Page 9 - Clinical Connections - Summer 2022

Although veterinary knowledge, techniques In recent years, VetCompass has made epidemiological research, the VetCompass
and technologies are rapidly evolving to extensive use of machine-learning to team developed a secure system for the
improve the care that can be offered, many make sense of the enormous amounts of transfer of anonymised patient records from
animals continue to suffer from disorders data being recorded in veterinary clinics. veterinary practices to a central database.
that could be reduced or avoided if breed- VetCompass shares clinical data on over 20 VetCompass is a community that is
related or environmental risks were better million UK companion animals, covering over committed to open access to all information
understood and shared. VetCompass 200 million clinical notes and half a billion generated from our research. VetCompass
evidence is now a major contributor to the individual sales and treatments – veterinary papers are open access for free worldwide
overall evidence base on breed-related research is now truly into the Big Data age. impact and are readily findable on the
health in companion animals, especially We now use machine-learning models of VetCompass library https://www.rvc.ac.uk/
in relation to the harms from extreme language to identify cases for research and vetcompass/papers-and-data/original-
conformations such as brachycephaly. to understand the subtle contexts in which publications. In addition, most papers
VetCompass evidence is promoting veterinarians mention diseases without have an accompanying infographic that
improved animal welfare through, for implying that their patient suffers from it. summarises the major findings in an easily
example, policy to shift ownership towards We have also created diagnostic tools, such digestible format and that are open access
higher welfare dog breeds (‘Stop and as an endocrine prediction model that can for anyone to share https://www.rvc.ac.uk/
think before buying a flat-faced dog’ http:// calculate the probability of future diagnosis vetcompass/audio-visual-resources/
www.ukbwg.org.uk/) and by contributing to based on case notes. We have also created research-infographics.
evidence-based updates to Kennel Club a tool for veterinarians which facilitates the A free VetCompass app can be
Breed Standards as well as to breed health process of clinically coding patients and downloaded to IOS or android phones
plans at The Kennel Club. made this available free on the internet. that enable students to enhance their
Launched in 2016, the 'VetCompass clinical reasoning skills by exploring the
Australia' project extended the RVC’s The critical role of the veterinary anonymised clinical records of over 20,000
international vision for companion animal community dogs from the real first opinion world https://
health data collection for disease monitoring Prior to VetCompass, the full potential www.rvc.ac.uk/vetcompass/audio-visual-
and surveillance. VetCompass Australia for the vast wealth of animal health data resources/virtual-vet-clinic-app.
supports research projects at all seven recorded and stored by veterinary practices
Australian veterinary schools and has over was largely untapped. This represented References
10 peer-reviewed publications. a huge loss for animal welfare, where a
VetCompass has also extended its deficiency of good evidence was routinely 1. Mateus, A., Brodbelt, D. C., Barber, N. and Stärk,
research interests from dogs and cats to cited as a major limitation to welfare K. D. C. (2011) ‘Antimicrobial usage in dogs and
cats in first opinion veterinary practices in the UK’.
also cover a wide range of exotic species, progress. VetCompass has aimed to Journal of Small Animal Practice, 52, 515-521.
with current projects also exploring the fill these data gaps by sharing these 2. O'Neill, D. G., Hendricks, A., Summers, J. and
health of rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, clinical data in a de-identified format from Brodbelt, D. C. (2012) ‘Primary care veterinary
usage of systemic glucocorticoids in cats and dogs
rats, snakes and tortoises. Looking in the veterinary practices and merging them into in three UK practices’, Journal of Small Animal
other direction towards larger species, a single dataset to enable research that Practice, 53, 217-222.
VetCompass projects are also researching benefits pets, owners and the veterinary
the health and care of horses and cattle. community itself. To facilitate this data for For small animal referrals, please call:
01707 666399
Email:
First VetCompass equine PhD qmhreception@rvc.ac.uk
study commenced, VetCompass
online research platform
Surpassed 100 vet clinics launched, and collaboration with Surpassed 1,000 vet
First VEctAR MSc First VetCompass and one million animals Kennel Club Charitable Trust clinics and 10 million VetCompass
awarded MSc awarded in VetCompass commences animals in VetCompass Singapore initiated

2007 2010 2012 2014 2016 2019 2022

2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2021

Pilot project (VEctAR) VetCompass launched with First VetCompass peer- First VetCompass PhDs VetCompass Australia 50th peer-reviewed paper 100th peer-reviewed
launched RPSCA-supported PhD reviewed paper published awarded, and 10th peer- initiated published and first VetCompass paper published
reviewed paper published cattle PhD study commenced
Summer 2022 9