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Puppies sought for University of Lincoln pheromone study
Puppies will be required to wear a collar until they are six months old, with a new collar sent monthly to the owner's home.

Trial to examine effect of pheromone collars on behaviour

The University of Lincoln and Ceva Animal Health are searching for puppy owners to take part in a study into puppy behaviour and the effect of a pheromone collar on puppy development.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study aims to examine whether the pheromone collar can help to curb the development of certain behaviours in puppies which could be problematic.

The study is open to puppies less than 12 weeks of age. Puppies will be required to wear a collar until they are six months old, with a new collar sent monthly to the owner’s home. Owners will be asked to fill in a simple check sheet on their puppy’s behaviour every month.

Participants who complete all of their questionnaires will receive a canine health and welfare goodies pack from Ceva Animal Health and will be entered into a draw to win an iPad.

A marketing pack is available to raise awareness of the study, including a waiting room poster, owner leaflets and a social media post. The University of Lincoln is providing veterinary professionals with a £10 voucher for every successful sign up to the trial.

For more information on the study, please email the University of Lincoln at puppydevelopment@lincoln.ac.uk.

Image (c) Ceva Animal Health.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.