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Isoflurane shortage: Webinar launched to help vets
The webinar covers the use of low flow anaesthesia and monitoring techniques.
Professor discusses alternative solutions 

The nationwide shortage of isoflurane has prompted the BSAVA to commission a webinar discussing alternative solutions for vets.

It was announced last month that the third-party manufacturer of isoflurane had to cease production, owing to a mechanical problem on the production line.

The webinar, ‘Anaesthesia without isoflurane’, was delivered by Ian Self, a European and RCVS specialist in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia at the University of Nottingham.

It was designed to answer questions supplied by BSAVA members since the shortage was announced. It covers the use of low flow anaesthesia and monitoring techniques, to spare gaseous anaesthetic agents and offers tips on partial and total intravenous anaesthesia (PIVA and TIVA).

The webinar will be available online until March and is free for BSAVA members, costing £25+VAT for non-members. BSAVA is also offering free access to a chapter on ‘Injectable anaesthetics’ from the Manual of Canine and Feline Anaesthesia and Analgesia, 3rd edition.

Both are available as a collection in the BSAVA library.

Lucie Goodwin, BSAVA head of education, said: “BSAVA is taking important action to ensure we support the whole veterinary profession during these challenging times, and the information we have made available has been tremendously well received.
 
“The webinar hopefully answers many of the questions the profession has about what to do during this nationwide shortage of isoflurane, and the manual chapter is a useful additional resource that offers practical advice throughout.”

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."