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VetNurse.co.uk publishes a curated feed of veterinary nursing news for registered veterinary nurses (RVNs), students (SVNs) and veterinary nursing assistants, with a primary focus on the UK profession.
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The new line incorporates integrated sound-dampening materials to reduce noise both within and outside the kennels both for the patients and clinical teams.
It also features a proprietary antibacterial polymer and toughened safety-glass doors, which Casco says improve biosecurity and support more efficient cleaning protocols.
According to Casco, testing has shown CareKennels take around 40% less time to clean than stainless-steel cages.
Casco Pet CEO Matthew Bubear said: "CareKennels bring together many of the strengths our products are known for - design quality, thoughtful construction and a wellness-first approach - while offering an accessible option for clinics looking to improve their housing standards."
"Creating calmer, more comfortable spaces for patients supports better clinical outcomes as well as contributing to a more positive working environment for veterinary professionals."
https://cascopet.com
The company said that from April 6, 2026, umbrella companies, along with the agencies or end clients using them, will become liable for unpaid PAYE tax.
Ronda.vet said that if an umbrella company fails to pay HMRC, the liability can be passed directly to the end client, the veterinary practice.
The company also said HMRC could potentially pursue the end client for unpaid tax without first exhausting recovery options against the non-compliant umbrella company or agency.
The new rules apply to any payments made to workers employed by an umbrella company on or after April 6.
Ronda.vet said that for veterinary practices there are two scenarios.
If a practice is using an agency, the recruiters will generally be liable first.
If the practice is contracting directly with an umbrella company, the liability falls squarely at their door.
Ibra Hernando, co founder of Ronda Vet said: "Many practices use umbrella companies without fully understanding where liability sits.
"From April, ignorance won't protect a practice from a significant unexpected tax bill if a provider further up the chain fails to pay HMRC.
"These changes are a bit of a wake-up call for the entire profession to know exactly how their locum staff are being paid."
www.ronda.vet
The nurse was suspended from the Register for three months after admitting dishonesty over a dog's bile acid stimulation test, falsely saying she had taken a second blood sample when she had not.
She also admitted removing blood from the first sample and presenting and/or labelling it as if it were a second sample, falsely telling colleagues that the second sample had been taken, and falsely saying a veterinary nurse colleague had assisted her.
She also admitted a second charge that she had been dishonest and misleading.
The Committee said the conduct breached the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses on honesty, integrity, trust and accountability.
It found aggravating factors including a risk of harm to the dog, breaches of employer and colleague trust, false implication of a colleague in the dishonesty, and repeated misconduct.
In mitigation, it said there had been no actual harm to the dog.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "All the charges found proved involved not only misleading statements or behaviour but also dishonesty.
"On three occasions the respondent lied to her colleague about having taken a second blood sample.... BAST is an important test of liver function.
"Such behaviour struck at the heart of the profession of an RVN where honesty is crucial in the undertaking of professional work and is a fundamental tenet of the profession.
"The respondent breached the trust of her colleague as well as her employer's trust, and had the potential to interfere in the care which was being given to the dog... thereby creating a clinical risk, because the correct procedure was not being carried out, and the veterinary surgeon did not know about this.
"The Respondent did not act in the dog's interests."
In deciding sanction, the Committee considered a medical report on the nurse's ill-health at the time, along with mitigating factors including no financial gain, limited opportunity for reflection, insight and remorse, positive testimonials, admissions, a previously unblemished career, and the fact the dishonesty was confined to a single day.
It also said the dishonesty was not premeditated, but arose after she had mistakenly fed the dog when she should not have, meaning the second blood sample should not then have been taken.
Paul added: "The respondent has insight into her conduct and as set out above, there is no real risk of repetition.
"There are no concerns about the respondent's competence or clinical practice in general, and there is no evidence that she would be unfit to return to practice after a period of suspension.
"This process has been a salutary lesson.
"The Committee, therefore, concluded that a period of suspension of three months would be proportionate in this case."
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/veterinary-professionals/conduct-and-guidance/concerns-for-veterinary-professionals/disciplinary-committee-hearings
Ed's note: I've always reported disciplinary hearing results on the basis that like aircraft accident crash reports, they often provide a lesson others can learn from. It's also important for judgments to be scrutinised. But on reflection, I've decided to stop reporting names - on the basis that it doesn't really add anything except further ignominy on the person who's already paid their penalty.
The main note of caution came from the RCVS, which said it had concerns about proposals around publishing anti-parasitic medicine prices and about recommended changes to the College’s governance structure.
The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) also warned the package would bring significant operational and commercial consequences for practices, echoing an earlier VetSurgeon.org analysis that suggested implementation could cost some practices several thousand pounds.
Elsewhere, the BVA, BVNA and BSAVA all backed the measures proposed by the CMA, and the PDSA welcomed the exemption for charities.
However, whilst greater transparency is undoubtedly a good thing, there are reasons to doubt how much difference some of the CMA’s measures will make in practice.
A price comparison website may make fees for commoditised services easier to compare, but it cannot capture the qualities that many owners actually choose a vet for: judgement, experience, bedside manner and clinical philosophy.
A tool that judges veterinary services primarily on price risks devaluing precisely those aspects of care.
The bigger difficulty is that the reforms focus mainly on transparency, not on the other underlying drivers of cost.
Veterinary medicine has become steadily more sophisticated and expensive, shaped by scientific progress, vets’ understandable desire to do the best possible for the patient in front of them, regulatory expectations, pet insurance, commercial pressures, and society’s changing tolerance of risk.
Until the profession is willing to confront the question of whether modern veterinary medicine is too often presenting clients with levels of investigation and treatment that they cannot afford, or that cost more than they believe it is right to spend on a pet animal, transparency measures alone will not make the controversy disappear.
Without addressing that deeper issue, the negative headlines are unlikely to go away.
Sarah says that while some patients do benefit from seeing multidisciplinary hospital teams, many are easily managed in practice and benefit from local care.
Oncotails offers early intervention at the time of diagnosis, either with advice for the GP or an owner consultation to discuss treatment options and likely prognosis, and to answer those difficult questions.
This, says Sarah, frees up time for the local vet who keeps management of the case but with the expert guidance of a specialist.
https://www.oncotails.com
Although the regulator says the changes should impose only limited administrative costs, VetSurgeon.org estimates that implementation may still run to several thousand pounds for some practices.
Under the reforms, practices will need to:
In total, the CMA package introduces more than a dozen new operational requirements for veterinary practices.
Practices will also have to pay a new levy to the RCVS to fund its expanded role running the price comparison service, estimated at £450-£550 annually, after a £150-£250 setup charge.
Once the Order is made — currently expected in September 2026 — most of the transparency measures will need to be implemented within three months by larger veterinary groups and six months by smaller practices.
More operational changes, such as written estimates, itemised billing and the new prescription rules, follow later, with smaller practices typically given up to 12 months to comply.
The final stage will see practices submitting data to the RCVS for its upgraded Find a Vet comparison platform once the system has been built.
Prescription fees will be capped at £21 for the first medicine prescribed in a consultation and £12.50 for each additional medicine, with both figures rising annually in line with CPI, and practices will need to assess the impact on their business model.
The online invitation survey was conducted among 6,500 pet owners from around the world, 1,000 of whom were based in the UK.
Whilst the survey didn't glean any further information about the nature of the infections, such as what percent of them were endoparasites versus ectoparasites, it did reveal that 61% of respondents said their pet experienced discomfort or illness, 39% said they showed behavioural changes and 38% reported that it made them feel anxious.
However, 38% see a parasite infection as not serious or just slightly serious.
Seventy per cent of owners said they get their parasite information from vets, compared to 43% from the internet.
Forty-five per cent use prescription treatments and 40% use vet-administered treatments in a clinic.
According to the company, 71% of UK pet owners said they would like clearer guidance on parasite protection, yet 35% have not been informed about parasite risks in their area by their vet.
Ian Wright MRCVS, Chairman/Director of ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites), said: "It has never been more important to be aware of parasites and the risk to companion animals – the increased movement of pets and people, as well as climate change, has fuelled a rapid shift in the distribution of parasites and their proximity to pets.
"Pets can carry parasites which affect animal and human health - although there are familiar types, such as fleas – we need to be vigilant for unexpected parasites moving into new countries and regions.
"With simple precautions and preventative measures, we can minimise the risk of diseases they may bring, and continue to enjoy the wonderful benefits of pet ownership."
For the study, the team at the RVC conducted an online survey of the owners of 9,402 UK dogs to investigate the behaviour of three popular designer Doodle breeds – Cockapoo, Labradoodle and Cavapoo.
Behaviours were compared between the Doodles and their purebred parent breeds, including Cocker Spaniels; Cavalier King Charles Spaniels; Labrador Retrievers; and Toy, Miniature, and Standard Poodles.
Behaviour was assessed using the validated Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) which quantifies diverse behavioural challenges including aggression, fear and anxiety, separation-related behaviour and attention-seeking.
The results show that designer Doodles differed from their purebred parents in approximately 54% of behavioural comparisons.
Where differences were identified, Doodles showed more undesirable behaviours in 82% of comparisons.
Some of these common undesirable behaviours included non-social fear (e.g. fear of traffic, loud noises); separation-related problems (e.g. vocalisation and destructiveness when left alone); and excitability (e.g. strong reactions to exciting events such as walks and doorbells).
Doodles showed less undesirable behaviours in only 18% of the comparisons where a difference was identified, for example Labradoodles scored lower for dog rivalry (e.g., conflict with dogs they live with) compared to Poodles.
Considerable variation between the three individual Doodle breeds was also identified, demonstrating that designer crossbreeds should not be treated as a single, uniform group in terms of behaviour.
For example, Cockapoos displayed a higher level of undesirable behaviours compared to their purebred parent breeds, exceeding that seen in Cavapoos and Labradoodles.
In particular, Cockapoos showed higher levels of aggressive behaviours, such as owner-directed aggression and dog rivalry, than their purebred parents.
Dr Rowena Packer, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC and senior author of the paper, said: “Realistic expectations are key to happy dog ownership.
"When expectations and reality don’t align, both dogs and owners can struggle.
"Preconceived beliefs, such as the idea that designer-crossbreeds are naturally easy to train or are safe with children, can have serious consequences if they aren’t supported by evidence.
"Our research shows that many designer-crossbreeds do not always behave as expected, particularly regarding training, anxiety and aggression, which were more common than in their parent breeds.
"We also found that not all ‘Doodles’ are alike, with Cockapoos tending to display more undesirable behaviour compared to Labradoodles and Cavapoos, highlighting that each breed is unique.
"By providing reliable scientific data, we can help puppy buyers to make better-informed choices that support both human wellbeing and canine welfare.”
Reference
The CPD events, which are part of the College's Next Steps project, are aimed specifically at returning parents, those coming back from a career break, and individuals moving into management.
They offer a blend of practical guidance, peer support, professional networking, and careers expertise.
Tash Goodwin Roberts, RCVS Projects Implementation Manager, said: "Navigating change can be exciting, but it doesn’t come without challenges.
"Our Next Steps project is designed to make those transitions as smooth as possible, to make sure you feel confident in reconnecting with your professional identity."
The events will take place on 12 May, 21 May, and 18 June at the RCVS' offices in London.
Tickets cost £50 for those booking at least six weeks in advance.
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/rcvs-next-steps-4825743
IVC started writing to the practices at the start of last year, threatening legal action over their use of the term 'Pet Health Club', which the company says infringes its trademark rights.
In March 2025, IVC sent follow-up letters to affected practices, offering an extension until 31st December 2025 to comply with its demands, but according to We Are Spartacus, there has been no contact since the deadline passed.
Meanwhile, We Are Spartacus reports that 200 veterinary professionals have registered their opposition to IVC's claims via its website.
Dr Natalie Morris-Webb, owner of Malthouse Vets, one of the affected practices, said: “Last year was a worrying time for lots of independent practices with a ‘Pet Health Club.’
"Many of those that came forward had been using the term long before IVC registered its wordmark in 2019 and either had to face the cost and hassle of rebranding their health plans or enter into a legal dispute with IVC.
“Neither of these are appealing options for independent practices, or their owner managers.
"Although IVC appears to have ceased defending the ‘pet health club’ wordmark, with none of the affected practices reporting any further correspondence for many months, the uncertainty is still there.
"It’s unacceptable that IVC has not yet achieved a commercial settlement, or revealed whether they have given the industry a reprieve and no longer plan to take legal action.”
An IVC Evidensia spokesperson said: "We have no current plans to approach anyone we haven’t previously contacted on this matter, but of course, we reserve the rights available to the company, as trademark holder, to protect our trademarks and customers in the future, as in any sector."
"A material number of those previously infringing our trademark have now updated their branding.
"Anyone still in breach was given clear notification, so the position is unambiguous - they are required to update."
The Pet Health Club website does not currently state that the scheme is owned by IVC Evidensia.
www.wearespartacus.co.uk
BVEDS was founded in 2016 to support BAME vets, nurses and students.
The organisation says that the book, entitled ‘Veterinary Diversity and Inclusion: Race, Ethnicity and Religion’, will be a significant move for the professions and it is keen to ensure that veterinary nursing is well represented by RVNs and SVNs from different religious and ethnic backgrounds.
If you'd like to get involved, contact: vetedibook@gmail.com
www.bveds.com
The course, which is a combination of online learning and practical tasks, is designed for veterinary care assistants who have already achieved their Level 2 certificate.
The school, which is part of VetPartners but also welcomes students from outside the group, delivers training to apprentices studying for the Level 2 Animal Care and Welfare Certificate and Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing.
Launched in 1996 with one class of six trainees, Lynwood now supports 120 apprentices from veterinary practices across five counties and claims to have helped more than 1,500 students pass their exams.
Val Belbin, joint head of the school, said: "We are hugely proud of everything the school has achieved over the past three decades and are delighted to be offering this new training opportunity to veterinary nursing assistants.”
https://www.lsvn.co.uk
BEVA said the guidance is intended to help vets ensure good welfare during the necessary euthanasia of horses insured for mortality.
Led by Ian Beamish, the Association reviewed its guidance with input from vets and representatives from the insurance industry.
Ian said: "The veterinary surgeon's primary responsibility is undoubtably to ensure the welfare of the horse, regardless of whether the horse is insured.
"The new guidelines are a modernised version of the outdated 2009 guidelines, with a carefully revised List of Conditions and their prognoses, updated language, and revised protocols on grounds for euthanasia."
He added: "It is important to note that whilst we may advise euthanasia, we may not advise on the insurance policy conditions; this is a matter for the insured and insurer to discuss."
The Equine Insurance Providers Group has approved and adopted the new guidance.
https://www.beva.org.uk/euthanasia-guidelines-for-insured-horses
Lyndsay is a Small Animal Director at Drove Veterinary Hospital in Wiltshire and served as BVNA President from 2023 to 2025, during which time she played a pivotal role representing the association and veterinary nurses across the UK with dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment
She is the only veterinary nurse on the hospital board at Drove, contributing to strategic decision-making, clinical governance, operational development and team progression.
The award was one of the BSAVA’s 2026 awards, which recognise contributions from across the veterinary profession.
BSAVA Honorary Secretary Adam Gow said: "Each of them has demonstrated remarkable dedication to the veterinary profession, and we’re proud to recognise the positive impact they make on animals, clients, and colleagues every day."
WellVet was founded in 2019 and was established and run as a not-for-profit by vets Liz Barton, Ru Tipney, Nat Scroggie and Katie Ford.
It provided in-person and online events to help people build their own wellbeing toolkit.
It also developed and hosted free expert-led resources on perimenopause.
Vet Empowered is a coaching and wellbeing platform run by Claire Grigson and WellVet team member Katie Ford, and it will host the WellVet resources on its website.
Liz said: "WellVet was developed at a time when the conversation around wellbeing was growing, but many resources were not reaching colleagues who could benefit.
"Our aim was to connect people with solutions to live happier and healthier in mind, body and soul.
"We have been honoured to host outstanding expert speakers and to receive many moving testimonials demonstrating real positive impact.
"However, securing funding for WellVet’s activities has become increasingly challenging in the current climate.
"Bringing WellVet’s resources into another established wellbeing platform is the best way to ensure these materials remain freely available and continue to benefit the veterinary community.”
https://www.vetempowered.com/wellvet
Richard completed his specialist training at the Royal Veterinary College and remained there for a further year as a clinician before spending seven years gaining referral experience at a multi-disciplinary referral hospital in Surrey.
From the Sevenoaks hospital he provides ophthalmology services including cataract surgery, corneal ulcer management, treatment of feline corneal sequestra, tear film disorders such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), and emergency ophthalmic cases.
South East Veterinary Referrals has installed a Zeiss operating microscope to support procedures including cataract removal, corneal ulcer repair and corneal transpositions.
Richard said: "Eye problems in dogs and cats can progress rapidly.
"Cataracts linked to diabetes, deep corneal ulcers, or trauma can threaten sight within days.
"Until now, many complex cases in Kent had to be referred many miles away.
"SEVR provides a seamless pathway for assessment and surgery, whilst ensuring pets return to their first referral vet for follow-up care when appropriate."
www.southeastvetreferrals.com
The guide, which is based on ten restorative just culture principles, aims to help practices move away from blame culture and improve staff wellbeing.
Dr Hannah Godfrey, VetLed Community Lead, said: "We know the positive difference that Restorative Just Culture principles could make within the veterinary profession, and we’re proud that we’ve been able to deliver such a useful tool for practice, with expertise from the Restorative Just Culture Foundation."
VetLed is also running a 6-module online course ‘Restorative Just Culture for Veterinary Practice’, starting in May: https://www.vetled.co.uk/courses-services/restorative-just-culture-for-veterinary-practice-open-course.
https://www.vetled.co.uk/resources/restorative-just-culture-campaign-2026
For the study1, which was led by Professor David Gardner and Dr Rebecca Brociek and published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, researchers analysed opportunistically collected kidney samples from 58 domestic cats, seven domestic dogs, 24 Scottish wildcats and three zoo wildcats.
Using chemical analyses, the team discovered that cats accumulate a rare group of modified triglycerides, some with unusual chemical bonds or branched structures, that are very rarely observed in other mammals.
Dogs did not show this pattern at all, and the feral Scottish Wildcats showed it only occasionally.
Dr Brociek said: "Why these types of unusual fats accumulate in domestic cat kidneys, even from an early age, may offer an important clue as to why domestic cats are particularly prone to chronic kidney disease, one of the most common and serious illnesses affecting older cats."
The researchers say that this distinctive lipid buildup inside kidney cells could be an early sign of long‑term stress within the kidney, potentially contributing to tissue damage over time.
Professor Gardner added: "We are hopeful that soon we will understand why these unusual fats accumulate in domestic cats - we just have to collect the evidence to find the proof.
"If true, we believe we could develop a supplement or modified diet to help prevent these unusual lipid structures from accumulating, ultimately benefitting the long-term health of our companion animals."
The discovery opens a new area of investigation into feline biology, suggesting that cats’ unique metabolism may predispose them to kidney problems. It could eventually lead to better diagnostic tools, improved diets, and new treatments for protecting cats' kidney health.
Miss Cook was charged that, while in practice at the BHA:
From the outset of the hearing Miss Cook admitted all parts of charges 1, 2 and 3, and that her conduct had been misleading.
Having heard Miss Cook’s position, the Committee noted the allegation of dishonesty as being denied and proceeded with the hearing on that basis.
The Committee decided it was sure that Miss Cook had created both documents in the knowledge that they represented themselves as having been prepared by her GP, when she knew that was not the case.
The Committee was satisfied that this conduct would be regarded as dishonest and therefore found charge the charge of dishonesty proved.
On deciding whether Miss Cook’s conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct, the Committee found that her conduct fell far below the standards expected of a veterinary surgeon and breached the fundamental principles of honesty, integrity and professional accountability.
It therefore found the proved charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Aggravating factors included:
In mitigation, the Committee considered:
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Miss Cook had placed her own interests, in seeking to avoid or influence the employment disciplinary process, above the principles of honesty, integrity and professional accountability.
"The Committee concluded that, in all the circumstances, her misconduct in a professional respect was so serious that it was fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.
“The Committee decided that no lesser sanction than removal was sufficient to maintain public confidence in the profession as a whole, or to uphold proper professional standards, and therefore directed that Miss Cook’s name be removed from the Register.”
The one-year fixed-term programme pays £26,208 and is designed for newly-qualified nurses to develop day one and referral nursing skills.
Langford Vets recommends the programme for nurses up to 3 years qualified who want more experience in a referral setting.
Interns will rotate through departments including theatre, emergency and critical care, wards nursing and anaesthesia.
The role includes exposure to specialist areas of veterinary nursing in a high-volume referral setting.
Each intern will have mentorship from the Nursing Intern Lead and a designated career mentor.
The programme includes participation in specialised procedures, patient care and diagnostics.
Interns can choose one rotation, including oncology, cardiology, dermatology and physiotherapy.
Chloe Pilgrim, Nurse Intern Lead said: "This internship offers a chance to grow both professionally and personally."
https://www.langfordvets.co.uk/work-with-us/nursing-rotating-internship-2026-2027
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
The policy pulls together current research on potential long-term health and welfare impacts of neutering and ways these may be reduced, including different methods, delaying the procedure, or not neutering.
It recommends assessing male dog castration on an individual basis, taking factors such as age, breed and lifestyle into account.
Advice for cats is unchanged, with male and female cats still recommended for neutering at around four months of age, before sexual maturity.
The Associations say the general consensus is that male and female dogs should be neutered at around 12–24 months, when many breeds are considered to have reached skeletal maturity, to reduce the risk of developing orthopaedic conditions.
A joint FAQs resource has also been produced to summarise the conclusions and recommendations for practice teams.
BVA Senior Vice President Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux said: "The updated policy position brings together the latest evidence to support small animal vets with making context-based decisions on a case-by-case basis and what that might mean for discussing neutering options with clients."
BSAVA President Julian Hoad added: "The evidence base underpinning decision-making continues to evolve and although the policy position covers many key research outputs, ambiguities still exist.
"BVA and BSAVA have made recommendations based on existing knowledge and how best this can be applied in practical scenarios.
"The resulting aim of the policy is to support veterinary professionals in clinical practice by equipping them with the tools that help them in offering tailored neutering advice to pet owners."
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/neutering-of-cats-and-dogs/
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
The tool forms part of a national tumour registry built by Liverpool’s Veterinary Data Science Group with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria using pathology records from veterinary diagnostic laboratories.
The registry aggregates more than one million tumour diagnoses across more than 200 breeds and 150 tumour types.
Users of the dashboard can select a tumour type and species and view how relative risk varies across demographic groups within the dataset.
Results are presented as odds ratios against a reference group.
The platform is publicly accessible and designed to allow vets, researchers and owners to explore patterns in the data.
Professor David Killick, veterinary oncologist at the University of Liverpool, said most veterinary cancer diagnosis data historically sits in private laboratories and is not easily accessible for research.
“It is important to understand risks for cancers — and this applies to pets too.
“But for dogs and cats, most cancer diagnosis data sit in private veterinary labs, inaccessible for research.
“Working through SAVSNET, our Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network, we wanted to see whether we could bring together large volumes of these data into one meaningful, research-ready database.”
The dataset enables analysis of tumour risk across large numbers of breeds and cancers that have previously been difficult to study due to fragmented reporting.
An analysis of four major canine tumours using the registry has been published in the Veterinary and Comparative Oncology1.
The registry will continue to expand as additional laboratories contribute data.
The project is funded by the Petplan Charitable Trust.
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/savsnet.at.liverpool/viz/SAVSNETtumourregistry/frontpage
It replaces the College’s previous website, which dated back to 2011.
The main change is consolidation of content, with resources previously spread across separate webpages now brought into a single structure.
As part of that, the College says the number of pages has been reduced from more than 1,500 to 600, with content reviewed and rewritten in plain English.
The site has also been redesigned to align with the new RCVS brand and visual identity.
RCVS Council member Linda Ford, who chaired the Website Project Board, said: “This project has been a major undertaking for the College team over the past 18 months… and the 500 or so veterinary professionals and animal owners who have helped us with testing along the way, to ensure the new site works for them.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/