Behind the Evidence: How BSAVA and PetSavers Are Shaping the Future of Veterinary Care
Veterinary teams are expected to deliver gold-standard care in an environment defined by time pressure, rising costs, and emotional strain. Research underpins every clinical decision, yet for many working in practice, engaging with evidence can feel daunting, distant, or simply impossible to prioritise.
To explore how research makes its way from idea to consulting room, we caught up with Alison Selby from BSAVA PetSavers, the research and grant awarding arm of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA).
BSAVA supports both the veterinary sector and its 10,000 strong membership across the UK, offering guidance, publications, CPD, and a community for vets and nurses navigating a demanding profession. At the heart of this mission, PetSavers funds independent research into companion animal health, ensuring that studies address real clinical challenges faced by veterinary teams.
Research at every stage of a veterinary career
PetSavers’ approach is unique: research funding is available for undergraduate students through to PhD-level projects, and practitioners working in clinics as well as researchers in academia are eligible to apply. Funding for students, up to £3,200 for short research projects, helps cultivate curiosity and evidence-based thinking from the very start of a veterinary career. Supporting research across all career stages ensures that questions are grounded in practical clinical challenges, so findings translate directly into improved patient care.
Translating research into practice
Research funded by PetSavers has directly shaped many treatments and approaches in small animal medicine. PetSavers funding has been instrumental in developing pain relief and anaesthesia for companion animals through several projects, many of which were based on work previously performed in human medicine and have led to the development of drugs now widely used in veterinary practice. One example of this, the first characterisation of buprenorphine in dogs, was supported by a PetSavers grant, and this is now one of the most frequently prescribed analgesics for acute pain in dogs, cats and rabbits.
Another milestone is the Ageing Canine Toolkit (ACT), developed in response to findings from a PetSavers funded University of Liverpool study investigating the challenges faced by owners and vets in the care of senior dogs. Interviews with vets and clients revealed a lack of guidance for dog owners to know when signs of concern needed veterinary attention, and that owners sometimes thought issues were 'just old age' and an inevitable part of life. The ACT was developed to support owners and includes traffic light colour-coded checklists to help them identify signs of disease and guide discussions during consultations with veterinary professionals, enabling earlier interventions and improved quality of life. Its adoption by major charities like Dogs Trust and Blue Cross has extended its impact across the UK.
Independent research is particularly vital in areas that may not attract commercial funding, such as antimicrobial stewardship, or work on the health and welfare of exotic species. By funding projects that might otherwise be overlooked, PetSavers ensures research remains relevant, credible, and accessible to veterinary teams.
Making research accessible for busy teams
Engaging with evidence-based veterinary research can be challenging when time is limited. BSAVA offers a range of resources to help make it more accessible and digestible. The BSAVA membership can opt into receiving its specialised Science and Research newsletter which includes summaries relevant to practice. Their ournal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP) features original, peer reviewed articles and case reports and the organisation’s member magazine, Companion, highlights PetSavers funded research.
The organisation’s newest innovation, Rover, is an online Virtual Assistant using AI technology to find BSAVA content relevant to the queries submitted - helping veterinary professionals in their everyday practice. Later this year BSAVA will launch its new CPD platform, LUMOS, an adaptive learning ecosystem, designed for vets and veterinary nurses at every stage of their career, to make continuing education flexible, personalised, and rewarding.
At its core, the work of BSAVA and PetSavers is about supporting both pets and the people who care for them, turning curiosity and funding into research that improves lives, strengthens practice, and ensures veterinary teams are equipped to deliver evidence-based care every day.
About PetSavers
PetSavers is the research and grant awarding arm of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA), funding studies into diseases and health conditions affecting companion animals. They support research at all stages of a veterinary career, from student projects to practitioner-led initiatives, ensuring findings are practical, relevant, and translated into real-world veterinary care.
PetSavers empowers veterinary teams and pet owners with evidence they can trust, helping improve outcomes and enhance the quality of life for pets across the UK.
👉 Learn more about PetSavers and explore how they support veterinary research via the link below.