Ep 148: Feline parvovirus, with Cats Protection’s Sarah Merrett and Lucinda Alderton-Sell

Through its Young Vets programme, Purina Pro Plan is supporting students and early career vets with free, practical guidance on pet nutrition, and structured support for non-clinical communication. Based around the three core pillars of nutrition, employability and entrepreneurship, the Young Vets platform provides digestible, actionable insights to help early-career vets manage challenging client conversations, advocate for preventive health, and build long-term professional confidence. In this second podcast episode, Vet Times and Purina Pro Plan turn to the other side of the coin to examine the challenges and opportunities facing young vets through the lens of experience. We spoke with Ebony Escalona, equine vet and founder of Vets, Stay Go: Diversify, and Caroline Gardner, clinical director at Oak Vet Group and vice-chair of the Inspiring Vet Care small animal clinical board, to explore how practice leaders can best support, guide, and inspire the next generation of veterinary talent…

Feline parvovirus is a highly contagious, severe and often fatal disease of kittens and cats. Last year, Cats Protection joined forces with the RSPCA and Blue Cross to appeal for veterinary professionals’ vigilance amid rising case numbers. Vets Sarah Merrett and Lucinda Alderton-Sell, Cats Protection’s head of cat welfare engagement and senior community veterinary manager, respectively, joined Chris Simpson to discuss the virus and the role first-opinion vets have to play in its control. Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this Vet Times podcast, we speak to Ian Wright about the growing emphasis on risk-based prescribing and how parasite risk-assessment tools can support vets and pet owners. Ian’s expertise in this area is second to none - he is a practising vet, has a master’s degree in veterinary parasitology and is chair of the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP). SPONSORED The podcast is proudly sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, who are committed to helping practices shift towards more tailored risk-based parasite control at an everyday level, through education and practical support, and their free online parasite risk checker for cats and dogs, Parassess. With growing focus around responsible parasite control, it’s important to make tailored, evidence-based prescribing decisions. A lifestyle-based parasite risk assessment can help you confidently match the right parasiticide, at the right frequency, to the right pet. Parassess is a free, online parasite risk checker tool that help owners understand their pet’s individual risk. Based on ESCCAP guidelines, it collects key lifestyle and behaviour information in just a few minutes and generates a personalised report for owners to discuss with their vet. With 65,536 possible risk profiles, you can be confident the outcome is personal to the pet. Discover Parassess for dogs and cats here: www.parassess.co.uk Visit WHAT’S THE RISK? Hub for more information about risk-based prescribing for parasiticides, and to learn more about Parassess: https://www.whatstherisk.co.uk For support determining parasite treatment frequency, visit the ESCCAP website to see their parasite control guidelines: Guidelines | ESCCAP Ian Wright BVMS, BSc, MSc, MRCVS is a practising vet and co-owner of The Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire. He has a master’s degree in veterinary parasitology and is chairman and director of European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP), as well as guidelines director for ESCCAP Europe.

The British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society (BVEDS) is celebrating its 10th birthday. Its founders, vets Navaratnam Partheeban and Issa Robson, join Chris Simpson to reflect on BVEDS’ work, how the veterinary sector has changed and what it still needs to do to become a more inclusive profession for all. Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Purina Pro Plan has recently launched its Young Vets initiative – an educational platform offering free courses in pet nutrition, employability, and entrepreneurship to support students and early career vets. The aim of the programme is to give them the tools they need to make a seamless transition from the lecture hall to the consult room. Vet Times has partnered with Purina Pro Plan with a three-part series of podcasts and articles to explore some of the issues facing new vets in practice and the support they need to thrive in their careers. In this first episode we speak with two newly qualified vets, Eleanor Goad and James Robinson, in the second we catch up with two more experienced clinicians before rounding off the project with a round table discussion between both groups. Our aim is not to provide all the answers; it is simply to highlight some of the issues and find some solutions to help the veterinary sector make the most out of the next generation of talent…

New RSPCA CVO Charlotte Beckett joins Allister Webb to discuss her priorities in the role and her aspirations for the sector as it faces up to major changes. Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Earlier this year, IDEXX announced it was expanding its Cancer Dx Panel to include canine mast cell tumour detection as well as lymphoma detection, and the rollout of FNA cytology on the IDEXX inVue Dx Cellular Analyzer. IDEXX global medical affairs specialist Dana Connell joined Chris Simpson to discuss the innovation and the importance of incorporating cancer screening into routine veterinary consultations. Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In June, BVA Live’s Interactive Zone hosted the packed session “When is enough, enough? How do we define overtreatment?”, which made for lively and thought-provoking debate. The session’s chairs, BVA senior vice-president Elizabeth Mullineaux and Caroline Allen, director at Pet Lighthouse and former chief veterinary officer of the RSPCA, sat down with Chris Simpson to take the discussion further. Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this Vet Times Extra podcast, supported by Animal Friends Pet Insurance, Paul Manktelow, veterinary services director at Blue Cross, discusses the vital role of long-term supporters, equine welfare, and strategies for navigating and relieving the impacts of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis across the veterinary sector. The podcast episode highlights the multi-year support provided by Animal Friends Pet Insurance. The pet insurance provider, founded in 1998 to support animal welfare, has donated more than £10 million to help support more than 830 animal welfare charities in the last 28 years*. The episode also explores how funding helps to empower charities to deliver essential services for UK pet owners, expand volunteer networks, and relieve pressure on veterinary teams. At the core of the discussion is the critical need for accessible veterinary care. Paul explains how Blue Cross supports vets through initiatives like the Veterinary Care Fund, which now engages approximately 1,500 practices across 92% of the UK to help owners who cannot afford immediate treatment. He also addresses the introduction of discounted fees at Blue Cross hospitals to ensure long-term service sustainability, alongside the expanded role of the Pet Loss Support line in assisting owners through pet relinquishment, loss and financial strain. For more details on the charity’s work and services, visit: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/ Paul Manktello has worked in the veterinary sector for 25 years, predominantly within the charity field alongside ongoing engagement in private practice. Having previously worked with the PDSA, he now serves as veterinary services director at Blue Cross. In his role, Paul oversees hospital operations and strategic planning to address evolving societal and industry challenges – notably driving initiatives around contextualised care, affordable treatment models, and equine rehoming expansion. *The charitable work undertaken by Animal Friends Insurance is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As the leading global charity dedicated to feline welfare, iCatCare provides trusted, evidence-based support for veterinary professionals and cat owners. Vetoquinol UK, an animal health pharmaceutical company, shares iCatCare's commitment to improving cat health and welfare through education and engagement. Together, iCatCare and Vetoquinol UK will support feline health initiatives, promote best practice in cat care, and raise awareness of cats' unique needs among veterinary teams and owners. SPONSORED: Podcast funded by Vetoquinol UK (Felpreva). Information on iCatCare education and CPD courses: Global cat charity iCatCare runs courses including those to help us understand cats – listed on https://icatcare.org/courses. The Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional https://icatcare.org/courses/cat-friendly-veterinary-professional and Cat Friendly Veterinary Receptionist https://icatcare.org/courses/cat-friendly-veterinary-receptionist on-demand courses are particularly useful for vet teams to help them think ‘CAT’ and reduce stress for feline patients and caregivers. General information • Information highlighting different feline needs: https://icatcare.org/articles/the-different-needs-of-different-cats • Information on the 'Five Pillars' of a healthy feline environment from iCatCare & FelVMA: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X13477537 • iCatCare info on Cat friendly handling & cat friendly interactions (CFI): https://icatcare.org/articles/handling-and-interactions • iCatCare & FelVMA 2022 Cat Friendly Vet Interaction Guidelines: Approach & Handling Techniques: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X221128760 iCatCare & FelVMA 2022 Cat Friendly Vet Environment Guidelines: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X221128763 • Feline Grimace Scale for pain recognition is validated for non-vet professionals to use too (acute pain): https://www.felinegrimacescale.com/ • iCatCare carer guide on acute pain: https://icatcare.org/resources/cat-carer-guide-acute-pain.pdf • Chronic pain may be more challenging, but for osteoarthritis caregivers can fill out mobility checklist: https://icatcare.org/resources/cat-friendly-clinic/cat-friendly-clinic-mobility-checklist.pdf • Signs of pain for caregivers iCatCare infographic: https://icatcare.org/articles/physical-health • iCatCare information on kittens e.g. https://icatcare.org/articles/helping-your-new-cat-or-kitten-settle-in and taking your cat to the vet https://icatcare.org/articles/taking-your-cat-to-the-vet? • iCatCare information on giving cats medications: https://icatcare.org/articles/how-to-give-a-cat-medication • iCatCare information on Cat Friendly Clinics (CFC): https://icatcare.org/cat-friendly-clinic/becoming-a-cat-friendly-clinic About the speaker Séverine Tasker is an RCVS recognised specialist in feline medicine and EBVS European veterinary specialist in small animal internal medicine. After graduation from the University of Bristol veterinary school, Séverine spent time in practice before taking an iCatCare residency in feline medicine at Edinburgh’s vet school. She then returned to Bristol and completed a PhD in feline haemoplasmosis before undertaking an academic career, becoming professor in feline medicine in 2016. In 2018, she became a medical leader for a group of veterinary clinics in the UK and Ireland, developing a medical strategy incorporating quality improvement, education and clinical research. In 2025 she joined the charity iCatCare where she is global veterinary advisor, helping to advance feline veterinary science internationally. Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/