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SAVSNET: Collating Veterinary Electronic Health Records for Research and Surveillance

Description

Statutory veterinary disease surveillance generally focuses on food animals with only minimal resources committed to companion animals. However, the close contact between owners and pets suggests that disease surveillance in these species could benefit both animal and human health.

Following a successful pilot, SAVSNET Ltd. was set up as a joint venture between the University of Liverpool (UoL) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) to deliver companion animal health data for research and surveillance. SAVSNET consists of two projects: the first collates results from commercial diagnostic laboratories whilst the second collects data from enrolled veterinary practices for consultations where owners have provided consent by opt-out. Both projects have been approved by the UoL’s Research Ethics Committee and the aims are supported by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the UK’s regulatory body for the veterinary profession.

Applications to use the data are encouraged and are assessed by a panel consisting of BSAVA, UoL and independent members. Data access attracts a nominal fee that is used for long-term sustainability. Currently, SAVSNET data is being used for a wide range of projects by academic collaborators, PhD researchers, undergraduate students and commercial companies.

Objective

SAVSNET—the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network—collects and collates real-time data from veterinary diagnostic laboratories and veterinary practices across the UK to support research and disease surveillance in companion animals.

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