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RVC opens new transfusion centre
Christianne Glossop opened the new facilities.
The facility will help meet demand for blood products.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has opened a Transfusion Medicine Centre at its Hawkshead Campus in North Mymms, Hertfordshire.

The centre was officially opened in a special ceremony by Christianne Glossop, chair of the RVC’s charity the Animal Care Trust. The charity gave £90,000 to the project.

The new facilities will help the RVC meet the increasing demand for blood products. The centre has separate areas for canine and feline donors and an on-site laboratory to process and store blood products.

Since the RVC launched its Blood Donor Programme in 2004, the number of regular donors has increased from 19 dogs to 150 dogs and 62 cats. In 2023, the programme facilitated a total of 711 transfusions.

Dan Chan, professor of emergency and critical care medicine at RVC, said: “Working in the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, I’ve seen first-hand how blood donations help pets every single day and the ground-breaking clinical treatment and expert care that is provided at the hospital.

“Thanks to our special donors, blood transfusions have saved thousands of lives at the RVC over the last two decades.”

“The new Transfusion Medicine Centre is essential in allowing us to expand and enhance our current facilities to ensure even more cats and dogs can be treated. We are grateful to everyone for their contributions that have helped us to achieve this important goal.”

Image © Royal Veterinary College

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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.