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BSAVA asks for feedback on antibiotic tool
Veterinary professionals from all areas of practice are asked to respond by the end of May.
The demo version was launched at BSAVA Congress.

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and the Small Animal Medicine Society (SAMSoc) are calling for feedback, as they seek to develop a decision-making tool for antibiotics.

The resource will support veterinary professionals with the prescription of antibiotics, as the organisations work to combat antimicrobial resistance.

A demo version of the tool was launched at BSAVA Congress, which took place in March. BSAVA are now asking for feedback from veterinary professionals from all areas of practice before the end of May.

The tool aims to give veterinary professionals more confidence with deciding when to prescribe, and when to withhold, antibiotics from animals. A current demo version only covers advice on gastrointestinal infections, however there is additional work underway to cover more areas.

It is the next step of the organisation’s PROTECTME initiative, which seeks to encourage responsible antibacterial use within the veterinary community.

The core of the initiative will be the BSAVA/SAMSoc Guide to Responsible Use of Antibiotics: PROTECTME guide. It will accompany an ‘Antibiotic use in our practice’ poster in the BSAVA Library.

Other new additions to BSAVA’s PROTECTME initiative have included a collection of resources to support the medication of cats, produced by the International Society of Feline Medicine and the Feline Centre at Langford Vets. There is also a new FAQ section for owners who have received a non-prescription form.

Cameron Shuttlewood, production editor at BSAVA, said: “Responsible use of veterinary medicines is key in supporting One Health and in retaining the right to prescribe antibiotics that are important in human medicine.
 
“We are pleased that the small animal veterinary community is embracing the importance of antibiotic stewardship, and we want this tool to make it quick and easy to follow existing evidence-based guidance.”

Veterinary professionals can try out the new tool here.

The full PROTECTME guide, which includes printable posters and non-prescription forms, can be found here. BSAVA members can request free copies of the poster, and non-members can purchase them from the shop.

Image © Shutterstock

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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
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."