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Move to open access set for JFMS
"The AAFP is enthusiastic and eager for more veterinary professionals to receive access to the leading publication for feline scientific and veterinary research" - Heather O'Steen, AAFP.
Popular feline medicine publication will no longer be behind paywall.

The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (JFMS) has announced that the journal will join the open access movement.

Owned by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), the majority of the journal's articles are behind a paywall, and can be accessed only by ISFM and AAFP members and JFMS subscribers.

In a move designed to further the IFSM and AAFP's united goal of improving cat welfare by empowering the veterinary community to provide outstanding cat care, JFMS will become a Gold Open Access journal.

This means that all papers published by the journal will be freely available to read by anyone immediately following publication.

Claire Bessant, chief executive of ISFM's parent charity International Cat Care, said: “It will be so wonderful to make this vast resource of information available to all veterinary professionals who see cats.

“Making JFMS open access will contribute hugely to International Cat Care’s mission of enabling more people to act in a cat friendly way to improve cat welfare.

“We know that veterinary training in feline medicine and surgery is sometimes not a priority, yet cats are becoming more popular as pets worldwide and owners want good veterinary care for their pets.

“We are all continually learning about cats and being able to share JFMS more widely is very exciting.”

Alongside the journal becoming open access, the full JFMS archive will be made free to view, with more than 2300 papers currently archived.

The IFSM and AAFP will also continue to produce their Clinical Review articles, published open access from 2023 onwards.

Members of each organisation will still receive unique benefits, with the IFSM and AAFP offering exclusive resources such as podcasts, videos and interviews. Members will also receive monthly emails that summarise the most clinically relevant research.

CEO of the AAFP, Heather O'Steen, added her support and excitement for the move to open access: “The AAFP is enthusiastic and eager for more veterinary professionals to receive access to the leading publication for feline scientific and veterinary research, helping to advance the standards of feline medicine worldwide.”

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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.