The Bella Moss Foundation and the Royal Society of Medicine have announced 'One Health', a conference which will bring together experts from the veterinary and medical sectors to collaborate on infectious disease.

Subjects under discussion will include infection control, antimicrobial resistance and the threats posed by emerging zoonotic diseases. Amongst the speakers will be Professor Peter Borriello, Chief Executive of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and Professor Anthony Kessel, Director of Public Health England. The audience will include policy makers and clinicians together with researchers and academics from both human and veterinary medicine.

Jill Moss, President of the Bella Moss Foundation, said: "With antimicrobial resistance and updated protocols hitting the headlines regularly, our speakers will discuss the key issues. For instance, what exactly is the current status of antimicrobial resistance? How is it affecting our lives? What are the veterinary, medical and research professions doing to resolve the challenges we face - and how can they persuade policy makers to take a united stand on the issue?"

Tom Keith - Welsh president of comparative medicine network, Royal Society of Medicine, said: "Antimicrobial resistance is a global issue requiring education, information and action. The conference programme will provide anyone with an interest in antimicrobial resistance a current and rounded perspective on this important and pressing issue."

For more information, visit: www.onehealthbmf.com.

Dignipets, an independent mobile veterinary practice providing in-home hospice and end-of-life care for pets, has published materials to help veterinary reception teams navigate conversations around pet loss and grief, and to support colleagues.

Topics include:

• ‘Self-care and your team’, which offers advice on looking after yourself and supporting colleagues
• ‘Children and pet loss’ includes guidance to help families navigate grief
• ‘How can we honour our pets?’ looks at meaningful ways to celebrate the lives and memories of beloved animals

Merel Taal, MRCVS DVM CHPV, Founder and Director at Dignipets, said: “Veterinary receptionists are often the unsung heroes of practice life.

"They are the first voice clients hear and often the last person they see when saying goodbye to a beloved pet.

"That emotional weight can be immense, which is why we believe in equipping them with training, resources and support to carry out their role with confidence and compassion.”

https://www.dignipets.co.uk/login

Petplan Charitable Trust PhD Study
to Investigate Feline Infectious Peritonitis-Specific Nucleotide Motifs

A three-year study, leading to a PhD, is being funded by the Petplan Charitable Trust and is available to commence on 1^st February 2011 in the School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford at the University of Bristol.  The aim of the project is to define nucleotide sequence motifs in feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) associated with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and to then develop a diagnostic test for the confirmation of FIP.  The applicant will gain extensive experience in molecular-based techniques and bioinformatic analysis.  Furthermore, the applicant will receive training in the design, conduct and presentation of research. Practical work will be done in the School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford and the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Bristol. The work will be jointly supervised by Professor Stuart Siddell and Drs Chris Helps and Séverine Tasker, supported by collaborators both within the University of Bristol and in other Universities.  Good computer skills are essential, and some experience of molecular research and feline medicine is desirable.  The successful applicant will have a high level of literacy and numeracy, good organisation skills and a willingness to learn and develop research skills to a high standard.  The successful applicant will also have excellent communication skills and confidence in making contact with cat owners and veterinary surgeons.

Applicants must possess, or expect to obtain, a first class, or good upper second class, degree in a biological related subject, or a degree in a veterinary science, and be able to demonstrate a clear interest in FIP.  This project is available to citizens of a number of European countries (including the UK) who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more.

Informal enquiries about the project are encouraged and can be made to Dr Séverine Tasker (email: s.tasker@bristol.ac.uk).

To apply, please send a CV, cover letter, and the names and addresses of two referees to Alison Foxwell, Head of Department’s Office, School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford House, Langford, North Somerset, BS40 5DU (email: cvs-hod-office@bristol.ac.uk), quoting reference SCH/10/09, by December 15^th 2010

Veselina Trufcheva-Edwards MRCVS and Natalie Bubenheim, a final year vet student at the University of Edinburgh, have won awards from the BVA.

The BVA Council Impact Award (Bleby Cup) is presented annually to the BVA Council member who has made an outstanding contribution at Council.

This year, the award went to Veselina Trufcheva.

Having qualified as a vet in 2006 from Trakia University in Bulgaria and with experience in both EU and UK practices, Veselina has been working as a small animal vet in the UK for 13 years, most recently as a senior vet in a West London small animal practice.

She was first elected for BVA Council as the representative for London in February 2023 and has since contributed actively to debates, and hosted many visits for BVA’s team, to give them an invaluable insight into veterinary life. 

Veselina said: “I am honoured and at the same time deeply moved to receive the John Bleby Cup.

"I am grateful to be part of an organisation that shapes the future for the veterinary profession and honoured to represent the diverse voices of our London region.

"Working with like minded and passionate individuals, channelling all BVA tools to support others and representing members at council meetings to shape new policy, has been an empowering experience, both personally and professionally.” 

Natalie Bubenheim has been awarded the BVA Research Travel Scholarship (Harry Steele-Bodger Memorial Scholarship Fund), to assist with her contribution to the project ‘Analysis of Performance and Health Indicators in a Commercial Goat and Sheep Herd/Flock in Malawi’. 

Natalie has a strong interest in wildlife and livestock health in low-income regions.

During her first degree, she spent six months studying in South Africa, an experience that inspired her pursuit of veterinary medicine and a commitment to improving animal health in Southern Africa.

She is also a committee member of the Edinburgh Farm Animal Veterinary Society, and a member of the Dick Vet Wildlife and Zoological Society.  

Natalie said: “I’m incredibly grateful for the funding which has made this project possible.

"Without this support, I would not have been able to travel to Malawi to carry out the research on-site.

"The opportunity to collaborate directly with local students and staff, visit the farms, and understand the real-world conditions is essential to the success and impact of the project.

"This funding is not only enabling valuable research into herd health and productivity but also helping strengthen veterinary education and food security in the Lilongwe community.” 

Elanco Animal Health has launched "Better Butt", a campaign to highlight how vets and farmers, working together, can take flock performance to the next level with strategic worm management.

The campaign aims to demonstrate the direct link between proactive parasite management and flock performance, while also providing tools for vets to engage farmers in conversations around worm control on-farm.

Fiona Hutchings (pictured), ruminant technical manager at Elanco Animal Health, said: “The Better Butt campaign encourages vets and farmers to work together to strategically plan mid- to late-season break doses and quarantine treatments, using the newer group wormers, such as Zolvix, to minimise worm burdens and support healthy growth.”

Fiona says the campaign advises farmers to move away from solely relying on visible signs of worm burdens before taking action, because lamb performance has already been compromised by the time visible signs are present: “Even the best stockman, or experienced sheep person, will struggle to spot an early worm burden, and by the time it’s visible, the burden is usually high.”

“Reductions of up to 50% in growth rates can occur before visible symptoms appear¹, resulting in extended finishing times and higher feed demands.”

The campaign uses a traffic light system to help farmers understand worm burden impacts and encourages treatment interventions when animals tip into the amber zone.

“When lambs have a low worm burden, they’re in what we call the green zone, which means they have enough energy for both maintenance and growth.

“However, when this burden increases and they tip into the amber zone, this is when you’ll start noticing changes in the time taken for lambs to finish as worms begin to damage the gut meaning the lambs can’t utilise their feed as well.”

Fiona added: “Many sheep farmers are already doing a brilliant job of managing their stock, but we want to show them that there could be an opportunity to unlock more potential from their flock.”

https://farmanimal.elanco.com/en_gb/sheep/sheep-worms/zolvix-worth-every-penny

Animalcare has launched Plaqtiv dental sticks, billed as a convenient treat-like solution to support better oral health in dogs at home.

Animalcare says that failing to attend to dental care at home results in 9 out of 10 dogs needing advanced dental treatment or procedures at the vets.

Plaqtiv dental sticks are designed to complement dental care by helping reduce plaque and tartar build-up and freshen breath in a tasty, once-daily treat.

Animalcare says the five-point star shape helps target hard-to-reach areas and the length and width of each stick means that teeth can be reached front to back and top to bottom during chewing.

In addition, the active algae ingredient contained within each stick is scientifically proven to help prevent plaque and the inclusion of zinc helps freshen breath.

Rachel Smithson, Country Manager at Animalcare, said: "The addition of the Dental Sticks to the Plaqtiv+ range gives practices and pet owners another option for maintaining oral health.

"With multiple formats now available, the Plaqtiv+ range caters to individual pet needs and owner preferences while supporting long-term home dental healthcare."

https://dental.pet

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College have launched a study to improve the safety and welfare of thoroughbred racehorses in training.

The project aims to produce evidence to help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury, one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in racehorses worldwide.

The researchers say that despite significant advances in understanding of injuries that occur in horses on a racecourse, there is currently limited information on injuries that happen during training.

The study aims to identify modifiable risk factors and inform practical, evidence-based recommendations for trainers and equine vets.

Over a three-year period, the RVC-led research team will conduct prospective cohort studies in flat and national hunt (jump) thoroughbreds in training.

The researchers will estimate the incidence of the most common types of musculoskeletal injuries in racehorses in training, including fracture and tendon and joint injuries, develop novel measures of training workload that can be used to monitor training over time, and investigate how training regimes can be optimised to reduce the risk of exercise-induced injury.

The study will also trial the use of wearable technology to establish its practical usefulness for large-scale application in measuring horses’ training workload.

Professor Kristien Verheyen, Professor of Veterinary Clinical Epidemiology at the RVC, said: “This large-scale study will fill key knowledge gaps on injury occurrence in racehorses in training.

"Its findings will directly impact racehorse welfare by identifying opportunities for intervention based on ‘best practice’ in current training regimens to reduce the likelihood of injury.”

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/projects/training-injury-prevention-study 

Efficacy of masitinib in dogs with steroid-resistant inflammatory bowel disease

Fabio Procoli DMV MRCVS, Senior Clinical Training Scholar in Small Animal Internal Medicine

Karin Allenspach Dr.med.vet. PhD DECVIM-CA MRCVS, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine

Masitinib is a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor licensed for the use in dogs with mast cell tumours, where it has proven efficacy. There also reports that this drug can decrease inflammation in people with several immune mediated disorders, including IBD.

The Veterinary Clinical Sciences at the Royal Veterinary College is performing a clinical trial to evaluate the clinical efficacy of masitinib as a sole treatment for canine IBD in steroid-refractory cases over a period of 8 weeks.

Further details can be found in the SAMSOC wiki.

Other projects listed

Free plasma metanephrines – a novel diagnostic approach for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in dogs

The Royal Veterinary College

Genetic Basis of Endocrine Disease in Dogs

As part of the LUPA initiative ( http://www.eurolupa.org ), the Royal Veterinary College, University of London and the Universities of Manchester and Uppsala are collaborating to investigate the genetic...

Exocrine Pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) Treatment Study

Exocrine Pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) Treatment Study Aran Mas DVM MRCVS P-J.M.Noble BSc BVM&S PhD MRCVS, A.J.German BVSc PhD CertSAM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS

Congenital PSS in Birman Cats - DNA Project

We are currently looking at the predisposition of Birman cats to congenital portosystemic shunts. The project is being run by Angie Hibbert  and Professor Tim Gruffydd-Jones at the Feline Centre Bristol

Diabetes Treatment Survey for vets, nurses and owners

Stijn Neissen RVC

Hi everyone

thought i would refresh everyones memories of the projects ( looking to recruit samples, cases or complete questionaires) . Listed in the SAMSoc Wiki section. More detail can be found on the project you may find interesting  including contacts etc within the Wiki.

If you have a project that you would like to list please post away or contact me via a vetsurgeon conversation link or by e mailing me directly at iab@vetspecialists.co.uk 

all the best

Ian

Free plasma metanephrines – a novel diagnostic approach for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in dogs

The Royal Veterinary College is investigating whether an increased plasma metanephrine concentration can be used to identify pheochromocytomas in dogs. We hope this will provide a useful indicator for pheochromocytomas, which are otherwise challenging to diagnose and our preliminary data suggests that plasma metanephrine concentrations increase in affected dogs.

We would welcome EDTA plasma samples from dogs undergoing investigation of adrenal masses, especially if pheochromocytoma is strongly suspected. The full cost of this test will be covered by the project grant and HPLC results are usually available within 7 days.

SPVS reports that there are still places available on its next GP Mastery course for vets in the first third of their careers, those returning to work, and any in need of renewed confidence. 

The nine-month course, which starts on 15^th October, is designed to address the non-clinical challenges faced by vets in general practice — many of which SPVS says are still underrepresented in traditional CPD, including: 

• Managing consult-room time effectively
• Strategies to combat imposter syndrome
• Building a supportive culture and asking for help
• Communicating clearly with clients and colleagues—especially under pressure
• Making confident decisions in uncertain situations
• Recognising and preventing early burnout

The course includes a two-day in-person launch in Solihull, monthly online group sessions till July 2026 and a mix of in-person, virtual and self-paced learning. 

The course costs £1250 for SPVS members, £1,500 for non members.

https://spvs.org.uk/gp-mastery/

Carus Animal Health is asking UK veterinary teams to contribute anonymised clinical case studies to help build a broader evidence base around the use of faecal calprotectin testing in dogs and cats with inflammatory gastrointestinal disease.

The company makes GIQuest, a patient-side lateral flow faecal calprotectin test, which it says can be used to guide next steps in dogs and cats with chronic GI conditions, including chronic enteropathy (CE; previously IBD), food responsive enteropathy (FRE) and GI side-effects associated with NSAID use.

Carus says that a validation study conducted at the University of Bristol has shown that its GIQuest can reliably distinguish dogs and cats with inflammatory enteropathy from healthy controls, with high sensitivity and specificity.

The company says faecal calprotectin is already well established in human medicine as a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation and is increasingly being adopted in veterinary practice to support diagnostic decision-making and treatment monitoring.

Lucy Williams MRCVS, from Carus Animal Health, said: “Individual case experiences often highlight nuances that don’t always come through in formal studies.

"Bringing these together can help illustrate how faecal calprotectin testing is being applied in different clinical scenarios, from refining diagnostic pathways to supporting monitoring and owner communication.

"By sharing practical insights from everyday cases, the profession can collectively build confidence around when and how this tool is most useful in practice.”

Case studies can be submitted by both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses and may include, but are not limited to: dogs or cats with chronic or recurrent GI signs, suspected inflammatory enteropathies, monitoring response to dietary or treatment trials or identification of GI inflammation in patients receiving long term oral NSAIDs.

As a thank you for taking part, the five strongest submissions will each receive a £100 gift card, and the first 20 eligible entries will receive free access to a GI-focused CPD course with The Webinar Vet.

In addition, entries submitted before 31st January will be entered into a draw to win a delegate ticket to SPVS Congress (Birmingham, 26–27th February), worth £675.

Entries close on 1st March.

Further information and case study form/guidelines available here: https://carusanimalhealth.com/giquest/prizes

https://carusanimalhealth.com/giquest 

BSAVA PetSavers has awarded funding of nearly £110,000 for eight new clinical research grants.

The Clinical Research Project grants support the undertaking for small-scale research projects in companion animals, with the ultimate objective of advancing understanding of the causes and/or management of a clinical disorder.

The awards include funding for:

• Researchers at the University of Cambridge who hope to identify genetic risk factors for glaucoma in Welsh Springer Spaniels, paving the way for future genetic testing.
• The Royal Veterinary College, which is tackling antifungal drug resistance in canine Malassezia pachydermatis, informing therapeutic choices and drug stewardship programmes.
• University of Glasgow researchers, who are exploring saliva as a non-invasive tool for monitoring canine epilepsy
• The University of Edinburgh, for its work examining links between the gut microbiome and autoimmune diseases in dogs, offering insights comparable to human medicine.
• Researchers at AURA Veterinary and the University of Surrey who are investigating small-RNA sequencing profiles in dogs with prostatic carcinoma, with the aim of developing a minimally invasive diagnostic tool.
• Research into the feasibility of AI in detecting tonic-clonic seizures in dogs at the University of Glasgow, to enhance seizure monitoring in both veterinary clinics and home environments.
• Investigating the use of micro-CT to help to determine the prevalence of congenital heart disease in the unexplained deaths of neonatal puppies at Bristol Vet Specialists and the University of Cambridge, alongside Great Ormond Street Hospital.
• Examining acute phase protein concentrations in canine pericardial effusions at Willows Veterinary Referral Centre.

The projects are expected to be completed by 2028.

https://bsava.com/petsavers