BSAVA Scientific Newsletter Archive

Welcome to the 2022 Scientific newsletter archive. Use the links below to navigate to specific newsletters from the year.

December 2022 issue

September 2022 issue

June 2022 issue

December 2022

Welcome to the latest edition of the scientific newsletter. This newsletter is intended to help support an evidence-based approach to veterinary medicine and includes details of recently published research and relevant scientific news and events, covering a range of subject areas and small animal species. Please note that access to the full articles featured is not provided via this newsletter (unless the article is already open access).

We really want to make sure that these newsletters and interesting and valuable to you, so if you have any suggestions for content or features, please do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]

Featured article

Pathology and Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: A Study of 398 Pet Reptiles

Read the full blog post here

Following November’s antibiotic amnesty, this blog highlights the work done by a group of researchers studying antimicrobial resistance in pet reptiles. Identifying susceptible, intermediate and resistant strains to commonly prescribed antimicrobials, the paper focuses on some of common pathologies of reptilian disease and identifies some of the evolving species that pose antibiotic-resistant zoonotic risks to exotic pet owners.

Cristina RT, Kocsis R, Degi J, Muselin F, Dumitrescu E, Tirziu E, Herman V, Darau AP, Oprescu I (2022) Pathology and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria: a study of 398 pet reptiles Animals 12 (10), 1279

Journal Watch

1)Exploring companion animal caretakers' attitudes, perceptions and behavioural drivers of antimicrobial use within the social context of veterinary care

Frey E, Kedrowicz M, Hedgpeth MW (from Journal of Small Animal Practice)

Conversations about antimicrobial use can be reframed to include alternatives to antimicrobials as part of the treatment plan, and clients can be empowered to play a more active role in their animals' care. Veterinarians can apply core communication skills to advance antimicrobial stewardship principles and thereby contribute to preserving the effectiveness and availability of antimicrobials while preserving the trusting relationship and shared decision-making between clients and veterinarians.

2) Guide to diagnosing and treating neoplasia in ferrets

Dias S (from In Practice)

Statistics for the actual incidence of neoplasia in pet ferrets are not currently available; however, multiple case reports of different types of neoplasia in this species are described in the literature. The majority of tumours are seen in animals older than three years of age, and multiple types of neoplasia can occur in the same ferret. This article provides an overview of the most common ferret neoplasms seen by general veterinary practitioners, and aims to help practitioners approach these cases with more confidence.

3)Sex disparity in oronasal presentations of canine transmissible venereal tumour

Strakova A, Baez-Ortega A, Wang J, Murchison, EP (from Vet Record)

The canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT) is a contagious cancer spread by the direct transfer of living cancer cells. CTVT usually spreads during mating, manifesting as genital tumours. However, oronasal CTVT is also occasionally observed, and presumably arises through oronasal contact with genital CTVT tumours during sniffing and licking.

Other news/resources:

Survey on sources of stress for veterinary professionals

Researchers at Harper & Keele vet school are collecting data for a major study looking at the significance of various stressors amongst vet surgeons and nurses. The findings will be used for a range of analyses, primarily to identify the largest sources of stress for people at different stages of their career. This information will be used for the development of evidence-based education and training initiatives for the industry. Findings will be shared with all individuals and organisations that participate in the study. The survey is available here and see also our Research Notice Board

BSAVA’s first affiliated group for veterinary nurses

The Veterinary Nursing Dermatology Group is BSAVA’s first affiliated group for veterinary nurses. Dermatology is a field where the veterinary nurse can play a pivotal role, assisting vets in the work up and treatment of cases in clinic and supporting clients in the management of skin conditions at home. Registered veterinary nurses, student veterinary nurses and even animal nursing assistants and vets involved with potential dermatology nurses are welcome to join; they can do so at www.vetnursedermgroup.co.uk where more information about the group can be found. And join us the day before BSAVA congress for our pre congress meeting; join the group for more information.

Newly awarded BSAVA PetSavers grants

The following projects were awarded funding by the PetSavers grant awarding committee:

Evaluation of synovial cytokine concentrations in dogs with degenerative joint disease, immune mediated polyarthritis and septic arthritis (total funds, £2000) being undertaken by Seb Griffin as part of his BSAVA Clinical Master’s Degree at Vet4Life Vets in Teddington. This aims to analyse biomarkers in joint fluid of canine patients with septic arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or immune mediated polyarthritis to investigate the presence of significant differences that could aid the rapid diagnosis of these debilitating conditions.
Reusable vs disposable drapes: does their use affect post-operative wound complication rates in routine surgeries? (total funds, £9053) by Hannah James and colleagues at VetPartners in York. This will explore whether using reusable versus disposable surgical drapes leads to higher rates of post-operative wound complications in dogs and cats undergoing surgical neutering to enable practitioners to make best choices for their surgeries.
Assessment of hypercoagulability in dogs with ischaemic cerebrovascular infarcts (total funds, £7566) by Sophie Wyatt and Stefano Cortellini at the RVC. Dogs with ischaemic CVIs will be examined for evidence of abnormal platelet function or a hypercoagulable state, and associations with patient outcome determined, to better understand and manage stroke cases.
Effectiveness of low-level laser therapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis-associated pain in client-owned dogs (total funds, £10,000) by Chiara Adami and colleagues at the University of Cambridge (jointly funded by PetSavers and The Debs Foundation). Examining effectiveness of low-level laser therapy to treat osteoarthritis-associated pain in dogs, to improve quality of life and reduce the need for pharmacological therapy.

PetSavers in print

These papers deriving from PetSavers-funded studies have recently been published:

As part of a BSAVA PetSavers-funded master’s degree by research supervised by Professor Mandy Peffers, Christine Pye reviewed evidence behind pharmaceutical treatment options for canine osteoarthritis, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, piprants, monoclonal antibodies, adjunctive analgesics, structure modifying osteoarthritis drugs and regenerative therapies. Advances in the pharmaceutical treatment options for canine osteoarthritis. is published in the October issue of the Journal of Small Animal Medicine (JSAP).
As part of a study exploring how to maximise erythrocyte recovery from blood-soaked surgical swabs to return to patients experiencing haemorrhaging, Ivan Kalmukov and colleagues at Fitzpatrick Referrals tested a cell salvage device, showing it efficiently recovered canine red blood cells in an ex vivo setting, with direct suction achieving higher volumes of salvaged blood than swab rinsing.Ex vivo evaluation of a novel cell salvage device to recover canine erythrocytes was published in the November issue of Veterinary Surgery.
A study by Matt Green, Laurent Garosi and colleagues used SAVSNET data to investigate how epileptic dogs are managed in UK first opinion practice, including 517 dogs. Thirteen percent of dogs received anti-seizure drugs at first presentation; the odds of administering anti-seizure drugs were about 14 times larger in dogs presenting with cluster seizures, and the most frequently chosen anti-seizure drugs were phenobarbital and imepitoin. This work was published in the November issue of JSAP as Approach to initial management of canine generalised epileptic seizures in primary-care veterinary practices in the United Kingdom.
Insulin expression in β cells is reduced within islets before islet loss in diabetic cats published in JSAP, derived from a master’s degree at the University of Cambridge by Valeria Bergomi under the supervision of Dr Kate Hughes. This reported reduced insulin expression before islet loss in diabetic cats which may reflect a feline equivalent to human DM stage between prediabetes and irreversible loss of islets. The study showed the value of using CUBIC imaging technology to render tissue transparent investigating 3D islet microanatomy of cats.

Grant call opens for PetSavers Research Fellowship

The BSAVA PetSavers Research Fellowship is open for applications. It aims to support academics in early stages of their research career, targeting the period immediately after gaining a postgraduate research qualification and helping them establish themselves as independent researchers. It requires active mentorship from a senior scientist and guaranteed research time from the recipient’s institution.

Funding of up to £70,000 is available over a 2-year period for research costs and travel, with up to 30% of the total grant for research-specific salary or stipend costs.

Applicant suitability can be demonstrated by the following:

Possession of a veterinary qualification (veterinary surgeon or registered vet nurse)
Completion of a postgraduate research degree (PhD, MRes or MPhil)
Within the early stages of a research career (starting a research post within the last 10 years)
Currently in post or with an offer of a guaranteed post of at least 3 years’ duration if awarded
Having received less than £250,000 of funding from external sources

Applications must be received by midnight on 28th February 2023. Further information

New guidelines for cat friendly veterinary interactions

This consensus document produced by an international group of cat experts provides a definitive guide to handling cats.

World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) updated global pain guidelines available:

An updated version of the WSAVA’s Global Pain Guidelineshave recently been published in JSAP. This article is freely available online and is already the most-downloaded JSAP article of 2022.

Read a good paper in Journal of Small Animal Practice?

The JSAP editorial board is considering articles for our annual best paper awards. If you have read a really good paper published in issues between October 2021 and September 2022, please let us know via [email protected] by 15th January 2023.

Interested in working on the Journal of Small Animal Practice?

JSAP is considering some new, non-specialist, roles on its editorial board to help oversee our clinical reviews, case reports and ‘images in small animal practice’ articles. If you are interested in joining the editorial board, or acting as a reviewer for JSAP articles, please contact [email protected]

Behaviour webinars available

The British Veterinary Behaviour Association runs a number of webinars which are hosted by BSAVA with a discount for members. Details available from https://www.bvba-org.co.uk/webinars

Upcoming Events:

Association of Charity Vets

The ACV conference will be held at Cambridge Vet School on 4th and 5th February 2023.

Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists

The AVA is partnering with the Royal Society of Medicine (in London) to deliver a hybrid meeting on Visceral Pain on Friday 27th January 2023. Some of the most globally most eminent speakers on this subject are presenting, and there is the option for either in person or online attendance. The meeting will be recorded and will be available for 60 days. Please visit the website.

The World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia is to be held in Sydney in March 2023.

The AVA conference will be held in Warsaw, Poland, from 7th – 9th September 2023.

British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association

The BVOA 60th anniversary autumn scientific meeting will be held on 12th-14th October 2023 at the Tower Hotel, London, with a theme of ‘Back to the future orthopaedics”. See also below for details of their Spring meeting.

British Veterinary Zoological Society

BVZS Conference 2023 will be in Aston, Birmingham, 3rd – 5th November 2023.

European Association of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging

EVRA EVDI Joint Conference will be held in Dublin, Ireland, from 18th - 23rd June 2023.

BSAVA Congress pre-congress meetings (22nd March, Manchester)

The following groups are planning to hold Spring meetings in Manchester on the day before BSAVA Congress. Keep an eye on the Congress website for the latest updates, or visit the society websites for further details.

Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists(theme is “Optimising anaesthesia in your practice”)

Association of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgeons

British Veterinary Behaviour Association(theme is “Rescue and Rehabilitation - behaviour and the animal’s living environment”)

British Veterinary Neurology Society

(Midland Hotel, theme is “Dealing with extremities – how to manage conditions of the distal limb”)

British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association(Midland Hotel, theme is “Dealing with extremities – how to manage conditions of the distal limb”)

Veterinary Cardiovascular Society

Veterinary Nursing Dermatology Group

September 2022

Welcome to the September edition of the scientific newsletter. The scientific newsletter is an initiative from the BSAVA to help support an evidence-based approach to veterinary medicine and includes details of recently published research and relevant scientific news, covering a range of subject areas and small animal species. Please note that access to the full articles featured is not provided via this newsletter (unless the article is already open-access).

To ensure that we cover a diverse range of subject areas, we are working closely with our volunteers and affiliate groups to identify relevant resources of interest to the veterinary community. Thank you to everyone for your help and contributions so far. We really want to make sure that these newsletters and interesting and valuable to you, so if you have any suggestions for content or features, please do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]

Featured article

"Antimicrobial stewardship in companion animal practice: an implementation trial in 135 general practice veterinary clinics"

Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) have been implemented in medical practice over the past decade to reduce selection pressure for the development of pathogens resistant to multiple drugs and improve antimicrobial prescribing. Large-scale implementation and assessment of antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) have not been reported. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of implementation of a comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship package, compared with a control group (solely education), in 135 general veterinary practice clinics. Effectiveness was measured by comparison of total antimicrobial prescribing and high-importance antimicrobial prescribing pre-trial, during implementation period and post-implementation. A secondary aim of the study was to evaluate strategies to maximize implementation.

Hardefeldt LY, Hur B, Richards S, Scarborough R, Browning GF, Billman-Jacobe H, Gilkerson JR, Ierardo J, Awad M, Chay R and Bailey KE (2022) Antimicrobial stewardship in companion animal practice: an implementation trial in 135 general practice veterinary clinics. JAC -Antimicrobial Resistance , 4 (1).

Please read the full blog post here

Journal Watch

1) Diagnosis and management of nasopharyngeal stenosis in four guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Knutson KA, Petritz OA, Sadar MJ, Cohen EB, Schachterle K and Chen S (from Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine)

Background: Respiratory disease is common in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). As obligate nasal breathers, disease of the upper airway can result in significant dyspnea. Nasopharyngeal stenosis is defined as a luminal narrowing of the nasopharynx, which extends from the choana to the caudal margin of the soft palate. This condition can be acquired or congenital and has been diagnosed in other species. However, nasopharyngeal stenosis has not been previously described in guinea pigs.

Case descriptions: Four guinea pigs were presented with chronic, recurrent upper respiratory signs including stertor, oculonasal discharge, tachypnea, and dyspnea. All four animals had signs suggestive of upper respiratory tract disease on examination. Nasopharyngeal stenosis was identified at the rostral aspect of the nasopharynx at the level of the choana via computed tomography (CT) in all cases. Otitis media was also present in three of the four cases. Antibiotic therapy was instituted for all animals. Two of the four guinea pigs were treated with prednisolone and two were treated with meloxicam to control associated inflammation. One animal died 2 months after diagnosis due to complications from severe otitis media. One individual was euthanized due to progressive disease after a year and a half of treatment. One guinea pig was lost to follow up after 6 months. The remaining guinea pig was alive at the time this case series was written (11 months after initial diagnosis) but continues to have signs of upper airway disease.

Conclusions and case relevance: Nasopharyngeal stenosis is an important differential diagnosis for persistent upper respiratory signs in guinea pigs. CT was diagnostic in all cases, identifying nasopharyngeal stenosis at the level of the choana, and allowed identification of comorbidities (otitis media and rhinitis). Medical management resulted in survival times from 2 months to a year and a half following diagnosis. Further investigation into minimally invasive interventions such as balloon dilation and stent placement are warranted for future cases.

2) Demography, disorders and mortality of pet hamsters under primary veterinary care in the United Kingdom in 2016

O’Neill DG, Kim K, Brodbelt DC, Church DB, Pegram C and Baldrey V (from Journal of Small Animal Practice)

Background: Hamsters are popular pets worldwide but there is limited evidence on the overall health issues of pet hamsters. This study aimed to characterise the demography, disorder prevalence and mortality of pet hamsters in the United Kingdom.

Method: The VetCompass study included anonymised clinical records of 16,605 hamsters.

Results: The most common hamster species were Syrian (golden) (Mesocricetus auratus) (n=12,197, 73.45%), Djungarian (winter white dwarf) (Phodopus sungorus) (2286, 13.77%) and Roborovski hamsters (Phodopus roborovskii) (1054, 6.35%). The most prevalent precise-level disorders recorded across all hamsters were a presentation categorised as ‘wet tail’ (n=293, 7.33%), disorder undiagnosed (292, 7.30%), bite injuries from other hamsters (235, 5.88%), overgrown nail(s) (165, 4.13%), overgrown incisor(s) (159, 3.98%) and traumatic injury (152, 3.80%). The most prevalent disorders groups across all species of hamster were traumatic injury (n=616, 15.41%), enteropathy (450, 11.26%), ophthalmological disorder (445, 11.13%), skin disorder (362, 9.05%) and mass (361, 9.03%). The median age at death across all hamsters was 1.75years (interquartile range: 0.83 to 2.20, range: 0.01 to 3.65). The most common causes of death at a precise level were wet tail (7.88%, 95% confidence interval: 6.35 to 9.66), abdominal mass (6.40%, 95% confidence interval: 5.01 to 8.03), neoplasia (5.38%, 95% confidence interval: 4.11 to 6.90) and dyspnoea (3.99%, 95% confidence interval: 2.9 to 5.34).

Conclusion: This study provides veterinary professionals, educators, welfare scientists and owners with an evidence base on pet hamster health. A greater understanding of the common disorders of pet hamsters can support veterinary professionals to communicate more effectively with owners on key issues and outcomes to expect from hamster ownership.

3) Prazosin administration increases the rate of recurrent urethral obstruction in cats: 388 cases

Conway DS, Rozanski EA and Wayne AS (from Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association)

Objective:To determine if prazosin administration decreased the rate of recurrent urethral obstruction (rUO) before hospital discharge and within 14 days.

Animals:388 cats with urethral obstruction.

Procedures:Veterinarians who either always or never prescribed prazosin (generally, 0.5 to 1 mg, PO, q 12 h for 14 days) were recruited to complete observational surveys. Patient data and characteristics of relieving the obstruction, including perception of a gritty feel within urethra or difficulty unobstructing the cat, were recorded. The rate of development of rUO before hospital discharge and by day 14 was compared between cats that received or did not receive prazosin with the Fisher exact test. Other variables were similarly compared between cats with and without rUO.

Results:302 (78%) cats received prazosin, while 86 (22%) did not. There was no association between prazosin administration and risk of rUO prior to discharge, with 34 of 302 (11.3%) cats receiving prazosin and 5 or 86 (5.8%) not receiving prazosin developing rUO. Within 14 days, a significantly higher proportion of prazosin-treated cats (73/302 [24%]) developed an rUO, compared with the proportion of non–prazosin-treated cats (and 11/86 [13%]). The perception of a “gritty feeling urethra” or difficulty of performing the catheterization was associated with increased risk of rUO.

Clinical relevance:Prazosin administration increased the likelihood of rUO by 14 days; ongoing investigation of other therapies to decrease rUO in cats is warranted. Without specific indications, the use of prazosin for the prevention of rUO should be discouraged.

4) 2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on Management of the Inappetent Hospitalised Cat

Taylor S, Chan DL, Villaverde C, Ryan L, Peron F, Quimby J, O’Brien C AND Chalhoub S (from Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery)

Practical relevance:

Inappetence may have many origins and, as a presenting sign or observation in the hospitalised patient, is common in feline practice. Nutritional assessment of every patient is encouraged, to identify the need for, and appropriate type of, intervention indicated. The impact of malnutrition may be significant on the feline patient, perpetuating illness, delaying recovery, slowing wound healing and negatively impacting gut health and immunity. Delayed intervention may result in the cat’s deterioration; hence prompt control of contributing factors such as the underlying illness, pain, nausea, ileus and stress is vital to optimise voluntary food intake. Management is multimodal, comprising reduction of stress, medications and assisted nutrition in the form of tube feeding or parenteral nutrition. Use of antiemetic, analgesic, prokinetic and appetite stimulant medications may restore appetite, but placement of feeding tubes should not be delayed. Feeding tubes are generally well tolerated and allow provision of food, water and medication with minimal stress, although clinicians must be aware of complications such as stoma site infections and refeeding syndrome.

Clinical challenges:Cats are vulnerable to malnutrition owing to their unique metabolism and specific nutritional requirements. Moreover, their nature as a species means they are susceptible to stress in the hospital environment, which may result in reduced food intake; previous negative experiences may compound the problem. In particular, an inappropriate clinic environment and/or handling may cause or exacerbate inappetence in hospitalised patients, with negative impacts on recovery. Postponing interventions such as feeding tube placement to await improvement, owing to clinician or caregiver apprehension, may hinder recovery and worsen nutritional deficits.

Evidence base:The 2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on Management of the Inappetent Hospitalised Cat have been created by a panel of experts brought together by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM). Information is based on the available literature, expert opinion and the panel members’ experience.

Other news/resources:

BSAVA PetSavers to offer increased grant funding

Next month sees the reopening of the BSAVA PetSavers clinical research project (CRP) grant call - with a difference!

PetSavers has increased the value of CRP grants, which now provide funding of up to £20,000 to cover a project lasting 1-3 years. These funds can be used to pay for research expenses and consumables, and as part of a new decision by the PetSavers management committee, up to 30% can now be used for research-specific staffing costs.

As part of the CRP grant portfolio, PetSavers is also delighted to offer a new grant specifically to support research into gall bladder mucoceles in Border terriers. Gall bladder mucoceles are characterised by the deposition of thick, gelatinous bile in the gall bladder lumen. Left undetected they can lead to rupture of the gall bladder, causing biliary peritonitis which can be fatal. This grant, of up to £30,000, is made possible by the very generous donation of £17,000 from Andrew and Wendy Mooney with additional funding from BSAVA PetSavers.

The grant call for joint-funded research in specialist areas of veterinary science also reopens next month. PetSavers offers grants of up to £10,000 for research in the fields of veterinary cardiovascular health (jointly funded by the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society), feline and/or canine medical conditions (jointly funded with SAMSoc) and pain management in companion animals (jointly funded by The Debs Foundation).

All of the above grants open on 1st October 2022 and will close on 31st January 2023, with a funding decision made in autumn 2023. Projects must not include work on experimental animals and should be undertaken within the UK.

For further information and to apply, please visit the PetSavers website

WSAVA to launch updated global pain guidelines

An updated version of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA’s) Global Pain Guidelines will be launched at the WSAVA World Congress 2022 (please see below for congress details). The Guidelines for the Recognition, Assessment and Treatment of Pain is undergoing peer-review prior to publication by the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP), the WSAVA’s official scientific journal. Post-congress, the guidelines will be made available for free download from the JSAP website once they have been accepted, as well as from the WSAVA website.

New RCVS guidance for routine veterinary practice

On 1 July 2022 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) introduced new guidance for routine veterinary practice (RVP). The guidance introduces an obligation, to take effect from 1 September 2022, to obtain ethics review for all studies where one would be expected to obtain permission from the owner/keeper of an animal prior to being enrolled, or when consent is needed for use of previously collected samples or the use of data from an animal.

Please visit: the RCVS website.

For further advice please contact the Standards and Advice team via [email protected] or the Secretary to the RCVS Ethics Review Panel via [email protected].

The new guidance is highly relevant to applications for BSAVA PetSavers’ grants and has been incorporated in the Guidance for Grant Applicants of the website

New RCVS Knowledge Awards: Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) and Canine Cruciate Outcomes

Both awards are open for applications until the 13 January 2023. Further information can be found here and here.

RCVS Practice Standards Scheme – new sustainability requirements

The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) has published new environmental sustainability requirements, updates to current standards to incorporate sustainability and a new Environmental Sustainability Award, with the aim of encouraging and supporting the professions to lead the way in addressing the global climate crisis. These changes will be introduced on the following dates to allow time for implementation in veterinary practice:

The new Environmental Sustainability Award is available to apply for now with assessments starting from January 2023.

The social sustainability changes and other minor clarifications are effective immediately and will be assessed from October 2022

The new and amended Core Standards and General Practice level environmental sustainability standards will be effective from June 2023

Questions related to the updates can be sent to the PSS team at [email protected]

Upcoming Events:

International Congress on Peer Review and Scientific Publication

In September, Nicola Di Girolamo, Editor of the Journal of Small Animal Practice, will be attending the ninth International Congress on Peer Review and Scientific Publication between September 8th – 10th 2022. He will be presenting a research study he has done on honorary authorship. Further information found here.

WSAVA World Congress 2022

The WSAVA World Congress 2022 is taking place between 29th and 31st October 2022. Please visit https://wsava2022.com/register/ for further information

European Association of Veterinary Diagnostic (British and Irish Division) Imaging Autumn Meeting

The Autumn Meeting of European Association of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging - British and Irish Division (EAVDI-BID) will take place on Saturday 12th November 2022 at the Radcliffe Conference Centre, Warwick University. The programme will feature an interesting mix of lectures, clinical cases and abstracts on a mix of diagnostic imaging topics. Further information found here

The BSAVA Scientific Newsletter is sent quarterly by email to BSAVA members .

June 2022

Welcome to our latest scientific newsletter. The scientific newsletter is an initiative from the BSAVA to help support an evidence-based approach to veterinary medicine and includes details of recently published research and relevant scientific news, covering a range of subject areas and small animal species. Please note that access to the full articles featured is not provided via this newsletter (unless the article is already open-access).

Featured article

"Veterinary communication problems in cases of alleged professional misconduct"

A recent study by Russell and colleagues set out to understand the role of communication in claims for alleged professional negligence. The study aimed to identify both the frequency and types of communications problems seen in small animal veterinary practice.

Russell E, Mossop L, Forbes E and Oxtoby C (2022) Uncovering the ‘messy details’ of veterinary communication: An analysis of communication problems in cases of alleged professional negligence. Veterinary Record, 190 (3), e1068.

Journal Watch

1) Temporospatial distribution and country of origin of canine transmissible venereal tumours in the UK

Gibson DC, Singleton DA, Brant B, Radford AD and Killick DR (from Veterinary Record)

Background: Transmissible venereal tumour (TVT) is a tumour transplanted by physical contact between dogs. Lesions typically affect the genitalia. TVT is not considered enzootic in the United Kingdom (UK), with cases seen in imported dogs. We sought to determine the patient characteristics, temporal and spatial distribution and country of origin of affected dogs in the UK.

Methods: Electronic pathology records (EPRs) from four UK veterinary diagnostic laboratories collected between 2010 and 2019 were searched for the terms ‘venereal’ or ‘TVT’. Reports were reviewed for statements confirming a TVT and descriptive statistics collated.

Results: Of 182 EPRs matching the search terms, a diagnosis of TVT was confirmed in 71. Country of origin was noted in 36 cases (50.7%) with Romania being the most common (n = 29). Cases were reported in each UK constituent country, with the majority being in England (64, 90.1%). The incidence of TVT diagnosis increased over the last decade (z = 2.78, p = 0.005).

Conclusion: The incidence of TVT diagnosed in the UK is increasing. The majority of cases were known to have been imported. Autochthonous transmission cannot be excluded due to study design. Vets are encouraged to carefully examine the genitalia of dogs imported to the UK from countries with enzootic TVT.

2) Effect of theatre temperature on body temperature during anaesthesia for routine neutering of domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Edis A, Pelligrand L, Baldrey V and Hedley J (from Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia)

Objective: To investigate the effect of theatre temperature on body temperature in rabbits undergoing castration or ovariohysterectomy surgery during general anaesthesia.

Study design: Prospective, clinical study.

Animals: A group of 88 rabbits presented for elective neutering.

Methods: Rabbits were divided into male (31/54) and female (23/54) groups and assigned to one of two theatre temperatures via coin toss. Theatre temperature was 23 °C (±2 °C) for group A (n = 37/54) and 28 °C (±2 °C) for group B (n = 17/54). During anaesthesia and recovery, theatre temperature and rectal temperature were recorded every 5 minutes. Time to resumption of feeding and passing faeces were recorded. Data are presented as median (interquartile range) or mean (± standard deviation). Statistical analyses comprised a mixed-effects model, with Sidak’s multiple comparison test for post-hoc testing and Fisher’s exact test; p < 0.05.

Results: A total of 54 rabbits completed the study, with median age 6 (4–9) months and median weight 1.53 (1.30–1.79) kg. In rabbits undergoing castration, theatre temperature did not significantly affect body temperature. Mean temperatures immediately after induction were 38.6 °C and 38.7 °C and at the end of the procedure 38.5 °C and 38.5 °C for group A and group B, respectively. In rabbits undergoing ovariohysterectomy, mean temperatures immediately after induction were 38.3 °C and 38.8 °C and at the end of the procedure 38.1 °C and 39.2 °C for group A and group B, respectively. Rabbits undergoing ovariohysterectomy at an ambient temperature of 28 °C had a significantly higher final temperature, mean ± 1.15 °C (95% confidence interval, 0.47–1.83), compared with 23 °C (p = 0.001). Theatre temperature did not affect return to feeding or defaecating.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance: During anaesthesia an ambient theatre temperature of 28 °C may reduce the risk of hypothermia in rabbits undergoing ovariohysterectomy or similarly invasive surgery.

3) Ethical Challenges Posed by Advanced Veterinary Care in Companion Animal Veterinary Practice

Quain A, Ward MP and Mullan S (from Animals)

Advanced veterinary care (AVC) of companion animals may yield improved clinical outcomes, improved animal welfare, improved satisfaction of veterinary clients, improved satisfaction of veterinary team members, and increased practice profitability. However, it also raises ethical challenges. Yet, what counts as AVC is difficult to pinpoint due to continuing advancements. We discuss some of the challenges in defining advanced veterinary care (AVC), particularly in relation to a standard of care (SOC). We then review key ethical challenges associated with AVC that have been identified in the veterinary ethics literature, including poor quality of life, dysthanasia and caregiver burden, financial cost and accessibility of veterinary care, conflicts of interest, and the absence of ethical review for some patients undergoing AVC. We suggest some strategies to address these concerns, including prospective ethical review utilising ethical frameworks and decision-making tools, the setting of humane end points, the role of regulatory bodies in limiting acceptable procedures, and the normalisation of quality-of-life scoring. We also suggest a role for retrospective ethical review in the form of ethics rounds and clinical auditing. Our discussion reenforces the need for a spectrum of veterinary care for companion animals.

4) Distribution of mortality patterns in cats with naturally occurring trauma: A Veterinary Committee on Trauma registry study

Hickey MC, Gray R, van Galen G and Ward MP (from The Veterinary Journal)

A greater understanding of the prognostic variables that affect the timing of death for cats with trauma may help clinicians select treatments and monitoring plans. This study investigated the mortality rate and its distribution pattern in a large population of cats to identify variables associated with the timing of trauma-related deaths. Clinical data was retrieved from the Veterinary Committee on Trauma database to determine mortality rates and timing of deaths, defined as early death (ED; <1 day post-presentation) or delayed death (DD; ≥1 day post-presentation). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify characteristics and interventions that best predicted timing of death.

Overall mortality rate for 6703 feline trauma patients with complete records was 17.2%, with 7.6% due to natural death and 92.3% due to euthanasia. Among the subset of 543 cats with trauma that died after presentation or required euthanasia due to a grave prognosis (representing an 8.1% mortality rate), EDs were more common (71.7%) than DD and the cause of death was not significantly associated with the timing of death. Clinical pathology parameters were unable to identify animals more likely to die or to require euthanasia due to a poor prognosis during hospitalisation. Factors that were significantly different for cats with ED vs. DD included the median cumulative results for the Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) score and the Animal Trauma Triage (ATT) score, the presence of spinal trauma, administration of blood products and undertaking surgical procedures. An increased likelihood of DD rather than ED was associated with the administration of blood products (odds ratio [OR], 3.959; P = 0.019) vs. not, performing a surgical procedure (OR, 6.055; P < 0.001) vs. not, and a cumulative MGCS of 15−17 or 18 (OR, 1.947 and 3.115; P = 0.031 and P = 0.01, respectively) vs. a cumulative MGCS ≤ 11.

Other news/resources:

ENOVAT Antimicrobial Use Guidelines Survey

ENOVAT are seeking help in completing (and disseminating) the following survey amongst vets working with companion animals across Europe. The survey should take no more than 5-8 minutes to complete.

ENOVAT is a European organisation looking to improve antibiotic stewardship. This survey is seeking feedback from target users of antibiotic guidelines such that future iterations of antibiotic guidance (things like PROTECT ME) can be improved and optimised.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. On the website you will find a league table of countries based on number of responses. Please help make sure that the UK is well-represented in this initiative!

BSAVA PetSavers funding of Master’s Degrees by Research

The grant call has just opened for Master’s Degrees by Research, which support postgraduate students to carry out a specific 1-year research masters project, with or without attendance at some short courses. The following costs up to a maximum in aggregate of £40,000 will be funded:

Postgraduate student stipend at BBSRC standard rates (veterinary stipend can be requested)

Payment of university fees

Equipment and consumables (up to £10,000 including VAT) depending on the nature of the project

The study should be carried out within the UK and applicants are expected to have a level of veterinary experience appropriate for the project. Applications will close on 31st August 2022. For further details and to make an application, please visit the PetSavers website.

BSAVA Research Notice Board

The BSAVA research notice board is an area of the website which lists ongoing clinical research projects from BSAVA members. Projects are in-line with BSAVA values and mission to promote excellence in small animal practice through science. You can find details of current projects and how to get involved here.

The BSAVA Scientific Newsletter is sent quarterly by email to BSAVA members .