PetSavers Old Age Pets Research Project

29/10/2024

Do you have your copies of the Ageing Canine Toolkit yet?

In 2022 BSAVA PetSavers funded a major research project – the PetSavers Old Age Pets Research Project – at the University of Liverpool. The aim was to help vets and owners provide the best care for their senior dogs. Key findings from the study were used to develop a traffic light colour-coded checklist to help owners know whether to seek advice from a veterinary practice and to guide discussions during consultations. This became known as the Ageing Canine Toolkit or ACT. Digital versions of the leaflet as an editable pdf and a poster are freely available to download https://ow.ly/irrA50TMB4V.
Veterinary professionals from the UK can request FREE printed copies of the leaflet and poster for their practices through the BSAVA Store.

26/08/2024

Delighted that our Ageing Canine Toolkit is being built into practice management software.

This we’re really excited to announce that we’ve partnered with IDEXX Animana practice management software to include the Ageing Canine Toolkit contents within their UK release of the Veterinary Content Cloud. This further increases its reach to veterinary professionals and senior dog owners across the UK.

The Ageing Canine Toolkit includes a leaflet and accompanying poster for practice waiting rooms. The leaflet contains information about the more common health problems affecting ageing dogs, and several copies of the checklist for owners to use regularly at home to monitor their dog as they age.

Find out more: https://ow.ly/52HV50T5ufl

17/05/2024

The team at Zero Pain Philosophy are happy to share details of an exciting new quality of life assessment tool for senior dogs, the ACT toolkit, available digitally for free using the link below.
https://bit.ly/4dGa3nO

Funded by BSAVA PetSavers and developed by Professor Carri Westgarth, Dr Lisa Wallis, and their team at the University of Liverpool, this new toolkit is the result of research into owner and veterinary experiences, expectations, and attitudes to ageing in dogs.

What were the results?
Owners often find it difficult to distinguish between ‘normal’ age-related changes (signs of ageing) and signs that may indicate disease, for which seeking veterinary care is appropriate.

What does it focus on?
The tool covers the clinical signs associated with the common age-related conditions, including mobility, dental disease, weight changes, cognitive decline, incontinence, excessive thirst, and masses. It also asks owners if they have any concerns regarding their dogs’ quality of life and introduces them to preparing for end-of-life discussions.

How is the toolkit designed to be used?
The aim is for pet owners to begin using the traffic light colour-coded checklist when their dog is middle aged, ~7-8yrs old depending on breed. It is advised to complete the checklist every 6 months, keeping previous results filed for reference.

The hope is that this can encourage regular health screening, helping owners identify changes easier and encouraging them to communicate more with veterinary practices and seek care earlier in a disease process.

09/05/2024

Great to see our most recent publication funded by BSAVA PetSavers reported in the Vet Times

Team at the University of Liverpool finds vets and owners disagree on how many times an older dog should visit a practice and whether senior dogs still need

16/04/2024

Our latest findings are published! Surveys found dog owners often put clinical signs of ill health down to just getting old, esp. sleeping a lot, slowing down and bad breath. Veterinary professionals advised more frequent health checks. Thanks to BSAVA PetSavers for funding. https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2024/04/15/new-research-highlights-ageing-dog-healthcare-needs/

05/12/2023

Canine osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain in many dogs. As part of her PetSavers-funded master’s degree, Christine Pye at the University of Liverpool reviewed recent advances in pharmaceutical treatment options and other therapies.
Read her publication here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.13495

05/12/2023

Calling all UK veterinary professionals 📢
Earlier this year we launched the evidence-based Ageing Canine Toolkit, supporting owners and vets care for senior dogs.
We'd love to get your feedback about using the checklist element of the toolkit - please carry out this short survey which should only take a few minutes: https://bit.ly/3QWYYW5

07/06/2023

Do you want help with managing your dog’s weight? Join our weight management trial and create your own tailored weight reduction plan!

It’s free to join and participants will receive reimbursement for travel and a food toy for taking part.

Email [email protected] for more information or submit your details at www.bit.ly/dogBCSstudy

Please share with anyone you know that may be interested!

31/03/2023

Last week we launched the BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit, and the response has been fantastic! The toolkit aims to help vets and owners provide the best care for their senior dogs. So many delegates have been excited to take a copy back to their practice.

Find out more and download your digital version 👉 http://ow.ly/rQIj50NvCr9

31/03/2023

The first paper from our PetSavers Old Age Pets Research Project is out now in JSAP, showing that dog owners need clearer guidance on which behavioural and physical signs are part of normal ageing and which could be indicative of a serious condition.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/3TPafYB

31/03/2023

Our first research paper has just been published! The results of the qualitative interviews has shown that dog owners need clearer guidance on which behavioural and physical signs are a normal part of the ageing process and which could be indicative of a serious condition. The paper is open access and available through a link on our University news page.

‘Just old age’ or is your dog experiencing a serious clinical issue?

24/03/2023

The University of Liverpool press release of the new BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canines toolkit!

University and BSAVA PetSavers launch Ageing Canine Toolkit

23/03/2023

Carri Westgarth being interviewed about the BSAVA PetSavers Canine Ageing Toolkit at BSAVA Congress 2023. Come and speak to us today at the BSAVA lounge!

23/03/2023

Carri Westgarth answering questions from BSAVA Congress attendees on the BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canines Toolkit produced from research University of Liverpool and Savsnet - University of Liverpool.

23/03/2023

Zoe Belshaw presenting the checklist of the BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canines Toolkit developed from research at University of Liverpool and Wag-Lab Westgarth Anthrozoology Group Research.

23/03/2023

The launch of the BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit created from research at the University of Liverpool and Wag-Lab Westgarth Anthrozoology Group Research with Lisa Wallis and Carri Westgarth from the Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, UoL. We will be presenting the tool in the Exhibition lounge at 1:40 BSAVA Congress 2023.

15/03/2023

Introducing the final PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit product which aims to help improve the care of senior dogs!🐶

If you are attending Congress, come to our presentation introducing the final PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit product which aims to help improve the care of senior dogs!🐶
The team will be in the Exhibition Theatre at 1:40pm, Thursday 23rd March, and will spend some time in the BSAVA Lounge later in the day to answer your questions!

17/02/2023

Many dogs live well into old age, but BSAVA PetSavers-funded research at the University of Liverpool shows that owners can find it difficult to know what are “normal” age-related changes.

This research has developed the Ageing Canine Toolkit (ACT) for owners to assess the health of their senior dog using a traffic light colour coded checklist. This encourages owners to seek veterinary guidance where necessary, and is supported by a leaflet about the more common health problems affecting aged dogs.

The ACT Checklist will be launched at Congress so visit the Exhibition Theatre on Thursday 23rd March at 1:40 PM to find out more 👉http://ow.ly/IpOI50MN4QT

17/10/2022

We would like to announce that Jodie our BSAVA PetSavers Masters student who worked on the PetSavers Old Age Pets Research Project at Savsnet - University of Liverpool has successfully defended her thesis entitled "Understanding the approach taken to ageing dogs in primary veterinary care using mixed-methods health informatics." Jodie passed her viva with flying colours! Congratulations!! She is pictured with her newest family member Raikou :-D

09/08/2022

Dr Carri Westgarth just presented the results of our PetSavers Old Age Pets Research Project "UK Owner and veterinary professionals differ in their perceptions of preventative and treatment healthcare needs in dogs" to the 16th International Symposium of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics "Connecting Animals, People, and their shared environments" all the way in Halifax Canada.

25/03/2022

On Wednesday we were at the British Veterinary Behaviour Association - BVBA study day in Manchester to present our results. Then on Thursday we presented the first draft of the PetSavers OAP toolkit to veterinary professionals at the BSAVA Congress 2022. We are still collecting feedback, but first responses are positive! BSAVA PetSavers

25/03/2022

The results from our PetSavers OAP competition are in! Congratulations to "Dr H, veterinary surgeon" who was randomly selected from all of the veterinary professionals who signed up to be interviewed as part of the preliminary phase of the OAP research project. Dr H has won a £50 Amazon voucher!
Follow the progress of PetSavers’ new citizen science project – aiming to help vets and owners provide the best care for their senior dogs – on the website https://www.petsavers.org.uk/our-research/oldagepets or Twitter feed

10/12/2021

Veterinary professions! It's your last chance to participate in our PetSavers survey. Have your say on what matters in senior dog general practice before the survey closes on Monday!
Check out the survey here: https://bit.ly/PetsaversOAPVetSurvey

It's your last chance to take part in our PetSavers Old Age Pets Research Project survey for veterinary professionals as this will close in a few days!

It should only take around 20 minutes to complete, and you could be in with the chance of winning an Amazon voucher.

Don’t miss your opportunity to help shape the development of a guidance tool for senior dog care. Check out the survey here: https://bit.ly/PetsaversOAPVetSurvey

10/12/2021

The results from our PetSavers OAP owner survey competition are in! Congratulations to Mrs A from Angus Scotland who was randomly selected from all of the people who completed the owner survey of the OAP research project. Mrs A has won a £50 Amazon voucher!
Follow the progress of PetSavers’ citizen science project – aiming to help vets and owners provide the best care for their senior dogs – on the website https://www.petsavers.org.uk/our-research/oldagepets or Twitter feed

25/11/2021

BSAVA PetSavers Old Age Pets project is looking for Veterinary Surgeons, Vet Nurses and Vet Physiotherapists who currently conduct, or have recently conducte...