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SPVS announces 2024 Business Excellence Awards winners
An overall winner will be announced at SPVS Congress 2025.
Independent practices took the accolades across three categories.

The Society for Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has recognised the achievements of three independent practices in this year’s Veterinary Business Excellence Awards.

Accolades were given across three award categories, each representing areas which SPVS works to support. An overall winner will be announced at SPVS Congress on Thursday, 30 January.

The winner in the Team & Self-development category is Pennard Vets Maidstone, part of the independent veterinary group Pennard Vets.

A member of the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP), Pennard Vets has made headlines for its innovations.

In 2021, Pennard Vets became the largest practice in the world to transfer into employee ownership within an employee ownership trust. This year, it opened the largest veterinary practice in the South-East and welcomed Serina Filler to its team as its first group clinical director.

The winner in the Leadership & Management category is Stellar Vets in Littlehampton, which was opened by David Hodges in January 2021.

Dr Hodges originally owned a large practice called Pet Doctors, before selling the business to a corporate group in 2010. When the business became more bureaucratic and profit-oriented, Dr Hodges launched Stellar Vets to provide more personal care for his clients.

The practice has been nominated for Petplan Vet of the Year on several occasions, becoming a finalist in 2022.

The winner in the Veterinary Start Ups category is Manchester Cat Clinic, owned by Ellie and Daniel Lee.

Founded in May 2023, Manchester Cat Clinic is a family-run, feline-only veterinary practice. It was the winner in the Management Category of last year’s SPVS Veterinary Business Excellence Awards and also won in several categories for the BestUKVets Awards 2024.

The practice is specifically tailored for the care of cats, meeting the specifications of International Cat Care’s Cat Friendly Clinic programme and providing an environment where cats will not encounter dogs.

As well as awarding accolades in these unique categories, SPVS will also name an overall winner at its forthcoming congress. The awards ceremony will follow an address from SPVS president Silvia Janská on Thursday 30 January.

SPVS Congress 2025 will be taking place at Hilton Birmingham Metropole from 30 January-1 February.

Image © Shutterstock

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Greyhound Board announces change to vaccination guidance

News Story 1
 The Greyhound Board of Great Britain has published new vaccination guidance, with all greyhounds registered from 1 January, 2027 required to have the L4 leptospirosis vaccination, rather than L2.

The change comes in response to the reduced availability of the 'L2' Leptospirosis vaccine across the UK, and aims to support best biosecurity practice across the racing greyhound population.

GBGB veterinary director Simon Gower, said "While rare, Leptospirosis is a serious infectious disease that can affect both dogs and humans, so it is vital that we offer our greyhounds the broadest possible protection.  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Free webinar explores congenital heart disease in dogs

A free webinar is to provide veterinary professionals, dog breeders and pet owners an new insights into congenital heart disease.

Chris Linney, a cardiology specialist and Veterinary Cardiovascular Society (VSC) member, will present the webinar from 7.00pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday, 12 November.

Dr Linney will explore the types, causes and clinical presentation of congenital heart conditions. This will include diagnostic approaches, treatment pathways and emerging research opportunities.

The session is the third to be organised by The Kennel Club, with the VCS, following an introductory webinar and a talk on acquired heart disease. Dr Linney's webinar consists of a one-hour presentation, followed by a 30-minute question and answer session.

Dr Linney said: "This webinar will be an opportunity to deepen understanding - not just of the diseases themselves, but of how breeders, vets and owners can work together to support affected dogs and improve outcomes for future generations."

Click here to register for the webinar.