Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College have published a study reporting that an AI system achieved up to 84% fracture localisation accuracy in horses, with potential for wider application in companion animal practice.

The study was led by Ruby Chang, Associate Professor of Statistics at the RVC, and carried out by Dr Hanya Ahmed.

The team compiled a databank of images, including 100 equine fracture cases from two UK equine hospitals and published literature, alongside 70 feline cases from hospital databases and around 4,000 human fracture images from a public database.

Using these images, the researchers built a three-stage AI system that first identifies the scan type, then recognises the image angle, before detecting and precisely localising fractures.

The system used transfer learning, enabling it to be trained on the large human dataset before being adapted for equine cases.

Using this method, the system achieved a reported fracture localisation accuracy of between 71 and 84% without requiring an unrealistically large number of equine images.

The RVC said the findings demonstrate the potential for AI-assisted tools to strengthen fracture diagnosis across veterinary practice.

It said faster and more reliable detection could reduce uncertainty in clinical decision-making and enable earlier treatment for racehorses and companion animals.

Building on the work, the team has expanded its collaboration with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to investigate whether AI can identify early bone changes before fracture occurs.

The study has been shortlisted for the STEM for Britain 2026 award and was funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

Reference

1. Ahmed, H. T., Berner, D., Zhang, Q., Verheyen, K., Llabres-Diaz, F., Peter, V. G., & Chang, Y.-M. Bridging Species with AI: A Cross-Species Deep Learning Model for Fracture Detection and Beyond. Bioengineering. 2026, 13(2), 213. https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/13/2/213 

AMTRA, Vetpol and VetSkill have jointly announced the first National SQP Week, which will take place across the UK from 5–12 June 2026.

The week is intended to raise awareness and understanding of the role of Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs), also known as Animal Medicines Advisors.

The organisers are encouraging retailers, pharmaceutical companies, animal owners, veterinary practice teams, government and SQPs to take part.

A campaign toolkit is being developed and will be launched ahead of the week.

The toolkit will include downloadable resources such as logos, posters, FAQs and activation ideas, and will be accessible to anyone wishing to participate.

The organisers said the campaign follows an industry survey indicating limited awareness of SQP expertise among animal owners and parts of the veterinary and animal medicines professions.

AMTRA CEO Stephen Dawson said: “SQPs are highly qualified professionals, yet many people who interact with them don’t fully understand their expertise—or the benefits they can bring.

“This campaign is here to change that.”

Stakeholders are being asked to mark their calendars, promote the week and plan activities in advance of the toolkit release.

Agilio Veterinary has launched iTeam, an HR platform for independent and small veterinary practices.

The platform is designed to help practices manage HR and compliance requirements without dedicated HR support, in the face of increasing inspections.

Agilio said iTeam centralises HR tasks, automates compliance, and can include optional access to HR advisers for more complex people issues.

iTeam includes built-in veterinary-specific compliance checks, plus workflows and integrated learning tools that do not require specialist HR expertise.

The company says the software can also handle automated reminders and workflows, leave and absence management, and staff records and policies.

iTeam can also support CPD tracking via iLearn Vet integration.

Agilio says rota management is planned next via iRota, described as a dedicated workforce planning solution for visibility of shifts, cover and capacity.

Emma Barnes, Managing Director – Emerging Markets at Agilio Software, said: “iTeam was designed to make HR compliance simple and manageable, without adding unnecessary complexity.”

https://agiliosoftware.com/veterinary 

The University of Cambridge will continue its undergraduate veterinary medicine degree after the university’s governing body voted against proposals to discontinue the course.

The decision followed a recommendation made by the School of Biological Sciences in December 2025 to close the programme, after the School said there was no “viable long-term solution” for the sustainable delivery of clinical services within the veterinary course.

Reporting in the Financial Times said the veterinary school had been operating at losses exceeding £1 million annually.

The course had also been granted only conditional RCVS accreditation in 2024 after a visitation found it met 27 of the College’s 77 accreditation standards, with further improvements required for full approval..

The recommendation to close the school was met with significant opposition, both externally from the wider profession and internally from academics and students at Cambridge.

Responding to the news, British Veterinary Association President Dr Rob Williams MRCVS said: “We’re pleased that Cambridge University’s governing body has listened to concerns raised by BVA and so many across the whole veterinary profession and has come to the decision not to close its veterinary school.

“A resilient veterinary workforce relies on a healthy pipeline of homegrown talent and the UK’s vet schools, including Cambridge, play a crucial role in this.

“In our open letter to the school last month, we underlined how its closure would not only have represented a ‘profound gamble with public health and scientific excellence’ but also would have had a significantly negative impact on the future supply of highly skilled veterinary professionals.

“However, whilst today’s decision is a step in the right direction, it’s essential the University commits to ensuring the school is appropriately resourced to preserve its vital role at the forefront of global health and scientific leadership, now and in the future.”

Dr Tudor Herlea MRCVS has been reprimanded by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee following a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving while his licence was suspended.

Dr Herlea MRCVS was convicted on 15 January 2025 at the Cluj Court of Appeal.

He was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years and made subject to probation/supervision during the period of the suspended sentence.

The Committee heard he was stopped shortly after midnight on 5 February 2023 during a routine police stop and tested over the alcohol limit.

His licence had previously been suspended for three months following a speeding offence in December 2022, ending on 27 February 2023.

The Committee took account of his statement that he had been drinking at home when his father became unwell and he drove to a nearby pharmacy because his father did not have his medication.

The Committee found the conviction was incompatible with paragraph 6.5 of the profession’s governing code and found him unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon.

Aggravating factors included disregarding the prohibition on driving, the extent his blood alcohol exceeded the limit, and the risk of injury to others.

Mitigation included early admissions and notification to the RCVS, a favourable probation report, remorse and insight, and positive colleague references, with no actual harm and an otherwise unblemished record.

Hilary Lloyd, chairing the Committee, said: “The misconduct of Dr Herlea is serious but, considering the mitigating factors present in this case, the Committee concluded that a period of suspension was neither necessary nor proportionate.

"The consequence of a period of suspension is that the Registrar removes the veterinary surgeon’s name from the Register during the period ordered. It is then automatically restored to the Register at the conclusion of the period of suspension.

"Dr Herlea would be obliged to inform the Home Office that he was no longer able to comply with the terms of his work permit, as would his sponsor practice.

"It is not therefore unreasonable to assume that under current Home Office guidance, even a short period of suspension would result in Dr Herlea being unable to practise in the UK, with permanent effect, which would be disproportionate.

“The Committee concluded that a reprimand and warning as to Dr Herlea’s future conduct was the appropriate sanction.”

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/veterinary-professionals/conduct-and-guidance/concerns-for-veterinary-professionals/disciplinary-committee-hearings 

The RCVS has published its response to Defra’s consultation on reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, urging vet nurses to back Option 1 and retain a ‘Royal College that regulates’.

The College response welcomes Defra’s incorporation of many of the College’s longstanding recommendations for legislative change in its proposed reform of the VSA.

This includes giving the RCVS statutory powers to regulate veterinary businesses and protection of title for veterinary nurses, alongside reforms that could allow VNs to take on more roles and responsibilities.

It also supports enabling statutory regulation of the wider veterinary team, including allied professionals such as equine dental technicians and behaviourists, and a modernised registration and licensing system.

The response also backs an updated, forward-looking, fitness to practise regime with a greater range of sanctions available and interim powers of suspension.

In terms of the future governance structure for the RCVS, its response strongly favours Option 1 in Defra’s proposals - the ‘Royal College that regulates’ model – rather than Option 2, which would see the RCVS shorn of its broader public interest and professional leadership objectives and left with a purely regulatory remit.

RCVS President Professor Tim Parkin said: “It is our strong belief that the ‘Royal College that regulates’ model retains the best of both worlds, because it takes a proactive and holistic approach to regulation and fitness to practise.

“For example, professional leadership projects such as the Mind Matters Initiative and our reasonable adjustments campaign have opened up conversations around mental and physical health, and how we can better support our registrants to continue to meet professional standards in the public interest, while the RCVS Academy helps our registrants understand and navigate their professional responsibilities via innovative learning content.

“Furthermore, given the importance of supportive, preventative approaches to modern professional regulation, there can be no clear or fixed dividing line between the College’s regulatory and Royal College functions.

"Not only would Option 2 not create clarity, it would also risk undermining and leaving in limbo, without funding, much of the good work we have done with projects in mental health, workforce, environment and sustainability, and through our Fellowship.

“If you want a balanced and holistic approach to regulation for the benefit of animal health and welfare, public health and wider society, then please make sure you support Option 1 when you complete the consultation.”

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/veterinary-professionals/consultations/vsa-reform-time-for-change 

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has appointed Stacy Woodman (pictured) as interim CEO while it recruits a permanent replacement, after confirming Amanda Stranack will leave on 30 April 2026.

Stacy has been leading the BSAVA’s Programme of Change and has worked with the Board and leadership team over the past year on the new business plan and strategy.

Amanda Stranack joined the BSAVA in 2012 as Head of Congress, became Director of Operations in 2016 and was appointed CEO in 2019.

The BSAVA said she helped strengthen its operational capability and long-term resilience, and that membership has grown to more than 10,000 during her time as CEO.

Amanda said: “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and grateful to the team, volunteers, partners and veterinary community who have supported our work.”

BSAVA president Dr Julian Hoad said: “Amanda’s contribution to the BSAVA over the past 14 years has been exceptional.

"She has led with professionalism, warmth and a deep commitment to the veterinary profession...And as we move into that next phase, we are delighted to welcome Stacy as our Interim CEO.”

Details of the BSAVA’s strategic plan and forward direction are due to be announced in mid-March.

New research published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice has shown that enhanced cleaning protocols and staff training can cut contamination in veterinary practices by over 70%.

The study assessed contamination across 13 small animal practices using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) testing before and after delivery of a staff training session and standardised cleaning protocols.

Eleven practices were re-tested 70 days later and five practices were re-tested an average of 128 days later.

Samples were taken from reception areas, consulting rooms, preparation and diagnostic areas, wards, theatres, kitchens, laboratories, and staff areas, using Hygiena EnSURE Touch & UltraSnap Surface ATP Swabs.

The cleaning protocol involved the removal of biofilms using a degreasing agent, followed by routine cleaning with a standard veterinary disinfectant cleaner and fogging application of a certified veterinary disinfectant.

Before the intervention, average contamination levels in practices were 14.7 times higher than recommended thresholds.

Following the 45-minute staff training session and implementation of the standardised cleaning protocol, contamination levels reduced by 61% within 70 days and by 71% within 128 days.

Fomite surfaces — including door handles, kettles, and keyboards — showed the greatest improvement, with contamination levels reduced by 80%. General surfaces recorded a 56% reduction.

These findings indicate that a combination of staff training, refined cleaning protocols, and scheduled hygiene testing can significantly reduce contamination levels in practices and improve practice-level infection control.

Dr Neil Forbes, author of the study, said: “Once identified, most hygiene issues are readily addressed.

"Reservoirs of contamination, or indications of poor working practices, once detected, can be resolved.

"Longitudinal studies in human hospitals demonstrate that ATP reduction correlates with decreased nosocomial infection rates, ranging from 45–75% over 18 months to 5 years.”

The study recommends that practices appoint an Infection Control Champion, implement routine - ideally monthly - ATP testing, raise awareness with the whole team about infection sources, transmission routes, and risk management, and use two-step sanitation comprising cleaning followed by disinfection.

Reference

1. Forbes, N.A. (2026), An educational intervention, the use of optimal sanitisation and regular measurement of infection control outcomes can greatly reduce contamination levels in the veterinary practice. J Small Anim Pract. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.70078 

The UK Government has opened an eight-week consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, describing it as the biggest overhaul of veterinary regulation in 60 years — with the most notable shift being towards regulating veterinary practices and businesses, not just individual professionals.

Defra’s consultation proposes introducing a licensing and regulatory framework for veterinary practices, including corporate-owned groups that largely fall outside current statutory oversight. Defra says around 60% of UK practices are now owned by non-vets.

Alongside practice regulation, the proposals include mandatory price transparency for common treatments and disclosure of practice ownership.

The government says these measures are intended to improve consumer confidence and competition, following findings by the Competition and Markets Authority that problems in the veterinary market could be costing households up to £1bn over five years, with vet fees rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.

However, there are significant risks attached both to price transparency and to increased regulation.

Publishing prices may help owners compare routine services such as consultations or parasite treatments, where variability is limited, but applying the same approach to diagnostics and surgery is more problematic.

The degree and cost of veterinary care in these areas can vary widely depending on the patient, underlying disease, intra-operative findings and aftercare needs.

Fixed or headline prices risk encouraging “menu medicine”, defensive pricing, or the underpricing of routine treatments to attract custom, with higher costs then falling on more complex or non-routine cases.

There are also potential consequences arising from the proposed regulation and licensing of veterinary practices themselves.

While ministers argue this will improve accountability — particularly for corporate-owned groups — additional compliance requirements, inspections and enforcement mechanisms are likely to increase operating costs for practices.

Alongside business regulation, the consultation proposes reforms to complaints handling and disciplinary processes, including a wider range of sanctions and a more proportionate regulatory approach applying to both businesses and individual professionals.

Further measures include legal protection of the “veterinary nurse” title, statutory regulation of allied professionals, modernised registration and fitness-to-practise processes, and potential reform of the governance arrangements of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

The RCVS, the British Veterinary Association and the British Veterinary Nursing Association are encouraging vets, nurses and animal owners to respond.

Each has said it will submit a formal response on behalf of members, while also urging individual engagement.

The consultation platform indicates that completing the full questionnaire could take up to four hours, although respondents are told they may skip sections that are not relevant to them.

The consultation closes on 25th March 2026.

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/reform-of-the-veterinary-surgeons-act/consultation

Animus Surgical has launched SkinBond Multi, a skin glue supplied in single-use pipettes.

SkinBond Multi contains n-butyl cyanoacrylate, with the product’s differentiation lying in its single-use packaging rather than the adhesive itself.

SkinBond is suitable for both the final closure of surgical incisions and for adhesing the edges of minor skin lacerations.

Nick Butcher MRCVS, the owner of Animus Surgical, said: “From my own years in both small animal and equine practice, I understand the need for a fuss-free solution for those final touches in surgery and minor wounds.

“SkinBond Multi is designed for precisely this.

"The single-use pipettes offer unparalleled convenience whilst eliminating cross-contamination risk and reducing waste.”

Animus highlights that the new product is also transparently billable, in line with CMA guidelines 

https://animussurgical.com/products/animus-skinbond-multi-10-x-0-25ml 

New research published in Veterinary Record has highlighted serious shortcomings in how UK veterinary workplaces support colleagues affected by miscarriage, infertility and assisted fertility.

The mixed-methods survey of 525 veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses found that while some employers offered thoughtful and effective support, more than one in five respondents had left — or wanted to leave — their role as a direct result of how their situation was managed.

Participants described experiences including being expected to continue clinical duties while actively miscarrying, limited or no time off for fertility treatment or bereavement, breaches of medical confidentiality, and dismissive comments from colleagues.

Concerns were also raised about exposure to anaesthetic gases, heavy lifting and workplace stress, particularly when trying to conceive or during pregnancy following a previous loss.

Some male veterinary professionals reported being unable to take time off to support hospitalised partners or to grieve.

Crucially, respondents who recalled receiving any form of workplace support were five times less likely to subsequently want to leave their job than those who reported no support at all.

Positive experiences were often linked to relatively small actions, such as kind words or a card, or workload adjustments and time away from work.

Study participants recommended improved education, clearer workplace policies, and increased paid leave for bereavement and fertility treatment.

The study was led by four vets under the umbrella of the VetMINDS Research Team and funded for open access by the British Veterinary Association.

Lead author Jenny Stavisky MRCVS said the findings highlighted how deeply the issue resonated with veterinary professionals, and expressed hope that more open discussion would help avoid compounding the pain experienced by those affected.

The study authors also note that whilst many veterinary employers offer discretionary accommodations, there is no current legislative requirement.

However, under proposed changes to the law there will be a statutory entitlement to bereavement leave following miscarriage, something which is subject to a Government consultation which can be accessed here: Make Work Pay: leave for bereavement including pregnancy loss - GOV.UK

Reference

1. Stavisky J, Scroggie N, Collinson A, Belshaw Z. “For three of my four miscarriages I was at work…” Experiences of miscarriage, infertility and assisted fertility in veterinary workplaces. Vet Rec. 2026; e1–e16. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.70339

The RCVS is hosting its second VN Educators’ Conference for veterinary nurse educators involved in student training on 17 June from 9am to 4.30pm at its London headquarters, focusing on how developments across the profession may shape the role of RVNs in the future .

The programme centres on the theme “The future RVN: people, practice and technology”.

Sessions will examine how developments across veterinary healthcare may influence the training and role of veterinary nurses.

Topics include team-based healthcare and contextualised care, focusing on collaborative practice and the complexity of real-world clinical environments.

An update on legislation and regulation affecting veterinary nursing practice and education is also included.

A panel discussion will explore technology-enabled practice, including artificial intelligence, digital innovation, paperless practice and entrepreneurial developments within veterinary nursing.

Delegates can also attend one of two workshops covering practical assessment approaches or the future scope of veterinary nurse practice.

Shirley Gibbins, Veterinary Nursing Qualifications Lead at the RCVS, said: “The day itself is highly interactive and serves as a perfect opportunity for VN educators to come together, explore emerging trends, share perspectives and reflect on how education and training can respond to a changing professional landscape.

“Whether you’re involved in curriculum delivery, assessment, quality assurance or programme leadership we would love for you to join us.”

Tickets cost £60 per person and include lunch and refreshments.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vn-educators-conference-the-future-rvn-people-practice-and-technology-tickets-1981441511901

AVID has launched the MiniTracker 4 universal microchip scanner for veterinary practices, border control, rescue organisations and animal wardens.

The company says the MiniTracker 4 has been designed to make microchip scanning faster, more reliable and less stressful for a wide range of animals.

The MiniTracker 4 reads ISO standard microchips up to 20cm.

A silent mode disables the audible beep to reduce stress for nervous animals.

Bluetooth connectivity pairs the scanner with mobile devices and apps, including the FEI Horse App.

On-board memory stores the last 20 scans with date and time stamps, with expandable memory via a card.

Power options are 4x AA batteries or USB-C, including use with a power bank.

The unit, which is chemical-resistant, reads all four current companion animal microchip standards.

Richard Cratchley, Sales Manager at AVID, said: "With the MiniTracker 4 we’ve created the ideal balance of portability, power and innovation.

"Features like silent mode, extended read range and Bluetooth integration help professionals scan animals quickly and reliably."

www.avidplc.com