On Wednesday 10th May, greyhound track veterinarians from across the country visited the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science for a full day of continuing professional development (CPD).

Amongst other topics, GBGB Veterinary Director, Dr Simon Gower, and Dr Richard Payne from the University of Nottingham led an informative roundtable discussion on biosecurity and vaccinations, and sessions were held on standardising pre-race and post-race greyhound assessments.

The day was also a valuable opportunity for GBGB’s two newly appointed Regional Regulatory Veterinary Surgeons, Dr Victoria Fraser and Barry Sangster, to speak about the new role and how they can support track vets to further enhance greyhound welfare.

The introduction of RRVs and the enhancement of training opportunities for stakeholders throughout the sport both form part of GBGB’s long-term welfare strategy, ‘A Good Life of Every Greyhound’.

Commenting after the event, Tiffany Blackett, GBGB Executive Veterinarian, said:

“We were delighted to welcome vets from all over the country to this event and those in attendance had a wealth of experience and expertise in caring for racing greyhounds. There is always more to learn, and this session showcased the value of track vet colleagues coming together regularly to expand and exchange their knowledge and skills.”

Barry Sangster, GBGB Regional Regulatory Vet (RRV) for the North and Scotland, said:

“It was great to have the opportunity to talk in person to the track vets about what our role involves. As part of this, we were able to discuss how we could best support them which we will continue to reflect on as the role develops.

“Overall, it was great to see so many important aspects of greyhound care explored. I particularly enjoyed the section on pre-kennelling inspections, and it was informative to see best practice on first aid for greyhounds being discussed.”