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Animal susceptibility to coronavirus study gets funding boost
The MASCOT study will examine two common veterinary coronaviruses.
Research could pave the way to a greater understanding of COVID-19.

A grant worth almost £200,00 has been awarded to researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) to examine companion animal susceptibility to coronavirus infections.

The funds, awarded by UK Research and Innovation, could lead to a greater understanding of why certain people are more susceptible to COVID-19, and may also identify new treatment targets.

Led by Professor Lucy Davison, the MASCOT (Mapping Animal Susceptibility to Coronavirus: Outcomes and Transcriptomics) project will examine two common veterinary coronaviruses: Canine Respiratory Coronavirus (CRCoV) in dogs, and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) in cats.

Both viruses share similarities with the virus that causes COVID-19, meaning that studying these naturally-occurring infections in pets could provide new insights into coronavirus biology.

“At the moment, we do not know precisely why certain individuals are more susceptible to COVID-19, and whether this difference in susceptibility has a genetic basis,” explained Professor Davison. “This project will seek to address this gap in our knowledge by studying genetic susceptibility to the common coronaviruses that are treated by veterinary clinicians and, in doing so, pave the way for a greater overall understanding of COVID-19.”

Along with researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Manchester, the RVC will study genetic susceptibility to CRCoV and FIP to understand which genes are involved in severe outcomes after naturally occurring coronavirus infections.

“We look forward to working with colleagues at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and the University of Manchester to improve our understanding of how to predict or treat severe coronavirus-associated conditions,” Professor Davison added. “We hope to make an important contribution to addressing the many challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

UKRI is the national funding agency which invests public money in science and research in the UK. Earlier this year, the organisation called for new research that could deliver a significant contribution to the understanding of, and response to, the COVID-19 pandemic.

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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
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.