This year, there were over 41,000 nominations for the five awards which were set up 26 years ago to recognise the nation’s most outstanding veterinary professionals.
The other four winners were:
Vet of the Year: Claire Phillips, Wright & Moreton, Cheshire
Practice of the Year: Coastal Veterinary Group, King’s Lynn
Practice Support Staff of the Year: Hannah Reid, Westport Veterinary Clinic, South Queensferry
Practice Manager of the Year: Fiona Leathers, Westport Veterinary Clinic, South Queensferry
Joanna Maclennan, Director of Trading at Petplan said: “A highlight in our calendar, last night was an evening of celebration of the incredible work that goes on in veterinary practices on a daily basis."
The service, which is called 'The Inside Series', analyses recorded communications to show teams which behaviours they use consistently and what adjustments can be made to build trust, transparency and clarity.
The series comprises of three different analyses practices can choose from:
Rebecca said: “Veterinary teams work incredibly hard to communicate well, but so much of what truly shapes a client’s understanding happens in the small details that usually go unnoticed.
“The Inside Series makes those details visible.
"When teams can finally see how and why their conversations land in real life, the learning is immediate, practical and transformative.”
http://www.inside-minds.com
The new study will examine the genetic changes that occur in osteosarcoma tumours.
By understanding which genes drive the disease, researchers hope to identify biomarkers – genetic clues that could help diagnose the cancer earlier, predict prognosis for individual patients, and ultimately lead to new treatment options.
The study is looking for dogs with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of osteosarcoma, whose treatment plan includes surgical removal of the tumour at the QVSH.
With the owner’s permission, tissue samples will be collected from the amputated limb after surgery, as well as from nearby healthy tissue for comparison.
The researchers say participation involves no additional procedures, discomfort, or hospital visits for dogs, and there is no cost to owners for the research elements of the study.
Dr Louise Van Der Weyden, study co-lead at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “Our new study aims to apply genomic sequencing techniques, which have benefited humans, to canine osteosarcoma to uncover what drives these bone tumours and gain a deeper understanding of why they happen.
"We hope that by doing so, we can pave the way for the development of potential biomarkers to help early diagnosis and possibly provide future treatment options for dogs who currently have no cure.”
https://www.hospital.vet.cam.ac.uk/news/new-research-improve-diagnosis-and-treatment-canine-osteosarcoma
oncology@vet.cam.ac.uk
The Seller’s Declaration has been revised with the support of British Equestrian (BEF) and British Horse Society (BHS) to make the purchase process more efficient for both buyer and seller.
BEVA says the new Declaration is a more extensive, stand-alone document which the buyer should request from the seller directly before the formal process of the PPE commences.
In this way the seller is obliged to disclose any pertinent information, such as previous lameness, stereotypies, specific management requirements, previous veterinary interventions and details of preventative dental care and worm control, prior to the PPE proceeding.
Lucy Grieve, Veterinary Projects Officer at BEVA, said: “BEVA’s new Seller’s Declaration will iron out the PPE process to make it smoother and more efficient for all three parties involved: buyer, seller and vet.
“The advantage is it cuts out the vet as a middleman… asking if the horse has received any medication, or coughs on dry hay and so on.
“The new Seller’s Declaration means that the seller should declare those things to the buyer straight off.
"If completed in advance, it should give the buyer more robust information on which to base proceeding with the PPE or not.”
https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources/Clinical-resources/PPE-toolkit
This takes total investment to £21 million, following a £6 million Seed round in August 2023.
Hello Vet was founded in 2022 by healthcare entrepreneurs, James Lighton and Alessandro Guazzi, and veterinary surgeon Oli Viner.
They opened their first site in London Fields in July 2024.
VetSurgeon.org spoke to Oli, who explained some of the things Hello Vet is doing to offer greater transparency and tangible value whilst remaining affordable:
Oli said: "We're using technology to reduce the amount of time we spend on admin and mundane stuff, so we can concentrate more on those things which deliver better value for our clients.
"For example, our clinicians make clinical notes as normal, but they are translated by AI into treatments plans which, after a once-over by our nursing team, we give to clients both as an aide-memoire and as a tangible presentation of the advice they've bought from us.
"When we used to do this manually, it would take 10 minutes. With AI, that's down to 90 seconds.
"We also use WhatsApp to foster a better connection between clinicians and clients, and to triage cases.
"We don't charge for interactions on WhatsApp, so it saves clients time and money whilst allowing us to focus our efforts where they are most needed and offer greater value.
Hello Vet reckons its WhatApp triage service has saved clients more than £75K in fees alone in the last year.
Another novel side to the practice is that it allows clients into its procedure rooms to hold their pets’ paws as anaesthesia is administered and to be present when their pets wake up.
Oli said: "This reduces stress for both pets and people and there are studies1 which have shown it improves outcomes and speeds recovery.
"As importantly, it shows tangible value to the client when they can see all the equipment we've invested in.
"Allowing clients to be there at the start of a procedure strengthens relationships with the team and builds trust."
Hello Vet now plans to launch clinics across the UK and hire a team of 200 vets and vet nurses over the next two years.
James Lighton, co-founder and CEO, said: “We know that most veterinary professionals come into this industry because they love working with animals.
"But too many good people are leaving this vocation.
"We want to become Britain’s best place to work, to ensure working in a vet clinic feels like the dream job it should be.
https://www.hellovet.co.uk
Reference
Camilla, who was shortlisted as a finalist for Innovator of the Year at the 2025 Digital Women Awards, says her mission has always been to give first-opinion vets the tools and confidence to get the most from ultrasound in everyday practice – and the new tool is a big step forward in that vision.
The tool:
Camilla says the final report is fully editable, but much of the “heavy lifting” is done — saving time, reducing second-guessing, and producing reports that are more useful for colleagues, clients, and patient care.
https://www.fovu.co.uk/
https://www.fovu.co.uk/fovu-report-video
The webinar will be presented by Jenny Helm Cert SAM Dip ECVIM-CA FHEA MRCVS EBVS and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine.
Jenny will explain the latest knowledge about lungworm in dogs, including an update on prevalence, clinical case management and treatment and prevention options.
Louise Longstaff, National Veterinary Manager at Zoetis said: “Jenny will not only cover some of the challenges with diagnosing lungworm but will also discuss the latest prevention strategies including the use of Simparica Trio."
https://cloud.mc.zoetis.com/LungWormWebinar2025
The new law allows the Government to:
require that the owner travels with the pets, or within 5 days of the pets arriving.
Danny said: “As a vet, I've treated many dogs with cruelly cropped ears or docked tails, leaving them physically scarred and emotionally traumatised.
"Knowing this Bill will help us put a stop to this abuse and have a bigger impact on animal welfare than I could possibly have achieved in a lifetime treating individual animals, demonstrates how important this legislation will prove to be.
"Thanks to the support of organisations like the BVA and other animal welfare nonprofits, we got the Animal Welfare Bill through the Commons, through the Lords, and today passed into law."
The charity says it is facing serious financial pressures, with the cost of caring for rescued animals having increased by £17M over the last 5 years.
Meanwhile, claims for emergency treatments payments have dropped by 87% in the last two years because of a greater awareness by vets of their responsibilities under the RCVS Code in providing treatment to injured wildlife and stray animals.
Rebecca Ashman, the RSPCA’s Head Vet for Operations, Partnerships and Prevention, said: "Thanks to this, and better understanding of the role and remit of the RSPCA, we have been able to focus our charity resources on managing cases of cruelty and neglect."
She added: “The RSPCA has always worked closely with the veterinary professions and we are very grateful for the ongoing support of practices with our work.
"Colleagues will be aware that we have increasingly needed to focus on our core work of rescuing and rehabilitating neglected and cruelly treated animals, in the face of growing demand.
“We have seen the number of animals in our care grow; we are now caring for double the number of cats and dogs since the pandemic, many of whom need longer, more complex rehabilitation due to the nature of why they came into our care.
“Despite work to put the RSPCA on a more sustainable footing, between 2020 and 2024, the annual cost of rescuing and caring for animals has gone up by £17m, due to rising energy prices, veterinary costs, the increased need to pay for private boarding and the increase in the number of animals in our care.
"Alongside this, unforeseen costs such as the hike in national insurance, high inflation, rising fuel and increase in the cost of living, means it is a challenging climate for all charities, putting us under pressure at a time when donations are slowing across the sector.”
The RSPCA says it will continue to allocate log numbers for IET until the end of 2025 and vets have until the end of January 2026 to make any requests for payment in the usual way.
The awards celebrate the commitment and hard work of staff who support veterinary nursing students, recognising their talent, skill and dedication.
They're open to anyone involved in training and educating veterinary nurses in the UK, with the winners nominated by students and fellow professionals.
CQ Director Jacqui Garrett said: “We’re delighted to celebrate the Veterinary Nurse Educator of the Year Awards once again.
"The awards are a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on the individuals who go above and beyond in training the next generation of veterinary nurses.
"I would encourage anyone who has been inspired by their tutor or colleague to submit a nomination and help us recognise their contribution to the veterinary nursing profession.”
The awards will be presented during the CQ Graduation and Awards Ceremony at Central Hall, Westminster, on Saturday, 28 March 2026, where there'll be a keynote speech from wildlife photographer and filmmaker, Gordon Buchanan.
Nominations close on Friday, 6 February.
The College says the findings address evidence gaps from previous research and highlight the importance of routine veterinary otoscopic ear checks.
Although previous research has suggested that lop-eared rabbits may be more susceptible, the researchers say it relied on small samples and retrospective clinical records or owner reports.
For this study, RVC Rabbit Welfare Research Assistants, Maria Jackson RVN and Michaela Betts MRCVS, examined 435 pedigree rabbits volunteered by British Rabbit Council (BRC) breeders.
Between October 2023 and February 2024, the team travelled to BRC shows and breeding studs to record each rabbit’s ear type, head shape, estimated adult bodyweight, age and other features before performing a structured otoscopic examination in which the outer ear, the diverticulum and the full length of the external ear canal were checked for signs of inflammation, narrowing, discharge or crusting.
By combining these observations with multivariable statistics, the team was able to compare ear health across 49 breeds and identify which conformations were most strongly associated with specific ear abnormalities.
The results showed that ear shape plays a central role in predisposing rabbits to hidden ear disease.
Lop-eared rabbits were more likely to show 9 of the 11 abnormalities assessed, including ear canal narrowing, abnormal colour, flaky and wet discharge, behavioural reactivity to ear examination, dermatological changes to the pinna and crusts in the diverticulum.
The shape of a rabbit’s head was also associated with the types of ear problems they were likely to develop, but not in a consistent manner.
Brachycephalic rabbits had narrower ear canals, while dolichocephalic rabbits were more likely to have crusts in the diverticulum.
Body size mattered too, with heavier rabbits more likely to show problems such as redness, narrowing, flaky discharge and traumatic pinna changes, as well as stronger behavioural reactions during examination.
Other physical and signalment factors showed mixed results, highlighting the complexity of ear health across breeds.
Maria said: “Our findings have once again shown that rabbits with lop ears are more likely to develop ear problems – specifically, signs of otitis externa – than rabbits with upright ears."
Dr Charlotte Burn, Associate Professor in Animal Welfare and Behaviour Science at the RVC, and senior author on the paper, said: “This is the first study to have directly and systematically examined rabbit ears outside a clinical context, and it confirms that the seemingly endearing shape of lop rabbits’ ears really do risk deeper ear disorders.
"Alongside the physical changes we observed, we documented rabbit behaviour, such as avoidance, shaking their heads and scratching at their ears, and found that the lop-eared rabbits reacted significantly more to having their ears examined than rabbits with ‘up’ ears.
"To me, this indicates that their ears were not only physically affected, but they also hurt more, highlighting the animal welfare burden of this hidden problem.”
References
Vidas Equine Insulin provides insulin levels in approximately 20 minutes, which the company says will help with the diagnosis and management of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), commonly associated with insulin dysregulation in horses.
Vidas Equine ACTH provides dysregulation level testing of the adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone related to the development of Equine Cushing’s Disease (aka Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction - PPID) in about 45 minutes.
Pierre Rouppert, Global Veterinary Product Manager at bioMérieux, said: “Our new endocrinology tests, because of their rapidity and ease of use, will bring clinical value for veterinary practices, directly at the Point of Care.
"Equine Metabolic Syndrome and Cushing’s Disease are chronic conditions that often evade detection in their initial stages, making early testing crucial in achieving proper management and animal care.”
David Smart, Global Veterinary Business Developer at bioMérieux, said: “This dedicated equine immunoassay test for insulin and ACTH represents a transformative step forward in animal care.
"Veterinary practitioners will be able to achieve fast, reliable and cost-effective laboratory grade results that can aid early detection and subsequent diagnosis for two prolific and debilitating medical conditions in horses.
"The fast and accurate results from these two new tests will allow quicker clinical decisions that will ultimately help more horses receive an improved standard of care and reassure horse owners.”
https://www.biomerieux.com/corp/en/our-offer/clinical-products/vidas-equine-insulin.html
Season 2 has been launched after a staggering 50,000 people completed the first series, which was launched in 2018.
Ceva says the benefits of completing the course, beyond it counting towards your annual CPD requirement, include:
Season 2 is available on demand at: https://gbr.ceva.vet/index
The company says it has now had over two million client interactions, more than three quarters of which result in the pet visiting their vet practice, generating an average revenue of £206 per case, with a net promoter score of 88.
VidiVet was founded by veterinary surgeon Ben Sweeney in 2020, the main idea being to keep vet clinics at the centre of the customer journey whilst driving footfall and revenue, keeping pet owners happy and saving clinic teams time and stress.
VidiVet now has more than 60 vets providing a remote digital support team for vet clinics, 24/7.
Every vet working for VidiVet is still in clinical practice and has spent at least five years working in practice, with an average of 14 years experience.
Ben said: “We enable practices to complete the circle of care and augment the services they offer.
"Rather than us competing with clinics, under our strapline of ‘Just Trust VidiVet’, we continually delight clients, drive efficiencies and deliver revenues.
“We work with clients to determine whether their pet requires emergency treatment and, in most cases, direct them back to the practice at an appropriate time, based on their symptoms.
"Crucially, Vidivet vets never diagnose or prescribe, meaning they remain totally impartial and all revenues generated from a case go to the clinic.
VidiVet’s head of veterinary operations, Sarah Holmes, who is also a qualified vet, added: “VidiVet’s success is built on our ability to provide immediate advice from highly experienced UK based vets who all still work in clinics, and we only select those with exceptional communication and clinical skills.
"When this is combined with people’s appetite for instant information in a digital age, it gives us a very compelling offering, which is hugely popular with both veterinary practices and pet owners.”
Pippa Adams, director at PowisVets in Stourbridge, said: “We have been using VidiVet for four years now and it has been a game changer for our business.
"The clients love it, the system is simple for our staff and it has really helped our business as we have been growing.
"We would recommend it to any vet practice.”
www.vidivet.com.
The new consumer products, which include surface disinfectants, a stain and odour remover, a urine eliminator, a laundry sanitiser and a carpet cleaner, are being rolled out first on Amazon.
Broadly speaking, they contain the same active ingredients as the professional range used in practice, but formulated for consumer use.
The company says that whilst e-commerce is its initial priority, traditional retail remains an important part its long-term strategy, and it is interested to hear from any veterinary practices that would like to retail the range.
https://anigene.co.uk
https://byotrol.com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Byotrol/page/85CD32DA-4253-4A04-AB24-D6F9ECC9BCD3
The new online resources have been compiled by BEVA in collaboration with the RSPCA, World Horse Welfare, the SSPCA and the National Equine Crime Group, together with national Police and Local Authority representatives.
BEVA President Imogen Burrows said: “It can be an intimidating process when visiting an equid without an owner, but our new resources aim to address the potential stress factor and make the rules around the provision of care very clearcut.
“We have produced all the documents the attending vet should need, no matter their location or circumstances.
"Most importantly, if they are attending alone, they will know how to access the right help at the right time, secure in the knowledge that they are following appropriate, validated procedures.”
The resources include a decision tree for quick checking correct procedures, an overview of stakeholder roles and responsibilities, a ‘what if’ section for troubleshooting and an essential contacts registry.
There are also examination and treatment worksheets, and euthanasia certification forms.
Imogen added: “We have put significant thought and effort into producing these new resources, especially from an ambulatory veterinary perspective.
“It should make all the difference for vets, knowing that they have the all the information they need, to hand, In the unlikely event of a callout to an equid of unknown ownership.”
https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources/Clinical-resources/Welfare-toolkit/Managing-equids-of-unknown-ownership
Providing an opportunity to present new research to the veterinary community, the Clinical Research Abstracts can be on any veterinary subject, whether it’s the preliminary results of a new study, a discussion of a new technique or a description of an interesting case.
Each application should be based on high-quality clinical research undertaken in industry, practice or academia, and summarised in 250 words
Applications are welcome from vets, veterinary nurses, practice managers and students, with applications from those working in general practice especially encouraged.
Researchers with research of direct relevance to veterinary practice may also submit an abstract for consideration.
Those who are selected to present will receive a free complimentary ticket to BVA Live.
The Clinical Research Abstract awards will also give researchers the opportunity to present their winning abstract at London Vet Show 2026.
Julian Hoad, BSAVA President said: "We’re delighted to invite veterinary professionals to share their latest research with the wider community.
"The Clinical Research Abstracts offer a unique platform to showcase innovation, spark discussion, and contribute to the advancement of veterinary medicine. We look forward to seeing fresh ideas and emerging techniques that can shape the future of clinical practice. It’s an opportunity not to be missed!"
Submissions are open until 6th March 2025.
https://www.bsavaclinicalabstracts.com