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WSAVA to unveil new Global Pain Guidelines
"We hope the latest issue of our Guidelines will become a key reference point" - Dr Bea Monteiro.

The updated guidelines will be launched at World Congress.

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) will launch an updated version of the Global Pain Guidelines during its World Congress.

Currently undergoing peer-review before publication in the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP), the new edition of the Guidelines for the Recognition, Assessment and Treatment of Pain have been created by the WSAVA's Global Pain Council (GPC).

Published in 2014, the first Global Guidelines have been downloaded from the JSAP website 53,000 times. 

The updated guidelines will provide veterinary professionals will easy-to-implement information on the recognition and treatment of pain in small animal practice.

Accessible to veterinary professionals from any region of the world, the guidelines offer support regardless of drug availability, sharing advice on how to recognise and treat pain when drugs are unavailable.

Dr Bea Monteiro, chair of the WSAVA Global Pain Council, said: “With animal sentience now legally recognized in many countries and jurisdictions, veterinary health professionals have a moral and ethical duty to mitigate suffering to the best of our ability. 

“Despite advances in the recognition and treatment of pain, pain still occurs more commonly than it is treated. This makes it essential that we engage veterinarians globally and support them in recognizing, anticipating, alleviating and treating pain. 

“We hope the latest issue of our Guidelines will become a key reference point and I’d like to thank the members of the GPC for their dedication in preparing them.”

WSAVA World Congress, where the new guidelines will be launched, is taking place in Lima, Peru, from 29 – 31 October. 

 

Image (C) WSAVA

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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
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.