Vet Compass Project Type: Dog

People: Sian Beard, Dan O’Neill, Emily J. Hall, Anne J. Carter, Sophie Gilbert

Dates: October 2022 to August 2024

Background

Previous research from the VetCompass team has used data from dogs presented to UK primary veterinary practices to identify the incidence and canine risk factors for heat-related illness and develop the VetCompass Clinical Grading Tool for heat-related illness in dogs. The tool aims to support evidence-based triage of heat-related illness cases and to provide a prediction of clinical outcomes. 

Aim

This project, funded by the Dogs Trust, aims to evaluate and validate the VetCompass Clinical Grading Tool using real-world clinical cases presenting for emergency veterinary care in the UK.

Method

The project will use quality improvement methods to prospectively trial the Clinical Grading Tool in Vets Now emergency veterinary clinics in the UK to evaluate the uptake, clinical utility and predictive ability of the tool in a real-world setting. This will involve both detailed analysis of electronic patient records and collection of clinician feedback to audit the clinical application of the tool. The project will collaborate with the Hot Dogs research team at Nottingham Trent University.