Companion collection - How to...

Following on from the comprehensive FIP update published in last month’s Companion, here are some frequently asked questions based on questions submitted to the FIP advice email – a service founded by Sam Taylor, Séverine Tasker, Emi Barker, Danièlle Gunn-Moore and Stephanie Sorell, with input from Petra Cerna and Sally Coggins. This service provides advice free of charge to vets to raise their confidence in the treatment of cases of FIP as our knowledge of antivirals emerge and develop, and the goal is to increase access to care for cats with FIP. Around 4000 emails have been answered to date by the team.

 Isuru Gajanayake, from Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, discusses the causes, diagnosis and the nutritional and medical management of canine PLE.

    In the June 2025 edition of Companion, James McMurrough, Charlotte Duncan and Bethany Thomas from Vets Now Manchester focused on the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. In this second part of the two-part series focus is turned to the classification and treatment of this condition.

  BSAVA Policy works closely with subject experts and Government to support members and the wider profession with challenging scenarios that may be encountered on a daily basis in practice, including zoonoses such as Brucella canis. In this article, Emi Barker, from Langford Vets, Bristol, shares her expertise with some top tips for vets in practice when dealing with suspected cases of Brucella canis infection. These tips are intended to support the BSAVA Scientific Information Document (SID) on the topic (available in the BSAVA Library at: https://tinyurl.com/brucella-sid), and to be read alongside it. Further information is available in the Brucella canis Hub (https://tinyurl.com/brucella-hub), which brings together key resources on B. canis from the BSAVA and from government sources.

  In this the first part of a two-part series Bryn Jones, from Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, focuses on the causes, Clostridia and consequences of AHDS.

 Isuru Gajanayake, from Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, discusses the pivotal role nutritional support has to play in the care of critically ill dogs and cats.

  Dana Grigore and Craig Breheny are encouraging clinicians to include dysautonomia in their differential list when presented with suggestive clinical signs, despite the rarity of the condition.

 Lucy McMahon from Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists has written this article to raise awareness of when to suspect leptospirosis in dogs and describes how to make a diagnosis in suspected cases.

  Alexander J German and Richard Barrett-Jolley from the Institute of Life Course and Medical Science at the University of Liverpool have recently published some research results which take a closer look at vegan diets for dogs.

 Heidi and Daniel Hargreaves are passionate about wildlife conservation and as a celebration of International Bat Night (24–25 August), they lead us into the private world of bats.

 Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at International Cat Care, guides us through the process of employing positive reinforcement techniques to help cats become accustomed to using an inhaler.

   In the first part of this two-part series, Ian Futter and Caroline Allen, Chief Veterinary Officers at the Scottish SPCA and the RSPCA, respectively, introduced the concept of contextualized care. In this article they explore the impact of owner factors on contextualized care and how these factors can affect the success or otherwise of prescribed veterinary treatments.

  Ian Futter and Caroline Allen, Chief Veterinary Officers at the Scottish SPCA and the RSPCA, respectively, discuss the ‘gold standard’ approach in veterinary practice and the concept of contextualized care. In this the first of a two-part series, Ian and Caroline explain what contextualized care looks like in practice. The second article will explore owner factors which can impact the success, or otherwise, of prescribed veterinary treatments.

 Nat Whitley is an internal medicine clinician at Davies Veterinary Specialists and a member of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group. In this article he provides guidance on common vaccine-related dilemmas.

 Richard Harvey, from Willows Referral Service in Solihull, provides a review of recent studies using oclacitinib in dogs.

 Matt James, an ECVN board-eligible clinician in neurology and neurosurgery at Dovecote Veterinary Hospital, focuses on vestibular disease, one of the most commonly encountered neurological problems in dogs and cats.

 Professor Silke Salavati, Head of the Small Animal Internal Medicine Service at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies takes us on a journey through the world of microbiota.

Corrected February 2024

 Mellora Sharman discusses where to start with this canine presentation.

  In the July edition of Companion, Erika Villedieu, of Willows Referral Centre in Solihull, focused on the basics of wound healing, dressing types, composition and indications. In this second article in the two-part series she focuses on the step-by-step management of traumatic open wounds.

      The Association of Charity Vets has coordinated this article by Susan Paterson, Bree Merritt, Peter Kukadia, Alison Thomas and Runa Hanaghan to provide a comprehensive guide to tackling this frustrating condition.

 Anita Patel discusses how to interpret in-house cytology and laboratory culture and sensitivity results, using pictures, examples, and case studies of canine otitis externa to illustrate the theme.

 Maria Chie Niimura del Barrio of Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists discusses how to prevent and manage this anaesthetic complication.

  In human medicine, shared decision making is defined as a collaborative process that encourages patients and their providers to make health care decisions together, taking into account the best clinical evidence available to weigh the risks and benefits, as well as the patient’s values and preferences. Christine Magrath a clinical communication skills expert from In Communication explains what is understood about SDM in veterinary practice.

 Fergus Allerton, of Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, explains the challenges of selecting an appropriate drug for patients with immune-mediated disease.

  Veterinary nurse Zoe Jackson explores those feline conditions where increasing and promoting water intake may be beneficial. She also gives tips on how to encourage cats to drink more and explains how nurse-led hydration clinics could help monitor success.

  Hypercalcaemia is not uncommon in sick dogs and may result in life-threatening complications. Emi Barker, from Langford Vets, Bristol, takes a look at the degree of intervention required depending on the outcome of diagnostic procedures.

  Removing cats from their own environment undoubtably causes some stress. In this article, Laura Jones, from The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre, describes how to make your ward as stress free as possible.

 Anita Patel, from Dermatology Referrals, provides information on the various presentations of hair loss in cats which will provide clues on potential differential diagnoses.

  This is the third article in a three-part histopathology series by Melanie Dobromylskyj, of Finn Pathologists, and covers margin assessment, why it is important, and how the surgeon and pathologist can work together to achieve the most useful information. It looks at different forms of margin assessment for surgical samples, and their pros and cons, as well as some of the issues pathologists face when trying to assess margins from certain tumour types.

  Branching out from last month’s mental health and wellbeing article, which looked at the ways in which we can protect our own mental wellbeing at work, Emma Stansfield, from VDS Training, explores how team health and wellbeing should, and can, be supported in the workplace.

 Emma Stansfield, from VDS Training, explores how mental health and wellbeing can be maintained at work. This is the first part in a series of mental health and wellbeing articles and will focus on how individuals can help manage their own wellbeing. Read on to find out what we can, and should, do to stand the best chance of having a fulfilling and enjoyable career, where our performance and wellbeing are optimal and sustained even in the presence of challenges.

  Primary author, Henrietta Kodilinye-Sims, at the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine, discusses common coelomic disorders, which can cause significant chronic pain in poultry.

 Emi Barker, from Langford Vets, Bristol, discusses a systematic approach to the investigation of hyperglobulinaemia and potential differential diagnoses.

  Carla Asorey Blazquez and Ferran Valls Sanchez of Dick White Referrals explain the causes of anaemia in this, the first part of a two-part series.

  In this first part of a two-part series, Mellora Sharman of VetCT, describes a pragmatic approach to the common problem of chronic diarrhoea.

   With the incidence of travelled dogs continuing to increase, Josh Kennils and Emi Barker, from Langford Vets, Bristol, offer guidance on which diseases to test for and how best to test for them.

    Toxoplasmosis is a disease of worldwide importance because it has zoonotic potential; it can also cause a spectrum of disease in cats. In this article, Stephanie Sorrell, Marina Domingues and Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore look at the pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis in cats.

 Isuru Gajanayake, of Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, discusses the use of nutritional therapies to manage disease in the gastrointestinal tract.

  This month, Highcroft Veterinary Referrals oncology specialist Owen Davies continues his advice on how to deal with a canine mast cell tumour, beginning with how to stage mast cell tumours.

  In this second article in a two-part series, Claire Hargrave, an ASAB certificated clinical animal behaviourist and a member of, and honorary secretary to, the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians, explains how to help owners support the emotional and behavioural development of kittens and puppies.

 Helen Rooney, the Pet Blood Bank UK Training and Induction Manager, notes that the transfusion of red cell and plasma products is realistic and achievable in a general practice setting. In this article she explains the safe way of administering blood products to dogs.

 Kate Baker of the Veterinary Cytology Schoolhouse and Pocket Pathologist in Tennessee, USA presents some challenging and interesting feline cytology cases.

  There is no doubt that the standard of veterinary care and the options available for treating companion animals have increased. We live in an era where it is not unusual for animals to undergo advanced diagnostic tests and treatments that would have been unthinkable a mere decade ago. Referral to specialists in state-of-the-art facilities has become routine, but how far should we go? Anne Quain from the Sydney School of Veterinary Science considers the ethics behind this dilemma.

  Why is up-skilling in poultry medicine important? Have you buckled at the knees on seeing the word ‘chicken’ flash up on the appointment system? Rest assured – subsequent experience in the poultry industry has made clear these cases are often straightforward. Henrietta Kodilinye-Sims from the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine and co-authors Kannan Ganapathy from the University of Liverpool, and Alex Schock and David Welchman from the Animal Plant and Health Agency offer some welcome guidance.

  Yustina Shenoda and Anne Quain from the Sydney School of Veterinary Science discuss the findings of their recent study on owner’s experiences of Elizabethan collars.1

 Zoë Halfacree, Soft Tissue Surgeon at Davies Veterinary Specialists and Chair of the greener veterinary practice working group, Vet Sustain, focuses on environmental sustainability, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, plastic pollution and resource scarcity and explains what steps your practice can take to reduce your carbon footprint for a brighter, more considerate sustainable future.

   Arterial thromboembolism in cats is a distressing presentation. In this article Leo Packham and Kieran Borgeat of Langford Veterinary Services discuss the causes and treatment of this difficult condition.

 Isuru Gajanayake of Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service discusses nutritional management of this common condition.

 Matthew Green of Dovecote Veterinary Referrals discusses a challenging presentation when funds are limited.

  Fear of fireworks is a common behavioural presentation in dogs and one that is frequently presented in general veterinary practice. Sarah Heath, RCVS and European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine, talks us through the challenges of fear anxiety.