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RSPCA staff create DIY sauna for sickly seal pups
Many of the seal pups at the centre will require weeks, if not months of specialist care.

Daily steaming sessions help intensive care pups breath easier

Rescued seal pups at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre have been receiving daily sauna sessions after staff created a mobile sauna unit out of a modified wallpaper stripper.

The centre is currently caring for 49 common seal pups, many of which have respiratory problems. They were admitted to the centre at the start of June and some will require weeks, or even months of intensive care before they can return to the wild.

The makeshift sauna was created to help the pups breathe easier. Twice a day, staff feed a hose through a hole in the wall of each seal’s isolation cubicle, switch the machine on and fill the room with steam.

Centre manager Alison Charles explained: “We had previously used veterinary equipment in the past, but it just wasn't strong enough to steam the whole room.

"So, we put our thinking caps on and got creative and made our own mobile sauna unit out of a wallpaper steamer. It even has a timer and it's on a trolley so it can be wheeled from one cubicle to another.

“We have found it makes a real difference to the seals breathing (just like a sauna can help us) after they have had a few sessions with the steamer!”

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS members invited to question Council candidates

RCVS members have been invited to submit questions to candidates for this year's RCVS Council election.

With 15 candidates standing for three available positions, vets have been invited to submit a question of their choosing before voting starts. These questions will be collated, with each candidate answering one question of their choice.

It is recommended that members read the candidates' biographies and statements before submitting questions. One question per member can be submitted to vetvote26@rcvs.org.uk before Wednesday, 25 February 2026.

The RCVS Council election is due to start in March.

With only two candidates for two positions on the VN Council, there will be no VN Council elections this year. Meghan Conroy RVN and Lauren Hargrave RVN will begin their three year terms at RCVS' AGM in July.