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More Owners Abandoning Pregnant Dogs
The number of pregnant dogs abandoned by their owners is on the rise.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has revealed that more pregnant dogs are abandoned by owners who have failed to get their dogs neutered.

The number of births at the three South London sites is five times as high as this time last year, with 32 puppies born in Battersea's care compared to only six for the same period in 2010.

While it is often easy to rehome new puppies, Battersea is concerned that pet owners are failing to grasp the consequences of not getting their dog neutered until it is too late.

Battersea's Head of Animal Services Laura Jenkins said: "We believe that the number of unwanted animals coming through the Home's doors would be significantly reduced if more people took the responsible decision to neuter their pets."

Laura Jenkins added: "It's a common misconception that neutering is cruel as it actually has significant health benefits including reducing the risk of womb infection and tumours in both cats and dogs."

Battersea advises that owners must be urged to neuter their pets, to help prevent owners who cannot cope with unwanted puppies, abandoning their dogs. 

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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.