Better-fed calves are more moo-tivated to play, pioneering study shows
New research has revealed dairy calves which are fed less complete tasks faster and remember more in pursuit of milk, but miss out on play.
News
Better-fed calves are more moo-tivated to play, pioneering study shows
New research has revealed dairy calves which are fed less complete tasks faster and remember more in pursuit of milk, but miss out on play.
Human touch leaves chicks feeling egg stra happy, study finds
Chicks, just like pets, also benefit from gentle human touch, new research has revealed. Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that gentle human interactions do not only prevent fear in baby chicks but also triggers positive emotions. The findings offer new insights into how early-life handling affects the welfare of young farm animals.
Call for pet owners to fill in survey to help improve communication with vets
Researchers from the University of Bristol are carrying out a new study with a view to helping optimise the relationship between vets and clients, ensuring every pet receives the best possible care.
Euthanasia rates for stray dogs triple as more animals enter UK shelters
A stark rise in the number of stray dogs being euthanised across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, with rates more than tripling over a three-year period, are revealed in a new collaborative study. The research is published in the MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) journal Animals.
Hunting pressure is shrinking safe space for mandrills in Equatorial Guinea
Africa’s largest monkey, the mandrill, Mandrillus sphinx, is being forced out of its home within a national park due to hunting pressure, new research has revealed.
Introducing our new teaching space - the Blagdon Building
The Blagdon Building opened this autumn term as a purpose-built teaching space designed to support small-group, collaborative, tutor-facilitated learning. Spanning two floors and accommodating up to 360 students, the building’s open-plan layout has been carefully designed to encourage interaction and active engagement with teaching content.
Calling all animal lovers – free animal career advice event
Are you interested in working with animals? Animal lovers in Withywood, Hartcliffe and surrounding areas looking for information about career and training options in the animal care and veterinary industry are invited to a FREE community event this week.
Bristol Veterinary School hosts record-breaking Official Veterinarian (OV) Course for final year students
We are proud to share the success of our recent Official Veterinarian (OV) Course, delivered by the Veterinary Public Health (VPH) team
Bio Detection dogs successfully detect Parkinson’s disease by odour, study finds
People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have an odour that can be reliably detected from skin swabs by trained dogs, a new study shows. The research, in collaboration with Medical Detection Dogs and the Universities of Bristol and Manchester, is published in The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease today [15 July].
Professor Tim Parkin, Head of Bristol Veterinary School inaugurated as the 149th President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
The new President outlined his vision for how mentorship and respectful, constructive dialogue would help the regulator, and the veterinary professions as a whole, deal with some of the challenges ahead.
Research suggests earlier kitten neutering does not affect bodyweight in later life
Cats that are neutered at four months old compared to the traditional six months old are not at any greater risk of weight problems as they age, new research has found.
Road traffic accidents leading cause of pet cat deaths in the UK, Bristol Cats study finds
Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are the leading cause of death among UK pet cats who are 8 years old or younger, new research has found. This is the first UK-wide study to assess mortality and survival rates in pet cats to include those that do not attend vets or have insurance. The study, by the University of Bristol Veterinary School and Cats Protection, is published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
Study finds 'optimistic' medical detection dogs excel in tasks, while 'pessimistic' dogs shine in scent specificity
A new study into medical detection dogs — which use their scent detection abilities to detect diseases or assist individuals with chronic health conditions — reveals that dogs displaying more "optimistic" responses in judgment bias tests tend to perform better overall in detection tasks. In contrast, "pessimistic" dogs exhibit greater scent detection specificity. The University of Bristol-led study, published in PLOS One, could offer valuable insights for improving the training, selection, and support of medical detection dogs.
VetEd: Exciting Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
VetEd, the premier symposium and networking event for veterinary educators and students, is set to take place from July 2nd to 4th, 2025, at Bristol Veterinary School. This annual event, now in its 15th year, brings together veterinary professionals from the UK, Europe, and the United States to share innovative teaching practices, discuss challenges in veterinary education and collaborate on the future of the profession.
Greater openness about the use of complementary and alternative medicines in UK dairy farming could bring benefits
Greater openness about complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) use has the potential to strengthen farmer-vet relationships, which may prevent potential unintended harm to animals, reduce antibiotic use and improve herd health management, new research has found. The study, led by the University of Bristol, is published today [26 February] in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Bronwyn secures poster presentation at BSAVA Congress 2025
We are delighted to share that Bronwyn Bailey, former Bristol Veterinary School student, had her clinical abstract entitled 'Investigating the Prevalence, Predictability and Intervention Efficacy for Feline Peri-anaesthetic Hypotension', accepted for poster presentation at BSAVA Congress 2025.
Bristol Veterinary School to host VetEd Conference 2025
We are delighted to announce that Bristol Veterinary School will be hosting the prestigious VetEd Conference in July of this year. This internationally recognised event brings together veterinary educators, researchers and professionals to share innovative teaching practices, discuss challenges in veterinary education and collaborate on the future of the profession.
Celebrate 75 years of Bristol Veterinary School with our special anniversary book
Last year, Bristol Veterinary School celebrated its 75th anniversary. To celebrate this accomplishment, we’re thrilled to announce the release of a limited edition book that captures the rich history, cherished memories and remarkable achievements of our community over the past 75 years.
Bridging education and practice: introducing Andrea Turner
Bristol Veterinary School is extremely proud to have trained thousands of veterinary professionals over the past 75 years, but we couldn’t do it alone! Our incredible partners help provide placement opportunities for students and bring theory to life. One such partner is Langford Vets where Andrea Turner, Lead Clinician at Langford Farm Animal Practice, has been working for the past 11 years.
Groundbreaking study shows that dogs can smell cancer in other dogs
The results of a study into whether cancer detection dogs can smell bladder cancer in other dogs’ urine suggests that this could be an effective new way to diagnose the disease in dogs. The research, involving University of Bristol researchers, is published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology.
Student story - Olivia Jacques
Introducing MRes Veterinary Nursing and Bioveterinary Science graduate Olivia Jacques
Research round up
It has been a busy few months as far as research is concerned at Bristol Veterinary School.
Bristol Vet School to host VetEd 2025
2 July - 4 July 2025
BBC One Countryfile visits Bristol Veterinary School
Bristol Veterinary School was delighted to welcome BBC One Countryfile to Langford earlier this month. The team spent the morning at the school to shine a spotlight on the critical shortage of Official Veterinarians (OVs) working in abattoirs across the UK. The visit also gave the school the opportunity to showcase its efforts to address this challenge.
Celebrating International Vulture Awareness Day with Kane Colston
This year International Vulture Awareness Day is taking place on the 7th September. Perhaps best known for their scavenging, these birds are often overlooked. When you start to dig a bit deeper, however, vultures are truly amazing creatures. Did you know, for instance, that vultures are able to soar on thermal air currents for up to 5 hours without flapping their wings, meaning they can conserve energy as they search for food? Or that vultures can spot a carcass from as far as 5 miles away whilst flying in the sky?
Staff story - Jody Belton
Getting to know: Jody Belton, Deputy School Manager
Student story - Zoe Schlossmacher
Meet Zoe Schlossmacher, BVSc Veterinary Science student, who shared her experience on the course with us.
Bristol Veterinary School Community Fun Day
On Saturday, 20th July, Bristol Veterinary School celebrated its 75th anniversary with a spectacular Community Fun Day.
Dr. Ian Cadby awarded over £1 Million to advance groundbreaking research on intracellular survival of tick-borne anaplasma
Dr. Ian Cadby, Lecturer in One Health Approaches to Antimicrobial Resistance at Bristol Veterinary School, has been awarded over £1 million in funding by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to support a pioneering research project titled "Defining paradigms of intracellular survival through the study of tick-borne anaplasma.”
Professor David Barrett elected to RCVS Council
Congratulations to Professor David Barrett on being elected to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council
Student story - Mirabelle Habib
Meet Mirabelle Habib, our MSc Global Wildlife Health and Conservation student, who shared her experience on the course with us.
Staff story-Gemma Richards
Introducing Gemma Richards
Research round up
It has been a busy few months as far as research is concerned at Bristol Veterinary School.
Alumni story - Charles Wheeler
Charles Wheeler, our MSc Global Wildlife Health and Conservation alumnus, shared his experience on the course with us
Student story - Tirion Cobby
Introducing MSc Global Wildlife Health and Conservation student Tirion Cobby
Staff story - Francesca Booth
Francesca Booth, Research Project Officer and alumna of Bristol Veterinary School (BVS), shares her favourite thing about working at BVS and what she enjoys doing at her spare time.
Celebrating the 50th year of the Feline Centre with Langford Vets
Last week, the team at Bristol Veterinary School made the short walk to the on-site small animal referral hospital, Langford Vets, to celebrate 50 years of the Feline Centre. The day acted as a continuing professional development (CPD) opportunity for students and industry professionals alike as they delved into the world of cats for the best part of 8 hours.
Student story - Roy Sim
Our final year BVSc student shared why he decided to come to Bristol, what he enjoyed most about being part of the Veterinary School and what he has planned for the future
Local Scout group visits Bristol Veterinary School
Earlier this month, Shipham Scouts headed to Bristol Veterinary School to find out what really happens on the Langford Campus and to make the most of the fantastic facilities on offer.
Dr Vikki Neville awarded UFAW Early Career Animal Welfare Researcher of the Year
Dr Vikki Neville, a BBSRC Discovery Fellow and Proleptic Lecturer at Bristol Veterinary School, has been awarded the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) Early Career in Animal Welfare Research of the Year Award.
Final year student involved in the care of sixed-legged dog Ariel
This heart-warming story started when a lovely sixed-legged, 10 week old puppy, Ariel, was found abandoned in Pembrokeshire. Upon her initial radiograph, she was found to have two vulvas in addition to her two extra limbs. Due to the high complexity of Ariel’s case, she was referred for advanced imaging and surgery at Langford Vets. The CT scan at Langford further revealed that Ariel only had one functional kidney, which upped the complexity of the treatment. Ariel’s story quickly drew a lot of interest from the wider public as well as both the students and interns for whom it presented a fantastic learning opportunity. Thanks to the dedication of various specialist teams, the operation was successfully performed at Langford.
AAVMC announces new Board of Directors
We are delighted to announce that Professor Tim Parkin, Head of Bristol Veterinary School, has been appointed to the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Board of Directors.
New quarantine scheme could reduce risk of rabies reintroduction in the EU following Russian invasion, study finds
Rabies is a major concern to both human and animal health, with rabies in dogs and cats widespread in Eastern Europe, and there are concerns the war in Ukraine could pose a greater risk of rabies being reintroduced to the European Union (EU). A four-month period of home isolation of dogs and cats could reduce this risk, new University of Bristol research has shown.
The Feline Centre at Langford Vets Celebrates Fifty Years of Outstanding Feline Care with Feline Celebration CPD Event
The Feline Centre at Langford Vets is internationally renowned for being a centre of excellence for education and cat care, ensuring that all cats visiting the hospital are treated in a relaxed, comfortable environment with compassionate cat friendly care. Langford Vets prides itself on its facilities and dedicated feline staff, having the largest group of RCVS Specialists in Feline Medicine in the UK, working alongside a multidisciplinary team of European and American Veterinary Specialists and a dedicated feline nursing team. As the first referral hospital globally to be recognised as a Gold Standard ISFM Cat Friendly Clinic, Langford Vets is passionate about providing the highest level of feline care and sharing feline knowledge by teaching the University of Bristol undergraduate vets, vet nurses and a wider community of post graduates through the Langford Academy.
UK rabbit owners can recognise pain in their pets, study finds
Rabbits are popular family pets, with around 1.5 million* in the UK and it is important that owners can recognise when their animal is in pain, and know when to seek help to protect their rabbit's welfare. New research by the University of Bristol Veterinary School has found the majority of rabbit owners could list signs of pain and could mostly identify pain-free rabbits and those in severe pain, but many lacked knowledge of the subtler sign of pain.
Tim Parkin elected RCVS Junior Vice-President
Professor Tim Parkin, Head of Bristol Veterinary School, has been elected by Royal Society of Veterinary Surgeons Council members as the new RCVS Junior Vice-President, starting at the AGM on 5 July 2024.
New PhD studentship available
Applications are invited for a new PhD opportunity
Bristol Veterinary School celebrates 75 years of educating veterinary students and advancing animal health and wellbeing
This year – 2024 – the University of Bristol's Veterinary School is celebrating 75 years of educating veterinary students and advancing veterinary science. From improving livestock welfare to tackling food security and antimicrobial resistance, using artificial intelligence to detect disease and working to conserve highly threatened mammals, Bristol Veterinary School has helped to advance veterinary medicine, animal welfare and health around the world.
Live animal transport regulations not ‘fit for purpose’, major international study finds
A ‘fitness check’ of regulations in five countries meant to protect animals during transportation, has deemed that they all fall short of fully protecting animals during transport. Findings from this interdisciplinary work involving the Universities of Bristol, Essex and British Columbia (Canada) which compared animal transport rules designed to protect the billions of livestock that are transported on lengthy journeys in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, EU (including UK) and US, highlights serious failures.
Three-year population study supports fight to save Cameroon’s Kordofan giraffe
Crucial new data about the numbers of Critically Endangered Kordofan giraffe living within Cameroon’s Bénoué National Park has been released, supporting conservation efforts to save the subspecies from extinction.