An interview with BSAVA PetSavers' Allie Selby

Hello hello! Thank you so much for joining us for another episode of That Vet Podcast!

In this episode we have an interesting interview with Allie Selby, Fundraising Manager for BSAVA PetSavers.

Not heard of PetSavers before? Neither had Amy! From their website:

PetSavers has been funding clinical veterinary research for over 50 years, with more than £2.7 million in grants awarded to over 300 research projects since 1974.

Originally called the Clinical Studies Trust Fund, PetSavers awarded its first grant to David Bennet at the University of Glasgow in 1975 for a study of immune-mediated joint diseases in dogs, which led to the first identification of a canine rheumatoid arthritis. Since then, our grants have supported veterinary researchers at every stage of their career to deliver research with real in-practice relevance for veterinary professionals.

In this episode we chat about GP vets and nurses doing research in practice, alongside their regular jobs. Interested in doing a clinical study? You can see all the information about PetSavers and applying for grants here:

* General information

* Applying for funding

PetSavers have a number of different volunteer roles, from peer-reviewing research to deciding on grant applications. If this is interesting to you, email [email protected] or check out the About Us section of the website for more information.

Representing the wee old mannies: Badger Dyce (Amy’s elderly hound)

Our clinical discussion is about the PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit; “providing the best care for senior and geriatric dogs”. This was the outcome of a major research project, The Old Age Pets Project, undertaken at the University of Liverpool and funded by PetSavers. Key findings from the study were used to develop a traffic light coded checklist, to be used in GP practice by vets and owners, to help identify and understand signs of old age in dogs.

This incredible toolkit is available for free to clinics and owners. It can be downloaded digitally (or use this link for a PDF), or physical copies can be requested. There are free webinars on the website about the Old Age Pet Project and the Ageing Canine Toolkit, plus more information about the research that went into developing the tool.

Thanks so much to Allie for giving up her time to come on the show!

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