Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

RCVS launches new initiatives to mark 175th anniversary
Monday (15 April) marked the 175th anniversary of the first meeting of the RCVS Council.

College to follow cohort of veterinary students over 25 years

The RCVS has launched a series of exciting initiatives to mark its 175th anniversary.

Among them will be a digital project to preserve and showcase the original petition letters from practitioners that led to the creation of its first Royal Charter. This will be accompanied by an interactive digital timeline of key events from the veterinary profession over the past 175 years.

The RCVS has also announced plans to commence a longitudinal research project that will follow a group of veterinary students over the next 25 years. It is hoped this will lead to a better understanding of students’ initial hopes and aspirations and their following career choices and paths.

Monday (15 April) marked the 175th anniversary of the first meeting of the RCVS Council, which came about after the creation of its Royal Charter on 8 March 1844.

Frustrated with the quality of veterinary education at the time, two father and son veterinary surgeons from Staffordshire wrote a petition addressed to the Governors or the RVC, which was later distributed to other veterinary professionals to sign.

More than 250 veterinary surgeons responded with a letter agreeing for their signatures to be added to the petition. This then initiated the campaign for a Charter to create the RCVS.

RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett said: “This first Royal Charter recognised the ‘veterinary art’ as a profession, established RCVS Council with elected members, and gave the College power to administer examinations, which students of the then veterinary colleges in London and Edinburgh had to pass if they wished to be styled veterinary surgeons and have the privileges of members of a profession.

“We are proud that, 175 years later, we are still fulfilling these original Charter functions, and considerably more besides. Take, for example, our Mind Matters and Leadership Initiatives, which may not have been envisaged at the time but ensure we continue to be relevant, and support a modern, forward-thinking profession.”
 
She continued: “It’s fitting that we are celebrating the 175th anniversary of when we were asked to address educational standards at the Royal Veterinary College in the year in which that establishment’s veterinary degree course was ranked number one globally in the QS rankings.”

Visit www.rcvs.org.uk/175 more information and regular updates about the College’s 175th-anniversary celebrations.

Image (C) RCVS.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

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.