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Novel device helps lion through dental surgery
The lion had arrived at the zoo with damaged teeth from mistreatment it had received in a circus.

SAFIRA aims to reduce the number of people needed for anaesthesia.

A lion at Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland has become the first animal in the world to undergo dental surgery using a pioneering anaesthetic device developed by clinicians in the NHS.

Susan Thorne from DentalVets carried out a root canal and two dental extractions on ‘Boss’ using the SAFIRA tool, created by four consultant anaesthetists at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn Foundation Trust in Norfolk.

Working with Cambridge-based firm Medovate, the clinicians hope to bring the device to market to make anaesthesia more autonomous for clinicians and safer for patients.

It works by delivering a slow controlled release of anaesthesia to support the visualisation of anaesthetic spread and can therefore support less anaesthetic being used to achieve the desired result.

Its developers hope it will transform anaesthesia into a one-person procedure - removing the need to communicate with an assistant and the inconsistency of an untrained hand. The device also lowers the risk of nerve injury by incorporating a unique built-in safety mechanism that limits injection pressure.

Adele Copland, operations supervisor at Five Sisters Zoo said: "Striving to give our rescued lions the best care we can at Five Sisters Zoo, we were happy to try this new way of reducing any mouth discomfort they may have had after their specialist dental treatment. Sadly they arrived here with damaged teeth from their mistreatment at the circus from which they were confiscated in Belgium. They have bounced back wonderfully after their treatment and are back to normal."

Chris Rogers from Medovate commented: “This is an amazing story of how an idea developed by NHS consultants is not only helping human patients globally, but it is also making regional anaesthesia safer for animals as well. There are a significant number of regional anaesthesia blocks completed in veterinary practice per annum globally, so potentially this NHS developed device could play a major role in the future of veterinary practice worldwide.” 

Image (C) Medovate.

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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
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.