BSAVA Scientific Newsletter Archive 2023

Welcome to the 2023 Scientific newsletter archive! Browse the quarterly newsletters from the year below.

October 2023

Welcome to the latest edition of the scientific newsletter!

This issue includes news of the upcoming Antibiotic Amnesty, summaries of recently published research on a variety of topics, scientific news and a variety of upcoming conferences and events. Access to full journal articles featured is not provided via this newsletter (unless the article is already open access).

The scientific newsletter is intended to facilitate an evidence-based approach to veterinary medicine and we hope that the content is interesting and valuable to you. Have a suggestion for content or features for future newsletters? Please get in touch at [email protected]

Take part in this year's Antibiotic Amnesty

The veterinary profession is coming together again this November to hold an Antibiotic Amnesty campaign, which encourages the public to return out-of-date and unused antibiotics for safe disposal to help tackle the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

A campaign toolkit has been developed for practices, comprising a range of promotional assets including reception posters, practice guidance documents, client hand-outs, pre-written social media posts, newsletter content and animations for use on practice screens. Find out more about registering your practice to take part and download the toolkit.

Research paper spotlight

Stakeholder opinion-led study to identify canine priority diseases for surveillance and control in the UK.

Read the full blog.

Which canine infectious diseases should be prioritised in surveillance and control programmes? This new study is the first to use a stakeholder opinion-led approach to identify the most impactful infectious diseases that should be prioritised for inclusion in a nationwide surveillance and response strategy.

Cuartero CT, Radford AD, Szilassy E, Newton JR and Sánchez-Vizcaíno F (2023) Stakeholder opinion-led study to identify canine priority diseases for surveillance and control in the UK. Vet Record. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.3167 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37415378/

Journal Watch

A selection of the latest papers in small animal veterinary medicine.

1) Clinical Success of Guided Tissue Regeneration for Treating Vertical Bone and Furcation Defects in Dogs

Lee BL, Soukup J, Rendahl A, Goldschmidt S (Frontiers in Veterinary Science; Sec. Veterinary Dentistry and Oromaxillofacial Surgery)

This study evaluated the clinical success rate of guided tissue regeneration (GTR) for treating advanced periodontal disease in a large canine cohort. A total of 112 GTR procedures performed from 2003-2021 were retrospectively evaluated including pre- and posttreatment (3-12 month) periodontal probing depths of 104 treated teeth, dental radiographs of 73 treated teeth, and both diagnostic modalities in 64 treated teeth. Probing depth, radiographically apparent bone height, bone graft material, barrier membrane material, and tooth extraction adjacent to the GTR site were investigated as factors affecting success. Vertical bone defects were evaluated separately from furcation defects. GTR was clinically successful, defined as objective improvement in probing depth, objective decrease in radiographic vertical bone defect, and subjective radiographic gain in bone height, in 90.3% of vertical bone defects. Success was significantly associated with the magnitude of initial probing depth, and type of barrier membrane used. GTR was clinically successful, defined as objective improvement in furcation probing and subjective radiographic improvement of the bone in the furcation, in 22.2% of furcation defects. When F3 lesions were excluded, GTR was successful in 64.3% of furcation defects. GTR is an appropriate treatment to maintain teeth in the oral cavity of dogs with proper client counseling and patient selection but is most likely to be successful in vertical defects.

2) Use of maropitant for pain management in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) undergoing elective orchiectomy or ovariohysterectomy

Roeder M, Boscan P, Rao S, Proença L, Guerrera W, Grayck M et al. (Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine)

Background:

Pain control is a challenge in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The objective of this study was to describe the effect of maropitant on pain scores, food intake, and fecal output in domestic rabbits following elective orchiectomy or ovariohysterectomy.

Methods:

Rabbits that underwent orchiectomy or ovariohysterectomy at three institutions were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: low-dose maropitant (2 mg/kg SC once), high-dose maropitant (10 mg/kg SC once), and control (1 mL/kg saline SC once). Rabbits were monitored using video surveillance postoperatively. Pain scores were assessed by three blinded observers, and results were grouped into time frames after surgery. Food intake and fecal output were measured until discharge.

Results:

There were no local side effects with maropitant administration. There were no statistically significant differences between groups with regard to pain behaviors. An inverse trend was noted between increasing maropitant dosage versus food intake and fecal output, which was not statistically significant.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance:

Maropitant at 2 mg/kg SC and at 10 mg/kg SC failed to significantly reduce pain when compared to control group.

3) Retrospective study and outcome of 307 cats with feline infectious peritonitis treated with legally sourced veterinary compounded preparations of remdesivir and GS-441524 (2020–2022)

Taylor SS, Coggins S, Barker EN, Gunn-Moore D, Jeevaratnam K, Morris JM et al. (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery)

Objectives:

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a serious disease that arises due to feline coronavirus infection. The nucleoside analogues remdesivir and GS-441524 can be effective in its treatment, but most studies have used unregulated products of unknown composition. The aim of the present study was to describe the treatment of FIP using legally sourced veterinary-prescribed regulated veterinary compounded products containing known amounts of remdesivir (injectable) or GS-441524 (oral tablets).

Methods:

Cats were recruited via email advice services, product sales contacts and study publicity. Cats were excluded if they were deemed unlikely to have FIP, were not treated exclusively with the veterinary compounded products, or if there was a lack of cat and/or treatment (including response) data. Extensive cat and treatment data were collected.

Results:

Among the 307 cats recruited, the predominant type of FIP was most commonly abdominal effusive (49.5%) and then neurological (14.3%). Three treatment protocols were used; remdesivir alone (33.9%), remdesivir followed by GS-441524 (55.7%) and GS-441524 alone (10.4%). The median (range) initial treatment period duration and longest follow-up time point after starting treatment were 84 (1–330) days and 248 (1–814) days, respectively. The most common side effect was injection pain (in 47.8% of those given subcutaneous remdesivir). Of the 307 cats, 33 (10.8%) relapsed, 15 (45.5%) during and 18 (54.5%) after the initial treatment period. At the longest follow-up time point after completion of the initial treatment period, 84.4% of cats were alive. The cats achieving a complete response within 30 days of starting treatment were significantly more likely to be alive at the end of the initial treatment period than those cats that did not.

Conclusions and relevance:

Legally sourced remdesivir and GS-441524 products, either alone or used sequentially, were very effective in the treatment of FIP in this group of cats. Variable protocols precluded statistical comparison of treatment regimens.

4) A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled multisite, parallel-group field study in dogs with osteoarthritis conducted in the United States of America evaluating bedinvetmab, a canine anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody

Michels GM, Honsberger NA, Walters RR, Tena JKS, Cleaver DM (Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia)

Objective:

Bedinvetmab, a fully canine anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody, was evaluated in dogs for control of osteoarthritis-related pain in a study conducted to support registration in the USA.

Study design:

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group study.

Animals:

General practice client-owned dogs with osteoarthritis (n = 272).

Methods:

Dogs were block randomized 1:1 to placebo (saline, n = 137) or bedinvetmab (n = 135; 0.5–1.0 mg kg–1) administered subcutaneously, once monthly. The primary end point, day 28 Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) treatment success (TS), required pain severity score (PSS; 0–10) decrease ≥1 and pain interference score (PIS; 0–10) decrease ≥ 2. CBPI TS rates [and number needed to treat (NNT)], change in scores [and standardized effect size (ES)], change in quality of life (QoL) and bedinvetmab half-life were calculated.

Results:

Significant (p < 0.05) improvement with bedinvetmab over placebo occurred (days 28, 42, 56, 84) for CBPI TS. Of cases evaluable for day 28 CBPI TS (placebo, n = 131; bedinvetmab, n = 128), success rates were 36.6% and 47.4%, respectively (p = 0.0410) (NNT, 9.3; PSS and PIS ES, 0.3). CBPI TS increased after the second dose in both groups, plateaued for bedinvetmab at day 42 and decreased for placebo beginning day 84. Day 84 NNT (4.3), PSS (0.4) and PIS (0.5) showed continued improvement with monthly dosing. After the first dose, mean (± standard deviation) bedinvetmab half-life was 19.1 (8.3) days. Adverse events were similar between groups and not considered treatment-related. There was a significant effect of bedinvetmab versus placebo on all CBPI components (PIS, PSS, QoL).

Conclusions and clinical relevance:

These results corroborated those previously reported and provide further support of safety and effectiveness of bedinvetmab (0.5–1.0 mg kg–1) administered subcutaneously at monthly intervals to dogs for control of osteoarthritis-related pain.

Would you like more updates on the latest research in veterinary medicine?

If you find these research summaries useful, don’t miss the new Scientific Shorts feature in our weekly newsletters, which brings you bitesize snippets from new papers on a variety of topics in veterinary medicine and science. Look out for these updates in our weekly newsletters!

Other news/resources:

BSAVA PetSavers update

PetSavers in print: newly published papers from PetSavers-funded studies

Research published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice by Aarti Kathrani and colleagues has cultured Malassezia and other fungi from the duodenum of dogs with gastrointestinal signs undergoing routine endoscopic examination. The study reports the first isolation of M. pachydermatis, M. sympodialis, Kazachstania slooffiae and K. telluris from the canine duodenum. Further studies are needed to determine whether these are resident or transient fungi in the duodenum and whether yeast colonisation has a pathogenic effect on the host.
Research deriving from a Master’s project on the roles of ageing and myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in vascular dysfunction in dogs has been published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research. Marco Mazzarella and colleagues found that isometric myography of arteries from pet dogs is feasible and can identify loss of endothelial-dependent relaxation in dogs with MMVD postmortem.

Newly awarded PetSavers grants

PetSavers funding has been awarded to the following clinical research projects:

Flow cytometric analysis of Ki-67 expression in canine cutaneous mast cell tumours and its prognostic value at University of Cambridge (£18,860.97).
Blood adipokine and ghrelin concentrations in cats with chronically treated diabetes mellitus and with diabetes and hypersomatotropism undergoing hypophysectomy at RVC (£9,940, joint-funded with the Small Animal Medicine Society).
An intelligent stethoscope for detecting hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats at University of Cambridge/RVC/Davies Veterinary Specialists (£10,000, joint-funded with the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society).

To find out about other recently funded PetSavers projects, click here. PetSavers relies solely on charitable donations and legacies, receiving none of the BSAVA membership fee. If you would like to contribute to future research projects, enabling evidence-based veterinary medicine and helping pets live longer, healthier lives, donate here.

BSAVA Research Notice Board

The BSAVA Research Notice Board lists clinical research projects from BSAVA members which other members can contribute to. Projects are in-line with BSAVA values and mission to promote excellence in small animal practice through science. Take a look at how you can get involved in current projects and how we can help you to promote your own research here.

Upcoming Events

Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists

The AVA spring meeting 2024 will be held on 15th – 17th May 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists

BrAVO’s winter meeting will be held in the Forest of Arden on 10th – 12th November 2023.

British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group

BVDSG's annual autumn meeting focusing on dermatological therapeutics will be held on 11th - 12th November in Birmingham.

British Veterinary Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Association

BVRSMA are running a CPD day focused on spinal cord injury rehabilitation on 4th November at BSAVA’s office near Gloucester. Book at [email protected] by 29th October.

European Association of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging

The autumn meeting will be held on 10th – 11th November 2023 in Tewinbury, Hertfordshire.

Small Animal Medicine Society (SAMSoc)

The SAMSoc autumn meeting will be held on 10th November 2023 in Warwick.

Veterinary Cardiovascular Society

The VCS autumn meeting will be held on 10th - 11th November 2023 at Chesford Grange, Warwickshire.

BSAVA Congress 2024 - registration open!

Early bird registration is now open for BSAVA Congress 2024, taking place on 21st – 23rd March in Manchester. Don’t miss the chance to register at early bird prices!

July 2023

Welcome to the latest edition of the scientific newsletter!

The newsletter includes summaries of recently published research on a variety of topics, scientific news and upcoming events, to help support an evidence-based approach to veterinary medicine. Access to full journal articles featured is not provided via this newsletter (unless the article is already open access).

We hope that these newsletters are 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]

NEW! Scientific Shorts – bringing you regular, bitesize scientific updates

We’re delighted to introduce a new feature to our weekly newsletters – Scientific Shorts!

This feature brings you bitesize snippets from new papers on a variety of topics in veterinary medicine and science, to help keep you up-to-date with some of the latest research. Look out for these updates in our weekly newsletters!

Featured article

Age at cancer diagnosis by breed, weight, sex, and cancer type in a cohort of more than 3,000 dogs: Determining the optimal age to initiate cancer screening in canine patients.

Read the full blog post here

Cancer is the leading cause of death in adult dogs. With the long duration of the preclinical phase of cancer development, it’s important to know when to begin screening dogs for cancer. This new study has determined the age at which dogs of various breeds and weights are diagnosed with cancer, to inform the optimal age to initiate cancer screening for individual dogs.

Rafalko JM, Kruglyak KM, McCleary-Wheeler AL, Goyal V, Phelps-Dunn A, Wong LK, et al. (2023) PLoS ONE. 18(2): e0280795.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280795

Journal Watch

1) Vasectomy and ovary-sparing spay in dogs: comparison of health and behavior outcomes with gonadectomized and sexually intact dogs

Zink C, Delgado MM, Stella JL (from Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Open Access)

Objective:

To compare health and behavior outcomes for dogs that underwent vasectomy or ovary-sparing spay (hysterectomy) with sexually intact dogs or dogs that had undergone traditional castration or spay.

Sample:

6,018 dog owners responded to a web-based survey between November 3, 2021, and January 7, 2022.

Procedures:

Participants were asked demographic questions and to provide information about 1 or more dogs (living or deceased). Options for reproductive status were as follows: sexually intact, castrated, spayed (ovariohysterectomy or ovariectomy), vasectomy, or ovary-sparing spay (hysterectomy). Participants were asked questions about orthopedic and other health problems, cancer, and problematic behavior. Logistic regression models, survival analyses, and descriptive statistics were used to assess relationships between reproductive status and outcomes.

Results:

Owners provided valid surveys for 6,018 dogs, including 1,056 sexually intact, 1,672 castrated, and 58 vasectomized male dogs and 792 sexually intact, 2,281 spayed, and 159 female dogs that had undergone ovary-sparing spay. Longer exposure to gonadal hormones, regardless of reproductive status, was associated with reduced odds of general health problems and both problematic and nuisance behaviors.

Clinical relevance:

To our knowledge, this study provides the first data on health and behavior outcomes of vasectomy and ovary-sparing spay in dogs and is the first to compare these outcomes to sexually intact and gonadectomized dogs. It adds to accumulating data on the mixed benefits and risks of removing the gonads to prevent reproduction and emphasizes the importance of developing an informed, case-by-case assessment of each patient, taking into consideration the potential risks and benefits of spaying or neutering and alternative reproductive surgeries.

2) Partial weight reduction protocols in cats lead to better weight outcomes, compared with complete protocols, in cats with obesity

German AJ, Woods-Lee GRT, Biourge V, Flanagan J (from Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Open Access)

Background:

To date, there have been no studies comparing outcomes of cats with obesity following either complete or partial weight reduction protocols.

Methods:

Fifty-eight cats participated in this non-randomized observational cohort study, including 46 (79%) and 12 (21%) that underwent complete or partial weight reduction protocols, respectively. Weight loss outcomes, body composition changes and essential nutrient intake were compared between cats in the two groups.

Results:

All cats remained healthy, and those on a complete weight reduction protocol lost a median of 23% (range 10–39%) of starting body weight (SBW) over 294 days (113–967 days), whereas those undergoing partial restriction lost 25% (10–41%) over 178 days (54–512 days). Neither duration nor percentage weight loss differed between groups, but those that followed a partial weight reduction protocol lost weight at a faster rate (0.81% per week) and required fewer visits (4–19) than those that followed a complete weight reduction protocol (0.61% per week, p = 0.028; 11, 4–40 visits, p = 0.009). Further, lean tissue mass declined in cats on a complete weight reduction protocol (pre: 4.20 kg, 2.64–5.72 kg; post: 3.90 kg, 2.76–5.24 kg, p < 0.001), whereas lean tissue mass was unchanged in cats on partial weight reduction protocols (pre: 3.45 kg, 2.79–4.71 kg; post: 3.41 kg, 2.90–4.59 kg, p = 0.109). In 33 (57%) cats, median intake of selenium per day was less than NRC AI and RA recommendations, whilst intake was under FEDIAF recommendation in 42 (72%) cats. Median intake of choline per day was less than NRC MR and RA recommendations in 22 (38%) and 53 (91%) cats, respectively, whereas it was under the FEDIAF recommendation in 51 (88%) cats. In a small proportion (12–14%) of cats, phenylalanine/tyrosine and potassium were under recommendations; besides these, no other essential nutrient deficiencies were seen, and there were no differences between cats undergoing complete and partial weight reduction.

Conclusion:

Partial weight reduction protocols in cats lead to quicker average weight loss, with the possibility that lean tissue loss might be minimized. Such protocols might be more suitable for older cats and those with marked obesity.

3) Antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary medicine: a review of online resources

Allerton F, Russell J (from JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance, Open Access)

An awareness of antimicrobial resistance and stewardship is important for all prescribers from a One-Health perspective. Educational resources have been created to help veterinary practitioners and encourage an optimized approach to their antimicrobial use. This article reviews several educational resources centred on the core principles of veterinary AMS, and highlights key features to inform and guide resource-users towards the most appropriate tool for them. Greater engagement with these educational resources will hopefully contribute to improved antimicrobial prescribing among veterinarians and greater awareness of the importance of stewardship for the profession.

4) Fracture Healing in 37 Dogs and Cats with Implant Failure after Surgery (2013–2018)

Menghini TL, Shriwise G, Muir P (from Animals, Open Access)

Identifying risk factors for implant failure in small animal orthopedics could improve outcomes in clinical patients. Abnormal fracture healing has been hypothesized to correlate with implant failure. This study retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of implant failure cases in dogs and cats. Area moment of inertia (AMI), plate working length, and bone screw density were determined as appropriate for each case. Implant failure occurred in 23% of the fracture cases in the study period and was associated with an increased risk of delayed union, malunion, or non-union of the fracture. Major complications were found in 56% of the fracture repairs and were associated with delayed union. Surgical revision was performed in 49% of implant failure cases. Common problems were implant loosening and failure of low AMI plates. Implant AMI should routinely be considered during preoperative planning.

Other news/resources:

BSAVA PetSavers update

PetSavers Research Fellowship

The first ever BSAVA PetSavers Research Fellowship has been awarded to Dr An Vanhaesebrouck from the University of Cambridge for her project entitled Cell-based assays to detect ‘low-affinity’ antibodies against acetylcholine receptors or antibodies against other neuromuscular junction antigens in canine myasthenia gravis.

The award of £70,000 will enable Dr Vanhaesebrouck to investigate whether dogs with suspected myasthenia gravis that are seronegative for AChR autoantibodies (estimated to be around 23% of cases) have low-affinity AChR antibodies that are missed by standard radioimmunoassays, but that could be detected by cell-based assays as in humans. If successful, this will increase the number of dogs that are correctly diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, enabling them to receive prompt and targeted treatment resulting in a better outcome.

Student Research Projects

BSAVA PetSavers has awarded funding totalling £16,880 to six Student Research Projects, which will give undergraduate students the chance to experience research in companion animal science and the opportunity to present their findings at BSAVA Congress.

Three projects will take place at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Dr Tim Williams: Evaluation of plasma and urinary nucleosomes in dogs with urothelial carcinoma, Comparison of serum procalcitonin and serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations as a marker of bacterial causes of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in cats and Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of canine urinary extracellular vesicles against causative agents of canine otitis externa (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus); Professor Margaret Hosie at the University of Glasgow will oversee a project entitled Comparing the early viral entry process in avirulent and virulent caliciviruses; while at the University of Liverpool, Exploring adverse event reporting following vaccination in veterinary free-text clinical narratives will be run under the watch of Professor Gina Pinchbeck, and Validation and pathway analysis of biomarkers of canine cruciate ligament disease will be supervised by Professor Mandy Peffers.

To find out about other recently funded PetSavers projects, click here . PetSavers relies solely on charitable donations and legacies, receiving none of the BSAVA membership fee. If you would like to contribute to future research projects, enabling evidence-based veterinary medicine and helping pets live longer, healthier lives, donate here

PetSavers in print

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

A study by Dr Lisa Wallis and colleagues explored dog owner and veterinary professional experiences and attitudes towards ageing in dogs. Significant gaps in communication between veterinary professionals and dog owners were identified and missed opportunities to educate owners, due to lack of time, education and motivation. The greatest barriers to health care were finances, owner awareness, willingness to act, and consultation time. Age-related changes were mostly perceived as “just old age” by dog owners and most didn’t feel prepared for their dogs' ageing. Resources should be developed to address these gaps, guide best-practice discussions in consultations with senior dogs, and encourage more owners to seek and trust veterinary advice. “Just old age” – a qualitative investigation of owner and veterinary professional experiences of and attitudes to ageing in dogs in the UK was published in the July issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP).
Research by Dr Iris Chan and colleagues has assessed prevalence and risk factors for common respiratory pathogens in cats enrolled in a self-selected longitudinal cohort study. All three major upper respiratory tract pathogens (Feline herpesvirus (FHV), feline calicivirus (FCV) and Chlamydia felis) were detected. FCV was the most frequently encountered pathogen and the majority of cats with FHV or C. felis were co-infected with FCV.

Prevalence and risk factors for common respiratory pathogens within a cohort of pet cats in the UK

A study by Yuvani Bandar and others is the first to describe a relationship between intestinal fibrosis (IF) and outcome in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy. Their results identified that IF is a frequent finding in cats with CIE and found that use of additional staining and immunolabeling for vimentin allowed for better identification of IF in intestinal biopsy specimens compared to routine HE staining. Characterization of intestinal fibrosis in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy was published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

New Global Guidelines to be Unveiled at WSAVA 2023

New Global Guidelines on Professional Wellness, Reproduction and Direct Zoonoses, as well as an updated set of its highly-regarded Vaccination Guidelines are set to be launched by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) during WSAVA World Congress 2023 in September. The WSAVA’s peer-reviewed Global Guidelines, which are free to WSAVA members, are created by experts on its clinical committees to highlight best practice and set minimum standards in key areas of veterinary practice.

Read the full announcement here.

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 how to get involved in current projects and how we can help you to promote your own research project here.

Upcoming Events

Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists

The AVA autumn meeting will be held in Warsaw, Poland, on 7th – 9th September 2023.

Association of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgeons

The AVSTS autumn meeting is taking place in Stratford-upon-Avon on 20th – 21st October 2023. Registration will be open soon and you can register your interest by emailing [email protected].

British Association of Veterinary Ophthalmologists

BrAVO’s winter meeting will be held in the Forest of Arden on 10th – 12th November 2023..

British Veterinary Behaviour Association

BVBA are running a mini-virtual conference on the topic “Behavioural first aid in practice” on 30th September 2023. The conference is only open to BVBA members and is free of charge for members. .

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”.

British Veterinary Zoological Society

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

World Small Animal Veterinary Association

48th WSAVA World Congress will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27th – 29th September 2023.

April 2023 issue

April 2023

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

Periodontal disease in cats under primary veterinary care in the UK: frequency and risk factors

Read the full blog post here.

A new study has identified periodontal disease as the most commonly diagnosed specific disorder in cats in the UK. The research assessed the demographic risk factors of periodontal disease and associations with common comorbid disorders in cats. The results can enable vets to predict periodontal disease and target screening and dental care at cats most at risk.

O’Neill DG, Blenkarn A, Brodbelt DC, Church BC, Freeman A (2023) Periodontal disease in cats under primary veterinary care in the UK: frequency and risk factors Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1098612X231158154

Journal Watch

1) Assessing owners' readiness to change their behaviour to address their companion animal's obesity

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

Owner behaviour change in relation to management is critical for successful pet weight loss. The stages of change (SOC) can be used to conceptualise the process of intentional behaviour change. Clients may be more likely to make successful changes when practitioners use communication techniques appropriate for a client's current stage. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess pet owners’ SOC in relation to managing the weight of their overweight or obese pet. An online questionnaire targeting dog and cat owners was distributed via snowball sampling. A total of 532 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Of these, 153 participants (28.8%) self-identified their pet's body condition score (BCS) as greater than 5 (on a nine-point scale). An adapted University of Rhode Island Change Assessment scale was completed by 119 of these participants (77.8%) to assess their readiness to change related to managing their overweight or obese pet. Most participants were scored in the precontemplation (52.1%) and contemplation (42%) stages, where readiness to change is low. Owner assessments likely resulted in underestimation of pets’ BCS. The results offer preliminary insight into the SOC of owners who identify their pets as overweight or obese. Developing tools to assess and understand owners’ readiness to change may be useful in informing veterinary professionals’ communication approaches when engaging in weight management conversations.

2) An investigation into the detection of the pulse in conscious and anaesthetized dogs

Dagnall C, Wilson H, Khenissi L (from Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia)

Objectives

To record the success rate of veterinary professionals and students at identifying the pulse in conscious and anaesthetized dogs. To explore the influence of clinical experience, pulse location, anaesthesia and likely confounding variables on the success of pulse palpation.

Study design

Prospective, observational, randomized study.

Animals

A total of 54 client-owned dogs scheduled for general anaesthesia.

Methods

For each dog, three participants (senior anaesthetist, anaesthesia resident/nurse, veterinary student/animal care assistant) attempted pulse palpation at three locations (femoral, radial and dorsal pedal pulse) in conscious and anaesthetized dogs. The time to pulse palpation was measured with a stopwatch for each attempt and data were modelled using a multivariate Cox regression survival analysis (significance p < 0.05).

Results

The overall success rate of pulse palpation was 77%, with a median time of 10.91 seconds (interquartile range 9.09 seconds). Success rate was lower in conscious dogs (67%) than in anaesthetized dogs (87%). There was a 77% lower likelihood of success at the radial than at the femoral pulse [hazard ratio (HR) 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38–0.69, p < 0.001]. Veterinary students/animal care assistants had a 71% lower likelihood of success than senior anaesthetists (HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.22–0.39, p < 0.001). Age, weight and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status had no significant influence. Premedication/anaesthetic drugs, heart rate or mean arterial pressure had no significant influence on the time to pulse palpation in anaesthetized dogs. The median time to palpation was less than 10 seconds for all experience groups at the femoral location.

Conclusions

Palpation of the femoral location had the greatest likelihood of success with the least amount of time. Monitoring the femoral pulse during induction of anaesthesia is suggested as a method for confirming spontaneous circulation. Pulse palpation improves with clinical experience. .

3) Recurrence rate of intervertebral disc disease in surgically treated French Bulldogs: a retrospective study (2009–2019)

Leu D, Vidondo B, Stein V, Forterre F (Open Access, from Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica)

Background

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a common diagnosis and well-investigated pathological condition in French Bulldogs with neurological deficiencies. However there is currently only one recently published retrospective descriptive study looking for recurrence rates of IVDD in French Bulldogs. Medical reports of French Bulldogs with a first episode of IVDD and surgical treatment were evaluated and reviewed for clinical signs of recurrence. Risk factors for Total-Recurrence, Cervical- and Thoracolumbar-Recurrence were evaluated by means of logistic regression models. The aim of this study was to assess frequency and risk factors associated with the recurrence of IVDD in French Bulldogs.

Results

One hundred twenty-seven French Bulldogs with a first episode of IVDD and surgical treatment were evaluated. 52.7% (67/127) of these patients showed signs of recurrence. The recurrence rate in the cervical spine was slightly lower (47%) compared to the thoracolumbar spine (56.6%). A significant association with recurrence could be found for the factor age: French Bulldogs with a first episode of IVDD ≤ 3 years seem to be prone for Total-Recurrence (P = 0.002) and Cervical-Recurrence (with ORs ranging from 0.02 to 0.03 for patients older than 3 years). 50% of the recurrences (median) occurred within the first 12 month after the first episode of IVDD.

Conclusions

Recurrence of IVDD can be expected in more than half of French Bulldogs affected by IVDD. Especially young French Bulldogs are prone for recurrence in cervical spine. Almost every fourth patient with IVDD suffers from a recurrence within 12 months. Future dog owners should be informed about the risk of IVDD and the early onset of recurrences in French Bulldogs.

4) Marsupialisation of 12 odontogenic cysts in Boxer dogs: Retrospective case series

Hasler J, Tundo I, Southerden P (Open Access, from Frontiers in Veterinary Science)

Marsupialisation of odontogenic cysts is a minimally invasive treatment method used in human dentistry. Marsupialisation decompresses the cyst and promotes remodeling of alveolar bone and shrinkage of the cyst. In this retrospective study we look at the effectiveness of marsupialisation at reducing the size of odontogenic cysts in dogs. The case series consists of six Boxer dogs with 12 odontogenic cysts. Each case underwent a high resolution CT scan prior to treatment and at follow-up. Each CT scan was reviewed, the volume of each cyst calculated using manual segmentation and the reduction in cyst volume calculated. There was a marked reduction in cystic volume of 66.6% over a mean of 138 days. This shows that the use of marsupialisation effective method of reducing cyst volume.

Other news/resources

New Scientific Information Document on Brucella canis

BSAVA has produced a new Scientific Information Document on Brucella canis. Canine brucellosis is an emerging infectious disease in Europe. It is of particular concern in the UK where increasing numbers of dogs are imported from the EU, but it also has zoonotic potential. The new document provides relevant and easily accessible information to veterinary staff in small animal practice including transmission, diagnosis, management, public health implications and legislative requirements. You can read the document in the BSAVA Library.

Did you know that we have a selection of Scientific Information Documents on a range of other diseases and products?

You can read them here.

BSAVA PetSavers grant funding available

Applications are open all year for student research project grants to support undergraduate student vets, vet nurses and bioveterinary students. Grants include a stipend of £200 per week for 6-10 weeks for projects undertaken outside of term time, up to £1200 for consumables, a student ticket and up to £100 travel bursary to attend a subsequent BSAVA Congress to present an abstract of the project. Find out more and how to apply here.

Newly awarded BSAVA PetSavers grants

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

Master’s degree by research grant to SRUC/Edinburgh University for a project entitled Is IgA deficiency a feature of canine atopic dermatitis in small and medium sized dogs? (total funds = £39,365).
Undergraduate student research project grant to Cambridge University for the project Evaluation of plasma and urinary nucleosomes in dogs with urothelial carcinoma (total funds = £3,200).
Undergraduate student research project grant to Liverpool University for the project Validation and pathway analysis of biomarkers of canine cruciate ligament disease (total funds = £2,600).

PetSavers in print

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

A study by Dr Yuvani Bandara and colleagues investigated whether clinicopathological variables were associated with death due to gastrointestinal disease in cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE). The research concluded that physical and laboratory variables measured at the time of histopathological diagnosis of CIE were not predictors of death due to gastrointestinal disease or length of survival, however, the attainment of clinical remission reduced the likelihood of subsequent death due to gastrointestinal disease. Outcome of chronic inflammatory enteropathy in cats: 65 cases (2011-2021). was published in the March issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP).
Research by Dr Jack Lawson and colleagues has successfully isolated feline urinary extracellular vesicles from store cat urine, and showed that the vesicles had differential protein expression between cats with normotensive chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertensive CKD. Urinary extracellular vesicles as a source of protein-based biomarkers in feline chronic kidney disease and hypertension. was published in the January issue of the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP).

WSAVA’s Oncology Working Group creates Veterinary Oncology Glossary

WSAVA’s Oncology Working Group has created a glossary of terms commonly used in veterinary oncology, to give owners a clearer understanding of the diagnosis and management of their pet’s disease and to help them discuss it with their veterinarian from a more informed perspective. You can view the glossary here .

2023 WSAVA Awards Open for Nominations

The WSAVA is now accepting nominations for its 2023 Awards. These prestigious Awards recognise veterinary professionals from any background, generation or region of the world, who are creating positive change for companion animals and people. Nominations will close on 8th May 2023. To find out more and to nominate someone, see here.

BSAVA Research Notice Board

Upcoming Events

Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists

The AVA autumn meeting will be held in Warsaw, Poland, on 7th – 9th September 2023.

British Veterinary Dental Association

The BVDA Scientific Day and AGMwill be held at Pool House Equine, Lichfield, on 19th May 2023.

The BVDA Practical Course'Introduction to Composites', will be held at IM3 ACE Facility, Dublin, Ireland, on 28 – 29th July 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”.

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.

VetEd 2023

VetEd 2023 will take place at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh, on 6th – 7th July 2023.

World Small Animal Veterinary Association

48th WSAVA World Congress will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27th – 29th September 2023.