Animal Care

Nicola Lakeman MSc BSc(Hons) RVN CertSAN CertVNECC VTS(Nutrition), Plymouth Veterinary Group | NC2022

40 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

The interaction of dietary nutrients and cardiac health has really come to the forefront recently for both positive and negative reasons. Grain-free diets have been linked with dilated cardio-myopathies in dogs and this has lead to interesting finding regarding the involvement of non-grain carbohydrate and protein sources and cardiac health.

Other nutrients have shown to have a massive positive effect on cardiac health, so much that the correct diet can help to slow (or even stop) the progression of cardiac issues. We will discuss these new findings and what that means to the veterinary nurse in practice.

Decode Your Cat’s Mysterious Behaviour

Cats can be independent, unpredictable, and at times, a little contradictory. Unlike dogs, their social structure is less cooperative, often based on tolerance rather than collaboration. As a unique mix of both predator and prey, their natural response to stress may be aggression, but they often prefer to remain unnoticed. This course explores the evolution of feline behaviour, helping you better understand why cats act the way they do.

What You'll Learn

✔ Feline Social Structure – Discover how cats interact and form relationships.
✔ Application of Social Structure – Learn how to create a stress-free environment for your cat.
✔ Feline Communication – Recognise subtle signals and body language cues.

Why Take This Course?

Understanding a cat’s natural behaviour can improve both cat-human and cat-cat relationships. By ensuring the right environment—such as multi-level spaces and access to essential resources—you can create a harmonious home, especially in multi-cat households. This course will also help you interpret subtle feline communication, from small invitations for social contact to clear distancing signals.

Understand Your Dog’s Needs and Motivations

Dogs are an integral part of our lives, yet their social structures and behavioural needs differ from ours. While they hold a unique status as companions, they are often expected to meet higher standards of behaviour than other pets. For example, natural hunting instincts in cats are widely accepted, yet similar behaviours in dogs can be seen as problematic. This course explores why dog behaviour sometimes differs from our expectations and helps you better understand their needs and motivations.

What You'll Learn

✔ Selective Behaviour – Understand why dogs respond differently to certain situations.
✔ Development Stages – Learn how behaviour changes from puppyhood to adulthood.
✔ Canine Communication & Aggression – Recognise how dogs express emotions and handle conflicts.

Why Take This Course?

A dog's behaviour is shaped by its interactions with people, from its role in the family to how it spends its time. As owners, we have a responsibility to guide their social behaviours while respecting their natural instincts—many of which have been selectively bred for centuries. This course will help you provide the right balance of structure and freedom to ensure a happy and well-adjusted dog.

Understand Your Rabbit’s Natural Instincts

Rabbits are unique, social animals that behave differently from humans. Whether they live in a hutch or as house rabbits, understanding their natural instincts is key to ensuring their wellbeing. This course explores fundamental rabbit behaviours, helping you adapt their environment and care to meet their needs.

What You'll Learn

✔ Social Structure – Discover how rabbits interact with their group and their surroundings.
✔ Rabbit Communication – Learn how rabbits express emotions and signals through body language and vocalisations.
✔ Common Rabbit Behaviours – Identify normal and stress-related behaviours to support their welfare.

Why Take This Course?

Rabbits display a wide range of behaviours influenced by their diet and social interactions. By understanding their natural habits, you can recognise when they are happy and bonded with you, as well as when they are stressed or unwell. This knowledge ensures you can provide the best possible care, keeping your rabbit healthy and content.

Rachel Malkani BSc (Hons) MSc (AWSEL) PhD CDBC CCAB ABTC-CAB | BC2024

35 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

This presentation will cover:

1. A summary of what the dog friendly clinic scheme is and how to sign up
2. Why the dog friendly clinic is important
3. The criteria required to become accredited
4. Membership benefits

Behaviour Congress is a one day virtual event focused on animal behaviour. This congress offers 7 hours of evidenced CPD and we welcome a range of expert industry speakers to deliver lectures.

This congress will be particularly useful if you work in veterinary practice and are interested in learning more about the behaviour of the animals in your care.

Kristi Benson, Canada | BC2022

40 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Many dogs fear veterinary care, and these fears present barriers to veterinary care. Fears of social stimuli such as veterinarians and staff, fears of environmental contexts such as veterinary offices, and fears of handling such as restraint respond to behaviour modification involving operant and classical conditioning. The Academy for Dog Trainers’ Husbandry Project is the first practical research project to test training protocols to address these fears specifically and release these protocols to the public. In this webinar, the presenter will provide an overview of the project, the training, and the protocols, and provide all the instructions and plans as well.

Dr Anne McBride | BC2024

40 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

We keep small animals as pets, in zoos, for research, for their fur and feathers (or clothes and human & pet toys) and to feed other animals. Smallness is associated with cuteness, but not with smartness. We accept their sentience – able to experience pain and pleasure, but not always their cognitive abilities: problem solving, learning and memory abilities.

In this talk what it means to be small and some attributes these animals have will be considered. Though drawing primarily on rodent research, the principles relate to other taxa that are smarter than we may think: birds, reptiles, and even fish.

Can cats and dogs be healthy on a plant-based diet? (NC2023)

40 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Plant-based foods are increasingly popular in human nutrition and many owners want to provide exclusively vegetarian or vegan foods for their companions. The main Veterinary Associations such as the BVA and the Pet Food Manufacturers Association have until recently considered this trend as controversial.

This presentation will cover the scientific evidence that is available regarding the safety of feeding rations that do not contain any animal-derived ingredients to domesticated dogs and cats.

Alex Taylor and Sarah Collins | BC2024

55 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Are you Cat Friendly? Is your clinic Cat Friendly?

In this session we will look at feline emotions in the clinic setting to help us understand how both the environment and our interactions with cats impacts their behaviour.

We will follow the cat’s journey to identify stressors during a clinic visit and discuss the changes that we can make to reduce stress in our feline patients.

Expect lots of top tips around running effective nurse consultations too!

Matthew Rendle RVN, The Association of Zoo and Exotic Veterinary Nurses (AZEVN) | NC2022

** minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Nutrition is sadly often not prioritised in the assessment of exotic pets despite it being the underlaying issue resulting in many of the conditions exotic pets present with in veterinary practice.

In this lecture we will look at the commonly kept species, how we can prevent nutrition problems occurring as well as discussing how we nurse these patients once these problems are present, including the need for welfare assessments as well as QOL reviews.

Rosie Bescoby, Pet Sense and ASAB | BC2022

65 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

This talk will consider why the emotional state of animals is important to consider. We will look at the difference between fear & anxiety, and how body language can be observed to determine emotional states in both species. It will explore how to respond appropriately to dogs & cats when they exhibit signs of fear/anxiety, as well as how to reduce fear & anxiety associated with the vet practice.

Feeding the Veterinary Cancer Patient (NC2023)

45 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Adequate nutritional management can influence a cancer patient’s remission time, survival time, and quality of life. This session will begin by outlining the current research available surrounding cancer nutrition in both veterinary and human oncology patients.

The nutritional management of veterinary cancer patients should be specific to each patient based on nutritional needs and cancer diagnosis. Many cancer patients are also geriatric patients and therefore often have pre-existing co-morbidities that should be taken into consideration. The second part of this lecture will outline nutritional considerations in veterinary cancer patients and the veterinary nurse’s role in assessing patient’s nutrition.

Lucy Hoile, MSc CCAB ABTC – CAB

45 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Urine marking inside the home and toileting in unwanted places are common problems among the feline population, much to the displeasure of their owners, who often see this as a deliberate act of malice.

In actuality, these behaviours often indicate the cat is unhappy and needs help and understanding. In these cases, the cat’s welfare is compromised, and this talk discusses why this is may be so.

We will also look at the potential underlying causes, as well as treatment strategies that improve the cat’s welfare while encouraging more suitable toileting habits.

Be Prepared to Help Your Dog in an Emergency

Knowing how to respond in a pet emergency can make all the difference. This introductory course is designed for dog owners and those who work with dogs, providing essential first aid knowledge to help keep dogs safe and respond effectively in common situations.

What You'll Learn

✔ Prevention of First Aid Incidents – Learn how to reduce the risk of accidents and emergencies.
✔ Health Checks – Understand how to monitor your dog's wellbeing and spot early signs of illness.
✔ Unconsciousness & Fits – Know what to do if your dog collapses or experiences a seizure.
✔ Heat Stroke – Learn how to recognise and respond to heat-related emergencies.
✔ Wounds & Bandaging – Gain practical skills for treating minor injuries and applying bandages.

Why Take This Course?

Emergencies can happen at any time, and being prepared can save your dog’s life. This course will give you the confidence to handle first aid situations safely and effectively, ensuring the best possible care for your dog until veterinary help is available.

Keeping Nutrition Simple for the Pet Owner (NC2023)

40 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

This presentation will cover the following key learning points:

• The basics of nutrition and why it is so important
• What to consider when recommending diet(s)
• Case scenarios of pets and what nutrition you may recommend - and why

We will leave you with a good appreciation of the importance of nutrition and why one diet doesn’t fit all. You will take away knowledge to use in practice when supporting your clients.

Mami Irimajiri, Tokyo | BC2022

50 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Cats are believed to be a solitary animal but they can actually be social animals. Because we know that cats can live in a group, we are able to keep multiple cats in a household, even those cats who are not related by blood.

Some cats can live in peace but some cats within the same household can have fights that end up with lots of hissing, injuries, and spraying.

Within this presentation, we will discuss how cats communicate, how to know if cats are good friends or not and how to have a comfortable space for multiple cats so they can avoid each other. When there is inter-cat aggression in a household, what treatment can be considered will be discussed including medication and behaviour modification techniques.

Nutrition Congress is a one day virtual event that focuses on animal nutrition, taking a close look at different diets, strategies and nutritional requirements.

Veterinary nurses are regularly involved with animal nutrition in veterinary practice, from advising pet owners on what to feed their pets and delivering weight loss clinics, to providing nutritional support to hospitalised animals.

This congress offers 7 hours of evidenced CPD and aims to increase your knowledge and confidence in a variety of nutritional topics.

Alexandra Taylor RVN CertSAN ISFM Dip&AdvCertFB, The Cat Nurse | NC2022

45 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

In this webinar we will be looking at the physical and mental changes that occur in older cats, and how these can affect their appetite, digestion, and body condition. We will cover how the nutritional requirements of an older cat differ from their younger counterparts, with many super senior cats suffering from a co-morbities, affecting their overall health and longevity.

Key learning objectives include:

• To know the physical and behavioural changes occurring in the aging cat, and how they can affect both its nutritional needs and feeding habits
• To learn the nutritional requirements of a geriatric cat and how they differ from younger cats
• To understand the veterinary nurse’s role in educating owners about geriatric cat nutrition

Dr Sarah Ellis, BSc (Hons), PG Dip CABC, PhD

50 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Recent research has indicated it is likely around 2 million cats in the UK are living under stressful conditions due to living with another cat (PAW Report 2022). This is stress that could be prevented by putting greater owner understanding of cat behaviour into practice.

This presentation will provide an overview of cat’s environmental and social needs (human and cat) with particular reference to the multi-cat household.

You will come away with top tips to share with clients who are thinking of extending their single cat household to a multi-cat one and for those clients currently with multi-cat households.

Essential First Aid Training for Animal Care Professionals

This certificated CPD course (7 hours) is designed for individuals who care for animals in public or professional environments, including kennel owners, pet sitters, dog walkers, and dedicated pet owners. Unlike basic pet first aid courses, this comprehensive training provides practical skills and in-depth knowledge to ensure safe and effective emergency aid for animals until veterinary assistance is available.

What You'll Learn

✔ The Role of the Animal First Aider

• Understand the scope and limitations of animal first aid.
• Learn how to assess and manage emergency situations.
• Classify different types of emergencies for appropriate response.

✔ Common Injuries & Causes of Sudden Collapse in Cats & Dogs

• Assist animals after sudden illness or poisoning.
• Recognise and respond to common household and garden toxins, including chocolate toxicity.
• Manage accidental injuries and prevent further harm.

✔ Emergency Care for Injured Animals

• Learn essential techniques for controlling bleeding and applying bandages.
• Understand safe handling, movement, and transportation of injured animals.
• Discover the must-have items in a professional animal first aid kit.

✔ Providing Immediate First Aid Care

• Assess and approach an injured animal safely.
• Perform the recovery position and life-saving actions.
• Prevent further injury while awaiting veterinary intervention.

Why Take This Course?

Whether you work with animals professionally or simply want to be better prepared, this course equips you with the knowledge and confidence to act in an emergency. With hands-on techniques and expert guidance, you'll be able to provide critical care when it matters most, ensuring the wellbeing of the animals in your care.

Prevent a Life-Threatening Condition with Proper Care

Flystrike is a serious and potentially fatal condition that can severely impact a rabbit’s health and welfare. However, with the right care and preventative measures, this devastating issue can often be avoided. This course will help you understand how flystrike occurs, recognise the warning signs, and take proactive steps to protect your rabbit.

What You'll Learn

✔ What Is Flystrike? – Understand the causes and how this condition develops.
✔ How Do I Prevent Flystrike? – Learn key husbandry techniques to keep your rabbit safe.

Why Take This Course?

Flystrike prevention is simple but essential. By maintaining clean housing, conducting regular health checks—especially in warmer months—and managing diet appropriately, you can significantly reduce the risk. Most importantly, you’ll know when to seek veterinary attention to ensure your rabbit stays healthy and happy.

Alexandra Taylor, The Cat Nurse | BC2022

55 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

In this webinar we will be going through measures veterinary nurses can put in place to help reduce stress and improve compliance in hospitliased feline patients.

Key learning objectives include:

• Understanding feline specific needs – what makes them so special as in-patients?
• Learn how to set up your cat ward and accommodation to make it as cat-friendly as possible - it doesn’t need to be fancy!
• Know how to handle and restrain cats to help reduce stress and improve compliance 
• Learn why pain scoring cats is so important and how to recognise pain in cats

Hannah Donovan, BSc (Hons) BVM&S MVetSci MSc (Clinical Animal Behaviour) MRCVS CCAB, Donovan Vet Behaviour

55 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

This presentation will cover the following key learning points:

• Rescue dogs – from this country and overseas. What can we expect?
• Canine Behaviour – Body Language and Interpretation. This section aims to offer tools for understanding and interpreting what emotions our canine patients may be experiencing by observing their behaviour.
• How do we deal with “sticky” situations? What can we do to keep everybody safe and facilitate handling of a “difficult” dog? Some hints and tips for improving the experience of the situation.
• What can we do to help these individuals in the future? How can we change the dog’s perspective of these situations? Providing some tools for teaching owners how to help prepare their rescue dog for veterinary care.

Scientific Validation of Premium Pet Supplements vs Online or Branded supplements (NC2023)

45 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

People and Pets eat more supplements than ever before on this planet and there is a desire by consumers to provide more natural alternatives to drugs for their pets. During this presentation, delegates will learn about the lack of legislation to protect consumers regarding efficacy of supplements, creating scepticism in animal care and veterinary professionals about the benefits of pet supplements, and the massive marketing by companies direct to consumers.

Four Areas will illustrate challenges for animal care and vet professionals for commonly used pet supplements:

1. Joint Supplements
2. Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids
3. Anti-Diarrhoeas
4. Calming Products

Andrew Hale Bsc ISCP.Dip.Canine.Prac | BC2024

40 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Andrew brings the emotional experience lens to look at how we see behaviour in
companion animals, with a particular focus on dogs. A big part of the emotional
experience is the ability to communicate the need to feel safe, and Andrew will
introduce the Safety-First Protocol to highlight this.

The Safety-First Protocol consists of three foundations to feeling safe: Processing,
Engagement and Exit. We will go through each of these and why they are
important when helping animals (and caregivers) navigate the world around them.
Andrew will also look at the importance of mood states, and the role of optimism
bias in relation to feelings safe.

Dr Marge Chandler DVM, MS, MANZCVS, DACVIM (Small Animal Medicine and Nutrition), MRCVS, Vets Now | NC2022

50 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

The key learning points this presentation will cover are:

• Gain a better understanding of the aetiology of obesity in dogs and cats
• Understand the consequences of canine and feline obesity
• Be able to perform a quick nutritional assessment
• Improve skills in engaging the owner in the discussion on obesity
• Recognize the difficulties in weight loss and weight maintenance
• Be able to set realistic goals and provide support to the owner for obesity management

Katie McCaul BSc VN ANutR DipNat, The Pet Diet and Raw Feeding Veterinary Society | NC2022

45 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

The raw pet food industry has grown tenfold in the last decade. Emerging ahead of legislation and education leaving veterinary professionals unarmed to support their clients. During this presentation we will look at nutritional adequacy of raw foods as well as safety concerns surrounding bacteria and parasites. We will be providing you with resources and busting common myths to help you support your clients and be able to answer common questions. All information is unbiased and evidence based. By the end of the talk you will be able to gain information and put together a handout for your clients on how to minimise risks of raw feeding to their pets.

The Raw Truth - Dealing with Raw Clients (NC2023)

40 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Following on from last year’s introduction to raw feeding, we will take a more hands on approach and equip you with the knowledge required to engage with your raw feeding clients. Whether you agree with this method of feeding or not, we have a duty of care to ensure we support those owners who chose to feed their dogs this way.

We will cover a basic nutritional balance, how to identify good commercial brands, and the issues with the labelling “complete”. Moving more in-depth into health conditions and life stages we will explore when and how to feed raw and most importantly when it’s not safe to support.

Raw feeding is an emotive subject and we will touch on handling a raw feeding client to ensure you maintain a good relationship.

Dr Julie Ashton, BSc(Hons), BVSc, MANZCVs (Veterinary Behaviour), MRCVS, Life on Four Legs

45 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Noise fears and phobias are a common issues in dogs. During this presentation, we will discuss what classifies as a fear or phobia and look at when this becomes 'abnormal' and starts to affect animal welfare.

We will discuss presenting signs, how it can develop and what ways we can offer advice on management.

Emma Brown BVSc PGDip, MRCVS CCAB, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Companion | BC2024

Animal Behaviour

45 minute video - Certificated at 1 hour of CPD

Covid 19 saw a huge increase in dog ownership as well as changes to the
type of dogs taken on and the people acquiring new pets. There were also
massive changes to the experiences these pups had compared to previous
generations. Emma will review some of these changes and the impact they
have had on the behaviour cases presenting now. Have the pandemic puppies
become anxious adolescents, angry adults or perfect pets?