen in ponies and horses with insulin dysregulation linked to Equine Metabolic Syndrome, but are not commonly seen in normal horses that are considered to be at lower risk of laminitis.

Further work is now ongoing to determine exactly how these cellular changes induced by sustained high insulin concentrations might cause laminitis. However, it seems that targeting the IGF-1 receptor may be an option for developing new drugs to prevent and treat laminitis.

Professor Simon Bailey said: "The information gathered in this study provides the equine industry worldwide with valuable insights into the causes of the common and serious condition of laminitis. The research group would like to acknowledge the support of the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, in particular the involvement of Professor Pat Harris.” 

Reference

1. Baskerville C.L., Chockalingham, S., Harris, P.A., Bailey S.R. (2018). The effect of insulin on equine lamellar basal epithelial cells mediated by the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor. PeerJ 6:e5945  (DOI 10.7717/peerj.5945).

The University of Surrey has officially launched an £11m Veterinary Pathology Centre which will provide a focus for pathology research, education and commercial activity.

Located in the South East of England, the centre is part of the new School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, and one of the UK's largest veterinary pathology centres, offering high-containment post-mortem examination facilities and histopathology.

The centre is staffed by a team of board-certified veterinary pathologists, veterinary investigation officers and technicians, with expertise in farm-animal, equine, exotic and small-animal pathology.

The new building centres on a large containment level 2 post-mortem examination room with high ceilings, natural lighting, post-mortem examination tables, biological safety cabinets and integrated cold rooms, all served by a powerful winch system which means that post-mortem examinations can be performed on a wide range of species. A viewing gallery overlooks the suite and post-mortem examinations can be recorded and streamed for training purposes.

Professor Roberto La Ragione, Director of the Veterinary Pathology Centre, said: "Veterinary pathology is a growing discipline and its importance has been highlighted in recent disease outbreaks and the important role veterinary pathologists make in drug development. Helping the farming community to be more effective, sustainable and innovative, the Centre will work with partners, businesses and researchers to address some of the unique challenges faced by the veterinary and scientific community.

"It is the close relationships with our external clinical and scientific partners that enables us to be innovative in our approach to education and training here at the Surrey.  An example of the latter is the use of digital pathology in teaching, research and diagnostics, which was the subject of discussion at the recent launch of the Veterinary Health Innovation Engine (vHive).

"Together with our partners such as the National Physical Laboratory and the 5G Innovation centre, the Centre is at the forefront of the digitalisation of pathology and innovative big data management.

"The Centre offers the opportunity to inspire the next generation of veterinary pathologists and complements the centres of excellence that already exist in other vet schools and research institutes."