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PDSA launches unwanted gifts appeal
The PDSA is urging the public to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to its charity shops.
The veterinary charity is experiencing increasing demand for its services.

The PDSA has launched an unwanted Christmas gift appeal to support its vital veterinary work.

It comes amid rising demand for the charity's services during the cost-of-living crisis, and the problem is only expected to get worse.

In 2021, PDSA treated some 370,000 pets and saved the lives of 134,000 animals. However, the organisation's PAW Report, released the following year, found that almost a third of pet owners are worried about affording veterinary costs.

It followed shocking findings released by the PDSA in 2021, revealing that a staggering 930,000 pets were at risk of being euthanised if their owners were hit with unexpected veterinary bills. 

Lloyd Hughes, head of retail and buying at PDSA, urged members of the public to donate their unwanted Christmas items to the organisation's charity shops.

“PDSA receives no government funding and relies solely on public support to fund our vital work,” he said. “Without the money raised in our shops and donations given to us by kind-hearted members of the public, we wouldn’t be able to fund the life-saving treatment we provide in our 48 Pet Hospitals.

“By donating unwanted Christmas gifts, that may otherwise sit in a cupboard or even be thrown away, to our charity shops, people can make a real difference to the lives of pets and their owners, keeping families together.” 

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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.