Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College working in collaboration with the University of Cambridge have found that anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) increase appetite in dogs with epilepsy, causing many of them to become overweight. 

The researchers say that although increased appetite has been reported as a side effect of many AEDs in veterinary literature, the effect had not been quantified or studied in detail.

To assess the phenomenon in greater detail, the research team analysed food motivation through a validated Dog Obesity Risk Assessment questionnaire created by University of Cambridge¹.

The study compared 222 dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy with a control population of 7,086 healthy dogs.

The survey was designed to determine if epilepsy and AEDs were associated with increased food motivation, weight gain and decreased activity, and to assess if and how caregivers managed weight gain in this population.

The data revealed that dogs with idiopathic epilepsy receiving AEDs had significantly higher food motivation in comparison to healthy dogs – they had increased interest in food, were less selective about food, were more interested in food between meals, and wanted more food than usually offered.

In response, carers of dogs on medication put greater effort into restricting how much their dogs ate, particularly of human food.

Despite this, these dogs had significantly greater fat mass.

More than half of owners of dogs with epilepsy always used treats to administer their dog’s ASD medication (53%) and did not compensate for it by reducing the dog’s main food ration (34%).

Given the epilepsy treatment often involves medication two or three times a day, this has the potential to increase calorie intake substantially, an issue compounded by epileptic dogs also being less active.

The researchers say it's important that vets and nurses advise owners to monitor their dog's weight and help them manage it. 

Dr Anna Morros-Nuevo of the University of Cambridge, and primary author of this study, said: "Idiopathic epilepsy, and in particular seizure episodes, have such an overwhelming impact on these dogs' families that side effects such as weight gain often get overlooked, both by vets and the pet's families.

"But unfortunately, obesity has lifelong negative impact on health and quality of life, since it predisposes dogs to suffer from joint problems and respiratory diseases, as well as metabolic disorders and urinary incontinence.

"Obese dogs have also been shown to have a shorter lifespan than dogs with a normal weight.

"While ASD are non-negotiable for many of these dogs, their caregivers and veterinarians should be aware of the lifelong impact of their side effects and manage them carefully.

"We hope these findings will help to increase awareness for both veterinary professionals and dog carers of the side effects of ASD and their impact for the patient."

Reference

1. Morros-Nuevo, A., Packer, R. M. A., Reagan, N. & Raffan, E. ‘Caregiver-reported increased food motivation and adiposity in dogs receiving antiseizure dogs’, Vet Record, 195(12) doi: http://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.4907 

Yorkshire's first Specialist-led independent orthopaedic and neuro referral practice has opened in Wetherby.

Vita Referrals has been set up by Rob Quinn, an RCVS and EBVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, and Nick Blackburn and Stuart Cooke, both RCVS Advanced Practitioners in Small Animal Surgery.

They say that their aim is to ensure every pet owner has access to reasonably priced surgical care. 

To that end, the clinic lists fixed costs for all of its major surgical specialities on its website, where it says clients should notice a significant reduction compared to other providers.

It also offers a 12-month post-surgical complications warranty.

Rob said: “Many pet-owners are unaware that there are three major companies which own the vast majority of veterinary practices in the UK.

"That is not necessarily of benefit to those using the services, as prices can rise when competition is low.

"Myself, Nick and Stuart felt very strongly that there was a different way to do things.

“No one becomes a vet to see animals suffer or pet-owners struggle to make tough financial decisions.

"We knew it was possible to offer a top quality service, with the best facilities and equipment available, whilst also keeping prices at a realistic level – and that is where the vision for Vita Referrals came from.

"We also wanted the freedom to offer collaborative decision-making, the removal of complex forms and bureaucracy and what we believe is an industry-leading 12-month complications guarantee on routine surgeries.

"It’s time there was more disruption and competition in the sector – and that will, ultimately, only be a good thing for pets, owners and vets.”

www.vitareferrals.co.uk

Purina has refreshed its website for veterinary professionals, adding a new tools which include an online water calculator to work out the expected normal water intake for individual pets. 

Purina says that assessing water intake can be difficult for pet owners and appreciating what is ‘normal’ is of course central to identifying when intake is excessive, requiring further investigation, or inadequate, requiring alternative hydration strategies.

The company developed the water calculator to help vets and nurses give guidance to pet owners on a pet’s recommended daily water intake, depending on lifestage, bodyweight and diet.

Libby Sheridan, Scientific Affairs Manager at Purina said: “All too often a pet has been suffering polydipsia for some time when they are presented at the clinic.

"That may be because water intake isn’t being measured or observed, but often there is a confusion with knowing what is normal for the individual pet.

"Cats, particularly when they are older may struggle to meet their water needs and this tool can be helpful in assessing their intake and suggests some strategies for improving hydration.”

Any member of the clinical veterinary team can email vettechline@purina.nestle.com to get access to webinars on hydration and a short video on how to use the water calculator within Vet Centre.

https://vetcentre.purina.co.uk

Zoetis has announced a further delay in the supply of Equip Artervac in the UK, due to a manufacturing issue.

The company now expects the vaccine will not be available until June 2025.

The company apologised for the  disruption and inconvenience and says it will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.

For further information contact your Zoetis Account Manager or call Head Office on 0345 300 8034.

London-based Nicola Jane Gurrin MRCVS has been reprimanded and warned by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after she prescribed an acne treatment for a human. 

Ms Gurrin faced two charges, the first being that she had issued prescriptions for Roaccutane tables, indicating they were for the treatment of an animal when they were in fact for a human.

The second charge was that Dr Gurrin’s conduct in relation to the first charge was dishonest and/or misleading, and took place in circumstances where Dr Gurrin was not professionally qualified to write a prescription for a human.

Ms Gurrin admitted the allegation in its entirety and the Committee therefore found it proved.

The College submitted that Dr Gurrin breached fundamental tenets of the Code of Professional Conduct and acted dishonestly and, as such, that the admitted facts amounted to disgraceful conduct.

The Committee accepted that Dr Gurrin’s conduct involved dishonesty, but took into account the context: that Dr Gurrin was seeking to help in continuing a course of medication that she understood to have been properly prescribed by a specialist physician.

Mitigating factors included the lack of artifice or sophistication in the drawing of the prescription and its presentation to the pharmacist, in that Ms Gurrin didn't invent an animal name or species, or any kind of elaboration or backstory when challenged by the pharmacist on the prescription.

In addition, there was no financial or other personal gain, it was a single isolated incident, it was a spur of the moment decision without reflection, no harm was caused or risked to any animal, Ms Gurrin had a long and previously unblemished career and lastly she showed insight into the offence.

The committee also took into account the character testimonials which showed Ms Gurrin not only to be an exceptional vet, but a dedicated professional who had nurtured a very strong team, and someone who is held in extraordinarily high regard by both her clients and colleagues.

There were no aggravating factors.

The Committee considered that the case was too serious to take no further action, but that there was no ongoing danger to the public or risk to animal health.

Kathryn Peaty, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee has reached the conclusion that it is appropriate to impose a reprimand and a warning in this case.

"It would serve no purpose to impose a more severe sanction of a suspension and deprive Dr Gurrin’s clients of her valuable service and to deprive Dr Gurrin of the opportunity to practise for however short a time.

"The Committee considered that it is right to recognise that this misconduct was an aberration in a fine career, which is not characteristic of this veterinary surgeon and which happened when she was off her guard and in circumstances when she was mistakenly trying to help another in what she thought was a safe way.

“The Committee therefore decided, in the particular circumstance of this case, to impose a reprimand and warning on the basis that it would be proportionate in order to maintain public confidence in the profession and declare and uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.”

Hannah Tombs MRCVS, who runs a hedgehog rescue as well as working at VetPartners' Ashworth Vets in Farnborough, has published a guide to help other vets who treat hedgehogs.

Hedgehogs: A Practical Guide for Vets aims to help vets assess sick hedgehogs and administer emergency treatment to stabilise them so they can be transferred to a wildlife rescue centre for specialist care.

Hannah, who has examined and treated more than 1,500 hedgehogs since setting up her sanctuary four years ago, said she also wants to create more awareness that hedgehogs seen during the daytime need urgent help.

She said: “As soon as a hedgehog comes out in the day it is usually a cry for help and they should be taken to the vets or a rescue centre as a matter of urgency.

“I wrote the book to help vets who are more familiar with treating small pets like dogs and cats know what to do if a sick hedgehog is brought to them, and to increase their confidence when treating wildlife.

"There are three simple things that every sick hedgehog needs, which are warmth, fluid and pain relief.”

https://www.facebook.com/p/Hannahs-Hedgehog-Rehabilitation-100070882987122 

The RCVS has launched a consultation on its Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (CertAVN) framework and is asking veterinary nurses to take part.

The CertAVN was launched in May 2019 as a modular, advanced professional qualification allowing veterinary nurses at all stages of their careers to develop their professional skills and knowledge.

The CertAVN framework sets out the professional values, skills and behaviours required of the higher education institutions responsible for providing the training and support for CertAVN students.

There are currently five accredited course providers in the UK:

• Harper Adams University
• University of Glasgow
• Royal Veterinary College
• Hartpury University and Hartpury College
• University of Central Lancashire

The proposed standards for accreditation are set under three areas: curricula and assessment, educators and assessors, and learning culture.

Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, said: “In order to make sure that the CertAVN remains up to date and fit for purpose, it is important that we consult on the accreditation standards at regular intervals.

"We welcome constructive and specific feedback from veterinary nurses at all stages of their careers – whether you have already undertaken the CertAVN or are perhaps considering doing so in the future – as well as the wider veterinary team, educators, and employers of current and potential CertAVN holders.

“Your insights will help us ensure that the standards continue to enable veterinary nurse educators to deliver the best training and support possible for CertAVN students."

The consultation runs until 5pm on Monday 3 March 2025.

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/our-consultations/review-of-the-certavn-framework 

Zoetis has published a technical bulletin for veterinary professionals on the responsible use of parasiticides in dermatology.

The guidance was written by Hany Elsheikha, Head of the European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP).

For a copy of the bulletin, contact your Zoetis Account Manager or call Customer Support on 0345 300 8034.

Shropshire-based Emma Jane Evans MRCVS has been reprimanded and warned about her future conduct by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after allowing a colleague to order a veterinary drug for human use and falsifying test results and clinical records.

Ms Evans was charged with causing or allowing a veterinary nurse colleague to order a prescription-only medicine from a practice supplier knowing that it was intended for human use, and made a false entry prescribing the medication on the clinical records of a cat belonging to her nurse colleague.

She was also charged with falsely recording details purporting to be the results of the blood tests on cat and then entering notes on the animal's clinical history which falsely indicated that there had been a meaningful result, and then indicating to the animal's owner that there had been a meaningful result, when in fact the tests had failed to produce any meaningful results. 

The final charge was that her conduct in making the false entry for the prescription-only medication, and all elements of the second charge was dishonest and misleading.

Ms Evans admitted the first charge on the basis that she had allowed rather than caused the order to be made, all the other facts of this charge were admitted.

She admitted the second charge on the basis that she had failed to inform the cat’s owner of the test results, all the other facts of this charge were admitted.

She also admitted that elements of her conduct had been dishonest and misleading.

Having found the charges proven by Ms Evans’ admissions, the Committee considered whether her admitted actions and conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct.

Ms Evans, through her legal counsel, accepted that the admitted charges passed the threshold for serious professional misconduct, though that question still needed to be determined independently by the Committee.

The Committee found that Dr Evans’ conduct had breached several key parts of the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance, particularly around honesty and integrity.

It also found aggravating factors in this case, including the risk to human health by allowing the prescription-only medication to be ordered knowing it was for human use, the abuse of her professional position, the breach of client trust, the potential adverse impact on the welfare of the cat for whom she falsified the blood test records, and the potential adverse impact on the welfare of the cat for whom she had falsely recorded the prescription-only medicine.

The Committee found no mitigating factors relating to the facts.

Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said in relation to the first charge: “In the Committee’s view, this irresponsible approach to a prescription-only medicine risked human health, potentially compromised an animal’s welfare, since the clinical record suggested the cat had been given Fluconazole when it had not, constituted an abuse of the trust placed in her as a registered veterinary surgeon and was in breach of legal provisions designed to safeguard human health.

“Such behaviour falls far below the standard expected of a registered veterinary surgeon, undermines public confidence in the profession and would be considered deplorable by colleagues and the public alike.

"The Committee was thus satisfied that charge 1 on its own amounts to disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”

He added: “Acting dishonestly runs contrary to one of the most fundamental principles of the profession.

"The public need to know that they can rely on the honesty and integrity of the people to whom they entrust the care and welfare of their animals.

“Further, Dr Evans’ conduct in both incidents had the potential to undermine public confidence in the profession of veterinary surgery and bring the profession into disrepute.

"In all the circumstances, the Committee was satisfied that Dr Evans’ behaviour as reflected in charge 2 fell far short of the standard expected of a veterinary surgeon and amounted to disgraceful conduct.

“Accordingly, the Committee found proved the allegation that Dr Evans was guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”

Having found serious professional misconduct in relation to all charges, the Committee considered what the most appropriate and proportionate sanction would be for Ms Evans’ actions and conduct.

In doing so, it considered 137 positive references and testimonials from Dr Evans’ professional colleagues and clients, poor staff morale at the practice at the time as well as compelling, exceptional evidence relating to Dr Evans’s health at the time of the two incidents.

In mitigation, the Committee considered the fact that Dr Evans had no previous disciplinary history and had a hitherto unblemished career as a veterinary surgeon; her open and frank admissions; the circumstances of pressures at work exacerbated by Dr Evans’ desire to please everyone and not let anyone down; the fact that Dr Evans was feeling very isolated; the significant insight into her conduct and its impact; effective and targeted remediation to ensure there would be no likelihood of the conduct being repeated; genuine expressions or remorse and apology; support from her employers; and the very significant number of positive testimonials.

Summing up the Committee’s decision on sanction, Mr Morris said “In all the, somewhat exceptional, circumstances of this case, the Committee was satisfied that a reprimand and a warning not to behave in this way again, would provide adequate protection to animals, as it was satisfied Dr Evans was most unlikely to ever make such a flawed set of decisions again.

“The Committee was satisfied that Dr Evans does not represent a risk to animals going forward, indeed from the character evidence it is clear that she always puts the welfare of animals first.

"She has also shown, since this episode, that she can work under pressure and not resort to making bad decisions and thus the Committee considered the wider public interest would best be served in this case by a reprimand and a warning.

“Notwithstanding the serious nature of Dr Evans' conduct, the Committee was satisfied that a fully informed member of the public would not be shocked if Dr Evans were allowed to continue to practise.

“The decision of this Committee is, therefore, that Dr Evans be reprimanded and warned about her behaviour.

"Dr Evans should, however, be under no illusion of how serious it is to have a finding of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect made against her and she should not take lightly the decision of this Committee to reprimand and warn her.”

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary

Animalcare, the distributor of Oralade Advanced GI+, has launched a training programme on oral rehydration therapy for veterinary nurses and receptionists.

The training, which is presented by Nicola Lakeman RVN, consists of seven bite-sized modules covering topics such as:

• Assessing hydration and dehydration
• Preventing fluid loss
• Supporting patients undergoing anaesthesia
• Managing kidney patients
• Handling gastrointestinal (GI) cases

Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare, said: "GI cases are among the most frequent reasons pet owners reach out to practices and often, these calls revolve around seeking advice on managing symptoms at home.

"This training will help veterinary receptionists and nurses gain the confidence and knowledge to handle these enquiries and ensure that pet owners receive prompt, accurate guidance."

The training is available on the BVRA website: www.bvra.co.uk.

Photo courtesy: https://depositphotos.com 

Ms Emma Bowler has been struck off by the RCVS Disciplinary Committee after multiple clinical failings.

Ms Bowler faced four sets of charges, each of which contained sub-charges, summarised as follows: 

• that between August 2018 and March 2022, she failed to provide adequate care to 18 animals on which she had performed surgery.
• that she failed to provide adequate care to a German Shepherd Cross Belgian Malinois in relation to surgery she had performed early in 2020.
• that in May 2021, when speaking to a client about surgery performed on their Jack Russell, Ms Bowler told the client that everything that had been written in the clinical records up to the point of the surgery referred to the right hind being the problem, when this was not the case and/or the veterinary surgeon who had seen the client about the x-rays prior to the surgery had not placed any notes on the file at the time the Jack Russell came in for surgery, when this was not the case.
• that Ms Bowler’s conduct in relation to the third charge was dishonest, and/or misleading.

Despite being served with the Notice of Inquiry, Ms Bowler decided not to attend the hearing due to ill-health but was represented by a counsel and solicitors.

The Committee did not find that Ms Bowler was medically unfit to attend on the basis of the medical evidence before it.

The Committee also concluded that it was in the public interest and interests of Ms Bowler to proceed with the hearing in her absence so that it could be concluded in a timely manner.  

Ms Bowler’s counsel applied for parts of the hearing to be heard in private on health grounds, which was approved by the Committee.

It was also determined that any parts in the Committee’s decision or hearing that referred to Ms Bowler’s health would be redacted. 

At the outset of the hearing, Ms Bowler’s counsel made admissions to five of the sub-charges which the Committee therefore found proven.

She also made some partial admissions in relations to a further 11 sub-charges.

After hearing a wide range of evidence, both written and oral, from Ms Bowler, the College, from clients and from an expert witness, the Committee found all charges proved except for four sub-charges.

On deciding whether the proved charges amounted to serious professional misconduct, the Committee took the following aggravating factors into account.

• In respect of charges 1 and 2, several animals suffered unnecessary injury (these charges encompassed 18 animals).
• In respect of charge 2, Ms Bowler had acted recklessly in performing revision surgery and should have recognised that she was significantly beyond her surgical ability.
• In respect of charges 3 and 4, Ms Bowler’s conduct was aggravated by her lack of integrity.
• That, overall, the misconduct spanned approximately three years and eight months and involved repetition of egregious failings.
• It was also noted that the charges encompassed multiple animals that were either caused injury or were at risk of injury.

In mitigation: 

• Ms Bowler had been working in an atmosphere that generated a highly pressurised working environment, which was somewhat unsupportive to her.
• Regarding clinical record keeping, Ms Bowler had less time available due to her heavy workload.
• Personal circumstances which exacerbated the pressures she faced at work.
• Ms Bowler had no previous disciplinary findings against her.
• She received positive character references.'
• She had made partial admissions in her statement and response to the charges and had apologised to the owners in respect of charge 2 and acknowledged that she was inexperienced in performing total hip replacements.
• Ms Bowler has subsequently made substantial efforts to avoid repetition of some of the matters encompassed in the charges.

In all, the Committee decided that the seriousness of the misconduct meant that a sanction was necessary to meet the public interest.

When deciding on whether to issue a reprimand with or without a warning, the Committee once again decided that the misconduct was too serious to allow for this.

It also decided that a reprimand and/or warning was not sufficient to protect animals and the wider public interest.

It then went onto consider whether a sanction of ‘suspension’ was sufficient but noted that it did not have enough evidence to show that Ms Bowler had shown significant insight to continue to practise unrestricted in the future.

The Committee eventually concluded that Ms Bowler’s conduct was incompatible with remaining on the Register.

Neil Slater, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee decided that the broad range of Ms Bowler’s misconduct which had spanned three years and eight months and involving injury or risk of injury to 18 animals, was incompatible with remaining on the Register and the public interest required removal from the Register even when all of Ms Bowler’s mitigation was taken into account.

“The Committee decided that it did not have sufficient evidence overall on Ms Bowler’s insight, current competence and future risk to persuade it that the lesser sanction of suspension was appropriate in this case.

“Although Ms Bowler had shown some insight, the Committee decided that she would need to have provided detailed evidence about her current practice before it could decide that she no longer represented a risk to animals in the future.

“The Committee therefore concluded that ‘removal from the Register’ was the appropriate and proportionate sanction because there had been a serious departure from professional standards, a reckless disregard for professional standards, multiple cases involving harm or risk of harm to animals and because, in Ms Bowler’s absence, it had been difficult to unravel whether she had an attitudinal problem.

“These were all factors in the Disciplinary Committee Sanctions Guidance that indicated that a sanction of removal was the appropriate sanction and, in the Committee’s decision, removal from the Register was the only sanction which would meet the public interest.

"It concluded that a lesser sanction would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the regulatory process.”

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings 

Photon Therapeutics is now taking orders for the PhotonUVC Vet, the new device which claims to treat corneal infections in five seconds which was first announced at the London Vet Show last November.

The device emits low dose 265 nanometre (nm) ultraviolet C light at a targeted area.

In a 2022 in vitro / ex vivo study to evaluate the therapeutic potential of 265nm UVC for infectious keratitis¹, UVC was found to inhibit all tested bacteria and fungi, including mixed culture and strains linked to antibiotic resistance.

In the study, no evidence of infection was found from 4 hours onwards, ulcers responded significantly in under 24 hours, and at the end point, those treated with UVC performed as as well as those treated with ciprofloxacin.

Photon Therapeutics says that in simple cases, one five-second treatment will suffice, but more complex cases can be re-treated after 24 hours. 

Currently, there are two main barriers to the successful treatment of eye infections in dogs.

The first is the difficulty diagnosing the infection and identifying the right antimicrobial to use, highlighted by a 2017 study: Bacterial Isolates from Canine External Ocular Disease and their Antimicrobial Sensitivities ². 

The second is whether the owner is able or willing to administer a topical treatment.

Here the evidence suggests that even when treatment is possible, people do not comply with clinical advice anything like as much as they claim.

Photon Therapeutics points to what it says is the nearest study there is, in which carers of young children with uveitis did not give the correct treatment in 75% of cases³.

If the device is as effective as claimed, then both these issues simply evaporate. 

PhotonUVC costs £4,995.

https://photon-therapeutics.com

VetNurse.co.uk product briefing: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/nursing/m/veterinary-product-briefings/156724 

References

1. Sanjay Marasini, Simon J. Dean, Simon Swift, Janesha Perera, Ilva D. Rupenthal, Tao Wang, Hannah Read, Jennifer P. Craig, Preclinical confirmation of UVC efficacy in treating infectious keratitis, The Ocular Surface, Volume 25,
   2022, Pages 76-86, ISSN 1542-0124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2022.05.004.
2. Williams D., Bacterial Isolates from Canine ExternalOcular Disease and their AntimicrobialSensitivities". ARCJournal of Animal and VeterinarySciences. 2017;3(3):29-36 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20431/2455-2518.0303005  
3. Green EKY, McGrath O, Steeples L, Ashworth JL. Monitoring compliance to topical therapy in children and young people with uveitis. Eye (Lond). 2024 Feb;38(3):572-577. doi: 10.1038/s41433-023-02736-0. Epub 2023 Nov 6. PMID: 37932371; PMCID: PMC10858091. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37932371/ 

Tim Hutchinson MRCVS has been elected to serve as the Junior Vice-President of the RCVS.

Tim, who is Managing Partner of Larkmead Vets and also a Director at the independent veterinary community XLVets, graduated from Liverpool Vet School in 1994 and joined Larkmead Vets in 1998.

He said: “I grew up in the South Yorkshire coalfields and worked in a city centre small animal practice in Wakefield before relocating to Oxfordshire to develop the small animal department of a mixed practice.

"First-opinion veterinary practice has been my life since starting cleaning kennels aged 12.

“I am passionate that whilst what we do is work with animals, how we do it is by working with people: our colleagues and the owners who entrust their animals to our care.

"As a first-opinion vet and practice owner I have had the privilege of growing and developing my practice (team and facilities) to meet the changing needs of our local community.

“At a time of great change for the veterinary profession, with the tantalising hope for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act set against the backdrop of the Competition and Markets Authority’s market investigation of the veterinary sector, it is an opportunity to bring this experience to the heart of our College.

“It was an unexpected honour to be elected to the position of JVP and I thank my colleagues on Council for entrusting the role to me.

"I also reflect on my initial university application which saw a clean sweep of rejections and hope that this can inspire others from the grass roots of our profession to get involved in shaping the future.”

Council also voted to confirm Professor Tim Parkin as RCVS President, Linda Belton as Senior Vice-President and reconfirmed Tshidi Gardiner as Treasurer (subject to her re-election), all effective from July.

Tim will take up his post at the College's AGM in July.