Zoetis says the Vetscan OptiCell represents a significant leap forward in technology and offers meaningful time, cost and space savings for veterinary healthcare teams, contributing to better patient outcomes and a more efficient clinic workflow.
It uses cell-focusing and AI-powered classification technology for CBC analysis, delivering a claimed lab quality accuracy at the point of care.
Dr. Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, Global Chief Medical Officer and Head of Medical Affairs at Zoetis said: “Vetscan OptiCell delivers high-quality results, enables improved efficiency, and provides a compact footprint.
"For the first time, we are able to use advanced AI image recognition technology to characterise the blood cells instead of relying on their size or other physical parameters.”
Pre-orders will be available in the UK later this year.
The awards fall into two categories, those which you need to be nominated for by other people and those which are also open to self-nomination:
Requiring nomination by another person:
Self-nominations allowed:
The deadline for the 2025 awards is Friday, 13 December 2024.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/how-we-work/rcvs-honours-awards
The films, which include information and practical advice based on the pillars of lifestyle medicine and the neuropsychology of hormones, are aimed both at individuals who are directly affected and those who want to support them.
Wellvet co-founder Liz Barton MRCVS said: “We now know that nearly half of veterinary team members experience a moderate-severe impact of perimenopause symptoms on their mental health, and a third report a significant impact on their working life and career."
Dr. Claire Gillvray, GP, Lifestyle Medicine specialist and psychiatrist with a special interest in women’s health, who introduces the films, said: “While we tend to focus on the individual, we all have friends, family, colleagues and clients who will experience symptoms impacting their mental and physical health and relationships.
"Although some women transition through the menopause with no problems, many women suffer a multiplicity of debilitating symptoms.
"These symptoms can be devastating and the medical advice they receive can be extremely variable, with some doctors dismissing perimenopause.
"Though onset can be earlier, symptoms typically occur between the ages of 40-60 years and can last for a decade or more, and there can be severe health impacts including cardiovascular, neurological and orthopaedic disease."
“These videos will empower individuals to take control of their symptom monitoring, have meaningful conversations with medical professionals, and trial lifestyle adjustments that may improve their health and wellbeing.”
The first instalment of nine 5-30 minute bitesize videos are accessible now on the WellVet website: https://www.wellvet.co.uk/resources/menopause-resources-for-veterinary-teams/.
The award categories are:
Nominations are welcome from both BSAVA members and non-members.
Nominations close on 30th October 2024 and the winners will be announced on 16th January 2025.
The BSAVA awards ceremony will take place at the reinvented Congress and Expo 2025, taking place at Manchester Central in March.
https://www.bsava.com/awards.
The pair were invited to carry out the laparoscopic surgery on four dogs suffering from pulmonic stenosis by the British Veterinary Centre.
Chris said: “The British Veterinary Clinic had previously referred a case to Fabio at Willows and subsequently got in touch about a further four cases in need of surgery, inviting us to fly out to Abu Dhabi to operate on these cases for them.
“It was a pioneering moment for the British Veterinary Centre and a first for the region and the Middle East.
“It’s the very first time that interventional cardiology has been performed in the UAE so, with the fantastic facilities and dedicated staff at the BVC, we have made history in the region!
“It was also the first time that Fabio and I had worked together and now we hope that this will be the first of many such collaborations.”
Fabio added: “With our collective expertise and knowledge, we know we can improve the lives of so many dogs that are living with conditions like pulmonic stenosis.
“Two of the dogs required balloon valvuloplasty and two required pulmonary stents inserted.
“All four dogs had great initial post-operative results and would be expected to lead happier, healthier lives as a result of these procedures.'
The webinar will be presented by Dr Abigail McGlennon from the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) team at the University of Cambridge who will present data from the Surveillance of Equine Strangles (SES) network to provide a detailed overview of strangles diagnoses across the UK.
Abigail will explore recent trends in outbreak reports, the genetic makeup of recent circulating strains and transmission links between UK outbreaks.
By linking research from her own PhD work on S. equi genomics and transmission with preventative strategies, Abigail show how to suggest and implement evidence-based prevention measures to clients.
The webinar will also offer advice on ‘the ates’ preventative measures – vaccinate, isolate, investigate and communicate – and will include information on when horse owners should be vaccinating with Strangvac and an outbreak management vaccination plan using the traffic light ‘green, amber and red’ system.
https://go.dechra.co.uk/preventative_strategies_for_strangles
Ki-67 is a proliferation marker used for assessing tumour aggressiveness, however the traditional method of assessing Ki-67 scores involves manually counting the proliferating cells, which is subjective, time-consuming and prone to variability.
Finn says its new AI-assisted Ki-67 scoring test represents a significant advancement in veterinary diagnostic oncopathology.
The AI algorithm analyses Ki-67 labelling across the entire section of tumour.
Positively labelled cells are highlighted, scores are calculated, and the results are validated by a pathologist before reporting.
This more automated analysis enables the evaluation of large volumes of histological data, ensuring consistent and reliable prognostic assessments.
Finn says it also removes the subjectivity and variability associated with identifying areas of highest cell proliferation, which is a crucial aspect of tumour scoring.
https://www.finnpathologists.com
Bonqat 50 mg/ml oral solution for cats contains pregabalin, an analgesic, anti-epileptic which has now been licensed for the alleviation of acute anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits in cats.
Tessie 0.3 mg/ml oral solution for dogs contains tasipimidine and is licensed for the short-term alleviation of situational anxiety and fear in dogs triggered by noise or owner departure.
Dômes Pharma points to research which shows that in the UK 1.4 million1 dogs show signs of distress when left alone, and 4.4 million dogs1 show fear of loud noises.
In addition, over 4 million cats2 are not having routine vet checkups each year, with 26%2 of these owners reporting that it is too stressful for their cat or themselves.
Jonathan Hill, UK country manager at Dômes Pharma sid: "Dômes Pharma is excited to be launching two new innovative products to help vets manage cases in this complex area.
"These products expand our portfolio and provide essential options for owners and their pets struggling with these situational related problems."
https://www.tvm-uk.com/the-behavioural-range
Reference
Speakers include Dr. Cecilia Villaverde, Consultant at Expert Pet Nutrition and Dr. Aarti Kathrani, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, and there'll be sessions on managing adverse food reactions, incorporating probiotics into clinical practice and acute gastrointestinal disease.
Attendees will also be able to explore strategies to build strong personal and professional client relationships, including how to initiate effective nutrition conversations and resolve potential conflicts.
On the subject of mental well-being, there'll be expert tips and tricks to help veterinary nurses maintain emotional resilience and thrive in their demanding roles.
https://www.vet-center.eu/eu/pro-plan-vet-nurse-symposium
The project looked first at how effective CVS small animal first opinion practices were at conducting echocardiography.
It found that a barrier to wider uptake was a lack of up-to-date equipment, along with a lack of current knowledge and training - both in using ultrasound and echocardiography equipment and in interpreting images.
CVS says that as a result, many colleagues were routinely referring suspected cardiac disease cases.
The project leaders then reviewed and recommended practice equipment, so that clinicians had the tools to perform echocardiograms in practice.
This included buying echocardiography tables - so that practitioners could scan an animal’s chest from underneath, more advanced cardiac ultrasound machines and electrocardiogram (ECG) machines.
The company then produced a range of resources for vets and nurses, to help them to improve echocardiography scan rates and nurse cardiology clinics, including clinical guidelines, machine guides and client resources.
It then held a number of training sessions for its vets and nurses, focusing on the latest advancements in heart disease diagnosis and treatment for vets, and training nurses how to conduct nurse cardiology clinics, how to perform and interpret electrocardiography, how to take blood pressure readings and thoracic point of care ultrasound (POCUS).
Lynsay Morgan, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS who is responsible for the cardiac ultrasound clinical improvement project, said: “We want to empower our first opinion small animal vets to perform more echo evaluations and to work up their cardiology cases to a high standard.
"We also want our nurses to be involved in patients’ life-long care, and provide ongoing support to owners of pets with heart disease.
“We hope this project will improve case identification, increase skills and confidence, and see optimum diagnosis and management of cardiac disease.”
It will compare current prescription levels with two-year retrospective data to gain an understanding of prescribing behaviour.
It will also look at the proportion of prescriptions that are Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials (HPCIAs).
Individual practice data will then be given to a dedicated AMS representative at each surgery who will be responsible for sharing it with their team - to gain an understanding of their prescribing for these conditions and to review actions which can be taken at practice level.
CPD on antimicrobial stewardship will be given to all practices to encourage responsible antimicrobial usage.
The research project will then capture ongoing data - from August 2024 until July 2025 - to show changes in antimicrobial prescribing.
The research is expected to provide an opportunity to build upon ongoing veterinary antimicrobial stewardship strategies.
This could include: using diagnostics to ensure accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans, informing a change in prescribing behaviour, selecting antimicrobials responsibly, educating pet owners on antimicrobial resistance and using evidence-based guidance.
The clinical research project is being run by Kezia Wareham, Doctor of Philosophy student at Bristol Veterinary School (supervised by Dr Fernando Sanchez-Vizcaino, Dr Emi Barker, Dr Nicola Rooney and Dr Irene Bueno Padilla) and Deb Komianos, Regional Clinical Lead at CVS.
Deb said: “Antimicrobial resistance is one of the top ten global health threats and the figures projected by the WHO for attributable deaths are truly startling.
"To address the development of drug-resistant pathogens requires a One Health approach.
"It is not enough to pay lip service to AMS, we need to be leading the change."
The researchers, from the Dick Vet Equine Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, and the University of Padova found that affected horses have major abnormalities in the structure of their neuromuscular junctions, microscopic sites of communication between nerves and muscles that are crucial for normal muscle function.
These abnormalities are believed to represent a toxin specific signature, effectively a ‘smoking gun’, for a neurotoxic enzyme termed a phospholipase A2.
Work is now underway to definitively identify the source of the toxin, in the hope that it will lead to novel treatments and improved diagnostics for this devastating disease.
The researchers think the toxin is likely to be produced by a microbe such as a bacterium or fungus growing on the horse’s pasture during the cold and dry weather which commonly precedes the disease.
Neurotoxic phospholipase A2 toxins are also present in the venom of many poisonous snakes, and there are many similarities between the signs of grass sickness and those of snake envenomation.
While there is no suggestion that venomous snakes cause grass sickness, it is hoped that some of the drugs that are currently being developed to treat and promote nerve regeneration in people paralysed by snake venoms can aid recovery of horses from grass sickness.
The researchers say that the neurotoxin most likely also causes the apparently identical diseases (termed animal dysautonomias) which affect cats, dogs, hares, rabbits, llamas, alpacas and sheep, and that their finding contradicts the previous leading hypothesis that grass sickness is a form of botulism.
This breakthrough is summarised in an editorial in the January 2025 issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ).
The editorial, by Bruce McGorum and colleagues, looks at the implications of their article 'Equine grass sickness is associated with major abnormalities in the ultrastructure of skeletal neuromuscular junctions2".
Bruce said: “Identifying a probable cause of Equine Grass Sickness represents a significant breakthrough.
"We hope that this discovery will lead to novel treatments and improved diagnostics for this devastating condition.
"We are very grateful for the generous support we have received from horse owners, veterinary surgeons, scientists, charities and funding bodies.”
Bruce's editorial is currently available on Early View, free for 12 weeks, and will also be published in the January 2025 print issue of the EVJ.
The company said Folly Vets stood out for their exemplary approach to customer service, demonstrating a deep care for both their clients and colleagues.
Nicky Hart, Practice Manager at Folly Vets, said: “Our reception team is the heartbeat of the practice.
"They create lasting relationships with clients, often creating a level of trust that means clients ask for them by name.
"And they consistently go above and beyond for everyone they support.
"This award is a well-deserved recognition of their unwavering dedication and exceptional service.”
Heidi Bodily said: “I’m incredibly grateful to receive this award.
"Being a receptionist means playing many roles – from supporting clients through difficult times and sharing their joy during happy moments, to ensuring the practice runs smoothly.
"Knowing that my contributions make a difference to others is the most rewarding part of the job and the Krka award is the icing on the cake.”
Runner-up awards went to Weeley Vets in Clacton-on-Sea, Hafren Veterinary Practice in Newtown, Wales, Rebecca Hadley from Poplar Vets in London and Abbie Deabill from North Park Veterinary in North Tawton.
The webinars are primarily aimed at veterinary surgeons, but there was a good turnout of nurses at the Cushing's session at the London Vet Show, so this series may also be of interest to RVNs.
The webinars will be presented by Professor Ian Ramsey, Ellen Behrend, Joezy Griffin, Professor Jill Maddison and Imogen Schofield.
They'll focus on the diagnosis, management and treatment of dogs with Cushing’s and will include information about Dechra’s predictor tool to help vets identify and progress suspected Cushingoid cases to a definitive diagnosis.
The webinars will also cover the importance of ongoing monitoring to optimise control of the syndrome and practical tips and tricks to help owners maximise compliance and optimise the quality of life of patients.
The full webinar schedule is as follows:
The figures came from an analysis of over 100,000 calls made to VidiVet by owners when their normal practice was closed, between 2021 and 2024.
So far in 2024 36% of VidiVet’s calls have been gastrointestinal cases, 25% skin cases, 14% musculoskeletal and 3.7% post-surgical issues.
The advice given to many of these cases was that an emergency visit to an out-of-hours (OOH) clinic wasn’t necessary, but to monitor at home then attend their own vet practice for any workup, diagnostic tests, medication etc.
The company is now encouraging practices to consider using it's triage service over Christmas, when practices and emergency clinics often experience an increase in OOH workload.
This, it says, is a win-win situation as it relieves pressure on OOH clinics, brings revenue back to veterinary practices and also saves clients money, stress and time.
Ben Sweeney, Veterinary Surgeon, CEO and Founder of VidiVet said: “When I launched VidiVet, vet practices were understandably concerned that digital vet services could drive work away from their clinics.
"We hope this new data shows the opposite, and how it can directly benefit practices in a way they might never have imagined.
"What VidiVet has actually done, as was our belief from the get-go, is to drive the bond with clients even closer as well as providing a revenue opportunity for the practice whilst prioritising pet health and welfare.
"This is because the added benefit of a service like ours alleviates part of the immense burden on clinical teams from front of house to the surgical teams, without them losing control.
Kate Higgins MRCVS, owner of Village Vets Crosby & Formby, said: “Over the last six months we’ve saved our clients collectively an estimated £75,000 in emergency vet fees by using VidiVet.
"They were able to be reassured out-of-hours whether their pet did or didn’t need emergency treatment.
"Those that did were able to be treated swiftly by an out-of-hours clinic, and those that did need treatment but not urgently, were able to come to us during our usual working hours, not incurring emergency fees.
"What is even better for us (and our clients) is that we have the case notes from their call with VidiVet ready and waiting for us when we’re open, so we’re up to speed with what the issue has been and what advice has already been given – which is a crucial time saver for both parties.”
www.vidivet.com
Photo: Emma Paine
98 veterinary surgeons from around the UK took part in the survey.
The survey did not ask respondents to define what they considered to be a mental health issue.
However, 29% 'very much agreed', and 39% 'somewhat agreed' that 'my mental health impacts my work as a veterinarian'.
83% said the main factor behind mental health problems in the profession is general burnout, 80% said work intensity, 74% the lack of work/life balance, 49% being undervalued by clients, 40% being undervalued by management, 37% a lack of mental health support in practice, 30% financial concerns, and 26% said a lack of HR or structured management in practice.
57% of vets said they know other vets with mental health issues.
64% said they believe there isn’t enough mental health support within the profession.
97% say work-related mental health issues have negatively impacted their job satisfaction.
78% said they would like to see more accessible content on mental health within the industry and 49% think the topic needs to be spoken about more.
64% of vets said they would welcome counselling, 64% support with burnout recovery and 61% wanted training on coping tactics at university.
Stephanie Armstrong, Senior Vice President at Zoetis and Independent Council Member for The Royal Veterinary College said: “Having worked in the industry for many years, I know what an incredible profession it is, but unfortunately, I am also acutely aware of the heavy mental health load many vets face.
"The Zoetis Foundation continues to support VetLife and other initiatives aimed at caring for vets - our ambition is to work together with policy makers, industry leads and educators to offer new solutions and ensure the future prognosis of the profession is a healthy one.”
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."
Topics include the pathogenesis of OA, the importance of personalised treatment plans, and practical tips for supporting both pets and caregivers.
The first podcast centres around understanding the pathogenesis of the condition and the importance of thorough clinical examinations, diagnostic imaging and early intervention, all of which can greatly influence long-term outcomes.
Stuart said: “We often see pain as a problem, but it’s also a signal that gives us the opportunity to act early and prevent further progression.
"By the time pain is obvious, the disease is often so advanced that our ability to make a meaningful impact is limited.
"Acting early can change this pattern, and that’s a critical message we need to communicate to pet owners.”
Stuart is joined in the series by Krka’s technical veterinary adviser, Renzo Di Florio.
In subsequent episodes they share their thoughts on the latest advances in osteoarthritis treatment, creating an effective management plan that is individualised for each patient and tips for engaging with caregivers.
Renzo said: “Our goal with this podcast series is to empower veterinary professionals - whether they are new graduates or experienced practitioners - with evidence-based knowledge they can trust and apply.
"We’re excited to share these insights and have more planned for 2025, so stay tuned!”
https://open.spotify.com/show/0uphORU03q29WncwmN2EIa
The model for the forecast was developed by the College with the Institute of Employment Studies using data from the RCVS Registers, the 2019 and 2024 Surveys of the Professions, Office for National Statistics data for projected economic growth and the PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Reports.
However, the model does not take account of the impact of the increasing costs of veterinary care on pet ownership trends, the full effect of which may not yet have been felt.
The main predictions of the model are:
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive Officer, said: “In 2021, there were clear concerns about there being a workforce crisis within the veterinary professions, and while that certainly seemed to be the case, and is likely to continue to be so in the short-term, according to this model the future picture for the professions looks much better in most areas of veterinary practice.
“We are aware that there may be some concerns about the implications of the model, particularly concerning the potential oversupply of veterinary nurses.
"While we stand by the robustness of the data, demography is not destiny, and with the planned enhancement of the veterinary nurse role, and the likelihood of suppressed demand due to prior shortages, it is likely that the number of veterinary nursing roles will expand to encompass the number of veterinary nurses available to work in it.
“Finally, we are aware that there are also some limitations to the model in its current form, for example, in terms of regional data.
"This is a work in progress, and we will continue to update and improve the model as and when new data allows.”
The workforce modelling report is available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
It is the first time BVRA has recognised an external veterinary group’s own receptionist training programme as adequate enough to award AVR status.
The AVR status is normally only awarded after the completion of the BVRA’s Level 3 Certificate for Veterinary Receptionists and other approved BVRA training - usually completed over a 1-2 year training period.
CVS’ Level 4 Endorsed Certificate in Veterinary Client Care is for its experienced receptionists with at least one year’s experience.
The training covers a wide range of skills and knowledge including; client care, finance, preventative healthcare, bereavement support, self-leadership and working with others.
Philip Webb, Learning Partner at CVS who helped to design its Level 4 Endorsed Certificate in Veterinary Client Care, said: “We value our receptionists highly.
"Being eligible for Associate Veterinary Receptionist will be of huge benefit to them. It will give them the status and recognition they deserve and will give them access to many AVR benefits - including ongoing access to additional CPD and professional and industry developments."
The Elekta Infinity linear accelerator is the only one of its kind for pets in England.
CVS says it allowing the centre to offer “cutting edge” image-guided radiation treatments for cancer in cats and dogs – meaning fewer, shorter sessions, fewer side effects and the best possible chance of improved outcomes for the animal.
Delphine Holopherne-Doran, Clinical Director at Bristol Vet Specialists, said: “Our new hospital is now at the forefront of cancer care in animals.
"We have invested in this state-of-the-art technology to bring cancer treatment in pets to the next level.
“Our unique linear accelerator allows us to offer advanced image-guided treatments - for example intensity-modulated or stereotactic radiation therapy.
"The advantage of these treatments is that high dose rates of focused beams are delivered with high precision over a shortened treatment course, with greater safety for the patient’s healthy tissue.
“It has now drawn many tumours into the realm of treatability, it is improving the quality of life for patients, and it is making it easier for owners to manage their pet’s treatment and aftercare.”
Still, the installation of the linear accelerator will probably have cost the same again, and then you've got the running costs.
That's not an inconsiderable cost per patient.
Megan beat more than 100 nominees to win the Land-based and Environment Learner (LBEL) prize and achieve an overall distinction in her qualification towards becoming a registered veterinary nurse.
Megan joined the referral hospital in 2021 as a patient care assistant before deciding to train as a veterinary nurse.
She now aspires to complete the International Society of Feline Medicine Diploma and to become a clinical coach and help future student vet nurses through their qualifications.
Megan said: “I felt honoured to be nominated for the award so to win and be recognised by the wider veterinary profession is amazing."
The research, conducted with the Blue Cross, analysed data from over 2,000 UK dog owners and identified perceptual barriers to welfare reforms.
The study revealed that many owners normalise health issues associated with brachycephalic conformations, including breathing difficulties, eye conditions, and skin infections.
One in seven owners of extreme brachycephalic dogs said that 'nothing' could dissuade them from owning these breeds, particularly those with a strong preference for flat faces and those that did not believe brachycephaly reduced a dog’s lifespan.
Owners of extreme brachycephalic dogs, such as French Bulldogs, found the perceived trait of 'laziness' to be highly desirable, despite the fact that an inability to exercise is often a symptom of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS).
The researchers propose a series of interventions to overcome these barriers and make campaigning more effective, including:
Dr. Rowena Packer, lead researcher, said: "Future strategies to tackle the brachycephalic crisis must do more than presenting purely health-based data in generic public locations, and instead, positively offering possible alternate breeds, myth-busting false beliefs and leveraging human stories of brachycephalic owners to have greater impact.
"Additionally, specifically targeting these messages on social media and puppy-selling platforms may increase their efficacy.”
The procedure has already been performed in the US and Germany, where it is reported to have had a success rate of 70-80% in around 250 cases, many of which were show jumpers, eventers and dressage horses.
The team at Liphook, led by European Specialist Rachel Tucker (pictured), has now performed the procedure on six horses.
Rachel said: “Enlargement of the articular process joints of the lower neck is a relatively common finding in horses, but occasionally this can cause compression and irritation of the spinal nerves.
"The foraminotomy procedure means horses experiencing nerve pain can be made comfortable and have a good chance of returning to ridden work and a competition career.
“The surgery is minimally invasive but it is a very delicate procedure to perform because you are working very close to the spinal cord.
"Due to the location, the surgery is performed down a single portal under direct visualisation using a camera, guided by ultrasound and X-ray.
"What has been remarkable so far has been the rapid recovery of the horses, who have been home and out in a small paddock within a few days of surgery with some showing rapid signs of improved comfort and movement.
“We are very pleased with how the procedures at Liphook went.
"Our patients are continuing to recover well and we are looking forward to following their progress in the future.
The theme for the 2025 conference is how to make veterinary work sustainable, creating teams that can reliably work at their best, feel positive about work, and feel supported and valued by their team.
Keynote speaker, Amanda Oates BA (hons), MSc Strategic HRD, C.C.I.P.D. (pictured) will be talking about the concept of restorative veterinary practice, and how it relies on establishing a restorative workplace culture.
There will be three streams at the conference.
In the first stream, VetLed founder and Training Director, Dan Tipney will be joined by guest speakers to help delegates understand how they can make a difference to the way they work using human factors tools and techniques proven in human medicine and other safety-critical professions.
In the second stream, VetLed’s Community Lead, Hannah Godfrey, will be joined by human behaviour expert Katie Ford to help delegates understand themselves as humans, to acknowledge and accommodate their own needs and the needs of others, and to work better as a team.
The third stream will be hosted by VetLed Managing Director, Cat Auden, and a Chartered Psychologist, Ergonomist, and Human Factors Specialist. In this stream, delegates who are already familiar with human factors concepts will be encouraged to think big, share ideas, and shape the veterinary profession.
Tickets: £190.80
https://www.vetled.co.uk/conference